Classic & Vintage - How to make my aluminum Trek 1500 feel less, aluminum.

I have an early 90s or late 80s trek 1500 That is all aluminum including the fork and absolutly love it. I knew that aluminum and skinny 700c tires would feel much stiffer than my previous gaspipe Windsor with 27 1/4 tires. The thing is on rides I go on through downtown Riverside I sometimes wish I could make it a little softer as road conditions are not always pristine which is echoed by the fact I am a Clyde. I was thinking I could soften the ride of course by getting a bit wider of tires. Now I am also considering a cheap nashbar carbon fork, and my question is, would a carbon fork really smooth out the ride as much as the user reviews on Nashbar say they do?

put some challenge pariqi roubaix tires on the thing and see how that does before you go the route of a carbon fork...

Carbon forks are more marketed as such, they don't actually soak up road vibrations, a cheap carbon fork might be sorta flexy kinda giving the impression though.. steel fork would do more for you than the carbon, if you don't mind the extra weight. Frame clearance will probably take a max of 28c tires, after that I dont know.. what bar tape are you using?

I dunno, but the Vitus 979 Al fork on my Vitus Carbone seems to feel very plush (even seems more comfortable than the Supervitus 980 fork on my PSV) when I ride it, unless that just the way Vitus forks are and other brand Al forks are much stiffer riding.

Chombi

Tires will make a bigger difference than a carbon fork. Use the widest tires possible and inflate to the minimum PSI on the sidewall.

My Trek 1420 was very similar to your bike. The previous owner had replaced the aluminum fork with a chrome Tange fork. I thought it looked nice and I never had any negative impressions about the ride.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3633/5760232170_2f3c3fd82e_b.jpg

How to make my aluminum Trek 1500 feel less, aluminum.

Alchemy.

http://home.comcast.net/~khatfull/images/alchemy.jpg

(yes I changed the elements :))

Put a fork from a Raleigh Sports on it. You'll pick up about 7 ounces in weight and gain plushness, stability, and toeverlap clearance.

1-Tire change to 25's or 28's if you have clearance. No, they are not slower; good ones, anyway.

2-Fork change to a steel or maybe carbon. I've not found the Performance or nashbar 1" threaded fork to be much different than the OEM.

Alchemy.

http://home.comcast.net/~khatfull/images/alchemy.jpg

(yes I changed the elements :))

How to fix an Al Bike:

Remove Pedals
Buy Steel-framed bike.
Install pedals on new bike.
Throw Al bike in the Al scrap pile.

I used to own an aluminum Trek of that same era. Notice I say "used to own".

I found that the ride of those early aluminum bikes was not for me. Every time I rode that bike, I felt like it was going to jar the fillings out of my teeth! And we have great roads down here in Georgia.

I hope that you're not expecting to magically transform the ride of that bike with a change of fork and tires. Yes... it will make the bike ride smoother, but I'll wager that you won't be totally satisfied. Instead of spending money to "patch up" that bike, I'd get a steel bike from that same era to replace it.

And people tend to think that aluminum bikes are better than steel ones, so you can probably CL your current bike... buy a good steel bike... and put a couple of dollars in your pocket.

How to fix an Al Bike:

Remove Pedals
Buy Steel-framed bike.
Install pedals on new bike.
Throw Al bike in the Al scrap pile.


+1

All the aluminum haters can send me their frames... tires are 90% of the ride anyway (see anyone can make this stuff up! ;)) As a fellow clyde myself I was out on a bike with 25s yesterday and noticed the road a lot more -- and this was an all steel bike. Usually I ride an aluminum bike with 28s at higher pressures. There are some things that are a fact of life and I've accepted that as a big dude on a skinny tired road bike it won't always be a smooth ride. I try and put wider tires on my bikes these days... moving over to 32 where it'll fit. I'd swap tires before a fork any day of the week.

All the aluminum haters can send me their frames... tires are 90% of the ride anyway (see anyone can make this stuff up! ;)) As a fellow clyde myself I was out on a bike with 25s yesterday and noticed the road a lot more -- and this was an all steel bike. Usually I ride an aluminum bike with 28s at higher pressures. There are some things that are a fact of life and I've accepted that as a big dude on a skinny tired road bike it won't always be a smooth ride. I try and put wider tires on my bikes these days... moving over to 32 where it'll fit. I'd swap tires before a fork any day of the week.

