Submitted by
Rick M
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, UT Date Reviewed: November 9, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
bikesdirect.com
Strengths:
I love it. Great frame, I now understanding what carving means. Shocks are fine and breaks work well too so far. Incredibly tight after assembling out of the box with help from a friend who works at REI. Said this came out of the box as well as anything he has seen. No rubbing or noise on initial assembly.
Weaknesses:
NONE SO FAR.
I read some stuff about the Tora Shock being heavy and the breaks not working well or rubbing. Also heard that the pedals aren't worth putting on.
These guys should have ridden my old ride. Don't know if they are snobs or whiners.
Similar Products Used:
First FS bike. Rode an old Iron Horse Warrior HT, Cannondale HT.
Bike Setup:
Tora shock, Ario air 2.2, Avid Juicy 3s, Shimano SLX and XT, Lots of Ritchey, FS cranks, Gravity pedals and hubs.
Bottom Line:
Could not have been happier with the bike or shipping from bikesdirect.com Came in great shape (boxed) in three days from order to delivery using standard shipping (UPS Ground).
Can't believe how much different riding a decent FS bike can be. I love going out on something that feels this good. Confidence and ability just keep improving.
This is a no brainer!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jballer
a Cross Country Rider
from Spokane, Washington, United States Date Reviewed: September 21, 2009
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$990.00
Purchased At:
bikes direct
Strengths:
brand name parts, good travel with lockout front and rear, great price, quality bike,
Weaknesses:
needs quick release seat, pedals need to be replaced
Similar Products Used:
trek 930, specialized rockhopper,
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
Great bike for the price hands down. i have owned this bike for around 3 months now and it has put up with all the abuse i have thrown at it. i ride cross country the most but sometimes i mess around on downhill trails. the bikes is good for small jumps and drops but nothing too extreme. i would suggest this bike to poor people like myself who want a great XC bike for cheap.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Guile
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix, AZ, US Date Reviewed: August 3, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
www.bikesdirect.com
Strengths:
Solid frame, easy setup, great components, very adjustable, and easily upgradable at a very nice price point. Decent improvement over 2008 model despite higher price tag. Great customer service to fix their mistake.
Weaknesses:
Heavy, but being the first FS for someone recently entering the sport, this doesn't concern me much. There's also some rubbing in the rear wheel hub, but only during free spinning. Garbage stock pedals and a quick release seat clamp are my only other gripes.
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher hard tail.
Bike Setup:
2009 model which replaced the Comp DS that was on clearance (and consequently oversold...much to my dismay).
Bottom Line:
I had ordered the 2008 model at a clearance price of $799, but apparently BD had oversold and didn't have the product despite giving me a tracking number. They immediately offered to give me a $100 credit for any bike over $1000 or $50 towards anything less. I was quite unhappy because the next decent FS option was a $1400 bike, and I wasn't looking to spend that much to get into the sport. Fortunately, they received their 2009 comp DS just a few days later and added it to the site with a $999 price tag, and I was able to get a much better bike for only $100 more than I had originally looked to spend.
Onto the bike: Out of the box, this thing needed very few adjustments to get it working right. Although I have no bike tuning experience aside from adjusting my friend's 700DS, I was able to assemble this and tune it within an hour or so. I'm pretty mechanically inclined, so that may have played a role in the ease of setup.
The wheels are pretty true, and the juicy 3's aren't rubbing at all. Time will tell on those brakes as I've read mixed reviews of their longevity and requiring constant bleeds, but they seem pretty solid out of the box. The shifting is incredibly smooth, and aside from losing my chain due to a bad shift, my first ride was pretty smooth. There was some low whine sound coming from the drive train when free spinning that I can only assume is coming from the bearings in the rear hub assembly. I'll try greasing it and hopefully that will fix it all up.
Off topic: I sprained my foot playing volleyball the day after my first ride, so I'm pretty upset I can't jump right back on. It's a very fun bike!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cgduff
a Weekend Warrior
from Kent, Ohio Date Reviewed: July 7, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
bikeisland.com
Strengths:
Well built, duarable frame without being very heavy. Strong looking welds too. I haven't played around with the different suspension travel setting yet but having that feature is nice. I have the Fantom DS trail and would say it's more of an all mountain bike than a true XC bike (a bonus in my opinion as I can only afford one bike!).
Weaknesses:
Rear shock on my model is low spec-kindshock axis, but for the price what do you expect? In all fairness I opted for the cheaper version (coil shock rather than rock shox air shock) as I'll probably upgrade it next year anyway!
Similar Products Used:
First full sus bike. switched my components over from my (completely upgraded) Saracen mantra.
