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Trek - why are there such haters? Same for Bontrager

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Trek - why are there such haters? Same for Bontrager

Old 01-25-11, 08:55 PM
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Trek - why are there such haters? Same for Bontrager

I'd like to know why there are some people who hate Trek products as much as they do.

Please don't respond with "because Trek sucks" etc.

I've had a Dawes & a Bianchi (in the distant past), which I loved (wish that I still had the mid 90's Campione).
Now have I a 1997 Trek 930 SHX MTB, and a 2011 Madone 4.7, and I just sold my old 1000 (too small, I'm buying another used one that fits).
All of my Trek's have been great, and the new Madone is awesome, the 1000 that I sold was like-new after seven years (I bought it used).

Why is there a very vocal core group of Trek (and Bontrager) haters?

Real reasons please.

Thanks,

Peter
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Old 01-25-11, 09:03 PM
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Trek= Horrible customer service.

Bontrager= Horrible product.


Trek has a bad Rep for not owning up to there problems and Bontrager is just CRAP...

Last edited by hendrick81; 01-25-11 at 09:07 PM.
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Old 01-25-11, 09:05 PM
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As everything bike-brand related, when people say they hate one brand or another, it seems a cosmetic judgement more than a functional (or based on a customer service experience). Frame (types) seem all pretty much the same. Personally, I just think they're ugly!

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Old 01-25-11, 09:12 PM
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I had a 2008 Trek madone 4.5. I went through three Frames in about two months and had a Hell of a time dealing with Trek. Almost every Bontrager part on the bike had some kind of Issue.

Last edited by hendrick81; 01-25-11 at 09:18 PM.
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Old 01-25-11, 09:12 PM
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I got rid of my frame after Trek rep told me that peeling paint is normal wear end tear and they didn't do anything about it. Frame was 11 months old. So, Trek can F@@ themselves. I am not going to buy or support them no more.
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Old 01-25-11, 09:16 PM
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Why should we explain ourselves to you?

Friggin Bontrager. God help us.
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Old 01-25-11, 09:17 PM
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Originally Posted by ID64
I am not going to buy or support them no more.
Another BF Grammar Highlight.








There are so many.
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Old 01-25-11, 09:18 PM
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I vote to rename Trek to Drek.
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Old 01-25-11, 09:20 PM
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Originally Posted by patentcad
Another BF Grammar Highlight.








There are so many.
I was too pissed to watch my grammar. Gimme a break! I was writing about Trek!
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Old 01-25-11, 09:23 PM
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This thread in a few minutes old, and most of what I've got for replies is exactly what I didn't ask for. If you hate just for the sake of hating, that's fine. There are some brands of bikes that I don't like for any other reason than I don't like them. But that's not what I'm talking about.

I'd just like some objective reasons for why there is such hatred for Trek.

Peter
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Old 01-25-11, 09:24 PM
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I've had nothing but miles of smiles with my '09 Madone 4.7.

I have yet to see a Bontrager saddle that I like. The Bontrager wheels that came with my Madone were cool looking, but very heavy. I like their handlebars.

Bob
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Old 01-25-11, 09:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Peter2
This thread in a few minutes old, and most of what I've got for replies is exactly what I didn't ask for.
You can't always get what you want.
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Old 01-25-11, 09:29 PM
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3 frames in 2 months isn't just for the sake of hating...
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Old 01-25-11, 09:30 PM
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I don't dislike Trek per se but they are a dime a dozen at any ride I've been to. I leaned away from Trek bikes when I was shopping just to differentiate my bike from the rest of them. Seems like everywhere I go, there is another Trek. Not sure that's a good reason but it's what I have.
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Old 01-25-11, 09:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Peter2
I'd like to know why there are some people who hate Trek products as much as they do.

2 reasons for me

- the broken steer tube debacle. they put out a condescending press release telling it's the owners fault for improperly installing their stems without a spacer on top, yet most photos of Radio Shack and Team Leopard bikes have this missing as well.

