# PLEASE - Tell Me Why I Shouldn't Do It!!!



## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

My wife has just started riding on the road doing 15-20miles a day. I'm commuting 18-36 miles a day on my Scott Sportster P2. My wife is currently using my old Giant ATX680 mountain bike. It is heavy and has lots of rolling resistance on the road...

She is telling me I should buy a new road bike (so she can have my Scott Sportster P2).

She has given me permission to buy the Motobecane LeChampion SL Ti. 

Shimano Ultegra 6700 Road Bikes | Titanium Road Bikes | Roadbikes - 2012 Motobecane Le Champion SL Ti

*PLEASE TELL ME WHY I SHOULD NOT BUY THIS BIKE!*

Tell me EVERY reason I should not buy it! Thanks in advance!


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

there's no reason not to buy it. DO IT NOW....


oh, and please have your wife call my wife LOL


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## lardo (Aug 16, 2011)

I agree. I highly enjoy my Ti Moto. The rolling efficiency is great.


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## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

there are other choices in the price range, but if this is the bike that you want, go for it!


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## Doolab (Feb 13, 2008)

I own a '10 Motobecane LeChamp SL Ti that I bought from BD in late '09. It is identical in specs to the '12 model with the only difference being the stickers on the Mavic Equipe wheelset.

I'll start off by saying the bike is not the fastest steed in my stable, but is still a great workhorse nonetheless. It's a great recreational/century/touring type of bike that is very capable. But *my* SL Ti is now relegated for night rides and/or inclement weather type of rides. 

I'll also add that the SL Ti is a good value that is well made with quality parts/components with the exception of the hideous flexy/bouncy saddle that comes with it. Needless to say, I got rid of that contraption after a month of torturous and treacherous riding.

The fork is very nice and inspires confidence when doing mad descents and exhibits great stability. I've had it up to 55mph going down a few descents in the past and never had any worries about stability or control-ability, thanks in part to the fork's broad shoulders, beefy and wide aero arms and a carbon steerer that helps to take the edge off road bumps felt by my wrists. BTW, lower model LC Ti bikes from BD use aluminum steerers instead according to their specs, so I'm not sure how that changes these things.

What I don't like on my LC SL Ti bike is that the bottom bracket is not as stiff as I'd like it to be, which means it will basically trade ultimate speed for a cushier/more sedate ride. That works well for training and sustained effort type of pedaling but hampers a bit when I want to rip a massive surge. So, depending on your intended riding purposes, may be perfectly adequate or its Achilles heel.

Another thing I didn't like about the bike were the Mavic Equipe wheels. They're fine for training or recreational riding, but when I sprint they rob just enough power with their flex to hamper top speed efforts. I replaced my Equipes 6 months ago with a set of Mavic Elite wheels that I pulled off my fast bike (that one got a carbon wheelset upgrade) and the Elites have made a big difference in responsiveness and less flex which meant better climbing and better sprint speeds.

My opinion of the bike: You can buy a faster bike for the same $$$$, but the allure and durability of Ti can't be ignored, and the level of components you get with the SL Ti is hard to beat for the price you'd pay.

If I had to rate the bike, I'd say the LC SL Ti frame gets an 8/10, the Mavic Equipe wheels get a 7/10, and the drivetrain / other components (minus the saddle) get 9/10. Overall the bike gets a score of 8/10 in my eyes.


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

charlox5 said:


> there are other choices in the price range, but if this is the bike that you want, go for it!


Thanks. What other Ti options are there in this price range? Do they have the save component specs?


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## mow4cash (May 29, 2012)

If your are satified with all the components on the bike then buy it. I know I would have to upgrade that bike. You can always sell parts but that's a pain in my eyes. I don't think you can ever go wrong with a motobecane.

Just a thought. I bought a motobecane super strada with apex and love it for what it is. I was going to spend more but I did not find a bike that seemed worth it to spend more. I would see If you can find the cheapest motobecane with the group you want. I got a whole bike for a little more then buying the group by itself. It is a good enough bike for now and none of the parts on it besides the group have any value. Now when I upgrade i won't have to sell the used parts. The wheels I will put on will cost more then the bike. The frame I will get will be china. An ultegra group costs $850. Apex costs $600 and I paid $900 for my bike.


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## Peter_Klim (Oct 7, 2007)

You would get better results posting this in the general forum. Most people here are partial to this brand.

Most BD bikes frames are not up to par with their components. If you think you will upgrade the frame some day, get one of their less expensive bikes that have a cheaper frame. I paid $1500 for my Mercier Draco 4 years ago that came with Dura Ace. So it cost less than yours but with better components (but your frame kicks butt compared to mine!) My frame goes for about $175. Ever since I bought it, I was thinking one day I will replace the frameset. This week I finally purchased a new framset. Got a new 2009 Pinarello for 50% off. There are alway deals to be found on older models. I was also thinking of getting a Litespeed frame (also 50% off). 

But then again, that Ti frame is very sweeeeet!


