Road Cycling - LeMond Demo

LeMond and Fisher bicycles are sponsoring a series of demos nation wide. I believe the first one was today in Spokane, Wa. I am planning on attending the one in Baltimore. If anyone attends any of these, let us know if they are worth the effort.

Thanks.

dude, when is the Baltimore demo? I can get to b-more in like 20minutes!

dude, when is the Baltimore demo? I can get to b-more in like 20minutes!

Its' 13 December from 9:00AM to 3:00pm at Patapsco State Park in Elkridge. There are directions on the LeMond web site on how to get there.

http://www.lemondbikes.com/news/event_detail.jsp?articleId=6320&category=lemonddemo

I'll be the old, bald guy drooling on the Zurich!

Probably not much of a demo here today - it's been snowing and cold all day.

ack... 2 in San FRancisco, 1 in my wife's old home town, State College, Pa... but ZERO in the SoCal area !

ack !

Jeff

ack... 2 in San FRancisco, 1 in my wife's old home town, State College, Pa... but ZERO in the SoCal area !

ack !

Jeff
Actually, 4:) I don't think I'll end up going since the store I buy/work at allows test rides. A friend's father just got the Zurich and absolutely loves it.

Hmmm. I just got a Buenos Aires, but I might go to try out the Zurich, just to see if the uptick in components is discernable at all.

Hmmm. I just got a Buenos Aires, but I might go to try out the Zurich, just to see if the uptick in components is discernable at all.

I would be very interested in your opinion vis-a-vis the BA and Zurich. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that Ultrega is much superior to 105, which would mean, theoretically, the Zurich should be much superior to the BA.

Its' 13 December from 9:00AM to 3:00pm at Patapsco State Park in Elkridge. There are directions on the LeMond web site on how to get there.

http://www.lemondbikes.com/news/event_detail.jsp?articleId=6320&category=lemonddemo

I'll be the old, bald guy drooling on the Zurich!

hmm, this sounds very tempting. I just might have to clear the schedule...

EDIT: Holy crap! that is like two seconds from my house!! I've been mtbing there a million times!!

hmm, this sounds very tempting. I just might have to clear the schedule...

EDIT: Holy crap! that is like two seconds from my house!! I've been mtbing there a million times!!

Just out of curiosity, what bike shop do you patronize most often?

I have a Bike Doctor within 5 minutes of my house and it is fantastic.

I went to the demo in Spokane and I thought it was ran really well. I rode 2 Kleins, 1 Trek (I'm actually thinking of buying the Liquid now), 1 GF - but, sorry no Lemond. However, there were no time limits on the ride time, so you could probably take one out for a 10 mi ride with no problems.

I went to the demo in Spokane and I thought it was ran really well. I rode 2 Kleins, 1 Trek (I'm actually thinking of buying the Liquid now), 1 GF - but, sorry no Lemond. However, there were no time limits on the ride time, so you could probably take one out for a 10 mi ride with no problems.
They have Trek's out as well? Which model if so?

They have Trek's out as well? Which model if so?

They had Carbon road bikes (I don't remember the model), Fuel 100s and Liquids. They also had the Klein with the maverick rear end, Palomino (s?) I think (I didn’t care for it). The only bike I was just smitten with was the Liquid. It rode well, was relatively light (28lbs) and could handle some big hits. The most impressive thing about it though was the SPV shock and fork. The bike felt like it had less than 1" of travel until you need it. No lockout, just a soft tail like feeling until a bump is hit - then it feels like an awesome 5" travel bike. Absolutely no bobbing, no matter your pedal stroke or what gear your in.

All of the mountain bikes were full XTR - with discs.

hey, what's the big deal? can't you get test rides at your LBS?

hey, what's the big deal? can't you get test rides at your LBS?

Once or twice around the parking log doesn't cut it. The demo supposedly will allow a longer ride.

its not the same, man...

I would feel bad if I had no intention of buying the bike and I had the LBS prep the bike for test ride.

