Motobecane Carbon Bike Review
07-28-07, 04:07 PM
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Motobecane Carbon Bike Review
Just bought a Motobecane Immortal Pro Carbon bike for $1299 from BikesDirect and despite many of the posts bashing this company I have to say I'm impressed. Bike arrived in 6 days (free shipping) and was well packed- every tube had styrofoam wrapping- and all I had to do was install the front brake, handlebars and stem and pedals with a hex wrench. The derailluers were properly adjusted and the bottom bracket was installed and greased right out of the box, which I've read is sometimes not the case. The fit and finish and graphics of this Taiwanese frame are outstanding. Checked all the other bolts and off I went.
Compared to the all aluminum bikes and aluminum bikes with carbon stays and seatposts, this thing rides like a dream. Soaks up bumps but doesn't flex on climbs and sprints. It's stable and corners very well. Now I know what all the fuss about carbon frames is all about. I don't care for the stock handlebars (Ritchey Biomax Alum) and the seat and pedals are junk (I switched those anyway) but what a fantastic deal. With the stock wheels, it weighs 17.5 lbs. and after I get around to upgrading stuff, it will be under 16 lbs.
It's got Shimano Ultegra derailluers, Shimano 105 brake/shifters, Cane Creek brakes (which I couldn't tell the difference between the Ultegra set on another bike), FSA carbon cranks, FSA carbon seat post and a nice integrated headset. Go to their website for full specs.
Compared to the all aluminum bikes and aluminum bikes with carbon stays and seatposts, this thing rides like a dream. Soaks up bumps but doesn't flex on climbs and sprints. It's stable and corners very well. Now I know what all the fuss about carbon frames is all about. I don't care for the stock handlebars (Ritchey Biomax Alum) and the seat and pedals are junk (I switched those anyway) but what a fantastic deal. With the stock wheels, it weighs 17.5 lbs. and after I get around to upgrading stuff, it will be under 16 lbs.
It's got Shimano Ultegra derailluers, Shimano 105 brake/shifters, Cane Creek brakes (which I couldn't tell the difference between the Ultegra set on another bike), FSA carbon cranks, FSA carbon seat post and a nice integrated headset. Go to their website for full specs.
07-28-07, 04:15 PM
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07-28-07, 04:18 PM
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Those handlebars do not look that comfortable, I would switch those too. My next cyclocross bike will hopefully be from bikesdirect, since they are really cheap there.
07-28-07, 04:18 PM
#5
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Nice Bike! I have a full carbon tommaso and a aluminum 3 main tubes w/ rear all carbon and front end all carbon. Can't tell the difference between the two.
Maybe the Al is a little plusher due to it's 60cm size, carbon one is 57cm.
Report at 500 mile review. Good luck
Maybe the Al is a little plusher due to it's 60cm size, carbon one is 57cm.
Report at 500 mile review. Good luck
07-28-07, 04:28 PM
#6
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Mine is a year old now and has 2,600 miles on it. I agree with your assessment of BD and the bike. It is great you got a swell deal and great bike to ride. Ride it all up.
07-28-07, 06:30 PM
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Congrats on the new ride.
07-28-07, 06:43 PM
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shill
07-28-07, 06:44 PM
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I like it. Congrats! I wish I had a few extra bucks. I'd get one. I'd like to have a CF bike.
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07-28-07, 06:46 PM
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Just bought a Motobecane Immortal Pro Carbon bike for $1299 from BikesDirect and despite many of the posts bashing this company I have to say I'm impressed. Bike arrived in 6 days (free shipping) and was well packed- every tube had styrofoam wrapping- and all I had to do was install the front brake, handlebars and stem and pedals with a hex wrench. The derailluers were properly adjusted and the bottom bracket was installed and greased right out of the box, which I've read is sometimes not the case. The fit and finish and graphics of this Taiwanese frame are outstanding. Checked all the other bolts and off I went.
Compared to the all aluminum bikes and aluminum bikes with carbon stays and seatposts, this thing rides like a dream. Soaks up bumps but doesn't flex on climbs and sprints. It's stable and corners very well. Now I know what all the fuss about carbon frames is all about. I don't care for the stock handlebars (Ritchey Biomax Alum) and the seat and pedals are junk (I switched those anyway) but what a fantastic deal. With the stock wheels, it weighs 17.5 lbs. and after I get around to upgrading stuff, it will be under 16 lbs.
