Deal? - 2002 Motobecane/Dura-Ace $1100

I have an opportunity to purchase a Motobecane le Champion Team with Dura- Ace for $1100. I know
that the real Motobecane went bankrupt years ago and this isn't the same company I remember.

Still, would this still be worth the money just for the Dura-Ace? The frame has have a full
lifetime warranty.

Dura-Ace equipped bikes locally (Rochester, NY) cost $1800+.

Here are more specs: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/motobecane_Le_Champion_Team. htm

--
John Hurrell

Remove obvious to reply via email.

 

>I have an opportunity to purchase a Motobecane le Champion Team with Dura- Ace for $1100. I know
>that the real Motobecane went bankrupt years ago and this isn't the same company I remember.

>Still, would this still be worth the money just for the Dura-Ace? The frame has have a full
>lifetime warranty.

>
>Here are more specs:
>http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/motobecane_Le_Champion_Team. htm

This bike is listed at $1600 so I imagine you are looking at another bike locally.

The things I noticed about this bike are a 24 spoke radial front wheel, 28 rear 2 cross, and an
internal head set.

I wouldn't be buying one.

Jon Isaacs

 

In article <[email protected]>, John Hurrell
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I have an opportunity to purchase a Motobecane le Champion Team with Dura- Ace for $1100. I know
>that the real Motobecane went bankrupt years ago and this isn't the same company I remember.
>
>Still, would this still be worth the money just for the Dura-Ace? The frame has have a full
>lifetime warranty.
>
>Dura-Ace equipped bikes locally (Rochester, NY) cost $1800+.
>
>Here are more specs:
>http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/motobecane_Le_Champion_Team. htm

If you can get that bike new for $1100 then it's a good deal even though the frame is probably a
piece of crap. $1100 ia a little too cheap for a DA bike, I would be careful how I pay for it and
scrutinize the seller. If the deal is real I'm sure you can find an eBayer to pay too much for
the frameset.

--Paul

 

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>
>
>I have an opportunity to purchase a Motobecane le Champion Team with Dura- Ace for $1100. I know
>that the real Motobecane went bankrupt years ago and this isn't the same company I remember.
>
>Still, would this still be worth the money just for the Dura-Ace? The frame has have a full
>lifetime warranty.
>
>Dura-Ace equipped bikes locally (Rochester, NY) cost $1800+.
>
>Here are more specs:
>http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/motobecane_Le_Champion_Team. htm

Sounds like a good deal. A DA build kit would probably cost as much as you are paying for a full
bike. You could stip the bike for parts and then sell the frame and come out ahead.
-----------------
Alex __O _-\<,_ (_)/ (_)

 

John Hurrell <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> I have an opportunity to purchase a Motobecane le Champion Team with Dura- Ace for $1100. I know
> that the real Motobecane went bankrupt years ago and this isn't the same company I remember.
>
> Still, would this still be worth the money just for the Dura-Ace? The frame has have a full
> lifetime warranty.
>
> Dura-Ace equipped bikes locally (Rochester, NY) cost $1800+.
>
> Here are more specs: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/motobecane_Le_Champion_T
> eam. htm

I really appreciate the feedback. I was leaning toward getting the bike just for the groupo and
getting a new frame somewhere.

Thanks a lot everyone!

--
John Hurrell

Remove obvious to reply via email.

 

John Hurrell <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I really appreciate the feedback. I was leaning toward getting the bike just for the groupo and
> getting a new frame somewhere.
>
Seems like an OK deal, provided the online vendor is reputable. Note that the groupo has a Cane
Creek (iirc) internal headset, so you might have to buy a new headset, depending on the other frame.
Also, as another poster has pointed out, the D-A hubs have low-spoke-count drilling. I have no idea
of the quality of the rims or wheel build.

 

I know Bicycling did a review of that bike some time in the recent past. They too raved about how
cheap it was for a bike with full Dura Ace. they seemed to think the frame was pretty darn good so
selling it right away might not be necessary.

"John Hurrell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> John Hurrell <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> > I have an opportunity to purchase a Motobecane le Champion Team with Dura- Ace for $1100. I know
> > that the real Motobecane went bankrupt years ago and this isn't the same company I remember.
> >
> > Still, would this still be worth the money just for the Dura-Ace? The frame has have a full
> > lifetime warranty.
> >
> > Dura-Ace equipped bikes locally (Rochester, NY) cost $1800+.
> >
> > Here are more specs: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/motobecane_Le_Champion_T
> > eam. htm
>
> I really appreciate the feedback. I was leaning toward getting the bike just for the groupo and
> getting a new frame somewhere.
>
> Thanks a lot everyone!
>
> --
> John Hurrell
>
> Remove obvious to reply via email.

 

I was considering buying from Bikesdirect.com, until I checked the BBB online. Bikesdirect.com and Cycle Spectrum, their sister (retail) company, both have unsatisfactory ratings.
See the links below:

http://worf.usshurdman.com/~hous/co.../mis67/report.php&bureau=hous&compid=31001201

http://worf.usshurdman.com/~hous/co.../mis67/report.php&bureau=hous&compid=13002679

I also tried to contact them by phone, to no avail. If you call the people at Cycle Spectrum, they act like it is a seperate company ("we just handle some of the shipping for them"), but the funny thing is, the address for Bikesdirect match that of Cycle Spectrum (see http://www.cyclespectrum.com/ for Cycle Spectrum's addresses).

Based on these findings, I would say buyer beware.

 

"mropincar" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I was considering buying from Bikesdirect.com, until I checked the BBB online. Bikesdirect.com
> and Cycle Spectrum, their sister (retail) company, both have unsatisfactory ratings. See the
> links below:

I have direct experience with Cycle Spectrum retail stores (three stores total in two different
cities). The manager at one of the stores is a real ass. He's your best friend until he gets you to
buy a bike. After the original sale, there is a total lack of service.

As for the other two stores, the employees were nice enough, but the store only carries low-end
parts and accessories (and bikes, for that matter). I have only purchased a wire basket and a seat
for a couple of rescued bikes and those parts are holding up as far as I know (the bikes were given
away). Service after the sale at these stores is unknown to me. I looked up all of the stores in
Texas with the BBB, and all but one have unsatisfactory ratings. The one that doesn't is in a
college town across the street from campus. They have a lot of business from young students and
foreigns students. My guess is that customers to their store just don't know how to complain to the
BBB. Every cyclist I have met from that town has mentioned how bad that shop is.

You take a big risk dealing with them.

-Buck