Road Cycling - how come the Brits don't like Treks...?

i was just entertaining myself while bikeforums is down and went to cycling plus forums... a lot of people there don't like Treks... saying that Treks are boring... and they recommend bikes i never heard of before... what's up...?

Because they are made by a superior, super power. :D


Just kidding,,,,,,, now go brush your teeth. :D


They have easy access to the greatest bicycles in the world. They have a huge selection of Italian bikes, and the like. Compared to the bikes that they can, easily acquire, a Trek is about as exciting as a Huffy is to you. :)

Originally posted by Code Monkey
i was just entertaining myself while bikeforums is down and went to cycling plus forums... a lot of people there don't like Treks... saying that Treks are boring... and they recommend bikes i never heard of before... what's up...?

IMHO, it's classic bias toward the big guys. You'll see this attitude here regarding Shimano even though they make some of the best equipment in the business. Some people will still say they are crap.

Trek makes great bikes - there is no question there. The rest is purely a matter of personal choice.

Originally posted by ~LongRider~
a Trek is about as exciting as a Huffy is to you. :)

yea, but someone who has enough money for a >$4000 bike would see it that way no matter where they live... and not very many people can afford to blow $2000 on a bike... or is it because of all these Lance Armstong publicity...

I dont think it has anything to do with Lance. They just dont like, out of the box, bikes.

Where are the Brits' responses. The rest of us are only guessing.

They are probably eating crumpets and drinking their morning tea. :D :p

I can speak for them, however. I have seen all of the Austin Powers movies.

I own a Trek 1400 and my better half has a Trek MTB.

I agree with bac that it is down to personal choice, when I bought the Trek it was the bike that fitted my requirements.

I see a lot of add's for custom built frames that might explain some of the unknown bike makes being discuss and a lot of shops have there own branded bikes also.

trek makes a fine bike, but they're not for everyone. i can appreciatre the technology of an oclv trek frame, but i really don't like the geometry -- i find the top tubes short and the head angle steepish -- and i've never enjoyed the feel of a carbon frame. it's personal preference, of course, but it's also possible that a lot more british persons have similar preferences.

I love my Trek. Prior to purchasing it I rode a Magna 'mountain bike' bought at a department store before I knew what the Hell I was doing. Being fit for the Trek (I test-rode a Gary Fisher Tarpon first but found the Trek more comfortable) was a revelation. It's a low-end bike and heavier 'n' cr@p, but I count it among my closest friends.

I gave away the Magna to a friend who was in need of (very) basic transportation. Apparently I like my Trek more than I like him (poor b@stard).

-Rob

I imagine that part of it is a pride thing. I don't blame them. The English make great bikes. I think the Mercians are awesome, among others.

Not sure where you're getting the idea that Brits hate Treks. See 'em all the time in UK bike mags being reviewed and in advertisements.

Somebody over there is buying them.

Cycling Plus magazine supports a forum very similar to this one. I visit it occasionally because those guys have such an incredible sense of humor!:D No kidding. Everyone should go there once in awhile just to read the posts.

But I haven't noticed a bias against Trek bicycles. Some people like them, and some people don't.

Originally posted by don d.
But I haven't noticed a bias against Trek bicycles. Some people like them, and some people don't.

I noticed a slightly similar thing had happened here sometime last year. I think that Treks have become popular. I certainly see them a lot around here. I saw them even more back when I lived in the midwest. I don't think they're bad bikes and in the past I often considered buying one. I think that whenever something becomes popular, invariably a counter-culture develops around/against that popularity. I believe this is just human nature... or rather societal nature. This falls under the axiom of "for every action there exists an equal and opposite critical analysis."

Originally posted by khuon
I noticed a slightly similar thing had happened here sometime last year. I think that Treks have become popular. I certainly see them a lot around here. I saw them even more back when I lived in the midwest. I don't think they're bad bikes and in the past I often considered buying one. I think that whenever something becomes popular, invariably a counter-culture develops around/against that popularity. I believe this is just human nature... or rather societal nature. This falls under the axiom of "for every action there exists an equal and opposite critical analysis."

its natural for "the popular/people with class/posers" not to like something that can be bought by anyone.. And since trek makes bikes as low as $300, up to $6000+ bikes. A $6000 bike would be the same as a $300 bike for the posers.... just joking:D :D

I agree... its human nature.. Sad :( , But true.

