Although I've been initially at him/Nexus for a bit to fess up about the 486's BB reinforcement for 04 models but I think it's still interesting that they are censoring this post. Here it is (BTW Nexus is the Look's official/ moderator the guy who answers for LOOK the company):

Inside Triathlon magazine covers KG486...

in its 2004 Buyer's Guide as one of the choice for a new 04 bicycle. In it, on page 39, Lennard Zinn saids:

"The KG486 has been reinforced at the bottom bracket for 2004, making the bike even more responsive."

But about 2 month ago when I asked you, Nexus, about the very same issue you said:

"Chuck :
Nothing is different except the fork"

When I asked you this:

"Are all KG486 models exactly same and unchanged since the release of the production model(02? 03?) after the trial period with prototype test models? I've heard somewhere that during sometime this year/03 Look let some pros test 3 different versions of 486 frames with different degree of stiffness before they decided on the stiffest version for 04 production model. Any credence to this story?"

You replied:

"Yes this is right but this was before any production run."

CAN YOU TELL ME WHICH OF YOU IS RIGHT?

All the initial questions were asked to figure out whether I wanted to buy 03 or 04. The answer I got was that there is no difference between any production models of KG486 other than fork and some decal which still might be true and Zinn might not know what he is talking about. Or may be Look was saying that there is no diff to help the sale of remaining 03 models? I don't know. What d'ya think? It's kinda disappointing that I thought the asnwer I get from the Look's official site would be definitive.

I'm sure he has both the 03 and 04, if not several of each model year :-).

But seriously, I'm disappointed that the LOOK rep acted this way. I thought
that the idea behind the forum on the LOOK website was exactly to answer
this kind of questions.

If Zinn were incorrect, then LOOK should correct his mistake, because quite
a lot of people read his forums. Zinn publishes corrections to his statements
based on input from the manufacturers, he doesn't seem to be a guy who wouldn't
admit his mistakes.

I'm sure he has both the 03 and 04, if not several of each model year :-).

But seriously, I'm disappointed that the LOOK rep acted this way. I thought
that the idea behind the forum on the LOOK website was exactly to answer
this kind of questions.

If Zinn were incorrect, then LOOK should correct his mistake, because quite
a lot of people read his forums. Zinn publishes corrections to his statements
based on input from the manufacturers, he doesn't seem to be a guy who wouldn't
admit his mistakes.

as I saw a pic of him on a C40 with Lance last year. Then I saw him on a Giant Composite TCR at the T-Mobile race in Frisco. And then 486 this year. I thought that he was into Ti bikes but I think he likes his CF frames.

Anyway, I am, should I say, pissed at Look. I bought two of their not cheap frames last year and have many of thier components. They shouldn't treat their loyal cust. this way, d'ya think?

as I saw a pic of him on a C40 with Lance last year. Then I saw him on a Giant Composite TCR at the T-Mobile race in Frisco. And then 486 this year. I thought that he was into Ti bikes but I think he likes his CF frames.

Anyway, I am, should I say, pissed at Look. I bought two of their not cheap frames last year and have many of thier components. They shouldn't treat their loyal cust. this way, d'ya think?

I agree with you. Have you tried sending an email to LOOK? I've had much better luck with a direct email instead of using the forum.

For what it's worth, I've heard the same thing about the 481SL. In addition to the new HCS4SL fork, they changed the carbon layup in the frame. They taken some weight out of certain areas and beefed up others. The 04 481SL frame and 03 381i look identical(except for paint) but the carbon layup is different.

I agree with you. Have you tried sending an email to LOOK? I've had much better luck with a direct email instead of using the forum.

For what it's worth, I've heard the same thing about the 481SL. In addition to the new HCS4SL fork, they changed the carbon layup in the frame. They taken some weight out of certain areas and beefed up others. The frames look identical(except for paint) but the carbon layup is different.

the answers I got from them it's too late for me. I guess I'll just not think about it and enjoy the ride. Now you know why I am pissed. It took me a couple of monthes of research and asking questions to various people to get that answer/ conclusion which is in doubt at this point.

I can see why you're pissed, but really, do you think you would notice the difference? (I'm not trying to be a smart-a$$). Enjoy your new bike. Nothing rides even romotely like a Look, IMHO. BTW_-post a pic, plz :)

I can see why you're pissed, but really, do you think you would notice the difference? (I'm not trying to be a smart-a$$). Enjoy your new bike. Nothing rides even romotely like a Look, IMHO. BTW_-post a pic, plz :)

was that there wasn't that much a price diff but I wasn't going to get the 04 for just decal change and SL fork. The fork diff is supposedly minute. If the frames themselves were different it didn't make sense for me to save a couple of hundred $s if I was spending a few Gs anyway, at least to me; I wanted the latest version of 486 frame. Yer right, I am just going to enjoy the ride. I probably wouldn't know the diff anyway like you say. In fact I just got a pair of Reynolds DVs for it. Thanks.