Component Group, Wheelset, Titanium Frame, Geometry, AMAZING Value!

Might not have the latest racing geometry

I have been a long-time follower of Motobecane Titanium road bikes for the incredible value they offer, but only recently pulled the trigger on a like-new (barely used) 3 year old MB Le Champion Team Ti 59cm full DA for $1300(!) Yeah, pinch me...:-) Impressions over the first couple hundred miles:
a) very light bike, but solid as you can imagine...still, not as featherweight as a carbon bike could be made, but super-close!
b) tracks well, transfers power straight from the pedals to the drivetrain for great response and speed;
c) excellent appearance...welds are beautifully laid and basically flawless, plus a titanium bike doesn't need a colorcoat to look good;
d) component group is nearly flawless as well...Dura Ace is both beautiful as well as mega-functional and very light. Carbon would look nice on the shifters, but otherwise a solid win;
e) durability of titanium...it used to be called "unobtanium", but to own a titanium bike now is, well, just "cool" :-)
f) love the shape of the tubes...slightly triangular shape with soft edges;
g) the bike looks upper-end...if it said "Lynskey" or "LiteSpeed", you may not know any difference (except what aficionados would notice).

This bike will (still) be amazing 10 to 15 years down the road!

Butted, light, durable, fast.

Geometry could be tweaked a tad bit for fit but that's all the negative I can think of.

I love this bike. Why pay twice as much and sometimes three times as much for the same butting, lightweight, stiffness, durability, speed? This is a quality bike. It looks great. It handles great. It's light, it's stiff, it's fast. It's comfortable for all day riding!!! What a value. I"m thinking of getting another one as a spare.

Value, weight, material, finish

Factory Seat

This is a very nice bike for the price, the parts alone make it worth buying. Then throw in a TI frame and it's hard to go wrong. I did replace the factory seat and changed out to Carbon Fiber pedals. This is my first road bike and I'm very pleased.

Price
Value

See review...

Ok... since at least half (alright, most) of the reviews on this site seem to focus on the overall package (and let's face it... Dura Ace is Dura Ace regardless of what it's hanging on) I thought it would be beneficial to write a comprehensive review primarily about the frame since a lot of people are somewhat dubious when it come to Motobecanes (I certainly was).

So here goes...

Overall quality... Motobecane and their Asian manufacturer (Ora, I believe) have done a very nice job with this frame. Unlike the Asian ti frames of the old days it doesn't scream "I'm not made is the U.S.!" like they used to. The welds are very clean (not buttery smooth like a custom ti builder where they melt into the frame tubes) but certainly a 9 out of 10. The scotchbrite finish is consistent throughout and my frame was perfectly aligned out of the box (yes... I have frame gauge). Nice touches like welded bottle bosses (instead of inserts) and machined, relieved dropouts give the frame a genuinely "high-end" look. No problems with design or QC at all.

Geometry / Fit ... Semi-compact, slightly sloping is how it is described (and it is) so it’s best to size it by top tube length since stand over is not really an issue. I needed a 55 cm top tube (exactly what the 53 cm Motobecane had) so that's what I got. I was also looking for something with a slightly more upright position than my current Specialized and in theory the 150 cm head tube on the Motobecane (1 cm taller than my frame) should have fit the bill perfectly. The Bikes Direct site says that the frames have "higher head tubes for a more upright position" but you really have to check what you are currently riding. The 53 cm was only “barely” higher than my (very aggressively sized) S-Works, which worked for me but if you were coming from a road bike with a decidedly less performance oriented geometry than a race bike, you would probably be getting a less upright position with the Motobecane. Not to worry however, as the fork steerer tube is cut quite long and can still accommodate a reasonably upright position should you need or want it. After cutting off about an inch I was ready to go. Just make sure you know what you have before you buy.

Ride Quality / Handling… On the road, I felt immediately at home on this frame. It has very predictable handling and is very well mannered. If you choose to push it into a hard corner it sticks consistently. It doesn’t require a lot of rider input to get it to go where you want and responds well without being overly “twitchy.” The frame makes good use of the qualities of titanium without sacrificing too much (see “Stiffness” below) as it’s much more lively than carbon while yielding a very nice overall road feel.

Stiffness (Ok, the big question, right?!)… Depending on what your frame of reference is (along with your weight, riding style, etc...) you may find this bike a bit less stiff than you are used to. Relative to a Specialized S-Works E5 (my last bike) the Motobecane definitely has a bit more give to it (I'm only 5'9" and 145 lbs but a strong sprinter). However, it’s certainly stiffer than older round tubed ti frames that I’ve owned. It is ti, so part of the reason you are probably buying it is for the comfort... which comes at the price of stiffness regardless of what hype you read. I can still make the chain rub on a good uphill sprint but the frame is not "whippy" by any stretch of the imagination. In my opinion, anyone other than a colossus or an Olympian should find this to be a solid yet comfortable riding frame unless you want to go out and race crits on it.

Bottom Line… Overall, I can’t say enough good things about the bike. Certainly you will make some small changes (your favorite saddle or bars, etc…) but I can’t imagine doing any better for the money… five shiny stars out of five. Hope this was helpful!