Bike Setup:
Motobecane fantom DS trail, Kindshock (KS) Axis coil shock, Marzocchi AM1 fork, FSA v-drive crank and BB, FSA DH pro headset, hayes hydraulic brakes with 8" rotors.
Bottom Line:
A very good intro to full sus mountain biking. I moved to the states from the UK and found all the large roots and rock gardens a pain (literally) on my hard tail. switch over and haven't looked back. If you're into the big brands and bragging rights in the pub you'll spned hundreds more for the same thing. check the geometry etc of these bikes, very, very similar to the ellsworth truth........
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mswartz67
a Cross Country Rider
from Narberth, PA, USA Date Reviewed: May 13, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Wissahickon Gorge
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
Bikesdirect
Strengths:
Big Value for the dollars. Durable and well made. Full suspension is very nice espcailly now that I am 41. Riding for one year and no real issues. Tora Shock is good for my level of riding single track. Overall I love my bike and the 500-700 dollar savings is great. Great mid to entry level bike.
Weaknesses:
Bent a spoke about 6 months in when I had a pretty bad crash and buised my ribs. Bike is a bit heavy.
Similar Products Used:
Trek and Specialized MTB's on the low end
Bike Setup:
Stock except for Crank Brothers Candy Pedals, and Peaty Aluminum lock grips. Looking to add a beffier Wheel set.
Bottom Line:
Big Value for the buck. I set out to buy a MTB because I wanted to get into the sport. I wanted as much MTB for 1000.00 or less. OVerall I searched my LBS and they could not touch anything under 1500-2000 with the same components...ie Specialized, Trek and others. I would not be afraid to purchase a bike from BD just because they are an online outfit. IF you are a littel handy you can have the bike set up in as little as an 1.5 hours or you can just take it down to the LBS and pay them to put it together. After riding it for a year I would say that it is a great Bike! I have no complaints and will buy again from them if I decide to buy a 29er or upgrade to a higher level bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rsharp
a Cross Country Rider
from Long Beach, CA USA Date Reviewed: February 22, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Fulleton Loop
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$995.00
Purchased At:
Bikesdirect.com
Strengths:
Good components at a cheap price!! But still needs upgrades!!
Weaknesses:
Stem to long brakes are weak feel very spongy and very LOUD !! Avid juicy 3's!! Fork is heavy and isn,t very good and the rear shock is very harsh!!!
Similar Products Used:
Specialized
Bike Setup:
Ritchy short stem w/ Easton Monkey lite Hi-Rise bars, Avid Elixir CR brakes, Marzocchi 44 ATA Forks, And ROCO Air 3PL rear shock! Specialized 2.3 tires.
Bottom Line:
This is a very good bike for the price if you are just getting into mountain biking. The forks, shock and brakes need to be replaced ASAP. but this bike handles very well in all situations! Carves turns nicely with the new forks and tires. Handles downhills nice too with the suspension upgrades!! Marzocchi are really nice!! All in all this is a great bike for the rider who is looking to get into riding without spending alot of money out of the gate!! I am pleased with the bike but already want a new bike as I believe it is time to move to something nicer!! I am 6'1" 225 lbs and ride this bike hard as I can and it has taken all I have thrown at it so far!! either will get new bike or do a few more upgrades first!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
DAS2009
a Weekend Warrior
from Burke, VA Date Reviewed: October 28, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Fountain Head
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
Bikesdirect
Strengths:
Great price. Frame. Component list (for the price)
Weaknesses:
A little heavy. Pedals were terrible. None of the help you get from a local bike shop purchase.
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Joshua
Bike Setup:
Deore LX shifters, Gore shift cables, XTR rear derailleur. Ritchey stem, bars, seatpost.... Avid Juicy 3 brakes, Rock Shox Tora 302 fork, FSA Alpha ISIS crank
Bottom Line:
It was a hard decision to buy a $1000.00 bike online without a test ride. It was a risk I am glad I took. My experience with the Motobecane has been outstanding.
The bike climbs like a champ. I hit the lockout on the rear shock and go up just about anything. I can even stand up on the pedals, and the bike maintains traction.
On the downhills, the only thing holding the bike back is my nerve. I have the suspension set at 130mm up front and 5 inches in the rear. The brakes perform well. I have only smoked them up one time, and that was on a scary creek bed downhill at Big Bear. (I have to admit I was being chicken and I used way too much front brake on that one.)
The bike holds a tight line and is predictable in turns. Once again, as my skill level increases the bike seems to get better. Hmmm.
The frame has been bullet proof. I weigh 200 lbs and ride this bike harder every day. It handles jumps (about 3' high), logs and rock gardens with no problems. The suspension allows me to blast through rock gardens and root gardens with confidence.
