Project Look 566: Done!
03-02-10 | 07:32 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
From: Puerto Rico
Bikes: Look 566 Medium, Giant TCR C1 Small
Project Look 566: Done!
Hi folks:
Last year I decided I wanted to purchase a more relax geometry frame as a replacement to my Giant TCR-C1. I originally started to take a look at the Giant OCR C series, then look at the Cervelo RS and Look 566 (expensive at MSRP's), to then look back into the Giant's new Defy Advanced series. I was very, very close of buying a Giant Defy Advanced 3 (Blue version), but the deal was for a full bike, I was not so thrilled by the color and I preferred to buy a frame and re-use all of my Giant components. To make the long story short, on December I found a pretty good deal for a new 2008 Giant OCR-C3 full bike at Ebay ($1100 shipped) which originally thought to part out and keep the frame, but once received it decided to re-sell it and got a buyer for $1500 locally (Puerto Rico) so "got some profit for something better". I finally decided to focus on getting a slightly used Medium size Look 566 on Ebay, but managed to buy on late December a brand new 2009 black/white with mostly Shimano 105 components for $1700 shipped so my investment on it was $1300!!
I finally decided to keep the Giant and had it converted to a flat bar with the components of the Look, but rather than installing my used DA-7800 components on the Look ended selling my DA-7800 components and upgrading to the 7900 series. Well, I has been 3 months of buying, selling and waiting and yesterday I finally got it properly fitted (Which I never did with my Giant) and so it's ready to hit the road!! Below is a picture of it, what do you think?
Regards,
Francisco
Last year I decided I wanted to purchase a more relax geometry frame as a replacement to my Giant TCR-C1. I originally started to take a look at the Giant OCR C series, then look at the Cervelo RS and Look 566 (expensive at MSRP's), to then look back into the Giant's new Defy Advanced series. I was very, very close of buying a Giant Defy Advanced 3 (Blue version), but the deal was for a full bike, I was not so thrilled by the color and I preferred to buy a frame and re-use all of my Giant components. To make the long story short, on December I found a pretty good deal for a new 2008 Giant OCR-C3 full bike at Ebay ($1100 shipped) which originally thought to part out and keep the frame, but once received it decided to re-sell it and got a buyer for $1500 locally (Puerto Rico) so "got some profit for something better". I finally decided to focus on getting a slightly used Medium size Look 566 on Ebay, but managed to buy on late December a brand new 2009 black/white with mostly Shimano 105 components for $1700 shipped so my investment on it was $1300!!
I finally decided to keep the Giant and had it converted to a flat bar with the components of the Look, but rather than installing my used DA-7800 components on the Look ended selling my DA-7800 components and upgrading to the 7900 series. Well, I has been 3 months of buying, selling and waiting and yesterday I finally got it properly fitted (Which I never did with my Giant) and so it's ready to hit the road!! Below is a picture of it, what do you think?
Regards,
Francisco
Last edited by fskywalker; 03-02-10 at 07:36 PM.
03-02-10 | 08:58 PM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,785
Likes: 63
From: Prague, Czech Republic
Bikes: Time ADH01, Merlin Extra Light, Orbea Orca, Ritchey Outback,Tomac Revolver Mountain Bike, Cannondale Crit 3.0 now used for time trials.
Nice bike. I have not seen a Look compact frame set prior.
03-03-10 | 12:08 PM
#10
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,711
Likes: 2
From: Nilbog
Bikes: How'd I get this many?
Nice LOOK, Francisco!
I too have the 566 and been riding mine daily since July. Really great to ride, though my heart still belongs to traditional geometry steel bikes
Here are some photos of mine, for those of you who have mentioned not seeing many of them:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...t=#post9758534
I too have the 566 and been riding mine daily since July. Really great to ride, though my heart still belongs to traditional geometry steel bikes
Here are some photos of mine, for those of you who have mentioned not seeing many of them:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...t=#post9758534
03-03-10 | 07:14 PM
#13
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
From: Puerto Rico
Bikes: Look 566 Medium, Giant TCR C1 Small
Hi marksru16, I don't know about the Cannondale Synapse, but the Giant Defy Advanced is a good choice. I opted for the LOOK looking for getting something different (already own a Giant TCR-C1) and less common in the road. I suggest you try them all if you can, in my case I didn't road test neither; went to see the Defy in my LBS but didn't actually saw the LOOK in person before buying (but read quite a lot about it).
