quittaboy

I'm in the market for a Cyclocross bike. I'm leaning toward the Jamis Nova or Bianchi Axis. Needless to say, these run in the $1100-1300 range. A number of ebay and online retailers are selling Motobecane and Mercier bikes at DEEP discounts. I am a Jamis loyalist, but my wallet is seriously tempted at the prospect of a cyclo bike with good components for less than $1000. Are these just cheap crap, or worth consideration? Thoughts, ruminations, consternations?

Thanks.

scattered73

I have a Motobecane Fantom Cross with over 3,700 miles on it this year and have really enjoyed mine couldn't tell you how it stands up to the others because this was my first bike and really didn't test ride any others. They only things that I wish were different while their is no rack eyelets on the backend and had problems with the original Alex wheel set. Which I notice the 2007 models have eyelets front and back and there is no longer Alex wheels on them. I also notice they ran the RD & FD cables along the top tube on the newer ones, as I am on my third rd cable this year mine keep fraying on the BB probably happens on my off roading. I have wrecked mine a few times and it really has taken the abuse surprisingly well. When I first got the bike I went by another LBS and to pick a spare tube on the way home and a mechanic noticed the brakes weren't setup properly and the same week the crank came off so I had a shop tear it down and rebuild it to be on the safe side. Another frustrating thing, the place I bought the bike from has free service for life at about 2500 miles I thought I would give the place a second chance and take it for a tune up, and pointed out a couple things that I needed done, Replace the straddle cables and the seal on the original wheels neither items were touched when I picked it up. I plan to put many more enjoyable miles on mine the initial setup of the bike was a little frustrating but since has been great. Would I buy another, no, based on the bike shop I bought it from not the bike itself?

Ih8lucky13

I talked to Mike at Bikesdirect and he will be selling the Phantom Cross Pro in October again, I almost purchased one the last time he had it offered, and I am kicking myself that I didn't pull the trigger.

For the money he offers great value on his cross bikes.

quittaboy

After making my initial post, I researched a little and folks don't have much nice to say about these bikes (specifically BikesDirect and Cycle Spectrum shops) or the components. Everyone seems to be of the opinion that one should go to a LBS and spend a little more to be assured of the components and service.

Ih8lucky13

Well nobody has nice things to say about thier sales tactics, but on the otherhand I have looked around and their Pro Phantom cross has a nice componant set.
Do I own a Motobecane, Nope, but I really think they do offer a decent package when it comes to a cross bike.

cs1

How is the Pro version different from the standard version? Their bikes are incredibly priced.

Tim

scattered73

Pro
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/..._cross_pro.htm

Standard
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...reorder100.htm

I am really conflicted about the place I got mine, I like the guys that work there and they really seem like decent people and the price point is awesome. I really enjoy my Fantom Cross, I just lost confidance when I had to go elsewhere for correct setup and repairs. I am currently buying another bike (road) from my favorite shop mainly because of customer loyality and my confidance in them. I do think it's a good bike and a good price.

John Dark

Last time I looked Jenson USA had an '06 Bianchi Axis with build kit for $895, but only in three sizes.

SaddleBags

I bought a Fantom Cross frameset from bikesland.com (same as bikesdirect?) for $200 and built it up with Tiagra spare parts on op/ultegra wheels. It will be used as my pit bike and commuter. Besides being heavy, mostly due to the wheels, the ride is fine. I haven't taken it thru a hardcore course yet but have made it thru fireroads and some gravel and the ride is fine.

Aloyzius

I don't know. I see some great deals on there, and I have seriously considered BD several times. I just can't get past the part that I would be throwing down a chunk of change on a bike I can't test ride and get a feel for and be fitted for. It's a gamble. I have known several people that have nothing but good to say about their experiences. But then there are some obvious gripes, too. And it's not a snob thing. I think they're perfectly good bikes.

They're a good deal. But are they really worth it? I don't know. Of course I'll always eventually side with the small locally owned shops. I like the service, the dependability, and spending my money locally. The guys at my LBS have good advice and have always been very helpful. I might feel two faced asking for their help on a bike we all know came from BD.

sfcrossrider

Great bike for the money. The Axis and Nova are more touring and less race than the Motobecan. I race a RIDLEY, but I'd get the Motobecan for a back up race bike. I wouldn't consider the others.

ddmann

When I started riding again after a 15 year break I quickly tired of pedaling my ancient mtb with giant knobbies around town and on the local rail to trail. On one of my rides I came across two guys who were riding cylcocross bikes. One was a Specialized Tricross, the other a Kona Jake the Snake. I had never seen this type of bicycle before I was interested right away. We hit it off and they both allowed me to ride their bikes while they rode my ancient Monngoose. The tricross fit me to a T and handled excellently. The JTS felt squished to me. Don't you just dig the way bikers help each other.

