Bike Recommendation!

[quint41]

Well, I went out and test road the Lemonds yesterday.

Oh my gosh, can I fall in love with a bike? Rode the Etape first, and found it VERY comfortable, smooth, agile, quick. Could not shift that TruVativ crankset up to the big ring, though. Then I took out the Tourmelat. That is a beautiful bike! And, yes, it shifted like a charm with the 105 crankset.

I have no doubt the Tourmalet is the superior bike. But the Etape was wonderful. I have to say, both bikes were the best I've ridden so far, and I've ridden a lot of bikes. With the Tourmalet retailing for $1,300 in this area, that is out of my price range. Maybe someday when I don't have to face my kids' college bills anymore, but for now it will be the Etape with some upgrades. After riding my 10 year old, 34 lb. mountain bike up hills, I will be the happiest woman in Connecticut with the Etape!

Thanks to everyone!

[pooks]

Congrats! Must feel great, eh?

I was looking them up -- very cool bike!

So, anybody got any idea why the one picture on the LBS page:

http://bikemart.com/itemdetails.cfm?...gId=39&id=1048

Is different from the one on the Lemond page?

http://2006.lemondbikes.com/2006_bikes/etape.shtml

Or does available in black/white mean black or white, and the LBS shows the white version?

Oh, sorry -- the LBS site is confusing. It does come in other colors.

[quint41]

To my knowledge, Lemond does not do alternate colors. Last year's Etape (men's version only) was black and blue. This year's men's Etape is silver and yellow, and the women's Etape is silver and blue.