Price Paid:
$3700.00
at Look USA Favorite Ride:
Left Hand Canyon Bike Setup:
SRAM Red, Bontrager XXX lite- 13.8 lbs. Summary:
I finally have had enough time in the saddle of the 586 to give a proper ride report. Having owned a 595 origin and still ride a 585 ultra, I can make a few comparisons between these models.
The frame is very beautiful to look at, although I really prefer the overall aesthetics of the all white team 595 over the all black carbon. Every tube on the 586 is highly shaped but very subtly so. The build up was not tricky at all and well within my intermediate wrenching skills. The headset was pre-installed and pre-adjusted a little tight. Cutting the seatpost was not a bid deal except I did have to sand it down so it was flush on all sides. The metal used for the saw guide was very soft and I cut into the guide on one side. A 32 tooth hacksaw blade did the job well. There were ample spacers for seat height adjustment and I found a huge variance in thickness of an SLR gel flow saddle and a standard SLR saddle. Once set up, I found the overall bike to look very clean for an integrated seatpost model. I also liked that the 586 lacks some of the more radical and gimmicky curves found in other manufacturer’s line ups.
My first real ride on the 586 was 50 miles on the flats. It was a bitter cold and windy day. After the initial excitement wore off and the fatigue started to set in, I realized I was a little uninspired by the difference in the other Look models. Sure I was comfortable over the loose stuff (more so than the 595 and 585 ultra) and I enjoyed the newness of the ride. Being a prior 595 owner, I am accustomed to the awesome efficient connectedness I feel when riding a Look ISP. (Tthe 585 Ultra feels best with the Look Ergopost, but not as “connected” to the drivetrain as the 595.) But, I couldn’t help but think the 586 was just a lighter, less solid 595….that was until I spontaneously decided to take a different way home.
A quick turn up Left Hand Canyon was the prelude for the sting in the tail- a short steep climb up Olde Stage road. From the first time I stood up to accelerate on the steep slope, I could tell I was aboard a nimble beast. The front end was so solid, yet light, it reminded me of the 595 on the South Beach diet. The frame just wanted me to aggressively climb. Unfortunately, my body couldn’t comply so I stayed seated most of the time. The rear end stayed clamped to the ground, even through sand and debris, such that I wondered if the 586 had longer chainstays than the 585/595 (It doesn’t. 40.5cm for all three). Seated, the bike stayed super efficient, much like the 595. Over the top of the climb, I wished I hadn’t spent so much time on the flats so I would have had more in reserve to push the frame over the climb.
On the few corners of the descent, the 586 handled much like the other Look’s I have, which share the same 73 degree steering angle. On the way back down, I can typically spin out a 50x11 but usually just coast since there are some really rough spots in the road. On this ride however, I purposefully sought out those pot holes. The bumps were not as comfortable as I anticipated on the 586, which may have been due to the numbness in my hands from the cold, not the elasticity of the frame. Subsequent rides over the same bumps also confirmed that the front end of the bike doesn’t give much to smooth out the ride – it’s the rear that is more compliant in this department. On the flip side, the less complaint front end does inspire confidence in the corners and out of the saddle sprints. When I arrived at home, I was completely satisfied that this was one mean climbing machine. I promised myself to lose some weight by summertime and put in a real climbing test next time out.
Strengths:
The next few rides were mostly long climbs with varying steep sections. These rides confirmed what I originally thought, that the 586 is made to climb. Short steep climbs and long slow grinders- both come naturally for the 586. I would put money down today on the next 5 Tours if Alberto Contador rode the 586. His explosive out of the saddle climbing and efficient seated climbing is what this bike is made for. Simply put, the 586 is exceptionally nimble and just wants to go upwards as fast as possible.
Instead of marketing a comfortable race bike (like my prior S Works Roubaix), a super stiff bike (Cervelo or Extreme Power), Look should simply market this frame as a climber’s dream. I cannot say whether the 586 is x% stiffer, x% more complaint or x% comfortable than the other bikes I have ridden, but I can easily say it climbs the best- both seated and standing.
When deciding on a new frame (assuming it fits), application often competes with the type of rider you are, ie. What are you going to use the bike for? vs. I excel at sprinting?
For me, herein lies the quandary. My body type and strengths prefer the solidity that the lugged 595 has to offer. When pounding up a riser or jumping to catch the last wheel in an echelon after taking too long of a pull, the 595 would be my weapon of choice. Yet, my spirit and mind love the brutal rhythm of climbing long ponderosa lined climbs at maximum sustained intensity. After a few rides, I am convinced that there is no better frame than the 586 for that application. For me, the decision is pretty easy since the overwhelming majority of my rides are Colorado climbs. I regularly feast on long slugfests with varying gradients, despite my more portly build. My best rides include steep climbs, fast descents and all out sprints for the city limits sign. Thus, the 586 has earned a heralded place in my stable for the indefinite future.
Weaknesses:
The 586 Does not have the same solidity as the 595 origin exhibits when hammering in the drops. The 595 origin feels like the best steel frames but with a lot less weight. Similar Products Used:
Look 595, Look 585 Ultra, Specialized Roubaix SW, Trek Madone 110, Cervelo P2C, Time VX, Trek 5900 etc.
|
5 of 5
3 of 5
4 of 5
