Anyone comparison ridden T2000 and Speedster?

[gcb]

My wife and I are considering purchasing either a Trek T2000 or Co-Motion Speedster. We haven't had a chance to test ride them yet, but I wondered if anyone else has ridden both models, and if so, what their impressions were. We would use the tandem for local rides, typically 20-30 miles.

Thanks for any info you may have!

[bikeoutfit]

I have been on both and sold both and own a T2000. I actually like the geometry of the CoMo better. It is a bit quicker I feel, more like a road single. That said, I have no complaints about the T2000. Mine has the steel fork so the carbon would be a great upgrade which I believe comes on the 2007 & 2008 models (maybe even the 2006?). With a big brand like Trek you get more for your money in terms of componentry. I really like the Bontraeger wheels. Put a carbon fork on the Speedster and equivalent wheels and I would certaintly take the Speedster. The steel frame is more comfortable, and as I said handles better, IMHO.

Dick Powell
www.outfittertours.com
Founder & Former Owner of The Bicycle Outfitter, Los Altos, CA

[bikeriderdave]

I actually like the geometry of the CoMo better. It is a bit quicker I feel, more like a road single. That said, I have no complaints about the T2000. Mine has the steel fork...

The carbon fork on the current T2000 has less rake than the original steel fork. The current Trek should therefore handle about the same as the Speedster, as the front end geometry is almost identical (AFAIK, both have 73 degree head angles and 50 mm fork offset). The newer T2000 also has slightly oval top and lateral tubes, which , IMO, gives it all the comfort of a more flexible steel frame. We REALLY like our '06 T2000 and don't think there's a better bike for the money. By virtue of its light and laterally rigid AL frame, the Trek is better suited for sport riding; with its v-brakes and greater tire clearance, the Speedster would be the choice for self-supported touring. If you can, ride both before buying. If you can't, rest assured that you will enjoy either one.

Dave

[gcb]

Thanks for the replies. It is good to know that you have had good experiences with the T2000.

Greg

[Artmo]

My wife and I are considering purchasing either a Trek T2000 or Co-Motion Speedster. We haven't had a chance to test ride them yet, but I wondered if anyone else has ridden both models, and if so, what their impressions were. We would use the tandem for local rides, typically 20-30 miles.

Thanks for any info you may have!

We have a T2000 and Co-mo Primera and we like them both. The Co-mo is a bit more lively, but the T2000 is a great bike for the money.

[regomatic]

the T2000 is a great bike for the money.

You're welcome, glad you're enjoying it.

[R900]

We are very pleased with our '05 T2000. Considering a rear disk, regardless it's a great bike.

[BirdsHillBiker]

Our first tandem was a Trek T1000 which has the same frame as the T2000. We enjoyed the bike and averaged about 5000km a year on it. After 2 and half years we traded it in a Co-mo Primera with some upgrades and found the Co-mo Primera to be much more comfortable on longer rides. I also found the Co-mo Primera to be more responsive. The Trek T2000 is a great bike for the price but for comfort and overall feel we love the Co-mo Primera. My wife, the stoker found the Co-motion to give a more comfortable ride over bumps and on rough roads.

[bikeriderdave]

The Trek T2000 is a great bike for the price but for comfort and overall feel we love the Co-mo Primera. My wife, the stoker found the Co-motion to give a more comfortable ride over bumps and on rough roads.

FWIW... My stoker preferred the ride of our Bilenky with its USE "Shokpost" to that of our '02 T2000 until I replaced the Trek's OE 'post with a Thudbuster ST. After the switch, she rated the Trek as comfortable as the cu$tom steel frame... and prefered the way that the T2000 climbed. Now we have an '06 T2k and only ride the (coupled) Bilenky when we travel.

[born2pdl]

If money is no object get a comotion, I guess because you can. Otherwise get the t2000 because its a lot of bike for the money. If you have money left over, you can get upgrades just for fun like an alpha q fork, rolf wheels, or needed upgrades to brakes, seatposts, saddles, whatever.

How many many times have you seen an ad where somebody is selling a really nice piece of sports equipment because they're "just not using it"? Its fun to consider all the implications of this frame, that paint, those wheels, but for the vast majority of tandem riders it won't matter for quite a while. What really matters is how often and where you ride it, and having a stoker that's having a good experience and wants to ride a lot. Otherwise you have a nearly new dusty garage princess/ museum piece that you end up selling in a few years. That would bite.

[Artmo]

You're welcome, glad you're enjoying it.

I wasn't thinking of what we paid for it, Reg. :) I think it's great value even at the full, new price!
Hope you are both well.

[mrfish]

I have an 05 T2000 and bought it as a fun toy to ride occasionally with my wife so we could stay together more on club and other rides. We bought it because it looked more sporty than other tandems available in the UK and if I'm honest chose it mainly because it was on sale and therefore cheap.

Then we had a daughter so rather than doing sportif rides it spent a year towing her in a trailer. After riding it regularly I had some niggling issues about the brakes, fact the front stem wouldn't go low enough and didn't like the handlebars, thought the seatposts and stems were needlessly heavy etc. In short upgradeitis bit. Recently I spent a bit over £500 on ebay to upgrade to Alpha Q carbon forks and add a new top of the bike (saddles, seatposts, stems, bars) as well as swapping to racing tyres, tubes and some red anodised bling to make it more of a sporting oriented ride and more similar to a 2008 model T2000. Probably I won't do any more upgrading as more spending to upgrade cranks, frame or wheels is beyond the point of diminshing returns.

I enjoy riding it more than my high end single bikes. Stoker complains a little that the top tube is too short as she likes a racy position, but that's the only real issue and it could only be solved by a custom frame. Only other problem is we need a babysitter to actually ride it, so we don't use it as much as either of us would like.

I think either bike is an excellent buy. Just take some time to get the bike really dialled in for the riding you do and don't expect it to ride like your single bike immediately. In the end I would buy the one based on local dealer support, price or fit depending on what is most important to you.

[regomatic]

I wasn't thinking of what we paid for it, Reg. :) I think it's great value even at the full, new price!
Hope you are both well.

Really, we're glad you're enjoying it. We're doing fine, hope you are as well, and look forward to seeing you at Sebring and other events soon.

We bought a T2000, second hand but hardly used, as our first real tandem. We rode it for about 1-3/4 years. It was a great bike and really got us hooked on tandem riding.

Then we started aspiring for a custom bike, if for no reason other than that we could.

When we mentioned on this forum that we'd ordered a new bike, Artmo contacted us about what were we going to do with the Trek and expressed how they would like to give it a good home in their second residence. We were more than happy to cut a favorable deal to fellow enthusiasts who would use and enjoy it as much as we did.

Apparently it's all worked out.