TREK'S 2005
CARBON-FIBER BIKE LINEUP
First off, we'll answer the
oft-asked question- What does Lance ride?
In 2003, Trek embarked upon an ambitious project to give Lance the
absolute-best bike in the peloton. Up to that point his bikes had been
refinements of the original Trek carbon bike, the 5500, culminating in the
5900 (his "climbing" bike) that helped him destroy his competition at
Sestriere, and became his go-to bike for every important race after that. It
was a tough bike to improve upon, especially for a tough customer like
Lance! But after a whole lot of research & development, including extensive
wind tunnel testing, the Madone was unveiled for him at the '03 Tour de
France. And he rode it... in a few flat stages. Despite all the work that
had gone into proving to Lance that aerodynamics were important, Lance went
back to his slightly-lighter go-to bike, the 5900, for the most-critical
stages of the Tour de France, including the pivotal Luz Ardiden stage, where
a spectator's bag strap caused him to crash, after which he got back up and
rode away from everyone else to win the race.
Lance liked the improved lateral stiffness of the Madone, but the "aero"
version of the Madone wasn't as clean & simple & light as the 5900, which he
had an almost superstitious attachment to. So Trek engineers were left
scratching their heads and went to work figuring out how to make Lance the
perfect bike. It was simple, really... just get rid of the aero bits. No
"tailfin" behind the seat tube, no aero bulge on the downtube and voila, a
lighter, simpler bike that Lance took to immediately. These new bikes became
known as the "SL" (for "SuperLight") and "SSL" (for "SuperSuperLight"). From
a marketing standpoint, it was a bit of a disaster, since Trek strongly felt
that a bike with a bit more shape to it (the "aero" version) was going to
find more favor with the public, because it looked cooler. A deal was worked
out, where Lance would ride the "aero" version for flatter stages, and save
the "SL" and "SSL" bikes for the mountains... and, for a short bit of time,
that's what Lance did. A very short bit of time. He then went entirely to
the non-aero versions for just about all racing, while most of the rest of
the team rode the aero bikes. So, for 2004, the public could only buy the
aero Madone, while Lance rode to victory on his SSL prototype.
Trek is pretty conservative and sometimes stubborn; they believed that the aero Madone made a lot of sense, both from an aerodynamic
standpoint as well as aesthetic. They felt that the "SL" and "SSL" versions
look too "plain" for most customers... so they drastically limited the
availability of the non-aero versions of the Madone. That policy continued
from 2005 into 2006, but Chain Reaction did everything possible to
secure a steady supply of the "SL" and "SSL" versions, including the
almost-impossible-to-get 5.2 SL, their least-expensive Madone with the 110
gsm super-duper carbon tubing.
But getting back to what Lance rides, in 2005 Trek took the SSL, added a bit
of boron reinforcement to the bottom bracket area to make it stiffer, and
sent him out on what is now known as the SSLX. The weight is the same as
last year's SSL (although some of the reports in the press would have you
believe otherwise), but about $3000 more expensive. It's the absolute
ultimate road bike, and, truth be told, would not have existed were it not
for Lance... but for Lance, Trek will do just about anything. 2006 SSLX
bikes are already in stock at Chain Reaction, in limited sizes. When they're
gone, that's it, no more at any price.
Now getting back to what TREK has to offer you in 2005- (We're
into the '06 model year now, but most of this is still relevant. --Mike--
11/30/05)
This page shows all current Trek carbon fiber
bikes with conventional road geometry. Missing are the new "Pilot" series
bikes, which have top tubes that rise at the front, allowing for a taller
handlebar height. We'll set up a page showing those shortly, as well as
describe why somebody might want a Pilot instead of one of the more
"conventional" bikes shown below (but, in brief, the Pilots will be
preferred by those who are looking for a more upright riding position, or
the ability to put a rack and fenders on their bike).
There are so many more models this year than last that we've put together a
chart, at the bottom of this page, showing the various options at a glance.
It's still pretty confusing though; Trek increased their different carbon
offerings by over 200% from 2004 to 2005!
