Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Posts: 1,383
Bikes: Cinelli Supercoursa 69, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Mondonico Diamond Extra 05, Coors Light Greg Lemond (built by Scapin) 88, Scapin MTB, Stumpjumper 83, Specialized Stumpjumper M4, Lemond Poprad 2001
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The Lemond Poprad is a great bike. I have both a Ritchey Breakaway (currently my travel touring bike) and a Poprad and love them both (steel). I have purchased several older Poprads for friends and one for my daughter and everyone loves the ride. The bike is steel 853 or True temper ox platinum. They are great bikes. Most I have purchased had some chain suck paint chipping on the chain stay but, that is easy to remedy with paint. Small dents on steel frames are usually no problem unless on the down tube on the under side up by the head tube which may be evidence of crash damage. There were several Poprads at the Cyclocross race recently in Boulder, CO and the riders I talked to are pretty happy.
The Gunnar Crosshairs and Soma Cross??? both are steel bikes. I would get steel if used as there is no problem the stress fractures with steel as in Al.
If you can find one and want to travel the Ritchey Breakaway is fantastic. Initially I was worried about the lower coupling but, at 205 lbs and not a gentle off road rider I have had no problems because I use the recommended torque in assembling the bike. Took the bike to Europe for the last 2 summers and rode in the Alps in Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. With a spare set of tires did some dirt riding as well. No problems with the oversize bag in US or Europe. Just have a line behind you when checking in and keep 5 lbs below the max weight (and if someone asks tell them its instruments for demonstration). Good luck.