Condor Lavoro

they're still open, they just move their shop next door to continued their business while the main shop get refitted.

right, and that's where I was ordering my bike from - while they were in temp shop next door. But on their website it says that they'll shut down completely for a couple of weeks some time during refit - just dont know if that already happened or will happen.

They also say on their website that during the refurbishment (...) there is likely to be some disruption to the top class service they wish to provide (...) probably that's white they have fitted my lavoro bike with bb size that the gives chainline discrepancy of 3-4mm and the frame being aluminium light-built it makes bell-ring-like sound when I pedal.. hmm
They also forgot to tighten my lockring on the sprocket so few days down the line from getting my bike I was stopped from skidding by loosened lockring until I got to blb where they kindly tightened it up for me

Give me one for an hour and i'll snap it, i'm lightweight at 16 stone 8, also i'm very gentle on my bike and rarely break parts.

Fella, I've seen the way you PARK your bike, my little beastie wouldn't stand a chance. ;)

I always love that Condor graphic, quick advice - change the chainring bolt on the Miche crankset, they're pretty weak as I discovered recently, the bolt seemed to be made out of butter and consquencely need to drill it in order to removed it!

other than that, it's fine.

Bolts you say? Do you mean the ones that attach the chainring to the spider?.. seems like they require some special tool... like a huge flat screw driver :D

Fella, I've seen the way you PARK your bike, my little beastie wouldn't stand a chance. ;)

The way I PARK my bike lol? Have I met you at Easties before?

I have been looking at this frame and wondering if its for me. I want something that is light and nimble, would this suit the bill. I have in the past ridden a Specialized Tarmac carbon and a Giant tcr aluminium but now want a single speed for the clean looks and cheaper price etc

The consensus is that it is certainly light and nimble, but it is also PUNISHINGLY stiff. It is a track frame, in design, and isn't really made with consideration of road riding. That said, there is no reason why you can't ride it on the road, and I personally ride a very very harsh riding track bike.

Compared to the tcr and the tarmac, it will be stiffer, and more brutal. Probably by a sizeable margin.

Also, it's not that cheap!

Go for the standard condor pista, or one of their steel offerings. The lavoro isn't for the feint hearted.

the Lavoro is a tad twitchy as well - nice and responsive on the track but a bit of a handful on t'road

[you mention that you want to go to singlespeed, the Lavoro doesn't have drilling for a rear brake either]

Thanks guys I appreciate the replies, any idea what make of frame would be as light but as forgiving as say my carbon tarmac.

Anything else which is carbon? I'm sure any steel or Alu frame would be fine for you, just maybe not an Alu frame with proper track geometry... That said I ride a Fort Track 7005 Alu and I love it on the road... Haven't ridden a Lavoro though so I can't really compare...

I've got one. It's not an everyday bike - very, very stiff. Uncomfortably so on all but the smoothest roads and the (semi) compact geometry will have you stretched out into a proper tuck unless you do the unthinkable and stick risers or something on it.

If you want it as a monster geared TT or track bike, groovy...for everyday I'd get something else.

To be honest mate, you don't need a light frame, just a responsive frame that feel fast, Condor Pista with a good wheelset (Mavic Open Pro with Condor hubs, pretty light) and you're sorted,l because it's steel it'll ride very comfortable and speedy enough, and it's pretty light for a steel frame.

Go to Condor, ask them to test out the Condor Pista and see how it ride, who know you might like it, worth trying out, you have nowt to lose really.

Langster's are really light. (<not a pisstake). I know some people love them, and they're really reasonably priced.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/specialized-langster-single-speed-frame_W0QQitemZ290352745434QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR?hash=item439a5f4bda&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

seller has no feedback though.

Pointless dredge - the Lavoro's geometry is fucking wank. It's exactly the same as my old alu Pista, apart from BB height.

Is it a road fixed with a higher BB, or is it a fucking track bike? Well? Well?!? Answer me, goddamnit.

I know it was dredgery, but at least one incensed comment would've been nice.

The geometry is'nt hardcore track sprinter (IMHO). The head and seat tube angles in my size, are what I would expect to see on a road bike. But I would'nt want to ride the paris-roubaix on it, looks stiff as hell.

The head angle is only about .5 of a degree on the shallow side, the seat tube angle changes with the size of the bike and doesn't look like it'll cause problems though maybe someone looking to get their saddle over the BB wouldn't choose it.

It's an ok looking track bike, and obviously a capable machine practically, Dean Downing of Rapha Condor rides one.

Look at his fucking bars - if that's not a quick way to make up for a too short TT, I don't know what is:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4ezoMAO9Cy4/SwKaTyMeeJI/AAAAAAAAAD4/QjWqPGcfdTU/s1600/Deano.jpg

Anyway, I think the seat-tube's too slack, and when the TT's long enough, the HT's too tall. Meh.

yeah but it's fine for the endurance monkeys with their upright positions

I'd rather have an endurance monkey's position like this one (thanks Rickymundo for pic):

Looking for that "all day and all night for 6 days" comfort are you?

Aren't we all?

Ive got a Rapha coloured Lavoro (same as the pic above) for track use at the moment. I really like the way it rides, but Ive only riden it indoors at Newport. Couldnt comment how it rides on the road. The head tube on my 55cm frame is 160mm long!! Ive got Deda Pista bars on it though so they compensate for this by way of their large drop.

What I will agree on is that it is bloody stiff, it also has massive toe overlap even with 165 cranks. I wouldnt fancy riding it on road. Get a Pista if that is what you want it for.

Pointless dredge - the Lavoro's geometry is fucking wank. It's exactly the same as my old alu Pista, apart from BB height.

Is it a road fixed with a higher BB, or is it a fucking track bike? Well? Well?!? Answer me, goddamnit.

The old alu pista geometry is different to the current pista thought, as far as I know, the old one have track geo whether the modern (2006+ I think) steel one have road geo.

I suspect the lavoro replace the alu pista when condor decided to make it more road-worthy?

Mine's gathering a nice layer of dust at the moment!

Bit of a hijack this one but still Condor related so.....Does anyone have a Tempo? I've seen they have a few going in the Condor Winter Sale and was wondering about the sizing, I'm thinking about the 52cm frame but the seattube length on the geomerty chart seems really short, is this just for loads of standover?