WHY YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BUY ONE OF THESE BIKES-
Unfortunately, production hasn't
come close to keeping up with demand, resulting in massive shortages of the
most-popular models. By mid-April, Trek owed Chain Reaction 72 (yes,
seventy-two) 5.2SLs from orders dating as far back as October '04. We are,
slowly, getting some of that product. But we've been told that large-scale
deliveries would commence shortly... in December, in February, and again in
early March. And we told customers that, as did other shops, because that's
the information we had. As a result, there's been a loss of credibility
between shops and customers, and we sincerely regret that this has happened,
but I can assure you that (in most cases), when your local shop told you
they'd have a Madone in 3 weeks and that was two months ago and you're still
waiting, the shop wasn't trying to string you along. They had no way of
knowing that things would get so bad.
Not only that, but because Trek changed their computer system (during the
busiest time of the year), it has become almost impossible to track bikes
they actually have shipped to a dealer, so bikes sometimes suddenly show up
at the dealer's door without warning. We can't even call people to tell them
that, finally, their bike left the factory and they'll have it in 6 days.
We've literally lost sales of some of these bikes during that period...
customers giving up and buying a different bike, or perhaps seeing one at
another dealer where it may have arrived one day earlier...even though that
other dealer may not be the best place to get the bike from (less expertise
in fit & assembly, not as good taking care of things down the road, etc).
The customer just doesn't know when the original dealer will get the bike,
because they've been told so many stories.
My best advice is this- if you hear that another dealer actually has the
bike you're looking for, call up the dealer where you have it on order, and
have them call their inside rep to see if your bike is in-transit (which it
might be, as bikes are released in batches). If that's the case, sit tight
and very shortly you'll be having a great time on your new bike. If that's
not the case, then you need to think about the differences between the shops
and what made you choose them in the first place. If it's the quality of the
dealership, then you might want to sit tight, since you're going to have the
bike for a very long time, and the differences between one shop and the next
can have a lot to do with how much you'll enjoy and even use the bike down
the road.
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'07 TREK 5000
& TREK 5000 WSD- It all starts
here!
(updated 3/06/07 for '07 model info) |
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The all-new TREK 5000. This
is one great value; a carbon-fiber TREK bike, with Shimano 10-speed
'105 equipment, for just $1749.99! That's $280 less than last-year's
model, with better components. How can this be possible? Time to
admit the truth. This is the first TREK carbon bike since 1989
that's not made in the Waterloo, Wisconsin factory. It's
lightweight, very strong, still has the same TREK lifetime warranty
as all other TREK bikes... but it's not OCLV technology. Instead
it's built like virtually all other high-quality non-OCLV carbon
frames on the market, using much larger molds, which don't allow for
the exceptional characteristics found only with the OCLV process.
But a great ride and an incredible value! And regardless of where
it's built, it's still built to the same exacting quality standards.
Also available as a WSD (Women's Specific Design) in 47, 51, 54
& 57cm
sizes. What's different? A shorter top tube compared to
the standard model, since most women don't have arms & torsos as
long as most men, plus a special shift/brake lever made for smaller
hands. Also a more female-friendly saddle. All now
include 700c wheels, a departure from the past when 650c were used
on smaller sizes.
You want this bike because- Wow. A TREK carbon bike,
complete, for just $1749.99. Lifetime warranty from a company that
knows how to use carbon fiber better than any other company in the
bicycle business.
Availability- A bit spotty, but
all sizes have been available off-and-on. It's possible you may need
to wait a few weeks for your particular size, if it's not presently
available.
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'06 TREK 5.2
AERO ("Nude" Carbon
& Team) |
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MADONE 5.2 AERO A less-expensive
version of the frame ridden by most of the Discovery (formerly US
Postal) team as they support Lance Armstrong's bid for a 7th Tour de
France! Features aerodynamically-profiled downtube & seat tube,
Bontrager RaceLite wheels and Ultegra 10-speed components. $2999.99
for either color.
You want this bike because- Looks do count, and this
bike looks fast! And it's the least-expensive of the "Madone"
series, with the redesigned top tube/head tube combo for increased
lateral stiffness, which makes for improved climbing & cornering.
