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First Impression: LeMond Poprad Disc
May 31st, 2007 by Tim Grahl 
The LeMond Poprad Disc is labeled as a cyclocross bike, however they are often a great choice for the daily commute. And the folks at LeMond know this as well… they speculate that half of the Poprads they sell are specifically for commuting use. This is the first time the bike has ever been reviewed from a commuting perspective.
The frame is made of True Temper OX Platinum steel. I do know that “steel is real” and offers a very smooth ride, however the “True Temper OX Platinum” part was new to me so I did some googling and read about it here, here and here. Apparently the way they make it allows it to be lighter and stronger than other forms of steel, however the part that stood out to me was this:
OX Platinum is highly temper-resistant, resulting in an 11% increase in fatigue life and a 20% increase in impact strength over the competition.
That’s a great increase in two areas of strength that I’m looking for in a commuter bike.
Moving on from the frame, they’ve added carbon into the mix, which is also well known for dampening low level vibrations. Both the forks and seatpost are carbon which gives you a huge weight savings and adds more comfort to the bike.
The “Disc” in the name obviously refers to the Avid BB7 disc brakes. While this gives it cool points and is perfect for the cross racing the bike is built for, it’s a bit of overkill in my opinion for a commuter bike if you stay on paved roads for the majority of the time.
The drivetrain is all Shimano 105 except for the Bontrager Race Cross GXP crankset. The rear cassette is 9-speed with cogs going from 12 to 27 teeth. Up front you have two chainrings, 46 and 38 teeth.
The last component I’ll mention is the Bontrager Bzzzkill Vibration Dampeners. These are the little handlebar plugs… click here to read about them. Fascinating.
The first thing I noticed, and that still stands out to me after 9 days of commuting, is how much this bike smooths out the road chatter. Most of my ride into work is done in the wide shoulder lane… the part of the road that isn’t very well maintained. There’s lots of cracks, bumps, etc on the ride and the Poprad does a great job sucking up a large amount of the vibrations. You can tell one of the goals of this bike was to smooth out the road.
One thing I’ll be switching out soon is the stock tires. These, again, are made specifically for cross bikes so I can feel the extra tread slowing me down.
After a week and a half of riding I’m pretty happy with the bike. More updates in the near future.
CLICK HERE if you’d like to see the bike on LeMond’s website and see full specs. Also check out both the Shimano and Bontrager websites to learn more about the components on the bike.
Now for the pictures…
May 31st, 2007 at 1:53 pm
I use a cross bike, (felt f1x) for commuting. I tried the poprad and really liked it, but essentially settled on a different bike. Steel is real, is sort of like the analog feel the warmth sentiment-sounds cool, but what does it really mean. An aluminum bike is lighter and stiffer, a titanium, lighter and stiffer still, and carbon even lighter and so on. But each has a trade-off in durability. Carbon especially, hard but not so good when you crash it.
If commuting is supposed to be cost savings, carbon fiber cross bikes is not the way to save money I discovered! Really steel’s benefit is in cost savings and durability, or am I wrong?
I’ve only been commuting for two years, but I’ve been doing it on a high end cross bike that I ride for everything: trail rides, street rides, commuting, etc. I live in Michigan where salt and snow are huge problem, I’ve gone through every major drivetrain component except a front dérailleur. It would seem a high-end cross bike is not really the best commuting bike unless you have money for a new drivetrain every year. I’m thinking about a steel singlespeed bike with cross tires?
Any thoughts on that?
May 31st, 2007 at 2:03 pm
Single speed aluminum is where to go in my opinion. Steel rusts, aluminum doesn’t.
May 31st, 2007 at 7:52 pm
My 20-year-old steel Centurion has been ridden thousands of miles through every kind of weather, including several winters of salted roads, several summers of midwest thunderstorms, and submersion of the BB in flooded streets. There’s not a spot of rust on that bike.
