Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Trek officially enters the track/fixed market...

So it has been rumored and we've all seen the "track" option on the website... but now the link is functioning and shows us all this :

http://www2.trekbikes.com/images/bikes/large/t1_chired.jpg

I'll be anxious to hear reviews. I figured it was only a matter of time before trek entered the 500-800 dollar off-the-peg track bike market. I've been riding Trek road, mountain, and cross bikes since 1999... but I just don't know if I could ever buy a track bike from them. Anyone have inside dealer information on this horribly red machine? Know why they chose to put a free-ride like top tube on it? Thats all from me... check the website and return with your opinions.

Couple of pics here:

http://freewheelbike.com/page.cfm?PageID=146

Didn't see a price on the Trek site, but UK sites list it at 850 pounds, which at todays conversioin is $1740.49, At that price, no thanks.

Frame resembles a Soho, and a few FX's

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=180942&highlight=trek
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=173759&highlight=trek
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=160038&highlight=trek

the new news is theres one on fgg
http://fixedgeargallery.com/2006/apr/K.Arehart_3.htm

Wow more expensive than I thought... though remember that it may be more expensive in Europe as this one is apparently "made in the USA" and would be considered domestic here in the US. It doesn't say whether it is drilled or not either... which like the price, will determine whether this ends up a fuji-track-pro level race machine sometimes seen on the street, or on the level of the bianchi pista street machine that sometimes is seen on the track. Time will tell - lets just hope it is more durable than
Georgie Hincapie's roubaix trek...

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=180942&highlight=trek
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=173759&highlight=trek
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=160038&highlight=trek

the new news is theres one on fgg
http://fixedgeargallery.com/2006/apr/K.Arehart_3.htm


Hmph... looks like I'm a month late and a dollar short. Oh well. Please excuse. I even used the search feature!! Cheers, David

I'll go looking for one tomorrow, But with that shape, I bet theres no made in USA sticker on it. I see a flag, but I still doubt. Soho comes from Asia.

I think I read that its 59x15 :eek: :eek:

Thats a lot of money for Bontrager parts (trek house brand), especially considering most of the parts aren't track specific.

And look at those stock bars. ewwwwwwwwwww

I think I read that its 59x15 :eek: :eek:

Good to see they're keepin it real.

Trek site linkie: http://www2.trekbikes.com/bikes/bike.php?bikeid=1493000&f=10

no listed price, though. 49 x 15 gearing.

i don't think i like it. but if everyone else starts to like it, i will change to conform to the pack. i like the spokes though. the top tube is what's giving me pause. that, and that it's a trek.:eek:

It will probably cost around $1200 and compete with the Felt track bike. The top tube is reminiscent of modern road bike design. See Specialized S-works series for more examples.

i dunno, i almost bought a trek road bike a while back. i'm not saying this is a reason to ride one--but lance armstrong rides one. which is to say that they can't be that bad, though i do associate them with cheapo mountain bikes. that bike looks pretty nice though, for the frame. top tube is different, but i personally don't dislike it. wheels might be cool. other components...meh. i could see this doing okay as a frameset.

Plus....
1 It's a Trek. They rule with warranty issues. Bought a y-foil off of ebay. Dropped a chain and chewed up the chainstay. Sent it back to Trek, sent me a new frame a fork for free.
2 I actually like the beginning of the top tobe
Minus....
1 Seatstays. I think they should actually go to the top of the seattube. Nothing ruins a bikes athestics more for me than stunted seatstays except....
2 Sloping top tubes
3 The bars
4 Integrated headsets, I agree with Ernesto on this one
5 Cheap low spoke wheelsets. I have a set of Rolf Vector Pros for racing, but all of my other wheelsets range from 28 (only in the front) to 40 (only in the rear). I don't think cheap wheels should have spoke counts under 32.
6 The color

i kinda like the frame. i also like the specialized s-works/tarmac frames which is where i think trek got the idea for this frame. seems very overpriced for the stock components though.

