The latest edition to my bike fleet is a roadie, a 2008 Look 555 [link takes you to more photos], named “Froggie” which I purchased in June 2008 from TBE Belmont. This post reflects my purchase experience and maintenance history of my 2008 Look 555. Froggie’s role in my fleet is as a fine weather commuter (no load), “Sunday” ride, and hopefully as a masters level racer and Audax style ride in the relatively near future.

In respect to Look bikes, there is a Look forum for those wishing to discuss Look bikes and in the ProTour the Credit Agricole team ride Look bikes.

Description and Ride Impressions | Purchase Experience | Maintenance Updates | Specifications and Modifications

Description and Ride Impressions

Look describe the 555:

The 555 uses “tube to tube” technology. So, for this model there are no Aluminium lugs, nor monobloc construction. For the 555, oversized tubes are molded then cut, shaped at the ends in order to be assembled as if they were welded. Welding is replaced by bonding, reinforced with carbon strips to ensure a perfect cohesion of the frame assembly. To optimize frame comfort, our engineers have developed a special geometry for the chain and seat stays. The Comfort Concept chainstays present a center section inversion which is achieved by flattening. This creates an inflection point at the middle of the base and so improves vertical flexibility. At the same time, this shape increased the base horizontally, and improves lateral stiffness. The seat stays are slightly curved in order to encourage the absorption of vibrations and so optimizing comfort.

Purchase Experience

I purchased the bike from TBE Belmont and only came across the bike by chance as I was passing the store, decided to drop in for a bit of look, was about to leave when I spotted the 555 and decided to give it a bit of a ride. Took it for a quick spin around the store and it didn’t feel right. The salesperson adjusted the seat and off I went again. It felt much better this time and given the spec, feel of the ride, and the price I asked them to put a hold on it. I phoned the next day, putting a deposit down arranging to pick it up on Friday and I was expecting the bike to be set-up to suit me then. Wrong!

I get there Friday and basically there was no one there to set-up the bike. Not a good look. The best they could offer was for me to take the bike over to their Osborne Park store which I did. After some mucking around my in-seam was taken, some measurements done on the bike and basically it was determined the stem length was wrong (too long) and the implication being the frame size wrong for me. They offered to get in a replacement stem at my cost since Belmont did the sale. I initially agreed to this and left with the bike, deciding this was not the right place or time to push my concerns The next day I phoned TBE Belmont and expressed my concerns and was invited to bring the bike in for David Rice to look at it and myself riding it. So back to TBE I go. A lap or two up the front and yes the stem needed shortening. The took the bike about the back and fitted a 100 mm stem and I tried it again. It felt okay at the store and so I went with that. However after a few rides now, I am of the view the that the stem is still to long and a 90 mm would be more suitable. I am going to take this back up with TBE at the first service.

Whilst TBE did sort the problem, I felt their handling of the sale on the Friday pickup was really not up to expectations, they have attempted to remedy the situation. I have learnt a couple of lessons from this experience … make sure you have a good handle on what bike fit is all about and make sure that the bike shop knows that you expect them to fit it properly when pick-up is arranged.

It will be interesting to see what happens when it goes in for its six week service and I request that the stem gets swapped out for a shorter one.

Maintenance Updates

May 29, 2009 – 7,593 km

Completed 1,000 km autumn service.

• Cleaned Froggie;
• Cleaned the chain using a Park’s Tool CM-5 Cyclone Chain Scrubber and Australian Export degreaser;
• Re-lubed chain with Rock and Roll Gold chain lube.
• Checked chain wear – 0.75 end slipped in with some effort on my part so will need to replace the chain soon, but will hold off for another 1,000 km;
• No other issues. Bike is running smoothly.

April 10, 2009 – 6,535 km

Completed 1,000 km autumn service.

• Cleaned and polished the bike;
• Cleaned the chain using a Park’s Tool CM-5 Cyclone Chain Scrubber and Lightening Grime Goblin degreaser;
• Re-lubed chain with Rock and Roll Gold chain lube.
• Checked chain wear – 0.75 end slipped in so will need to replace the chain soon;
• No other issues. Bike is running smoothly.

March 1, 2009 – 5,020 km

Completed 1,000 km summer service.

• Cleaned the bike;
• Cleaned the chain using a Park’s Tool CM-5 Cyclone Chain Scrubber and Lightening Grime Goblin degreaser;
• Re-lubed chain with Rock and Roll Gold chain lube.  The chain was making some noises so suspect 1,000 km services is probably pushing the limit of the lube.  Will reduce the summer time span to 800 km between services.  Also had one ride of 28 km in the past week which may have contributed to the loss of lube;
• Checked chain wear – still looking good;
• Tyres where replaced between services;
• No other issues. Bike is running smoothly.

January 16, 2009 – 3,681 km

• Completed 1,000 km summer service
  • Cleaned the bike
  • Cleaned the chain using a Park’s Tool CM-5 Cyclone Chain Scrubber and Lightening Grime Goblin degreaser;
  • Re-lubed chain with Rock and Roll Gold chain lube;
  • Checked chain wear – still looking good;
  • Rear Continental Grand Prix 4000 s getting close to needing replacement;
  • No other issues. Bike is running smoothly.

