Most people think of the Motobecane Mountain Bike as brand the covers the medium price range of mountain bikes, but offers a fair amount of customization to upgrade in the future. In the past, this reputation certainly seemed well deserved. But do the bikes still hold up under scrutiny?
Or are there better offers out there that allow for some upward mobility if you want to upgrade? If you want to know everything about what mountain bike is right for you, then you came to the right place.
In this Motobecane Mountain Bike review we will be exploring the brand and specifically the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport bike. We will also look at some other brands and see how the product stacks up against the competition.
So if you want to know whether the bike represents a dependable product you can take off the trail, then keep on reading.
Comparison Table
| Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|
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Diamondback Bicycles Hook 27.5 Hardtail Mountain Bike | Buy on Amazon |
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Schwinn GTX Comfort Adult Hybrid Bike, Dual Sport Bicycle, Aluminum 16-20-Inch Frame, Multiple... | Buy on Amazon |
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What Are Motobecane Mountain Bike?
The Motobecane features a bike for every category of usage. There are multiple bikes in every category for triathlons, road racing, hardtails, mountain and trail biking, lifestyle riding, and women bikes.
The brand holds roughly two to five bikes in each category and numerous hybrids. As you can see, the Motobecane company features a wide selection of bike products you can choose from — too many for one single review.
So, to provide a more in-depth Motobecane mountain bike review, we decided to review the company’s most widely available mountain and trail bike product: the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport.
The company has another bike made explicitly for riding trail and mountains in the Motobecane Hal Boost Team 27.5 Plus, but this bike is hard to come by — even if you look for it online. As such, we think the Fantom model deserves a closer look in this Motobecane mountain bike review.
Motobecane Fantom29 Sport Product Specs
The Motobecane Fantom29 Sport comes with a Moto 29HX Kinesis frame made out of aluminum which gives it the power to withstand some pretty tight trails. The wheels feature Formula alloy black discs hubs and a twenty-four speed Shimano derailleur system.
In terms of suspension, it offers a twenty-nine inch Suntour SF12-XCT V4 Lockout design and mountain bike design pedals.
The Suntour suspension does not help on hard riding conditions, so it will probably need replacing if you want to take on harder mountains. The Tektro Novela disc brake systems allow the powerful bike agency when it stops.
Plus the bike handles with ease on light to medium trails — expect speed and control. Part of this is due to the Suntour black alloy crank that comes with the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport.
The seat is a 27.2-millimeter seat with a black coating. The bike weighs around thirty-three pounds, though this can change if you add, take off or replace parts.
Spec Table
Bike frame
MOTO29HX Kinesis aluminum frame with TrailTuned PowerStay
Fork
Twenty-nine-inch suspension SUNTOUR SF12-XCT V4 Lockout
Pedals
Mountain bike design
Crankset
Suntour black alloy crank
Derailleur system
SHIMANO ACERA RDM360SGSL with twenty-four speed
Hubs
Formula alloy black discs
Seat
27.2-millimeter seat with a black coating
Brake system
Tektro Novela disc brake and a disc rotor in the front and rear
Available size options
five size options: thirteen inches, fifteen inches, seventeen inches, nineteen-inch, and twenty-one inch
Motobecane Fantom29 Sport Pricing
At retail value, the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport typically costs around eight hundred and ninety-five dollars. However, if you purchase it on the online bike retailer Bikes Direct, then it only costs approximately four hundred dollars.
As such, we recommend buying it on this site since it offers sixty percent savings. The price also includes free ground shipping so that the bike will arrive with five to seven business days.
How The Motobecane Fantom29 Sport Compares With Other Brands
In this section, we compare the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport with two other popular mountain bike brands. Specifically, we compare it with the Diamondback Bicycles Hook 27.5 Hardtail Mountain Bike and the Schwinn S29 Dual-Suspension Mountain Bike.
We selected these bikes because they represent slightly more affordable alternatives to the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport. Comparing them also helps reveal the strengths and weaknesses of both sets of products.
Diamondback Bicycles Hook 27.5 Hardtail Mountain Bike
- Reliable, hand-built aluminum hardtail frame w/ progressive, low-slung geometry for trail riding...
- Suspension fork tackles trail obstacles
- Single ring drivetrain gives you simplicity and smooth shifting
The Diamondback Bicycles Hook 27.5 Hardtail Mountain Bike offers a similar product as the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport, but with more emphasis on the fork and design of the bike in handling rough terrain. Unfortunately, this increase in hardware comes with a slightly higher price.
The price of the Diamondback Bicycles Hook 27.5 Hardtail Mountain Bike costs around eight hundred dollars. It also weighs more than the Fantom29 Sport and features a smaller wheel size in general which can be a hindrance on harder trails. You can get it in eight sizes ranging from small to extra large.
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However, like the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport, the Diamondback Bicycles Hook 27.5 Hardtail Mountain Bike also encourages upgradeable parts. A simple fork installation can allow the bike to take on much harder, intermediate trails. Unfortunately, it only comes in one color: red.
Though we do like the shade of red, it comes it — but some people might prefer a different color. The tires on the Diamondback Bicycles Hook 27.5 Hardtail Mountain Bike also leave a lot to be desired and can quickly deflate when a lightly sharp object pierces it.