Availability- Pretty good at
Chain Reaction. We've targeted this as a never-run-out bike, but
always best to call for current stock.
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TREK 5.2
SL/Superlight ('06 "Midnight" & '05 models) |
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MADONE 5.2 SL (Superlight)
Our most-popular (and hardest to get)
Trek carbon bike for 2005, and for good reason. This bike features
the exact same frameset as the 5.9SL, built with OCLV 110 carbon to
give it the best combination of ride quality, light weight &
durability of any bike any price... but the price, with its
well-chosen mix of Ultegra 10-speed, Bontrager RaceLite wheels and
Bontrager Race X-Lite carbon seatpost, is just $3239.99 for the new
"Midnight" '06; there may still be a few of last-year's models
(shown on the right) for $200 less.
You want this bike because- It's absolutely the best
value anywhere if you're looking for something as close to the
ultimate as you can get, for the most-reasonable amount of money
possible. It's that good a deal. Plus, dirty little secret #1 is
that this bike features the same frame Lance rode on Alpe d'Huez in
2004. Dirty little secret #2 is that Trek sells the frameset
separately for $2999.99. People aren't supposed to make that
connection...
Availability- Overall this is the hardest
Trek bike to get. Demand far outstrips Trek's ability to produce
this model; hard to believe they didn't understand how popular it
would be. In 2005, TREK ran 6 months behind (literally 6 months!) on
deliveries of this model. We've got a reasonable supply, but from
time to time some sizes may be tough to get.
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'06 TREK
5.2 WSD
(Women's) |
TREK 5.9
AERO (Team) |
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MADONE 5.2 WSD
This bike deserves a spot all to itself, because, for the first
time, women are getting something really special without having to
wait a couple years after it's been available to the guys.
Great-looking too! And, just like the guy's bike, it's only $2999.99. But if that's not
enough bike for you, we lighten it up with Bontrager Race X-Lite
wheels, carbon bars, stem & crank.
You want this bike because- you've been waiting a long
time for something this nice to come along!
Availability- For '06, much
better than '05. We're the largest TREK Madone dealer in the US, so
we get a lot of them, but sometimes even that's not enough. |
MADONE 5.9 AERO This is the bike
you saw George Hincapie leading the charge up so many of the
legendary climbs of the Tour de France, wearing down the rest of the
pack so Lance could shred the field. DuraAce 10-speed, Bontrager
Race X-Lite wheels and Bontrager carbon-fiber bars & stem! A
lot of bike for $4999.99.
You want this bike because- You like the Aero looks,
you like George Hincapie, and OCLV 110 carbon makes it the lightest
Aero bike on the market!
Availability- So-so. Not quite
as popular as the "SL" models, so these may be more available as
time goes on. We expect this model to be more popular in '06, when
it likely gets a "Discovery" team paint job. |
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TREK 5.9
SL/Superlight (Team & Andromeda) |
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MADONE 5.9 SL (Superlight) What
makes a bike worth $4899? Is it the Superlight OCLV 110 frameset,
the same one used by Lance on Alpe d'Huez in 2004? The Bontrager
carbon bars & stem? The optional (at no extra cost) Bontrager carbon
"compact" cranks that give a wider range of gears without the added
complexity & weight of a triple crankset? The Bontrager Race X-Lite
wheels, proven by so many of our customers and employees? The
absolutely-stunning "Andromeda" paint job (standard for $4899; you
actually pay $100 more for the "team" version that doesn't look as
striking)?
It's all those things, and none of them. It really comes down to the
ride. And this bike has it. No compromises in equipment, perfect
balance, comfortable... this bike is great at everything but making
excuses.
Why you want this bike because- You rode it and fell
in love with cycling, all over again. Because you know that, with
one of these sitting in your hallway, you're going to find more time
to ride.
Availability- We planned ahead
so we've got pretty good stock, particularly in the more-popular
Andromeda color. There could still be temporary shortages from
time-to-time, and if you're not near Chain Reaction and your local
dealer didn't anticipate demand, there could be a significant wait.
