Surly Lemond

bluefrom

my local LBS said he had a special sale

Lemond Poprad complete (white canti) for 1199.99 plus tax...

is this a good deal? Should I be swayed by this deal? Please advise.

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M_S

What do you want to do with the bike?

bluefrom

What do you want to do with the bike?

I've decided I wanted a fast cross bike that makes me feel like a kid again yet durable enough to handle semi-harsh road conditions. No touring, well at least nothing more than a weekend tour and perhaps trying Cross racing before I have to settle down. Basically I'm looking for a multi-purpose bike that I can commute on daily to work (2-3 miles one way) and still do the things I've listed above.

abbynemmy

For what you are looking to do with the bike, I'd definitely go with the Poprad.

sfcrossrider

For what you are looking to do with the bike, I'd definitely go with the Poprad.

I agree and I own a crosscheck.

bluefrom

ah so the quality of the ride is without a doubt good, I'm wondering if the price is any good for the bike.

M_S

You get better components and a nicer tubeset for the frame with the jump to the Poprad. it's also a slightly racier bike. The surly is king of versatility, though for what you want, I'd go for Poprad.

Caveats: First, nearly any bike on earth will work for your commute distance (I know because that's about how long mine is). Secondly if you're just getting into riding I would set aside a good 150 bucks for pedals and shoes. I like eggbeaters, though SPDs work too and lots of people like Time. Also, you may want to get some cycling specific clothing if your recreational rides are of any significant distance (shorts take priority here).

markhr

...Lemon Poprad complete (white canti) for 1199.99 plus tax...

I'd buy the lemond poprad.

urodacus

surly lemond? yes, he was, by all accounts.

abbynemmy

ah so the quality of the ride is without a doubt good, I'm wondering if the price is any good for the bike.

The MSRP is $1650. Most LBS sell them for $1499, thats what I paid for mine. $1199 is a great price, I'd jump on it.

dirtyphotons

when i go on a weekend trip, i like to carry stuff on a rear rack. same if i have a bunch of stuff to bring to work. the poprad does not have rack mounts, and seatpost mounted racks suck.

i also commute daily through the winter, and i gotta tell you it's real nice to have fenders. fenders are possible on the poprad, but your choices are limited due again to the lack of provisions.

carbon fiber tech has come a long way, and carbon forks are very reliable. but when speed is not the primary concern i like the peace of mind that comes with a steel fork.

i'd rather ride the poprad in a race, for sure. but the other 345 days a year i'd prefer the crosscheck.

fender1

2008 Poprad does have rack & fender mounts.

dirtyphotons

2008 Poprad does have rack & fender mounts.

is this not the 2008?

http://www.lemondbikes.com/bikes/cross/poprad.php

it's white and has cantis so i assumed that this was the bike the op was referring to. i don't see any mounts.

MIN

Sounds fishy. That's less than dealer cost. See if the specs agree with the website's listed specs.

And no, the 2008 Poprad does not have rear rack braze-ons.

Not the Slowest

While the Poprad has no braze-ons there are some very good
options to attach your frame to the back seat stays and front fork.

Try
http://www.tubus.com/index/lang/en/rubrik/Spares%20and%20Accessories/

There are other options from most manufacturers of frames.

Good luck

abbynemmy

The Poprad does have one set of eyelets on the back. I have my Poprad Disc set up for commuting. I have the rack mounted to the eyelets and I use Planet Bike Speedez fenders.

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/abbynemmy/tourer.jpg

roseskunk

be sure that you can get your bars high enough on a surly. if you're buying a complete bike, they cut the steer tube short. i bought a surly last year and before it left the shop i had to purchase a second fork to try to make it fit me. it's still not right and the company did nothing to help. surly might be a fine company, but i'll never buy anything from them again. just my opinion.

dirtyphotons

^surly is a division of qbp, which supplies most bike shops in the united states. it's virtually impossible to avoid buying anything from them.

i work in a shop and when we get crosschecks they come with an uncut (very long) steerer. i suspect that surly didn't fix the problem because cuitting the steerer too short was the shop's fault and they should've made it right.

again, if the op is talking about the 2008 white cantilever-brake poprad that i linked to above, it lacks provisions for a rack and fenders.

fenders are not too hard to manage, there are a number of ways you can attach them which are satisfactory because fenders don't carry any load. there are also possibilities for attaching a rack but in my opinion they're either expensive or they lack the sturdiness of a simple threaded rack mount.

bluefrom

I test rode the bike today and maybe it's me but are your elbows suppose to feel a bit of pain after the ride? I did lock out my arms when riding but was it because of that or are all these cc bikes suppose to feel that way? (the asphalt was a little bumpy when i test rode it)

markhr

Just have the bike fitted properly and you shouldn't have any comfort issues. Why did you feel the need to lock out your elbows, was the reach too great?

bluefrom

my standover eight is 28 inches and the bike is 30, however my torso fits well I think. Is standover height crucial? If so, I might have to miss out on this deal and get a smaller size.

markhr

...Is standover height crucial?...

Yes, it's relatively easy to make a small bike fit a larger person but there's not a lot you can do if the bike is too large in the first place.

idcruiserman

Good fit is more important than getting a good deal.

bluefrom

ah, good news, my lbs guy is awesome! They didn't have a 49 available in the store but said they would order it for me to test ride, only thing is I would have to pay the shipping fee. He would also honor the same price for the smaller size down. Will report back with more progress, and once I get the bike new pics will be posted!

EDIT

I just realized, my bike won't come with any pedals... I hear egg beaters are great but ti/platform is also good... I've exhausted my research abilities for the night, any suggestions? (If I do get the egg beaters...what is the recommended shoes? If I get normal platform, which ones? advise por favor)

grueling

If you do try Cross racing, having a bike that is too large would be a real issue - especially standover height.

markhr

...I just realized, my bike won't come with any pedals... I hear egg beaters are great but ti/platform is also good... I've exhausted my research abilities for the night, any suggestions? (If I do get the egg beaters...what is the recommended shoes? If I get normal platform, which ones? advise por favor)

Having been warned off crankbros so often it's not even funny anymore...

Time, every time!
http://www.timesport.fr/us/home.htm
http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/manufacturers/3421/

http://www.fullcycles.com/images/time-atac-xs-carbon.jpg

Sidi SRS only!
http://www.sidisport.com/
http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/manufacturers/3490/

http://www.terrengsykkel.no/img/guide/tester/full/sidi-under.jpg