HoraceLai

https://cgi.ebay.com/BRAND-NEW-ROAD-R...ayphotohosting

I found this today. Personally I had never heard of this brand nor could I find much about it. I don't know too much about bikes in general so I thought I would post it on this forum and maybe someone could advise me on a good value entry level bike.

grahny

Someone else mentioned this brand today... the website on there says www.dawescyclesusa.com or something... delete the 'usa' part from it and you get another dawes cycling website... personally, I wouldn't get one just from that weird link... Plus, again, when buying a bike, entry level or not, you should really be test riding first, then looking for the deals on something you like.

-Steve

ramtaajogi

dunno the components, but the paint job isnt half bad at that price. still for 300 i think this is a way better entry entry level bike than the famous gmc denali

jlynn74

I feel the same way about it. I posted earlier looking for other advice on an entry-level. There is something suspicous about the fact that Dawes Cycles is a legit brand, yet the ebay site gives some bogus site for reference.

See :www.dawescyclesusa.com
vs.https://www.dawescycles.com/

Sketchy.

Of course, I got chewwed a new tail from " Richard Cranium "for asking such questions...senior member my ass.

voltman

I think I've found my 06 Fuji Team Issue. Check out the Lighting 5200. Same shape, tubing, and specs. Ugh.

It's even the same paint job. Good grief.

jyossarian

Do a search on thread titles with Motobecane, Dawes, Bikesdirect, Walmart and Denali and you'll see what the consensus is on the Motobecanes and Dawes sold by Bikesdirect and any bike sold by Walmart.

jlynn74

EXACTLY! Glad you see part of the point of my post, jyossarian. The reviews are mixed or biased by people who can afford bikes which are better and more expensive then the ones we are asking about.

Thanks for the validation of our posts!

jyossarian

I don't ride a roadbike so none of what I post carries any weight in here.

kevmetric

I have a FUJI.....and it looks nothing like a FUJI in the past 10 years.

Do you see any Shimano components, Tiagra, Sora, 105, etc. ?

(Y(L|S+

jlynn, you'll find that there are plenty of snobs on these forums. Some people don't even acknowledge that someone is a cyclist unless they have a $5000+ bike, ride 200+ mi. per week, wear Assos clothing, race, etc., etc. But there are many here that will give you good advice and are generally helpful. I also looked at Motobecanes when I was in the market for a new bike but the longer I lurked the forums, the more I was affraid to buy a Moto. It may have been a perfectly good bike but there is no other brand that polarizes opinions more than Motobecane. It's a 'love it or hate it' thing. But there were to many 'hate it' opionions for me to comfortable purchase a bike that I can not test ride or see in person. So, as with anything on the internet, caveat emptor. You are gambling with your money with any purchase but the odds are less in your favor online.

This advice also goes out to the OP also. Good luck in your shopping and I hope you both have a satisfying purchase.

oilman_15106

If you only have $250 for a bike, you only have $250 for a bike. There is nothing wrong with that and if you enjoy the sport you will find that you want a better bike. However you should try to test ride some bikes before you spend $1. Some on this board with $3000 bikes will tell you the bike is crap. I would ask them what was their first true road bike? Mine was a Sears, made in Austria 10 speed that was about all you could get for $90 in 1968.

jlynn74

Thanks. on this line: "But there were to many 'hate it' opionions for me to comfortable purchase a bike that I can not test ride or see in person"

does this mean thats moto's are a brand that is sold in a bike shop? I only ask because I was hoping to "online reaerch, see /ride in person, then purchase online again....

Is Moto, just another "walmart" brand? I wish I were on my own thread here since I gave alot more info on my needs in my original thread, but I am trying to be somewhat knowledgable. I don't need expensive/expert level bike. Honesly, I'm looking for a decent new bike. One I don't have to wrry about getting stolen, a used bike that is price inflated and will break down, or an over-priced/ over-suitable bike for myself. I don't need a whole lot. Maybe I belong in the walmart consumer brand, but I don't want to pay 150+ for a moto if its comparable to a walmart brand in use/price.

Appreciatation,

jyossarian

From what I gathered here, Motobecane used to make good bikes, but probably went out of business and Bikesdirect bought the rights to the name and now off-shores the manufacture of bikes that are of lesser quality than the originals. The main complaints seem to be the frame is heavy and it and its components are of questionable quality. In the end, I'd give more weight to the opinions of people who actually own them and who frequently post here and not just the shills that join BF, make one thread about bikesdirect or Motobecane, then never post again.

mrkott3r

I woudlnt buy anything from an ebay auction that uses different coloured text throughout the description. Its a tatic to confuse you.

jlynn74

See, this is where I'm looking for you guys to shed some light..i still wish this were my original thread, but truth be told, I'm getting some good info on both threads. Is it true that the moto brand was bastardized by a new company? I think, based on peoples responses that that dawse's auction was some sort of paint job on a cheap'generic?