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## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

gdfred88 said:


> Thanks. What other Ti options are there in this price range? Do they have the save component specs?


for new Ti, not much, admittedly. Plenty of used Ti bikes should be in this range, with varying equipment specs. I built my SRAM force equipped Lynskey off of a used frame/fork with a build kit off of ebay and soul S3.0 wheels. grand total was 2500-ish. 

A 105 equipped R330 is on sale at lynskey's website for 2500 atm. one of their cheaper frames (cooper/sportive or R230) with ultegra should price in at the same price if they put it on special. .


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

Peter_Klim said:


> You would get better results posting this in the general forum. Most people here are partial to this brand.
> 
> Most BD bikes frames are not up to par with their components. If you think you will upgrade the frame some day, get one of their less expensive bikes that have a cheaper frame. I paid $1500 for my Mercier Draco 4 years ago that came with Dura Ace. So it cost less than yours but with better components (but your frame kicks butt compared to mine!) My frame goes for about $175. Ever since I bought it, I was thinking one day I will replace the frameset. This week I finally purchased a new framset. Got a new 2009 Pinarello for 50% off. There are alway deals to be found on older models. I was also thinking of getting a Litespeed frame (also 50% off).
> 
> But then again, that Ti frame is very sweeeeet!


Peter: It seems you got a pretty great deal.., To get full Dura-Ace all the way today at BD costs $2.8K (Up to 60% off Shimano Dura Ace Carbon Fiber Road Bikes up to 60% off | Motobecane Immortal Team)

There are some less expensive BD bikes listed as "Dura-Ace" but most only include the derailers and rear cassette, and not the crank or brakes, etc.

I'm not a racer. I just commute 20-36 miles a day. So having Dura-Ace components is not going to make for a faster commute. The roads are pretty rough here and I click in at 240lbs. So I'm not wanting to go to a CF frame, but I still want light weight...


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

charlox5 said:


> for new Ti, not much, admittedly. Plenty of used Ti bikes should be in this range, with varying equipment specs. I built my SRAM force equipped Lynskey off of a used frame/fork with a build kit off of ebay and soul S3.0 wheels. grand total was 2500-ish.
> 
> A 105 equipped R330 is on sale at lynskey's website for 2500 atm. one of their cheaper frames (cooper/sportive or R230) with ultegra should price in at the same price if they put it on special. .


Thanks Charlox, I looked at the Lynskey R330. Once one selects all the options to build it up exactly like the Moto SL Ti it prices at $4350. 

2013 R330 Titanium Road Bicycle with Shimano 105 - Lynskey Performance | Titanium Bicycles

I cannot see that the R330 decked out with full Ultegra and the exact same wheels is really worth $2.3K more than the Moto LeChamp SL Ti frame.


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## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

gdfred88 said:


> Thanks Charlox, I looked at the Lynskey R330. Once one selects all the options to build it up exactly like the Moto SL Ti it prices at $4350.
> 
> 2013 R330 Titanium Road Bicycle with Shimano 105 - Lynskey Performance | Titanium Bicycles
> 
> I cannot see that the R330 decked out with full Ultegra and the exact same wheels is really worth $2.3K more than the Moto LeChamp SL Ti frame.


yeah the R330 is a little upmarket. but i think lynskey's cooper or sportive frames are more in line with the BD stuff in terms of price. I think i've seen complete cooper 105 builds on lynskey's site for mid teens, maybe 1700 iirc. upgraded to 6700 i think it should be in the low 2000's. but, that deal isn't currently active so i might be mis-remembering.

in the end, the main strike against BD bikes is warranty and service. but the value of that varies from person to person imo. to me personally, it wouldn't be worth double the price of a BD bike so the lechampion may be your best bet.


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

OK... You don't need to tell me why to not buy it any more! I sourced all the exact same components as cheaply as I could on the internet and it was going to cost over $3.3K to build the same bike including the same frame and fork from eBay. So I think $2K is a great deal...

I just placed the order! I hope it arrives sometime next week. I'm only 3 hours away... So hopefully it will arrive soon.

Thanks for your input! I'm looking forward to the new ride!


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## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

congrats and enjoy your new bike!


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

I ordered at 10am this morning and it has already shipped!

It's scheduled for delivery this Monday!!!! Less than two business days! 

I'm impressed with BD so far!!!!


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

Well.... that original delivery date must be a UPS auto-generated date based on the shipping label generated by BD. The bike did not arrive today and UPS is still saying it has not been received by them yet....

I thought that quick a delivery was crazy fast. I guess it is still going to be a few days.... I hope I can be home that day...


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

So the package just made it into the UPS system about 15 minutes ago.

It is scheduled to be delivered by the end of the day tomorrow.... Not certain I can be here...


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

keep us updated and make sure to post a ride review!!! congrats


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

SlurpeeKing said:


> keep us updated and make sure to post a ride review!!! congrats


So far I am happy with BD service... not to certain about UPS service.

