I’m in the market for a new lightweight hardtail & came across this at one of my LBS http://www.elmycycles.co.uk/images/bikes/164-Moda_2010_Encore-0.jpg
I can’t find a website for Moda, or any info at all on quality, ride quality, geometry etc. The bike looks good, it’s light (23lb), is amazingly well specced for the money, especially the American Classic wheels, BUT WHO ARE THEY? What are the carbon frames like?

Try here

Derby-based aren’t they?

I’ve considered their bikes before, but you can’t seem to get them frame-only. Agree re web presence – pretty awful.

They sponosor a race team with Bikemagic too.

My mates daughter has a Moda road bike – it looks excellent for a kids bike.

My LBS stocks them, the owner has a Moda Ti road bike and very nice it is too. Just a shame that their website is only really highlighting the distributor rather than the bikes.

Seen a few Moda track bikes on Manchester velodrome as well.

Thanks guys, you’re right, Eurobike are the designers & assemblers as well as the distributors. Went into aforementioned LBS this morning to drop off my son, who works thereon Saturdays & asked about Moda. Eurobike are a small concern who buy in carbon frames from the far east, as everyone does, & builds them up & distributes them. Still can’t find any info on geometry. It’s a great looking bike: shame the designers aren’t giving more useful info on them to give customers confidence in what we’re buying. Still, I can’t find a better specced bike for £1800.

Often wondered if they are the new Monoc (assuming they are defunct) if anyone remebers them? Very similar in design, style even the graphics…

There were a few at last week’s XC race at Hanchurch. They look great!

I have a Moda road bike, very good spec for the money.

Never heard of Monoc, but after some digging (via a thread on Bike Radar http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=16427061), I can see the similarities in graphics. http://www.evovision.net/stopsite/monoc/index1.html.

It raises an interesting question: how many of the better known brands use generic Taiwanese carbon frames & how many really do invest in extensive R&D to tune the frames to the ride characteristics they want, or do some of them search the market for an off-the-peg frame with the characteristics they want, then brand them as their own?