The Poprad looks nice. I’ve seen a couple rigged for commuter use where I ride.
May 31st, 2007 at 8:48 pm
disc brakes are all about commuting in the rain yo. this bike could use some fender and rack braze-ons too.
imho steel is way more different from al than vinyl is different from cd. just go ride a steel road bike. they just ring in a pleasant manner. it’s a real difference, it’s not some phantom schmuck difference. rust is not a real world problem (http://en.allexperts.com/q/Bicycle-Repair-1824/Frame-Rust.htm). my steel stumpy lives outside and rusts, but it just doesn’t rust fast enough to matter. i bet i lose more metal to cable rub. in my (poor) understanding cro-moly steels are sort of in between plain steel and stainless steel in terms of rust.
also, commute on slicks!! knobs are so slow.
June 1st, 2007 at 2:04 am
Yup, needs fenders/rack. Sick fork. Agree that discs are too much. Last year’s proprad didn’t have them. But this is one sexy bike for sure. Thought about getting one, decided on the heavier duty and more utilitarian surly crosscheck. Maybe you should send me that bike to test, make sure I made the right decision…
June 1st, 2007 at 11:43 am
I think discs are useful for riding in constant wet and mud. The reason I own a fixed gear is because rim brakes are useless for winter riding; disc brakes are handy to have if you live in the snowbelt.
June 1st, 2007 at 5:10 pm
The Poprad seems like a nice choice. It’s like a steel Trek Portland, no? I don’t know if discs are really a benefit for commuting. I’ve ridden home in the rain dozens of times, and once I switched to salmon Kool Stop pads I had no worries. The Poprad does have its rear brake mounted in the correct location for mounting a rack and fenders, which is very very smart on LeMond’s part.
June 1st, 2007 at 10:38 pm
I recently purchased the Poprad, as in 3 days ago, and right off the bat switched out the tires added the same fenders that the Portland sports… and all I can say is I love it and have been using it as my primary commuting bike..
- BB7’s awesome mechanical disc brakes, but very difficult to dial in right off the bat…
- mine was outfitted with 105 10 speed rear…
- the only part that i was pleasantly surprised with was the stock saddle. Surprising comfortable.
I was originally torn between the Portland and the Poprad… but here are a few points that had me go with the Poprad….
- Steel frame. I’ve been sporting a custom built Surly Karate Monkey S.S. and have loved the feel of steel.
- made in the US of A
- component specs. 105 throughout, BB7’s, nice wheel set, double and not a triple [who actually uses that gear anyways?], Satellite Carbon Fork.
- and call me shallow but the bike just looks sweet. and it doesn’t have Trek posted all over it… the only way it would be sweeter if it were say, Surly =)… part of me would have loved to have built up a Cross Check but the Monkey was enough for awhile.
June 3rd, 2007 at 4:45 pm
I’ve been riding my Poprad since August of 2005. I have about 5000 miles of commuting on it and 4 or 5 cyclocross races as well. I bought mine as a frame set and built up the final cost was only slightly more than a stock bike-
Mavic Kyserium Equipe Wheels, Ultegra drive drain 38/50 in front with 11-32 on a short cage derailleur and bar end shifters, Avid V brakes with Dia Compe BRS 500 levers, a Salsa Bell Lap Cross bar and Panaracer T serve 700×28 tires.
This is the most comfortable bike I’ve ever owned; you can bunny hop potholes with confidence and still sprint for a green light. The steel frame jumps from a stand still and springs forward during longer climbs.
Of the 30 or so year round commuters on my morning ferry ride, 4 of them are on Poprads.
The real difference is this bike is born from a road bike, not a cross bike taken from a Mountain bike idea. The head tube is a little longer and it seems like the fork rake is more generous. This is better for heads up riding in the city.
