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Motobecane Debuts New Fly Team Ti 29er XTR 11 Speed Edition & Teases Fantom XTR

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Motobecane-Fly-Ti-Team-XTR-11Motobecane is known for selling bikes priced impossibly low for their spec by passing on the savings of consumer direct sales. The Fly Ti Team has been a leader in this area, over the past few years, the butted and shaped 3/2.5 Titanium framed bike has sold as a complete, top level spec bike for about the same price as most titanium frames.

Weighing just 22lbs complete, and tested on the Leadville 100 with a buckle to prove it, the full XTR M9000 bike costs little more than the group hung on it. And Motobecane is also teasing pictures of a full redesign of the Fantom 29er full suspension bike with pictures after the break.

The Fly Team Ti 29 XTR 11 Edition will list price at $6,299, but is selling right now for an early discount at $3,799. The XTR group alone costs more than $2,000, so the complete bike with Rockshox Reba RL, Vuelta Team SL Tubeless wheels and Ritchey WCS cockpit seems like stealing.

Motobecane-Fantom-29-XTR

There is little for details right now, but the Fantom 29er appears to also be coming in an XTR version, and has a completely redesigned frame with 100mm of travel front and rear.

www.motobecane.com

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fraser
fraser
9 years ago

looks like a bike you would find in a wal-mart …

R0b0tAt0ms
R0b0tAt0ms
9 years ago

Great spec and undeniable value, but they are aesthetically 5 years behind the industry. The new XTR certainly doesn’t help the looks either….

GreenG
GreenG
9 years ago

fraser- what part of it reminds you of Wal-Mart bikes? Was it the Ti frame, or the XTR group? Look, I’m a solid shop-local guy, and would not buy this, but that was just kind of stupid.

mudrock
mudrock
9 years ago

DT sticker is crooked on the ti frame. They not only save on their direct-to-consumer business model, but by not hiring a competent designer, as r0b0t says. Plenty of riders buy Motos to strip the parts and sell the frame on Ebay – the deals are that good.

Charlie Best
Charlie Best
9 years ago

GreenG, the specs are undeniably not big box junk, but those awful decals and the Vuelta wheels make these things look like $300 Bike Shaped Objects.

GreenG
GreenG
9 years ago

Charlie – I hear you, but it’s not really that much worse than guys like lightspeed:

http://www.litespeed.com/bike.asp?content=Pinhoti-2015

I think swoopy carbon has spoiled us…

Mindless
Mindless
9 years ago

BD titanium frames are as good as anything. And parts are parts. Anybody comparing them to Walmart is an idiot.

Frank
Frank
9 years ago

I have a 2008(9?) version of this bike.

R0b0t is right, the graphics are exactly the same as my 5 year old bike. But really, aesthetics are a silly thing to care about.

I wouldn’t say the Ti frame is as good as any, I would say its a good value for what you get but there is room for improvement. Mine has a seat tube that is slightly over-sized, at least at the top, its supposed to be 27.2, but seatposts slip right in. This has cause a carbon seatpost to break on me (DURING A RACE!) at the seat collar since I had to over-tighten and crank down on it to get the seatpost to hold, which pinched the carbon and caused a failure. I have since put a Thomson post in it, but the only way it hold position is if I also use carbon prep as my seatpost grease, which helps lock it in place.

Also, the frame is a little flexy, but this is to be expected from an ultra-light frame.

So, could be better quality, but I still consider it a good value. Great for a racer on a budget.

MissedThePoint
MissedThePoint
9 years ago

Peel off all the stickers, and perhaps slap on your own.

Bikesdirect is offering this for pre-order at 2799 USD, if you order before Dec 2.

AZBikeFreak
AZBikeFreak
9 years ago

I owned and thrashed an MB Ti frame (17.5″) for 2.5 years here in the brutal Sonoran desert trails of Phoenix. I weigh 220 soakin wet and can attest that this frame is not flexy at all. I remember it for it’s magical Ti characteristics. Ti just has this feel that no other material has. It’s hard to explain/describe. I bombed this frame down National trail on a weekly basis. I even ran a 2.4″ Schwalbe tire in the back without issue. I really pushed the limits of the frame when I built it up as a 18 lbs rigid single speed.

Most of my friends laughed and said that Taiwan Ti is crap and I should’ve bought some the more expensive frame like a Lynskey or Litespeed. If this is what crap rides like I will take another.

I only sold the frame because, like everyone else, I fell enamored with carbon. Carbon is OK. It just doesn’t have that extra something that Ti has.

I regret selling that frame and search ebay and Craigslist to this day for a replacement MB Ti frame that isn’t dented and abused.

