Strengths: Overall value, I like the Small Block 8 for the dry hardpack and embedded rock roads in Ecuador. THe wheels have held up nicely, still going strong after 30+ rides. I got the bike with a swapped in 110mm stem which seems good. 130 is too long. The handlebars are narrow but I like 'em. Brakes are smooth and powerful. The XO shifting is excellent but not as smooth as XTR. The 21" frame is sturdy and smooth. I don't find it flexy at all.
Weaknesses: The FSA cranks are fine but the Mega Exo bottom bracket started grinding after 4 months. The plug comes loose as well. I got a mechanic to put some grease in and now it is a smoother grind. I am going to replace the bb in July when I return home to the USA. The seat that came with the bike is a joke, it is a really light piece of junk. The inner tubes are superlight too but I like to have a thicker pair inside until I go tubeless.
Bottom Line:
I am a 6'3"road biker with little MB experience. Now I live in Ecuador and mountaing biking is all the rage here. I love to climb on my road bike so I decided to go with the 21" 29er. I found one on Ebay. It was practically new so I got a good deal for $1650. I ride the bike 3 times a week. Needs a seatpost clamp that I don't need to use an allen wrench to adjust. The Small Block 8's are fast. I wore out a pair and changed to IRC mythos 29er XC's. Mistake... I slowed way down and guys I was beating the week before were keeping up with me. The big knob tires do better in the mud but the rainy season is almost over and the SB8's work well for the conditions. I am going to get another pair of the SB8's soon. THe bike climbs up fire roads really well. I raced 4 miles uphill with a much more experiened rider using a 19lb full carbon trek with 26" wheels. My bike is at least 6lbs heavier and after a 15 battle the Fly Team motored ahead and I left the $6K trek in the dust. The wheels have held up fine, no issues in the first 6 months. I want to buy a 2nd wheelset and go tubeless. Overall I love the bike. Great value and good introductry ride for an experienced roadie. I have trouble descending but that is mainly a skill issue and I'm getting better. At 6'3" I need to drop the seat and get low. Overall I do non-technical XC riding. The frame is good but I don't have much to compare it to. My last MB was an 87 Bridgestone. The Ti is comfy, not at all like the pounding you might get from Alum. The frame doesn't feel whippy at all. Smooth overall. So, in summary, great bike at a great deal. Good luck finding one. If you can afford it go for the Fly Team XX or XTR version. The higher quality parts would be worth it. I want to get another bike from BD. Probably the Cafe city bike.
Duration Product Used: Quito to Yanacocha (ecuador)
Price Paid:
$1650.00
Purchased At: Ebay
Similar Products Used: none, first MB in 23 years
Bike Setup: Lower front bars for climbing. All stock except the seat and stem.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
squak
a Cross Country Rider
from Issaquah, WA, USA
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2012
Bottom Line:
BD Purchase Experience – No problems or complaints. Delivery was fast (less than a week) and I found everything to be in perfect condition when I unpacked the box. The value is well documented—I couldn’t find anything similar for the same price.
Frame Quality – I’m not sure how the Fly Team welds/finish compares to Moots, Seven, Lynskey et al, but it looks good to me. The frame hasn’t broken after a year of hard riding and I expect that it will hold up for many years. I did remove the stickers from the downtube and toptube—a simple and quick process with a little bit of Jasco paint stripper. Nothing against Motobecane, I just thought the stickers were ugly and I like the look of a clean/uncluttered titanium frame—I did leave the Moto badge on the head tube.
Fork – The Reba fork has performed really well. Getting it dialed for my weight and riding was easy—a good “set it and forget it” piece of gear. Lockout is nice since most of my rides involve a few road miles to get the trails.
Drivetrain Parts – I have the 2x10 XTR group and love it. XTR shifting is still flawless after a year of regular use/abuse in PNW conditions. The FSA 386 crankset works fine, but has the annoying issue of coming loose after a couple of rides (primarily the end cap). This happens despite regularly checking and tightening bolts to the recommended torque. When the chainrings and BB are ready for replacement I will probably just upgrade to a Shimano 2x10 crankset.