I am riding in Seattle and its wet a lot. I set the V brakes up with Ultegra road shoes by swapping the stock 6mm bolts for a little longer version. The brakes work great, the pads are cheap and easy to replace and I can use any wheel I want, so when I’ve crashed or flatted I can borrow a wheel from another bike without worrying about disc brake compatibility.
June 14th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
I bought a Poprad disc three weeks ago, mostly for commuting, which it is fantastic for, even on the pot-holed streets of London England. I’ve just taken a week off work and so I’ve been doing slightly more ambitious 20-mile runs on it and I’ve got a 54-mile London to Brighton ride lined up for this weekend. This bike is wonderful for these longer runs and it sure is cool-looking machine (okay, I know that’s not the most important thing, but there’s something deliciously retro about its appearance). Like another contributor here I also changed the stock tires for slicker ones. I’ve had to learn to only use the middle set of chain cogs because the outer ones cause bad an alignment of the chain with assocated slipping and scraping, which I understand is normal for this type of bike. I love my Poprad and I can’t recommend it enough to anyone thinking of purchasing one.
June 19th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
I was looking for my first commuter and was told to look at cross bikes - behold the Poprad!
I have only had it for a week and I love it and actually want to ride it as much as possilbe. My poor mtb is feeling supremely jealous and neglected… The Poprad just feels great - right form the start with no adjustments. I plan to change out the wheels and due to my personal flab facotre I am looking into tinkering with the middle ring.
I live in wet, hilly Vancouver, BC so the BB7 were the clincher - and everyone knows red bikes go faster.
I am curious to see more set up ideas from this forum - has anyone removed the second set of brake levers?
June 19th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
yep, that was the first thing to go on my poprad… i really didn’t feel the need for the crosstops, although, i know people who loved them on there… with my large hands they got in the way. 3 weeks on it… still in love.
August 1st, 2007 at 9:26 pm
I got an ‘07 Poprad disc as soon as they came available a year ago–was pleasantly surprised with 10-spd setup and slicks, straight from the factory. A few notes on my experience with it:
Changed the cranks: For my hilly 8-mile commute I swapped out the 38×46 front rings for a 34×50 compact crankset (Bonty’s Race Lite GXP). I’d recommend this move for anyone wanting more versatility from the bike.
As for the disc brakes: I have a nice 8% grade, 1.5-mile hill to ride every day, and the disc brakes are great there, even in rain. Once I learned how to tune them, the BB7s have been great. And when I drip sweat on them from climbing that hill, the sizzle is strangely satisfying.
And as for the lack of rack mounts: I just can’t bear to put a rack on the bike, so instead invested in a well-fitting REI backpack.
In sum, I find the bike very responsive and a joy to ride.
August 2nd, 2007 at 9:22 am
FOR SALE!! Hey folks, I am forced to sell my nearly new 49″ 2006 Poprad Disc for anyone that is interested. I am just about ready to put it on Craigslist. By “nearly new” I’m talking about less than 50 miles on it, never even had to be cleaned.
It comes with a fenders which I put on right after I bought it, the same knobby tires, etc.
Why am I selling it? I have to cut back on the number of bikes I have and I can’t get rid of my mountain bike (due to racing), nor my road bike, nor the bike I have on my trainer (which wouldn’t fetch enough to make it worthwhile anyway), nor my flip-flop single speed which also wouldn’t bring in enough money to make it worthwhile to sell.
So, I am asking $1200 for it. It’s orange and I have photos. Haven’t even had the initial new bike adjustment/tuning performed on it, since I don’t have enough miles. I LOVED the bike and the one thing I noticed someone saying on here was that it rode like a road bike, and that’s one thing I love about it. Plus with the second set of brake levers it allows me to be upright in traffic, it’s just a great bike and I’ll probably get another when I can justify it. The discs make the little bit of rain riding I did a non-issue.
If anyone is interested, just let me know. It’s one of the ultimate commute machines.
Stanley
August 4th, 2007 at 12:22 am
Where are ya, Stanley?
