The Chainlink

SOLD - Motobecane Fantom CX 54cm Commuter *NEW* - $525

This is a new Motobecane Fantom CX 54 cm 27spd. This bike makes a great commuter. These bikes do not come fully assembled from the factory, this bike has been professionally built up (including truing wheels, adjusting hubs, brakes, and shifting). 

Listed on Craigslist for $550, Chainlinkers get $25 off! 


Components:
Aluminum frame
CrMo fork with fender mounts 
FSA Vero triple cranks
9speed Shimano Sora shifters
Shimano Tiagra Rear derailleur 
Shimano Sora Front derailleur

Optionally includes shorter Thomson stem (see comments for picture)

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Permalink Reply by Lanterne Rouge on March 26, 2013 at 9:28pm

Good luck on your sale, Tony. I offer my condolences to you for the bullshit seen in this thread.

Permalink Reply by Albany Park Al on March 27, 2013 at 10:50am

^ +1.

If there was something blatantly wrong with the bike (bent fork) or the price (if it sold new for $250) that would be fair to point out.

To crap on this FS post because it's not a type of bike that someone likes or even understands is just rude and doesn't seem to be at all in keeping with the Chainlink ethos, if there is one.   It also suggests that for all his 62 years, Mr Iverson still has some growing up to do.

Permalink Reply by Crazy David 84 Furlongs on March 27, 2013 at 11:20am

I didn't mean to start anything.  I was trying to find out whether people had any direct experience with this bicycle.  As I noted, I had several Motobecane's back in the late 1970's and they were decent bicycles for my purposes.  (and in 1970's prices, they weren't particularly cheap... running somewhere in the 250 to 300 range.... as opposed to a Sears or Schwinn tank that ran about 125.)

Now a more serious question.  With the decay of the roads, my road bike commute has been a bit harder.  What I find a cyclocross bike useful?   I fall into the Super Clydesdale class of bicyclist.

Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on March 27, 2013 at 1:15pm

Is this necessary?

Don't have anything good to say? Don't say anything at all!

You don't want to buy it, let others buy it!

If it's not for you, then leave it alone!

Totally, completely very rude of you!

On a side note: I wish this bike sale came out three weeks ago before I bought my Jamis. Oh well. I wasn't too patient.

Good luck with the sale Tony!


Douglas Iverson said:

Really pretty pictures but what is the point? How many (OMG, I said it) Huffy department store under $100 cruisers, complete with water bottle mount, unlike Schwinn bicycles could I buy for that price, especially 10 year old ones? I can ride where that bike can't ride and even though I have only six speeds I have never used, nor do I need more than four speeds. I'm not impressed.
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on March 27, 2013 at 1:57pm

At the very least every time someone responds to this thread it gets bumped back up to the top of the front page.   I wish the seller a good clean/quick sale.  Maybe the exposure of this nasty thread will help that some.

In defense of this bike it certainly looks brand new to me (just as the OP claims) as the plastic protective shipping covering on the cranks is even still over the lettering.  

This bike sells right now on sale at BD for $600 and like the OP said you need to do the final assembly yourself as BD bikes are only "90% assembled" when you get them.  The 90% they do do for you before it arrives at your doorstep in a box is done poorly, if you ask me, so if you are not mechanically inclined or experienced with bike mechanics you really should have a good tune-up and going-over by someone who is when purchasing any bike from BikesDirect or other online "LBS"  such as Nashbar, Jenson, TreeFort or the like.  

A professionally assembled bike that has been set up properly is worth a premium for most folks so the savings a buyer of this bike is getting off of the online price is actually more than double what it seems with the pro set-up and assembly, IMHO, for just about anyone who doesn't work on bikes every day. 

Not to mention this particular bike has the Triple cranks which isn't all that common on most CX bikes but for most folks who are not actually racing it would be more convenient and a better bike with the 9 x 3 drivetrain.   In the greater Chicago area there aren't many hills that would require shifting out of the middle ring for (going up or down the other side) so one could pretty much leave it in the center ring 98% of the time rather than shifting the front constantly like it is often necessary to with a compact double, even in terrain that isn't that hilly  like around here. 

Permalink Reply by Katie on March 29, 2013 at 12:06pm

If it were a 58 I'd be all over that.  A friend of mine in Minnesota has damn near the same bike.  He is an avid rider and puts unbelievable miles on that thing and it's a champ.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on March 29, 2013 at 12:49pm

For a few more bucks Bikes Direct will have more in stock sometime later this month in the silver 58cm size.

If you don't care about the triple crank the compact double version is available in Grey, Yellow, and Blue in the 58cm size. 

I would advise that such an online bike be subjected to a careful assembly and set up including facing the bottom bracket (which BD almost never does)  properly greasing the bike, and torquing all the fasteners.  Any LBS or even a qualified home mechanic who works out of his living room could do this for a nominal fee.  

Katie said:

If it were a 58 I'd be all over that.  A friend of mine in Minnesota has damn near the same bike.  He is an avid rider and puts unbelievable miles on that thing and it's a champ.

Permalink Reply by Steve Courtright on March 29, 2013 at 3:44pm

Cyclocross bikes are perfect for city, trails, racing CX, commuting, rides in the country.  You name it.  The gentler geometry, clearance for bigger tires and general robustness makes them the perfect all rounder.  I ride one (a Cannondale) all year round, about 4000 miles a year in all weather and race in the Fall/Winter.

 

These Motobecanes are fine, perfectly ok bikes.  They are not a handmade Richard Sachs.  They are made in the Far East, like most bikes are.  The components are good, low/mid end components.  You could like a bike like the one shown for a long, long time, unless you need something different.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on May 28, 2013 at 11:15am

Thanks Steve and everyone for chiming in. 


The bike is back on the market. I just got around to re-posting it on Craigslist, so if you are interested, don't hesitate.

Steve Courtright said:

Cyclocross bikes are perfect for city, trails, racing CX, commuting, rides in the country.  You name it.  The gentler geometry, clearance for bigger tires and general robustness makes them the perfect all rounder.  I ride one (a Cannondale) all year round, about 4000 miles a year in all weather and race in the Fall/Winter.

 

These Motobecanes are fine, perfectly ok bikes.  They are not a handmade Richard Sachs.  They are made in the Far East, like most bikes are.  The components are good, low/mid end components.  You could like a bike like the one shown for a long, long time, unless you need something different.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on June 2, 2013 at 4:06pm

A party that came to try it out didn't love the length of the reach. Subsequently I found shorter stem in the parts bin so if anyone wants to buy the bike but wants a shorter stem we are including the shorter stem for free (not installed, but it is a pretty straightforward swap).

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