# Sarthe Love



## Tracer (Nov 27, 2004)

anyone else love their sarthe? i am in the process of dialing in my fit on the bike. i swapped out the stock 42cm bars for 40's and have noticed great improvement. i love how this bike rides, so fast, stable, and comfortable. i cant get enough of it.:thumbsup:


----------



## Har (Oct 16, 2002)

whats a sarthe? Lemonds single speed?


----------



## Todd (Jul 13, 2006)

After test riding about a dozen different bikes, I fell in love with the Sarthe too. Actually, I tried the Croix de Fer first and loved the frame, but not the brakes. Then found that the Sarthe had the same frame with Ultegra parts and better wheels. I've logged about 500miles on it in the last six weeks, including a couple of centuries. I've never ridden a smoother, better handling bike. It sucks up road vibration like butter, yet is surprisingly nimble when I crank on it. At 19.5 lbs (for a 57) it's probably a bit heavy for serious racing, but for pure riding enjoyment this bike is a gem.


----------



## RippyD (Jul 10, 2006)

Tracer said:


> anyone else love their sarthe? i am in the process of dialing in my fit on the bike. i swapped out the stock 42cm bars for 40's and have noticed great improvement. i love how this bike rides, so fast, stable, and comfortable. i cant get enough of it.:thumbsup:


I just ordered one - should be in my LBS in 2-3 days. I've been demoing bikes for the last few weeks, and narrowed it down to a Specialized Roubaix (which is a great bike) and the Sarthe. It was a surprise to me that I went with an older-style frame rather than a newer design. But I chose by fit, comfort, and handling (in that order) and the Sarthe came out on top. I'm getting an '06 (full Ultegra) - would have taken an '05 if I could have found one locally to get the Campy components.


----------



## djg714 (Oct 24, 2005)

RippyD said:


> I just ordered one - should be in my LBS in 2-3 days. I've been demoing bikes for the last few weeks, and narrowed it down to a Specialized Roubaix (which is a great bike) and the Sarthe. It was a surprise to me that I went with an older-style frame rather than a newer design. But I chose by fit, comfort, and handling (in that order) and the Sarthe came out on top. I'm getting an '06 (full Ultegra) - would have taken an '05 if I could have found one locally to get the Campy components.



Guys those all steel LeMonds are a great value and will give you many miles.
You can always upgrade wheels , saddle and other stuff to shave off a pound or so.
Enjoy...:thumbsup:


----------



## JeffN (Sep 19, 2006)

*07 Sarthe on the way*

I just ordered my 2007 Sarthe (double).:thumbsup: I too have been researching bikes for about 6 months and demoing many different models and frame materials. I never expected that I would go steel, but the Sarthe is such a great value. I wanted my next bike to last me 10 years, and I'm just not convinced that a low-end CF bike would have made it that long. Anyway, it's been great to read these threads. I can't wait to get it next week!

Are you all still enjoying the bike?


----------



## RippyD (Jul 10, 2006)

JeffN said:


> Are you all still enjoying the bike?


Congrats on getting your bike ordered. I'm not sure to whom you were addressing the question, but I'm still really happy with my '06 Sarthe. I've put about 850 miles on mine and haven't had a single problem. Did some minor adjusting on the brake cables to compensate for some stretch or pad wear, but otherwise haven't had to touch anything. I intend to replace the seat, but haven't done so yet.

The bike does everything I expected to, and for me it does it really well. Other than getting consistently outpaced on steep downhill curves by guys riding $5000 Orbeas with tubular tires, this performance of this bike is limited only by me.


----------



## leggeca (Jun 24, 2005)

*Yes I do!*

I bought my O6' Sarthe about 1 year ago. I have ridden just over 2300 miles on it. Zero regrets. It rides so beautifully. I just finished my first century on it last Saturday. Wait, I do have one regret... I ordered it when it first came out last year and now my LBS is selling the same size and model for 200 bucks cheaper! You can get a great deal on one right now. My LBS tried to sell me buzzkill inserts for my bars. Excuse me! Steel frame! No vibration damping necessary. Buzzkills are for overpriced bikes trying to feel like the real deal.


----------



## JeffN (Sep 19, 2006)

*Incredible bike!*

I just picked up my '07 Sarthe today! I can't believe how beautifully this bike rides. It's such a great value. Again, I never thought I would get a steel bike but now I'm convinced that it's the real deal. I can't wait to get out for a ride tomorrow. I appreciate everyone's posts about this bike because it really helped me make my decision.

If ANYONE is thinking about this bike than do whatever you can to get a test ride. You won't be disappointed.


----------

