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Moving on from a Trek DS

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Moving on from a Trek DS

Old 08-15-17, 06:06 PM
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Moving on from a Trek DS

Ok,
So a few years ago I bought a Trek DS. Basically ride on the road with maybe 3 trips off road. Great bike, but not fast by any means. Even swapped out to smaller tires and didn't gain much. Borrowed a road bike and got 6mph faster on the same route I normally take. Granted I'm certain the gear set also had something to do with it as well.

Anyways, I'm conflicted here.

I road a carbon fiber Domane, felt great and was fast (I would hope so for the price) but my Saris rack isn't really compatible with a carbon frame so add in around $300 more for a newer rack to carry it. I'd ride local but there are too many dump trucks this year due to the construction on the main road they normally take.

I also road a Domane ALR 4, felt a little cramped, didn't have my phone telling me my speeds because I was in a new area with more traffic and wanted to hear everything around me. And then a 1.2. Also felt a little cramped but seemed easy.

I took a Crossrip 2 around a small parking lot and it felt very good, my back stayed straight (bad lower disc) even though I was in a more road riding position.

I have a feeling the Cross Rip will be the answer, but I'd like to know if it with the 105 group set and a set of road tires will allow me to keep pace with people with true road bikes?

The 1.2 has a good spot for me because it can also handle racks and allow me to bolt (I have no idea how those kid bike seat things stay connected) the young one in place while I ride (which reminds me, any good helmets for toddlers?) or I can hopefully handle a load from Wal-Mart if I decide it's a great day to ride (and wander wally world in my bright yellow shirt).

Anyways, what does everyone think? I can weight the pros and cons all day, but in the end I want a bike faster than my dual sport (and soooooo much lighter for those stupid hills) that will let me join in on some faster and longer rides, with the option to carry some gear or the kid. Yes I know the gear will be rare and the kid will only be on back for a yearish or two before they have their own and I'm cracking a whip for them to peddle faster .


Thanks guys
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Old 08-15-17, 06:51 PM
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I have a high end road bike.. Trek Emonda SLR.

I purchased a DS for casual riding and some offroad. It was just too heavy and sluggish. I wanted a bike less expensive than the Emonda and more "rugged". I decided to get a Cyclocross bike and looked at the Cross Rip, but it wasn't what I wanted. I tried a Cannondale SuperX and had what I wanted: Sram groupset, hydro disc and wider tires. It came stock with 35mm knobby tires and was pretty good on the road and handled the offroad single track, gravel and fire roads. When i sold the DS I purchased a second set of wheels and put on 32mm tubeless all weather tires.

The bike is awesome, it handles the rough roads like a Cadillac and rolls over the ruts, potholes and debris. I've taken it on a number of 40 miles rides and it's just great.

It's my "winter" and "foul weather" bike but I also use it for night riding since it handle the obstacles I miss better than the Emonda.

Each bike is different and better at somethings than the other. They're a tool.. like having 2 hammers in your tool box.

If you liked riding the DS offroad, then a CX bike might be fore you.





Last edited by GlennR; 08-15-17 at 06:57 PM.
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Old 08-15-17, 07:29 PM
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Super-X looks super-hot ... but I don't see rack mounts.

I spent a fair amount of time shopping for a light-touring/gravel bike, and I found that most of the nice CX framers don't allow for racks. Moving down the range into Al ups the weight, though. Probably worth it.

OP: Just make sure before you fall in love with a bike it's got braze-ons or pre-drilled rack-mount holes. Some of the CX bikes (I guess) lack the strength in the rear triangle ... a little lighter and more flexible to handle the bumps at speed, instead.
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Old 08-17-17, 07:53 PM
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Originally Posted by oldnslow2


If you liked riding the DS offroad, then a CX bike might be fore you.
Yea that's part of the problem. I'm not really an off road trail person, more cut thru the grassy mud trail to get on the road/bike path type. As a kid off road was fun, but now it seems everyone I see riding is on the road. Or they buy mountain bikes, ride for a couple of months and move onto their next hobby.

Basically, get a road bike is what I'm getting. How hard is it to put some Crossrip style brakes on the top? Until I have time to get used to the road style brakes.
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