Friday, June 29, 2007

100 hour Motobecane SL report

My sigma computer reports total bike time, which I find pretty amusing.
I've just hit 100 hours on my Motobecane SL from bikesdirect.com and have the following observations:

Executive summary:
I am happy with my purchase.
Stuff I didn't like:
Cane Creek brakes didn't do it for me at all, even with a brake pad change to KoolStop salmon. They never felt like they were really going to stop me. I replaced the front brake with a DuraAce 7800 and and much happier.

The seat it came with didn't come close to fitting my rear. Others may like it fine as seats are highly individual, but this was the most uncomfortable seat I've ever been on. I replaced it with a Selle Italia SLK that I'm very happy with.

Stuff I like:
It's really light compared to any bike I've owned before. I'm amazed it's this light for this price.
Coming from a full aluminum bike super-stiff bike, the carbon forks really make a difference on rough roads.
Ultegra shifting is a delight.

Other observations:
The welds that connect the tubes are very visible; they aren't smooth like the ones on my wife's Trek. Not horrible, but hers are creamy smooth. It doesn't bother me, but the OCP crown will hate it.

Again, compared to the Trek, The paint is OK, but not "rich" and deep. I don't care, but some might.

The American Classic wheels are really light, and look way cool. But I sure feel them in a cross wind. It's been windy here and I get moved around a bit more than I'm used to. Not enough to be bad, but I can feel it. They also sound different on the pavement, they hummmmmmm a different note and there is more difference in the sound as the road surface changes.

The tires it came with were super light and felt great, but in the land of broken glass and road crap they didn't last. Both got ripped wide open with giant gashes in less than 800 miles in a way that has never happened to me before. I don't blame the tires, I blame the glass and giant bolts I ran over.

Stuff I added to make my light bike weigh more
:
Shimano Ultegra Pedels: Thumbs up
Sigma wireless computer: Like it lots
Small Performance seat bag for tube and patch kit: I live in the land of broken glass.
Topeak road morph pump w/ gauge: A great pump. 120 with no pain.
2 water bottle cages, Stryke from REI. Look good, work better than metal. Cheap!
2 Polar water bottles: Like 'em
1 Salsa cross lever: explained elsewhere on this blog.

Stuff I changed
:
Seat: see above, and elsewhere on the blog
Front brake: see above
Chainring: 36 to 34 because I'm older now
Cassette: 11-23 to 13-25 for the same reason.
Replaced tires

1 comment:

  1. Hey Curtis,
    I'm happy to hear that you have good things to say about the road morph pump. I received one as a Christmas present, and....., was about to say I'm looking forward to using it, but that would be silly wouldn't it? After all that would mean that I had gotten a flat, a very bad thing.
    Arnie
    PS
    Stumbled upon your blog this evening, heaven only knows from where, and am enjoying reading your entries. From the beginning!

    ReplyDelete

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