# Which LeMond Model to buy ?



## _bill_ (May 6, 2005)

I have posted about the LeMond Bikes.
I have a 1986 Lotus 12 speed bike that I am going to replace. I have put many miles on this bike.My kids are now married and would I would like to buy a LeMond bike that I will keep for many years. I am 50 years , in very good physical shape and my average rides are around 40-50 miles but when I get the new bike I will do longer rides. I was wondering if someone could recommend which models that are better for longer rides but are still fast bikes. I test rode a Specialized Roubaix and it was a nice riding bike but I felt a little squished . I don't know a lot about the different quality of parts that go into a bike so it 's difficult for me to read a description of a bike and relate that to a bike.
My Lotus is a steel frame and I like the feel of steel .I don't think I need a triple sprocket because I can climb the hills with only 12 speeds,I live in New Hampshire.
I would like to spend less then 2K but will road test anything that is recommended. Next week I will visit lbs and will road test some LeMonds but I want to know which models I should test ride .I'm not interested in the Big Sky series unless they are highly recommend it.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

_Bill_


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## rriddle3 (Aug 5, 2004)

If you want all steel, it would be the _Sarthe_ or the _Croix de Fer_.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Second the Sarthe (very nice!) or the Croix de Fer, although retail on each one of these would put you way over your $2,000 idea. Both bikes are classic, long-distance steel rides, devoid of faddish materials and geometry.

Re the triple/double: a good bike shop should change a triple to a double for a high-end bike customer. Then again, nowadays the penalty of a triple over a double is very slight in terms of weight and complexity. If you find a triple that fits and you want it, consider keeping it stock for later years. I used to scoff at triples, now I'm on one and liking it.


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## mness (Feb 9, 2005)

*Huh? Re: price*



wim said:


> Second the Sarthe (very nice!) or the Croix de Fer, although retail on each one of these would put you way over your $2,000 idea. Both bikes are classic, long-distance steel rides, devoid of faddish materials and geometry.


If you're talking US dollars (the poster was in New Hampshire), the retail on the Sarthe is about $1500, and the Croix de Fer is about $1200. Same steel frame, different component levels.

Next up in the LeMond Steel family are the Versailles, Buenos Aires and Zurich, which have a half steel / half carbon frame. All are the same frame, just get better parts as you go up in price.

So I'd say try out the Croix de Fer or Sarthe (steel) and compare to the Versailles or Buenos Aires (steel/carbon), which will have the better frame, and see if the ride is worth the extra dollars. All are under $2000 list price, though.

Of course you should be checking out www.lemondbikes.com to read up on them too.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

I stand corrected, mates. My $ numbers were Australian, not U.S. - pretty well useless to someone who stated clearly that he lived in New Hampshire.


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## reidcc (Mar 12, 2005)

I Second the Sarthe!!!

I just got mine last week- replacing a 1997 Trek 1220(its forsale!!). I love the wheels and love the smoothness of the ride.

Where in NH are you? I am just below the line in Fitchburg.


Chris


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## _bill_ (May 6, 2005)

I live in Hudson , NH it's just north of Lowell .
I found a dealer that has the Sarthe in stock so later this week I will give it a test ride.I also want to ride the Versailles.How much did you pay for yours? The dealer want $1530 for it .
Did you ride any other LeMond models ?

_bill_


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Let us know what you think after your test rides. I, for one, would value your impressions and insights.


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## JohnGalt (Oct 19, 2004)

*Try the Spines*

I too am a steel fan and was ready to buy an all steel '03 Zurich last year when the salesmen suggested I try the new spine design '04 Zurich. I thought the new design was just technobabble to sell more bikes but gave it a ride and loved it. Very smooth bike, great for long distances and after 2K miles I still love throwing a leg over this thing. The '05s are going for about $2.3 K but dealers are clearing out their '04s and I've seen some going for $1.6K. The '04s have a better color scheme in my opinion. If you're worried about the carbon/steel mix they have a lifetime warranty so as long as you are buying from an authorized dealer you're covered. Ride both the all steel and the spines and see which one you like better. If you really like the Zurich but can't find one for less than $2K, check around on the web. I bought my '04 in '04 from a bike shop in Minnesota over the web (an authorized Lemond dealer, checked on their website) for $1.5K, brand new, full warranty as they were clearing out their stock to make room for the '05s. A steel (sorry for the pun) in my opinion. Happy hunting.


