Road Cycling - durability/craftsmanship on a few specific frames. . .

hey, i'm looking into a few bikes, and i wanna know if anyone has anything to say about the durability and craftsmanship of these FRAMES. I already know aobut the ride charateristics, and i will ride them when i get closer to buying.
'04 Lemond Zurich
'04 Look KG 451
'04 Giant TCR compsite one and two

Thanks to everyone for your help!

What you'll hear here will be largely bias because it relies on personal experience (one personal experience of failure out of how many?)

one thing is certain - they're all big name companies that stand behind their products. Neither of them utilize ultra-thin wall tubing that might dent if you gently wacked it against something.

One guy on roadbikereview.com posted some photos of his Giant carbon frame that develop a crack after a relatively minor crash. Another guy had his Giant fork crack. Not sure if this is significant but it seems to me that Giant frames are using some pretty thin tubes. Should be fine with normal usage, but not very robust if it gets pranged.

Ed

G'day,

thanks for the laugh.....I needed it (slow day at work!), for a minute i thought you were trying to compare the Look451 frameset with a giant TCR.....stupid hitchy, how could you think that?.....there is no comparison (except the giants are cheap)

cheers,

Hitchy

There's more than a few cases reported on this forum of Giant forks breaking

None of them are steel or titanium, so they must be crap :rolleyes: :)

I have heard that alot of lemond owners have trouble riding with no hands... as the front and rear wheels don't track perfectly... Talked to a shop owner who used to sell them, and said 'Frankly I'm glad I don't sell them anymore" So that turned me off to them...

I have heard that alot of lemond owners have trouble riding with no hands... as the front and rear wheels don't track perfectly... Talked to a shop owner who used to sell them, and said 'Frankly I'm glad I don't sell them anymore" So that turned me off to them...
Sounds like the musings of a shop owner who doesn't sell Lemond. It's a common tactic among people taking the low road to badmouth the competition. Don't you think that if there was any ounce of truth to what you wrote that ALL shop owners would be repeating it and Lemond would address it? I've never heard such a thing, I can't find any evidence to support it AND, I certainly don't have any trouble riding with no hands.

Call me a sensitive Lemond owner if you must.

55/Rad

I ride a 2001 Lemond MJ... basically sanem frame as the Zurich... I've had ZERO problems with tracking or anything else, and I ride with no hands all the time..

That shop owner sounds like a moron

jeff

I'd have to agree with Hitchy on this, of the frames mentioned the LOOK is the creme' de la creme'. LeMond is built by Trek so take that for what it's worth. I've not spoken to anyone who has owned a Giant and riden or raced it hard that has many good things to say about them.

a freak golf ball accident cracked the downtube of a friends Giant TCR composite.

a freak golf ball accident cracked the downtube of a friends Giant TCR composite.
Slightly OT. I got that beat. I accidentally wrecked a golf cart crossing a small bridge this weekend. Hit a stone column right right on the corner at just enough speed (not fast, I swear) to crack the front right plastic part of the chassis and throw the rear and front wheels into a diagonal type of alignment. The cart could be a total loss. I'm waiting to hear. I've been sick to my stomach since Sunday morning.

Could be thousands of dollars. I may have to sell my Bianchi EV3. Only my fourth round of golf this year. Definitely my last.

What's the emoticon for "beside himself?"

Slightly OT. I got that beat. I accidentally wrecked a golf cart crossing a small bridge this weekend. Hit a stone column right right on the corner at just enough speed (not fast, I swear) to crack the front right plastic part of the chassis and throw the rear and front wheels into a diagonal type of alignment. The cart could be a total loss. I'm waiting to hear. I've been sick to my stomach since Sunday morning.

Could be thousands of dollars. I may have to sell my Bianchi EV3. Only my fourth round of golf this year. Definitely my last.

What's the emoticon for "beside himself?"

G'day,

serves you right for golfin' when ya shoulda been ridin'!.....LOL...but to the point again. The original poster asked a question about 'quality & durability' & named 3 particular bikes. These bikes cannot be compared on that basis, simple as that. If he's trying to compare the bikes on some other basis, such as 'value for money' or 'what can I get for my buck', thats a different matter....for someone who just wants a 'composite' frame, (because its the frame material de jour), reasonably specced, at a rock bottom price...absolutely, go for the TCR...If you want anymore than that, you'll need to look beyond Giant. Let's be under no illusions, Giant are very good at what they do.....it's just that what they do isn't in the same league as 'Look' & 'Lemond',(although the Lemond/Trek relationship is cheapening the brand IMO)

cheers,

Hitchy

Hitchy - The Voice of Reason.

Puhleeze!

Get the LOOK.