Not intended to be a factual statement.

How to fix an Al Bike:

Remove Pedals
Buy Steel-framed bike.
Install pedals on new bike.
Throw Al bike in the Al scrap pile.


Nah, ya don't need to be THAT drastic. Just buy a nice steel frame, put the parts off the Al bike on it, and toss the Al frame in the recycle bin.

Fe > Al

SP
Bend, OR

First, I am a fan of the early series Trek aluminums. Like the Cannondales from that era, and before the advent of computer modeling to refine tubing thicknesses, they were overbuilt (in a good way) and bullet proof. I find my 87 Cannondale with 23/160 tires to be an invigorating, but not harsh, ride. However, it does have a steel fork.

Take the good advice above (sorted out of all of the poo). Try tires first. Going from 23 to 28 makes a huge difference in smoothing out the road. Then consider a carbon fork. I'm with Robbie on this one.

I did my longest ride ever yesterday, sixty miles. Made it, but my lower to mid back was killing me and my hands started going numb randomly. As a cylde (230lbs, thanks to 24hr fitness and cycling) I felt accomplished and will be doing it again.

The bar tape is absolute crap, in fact it very well may be the stock white stuff as my friend just got a trek tri series with the same tape.

I think I may have to just get rid of it. I hopped on my friends 54cm Tri-Series for a ride around the block and LOVED IT. The smoothness, the easy of mounting and dismounting, and the riding position. I think the geometry of the 1500 and its size is off. I'm not sure of what geometry I should be looking for, but I am leaning towards triathlete/touring.

So in all for now I think I am going to replace the bar tape and try to set up a more upright sitting position by sliding the seat. How else can I adjust my sitting position to a more upright one. I would like ot make these changes before I do the ride again.

650B conversion. Put 42mm Grand Bois Hetres on and be done with it.

1-Tire change to 25's or 28's if you have clearance. No, they are not slower; good ones, anyway.

2-Fork change to a steel or maybe carbon. I've not found the Performance or nashbar 1" threaded fork to be much different than the OEM.

I also recommend the Nashbar fork.

Carbon fork, end of discussion.

+10. Sell and replace with a steel bike. I've sold my last Al bike.

Or just go N+1.

I rode a 1500 for a long time and once I rode a reynolds 531 frame I thought my tires were low because of the "plushness". Not sure about adding a steel fork but could be a solution. I'd recommend carbon fork, carbon seatpost and possibly carbon bars from what I've heard. Little more damping but its really not going to be that much. For the cost, not worth it.

Tires are cheap so go with supple 25s (not sure anything larger will fit) and run them at 80-90psi, no more. Best bang for buck. I think those bikes are fine and liked mine, lightweight and responsive.may also think of a different wheelset, they can give a change in ride too.

I'm in riverside all the time and dont notice the roads being that terrible but YMMV. I do commute on 700x28 schwalbe marathons.

Sounds like you have more fit issues than metallurgy ones.

Your saddles needs to be where your rump is when you are pedaling... don't mess with it to fix reach issues. You'll need to move/swap the stem and bars if not get another bike.

I happen to have a 90s Cannondale catalog that brags about the "light weight" and "unbeatable comfort" of its aluminum fork. Marketing never changes.... ;)

If all you want is a little more comfort:

• The aforementioned wider tires, at a slightly lower PSI.
• Slightly cushier saddle, preferably leather (e.g. Brooks).
• Pad the handlebars with bar gels and good bar tape (leather, Fizik etc)

These are all fairly cheap tricks. If it's still not enough, then I'd swap out the frame. Just doing the fork probably won't cover it.

My 1.5 has a carbon fork, and quite frankly, its as stiff a ride as the old 1000 it replaced. YMMV.

......I think I may have to just get rid of it.....

I had a Trek 1500 Aluminum bike once. Like you, I am 230lbs. I rode the hell out of the bike, but had the same issues as you. It was a 30 mile bike - any rides longer than that, I went with a steel or CF bike.

