Strengths: Light weight, great components, great price
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
All around, it's a great bike. I ride 50+ miles each weekend and the bike performs better than expected. I'm a large rider, 230lbs and I have not noticed any flex...I can apply torque during sprints and I have not felt any flex at all. The bike is stiff but dampens the road buzz. I had a little FD chain rub, but I was cross chaining a little bit.
I've received a lot of compliments from other riders for the specs and the pain job...red/white
I purchased the bike from the BikesDirect LBS dba Cycle Spectrum in Orlando, FL
Strengths: Value. Carbon fiber rides great. All the carbon work, paint, etc is totally great. One minot paint blem near the front derailer hanger...no big deal. Bike actually looks nice too...seems like many of the BD bikes just look cheesy and have strange paint schemes IMO.
Weaknesses: BD needs to update their website and image. Their whole value stick is fine, but their website comes across as a cheapo fly by night operation IMO. The higher end stuff they sell is where the real value is. Maybe they sell a lot of under $500 bikes. Personally, I'd just skip that category, pare down the offerings, and focus on the the higher end stuff and create a brand that people can believe in more. And figure out some graphics and paint schemes that are hip.
Bottom Line:
2010 Motobecane Le Champion Carbon Fiber LTD. Grey/White color. This is my first CF bike and I was drawn the value of the bike. I wanted an upper end bike, but could not justify (or afford) a $3K + name brand for the same component level. This thing is decked out for the $1,500 I paid: carbon frame, ultegra all around aside from the cane creek brakes, SL-K light carbon crankset, mavic aksium wheels, carbon post. The stem, post, and seat are Ritchey "pro" level and not even an off brand. Everything arrived quick and in good shape. I'm in AK, so it's always a gamble shipping bikes up here, and I was really happy when the box arrived in perfect shape. I'm sure there are better carbon frames out there, but for the price, I'm totally satisfied. 200 miles so far, and no issues.
Similar Products Used: 1st carbon bike. My other road bike is my commuter/touring machine; 2008 Jamis Aurora elite 652 reynolds steel frame. The MotoB is my fast road specific machine. Misc Mtn bikes and other aluminum framed road rides through the years.
Bike Setup: Ultegra, cane creek scr-3 brakes, ritchey bars, stem, carbon post, and seat. SL-K light carbon cranks are bomb. Mavic aksium wheels which have been running true ever since some initial minor wrenching. Everything fits me great, and all components are upper end, so not really looking to change anything at this point. Maybe carbon bars at some point and some plusher bar tape.
Strengths: Light, Pretty stiff, fast and comfortable for aluminum. I don't think there is a better bike anywhere for the money. Price! Free shipping , no sales tax.
Weaknesses: Wispy with the flexy Ritchey wheels. weight weenies probably won't notice but us Clydesdales will. Cheap tires. Saddle too soft for me. The poorly sized cables. You have to put it together yourself or pay the LBS to do it. If you are the type that needs to run to the LBS to get your seat adjusted, look elsewhere.
Bottom Line:
This bike has lived up to all my expectations. After 4200 miles I can say it is the real deal. Light, responsive and a decent ride for aluminum. I bought it after seeing a reference to Bicycling magazine giving the frame 4 out of 5 chainrings in 2003 and the price for the spec.. I am 6'3" and 225lbs. and ride the 60cm. I like to think I can put the power down and this frame with the full Ultegra build definitely gets it down with little flex. The only weakness was the Ritchey Protocol wheelset. I noticed some wispiness during hard cornering and some windup on these wheels. Couldn't ride no handed without wobble. I thought it was the frame at first but when I had bearing trouble (from too much degreaser,my fault) and put on a set of Fulcrum racing 5's the bike really came alive. No hands stable. Almost no flex and good power (the Ritchy's did climb better).
When I got the bike there were some minor issue. The cables were too long and one of the shifters was bent in a little from shipping. Both easy fixes. Assembly was a snap. The headset is a bit creaky and cheap and there is a clicking noise from the bottom bracket that has always been there under hard acceleration but never affected anything? Maybe a Shimano quirk. The bike rides very smooth with the carbon fork and stays. You do know you are on aluminum but it is still all day comfortable. I rode an MS 150 on it with no complaints. I swapped the stem out for an Easton EC70 as I needed a little more length and it took any buzz right out of the bars. I also swapped the saddle for a Specialized Avatar. All in all this was a great deal. I have since bought a Specialized Tarmac Expert all carbon which I love but I still ride the Motobecane as a winter and training bike and still love it. they don't have this model anymore with ultegra but the Grand Sprint is the same bike and a few hundred cheaper to boot. I would but it again. If you are a fast recreational rider with an occaisional roll up to a start line at the Wednesday night crit, don't hesitate to get this bike. If you have to have a carbon bike and the extra bling of a name brand and have a few extra K..... well I did and I still ride this one a lot.
Strengths: Price, the ride, lite, Dura-Ace and I'm happy riding a bike again.
Weaknesses: I'm 205 - 215 lbs, I was told to change out the wheels, but I called Ritchey and they said the wheels would hold me. The Ritchey WSC Protocol Wheels failed in less than 200 miles. After talking with Ritchey I had order a cheaper heavier Ritchey wheelset as a backup. The second set just failed this weekend(11/2007). Ritchey bars also corroded and failed while riding after 4 months.
Bottom Line:
I have had many bikes, TI, steel and aluminum. In 2005 I wasn't ready to try a carbon bike yet.(I think carbon is ready for me now) So, in 2005 a Motobecane Le Champion with Dura-Ace groupset from Bikesdirect.com was my chose. Overall this bike is great! Change out the wheels and bars(see below), u r ready to race. Oh and get some pedals.
Similar Products Used: Custom Steel(local Builder Hoyt)-Great Bike
LiteSpeed Ultimate - Just never developed a love for this bike. Nice but ....
Cannondale - Love this bike when I was racing.
Bike Setup: Changed wheels Easton Circuit, Look pedals, Easton Carbon Bars and stem. The remainder stock, still have the Ritchey seat post. Will get a carbon seat post this winter.
Strengths: Great price for what you get. I has a comfortable and responsive ride with quality components.
Weaknesses: None so far
Bottom Line:
This bike has full ulegra components and a light weight frame. The geometry is very much like a trek. I mostly ride on hilly, curvy country roads in Kentucky. This bike has held up to everything I dish out and i haven't had to so much as true the wheels.
I was involved in a bike accident that totaled my bike (my insurance covered the accident – I was rear ended by another biker while I was stopped at a stop light hard enough to cra Read More »
I like most of what I have read about the Moto Ti bikes, such as Le Champion, but what’s keeping me from buying one is the integrated headset of which I am not a fan. The bearings Read More »
Have you all seen this?
[url=http://www.pelotonmagazine-digital.com/pelotonmagazine/20110809?pg=117#pg117]Peloton - August-September 2011[/url]
I wrote Motobecane and they do Read More »
