Sport And Biking Talk: Motobecane 2Hundred7 downhill bike review

It is a good looking bike at any price.

What is it

The 2Hundred7 is a downhill bike from Motobecane featuring 200mm (7.9 inches) of front and rear travel. It has 150mm rear and 110mm front hub spacing, allowing big tires to easily fit on the 27.5 wheels. Head angle is 64 degrees and seat angle is 74 degrees.

This daunting 100-yard rock garden never seemed so easy.

Pros

Incredible value
RockShox Boxxer fork and RockShox coil shock deliver calm, balanced ride
7- or 10-speed option
SRAM Code brakes and GX drivetrain perform well
Maxxis Minions are ideal tires
Frame is sturdy with free-moving pivots and no noticeable flex

Cons

Only three frame sizes available
Reach is a hair short and chainstays a bit long
Saddle uncomfortable

The WTB saddle provides extra tire clearance cutout.

The Spec

True to form with Motobecane’s core values, components are where they deliver the goods. Most bikes in this price range of $ 2600 are upgrade ready, but this package is basically dialed.

It all starts with a 200mm RockShox Boxer fork that comes with a spring that is specific to the bike size. Get a small size and you get a softer spring front and rear; firmer ones come on the larger sizes. Rear suspension duties are handled by a RockShox coil shock.

It’s available in 7-speed and 10-speed; we opted for the 7.

Drivetrain is dialed as well, with either a 10-speed or a 7-speed Shimano GX system with MRP chain guide. Cranks are SRAM Descendant and chain is SRAM. Brakes are SRAM Code with 200mm rotors stopping the WTB tubeless rims laced to Formula hubs. Tires are the venerable Maxxis Minions front and rear. Cockpit parts are 800mm Kore bar and 50mm direct mount stem. Saddle is a WTB High Tail, which allows extra tire clearance even when the seat is at the lowest position.

SRAM Code brakes with 200mm rotors are capable stoppers.

The Price

The price is $ 2600, which is about $ 2500 less than similarly equipped big brand downhill bikes. With the advent of other direct brands such as Commencal and YT, this Motobecane bike still comes out about $ 1500 less expensive.

Our takeaway after riding this bike is there simply are no shortcuts in the spec. The tires are best of breed, and the bar/stem combo is spot on. Even the chain and the rims check out to be solid parts and not places where costs were cut.

The bike rails well and jumps even better.

Frame and Geometry

This leads us to the core of the system, which is the frame and the geometry. This is the part where one doesn’t expect any ground-breaking elements from Motobecane, but one where you want to find it reliable and relevant. It’s an aluminum frame with big pivot bearings controlling the movement of the 27.5 wheels. It’s sturdy, indeed, and there is not a trace of play or noise in its performance.

It doesn’t call attention to itself with the flat black frame color matching components. Badging is minimal. The frame worked well and we expect it to be trouble free like the other Motobecane bikes in our stable for the last few years.

It’s easy to progress with this bike.

Geometry is standard fare, with a 64-degree head angle and 74-degree seat tube angle. Note that the seat angle is virtual if the seat tube is raised, so our tester with a slammed seat will never see this angle. It can handle a dropper post with internal routing, so one can have that option with a 10-speed cassette and actually pedal up some hills.

Geometry chart for the 2Hundred7 200mm travel bike on 27.5 wheels.

Reach for the size medium is 403mm, which is about 10mm shorter than many of the latest bikes. Chainstay length is 455mm, which is a little bit longer than its peers as well.

The 200mm RockShox Boxer Team was dropped to lower bar height.

Performance

We took this bike to a few local trails that get the blood flowing with nervous anxiety. And the common reaction among the test riders was “That’s it?” The bike was so calm, with the front and rear suspension working in concert with each other. The long waterfall rock garden section could be taken at slow, medium, or high speed with a multitude of option lines. The Motobecane was quiet and controlled. Brakes were a delight, as they were powerful and easy to modulate.

As the trail got loose the bike had good grip with the Maxxis Minion tires and stability enhancing long chainstays. It was also very balanced on jumps and steep descents. Tight turns and our classic ‘bowl’ 360-degree berm were a bit of a chore, but that’s just the nature of the beast and a matter of getting used to the category.

All in all, this $ 2600 bike delivered. All who rode the bike would have a hard time justifying a $ 5000-plus DH bike, but this bike at $ 2600 got us thinking. It’s especially attractive if there’s a bike park or convenient shuttle runs close by. It’s a special purpose tool and this one is such a good value that it casts a wider net with prospective buyers.

It’s very easy to move about in the cockpit without any tire interference.

Competition

The Motobecane compares favorably to other contenders in the category. Spec is dialed and it’s consistently less expensive than the competition, even other consumer direct brands.

YT Tues – $ 4000
Commencal Supreme DH V42 – $ 3699
Rocky Mountain Maiden – $ 4500
Specialized Demo 8 – $ 3500

Specifications

Frame: Aluminum frame with 27.5 wheels and 200mm of rear travel. Dropper Seatpost Routing, 150mm rear hub spacing
Fork: 2018 RockShox Boxxer Team, (27.5) 20mm Axle Travel: 200mm TOP Crown
Rear Shock: RockShox Coil DH, Kage RC TUNE:ML 240×76: S:350LBS, M:400LBS, L:450LBS
Crankset: SRAM Descendant DH 24MM83 165 BLK 36T For :S/M, 170 BLK 36T For :L W/O Bash Guard BB:83mm, Chain Tensioner, MRP DH Mega G3
Bottom Bracket: SRAM BB GXP XR MTB83
Rear Derailleur: SRAM RD GX DH 1X7SPD RBC MID CAGE BLK
Shifters: SRAM SL GX 7SP TRIGGER BLK
Cassette/Freewheel: SRAM CS PG720 DH 11-25
Chain: SRAM CN PC1130 114LI W/ PWR.LCK
Wheel Set: WTB TCS tubeless wheels with Formula hubs
Tires: Maxxis Minion DHF 27.5 X2.50 3B DH Casing / Maxxis Minion DHR II 27.5 X2.40 DH Casing
Brakes: SRAM , CODE R B1 DFB for rotor 200mm
Brake Levers: SRAM CODE
Headset: FSA Orbit 1.5E ZS-1 NO.57E-1 Sealed Bearing (5.3MM)
Handlebar: KORE OCD Alloy #7050 DH 800mm Wide x35mm Rise (31.8mm, 5-degree Upsweep, 7-degree backsweep)
Stem: KORE Torsion Direct Mount V2 50mm Black
Grip: DH VLP-69-1 w/ Q2 Lock-on, Black w/Black Locks
Saddle: WTB High Tail w/cromo rails

All the checkboxes are addressed well with no shortcuts on this bike. The frame is a sturdy, quiet, and reliable performer, too.

Rating Value: 5 out of 5 5 Flamin' Chili Peppers
Rating Overall: 4 out of 5 4 Flamin' Chili Peppers
Price: $ 2600
More info: www.bikesdirect.com