Road Bike Racing - New Madone = integrated cranks only?

Looks like the new Madone has a BB shell that only allows for the use of integrated cranks. Doesn't that suck.

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BABY GOT BRACKET
Let’s start looking at arguably the most significant Madone innovation which is the gargantuan bottom bracket and enhanced drive train, the technology behind it and ultimately how it impacts performance on the road…

Industry standard bottom bracket shells are 68mm wide and most component companies are now using an external bearing that sits outside that 68mm shell. If the Madone was going to be different, 68mm would overly limit the design options available to their Advanced Components Group (ACG).


http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/trek/madone08-bbopen.jpg


In the spirit of Zero Constraints, the engineers decided that conventional bottom bracket design had no place on the new Madone. That is where the Trek’s new Precision Fit Sockets come in; the bottom bracket bearings sit directly into the “sockets” in the frame which are essentially integrated sealed bearing races built into the frame. The current standard outboard bottom bracket bearings are scrapped and the extra width is absorbed into the frame design itself. There is no need for Loctite or any other retaining method. The carbon technology is so sophisticated that testing indicates that the bearings will wear out with no adverse effects to the Precision Fit Sockets. The resulting new structure is 90mm wide with no impact on Q factor. The new format is compatible with two piece cranks from FSA, Bontrager, Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo.

I guess they figure that if you are buying a new frame then you are running newer cranks, we(srm/ergomo users and the guys still running square/octalink/isis) must not be their target market.

I am not clear on the up side of this from the description.

I am not clear on the up side of this from the description.

No aluminum threaded inserts in carbon required, less weight.

This means you'd be compelled to have a frggin BONTRAGER crankset (cringe).

They seriously have to re-name tha lameass company. No matter how cool their components may be I can never get over the perceived stigma attached to that name. It's like nails on a bike weenie blackboard.

This means you'd be compelled to have a frggin BONTRAGER crankset (cringe).

They seriously have to re-name tha lameass company. No matter how cool their components may be I can never get over the perceived stigma attached to that name. It's like nails on a bike weenie blackboard.
incorrect
"The new format is compatible with two piece cranks from FSA, Bontrager, Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo."

This means you'd be compelled to have a frggin BONTRAGER crankset (cringe).

They seriously have to re-name tha lameass company. No matter how cool their components may be I can never get over the perceived stigma attached to that name. It's like nails on a bike weenie blackboard.

I guess you have a cooler last name? lol

To the OP...you answered your own question in the info you posted :)

doesn't SRM make an integrated (2 piece) crank? The only people left out would be ergomo users no?

Is there really a benefit of "old" style bottom brackets unless you just already own one? If one were to buy a new bike, chances are that it would come with a new bottom bracket anyway, it's not like you need to transfer your old octalink over or anything...

doesn't SRM make an integrated (2 piece) crank? The only people left out would be ergomo users no?

Is there really a benefit of "old" style bottom brackets unless you just already own one? If one were to buy a new bike, chances are that it would come with a new bottom bracket anyway, it's not like you need to transfer your old octalink over or anything...

Benefits? My cartridge BB spins more freely than my Hollowtech-II.

I guess you have a cooler last name? lol

To the OP...you answered your own question in the info you posted :)

WHERE in North Jersey is there an 18% grade? Where, come on, I'm from North Jersey (lived there for most of my first 39 years) and I can't think of any. But North Jersey is a big place with plenty of hills.

By the way we're not talking about how stupid my last name is, we're talking about (cringe) Bontrager (please don't make me say that again).

I thought it was just a matter of using few parts from existing components - no need to use a BB and bearing shell because that's all built in. [as in, I can just use my cranks from my current DA set up on the madone frame, assuming the bearings are already supplied.]

I'd venture the BB on the Madone is Trek's attempt to keep current crank manufacturers happy while trying to compete with the BB 30 standard on Spec's and Dale's. Looks like the wonderous oversized BBs that offer better stiffness but you're still stuck with the same big ole Q factor and ****ty bearings. But if you note my sig I'm trying to buy into the other concept.

WHERE in North Jersey is there an 18% grade? Where, come on, I'm from North Jersey (lived there for most of my first 39 years) and I can't think of any. But North Jersey is a big place with plenty of hills.

According to National Geographic Topo, Iron Bridge is 1.55 miles long, and has two (yes, two) sections that hit a 20% grade. Iron Bridge Rd, Asbury, NJ 08802. Several other hills in Hunterdon County, such as Shire, Adamic, etc. One really steep climb in northern NJ was listed in a recent magazine as one of the top 100 climbs - can't remember name. A cutie pie just across the river from Frenchtown, in PA, is Uhlerstown Hill Rd. I think it's about 24%. It's got gates at the top and bottom to close it off from traffic during the winter. Check out njbikemap.com that shows all significant climbs in total vert, but not %.

doesn't SRM make an integrated (2 piece) crank? The only people left out would be ergomo users no?


SRM pro, am and scientific all use octalink or square. The DA and fsa versions are the only integrated.

According to National Geographic Topo, Iron Bridge is 1.55 miles long, and has two (yes, two) sections that hit a 20% grade. Iron Bridge Rd, Asbury, NJ 08802. Several other hills in Hunterdon County, such as Shire, Adamic, etc. One really steep climb in northern NJ was listed in a recent magazine as one of the top 100 climbs - can't remember name. A cutie pie just across the river from Frenchtown, in PA, is Uhlerstown Hill Rd. I think it's about 24%. It's got gates at the top and bottom to close it off from traffic during the winter. Check out njbikemap.com that shows all significant climbs in total vert, but not %.


Fiddler's Elbow Road is in WESTERN NJ, but I suppose it's technically North Jersey. I rode up it in a 42 x 21 in 1990 on my Trek. That road is more like 20%+. I have no idea how I ever kept the bike moving forward. I was much younger and far dumber (yeah, I know, hard to believe) than I am today.

NJ totally RULES.

But North Jersey is a big place

Incorrect. It's what, fifty miles wide?

WHERE in North Jersey is there an 18% grade? Where, come on, I'm from North Jersey (lived there for most of my first 39 years) and I can't think of any. But North Jersey is a big place with plenty of hills.

Ever go up Rt 23, up toward High Point?

No aluminum threaded inserts in carbon required, less weight.

And the ability to design a stiffer bb shell, without sizing constraints of threading on the bearings on the outside.

Question is what the interface of the bearings and the bb will look like 7-8 years from now.

I read that Trek says that in testing the carbon in the bb outlasted the bearings 2-3 times over. Personally, I'm planning on riding my current bike long enough to wear out more than 2 sets of bearings.

This means you'd be compelled to have a frggin BONTRAGER crankset (cringe).

They seriously have to re-name tha lameass company. No matter how cool their components may be I can never get over the perceived stigma attached to that name. It's like nails on a bike weenie blackboard.

Guys, before you all fly loose, that diagram is just for one type of crank, you can run any crank on the Madone. I test rode one this weekend with a Dura Ace crank.

Guys, before you all fly loose, that diagram is just for one type of crank, you can run any crank on the Madone. I test rode one this weekend with a Dura Ace crank.

You can even run three piece cranks?

Guys, before you all fly loose, that diagram is just for one type of crank, you can run any crank on the Madone. I test rode one this weekend with a Dura Ace crank.

Of course 'Trek' on a $6,000 racing bike is like 'Timex' on a $3000 watch. So there's that issue.

I should talk. I ride a friggin Cannondale.

I'll shut up now.

I should talk. I ride a friggin Cannondale.


Did they do this whole proprietary gigantic bottom bracket, like, five years ago?