Originally posted by Code Monkey
i was just entertaining myself while bikeforums is down and went to cycling plus forums... a lot of people there don't like Treks... saying that Treks are boring... and they recommend bikes i never heard of before... what's up...?

There's lots of forums; what's the URL for the one you mean?

Treks are great bikes.

But lots of Brits (me, for instance) will under no circumstances ride a multi-thousand dollar bike where we can't choose the colour or - much worse! - have to have a trade team moniker. Urgh, naff!! Loads of us NEVER buy trade team kit, either.

I think because its the other side of the world and they have better choices.Trek and CD are everywhere here.Their market would be flooded with ? Probably not american bikes.

Speaking as a devoted owner of a '03 trek 1000, I think a significant barrier to the Brits loving Trek's in general are the prices. I paid list price of £499 i.e. $750 for mine. There are several bikes of comparable specs available from UK brands for £100 less. I bought it because it was available early in the year, because I love the colour scheme, and more to the point trust the LBS that I got it from.

:confused:
The Brits don't hate Trek's, they just dislike riding something that every Dick, Tom and Harry is riding.
Face it Treks are everywhere.
Also why would they ride american Carbon bikes when they have their own carbon bike frame industry which produces, frames of equal or better quality at lower prices.
Over here, A Time VX Special Elite is £1400 with seat post and stem, forks and headset.
Thats $2300US. Not sure what tey go for over there in old USof A.

Then thereis also the Anti -war sentiment which the general american public gets packagedinto as well. Face it, the stas and stripes is not the most popular flag around at the moment.

Over here in sunny enland, a Trek 5200 frame retails for £1100.]Thats no good value against a Time or Look or even a Terry Dolan frame (£900 w fork).

Calfee Designs are like dcuks teeth in europe.
There already too much choice in europe and having some of the worlds most desirable brands just a hop skip and jump away doesn't ehlp make TRek look any better.

What really is desirable over here is

Litespeed
Merlin
Serotta

The others are just too common and have a mid tier image.

Originally posted by TimB
:confused:
Over here in sunny enland, a Trek 5200 frame retails for £1100.]Thats no good value against a Time or Look or even a Terry Dolan frame (£900 w fork).


I don't think it's price. You see a good few Colnago C40s at over two grand a go; but then they are seen as the best there is, I suppose.

But value for money is important. My own aluminium/carbon Ambrosio retailed at less than £700 and is the dog's.

<<Interupts tea and crumpet break>>We have a number of well established mid-level bike brands who make better value bikes in more useful configurations eg Raleigh, Dawes, Orbit, Thorn.
We have a very strong frame-buiilding tradition, as good , if not better than Italy. We have easier access to the premium European brands at local bike shops.
Treks are OK, but not so special that we should drool over them.
<<crumpet munching continues>>

Lots of Treks to be seen out and about in my location. in fact it seems every other bike I see seems to be a Trek whether it be a road or off-roader, and to stress the point, two out of my three in the vicinity cycle shops are Trek dealers.
As soon as you walk in the door a salesman trys to flog you a Trek (barf...) no, only joking about the sales pitch,
There nice bikes Trek, almost bought one when testing out rides for my new road ride.

will you have spot of milk with your tea Michael, sniff sniff,
thereyou go old chap now pass the crumpets old boy...
what, say lets hop on our audax steeds post tea and nip of a quick tonne.

Personally I prefer a toasted english muffin to a crumpet ;)

You see Trek's about (quite a few in terms of MTB's) but in road bike terms they do seem a little overpriced compared to some of the smaller makers/continental manufacturers. Amongst roadie friends I can think of one Trek, one Giant, one Bianchi, one Orbea and an ancient Peugeot. I see a lot of Fausto Coppi around as well. You get the odd rider wanting to ride a UK frame (and there are some good ones).

Originally posted by Code Monkey
How come Brit's do not like trek ................because they are smart!!!

MichaelW - don't know about the other brands you named as British, but Raleigh is no longer made in the UK and hasn't been for some time. It is just a name on a frame made in Asia by the lowest bidder. However, that said, they are pretty nice mid-level bikes based on a couple I have seen recently with Campy groups.

Few if any of the low priced British bike builder's make their own frames anymore - I think I remember that Raleigh was indeed the last to outsource.

Talking about Fausto Coppi's I actually came close to buying one, but they dont go above 23" frames :(