Motobecane & bikesdirect.com

Good questions....

Bikesdirect.com has been around a long time, and Motobecase has as well. The motobecane frames are rebadged frames from overseas (speculation is that they're rebadged fuji's), but in either case, are of decent quality. The component spec on the bikes cannot be beat.

I know many folks that have bought motobecanes here and been very happy. I don't see either Motobecane or Bikesdirect.com as a showstopper.  I also have considered buying a bike myself JUST for the components; the full-bike price here isn't too far off the gruppo price from nashbar/performance. 

As far as your LBS, they will certainly work on any bike you bring them. If they don't, they're not worth their weight - get another shop. Plus, there's nothing on this build that's specific to Motobecane (unless it's a funky headset or BB), and any shop should be able to work on a Shimano build very easily.

The posters above also make a good point; a used bike that's been maintained will be another option worth looking at. Obviously, it'll be hit-or-miss what kind of bike and what deal.  Also a previous year's model (new) leftover at the LBS will give you good value, but again, that's hit-or-miss.

Lastly, at this time of year, especially in the north, you should expect DEEP discounts from your LBS, as they'll be looking to dump their inventory before winter sets in and they're stuck carrying the bike all winter. Negotiate like you mean it.

People on this forum are usually pretty balanced about motobecane/bikesdirect.  If you want to see some real hatin' check out someplace like bikeforums.net.

I got a killer deal on a Ti frame Motobecane last year with all Ultegra, probably about half the price of a comparable Litespeed and I suspect if I took the decals & badges off it would be hard to tell the difference (I'm sure Litespeed owners will disagree, but...).  The components on their bikes are mostly name brand, and they're very explicit on the website about what you get.  Plus I just felt a lot better about getting a brand-new bike from a real business than buying used where I didn't know the bike's history or the seller's.

You do have to do a little building when the bike arrives.  As I recall, I had to do the following when I got the bike:

• Install stem on steerer post (fork was already installed)
• Install handlebars
• Install brakes (I'm pretty sure I had to do the front, don't remember if the back was already on or not--and both cables were already run, I just had to bolt the brake to the frame)
• Install seatpost in frame
• Install wheels (& adjust brakes)
• Install pedals
• Tweak derailleurs, but not very much

Took about half an hour.  If you're hesitant about it I imagine you could get a shop to do it for a nominal fee (unless they're the kind of snobby shop that turns up their nose at "internet bikes," in which case I think you want to find another shop anyway)

So count me as a happy BD customer, and as Ranger5 said, I can't remember hearing from an unhappy one.   I think several years ago when they were first getting started they may have had some problems with frame quality and some really significant problems with getting the right components or being assembled properly, but I believe they sorted those problems out a long time ago--what you get from them now is generally exactly what the website says, and the build that they do is done correctly.

For Aaron, my Ultegra shifters work the same way.  I think if you have a triple that gets you the middle ring, but on a double you use it to "trim" the derailleur so if you're a little cross-chained you can adjust the front derailleur in or out a little bit to keep it quiet.

X2 on the Nemesis . . . I no longer have mine but for the $ nothing out there could beat it. Not even close. Another good friend rides one of their road bikes and has been very happy with it for years. Agreed that the only ones who generally dis bikes direct . . . are those who haven't dealt with them, LBS owners or others who feel they have to dis the ride because they paid twice as much for the components.

I was lucky enough to live in a city with a bikes direct lbs.  I was able to check out the bike before I bought it and i'm still happy.  Two years and two IM's down and not a single regret about going the BD route.  There is nothing inferior about the bikesdirect bikes.  There are people who will snerk at you but there are idiots like that everywhere.  Ride what fits and what you can afford. 

I ride my long rides with a friend who has a Motobecon.  He absolutely loves it.  Seems to be a very good bike.  I went through Bikesdirect.com for a very entry level road bike for my daughter and was very happy with it.  No tax, no shipping and very quick delivery.  I am pretty much a mechanical moran and was able to assemble myself.  Did take it into bike shop for a tune up and for them to dial everything in.  She just rode that bike to a first place age group finish at her first sprint tri.

They're reasonable quality bikes, but their advertising/marketing leave a really bad taste in my mouth--the purchasing of old brand names, inflated MSRPs to "compare" to, etc. The fact that they list a 105-equipped bike with an Ultegra rear derailleur under their "Ultegra" bikes, for instance, is a little sleazy.

As for the brand names, they've purchased the brand license legitimately, but they're about as affiliated with the real Motobecane, the French company that made some really fine bikes back in the day, as I am. To me, that's a little sleazy.

I've voiced these opinions on other forums (BF.net) and have been personally harrassed via PMs from the owner of the company, so no, I'm not going to be lining up to recommend their bikes to anyone even though they are of decent quality.

Whether any of that stuff matters to you is another question, but having bought a BD mountain bike for tooling around, I find myself wishing I had either gone for the cheaper components or just spent more at my LBS. Not a quality thing again, just a principle/vote with my wallet kind of thing.

I don't own/ride a BD bike, but having seen their website and the numerous good-excellent reviews given by satisfied customers as of late (wasn't like this several years back, though), I'd be ok with buying a BD bike.


Their websites is very honest & upfront about what components & specs you're getting, and provide detailed pictures as well of the bike from numerous angles. I haven't heard too many (any?) complaints of them not shipping what was promised in the spec. Actually, the spec sheets they list are more detailed than most major bike manufacturers provide.

It's hard to me to come down on BD for sleazy marketing when they provide more detailed info on their bikes than most other companies do, without extra click-thrus. I do agree though, that they could go easier on the self-promotion of what great deals their bikes allegedly are (compare to .....)  and just let the prices and quality speak for themselves.

I purchased my Nemesis in July of 2008 and love it. To date I have over 1600 miles on it and I love it.

I went to the LBS to purchase a bike and showed them what I was looking at online. They told me that was a good deal and buy a newer frame from them in a couple of years. I was sold after that. When I received the bike there was a problem with the seat. I freaked out thinking crap I purchased something online and now will never get support on it. So I sent an email to bikesdirect and received a call the next day. Turned out that I did not look close enough and everything was fine with my bike.