http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?p=627892&posted=1#post627892

I just got my new 51cm LOOK 585 in the special edition red/red color. Above is the link to some pics I posted on the LOOK forum. The frame arrived about noon on Friday and I got it built-up by early Saturday morning, using many of the parts off my KG381. The 585 really rides great. I didn’t notice any harshness at all. One minor thing I don’t like is the lack of any frame mounted cable adjusters. With Campy, your only choice is to add some in-line adjusters. With a triple FD, getting the cable tension set correctly was a good trick, but I got it done. The frame does have some nice head tube mounted cable guides to prevent paint damage. With the cable guides, I didn’t use the crossed cable routing that I normally do. The quality of the finish on this special edition frame couldn’t be better. I really like having a frame with a fork painted to match (at no extra cost).

I tried the new Campy ultra narrow chain and found that it didn’t work with my triple FD. Absolutely couldn’t get the cage to go far enough to the left to make the shift to the little ring, even with the limit screw backed out far enough to let the pivot arm touch the seat tube. The chainline was right on the money, so I decided to tweak the FD cage a bit. A little squeeze in a vise narrowed it enough to work great. Now I’ve got some of the best front shifting ever. The narrower chain caused no problem at all with my FSA triple crank.

LOOK has changed their expanding plug for the steering tube, to what appears to be an FSA product. It’s much easier to use than the old model.

One of the new items on this bike is the Easton EC-90 OS handlebar. I searched for a bargain price and got a pair for $180. These bars have an ergo compatible bend. The levers must be mounted high. Using my standard 1” dowel rod spanning between the brake hoods, I measured 9cm inside to inside, which is 1cm more than my old Salsa Poco bars. With this setting, there is no need to rotate the bars more than a couple of degrees to position the brake hoods approximately horizontal.

Another new item is the Ritchey 4-axis OS stem. This stem has to be the sleekest OS stem on the market. The front clamp is as minimal as it can be. The stem is quite stiff and held the bars perfectly, with no slippage.

I also changed to 175mm crank arms, just for fun. The FSA Team Issue carbon crank is another E-bay bargain ($124).

The tires are Michelin Pro2 Race that I picked up for $22 each from www.11speed.com. I got 10, so I better like them.

I see red. Very nice. Make sure you use clear bottles when drinking red gatorade!

Nice! I have also been adding more and more bits of red to my Cyfac. Now I just need to get started on riding again, and mount my gray/red Conti tires! The colored bartape definitely adds a nice touch.

This might be the picture but is that bar tape pink it kinda looks odd. I would just put white tape and be done. No matter what's on it it's a sweet bike. And thank you for putting Campy on it. After seeing all these Colnago's and Looks with Shimano it's nice to see some real parts on that baby.

if using fsa then all fsa, why a ritchey stem, easton bars, fsa crank etc etc? and for gods
sake use a compact 34-50 and get rid of a triple. campy offers a 29 rr cog, if you cant climb it in a 34x29 then walk.

The pictures don't quite do justice to the colors, either the frame or the tape. I need to go outside in the sun, where the pics will come out better.

Does this mean no Cervelo? Didn't take you long to pull the trigger on the red / red unit :)

I just got my new 51cm LOOK 585 in the special edition red/red color.

Damn that's HOT!

if using fsa then all fsa, why a ritchey stem, easton bars, fsa crank etc etc? and for gods
sake use a compact 34-50 and get rid of a triple. campy offers a 29 rr cog, if you cant climb it in a 34x29 then walk.

And the ARP award for the day goes too... :rolleyes:

Edit: BTW C-40. It's beautiful. Enjoy.

if using fsa then all fsa, why a ritchey stem, easton bars, fsa crank etc etc? and for gods
sake use a compact 34-50 and get rid of a triple. campy offers a 29 rr cog, if you cant climb it in a 34x29 then walk.

Your commets don't offend me (that was the intent?). Yes, I could have bought an Easton stem, but none are as light as the new Ritchey. LOOK provides an FSA headset with the frame and it's proudly written on the sides of the top section, so I have an FSA post, cranks and headset that all match. In the past, when I want a bike to look classier, I've removed all the graphics from the stem and painted it gloss or flat black.

