Touring - 2009 Trek 520

Check it out



http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/520/520/

hey, thanks for the pic! nice color, something you don't see often. Wish LHT had that color :o)

Looks great and they even got the crank right, amazing. It appears as though they may have cut the effective top tube back as well. Did they cut out the third water bottle cage?

Finally, a sloping top tube.
Looks like Trek is following some of the others now.

Looks nice but i don't understand why it comes with fenders and clipless pedals. Those two "extras" i would throw away, the fenders aren't even full coverage, and i would prefer touring platforms with cages.
Other than that it seems ready to go!

Definitely flip it.

I'm glad they dumped the road crankset in favor of a touring crankset. They could have left off the fenders, and I'm not sure about the rack. If it's not a very sturdy rack, they could save the buyer some money. That might get the price down closer to the Surly LHT, which seems to be what they're competing against. I considered the Trek 520 before buying my LHT, but the road crankset steer me away from the 520. The new model is a welcome change.

How small would ones feet need to be to avoid overlap with the front fender?
Looks like the pedal (sans foot) will hit the front fender

Looks like the same fenders as the portland. Where is the "hand made in the USA" decal ?

That bike is so much sexier than the '08 model.

heh... metallic root beer indeed.

Just bought and returned Trek 7.5FX, bar grips way small...I saw on the frame MIC...maybe its a trend

Looking into 520 I am 240, is this a good short and long commuter?

How small would ones feet need to be to avoid overlap with the front fender?
Looks like the pedal (sans foot) will hit the front fender

Oh yeah. That's another reason I opted for the LHT. For my size (54cm), I got 26" wheels. No toe overlap for me.

Looking into 520 I am 240, is this a good short and long commuter?

I'm right at the same weight, and use my 520 as my all purpose bike.

thanks for the info, ordered a new 520 tonite, new one with Cro-Moly, looking forward to first ride

Looks great and they even got the crank right, amazing. It appears as though they may have cut the effective top tube back as well. Did they cut out the third water bottle cage?

I see what looks like bolt holes for a third bottle cage, but no bolts in them. I will be disappointed if the frame is not made in the USA.

How long until the 2009s will be delivered?

I will be disappointed if the frame is not made in the USA.

Is that a pragmatic ("US-made frames are better") or ideological ("I prefer supporting the US economy") point of view?

Steve

I don't like those fenders. I haven't ridden a bike with those mini fenders but I've been told that without the forward jutting fender part over the front wheel, at high speed moisture can fly up in front of the steering tube and blow back into your face. And it certainly looks like some spray will hit the seat tube and splatter onto your calves.

Is that a pragmatic ("US-made frames are better") or ideological ("I prefer supporting the US economy") point of view?

Steve

Why does it have to be one or the other? I don't know for certain that USA-made frames are better-made than what may come from China, but people seem pleased well enough with their USA-made Trek 520 frames; why fix that which is not broken? I hate to see U.S. jobs outsourced, and ships are not known for using clean-burning fuels. I do like to support the U.S. economy, too. OK, that is four reasons I would rather see these new frames made in the USA.

If you look at the angled shot and zoom you can see the bottle bosses in the underside of the tube - albeit no screws. I think it's sexy personally. I'll buy it :-)

-R

Is that a pragmatic ("US-made frames are better") or ideological ("I prefer supporting the US economy") point of view?

Steve

I've seen loads of nicely made Taiwanese frames and wouldn't hesitate to buy/ride one. I've owned 7 frames made in Canada or the US. I can't say they were specifically better than the others I've owned, but they were quite nice and I'd happily preferentially support a North American made product if it's good.

Fixing the crank is progress for sure, but they really should pricepoint it more aggressively. Others have already brought up the unsuitability of the rack, fenders, and pedals, all of which I second, and now add one: the brake levers. The Dia Compe 287v is no longer the only option in a V-compatible drop bar lever; the Tektro RL520 is available for half the price. And despite being cheaper, the Tektro may even be the better product. It's a close cousin of their Campy knockoff levers which have been very well received, whereas for the Dia Compes I've read griping about cable friction and shifting, uncomfortable hoods. Why spend more money to get less?