You can make the ride on this bike "better", but it will be a lot of $$$ spent for a marginal increase and in the end you'll not be satisfied. Leave it as-is, and start looking for a steel or CF frame/bike.

These 1500's are road roughness attenuators. That's just the way it is, at least for the heavier riders like us.

xypex982, A stiff, light racing frame is what it is regardless of tubing. Run your tires at 85% of max pressure, this will reduce the buzziness. My distance bike is a 2.8 Cannondale w/aluminum fork and it's ride is quite nice, IMHO. If you can fit 25c tires the ride is plush (I run 23C) and I had them on another Cannondale.

Brad

My most comfortable(plush) ride right now is my Klein Performance aluminum bike.
Just my experience.

xypex982, A stiff, light racing frame is what it is regardless of tubing. Run your tires at 85% of max pressure, this will reduce the buzziness. My distance bike is a 2.8 Cannondale w/aluminum fork and it's ride is quite nice, IMHO. If you can fit 25c tires the ride is plush (I run 23C) and I had them on another Cannondale.

He weighs 230lbs. If he runs at 85%, he'll get pinch flats..... guaranteed.

I don't have any experience with Cannondales, but I do with Trek 1500's. They ride on the harsh side.

I ran my tires at 90 psi for the ride and it helped a bit, then again most of said ride was on a nice bike trail.

Before I give this bike up I think i need to try some things first:

Lose weight (Doing it) hitting the gym all I can...the beach ride was just what I did on my "day off" from the gym.
Bar Wrap
Adjusting/fitting

I had pain in my neck and lower/mid back and eventual hand numbing.

I just know what to adjust to help. I am 6ft but with short legs and a long torso. The frame is a pinch too big, stand over height at least as my friends 55cm Technium and his brothers 54cm Trek Tri Series seem to fit better off the bat.

I plan to raise up the brake levers so I dont can be more comfortable in the hoods....other than that idk what to adjust.

He weighs 230lbs. If he runs at 85%, he'll get pinch flats..... guaranteed.

I don't have any experience with Cannondales, but I do with Trek 1500's. They ride on the harsh side.

Most 23C tires are max pressure rated at 120-160 PSI, I ran 85% (102 PSI) at 215 lbs. without issue. The OP can also experiment with reducing pressure in the front tire only.

Brad

I ran my tires at 90 psi for the ride and it helped a bit, then again most of said ride was on a nice bike trail.

Before I give this bike up I think i need to try some things first:

Lose weight (Doing it) hitting the gym all I can...the beach ride was just what I did on my "day off" from the gym.
Bar Wrap
Adjusting/fitting

I had pain in my neck and lower/mid back and eventual hand numbing.

I just know what to adjust to help. I am 6ft but with short legs and a long torso. The frame is a pinch too big, stand over height at least as my friends 55cm Technium and his brothers 54cm Trek Tri Series seem to fit better off the bat.

I plan to raise up the brake levers so I dont can be more comfortable in the hoods....other than that idk what to adjust.

I'm in the 180-190 lb. range now and yes it's better being closer to my ideal weight... all the way 'round. I have the same height and body type as you. Rotate the bars upward to test an alternate hood's handhold rather than unwrapping, moving levers and rewrapping. Learn to use your core muscles to help support your upper body. Measure you friend's bike's top tube and steering stem if you think a fit change is in order.

Brad

I have a Trek 1400 that i ride quite a bit. I have 23cs on it. I use Conti Ultra sport on the front(sticky grip for control) at 100 psi, have Bontrager racelite hardcase on the back( durability) at 120 psi. This combo seams to work for me in making the ride a bit less harsh. I have the stock Matrix rims, all 105s. The bike is like on a rail coming down the mountains. I weigh in at 195 pounds. I need to get my 89 Bianchi going to compare the two.

My Trek 1420 was very similar to your bike. The previous owner had replaced the aluminum fork with a chrome Tange fork. I thought it looked nice and I never had any negative impressions about the ride.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3633/5760232170_2f3c3fd82e_b.jpg

chrome fork? oh yeah!

