lorrod
new member
Reged: 08/14/05
Posts: 11
Loc: Chico, CA USA
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Has anyone in the forum ridden a Calfee after coming from a Trek OCLV frame......or vice versa? What are your thoughts about the two carbon fiber frames.....similar rides or quite different?
-------------------- www.ChicoCyclist.blogspot.com
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BikerDoug
friend
Reged: 12/29/03
Posts: 88
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I have a Lemond Tete de Course to go along with my Tetra Pro. The TdC is half OCLV and half ti, and I've also ridden the 5000 series Trek frames.
The Treks do have a different ride. I don't really know how to explain it, but I'll give it a try.
The Treks have a very solid feel to them. Some describe it as "wooden". I guess you could compare it to the feel of driving a nice SUV or pickup compared to a luxury sedan (the Tetra).
Sorry I can't be more objective, but I HTH.
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ldlide
new member
Reged: 01/26/04
Posts: 5
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I bought a Calfee Luna with S & S couplers because I was happy with my Trek 5200. I ride the two bikes interchangeably when I am at home. Of course I take the Calfee when I travel by air, and I have the option of lower gearing on the Calfee so I take it on rides in the mountains. I can't tell any difference in the ride. But of course like everyone else with a Calfee, I would love to have a Dragonfly for my next frame.
L. D. Lide
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1centaur
journeyman
   
Reged: 12/24/03
Posts: 126
Loc: Massachusetts
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I test rode the OCLV 120 Trek 5200 for 75 miles a week before testing the Calfee Tetra Pro, which I then bought and have thousands of miles on. The OCLV was comfortable, predictable, pleasant - like kissing your sister. I felt I could buy it anytime in the next decade and not have missed much. The Tetra was alive, electric, slightly less comfortable but easily close enough, and now I view it as one of my most comfortable CF bikes. So, to summarize, OCLV back then (pre-Madone) was a magic carpet ride and the Tetra was a lot more fun to ride, a perfect blend of comfort and feedback.
-------------------- "You never make a gift of Ventoux"
Eddie Merckx to Lance Armstrong
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Saxon
friend
Reged: 12/23/03
Posts: 28
Loc: Sacramento, CA
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Quote:
1centaur wrote:
The Tetra was alive, electric, slightly less comfortable...
Same experience here. The OCLV feels more solid/dampened/comfortable, while the Calfee (still a comfortable ride) has more road feedback and snap/excitement to the ride. Both seem to climb and sprint just about the same to me.
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vaxn8r
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 222
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My primary ride before I got a TP last year was a '97 OCLV. I was due for something new but I genuinely loved the OCLV. IMO the TP is the better of the two. Feels sligthly more efficient and yet more comfortable over chip seal roads. I feel lighter and faster on the TP. I still like both over my CAAD7, a LS Classic and any other steel bike I've ever owned (quite a few).
Realize that OCLV has been through several updates since 1997. I test rode several Calfee's before I bought mine. I liked one and was indifferent about the other two. Having said that, when I got mine and set it up exactly for me it was a revelation. That's why test rides seem suspect to me. Unless you spend the time and money to fit it exactly to what you have been used to, I don't think a test ride tells you a lot when you look at fit, component choices including bar width, brifter feel and position, Q factor, wheels, tires, seat and post, tubing choices (with TP and DF you get several options). I just think there's too many variables to come to any kind of solid conclusions. Unless you just hate it...in which case, don't buy it
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