Strengths: All steel very little flex but still great road feel. Corners. Fast technical downhills.
Weaknesses: Saddle had to go. Conti gp 3000 subject to punctures replaced with vredestien fortezza se problem solved
Bottom Line:
This bike is still incredible. I have raced it and done many miles of training. It has been solid and flawless. Tested many bikes (20+) this was the standout, and is still to this day
Strengths: The great ride of 853 Pro Steel. Strong bike. I am a large rider and it stands up to me when I get out of the saddle and hammer on it. The flex that other riders cite is do to the cranks flexing into the front deraileur. I adjusted it and that issue was resolved. Also, the wheels have performed flawlessly. These predate the quality problems many experienced in '03 with the Bontragers. I considered upgrading to save some weight but never did. The wheels are perfectly true after all these years. The bike is a solid performer.
Weaknesses: The seat had to go. I went with the Terry Fly for four years and upgraded to a Specialized Alias when they came out. I ditched the seat post for a Thomson and changed the bars to suit my hands.
Bottom Line:
I thought I'd add my .02 to this review chain. Despite the passage of time, every time I ride my Zurich, I seem to appreciate it more. I bought the bike in September '02 and it has served me well. It has performed flawlessly over the years, requiring only the normal chain and cassette replacement. I have commuted on it, ridden it in centuries and cruised on it with my friends. I don't regret this purchase. It has its own stand. :-)
Strengths: Smooth ride, stable handling. Fast if you tempo it. Comes with rack and fender mounts. A high end tubeset for an ordinary price.
Weaknesses: Bottom bracket flexes under hard pedalling, bars wobble in high-speed turns.
Bottom Line:
I bought the frameset only, after it had been sitting in the shop for a few years, and got a very good price on it. After three months and about 1000 miles I can say I'm ready to comment on it. This frame is a great way to get a high-end steel tubeset at a reasonable price, and it has rack and fender mounts like all frames should (but very few do anymore). The workmanship (paint and welding) are good for a mass-produced bike, but nowhere near what you'd get with a hand-build. The great things about this bike are the smooth ride and stable handling. I can run higher tire pressures for faster rolling, and still have acceptable ride. The 853 steel, combined with the longish wheelbase, make for a very comfortable ride. The not-so-great thing is the frame flex. The smooth ride comes at a price. Steel is known to flex a bit, and this bike is no exception. Hard pedalling will flex the bottom bracket and rob you of energy. You can still go fast on the bike, you just need to tempo it, rather than thrash out hard accelerations. And fast cornering can set up a top tube flex that causes a pronounced wobble in the bars. This is something you can cure, in part, by grabbing the top tube with your knees, but you need to be ready for it. It surprised the hell out of me the first time it happend, nearly putting me into a guardrail. The geometry is geared toward the open road, not the tight confines of a crit course. Very stable, but a little bit slow to turn. This is a great bike for long rides on rough roads, but would not be ideal for racing (although you could certainly race it). Put on a rack or some fenders, and head out for the day- that's what this bike does best.
Similar Products Used: Cannondale CAAD 3, 2007 Trek Madone.
Bike Setup: Full Ultegra compact group, Bontrager Race-Lite wheels and stem. Race X-Lite carbon seatpost, Sella Italia Gel-Flow saddle, Continental GP-3000 tires, Speedplay pedals. 19.5 lbs with pedals and cages.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
soulcoughing
a Recreational Rider
from
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2006
Strengths: It is absolutely. rock. solid. It does exactly what it ought to, when it ought to. I've never had a moment when I thought it felt squirrely, it has always been where I wanted it to be. It feels as smooth and comfortable at mile 90 as it did at mile 5. It looks like a bike ought to look.
Weaknesses: It could have been lighter, but only if LeMond had made it out of something else (like the Spine) and then it wouldn't be the bike that it is. If I needed lighter, I still have room to work on it myself.
Bottom Line:
I rolled through 15,000 miles on this bike a few weeks ago. I bought it as something to supplement mountain biking, but it has turned into the more used, more consuming passion. I still love this bike. People still comment about how nice looking it is. I wouldn't mind having a hot new carbon super-bike, but I'm not sure I'd part with this one to get it.
Similar Products Used: I have ridden on other bikes, but nothing that I have used similarly.
Bike Setup: silver/blue LeMond Zurich frame w/ a well used Ultegra gruppo and the stock Botrager Race Lites that have needed truing ~3 times in 4+ years.
Strengths: Great bike for recreational riding and everything in between. Steel is very resilient and doesn't beat the crap out of me like some aluminum frames can. An overall great buy and package for anyone looking to get into cycling on the more serious side without having to spend more than $2500 for a bike that will perform just as well as the Zurich.
Weaknesses: General strengths aside there is one main weakness to this bike and that is the saddle. The stock saddle is pretty stiff and one should consider getting a replacement.
The headset along with the saddle could/should be the first and maybe only upgrades to this bike. I've had the headset adjusted twice, first time was too loose and now it is too tight, go figure.
Seatpost, well, just get a Thompson and forget about it.
One consideration, not a weakness, is the top tube length. I do feel a bit stretched out at times and may end up getting a slightly shorter stem in an effort to save the lower back for longer rides.
As for recently, I have noticed some flex happening somewhere in the BB or possibly in the cranks, or maybe both. Anytime I get out of the saddle or sent the cadence there tends to be some chain rub against the F-der. Might just be an adjustment issue, but like I said, it rubs when I get out of the saddle or just really tourque the cranks. If this is an actual BB flexing issue, then perhaps this is the only weakness that a rider cannot fix. Just something to consider if someone decides to race on this frame.
Bottom Line:
With more experience on the bike I've come to realize that it is a great all around bike for anyone looking to ride recreationaly or perhaps even race. Although there are a few things to consider, which aren't necessarily weaknesses.
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