LeMond Bicycles Alpe DeHuez Triple

Price Paid:  $800.00 at eBay

Favorite Ride:
Barnsdall (from tulsa)

Bike Setup:
factory stock

Summary:
I bought this bike based on the reviews already posted at this site. I have ridden a Motobecane reynolds steel frame since 1972. It's getting a bit old, so began to shop for a replacement and test-rode Cannondale and Specialized. Not too impressed with the feel of either. This bike rides like silk. that's what I actually think to myself frequently as I ride. I can't get over how smooth it is. I thought the brakes were over-sensitive and far more than needed until a week ago when a woman in a car full of kids pulled out in front of me without much room to stop. I don't even remember hitting the brakes. I just know that the bike tipped forward, rear wheel came up, front tire hit metal, and my wrists popped down onto her hood. I've been in two accidents before. Both times the front forks were mangled. This time I couldn't believe my eyes--literally looked the bike over and over. No damage. My wrists were a bit sore, but no damage to me either. I'm sure it was the brakes. I've ridden an older bike to test it for my son this week, and the brakes and tires reacted so differently just stopping at a light--long skid. Back on the Alpe, I could feel the incredible braking control. I'm a convert.

Strengths:
Brakes, gear shift levers and derailleurs, handlebar comfort, frame comfort, weight. Tires very easy to change. Bike cleans extremely well.

Weaknesses:
I'm wondering if lighter wheels wouldn't be nice. But at the price . . .

Similar Products Used:
Motobecane Grand Touring '72

Price Paid:  $1300.00 at River City Bicycles

Favorite Ride:
any and all

Bike Setup:
shimano 105 drive train (upgraded to ultegra when the 105 failed), tiagra hubset, SPD petals

Summary:
This bike has been my primary means of transportation for the last year +. It has been a very comfortable ride on many a rainy day commute as well as the occasional weekend century.

Strengths:
Very comfortable, solid frame, nice carbon fork, beautiful green paint

Weaknesses:
Shimano 105 durability, catastrophic rear wheel failure (built very poorly), tiagra hubset

Similar Products Used:
roadies and cruisers

Price Paid:  $1150.00 at Roaring Mouse Cycles

Favorite Ride:
San Francisco to Los Angeles

Bike Setup:
Stock except for the seat and tires.

Summary:
This review is a follow up to one I posted in November of 2002. It's been about 8 months since I purchased my LeMond. I have put nearly 2500 miles on it which includes a 600 mile in 7 days charity ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles earlier this month. The ride included 1100 riders and 300 volunteers. There were a LOT of LeMonds on the ride. My own experience was this: Not one problem. Not one misshift. Nothing except 3 flats due to glass on the side of the road. I Love My LeMond. That's all.

Strengths:
Reliable, reliable, and, oh yeah, reliable.

Weaknesses:
I changed the seat and tires for the ride.

Similar Products Used:
Fuji Cross which I still have and very much enjoy

Price Paid:  $1000.00 at Chain Reaction

Favorite Ride:
Leaving from home

Bike Setup:
Will be changing seat to suit preference, may upgrade brakes, wheels down the road.

Summary:
As a mountain biker, I bought this bike for training and so I could go riding with my 'roadie' and 'tri-geek' friends. I was toying with the idea of going for a $500 'entry-level' bke such as the Specialzed Allez with an alloy frame. After shopping around I really liked the idea of riding steel (no suspension on these things !) and felt it was worth it to get a bike with components that I won't feel the need to upgrade immediately. Test riding the Alp the bike just felt right. After a few rides I'm happy to report that the 105 components work flawlessly and the frame has a stiff yet compliant ride. The wheels and brakes could use an upgrade however. I guess you have to cut somewhere to keep the price under control ? These just happen to be the two main areas where the Lemond folks (a-hem Trek) strayed from the 105 spec. The Alpe comes with alloy brakes from some un-named manufacturer (knock-offs). I'm not sure that these brakes stop as well as Shimano's ? (I have yet to ride a bike with 105's on the same hills). As far as the wheels, the Tiagra hubs and the boring rims are adequate if not exciting. I don't consider the seat as it's such a personal thing I don't expect manufactures to try and get it right - the fact that the LBA gives a credit (however small) to swap seats is appreciated. At the $1000 price point this was one of the best deals going as far as I could tell. Two days after I bought my bike I brought one of my friends into the store who was also looking for a new road bike. I went in to show her the Alpe and the salesperson talked her into the Beunos Aires. For an extra $300 you get the same frame and fork as the Alpe with a full Ultegra group and Bontrager wheels. "The best deal in the store - if it was my money I would get the B.A." kind of pitch. As you might imagine I was kinda pissed that the shop didn't try to upsell me to the Buenos Aires ! I mean it didn't make me feel all that good about my purchase two days earlier - but I was $300 richer. The Ultegra group will get you more respect on the group rides but likely won't help you beat anyone up the hills - jury seems to be out on the Bontrager rims but they are lighter and certainly look more trick.
So my only real disappointment with this bike so far has to be the brakes. They just don't feel that strong. This could just be me getting used to the 'horse-shoe' style brakes after spending so many years riding Mountain Bikes with brakes that can stop me on a dime on the side of a hill. More investigation needed.

I now consider myself to be a 'Cyclist' and look forward to walking out the door to go for a road ride just as much as I do a Mtn. Bike ride. In this respect the bike has performed admirably in making road riding enjoyable and changing my attitude about road riding - it's not just for training anymore !

Strengths:
Steel is real,
105 group (almost),
Classic frame geometry

Weaknesses:
'no-name' brakes,
Tiagra hubs, boring rims
an all 105 groupo would have been nice

Similar Products Used:
Specialized Allez Sport
Lemond Buenos Aires

Price Paid:  $1150.00 at Roaring Mouse Cycles

Favorite Ride:
All Around San Francisco

Bike Setup:
Stock set up with mountain bike type clipless pedals

Summary:
Wasn't intending to get a new bike till next spring but Roaring Mouse put this bike on sale so I went down just to take a look. The shop owner is a great guy who spent the time to suggest this LeMond and he fit me to a t.

The only word I can use to describe the Alpe DeHuez is awesome. It is an excellent value for the price which should satisfy any recreational rider and maybe even some racers. The shifting is smooth and accurate and the steel frame if very comfortable for old guys like me.

Strengths:
Great components and Frame. Geometry is excellent for us less than stellar hill climbers!!

Weaknesses:
I will probably trade out the saddle in the near future.

Similar Products Used:
Fuji Cross