Anyway the point of my rambling is this, if you do not plan on racing seriously either of these bikes would probably work for you. I went a slightly different route by purchasing a lesser model and slowly upgrading as finances allowed. I ended up buying a Bianchi Volpe because no dealer in town had the tricross in my size. Over the last three months I have upgraded my crankset to a Shimano 105, a much nicer seat, crossbrake handles to allow me quick access to the brakes while riding upright, found a Deore XT rd on ebay cheap, and of course I added a loud bell! Even after all of these upgrades I'm still not even close to the price of the Tricross.

Give some thought as long as you are reasonably mechanical and willing to buy a few tools it is a good feeling riding a bike that you upgraded yourself!

quittaboy

Thanks everyone!

edzo

bikes direct ...I am going to buy one soon. I like working on my own bikes so it should be fine. I check everyt'ing

jay geisen

I just picked up an '07 Jamis Nova from my LBS and love it. There are better bikes in the same price range for racing, but for what I'm planning on using it for (long distance gravel/dirt roads), it's perfect. I was pretty set on a steel frame and full 105 group, so there wasn't much else to compare it to. The Poprad is great, but it was a bit out of my price range (even the Nova was sort of pushing it for me) and only comes with disc brakes, as is my understanding. Were I to get an aluminum frame, I would have got either the Kona JTS or a Redline.
As for the online retailers vs LBS is concerned, LBS all the way (for a number of reasons).

ryanspeer

If your "research" was primarily limited to the roadie forum here on BF, then you're really getting one piss-poor biased viewpoint. The bashers in the roadie forum are, generally speaking, elitists in their mentality and have the snobbish "I won't touch an inferior machine" kind of attitude. Yes, the Bikesdirect marketing mentality is equally piss-poor pathetic - especially based on the numerous new threads each week from purportedly new posters asking questions about these remarkably priced bikes with great components and seemingly innocent questions about them, but when it all boils down to it, they're great bikes with great components at great prices. GREAT prices. I want to buy the Fantom Cross myself. The first thing I'll do after properly setting the bike up will be to remove the decals and go with a completely clean look, but still, the bikes are literally a spectacular value.

scattered73

On my Fantom Cross I belive the the decals are under a clear coat of some kind.

ryanspeer

D'oh! That's what I was afraid of. No big deal though. I just have a set of those Litespeed "Carbonello" stickers from a VeloNews ad several months back that I'm saving for either my next rain bike or cyclocross build.

BikingGrad80

The ibex X-ray also looks like a very good package for the money.

https://www.ibexbikes.com/cgi-bin/sho...=2007-XRAY-RCE

euphoria

the fantom cross pro is sex

you can race it

you can ride it everyday as a workhorse

I'd put the weight at around 19-19.5 lbs. in a 58

don't be put off by the crankset, it's nice and plenty stiff

the brakes (avid shorty 4) seem a little cheap but this is my first time with cantilevers so it may just be my frustrations in taking the squeak out of the pads and getting the grab for the rear just right

edzo

i just got my new Fantom cross (800.00) yesterday and put it together.

yeah, it is a decent bike, nice frame, components are not the lightest (mostly the cluster
is heavy) but

the frame was 100% perfect, wheels dead straight, everything as advertised, and in fact I cannot
find a similar bike for less than 1200...so i did save 400 bucks at least. the carbon fork is really
beefy. I haven't ridden it in the wet yet so i can't report on the fork shudder-proof-ness yet.

I am happy with it. the bike in real life looks way better than the picture on the bd site.

but hey I am only cat 3 cross, so I expect to beat this thing down. why not have a low price
steed to abuse until I am fit enough to deserve a 3 grand X rig ?

anyhow...it's a nice bike.

all I had to do was align the brake pads, install front brake cable, align the front der, set the screws, take up cable slack, attach handlebars and front wheel, air it up. adjust cross levers. add grease and install seat post and then put spuds on.

it doesn't come with a dork disk, that is good. it does come with bladed spoke reflectors...threw them out and put on reflective tape in strategic locations.

M_S

Are you looking at 2008 or 2007 Jamis'? I ask because the Nova line is seriously shaken up for 08. The Nova of yesteryear has been rebadged as the 'Aurora Elite' with few changes other than tires, a triple crank, and eyelets on the carbon fork. Basically it's liek a steel Tricross.

The new Nova is now the 'Nova Pro' and is aluminum with carbon seat stays and full Tiagra, not 105. The Supernova looks similar except it's decked out in Sram.

Prices for 08 have yet to be released. If the new Nova Pro is less than 1100 dollars, I'll be looking at it seriously. The specs are obviously just so-so, but the frame looks pretty nice for a Tiagra level bike.

I've never ridden a Moto, but if nothing else it's a ridiculously good deal on the components.