# Leader bikes rock!!!-do we have enough out there to start our own forum?



## lionheartdds (Mar 24, 2007)

I am absolutely in love with my 736R. A great value for $1700. Super stiff, responsive, hot looking bike. My next project is customizing my mike (make it a "meee" bike) with yellow or gold handlebar tape, Continental GP 4000 gold tires, and the 2007 Campy Shamal Ultra wheels. I weighed my bike on a package scale, came out to 16.8 lbs. Not sure how accurate that was since I had to support the bike from teetering off, but sounds about right. If I get the new wheels and tires, it should take almost a pound off the bike. Still not a light bike, but light enough for me.


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## freddie10 (Feb 12, 2006)

Leader Bikes Do Rock!!! I've got a LD735R frame that I'm very happy with. At 41 yrs old, married with children I needed a bike that was easy on my back and not hurt the wallet.


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## lionheartdds (Mar 24, 2007)

Ditto. 44 yo with kids too. Can't justify spending 3-4 K on a similarly appointed bike in a more popular brand name. The other choice would have been a motobecane or other brand through bikesdirect, but boy do they have such UGLY color schemes. My new tires and seat should arrive today from biketiresdirect.com, and the new campy wheels will be here on tomorrow from worldofbikewheels.com. Now to find time this weekend to customize my bike. 
btw, like others and myself, did you have trouble tightening the seat post on your leaderbike? I solved mine by folding a strip of aluminum foil three folds in a strip form and using it like a shim inside the post space and that solved the problem very nicely.


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## kn6ll (Jun 24, 2008)

*Leaderbike*

I agree. I just finished building a TT bike with a Leaderbike 54 cm 720TT. It's fast, light, and the price was unbelievably low on the frame itself. I am 5' - 11" with a 31" inseam (bicycle measurement) and this is the best fitted bike I have ever had!


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## mdewitt71 (Jun 23, 2002)

Finally finished my wife's build while I was home on R&R.....
I too think the Leader bike frames are a hidden gem. 
Was really surprised how light the setup is even with 105/ Taigra componants and how great it rides.


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## covenant (May 21, 2002)

Love my 796R


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## gande_bike (Feb 28, 2006)

+1 for the 796r. I have noticed that something about it (not sure what) allows water to get into the tubes. If I ride in the rain I have to pull the bottom bracket and drain the bike. Anyone else experience this?


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## covenant (May 21, 2002)

I rode in this years Police Unity Tour and the second day it rained buckets on us for 4 hours and I never noticed any water in the tubes.....all I did was wipe it down and throw it in the trailer....now you got me scared!


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## teffisk (Mar 24, 2006)

My 780R was great when I got it but after 2 years of racing I have pretty much beaten it to death. Supposedly you can stretch out aluminum and mine really sucks now.


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## I am The Edge (Jul 27, 2004)

teffisk said:


> My 780R was great when I got it but after 2 years of racing I have pretty much beaten it to death. Supposedly you can stretch out aluminum and mine really sucks now.



unless you are heating your bike up to 500-1000 degrees, it isn't stretching.


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## teffisk (Mar 24, 2006)

just casual riding puts tremendous stress on your frame so putting two years of hard riding does degrade the integrity of super thin walled aluminum


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## I am The Edge (Jul 27, 2004)

but it doesn't stretch...it will crack.


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## teffisk (Mar 24, 2006)

ok...


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## jaegermeister269 (Mar 5, 2008)

just built up a 736R. Absolutely love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## mdewitt71 (Jun 23, 2002)

wow, I really like the "Stealth" look of that 736R....Nice job.


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## Pieter (Oct 17, 2005)

*Got one in 2000*

I first obtained a 105 group set at a so-called special price, so I needed a frame. A friend was having a once-off go at importing Leader frames, and he let me have his last one at wholesale. I don't remember the model, but it was an all-aluminum one.

A week later the LBS offered me a Cannondale frame at a so-called special price. It was still way more expensive than the Leader, though. I was kind of devastated - wished I had bought the 'dale instead, but of course went ahead and built up the Leader with light Alexrims and the rest of similar lowish priced but OK-looking kit.

A month later I went for a ride, accompanied by a colleague on a Cannondale which has cost a good amount of money. I recall it was more or less the same frame as the one I was offered - the medium-price Cannondale of that time. Just for kicks, I suggested we swop bikes for a few km. His bike definitely rode harder, not quite like my 1988 Cannondale but still. However, unlike my 1988 one, there was noticeable (visible) flex when pedalling hard. More than on the Leader? Yes, I think so.

Today 8 years and 27000km later the bike still feels good, and racking up distance faster than ever in its serious-commuter role. It is totally original save for 6 chains, 4 tyres and tubes,handlebar tape, a cassette and a fork (bent in a prang). I bought another bike last year - it cost me, as I wanted to get something of an 'improvement' and the the 7 year younger $1000 bikes on offer were not really 'it'. My only gripe is the paintwork, which is really soft.


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