# 595 v everything else



## toonraid (Sep 19, 2006)

How it had to be a 595

Chosing a new bike has never been harder than today, it seems the higher up the price ladder you go the more choice there is. You don't usually see a bad review for a high end bike by a guy who has just blown several thousand dollars on a brand spanking new bike, the cracks (if any) only appear after an even more expensive purchase which of course will then become the best bike the guy has ever ridden. During my long search I read pretty much most of the reviews on this as well as other forums and magazines and found out that as well as the look 595 and 585, offering from Ridley (Damocles, Noah, Excalibur), Pinarello (New Prince & Paris), Colnago (C50 & Extreme Power), Museeuw (MF-1 & MF-5) and a whole host of siblings from DeRosa, Merckx & Bianchi have all been tagged with that not-so-exclusive "Ultimate bike" status. Its like as if they all climb like an angel and descend on rails – there is never any flex yet they are all comfortable! It was only after I noticed their previous frames that it all made sense, various older alu frames from the likes of trek, can'dale & giants of this world – not a snob but of course it climbs like an angel compared to a tank! You can't compare a 911's handling to a 68 mustang.

Of course there has been a few sensible reviews too, you can always pick those out as they raise interesting points omitted in those bog standard reviews and those really helped me in making the final choice. I managed to make a list which got longer and longer and so I decided that the choice would be easier through the process of elimination. 1st to drop from the list was the duo of Bianchi's & Wilier - they were just too high-street (mainstream) and if I had them on the list I would have had to add the big trio of Spec, Trek & Cans not to mention the scots & the Orbeas & the Giants. Next under the chop was Merckx, lack of reviews and interest in their carbon offerings even in their forum on RBR as well as the fact that lots of LBS's had dropped them due to supply issues made it an easy target. Museeuw quickly appeared on the horizon with their flax/carbon mix supported by a couple of excellent reviews on a brit magazine but was dismissed with equal pace due to lack of history, a very high price and the fact that it was just too new to demand such premium for their frames. When I contacted them to see pictures of bikes in various colors as per colourways in their catalogue they informed me that they had none so while there are 6 x 3 = 18 possible graphics they only have pictures of 4 which is sad considering that they have 3 different frames – perhaps one for the future! 

Now I had to think long and hard on the Italian trio of Pinarello, DeRosa and Colnago. The new Prince is possibly the most beautiful carbon bike I have ever seen and definitely the fastest looking bike out there and that was its downfall it was just too Lamborghini/Pamela Anderson for me! It is to be admired and not had good for a fling but not a keeper like a 911 and Marisa Tomei. The one ride review I saw in a mag was wasted as the reviewer focused on his own accomplishment riding up the alps than the damn frames riding characteristics – come to think of it this guy I knew who has a lambo was also very self-centered!

Although highly respected as a quality frame builder I have never been a great fan of DeRosa's graphics and don't know too much about their handling and by now I was getting a bit tired of all the research so never really entered the list proper. Colnago on the other hand I was, am a huge fan of not least coz I have 2, an Altain and a Master Olympic. For a while the C50 was on top of my Ultimate bike list but then by the time I got ready to splash the cash it seemed some how dated – its been around for ages and looking at the review section it seems as if everyone has one, there is also the case that it takes forever for one to arrive after ordering and the customer service seems very suspect (which seems to be the case with most Italian brands). I like Ridley's – they have a pretty strong line up and their keen pricing and excellent reviews make them a very sensible choice. But hey we are talking about my ultimate bike so no room for sense and sensibility besides while the Damocles can rub shoulders with the 585 they really have to work on the graphics – it’s by far the ugliest in the Ridley range. Ok perhaps I am being a tad harsh, I am sure had I been on a tighter budget the same graphics would have looked that much better!

Cervelo the new kids on the block have a life time warranty which by the sound of it is definitely required and exotics such as Time & Lapierre joined the futures list by popular demand so in the end there was only Look – the problem was now which Look, origin or optimum, standard or ultra, ISP or classic, 595 or 586? I really wanted a 585 but not so keen on the pro-team graphics so I would have had to choose between the ultra in black or the optimum in black which I think has the best graphics of the range. At 43 I would have appreciated the longer HT in the optimum but given my longish torso the shortened TT worried me and I was worried about getting boxed in. At 200 lbs the ultra would have been a logical choice but I didn't really want to compromise too much on the comfort side, besides this was going to be my performance frame – the choice had to be a little more daring, a tad more exciting and so the balance was shifted to the 586 & 595. I really really like the colors on the 586 but I knew the extra length in the HT offered by 595 would benefit by suspect lower back. So in the end I pulled the trigger and ordered the 595 in Black.

