# Motobecane Lugged Steel?



## ScottInCincinnati (Feb 20, 2004)

OK, something got me over to the bikesdirect website, and I ran across this gem:

http://bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/gran_premio_inferno.htm

The detailing on the lugged frame looks pretty nice to me. As with all the BD stuff, the value proposition is bound to be high.

Anyone have one? Looks like an interesting alternative to custom build for a neo-classic century bike.

Not a shill, I've not bought anything from BD. I did have a nice Motobecane Jubilee Sport back in the day that I wish I still had, tho. :cryin:


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## stickney (Jul 28, 2005)

The BikesDirect guys floated this concept sometime in the last year or two as a marketing inquiry. There was a fair amount of interest and feedback, and then it became clear that BD had something fairly far down the pipeline, which irritated some. If you search, you may find that thread (can't remember if it was here or on bikeforums.net).

At any rate, I am a very happy owner of a BD Moto TI CX bike. I am likely to buy a bike for my wife fairly soon from BD.

If you like this bike, you might find it to be a very nice bike at a reasonable price. Good luck (you may want to check the MOTO sub-forum as well, if you haven't)


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## ohvrolla (Aug 2, 2009)

Gawt dayum don't you want to go custom if your looking at steel! Surely you can scratch your knees without bending at the waist and a off the shelf bike won't cut it.

Just kidding. I like the bike a lot just from looking at it. $2000 for a full Sram Red kit (not just shifters/derailleurs) and Ksyrium Elites sounds pretty decent. Then they decide to throw a frame, fork, seatpost, saddle, stem, and handlebars in for free! Plus we're not talking about plain jane 4130 either. Looking at the geometry chart I could fit a 54cm pretty good right out of the box so it would be at the top of my list if I was going steel.


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## ScottInCincinnati (Feb 20, 2004)

Just to be clear.... I am not looking at getting the Moto. I just got a Waterford that will do nicely....

But, the detail on the Moto was pretty nice! As you say, if I were in the market, it would have to be on the list.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

Looks damn nice to me.


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## LC (Jan 28, 2004)

You can pretty much tell the quality of steel by the weight. They sometimes cheap out on the rear triangle tubes on bargain frames. How much does the frame weigh?


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## Blackss06 (Feb 26, 2011)

I like it, almost got the RED equipped one. I don't think I've seen first-hand feed-back yet. I'd really like to know the weight.


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## albertabeef (May 15, 2011)

One of the other posts has more info on it: http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=248101

The OP in that thread mentioned it was a sub-20lb steel bike... Well, what he said exactly was:



BlueGrassBlazer said:


> ...All my additions are heavy...brooks B17 saddle, wide SPD touring pedals, a junk pack with about everything in it...inner tube, CO2 cartridges, sun screen, energy goop and an old Schwinn Multi-Tool that has to weight a pound by itself. and a couple of other items brings in at just under 23 lbs. You can get down to sub 20 lbs if you swap out the brooks, pedals and carry less junk in your trunk.


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## littlewing6283 (Sep 15, 2009)

my wife rides a lugged motobecane. it's nice I really like it.


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## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

Every post is better with a picture.


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## raymonda (Jan 31, 2007)

I think that Mike did a great job of putting this ride together and it is a great bargan. It is a lot of bike for a little green.


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## ScottInCincinnati (Feb 20, 2004)

Nice.....

Got a negative rep for shilling from "Marcos_E" because I pointed out what I thought was an interesting bike. Geez. :mad2:


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## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

ScottInCincinnati said:


> Nice.....
> 
> Got a negative rep for shilling from "Marcos_E" because I pointed out what I thought was an interesting bike. Geez. :mad2:


I'm still not understanding that whole rep thing. Actually, I'm not sure how they accumulate or disappear for that matter.


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## linded (Aug 12, 2011)

*motobecane lugged steel?*

I'm a new member and this is my first post. I reviewed this forum before purchasing my 58 cm. Motobecane Gran Premio Inferno, which I just received a week ago, so I thought I might give some feedback on BD and the bike. My main ride is a Rivendell custom road. I wanted to try a lighter bike for climbing the mountain roads here in north central Arizona. I considered carbon, but, rightly or wrongly, got scared off by some of the rhetoric concerning carbon failures. I came across BD while surfing the net. Thought about one of their Ti's, but again we're dealing with a carbon fork, the most likely item to lead to serious injury should it fail. Decided I would like to try Sram equipment, thus the GP Inferno. Also, the Le Champion Ti with Sram Red is equipped with a 53/39 crank, and I wanted a 50/34. I didn't want to pay the cost of another custom or low production steel frame, so didn't want to go that route. 

In essence, with the GP Inferno, you're practically getting the frame for free when you consider the cost of the other components from other sources. 

The lugwork on the frame seems quite good. No thinning or filing compared to my custom, but it appears neat and clean and the paint job is very nice with clear coating over the decals. Compared to my 59 cm. Rivendell, the standover height is about the same because it has less BB drop. It is more 'twitchy" due to it's steeper angles and shorter wheelbase. But as a "climber", that doesn't bother me much. However, I think that this bike might appeal to more buyers if the seat tube angle was more like 72 degrees and the steer tube angle about 73. I had no way to accurately weigh it except by holding it while standing on a bathroom scale. It's about 19 lbs. without pedals. I think that it's quite attractive in all black with the silver brakes and rims. I added some Velo Orange stainless bottles cages and a black and silver Lezyne minipump. The HB's, stem, and SP are pretty generic, but look fine and they do the job. Call me an "old fogey", but I still like that looks of those thin tubes. 

I'm about 70.5 inches tall with a PBH of 86cm in my stocking feet and weigh 155 lbs. With a 44 cm HB and 110mm stem, the HB reach is fine, but, by no means stretched out. I prefer a somewhat more upright position and the HB's are only slightly lower than the saddle height without flipping the stem. Again, with a slacker ST angle, one could have the option of moving the seat more rearward, giving a more stretched out body position, without resorting to a seat post with greater setback. 

Ride wise, I am able to climb in one gear higher than on my other bikes. It's not as smooth as my Rivendell, but I think that has more to do with the tires, 28mm at 90 PSI vs. 23mm at 100+. I suspect that wheels and tires might effect ride more than most other factors, including frame materials. However, I don't have the experience of Ti or carbon to back up that statement. Also my Riv has longer chain stays and wheel base. With a Brooks saddle and softer tires, it is a very smooth ride.

The lighter Mavic wheels do seem to accelerate better, however. The Sram Red equipment is very nice, even includes the Gore Ride-on cables. Getting used to the double tap shifters. They're "louder" than Shimano, but seem "snappier". Very positive shifts. The jury is still out on the saddle, may switch it out for my Brooks Swift. 

All in all, I think that the bike is quite a bargain for what you're getting, the bike arrived quickly, and with nary a scratch. Have to give BD a thumb's up! If a lugged steel framed, race oriented bike, with excellent running gear, is to your liking, I don't see how you can do much better than this.


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## armybikerider (Oct 27, 2009)

My very first "nice" bike was a Motobecane Jubilee Sport! I bought it in like 1981 0r '82. Had I think Suntour "Blue Line" components. I raced and did centuries on it and loved it.

I remember it had crappy French Rigida rims that constantly needed truing. I hit a car and had a few crashes...eventually wrinkling and cracking the downtube just behind the lug and ditched the bike for a Motta!


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