Which Bike?

My husband is looking for a road bike.  There were several he liked on ebay but we keep getting out bid.
Right now we are looking at Bottecchia which we could get local as a store is right up the sreet. 
Or a Mercier from bikesdirect.com.
We are finding that we are able to find the components he really wants on these two bikes in our price rate.

I have a Mercier from bikesdirect that I have had adjusted to make more of a tri bike and am pretty happy.

Anybody have recent personal experience with Bottecchia?