August 4th, 2007 at 9:01 am
Stanley’s Poprad is currently listed for sale in the Commute by Bike Marketplace:
http://www.commutebybike.com/market/
August 4th, 2007 at 10:06 am
Stanley–why so small a frame size? I read the sale listing and you’re suggesting a 49cm frame for someone 5′ 9″. Seems like a 49cm would be better for someone 5′3″ or so.
August 5th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
I’m in Portland, OR
August 5th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Mike, I base the size first and foremost on how much of a gap there is when I straddle the top tube. I want to be able to land on my feet and have a couple of inches. I also don’t want to have a cyclocross bike that does not have a gap. This is, as you obviously learned in your homework, a traditional style frame, not a compact, so it is a taller bike. One critical question you forgot to ask me is what my inseam is, the size of a bike has much less to do with a person’s height than it does with their inseam. Mine is around 30. The seatpost is all the way down for me too, so there is room for upsizing. So, in response to your statment of it seeming as if a 49cm would be better for someone 5′3″ or so, that would depend on the geometry of the frame, the length of a person’s inseam, the length of their upper body, etc. The best thing is to get one and try it out. But it’s not very reliable to assume that a certain height of a person matches a particular frame size. And to throw yet another kink into your thought… Different companies come up with a frame size in different ways. There are a couple of different formulas for coming up with frame sizes out there, which is fewer than their used to be.
I spent the weekend with a top 10 mtn. biker (nationals this year) and he is going with a smaller frame with his sponsoring company (Scott), he has decided that the smaller frame size makes no difference in his riding peformance and he likes the reduction in weight. So this opens up an entirely different topic…
Ahhhh, the joys of being a bike shop owner and selling bikes for 27 years…
My advice is for someone to always straddle, fit (not necessarily with Fit Kit), and ride a bike before buying and not go on stated sizes, or second-hand descriptions, they mean different things for different brands, road, mountain, cyclocross, downhill, etc.
Good luck!
Stanley
August 5th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Stanley—I didn’t mean to offend or insult you, and from the tone of your reply it seems I did. I’m just having a hard time visualizing someone of your height on such a small bike. I looked at the pics on the marketplace page and it looks like your bars are at saddle height. How much weight are your placing on your hands? I’m just trying to add to my knowledge of bike fit, no offense intended.
August 6th, 2007 at 1:21 am
Oh! No offense taken. I’ve just been through people trying figure out a proper fit without having a first-hand look and feel of a bike with a particular body.
If you break down my previous email into the different “pieces of the fit puzzle” you might have a better chance at understanding it.
Again, you mentioned the height topic in your second sentence. I don’t know how else to say it, and I’m sorry for repeating it, but height is NOT the only thing to consider. Inseam, upper body length, length of top tube, and wheel base should also be considered.
Now as far as wanting to know how much weight I am placing on the handle bars, that’s a tough percentage to know exactly. I know that my hands and wrists don’t get tired, but again (sorry to keep repeating myself, but this might help you), there are other factors to consider in the fit. Top tube length and upper body length for starters. There are ways to figure out a fairly accurate ratio of weight placed on wrists and rear end with different fit kits, but it varies from geometry to geometry and bike type to bike type. My crit bikes are completely different from my long range bikes and they differ completely from my fixed single speed commute bikes. And of course they are ALL different from my mountain bikes. And my mountain bikes differ depending on their uses as well.
Anyway, it’s not uncommon for people to come into the shop with ideas they have formed from reading different written guides on how to fit a bike, they are so confused when it doesn’t work out the way it’s “supposed” to. However a well written guide will also mention that sizing will vary depending on the frame geometry (compact or so-called traditional), wheel base, and then offsets on seat posts, and handlebar stems. Some of these things can be adjusted and some can’t.
