LeMond Bicycles Big Sky S

Price Paid:  $700.00 at Hudson Trail Outfitt

Model Year:
2004

Bike Setup:
Other than tweaking seat height and handlebar angle it's just as standard as it can be - I never even upgraded to clipless pedals since I like hopping on and riding without having to change shoes - and getting off the bike and walking around or playing at the park with my son without looking like a dork.

Summary:
After years of being a mountain biker, last year I switched to my first road bike since riding my dad's Schwinn 10-speed. I didn't want to spend a ton of money in case I found I didn't like it, I wanted a sturdy bike I could ride over a curb without feeling like I was going to bend the rims (I guess from what I've seen I'm a bigger rider at 6 feet and 205 lbs), I wanted enough comfort to do a 100 mile charity ride without needing a week to recover, and I needed a bike I could put a child seat on so I could take my toddler along. So last year I bought a Big Sky S. It has been an excellent bike in all regards. When I was shopping I had really hoped to find a bike with Shimano 105 components as the Sora setup seemed a bit awkward and looked kinda cheap. However, the SL upgrade cost half again what the bike costs so I decided to take my chances. The gamble had paid off so far. After an adjustment period of changing the angle of the handlebars I found one in which I could comfortably shift without moving my hands on the bars and since then it's been great. It shifts cleanly and reliably and no longer even feels awkward, so it's definitely possible to get used to the Sora setup. I have had steady, reliable shifting even in the very hilly areas I tend to ride. I haven't done the 100 mile charity ride yet but I feel confident that the bike is up to the task. It provides a very comfortable ride with an excellent saddle that just seems to get better with age and a suspension seatpost to keep the bad bumps from requiring me to sit on an icepack. I mostly do 12-15 mile rides with my son on the back of it and the comfort for those has been excellent. When I ride with "real" riders (people who spend thousands of dollars on their bikes and outfits and shoes and go riding just about every decent day) I can keep up fine on it (we're not racing or anything just biking) - it feels stable through turns at speed, has plenty of gear range for climbing hills (which I end up doing a lot of as I live and bike in a hilly area) shifts reliably, and has had no breakdowns despite a good number of miles on not so great roads, being ridden up and down those big city curbs and generally treated more like a commuter bike than a racing bike. I don't go out of my way to avoid small patches of rough pavement etc. like I see the "real" riders doing and the bike is up to that kind of mild abuse. I'm sure its heavy the way I load it with a small tool puch, sturdy bike lock and full water bottle (well - it starts full) so I never worried about the components not being the lightest - it's sturdy and comfortable and that was more important to me. I love to move to the top ride position of the handelbars on downhills too - the wide bars and upper brake levers make it feel solid enough to be safe at high speed and the wind on a good fast downhill in that upright position will really refresh you. If you're not racing, little details like that make a big diffference in how much fun it is to ride and how comfortable you can be on a long ride - I'd give up a few ounces here and there for that any day. In sum I think it's a great bike - especially for a larger sized rider that want to go farther, rather than faster, in greater comfort thatn the narrow tucked position of a racing bike and who rides for fun. Finally, as an ex-mountain bike rider let me say that this bike is still fast - by mountain bike standards it's real fast, and 12-15 miles on it is way easier than on a comparably priced mountain bike - so if you're rec. riding on the road - this could be a great choice.

Strengths:
Durability, ride comfort. value

Weaknesses:
Pretty heavy of course - especially with a 30+ pound child on the back but I figure that just makes it better exercise. It has had absolutely no hidden weaknesses - it's in fact to me a better bike than it appears on paper.

Similar Products Used:
Previously rode mountain bikes - so nothing really. Test rode a whole lot of bikes before buying this one though - which I highly recommend. It was the way this one fit that sold me on it - I especially recommend test-riding hills if you can as it separated the bikes much more in my mind.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Model Year:
2004

Favorite Ride:
Going-to-the-sun road, Glacier NP

Summary:
Bought this for my wife who was interested in starting to ride with me. Upgraded it with a mix of components, including 105 shifter/brake levers, and had to get narrower handlebars and a women's saddle to suit her, but ride is mostly (90%) stock.

I have to say, I ride a pretty nice bike, but for the money I put into it, it had better be nice. I figured the Big Sky would be good enough to get my wife riding, and it was fairly cheap, now I can't say enough good things about it. A bike at this price that rides (so she tells me) this well is something else!

My wife went from barely wanting to ride with me, to looking forward to the summer so she can get back out there for more! She even averaged over 18 mph for a 15 mile TT after she had the bike for only 2 weeks, no special aero set-up at all.

Basically this ride does everthing well, is comfy (I'm told) and was a great bargin... can you beat that???

Strengths:
Does everything well... can't beat that!

Weaknesses:
Well, I'm not a fan of the Sora/Tiagra stuff, but I luckily had some 105 upgrades on hand which are much better.

Similar Products Used:
I ride a LeMond Buenos Aires, this is my wife's first bike.

Price Paid:  $1150.00 at Bike Doctor Waldorf,

Favorite Ride:
Lemond Big Sky SL

Bike Setup:
Stock 61cm

Summary:
I just purchased two of the Lemond Big Sky products, the "S" and "SL". First, I am a big guy, 6'2" 270lbs, and the Big Sky bikes have the setup that gives me more comfort and speed. The drops are wider, so my arms don't ache nearly as much when I was riding the Trek I owned last year. This bike for the money is sweet. I love the color, black, and the way it easily climbs hills. The shifting for Sora components is not bad either.

Strengths:
Price and frame unbeatable at this price. Gel grips are a nice touch too.

Weaknesses:
Alex rims with 36 hole, 15 gauge spokes. Having new ones built as I am writing this.

Similar Products Used:
Trek, Giant, Raleigh