# Photos of my new Lemond Poprad Disc (dial-up beware)



## mudslinger (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi All,

As requested, here are a few photos of my new Poprad shot on a ride from Alexandria, VA to Georgetown, Washington, D.C. We encountered a little rain on the return leg.


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## mprevost (Jul 30, 2005)

*Nice...*

I am looking hard at the Poprad as well. I love that orange. I saw a Lotus Elise that exact color this morning. It would make a nice matching accessory for your bike!

Mike


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## zeytin (May 15, 2004)

Very nice, I too like the orange colors. How does it feel? As good as it looks?


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## MN Dan (Nov 22, 2005)

*Wow, what a wonderful bike.*

I really like the close shots of the disc rotors. I am glad you posted the photo's. Commuting by bike is always more fun on a bike you want to ride. That looks like a bike that more than a few here on C&T would want to ride. You are new and in DC, correct? If that's true you better be ready to hear the words "On Your Left!" as a white rocket with chromed lugs or a green screamer with silver fenders blows on by.  DC is the master's backyard.
Hope to see more pics of your route someday.
MN Dan


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## Andy M-S (Feb 3, 2004)

*Nice!*

Nice bike--but it's missing something. With all that clearance, a good set of fenders and you're set for all conditions!


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## mudslinger (Dec 25, 2005)

I am new to the forum and returning to commuting after a very long layoff.

The Poprad feels great! To me it has a perfect balance between stability and quickness. It turns great at low and high speeds. The frame feels really solid when I go off-pavement and hop curbs, etc., while still being very responsive to pedaling effort on the pavement. Plus, the longer top tube fits my body type very well. 

The Poprad does this without extreme harshness. I love the ride of steel, especially when you consider how cheap and durable steel is compared to other frame materials. I'll take an air hardening tube set over anything else but titanium.

Overall, the Poprad has a feel which is a pleasure to have between my legs , and gives me lots of confidence while pedaling through the urban battle zone of Washington, D.C. Plus, I'll have fun exploring all the canal tow paths and converted railroad beds on the same great bike!

It is true that commuting is more fun when you really like your ride.

This all in comparison to my beloved 1990 steel lugged Serotta.

For those familiar with Washington, D.C., my commute path is along the Potomac River between Alexandria, VA and the Federal Triangle in the District. Give me a wave when you pass me on my Cannibal Orange disc-bedecked steel steed.


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## nate (Jun 20, 2004)

mudslinger said:


> For those familiar with Washington, D.C., my commute path is along the Potomac River between Alexandria, VA and the Federal Triangle in the District. Give me a wave when you pass me on my Cannibal Orange disc-bedecked steel steed.


You could easily see a few RBRers on that commute. Great bike!


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## jph6t (Apr 23, 2007)

mudslinger said:


> For those familiar with Washington, D.C., my commute path is along the Potomac River between Alexandria, VA and the Federal Triangle in the District. Give me a wave when you pass me on my Cannibal Orange disc-bedecked steel steed.


mudslinger, how do you find the Poprad's gearing on that commute? 
Do you ever find the 46/38 limiting?


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## mudslinger (Dec 25, 2005)

I do find the gearing a little limited. The gears don't go down low-enough for the steeper grades to keep my old knees happy. I guess this is to be expected since a cyclocross rider would dismount and carry the bike on the steeper grades.

Adding the next-larger-cog on the rear cluster would probably solve the problem, but that would then require a larger cage on the rear derailleur, so I am just living with it for now.


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## jph6t (Apr 23, 2007)

mudslinger said:


> I do find the gearing a little limited. The gears don't go down low-enough for the steeper grades to keep my old knees happy. I guess this is to be expected since a cyclocross rider would dismount and carry the bike on the steeper grades.
> 
> Adding the next-larger-cog on the rear cluster would probably solve the problem, but that would then require a larger cage on the rear derailleur, so I am just living with it for now.


How about on the other end of things? Do you ever miss a 50 in the front? 
There are some decent flats along the Potomac where you can build up some nice speed.
(That is if you don't have two dozen walkers/joggers/bikers in the way)


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## jph6t (Apr 23, 2007)

So I really like the Poprad Disc. The frame is sweeeet! The ride is like butter. I can play with the gearing later if that proves limiting. I'm not racing so a little extra weight doesn't bother me. 

However ...

I went back to my LBS last night for a test ride. They were suppose to adjust the disc breaks which had been rubbing real badly when I was in the store before. I noticed they were still rubbing a bit. I also noticed the breaks were really spongy, requiring a lot of pull. I got talking with the mechanic and he informed me that these to things were connected ... 

It seems the current combo of STI and Avid disc breaks just doesn't really work. The mechanic could not get the disc break to stop rubbing (especially the rear) without making the breaks all spongy and gummy. There was no touch in the breaks what so ever. The mechanic told me that if he tightened the breaks so that they required less pull that in turn the disc breaks would start rubbing. 

Has anyone been able to resolve this issue? 
Or is this just the nature of the current setup with components as they currently are?
What have those of you with the bike been doing?
Just muscling through the rubbing?

I don't really want to be doing 60+ mile rides with the break rubbing the whole way.


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## FrontRanger (May 19, 2004)

That seems odd. I would give AVID a call and get their take on it. They have always been helpful when I had a question.


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## pmseattle (Dec 9, 2004)

jph6t said:


> I went back to my LBS last night for a test ride. They were suppose to adjust the disc breaks which had been rubbing real badly when I was in the store before. I noticed they were still rubbing a bit. I also noticed the breaks were really spongy, requiring a lot of pull. I got talking with the mechanic and he informed me that these to things were connected ...
> 
> It seems the current combo of STI and Avid disc breaks just doesn't really work. The mechanic could not get the disc break to stop rubbing (especially the rear) without making the breaks all spongy and gummy. There was no touch in the breaks what so ever. The mechanic told me that if he tightened the breaks so that they required less pull that in turn the disc breaks would start rubbing.
> 
> ...


I have Avid road BB7s on a somewhat similarly configured bike. Mine is an Airborne Carpe Diem cyclocross bike with Ultegra 9-speed brifters. The brakes work very well, and are not spongy.
One thing that needs to be done is all slack or free play in the cables needs to be removed. That means that the instant you start to move the brake lever, the arm on the brake caliper should be moving also. This is best accomplished with inline barrel adjusters. If you don´t have them you can loosen the cable at the caliper and pull it as tight as possible while you re-tighten the cable clamp screw. After you do this adjust the pads with the two knobs. I do this while looking through the slot where the rotor goes through the caliper, and set the pads so they´re just off the rotor.
One thing that is essential is that the calipers should have a tag saying "ROAD". It should not say "MTN". The mountain bike version of the Avids does not work well with STI levers.


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## rideorglide (Dec 3, 2005)

I think I've read about a device called a travel agent adapter for this purpose.
Here are a couple of links to get you going. I'd wager the cyclocross folk know something about this issue.


http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-80862.html

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?sku=12761&CFID=70274548&CFTOKEN=83867526


Nice bike by the way! Yummy.



jph6t said:


> It seems the current combo of STI and Avid disc breaks just doesn't really work. ?


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## craigd (Apr 3, 2007)

Awesome just awesome


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## BoulderGeek (Sep 19, 2005)

I saw this thread yesterday morning, and in teh afternoon, I was at a new LBS looking at an identical Proprad!

It's very nice. I might want a double, riding in the mountains as I do. But, it is a really nicely configured bike for $1500.


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