Motobecane Ebikes Bikes Direct

Taylor57

Taylor57

Well-Known Member
I am now on the email list and am curious if anyone has ever ordered from these guys and just how good of a deal is the Hal full suspension with Bagang mid for 2899 and the Shimano Mid hard tail Motobecane for 2k? I love promotion however one concern is when they list the weights of the bikes in question, they say "weighs similarly" to comparable bikes that they list. Why not just list the weight? Anyway, are these fair deals, great deals, meh?
 
I've only bought a couple of the cheaper regular bikes from them, not ebikes. But both times I was disappointed with what I got. Everything seems much heavier than it should be. Any part on the spec sheet that isn't name brand is going to be crap. The wheels both times came wildly out of true. Maybe the more expensive bikes are better, but I'm not willing to find out.
 
Taylor57 said:
I am now on the email list and am curious if anyone has ever ordered from these guys and just how good of a deal is the Hal full suspension with Bagang mid for 2899 and the Shimano Mid hard tail Motobecane for 2k? I love promotion however one concern is when they list the weights of the bikes in question, they say "weighs similarly" to comparable bikes that they list. Why not just list the weight? Anyway, are these fair deals, great deals, meh?
Click to expand...
electricbikereview.com

The infamous Motobecane HAL E-MTB. I bought one…

I read about them all, the prestigious brands. Rode a bunch too. Was really close to buying a Bulls E-STREAM EVO AM 4 27.5+ (love the Brose motor). But could never quite get the value of the Motobecane HAL 5, from "that" internet company, out of my mind. Spent a year going through this...
electricbikereview.com electricbikereview.com

This is an eight-page thread that spans a couple of years, so should be a good resource.
 
Taylor57 said:
I am now on the email list and am curious if anyone has ever ordered from these guys and just how good of a deal is the Hal full suspension with Bagang mid for 2899 and the Shimano Mid hard tail Motobecane for 2k? I love promotion however one concern is when they list the weights of the bikes in question, they say "weighs similarly" to comparable bikes that they list. Why not just list the weight? Anyway, are these fair deals, great deals, meh?
Click to expand...
I just received an email from BD this week and the following EBikes are back in stock and now ready to ship. ;)

1603248085324.png
 
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FlatSix911 said:
I just received an email from BD this week and the following EBikes are back in stock and now ready to ship. ;)

View attachment 69302
Click to expand...

Of course the one I liked with the battery somewhat hidden is not on the list. I think it was the Motobecane. The problem I have with BD is vagueness. You want to know how much a particular bike weighs, you get an approximation. Why not just tell us how much it weighs?
 
Taylor57 said:
Of course the one I liked with the battery somewhat hidden is not on the list. I think it was the Motobecane.
The problem I have with BD is vagueness. You want to know how much a particular bike weighs, you get an approximation. Why not just tell us how much it weighs?
Click to expand...
The 29er with the integrated battery is also back in stock... a good deal for a Shimano mid-drive $1,999. ;)
The weight depends on the frame size... hence the approximate weight range.


1603250928741.png
 
FlatSix911 said:
The 29er with the integrated battery is also back in stock... a good deal for a Shimano mid-drive $1,999. ;)
The weight depends on the frame size... hence the approximate weight range.


View attachment 69305
Click to expand...

It looks like a fair deal and I probably dont really need dual suspension, but I am still locked into a throttle. Waiting to hear from my gal in China on my Frey CC. She has usually emailed me by now...
 
FlatSix911 said:
BD just added 4 new Bosch mid-drive Ebikes with 28 mph speed ratings. 😉

Hot New eBikes! Save Up to 63% Off Electric Bicycles +FREE SHIP 48

Keep watching this page Hot New eBikes! Save Up to 63% Off Electric Bicycles +FREE SHIP 48
www.bikesdirect.com

View attachment 80630
Click to expand...

I was excited when I first saw this... But looking at the prices, this isn't much if any less than what Trek/Giant are charging for similar bikes. You're getting an off-brand bike with no local support, for no discount. The earlier bikes had too small a battery at 250wh.

I guess we shouldn't be surprised, that in a bike shortage, there's not gonna be much supply left for discount pricing. Plus these frames look pretty new in design, while BD usually uses older frame designs and passes along some savings. Older designs aren't a big issue for urban or entry level road bikes anyway.

