Look 496 Tri

Triathlon Forum
1

Has any one had much time on one? How does it ride? It Looks aero - thought I don’t know how it stacks up in the wind tunnel? With Looks track background you would expect it to be plenty stiff enough - thouth as I am only 68-72kg and 172cm I am not exactley going to cause ubdue flex in many frames!

Is it right that they are a bit on the heavy side the website http://www.lookcycle.com/products/ says 1550g but then you have the intigrated folk at 700gr and the ergo stem must also add abit? How does this compare to simalar bikes?

I believe that the geometry is now 76degrees wiht seems to have become the industry Tri bike standard. I am currently riding a Cevelo P2k in the forward position which I guess is 78 degrees - would this kind of position be possible on a Look?

http://www.7oaksphotography.com/Sports/7oaks%20triathlon%2010%20Sep%2006/No%20numbers/pages/IMG_0497.htm

2

I don’t know anything about the bikes - their craftsmanship, geometry, price, etc., anything substantive… - but there’s just something about a bike that says “look! look!” that doesn’t do it for me.
-charles

3

I can’t answer all your questions but have a little information. We’re looking at a medium to replace my son’s P3SL destroyed in a crash (No, we don’t want to get a crash replacement P3. We got a P2SL that my other son will use and after an R2.5 and a Soloist carbon just don’t want another carbon Cervelo right now).

The bike complete with DA and an FSA carbon crank is just under 18 pounds with Zipp 404s and no pedals. That’s quite about bit lighter than the P3SL was similarly equipped except with a Zipp disc on the back.

The ergostem allows great adjustability. My son has used one on the track for three years (two on his aero bars, this year on a Look track frame). He is injured and will probably still have mobility problems next season (crashing at 70 km/hr does very bad things to your body). The Look stem will allow him to change his position as his body recovers.

After a season on the track bike, he’s pumped about trying the tri version. However, we don’t expect it to be nearly as stiff as the track bike. That bike weighs about 18 pounds with no brakes or gears. The tri version is a lot lighter and should be less stiff as a result.

You’ll probably want a small or even extra small. My son is 6’2" and the medium is a good fit.

I have no idea about the steep question since my son will use it for TT’s only and may be measured (Canada is following the UCI rules, at least for nationals but possibly at any race if the commissaires so choose) so needs to be UCI legal. As an ex triathlete who had been active for several years when steep bikes first came on the market (I bought a new 1990 QR if anyone other than Dan remembers any that old), I think the whole steep thing is somewhat overblown. I didn’t see a notable improvement in performance when I moved from road geometry with tri bars to the QR. I was more consistent on the run, suggesting there is some merit to the easier on the legs concept, but not much faster.

4

I used one this year, and it is very nice, but then I like Look frames,

Yes, it is a little heavy, but so what? are you as light a you could be? (I hear the 07 version is a bit lighter)

Personally, I found the ride alot harsher than I was expecting, it is extremely stiff and you feel it, that said it handles amazingly - you hardly ever need to come off the tri bars - even descending at high speed I felt confident.

I also found that with Oval tri bars and the ergo stem it was probably the most adjustable bike I have ever ridden - you can get a perfect custom fit. personally,i don’t ride at 78, i find it a bit impractical for most european events, but 76 is perfect.

The only thing I dont like is the look of it… It looks SO much better as frame & forks (v sexy!), but i think it looks a bit odd built up - but then, who cares!

Overall an excellent bike, but a bit pricey (you pay for the craftmanship here)

BTW I am 5’10 and used a Small, which was fine.

5

It looks SO much better as frame & forks (v sexy!), but i think it looks a bit odd built up

I’m glad I not the only one that thinks that. It looks so nice as frame and fork but as a complete bike it rather ungainly and not quite in proportion.

6

“the geometry is now 76degrees wiht seems to have become the industry Tri bike standard.”

you would’ve been right to say that two years ago. cervelo is built around the 78 degree standard, and has been taking chunks out of every other company, as is quite evident. so the other biggies, QR, Felt, Giant, Kuota, are following suit and have made all their new bikes at 78 or 78.5.

my concern with the Look would be if you rode it at 78 to 80 degrees, as do most of today’s northern europeans who typically ride hard (e.g., faris, normann, torbjorn). then you consider what the Look’s weight displacement is. if you’re a steeper rider, then the Felt DA gives you most all of the Look’s frame features with a better geometry.

but if you ride a bit slacker, like chris lieto or cameron brown for example, then a 76 degree bike (like the Look, or a Scott) might be your best bet.

either way, i think you’ll find that virtually every company’s new tri bikes throughout 07, 08, 09 will be made at 78 degrees, maybe 79 degrees.

7

Dan

you mention that QR will be 78 degrees for 2007, and i understand that you have had a influence in their line-up. However is it only the aluminum models that will be at 78 degrees.

The geometry spec for the 2007 Lucero still states 76,5 degrees seatangle. (i am considering a purchase, but wil not settle for a seat-shifter type fix to 78 )

8

“is it only the aluminum models that will be at 78 degrees.”

yes. they changed the geometries they could change for 2007. that means the kilo/tequilo, and of course you can get your tiphoon however you want. same thing with giant. the trinity alliance is 78 degrees, but the trinity I & II remain at 75 degrees because these molds are already done and can’t be changed. they must be used until the model runs its lifespan.

felt is the only company i can think of that just up and ditched their entire geometries, top to bottom, in favor of the new 78.5 stuff, with longer front/centers, etc. but it was easy for them because they didn’t have any carbon bikes before. (note: trek also ditched all their geometries, but the 9.5 and 9.9 aren’t quite as steep as those on the felts.)

as for the lucero, caliente, etc., depending on how you ride it might or might not be your optimal bike. faris, normann, torbjorn, all ride their cannondale, kuota, and argon18 (respectively) steeper than the bike is designed. they do fine. what QR does offer is a way to get steeper. i remember when jonas brought his argon18 mercury to the compound last year, it was a bear trying to get that thing steep enough for him, because he is a big guy and the bike is a 76 degree bike and we just played hell getting it to 81 degrees (where he rides). not so the QR, which can be gotten as steep as you want.

the question is, when you get it that steep is it long enough, since you’ve effectively shortened the bike by getting it steep? yes, i understand your “seat shifter” analogy, but how is that different than cervelo’s forward seat post hole? what matters is what’s underneath you once the bike is positioned for you up top. where are the wheels? how long is the stem, that is, how long is that steering lever placing the bars in front of your steering axis (the steer column)? it’s about weight displacement, and it’s about how much weight is cantilevered in front of the steering axis. if your lucero solves these problems it will work for you, just like normann’s kuota works for him. having said that, i would imagine normann will switch to kuota’s new frame, which is supposed to be out early next year, and is at 78 degrees.

9

Thanks- great overview and explanation.

you are probably right that the Lucero would be too short with a steeper angle as it is only 56,5cm TT in my size large.

10

Thanks for all the info. It looks like the Look is out if I want to replicate my current P2K position. I guess this also rules out the Planet X Carbon Stealth which I think is also 76 degrees. So it looks like Felt and Cervelo seem like my safest option or wait until some of the other 78’s geomertry bikes are out - its not like i am slumming it riding the P2K :wink:

Though I do wonder though if a smaller frame might be a bit better than my current bike as I have a fairly short stem on it to get the a 90 degree arm position.

I wonder how much the Pro’s influence the bikes geometries e.g I think TTX is 76 degrees which is the position Lieto rides - though I believe it has a switchable seat post to make it steeper - I don’t know how this effects it handling?

11

“I wonder how much the Pros influence the bikes geometries”

almost zero.