It's got Shimano Ultegra derailluers, Shimano 105 brake/shifters, Cane Creek brakes (which I couldn't tell the difference between the Ultegra set on another bike), FSA carbon cranks, FSA carbon seat post and a nice integrated headset. Go to their website for full specs.
Compared to the all aluminum bikes and aluminum bikes with carbon stays and seatposts, this thing rides like a dream. Soaks up bumps but doesn't flex on climbs and sprints. It's stable and corners very well. Now I know what all the fuss about carbon frames is all about. I don't care for the stock handlebars (Ritchey Biomax Alum) and the seat and pedals are junk (I switched those anyway) but what a fantastic deal. With the stock wheels, it weighs 17.5 lbs. and after I get around to upgrading stuff, it will be under 16 lbs.
It's got Shimano Ultegra derailluers, Shimano 105 brake/shifters, Cane Creek brakes (which I couldn't tell the difference between the Ultegra set on another bike), FSA carbon cranks, FSA carbon seat post and a nice integrated headset. Go to their website for full specs.
You are a worthless excuse for a human being, let alone dog excrement.
07-28-07, 09:28 PM
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07-28-07, 09:30 PM
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07-28-07, 09:31 PM
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07-28-07, 11:53 PM
#18
Ride it like you stole it
Unless it is the smallest size frame you will be hard pressed to get it under 16 pounds. I had the 55cm and the frame alone came in over 1300 grams. This is simply too heavy a frame to get a ridable sub-16 pound bike.
BTW, it still is a wonderful bike, I just sold my Immortal frame to a neighbor, I really didn't need 3 full carbon bikes and I bought 2 of the Pedal Force RS bike frames.
BTW, it still is a wonderful bike, I just sold my Immortal frame to a neighbor, I really didn't need 3 full carbon bikes and I bought 2 of the Pedal Force RS bike frames.
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07-29-07, 07:37 AM
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07-29-07, 09:22 AM
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I find that really hard to believe unless its like a 52 or something. Ive weighed tons of bikes and the amount of bikes under 18#s (with pedals) is pretty small. Even the most off the shelf weight weenied bikes come in lower 17s and you just dont have the parts there for it to be that light, especially with pedals on it.
My IF was about a pound heavier built up and I had lighter components than you do. My frame was a 56.
My IF was about a pound heavier built up and I had lighter components than you do. My frame was a 56.
Last edited by JayC; 07-29-07 at 09:31 AM.
07-29-07, 09:24 AM
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07-29-07, 04:17 PM
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I find that really hard to believe unless its like a 52 or something. Ive weighed tons of bikes and the amount of bikes under 18#s (with pedals) is pretty small. Even the most off the shelf weight weenied bikes come in lower 17s and you just dont have the parts there for it to be that light, especially with pedals on it.
My IF was about a pound heavier built up and I had lighter components than you do. My frame was a 56.
My IF was about a pound heavier built up and I had lighter components than you do. My frame was a 56.
07-29-07, 04:26 PM
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I helped a friend of mine put his BD bike together. It needed surprisingly little adjustment and it took me all of about an hour to get him rolling, probably half of that was spent mounting the Speedplay cleats on his shoes and adjusting them to suit him. Watching him fall over three times made me cringe but he's used to them now. 
I can't fault the bike at all though. Compared to my LeMond (both bikes are Reynolds 853 steel) his bike actually feels lighter despite being a larger frame but I never actually weighed his bike.
Of course the LeMond looks a 100 times better.
BTW-It seems that nobody can give a positive review of any BD bike here without being called a shill. Get used to it. I'm sure there have been a few shills posting here on behalf of BD though. I hope you're not one of them. Keep riding and if you have any questions feel free to ask them here.
I can't fault the bike at all though. Compared to my LeMond (both bikes are Reynolds 853 steel) his bike actually feels lighter despite being a larger frame but I never actually weighed his bike.
Of course the LeMond looks a 100 times better.
BTW-It seems that nobody can give a positive review of any BD bike here without being called a shill. Get used to it. I'm sure there have been a few shills posting here on behalf of BD though. I hope you're not one of them. Keep riding and if you have any questions feel free to ask them here.