Does the downtube look bendy to anybody else?

Yes. A lot of companies taper their downtubes. Even newer steel frames have this design.

alrighty. im sick of looking at that trek. in fact im sick of looking at all trek bikes. they used to be my favorite but now they look like streamlines pieces of playdoh.


here here....this is what a REAL trek track bike looks like

The LBS has one in stock (58cm), they sell for $1100 here.

here here....this is what a REAL trek track bike looks like

hell YES that is nice. Vintage Treks, track or otherwise, are par excellence.

yah. i ride my '83 760 rain or shine.

I am a little worried about those low count spoke wheels.. Does anyone here think they might get a little bendy going around the velodrome @ 30++ mph ? LOL

Sheesh... I'd be a bit scared.

it looks like a roadie trainer

I am a little worried about those low count spoke wheels

Thats the first thing I thought. 24 spoke rear and 20 spoke front. Interesting choice considering most rear track wheels are three cross.

i don't have race light, but i ride a wheelset off of the lemond filmore (all bontrager track select components) and it rides like a dream. hubs smooth as butter, and no noticeable flex. and trust me, i ride it fast.

Thats the first thing I thought. 24 spoke rear and 20 spoke front. Interesting choice considering most rear track wheels are three cross.

i dunno, pro roadies ride wheels like that, and i can't imagine that most of us can generate more torque than they do...

i dislike trek in general. I bought my first real bike 3 years ago (although people here prob consider it to be cheapo) from the corporate store in madison. Nothing but bad experiences after i bought it. Rude salespeople, crummy service, and a completely being ignored when looking for some answers to simple questions. My gf got a hybrid there. They misaligned her brakes and it blew a tire on her first ride--took me 2 more weeks to convice her to get back on it. This wasn't some "dealer"; rather, it was thier one and only corporate "flagship" store. Will never buy another trek product again.

as to this particular bike---i think its like when saturn started making SUVs 5 years too late. That, and i don't like the seatstays or the curved top tube. Not a fan of the colour either.

If you went back to a store after they treated you like crap and ****ed up your girlfriend's bike then you share some responsability.

I've ridden the bike and its really twitchy. Real short top tube(I haven't looked at the geometry so just going by feel) but was fun. Something tells me that if I'm going for a mid-range, off-the-peg, aluminum bike I'll get a Pista Concept, but maybe I'm way off.

let me address a few of the concerns posted here...

1) low spoke count wheels: i'm 205lbs and i race on a set of the bontrager carbon track wheels. 16 spokes each. they've held up rather well and feel awesome sprinting through the corners at my local track.

2) made overseas: nope. i can guarantee you it's made by hand in waterloo, wisconsin.

3) short top tube: it is a little on the short side, at least compared to my pista concept, but that lets you run a longer stem which makes the bike a little more stable when you're sprinting.

4) overpriced: i dont think so. i'd wager you'll see it in stores for $1,200; which considering the frame is built here in the US as well as the factory-assembly; isn't that bad of a price. at least in my eyes.

5) "that's not what a real track bike looks like" : i dunno man. it's got one fixed gear and no brakes. looks like a track bike to me.

6) parts aren't track specific : what? so it doesn't have track bars, whoopee. go look at pictures of any of the endurance events at a world cup race. lots of ergo-bend handlebars to be found.

7) drilled for brakes? : yes, at least the fork is anyway. i can't remember if the rear is or not.

for anyone who doesn't care that it says "trek" on the downtube and doesn't have round steel tubes: keep your eyes out for something even cooler coming in the next year or two.

If you went back to a store after they treated you like crap and ****ed up your girlfriend's bike then you share some responsability.

I've ridden the bike and its really twitchy. Real short top tube(I haven't looked at the geometry so just going by feel) but was fun. Something tells me that if I'm going for a mid-range, off-the-peg, aluminum bike I'll get a Pista Concept, but maybe I'm way off.


cannondale.