Regards,
Francisco
Regards,
Francisco
03-03-10 | 10:29 PM
#14
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Hi marksru16, I don't know about the Cannondale Synapse, but the Giant Defy Advanced is a good choice. I opted for the LOOK looking for getting something different (already own a Giant TCR-C1) and less common in the road. I suggest you try them all if you can, in my case I didn't road test neither; went to see the Defy in my LBS but didn't actually saw the LOOK in person before buying (but read quite a lot about it).
Regards,
Francisco
Regards,
Francisco
I also tested the Defy Advanced, but at a different LBS and they didn't size it right for me so I was very uncomfortable. Also, not a great deal I don't think ($2250 for 105 version). Seems like the Look 566 w SRAM for around 2350 is a better value, but I don't know. Plus it looks damn sexy. It would be my do everything (and only) bike.
03-04-10 | 03:44 AM
#15
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
From: Puerto Rico
Bikes: Look 566 Medium, Giant TCR C1 Small
Hi again marksru16!
In Puerto Rico you don't get LBS to let you test drive the bikes like in the US, so you have to buy mostly based on looks, specifications and other people's recommendations rather than test rides (That has been my experience), so that's why I prefer to buy mostly online and save $$ verus MSRP. I agree the $2250 for the Giant Defy advanced is not such a great deal (By the way, there is a store named Bobs Bicycles in Boise Idaho, Tel 1-208-322-7654, my contact is Bryant; from which I bought my Giant and if remember correctly had the 2009 Defy Advanced 3 on sale for around $1700 shipped). However, if you are patient you may get a Sram Rival or Shimano 105 equipped Look 566 bike for around $1700-1800 (I paid $1675 for mine shipped, nivekdodge got even better deal by buying one with the Ultegra SL components for $1625) so if I were you would give it a try. At least on paper the Look 566 is a good, all around "plush" bike, so if you will have just one bike I will opt for that one. A few people here (like nayr497 ) have it and seems to be very happy with it and is a bike that will surely turn some heads on the road due to its look (funny choice of words!) Below is a picture of the Look as received with Shimano 105 components (still with the steering tube uncut) and in my opinion it does look nice with 105 level components, which are good and reliable. Hope this helps!
Regards,
Francisco
In Puerto Rico you don't get LBS to let you test drive the bikes like in the US, so you have to buy mostly based on looks, specifications and other people's recommendations rather than test rides (That has been my experience), so that's why I prefer to buy mostly online and save $$ verus MSRP. I agree the $2250 for the Giant Defy advanced is not such a great deal (By the way, there is a store named Bobs Bicycles in Boise Idaho, Tel 1-208-322-7654, my contact is Bryant; from which I bought my Giant and if remember correctly had the 2009 Defy Advanced 3 on sale for around $1700 shipped). However, if you are patient you may get a Sram Rival or Shimano 105 equipped Look 566 bike for around $1700-1800 (I paid $1675 for mine shipped, nivekdodge got even better deal by buying one with the Ultegra SL components for $1625) so if I were you would give it a try. At least on paper the Look 566 is a good, all around "plush" bike, so if you will have just one bike I will opt for that one. A few people here (like nayr497 ) have it and seems to be very happy with it and is a bike that will surely turn some heads on the road due to its look (funny choice of words!) Below is a picture of the Look as received with Shimano 105 components (still with the steering tube uncut) and in my opinion it does look nice with 105 level components, which are good and reliable. Hope this helps!
Regards,
Francisco
Last edited by fskywalker; 03-05-10 at 06:01 PM.
03-04-10 | 09:20 AM
#18
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,711
Likes: 2
From: Nilbog
Bikes: How'd I get this many?
To add my comments, mark:
I was riding a 1998 Cannondale Al frame that was too big for me (top tube was too long). I was getting a sore neck at the end of long rides. This was due to the TT length and the fact that I broke a vertebrae in my neck in college playing sports. Plus, at the end of long rides the Al just didn't feel that great on rough roads.
I had always wanted a LOOK, but they were out of my price range. Then I saw the 566. Hmm, a good price on the frame and I could build it up as I wanted it. Plus the longer HT seemed to be a good way to rest my neck. I bought the frame then all the parts and built it up, without test riding one. I think you could spend a year test riding all the possible frames out there. And, how much can you tell on a short spin, right? If you are going to be riding it 80 miles a short ride won't tell you much. It also takes me a few months of slight adjusting to get a bike to feel just right as well.