I've heard from Trek and my LBS that the new 520 won't enter production until November, with delivery in December. What's up with the tease, Trek? Or are they actually coming out sooner?

Not sooner. Later. Probably not coming out until February.

Looks ugly, LHT is a better bike for the price.

Does anyone know or have an idea what fenders those are? I could actually use a set like those for one of my bikes.

Thanks.

Not sooner. Later. Probably not coming out until February.

I talked to my LBS tonight and they said Feb 9th if I ordered today. However, they said the West coast warehouse has them now and he could get me one sooner for additional 30 bucks.

I'm not hot on the color, but like the change to a more touring friendly gearing.

The big problem for me is that I just came off a 25 inch 520 and that puppy is history. The largest size available now equates to about 23.6 inches.

One website says that Trek has applied its performance geometry to the 520. I don't know what that means, but i hope it means that i can find a size that fits.

I like the color, at least by itself. I have to admit, however, that it won't look good with almost any other color on the planet except maybe something very neutral.

I also like the changes they made for 2009: fenders (well, sort-of fenders) and a MTB front der and gearing. I'm not sure why they put an 11-32 cassette instead of an 11-34, but that's easy to change (after I wear out the 11-32).

I'm really surprised. For 15 years I've heard the same complaint over 100 times, that the 520 was geared too high. It's incredible that it took this long for someone at Trek to do something about it. Better late than never.

When I bought a Trek 520 off eBay, I had to change the gearing and get better racks installed. The Trek rack was a piece of junk. For the price they sell it for, the least they could do is spec Tubus racks.

I talked to my LBS tonight and they said Feb 9th if I ordered today. However, they said the West coast warehouse has them now and he could get me one sooner for additional 30 bucks.


Kind of baffling to me that they want to stick you with a $30 fee to expedite delivery of this bike. Given the state of the economy right now, I'm surprised they don't absorb the freight charge (or whatever it is) to close the sale now.

Kind of baffling to me that they want to stick you with a $30 fee to expedite delivery of this bike. Given the state of the economy right now, I'm surprised they don't absorb the freight charge (or whatever it is) to close the sale now.

Yeah, I think I'd tell them to pi$$ off and go buy an LHT just on principle... If the bike is availble, it shouldn't cost a customer anything extra to get it. I think it's just a ruse to get more money from you...

The big problem for me is that I just came off a 25 inch 520 and that puppy is history. The largest size available now equates to about 23.6 inches.

One website says that Trek has applied its performance geometry to the 520. I don't know what that means, but i hope it means that i can find a size that fits.

The 2009 has a sloping top tube. If you rode the old 25 inch frame, the new large size should fit you. My old horizontal top tube frame bike size is 25 inches. I now have a bike with a sloping top tube. C-T it's 23 inches. Fits just fine.

Speedo

I'm glad to see they changed it back to a trekking crank from the road crank, like my 1994 - 520 which has an LX setup. Too bad they put those Bontragerin-house rims on it. A few dollars saved by leaving off the fenders and rack would have been okay also.

Still, this has my attention and I might be interested in this one. Then I could upgrade my old one to 9 speed with brifters and use it more like a road bike.

I really like the color. It's like last years Fuji touring which is also a good bike.

I'm glad to see they changed it back to a trekking crank from the road crank, like my 1994 - 520 which has an LX setup. Too bad they put those Bontrager in-house rims on it. A few dollars saved by leaving off the fenders and rack would have been okay also.

Still, this has my attention and I might be interested in this one. Then I could upgrade my old one to 9 speed with brifters and use it more like a road bike.

I really like the color. It's like last years Fuji touring which is also a good bike.