Ok, this is not a Motobecane advertisement. Not all is perfect. The bike is a little heavy. I do not know the exact weight, but by comparison it is heavier than a few of my friend's rides (Rocky Mountain / Specialized). The culprit of the bike's heft is its' components not the frame. For example, the Tora shock weighs over 5 lbs on its own. An upgrade to the fork and a switch from Ritchey Comp parts to Ritchey WCS parts would probably make this bike alot more svelte.
I switched the rear derailluer from XT to XTR. That move, along with the addition of Gore cables has made the shifting perfect. I changed the Panaracer tires from the 60 TPI Taiwan made ones to the 120 TPI Japanese made. And yes, there is a difference. The pedals, which came with the bike are just bad. Do not even put them on the bike for one ride. Buy your own (I like the Crank Bros Acid).
This is a great bike for the money. The Motobecane allows budget minded riders to hit the trails on a quality ride. Buy it, ride it, upgrade the parts when you can afford it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Armandeus
a Weekend Warrior
from Miami,Fl USA Date Reviewed: October 12, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Markhan Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
Bikesdirect
Strengths:
Components,price,performance,
Weaknesses:
heavy fork, chain,saddle,pedals
Similar Products Used:
Never have a fullsuspension b4 but i had many hardtails from scott,rocky mountain vertex,daimonback,specialized
Bike Setup:
I upgrade wheelset with the Vuelta Team SL,handlebar with Monkey lite SL carbon fiber,front suspension with a Rock shox REBA Team 85-115mm travel,casette with an XT m-750 , Crankset with a Shimano Deore and saddle with a Nashbar race 190g , now bike weight around 28 Lbs.
Bottom Line:
This bike is great for Trails or pretty much anything you want, is true that is little heavy butthe performave is pretty good , for example is the TORA that come with the bike , true is heavy but it will perform almost as god as a much more expensive shock, i use the bike for around 2 months with the standar components and then did the upgrade and i'm very please since i got some of the parts from another bike and got pretty god deals( the REBA TEAM 85/115mm air,rebound,compression,pushloc,etc. for $320 new)and i sold the all parts(wheelset,shock,etc) the total amount of extra money spend it was $450 , for a grand total of $1,450 if you look at the especs i dont think you cant beat the deal on a new XC/All mountain bike
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
illuminati
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle, Wa, USA Date Reviewed: August 8, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Tiger Mtn
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
bikesdirect.com
Strengths:
For the price, the components are great. The option the bump the suspension travel to 5" is also a plus.
Weaknesses:
Heavy front fork (par for the course with the low-end stuff), heavy frame/tires/rims.
Not so much the bike, but bikesdirect.com has relatively lax business etiquette. My bike was delivered without a few of the things needed to complete assembly.
Similar Products Used:
Kona Cinder Cone (HT)
Bike Setup:
Swapped out the stem (too long) and saddle. Plans for a new suspension setup are in the works, I just have to figure out what I'm going to be most interested in riding with it.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike if you're just getting into mountain biking and want something that isn't too expensive to cut your teeth on. Don't expect to be able to do freeride stuff with it though, and make sure you get yourself fitted to a similar bike at your LBS because it's easy to buy the wrong size. If you want a pretty legit XC bike for cheap, this is a good bet.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
charliesheen
a Weekend Warrior
from temecula Date Reviewed: August 2, 2008
Favorite Trail:
bigbear
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$995.00
Purchased At:
bikes direct
Strengths:
Price! nice bike, good performance
Weaknesses:
brakes, chain, wheels and name brand if you are into that kind of thing.
Similar Products Used:
other bikes.
Bike Setup:
pretty much all i am using is the frame and rear shock right now.spent more on upgrades than on complete bike.
Bottom Line:
bike is unbeatable for the price point. got the upgrade bug and switched out pretty much everything, but was more than capable bone stock for cross country. for more resort type stuff you really need better brakes they fell spongy after not too long going dh.I heard the chain breaks easily so i switched that out also.wheels were mauled after a few 4' to flat drops. all in all i would fully endorse this product. good price and better than average components.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John D
a Weekend Warrior
from Crestone Date Reviewed: May 28, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Local Secret
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
Bikesdirect
Strengths:
Great components and bike for the price. Couldn't find a better deal with the quality of components included, even a used bike was more. Handles great and tackles the singletrack like a champ. Uphill and downhill I found this bike to perform very well. Very happy with this bike
Weaknesses:
Heavy weighed in at 35lbs. Not sure what comparable bikes weigh. Paint scratches easily. Cables have worn scuff marks into the paint after a couple days of use. A quick release for the seat would be nice. Haven't found any other weaknesses so far.