Wheelset – Initially I thought the Vuelta Team SL wheels were suspect, but I have been pleasantly surprised. After a year of regular use on all kinds of trails/terrain they are holding up great—still perfectly true and bearings are super smooth. I like the Kenda Small Blocks as a summer/dry conditions tire and all-around performance was better than expected.
Brakes – No complaints or issues with the Avid Elixir CR brakes. Good stoppers.
Cockpit – Only the seatpost remains, but this was anticipated before I bought the bike. As others have noted, the handlebar is ridiculously short—replaced after one ride with 685mm flat bar. I’m 6’ tall and the 120mm stem on a large frame was too much reach for me—replaced after one ride with 100mm. The saddle was OK for short rides, but when I started doing longer rides I found that it didn’t agree with my bottom after about 2 hours. My only real gripe in this department is the handlebar.
The Ride – I like it a lot. I’ve had all kinds of mountain bikes over the years, but this is my first extended experience with titanium. It definitely has the responsive yet compliant feel that people associate with titanium. I would not characterize this bike as “nimble” in tight/twisty terrain, but it gets the job done just fine. I ride this bike on any/all trails and rarely wish that I had rear suspension or feel too beat up. I’m more of a XC/trail rider and most of my favorite rides include lots of climbing and moderately technical single track so I really appreciate the balance between efficiency and comfort that a titanium hard tail offers. The Fly Team 29er could easily be my only mountain bike.
Submitted by
dgh716
a Cross Country Rider
from Midlothian, VA
Date Reviewed: April 4, 2012
Weaknesses: The frame may flex a little more than the super strong expert rider would like.
Bottom Line:
Bought the frame/fork from bikeisland.com and built the bike with the parts I wanted on a pretty tight budget. I wanted the full XO or XTR version of the bike but neither was available in my size and I was also unsure of the wheels it came with and definitely didn't want the small block 8s (sidewall is way too flimsy). When I built the bike (large frame) I was hoping it would weigh 24 lbs. and it weighed in at 23.8. I plan to upgrade to an XTR crank soon which will shave a little more weight off.
Got killer deals on almost all parts from bikerbob.com in Ohio. I believe I spent $2400 total but already had nice pedals, bottle cages & seat. Very good deal.
This is an outstanding frame! I have waited 1 year to post this review to get a full objective understanding of the bike in several types of terrain.
I have raced it and ridden an average of 3x per week on rides that are usually 1.5-2 hrs. and 16-24 mi. from extremely rocky mnt. trails to loose dirt/sandy rolling hills.
Handling is top notch and I am able to really push speed and keep momentum on this bike in every type of terrain. It climbs extremely well and acceleration is very good too. With 19 psi in the tires this bike rides smoother and more predictably than my full suspension 26er and is way more efficient. The smooth ride is probably also due to the fact that the Ti frame has a good amount of flex to it. Coming off of a f/s bike I really pay attention to keeping the bike light over rocks and roots but I've always found that easy to do and it's a no-brainer now. Braking is unbelievably good on this bike too and I can brake extremely hard and almost never skid the rear wheel.
I have to say that I was a bit apprehensive about buying this bike as I was a shop mechanic for many years and "hate" mail order deals. That said, this bike has been fabulous and has quickly become my favorite bike ever. I raced it all last cross season with a carbon rigid fork, cross tires, and the narrow stock Ritchey bars and absolutely loved it. The stock Vuelta wheels are better than I thought--light and hubs are still running smooth after a full Fall and Winter of riding/racing. I have ridden it in mtb form with Reba RL fork, low rise carbon bars, and Racing Ralph tires, in four cross country races and numerous training rides. After a short adjustment to the 29er wheel size, I feel perfectly at home on any tight single track, and I love how smooth the bike rolls over smaller cattery terrain. I have even taken it on the famous Downieville downhill and cleared all the rocky technical sections without a problem. The bike is a great deal right out of the box, and provides an awesome platform for future upgrades. I love the fact that I can use it as a serious cyclocross race machine and in 15 minutes have it ready for cross country mountain biking. With the decals removed, the bike is sexy enough to sit in the living room without my wife complaining and I get compliments on it on almost every ride.
