Bike Check: Lettuce-San’s Look 396
The Look 396 is truly track bike dream material. It looks completely unique, is rare but still somehow obtainable, and each one comes with its own history and little perks. So how did this one end up in south Japan after spending part of its life on French velodromes then in American streets? Let me explain…
As you can probably see by now, this is another feature of the Shuhari collection that I’ve previously covered. Lettuce-San struck a deal a few years ago with an American collector who had this Look 396. Previously in its classic yellow, this one has been repainted to a glossy black with bright yellow decals. You want a good a fact that I really dig about the 396? Between the standard bikes, the team-issued bikes, the sponsor bikes, and the repainted ones, you end up with a complete gradient of 396 – from the most classic paint to the very bright Team China issue, for example.
Going over the build with this one, we have something minimalist yet so intense, with carbon used through and through. At the back, you’ll find a Corima Ultralight saddle (It weights 96g !), paired with Look's proprietary carbon seatpost. Up front, is an Easton Monkey Lite riser bar, obviously clamped to a Look Ergostem.
I honestly don't even want to know how all of this 1990s carbon feels to ride. But for the little I saw, it has to be one of the loudest track bikes I've ever heard, with the Mavic drivetrain resonating in all that carbon.
Detailed Parts List
Frameset
Look 396
Chainring and Cog Mavic 49T, 17t EAI steel
Crank Mavic Starfish
Seatpost and Saddle
Look Ergopost, Corima Ultralight
Stem and Handlebar
Look Ergostem, Easton Monkey Lite
Wheels Mavic 3g Track
Tires Continental GP 5000 25c
Lastly, I haven't discussed the other notable feature of this bike: its nearly pristine Mavic 3G wheelset. The Mavic 3G was a revolutionary wheel design in its day, but it was also notoriously fragile. Finding a pair in good condition today is typically difficult.
They are either split in the middle, or the decals are all faded out, so seeing a pair almost brand new like this was definitely a first.
The mere fact that the decals state "Don't clean with solvents" is a good indicator that either the clear coat or even the epoxy resin was not designed to withstand the test of time.
Would I like to ride it? Not really... But does it look good? God, yes! This just screams '90s extreme and wants to take you on a ride with no guarantee of making it back in one piece. This isn’t quite Spinergy Rev-X level of scary, but we’re not that far….
Literary if gambling was a bike…
🎞: Kodak ColorPlus 200
📷: Nikon F100
📍: Okinawa
