Mercier or Motobecane bikes, any good???

Both of these bike companies have been around for many years.  They have some good bikes and they also have cheap bikes.  It all depends on what models you are looking at and what components they have.

www.bikesdirect.com  has the motobecane nemesis tri bike for about $800 at the moment no idea why. apparently they're reliable as well (haven't used them myself)

The Mercier and Motobecane brands are no longer what they used to be. I'm no expert but since I was shopping for a bike not that long ago I remember reading something about how they were world class European manufacturers back in the '70s but went out of business, then some Taiwanese company picked up the name and is using it again. The only place I saw these brands was through BikesDirect.com and their retail store (I forget the name) in the Midwest.

That's not to say the quality is not good. One of my training buddies bought a Motobecane from BikesDirect.com and is extremely happy with it. He's already done two of three planned 200-mile rides on it. I also very seriously considered buying from BikesDirect. The components are the real deal (Shimano) and have corresponding quality and reliability. This friend who is pretty good with fixing bikes said he had no problem but I read some cautions about the fact that the bike is shipped to you all broken down and you have to put it together and sometimes the wheels have to be trued and the cables definitely have to be adjusted and all that. You could probably pay a bike shop to do all that for you and still save money in the end.

If you're all about the price and you're looking toward the low end, you might consider going used. Take some time to learn about how to make sure the bike fits you well and what the levels of Shimano and Campy components are. Then hit the classifieds (the Recycler?), eBay, or Craigslist.org. There also seem to be a lot of bike sales this time of year. There may even be some older models on deep discount. Visit local bike shops to see what they've got on clearance. It might end up even being cheaper and the store will set it up and guarantee it.

Mike

I think I'll look at another brand. You made me kind of nervous.

Don't be too nervous about these brands.  True the name brands have been sold to Taiwan manufacturers but that does not necessarily mean mean they are not good.  Like I said, they have good bikes and they have bad bikes like everybody else.  My Pecco Eclipse bike frame is assembled in Taiwan and the welds and finish of the bike are second to none.  The Mercier Serpens AL road bike (1395AMD at Bikes Direct), for instance is nothing to sneer at as is the Motobecane Nemesis Tri bike (795AMD at Bikes Direct).  Of course these two brands, like Fuji and KHS, do not have the bragging rights of the Pinarello's and the Colnago's but who wants to brag anyways.  What is your price range you have in mind to purchase a bike?

Of course I want to go as cheap as I can, but not so cheap that I would have to buy another one in a few years. For example, I'm probably willing to pay $1000 for bike, but if I can find a bike that is $500 of even less and the only difference is name, then I'd rather get the $500 or less one. I'm not looking to invest 1000s of $$$ since I'll never be a super triathlete. But like I said, I would like it to last a long time. These brands seem to be the cheapest around, but I don't want to compromise like part integrity, etc.

I guess I'm having such a hard time because I'm so new to this, and everyone has a different opinion that it's a little frustrating.

Edited by auto208562 2005-04-13 11:15 AM

I did not want to spend very much money when I was starting out, in case the tri bug did not bite (it did ), so I bought a new Motobecane Mirage off of e-bay after going on the Motobecane website and making sure I was getting a good price. I have not had a bit of trouble, I have not had to spend a penny, and I have over 500 miles on it. Even when I feel like upgrading I'm still going to keep 'Lil Blue around, because she had done me proud.

Several Bikes Direct shops have opened recently here in Florida; there's one in Orlando at Waterford Lakes, and a new one in Jacksonville. I've stopped in and looked at the bikes, and they seem to be very well made for the price. I rode the bottom of the line Fuji they offered (steel frame, 105 components) and liked it pretty well. You should have a good idea of fitment even if you shop at a local store because the salesmen struck me more like used car salesmen than true bike pros, at least at the one in Orlando.

For me, both of them have been around for many years in the industry but I preferred MOTOBECANE bike since I had this before. It has excellent quality so far.