Has anybody ridden both a Look 595 origin or ultra and a Cervelo R3? I was wondering how the two compare with each other. I have an R3 now but I want to get a 595 Ultra. Any opinions on both bikes would be appreciated.

Do a search for forum member C-40. Or contact him directly. He had 2 R3's and a 585.
he was not to fond of his R3.

Was wondering if you could fill me in on any update with your experience so far after making the jump to the LOOK - I'm currently in the same decision process you were in - I've been drooling over the 595 for several months and am just about ready to take the plunge but want to make sure I'm not overlooking anything as I've heard good things about the R3 (SL)

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Solany-
I just got the 2008 Look 595 Ultra Pro Team last Friday. WOW! The 595 Ultra is the perfect bike. It is amazingly stiff and smooth. It blew me away. I knew it was going to be a great bike but I completely under estimated it. It's incredible. I sold my Cervelo R3 last week. The R3 was a really good bike. In the last 20 years of racing, it was the best bike I had ever ridden... until the 595 Ultra. The Ultra makes the R3 look pitiful. Like a bike you would buy at Kmart. I thought the R3's bottom bracket was super stiff. It does not even compate to the Ultra's stiffness. The Ultra is a rocket. It does not flex at all! The bike just jumps forward when you pedal. It climbs great. Today I rode 10 miles of 10 percent grade (by Superior, Arizona). I could ride in sometimes 2 bigger gears and sometimes 1 bigger gear. The main reason I sold the R3 was the lateral stiffness. It was a noodle by the head tube/tob tube junction( the size was an XL). If you were to wiggle the handle bar wheil riding, the R3 would feel like sillyputty. The 595 Ultra is stiff laterally. At 25mph+, the frames doesn't flex at all. It is so stable. At times on the R3 it got a little scary on descents of 40mph and faster.
The HSC6 fork is the best! Man, it is so stiff and smooth. The best fork I have ever experienced. The Wolf SL fork on the R3 was stiff but rode like a jackhammer.
Don't get me wrong. I don't mean to slam the R3 so much. It was an awesome bike. I loved it and thought it was one of the best bikes on the market. The 595 Ultra is just that good! Phenominal! A great sprinter and climber. It is lighter than my R3 was too. It weighs in at 15.8 lbs. (size XL with Campy Record, Reynolds Attack wheels, SLR carbonio saddle, Rithcey carbon bars & stem and Michelin Race Pro 2 25mm tires.)
Above all, the bike looks cool. I seriously can't saty enough about it. Like I said, I knew I was going to like it but not this much. It is perfect if every way. You gotta get one.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Mike

AZ-Just some pictures! I am glad you are so excited.

Thanks for the help - just dropped a deposit on a left-over 2007 595 (I like the white)!

Picking it up tomorrow, can't wait.

Excellent decision. You will love the 595. The white Origin is classic. I myself have the 2008 Pro Team Ultra that is back & white. The ads don't really do it justice. When I saw it in person for the first time, there was no way I was not buying one. What a beautiful frame.
I will try and post some photos tonight.

What is the difference between the "Origin" and, "Ultra" models?

What is the difference between the "Origin" and, "Ultra" models?

Supposedly the ride quality. Ultra is supposed to be stiffer.

You're right. The Ultra is supposed to 15% stiffer, yet just as smooth. Look recommends the Ultra for 200lbs + riders or serious sprinters. I'm about 6'2" and 170 lbs and my Ultra is an XL. The bike is absolutely perfect. I stiff can't get over how buff & stiff the bottom bracket area is and the lateral stiffness is great.
My twin brother just ordered an XL 595 Origin. I will have to ride his bike or he will have to write in and let you know the difference. He is getting the Origin because he thinks it will ride smoother and be more comfortable. I told him (& I think he agrees, but won't admit it) that the Ultra is the perfect bike and if he's worried about the Ultra being too stiff or harsh, just put on some 25mm Michelin tires. You can make a bike smooother but you can't do anyting to improve it's stiffness. Nnot that the Ultra is harsh. It's very smooth and comfortable. So my thought is... doens't the Ultra make the Origin obsolete? My bro's answer is that Credit Agricole all ride Origins so the Origin must be better. Maybe Chas would know if they really do all ride Origins or maybe they are riding Ultras that are paintted like Origins. It will be a mystery.
Anyway, it will be very interesting to see how his Origin compares with my Ultra. I will keep you posted.

Maybe Chas would know if they really do all ride Origins or maybe they are riding Ultras that are paintted like Origins. It will be a mystery.


In the '06 Tour (595's debut year), they all rode Origins. These days they have both at their disposal and will choose which one to ride based on the race/course conditions.

chas@LookUSA

Chas- Do you sell more 595 Ultras or Origins? What are the percentages? I know you ride an Ultra because of your photos you have posted. How would you compare the Origin & Ultra - other than 15% pecent stiffer .. blah, blah.

I'm jealous that you're on the roads in Arizona. I'm picking up my white Look 595 with Reynolds Attack wheels, DuraAce and Pulsion cranks tomorrow. Unfortunately, we have a ton of snow, single-digit temps on the way, and sand-filled roads here in the Boston area. So it will be a while before I saddle up. Psyched anyway. I'm 5' 10" and was fit for a Medium with a 110 stem. Seems just right since I had a 585 Medium and loved the fit on that.

I told him (& I think he agrees, but won't admit it) that the Ultra is the perfect bike and if he's worried about the Ultra being too stiff or harsh, just put on some 25mm Michelin tires. You can make a bike smooother but you can't do anyting to improve it's stiffness. Nnot that the Ultra is harsh. It's very smooth and comfortable. So my thought is... doens't the Ultra make the Origin obsolete?

