Yes, they are. I bought my bike from a brick and mortar BD store (called Bikes Direct). It was a good experience.

Actually, they didn't purchase the companies. The companies had been defunct (with the exception of Dawes, which is still running). They (being Courtney and Mike Spratt) simply registered the trademarks in the United States.[1][2] So Motobecane, Windsor, etc. are BRANDS and not COMPANIES. Pretty ingenious idea for branding, but misleading and of questionable legality (particularly the Dawes case), at least from an international perspective.

Apparently they opened BikesDirect around 1995 during the dot-com boom and snatched up these trademark opportunities.

Note that these are not bad bikes. Courtney Spratt is an active cyclist and rides Motobecane bikes at her competitive events.[3] The frames are, as BD has noted in inquiry email responses, made by the same manufacturers that make frames for Fuji, Specialized, and Kona, among others.[4]

[1] US Patent and Trademark Office Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)
http://tess2.uspto.gov/
-> Go here, click 'New User Form Search (Basic)', and then enter 'MOTOBECANE', also Windsor, Dawes USA, Mercier, etc. All are owned by 'Spratt Cycle Support, Inc.'

[2] Florida Department of State: Division of Corporations
http://www.sunbiz.org/corinam.html
-> You can look up Spratt Cycle Support here.

[3] Courtney Spratt's Blog
http://sprtymama.blogspot.com/

[4] Panjiva - Spratt Cycle Support, Inc. - Merchandising/Supply Intelligence
http://panjiva.com/Spratt-Cycle-Support-Inc/1957031

It is a French word, actually Motobécane. So moh-toe-BAY-kahn. It was a well-known French brand decades ago, before the BikesDirect era.[1]

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motob%C3%A9cane

Personally, I don't see any problem with them licensing a name to put on Asian imported frames. Motobecane...Dawes...Mercier...whatever.

The practices that are questionable involve the inflated list prices.

They also used to have a lot of hype about Motobecane and the Motobecane heritage (none of which has anything to do with their current bikes) but in checking the Motobecane USA website it appears to me that it's been toned down. Good for them.

Dawes is still active, though, and BD makes no distinction on their website. They don't use their trademarked name, 'Dawes USA', but simply use 'Dawes', which technically they have no legal right to use. This seems misleading to me.[1][2] In the rest of the cases I don't see any problem.

Note difference:

[1] Dawes (UK)
http://www.dawescycles.com/

[2] Dawes USA
http://www.dawescyclesusa.com/

The shill word is thrown around here an awful lot, and all I see are customers who are happy with what they bought at BD. If you want to call that shilling, go right ahead. My point is that Mike did not put them up to it, which is what all of the haters think. I think you and I are in the same camp. BD is the only, and I repeat only, bike seller mentioned on this board where the collective 41 just about bursts that big vein in their forehead at the mention of it.

FWIW, the new Moto's with the full Apex group came out today. Very tempting at $799. And before anyone calls me a shill, I'm just sayin' I saw it. Sad that I have to disclaim word of mouth.

The English Dawes's highest end road bike.

http://www.dawescycles.com/p-305-giro-500.aspx

So much for heritage.....pffffftttttttt:-)

I just got a new bike from the bd store in Orlando.

Great price and experience. *I was going to get a le champion, *but the 56 that they got in had a bad spot in the frame. *The manufacturer sent them a replacement. *It is a bottecchia carbon frame with ultegra shifters and derailers. *Crane creek brakes, *and fsa team issue carbon crankset.

I'm coming from a 2003 lemons wayzata. *So getting used to drops is the biggest thing for me.


But so far, no issues.

Enjoy your new ride!

Thanks!

Question. Is there a good site for carbon fRame care? Also, I have a roof rack that hooks to the front drop outs. Will that damage the forks?

Not sure what you are looking for as far as carbon care, not really much to it. Just ride the bike and wash it occasionally. As for the roof rack, it won't do any damage to your forks.

Any type of cleaners or chain lubes that won't damage the frame?

I have always used simple green on the derailleurs/chain/cassette/crankset and just use soap and water on everything else. Just pick up a bike specific chain lube for your chain and you should be good to go.

http://carlhart.com/how-to/how-to-ca...arts-pg220.htm

Be sure not to over-tighten bolts and clamps against carbon. Bolt torque recommendations may be intended for aluminum or steel frames/tubing, so be aware of this. It is not recommend to use grease on carbon seatposts. Carbon frames are more prone to damage from things that aren't big deals on aluminum frames, like chain suck, so just beware of those kinds of general things as well. The site listed above is a good basic resource.

Just because the frame was made in the same factory doesn't mean the same level of design, testing, and quality of materials went into the creation of it.

You're right. Touché. It isn't just the same factory in most cases, though, it is the very same manufacturers, and I can't imagine reputable frame builders would sell shoddily-made frames at lower prices when they have a reputation to uphold. My Windsor frame, for instance, was was made by Kinesis and bears their logo.

