[everything motorcycles]

On the hunt for a road bike...

New MTB racer, for about a year. I can pedal lol. I use a Cannondale Quick for road 'conditioning' to help my mtb...think I'm ready for a FULL road bike. What do you think of this bike...

Save up to 60% of new Shimano Ultegra 6700 Road Bikes | 2011 Motobecane Sprint Road Bikes Sale | Save up to 60% off your next new Road Bike

 

[Elpimpo]

Spam!

 

[everything motorcycles]

Sorry about what the link looks like, it isn't Phish or Spam, if you click link, it should take you to a bike w the following 'listing'...

[FONT=Arial, helvetica, swiss, san-serif]<big>FINAL CLEARANCE SALE PRICE $899.95 (List $2395)</big>
[FONT=Arial, helvetica, swiss, san-serif] 19 lbs* Brand NEW 2011 Motobecane Sprint Road Bike with High Modulus CARBON Seat Stays + NEW Triple Ultegra 6700 30 Speed [/FONT][/FONT]

 

[everything motorcycles]

Sorry Elpimpy...I def HATE spam etc. I saw the bike on bikes direct...that's how the actual "cut n copy" pasted.

 

[Elpimpo]

sorry, Light trigger.


Thats actually a really good deal!
$900, Ultegra 6700, carbon fork n stays....

It'd depend on (1) how it fits and (2) how it rides

too bad you wont know either until you plunk down the $
thats the downside to BD

On the plus side, there are diehard hammerheads that swear by BD and motobecane makes decent stuff

you will not do better for $900

but fit is key!

 

[mann2]

The triple is a no-no.

 

[AJ88V]

The bike is not bad, and I've known several people with Motebecanes from bikesdirect. The List Price is absurd, making the discount meaningless. I have only ridden one bike with carbon stays (a GT, IIRC), and it definitely worked compared to earlier all aluminum frames, but aluminum bikes have really gotten good in the past few years. BD got the price low on that bike by going cheap with the Tektro brakes and the Vuelta wheels. Nothing really wrong with either of them, but that's where they saved the money. Ditto mann2's comment on the triple - just extra weight, compact double is fine. I think there is likely another version of this bike with a double and it might even be a little cheaper.

So, what do you get? The carbon stays and the Ultegra shifters, the rest of the bike looks ok. Unfortunately, you've pretty much missed all the 2012 closeouts and the 2011 leftovers, so you'll have to work hard to find that level for that price elsewhere. The bike will have almost no cache and will be harder to resell, but otherwise looks solid to me. Biggest complaint is brand (non-) name and the really boring paint. Maybe you could pay a local pinstriper $50 to add a few stripes to it!

 

[tihsepa]

The triple is a no-no.

Great post! Care to explain?

Would you rather see someone on a compact with a jimmy rigged mountain cassette on the back?

 

[tednugent]

Great post! Care to explain?

Would you rather see someone on a compact with a jimmy rigged mountain cassette on the back?

Not this again.....like any SRAM WiFLi equipped bike? They all use MTB cassettes. And all the Pro SRAM riders having learned rule #5 yet

The bike is not bad, and I've known several people with Motebecanes from bikesdirect. The List Price is absurd, making the discount meaningless. I have only ridden one bike with carbon stays (a GT, IIRC), and it definitely worked compared to earlier all aluminum frames, but aluminum bikes have really gotten good in the past few years. BD got the price low on that bike by going cheap with the Tektro brakes and the Vuelta wheels. Nothing really wrong with either of them, but that's where they saved the money. Ditto mann2's comment on the triple - just extra weight, compact double is fine. I think there is likely another version of this bike with a double and it might even be a little cheaper.

Considering at the 105 and Ultegra level, the demand for triple is so low, with enough stock, BD was able to get the shifters and front derailleur on the even cheaper side.

Personally, I'm not really a fan of fine tuning a front derailleur for a triple crank.

My MTB... I got rid of the big chain ring, so now it's a double (with extra clearance for logs)

 

[tihsepa]

Not this again.....like any SRAM WiFLi equipped bike? They all use MTB cassettes. And all the Pro SRAM riders having learned rule #5

I am pretty sure thats not a S(h)ram equipped and the OP is not pro.

I could be wrong though.

 

[DCash]

On the hunt for a road bike...

New MTB racer, for about a year. I can pedal lol. I use a Cannondale Quick for road 'conditioning' to help my mtb...think I'm ready for a FULL road bike. What do you think of this bike...

Save up to 60% of new Shimano Ultegra 6700 Road Bikes | 2011 Motobecane Sprint Road Bikes Sale | Save up to 60% off your next new Road Bike

A friend of mine bought this exact bike last spring and put 2k miles on it by the end of the year. He did the inital build up, attaching stem and wheels, and took it to a shop when the cables stretched about 200 miles in.

Complaints: the cheap pedals that come on it would loosen and unclip with the slightes movement, replaced with some cheap shimanos. The Vittoria tires are good at preventing flats but a pain to remove road side when you do.

Unless you get lucky on Crraig's list you probably won't find a better bike for that price.

 

[Roland44]

On the hunt for a road bike...

New MTB racer, for about a year. I can pedal lol. I use a Cannondale Quick for road 'conditioning' to help my mtb...think I'm ready for a FULL road bike. What do you think of this bike...

Save up to 60% of new Shimano Ultegra 6700 Road Bikes | 2011 Motobecane Sprint Road Bikes Sale | Save up to 60% off your next new Road Bike

Seems like a really good deal to me!

 

[Camilo]

Good god, will the triple vs. compact thing never end?

Triple = greater gear range, slightly heavier because of the weight of the third ring.... but balanced by a possible lighter cassette (if the triple allows you to get by with a smaller large sprocket). Smoother shifting (smaller front ring jumps) and less shifting (middle ring represents a real sweet spot for a huge portion of riding... less front shifting)

Compact double = less gear range, slightly lighter (see above). More front shifting, less smooth front shifting - both caused by the large jump between chain rings.

Yes, I use and enjoy both.

If you need lower gears than a 34 front X28-30 rear will get you, you'll have to cobble together a MTB rear end with a compact double - it works fine, not a problem.

Or, just get a triple and use a regular road cassette.