Bike for a newbie - LeMond Tourmalet 2008 (57cm)

vanbas
vanbas Posts: 8
edited April 2012 in Road buying advice
I was wondering if anyone has any experience of this bike? Is it suitable for a road beginner (do a fair bit of MTB)? Looks really nice and seems just the sort of thing im after. PLanning on some evening rides with looking to join a club and maybe do a few evening TT events and club rides at the weekend.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LeMond-Tourma ... 3a7257fbf9

Is the frame size suitable for me? (5' 10.5", 32.5" inside leg). I have put my size into an online bike size website and it says i should get a 56cm frame.

Thanks.

Comments

  • singleton
    singleton Posts: 2,523
    Road bike fit is a lot different to mountain bike fit. You really need to go and sit on a bike and ride it before you know whether the frame geometry is right for you. It's not just about getting one with the correct length seat tube.
  • klep
    klep Posts: 158
    Might be a bit at the big size but a little seatpost and stem tweeking should do the job!
  • arlowood
    arlowood Posts: 2,561
    Hi there.

    Couple of things to point out. Firstly I think the size might be a bit too big for you but then again you might just get away with it.

    The reason I urge caution is that I am a fraction taller than you but have more or less the same inside leg measurement. Couple of years back i bought a Specialized Secteur Elite and after a short test ride of two sizes (56 and 58) I opted for the 58. However within 2 weeks i realised that it was just a bit too big for me in the overall length. Solved it by swapping the 110mm stem for a 90mm and that was fine. However earlier this year I went shopping for a Trek Madone and picked out a 58" to test ride. It was WAY too big for me and even opting for a stem change would not have made any real improvement. I then tested a 56" example and that was much better but I still had to swap the 100mm stem for an 80mm to get a really comfortable fit.

    So the moral is - be wary of buying something based on frame geometry sizes alone. You really need ride a bike for an hour at least to get a real feel if the sizing is right for you.

    Secondly, the bike on offer has a standard chainset (53/39) linked to 12-26 cassette. If you are new to road cycling then I would suggest you seek out a bike with a compact (50/34) or triple (50/39/30) chainset to give you a wider range of gears until you get more proficient.

    Having said all that if you get the Le Monde for a low price - say <£200, then it might be worth compromising.

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