Now, I had a person try out the bike today and he couldn’t understand why the bike fit him so well with a few adjustments. The frame was completely different from his bike and he just couldn’t seem to comprehend that you can’t compare “apples with oranges.” But, he is an engineer and it’s probably going to take a while for him to understand, he says he’ll need to analyze it a bit more! He was especially surprised at what a difference it made to slide the seat back on its rails and how many different aspects of the fit this had an impact on. Over-thinking the fit would have prevented him from getting a good fit if I hadn’t required that he try a different size than the one he stated he had to have when he came into the shop!
Oh well, the only thing I can tell you is that if the bars are at saddle height, it would only be an issue if you knew the other half of the story - my exact dimensions and how the bike fits me.
If you have any more questions about your bike fit visualizations, just let me know and I’ll try my best. It’s always fun to help people realize the importance in buying and riding a properly fit bike. The extra $50 or so is well worth it!
Ultimately, what really matters is how the bike fits another person. So I wouldn’t worry too much if the picture doesn’t make sense or match how you think a bike should fit an unknown body size.
Just ride. I only ride around 12,000 miles a year, but I think more serious riders would agree.
Stanley
August 6th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Stanley–thanks for the info. I actually have fit issues due to my size, too. I have shoulder impingements and carpal tunnel syndrome, so keeping weight off my hands is a must. I’m also short legged. To find bikes that work with my standover height issues(road bikes), I’ve ended up with 52cm frames. But to get the bars up to where I need them I have long steer tubes and tons of spacers. Both road bikes I own have steel forks and steel steerers, so no biggie. They are comfortable but both look a bit—unconventional. If I was riding something with a threaded fork they wouldn’t look quite so weird, I imagine.
September 10th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
I’m also in Portland and riding an ‘07 Poprad disc since last April, about 100 miles commuting per week. Swapped out the tires for Armadillos as soon as I got home, and mounted full SKS fenders - no rack. I love the bike. Felt a little “rangy” to me (stretched out) at first - I’m about 5′ 8″ and have a 52cm. But we’ve grown into each other quite well. Done a couple 75 mile rides recently, including up Larch Mountain (4000 ft elevation gain) and found myself wishing for a triple in front, but not what I really bought it for so I’m good. I also ditched the - to mind mind - lousy squishy Bontrager saddle. Still searching for the right one, but that sucker was NOT it.
Two reasons for purchase: I commute in Portland every day, rain or shine, and was getting tired of grinding down brakes AND RIMS with grit. The disc took care of that and stop in anything, quick as I want. Also pleasantly surprised at how easy the Avids are to adjust - easier than conventional brakes to my mind.
Second, I’m planning on riding cross this fall and this bike will be my ticket to the dance. Had my first clinic last week, and really grew a whole new appreciation for the bike’s layout doing running dismounts and mounts, jumping barriers, and throwing it on my shoulder for run-ups. Still haven’t gotten the bike real muddy, but the fenders are off and the knobbies are going back on this week.
October 3rd, 2007 at 1:03 am
Just sold my 1991 Bridgestone MB-1 that I used as a commuter. I know…I know. I will always regret it. I already do. I was the original owner, purchased it back in the day for $1100. Oh well. Time to move on. Got another bike for sale in order to get to my next commuter…the Poprad. Selling a ’86 Giuseppe Olmo. Incredible beauty and Italian craftsmanship on the lug work. But another bike in my garage that I need to clear out. Anyway, when it’s sold I will DEFINITELY go for the Poprad. Comparing the geometries of other XC bikes, this one is it. It reminds me of my old MB1 with the longer top tube and a steep 73 – 74 degree seat angle not to mention the ride of cozy steel. You just can’t find that anymore these daze. Anyway, I can’t wait….