Do LBS practice this kind of selling? Is this whats really going on at Ebay? Again, I'm trying not to be duped. A lot of you knows the answers and warnings We should heed. If you know the facts, please share them. This is good info.

jyossarian

Again, all 2nd hand info from BF. Motobecane and Dawes USA are bikesdirect.com bikes and have nothing to do with the original Motobecane and Dawes. LBS' don't carry either brand so they're only sold through bikesdirect. I could be wrong though.

If you're going the ebay route, look for used bikes from high volume mfrs. like Giant, Trek, Cannondale and Specialized as well as lesser known brands like KHS, Norco, and Jamis.

[e] If the seller doesn't list the S&H cost, don't bid until they tell you what it would be. If they tell you an LBS will handle the packing and shipping, they're really telling you it'll cost $150 or more to ship.

(Y(L|S+

Damn, did I ever fat-finger that... Of course I meant to type 'opinions' and 'comfortably'... it's late .


As far as I know, Motobecanes are online purchase only. But I think you can get a size that is close to what you need if you do your research. I noticed in your other thread that you went to Sheldon's website for info. Keep doing the research. The more info the better. There are good resources for fitting like Flyte's website, Competitive Cyclist and Independent Fabrication (I'm sure others will add sites too). But in my most recent bike shopping/buying experience, I put an emphasis on fit. I am not new to cycling but I am getting back into road biking after a rather long hiatus. I do have a lot of road experience from 15 years ago plus a few years of MTB'ing. So I know the importance of fit. Without a true fitting and custom bike, we're all just getting 'close' and then adjusting the seat height, seat position, handlebar height, stem length, etc. But none the less, fit is important and you need to get as close to ideal as possible and then adjust to suit and you need to know what feels 'right'. That is why the people here preach to test ride as many bikes as possible if you are new to cycling. Without previous pro, race, expert or enthusiast-level experience, you may not know what feels right about fit.

Your price point is a tough one. Most folks can recommend an entry-level bike in the $500-750 range pretty easily. This would be a bike with Shimano Sora -Tiagra componentry and an all-aluminum frame (maybe steel too). The Dawes bike to me is as you say suspicious. I personally would avoid it if I were you or the OP. Getting scammed on $250 while trying to save $250 is an "I told you so" waiting to happen. My advice - keep shopping and keep saving and try to save up for a true entry-level bike from a reputable source like your LBS. Many have financing options and/or lay-away too.

operator

The bike in question has stem shifters? Right.

m2usa

I'm not sure if you are open to this suggestion, but you may want to check https://www.craigslist.org to see if there are any bikes that suit your current budget. There are some surprisingly good deals to be had there occasionally, and since it is all local, you can at least have a chance to see it before you buy it. Just a thought. Good luck with your searches.

Edgecrusher

Don't pay attention to the "consensus"
That is like buying into "poles" a lot of nonsense in most cases.
Pay attention to fact and logic.

The bike is a steal at 209 + $39 s/h
solid steel frame, shimano 2200
(For the entry level rider, Shimano offers the 2200 component group. Excellent for road bikes with flat handlebars, these components carry the Shimano logo and are compatible with Sora components.)
Decent Alex wheelset.

Buy it. Ride it. When you figure out if you like road biking
trade up. If you don't like road biking, sell it. Lose a 100 bucks maybe?
Solid investment either way. nevermind the naysayers on this board,
more ego and attitude than common sense.

WheresWaldo

I am going to make the same suggestion here that I have made in other threads about buying sight unseen on the internet. If you don't know what you need, or don't know how to do minor assembly then a trip to the LBS is a good thing. A good bike shop will help you get into a bike that both fits your budget and your needs.

jlynn74, you say you have computer knowledge, would you send someone that doesn't know anything about computers into Sam's Club/Costco/BJ's without any help to purchase a computer. I would guess not. You would take the time to explain to them, as an expert, what they need to fit their budget and get the results they want. Same with a bicycle. No one can see how you fit on the internet, so how do you expect them to make an informed response to your questions about entry level bikes. A good LBS can see you and have a conversation with you about your needs and fit you accordingly. As far as the www.dawescyclesusa.com vs www.dawescycles.com, you have two companies in two different parts of the world selling different bikes, because both companies own the rights to the name in differnet parts of the world. Perhaps it would have been easier to understand if those Brits put a .uk after the .com.

HoraceLai, if you are going to buy a bike from eBay or any other internet source and you are truely new to the sport, more than likely you will need to take the bike to the bikeshop to have it assembled, adjusted and fitted to you. Most bike shops will charge you about $100, maybe more, to perform this service for you. So now factor that into the $248 price and you are at $350 minimum, add a few accessories like a seatbag, spare tube, tire levers, etc. and now you are at 4 bills+. I am not saying that the Dawes is a bad bike, just be realistic about the cost.

jyossarian, sometimes it is better to give less information than to give misleading info. You cannot put the Dawes/Motobecane/Mercier bikes into the same catagory as the Walmart "Denali" bike. They are not even built the same. You are correct when you say that Motobecane, Dawes and also Mercier in the US are brands owned by Cycle Spectrum/BikesDirect. BD is owned by a guy named Mike Spratt. He has some unique views on marketing, and some don't care for them. Regardless of how anyone feels personally about Mr Spratt, or his companies, he is bringing a product to market that fills a niche for price sensitive buyers. BTW, a used bike is a used bike, it won't matter where you bought it, eBay, Craigslist, Local paper, etc. I have not seen a bicycle manufacturer in the low end market that allows transfering a warranty. So you will be left to fend for yourself if something goes wrong. No reason then to limit yourself to major manufacturers.