Carbon fork, end of discussion.

I don't mean to be rude, but that's a very typical fred answer that has no basis with reality.

carbon does slighltly dampen normal road buzz compared to other material (on perfect flat roads), but it greatly increases vibrations and intensity on bumps (like those on normal street roads) compared to steel and aluminum

carbon forks are overpriced junk if you want to commute. end of discussion.

Hmmmm..... Anyone ever ride a Klein ? Pretty darn good if you ask me.


Johnnybee.

hey xypex, hit me up on PM and we can hook up sometime. I'm near you, can help look over your bike and maybe make some adjustments with parts in my garage or suggest what to get. I also have a Tange steel fork hanging on the wall I can slap onto the bike so you can feel any difference.
I ride with the Redlands and Riverside groups in Saturdays.

It seems like your real issue is fit though. When getting back on the bike having the bars even with the saddle is important, and switching to a shorter or riser stem may get you in a better position. As your fitness increases you may go back to the stock parts.

carbon forks are overpriced junk if you want to commute. end of discussion.

I don't mean to be rude, but that's a very typical fred answer that has no basis with reality.

For merely a short commute, a carbon fiber fork upgrade is probably overpriced. Then again, the same logic says anything other than the cheapest huffy is overpriced unless its not rolling.

Junk? Not by a long shot. If you dont think you need or like them I dont see calling them junk. I suppose a Colnago Master is overpriced junk because I dont need one for my commute either.

end of discussion?

Hmmmm..... Anyone ever ride a Klein ? Pretty darn good if you ask me.


Johnnybee.


Yes, yes.
See my post above. :)

put some challenge pariqi roubaix tires on the thing and see how that does before you go the route of a carbon fork...

A cheaper re-tire would be some 25 or 28 mm (if you can fit them) pair of Pasela TGs - way cheaper than the Challenges.

Another option (tongue in cheek, though it would be effective!) is to replace the frame with a 1983 Trek 620 - go steel, but go GOOD steel.

Not in favor of a a carbon fork - you should make sure the geometry of the C fork is the same as the stock one. Changing the handling is acceptable, but you might not like the new handling.

Interesting discussion.

When we designed the original Trek bonded aluminum frame, we explicitly chose tube diameters and characteristics to as closely as possible mimic the ride qualities of a high-end steel frame so we wouldn't step on Klein's patent on the use of oversize aluminum tubes in bike frames.

I have a Trek 1400 that i ride quite a bit. I have 23cs on it. I use Conti Ultra sport on the front(sticky grip for control) at 100 psi, have Bontrager racelite hardcase on the back( durability) at 120 psi. This combo seams to work for me in making the ride a bit less harsh. I have the stock Matrix rims, all 105s. The bike is like on a rail coming down the mountains. I weigh in at 195 pounds. I need to get my 89 Bianchi going to compare the two.

Just out of curiosity how long (mileage) are your rides? When I had mine, I found that anything past 30 was a little too much on this bike.


Hmmmm..... Anyone ever ride a Klein ? Pretty darn good if you ask me....

I almost bought one, when I was shopping for a new bike back in 2005. It was a great ride and I would have bought it if the LBS was willing to deal on it. But...... what does that have to do with a Trek 1500? Unless you're saying they're the exact same bike?

What size to you ride? I've got a 55cm Schwinn Super Sport in Columbus Tenax . Also have a 53cm Centurion Elite 12 in Tange tubing. For the best upgrade I have a 51cm seatube with 55cm top tube 1978 Trek 730 frame in reynolds 531.
I can give you a high quality steel frame upgrade that the parts from your bike would swap to very easily. ;)

What size to you ride? I've got a 55cm Schwinn Super Sport in Columbus Tenax . Also have a 53cm Centurion Elite 12 in Tange tubing. For the best upgrade I have a 51cm seatube with 55cm top tube 1978 Trek 730 frame in reynolds 531.
I can give you a high quality steel frame upgrade that the parts from your bike would swap to very easily. ;)

Nice. A Super Sport in my size. What year? Original components? White?

