Let me begin by saying that I obsessed over this decision. Not knowing the brand I was reluctant to purchase a bike online. However, the value proposition was just too strong and I'm pleased with the decision. First things first though.
You have to set this bike up and while it's generally not too bad, if you have zero mechanical intuition your best bet is to take it to a local shop. The only real tricky part for me was getting the deraillers set up just right. Again, a LBS or Dick's can do this for about $30. The manual is quite dated and is full of typos, but it is OK for what you'll need. More detailed step by step instructions would be helpful. Besides, you will receive the Shimano users guides and those help with the areas the manual is weak. And, if you have no clue what size bike will fit you or what type of "geometry" you desire, you'd better first visit a bike shop for some help. Be gentle though because you will have used them if you don't end up with one of their products.
Below is a list of new and used Motobecane Le Champion for sale.
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Motobecane Le Champion SL 58cm flat bar road bike 7005 aluminum Ultegra 2 X 9 |  |
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US $850.00 | 1d 1h 17m |
Now, the bike. First off, this is a real bike and it is sweet. The Shimano Ultegra components are great. The frame is light and solid. I can pick the bike up with two fingers. The weld joints look to be as clean as brand name bikes. This frame, like most others, is welded in Taiwan. No big deal here. The crankset is good too, although the teeth are not flawlessly uniform. I suspect these didn't pass QC at FSA and were resold at a discount to Bikesdirect. They are working just fine so far, and I'm not worried because it would be about $25 to swap out the flywheel if needed. The tires & wheels are top of the line and the handlebars are good too. The brakes are good, but the brake pads aren't the best. Again, ~$10 should fix that.
So, to the value proposition. This bike with similar frame and identical components would have cost me almost $1700 more at LBS! I wanted to support them, but the difference was just too great. I will buy gear from them, but you have to consider that you will have a no-name bike or a "Chinese" bike. If this makes you uncomfortable then plunk down the dough for a better name. Otherwise, buy this one and be happy.
By the way, shipping took about 8 days. And getting the tires up above 100 psi is tough without the right heavy duty pump or a CO2 cartridge.