Dan333SP

Jealous. Post lots of pics when you get it.

mplsbiker

Frame just came back from paint:

Dan333SP

10/10. It's going to be pretty when it's built up with Chorus.

Unless you have a 5 inch stack of spacers

redlude97

i can understand that maybe he wanted to distance himself from the old company, but tis a waste to change one of the classic and most recognized logos out there

mplsbiker

Just a couple pictures of the complete bike so far. I am having way to much fun riding it to take pictures!

jamesdak 

And********************???

What's the riding experience like?

mplsbiker

Still forming my full opinion, it is a lot stiffer than my 531 bike and I am kind of liking that. Also the Lemond geometry with the long top tube fits me better than other bikes I have ridden.

So right now my experience is that it is light, stiff, fast, stable and responsive... But i need a lot more time with it since my last bike was from 1973 so almost ANY modern bike would feel that way to me!

One annoyance, I hate rear brake cables with brake stops that are ran underneath the top tube, it creates this annoying DING sound every time you hit a pothole or something similar.

Wested

Beautiful. Is that a press-fit bottom bracket I spy? Seems strange for such a classic frame.

bleui

might wanna use cable donuts?
and shouldn't cable guides that run above the top tube sounds worse

edolescent

Me, me! I've had a Washoe for 4 months and 2K miles now. LeMond made good quality frame choices: Reynolds 853 (UK), Zen Fabrication (Portland) and powder-coating/hand-painted accents/logos by Color Technologies (Roseville, MN near LeMond). Love the ride! A real head-turner in Amsterdam orange with LeMond prestige. I dumped my full-carbon, Di-2, hydraulic disc brake Felt Z2 for the Washoe and haven't looked back. Very similar geometries to my 2006 LeMond Victorie (the carbon/Titanium version) so I knew the fit. Not a race bike, but close enough. Climbs really well and corners well. I researched several modern steel bikes and am very pleased with the Washoe. This bike will do fine by me for years to come.

mplsbiker

Yeah, but it not really a classic frame... It is a steel road bike (which is classic by definition i suppose) but the fat head and downtube as well as the sloped top tube don't strike me as classic.

mplsbiker

Ohhh, I forgot about cable donuts! Thanks for the tip...

I seem to have had less of an issue with top mounted cables, but typically with top mounts I have not had brake stops and there has been 3 guides.

cycledog1

and I believe Zen is gone, and so are the frames now, no? too bad.

mplsbiker

Zen is gone, but Lemond still has frames. When mine was built I think there were still about 50 left.

cycledog1

website as it was is gone, no access to frames, no apparent place to purchase from ------------ probably were taken by lemond himself, bought and paid for, or...?

CampagnoloRules

I bought a Washoe frameset not long after they became available. When it arrived there was an easily visible scratch on the top tube (appeared to go all the way into the steel) and a run in the paint on the top tube near the head tube. Not acceptable for the price. I sent it back and it took awhile to get a refund, as I decided to build up a 2006 Bianchi Pinella frameset I found. I would consider purchasing a Washoe if they still had some left in my size and had the money right now (building up the Pinella with new old stock Campy Record 10 wasn't cheap). I'm sure the frame would ride amazing with the Reynolds 853.

bruce19

I was interested in a Washoe but I have a Guru Sidero and I'm not clear if there's much, if any, difference. My Guru with Mavic Ksyriums and (mostly) SRAM Red weighs in at around 16 1/2 lbs w/o pedals. I really like the bike so another steel bike may not be in my immediate future.

mplsbiker

If you call the number on the website they will help you out. I think everything has been in flux since he started the composites company.

Colin G

I am just about to pull the trigger on a new Greg Lemond Washoe frame set in orange.


I called and spoke to them yesterday. Frame sets are sold direct.


Now, I have read here in a post or tow they fit small. Can anyone confirm?


I am about to order the small which in theory should be a 53cm which would fit me.


I am 5' 8" with around a 30" inseam.


Other frames I considered or still am still looking at are a small Cielo Road Racer and a Cinelli Nemo in medium.


The Cielo seems a bit small and is a compact frame while the Cinelli Nemo seems about right, maybe a tad tall and the Washoe on paper looks perfect for me.


Any advice is appreciated.

edolescent

As another point of reference, I'm 5' 8" with a 32" inseam. The 55cm fits me fine.

Colin G

Thanks for the reply. I think I'll stick with the small (53cm) as a Medium (55cm) may be a tad too big.

I just paid for a 53cm and hope it fits me being I am 5' 8" and is not too small.


I ask the fella what size Greg rode and he said a 55cm and Greg LeMond is only around 5' 7" so he must like bigger bikes.