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MADONE 5.9 SSL-
THE BIKE I WANT! --Mike--
(It's now the bike I own!) |
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Madone 5.9
SSL- The bike that didn't
quite make it to the Prom last year, and almost didn't make it to
our stores this year! Here's the scoop about this lighter-than-legal
masterpiece. Lance wanted a frame so light that he could put
aerobars on it and still be at the legal weight limit for the climb
up Alpe d'Huez last year (for those unaware, the bikes racers use
aren't allowed to be lighter than about 15 pounds). So Trek came up
with a way to use OCLV 55 carbon, lighter than anything previously
used to make a bike frame out of, just for Lance. Because that's
what you do for the guy who's going to win the TDF a record 6th time
for you!
But a funny thing happened on the way to the start line. At the last
second, Lance decided he didn't want to use Aero bars on Alpe d'Huez.
Trouble is, without the Aero bars bolted to the SSL, the bike was
too light to be legal! With no quick way to bring the weight back
up, the team substituted his slightly-heavier SL frame and got in
right at the legal weight limit. So, Trek spent a huge amount of
engineering resources on a bike destined for obscurity, a mere
asterisk in Trek's carbon-fiber hall of fame? Not in this world!
With a bit of tweaking, this "project bike" became the "SSL" model
for 2005, and will most definitely be used by Lance in the TDF, as
well as other important races. Anyplace where ultimate light weight
& efficiency matter.
And that's what 300 fortunate people get to experience for
themselves, as Trek has made a limited number of these available for
mere mortals. This bike, at $5999 for the clincher version
(Bontrager Race X-Lite wheels) and $6499 for sew-ups (Bontrager
carbon Race XXX-Lites) represents the absolute ultimate road bike on
the market. It's light, it's fast, it's comfortable, and absolutely
nobody on the road will have something nicer, even those who spent
quite a bit more. This is, as they say, is where the rubber meets the
road.
I want this bike because- Well, I saw it for the first
time at a trade show and I fell in love. This is the bike I'm going
to have, as soon as we get a couple more so I'm not robbing one from
our customers. I saw it, I want it. It just sucked me in. I'm not
even embarrassed by that. I'm ready to suffer the consequences of
riding the very best bike in the world. --Mike--
Availability- Only 300 for the
entire world; most dealers won't have many, if any at all, in stock.
As of November 2004 this bike was oversold by Trek, so even dealers
ordering many of them won't be getting everything. Chain Reaction
ordered more than any other dealer in the country so, with the
exception of 62cm, we have product in stock... as of 5/08/05. |
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MAKING SENSE OF
THE VARIOUS CARBON BIKE OPTIONS- |
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(1) Aero OCLVs feature an
aerodynamic wing on the back of the seat tube, as well as a
specially-shaped downtube, for improved airflow.
(2) A new combined top-tube/head-tube (we'll
call it "TED" for simplicity), TREK engineers
have significantly improved lateral stiffness and stability in the
front end of the bike.
(3) Carbon weight refers to the weight of carbon fiber, per square
meter, in the material used to make the frame's tubes & lugs. A
lower number means the frame can be built lighter with the same
weight.
(4)/(5)/(6)
Fork choice. The Race (4) is
Trek's standard lightweight & sturdy carbon fork, featuring a great
ride. The Race X-Lite (5) is an
advanced fork using lighter-weight materials in the crown. the Race
XXX-Lite (6) is an amazing
accomplishment. At 350 grams, there are few forks lighter, and it
accomplishes this feat while still using an aluminum steer column
(making it far more tolerant of ham-fisted mechanics who might
overtighten and damage a carbon-fiber steer tube).
(7) WSD option. WSD stands for
Women's Specific Design, and means that the frame has been
specifically engineered for women. This means a shorter top tube
(because women typically have shorter torsos, and often longer legs,
than men of the same height), narrower bars and saddles that are
more comfortable for women.
(8)/(9)/(10)/(11)
Component options. (8) is
Ultegra 9-speed, a transitional option available on the Madone 5.2
Aero. It costs $200 less than the 10-speed version
(9) that replaced it. 10-speed Ultegra is lighter-weight
with smoother shifting than the 9-speed version, but at the expense
of faster wear of drivetrain components, particularly the chain.