Trek Rider, I usually go to race pace bicycles in ellicott city. Id rate it like a 6 or so on selection, but the service is great, and I'm on pretty good terms with the guys there.

how much prep needs to happen? change the pedals, pump up the tires...my LBS has allowed me to take test rides of more than a half hour. it just depends if the right size is around. I guess if the truck showed up with a good stock of sizes, it makes it easier, but if there is a line waiting for a ride, it might be a pain.

how much prep needs to happen? change the pedals, pump up the tires...my LBS has allowed me to take test rides of more than a half hour. it just depends if the right size is around. I guess if the truck showed up with a good stock of sizes, it makes it easier, but if there is a line waiting for a ride, it might be a pain.

Most LBS's do not want customers taking several models out at a time without some intention of buying - at these demo's you could'nt buy one of these bikes if you wanted to - absolutly no pressure to buy. It might not be such a big deal with road bikes, but when I demo'd the mtn bikes I was taking them off 5ft drops and hammering through mud - I just could'nt do that to my LBS.

Most LBS's do not want customers taking several models out at a time without some intention of buying - at these demo's you could'nt buy one of these bikes if you wanted to - absolutly no pressure to buy. It might not be such a big deal with road bikes, but when I demo'd the mtn bikes I was taking them off 5ft drops and hammering through mud - I just could'nt do that to my LBS.

5 foot drops! I know my medical insurance is up to date, but age is catching up with me...I'll stick to road riding. I guess I'm hanging around my LBS too much, they'll always encouraging me to take out the latest stuff.

its not the same, man...

I would feel bad if I had no intention of buying the bike and I had the LBS prep the bike for test ride.

Trek Rider, I usually go to race pace bicycles in ellicott city. Id rate it like a 6 or so on selection, but the service is great, and I'm on pretty good terms with the guys there.

I've been there. In fact, I was drooling on a new Trek 5200 and a Zurich and the salesman offerred to prep and let me test them. I told him I wasn't buying for a few months, but he said no problem. I am going to buy from my LBS so I didn't want to take advantage.

It is a great place, however.

Ever tried Princeton Sports in Columbia? I've been there a few times and it seems to be all right.

Finally got a reply from LeMond. They are going to have 61cm LeMond Zurich and a Trek 5200 available for me to test! Damn, I am going to be in riding heaven. Now, I just hope the weather holds up!.

Princton sports in columbia is an alright shop during the summer. during the winter, they go to all ski stuff, and they have almost no bike inventory. They also aren't very knowlegdable about road biking it seemed. They seemed to focus more on mountain biking, which isn't so bad if thats what you are into.

I might try to get a job there anyway this summer, that shop is so close to my house.

BTW, you can see my high school and my middle school from the Princetons sports parking lot...yea, its that close...

I hope that it isn't too cold this weekend, that would make a day of riding miserable. well see, right?

I hope that it isn't too cold this weekend, that would make a day of riding miserable. well see, right?

Heck, yes! I wouldn't miss it for the world. A chance to test a Zurich and a 5200! Man, almost heaven! I just hope the weather holds up. It's supposed to be in the mid-40's on Saturday, sunny with no wind.

Look for a rather large (6'3", 240lbs) old, bald guy with a yellow jacket and black pants.

hey, what time is this shindig tomorrow? I could not find any info on the site about what time it is...is it just all day?

hey, what time is this shindig tomorrow? I could not find any info on the site about what time it is...is it just all day?
9:00am to 3:00 pm.

There was something that if the weather was bad, they wouldn't hold it, but I just checked and nothing on the web site.