Similar Products Used:
Rocky Mtn Element 10, Kona Dawg
Bike Setup:
Switched out the tires and pedals but otherwise stock.
Bottom Line:
Great bike for the price!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Max
a
from larchmont, ny Date Reviewed: November 3, 2007
Favorite Trail:
the one that has everything
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
ebay (500 for frame)
Strengths:
the frame welding is nice-i am pretty light, but i am still tough on the bike. i do three to five foot jumps and land flat and the bike is still in great condidtion. rides well, a little bob, about as much as a kona (my dad has one)
Weaknesses:
little heavy, but that is mainly components, the actual frame isnt a monster. fork i came with broke on me, first lockout then rebound and everything else, am upgrading it. they dont tell you which holes on the rocker are fo which travel setting, i had to use math reosoning to get mine in the five position.
Similar Products Used:
old trek hardtai, no comparison
Bike Setup:
going to be a fox talas rlc, lx read shifter, deore shifters, avid bb7 2007, hone crank and shifter, mavic wheels, stock every thing else.
Bottom Line:
great bike for the money, and ii need it, im still in high school. for the money i can ride the same trails almost as well (skill, not bike) as guys with sc nomads, blurs, konas, and gt's. i am glad i got the frame and built it up, it costs more-im going to wind up speding about 1500 and change on parts, but being able to customize it is worth it five chilis for value, great frame, okay parts, at least the fork and shock. overall, 4 bcause of the rear adjustibility, but that could just be me. you should buy it if your looking for a deal on a good bike, and a strong bike. you shouldnt if your looking to win races or have a light bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Errold Tuley
a
from utah Date Reviewed: October 3, 2007
Favorite Trail:
great western
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$859.00
Purchased At:
bikes direct
Strengths:
This bike has so many strength is hard to list them all. Full bearing pivots on the rear adjustable 3 to 5", ario 2.2 rear shock, tora u-turn 3 to 5",xt components, wtb wheel set, Ritchey head set, BB5 breaks. HIGHLY ADJUSTALBLE RIDE ANGLE! This bike has a very ridged rear and at 32# isn't the heaviest.
Weaknesses:
None really.
Similar Products Used:
specialized demo, gary fisher
Bike Setup:
setup one "stock) Ario 2.2/lockout, tora uturn 3 to 5 inch 289s
I changed the spring from the stock to an extra firm because I'm 6'2 210. I ride the rear shock at 5" and 205psi. THIS BIKE ROCKS Its ride is very adjustable when you lock out the rear shock it tops out if you combind this with turning the front down to 3" it climbs like a demon on fire yet it can soak up hits with plushness when set at 5@5 on the flats and downs! This bike has everything and more than most people will ever need! True it doesn't have " top of the top " parts but nothing is anywere near bottom line eather! I couldn't be more satisfied. However I did get another setup for the frame. I do alot of cross country riding which the stock setup is great for But I also do alot of resort down hilling and urban assault so I set it up with travis forks and a swinger coil rear shock. This setup fully rocks! One word MOTOBECANE!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James OMalley
a Downhiller
from Foster City, CA, USA Date Reviewed: August 23, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Water Dog
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$895.00
Purchased At:
www.bikesdirect.com
Strengths:
Value. Bang for your buck. This bike is awesome for the average Joe Shmoe as well as advanced riders. Strengths are relative to ones experience level. One thing to keep in mind is that most people aren't the experts or harda**es they think they are.
Weaknesses:
The bike weighs a lot. I can attest that it does weigh about 34 lbs. One can easily cut about 6 lbs of this with elite part replacements at a blowout sale through Performance, Jenson, or Nashbar for under 200 bucks. Again, weaknesses are relative to rider experience.
Similar Products Used:
Several Iron Horse models, GT, Specialized, Trek, Marin, Kona, Santa Cruz ranging from hardcore downhill, freeride, and cross country models.
Bike Setup:
I have had my bike for 3 days and have already replaced the pedals, the chain, and the seatpost. This was the minimum I had to do before I tested it out. Those three parts cost me a total of 100 bucks. Easton Post, SRAM 9 speed Chain. BMX/Freeride pedals.
Bottom Line:
I'm no expert but I have bent a few frames, broken a couple forks, and been through a dozen wheelsets from low quality to top. Overall, this bike is the best bang for you buck for the price. It's strong and well built and easily upgraded into a monster. I don't care about famous names as much as I do performance. Similarly priced setups from GT, Specialized, Iron Horse have lower quality build kits and ride even crappier. What the inquiring buyer needs to keep in mind is value when making this purchase. Others have mentioned, and I agree, that with a minimum of $300 and some simple online research, one can find great upgrades and transform this bike into somethin pretty hardcore.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Casey
a Cross Country Rider
from Cupertino Date Reviewed: March 26, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Skeggs
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$895.00
Purchased At:
http://www.bikesdirect.com/
Strengths:
One is that it is a 4 Link or as they say Multi Link. The frame is welded extremely well. Most likely the same manufacture of Giant frames and many others. It comes with XT rear Derailleur, WTB Wheelset, Panracer fires, Heavy but durable Truvativ IsoFlow cranks, Lockable Ario 2.2 rear shock, Available poploc for the RockShox's front and rear. Very Much a XC bike it takes uphills pretty well soaking up bumps well.
