Originally Posted by
thehammerdog
My point was clear. Trek while they may make a good bike is not on the cutting edge any longer.
Kammtail, anyone? And even though I wouldnt buy a Trek, the Madone seems to have a really good blend of stiffness and comfort.
Originally Posted by
Vicelord
Trek, Specialized, and Cannondale all seem to get by on their reputations. I never see crazy innovation or completely new technology from any of them (I'm not counting the S Works brand, which is full of innovation) and they all make mundane looking products.
Dunno about looks, but the Supersix EVO from Cannondale is a pretty damn innovative frame, in terms of weight and stiffness. S-Works is not a separate brand but the top-of-the-line innovative stuff by Specialized. So not sure what you mean here.
If you want great value, and a strong working product, then the big three are great matches for you. If you're someone who wants cutting edge, fascinating, and head turning products, they aren't for you. You should look at Colnago, Pinarello, BMC, etc.
Funnily, I am not convinced that those asymmetric chainstays of Pinarello or that funky seat post/TT interface of the BMC really makes a whit of a difference in real-life performance. They may be benefits, they may be gimmicks - I am keeping an open mind for now.
But stuff like the Speed Concept and the Shiv run circles around the other guys.