first ride on Look KG381

[Ken Robb]

In my on-going program to help my forum pals churn their inventories I swapped some FRNs to SBash for this old plastic frame and fork. I had a bunch of 10spd alloy Chorus stuff lately removed from my CSI to my Kirk to the parts locker so it's built with that and 32 hole Open Pros, TA Zephyr triple on a HEAVY Phil Wood BB. It weighs 18.5lbs. ready to ride including seat bag. Not bad for a 60cm bike.

It's one of the stiffest bikes I've ridden with a ride that's firm but not too harsh on 700x25 GP4000 tires at 100psi. No high frequency tingling either. The steering is quicker than my other bikes which tend toward sport-touring geos. I think it's even a bit quicker than my now-sold Legend. It doesn't twitch or wobble at 38mph which is as fast as I could go today. It turns in eagerly; so eagerly that I had to be very careful not to use the same inputs required on my slower-steering bikes.

I can't quite get the bars as high as the saddle so my time in the drops will be limited though still possible. I guess it has less BB drop too because the standover is higher than my other bikes which range to 62cm.

It is probably my best climber except for my Ducati :) . It's my lightest bike and with 48-38-28 and a 13-29 cassette there's a gear for every hill.

So now I guess I have a race bike but I'm not a racer and never will be. It could never be my ONLY bike but I hope I'll never be in that situation . If I keep it it will be like some people having a Lotus in the garage for those short fast blasts. I can certainly see how racy riders can love riding bikes like this everyday. But then you all knew that. :beer:

[RPS]

It is probably my best climber except for my Ducati :) . It's my lightest bike and with 48-38-28 and a 13-29 cassette there's a gear for every hill.Particularly for the up part. ;)

Sounds great -- thanks for the report.

[Ken Robb]

yeah--with 200lbs or so nekkid I've never had to pedal much downhill. :beer:

[gemship]

I don't know much about Look but they really make you look :p

I just googled your model and was treated to a few nice photo galleries, tough looking bike. Thanks

[Ken Robb]

SBash took most of the decals off this one so it's a "sneaky" Look. You could almost call it a "Peek". :)

[gemship]

SBash took most of the decals off this one so it's a "sneaky" Look. You could almost call it a "Peek". :)


can you post a pic or two, thanks

[rounder]

Sounds fun...like a sunny day topdown bike. Good luck.

[SBash]

In my on-going program to help my forum pals churn their inventories I swapped some FRNs to SBash for this old plastic frame and fork. I had a bunch of 10spd alloy Chorus stuff lately removed from my CSI to my Kirk to the parts locker so it's built with that and 32 hole Open Pros, TA Zephyr triple on a HEAVY Phil Wood BB. It weighs 18.5lbs. ready to ride including seat bag. Not bad for a 60cm bike.

It's one of the stiffest bikes I've ridden with a ride that's firm but not too harsh on 700x25 GP4000 tires at 100psi. No high frequency tingling either. The steering is quicker than my other bikes which tend toward sport-touring geos. I think it's even a bit quicker than my now-sold Legend. It doesn't twitch or wobble at 38mph which is as fast as I could go today. It turns in eagerly; so eagerly that I had to be very careful not to use the same inputs required on my slower-steering bikes.

I can't quite get the bars as high as the saddle so my time in the drops will be limited though still possible. I guess it has less BB drop too because the standover is higher than my other bikes which range to 62cm.

It is probably my best climber except for my Ducati :) . It's my lightest bike and with 48-38-28 and a 13-29 cassette there's a gear for every hill.

So now I guess I have a race bike but I'm not a racer and never will be. It could never be my ONLY bike but I hope I'll never be in that situation . If I keep it it will be like some people having a Lotus in the garage for those short fast blasts. I can certainly see how racy riders can love riding bikes like this everyday. But then you all knew that. :beer:

Ken,
Thanks for the feedback and 1st ride report on the LOOK 381...I think you will find after a couple weeks of riding, your body will settle in to your new ride, and you will really see how nice the 381 is...Please give us a 2nd ride report and some photos. BTW, That Sbash is great guy and awesome seller. :D
SB

[Ken Robb]

I hope you're right. I felt so good after that ride that I was delighted to ride my Riv Allrounder to the market when I got Leslie's dinner request after dark. I thought about ridng farther because it felt so good but "someone" had to whip up dinner.
The next moring I felt like I had been hit by a bus. My neck, shoulders and upper back hurt from front to back. This is all due to the strain of having to hold my head up and back to see through the center of my glasses. My legs felt fine. Today I still hurt but I feel up for a ride anyway. I want to take the Look again but one of my more upright bikes might be the wiser choice. Or should I push through the pain? Well, it's nice to have options. :beer:

[saab2000]

This is my 381. It is labeled a 56. It's awesome and a vastly underrated ride except for those who have ridden one. I am very glad I bought this one 2 years ago. Frame, fork, headset and seatpost were $750 used. I wanted one because I have always liked carbon Looks. I liked the aesthetics. What I really wanted was a black one but this is all that was available in my size.