I have to say that I was a bit apprehensive about buying this bike as I was a shop mechanic for many years and "hate" mail order deals. That said, this bike has been fabulous and has quickly become my favorite bike ever. I raced it all last cross season with a carbon rigid fork, cross tires, and the narrow stock Ritchey bars and absolutely loved it. The stock Vuelta wheels are better than I thought--light and hubs are still running smooth after a full Fall and Winter of riding/racing. I have ridden it in mtb form with Reba RL fork, low rise carbon bars, and Racing Ralph tires, in four cross country races and numerous training rides. After a short adjustment to the 29er wheel size, I feel perfectly at home on any tight single track, and I love how smooth the bike rolls over smaller cattery terrain. I have even taken it on the famous Downieville downhill and cleared all the rocky technical sections without a problem. The bike is a great deal right out of the box, and provides an awesome platform for future upgrades. I love the fact that I can use it as a serious cyclocross race machine and in 15 minutes have it ready for cross country mountain biking. With the decals removed, the bike is sexy enough to sit in the living room without my wife complaining and I get compliments on it on almost every ride.
Similar Products Used: Many 26" hardtails over the years
Bike Setup: Stock except for the seat, grips, handle bars, and tires.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
mlrtyme
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2011
Strengths: Low price, low weight, well spec'd
Weaknesses: Crankshaft selection
Bottom Line:
I have heard many good and bad things about Motobecane (and bikesdirect) online, but decided that the pricetag was too good to pass up so I ordered a 21" from the sister site, bikeisland.com. I am very skeptical by nature (I guess my engineering background) so I was very nervous during and immediately after my build for the first few rides. Now with a good number of rides over varied terrain under my belt, I can say I have been nothing but completely satisfied with my purchase. The bike climbs better than my Cannondale 26" hardtail and is more than nimble enough to allow me to work intelligent lines downhill to keep similar speed to some riders on their full-suspension rigs.
My only concerns were the crankset and the wheelset (Vuelta was a name that I was unfamiliar with). The FSA crank was replaced with a M985 crank in the 40/28 configuration but I left the wheels with the intent of replacing them after two months of use. The bike is now 3 months in and the wheels have far exceeded my expectations. I am very pleased and I am confident that anyone who comes into a test ride of this model without preconceived notions will come away impressed. If you are looking for a bike to just bomb downhill with, then this is obviously not your ride. However, if need to climb the very mountains that you intend to descend down, then this bike provides a superior return on investment to any other model on the market, in my opinion.
Only giving 4 chilis 'Overall' rating for spec'ing a lesser crankset on a bike complimented with high-end components everywhere else.
Weaknesses: I don't know if it's really a weakness, but the handlebars are oddly narrow. I'll probably swap them, though I wanted carbon fiber anyway.
Bottom Line:
I sold my Fisher Rumblefish II because I wanted a change, and I wanted a climbing machine (the Fisher was not, though it was still one of the best all around bikes I've ever owned, and was a beast downhill). I've been riding mountain bikes for quite a long time, and though I'm not a racer, I can be hard on bikes. My biggest worry with ordering the Motobecane was that it wouldn't be able to tackle the more technical mountainous, rocky terrain that is generally my preference. Going from a full suspension beast like the Fisher to a dinky little hardtail definitely had me stressing a bit. But I've gotta say, with emphasis, that this bike has put those fears TO REST.