I have been tracking the shipment via the UPS website. I saw that the bike got into town at 6:41am this morning. I called the UPS distribution center at 7:10am. I was told to call back at 7:30am so I do so.

I talked with a Rep and he said he would message the driver and tell him to hold on delivery until 1:30pm when I could be home.... The driver attempted the delivery at 10:30am. Needless to say, I was not at home.

Once I saw the missed delivery notation on the package online. Went to the distribution center. Customer Service door is only open from 4:30pm - 8:00pm. 

I called Customer service again.... Supposedly, they have instructed the driver to unload the bike and bring it to the Customer Service Section for my pickup this evening between 7 and 8pm this evening. I'll be there. I hope it is not another wild goose chase this evening.

Looking forward to building a bike tonight.


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

Well..... I'm hopping in the van to head to the UPS Distribution center. I'll either sit there until they gift me with the package or kick me out at 8pm.

I'm hoping for the former and not the latter!


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

The bike was at the UPS Customer Service Office as promised. Excitedly heading home to open the box. Absolutely no external damage to the box. Gotta drive!

More in a bit....


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

gdfred88 said:


> So far I am happy with BD service... not to certain about UPS service.
> 
> I have been tracking the shipment via the UPS website. I saw that the bike got into town at 6:41am this morning. I called the UPS distribution center at 7:10am. I was told to call back at 7:30am so I do so.
> 
> ...




I went through almost the same course of events. It was worth it though! Slap it together and enjoy!!!


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## Peter_Klim (Oct 7, 2007)

gdfred88 said:


> The bike was at the UPS Customer Service Office as promised. Excitedly heading home to open the box. Absolutely no external damage to the box. Gotta drive!
> 
> More in a bit....


Sooooooooo, it's been 8 hours...please tell us you made it home alive and you've been riding your bike ever since you got back!


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

Sorry Peter.... I know you are excited about her too! 

She is a looker!!!! So far about the only thing negative I can say about her is that all the photos on the BD page and here do not do her justice! She is not very photogenic!

From the photos I had convenced myself I was going to have an all round-tubed old-school Ti bike. But she is SOOOOO far from that. The only round tube on her is the seat-tube (and of course the head-tube)! The top-tube and main-tube are much more shaped than any picture I saw revealed. 

I took my time putting her together. She's the 59cm version of the Le Champ SL Ti with Ultegra everywhere. She weighs in at a very light 17.6lb (6.56Kg actual) without pedals. The Shimano 105 (PD-5610) pedals weigh in at 10.2oz (322g actual) for the pair. I mounted them on the bike, but they are a little heavier than the CF pedals I have on the Scott so I may move those over.,, (small thing I need to decide).

The wheels are all perfectly true. My LBS guy could not make them any more true. Everything is perfect. No scratches, dings, or anything. (I do need to get that black Frisbee off the cassette. When I take the tire off tonight to put in tube-liners I'll pop the cassette at that point and get her off there.)

I plan to flip the stem up this evening too. Once I get the tires and frame filled with helium she'll be even lighter and ready to float me down the road!!! I know I'm ready!

She is beautiful. I could not be happier! I'll need to buy a stronger lock for certain! ;-{)


(I took lots of pics as I was unpacking and assembling. I'll post those in a new thread before too long!) Assembly at a very slow relaxed pace with lots of photos only took 40-50 minutes.... it could easily be done in 25-30 minutes.

I'm in love!!!!


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

great review!!!


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

Now I get to test BD Customer Service.... 

I was adjusting the seatpost height... The seat clamp is stamped with a torque value of 5Nm...

So I set my torque wrench to 4.5Nm. I kept thinking "That should be tight enough... (quarter turn).... That should be tight enough...." 

Then I hear the dreaded "snap" and the ring split... Should have set the wrench to 4Nm, I guess.

I'm emailing BD. We'll see what happens.


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

gdfred88 said:


> Now I get to test BD Customer Service....
> 
> I'm emailing BD. We'll see what happens.


Email sent.... Sent a pic of cracked clamp...

Wish I were riding... 

My two other bikes have built in seat post clamps so I cannot steal one for the night....

I guess I will do everything else I can to it to have it tweaked and ready to ride when the replacement gets here.


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

In my experience, they were very fast and efficient.


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

SlurpeeKing said:


> In my experience, they were very fast and efficient.


Hoping so! I have everything else ready. Just flipped the bar-stem up because it looked like the seat was going to be pretty high.

She is ready for her maiden voyage. Think I'll wait for BD to contact me before I take her out seatless...... but she is calling me big time!


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## gdfred88 (Jun 9, 2012)

I'd say BD has great customer service. I received three emails from them since this AM and they have already sent out a replacement clamp via USPS Priority Mail.

I cannot imagine any company could do much better than that.


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

gdfred88 said:


> I'd say BD has great customer service. I received three emails from them since this AM and they have already sent out a replacement clamp via USPS Priority Mail.
> 
> I cannot imagine any company could do much better than that.


The haters will say they should have hand delivered it by this afternoon. :thumbsup:


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