Your profile says you're a racer and I assume a young one. I've never raced (or wanted to), but when I was young (mid thirties), I rode (and kept up) with some of the local racing and ironman training rides. Time never stops and now I'll be 53 in a couple of weeks. I ride the Colorado mountains exclusively. The comments about the triple crank are typical for a young racer-snob. A 50/34 with a 13-29 would be a stupid setup for the mountains, with a top gear of only 50/13 which is the same as a 53/14. You'd be spun-out in no time on the descent.

I could get by quite well on most of my rides with a 53/39 crank and a 13-29, but then I'd lose the 53/12 that's well used on the descent. I like to be able to handle any climbing situation, so I carefully selected a 53/39/28 (not available from Campy) to go with a 12-25 cassette. In addition to the greater top end, I have two lower ratios, the 28/23 and 28/25 that are equivalent to a 39/32.5 and 39/35. I find these real handy when riding up Mt. Evans (over 14,000 ft. elevation) with a 20-30 mph wind in my face.

FWIW, I've ridden side by side up steep mountain sections with a local 45 Masters racer, with 30 years of experience. Of course he was mashing a 39/23 at 60 rpm while I was comfortably spinning a 28/21. We both got up the mountain at the same speed and spinning will keep your legs fresher. It's also easier on the knees. I had my second knee surgery a month ago and got the expected news that I have plenty of arthritis damage to the kneecap. Hopefully, spinning will keep me riding a lot longer.

What I find amusing is both old and young guys desperately trying to get up a mountain with an under-geared double crank bike. Some have probably never climbed a mountain and just don't now any better, but others are locals just too stubborn to try something different. I've passed more of these slow-cadence non-climbers than I can count.

Of course I get passed up too. I encounter groups of local racers, 20-30 years younger than me and I know better than to try and keep up with them.

Right now, I'm getting ready for a mid-day ride on the new LOOK. Retired at 50 is hard to beat!

if using fsa then all fsa, why a ritchey stem, easton bars, fsa crank etc etc? and for gods
sake use a compact 34-50 and get rid of a triple. campy offers a 29 rr cog, if you cant climb it in a 34x29 then walk.


C40 is too polite. I'll let you know that you're post makes you sound like a complete jerk.

*cheers*

if using fsa then all fsa, why a ritchey stem, easton bars, fsa crank etc etc? and for gods
sake use a compact 34-50 and get rid of a triple. campy offers a 29 rr cog, if you cant climb it in a 34x29 then walk.

Love the mix of build. Matching is like buying off the rack. It takes the same imagination. The mix requires finding peices you like, and you use those.
Got quite a drop there. Love the bike. Triple isn't my thing (normally, though I have occationally wished for it back.)

The main reason I wasn't interested in the 585 was the lack of any colors I liked. When I saw the red/red, I just had to get it.

I actually have TWO Cervelos (a 54cm and a 51cm) on order, but I'm skeptical about ever getting them. They were priced quite a bit below the $2800 retail. If I ever get them I'll probably auction them on E-bay for a modest profit.

I finally got a look at a 54cm R3 at a local shop. The finish isn't close to that of a LOOK, although it's undoubtedly stiffer and bit lighter. The exposed carbon is purely funtional with none of the decorative weave pattern that most people expect. Also, like many other production bikes, the decals are kind of thick, protruding far above the base color.

Hey nice looking bike. Let us know how you like it after some miles.

Jeez, the drop from your seat to handlebars is huge. Doesn't the front edge of your seat
contact/bother you when riding? I recently dropped my bars and noticed more pressure
while riding. I started with a level seat, but am slowly adjusting my Thomson seat post
angle, forward until the pressure is less noticable.
BTW, I was not aware you could get an all-red 585. I thought you previously stated you were
getting a black/red combo color.
Finally, its very hard to match reds on bikes, I gave up and used black/white tape were
needed.

Nice build C-40, what's your saddle-to-bar drop? It looks like a little more than 10cm drop there. If you are 53, and you can manage that much drop, you are the man. I'm young, but I can't go more than 10cm. Also, I've noticed you don't have any spacers. I guess the frame fit you well.


