Fifty Plus (50+) - How many over 50 ride a Lemonds?

I wonder how many of us here ride a Lemonds? I got an 05 Tourmalet and love it, I bought it because it fit me better than the others I rode. My best time so far is 17 miles in one hour, I know many of you do better than that but so far its the best speed I have.

Lemond Sarthe here. Average 500 miles a month at 17+.

I ride a Lemond Buenos Aires. I usually do about 600 miles a month. I never use speed as a measure. Instead I use satisfaction as a measure of how successful a ride was.

Lemond BA

alomg with bikes listed below

I almost bought a new but older Tourmalet with the 853 Steel frame instead I found a great deal on the 05 with aluminum frame and I wonder if I missed out on a better ride, you know "Steel is Real". LOL But my bike rides so good I guess I will never know. I use several measures when I ride that add up to my satisfaction of how well I am doing in my quest for bike fitness, speed is one of them, another one is heart rate and while I do not as yet have a heart monitor, I like to go harder at the end so I am really pumped when I quit for the day. I also use a Garmin 201 and look back on my computer to measure my progress, currently I am averaging 90-120 miles a week but would like to get up to 600 miles a month. How many of you set goals for your cycling so you can measure improvements?

Fuuny timing on this thread. I've been looking at road bikes (ride a mtn.bike now), and have found the Lemond bikes to be the best fit. I've tried a lot, but there is something slightly different that just plain feels more comfortable to me. The one I'm considering is the Reno, it's about what my budget will allow for now, and seems good enough to last me for a good long while.

Fuuny timing on this thread. I've been looking at road bikes (ride a mtn.bike now), and have found the Lemond bikes to be the best fit. I've tried a lot, but there is something slightly different that just plain feels more comfortable to me. The one I'm considering is the Reno, it's about what my budget will allow for now, and seems good enough to last me for a good long while.

I test rode a Reno before I found my Tourmalet and the ride is the same, I was going to buy the Reno til I found a better deal. THe fit is what sold me on Lemond.

Have a BA- Nice Bike. I've slowed down this year. Avg about 15 mph. 1100 miles to date 2005, about 400 behind last year this time.

I've seen Trekke's scarthe, Really Really nice bike!

My first road bike was a Nevada City. Bought a Buenos Aires last year. Love 'em both.

Have a BA- Nice Bike. I've slowed down this year. Avg about 15 mph. 1100 miles to date 2005, about 400 behind last year this time.

I've seen Trekke's scarthe, Really Really nice bike!
Hi Red Baron, rode by your place yesterday. Had some young kid named Brian from Midway ride with me a while. He scared me. You could tell he had not much road experience. I cut up Aiiken Blvd and sent him towards US 62. Hope he made it. Scarthe - what is that? :) See ya. Hope your back is feeling better. Mark crashed last week and is now hamburger man. He will live though. :)

How do we account for the "good fit" some of you report? Precisely how do Lemonds differ from other popular road frames? It might be a frame "squareness" (ratio of top tube length to seat tube length) issue ... I simply don't know.

Have a BA- Nice Bike. I've slowed down this year. Avg about 15 mph. 1100 miles to date 2005, about 400 behind last year this time.

I've seen Trekke's scarthe, Really Really nice bike!


1100 miles to date seems pretty good. I am riding mainly to improve my health and it's fun too. I have a question, when you have a physical, does your doctor say the cycling has helped you a lot? I have a physical set up for next month and I am hoping all the cycling I have been doing will result in lower cholesterol readings. I would also like to see better heart rates, etc.

1100 miles to date seems pretty good. I am riding mainly to improve my health and it's fun too. I have a question, when you have a physical, does your doctor say the cycling has helped you a lot? I have a physical set up for next month and I am hoping all the cycling I have been doing will result in lower cholesterol readings. I would also like to see better heart rates, etc.

glassman - thanks for the question. Dr says cycling is very helpful. BUT my cholesterol has always been at a 223 or so :( . Dr says exercise does not excuse poor eating habits when cholesterol is concerned, and perhaps even weight - its been hard to drop below 200lbs this year for some reason (perhaps love them sweets too much).
Blood pressure usually 130/80 or 140/90. But Dr was amazed during recent heart stress test (I'm 58). HR was 58 start and was hard to hit 130 even at time limit. He shut it down and said don't worry, ain't nothing wrong in that area of Body.

Trekkie - I keep missing ya, I ride odd hrs and often on a whim. Did 37 today (got off work this afternoon) - did Hanley Hill PHEW! On my BA, its a triple and a 12-27 casette in back. Legs are now like rubber.
For all you reading this, Hanley Ln. is a single lane road on a hill down by the KY river going up a holler near the KY river to a high plain, about 0.8 mile in length, rises about 500 feet, averages 16% Grade (figured cosine than calculated angle) Hits 20% at a few points from a crude inclinometer measurement. Most folks won't go DOWN as they are concerned brakes will give way. ( miss the stop sign at bottom and you could be in troube). Its near an old distillery were Jim Beam is still stored (scent was strong today!!!)
Actually, Old Taylor and Old Crow original distillerey.