Weaknesses:
Now for the bad; Weight is a killer and this has a lot of it, weighting in a a hefty 34 lbs, Front RockShoxs have to go. You can make them work by changing spring rate and adding a poploc for climbing. But this doesn't help how much it weights 5.6 lbs, get a Manitou, Fox, Marzocchi, something in the 4 pound range that you can adjust with air, sping, and fork oil. Buy a new chain KMC are pretty weak I've already stretched the KMC by 3mm. Pay the money and get a Shimano Ultegra/XT chain. The crank rings are a steel, If you want to save some weight race face crank rings are relatively inexpensive replacements. Richey seat post is weak, I replaced that after first ride with a Sette 7. Same with the WTB seat replaced with a Velo race Sette 7.
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Sugar 2 +, Specialized FSR, Specialized Stumpjumer, Custom made XC Hard tail.
Bike Setup:
For now until I start braking parts, Just added a new seat post, seat, 8" rotors, poploc for front shock, heavier spring for fork. Chris king head set.
Bottom Line:
Decent bike for the money. If you don't know to much about how to tune a bike I would take it to a local bike shop that you trust and have them tune it and adjust the bike to your body height etc.... I would say after replacing the the fork, Cassette, crank rings, and maybe the wheel set. You'll be looking at a pretty nice XC rig it's a great platform to start with. This is a great bike if you don't have the money to spend on a $1700 and up mountain bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
AJ
a Cross Country Rider
from Michigan Date Reviewed: January 29, 2007
Favorite Trail:
local ski area
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$895.00
Purchased At:
bikesdirect.com
Strengths:
Frame design similar to Turner, i.e. “faux bar” to avoid paying for patented “Horst link”. There is great debate over the differences (if any) in ride quality. I have ridden various 4-bar brands/designs and personally cannot tell the difference.
Weaknesses:
Poor build quality (i.e. the way the parts are put together, not the frame/welding, that's fine) Cheap parts=heavy, especially front fork, bottom bracket/crankset.
I've owned this bike going on 18 months. This bike is a good value if you can build and work on your own bike (otherwise you will be paying your LBS to rebuild/put it together properly in the beginning). You should plan on spending some additional money on a decent fork, headset, pedals, chain, disc rotors. The actual frame is well made with good welds, and aside from a thin easily scratched paint job, is worth upgrading.
My experience with bikesdirect customer service was at best difficult. My bike was in sub-par shape even for a boxed “dealer ready” bike.
I couldn't come close to this price on a similar spec'd bike locally, so I gambled and ordered online. Free shipping, no sales tax, arrived quickly. It came in silver, but was severely scratched on the downtube (box had tears and holes in it, looked like it was handled roughly, probably from shipping from overseas or storage in a warehouse in Texas?, not UPS). I sent the bike back through considerable effort on my part (bikesdirect customer service/returns gets a D-/F+ from me, I had to go through a number of emails and calls which initially weren't returned, plus file a report with UPS). So by the time they get the first bike back, they are out of my size in silver, so I was sent a replacement in orange (I don’t mind the color though).
Even the new bike had some scuffs (paint is thin and easy to scratch) from being boxed and the derailleur hanger was mildly bent, but easily straightened. After I set it up, I noticed binding in the headset, it was pressed in crooked. The Ritchey Scuzzy Logic headset wasn’t very good quality (not a true sealed cartridge headset) to begin with, so I replaced with a cane creek S3. I also replaced the low (ab)normal rapid rise XT derailleur with my old XT high normal derailleur. I also used my old pedals. The stock VP pedals were horrible, didn’t plan to use them and couldn’t because one was roughly threaded and would have ruined the threads in the crank if installed (without rethreading the pedal). The KMC chain is low quality and was replaced with an SRAM. The WTB saddle is heavy and too wide for me, so used my old saddle. Once set up brakes worked fine for me, but rotors were warped and could not be adjusted without some rub(seems to be a common problem). I eventually replaced with new avid rotors, no more rubbing and I really have no reason to upgrade the brakes.