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A 5-SECOND
SUMMARY BY FRAME PLATFORM-
Aerodynamic models:
Madone 5.2 (Aero version). This has an OCLV 120 frame
with the aero seat & downtube, and the same Race X-Lite fork found
on the 5000. There is only one complete bike with this
frameset, featuring Ultegra components.
For something lighter and still aero, there is the Madone 5.9
(Aero version). This is the same frame (OCLV 110) and fork
(Race XXX-Lite) found on last-year's groundbreaking Madone model,
TREKs first departure from the classic round-tube OCLV. Just
one model of Madone 5.9 (Aero), with Shimano DuraAce components.
Conventional & Superlight
models (non-aero):
We start with the 5000, which
has the identical frame & fork as the most-popular-ever carbon bike,
the 5200 (which no longer exists but has basically morphed into the
less-expensive 5000). This frame has an OCLV 120 frame and a
Race Lite fork. This frameset option is found only on the 5000
and is the only TREK offering with a conventional
(not shaped) top tube.
Next is the Madone SL
frameset, found on the Madone 5.2 SL & Madone 5.9 SL bikes.
These are built with OCLV 110 carbon frames & Race XXX-Lite forks.
The 5.2 is a Shimano Ultegra bike, while the 5.9 is DuraAce.
Finally we have the Madone SSL, a special model built just
for Lance originally, but shortly available (in limited quantities)
as a bike for, shall we say, civilians. This frameset is built
of OCLV 55 which, to my knowledge, is the lightest carbon you can
build a frame out of. Even at its outrageously-light weight,
it still carries a lifetime warranty. It will be available
only as a complete bike, with Shimano DuraAce and the new Bontrager
Carbon clincher wheels. The needle on the scale is barely
going to move when you put this bike on it! |
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YOU'VE FOUND THE
RIGHT BIKE- NOW WHAT?
You've found your bike...it's got the right features, feels
great while riding, etc. Now you need to get measured for
proper fit. The frame size on what you rode
might be correct... then again, it might not. At Chain
Reaction, we use the New England Cycling Academy's FitKit system,
which takes a series of measurements of the rider, to make sure we
have not only the correct frame size, but top-tube plus stem
distance (critically important and frequently ignored!),
seat-to-handlebar drop, seat height, handlebar width and
more. It's not a matter of how much clearance you have
standing over the frame! That might help get you in the
ballpark, but since the front-to-back distance of a frame changes
with size, your arm & torso measurements might dictate a frame
size different than standover height might indicate.
Please note that, in the majority of cases, the stem length on
the bike will need to be changed. This isn't a big deal if
the shop sells a lot of road bikes...they'll have the various
stems in stock and ready to go. I would suggest that any
shop not willing to swap the stem for proper fit on a road bike
may not be a good place to buy one! In most cases, there
should be no charge for a stem swap, but there will be times where
you have to go to a stem that might cost a bit more, or perhaps
because it's a lot higher they might need to replace several
cables & housings, which definitely takes a lot of time.
In those cases, you could expect to pay a small amount of money to
cover the difference and/or the labor involved.
Fortunately, at Chain Reaction we have such a tremendous number
of road bikes in stock that there's rarely an issue getting
someone set up with exactly the right size bike, right then and
there. But Chain Reaction, with over 300 road bikes in stock
at any one time, is not exactly typical, so don't be surprised if
getting the proper fit involves waiting for one to come in.
It will be worth the wait, especially if the alternative is a bike
that doesn't feel quite right because the fit's wrong. If
your local shop doesn't have a zillion road bikes in stock, that's
not necessarily an indication that they're not serious about road
bikes...could be they just don't have such a highly-developed road
bike market like we do in the SF Bay Area, and can't afford to
have a huge number of bikes sitting around, waiting for you.
Not a problem for us...the number of road bikes we sell would make
most shops heads spin.
After you find your new dream machine, you might check out our Taking
Care of your Road Bike article. |
 Last updated
03/07/07
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