LeMond Bicycles Alpe d'Huez

Price Paid:  $1400.00 at Lakeland Treck

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Any ride without a head wind

Bike Setup:
105 Derailluer
Cane Creek Head Set
Cane Creek Break calipers
Bontrager Handle bars and saddle
Bontrager Race Elite Tires
Bontrager hubs

Summary:
I was without a road bike for 5 years, so I was ready to get moving again. I tried the recumbent bikes, but found them to be BORING! So I looked the choices and found this LeMond. Its frame is aluminum/carbon with a style that reminds me of what the older bikes looked like. No fancy joints, no funny tube shapes. I like the classic look. I find it very quick and agile, with a ride that smooths most rotten pavement out very well. The Cane Creek C3's are good, but the pads could be a bit better. The 105 groupo is good and has had no problems. The red, black and blue paint is well done and the frame has no squeaks rattles or flex. Very stiff. I tried other 55cm bikes but always felt cramped; the LeMond seems to offer a longer top tube, which I find very comfortable. With the great price I found, it is a very good bike overall and I am sure it will be with me a good while. No real problems other than I get flat tires pretty often (I changed my route last time and avoided the metal grate of the drawbrige, so we will see how it goes).

Strengths:
Aluminum/carbon frame
Smooth Ride with great stiffness
Paint Scheme
VALUE at this price was superb

Weaknesses:
Break pads seem to be weak

Similar Products Used:
Old Nishiki from 80's (very tall and long! Gee, I miss it)

Price Paid:  $999.00 at Bike Barn

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Lemond Alpe d'Huez

Bike Setup:
Stock with Ultegra padals

Summary:
I purchesed this bike so that I could do the 20 mile commute to work, and to get some exercise in at the same time. I had a budget of about $1000 and started looking around and test driving bikes. I did not expect, however, that I could get this great a bike for such a great price... The ride is great, it looks great (in the pearl black/blue paintscheme), and handles quite well. I had also testdriven a Marin San Marino, and a Massi (don't entirely remember the brand... something italian), and though i was impressed with the Marin, I wasn't a huge fan of the Campi thumbthing...

In the last 3.5 weeks I have had it, I have logged almost 800 miles on it.
I love this bike

Strengths:
Comfortable
Good components
Handling
Price

Weaknesses:
Scratches a git when you bust your face going 24...

Havent actually found a real weakness yet...

Similar Products Used:
Marin San Marino (test drive)
Massi (sp?)
Fuji low end road bike

Price Paid:  $1000.00 at LBS

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
anywhere with pavement near the ocean

Bike Setup:
Stock so far.

Summary:
Ok I am am Fixed Gear rider (fixie) I started doing longer and longer rides. Some of my friends ride road bikes and it is a pain in the ass keeping up with them. So I went to get a road bike. This bike is amazing. Rides carbon in the great. shifts great stops on a dime. I really feel all the frame in terms or road damping but it also takes off like MF

Strengths:
PRICE!
Shimano 105 shifters and deraliurs.

Weaknesses:
Seat is just ok
Bar tape sucks.
looks like every other bike in the world. Not my personal bike.
They should have put blue tires!

Similar Products Used:
Canondale bad boy (sucked)

Price Paid:  $1599.00 at Bike Beat Williamsbu

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Colonial Parkway Williamsburg VA

Bike Setup:
Stock with the exception of the stem. I had Bike Beat put a stem with a lower angle on it. The stock one had me sitting too upright.

Summary:
10 years ago I bought a Trek 1200 used from my brother-in-law who has been riding forever. He had bought 2nd hand from a friend. It was too big for my sister-in-law so i bought it for $125 i think. It sat for a long time.

Last year I took it to BikeBeat and they resurrected it for me. I started riding for health reasons, and love riding. It is 2 frames sizes to small, so this summer I decided to change that. With 1 water bottle the 1200 is 28lbs.

6 weeks ago I test rode a Trek 1500, 2100 and the Lemond Alpe d'Huez. With the Carbon Top tube, seat tube, and seat stays, along with the sloping top tube for a more upright seat position the Alpe d'Heuz was/is by far the most comfortable ride. This past Friday I rode the Alpe d'Huez home. The ride was only 10.5 miles, but I picked up 2 avg/mph over my rides on the 1200. The 1200 is going to be my winter garage trainer.

The 2100 was most first choice from a cost standpoint, but not available right now. The day i picked up the Alpe, the 5000 had closeout pricing on it which brought its price $100 less than the Alpe, but the Alpe is a better fit for me.

Strengths:
Carbon top tube, seat tube and chainstays. New color scheme makes it an awesome looking bike.

Weaknesses:
None so far, but I only have 30 miles so far.

Similar Products Used:
Old 1200. black with pink neon graphics to tell you how old it is. 2007 1500, and 2100.

Price Paid:  $1200.00 at On Your Bike

Favorite Ride:
Windsor

Bike Setup:
As stock except with some Profile Airstryke aerobars on. Full Ultegra components, Bontrager Select wheels and tires (until they wear out at least), pretty much everything else is Lemond branded I think.

Summary:
Wouldn't normally write a review after having the bike such a short time but have been deeply impressed with it so far. Wrote off my previous bike (cannondale R700) in a crash, didn't ride for a month while insurance came through and then first ride out on the Alpe D'Huez was an 80-miler with a group. Was expecting to have to hide in the middle of the pack while I found my legs again but instead found myself right up the front, particularly up the hills and into the wind. I also didn't suffer any of the aches and pains I was expecting towards the end of the ride after such a long time out of the saddle. Bike has continued to impress since, it's great on long group rides as it's pretty comfortable, but is also quick and aero enough to be a good triathlon bike with the bars fitted. Also impresses the roadies as it looks like a classic road bike! Beware of the long top tube if you're looking to get aero on it - I had to go for a 55cm frame (I'm 6'1") as on the larger frame sizes I would have been too stretched out with the aerobars on.

Strengths:
Climbs like a mountain goat. Geometry is fast yet reasonably comfortable. Good value for money - was only bike for the price I found with a good frame and wheels and full Ultegra.

Weaknesses:
None found so far.

Similar Products Used:
Cannondale R700 - caad 3, Ultegra
Trek 470 - steel frame, 105 components