Roy
Roy
9 years ago

Does anyone know what factory in Taiwan makes the frames? I know there are industry people reading BikeRumor so maybe someone knows? I have special considerations when shopping for frames so I would like to contact them directly for possible custom work. Thanks

Speedy
Speedy
9 years ago

@Roy – Wrong country…pretty sure at this price point these are produced in China.

a
a
9 years ago

note that they never sell at “list price” so its not “really” introductionary prices 😉

Roy
Roy
9 years ago

Speedy, yeah, you are probably right! I know on Alibaba there are Ti factories in China and Taiwan, and many offer custom geo, IF I can put a name to the MB maker which seems to be a well tried set of tubes and the ability to do custom, that would be cool. I have not read about these being breaking a lot over the years, so this factory must have decent alloys and MBs parent company would not risk buying from the bottom of the barrel over there.

Mike
9 years ago

These bikes are both made in Taiwan

The Motobecane ‘look’ remains Classic and will not be changed
Changes to Colors, yes; trim, yes; frame styles; yes
But the logo and brand type style will always remain as it has been since Ben Lawee designed it, all those years ago

Doug
Doug
9 years ago

http://oraeng.imb2b.com/sell/ Taiwan.

Have Motobecane Ti road bike, love it, no other bike can touch it in price. Where they do go cheap on these bikes is the wheels.

Durianrider
Durianrider
9 years ago

They offer a 100 year warranty on their Ti frames.

Colnago offer 2 year warranty when they did Ti frames. Those were made in Russia at a titanium welding school.

MissedThePoint
MissedThePoint
9 years ago

@Roy: ORA Engineering (Taiwan)

(not) Motobecane
(not) Motobecane
9 years ago

BD has a silly policy that they will not honor warranty if you peel off their stickers.

Just a heads up for people who’s thinking of debadging/re-branding their bikes.

Roy
Roy
9 years ago

Thanks Doug and MTP!

Willie
Willie
9 years ago

I bought a Moto Fantom29 w/ alloy frame a few years ago from BD. Paid around $500 for it. Yes, the seat tube is too large for the post and BD replaced it free of charge.

Over the years I have upgraded most of the components and spent perhaps another $500. It is a sweet ride and I would consider getting the new Ti frameset. For all of you folks who think that it looks like a WM bike, check out this review that questions the price and value of all the latest and greatest megabuck bikes

Lumberjake
Lumberjake
9 years ago

I have read numerous negative comments here and elsewhere against Bikesdirect and this bike in particular.
Nearly all have never touched one. Those who actually know what they are like give them excellent reviews. Just do a search.
If the worst shot you can throw is dated decals that speaks volumes to me, again this person has not ridden the product which I’m is more important than the decals but you can make that call.
No, this bike is not made in China unlike those crappy top end Pinnerelos, Specialized and countless other top end carbon frames, this frame is manufactured by Ora engineering in Taiwan. The number of… Sorry… imbeciles who still think made in China is crap never ceases to amaze. Do they make crap? Sure, and so did we with cars for nearly 2 decades. American cars were international jokes, lemons. Amazingly enough both the US and China can produce quality. The fact is China produces more high end carbon fiber than any country.
Is my Fly Ti the best? Absolutely, for the money nothing even comes close. The best money no object, duh, of course not! I would prefer it over Lynsky’s budget frame any day. This has shaped, butted tubing while Lynsky offers straight gauge. I have read more complaints with Lynsky warranty than Bikesdirect ditto frame failures.
Now, if you are one of those well off, support your local bike shop guys who don’t mind giving away hundreds of dollars to support a business that’s your prerogative but no business has paid particular care about my finances as a consumer. I am silly enough to think capitalism and the free market worked by the consumer seeking the best deal while the business seeks the bottom line by providing that deal. Bikesdirect delivers.

Harold
Harold
8 years ago

I agree with Lumberjack, I have a DB Motobecane Sturgis Bullet Ti Fatbike and it’s really good. Ora Engineering frame and the rest is Sram, Mulefit, Rockshox BLuto etc… I rode Motobecanes many years ago as a kid and rode their full suspension MX 20 3″ tire fat bike, dayglow orange in the 80s. DB develops an excellent package. I researched all the brands and options including Chiner Carbon builds and this package was and is a winner. I think the Fly 29 Ti is a great looking bike and an exceptional value. The rest is marketing…

ray weber
ray weber
8 years ago

I have to concur and give Motobecane and Bikes Direct a big thumbs up. I have been enjoying my ti framed Bullet fat bike for the last 3 months, riding on the local trails and mostly the beach. One of the smartest purchases I ever made. Just ask my lovely wife. The frame has a big “made in Taiwan” sticker on the steering head. Just so all the bike snobs know that it was not made in China. The frame is a work of art. If you find a better deal, buy it. And let me know. Happy trails! Ray

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