As soon as I started up the trail, the bike reawakened the realization of speed and agility that I'd been lacking (unknowingly, after riding the Fisher for a couple years). This is easily the quickest, most agile 29er I've ridden, and in fact it rivals some of the best 26ers I've ridden. Of course quite a bit of that realization comes from the fact that I've been riding full suspension bikes for a LONG time, without any consideration or thought as to why I would ever go back to a hardtail. The speed and agility of the Motobecane answer that question. I haven't smiled this much on a bike in a long, long time. The uphill is just a completely different animal on this bike, so much so that a comparison simply can't be made. It's FAST. The downhill also woke me the hell up: a)because the bike is so agile you can toss it around however you like and b)because I was on a hardtail, not a cadillac, and had to actually pay attention, which made me enjoy it more. Was the tail jumping around? Sure. Nature of the beast. But the sheer lightness and nimbleness of the bike allowed me to control it with ease, and do with it basically whatever I wanted. I realize now that the Fisher had actually taken some of the enjoyment out of my riding, simply because it smoothed everything SO much.
I really can't say enough about the bike. The component set is ridiculous at this price point. $2099 for a SRAM xO equipped titanium frame 29er? UNHEARD OF. The Trek (Fisher) Superfly Elite is carbon fiber, and similarly equipped as far as components (though the Fisher xO crank is better than the FSA for sure), except for one small, tiny discrepancy: it costs $5000. More than 2x as much. WHY in anyone's right mind, would they pay $5000 for a bike from their LBS in this economic climate when they can get a similarly equipped bike with (arguably) a better frame from Bikes Direct for less than HALF the price?! Haters are more than welcome to hate. Sorry, I'm spending MY money wisely. I love my LBS, take my bikes there regularly for repair/maintenance (though the Moto was so easy to put together and dial in that I did it myself), and feel that I do my best to support them. And believe me, I've spent PLENTY on bikes at local stores over the years. Time to save some money!
No cons per say, though the handlebars are quite narrow. I tried to give them a chance, but I think that while they're fine, I'll be putting on something wider, preferably carbon fiber. Not sure it's a con, as some people might prefer it. The grips aren't amazing either, but they're fine.
Also, I'm 6'1" and the 19" size fits me perfectly.
All said and done, this bike is worth the money and so much more. They sell out quick though, so grab one when/while you can!
Similar Products Used: Fisher Rumblefish II 29er, Specialized Stumpjumper 29er, tons of FS and HT 26ers.
Bike Setup: xO 20 speed component set w/ Avid Elixir 9's, FSA Afterburner Crank, Vuelta XRP SL wheelset
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
pamn21
a Weekend Warrior
from Philippines
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2011
Strengths: VALUE for your money! Ti + XTR + Avid Elixir Carbon + FSA crank + (Decent) Vuelta XRP Superlight wheels.
Weaknesses: None so far
Bottom Line:
LOVE LOVE LOVE this bike. I've been watching the motobecane threads on mtbr for 2 years. I've been thinking about buying one of their bikes also for the last year or so...I don't know why I waited soooo long. I finally pulled the trigger. After almost 40 days of waiting(had it shipped from the US to the Philippines) I finally got my bike. I brought it straight to my local LBS and the same day took a day off and rode it a good 20 miles(mostly road). I love the feel of Ti and the 29er wheels. Took it to my first really muddy trail ride last weekend and had a BLAST!
Bike Setup: Stock Shimano Dynasys 3x30. And upgraded the tires to 2011 Nobby Nic 2.25. Changed the VERY NARROW bar to a longer flat bar(forgot the brand) and that's pretty much it.
I sold my Epic Marathon 26 with zero regrets. I tried the Superfly and others before buying this without testing it. I raced it to a 12-hour podium two weeks after receiving it. It's done several 100-mile races including Wilderness 101 and SM100 and I love this bike. My son and I did a multi-day self-supported road tour centered on this bike and his trail a bike.