I am interested in knowing where the Spratt Cycle brand frame designs come from. In other BikeForums.net posts, users have sworn some Windsor frames are the same as some Fuji frames, sometimes from older model years. The bicycles are less expensive, so it kind of seems like they could be buying old/obsolete frame designs from other manufacturers. If anyone has any information on this, please post!

It's almost funny reading all the posts here that are wrangling around with concepts about branding, ownership, where parts are made, what level of quality is produced by X manufacturing facility...who's on first, what's on second, I don't know's on third.

The bottom line is this...Bikes Direct sells bicycles with a sticker on them with the word, "Motobecane". I think we can all agree on that...and to that extent, that is all there is to Motobecane today. I think we can all agree on that, too. Case closed. I had a very long discussion once with Sporty Mama. Courtney and I hashed this all out and ended the discussion on amiable terms. I ended up buying a Cannondale Synapse 3 because I still felt scammed going to the "Motobecane" website which is nothing more than a Bikes Direct facade. Motobecane does not exist anymore except as a name.

I like dealing with facts. And them there's the facts.

This reminds me of the day I was talking with a WW2 vet who still venomously hated the Japanese. He was not a happy camper when I showed him his so-called US made Chevrolet "Luv" pickup truck was actually made in Japan (I showed him the place of manufacture on the ID plate on the firewall).

How does this qualify as a scam? You knew the story, and you closed the case on it. You paid more for another 'sticker on the downtube' rather than save yourself a lot of money on what I can only assume is at least an equivalent set of components. The difference are wheels and frame, with a few parts like stem and bars. If the frame and wheels bothered you, of course you had every reason to go another direction, but am I reading this right that you spent more money because of principle? If this were a bike sold on eBay from an unknown vendor in Hong Kong, I could see your point, however BD has a reputation (whichever side you choose), which is more than any other no-name reseller can say.

I think I would take issue with Schwinn if I weren't more savvy - sold in both big box stores as well as local bike shops. Same name, two different levels of quality. Most folks don't know the difference. Motobecane is merely an old name which no one had the foresight to retain the rights to.

Again, not shilling, just approaching it from a logical vantage. To get back on track here, the OP liked his bike and was sharing. Another guy on a bike, cool. Fussing about the name on the downtube being of an extinct original and feeling let down by that is no reason to spend more money just because.

iJen recently admitted that she loved her Mercier Elle before acquiring her Cervelo. Of course that's an upgrade. Pcad loves his Fly Ti MTB. Numerous others on this board have posted pics of their new re-branded steeds. Seems to me that we all understand, as you have pointed out, the storyline, it's a matter of getting past what other people think. Using the Schwinn analogy, I don't think 99.9% of people care. The other .1% are in this forum.

Hi,
First let me say sorry about the sharp worded post. You make some good points. For me it was as I said...irked by the marketing tactics used by BD. I know Cannondale doesn't make their entire bikes anymore (hardly any do these days). But at least they are up front in how they sell their wares.

My old Grand Record was not immune to the component aspects either. It had Weinmann rims, hubs, brakes, handlebar...Brooks saddle...Campy Nuovo Record deraileurs and shifters...can't remember the crankset. It was a good bike and I took it that Motobecane had carefully selected the components for it. Maybe not but I doubt they just priced out items to market a particular model. The world was a different place in 1975.

I knew nothing about BD when I found the Motobecane website and was very excited. It brought back memories. After being redirected to BD and browsing their offerings, I was at first thinking "Wow!" but experience caught up with me and the old, "If it looks too good to be true..." set in. Plus, I did some searching on Motobecane's story and finally realized the truth. In short, it didn't set well with me. Still doesn't.

I guess I'm old school. I go with my gut. BD didn't make a good first impression on me. Perhaps if I was buying my first bike today and knew as little as I did back in 1975 it may have been different.

I do get the old school vibe. Heck, the cycling world is a different place since 2000, let alone 1975 :)

I have been riding my BD bike for 2 years now and it still works. I even get compliments on it sometimes... I figured if the bike sucked I would transfer the components to a new frame but I was pleasantly surprised.

Somebody said something about Motobecane has a bunch of shillers on here shilling for Motobecane. How is this so? Does Bikesdirect employ loads of people to fake impressive reviews on the forums in a fake-grassroots sort of marketing thing. I just don't think so. I could be wrong though. Anyway, if it's a good bike, it's a good bike.

Somebody also said that all Motobecane does is put paint and decals on a bike. So what? Pinarello and Colnago does this. Does it matter? A good bike is a good bike.

Please, stop with your logic now.

Thanks OP, thanks to your fine review I'll go and buy one straight away.

Did you build it yourself?

How much did you pay for shipping, if you paid for shipping?

If there's a problem with the bike and it needs to be shipped back to them, how much will that cost? And with whom will you deal? And how long will it take to get an answer on the problem? For example, the frame cracked. You ship it back. You wait. And wait some more. Meanwhile the summer ebbs away...

That's why. If you don't want or need any service, they save the money on that.