In stock form, the bike is heavy (my large 20” was at least 33 pounds before replacing parts). The Ario shock works fine for me. I did notice the Judy SL fork is extremely heavy, at over 5 pounds, felt like I had an anchor tied to the front end, so after a year I replaced with a Manitou R7 comp which shed 2 pounds. I had no trouble with the truvativ crank and bottom bracket (other than the square taper BB and cranks with steel rings are heavy), but just replaced/upgraded to LX Hollowtech II, which also shed weight. I ride in a wet, muddy and sandy environment and the WTB hubs are not sealed well, so frequent hub bearing overhauls are required. The front and rear hub bearings came out rusty last time, so I had to replace all the balls. Next upgrade will be a new wheelset. Bike weighs about 29 pounds now. New wheelset with lighter tires/tubes and carbon seatpost/bars should get close to 27 pounds.
4 chili ("great") value (not 5 because some value is lost when factoring in required upgrades and service/build). Only 2 chilis ("fair") overall due to poor customer service, bike build quality issues, thin paintjob, and some cheap low quality heavy parts (but these are expected on a <$1000 bike). I like the bike now, but I probably wouldn't buy a Motobecane again based on my experience with bikesdirect customer service (I'm sticking with the LBS from now on).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tyler Matney
a Racer
from Mesa, AZ Date Reviewed: September 1, 2006
Favorite Trail:
ARIZONA!!!
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$995.00
Purchased At:
Cycle Spectrum
Strengths:
GREAT PRICE! Decent components, easily upgradable, something different than everyone else has, and BRIGHT ORANGE to boot!
Weaknesses:
Pedals are worthless, rear shock (ario 2) blew out on day one (was replaced at no cost with the upgraded Ario 2.2), right shifter part feel apart during a race (I probably should have gone over the whole bike when it was new to tighten everything). Stock chain should go in the same garbage can as the pedals.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR
Bike Setup:
Upgraded pedals to Shimano SPD, Upgraded rear shock to Ario 2.2, upgraded chain to LX, upgraded shifter pods to XT, and add quick release set post clamp
Bottom Line:
You can't get a better bike for the price tag. I have about 300 miles of ABUSE on mine, and all that really was bad was the chain and shifter pods. I made the upgrades listed above and am in love with the bike. I will ride it until it falls apart, hopefully many years down the road. In the works for future upgrades are the brakes and that's it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a Cross Country Rider
from Frederick, MD, USA Date Reviewed: July 24, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Schaeffer Farm Trails
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$895.00
Purchased At:
bikesdirect.com
Strengths:
Price, decent quality components
Weaknesses:
Weight, initial assembly, pedals
Similar Products Used:
Jamis Dakar
Bike Setup:
Stock, except for pedals
Bottom Line:
So far, I really like this bike. I haven't had any problems after several very hard rides. I did take it to the LBS for a tune up since I ordered the bike online and it came partially assembled. They got it all dialed in, trued the wheels, and gave it a good going over. I hated the stock pedals that came with the bike, and switched them after the first ride. This is my first full suspension bike, and I thought I would have trouble on the climbs, but that is not the case. In fact, I seem to be climbing better since I can stay seated overs the roots and rocks while climbing. The suspension seems to smooth out all but the biggest bumps. I don't think you can go wrong with this bike, considering the price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Jacksonville Date Reviewed: February 5, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Santos Ant Hill Racetrack etc...
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$800.00
Purchased At:
Cycle Spectrum
Strengths:
Cannot be beat for the money! A very easy to carve bike right from the get-go. Very easy on your back compared to mey hardtails. Free service for life baby from some of the nicest guys I have met in a LBS (cycle Spectrum)
Weaknesses:
The stock pedals (half platform half knock-off SPD ) The wheels are a little easy to knock out of round (probably could have avoided this by having them tensioned correctly before riding?). The promax brakes suck! They are anti-lock for sure! Actually, they require the hand strenth of a pro arm wrestler to slow the bike.
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Paragon--Motebecane Fly 9357 (a rocket!) a bunch of others
Bike Setup:
Replaced the Pilot fork with a Manitou Firefly and have loved it (though I must say that the Pilot was really pretty nice-just worried about thrashing it) Replaced the brakes with Avid BB7's (from bikesdirect's ebay sight $64.99) Huge improvement for a little cash.
Bottom Line:
The bike rocks. The guys at Cycle Spectrum rock. REPLACE THE BRAKES! I bought a 16" frame at 5' 9" tall and have been very glad I did. The bike eats corners. I have had no problems with the LX components compared to my XTR and SRAM 9.0. The frame still looks great. I wrapped the chain stay and the cables where they meet the frame. I am not convinced that the frame can handle large drops, but I know that my 42 yearold body can't so it's not a problem. Still, I can cover ground faster than most of the guys on high dollar stuff! Buy one a nd make a few upgrades, You'll still have money left over compared to even a modest Santa Cruz budget.
