<html><head><style type='text/css'>p { margin: 0; }</style></head><body><div style='font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000'><P>With the model year ending, you should find competitive prices at a Local Bike Shop for these kinds of bikes. At the LBS you can ask to swap out parts, trick your ride and usually get a tune up after the break in period. There are many shortcuts a manufacture like this can take because all you see is a low-res .jpg and not the quality of the parts and especially the soundness of the wheel build. If you have a limit of $250 to spend, I have seen a decent commuter models by Mongoose and Schwinn at department stores but beware of the build quality and extra weight. Nothing wrong with doing the build yourself but it's slightly risky (and an added expense) shipping a bike. I volunteered as a mechanic many times this summer at the BCU free tune up tent and I can't explain in enough words how poor department store bikes are and how remarkably the old steel chromoly, non-suspension mountain bikes from the nineties have held up over time. </P>
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<P><B>From: </B>rinonvan@gmail.com<BR><B>To: </B>"Boston Critical Mass" <list@bostoncriticalmass.org><BR><B>Sent: </B>Tuesday, October 4, 2011 4:42:23 PM<BR><B>Subject: </B>[*BCM*] Windsor bikes from Bikes Direct<BR><BR>Not exactly sure what is off topic here as we don't have much activity<BR>on this list, so here it goes.<BR><BR>Has anyone ever had any experience with this company?<BR>The site is very basic with no physical location mentioned.<BR>http://www.bikesdirect.com<BR><BR>I'm particularly interested in the Windsor Essex and Oxford models.<BR>The prices seem a little too good to be true and feedback seems varied.<BR><BR>I'm not affiliated with the dealer or the manufacturer, just hoping<BR>for some first hand experience before purchasing.<BR>Thanks.<BR><BR>-R<BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Boston Critical Mass mailing list<BR>list@bostoncriticalmass.org<BR>http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list<BR>To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org<BR></P></div></body></html>