If you are reading this, you are probably asking yourself whether or not you should buy a Motobecane 500 HT. Well, if all you have is $320 to spend and you are looking for the best bike for the money, the the answer is a definate yes!
The Motobecane 500 HT is a great bike for money. At only $320, it has the specs of a $500 to $700 bike at your local bike store. Of course, as with all mail order bikes, you are going to have to do all of the maintenance yourself, which can be a drawback if you are not very mechanically inclined, but you can learn how to maintain your bike for free with online videos at places like youtube.com.
The Motobecane 500 HT is one of the few selling bikes under $600 that you can get with Lockout forks. These forks alone sell for as much as $96 online, so considering you get a WHOLE BIKE for only a few hundred dollars more shows you how much value you get in this bike.
The Motobecane 500 HT is equipped with a Shimano Deore rear derailure, which will make shifting a breeze. The front derailure is nothing to brag about, but you can find new Shimano Deore front derailurs on eBay for as little as $10, so upgrading it will not break the bank.
Overall, the Motobecane 500 HT is an awesome bike for the money. Are there better bikes out there? Sure, but many people are paying DOUBLE the price at their local bike store for the same quality bike, or THREE TIMES the money for a bike that isn't a whole lot better. Bottom line is if you want a good quality bike on a shoe string budget, the Motobecane 500 HT is one of your best bets.