Motobecane Ti Geometry and Build

[Ralph]

Believe these bikes are made by a Taiwan Company called "Ora". This same company makes many metal bikes under other brand names as well. They are a very experienced mass production frame builder. Read somewhere they also make some Ritchey frames. Don't know if that is so. Anyway....bikesdirect.com carries the frame either made up or as a frameset only. Not sure how you would deal with warranty issue.....ship back to US location? Compelling price for frame, fork, and headset.

Saw one the other day. Frame looked at least as nice as a Lynskey or Litespeed.

I like a 73/73 with a 55 CM top tube. That is one of their stock sizes. (they call that size a 53....sloping TT, 1.25-1.5 head tube etc). Wonder if BB and head tube is faced well?

Putting biases aside....anyone ever looked one of these over carefully?

[fa63]

I can’t comment on geometry, but I have been riding a Motobecane Ti as my main bike for about 4 years now. It is one of those frames they made which takes long reach brakes and can take up to 40mm tires. Lots of bikes have come and gone through my hands in that time (including a Seven and Zanconato), but this one always seems to make the cut when time comes to thin the herd.

As a funny aside, I was riding in France this summer when I made a pit stop at a cafe. A gentleman pulled up on a Passoni Ti, and after looking my bike up and down, was very complimentary of it (I have removed all the stickers from mine). Not sure he realized my bike cost 1/5 of his :)

[cribbit]

Lynskey/Litespeed/Motobecane are just as good as the others but without the prestige.

That said I would never buy one new, especially rim brake. You get so, so much more for your money going used even if you're not patient and are bad at negotiating.

Disc brake is where things change because not so many of those available used. For disc I highly recommend one of the $800 frames Lynskey has on their ebay store. Brand new, lifetime warranty, American manufacturing so the warranty actually means something. And you get nice stuff like thru axle. Pop on a Taiwanese fork and some used 9/10 spd and you've got a nice disc bike for under $1500.

[Ralph]

Why not new on a $1000 frame? That’s all you can lose. Can lose more on a new Moots.

[one60]

A friend bought an Ora Ti frame and I must admit the weld quality looks great. I think many would have a difficult time discerning the Ora from many high end Ti frames. It looked on par with my Seven. Of course, there's more to assembling Ti than the final weld appearance. He's been quite happy with the frame and its ride quality and has ridden dozens of different frames, materials etc. Enjoy the process!

[Ralph]

If I bought one, I would buy it to put a Campy Triple Crankset on it with a 111 MM BB. So need a seat tube of either 28.6 or 31.8. larger seat tubes require the use of a 115.5 BB axle.....and I don't want to use one that wide. Lynskey's I have looked at have a larger seat tube. The Motobecane has a 31.8 MM seat tube, 68 MM threaded BB, and would work fine with my stuff and 111. I just happen to have a new never used 170 Campy Comp Triple crankset in 30-40-50 in the box. Need to use it or sell it.