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## paddlerx (Oct 25, 2004)

*Spine ti/carbon*

I just recieved my 05 Victorie 2 days ago. its real maiden full ride will be today. I can comment that fit and finish is top knotch. the seat and stem are an embarassment to the bike. +17degree riser stem...and a heavy overpadded bonty seat. what are they thinking. 
Otherwise. its lighter than i expected but can easily be improved on, its no madone 5.9 or scott cr1 but i believe that the marriage of ti/carbon may make for an exceptional combo. 

short ride showed me that its definitly a different position. more comfortable and stretched out. longer for sure than my giant tcr was. a short overgeared effort up a hill to try to make the bb flex...nada. Much stiffer in that area than i had anticipated. nice. will report more tomorrow after a 100k run this aft.


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## VaughnA (Jun 3, 2003)

paddlerx said:


> I just recieved my 05 Victorie 2 days ago. its real maiden full ride will be today. I can comment that fit and finish is top knotch. the seat and stem are an embarassment to the bike. +17degree riser stem...and a heavy overpadded bonty seat. what are they thinking.
> Otherwise. its lighter than i expected but can easily be improved on, its no madone 5.9 or scott cr1 but i believe that the marriage of ti/carbon may make for an exceptional combo.
> 
> short ride showed me that its definitly a different position. more comfortable and stretched out. longer for sure than my giant tcr was. a short overgeared effort up a hill to try to make the bb flex...nada. Much stiffer in that area than i had anticipated. nice. will report more tomorrow after a 100k run this aft.



Congrats on the new bike. You'll love the ride, and yes the first thing that I noticed on my Tete (same frame) was the stiffness of the BB. Great for me and my 190 lb heft. A smoother ride than an all carbon bike imho. Enjoy!


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## MrDan (Jan 23, 2003)

*Lemond Sarthe...*

I recently purchased a Lemond Sarthe, and in fact have just returned from a 47mi ride. I rode many different types of bikes. Cannondale 2000( Al), Specialized Roubaix (Carbon),
a Ti bike, the Lemond Versailles (spine), and really, coming from the Lotus ( I have a 25+ yr/old Lotus Odessey I just retired...) you will probably like the Sarthe quite a bit. I found the Spine bike harsh I'm afraid. But try many diifferent tyeps of bikes. The Al/Carbon rear bikes can't hold a candle to the Sarthe IMHO.

So go out and TRY them all, then decide.

-D


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## paddlerx (Oct 25, 2004)

*Victorie road ride report...medium long...*

So I took the Victorie out on a 60k ride. New bikes always ride different and this didn't dissapoint. Inital impressions were a bit off. Everyone says that lemonds are classic angles that don't bode well for crits. Well crits are about turning/braking and accelerating right? Well i figured the lemond would turn slowly, predictably. nope. it seems to want to fall into a quick turn. i compared it to a Bianchi and a Kona scandium road bike (both on the ride with me). those bikes in comparison are much slower turning.
i found standing and hammering on the bike to be surpising too. it leaps forward. doesn't wiggle, or shake or flex. but goes forward. the longish top tube gives me more room to find the spot where the i can keep the front wheel firmly planted. 
what else? road noise/vibration. only word i could find was Muted. its perceptable, you can tell chip seal from smooth pave; a bump is still a bump but its less. no buzzing like on my old tcr1. its different too than a full carbon madone. the madone is ridgid. like its a solid block of material from front to back and its ride is amazing but not....nice. the Victorie isn't compliant and soft like my old trek 5000 frame, its not dull and wooden. theirs more 'soul' to it. Everyone who tried it mentioned the ride quality. 
my fear was laid back geometry that would limit it in more aggressive situations, soft bb due to the ti. Both of those are not even a distant concern. its a beautiful ride, elegant, composed and stiffer than i ever expected.

Sunday it will be in a 12k out and back TT, then 2hrs later in a 100k road race (masters 30-39 age group). I'll know more then. 





MrDan said:


> I recently purchased a Lemond Sarthe, and in fact have just returned from a 47mi ride. I rode many different types of bikes. Cannondale 2000( Al), Specialized Roubaix (Carbon),
> a Ti bike, the Lemond Versailles (spine), and really, coming from the Lotus ( I have a 25+ yr/old Lotus Odessey I just retired...) you will probably like the Sarthe quite a bit. I found the Spine bike harsh I'm afraid. But try many diifferent tyeps of bikes. The Al/Carbon rear bikes can't hold a candle to the Sarthe IMHO.
> 
> So go out and TRY them all, then decide.
> ...


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## VaughnA (Jun 3, 2003)

Sounds like we agree. The strangest thing about the ride is on very smooth roads. It feels like glass, there was always a buzz with my old aluminum bike on smooth roads, the Ti/Carbon just feels unbelievably 'glassy'. Hard to describe but it's the thing about the ride I notice most. And yes it's stiff and feels efficient. I tried the madone and although it felt like every bit of energy was going into propulsion, it rode like a lumber truck compared to even the steel carbon lemonds in my opinion. I suspect the Madone SL's ride much better. 

My Opinions, very biased.

Vaughn


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