Screw conformity. Buy something that delivers more than it promises.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Thomas Furfaro
a Weekend Warrior
from Lehigh Acres, FL Date Reviewed: December 15, 2005
Favorite Trail:
CRP Northside, Alva FL
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$995.00
Purchased At:
www.bikesdirect.com
Strengths:
light, high-quality components, high-quality frame... love this bike...
Weaknesses:
rear shock (Rock Shox Ario w/ Lockout) has iffy performance, but may be user error???
Similar Products Used:
Roadmaster POS
Bike Setup:
Stock Motobecane Fantom Comp DS
Bottom Line:
I'm a newbie to the MTB scene... Have been road riding for a year or so. I love this bike. The first time I took it on a trail, I was completely satisfied with the bike. As I haven't ridden many other MTB's, that might not say much, but regardless... It's light enough that I can move really fast down the trail, but with enough umpff to tackle decent descents and climbs... Awesome buy... If you were to build a bike from parts, you wouldn't be able to touch this price... The deore build kit alone is equivalent to this whole bike... I love it!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cracker
a Weekend Warrior
from Whitefish Bay, WI, USA Date Reviewed: October 4, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Really great build, sturdy, fantastic value
Weaknesses:
paint is weak and easily scratched or worn off by cables
Similar Products Used:
first full suspension, also ride a 2004 GF Tass
Bike Setup:
Rock Shox Psylo, XT derailleurs, sram 8 speed casette, truvative cranks 32/11 chain rings, bontrager seat post, WTB speed V saddle (best fit ever), Alex M18 wheels, WTB velociraptor tires, Riche headset and stem, hayes 6" mech disc brakes, shimano shifters
Bottom Line:
I bought the frame on Ebay for 200 bucks, and added everything else for the remainder of the cost. In its base configuration you'll want to upgrade the spring in the pilot fork and get some clipless pedals- otherwise laugh all the way to the bank. The ride is great, it handles like its on rails. I would reccomend at least 220 lbs of pressure in the rock shox bar (I weigh 215 lbs)- and you can expect that it will climb without issue. Its particularly easy to lift the front end over obstacles. I have always been annoyed by the cost of frames from "upscale" manufactures. I can see the value in components, but frames from Ellsworth, Yeti, Santa Cruz etc are just ridiculously expensive. These manufacturers hold no special secrets, they just spend their time trying to reinvent the perception of the suspension paradigm each year and string us all along like a bunch of pathetic hedonists in search of the cache of the latest thang. I say we shut them all down and buy MOTOBECANE - it's a great bike and it costs less than a grand.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Clinton
a Weekend Warrior
from Jacksonville, FL Date Reviewed: July 6, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Hanna Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$895.00
Purchased At:
Bikes Direct
Strengths:
price, rear suspension adjustability
Weaknesses:
Brakes squeak and rattle. Take awhile to break in. Seat post needs quick release.
Similar Products Used:
Mongoose
Bike Setup:
rear shock set at the rear most hole.
Bottom Line:
Lowered the bike. Gets around corners alot better. Have had the front rim and the derailer replaced. Shattered both of them out on the trail. Great bike for the money. Does not ride as nice as a Trek or a Gary Fisher but a good starter bike. I' ll pound this bike untill I can justify replacing the whole bike. Till then see you on the trail.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Vosk
a Cross Country Rider
from Las Vegas, NV, USA Date Reviewed: May 31, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Bootleg Canyon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$895.00
Purchased At:
bikesdirect.com
Strengths:
Performance vs cost
Weaknesses:
Promax brakes
Similar Products Used:
Trek Y22, Trek Fuel 90, various HT and rigid bikes over the years.
Bike Setup:
Stock so far (upgraded brakes soon)
Bottom Line:
I was a little hesitant to order an unknown bike from an unknown (at least to me) online dealer. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the bike and the dealer. The bike rides great! The Deore drive train works well and shifts clean. The Pilot front shock works well though it is under sprung for even my weight (160 lbs), I will have go to a heavier spring. The rear suspension is currently set at 4" and works very smoothly. I didn't really expect much from the BAR rear shock but I find it perfoms well. I miss having the rebound adjust though so I will be changing it out with my AD-10, otherwise I would just leave it since it performs fine. The frame quality is good enough and better than expected for the price. Comparing it to my friends Trek Fuel 90, the quality of some of the welds and suspension components (like the rocker arm) are not up to the Trek standards. Then again, he is riding with a much lighter wallet than I am. This is not a Trek, but is is far from a WalMart bike too. The quality of the components is much better than most bikes in this price range. It seems to me that a lot of bikes skimp on things like seatpost, stem, bars, wheels. The Fantom uses decent Ritchey and WTB components there, no reason to change them unless you are a real weight weenie. Stock, it is not the lightest bike out there (31 lbs for my 18" bike) but with some upgrades it could still be sub 30 for around 1K. I think this is a great bike and great value for the recreational XC rider. The only bad thing I can say about it is that the Promax brakes are worthless. They are poorly aligned and required filing of the casting to even get them to go over the rotor. There is not much adjustability and a lot of play in the mechanism. They don't seem to stay adjusted but I guess they do work, just not great. Bikesdirect was a good experience as well. They are quick to answer questions and the bike was on it's way the next day.
