LeMond Bicycles Alpe d'Huez Triple

Price Paid:  $1399.00 at Palo Alto Bicycles

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Bay Trail

Bike Setup:
Bontrager ergo bar swapped on, Blue Fizik bartape added on (awesome looking with the blue paint). $5 cheap SPD-style pedals so I can keep my mtn bike shoes.

Summary:
I've got 2 mountain bikes, one FS Rocky Mountain, and an old Schwinn beater, but all my mtb riding partners moved away, so I figured a road bike would be a nice solo-sport. I haven't had a road bike since I was 12, so I shopped around a lot. I got fitted for and test road a Trek Madone, Cannondale Synapse, Cannondale Six13, Specialized Allez, Specialized TriCross, and I briefly glanced at an old Kestrel on clearance...This bike resembles the Trek Madone more closely than any of the others in road vibration dampening, fit, and acceleration. The C-dale Synapse had inferior wheels for the money unless I went with the more expensive Six13. The Trek was lighter, but the cost difference is insane, and there's no $1500 carbon fiber Trek out there (unless you can find a clearance 5000). The Lemond rides so similar to the Madone, but probably weighs about 2-3 lbs more for 1 grand less. Only complaint so far is the Cane Creek Brakes need better pads. I actually love the seat, the drivetrain, the tires and the wheels. They combine to make for the most silky smooth ride I've ever experienced. There is zero vibration, and it's really easy to just get back behind the seat and soak up torn up road parts like a mtn bike . It's so comfy that I'm almost regretting purchasing $130 bike shorts, I just don't NEED the padding.

Strengths:
Smooth operation, excellent road noise dampening with frame. The Carbon Spine frame idea is pure genius, it works as advertised. Acceleration is awesome. Great parts for the price. Smooth wheels. Price! Gorgeous paint job.

Weaknesses:
It's about 19 lbs. Non-ergo bars had to be swapped, 6'2"+ riders shouldn't have non-ergo bars unless you have small hands imo. Brake pads suck. Minor paint chips/errors around chainstay. Triple chainring looks stupid in black.

Similar Products Used:
Rocky Mountain Slayer 30, Schwinn Sierra from 1989, Klein Attitude Comp, Trek 9000 SLR. Test rode: Trek Madone, Cannondale Synapse, Cannondale Six13, Specialized Allez, Specialized TriCross.

Price Paid:  $950.00 at Lakeland Trek

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Anywhere

Bike Setup:
Stock

Summary:
If there's one word to describe this bike, it's "smooth". With the carbon fiber seatstays and chainstays, this bike just soaks up any road bumps, to the point of almost feeling a bit squishy. Even with the stock seat, it feels like riding on air. The 105/Ultegra group work very nicely for anything that I'm going to throw at it. The bike weighs in at about 20.5 lbs. for the 55cm version and looks really sharp with the brushed aluminum finish.

I got a great deal on this bike and couldn't be happier.

Strengths:
Price (purchased in 2007 as a leftover)
Ride
Looks

Weaknesses:
Tires - the Bontrager tires are uneven

Similar Products Used:
Dawes Lightning Sport ($200 brand new off eBay; that should tell you what kind of bike it is)

Price Paid:  $1350.00 at LBS

Model Year:
2004

Favorite Ride:
Coleman Valley Road, CA

Bike Setup:
LeMond Alpe d'Huez (2004) with Selle Italia Gelflow Titanium seat, Hutchinson Fusion Comp tires, Look pedals

Summary:
A smooth ride, comparable to the steel frames I own. Good quality aluminum tubes and a decent carbon fork make for a wonderful ride. Great acceleration; climbs like a goat. Superb handling and light weight make for a race-ready steed.

Strengths:
Frame weight, fork, gruppo, geometry and stiffness, acceleration and conering, decent wheelset.

Weaknesses:
Crummy seat, crummy tires, crummy pedals, good wheelset, but with failure-prone hubs. Would have opted for a compact-double crank instead of a triple--wish I had gotten the standard double instead. A new seat, tires, pedals and wheels would turn this great bike into an amazing bike ready for your next race.

Similar Products Used:
Bianchi Veloce, Trek 1200, LeMond Buenos Aires (2002)