I guess that gives me a couple of months to work on the review, I'll even give you a preview ……… climbs like a cho cho train and descends like a monkey on skateboard (with me on it anyway) … tbc in spring 08


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## nrspeed (Jan 28, 2005)

Yep. That about sums it up for me too. 
You will not be disappointed- except that you will no longer want any other bike. 
The geometry between the 595 and 586 does vary slightly.


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## toonraid (Sep 19, 2006)

Still undecided on the wheelset though - tubs or clinchers, carbon or alu?

How r u getting on with the build - there won't be any Irish Black left by tomorrow!


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## Wal (Dec 5, 2006)

Excellent recounting of the challenging purchase of the dream bike decision making process. Enjoyed reading it as I could relate to considerations such as the 'High Street' factor, brand history, questionable objectivity from reviewers that had just spent significant money on the bike they were reviewing etc. I followed similar thought processes (though via a more expensive route) to arrive at a similar conclusion with my 585 Ultra having been delivered just over 2 months ago. The reason it was a more expensive route for me is that, rather than immediately strike them off the list, I bought the Wilier (Izoard purchased in February 07) and the Bianchi (928 C2C purchased in May 07). 

I am a 40 year old cyclist with limited flexibility (and the consequential comfort issues) that commutes, rides for recreation/relaxation mixed with organised timed events and some club racing. I went with the Wilier because it seemed to fit my requirements as it was claimed to be comfortable over longer distances but with 'racing characteristics". While, for me, it certainly delivered on the racing aspects, despite flipping stems, stacked steering tube, new seat, new stem, different set ups etc I could not find a setup that would allow me to ride for anything more than 2 hours without developing severe shoulder/neck pain. Come May, after research focused on comfort rides I 'solved' the problem with the purchase of the Bianchi. It delivered on my expectations - from the outset I was able to do long training rides (4 hours +) without any of the discomfort experienced on the Wilier. So I now had a race bike for club races (2 hours or less) and another bike for training/commuting and longer races. But it still bugged me that I didn't have the dream bike that I had originally intended and that I had to leave a lighter and what seemed a more responsive bike at home when I took part in any longer event (truth be known it probably didn't make much real difference - but that's not the point as when you are pushing hard you like to be riding what you think is your best set up). Eventually it got to me. Rationalisation thought and fiscal responsibility were thrown out the window. More research, a discount on 2007 frames and a preference for traditional geometry i.e. a flat top tube led me to the Look frames. My first choice was the 585 Origin but it was not available in black for my size and I went with the 585 Ultra instead - which was not a problem as I had been in two minds anyway and quite usefully had the decision made for me. I also thought that at 80 kg + the extra stiffness of the Ultra might be useful - though must admit that the potential loss of comfort concerned me.

My very first ride on the new bike was a 160km organised event (yes I know it was not wise and is not to be recommended but I just couldn't resist the temptation) around a hilly course (not major climbs but with a number of 100 - 200m hills). The other rides have been club races (60 - 80km) with a mix of big climbs (450m) and flatish courses with sprint finishes.

I gave this history to show what I was trying to achieve and give my verdict (which must be qualified by the fact that I have had only 4 rides on the 585) some context. I should also note that I bought a set Reynolds Attack wheels (carbon clinchers), which will also have a bearing on my experience of the 585 and comparison with the other frames.

So FWIW……. I found the 585 to be marginally less comfortable over the long haul in comparison to the Bianchi, but was perfectly fine riding over 4.5 hours riding. The two times that I contested a sprint it seemed to take longer to get up to top speed when compared with the Wilier - but I am only talking the difference of 4 - 6 pedal turns here and with no problems at all once I got the leg speed up. Perhaps not as nimble on the steering as the Wilier but definitely more stable at speed. It climbed more comfortably and seemingly faster than both the Bianchi and the Wilier. All in all, although it does not seem quite as comfortable as the Bianchi or as quick off the mark as the Wilier, it still performed well in both these areas while also bringing other strengths such as climbing and stability at high speeds. As a complete package this bike provides the combination of characteristics that I was looking for. I won’t go on too much, suffice to say that when I check out other bikes I now do so purely out of interest and without wondering if there is a more suitable frame for me (which is just as well as my 2007 bike purchases seriously dented the discretionary funds). 

Hope you find that your 595 delivers in the same way for you


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