There are all types of people in the Internet world. Some are more helpful than others, some have an agenda, some don't. Some are snobish, as many of the posts in this thread have pointed out. Most people here generally try to be helpful, but in the Road Cycling forum many are not used to dealing with the low end of the bike market. It would be like asking your Volvo mechanic what he thought of Kia vehicles without him having any experience with it. In most cases the Road Cycling posters think that $700 is the low end! Not to make a rash generalization, but perhaps the under $500 questions might be better asked in the Recreational & Family forum. I know many people that started out having to buy multiple bikes, one for self, wife, child(ren), and could not spend much on each. That forum is full of those family experiences and they could be on point with their suggestions.

Now, my background is not in bicycles, it is marketing, but I have been in the bicycle community for 30+ years. I have bought many bikes in the past. Some of them store bought (big box, but pre-WalMart; Peugeot, Raleigh, Mongoose), some at the LBS (Centurion, Trek, Klein, Univega), some mailorder (Cannondale) and some over the internet (TST, 2 Motobecanes). I have no problem with anyones choice about where they want to buy their bike, but I do think that everyone new should have the proper advise, and that includes fitting a bike to both your riding style and body shape. One of the biggest reasons new people give up on the sport is that they are uncomfortable on the bike. This is one area that the internet can only be marginally helpful. A good LBS can and will be vastly superior to these forums with that type of help. In any case, the decisions are your to make, no one will hurt my feelings if you choose to ignore my suggestions. I just wanted to point out that even though there were naysayers in the replies about low end bikes, everyone here got some good advice also. Let's not forget that.

ks1g

+2 on WheresWaldo's comment.

I've considered buying from BikesDirect and I have a neighbor who has bought from SprtyMama and was pleased (he's a serious bike nut who does all his own wrenching, so if he's happy with the bike quality, the bikes are decent). But I have an idea what fits me and I've built up my road bike and a fixed gear and have enough tools, ability, and local help to take the chance on assembling and tuning a mail-order bike. I've seen a couple of bikesdirect mercier and motbecane's locally. They seem OK and the riders are happy with them. I'm put off by the limited data on components and the total absence of geometry info on the "dawesusa" site linked from the ebay auction. SprtyMama/BikesDirect at least have info on what's on their bikes and a link to geometry info somewhere and have been in business for a while. While I realize they can't use all name-brand components at this price point, I'd like to know what I am getting before I buy it. So I'd skip this particular dawes seller on the lack of information about the bikes he's selling.

At a minimum, I would try riding (and if possible, renting for a few hours) a number of bikes to get an idea what features you like (Sora shifting just felt WRONG to me but might be fine for you), frames (aluminum feels too stiff to me, I love carbon, another friend likes the "feel" of his aluminum frame), geometry (Trek and Lemond fit fine, the Specialized bikes I tried didn't), etc. If you buy anything mailorder, it will need some setup, later adjustments, and tuning. You'll want some help and proper tools the first time. An LBS will do this as part of the sale. Giving them your business today helps ensure they will be there when you need them.

If there isn't anything new in your price point, there are a lot of decent bikes available used. It does take some work (craigslist, check the LBS) unless you are lucky enough to have an LBS that deals a lot in used bikes. Good luck.

incipit

+3 on Waldo's comments!

I too own a Motobecane and found that the quality fit and finish are just as good as my Specialized... but as stated before, you will have to adjust everything, shorten and install cables etc... but don't be too worried about an internet purchase.

Buying from an LBS is the best bet for a first bike purchase, Some can be very knowledgable and help you select the perfect bike for your budget, body type and intended use.

jyossarian

I agree and that's why I tried to qualify my statements as 2nd hand info gleaned from BF. As for pointing out major manufacturers as well as lesser known brands on the used market, my reason for that is the prices for quality used bikes should be lower for the major mfrs. as there should be more of them out there and thus a slight oversupply would benefit the buyer with a limited budget. For the lesser known brands, new users and casual buyers may not be aware of them and thus the price may be within the buyer's budget. At least that's the logic I used.

As for choice of bike, I think everyone can agree that fit is the most important factor in any rider sticking with cycling long after they've purchased their bike. For any new rider, the LBS will be the best place to get fitted unless the new rider is experienced enough to know how to fit themselves for a bike.

ManBearPig

On a really tight budget like $300, I'd steer clear from the obscur in favor of a recognized, market-leading brand like Trek, Specialized, etc. Find a Trek dealer with some '05s in stock and explain the situation and your budget.