I did my longest ride ever yesterday, sixty miles. Made it, but my lower to mid back was killing me and my hands started going numb randomly. As a cylde (230lbs, thanks to 24hr fitness and cycling) I felt accomplished and will be doing it again.

The bar tape is absolute crap, in fact it very well may be the stock white stuff as my friend just got a trek tri series with the same tape.

I think I may have to just get rid of it. I hopped on my friends 54cm Tri-Series for a ride around the block and LOVED IT. The smoothness, the easy of mounting and dismounting, and the riding position. I think the geometry of the 1500 and its size is off. I'm not sure of what geometry I should be looking for, but I am leaning towards triathlete/touring.

So in all for now I think I am going to replace the bar tape and try to set up a more upright sitting position by sliding the seat. How else can I adjust my sitting position to a more upright one. I would like ot make these changes before I do the ride again.

Tri bikes and touring bikes are at opposite ends of the spectrum -- I have trouble imagining a Trek Tri-Touring bike.

Bigbossman, last years avg was 44 miles, with many rides in the 51 to 66 mile range. I did 796 miles in one month last year. Longest was about 80 miles with 3500 feet of climbing. Longest ride so far this year is 66 miles. I did put a 39 on the front with 13/24 on the back, which i went to Mt. Baldy Village on. My usual ride is 51 miles. I have put over 6000 miles on the 1400 in 18 months.

I have an early 90s or late 80s trek 1500 That is all aluminum including the fork and absolutly love it. I knew that aluminum and skinny 700c tires would feel much stiffer than my previous gaspipe Windsor with 27 1/4 tires. The thing is on rides I go on through downtown Riverside I sometimes wish I could make it a little softer as road conditions are not always pristine which is echoed by the fact I am a Clyde. I was thinking I could soften the ride of course by getting a bit wider of tires. Now I am also considering a cheap nashbar carbon fork, and my question is, would a carbon fork really smooth out the ride as much as the user reviews on Nashbar say they do?


Do the carbon fork. It makes a huge difference. I raced on many steel bikes with steel forks over the years. when the carbon forks were available in the early late 80s, early 90's, I had to have one. Never look back since. My other suggestion is to not air up your tires to the max. air them up ten lbs less. you will love your ride. I actually like my alum bikes when I was a hammer head. All that is behind me now.

I don't mean to be rude, but that's a very typical fred answer that has no basis with reality.

carbon does slighltly dampen normal road buzz compared to other material (on perfect flat roads), but it greatly increases vibrations and intensity on bumps (like those on normal street roads) compared to steel and aluminum

carbon forks are overpriced junk if you want to commute. end of discussion.

Really? I have to disagree with you. For years, I trained and race on SL frames with steel forks doing the same ride with the same guys. I am beat up after the training ride (not by the bike but more so by the riders). I had a kestrel fork on my Casati, it made a huge difference. I was in love. those guys still gave me a good beating, but I did feel a little bit different after the first ride with the Kestrel fork. That's not saying much after 65 miles of azz kicking. I had a Look KG 171, Laurent Jalabert special. That thing is so smooth over the bumps, I was in an old Cadillac. A lot of flex if you were a powerful sprinter. I raced and trained on that thing for 4-5 year. After that was a Cannondale CADD 3 (like that a lot). Talk about different end of the spectrum. I love carbon.

How to make my aluminum Trek 1500 feel less, aluminum.

Just sell it to me for next to nothing. ;^) I just let a similar one (Trek 1000) go on epay a few minutes ago for about $250 plus shipping. aarrgghh.....when I coulda outbid him. Oh well. Onward and upward.

Originally Posted by JohnnyBee
Hmmmm..... Anyone ever ride a Klein ? Pretty darn good if you ask me....

I almost bought one, when I was shopping for a new bike back in 2005. It was a great ride and I would have bought it if the LBS was willing to deal on it. But...... what does that have to do with a Trek 1500? Unless you're saying they're the exact same bike?

No, the Trek 1000 series frames are not identical to Klein's frames -- we went to some considerable effort to ensure that, including having Gary Klein personally ride the Trek frame to confirm this.

I was there -- I witnessed this, including riding Gary Klein's personal frame while he rode the Trek frame.