vivapantani

Can anyone talk me out of the 06' LeMond Poprad disc? I have always ridden steel bikes and I am looking for an excuse to switch to Aluminum. Primarily for the stiffness and responsiveness. I was getting close to a decision between the Bianchi Axis and the 'dale Optimo ( leaning toward the 'dale ) but then I got a look at the LeMond Poprad disc. Once I saw that new bontrager fork and retro paint, I was hooked. Setting aside the price for a moment, why wouldn't I chose the Poprad? BTW, I don't race but have a 45 min commute one-way over mainly bike trails with some sidestreet action.

haynen

I looked at the Poprad too, and was (am) mad about the color/look. However, I ended up getting an XO1, primarily because of the feel. Snappier. My road bike is an aluminum Orbea, and I suppose I am just used to that feel. The Poprad just felt a tinch more sluggish to me. Also, the TT seemed a bit long to fit me. In the end, ignoring looks and going only on feel, I had to go with the Al frame. I am racing mine tho, and if that isn't an issue, might not matter so much. Get what feels good when you are on board.

islenska

I know I am in the minority here, but I think the Poprad is dumpy.

Why do you care about stiffness/responsiveness if most of your riding is commuting? Seems to me that you should be more concerned with comfort and durability. Also, seriously, what is the point of discs on a cx bike? I suppose if you are commuting in the rain alot then they would be nice, but otherwise they are pretty unnecessary and, imho, a pain in the butt. What is the rear spacing on the poprad disc, 135? If it is, that means that you'll always be stuck dealing with with that -- another pain in the butt.

But honestly...if you are just commuting, steel is probably the way to go. Sorry.

jpearl

I have the '05 Cannondale Cyclocross (Optimo, w/o the disc brakes). I would reccomend it because out of many of the new school cyclocross bikes out there, this bike has a great road feel to it. I've commuted on it, but now being out of work (anybody looking for a graphic production artist?), I use it for riding "urban" cyclocross, and I hope to maybe race it one day. It's the same frame that Enrico Franzioni, former U23 world cyclocross champion, uses on the UCI pro cyclocross circuit.

My personal feeling is that aluminum is better since it doesn't rust, and bikes like the C'dale with its aluminum frame and carbon fork, is a quick and snappy road bike while being a quick, nimble, and strong cyclocross bike.

Twofer

Vivapantani,

I am thinking about getting Poprad w/ discs myself. It'll be mostly for commuting in DC. I prefer the steel just because it is such a great material for a bike frame, especially with the air hardening steels such as the True Temper Platinum OX used in the Poprad. Aluminum is good, too, though.

My Poprad is on order at my LBS. I am told the disc version won't be available until the end of January 2006.

cyclintom

Where would this "stiffness and responsiveness" come from and what do you believe it to be?

Surferbruce

one Axis to rule them all...
no seriously, i have an axis and love it. like jpearl said about his c'dale, the axis has a great road feel with slicks on it, in fact it was my primary road bike for a year. i like the simplicity of canti's vs. discs, and the triple comes in handy on singletrack stuff.
the alu axis frame looks so beefy, i can't imagine breaking it, short of hucking off ledges and such.

KeatonR

I don't think there are any specific reasons not to get the Poprad. But generally, there are other nice cross bikes out there. For example, the Axis is a really nice package for the price. But I specifically wanted steel, and then there are few choices, especially if (like me) you can't afford the very pricey offerings from the boutique framebuilders.

I have found the Poprad to be a wonderfully versatile bike. I have a cross and a road wheelset that I swap depending on the ride. For my 40 mile rt commute (once a week in the summers) I use the road wheels and as far as I can tell am riding a road bike. With the cross wheels, I'm riding a very durable off-road bike.

endform

I say you shouldn't get it because experimenting is good. I really like the Kona JTS, it handles a little bit more slowly or perhaps one might say it's more stable than a road racing bike. I only have my frame right now (it's a slow build) but I had used a friends for a few hundred miles this summer and I loved it.

travis200

I persoanlly race my Fuji Cross Pro (aluminum) it is pretty snappy but I can feel the harsh ride. My '06 Poprad is my back up pit bike and it is not the disc so it has the alum fork and I really like the feel of how it rides. I did a euro type flat CX race and man it felt wonderful. For next year I will switch the Poprad over to be my race bike and my Fuji as my back up bike. Just to lazy to swap the stuff I want from the Fuji over to Lemond for the last 4 CX races.

fruitless

I'm trying to think of all the places you could commute where it never rains. . .and anyone that has ever set up a pair of canti brakes knows the true definition of "pain in the butt". Avid mechanicals are a cinch to install and adjust, the only penalty is weight. I only know of 2 disc specific rear freehubs that are 130 spaced so 135 rear frame spacing makes total sense. I think Discs are ideal for commuters and anyone that has ridden them in freezing conditions knows how superior they are.

But I agree the Poprad is dumpy.