|
|
Dirt Rag Articles
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tester: Karl Rosengarth
Age: 49
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 150lbs.
Inseam: 33"
Vital Stats
Country of origin: USA
Price: $1319
Weight: 21.6lbs. (without pedals)
Sizes available: 49, 52, 55 (tested), 57, 59 cm
Contact: www.lemondbikes.com
According to the folks at Lemond, their goal for the Poprad was to produce a reliable cyclocross race bike with stable and confident handling that could also serve as a commuter or a road training machine. Did they succeed? Let's examine those points one by one, shall we?
Affordable? The Poprad retails for around $1300. Only you can decide if that equates to affordable, vis-à-vis your personal finances. I can help you decide by covering exactly what you get for your hard earned dough. First and foremost, there's the True Temper OX Platinum tubeset. On the road and the cyclocross race course, I appreciate the lively feeling that this fine heat treated steel chassis delivers. The Poprad frameset takes the edge off of road and trail irregularities, yet feels laterally stiff when carving hard turns on the cyclocross course. Stomp the pedals and the feeling is pure acceleration. Yeah, nice frame.
Thirteen hundred smackers also gets you a very functional parts mix. The Shimano 105 (9 speed) front/rear derailleurs and shifters worked through muddy and snowy race courses without a missed shift. Sure, there are fancier 10 speed road groups available, but I'd rather have 9 speeds than 10 on a muddy, gear-clogging race course. The Poprad sports a healthy dose of Bontrager components: Race Cross GXP 46/38 crankset, Select wheelset, CX Race handlebars, Jones CX Race tires, Select stem, Carbon seatpost and Race Luxe saddle. Avid supplies the Shorty 4 cantilever brakes. You supply the pedals.
Reliable cyclocross race bike? Out of the box, without pedals, the Poprad weighs in at 21.6 lbs. which, while not feathery, is certainly a raceable weight in my book. Lemond could have made a lighter bike out of aluminum alloy, but remember that this bike is not designed for the elite level cyclocross racer. It's made for guys like me who race cyclocross over the winter to stay in shape, and train on a road bike throughout the year. I feel that the True Temper OX Platinum frameset represents a good balance of durability, weight and affordability.
I was a bit skeptical when I first set eyes on the 24-spoke Bontrager Select wheelset. However, they are holding up fine after a couple cyclocross races, plenty of road rides and even a frisky trip or two through the local singletrack. A little bit of attention on the truing stand is keeping the wheels true blue.
While the aluminum alloy fork is certainly a solid performer, in a point and shoot sense, I found myself occasionally wishing for a bit more compliance. One particular cyclocross race course had a couple washboard sections that put a hurtin' on my hands and wrists. The Lemond guy told me they used to spec a steel fork, but that the additional compliance led to rider complaints of brake chatter. He also pointed out that when they went to the 1 1/8 inch headset on the Poprad, including a steel fork, with its accompanying steel steerer, would have added a lot of weight. While Bontrager makes a sweet looking carbon Switchblade cyclocross fork, it comes in a disc only option at this time. To be fair, I should point out that my complaint is a minor one, and that on the road and on smoother trails, the aluminum alloy fork is just fine and dandy.
Stable and confident handling? Lemond wanted the Poprad to have the feel of a classic road bike, in addition to being cyclocross raceable. They started with their proven road geometry and made only those changes necessary to accommodate cyclocross racing. The chainstays got lengthened a bit to accommodate fatter cyclocross tires. A slightly shorter top tube puts the rider in a more upright riding position, and coincidentally helps bring the wheelbase back in check. The pertinent numbers on my 55cm test bike: 72.5° head tube angle, 73° seat tube angle, 562mm top tube length, 430mm chainstay length, 1015mm wheelbase, 74mm bottom bracket drop.
The upright position is win-win in my book. Not only is it more comfortable on long road rides, but it also results in cyclocross-friendly rider weight distribution when in the drops or out on the hoods. On a typical road bike with its lower front end, riding in the drops would shift the rider's weight too far forward, and make for squirrelly handling on the cyclocross course. When I'm in the drops or on the hoods, the Poprad handles with stability and predictability on the cyclocross course. So, yes, I'd have to say the Lemond folks have produced a stable and confident handling machine. The longer wheelbase might disappoint those used to the snappy handling of a purebred road bike, but the Poprad is a horse of a different color. Those looking for a steed to flick around on street crits need to look elsewhere.
Commuter or road training machine? Wide commuter tires fit just fine in the frame, which makes for a flat-resistant setup compared to the skinny tires that racy road bikes require. The wheelbase is about 1.5 inches longer that my roadie, which keeps the bike feeling stable when I have a loaded messenger bag. Grocery runs are a snap. I'd say the Poprad has "commuter" written all over it. The only nit I have to pick with the Poprad as a commuter is the lack of eyelets for fenders or a rack. Those simple additions would make the Poprad a much more versatile commuter rig. [Ed notes: The original text, as reprinted above, is in error. In fact, there are eyelets on the Poprad frame and fork.]
With 32c touring tires the Poprad head tube sits about an inch higher than my road bike, which results in a more upright and comfortable riding position. As such, the Poprad is not to be confused with a road racing bike. But it serves quite well as a road riding bike. Some riders might find the Poprad geared a bit low for the road, with a 46/38 crankset and 12-26 cassette. With the steep terrain of my home area, however, the slightly lower gearing on the Poprad is actually a shift in the right direction. Those desiring higher gears should find a second cassette purchase a convenient and affordable fix.
The bottom line? Sure, sure, everybody wants to take the easy road and skip to the end of the story, looking for a convenient summary. Hey, I'll admit that I just couldn't get into reading Wuthering Heights in 10th grade English class and I tried to bluff my way throughout the assignment armed with a copy of Cliff's Notes. But we're talking about bikes here—something you obviously love, or you wouldn't be reading Dirt Rag in the first place. Do us both a favor and read my whole review and then make up your own mind about the Poprad. Your 10th grade English teacher would be proud of you, Heathcliff. And so would I.
|
|
 |