If you want to replace the tires, then you will need to avoid the tubeless models. The suspension on the Diamondback Bicycles Hook 27.5 Hardtail Mountain Bike works quite well on beginner trails. But we would not recommend it for anything harder than light intermediate trails.
You need to assemble the product when it arrives, but many users reported that the process was straightforward and easy.
Schwinn S29 Dual-Suspension Mountain Bike
- Aluminum dual sport frame with Schwinn suspension fork is great for versatile riding conditions
- 21 speed shifters with rear derailleur provide quick gear changes. Schwinn alloy triple crank offers...
- Mechanical disc brakes give you extra stopping power
- Alloy, high profile, double wall rims are lightweight and strong. Schwinn multi-terrain tires are...
- 700c size wheel fits adult riders 5’4” to 6’2”. Includes limited lifetime warranty for as...
If both the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport and the Diamondback Bicycles Hook 27.5 Hardtail Mountain Bike remain out of your price range, then the Schwinn S29 Dual-Suspension Mountain Bike is a good back up option. The bike remains in the beginner category, but it still offers a smooth ride on light trails.
The suspension of the bike takes a lot of blows away, and the aluminum frame can take some of the rougher sections of the mountain. Considering the aluminum frame that comes with the Schwinn S29 Dual-Suspension Mountain Bike, the three hundred and sixty dollar price tag is a pretty great deal.
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However, the product is not perfect. The product does not offer the same diversity in sizes as the Diamondback Bicycles Hook 27.5 Hardtail Mountain Bike and the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport.
You can only get it in an eighteen-inch frame and a twenty-inch frame which might discourage some smaller or taller riders. The affordable price shows some of its cheapness in the hardware. Customers noticed that the brake lever, gear shift and chain get rusted easily, especially in wet climates.
Many people also reported that the bike arrived damaged, which show a general lack of care in both the quality and quality control department.
Motobecane Fantom29 Sport Pros And Cons
In this section, we will go over some of the things we like about the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport mountain bike and some things we think could use improvement.
We include some opinions from user review in this section of our Motobecane Mountain Bike review, so we get a more objective look of the product.
Pros
The first thing we like about the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport is the overall price of the product. For four hundred dollars, you get an aluminum frame found on a lot of more excellent bikes, with a pretty operational system. Another thing we like about it is it is light.
The aluminum material gives it both resilience and carryable quality that makes it much more forgiving when you need to move and transport your bike. We also love the Shimano gear system that comes with the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport.
The company also supplies the derailleur and gear system which operate nicely. Another good thing about the product is the customizable nature of the product. The process of adding and taking off parts comes quite easily to the product. As such, it lends itself to beginners interested in potentially upgrading.
Pros
- Affordable price
- Excellent weight
- Great Shimano gear system
- Easily upgradeable
Cons
However, we should note that the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport does come with some unfortunate features, as well as good ones. The first problem with the product is the Suntour fork that comes with the bike.
These forks are known for discouraging hard riding. If your fork breaks while riding, then you will likely crash and possibly hurt yourself.
As such, if you want to take on anything besides beginner trail in the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport, then you will need to upgrade the fork on the device which can cost around two hundred dollars.
Unfortunately, the fork is not the only thing you will probably want to change. The seating on the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport is incredibly uncomfortable, and you will probably find your back and behind sore after long excursions.
However, if you do not mind the feel of the seat or only take short trips, then you do not need to upgrade. But, the tires also warrant an upgrade — either right away or in the future. Right from the start, the tires offer a low amount of traction which can come back to haunt you on harder trails.
However, you will probably need to replace them eventually because the brand the company supplies do not last long under pressure. As you can see the worst flaw on the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport is the need for a variety of upgradeable parts.
If you want to take on any severe trails, then the four hundred dollar price tag quickly becomes a lot more expensive. Many people may prefer directly buying an all-in-one bike model that does not require the need for customization.
Cons
- Suntour fork not suitable for hard mountains
- Uncomfortable seating
- Poor, low traction tires
- Needs replacement parts
Motobecane Fantom29 Sport Conclusion
If you are a beginner mountain bike rider that knows they enjoy the sports and wants to invest in something affordable, but upgradeable, then we think you will like Motobecane Fantom29 Sport.
However, you should be aware that the product comes with some severe setbacks if you want to take it on it on more substantial trails. We would recommend upgrading the fork on the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport to a Raidon air fork if you’re going to take on anything harder than light trails.
The part will cost you an extra two hundred dollar or so, but it will give the product a lot more protection on steeper and rougher inclines. However, some people might not like a bike that encourages adding new parts.
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If you fall in the category of riders that want a one-stop shop for a biking product, then we recommend the cheaper mountain bike brands on this list. It also is a shame the two essential parts of the bike come with cheap or ineffective parts.
But for all the bad parts, the mountain bike comes with a lot of great ones too — mainly in the form of its brake system, derailleur, and frame. As such, we give the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport a final rating of three stars out of five stars.
We hope the Motobecane mountain bike review helped you decide whether or not the brand appeals to your needs. If you fall on the intermediate side of the hobby, then we think the Motobecane Fantom29 Sport offers a great value. Otherwise, consider a cheaper product. Good luck on the trails!
Last update on 2024-10-03 at 09:18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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