Motobecane Le Champion Ti

gordieax · #1 10-11-2011, 05:36 PM

Does anyone have experience purchasing a Motobecane Le Champion Titanium road bike from BikesDirect.com? Their prices for this type of bike with quality components seem to be ridiculously low. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

j. hughes · #2 10-11-2011, 06:05 PM

Do a search on google. There are threads and reviews all over the internet with reviews and discussion of most of the BD bikes. I'm having a hard time not buying a Moto fantom cross Ti myself at the moment. Just seems like too good of a price to pass up.

rnhood · #3 10-11-2011, 06:52 PM

They ride the hell out of them on Bike Forums and you can get feedback there. I see them on the road all the time at events. They appear to be very good value.

dr50470 · #4 10-11-2011, 08:01 PM

delivery and service from them was good. Bike needed minor tweeking upon arrival. Came supplied with a different crank than advertised, and with some back and forth they exchanged it (my labor) for the proper one. I would not hesitate to buy from them. Donald

Pete Serotta · #5 10-11-2011, 08:40 PM

Motobecane ti is not the same as a Moots, spectrum, Bedford, serotta, or other US made ones.

Depends what your requirements and budget are. Pete

Kontact · #6 10-11-2011, 08:50 PM

They are loved by neophytes. The reviews on them aren't negative, they just aren't super positive for ride. My understanding is that they ride kind of soft, but aren't whippy.

I don't think they are the bike for anyone who's curious what all the fuss about Ti frames is about, but for something like a cross or MTB, the big tires make the ride pretty unimportant. And they won't rust. I haven't heard of many failures, so the welding is solid enough. I'd consider the cross bike.

crupshaw · #7 10-11-2011, 08:58 PM

Being a poor college student, this was the only way for me to get a Ti bike with good/new components. It's been a great bike so far, and I've had it for over a year now (probably about 1500mi). It's pretty stiff and fast, but not overly so. Overall, I think it was great value, and don't regret the decision.

That being said, I will be getting a custom-built bike(s) as soon as I graduate; I have a used CSi (thanks Gothard!) that rides like a dream, and I can only imagine what it would be like to have a bike built exactly to my fit and riding style.

rice rocket · #8 10-11-2011, 09:23 PM

If you're a poor college student, why do you NEED a titanium bike?

Welding titanium is much more involved than welding steel or aluminum. It requires either an argon chamber or a proper backfill to ward off hydrogen embrittlement. That or a proper heat treat up to 1500 degrees. If this step is skipped, it WILL crack over time. Read more about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_embrittlement

With the number of cracked Ti frame issues that get posted on the internet (search, it's a LOT), it seems that even if you get the process correct, cracks do still appear, even on Litespeeds, Lynskeys, etc. The warranty process seems rather smooth with the domestic companies, imagine having to ship your frame back to Taiwan for a warranty check.

My opinion here, but consider the price of the frame + *actual* warranty service cost. It's probably <$100 to ship a frame domestically, and probably close to $400 to ship it internationally. It's not like you can negotiate with USPS either. What's the final difference in price after one warranty repair? $100-200? And a couple months less of aggravation?

itsflantastic · #9 10-11-2011, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rice rocket

If you're a poor college student, why do you NEED a titanium bike?

very few of us need the bikes we ride...

rice rocket · #10 10-11-2011, 09:39 PM

I agree. Buy a steel frame that'll get you around, and buy some beer and drinks for the ladies.

itsflantastic · #11 10-11-2011, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gordieax

Does anyone have experience purchasing a Motobecane Le Champion Titanium road bike from BikesDirect.com? Their prices for this type of bike with quality components seem to be ridiculously low. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

I think you can do a lot better getting a used bike. I'm sure a forumite will have something in your price range sooner than later. Put up a WTB ad with exactly what you are looking for, and you'll probably end up with a better quality frame/components for the $. So what if it's a little used.

onsight512 · #12 10-11-2011, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gordieax

Does anyone have experience purchasing a Motobecane Le Champion Titanium road bike from BikesDirect.com? Their prices for this type of bike with quality components seem to be ridiculously low. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

Yes. I bought a Le Champion Team Ti at the beginning of this year. A bike in a box. It took me ~40 minutes to get it assembled. I then took it to my lbs to have the rd adjusted.

I'm happy with it, but then I wasn't expecting Serotta/Moots/Seven/etc. The MB rides well enough, but truth be told, this is my first Ti bike, so I don't have much to compare it to. My first road bike was a Bianchi Pista (steel). That bike was stolen last year and I bought the MB to "replace" it.

I also have a Serotta CdA (steel), which I purchased after the MB and it rides better than the MB, but it's not an apples to apples comparison. When I bought the MB I figured I'd get a good group, on a new bike, and upgrade the frame later. That is still my plan, but I'm not in a hurry. For me, the MB works nicely.

crupshaw · #13 10-11-2011, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rice rocket

I agree. Buy a steel frame that'll get you around, and buy some beer and drinks for the ladies.

Want and need are two different things.

I do have a steel frame to get me around; this bike is my aggressive social rider, and will be my racing bike. And I trust a cheap ti frame over a cheap carbon fiber any day.

130R · #14 10-12-2011, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onsight512

It took me ~40 minutes to get it assembled. I then took it to my lbs to have the rd adjusted.

lol.

Kontact · #15 10-12-2011, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rice rocket

If you're a poor college student, why do you NEED a titanium bike?

Welding titanium is much more involved than welding steel or aluminum. It requires either an argon chamber or a proper backfill to ward off hydrogen embrittlement. That or a proper heat treat up to 1500 degrees. If this step is skipped, it WILL crack over time. Read more about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_embrittlement

With the number of cracked Ti frame issues that get posted on the internet (search, it's a LOT), it seems that even if you get the process correct, cracks do still appear, even on Litespeeds, Lynskeys, etc. The warranty process seems rather smooth with the domestic companies, imagine having to ship your frame back to Taiwan for a warranty check.

My opinion here, but consider the price of the frame + *actual* warranty service cost. It's probably <$100 to ship a frame domestically, and probably close to $400 to ship it internationally. It's not like you can negotiate with USPS either. What's the final difference in price after one warranty repair? $100-200? And a couple months less of aggravation?

What are you talking about? BD is based in Florida. It doesn't cost $100 to ship a frame domestically, if a warranty return would be charged at all. What has international shipping got to do with this? It isn't like warranty Fujis or Cervelos get sent back to the factory in Asia for warranties.

BD offends my sensibilities in a lot of ways, you seem to be inventing objections. These bikes aren't falling apart at the welds, they ride alright, and you'd have a difficult time actually finding a better riding steel bike with the same parts for the price - they're priced like aluminum bikes from big companies.