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Despite the off-road tread pattern, they roll smoothly on pavement. Despite the relatively narrow width, they seem secure on good gravel. Tires: Continental Cyclocross Race Wire, 700x35C 84TPI x 3-Ply. The wheels are reputed to be strong, light, and durable. Wheelset: The tubeless-ready WTB i19 wheelset is one of the better components on the bike. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the visual gear indicators on top of the hoods - a useful little touch. A more expensive groupset would cut at least a pound from the bike’s total weight, but this is an all-terrain machine and definitely not a race bike. These are “entry-level” components, but they work as well as the Ultegra components on my race bikes.
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I need to stay seated to keep enough weight on the rear wheel.ĭerailleurs and Shifters: The Phantom Cross has a mix of Shimano Claris and Sora components. I love to climb out of the saddle on my race bikes, but if I try that on gravel, my rear wheel will slip and spin-out. And, frankly, I want my cross bike to be speedy on pavement and still allow seated climbs on steep gravel.
MOTOBECANE BIKE REVIEWS MOUNTAIN PRO
The pro bike can only attain 46-11 and 36-32 thus, it has neither the top-end speed nor the low-end power. My Fantom ranges from 50-11 for flat pavement to 30-32 for steep gravel climbs. So the pro bike has more complexity and potentially more weight. A pro-level cross bike typically has two chainrings coupled with eleven cogsets - thirteen metal disks. The Cross Trail has three chainrings and eight cassette cogsets - a total of eleven metal disks. I think the “low-end” specifications are better. One’s first thought is that this is low-end compared to more expensive bikes that come with a double (often 46-36) and an 11-speed cassette (11-32). The Crankset and Cassette: The bike is specced with a triple (50-39-30) combined with an 8-speed (11-32) cassette. This one looks sturdy (appropriate for a trail bike) and not as aero as the one on my Motobecane race bike. But I’m not able to differentiate one fork from another. The Fork: I’m sure the carbon fork also has some impact on how the bike handles.
MOTOBECANE BIKE REVIEWS MOUNTAIN PLUS
I like it! It’s a nice plus that the frame can be fitted with fenders and racks for touring. It feels stable and secure in situations where my race bikes feel twitchy and high-strung. This means that the bike descends more stably and can be ridden “no-hands” more easily. The Fantom Cross is not trying to save weight so it can have a more relaxed head tube angle with a longer wheelbase and a bit more metal in the double diamond. But there are significant differences in frame geometry. I’m 6’2” tall and the 61 cm frame was easy for me to set up to match my crucial measurements on my road bikes (a Motobecane Le Champion SL and a Nashbar CR4). The Cross Trail comes in six different frame sizes, and perhaps that leads to slightly better performance. Many competing bikes have a sloping top tube so that only three frame sizes can fit a large variety of riders. I like the traditional look and geometry. In the past I’ve resisted that notion, but I have to admit that I am pleased with the Fantom Cross Trail frame. The Frame: Reviewers often seem to see the frame as the defining component of a bicycle. Here is a review of the various components on the bike and then my overall assessment. What I was hoping for was a lovely bike capable of handling good gravel roads as well as having decent speed on smooth pavement.
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At that price I did not expect the lightest cross bike, nor did I expect top-of-the-line components. My newest bike is the 2017 Motobecane Fantom Cross Trail, which costs $599. Every component can be replaced and in time almost all of them will be. If the bundle is well-chosen, the bike will be great. Despite the hype, a bicycle is just a bundle of components.