Submitted by
Jamesrf36
a Weekend Warrior
from Raleigh NC USA Date Reviewed: November 15, 2009
Favorite Trail:
on and off road
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Found
Strengths:
used to work at bike shop when I was a kid, after full tune
up and changing seat,and fixing the flat tires..over all great starter mountain bike..
Weaknesses:
Brakes SUCK...
Similar Products Used:
better than something like a Motiv HighRidge
Bike Setup:
Stock,just changed seat and pedals
Bottom Line:
After reporting I found it while hiking, and know one claimed it...IT'S definitely worth 300.00 dollars
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sshorebiker
a Weekend Warrior
from ma Date Reviewed: September 9, 2009
Favorite Trail:
wompatuck
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$329.00
Purchased At:
bikes direct
Strengths:
good brakes, derailers, wheels
Weaknesses:
crank is junk. service at bikesdirect no help.
Bottom Line:
For the money it's a good bike. If you beat on it watch out. Added nashbar pedals pedals to it. first good uphill surge ripped the pedal (threads in tact) out of the cheap crank. Impresssed with the brakes. After dialing them in they're a good value.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
baboonboy
a Cross Country Rider
from San Antonio, TX Date Reviewed: July 29, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
BIKESDIRECT
Strengths:
Shipped immediately, arrived in 2 1/2 days, easy to assemble, very nice frame, looks better than in the pictures, all the components were as advertised - by far the best-bang-for-the-buck.
Great service from BIKESDIRECT.
Weaknesses:
Initial derailer cable length issue - but replacements sent immediately. Nothing else - bike is great.
Similar Products Used:
IBEX 550
GT Stomper (24" wheels)
Bike Setup:
Purchased with a 13" frame for my 9 year old. I was questioning a small 26" wheeled bike or a kids 24" bike for my son who is < 5ft tall.
The 26" choice with 13" frame was perfect. Bought my 8 year old the 24" wheeled bike.
Bottom Line:
I would 100% recommend this purchase for a 9 to 13 year old kid who mountain bikes 3 or 4 times a week.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
pago
a Weekend Warrior
from Jacksonville, Florida Date Reviewed: October 2, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Street
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Bikes Direct Local S
Strengths:
Handlebars, Color, Disk Brakes, Weight, Smooth Ride
Weaknesses:
Seat Uncomfortable, Cassette A Bit Weak, Shifting
Similar Products Used:
None Really, Huffy
Bike Setup:
Stock Red Frame, Upgraded Seat, Upgraded Seat Post, Street Tires, Vertical Grips, Upgraded Cassette. I wanted a MB and a street bike. I now use it mostly for 3-4x week hour+ rides.
Bottom Line:
A good bang for the buck. Bikes cost a lot more now than they ever used to so I was shocked that $350 doesn't get all that much anymore. It's a decent bike to cut your teeth on and I appreciate only paying for upgraded parts - while labor is free forever. For the budget conscious, its a decent deal. If you have more to spend, there's better around.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
beatitup
a Weekend Warrior
from Orlando, Florida Date Reviewed: June 17, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Snow Hill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$319.00
Purchased At:
cycle spectrum
Strengths:
Strong Fram and great components for the price
Weaknesses:
Low end WTB Saddle crushed 2 in 2 weeks, and junk pedles will kill your legs.
Similar Products Used:
specialized hard rock pro.
Bike Setup:
From factory, but with new wellgo's on the way and WTB Power v dh saddle for max strength.
Bottom Line:
Entry level yes but lacks nothing in the guts department Im 6'5" And 265lbs I ride the thing like I stole it and I've been very impressed with it You can't beat the bike for the cash. When I upgrade I most definatly sticking with MOTOBECANE!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Girven
a Cross Country Rider
from Spokane, Wash. USA Date Reviewed: April 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Hiawatha Trail- Montana/Idaho border
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
E-bay
Strengths:
size fits good. shifting just okay
Weaknesses:
frame cracks
Bottom Line:
right now doubtful if i would buy another motobecane--I've tried for four weeks to take care of two cracks in the frame and there seems no one from motobecane can answer any e-mails. I have tried all info operators to try and get a phone number and they don't seem to exist. I have lost my faith in the company first then the bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Evan
a Weekend Warrior
from Pennsylvania Date Reviewed: August 21, 2007
Haven’t found one yet. But still looking. The disc brakes are good. The decals are painted on….not stickers so you can not take them off.