Anyway, the triple crank seems more logical than a compact crank to me. Maybe it's just me, but I really don't understand the benefit of compact cranks so the triple crank would've been my choice too if I need that much lower gearings.

Looks great, have fun.

if using fsa then all fsa, why a ritchey stem, easton bars, fsa crank etc etc? and for gods
sake use a compact 34-50 and get rid of a triple. campy offers a 29 rr cog, if you cant climb it in a 34x29 then walk.

I'll give a dollar so that you can a get clue.

"Retired at 50 is hard to beat!" On this one we agree 100%!!!!! - TF

If you really like red you should get all the little trinkets in red. Jockey wheel, chainring bolts, you can get a chain that's red, all sorts of options. The only color I see is green, as in envy, that's a nice ride. :)

Pictures can be deceiving, depending on the angle. The drop is 9cm, which is a lot, but I do lots of exercises to keep in shape. The new setup also has nearly 1cm more reach than I've been using and that's more of a challenge than the drop. I may have to change to a 100mm stem, if I can't hack it, but I'll still buy another Ritchey 4-axis, it's a real nice stem.

Pictures can be deceiving, depending on the angle. The drop is 9cm, which is a lot, but I do lots of exercises to keep in shape. The new setup also has nearly 1cm more reach than I've been using and that's more of a challenge than the drop. I may have to change to a 100mm stem, if I can't hack it, but I'll still buy another Ritchey 4-axis, it's a real nice stem.

Is that Deda handlebar tape? I had some nice red tape on my red Pego and after about three months in the Hawaiian sun it was pink. Nice bike.

I ride the Colorado mountains exclusively. The comments about the triple crank are typical for a young racer-snob. A 50/34 with a 13-29 would be a stupid setup for the mountains, with a top gear of only 50/13 which is the same as a 53/14. You'd be spun-out in no time on the descent.

FWIW, I've ridden side by side up steep mountain sections with a local 45 Masters racer, with 30 years of experience. Of course he was mashing a 39/23 at 60 rpm while I was comfortably spinning a 28/21. We both got up the mountain at the same speed and spinning will keep your legs fresher. It's also easier on the knees.

C-40, looks like a great ride. Some questions from a new rider here (2 years only but sadly pushing 46 years of age, have to start somewhere). Apologies for beginner questions.

Re spinning out 53-13 on downhills.

Why is it so important to fly down descents in 53/13, given your non-competitive riding? For big descent you will spin out any gear anyhow besides descending fast is more a measure of bike handling skill rather than your pure athletic ability which I presume is of higher importance to you? Not to mention falls on descents at high speed typically mean bad news.

On the other hand if you were to select a 50/34 with say 13-29 then you would have always less weight to carry up-hill or on flats, it should shift a bit faster and smoother also and perhaps alow you to keep up with everyone in 34/29 and still doing ~80rpm with no harm to knees? Granted a triple has more ratios and less big ring swapping but how many of those will be of real practical use?

thanks

On the other hand if you were to select a 50/34 with say 13-29 then you would have always less weight to carry up-hill or on flats, it should shift a bit faster and smoother also and perhaps alow you to keep up with everyone in 34/29 and still doing ~80rpm with no harm to knees? Granted a triple has more ratios and less big ring swapping but how many of those will be of real practical use?

thanks

Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please don't get C-40 going on a rant about compact cranks. You'll never hear the end of it!

C-40, very nice bike. Purdy. Look has always made classy looking frames. I could do without the red tires, but then I'm a black guy....er...a guy that likes black a whole lot.

Nice.

I can tell you've never ridden a winding mountain descent, full of "S" and hairpin curves. After a long climb, the reward is turning around and going down as fast as possible. It's fun to chase down and fly buy timid descenders who coast down.

Having the correct gearing is important. You are wrong that you'll spin out "any" gear. Most mountains roads with many curves are not that steep. If you just coast down, you won't go nearly as fast. Unless I have a good tailwind, I rarely spin out a 53/12, but I have cranked this gear up to 48 mph a few times. More often, about all the speed I can get up with a slight headwind is around 40-42 mph. A 50/13 isn't nearly enough gear, since it's like a 53/14.