I recently read a crazyguy journal from last summer where 2 riders doing the TA had new Trek 520s. Both had the rear Bontrager rims fall apart and one had the rack break. For the price maybe they could put Mavic rims on them?

They have changed the geometry - the top tube is about 1 cm shorter than before on the same frame size. I think that is a good thing, along with the other changes. Except, er, I hate that color.

The cassette specs are acceptable. The crankset is still too high for loaded touring. A good LBS should be able to swap out the stock chainrings for a more useful MTB 42/32/22 setup.

I think just a simple switch of the 26T granny ring to a 24T would be good enough to go from a ~22 gear inch low to ~20.

blah, those fenders suck, that rack is a joke, the levers are crap, and the rims are cheap. Its too expensive.

color is nice though. whatever.

Bring back the 1985 620 geometry with great racks front and rear and ill be interested, otherwise its just one more trek product that I wouldn't convert my money into.

I recently read a crazyguy journal from last summer where 2 riders doing the TA had new Trek 520s. Both had the rear Bontrager rims fall apart and one had the rack break. For the price maybe they could put Mavic rims on them?

I'm not suprised.

Does anyone know or have an idea what fenders those are? I could actually use a set like those for one of my bikes.

Thanks.

Bontrager Satellite http://bontrager.com/model/06536/en I think they would be great for road training and I have a pair on back order. Will be interesting to see how they work out but I'll probably put the full fenders on before a self supported tour.

I took a ride on my new 2009 Trek 520 today. Nice Christmas present to myself.

I took a ride on my new 2009 Trek 520 today. Nice Christmas present to myself.

Kinda puts the kibosh on the "Not until Feb 9" line above! I'd be interested in an "expanded" opinion from someone that now owns one. It's still on my short list.

-R

Two days after Trek told my LBS that they wouldn't get it until February, they told them that they had just shipped it. Go figure.

I haven't ridden that many bikes, so I really cannot give a comprehensive review. My bike, as delivered from Trek in size 57, weighs 28.43 pounds (which includes the 1.35 pound rear rack). The only complaint I have is that the rear fender bangs against the bottom of the rear rack every time you hit a bump, but that can be easily resolved in a variety of ways. The stem rise is slight which puts the bars below the saddle. I first thought this would be a problem, but the bike has a relatively short top tube, which mitigates the small stem rise.

The only complaint I have is that the rear fender bangs against the bottom of the rear rack every time you hit a bump, but that can be easily resolved in a variety of ways. .


short piece of thin sticky backed compresible weatherstrip works.

LHT is a better bike for the price.
+ 1

The component advantage the 520 has is the front derailluer.

The LHT has superior wheels, easily the most important componet for a touring bike.

Still, the 520 is very good bike and as others have mentioned it's nice they finally changed to gearing for real touring.

A great looking (and I mean great looking), well spec'd bike. Trek has finally got the 520 where it needs to be. The fender bit is neither here nor there. At least it has them, which is a good thing. Take 'em off, leave 'em on or change 'em out, no biggie. Taiwan or USA? Would prefer it to be be made here, but everyone keeps carping about price point and having it built overseas is probably the the single biggest factor in addressing that.

Toe overlap? Did ya notice where the fender stops? Clipless pedals and the fact that they actually come with the bike is a nice touch as well. I'm sure any LBS would accommodate a request for platforms for those who prefer them.

"The LHT has superior wheels, easily the most important componet for a touring bike."
Huh. I'd take the Botranger's over Alex any day of the week.

I think the folks at Trek are listening (finally) and this latest incarnation of the 520 is a hit. Glad to see it.

Looks ugly, LHT is a better bike for the price.

You know, my 84' Apollo was built out of 4130 CroMoly, same as the LHT. Good material in it's day but there is much available today IF you want to pay for it.
The LHT uses 4130 the Trek uses it's house brand. Better? I think maybe not.
Now, if Surly would use something like Rocky does with 853 Reynolds then you could argue this.
They are both solid entry touring bikes.