After reading the reviews of this bike with people saying their bike was scratched, had flat tires, stripped pedals I was relieved when I received my box in perfect condition. Upon opening the box, the bicycle was packed so well with every part of the bicycle covered in either foam or cardboard and not a scratch. Assembly was easy as the front wheel attaches with a quick release lever, the seat gets tightened with an Allen wrench. The handlebars are clamped in with an Allen wrench also. Very easy. The bike did however have a warped front wheel which I had to straighten by adjusting the spokes by tightening or loosening them at the warped area. I got the wheel almost perfect. The brakes needed minor adjusting as all bikes do and they work well. The rear derailer also needed some adjustments because it wouldn't go into the highest gear. Another fairly easy fix using a screwdriver and adjusting two screws on the derailer. I rode it for about 30 miles so far with no problems and the gears are shifting to perfection. As far as the seat goes, it could be a little softer. I was also suprised how light it is. I love this bike, what a great deal for $300 bucks.

Thank goodness my husband is very mechanically inclined because the incorrect instruction manual was included with this bike. In fact, once he realized the error, he assembled the bike sans the manual. But, it would've definitely come in handy as he needed the proper instructions to troubleshoot an issue with the frame.
Otherwise, it's a very nice bike for the money and will get plenty of use.

I needed a bike to commute to work because my previous one was stolen. I haven't ridden in quite some time so I looked for a starter bike to get back into it. This is a great bike for a commuter or new cyclist. Some things about it:

Pros:
- Assembly isn't bad at all. Crank, chain, and brakes are already on the frame. Need to tighten some screws up as well as connect some pieces and your good. Handlebar is already set up with tape and brakes so there is no concern for setting that up.
- 14 speeds have a good high and low for the everyday rider
- Tires are 700x28 (not 23) so they are a little more forgiving.
- Price point is great
- Shifter/brake from Shimano very easy to use and friendly for new rider.
- Quick release tires

Cons:
- Brakes needed fine tuning to work appropriately.
- Seat is okay but red marks have rubbed off on my pants.

The only other issue for myself is that 53cm is a bit much. I can't stand above the bar with the bike straight up. I'm 5'7" and have short legs so there are two reasons for ya.

For you heavier riders out there: I'm 275 pounds and I'm able to ride this thing with no issues. This can help you get up and riding until you are ready for your next one!

I would recommend this bike to everyone and will update this comment if anything arises. Definitely 5 stars for the price.

Bike is good my first road bike . It is incredibly light , so much so that there was a getting used to period. Also the shifting is intimidating at first but very easy to use after lap around the neighborhood. The front tire REFUSES to hold air so just be aware that you should buy a new bike tube when you purchase this bike ( 700c x 28 ) also make sure you look over and adjust your brakes ! They don't come ready to go after the box but the instructions do tell you how to manipulate them so that they work. Overall great value and really good ride for a first time road bike. Wish I knew how to contact seller about the front inner tube tho

Out of the box and assembled, all components of the bike seem to work well and the bike looks amazing. Brakes needed a little bit of tuning but that only took a few minutes so that wasn't really much of an issue. However, the bike did have a small paint chip out of the box. The instructions that came with the bike were not very useful but the bike was still pretty easy to assemble. Happy with the purchase right now; will edit the rating if problems do occur later on though.