LeMond Bicycles Poprad

Price Paid:  $1800.00 at Maplewood Cycles

Bike Setup:
Stock, Bontrager fit VR bar, Cane creek cross top levers

Summary:
I never do reviews, but this is for the 2008 Lemond Poprad disc. The Poprad had everything I needed for my riding style. For the money, you can get much better used and in aluminum. LBS installed cross top levers, a short reach handlebar, and fenders for me. This is my first disc brake bike, and I love disc brakes. BUT, Lemond are you listening, the stock fork is just not cut out for the job! It is way too flexible and results in incredible flex, vibration, and brake shudder. It rides well, but a stouter carbon fork is badly needed. Disc brakes are the only thing for me though, because I ride in all weather conditions. For me, the geometry is great, but it is traditional and handles like a road bike. The drivetrain is reasonable, but the bike should be geared for more top end flexibility. The stock saddle is poop. Otherwise, great bike, and I love riding it.

Strengths:
Steel frame, traditional geometry, nice styling, disc brakes have good consistent stopping, nice drivetrain

Weaknesses:
Baaaaad fork; plan to upgrade if you get disc brakes, but with cantis you might not need to. Cheap stock saddle. Would benefit from more flexible gearing.

Price Paid:  $850.00 at LBS somerville

Favorite Ride:
any ride

Bike Setup:
As of the last ride: stock wheels, ultegra crank, ultegra bb, ultegra rear derailleur, ultegra cassette, ultegra right shifter, fi'zi'k poggio saddle

Summary:
As a commuter bike, it served me well enough with the cross tires allowing me to bike in rain and even occasionally snow. The Sora rear derailleur which came with the bike fell apart sooner than expected, which highlights the weakness of the stock bike. Compared to the Redline Conquest (which my wife bought as the LBS did not have the right frame size for me), it cost more and did not perform better - heavier bike, weaker braking, and gearing more road-specific than CX-specific. The expectation is that one would upgrade the bike. But then the head tube is 1", while most of the cyclocross fork upgrades have 1 1/8" steer tubes. Also, 853 tubing is more prone to rust than cro-mo steel, which was an unpleasant surprise, which makes me question its long term durability in wet conditions and made me reluctant to ride the bike when it was raining. In hindsight, would have gladly traded for better components instead of the questionably-better frame.

Strengths:
Nice looking frame.

Weaknesses:
Entry level components. 1" steer tube limits upgrades.

Similar Products Used:
Redline Conquest

Price Paid:  $1600.00 at cycles cambridge

Favorite Ride:
'05 lemond poprad

Bike Setup:
the bike is a stock setup except for the saddle (I replaced the cheap Bontrager one with a San Marco Regal Titanio), replaced 46t ring with a 48, replaced shimano chain with a sram one...I'm also using Crank Bros. stainless steel eggbeater pedals and planet bike fenders...

Summary:
Man...This bike was hard to get up in Canada...For awhile there it looked like they weren't even bringing Lemonds up here for '05...I'm told that it's one of only a couple poprads that were brought up to Canada this year...It's a real classic ride...The flat top tube is nice...The frame is beautifully made...skinniest seatstays I've seen in years...the alloy fork is a bit harsh but adding a second layer of cork tape on the bars seems to fix that problem...my bike came with a no name carbon seatpost instead of the bontrager one that it was supposed to have...46t big ring is a bit on the small side...the bontrager select wheels seem like they will spin forever...The stock bontrager saddle was a piece of junk...it started falling apart while I was on the trainer in the shop getting the bike fitted to me...the cane creek bartop brake levers are sort of cheaply made...they have a fair amount of play and the levers look as though they've been stamped out...Not too comfy on the hands but I guess they're really just meant to supplement the STI levers so this is forgivable...everything else is perfect...It's beautiful...A great combination of the best of the oldschool with the best of contemporary bike design

Strengths:
it's beautiful...great frame...tasteful colour scheme...bontrager wheels seems strong...fender eyelets on the frame are well designed...the frame wasn't made by Asian robot child slave labour (probably 90% of the rest of the bike was though)...most of the bontrager parts seem to be more than solid and not too hard on the eyes either...rides better in a snow storm than it does on a sunny day...

Weaknesses:
bike hard to get in Canada...no pedals...arrived with incorrect seatpost...Crappy Bontrager saddle...alloy fork is harsh and sort of ugly next to the beautiful frame (bontrager should make a 700c version of the switchblade fork for this bike...it would be a thing of beauty)...

Similar Products Used:
concorde and specialized cross bikes...'94 Rocky Mountain Metro built up cross style w. drop bars etc.

Price Paid:  $1099.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
dirt roads

Bike Setup:
Custom build up by my local bike shop-
wheels: Ritchey rims, DT spokes, XT hubs. 40CC Ritchey tires (to be changed out at some point)
build: Race Face cranks (48/36), 105 front, XTR rear (11/32), SRAM 9 speed chain. Ultegra flight deck, Ritchey cross bar, Deda stem, cross levers, Cinelli tape, Avid Shorty 6 brakes. Thompson post, WTB sadde (to be changed at some point)

Summary:
57 cm frame fits nicely (I'm 6'0, 175lbs). Steel ride is sweet, and I've been a fan of steel ever since I got my '97 Bontrager Privateer.
I'm new to cross bikes, but I live in Colorado where pavement is rare and dirt roads and plentiful. A cross bike is a nice alternative to my XC mountain bike.
I found this Lemond a few weeks ago at a local bike shop, still new even though it's a mix of the last few years' components. The price was right, and the ride was DEFINITELY right.

Strengths:
Steel frame feels fantastic, and the bike responds very nicely to acceleration. Not too jarring over singletrack, but nice even on the pavement.

Weaknesses:
None yet, except perhaps weight- handles nicely on singletrack, efficient enough on the roads. Not the lightest bike, though.

Similar Products Used:
Bianchi Axis

Price Paid:  $900.00 at Ullis Fahrradladen

Favorite Ride:
Black forest, North-south route

Bike Setup:
Upgraded with Campa Centaur group, exchanged saddle for a flite. Conti Twister tires.

Summary:
This is an update to a review from 2001.
I still own the Lemond Poprad (the pretty green-white one which still had bar end shifters) and have been riding it over 10.000 kms, mainly commuting to work.
I still like it and it is a perfect commuter bike and really nice for not-so-perfect roads and as a trainer for daily use.
A little summary after three years:

- Finally replaced the Sora components with a Campa Centaur. The Sora worked OK, but all my other bikes are Campa and I don't have tools for Shimano. Also I don't think the bar end shifters are very safe. Every shift creates a little wobble in the handlebar which is especially disturbing when going downhill fast or riding in a pack of riders or a wind line.

- Conti Twisters are great tires for this kind of bike
- The paint quality has proven to be not very durable. Paint scratched easily and the whole coat seems to be more on the soft side. I really like the green-white colour scheme and think it was the nicest one on the Poprad so far.

Strengths:
- Great steel frame. Though weld quality is not as consistent as on many Italian steel frames (Check a Columbus frame for reference) you get a great frame for the money.

- Versatility. A true do-it-all, go-anywhere bike. Comfortable on the long haul, not disturbed by bumpy roads or bad weather.

Weaknesses:
- Paint job. Cool design, but soft coat.
- Brakes: I've never really become friends with the Avid Shorties. The have a tendency to squeal, and braking is rather inconsistent.Also the little metal ring that holds the adjuster screw broke on two brake arms. I'm currently looking for alternatives.

Similar Products Used:
Pinarello Paris