Good luck glassman on your Physical

Thanks Red Baron,
I have changed my diet in addition to all the excercise I have been getting. I now eat whle Bran cerials with high fiber, double fiber breads, food that have 0 cholosterol but I do enjoy steaks once or twice a week, I still take Zocor but I am hoping for a real reduction, enough that the DR may say I don't need Zocor. I had an accident tonight on my Tourmalet, I ride in the country and traffic got real bad for a few minutes and I had to get off on shoulder which is loose gravel and I crashed my bike, I was going slow but bike slid out from under me, only hurt my pride, the chain did come off but I got going again and went home. I was glad I had my riding gloves on.

hi
i haven't posted in this forum before but i saw the reference to LeMond. i am going to be 63 this year (nov) and i teach 2 spin classes a week at a local gym. i have been doing this since january and recently bought a road bike (classic 1989 miyata 914) to get some real riding experience. the connection, all the spin bikes are Lemond, they are very good, stable smooth quiet. does that count? :)

My "Sunday Bike" is a LeMond Victoire. I call her "White Lightening".

I ride a Lemond Zurich. It's a comfortable, sweet ride. The geometry fits me well. I am 60 and average around 16 mph on 30-50 mile rides in rolling countryside. If I push myself, I can average 17 mph. My goal is to routinely average 17 mph with moderate exertion. Speed is not important to me except as a way to gauge whether or not I am improving my fitness level. Of course, with age chipping away at my upper physical limits, just maintaining the status quo would probably be a good thing!

1100 miles to date seems pretty good. I am riding mainly to improve my health and it's fun too. I have a question, when you have a physical, does your doctor say the cycling has helped you a lot? I have a physical set up for next month and I am hoping all the cycling I have been doing will result in lower cholesterol readings. I would also like to see better heart rates, etc.
My Doctor just listens to my heart and shakes his head. Resting HR is <50, BP is perfect, sugar is perfect and cholesteral is 160. He always ask me how my cycling is going and says he sees me out riding sometimes. I always ask him for his opinion on the amount I ride. He always just says he is still thinking about it. Been that way for 5 years. Behind my back he really thinks I am a nut I believe but his professional attitude wont let him say it to my face. Strange relationship him and I have.

I ride a Lemond Zurich. It's a comfortable, sweet ride. The geometry fits me well. I am 60 and average around 16 mph on 30-50 mile rides in rolling countryside. If I push myself, I can average 17 mph. My goal is to routinely average 17 mph with moderate exertion. Speed is not important to me except as a way to gauge whether or not I am improving my fitness level. Of course, with age chipping away at my upper physical limits, just maintaining the status quo would probably be a good thing!

I agree with your statement. All of our lives we are taught at our jobs to be efficient and whatever I do, I try to be efficient and while I know cycling is about having fun, I have more fun measuring my progress as I get as physically fit as possible for someone who is 54. I neglected this engine for too long and now I want it tuned up....I am sure most feel the same way. I also like how the wind blows thru my helment when I am flying down a hill as fast as I can go......tonight as I was riding, I saw 2 cyclists ahead of me, probably 3/4 of a miles and for some reason I started pedaling faster thinking I might be able to catch them.....I did catch them, 2 women, a lady and her 17 year old daughter, but I still felt good to catch them and pass them....... :)

For any of you who do not have a Lemond, there are 30 on Ebay right now
http://sporting-goods.listings.ebay.com/_Cycling_Road-Bikes-Parts_LeMond_W0QQa14Z30327QQalistZa14QQfclZ3QQfromZR2QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQgcsZ1516QQpagetypeZ2QQpfidZ18 41QQpfmodeZ2QQreqtypeZ2QQsacatZ22680QQsocdpfcatZ98084QQsocmdZListingItemList

:)

I ride a '02 Alpe D' Huez which is the newest bike in my "stable". I really love the ride of the 853 steel, although I do miss having lugs simply because of their beauty.

Lately my other bikes are losing riding time to the Lemond.

How do we account for the "good fit" some of you report? Precisely how do Lemonds differ from other popular road frames? It might be a frame "squareness" (ratio of top tube length to seat tube length) issue ... I simply don't know.

Longer top tube, better fit for people with longer torsos relative to legs. They don't fit me at all.

I rode some Treks, etc and I rode a Lemonds and it was more confortable to me riding the Lemonds, I usually only get to ride 10-30 miles a day but I really like mine. I don't know if the steel is better, some say it has a better ride.