The Union 2 would be an ok value at $3500, a very good one at $3k (which was what Giant was charging in 2019 for a similar bike, the Quick-E). Hopefully no one buys this bike at this price lol - the only reason they would is they can't wait and Trek/Giant/Cannondale/Specialized ran out.

Compare with:
www.giant-bicycles.com

FastRoad E+ EX Pro (2021) | Fitness bike | Giant Bicycles US

Featuring a SyncDrive Pro motor that's powered by Yamaha, a new long-lasting Giant EnergyPak Smart Compact 500 battery, and a smooth-riding, lightweight aluminum frame, the FastRoad E+ EX Pro makes every trip faster and...
www.giant-bicycles.com www.giant-bicycles.com
www.trekbikes.com

Allant+ 8S - Trek Bikes

Discover your next great ride with Allant+ 8S. See the bike and visit your local Trek retailer. Shop now!
www.trekbikes.com www.trekbikes.com
 
Asher said:
I was excited when I first saw this... But looking at the prices, this isn't much if any less than what Trek/Giant are charging for similar bikes. You're getting an off-brand bike with no local support, for no discount. The earlier bikes had too small a battery at 250wh.

I guess we shouldn't be surprised, that in a bike shortage, there's not gonna be much supply left for discount pricing. Plus these frames look pretty new in design, while BD usually uses older frame designs and passes along some savings. Older designs aren't a big issue for urban or entry level road bikes anyway.

The Union 2 would be an ok value at $3500, a very good one at $3k (which was what Giant was charging in 2019 for a similar bike, the Quick-E). Hopefully no one buys this bike at this price lol - the only reason they would is they can't wait and Trek/Giant/Cannondale/Specialized ran out.

Compare with:
www.giant-bicycles.com

FastRoad E+ EX Pro (2021) | Fitness bike | Giant Bicycles US

Featuring a SyncDrive Pro motor that's powered by Yamaha, a new long-lasting Giant EnergyPak Smart Compact 500 battery, and a smooth-riding, lightweight aluminum frame, the FastRoad E+ EX Pro makes every trip faster and...
www.giant-bicycles.com www.giant-bicycles.com
www.trekbikes.com

Allant+ 8S - Trek Bikes

Discover your next great ride with Allant+ 8S. See the bike and visit your local Trek retailer. Shop now!
www.trekbikes.com www.trekbikes.com
Click to expand...

Not saying that this is a great deal or a bad deal, but I am curious why Diamond Back would be considered an off-brand bike? I have a 26yr old DB Response Sport and an Outlook. Both bikes are in great condition and still working well. At the time the RS was quite expensive and a brand only available at an LBS. The RS was also considered above recreational use and a basic, entry-level comp bike. What happened to the brand to make them "off"?

The battery seems anemic at 400WH compared to many that are now 500 or 625 in similarly configured bikes at that price point. And some of the components may be a small step down, but not by much. Otherwise the bikes look decent to me.

Wouldn't an LBS service a DB? Surely an LBS that was auth for working on Bosch would, no?
 
FezUSA said:
Not saying that this is a great deal or a bad deal, but I am curious why Diamond Back would be considered an off-brand bike? I have a 26yr old DB Response Sport and an Outlook. Both bikes are in great condition and still working well. At the time the RS was quite expensive and a brand only available at an LBS. The RS was also considered above recreational use and a basic, entry-level comp bike. What happened to the brand to make them "off"?

The battery seems anemic at 400WH compared to many that are now 500 or 625 in similarly configured bikes at that price point. And some of the components may be a small step down, but not by much. Otherwise the bikes look decent to me.

Wouldn't an LBS service a DB? Surely an LBS that was auth for working on Bosch would, no?
Click to expand...
Lol a lot can happen in 26 years... Gateways were a thing then too. If it weren't an off brand, it wouldn't be on Bikes direct 🙃.
 
Asher said:
Lol a lot can happen in 26 years... Gateways were a thing then too. If it weren't an off brand, it wouldn't be on Bikes direct 🙃.
Click to expand...
Ah yes, Gateways! My first IT job on the career ladder was providing IT support to a company who's IT dept. consisted of all IBM AS-400 people! The mgr was the only person versed in PC's and it was getting too much and he knew that only 20 or so people had them but the remaining 100 terminal users would be switching over in the coming years! Plus Accounting was looking at needing an NT 3.51 server for their 'needs' which he had zero knowledge of. So I got the job and first task was to unpack and set up a couple of cow boxes for myself! It had the latest 486DX2/66 with a whopping 340MB hard drive that I couldn't imagine ever filling!! Windows 3.11 for Workgroups just didn't take up much space, and Word for Windows and Lotus 1-2-3 barely touched it! 5 1/4 inch drive AND a 3 1/2, plus a CD-ROM. Cutting edge!

