Bike designers tend to proclaim their gospel of frame geometry with all the spite and vitriol of a long top tubes fire-and-brimstone preacher. "BE WARY OF STEEP SEAT TUBES," admonishes Greg Lemond in his Complete Book of Bicycling.
Though hardly a religious person, I can claim to have been baptized in the Church of Greg, since this is the third bike of his I've tested. And, as an eager novitiate. I've come to worship at the altar of slack seat tubes, and light weight--all of which are evident in this $4,675, Campagnolo-equipped Ti3/2.5 model.
Greg's company, Lemond Bicycles, was begun in the mid-'80s but has proceeded in tits and starts since then. It once included a line of clothing, and briefly was based on Italian-made steel frames as well as the carbon-fiber TVT model from France. While few would deny that there s great potential for a marque named after a 3-time Tour de France winner. as vet achieve the cachet of, saY, those made by Eddy Merckx. In fact, Lemond claims to have earned almost nothing from the venTure so far.
But this year the company 1s mounting its biggest push yet. Under the aggressive hand of Greg's father, Bob, the line has expanded to include 2 Columbus models (one of SL, and another of TSX steel tubing. both will be produced in a new, 13,000-square-foot facility in Reno, Nevada. The Lemonds also finalized a licensing agreement with San Francisco-based ( Carbon frames to make the frame reviewed previously. Finally, not to exclude any of the major materials.they have contracted a small builder to produce this titanium model.
More than any other pro rider, Lemond has turned cycling technology on its head-and benefited from it. Throughout the year, he changes frame materials as he would pajamas. Forinstance. this season he started on a TSX steel frame. Next, he grabbed a titanium model off the rack and rode it for the month prior to Paris-Roubaix. (He was the first rider ever to complete the race on a titanium frame, placing ninth.) Finally, he did his accustomed switch to light carbon fiber for the mountainous stage races of summer.
Lemond’s Z teammates also benefit from his wide-ranging tastes. Gilbert Duclos-.Lasalle won Paris-Roubaix on steel frame equipped with a Rock Shox suspension fork. Miguel Arroyo insists on titanium, and others prefer carbon fiber. Some, including Lemond, may use the Ti 3/2.5 in the Tour de France.
Two themes have inspired Lemond’s interest in titanium: comfort and lightness. He s fond of citing a study by his former coach, Paul Koechli, that showed a 30-second savings on a 10-km climb if 500 grams were removed from the bike. While this might be a scientific stretch, Lemond also admits to a psychological benefit: Light bikes feel faster. Although not a featherweight, our 3.8-pound frame helped reduce total bike weigh at to a reasonable 21.4 pounds (for our large 59.5-cm sample).
The frame is made expressly for Lemond by is Southeast Associated Machine in Ooltewan, Tennessee. This small, family-owned business has extensIve experience in metal fabrication Other frame builders (early negotiations were with Merlin Metalworks) were rejected reportedly because of their inability to incorporate features such as a conventional (not sealed) bottom bracket and horizontal. adjustable dropouts Lemond and his mechanic insisted on these for serviceability and ease of whee alignment. The Ti 3/2.5 frame, like the steel ones, also features a Lemond signature item, a neatly sculpted and drilled brake bridge.
TIG-welded frames are shipped raw from Tennessee and aligned, laced, and painted at the Reno factory. They include what has become the standard mix of titanium alloys for bicycles: 3% aluminum/ 2.5%vanadium in the main tubes, and harder 6Al/4V for the dropouts. (The fork tips on our early sample were aluminum.) The main tubes have an oversize. 1¼-inch diameter.
Like the Lemond Carbon. this frame uses a Kestrel EMS fork- a great improvement over the carbon model of the Lemond TVT frame I tested for the October 01 issue at less than a pound the TVT is still the lightest fork we ever tried--but also the most terrifying. (Once, while squeezing the blades together with one hand, I heard a resounding crack. I didn't 10g
many more miles on it after that.) By comparison, the EMS fork is still light (1.3 pounds) and shock absorbent, but it doesn't prompt pre-ride reminiscing about what a good life you've had. Overall, this frame helped confirm my newfound religion. Chapter and verse it conforms to the Lemond tenets of long-distance comfort. The 57.5-cm top tube (0.5-1.5 cm longer than most production frames) gives more than ample reach, and the slack 72.5-degree seat angle places me farther behind the bottom bracket for better leverage during seated climbing. In tact, with each passing year I seem to need another centimeter of reach. Apparently, my body 1s gradually becoming accustomed to a more stretched position.
Another Change has occurred in recent ears. Mv favorite trait in frames used to be stiffness. out now the characteristic seek is resilience and the Ti 3/2.5 has this in abundance. Sure, it'salso got a little chain rub when jamming out of the saddle: but think Of it this way. If you're toohammered to sprint well because you've been riding a buckboard-stiff frame tor 3 hours. Chain rub is irrelevant. Overall, the Ti 3/2.5 is comfortable but plenty efficient for demanding racingOne caveat: The relatively steep, 74-degree head angle reduces trail to slight-IV less than 2 inches, making the front end somewhat sensitive. Consequently, it lacks the soporific steering of some race bikes cast in the European mold.
Our bike also boasted Campagnolo’s Ergopower brake/shift levers. Like colleague Zahradnik, I found the shitting to be reliable. Two minor complaints. however: Compared to Shimano Dual Control, Ergopower requires noticeably greater pressure to make a shift in either direction, and the loose-fitting hoods tend to “swim' under the hands.