How about if we run this bike for just roadbikereview, mtbr, and bikefourms members at $1495 -- is that a good enough value on a Sram Force group, Ritchey WCS wheels and cockpit equipped bike?

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/images/sl_force_2100cln.jpg

Sounds good to me.

Do you ship to the UK?

Yes, a good deal IMO. Make sure you state the complete geometry and all tube lengths so that we we can attempt an educated guess at what sort of ride we'll be getting from the overall frame geometry.

I must admit, that is a very competitive price and great choice of wheels by the way. If my wife didn't already have a Bianchi 928, I'd seriously consider this model (assuming it's the lush geometry she wants).

Can you give us the top tube length/STA/HTA for the 50 or 52cm sizes?

If I was in the market for a new bike, I would give it serious consideration.
.
How about some information about the frame and fork. Looks like decent welds.

Yes, is this an aluminum frame, 7000 scandium? hmmmm... too much to ask for Ti? Maybe a carbon rearstay if the frame is Al?

I would like to know the weight of the complete bike.

That's a really great price for an all force bike with those components! The cranks appear to be compact...is there an option of standard 53/39 racing cranks? Also, I agree with the other posters, a geometry listing/more information about the frame would be helpful.

Yes, is this an aluminum frame, 7000 scandium? hmmmm... too much to ask for Ti? Maybe a carbon rearstay if the frame is Al?

It's AL, I've got a friend who bought a Le Champion SL and likes it quite a bit.
Ti for $1495, with SRAM Force? Dream on...

Carbon seatstays on a frame aren't something ou want.
They're glued on, so they aren't as stiff as a normal aluminum seatstay which is welded at the seat tube cluster (which is stiffer, glue or a weld?). Also, they add a lot of weight.
An example of this would be my 2005 Litespeed Ultimate. 1500g frame, carbon seatstays. 2006, Litespeed Ultimate... 1150g, no carbon seatstays.

-estone2

It's AL, I've got a friend who bought a Le Champion SL and likes it quite a bit.
Ti for $1495, with SRAM Force? Dream on...

Carbon seatstays on a frame aren't something ou want.
They're glued on, so they aren't as stiff as a normal aluminum seatstay which is welded at the seat tube cluster (which is stiffer, glue or a weld?). Also, they add a lot of weight.
An example of this would be my 2005 Litespeed Ultimate. 1500g frame, carbon seatstays. 2006, Litespeed Ultimate... 1150g, no carbon seatstays.

-estone2

True, Ti for $1495 would be too good, but then Taiwan is a country full of magic... maybe this could be the next miracle?

If I hadn't just built something to meet my needs, this would have been very close to what I was looking for and the value is there.

Geometry, and let me know when they go on sale. I'm shopping for a friend and it looks like a good deal to me.

Frame and fork on this bike is the same as on the le Champion SL
same geo etc -- lots of riders on this bike and customers seem to love it

weight on sample was 16 and we are guessing average weight at 16.5 lbs

we should have a special deal on these bikes posted on RBR, MTBR, and bikeforums.net by early next week

I think people will really like this bike

mike

I've bought one and the geometry of the 54 was ST 52 ctc, TT 54+ CTC, head tube is short! Maybe like 120mm. The bike seemed to be running almost matching STA and HTA maybe 73.5? I've never seen a G chart. I don't think they like to make that common knowledge I ended up selling the Frame off on ebay ( I rode it for 6-8 months ) for $175. It is a comfortable frame in terms of road noise and is not harsh at all. Welds and Finish are very good. It needed a taller head tube, for me at least.

True, Ti for $1495 would be too good, but then Taiwan is a country full of magic... maybe this could be the next miracle?
Haha it'd be nice, but in reality I don't think it would be a quality Ti frame.
a frame with higher quality worksmanship on 'lower' material trumps a frame with lower quality workmanship and 'higher' material in my opinion.