It was just after starting this job that I got the bikes!
 
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Asher said:
I was excited when I first saw this... But looking at the prices, this isn't much if any less than what Trek/Giant are charging for similar bikes. You're getting an off-brand bike with no local support, for no discount. The earlier bikes had too small a battery at 250wh. I guess we shouldn't be surprised, that in a bike shortage, there's not gonna be much supply left for discount pricing. Plus these frames look pretty new in design, while BD usually uses older frame designs and passes along some savings. Older designs aren't a big issue for urban or entry level road bikes anyway.

The Union 2 would be an ok value at $3500, a very good one at $3k (which was what Giant was charging in 2019 for a similar bike, the Quick-E). Hopefully no one buys this bike at this price lol - the only reason they would is they can't wait and Trek/Giant/Cannondale/Specialized ran out.

Compare with:
www.giant-bicycles.com

FastRoad E+ EX Pro (2021) | Fitness bike | Giant Bicycles US

Featuring a SyncDrive Pro motor that's powered by Yamaha, a new long-lasting Giant EnergyPak Smart Compact 500 battery, and a smooth-riding, lightweight aluminum frame, the FastRoad E+ EX Pro makes every trip faster and...
www.giant-bicycles.com www.giant-bicycles.com
www.trekbikes.com

Allant+ 8S - Trek Bikes

Discover your next great ride with Allant+ 8S. See the bike and visit your local Trek retailer. Shop now!
www.trekbikes.com www.trekbikes.com
Click to expand...
I agree... the price point of these bikes does not align with the normal BD value proposition. Must be the Covid premium! 😉
 
I ordered and paid for a E-mule kick in March. I didn't get it until Mid June. I assembled it and and rode it for 12 miles. Loved everything about it. then the power assist stopped working. Bikes direct was pretty much useless and Bfang was no help as much as I tried to work with Bikes direct after a month and a half I returned the bike. Luckily I received a full refund
 
I ordered one bike from Bike's Direct. It was junk. Is that a representative sample size statistically, no. The dropouts were all wrong. I needed to drill and file them. The paint was flaking off showing yellow primer underneath. The tires smelled like a dime store dog toy or a cheap air mattress and I could slice them with my thumb nail. The bike looked good on the spec sheet but it was garbage.
 
This is my Bikes Direct. I was looking for the cheapest bike with hydraulic brakes. As you can see, I replaced the 27.5 tyres with 26. The hub is a NuVinci 380 and the motor is a TSDZ02. I replaced both the chainring and sprocket in order to get it to an easy 20mph. It also has a BMX chain.
e-bike-15-Aug-2021-cropped.jpg

No, it isn't a great bike, in fact, I am looking to replace it soon. My shortlist includes the Priority Current, the Serial 1 Rush Speed, and the Gazelle C380+.
 
I bought a Titanium Fat Bike from BD in 2016. After 400 miles I converted it to a BBSHD setup. I now have over 14,000 miles on it. I am still running the original Bluto fork, the original wheel set, the original shifters and derailleur and the original hydraulic brakes. I bought the Titanium bike for durability and because it had a slacker head tube than the steel bikes. Biggest complaint was derailleur hangers. That was solved with ditching the clip in setup.
Bikes Direct is pretty clear what they are. They are pretty clear that they are not a repair and assembly shop on warranty work or bike setup. They will provide parts for warranty and take a bike back within a short time. I knew precisely what I was getting and am amazed at the number of people whom buy from then expecting them to be a full service bike shop at substantial discount.
I did ride a friends steel Fat Bike and did not like the way it handled. It was nothing like mine and had much cheaper components. I paid $2,300 and he paid about $500.
 
I have two Motobecanes form Bikes Direct and they are great bikes. The Gravity Brand I would pass on. Tried a gravity bike for my son and it was way too heavy and didn't have the quality of my Motobecanes, so sent that back.
 
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