Similar Products Used:
Trek 7200
Bottom Line:
I bought this from bikesdirect.com and am happy with them and the bike. You get what you pay for. One thing to be aware of is that the bike will need to be built and tuned. I spent the $70 to have a LBS do that for me b/c putting together disc brakes, tuning the brakes, shifters, front/rear derailers etc… was not something I could do. And the manuals are pretty much useless. In the end I paid the same if not more than I would have spent on the Specialized Hardrock. But I would do it all over again b/c it is a good bike. If you know what you are doing and can build a bike yourself (or dont mind having a LBS do it for you) this is the bike for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Saratoga Date Reviewed: August 15, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
bikesdirect
Strengths:
Frame is solid and looks great. Only weighs in the mid 30lb range.
Weaknesses:
bikesdirect is horrible. they dont help you one bit and the bike comes in pieces!!! you cant ride it without taking it to a bikeshop for building and tuning!
Similar Products Used:
Mongoose Tyax
Bike Setup:
With Disc brakes
Bottom Line:
Good bike but bikesdirect is BS! Giving the value 3 b/c it cost $$$ for the LBS to tune it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Triangle, VA Date Reviewed: May 1, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Quantico
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
BikesDirect.com
Strengths:
Price; Features; Ease of Assembly and Adjustment
Weaknesses:
Warranty support; Spongy front fork
Similar Products Used:
Schwinn
Bike Setup:
Per factory
Bottom Line:
Great look and features for the price. Parts suspect/weak--broke rear derailler hanger in first 50 ft. (Alloy looks weak hopefully just this piece) Warranty support stinks--Can't get Motobecane to reply on warranty issue or local bike dealer location. No parts manual so part number and description makes it hard to get from just any local shop. Overall okay for budding cyclist/fix it yourselfer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Evans
a Weekend Warrior
from Manchester Date Reviewed: April 15, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Rocky Ridge
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$330.00
Purchased At:
bikesdirect.com
Strengths:
Good looks, nice brakes, strong frame and decent shifters and gears
Weaknesses:
pretty soft front fork and rims could be a little stronger
Similar Products Used:
trek 850
Bottom Line:
Great bike for the money. Looked at entry level specialized, trek and raleigh and got disk brakes for about $100 less.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Sherman Oaks Date Reviewed: March 22, 2007
Things I did off the Bat: Replaced the Tektro Disc Brakes with Avid BB7's Replaced the Rear Alivio Derailleur with Shimano XT Replaced Saddle with Brooks B17N Replaced stock Pedals with Kona Platforms
The frame is great on this bike, even though it isn't a "real" Motobecane, I have always had a special place in my heart for the name...
Acera front derailleur sucks. Period. Alivio Rear is workable, but a little clunky and noisy so I swapped it for XT. Big Improvement. Tektro IO Disc brakes are junk. Hard to adjust, noisy, and crappy stopping. The Avid BB7's are much better. RST Capa T7 fork is Junk,doesn't appear to have a lockout. Going to replace with a Bontrager Carbon Rigid anyways. Truvativ "Iso Flow" Crankset a bit too flexy, but workable. Everything else is not too bad, Stock Saddle, Post, Handlebars and Stem seem decent enough. Not a priority right now. Shifter/Brake Lever combo isn't too bad either (I think it's Alivio?) Good bike for a casual rider, but not something to rack up serious miles on. Frame is worthy of upgrades however. The Tektro Discs will piss you off! I dig the look of the bike, and plan on changing little things down the road. Good Value. Great Value actually.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Drew
a
from Muncie, Indiana, USA Date Reviewed: July 7, 2006
Favorite Trail:
JFK
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$317.00
Purchased At:
ebay (price includes shipping)
Strengths:
-Geometry -Seat(WTB Speed V) -Components for the price -Decent mechanical disc brakes -Looks, I love the paint job the red-orange looks great in person
Weaknesses:
-Brake rotors came warped and after being trued they go back pretty quickly -Much lighter than my old 820 but not a featherweight. Havent weighed it yet but my guess is around 30lbs for the 18"
Similar Products Used:
Magna great divide, hehe, 2001 Trek 820, friends 4300 disc
Bike Setup:
bone stock
Bottom Line:
I just got this bike about a month ago and it is an awesome bike. It can go over stuff on trails that I could barely pick my way through on the 820. After riding its direct competitor, the Trek 4300 Disc, the moto is a far better bike in the ways of geometry and specs. Its a great bike (in the entry level category), if you get it you won't be dissapointed
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
al costante
a Weekend Warrior
from Corpus Christi, tx USA Date Reviewed: November 11, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Texas Hill Country
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$275.00
Purchased At:
EBAY
Strengths:
Good Freaking Price, Compared to Mountain Bikes with the same features Has a Stable Comfortable Ride, Feels Really Good. Built Really Well.