I could afford to spend more but am SO glad I didn't.
I've raced 23+ years and this bike is the best deal I've ever seen and I watch the market closely. We have 8 bikes in our garage pick a material we've got it. Nothing beats Ti durability and ride done well. This bike is done well. I own a custom Litespeed Ultimate. The frames compare.
The naysayers ignore what the big brands spend on teams and marketing. It goes into the price of every bike. This ain't rocket science. But they're involved and when you spend more to grow the business the product costs more.
The magic is in the lack of overhead coupled with a direct sales model. Shop retail is typically 30-40 percent markup on bikes. Factory margins are higher. No shop? Instant savings.
If you're a DIY wrench this is an amazing deal. Upgrade to your liking and you've got a truly top-shelf bike.
If I could afford an S-works Epic it'd be my only other choice. But $9k- really? Get real. My kids will go to college some day and learn about finding bargains along the way.
Similar Products Used: GF Superfly, X-Caliber, Spesh Epic 26
Bike Setup: XTR build plus Easton Haven wheels, carbon bars and post, Ergon grips, Flight saddle, other details. OEM wheels are for commuting with 700x28c Gatorskins on them.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
hydrolaw
a Weekend Warrior
from Lincoln Ne
I have ridden many bikes. I wanted to buy one of these so I could put the debate to rest for myself. This is an outstanding frame. That's it. It's not better than any comparable titanium frame bikes, but it sure as hell isn't any worse. Frame is not noodly, regardless of what anyone says. It's light, forgiving, strong, and has that buttery ride that titanium is so well liked for. Anyone could benefit from having one of these in the stable. All the trappings of titanium in an 1100 dollar package. This is a winner
Similar Products Used: I'm a bike mechanic, so you name it.
Bike Setup: Sram XO 9 speed, SLX crank, Reba RL29, Flows on American Classic hubs, ENVE bars, BB7s. Paul Levers, Thomson Post and Stem
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
92gli
a Cross Country Rider
from west chester,pa
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2011
Strengths: My small frame was a little over 3 pounds out of the box. The welds and construction are fantastic for the price. Its taken my abuse for over a year with no durability problems.
Weaknesses: People on the internet who have never seen or ridden the frame think its junk. Have seen the frame described as "noodly" (again, probably by people who haven't even tried it). I don't find the frame to be noodly at all. It does just fine under power. I would call it compliant - which is what you want from a ti or steel frame.
Bottom Line:
Bought the frame with reba fork for $1100. If you conservatively value the fork at $400 you're getting the frame for $700, which is rediculous. I've been stopped on the trail several times by people who wanted to look at it up close, every time they are impressed.
Strengths: I've delayed writing on this bike to really have a chance to ride it. The bike climbs great, handles the downhills as well or better than any bike I've ridden and tames the technical (rocky) trails. The stock set up is pretty solid and create an incrediable value.
Weaknesses: Nothing major, I'm not a fan of the seatpost and will be switchin to a Thompson because of the micro adjust ability. The stock crank seemed a little strange to me so I changed it out and I've never liked Kenda tires, but all these are really personal choices not really weaknesses.
Bottom Line:
No complaints at all. The value from Bikes Direct is crazy. The welds on the frame are as good as I've seen and the bike is pure fun to ride. I would recommend this bike to anyone.
Similar Products Used: Nothing in 29 before, I've ridden pretty much all brands of 26 hard tail and full suspension over the years.
Bike Setup: Put on a SRAM X9 2x10 crank, Stan's with the tires and everything else is stock.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
FlyingSharks
a Weekend Warrior
from San Francisco, CA
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2011
Strengths: Nice weight: 24.4 lbs with pedals. I am a fan of titanium for weight, strength, and vibration absorption (but I still need to see how it performs on the trail.)
Weaknesses: The only initial complaint is the handgrips. I imagine the wheels/tires may be a weak point by comparison to other options, but we'll see; hopefully I will get plenty of miles out of them.