Our banner ad will change to this special deal; as soon as we can get it done

For now, this Link is active

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/lechamp_force08_forum_sale.htm

My guess is these will sell out quickly at $1495 for forum members and $1695 for the general public

mike

Mike you know your market. But I agree with wctate,
and vote for 59/39 cranks. If you stay with the compact or don't offer the the 53/39, I would want a much tighter cassette. I hope you go with 170 cranks for sizes through 52 cm for those of us rather challenged in the limb.

instead of worrying so much about bottom line price, why not focus more on overall value and get some better frame options. For someone who would be interested in a Force-level equipped bike, I'd be more interested in a frame that matches that level (rather than basically a frame that costs almost nothing to produce). Why not hook up with CarbonAge or another Taiwan maker and put these components on a nice 1000grm carbon frame? Look how many people went for the PedalForce mass buy...

http://www.motobecane.com/lsl_geometry.html

I've bought one and the geometry of the 54 was ST 52 ctc, TT 54+ CTC, head tube is short! Maybe like 120mm. The bike seemed to be running almost matching STA and HTA maybe 73.5? I've never seen a G chart. I don't think they like to make that common knowledge I ended up selling the Frame off on ebay ( I rode it for 6-8 months ) for $175. It is a comfortable frame in terms of road noise and is not harsh at all. Welds and Finish are very good. It needed a taller head tube, for me at least.

Thanks Bertrand, the angles appear to be slacker angles for comfort. A great geometry to balance the harshness of aluminum it appears.

This would definitely be a great starter bike for beginners looking for quality components without the aggressive angles of most bikes equipped thusly.

Mike you know your market. But I agree with wctate,
and vote for 59/39 cranks. If you stay with the compact or don't offer the the 53/39, I would want a much tighter cassette. I hope you go with 170 cranks for sizes through 52 cm for those of us rather challenged in the limb.


there are too many types of ceral
heck there are 15 types of orange juice

on cranks - triple; compact; traditional race [53/39]
and about 1/3 each requests from our customers

many feel the compact gives 95% for what triple users and racers want
so on many bikes we pick compact; those with several levels [like Immortals] we pick compact at one level - then 53/39 on another

on this bike; we are just trying to measure the demand for Sram road group bikes

mike

instead of worrying so much about bottom line price, why not focus more on overall value and get some better frame options. For someone who would be interested in a Force-level equipped bike, I'd be more interested in a frame that matches that level (rather than basically a frame that costs almost nothing to produce). Why not hook up with CarbonAge or another Taiwan maker and put these components on a nice 1000grm carbon frame? Look how many people went for the PedalForce mass buy...


Yes; that is a good idea. And in the case of the mass buy on CF frames; we have a nice one on the way at $400 for the frame.

If we see the demand in Sram road group; we will do one on our Immortal frame. The Immortals get great reveiws from customers and magazines. The builder [Advanced Composites] is one the top CF builders on earth. We can easily build a 14.5 lb Immortal with a full Force group. Price would be attractive; of course.

By the way; the LSL frame is not a bottom of the line aluminum frame that goes for almost nothing OE cost. It is a rather nice AL frame as the current owners of le Champion SLs will tell you.

However, it is true that we have been working on making all le Champion models lighter by 2008. We clearly sell the lightest hardtail ATB under $1000; lightest under $1500; lightest under $2000 and lightest under $2500. We want the comparison in road the be more clearcut - so I am going for 15.5lbs under $1000 - 15lbs under $1500 - 14.5lbs under $2000 for race bikes that are clearly designed to be quickest bikes in their price range. 2008 will be an exciting year for us.

Looks like a sweet set up. I'm in the market and am very interested. I was going to buy an aluminum or ti frame and build it up with SRAM rival and a cane creek wheel set, but this is a much better deal than that.

I do have a couple questions though: why the ultegra cassette and chain instead of the SRAM ones? and will the warranty be void if I set it up at home as opposed to going to the bike shop and having my brother set it up?

Looks like a sweet set up. I'm in the market and am very interested. I was going to buy an aluminum or ti frame and build it up with SRAM rival and a cane creek wheel set, but this is a much better deal than that.

I do have a couple questions though: why the ultegra cassette and chain instead of the SRAM ones? and will the warranty be void if I set it up at home as opposed to going to the bike shop and having my brother set it up?


The has a Sram chain and an Ultegra casette
it was spec'd with Sram Force Cassette; but Sram could not supply the cassette in time for the bike to be built by factory.

The Ultegra cassette weighes and costs about the same as the Force; shifts great