I am brand new to biking. I have spent the past 4 years playing collegiate rugby. I am moving to Oregon for graduate school and want to get into biking. I am looking around for a good road bike that will last me years. I am just over 6' and weight 200 pounds right now, lost 20 from the season, and trying to drop down another 10 pounds.
This is where I hope the tempers don't flair up. I am looking at the Motobecane Immortal series offered from bikesdirect. (gasp). The question I have is the quality of the bike itself. Not the customer service. I am very mechanically inclined and my good friend is a whiz with bikes. I understand many people have troubles with BD but how is the bike itself? Obviously the components and wheels speak for themselves. I have reviewed a lot and the frame looks identical to a Louis garneau carbon frame.
A lot of the criticism is due to the amount of fine tweaking that must be done to a bike from BD. Wouldn't this be normal for any LBS that gets any brand of bike in? No harm in having to fix things yourself. Also, what parts of the bike should be looked at at being replaced? I keep reading that the handlebars are not very good. If this is true, what are a good affordable set of replacements. I am very new to biking like I said earlier and am not affiliated with bikesdirect in anyway. So please no name calling.
I am mainly interested in the Immortal Force. It offers good components, wheels and a kicking color. (just like moby dick). Can anyone compare this to a big name bike?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Once again, no hating on bikesdirect. Any info on the immortal series would be greatly appreciated.

You just asked a question, and then you answered it. What do you want us to say?

PS -- there really is no "immortal" series. As you know bikesdirect doesn't build these frames, they buy them, put the label of a brand whose name-rights have been sold, and a collection of commonly available parts.

You can pretty well figure out what the bundle of parts that comes on the bike is worth, what the frame would go for, and how much it would cost to buy all of the parts. If you and your whiz friend can do any mechanical stuff a bike needs anyway, you can just build it from a parts kit up, so you can decide whether the bikesdirect kit is a a better deal than what you could put together on your own.

PPS -- if you say your main criterion for a bike is a "good road bike that will last me years," most, myself included, would steer you away from a carbon mono-q bike with an integrated headset and factory-built wheels, towards something like a steel bike with handbuilts.

....Once again, no hating on bikesdirect.....

Gee, why do you think anyone would feel that way? And you still are thinking about buying from them?:rolleyes:

Change the title to Motobecane - Immortal Advice = Buy something else.

Everyone on this entire forum seems to despise BD. That is fine, but redirect your dissent to something constructive. There is a price range for many people. What is the best bang for the buck a person looking to keep it under a certain price range can get? Let's say $1600 not including sales tax.

u should post here:
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/forumdisplay.php?f=106

What is the best bang for the buck a person looking to keep it under a certain price range can get? Let's say $1600 not including sales tax.


The best bang for the buck is a bike that YOU will ride....lots....

You obviously are aware of the love/hate relationship with BD on this board.

If you want the Moto, go for it....

I own one of their bikes and it serves it's purpose well....

alternative...I was thinking that the Performancebike had some descent deals in the last flyer...

Basic Alu bike with carbon stays, 105 equipted for ~$900...move up to Ultegra for ~$1300. Basic solid bike that should last well. And if you get a better frame later, move the parts over.

mm

Everyone on this entire forum seems to despise BD. That is fine, but redirect your dissent to something constructive. There is a price range for many people. What is the best bang for the buck a person looking to keep it under a certain price range can get? Let's say $1600 not including sales tax.

Sarcasm is hard to see on the net. I own a Motobecane.

See this thread: http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=94749

Everyone on this entire forum seems to despise BD. That is fine, but redirect your dissent to something constructive.

For someone who knows all about the BD controversy here, I'm surprised you don't know about our Motobecane forum.

I'm starting to smell something.....:p

Nashbar is selling Iron Horse bikes with Ultegra for $999.

I think you are sensing a little skepticism/sarcasm because you post seems to be riddled with inconsistency. On one hand you seem very knowledgeable about the history of BD on the site but you go on to ask question that would be answered by the same history.

However I will do you the kind favor of a summarization:

There is no evidence to suggest that the frames you would get on a BD bike are any better or worse than a frame that you would get on a comparably price bike by almost any manufacture.

However, there is also no evidence that BD has the lowest prices or the best deals. Often the bikes a spec'd with components that are generally not considered of equal "levels". Their recent Campy Record bike was a perfect example of this. It was full campy record but had a wheelset on it that you can get on ebay for less than $150 new. The saddle and some of the other bits were also not what you what expect with a Record Bike.

BD also seems to include big name wheelsets on many of the bikes to make the deal look even better. While these wheels maybe well suited for some riders they are not generally the preferred choice for durability especially for those of us that are 200# +.

Overall the biggest complaint with BD seems to be their marketing. To many, it seems to be misleading and has the feel of a Used Car Lot or Haynes Furniture. A fair example of this is the current Mercier Serpens listed under the Ultegra level bikes (http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/road_bikes.htm). It is listed as an "Italian Aluminum. blah blah blah". Granted the aluminum tubes are apparently made in Italy but to list it the way they do seems misleading to some.

There are quite a few internet retailers that sells comparable bike at comparable prices. Ibex (http://www.ibexbikes.com/Bikes/APR-6600-Details.html), Leader (http://leaderbikeusa.com/modules/edito/), and Randall Scott (http://www.rscycle.com/s.nl/it.A/id.13179/.f?sc=2&category=-114&engine=RBR) are just a few. None of these brands seem to be offering a full CF frame at this price but if you have done any research on this site you will know that CF has no magical characteristics that can't be achieved with design.

It is also very possible to get similar prices at an LBS. My good friends brother recently bought a full carbon Trek (5000 I think) with full 10 speed 105 for around $1200-1300.

PS
There is also a fair amount of speculation that BD indirectly funds Terrorism:D

I did not intend to ask rhetorical questions. Simply trying to cover my bases.
How do the 'Ritchey PRO with CNC sides' hold up for heavier riders? (200 pounds).
If these are not good wheels, what would you recommend?

I did not intend to ask rhetorical questions. Simply trying to cover my bases.
How do the 'Ritchey PRO with CNC sides' hold up for heavier riders? (200 pounds).
If these are not good wheels, what would you recommend?

I have an older set of the most basic Ritchey DS PRO wheels bought in July 2004 and weigh 200. No problems 20 radial front 24 2x rear w/regular maintenance on the hubs.

Remember that for every two or three that have problems with wheels there are probably hundreds that have no issue. There are people that have major problems with top of the line Mavic wheels.

gradosu:

Bikes Direct's Ebay Store satisfaction rating.



http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=bikesdirectbikes&ssPageName=STRK:ME:UFS

gradosu:

Bikes Direct's Ebay Store satisfaction rating.



http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=bikesdirectbikes&ssPageName=STRK:ME:UFS

I don't think the Immortal Force line of bikes are sold on ebay by bikesdirect. IIRC....

a few more questions on the IF. What size crank do they put on the 59 cm frames? Also, anyone have experience with the Ritchey Pro Wheelset? I am hovering around 200 pounds and will probably drop a few. How do these wheels hold up?

a few more questions on the IF. What size crank do they put on the 59 cm frames? Also, anyone have experience with the Ritchey Pro Wheelset? I am hovering around 200 pounds and will probably drop a few. How do these wheels hold up?

They will fall apart almost instantly after a few miles. Lose some weight.:rolleyes: