Road Cycling - LeMond Cycles

I was interested in buying one, can I ask what the best brand you all think it is, and what is it about LeMond that everyone likes?

hmmm, well i have limited knowledge here, but i'll see if i can't help out a little. You're right people do seem to like the Lemond bikes. why? Well of course there's the name. Greg Lemond is a legendary cycling figure. Greg also has input in the frame design and spec'd the geometry to give the bike a more relaxed feel while still being a blast to ride. i hear they're great bikes for long rides. Also the Lemond bikes offer some nice steel frames while many other brands have switched to aluminium. Finally, the bikes have a clean, classic look to them instead of crazy shaped tubing and decals all over the place. The best bike is one that fits you and allows you to ride lots. Go for some test rides and shop around. good luck

I was looking at the LeMonds this week. I have not ridden one they did not have one close to my size at the shop I visited. RoadBikeReview.com had 9 great write-ups. for 2001 they stiffened up the back end of the Zurich and used the new 853 steel that is supposed to be stronger joints. I can't wait to give it a try.

good luck. I will let you know how I do.

They ride real nice and handle very well. They used to be a very good choice for people with long thighs as they had a lot of "set-back". The seat tubes are a little more "upright" now so they'll fit more people. The Zurich mentioned above is owned and really, really liked/loved by several people I know.

Here's a lame response - but I bought my Zurich because when I was shopping for bikes - I sat on this and the first thought that popped in my head is 'Wow, this is my bike'. I loved the fit, the look, the components, everything. It just felt great. I knew I wanted steel, so my search was somewhat narrow - but I bought it based on that gut feel and have not had any regrets.

SO what is the reason to go with steel over aluminum? I ride a hybrid right now, but when I go to find a road bike (hopefully this summer) should I look for steel? What are the benefits?

benefits of steel:
affordable
proven long term durability
far more "fixable" when damaged (crashes etc.)
has superior ride qualities; smoothness, lively feel, compliance etc., vs other frame materials, the only exception may be titanium and possibly carbon which are generally far more expensive and far less "fixable" and carbon may be more easily damaged in a crash

I just bought a 2006 leftover LeMond Tourmalet. A very nice bike for under $1000 ($839 at my lbs). I haven't enough bike knowledge to make recomendations, I would think anyone looking for a new road bike would at least want to take a good look at LeMond.

i ride an Alpe D'huez....i love the "relaxed" feel....it's not like your sitting upright, but in comparison to others i test rode it was more comfy to me...I've had mine for bout 1 and half years now and i still love it! Plus i like the clean look that it gives...some bikes get a lil crazy with the colors

Fit is excellent for my bod. 6'1, long torso,32 pant length. I was actually looking for a Trek when I bought my 05 Tourmalet. I like d the way my old TRek fit and rode. My 58 cm Cannondale was long on the toptube. Had to make many adjustments. Trek had some funky paintjobs when I was shopping.
I looked at the Lemond as it was a classic clean look. Sat on it and said, "this is it". Fit even better than the Trek (57 cm).

Cannondale is a better climber as it's stiffer because of the big diameter tubes. Lemond is aluminum also but a bit flexy with it's small tubes. But when it comes to comfort, the Lemond is much better and smoother. Probably because of the small tubes. If I were to race I'd use the Canni, but for my style, the Lemond. Did 23 centuries in 2005 on it. Every ride was a good ride. One solo century was 5:45 on the Canni. Same course on the Lemond was 7 or 8 minutes longer in time. But for the comfort, well worth it. But then again, it could have been the weather!:D

I just bought a Lemond Sarthe because it was steel, fit me well, rides GREAT and is nicely finished. I got Ultegra bits and it was very cost competitive compared to the others. Plus, mine is made in the USA, which might matter to some people - that was not a clincher to me but I like that fact.

One reason a lot of people prefer LeMond bikes is that they give you a more relaxed riding position (slacker seat tube angle) than other Trek bikes. LeMond bikes are made by Trek, so values and quality levels are pretty much the same.

LeMond used to have a lot of steel models, but most of those disappeared a couple of years ago.

Holy old thread batman...jumps from April 01 to April 07

Ha! I was wondering about the 853 steel reference near the OP. Not so long ago but a lot has changed. For 2007, only one steel model is offered. The rest, just aluminum, aluminum/carbon, or full carbon. I wonder if the OP bought a Lemond?