Lemond spine bikes

[bthornt]

There's one for sale on Vermont craigslist, the Tete de Course with the titanium spine and carbon cockpit. I'm mildly interested, but I've heard mixed reviews on these bikes (one model had a titanium spine, the other was steel). Has anyone on the forum ever owned one, or have any relevant information?

Here's the link from craigslist (it's also on ebay): https://vermont.craigslist.org/bik/d/burlington-lemond-tete-de-course-carbon/7040613631.html

By the way, I didn't post to the barn finds part of the forum because I'm interested in learning about the bike, as opposed to making it's presence known to potential buyers.

[cash05458]

I saw that one here on our craigslist...well, I can only say I owned one and without doing much at all it cracked like an eggshell right around the cable stops via the ti...must have been a lousy weld etc...but pretty sure the ad you saw is from a fellow on here if I am not mistaken...sales guy maybe? forgive me if I got that incorrect...

[CDollarsign]

I had an Alpe d'Huez that was aluminum with the carbon spine. I thought it road great and was kind of the best of both worlds. I regret selling it...

[dem]

I had a Zurich (steel/carbon) - also regret selling it. I like the weird composite bikes.

Now I have a Serotta Nove which is also neat.

[DeBike]

I have a couple of Lemond 853 bikes but have no experience with the spine bikes. I have seen the bike in question in a couple of different adds. The paint job is really hot looking. If it was local and my size, I would definitely check it out.

[KonaSS]

Never owned one but they are well regarded. Lots of positive comments about the ride quality. However, there have also been some reports of the bond breaking between the carbon and metal. Buyer beware.

[Idris Icabod]

My buddy who has raced for 30+ years had one and said it was the best bike he ever owned. His cracked at the water bottle bosses but Trek warrantied it with a Madone.

[sales guy]

One of LeMond's favorite bikes. He loved the ti/carbon Spine frames. The whole range did have issues with the seattubes separating from the bottom bracket lug. I never road one but they looked cool.

[whateveronfire]

I've had a Zurich twice. LOVED the way it rode and am sorry I don't own it still. I want a ti/carbon one badly.

[cabriggs]

That Tete de Course is listed here, though the CL ad has more pictures.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=244173

Personally I've been really, really tempted by it, but it looks like I'm going to be able to get something else closer to home.

[pdmtong]

A friend has one and likes it. That’s said I would think in the years since current hikes can deliver the same plus take wider rims have discs and be lighter

[VTCaraco]

I might be wrong, but I think that that is one of CoolPlanetBikes (https://forums.thepaceline.net/member.php?u=235620) machines. He has a presence on here. Might make sense to ping him and get his insight.




It is...just found where he posted it here ~ https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=244173

[avalonracing]

I raced with a team that had a number of the Ti/Carbon bikes break.

[trener1]

As someone already posted, that paint job is amazing!

[pjbaz]

I own and LOVE my 04 Zurich - the first year for their short run - and it's wonderful. True Temper OX (later production run switch from Reynolds 853) and carbon niftiness.

Rides great and seated climbs are perfect, it's also pretty light for the era; mine has the Race XXX Lite fork and comes in just under 19lbs with older Look pedals. It's honestly my most trusted ride in any condition.

[Bici-Sonora]

I picked up a steel/carbon one on eBay a few years ago. There was a weird issue with the rear end: when the wheel was set in the drop outs straight it was slightly out of plane with the seat tube. A friend at the local Trek store confirmed that he’d seen it on a few of these bikes. Because it was not mentioned In the description I returned it to the seller on eBay.


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[justinrchan]

I had one and it was a great bike. Loved how it rode and handled. The only reason I sold it was it was too big for me. The next owner told me a couple of years after I sold it to him that the frame failed. I think it was at one of the bond points. Thankfully he was at low speed when it happened.

[jamesdak]

I've got a Steel/Carbon one that quite honestly I hated on the first couple rides. A surprise to me since I also have quite a few other Lemonds and love every one of them. This spine one just rides so much harsher on my chip seal roads. But I got it to make it a light climber and for that it does shine. I'm running a Dura Ace Triple setup on it and spent quite a bit of time riding it up hill last year. Still if I'm going for a longer ride on a regular route this will probably be my last choice.

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/169055605.jpg

[dookie]

I raced with a team that had a number of the Ti/Carbon bikes break.This. The ti frames cracked, usually at the shifter bosses. I saw many.

[bthomas515]

I have a tete de course (61cm) that I love! They ride extremely well and are really a different feel. Stiff and race oriented but comfortable over miles. It may hit the selling block soon just because my townhome lacks space but I’m going to try and hold on as long as I can

[EricChanning]

That custom painted bike has been posted for sale on the internet multiple times over the past 5 years. I saw it offered on ebay first as a frameset years ago. I'll never forget it with that 70's custom van like paint job. It's certainly one of a kind. That's a sweet package for the price.

I was tempted the first time I saw it but bought a frame in its original non painted state.

I've been riding my tete de course spine bike as my main group ride and long distance paved road bike for the past 5 years. It survived being side swiped by a car at 20mph and another occasion of a roof rack assisted 40mph stem/handlebar decapitation from a low hanging branch. I did mixed surface rides on it before getting a gravel bike. It's not a fragile frame.

I can compare the experience of riding this bike to riding full titanium, steel and carbon frames. Taking other bike build variables into consideration, the ti/carbon spine version has a very nice feel. I keep it as my go to for this reason.

I've had no issues with cracking. The slightly older full titanium Lemond bikes had issues with cracks at the cable stop welds.

If you sweat a lot, you can end up with salt corrosion around the cable stops on the carbon top tube.