DavyKOTWF

I searched and didn't get much, some guy got his in a big box and just getting ready to take it out (from BD) and was happy as could be with it. Another guy had to pay the LBS $130 to put his together and wasn't happy.

Sorry, I'm a bit new and all these brands are new to me, except Schwinn and Raleigh.

So what's the scoop on this Motobecane Fantom X for around $599? Are they decent for the money or not worth having?

Thumbs up or down? BTW, I wouldn't be doing any racing, just would like something that COULD go anywhere.

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...L_yel_2100.jpg

NormanF

For the same amount of money, I'd get BD's new Omni Strada.

This is a gravel road/adventure bike.

Of course if you're set on CX geometry, the Motobecane Fantom X is a good choice.

For the price point, they are dealer-quality bikes and won't break the bank.

wheelsmcgee

+1 for the omni strada...that's the more "go anywhere" bike IMHO with better clearance.

I've bought bikes from BD and Nashbar and was able to assemble them just fine...if you've ever adjusted brakes, handlebars, and derailleurs, you'll be able to figure it out...and probably even if you haven't done those things as well, it's not rocket science and YouTube exists for help. At least half of the work is opening box and taking off all the foam tape.

DavyKOTWF

...Omni Strada, gravel adventure bike...sounds what I'm looking for. Thanks for the tip.
Should one get drop down bars or flat? Tires, what, about 32mm? (50% trails 50% road)

wheelsmcgee

As far as the tires go, I think anything from 30-40mm can be fine on gravel, but youll really appreciate wider tires (and low pressure) if you ride over a lot of really chunky stuff. In my experience, the Clement USH 35mm is a decent compromise for riding both gravel/pavement. It's got a relatively flat center with more knobbyish edge.

I think most agree that bars are a personal preference thing. Drop bars are great on long rides for multiple hand positions, but there are various options for flat bar bikes to make that issue more manageable, like "alternative" MTB bars. Flat bars are nice for leverage on rough terrain, but drop bar bikes can do similar by switching to a wider, flared drop bar.

The tough part about internet bikes is that you can end up losing any savings if you have to return ship a bike because it doesn't fit, start swapping out parts, or have the LBS put it together for you. Drop vs flat bars is a tough one in particular, since even if you swap them yourself you'll also likely have to buy new brakes and shifters (possibly derailleurs)...that gets expensive quickly!

AlpDuWheeze

Yes, I've owned one of these for about a year. Mine is slightly different than the image your link above shows - it has a double crank, not a triple, and the wheel set on mine is different. I purchased mine used on Craigslist in order to give gravel racing a try without dropping a lot of coin on a bike for starters - thinking that if I ended up loving gravel racing, I would upgrade later.

Here are my thoughts on the bike:

1. The bike is on the heavy side for serious gravel racing, but not an issue for recreational riding. The front fork is aluminum, not carbon, and has loads of clearance for mud, but is heavy.
2. As seen in the photograph your link provides, the head tube is SERIOUSLY SHORT for recreational riding. If you are older, like me, with "old person" hamstrings limiting your flexibility, you will need to purchase a stem with significant rise to get the handlebars up to where they need to be to ride comfortably. I'm not kidding here - I have a 58 cm size and the head tube on this bike is half the length of my road bike, a more forgiving S-Works Roubaix 58 cm.
3. On a positive note, the 8-speed drivetrain on my bike seems fairly bullet-proof in mud. I have ridden past many a gravel racer on the side of the road with a snapped derailleur while I continue motoring along - not just in a luckier line in the road but hearing my drivetrain grinding through mud as I do so.
4. The seat on mine was a loser comfort-wise, but how many of us ending up changing saddles anyway? Also, I'd mention that the seat post appears very sturdy (also heavy) and the seat angle adjustment is rather coarse, meaning if you're super particular about the seat angle on your bike you may find yourself wanting to swap this out at some point.
5. Chain stay clearance will allow for 700x38 tires, and 40's might work - I'm running Challenge Gravel Grinders on my bike.

If you're lucky on seat fit, you could buy this bike, put on some premium gravel tires like I did, and go out and ride this rig for 100's of miles on gravel having a blast. That's basically what I did (other than the seat and stem swap), and mine managed to finish the Dirty Kanza 100 a couple of weeks ago.

If you have another $600 to spare, I think the Ridley X-Trail A30 which is available online for about $1,200 is in a completely different universe as a quality gravel bike. You get 11 speeds, bullet-proof Shimano 105 drivetrain, and a gorgeous bike you'd be proud to own and that others will admire. But, double the price.

Wheelsmcgee's advice above is spot-on, if you think you're going to spend anything to upgrade the bike other than tires, look elsewhere. FWIW, I'm planning to upgrade to a Ridley or similar soon, and mine will become a loaner to attempt to lure my friends and family into gravel grinding. :^)

Best of luck with your decision - let us know what choice you make.