Bottom Line:
This is just my initial post for folks who are looking for buying info on bikedirect, and their titanium 29er. So far I have only taken it for a little spin down to the park. I hope to update in a month or two with a better ride report. I have been road riding exclusively for almost 6 years, and just getting back into mountain biking, so I have little current basis for comparison to other bikes.
I decided on a hardtail 29er because I expect to do a lot of long rides, with lots of climbing and fire roads. I enjoy technical riding, but I hate pedal bob. My goal was to keep expenses close to $2k, and have a bike <25 lbs. So far so good: 24.4 lbs with pedals.
I am 6'4". The XL (21") frame turned out to be the right choice. The stem on the bike is fairly long (appears to be 130mm); I feel I could bring it in some if I felt the need. The measurement from the wides part of the seat straight forward to the handlebar is about 86cm. This falls right between measurements on my road bikes from widest part of the seat to the straight bar, and from the seat to my hand position on the brake hoods - so the cockpit stretch is right in the range I am used to. With the spindle to top of seat distance at about 38 1/2" the seat is about 1-2" above the handlebars.
Putting the bike together was easy and straightforward. Everything seems in good shape and properly adjusted for the most part. I could even see a little bit of grease peeking out from the bottom bracket and headset (although i will open those up and regrease myself soon.) I spent about an hour or so getting it set up. I am still learning how to tune the suspension, but at 188 lbs I think 130-135 positive and 125ish negative is a good starting point.
My intention is to keep it stock rather than spending a bunch more on the bike right away; however, in my very brief ride to mess around in the park the other day I decided that it does need new hand grips. Other than that, we'll see how it goes, but hopefully I can simply replace parts as they wear out. It's a bike after all, and so I am just going to ride it.
After looking at my other options in this price range, I am doubtless that this is the best value I came across. I don't know if there is another HT 29er that could have made my weight goal for the price. I ride a litespeed titanium road bike, and I am psyched to have a titanium HT 29er.
Overall rating is a 4; for no other reason than surely there are finer set-ups out there. This is really subjective anyway, because I have so little to compare it to.
Similar Products Used: Last mountain bike was a 1992 Cannondale w/headshock.
Bike Setup: Size XL. 2x9 stock XTR component group w/Crank Bros Eggbeaters.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
pacit
a Racer
from Flower Mound, Texas
Date Reviewed: February 18, 2011
Strengths: Top of the line components, light weight rocket! I own a 26" Carbon Scott and now I never ride it!
I was uneasy about buying this bike but now two of my friends have purchased the same bike. I received all of the funny looks from the boys for buying a mail order bride but now they say nothing as it has held up as goos as the Moots, or Niner's they ride.
I have dished out the pain to this beast and its awesome.
Weaknesses: Wheel, Wheels, Wheels..Kenda small blocks suck..I sheared the axle clean off and there is no replacement for these.. They are light but not bulletproof..
Bottom Line:
If you want a top of the line TI bike w/o breaking the bank this is the bike you want. I was going to use the parts as a build kit but no need to tear it down! Light & Fast..
Bike Setup: Full XTR, Avid Elixer, I have upgraded the wheel set to Bontrager's Nuke Proof Comps, Stan's Tubeless Setup, New grips....
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
brownee84
a Cross Country Rider
from Strafford, PA USA
Date Reviewed: February 1, 2011
Strengths: This is my 3rd Motobecane from Bikes Direct and I could not be happier. It is a great bike at a fabulous price. I was very interested in a full carbon Gary Fisher because many of my friends have them, but could not justify $4000. The build is a great spec and the quality is exceptional, customer service from Bikes Direct has been excellent.
Weaknesses: Straight bars are way too race focused for me, I like the SRAM shifters much better than Shimano but these are mostly personal preferences.
Bottom Line:
Great bike, great price, hard to get cuz they sell out quickly. You will not be dissappointed.