When I get older, I may someday use a 13-29, giving up one top gear, but I'd still mate it to a 53T big ring.

Another thing to consider is that the little ring is only used on the mountain, so it's quite possible to do a long mountain ride and only shift into the little ring once on a 50 mile ride. The shift in and out of the little ring should be every bit as good as a wide-spaced compact. As for the weight difference, have you ever weighed a 28-30T chainring? It's about 30 grams. My triple setup weighs about 30 grams more than a Record aluminum double crank and Record BB (and it's less expensive).

I normally use Deda tape, but this particular tape is some generic Nashbar tape that I got for $5. Other than having no imprinted logo, it's about the same.

The red tires is a bit much for me and I am not a fan of red on anyhting but a Ferrari, but those LOOK 585 are really nice and that might be my frame in the next year or too.

Also some RED chainring bolts will add a nice tough to those cranks.

This is a MTB version of the cranks:
http://light-bikes.com/BikePhotos/mtbr/FSAME8.jpg

I like the painted carbon look too!

Enjoy the ride.

Don't see a 28 listed on FSA under chain rings. Where did you get the 28?
Nice bike!

I got mine from Alfred E. Bike, but it appears they no longer have the FSA ring. Here's a link to a Salsa 28T in black. Many brands offer 24-30T in silver.

http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30&action=details&sku=CR3667

With a campy triple you have to watch going too small because the tail end of the FD cage isn't low enough to permit the use of all cogs. I can use the 28/14, but if I had a 26T little ring, I'd probably be limited to the 15 or 16.

I got mine from Alfred E. Bike, but it appears they no longer have the FSA ring. Here's a link to a Salsa 28T in black. Many brands offer 24-30T in silver.

http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30&action=details&sku=CR3667

With a campy triple you have to watch going too small because the tail end of the FD cage isn't low enough to permit the use of all cogs. I can use the 28/14, but if I had a 26T little ring, I'd probably be limited to the 15 or 16.
Thanks

Very nice C-40, congratulations. That red is quite stunning.
I look forward to reading posts in the future about how much you're enjoying it!
Jerry

Nice bike, C-40.

I'll agree about the R3's finish. It's not all that pretty. The carbon-weave finish on the Pedal Force QS2 I recently got is nicer. But when I'm riding I only care about the feel of the bike, not the looks.

As far as the other poster's question about spinning out high gears, it really depends on where you ride and who you ride with. Where I live, most mountain roads are steep, twisty and bumpy. Descending speed here is determined by bike handling skill, not gearing. On these roads I'm no where near to using my highest gears. One descent I ride regularly is not so steep, so its possible to pedal down it. Riding by myself I am not strong enough to turn my tallest gearing (53x13 or 50x12) but with a group containing riders who are stronger on the flat than I am, I can use all that gear. I can spin the 50x12 up to 38-39 mph should I need to. If I rode where there were more open descents (like in the sierras) more frequently, couldn't spin, or put out higher wattage, or raced on courses with downhill finishes, I might want higher gearing. Just like with low gears, you need to pick what works for you.

You definately need some red cages, im pretty sure specialized make red plastic ones. And don't speedplay make a red csc version of the zero's? if its gonna be red, its gotta be all red baby.

You definately need some red cages, im pretty sure specialized make red plastic ones. And don't speedplay make a red csc version of the zero's? if its gonna be red, its gotta be all red baby.

Red is great for me. Hot color, very noticable on the road. But, red is very hard to match.
Why don't these manufacturers put their heads together and agree on certain shades of
red. Some reds look like orange. Stupid bike industry.:mad:

Here's a link to some outdoor pics. Better color rendition.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=61116

Wow that color is amazing
Now I need one of those:mad2:

Red is great for me. Hot color, very noticable on the road. But, red is very hard to match.
Why don't these manufacturers put their heads together and agree on certain shades of
red. Some reds look like orange. Stupid bike industry.:mad:

Very True. The red tyre i bought not too long ago turned out to be orange once i matched it too the rest of the red on my frame. The same as the silver bar tape which is close but not the same as the main silver of the frame.