Weaknesses:
The seat sucks and the components suck. I put on SRAM components The Shimano ALivio Package is worthless...The brakes could be better.
I now has SRAM 4.0 derailer, SRAM 7.0 shorty gripshifters(I hate the trigger shifters it came with but that is my preference nothing wrong with the ones it came with), And SRAM 9.0 Brakes. The front derailer not too bad Shimano ACERA X. Works Like a Charm
Bottom Line:
Not bad for a Casual Mountain bike....I love the color Fireball Red!!! And the price AWESOME!!! I priced bikes with same Features TAN LOCOS!!!I am happy with the small budget upgrade I did.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeremy
a Cross Country Rider
from Loma Linda, CA USA Date Reviewed: November 2, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$275.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Affordable. Has equipment found on more expensive bikes.
Weaknesses:
Heavy. Cheap brakes. Wasn't assembled/adjusted very well from factory.
Similar Products Used:
Motobecane 600 HT
Bike Setup:
Stock from factory.
Bottom Line:
This is the second Motobecane I have purchased. I bought this one for my wife after she saw how much I enjoyed mine. This bike is great for what she is going to do with it. Sure none of the components are high-end stuff. But it gets the job done. I've swapped out the cheap components on my 600HT, but they work fine for her. I can't ride this bike, as she is much shorter than I am but I can give some feed back on it. The RST fork has a nicer feel than the Judy TT that came with mine. The Alivio derailleur isn't great, but it works reasonably well. The disc brakes are fine....until you do some real mountain biking. (This comes from experiences with my own bike) Then they just don't do enough to stop you, they're noisy, and the pads wear quickly. But for the money I spent on it, and as often (meaning not very) as she rides the bike it is great. I would like to get it 5 chilis for overall but I just hate the brakes that came with this (and my) bike and she has complained about the weight.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Terry Fuston
a Cross Country Rider
from Lebanon, Oregon, USA Date Reviewed: July 7, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Calloway Creek
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$227.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Paint job is excellent Excellent componets for the price Welds are spot on Overall great value Frame is worthy of many upgrades
Weaknesses:
Stock bike is a bit heavy Promax brakes are low-end stoppers RST fork
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Hardrock, Kona Lana'i, Kona Lava Dome, Trek hardtail, Specialized Rockhopper, Raliegh M-50
I sold a Specialized hardrock and then bought this bike. Overall I am VERY pleased with this bike. After i got the bike I then swaped out the RST fork with another RST fork that I have ahistory with and rebuilt myself. I also replaced the Promax disc brakes with Shimano Deore 515 brakes - far better brakes IMHO. I also swapped out the Shimano Alivio shifter/brake levers and I am now using a 9 speed setup.
As I said this bike is very well built and speced very nicely for the price I paid. If you ever come across one of these on Ebay - pick it up - you will NOT be dissapointed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jennifer Baker
a Weekend Warrior
from Salt lake city Date Reviewed: July 2, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Candy Apple High Gloss paint looks great!, Supreb frame, shifts easy(cant even fill the chain jump, Saddle is very comfy
Weaknesses:
none so far....
Bike Setup:
CandY Apple Frame, Disc Brakes(tektro not promax), Alivo componets,Shimano ST-EF29 shifters, RST Capa T5 Adjustable fork, WTB Speed Saddle V, Valecraptor tires( a lil nosiey on cement but great traction)
Bottom Line:
GOOD BIKE! Upgradeable so this is nice to start with, i love the candy apple high glossed frame! it gives a really smooth ride!
value = 5 chili's = Cheap Bike, Good Quality, Lifetime warranty
OVERALL = 5 Chili's = Because this bike is great for the price paid the frame can support diffent set ups as there are eye holes for it, so it is an upgradeable frame, strong weild points!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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