November 22, 2008 – 2,578 km

• Completed 500 km service

• Cleaned the bike;
• Cleaned the chain using a Park’s Tool CM-5 Cyclone Chain Scrubber and Lightening Grime Goblin degreaser;
• Re-lubed chain with Rock and Roll Gold chain lube;
• Checked chain wear;
• Checked all bolts;
• Repaired puncture in the rear Continental Grand Prix 4000 s and removed glass from the tyre;
• No other issues. Bike is running smoothly.

October 17, 2008 – 2,044 km

• Completed 500 km service

• Cleaned and polished the bike.  Used some Turtle Wax car polish;
• Cleaned the chain using a Park’s Tool CM-5 Cyclone Chain Scrubber and Lightening Grime Goblin degreaser;
• Re-lubed chain with Rock and Roll Gold chain lube;
• Checked all bolts;
• No other issues. Bike is running smoothly.

• Took Froggie into Churchill Cycles, Booragoon for Rick Churchill to complete a bike fit.
  • Fine tuned my cleat position and installed new cleats;
  • Fine tuned the seat position;
  • Found my left hand shifter was lower than my right hand shifter, which has probably been the cause of my sore left hand;
  • Moved the angle of the handle bars up a bit as I tend to ride on the hoods rather than the drops at the moment. This resulted in the hoods being closer and more comfortable for me. So I it looks like I will no longer need to change the stem for 90 mm one;
  • Found the rear cluster was not tight and then discovered the washer that should have been there (between the hub and cluster) wasn’t, so got that sorted and the rear gear change is much smoother;
  • If after a week of riding I find the position is not quite right for me Rick will swap the stem out and I can give that a go, but if the rider after is any indication, the shouldn’t be a problem.

Conclusion? $100 well spent on a bike fit and I highly recommend talking to Rick if you want to ensure your bike fit is good.

September 19, 2008 – 1,704 km

• Updated the saddle.  Replaced the saddle (Fi’zi:k Nisene Sport w/magnesium rail and before that a SR Viper) on Froggie with a Selle Italia Maxflite Gel Flow 2008 Black – Vanox Rails. Initial impressions are positive.
  

September 7, 2008 – 1.546 km

• Completed 500 km service
  • Cleaned and polished the bike.  Used some Turtle Wax car polish;
  • Cleaned the chain using a Park’s Tool CM-5 Cyclone Chain Scrubber and Lightening Grime Goblin degreaser;
  • Re-lubed chain with Rock and Roll Gold chain lube;
  • Checked all bolts;
  • No other issues. Bike is running smoothly.

August 29, 2008 – 1,128 km

• Froggie went into TBE Osborne Park today to have the steerer tube cut to the correct length;
• TBE Osborne completed Froggie’s first free service.

August 22, 2008 – 933 km

• Completed 500 km service
  • Cleaned the bike;
  • Cleaned the chain using a Park’s Tool CM-5 Cyclone Chain Scrubber and Lightening Grime Goblin degreaser;
  • Re-lubed chain with Rock and Roll Gold chain lube;
  • Checked all bolts;
  • No other issues. Bike is running smoothly.

August 8, 2008 – 483 km

• Clean and lubed chain with Rock and Roll Gold;
• Swapped the saddle off Julia, a Fi’zi:k Nisene Sport w/magnesium rail on to Froggie to see if it is any better than the SR saddle that came with her;
• Temporary fitted Sigma 1606 L Bike 2 kit whilst Garmin Edge 305 is in for warranty service.

Specifications and Modifications

June 29, 2008

• Fitted two Token TK943 Pyrotec carbon bottle cages. I purchased these from Torpedo 7 for $29.66 each delivered.
• Fitted Garmin GSC10 speed and cadence sensor for my Garmin Edge 305. The mount was purchased from Geomangear.com for $47.50.
• Fitted Cannondale Airspeed carbon pump. I purchased the pump from Chain Reaction Cycles for $44.74 delivered.

The 555 was purchased or is now with the following specifications [click here for the geometry chart]:

Frame: HM (High Modulus) HR (High Resistance) Carbon Fibre
Forks: Look HSC-4 Full Carbon
Size: XL 58 cm
Colour: Black/White
Front Dérailleur: Shimano Ultegra SL 10 speed
Rear Dérailleur: Shimano Ultegra SL 10 speed
Gear Levers: Shimano Ultegra SL
Shifters: Shimano Ultegra SL STI Dual Control
Brakes: Shimano Ultegra SL
Cranks: Shimano Ultegra SL 39/53T
Chain: Shimano Ultegra Super Narrow Chain for 10-Speed
Hubs: Mavic Ksyrium Equipe – 9 x 100 / 9 x 130
Rims: Mavic Ksyrium Equipe
Spokes: Mavic Ksyrium Equipe – 18 / 20
Tyres: Continental Grand Prix 4000 S
Cassette Sprocket: Shimano Ultegra CS-6600 11-23
Handlebars: FSA SL-K 31.8mm
Stem: FSA OS-150 100 mm
Saddle:Selle Italia Maxflite Gel Flow 2008 Black – Vanox Rails
Pedals: Look Keo Sprint
Retail: $4399 – Purchased for $3079.30

Tags: Cannondale,Edge 305,Look 555,Mavic,Park Tools,Rock and Roll,Selle Italia,Shimano,Sigma,TBE,Token
Categories: Bicycle gear reviews, Bicycle maintenance
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