Anyway, I liked the frameset and grabbed it. I've been riding it almost daily since July and am very happy with it. Ride in it all conditions, even wet with some Crud fenders on it (though the clear is a pain in the arse). Very happy with the bike, nice ride, and happy to have a LOOK as my first carbon frameset.
I was riding a 1998 Cannondale Al frame that was too big for me (top tube was too long). I was getting a sore neck at the end of long rides. This was due to the TT length and the fact that I broke a vertebrae in my neck in college playing sports. Plus, at the end of long rides the Al just didn't feel that great on rough roads.
I had always wanted a LOOK, but they were out of my price range. Then I saw the 566. Hmm, a good price on the frame and I could build it up as I wanted it. Plus the longer HT seemed to be a good way to rest my neck. I bought the frame then all the parts and built it up, without test riding one. I think you could spend a year test riding all the possible frames out there. And, how much can you tell on a short spin, right? If you are going to be riding it 80 miles a short ride won't tell you much. It also takes me a few months of slight adjusting to get a bike to feel just right as well.
Anyway, I liked the frameset and grabbed it. I've been riding it almost daily since July and am very happy with it. Ride in it all conditions, even wet with some Crud fenders on it (though the clear is a pain in the arse). Very happy with the bike, nice ride, and happy to have a LOOK as my first carbon frameset.
03-04-10 | 12:43 PM
#19
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Hi again marksru16!
In Puerto Rico you don't get LBS to let you test drive the bikes like in the US, so you have to buy mostly based on looks, specifications and other people's recommendations rather than test rides (That has been my experience), so that's why I prefer to buy mostly online and save $$ verus MSRP. I agree the $2250 for the Giant Defy advanced is not such a great deal (By the way, there is a store named Bobs Bicycles in Boise Idaho, Tel 1-208-322-7654, my contact is Bryant; from which I bought of my Giant and if remember correctly had the 2009 Defy Advanced 3 on sale for around $1700 shipped). However, if you are patient you may get a Sram Rival or Shimano 105 equipped Look 566 bike for around $1700-1800 (I paid $1675 for mine shipped, nivekdodge got even better deal by buying one with the Ultegra SL components for $1625) so if I were you would give it a try. At least on paper the Look 566 is a good, all around "plush" bike, so if you will have just one bike I will opt for that one. A few people here (like nayr497 ) have it and seems to be very happy with it and is a bike that will surely turn some heads on the road due to its look (funny choice of words!) Below is a picture of the Look as received with Shimano 105 components (still with the steering tube uncut) and in my opinion it does look nice with 105 level components, which are good and reliable. Hope this helps!
Regards,
Francisco
In Puerto Rico you don't get LBS to let you test drive the bikes like in the US, so you have to buy mostly based on looks, specifications and other people's recommendations rather than test rides (That has been my experience), so that's why I prefer to buy mostly online and save $$ verus MSRP. I agree the $2250 for the Giant Defy advanced is not such a great deal (By the way, there is a store named Bobs Bicycles in Boise Idaho, Tel 1-208-322-7654, my contact is Bryant; from which I bought of my Giant and if remember correctly had the 2009 Defy Advanced 3 on sale for around $1700 shipped). However, if you are patient you may get a Sram Rival or Shimano 105 equipped Look 566 bike for around $1700-1800 (I paid $1675 for mine shipped, nivekdodge got even better deal by buying one with the Ultegra SL components for $1625) so if I were you would give it a try. At least on paper the Look 566 is a good, all around "plush" bike, so if you will have just one bike I will opt for that one. A few people here (like nayr497 ) have it and seems to be very happy with it and is a bike that will surely turn some heads on the road due to its look (funny choice of words!) Below is a picture of the Look as received with Shimano 105 components (still with the steering tube uncut) and in my opinion it does look nice with 105 level components, which are good and reliable. Hope this helps!
Regards,
Francisco
03-05-10 | 12:35 PM
#21
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
From: Puerto Rico
Bikes: Look 566 Medium, Giant TCR C1 Small
A bid in Ebay ended yesterday for a 566 that went up to $1700 (https://cgi.ebay.com/2009-Look-566-Me...item1e5aac0e80) but the reserve price was higher so it did not got sold. Keep looking! 
03-05-10 | 02:47 PM
#24
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
A bid in Ebay ended yesterday for a 566 that went up to $1700 (https://cgi.ebay.com/2009-Look-566-Me...item1e5aac0e80) but the reserve price was higher so it did not got sold. Keep looking!
I don't want to wait too long, because I want to ride!