Similar Products Used:

Specialized E5 S-Works, Merlin Titanium

Titanium frame, full Duraace 7900 components and Mavic krysiumelite wheels. Nice looking too. And of-course price $2700.00

None so far

I love this bike. Has a nicely built titanium frame with great welds. Duraace 7900 components and Mavic krysium elite wheels. Recently changed cog to an 11/21 from an 11/28 originally provided but I live in south florida. Will also change the small chainring to a 42 t from a 39 t. These changes are only because of how flat it is here and would like to have more usable gear selection. The large chainring is a53 t and that one stays. Those of you considering a great buy look at this bike. No flex either as some people may say. Motobecanes are a sensible buy I can't understand why some people pay twice or triple for a similar bike.

Smooth ride, light weight, good components, value

None yet, but for someone who does not ride race bikes often, i can only compare to my touring bike.

Although I'm primarily a commuter I purchased a Motobecane Ti as a faster ride than my daily commuter (which is steel touring bike). The bike has SRAM Rival components and the welds look good. I ve only ridden it a few times, but it handles great, better than expected and is comfortable. It was also one of the few non custom bikes that had my unique geometry requirements.This is the second bike from BD that I've purchased, and both are well built.

VALUE!
Quality
Great geometry
Light weight
Durable, Ti will last longer the I do, no worries about breaking a $3000 carbon frame
Great finish

If you don't have a few rubber rings on your exposed cables they can hit the tubes on rough roads. Since the tubes are so thin it makes a lot of really annoying noise. That is a simple fix though.

This review is for the Moto Team Ti frame set. I was in the market for a new frame to replace my aging, very uncomfortable, Raleigh aluminum frame. I have always been leery of the durability of carbon fiber, so I decided to look at titanium. After months of research it became clear that this frame and fork was the best deal out there. When it arrived I was very pleasantly surprised at the fit and finish of the frame. The welding was immaculate, which is hard to do with titanium. The weight was also a surprise. Based on the website I was expecting 3.2 lbs for the 56 cm frame. I took it to work and weighed it on a very accurate scale and it came in at 3.04 lbs with the fork weighing 0.9 lbs. I swapped my Ultegra 6500 group over with my ROL Volant wheels(absolutely amazing wheels by the way). And the bike weighs 18.2 lbs with my Speedplay pedals. I am going to slowly swap over to SRAM Force components and a lighter saddle which should take the weight down to about 17 lbs. I am 6' with a 33" inseam and the frame fits me very comfortably. The semi-compact geometry is just enough to take the edge off the back and shoulders without sitting you up too high. Then I took it out for a spin and was amazed. I was expecting a less harsh ride from the Ti frame, but this frame feels incredible. It floats over rough roads while still providing just the right amount of feedback. I am 215 lbs so flex was a concern for me. That disappeared when I shifted to the big ring and put in a few hard sprints. The frame didn't budge an inch, it felt every bit as stiff as my overbuilt aluminum frame. I think the triangular shaped down tube has a lot to do with that. The geometry is perfect for climbing, very comfortable. In all, I love this frame set. I can't think of a better deal out there.

Similar Products Used:

Never ridden Ti before.
2003 Raleigh Competition
Have put a decent number of miles of a few carbon fiber bikes

Appearance = everyone comments
Full Dura-Ace
Light weight
Nice balance between steel and carbon

Not available with compact crank

I agonized over what size to buy. Most people suggested that these frames run large - also most people suggest fitting a bike as though I were a racer in my 20's. But I'm 57 years old, very fit for my age but I don't want to be bent into a racer stance for hours long rides.

I'm 5'11.5" with 34" inseam - I have very large feet and hands and long arms (can touch my knees without bending at the waist hehe). Most user forums were suggesting someone my size get a 56cm bike -- and with the LeChamp Ti people were suggesting the 54cm. So I was really worried when I went against all this advice and ordered a 59cm bike (that most forum posts were suggesting was for someone 6'5").

The bike is gorgeous - the dura-ace grupo shifts/brakes like a dream. Don't much like the seat (Ritchey Streem) but I'm still giving it a chance and it's getting better with each ride.

The experience with BD couldn't have been better ... bike arrived in less than a week. I had no trouble assembling the bike myself - had to google a bit to find out how tight to torque the expansion plug in the carbon steer tube and how much tension on the headset bearings before tightening up the stem.

Titanium frame, Beautiful workmanship. Obviously made with a great deal of pride. All the local bike shops told me I can't touch the Dura Ace 7900's on a bike for less than 4.5K Mavic Ksyriums are so nice. I never understood the hype of Ritchey parts until trying these out. Very light bike.

The first time I got up to 44 mile per hour I noticed a lot of gyroscoping in the front wheel. After some research I discovered that I could and should tighten the front bearing up with provided wrench. After doing this it seems just fine. Some of the guys in my club were saying I should have tried to get the compact crankset but the 53-39 X 11-28 seems to be just fine although I always ridden triple rings before.

I just got this bike one week ago and have just over two hundred miles on it as it has rained a few days and I didn't ride. I love everything about this bike. This is the most bike for the buck you can possibly find, bar none. I went to all the other mail order bike stores and built the same bike. It came out to 7 to 9 K and they still wanted another 150.00 to assemble it and then shipping. Don't even get me started on the Local Bike Snobs, I me Shops. Several members of my 1K member bike club have bought Motobecanes from Bikes direct and all are very pleased. Can say enough about the quality, service and overall experience. Love to ride, Love the Bike, Love Bikes Direct.

Similar Products Used:

Trek Madone 5.2 carbon, Diamond Back racing bike