High marks for "bang for the buck". If you don't want to spend much but need a bike that performs, give this serious consideration.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from Fremont, CA, USA Date Reviewed: April 15, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$495.00
Purchased At:
www.bikesdirect.com
Strengths:
Adjustable rear travel, price, quality and weight.
Weaknesses:
Not a boutique name people would know.
Similar Products Used:
Trek Fuel, Giant NRS, Sycip Custom Full-Suspension, Klein Attitude, Several Ventana Full-Suspensions
Bike Setup:
Rock Shox Pilot XC, Bar Air Rear Shock, Mix of Sram and Shimano XTR parts plus Avid mechanical disc brakes and Sun Rhyno Lite wheelset.
Bottom Line:
The quality of the frame which included the front, rear shocks and Ritchey seatpost, stem and headset was a great value. Comparing it to other bikes that I have owned or demoed, it is right up there with the high-priced mountain bikes over $1500-$2000. The frame design is similar to those found on Ventana with 3, 4, or 5 inches of rear travel. Very plush and active without robbing you of your power. Lateral stiffness is very high and helps you carve turns with the best of them. Also, the suspension set at 4" is very well balanced and plush. It can take a big hit without bottoming out. With my mix of Sram and Shimano XTR parts, my 16" frame bike weighs 27.5 lbs. Not exactly the lightest I have ever used but certainly one of the most comfortable and easiest to control. I may not use this to race with but I would certainly use it as my daily rider for exercise at my local trail. I feel you receive Ventana quality on a beer budget. Ordering was easy as well as tracking during shipping. Highly recommended
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Neal
a Weekend Warrior
from Boston, MA, USA Date Reviewed: October 6, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Great Brook
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$895.00
Purchased At:
BikesDirect
Strengths:
Excellent climber, which was a concern for me when swithching to full suspension. I am big guy(6'3" 250) and I didn't know how FS would be but I am completely coverted.
Weaknesses:
The stock chain is garbage and so were the pedals.
Bike Setup:
Switched the rear derailleur and shifters to SRAM XO and switched the chain to SRAM PC-99. I would never use Shimano again. Changed the pedals to Egg beaters and replaced the stock fork(rock shox Judy) with marzocchi z.2 atom 80. Everything else is stock. I love this setup!
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike. I definitely abuse it and it takes everything that I give it. Each weekend I get out I like it more and more. If you enjoy aggressive cross country riding with some small "freeriding" this bike will be a great fit for you. I ride the 20" frame and love it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Pittsburgh Date Reviewed: October 6, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
bikesdirect
Strengths:
Great value. Compared this to many other bikes and it would be hard to beat. Rides as smooth as any of my friends 2k bikes. I wanted a solid month to really give it everything I could and it has taken it wonderfully. Havent had a single issue with it yet. Going from a rigid to FS was a big change and I love being able to change the rear suspension to something that feels more like a hardtail. The ride is so plush with the travel at max in the rear it is kinda rough getting back on the road bike. (maybe it will convert me fully to off road) It has really taken some serious hits up front and gone right through/over just about everything. Great wheelset that has stayed perfectly true. Brakes were easy to set up and adjust- much better than any rim brakes I have used. Frame is super solid and will be easy to upgrade if and when needed down the line
Weaknesses:
Pedals that came with it suck. They are garbage so plan on getting a new set. At first I thought I would like the pedals with SPD on one side and flats on the other but they are a pain. Much prefer to be clipped in than to be fumbling around trying to flip the pedal. New set of eggs for this bike on the way........ Probably need a bash guard until I am better at jumping the big logs (my fault, not the bikes fault). Would have been nice to have a quick release seat post but cheap enough to replace.
Similar Products Used:
Marin, Cannondale, Schwinn
Bike Setup:
Stock so far except for pedals, added mud guards. Lights on the way for fall riding
Bottom Line:
Great FS for under a grand. After looking and testing just about everything I could in this price range, I am very pleased and would certainly do it again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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