Scott v LeMond v Orbea

x-no-archive: yes

davek said:

Hypothetically, you have the choice of a new bike from one of these
three makers. Assuming similar spec (in terms of frame materials,
groupset, etc) which make would you go for? and why?

The one I felt Most comfy riding 🙂

Peter

Peter Simons said:

The one I felt Most comfy riding

Fair point. I haven't tried any of them yet, though I did spend a while
drooling over the LeMond Versailles.

Thing is, I've been umming and ahhing about getting a new bike for so
long and I'd made up my mind that since my LBS was a Litespeed stockist
I was planning on heading down that route, but it turns out they have
stopped doing Litespeeds now, so if I buy from them (which I intend to
do) my choice is a Scott, or a Lemond, or an Orbea.

They all look like pretty good makes to me, and in any case I pretty
much trust what they tell me at the LBS, because they are thoroughly
decent folks, but they are after all trying to sell me a bike, so I was
just really canvassing for any more independent opinions.

I'm also thoroughly stuck as to whether I should opt for aluminium,
carbon or titanium frame.

How durable are carbon frames? How long can I expect a carbon frame to
last (assuming no serious crashes)?

d.

in message <[email hidden]>, davek

(') said:

Peter Simons said:

The one I felt Most comfy riding

Fair point. I haven't tried any of them yet, though I did spend a
while drooling over the LeMond Versailles.

Thing is, I've been umming and ahhing about getting a new bike for so
long and I'd made up my mind that since my LBS was a Litespeed
stockist I was planning on heading down that route, but it turns out
they have stopped doing Litespeeds now, so if I buy from them (which I
intend to do) my choice is a Scott, or a Lemond, or an Orbea.

They all look like pretty good makes to me, and in any case I pretty
much trust what they tell me at the LBS, because they are thoroughly
decent folks, but they are after all trying to sell me a bike, so I
was just really canvassing for any more independent opinions.

It looks like a (good) mass produced bike with fairly average parts for
the price. It's worth noting that the UK price is way higher than the
US price, apparently for a similarly specced bike. For that money, if
you want a mass produced bike it would be worth considering a
Cannondale, but frankly I would want a custom frame built to fit _me_.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; If God does not write LISP, God writes some code so similar to
;; LISP as to make no difference.

in message <[email hidden]>, davek

(') said:

Peter Simons said:

The one I felt Most comfy riding

Fair point. I haven't tried any of them yet, though I did spend a
while drooling over the LeMond Versailles.

How durable are carbon frames? How long can I expect a carbon frame to
last (assuming no serious crashes)?

Apologies for making a second reply to the same post.

My carbon Dolan is absolutely gorgeous both to look at and to ride; I
love it to bits (particularly since Andrew the Lurker traced down the
source of its annoying rattle and it now rides silently). It cost, all
in, with Centaur groupset and Ksyrium wheels, less than the list price
of the Versailles.

As to life expectancy, what attacks carbon composite structures is
ultra-violet light, which degrades the epoxy. For bare epoxy without UV
inhibitors this can be quite rapid - a hatchcover on my boat that
wasn't painted over a summer [exposed to sunlight all the time]
degraded quite badly and needed to be replaced after three years. I
*assume* there are UV inhibitors in the epoxy on the Dolan but I don't
know this; if the epoxy starts to look in the least cloudy I'll get it
painted.

An opaque layer of paint should stop UV and consequently prevent
degradation of the epoxy matrix, as would pigments in the epoxy (UV
inhibitors are simply pigments which are opaque in UV but not in the
visible spectrum). A painted carbon fibre frame should last at least as
long as a steel one, provided it isn't crashed.

But if you like the look of transparent finish on your carbon fibre, the
solution is to store it out of sunlight. The first hint that you've got
trouble is cloudiness developing in the finish.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

<p>Schroedinger's cat is <blink><strong>NOT</strong></blink> dead.</p>

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, davek

(') said:

Peter Simons said:

The one I felt Most comfy riding

Fair point. I haven't tried any of them yet, though I did spend a
while drooling over the LeMond Versailles.

How durable are carbon frames? How long can I expect a carbon frame to
last (assuming no serious crashes)?

Apologies for making a second reply to the same post.

My carbon Dolan is absolutely gorgeous both to look at and to ride; I
love it to bits (particularly since Andrew the Lurker traced down the
source of its annoying rattle and it now rides silently). It cost, all
in, with Centaur groupset and Ksyrium wheels, less than the list price
of the Versailles.

As to life expectancy, what attacks carbon composite structures is
ultra-violet light, which degrades the epoxy. For bare epoxy without UV
inhibitors this can be quite rapid - a hatchcover on my boat that
wasn't painted over a summer [exposed to sunlight all the time]
degraded quite badly and needed to be replaced after three years. I
*assume* there are UV inhibitors in the epoxy on the Dolan but I don't
know this; if the epoxy starts to look in the least cloudy I'll get it
painted.

An opaque layer of paint should stop UV and consequently prevent
degradation of the epoxy matrix, as would pigments in the epoxy (UV
inhibitors are simply pigments which are opaque in UV but not in the
visible spectrum). A painted carbon fibre frame should last at least as
long as a steel one, provided it isn't crashed.

But if you like the look of transparent finish on your carbon fibre, the
solution is to store it out of sunlight. The first hint that you've got
trouble is cloudiness developing in the finish.

I would want to be certain that the paint system (the solvent in
particular) used didn't attack the cured resins, or any other
constituent, before using it on the frame. Possibly the manufacturer
has some recommendations.

R.

Simon Brooke <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

As to life expectancy, what attacks carbon composite structures is
ultra-violet light, which degrades the epoxy. For bare epoxy without UV
inhibitors this can be quite rapid -

You could always slather your frame with sun tan lotion!
--
Simon M.

Simon Brooke [email hidden] opined the following...

Quoted message said:

As to life expectancy, what attacks carbon composite structures is
ultra-violet light, which degrades the epoxy. For bare epoxy without UV
inhibitors this can be quite rapid - a hatchcover on my boat that
wasn't painted over a summer [exposed to sunlight all the time]
degraded quite badly and needed to be replaced after three years. I
*assume* there are UV inhibitors in the epoxy on the Dolan but I don't
know this; if the epoxy starts to look in the least cloudy I'll get it
painted.

With the Dolan, a single layer of paint would add a significant
proportion of the weight. Since it is the "Stealth Bike", you could just
ride it at night! ;-)

Jon

Simon Brooke said:

It looks like a (good) mass produced bike with fairly average parts for
the price.

OK. Maybe not the bike I want then. But it does look very pretty.

Quoted message said:

It's worth noting that the UK price is way higher than the
US price, apparently for a similarly specced bike.

I've been pondering that matter - with the exchange rate what it is at
the moment, I wonder if it would actually be cheaper to fly over and buy
a bike there.

Quoted message said:

frankly I would want a custom frame built to fit _me_.

Mmm, yes - this is part of the reason why the idea of an Orbea tempts me.

d.

davek <[email hidden]> wrote:

: I've been pondering that matter - with the exchange rate what it is at
: the moment, I wonder if it would actually be cheaper to fly over and buy
: a bike there.

Google urc passim for importing from the states. Unless you try and cheat,
the sales tax/import duties/VAT etc make it no cheaper when you get it
home and you will probably have no warrenty

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
"Blogs are neither necessary nor sufficient for evil to triumph.
They're just what we call an enabling technology" - Danny O'Brien