Motobecane AM bike?
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I'd really like to see Motobecane offer something more All-Mountain as well. Something 140-150mm travel with through-axle fork and 68ish degree headtube.
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It's hard to say if they ever will come out with a AM ride. However, five inches of suspension travel seems to be plenty for most and they already have a full squish line that runs that much. So, I don't see it happening. Also, with the suspension taking much of the abuse. The frames looks to be burley enough to be called AM rides.
I guess, the most coast effective way of doing an AM bike would be just to swap out some components for more of a AM build.
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I guess, the most coast effective way of doing an AM bike would be just to swap out some components for more of a AM build.
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A true AM bike isn't just about the components you bolt onto it. It's the geometry that needs to change. The fantom frames don't have enough travel and the HTA is too steep.Moto Rider said:It's hard to say if they ever will come out with a AM ride. However, five inches of suspension travel seems to be plenty for most and they already have a full squish line that runs that much. So, I don't see it happening. Also, with the suspension taking much of the abuse. The frames looks to be burley enough to be called AM rides.
I guess, the most coast effective way of doing an AM bike would be just to swap out some components for more of a AM build.
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The trend has moved to builders coming out with a do-it-all bike (AM) with around 6" of travel and will accept a 150-160mm fork and have a 66-68 degree HTA.
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Price Point sells the Sette Flite, which looks to be very similar to Motobecane's FS frames with slightly slacker geometry and AM build. I wouldn't be surprised if they were all made and assembled in the same factory overseas. Check it out, it might be what you're looking for.
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I'd agree. My Fantom Trail gets alot of abuse, and still works great for my AM adventures. While I'd like a little more than my 130mm travel. I'll wait till I destroy something before my next major purchase, and if Motobecane decides to come out with a nice AM setup before that I would consider that an option. I don't like huge airtime, but I don't avoid drops or and jumps if they're in my way, I have taken some bigger hit's than I would have liked to. Honestly I was half expecting to break my frame in half already, but I have yet to see any signs of failure or stress. The head tube angle is a little off, but I'm different, and prefer a steeper angle. But like I said if they did come out with a dedicated AM rig, I would definatley consider.Moto Rider said:
Also, the top tube is my biggest gripe. I was lucky enough before I purchased my frame to run into a guy on Fantom Pro in medium and he was kind enough to let me check it out and check the fit, which got me choosing a large, however my 'jewels' can be compromised should I go down with the bike (thankfully, I have almost perfected clearing a bike due to years of riding a dirtbike), so a new design on the top tube and reduction of the stand over height would be my main concern.
All in all, my current setup works well for me and handles this with no problem :thumbsup:
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I realize that... that's why I added that cost effective statement. I also think we are spoiled. There was a time when all you had to ride was just a modified cruiser and that became your MTB/ AM bike and it went down and around just fine. Sure, not as fine as the bikes we have today.dunerinaz said:
Everything being so specialized…is more or less, marketing crap. Instead having one bike to purchase, we so easily get blind sided into thinking we need to have 4 or 5 in order to have fun on a bike. Oh, I'm riding here…I need this bike today. Oh, I'm going there…I need this bike. LOL!!
Then again, any bike that is your only bike, automatically becomes your do all bike.
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I guess, I also should say this…all my previous bikes up until my Moto, where cheep low-end ones. At one point in time I also wished Moto had an AM bike in their arsenal as I thought it was needed. So I picked up a Santa Cruz heckler. 160mm through fork, RS Vivid 5.1 coil, the works. In the end I sold it. Looking back, I realized, I could of just saved my money. For the price I spent on that bike I could of had a DS PRO and a Ti PRO.
Live and learn…
It was also the first time in my life that I owned two bicycles at the same time. My Fantom Elite and a SC Heckler and I was equally proud of both.
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Vivid 5.1 not in photo.
Fred.
Live and learn…
It was also the first time in my life that I owned two bicycles at the same time. My Fantom Elite and a SC Heckler and I was equally proud of both.
Vivid 5.1 not in photo.
Fred.
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53 Posts
Usually its spec'd with a given fork travel and then you can estimate 1° slacker or steeper for each 1" you add or subtract fork travel . . . its not exact though because two different forks with the same travel can have different axle to crown measurements, as well as differences in sag. Regardless, the 71-72° of the Motobecane Fantom DS isn't all-mountain in most peoples books. Even if you put on a 140mm fork it would still only be 70-71°, which is still steeper than most all mountain bikes.
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Its a rough estimate, but 1* slacker per 20mm ~ 1"--well I guess 1* slacker for each 3/4" of added fork length would be more accurate-- of increased fork length is a pretty common rule of thumb in MTBing. Still, adding longer forks to slacken a bike has other drawbacks like increased BB height and stress on the head tube.
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