2018 Trek Boone - fast gravel set-up

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FIJIGabe
Posts: 2241
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:07 pm
Location: The Lone Star State

by FIJIGabe

Nicely put together. I'm not sure about the white stem, but that's just personal preference. I agree on tubeless for road, but for gravel, it's a must!

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onemanpeloton
Posts: 367
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2017 11:30 am
Location: Edinburgh, UK

by onemanpeloton

wow, so good. I love it :D
2020 Trek Boone
2017 Merida Reacto
2017 Trek Superfly AL

by Weenie


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erik$
Posts: 154
Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 5:26 pm
Location: Veneto, Italy

by erik$

Very clean bike! The direct mount chainring looks really good on there.

What is your saddle height and how much adjustment do you have left with that topper? I might get a chance to get one of these myself and still a little uncertain about which topper to go for.

plpete
Posts: 559
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 12:39 pm
Location: DC

by plpete

Thanks erik$.

I don't remember of the top of my head but my saddle height is right around 70cm and I went with the short or regular topper. There is a longer version available too. Im on vacation now but can check how much space there is left on the integrted post. There is definitely a minimum insertion marker but even with the short topper I still have enough wiggle room.

erik$
Posts: 154
Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 5:26 pm
Location: Veneto, Italy

by erik$

Thanks, that probably means I need the long one, since I am sitting on around 74 cm. Enjoy your vacation :D

Huskies91
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2018 2:41 am

by Huskies91

Amazing bike. Great job putting it together. I would love to hear how the isospeed decouples work and if they soften the ride at all. Love the handlebar tape. What kind is it?

plpete
Posts: 559
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 12:39 pm
Location: DC

by plpete

Thanks @Huskies91. The ISO Speed stuff definitely works! I also have it on my Madone RSL and it definitely makes a difference. The Boone is a stiff bike for sure. The front ISO Speed takes out the bigger bumps but it's by no means any type of suspension. I run about 45-50psi in those tires and like the ride a lot.

The bar tape is from Trek/Bontreger - I dig the look too! https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equi ... hite_black

Really had a blast riding this thing. Have done pretty technical single tracks, some fun less technical and fast trails as well as a stupid rainy fondo with many fast descents. Had 28c Vittoria Control tires for this at like 60ish PSI. Perfection. The gearing is pretty much spot of for most stuff I ride. 42x36 gives me low enough gear I typically need and 42x11 let's me get up to 28-30mph in a fast paceline. Here are a few more shots:

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rainerhq
Posts: 898
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:32 am
Location: Estonia

by rainerhq

Superb!
"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride"

spartan
Posts: 1747
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2004 2:52 am

by spartan

nice bike but that zig zag handle bar tape . black/white/grey dsp camo would look better
Current Rides:

2023 Tarmac SL7 Di2 9270
ex 2019 S-works SL6
ex 2018 Trek Madone SLR Disc
ex 2016 Giant TCRAdvanced Sl
ex 2012 Trek Madone7

plpete
Posts: 559
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 12:39 pm
Location: DC

by plpete

Thanks gents.

I actually really like the zig-zag and get a lot of compliments. I tried the DSP tapes but didn't really do it for me. Personal choice I guess.

xDOMx
Posts: 71
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2018 1:52 pm
Contact:

by xDOMx

Solid, clean build. Patterned tape always divides opinion, but all that matters is that you’re into it.

Marin
Posts: 4035
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:48 am
Location: Vienna Austria

by Marin

plpete wrote:
Tue Aug 07, 2018 8:20 pm
deal with the mess
You need a worms plug kit, brilliant stuff. You only need a tube for a huge sidewall cuts then.

Really nice build BTW!

erolorhun
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 8:14 am

by erolorhun

Very very elegant bike. Been eyeing the Boone for a long time as a consolidated road/groad/pathbike. Yours looks almost spot on. Enjoy it!

plpete
Posts: 559
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 12:39 pm
Location: DC

by plpete

I think a small update is in order since it's been a while. The bike has been an absolute blast to ride. I've been using it for some road rides and obviously off road...mostly gravel stuff. With the longer wheel base due to longer chainstays the bike is super stable, especially on descends and has a nice progressive feel when accelerating. It's not snappy like my race bike, Madone, but I like having something different. The ISO speed stuff is still working perfect and it definitely works. Descending on bad pavement and gravel roads is really incredible. The trick though is NOT to slam your stem. I have the cone and one spacer and I think it feels perfect.

I recently made the following upgrades/changes

Garbaruk top cap because looks cool :)

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Garbaruk derailleur long cage. The goal here was to be able to run a 42t cassette. My chainring is 42t. I used to run a Sram 36t cassette which worked fine for the most part but I do at times ride some very steep 20+% grades on loose gravel so that 1 to 1 ratio was something I wanted. The cage is beautiflly machined and allows you to run something crazy like 50t cassettes by changing the geometry of where the pulley wheels are. I've had it for few hundred miles now and shifting has been perfect.

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For a long time I've ran Bontrager Paradigm Elite wheels. They have been fantastic and the DT Swiss hubs, well perfect too. Riding some might to medium single tracks I would sometimes hit something bigger and began to worry about the aluminum rims. Because of this I wanted something a bit more stout and wider if possible as the 25mm internal seems to be the new standard. The Bontrager Pro 3V fit the bill perfectly. The bare set came in at 1545gr which was less than the advertised weight of 1575. For some reason the tags on the wheels were marked for 1600gr. Either way they were lighter - always a plus. For road riding 28c Vittoria Controls stretch out super nice and give that smooth rim-to-tire transition. I've tested my Challange Gravel Grinders 36c tires fit just right. Only have a handful of rides on them so far but very happy. The high engagement hub is LOUD and sounds like Chris King but I love the fast engagement. Additionally, I got the new slick through axles which dropped a total of like 60 grams from the DT Swiss ones. Here is how she sits weighing in 16.8lbs with XTR pedals.

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I'd like to get a power meter but don't want to change the crank set up as it's light and I love the looks of it. Currently I'm thinking of getting the Favero Assioma Duo road pedals and doing the MTB pedal mod. We shall see....

by Weenie


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FIJIGabe
Posts: 2241
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:07 pm
Location: The Lone Star State

by FIJIGabe

I love this build, and the news on the 3V's weight is great! Are you running the Bontrager TLR liners in the wheels, or just tape?

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