As mentioned before, they ride nicely. Firm might be one word, but sounds a bit negative. But firm and not jarring is perhaps nice. Handling is indeed quick, but stable at the same time. Very precise. And yes, it is plenty stiff. It's not the lightest bike in the world by a long shot, but as pictured (with pedals) I am guessing mine weighs in between 17-18 lbs, hardly a fatty. And there are no 'stupid light' components.

They are rare, which makes them even cooler. :beer:

Highly recommended.

BTW, 481 is even cooler and rarer. Essentially the same bike but with nicer color options and some minor structural differences which cut like 50 grams off. I wish I had a 481.

[SBash]

I hope you're right. I felt so good after that ride that I was delighted to ride my Riv Allrounder to the market when I got Leslie's dinner request after dark. I thought about ridng farther because it felt so good but "someone" had to whip up dinner.
The next moring I felt like I had been hit by a bus. My neck, shoulders and upper back hurt from front to back. This is all due to the strain of having to hold my head up and back to see through the center of my glasses. My legs felt fine. Today I still hurt but I feel up for a ride anyway. I want to take the Look again but one of my more upright bikes might be the wiser choice. Or should I push through the pain? Well, it's nice to have options. :beer:

Ken, Possibly try a stem with a tad more rise, if you have not already...OR could just be a few minor adjustments.
Also, if you have not tried Michelin pro 2's in a 700 x 25, I highly reccomend them...I run them at 90 Front, 95 rear, and only tire I have never had a flat.

SB

[Ken Robb]

my stem is already +17 I think. I loved the ride of Michelin Pros but I got more flats with them than any other tire I ever rode in San Diego. The rubber seems so sticky that lots of broken glass sticks and works its way through the tread. I will reduce my pressure a bit from 100psi. I started there so I wouldn't get a pinch flat on my first ride.

[Ken Robb]

well I feel a little dumber than usual. The LOOK Ergo post has 3 holes in which the clamp may go and I had it in the rear one and that gives a lot of setback even when the saddle is in the middle of its rails. So in trying to get more comfort I found that I had 4cm more reach from bars to saddle. Getting that in my normal range and rotating the bars so the tops are level helped quite a bit.

Pretty cool post. Do any others offer so much range of setback?

[theprep]

Wipe these Look frames down on a regular basis.

My buddy’s Look KG 381 had a bad corrosion problem. All of the aluminum lugs were oxidizing and it made what was an otherwise excellent bike look lousy. You could just flick the paint off with your fingernail.

I brought each lug down to bare metal with a combination of sandpaper and my dremel, primed it with some marine stern-drive primer and painted it with a metallic grey that was real close in color. It is certainly not perfect, but if you back up 5’, it looks real sharp again.

That seat tube lug needed a second coat; you could see the primer with the flash.

[Ken Robb]

can you post a pic or two, thanks
I posted one "across the hall" at Velocepede under "my bikes". I always screw up trying to shrink pix to fit here.

[thwart]

Ken, hope you don't mind...

Here's a link to the pic: http://www.velocipedesalon.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3746&d=1228189345

Pretty bike!

[Ken Robb]

thanks--maybe some day I'll figure out how to do that shrink/post thing :) too.

[cleavel]

Wipe these Look frames down on a regular basis.

My buddy’s Look KG 381 had a bad corrosion problem. All of the aluminum lugs were oxidizing and it made what was an otherwise excellent bike look lousy. You could just flick the paint off with your fingernail.

I brought each lug down to bare metal with a combination of sandpaper and my dremel, primed it with some marine stern-drive primer and painted it with a metallic grey that was real close in color. It is certainly not perfect, but if you back up 5’, it looks real sharp again.

That seat tube lug needed a second coat; you could see the primer with the flash.

Hi,

I had a 381 that was exhibiting the same problem. I sent it back to Look and they gave me a warranty replacement on the frame because the corrosion was supposedly compromising the joint strength. They gave me a 565 but, unfortunately, the bike did not fit me very well though it handled very nicely. I ended up selling the 565 about 6 months after I got it.

The 481 has carbon lugs so it does not have the same issue and I don't think that any of the other newer Look frames has this same problem -- though I could be wrong.

[jamesau]

The 481 has carbon lugs so it does not have the same issue and I don't think that any of the other newer Look frames has this same problem -- though I could be wrong.

The 481 has Al lugs. My understanding is that early 381s had finish problems that were corrected in later revisions to that model. My 481 has a beautiful and durable finish.

[cleavel]

The 481 has Al lugs. My understanding is that early 381s had finish problems that were corrected in later revisions to that model. My 481 has a beautiful and durable finish.

Hmmm... I guess that's what I get for believing a US Look rep. :confused:

[Jack Brunk]

Ken,

I'm going to see Joe Bell on Saturday. I'm bringing my Look 595 down and I'm planning on a 2 hour ride after the visit. Are you close by?

[Ken Robb]

Ken,

I'm going to see Joe Bell on Saturday. I'm bringing my Look 595 down and I'm planning on a 2 hour ride after the visit. Are you close by?

I'm just off the I-5 by UCSD. Not so close to JB but I'm on the way. Stop by and I'll buy you a beer or coffee (or wine). It's supposed to be raining Saturday so maybe not so good for a ride? I'll show you the stable though. If it's dry I'll give you a slow tour of UCSD and Torrey Pines State Park.