No, it doesn't make Origins obsolete, because there is no data that shows that stiffness correlates in any way with improved bicycle performance. Stiffness is a personal preference, and that is about it. There is no significant energy lost in a bike frame. At Eurobike '07, there was even talk by some manufacturers about how they knew that stiffness was being oversold and overhyped, and also how they knew that it would be difficult to back away from that "stiff is better" mantra given how the bike buying public had so easily swallowed that line.

Congrats. You will love the 595 and the Attack wheels. I'm a big fan of Reynolds wheels- you get a very high qulity wheel for a reasonable amount of money. I'm saving up for the new Reynolds 66 wheels. They will be so fast! Yeah, I'm stoked I live in Arizona this time of year, although I have to pay for it in the summer.

Congrats. You will love the 595 and the Attack wheels. I'm a big fan of Reynolds wheels- you get a very high qulity wheel for a reasonable amount of money. I'm saving up for the new Reynolds 66 wheels. They will be so fast! Yeah, I'm stoked I live in Arizona this time of year, although I have to pay for it in the summer.

Reynolds does make some nice wheels. The Attacks have had some mixed reviews, but I dunno what that's all about. I had a set of Stratus DV tubies and they were great every day wheels.

Actually 'zona is great year 'round, except if you're silly enough to ride after 10:00 am or so between June and September.

DV66s....hmmmm. Those'll be fun when the wind gets honkin'.

Did you have any issues with the seatpost? Cutting it or cracks showing up? I'm currently on a 58 size Team Soloist, and looking for a carbon frame soon, what size Ultra frame would be comperable, I'm 6'3" 235lbs.

I was thinking about buyign a BMC SLC-01 until I started to hear all of the overwhelmingly positive stuff about the 595. Now, I'm thinking that I'm better off going with the 595 as my next bike. However, would I be better off going with the Ultra or with the Origin? Are there any negatives, besides ride quality, to the Ultra? If so, even though I am a lighter rider, I would be compelled to go with the stiffer Ultra and have the absolute best performing machine available. Thoughts? Thanks!

I was thinking about buyign a BMC SLC-01 until I started to hear all of the overwhelmingly positive stuff about the 595. Now, I'm thinking that I'm better off going with the 595 as my next bike. However, would I be better off going with the Ultra or with the Origin? Are there any negatives, besides ride quality, to the Ultra? If so, even though I am a lighter rider, I would be compelled to go with the stiffer Ultra and have the absolute best performing machine available. Thoughts? Thanks!

I'll put this out there again: on an extended test ride of a 595 Origin, with my 175lb corpus, the bike lacked for nothing on a local 20%+ climb. Nada. Now I'm no Thor Hushovd, but I can eek out 1000-1200 watts when the grade gets steep, and the 595 did absolutely nothing untoward.

For my mass, Chad recommended the Origin. He's already said that the 595's pedaled in the '06 TdF were Origins. I figure that if it were good enough for Thor, it's good enough for moi. There's nothing in the physics of cycling that indicates a stiffer bike will perform better. In fact, there isn't even any test data to show that. Stiffer may be better though, if that's what you like. Personal preference trumps empirical evidence nearly every time.

FR- You're right. I'm sure can't go wrong with a 595 Origin or Ultra. I just got done putting in 40 miles of climbing/descending on some winding canyon roads here in Arizona this morning on my new 595 Ultra. Everytime I ride my Look it's a religous experience! Man, the bike climbs and descends great. What a fantastic bike!

Thanks for the responses. I've finally decided that the 595 seems like the best bike on the market at its price. The Soloist Carbon has issues with toe overlap in smaller frames, the BMC seems like a great bike but I've heard that it can be flexy. The 595 seems like its perfect; I have heard NOTHING negative about the bike. When it comes time to put some money down for the bike, I'll probably just try to ride the Ultra and the Origin and make a decision then and there about my initial reaction to the rides. Thanks again Forrest Root and AZ Cruiser, you;re input is greatly appreciated.

I don't know if this will help anyones decsion, but I'll throw it out there anyway. I am about 5'10" and last season raced 25 cat 1-2 races at 190lbs. The 595 origin was plenty stiff. This has been one of the first bikes that I cant make the chain rub the front der. I can see the BB flex a little while on the trainer, but I don't think that translates into any inefficency on the road. I have ridden the 595 ultra, and found it to feel a little stiffer in the BB, but not enough for me to give up the sweet white paint.

I tend to agree with Forrest Root. Frame flex doesn't matter much but you can see it so it plays on your mind a little bit.

Bottom line origin or ultra, you're getting a bike that is at least as good as anything else out there. Maybe the best.

I don't know if this will help anyones decsion, but I'll throw it out there anyway. I am about 5'10" and last season raced 25 cat 1-2 races at 190lbs. The 595 origin was plenty stiff. This has been one of the first bikes that I cant make the chain rub the front der. I can see the BB flex a little while on the trainer, but I don't think that translates into any inefficency on the road. I have ridden the 595 ultra, and found it to feel a little stiffer in the BB, but not enough for me to give up the sweet white paint.

I tend to agree with Forrest Root. Frame flex doesn't matter much but you can see it so it plays on your mind a little bit.

Bottom line origin or ultra, you're getting a bike that is at least as good as anything else out there. Maybe the best.

Off topic a bit but, what trainer are you using? I am also 190, well maybe a couple lbs more, and need to get one.