Cheers,
October 3rd, 2007 at 3:04 am
I’ve had my Poprad around six moths now. I love it. I use it to commute, but I’ve also taken part in cyclosportives with it (50miles up to 80 miles). I’ve put road tyres on it because I’m not doing cyclocross races and the knobbly ones slow it down a lot on the road. I’ve found the Poprad to be very versatile, holding its own in (albeit low level) competitions. Those disc brakes might a be a little over the top and perhaps heavy for competitive riding on roads, but they sure are effective on the steep, fast downhills south of London (England) where I’ve been doing training and club rides. They are easy to adjust too, with those simple, little red dials. I’ve found the back wheel spokes’ tension has needed a lot of adjustment, but this might not be the bike’s fault - I might have hit a pot hole or something which has thrown it slightly out of true. The cross tops are very useful in London traffic, making it easier to sit upright and be seen. I added a shorter stem than the factory fitted one which seemed very long and meant I was hunching forward and putting too much weight on the handlebars. My Poprad has turned out to be great value for money.
October 10th, 2007 at 12:32 am
I noticed that the Poprad comes with a pretty nice carbon seat post. I have a Trek “Mountain Train” that is a kid’s bike tandem attachment. It clamps to my seat post and pivots on the post. I am getting ready to buy the Poprad, but do you think that it’s not a good idea to clamp this pivoting bracket to that carbon post?
Thanks
October 10th, 2007 at 5:03 am
skiDave… no, no, no… it is never a good idea to use any kind of clamping device on a carbon post…. especially a tag-a-long or kid’s bike tandem attachment… not only because it clamping the post but because of the amount of forward and backward force that would be put on it from the child.
also avoid any rear rack that only clamps on the the seatpost. that also is not a good thing for a carbon post.
the shop you purchase it from should be willing to swap the carbon post out for free for a standard post that will be able to handle it. or if you don’t want to part with the carbon you could always get a standard post/seat to put in when you are going to use the kid tandem… if you go that route just remember… lube the seatpost before putting it in… but when you go to put the carbon seatpost in, clean out the lube, it is not necessary for carbon posts [and be careful about when you tighten down the seatpost clamp. i know many that have cracked the post by over tightening]
January 14th, 2008 at 12:14 am
now, i have nothing but great things to say about the poprad. unfortunately, having 6 bikes is a bit too much especially when some of them sit for too long without being ridden. so i’ve decided to part with mine. it’s a 2007 57cm poprad, everything is stock on it besides the tires that i switched out to bontrager satellite plus 700×32 tires, the stem which was upgrade to a bont. race and removed the crosstop levers… i’m selling it for $1000 + shipping [usually around $70].
interested? email me at adamlorenz@gmail.com
January 20th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
I am looking at the Poprad Disc, and comparing it to a Trek XO1 and the felt f1x.
I currently have a Trek 1500 with a stack of modifications, and I couldn’t be happier. I took this bike on the 2007 STP (about 210 miles) and enjoyed every mile of it, and currently have it set up on a cyclops fluid 2 trainer in my home office. I commuted last spring through the summer to late fall, but as winter approaches, but no longer find it “comfortable” to go short distances on the trek. And I am too content with having the trainer so easily accessible.
I want a bike to commute on, but also having single-track roots on hardtail bikes, I was thinking to go the cross route. My commute is 12+ miles one way, and I am not using panniers, but find a backpack more suiting. What does anyone think about the bikes?
May 6th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
So I picked up a 2007 Poprad Disc yesterday and rode it into work today. swapped out the tires and innertube for 23cm road wheels. It’s very niceThe steel frame and carbon fork smoothe out the ride. I would like a full size double. The compact double makes sense for the cyclocross circuit, but i think I could shave some more time off my 15 mile commute with a higher gear.
About panniers, I moved from backpack to panniers recently. I think it’s an easier ride w/ panniers…
August 16th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
ATTENTION EVERYONE !!!
Just in case anyone was curious as to where the name of bike originated from, let me tell you. I am from the city of Poprad in Slovakia. Mr. LeMond and his team had a cross country race in this city and designed this bike specifically for the race he completed in Poprad. You can visit the web site http://www.poprad.sk for more information.
Thank You!