I picked up a Zurick this year. I was going to buy this bike last year but it took me awhile to get comfy with the new frame technology. I really liked the all steel frame. But no complaints. I love this bike. I bought it after not being able to feel the difference when compared to bikes costing $1000 to $1500 more. Great bike!

Someone is trying to sell me a lemond zurich for $1200, the bike is an 2004, any opinions are appreciated.

Someone is trying to sell me a lemond zurich for $1200, the bike is an 2004, any opinions are appreciated.

Man, that price sounds too good to be true! The Zurich is a one-up on the Buenos Aires, which retails for about 1,800 in my LBS.

I am 55. I started riding 18 months ago w the purchase of a 2004 steel/carbon Lemond Zurich. I have 3500 miles on the Lemond now. Every other ride includes a 9% hill that I ride down at 40 to 46 mph and that I climb back up at 6 to 7 mph which keeps my pulse around 160 bpm. My blood pressure and pulse are lower. I am a little leaner. I am a lot more relaxed and more centered. My 4 to 5 times a week rides are my treats to myself. I ride my Lemond for rides of 2 hours or more. I also have a new Specialized E5 that I ride for fast rides of 2 hours or less.

I found a leftover 2003 Victoire at the LBS in the spring of 2004 for under 2 grand. Nice titanium bike with Ultegra components. I grabbed it and have never looked back.

Now a question about Lemond geometry. I know the top tube is longer, but is it really that significant? All I know is that I'm pretty average in a lot of ways and that the bike seems to fit. When I hear people talk about frame geometry, I just can't seem to grasp the subtleties. Is there a link somewhere to a simple explanation?

Blackberry:

The longer top tube does not matter as much as the laid back seat tube which puts you father behind the cranks than on most bikes. You end up pushing over the top of the cranks with your glutes rather than pushing down with your quads.

Blackberry:

The longer top tube does not matter as much as the laid back seat tube which puts you father behind the cranks than on most bikes. You end up pushing over the top of the cranks with your glutes rather than pushing down with your quads.

Mille grazie, Many thanks!

I haven't been getting any miles in (knee problem), but I own a Lemond Zurich. It's a nice ride, but is relegated to secondary status until I get a chance to really "break-in" my Giant OCR2 Comp.

I am riding mainly to improve my health and it's fun too. I have a question, when you have a physical, does your doctor say the cycling has helped you a lot? I have a physical set up for next month and I am hoping all the cycling I have been doing will result in lower cholesterol readings. I would also like to see better heart rates, etc.

glassman - How did the physical go? I trust your cycling improved your health? :)

Red Baron,
The physical I had went well, the last time I had been to the Doctor was Dec 2004 and I weighed 203, now I am 167 lbs. My blood pressure is was 116/69 with heartrate 52. The doctor said I should keep riding my bike, I lost the weight when I started a diet and excercise plan on April 15, 2005. As a result of the physical, the Doctor set me up with a colonoscopy and they found one polop but no problems and my blood pressure right before the colonoscopy was 113/69 48 and the nurse asked me if I was an athlete which was a compliment to me at 54 years old. I try to ride 15 miles a day every evening etween 7pm and 8. The reason I decicded in April to get into better shape was my son joined the Marines and I told him I would run with him when he got home from boot camp which will be Aug 15. It is taking him 3 weeks longer because of some injuries he received. In April I could not run about 100 yards and now I can run a mile in 8:40 which is not great but better. I try to walk 2 miles a day and ride the bike 15 and will be seeing if the mile run is better this week. I am looking forward to going to Parris Island, NC in a few weeks to see my son who will be a brand new Marine, I guess you know I am proud of him. He writes that he runs 3 miles in 21 minutes which I don't think I will ever do.... :)

The physical I had went well, 203, now I am 167 lbs. 116/69 with heartrate 52. The doctor said I should keep riding my bike,----- nurse asked me if I was an athlete which was a compliment to me at 54 years old. ------I could not run about 100 yards and now I can run a mile in 8:40 ------- my son who will be a brand new Marine, I guess you know I am proud of him. He writes that he runs 3 miles in 21 minutes which I don't think I will ever do.... :)

WOW!!!!! Way to Go!!!!!!!!
sounds like you inded ahave a son to be proud of and he has like-wise a "Hem-Hem - old man" to be proud of! :D :D :D

WOW!!!!! Way to Go!!!!!!!!
sounds like you inded ahave a son to be proud of and he has like-wise a "Hem-Hem - old man" to be proud of! :D :D :D


Thanks Red Baron,
Yes I am proud of my Marine, he went thru the cruicible this week which is 54 hours of hard work. In a couple of weeks I will see what the Marines made out of my son.