When did Trek's become cool?

[coloclimber]

...Was the question recently posed by my good friend pritchet74.

Back in the heyday, I jumped on the bandwagon and rode a 5900 superlight

and even a Madone with flames

Hey don't laugh too hard, it was cool back then and at least I was on carbon tubulars 100% of the time.

I always wanted to like them and "ride like Lance" but always felt they were kind of deadwood riding and soulless.

Since then, Trek has always been Lance's brand and very uninspiring considering lugged carbon had me by the heart strings. Until.....

[coloclimber]

I wanted to get back into TTs. After way too much internet research, I finally found a worthy fast frameset.

I got fitted and started enjoying the free speed and breaking Strava PRs established over years of road cycling on the same roads without even trying.

The way the bike rode, handled and came together as one was a marvel. The engineering and integration of every little detail was something that I had never experienced before. I hardly rode my lugged carbon road bike frame anymore.

Until...

[coloclimber]

I started reading about the new Madone 9 with all the aero and integrated benefits of the TT bike but bettr braking, capable of handling comfortable 28s and climbing/descending on road bars. Trek wasn't even on my radar and I completely dismissed the TdF rollout of the Madone. After reading Above categoy's excellent journals, and online ride reports here I knew I had to try one.

All I can say is that I am off Italian (Japanese) hand laid lugged carbon and haven't looked back. Best bike I have ever ridden. Gets more compliments than the C59 and Dogma too.

It can handle cross winds and turn them into tail winds, its descends predictably, gives me an extra gear pulling through the paceline and can even handle the dirt

[coloclimber]

Then a good friend convinced me to fulfill the bucket list and ride Paris Roubaix sportive with him. Last year we cancelled due to Brussels incident the week before. This year we cancelled due to my father in law having open heart surgery.
So next year this beast is going to hit the cobbles.

On its maiden voyage, I beat a few year old PR over a 1.1 mile section of washboard dirt and wasn't even going for it.
https://www.strava.com/activities/93317 ... 2792297181

Needless to say. I believe in comfort and what Trek has been doing lately. I think they are knocking it out of the park lately. What an eye opener for me, an Italian bike snob.

As a WW mod, all I need is an Emonda SLR...

[DaReef]

Nice bikes...




...obviously the mod here will not allow anything else

[C36]

...Was the question recently posed by my good friend pritchet74.

[...]

I always wanted to like them and "ride like Lance" but always felt they were kind of deadwood riding and soulless...

Back In the 90' the oclv on the 5200 / 5500 had something of a cool "aerospace image" (with the compressional low void speach) compare to the look, tvt, time, Peugeot or coolnagos frames. But you are correct for long time they have been "like deadwood".
They gained first popularity overseas with the great Tour Jean-Cyril Robin did in 98 (5th or 6th) or his 3 Rd place in the Dauphine the year before.

The light weight claimed for those frames 1100gr or 1200 from the very optimistic catalog (if I am correct) was their initial selling point


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

[mrgray]

this is interesting for me because up until the madone i would almost have gone as far as to say i sort of hated the brand trek.

but i have been trying very hard to get a time scylon sent to me in australia (on the basis it would be an excellent riding/aero frame) with little luck and the rave reviews for the madone have me thinking i should give that shot.

and this ringing endorsement makes that doubly so!

[fromtrektocolnago]

...Was the question recently posed by my good friend pritchet74.

Back in the heyday, I jumped on the bandwagon and rode a 5900 superlight DSC00423.JPG and even a Madone with flames43rz7nk.jpg Hey don't laugh too hard, it was cool back then and at least I was on carbon tubulars 100% of the time.

I always wanted to like them and "ride like Lance" but always felt they were kind of deadwood riding and soulless.

Since then, Trek has always been Lance's brand and very uninspiring considering lugged carbon had me by the heart strings. Until.....

For me the dead wood feeling largely went away when I eventually switched the stock wheels that came on my 2001 Trek 5200

[mattyNor]

Nice bikes...




...obviously the mod here will not allow anything else

It's the American way

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[bencolem]

As a recent owner of an Emonda SLR this thread has struck a chord. I've been fortunate to ride lots of boutique Italian, French, Italian, Australian and American carbon, ti, steel and alu frames and never once had a Trek. I was blown away by the Emonda. The combination of lightweight, stiffness and comfort is incredible. My lbs keeps telling me it's obvious because they're the biggest bike company in the world and therefore have the largest R&D budget in the world but I'm still surprised just how good it is and must admit I definitely must have carried some prejudice against Trek beforehand. I'm now seriously considering a new madone to replace my Argon Nitrogen...

[mattyNor]

Whoever told you they're the biggest bike company is a straight up liar, there's this little company called Giant

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[bencolem]

[bencolem]

Whoever told you they're the biggest bike company is a straight up liar, there's this little company called Giant

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Funnily enough that was my instant response when he said it! To be fair, I meant to check but never did.

[mattyNor]

I'm also about 99% sure Giant manufacturers Treks frames but that could be fake news

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[gsindela]

As a recent owner of an Emonda SLR this thread has struck a chord. I've been fortunate to ride lots of boutique Italian, French, Italian, Australian and American carbon, ti, steel and alu frames and never once had a Trek. I was blown away by the Emonda. The combination of lightweight, stiffness and comfort is incredible. My lbs keeps telling me it's obvious because they're the biggest bike company in the world and therefore have the largest R&D budget in the world but I'm still surprised just how good it is and must admit I definitely must have carried some prejudice against Trek beforehand. I'm now seriously considering a new madone to replace my Argon Nitrogen...

+1 on the Emonda. My buddy has one; fantastic bike!