LeMond Bicycles 1999 Buenos Aires T

Price Paid:  $400.00 at Ebay/ Lunenburg Bike

Favorite Ride:
anything with light traffic

Bike Setup:
campy centaur 10
campy Zonda G3 wheel set
cinelli stem, 3TTT bars, thompson post, syntace aero bars, michelin carbon tires

Summary:
--bought the frame on Ebay
--outfitted it with a Campy Centaur group with Zonda wheels
--used the bike in a tri event for the first time today... fantastic.
--its so agile

Strengths:
steel is real (is there anything else to say)
i work in a bike shop, and basically have the luxury of demoing, and thus buying any kind of bike at a reduced price, however i went to ebay to get the reynolds853, and then customize it with campy
--campy + 853 is a deadly combo... a little heaveier then the new carbons/OCLV's, but so very agile, and forgiving

Weaknesses:
weight factor... but if youre a good cyclist then an extra 2 lbs shouldnt make much of a difference.
i need to put in more miles

Similar Products Used:
a Dave Tesche SSL

Price Paid:  $875.00 at new from friend

Bike Setup:
Stock (switched out to a shorter stem), Flight Deck, several different tires (conti's, Michelin's, Vittoria's)

Summary:
A good all around road bike for riding or entry level racing. Steel gives a comfy ride. Longer top tube may not fit some people.

Strengths:
Little to no BB flex for a 175 pound rider who likes to hammer. Components work fine and have not broken down. Wheels have only needed to be trued once or twice in 3 years.

Weaknesses:
Paint chips WAY too easily and no touch up paint is available. I will most likely have the frame repainted in the next couple of years due to all the chips (even on the fork)...I baby this bike and have never crashed on it, and there are still new chips in the paint every couple of weeks. By reading other reviews, this does not sound like an isolated incident.

Favorite Ride:

Old LaHonda

Bike Setup:

105, Mavic CPX21s, Speedplay pedals, Terry Fly saddle (comfort/weight leader) and Conti GPs (phenomenal feel and grip)

Summary:
I really love this bike. It is much more responsive and lively than my old Trek alum. bike. It is a lot more comfortable, but is still quite stiff. Some of this performance is due to the Terry saddle and the Conti tire, but you've really gotta try the feel of steel. I really like the price ($1300). The 105 works better than the Chorus I tried on another bike. While this may be a fluke, the 105 really is an excellent performer. The rear wheel hasn't budged though I am 175 lbs and have really torqued the cranks doing uphill sprints. I really love this bike.

Strengths:

light, stiff, responsive, comfortable

Weaknesses:

none

Similar Products Used:

Treks, mostly

Summary:
This is a GREAT entry-level racer. Killer 853 tubing is worthy of upgrades, although the 105 group, as much as I might not like to admit it, runs like a top. great bike.

Strengths:

Steel is, after all, real. The Reynolds tubes give stiff but compliant miles, whether it's 10 or 100. Rides like a racer, handles like one too. Great bike.

Weaknesses:

Super tough seat angle adjustment. Folks laying down this much cash would pay 20 more for a post with easier and less finite adjustment.

Similar Products Used:
None