- "it must be the bike". that was actually their slogan after AC won in 09. much more like "it must be the rider".... for a company that invests so r+d in tearing down and analyzing OTHER people's bikes they sure are proud of themselves.
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Old 01-25-11, 09:35 PM
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JMO... When you are one of the world's biggest bike companies and have been getting a huge amount of attention in the TDF for the past decade you're going to have people who love you and people who hate you. I WAS a loyal buyer of the brand (I still own five road bikes and one newer commuter) until they treated me poorly regarding a paint issue with my 2006 Project One Madone SL. There's a whole thread here somewhere on BF about that. The response I got directly from Wisconsin was so poor and so shortsighted that I decided that whatever my next new bike ends up being it wont be a Trek.

That being said, I'm extremely happy with four of the five road bikes I own from them. Also like most companies, they have budget priced items that say Trek/Bontrager on them and mid-high end stuff with the same badging. It's not all created equal, so the two names take a lot of bashing. Some warranted...some unwarranted. There are a lot of other good bikes out there, Trek just happens to be the most easily recognized. I say ride what you like. But be careful if you ever have an issue, getting it resolved.
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Old 01-25-11, 09:36 PM
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Who cares opinions are like a-holes, everyone has one.
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Old 01-25-11, 09:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Adrianinkc
Who cares opinions are like a-holes, everyone has one.
Say's the guy with a Madone!!!
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Old 01-25-11, 09:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Peter2
This thread in a few minutes old, and most of what I've got for replies is exactly what I didn't ask for. If you hate just for the sake of hating, that's fine. There are some brands of bikes that I don't like for any other reason than I don't like them. But that's not what I'm talking about.

I'd just like some objective reasons for why there is such hatred for Trek.

Peter

So you are going to just ignore the poor customer service experiences and pretend it is just hatred?
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Old 01-25-11, 09:55 PM
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Bontrager products are overpriced and the wheels really have issues (mainly rear rim - drive side cracks). Trek graphics do nothing for me. On the upside -- Trek offers a very wide range of products for the cycling community. To me it now boils down to a personal reason but it all started out in the 80's because the graphics where not appealing. Some might have called the graphics on Trek "classy" but to me it was ugly/boring. I will not say that Trek is any worse than other brands. I will say that Trek is not for me.
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Old 01-25-11, 09:56 PM
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People hate things and people with whom they have had a strong negative experience....I haven't owned a Trek, but IMHO they are overpriced compared to other brands, I call this the "LA Tax". So I don't hate Trek, but plenty of BF folks seem to make a career out of bashing Trek's customer service....maybe it is Trek or maybe it is them? I really don't care.

Treks are popular with new riders, years ago it used to every newbie had a Cannodale. Whatever...they are cyclists, so can't we be nice to them regardless of the label on their frame or the color of their saddle?

hard core (AKA Roadies) cyclists frequently have a double dose of the "snob gene" so we need to work on bike tolerance...you never know, your son may grow up to ride a FIXIE, and your daughter may go Vintage
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Old 01-25-11, 10:05 PM
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I have been happy with my ex7 mtb but i don't ride it very hard or often. My kids have trek bikes. They seem fine for what I paid for them. However, I'm not real impressed with the road bikes. They don't really distinguish themselves, seem overpriced, and the fact that is says "trek" in a dozen places annoys me.

Originally Posted by patentcad
You can't always get what you want.
Hey, don't drag The Stones into this muck.
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Old 01-25-11, 10:07 PM
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There was a Trek porn thread last night.
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Old 01-25-11, 10:15 PM
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Originally Posted by patentcad
You can't always get what you want.
Um, Um, Um . . . Rolling stones?
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Old 01-25-11, 10:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Velo Gator
There was a Trek porn thread last night.
Which was as exciting as granny porn - but some people are into that.
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