P.S. Except the park doesn't open until 10!

man trekrider, you should have stuck around and ridden some of the mountain bikes, that was a lot of fun. maybe I'm a mountain biker at heart. I rode a total of 5 bikes, the trek 5200, lemond zurich, trek fuel 100, the trek liquid, and this guys santa cruz chameleon, which was way to big. I had fun anyway.

you were the guy in the yellow jacket, right? I was the younger guy in the blue windbreaker. I was going to say hi, but every time I saw you, you were going the other way!

to other forum members, you guys should look at this type of thing in your area...I thought it was kinda fun.

man trekrider, you should have stuck around and ridden some of the mountain bikes, that was a lot of fun. maybe I'm a mountain biker at heart. I rode a total of 5 bikes, the trek 5200, lemond zurich, trek fuel 100, the trek liquid, and this guys santa cruz chameleon, which was way to big. I had fun anyway.

you were the guy in the yellow jacket, right? I was the younger guy in the blue windbreaker. I was going to say hi, but every time I saw you, you were going the other way!

to other forum members, you guys should look at this type of thing in your area...I thought it was kinda fun.

Yeah, that was me. I had to leave as I had to be at work by noon (stealing some time here). I thought that was you when I first saw you.

But, let me say the Zurich and 5200 and fantastic bikes! I rode the Zurich first and thought WOW! Greatest ride, geometry, everything. Then I went on the 5200. First, I picked it up and it was a feather. I think my left shoe weights more!

Responsive, fast, climbs, components tuned to perfection, solid shifts, double WOW! I was undecided before, but even though I like the Zurich's geometry better - the 5200 was a size too small for me - the 5200's ride was so much better - an order of magnitude!

Wish I had had more time. We could have ridden together and swapped lies :D

hehe...there are no lies here...:D

actually I forgot about the 'cross bike I rode. it was an eariler year lemond propad but it was one of the bike guy's personal bikes. He had built it up with a dura-ace rear derailler and a single front chainring, and a chris king headset. it was the lightest there besides the madone.

I was a little dissapointed in the dura-ace shifting. don't get me wrong, it was nice, but not much nicer then my 105. In a blind test, I could probably tell the difference between 105 and dura-ace, but not by a lot

I liked the zurich and the trek, both rode really nicely and shifted well. I thought the headtube was a little slack on the 5200, but then again, I'm used to the lemond geometery that I have with a 74 degree head angle. nice bikes. I think that if I was to buy another bike, I'd get one with similar geomtry to the lemond, if not another lemond, becuase the size 57 just fits me like a glove.

the mtbs were really cool, especially the fuel, which I could bunnyhop like 50 feet becuase it was so light. but this is the road forum...

hehe...there are no lies here...:D

actually I forgot about the 'cross bike I rode. it was an eariler year lemond propad but it was one of the bike guy's personal bikes. He had built it up with a dura-ace rear derailler and a single front chainring, and a chris king headset. it was the lightest there besides the madone.

I was a little dissapointed in the dura-ace shifting. don't get me wrong, it was nice, but not much nicer then my 105. In a blind test, I could probably tell the difference between 105 and dura-ace, but not by a lot

I liked the zurich and the trek, both rode really nicely and shifted well. I thought the headtube was a little slack on the 5200, but then again, I'm used to the lemond geometery that I have with a 74 degree head angle. nice bikes. I think that if I was to buy another bike, I'd get one with similar geomtry to the lemond, if not another lemond, becuase the size 57 just fits me like a glove.

the mtbs were really cool, especially the fuel, which I could bunnyhop like 50 feet becuase it was so light. but this is the road forum...

I tend to forget that not everyone speaks Navy! In the vernacular, it is called "telling sea stories." But, when we are very honest, we call it "swapping lies." Basically, it means shooting the breeze.

I had e-mailed the LeMond rep asking that he bring a 61cm Zurich. When he was setting it up for me, he said I was the first one to ride it. I had a little trouble getting it onto the big chain ring, but other than that, it shifted great. The 5200, however, shifted a lot better, perhaps because it had been broken in. It was silky smooth and positive.

After I rode the 5200, I thought that was the one for me. It was a size too small, but it was so smooth. On the ride to work, I thought back and the LeMond geometry as very, very comfortable. I am going to have to take another ride on both, I think.

My only concern with the LeMond is the steel. I am afraid of rust. You can keep ahead of it, but if moisture gets inside the tubes, you can be screwed. You never know its rusting until its too late.

Either way I go, I will have a fantastic bike.