Went to the Trek LBS yesterday and the owner walked me through the new specs on the Madone and I previewed the new bikes. At least on paper and according to their own analysis, the Madone blows away the competition. The bike looks very pleasing and has a number of new features in the bottom bracket and fork to increase stiffness and a change in head tube dimension to accomodate different riding styles. Trek will offer three levels of carbon frame and all the high end Treks are made in the US. My choice would be the 6.5 pro version with my carbon wheels. Trek now has a 6.5 WSD for the ladies. It is about time. The owner test road the new bike on a century at a dealer get together in Wisconsin that featured Lance Armstrong along for the ride. He said it was quite a hammarfest, finishing the century in 4:20. And yes, the owner is our age and in the lead group with typical peloton speeds of 25 mph for 100 miles.

You people need to quit posting about the new Madones

I'm disappointed they only make two available in the WSD line. Did you happen to get a price on the 6.5 WSD? I need to know how much I have to save Anyone want to buy a 2007 5.0 Madone WSD**********?

So how much of a speed difference do you think you'd experience from a 2008 Madone, Beverly?

The men's 6.5 was USD ~5,500 with Race X lite wheels. I assume the ladies would be similar.

[QUOTE=Hermes] At least on paper and according to their own analysis, the Madone blows away the competition. QUOTE]

Ooh! Now there's a shocker!

[QUOTE=BluesDawg]Info and third party evaluation is always scarce with new model introductions. Time will tell and competition never stands still.

Well I love all this hype!! I hope lots of folks rush out and contribute to Lance's retirement plan, and cause a depression in the prices of competitors bikes! Better for me who will probably never own an overpriced Trek!

I am hoping to see a magazine do a hard-nosed comparison test on these bikes and their competition from other makers. I'd like to see to what degree the new features are revolution, evolution and hype.

I doubt a new bike would contribute to a speed increase for me You can only make these old legs pedal so fast.

The current bike was a pre-retirement purchase. Maybe another will be required for the actual retirement event. I've never been in the habit of buying a car when they made a radical change in design so I think I'll give it a year or two for the new Madone design. Let someone else work the kinks out. I'll be able to get feedback from the bike shop owner since he ordered a 5.5 for himself.

We were talking at the shop on Saturday about the changes for the Madone Line. The only thing we really have an issue with is how many of the seatpost masts will we have to carry to get proper fit for our customers? Other than that, we are excited about the line.

I am hoping I can still keep losing weight and maybe be at 200 lbs by next spring. I'll consider looking at one of these new ones at that time. I'm thinking Madone 5.2 myself.

Chris

That would be a great gift for losing weight

Yeah, the seat mast thing looks like a pain. Also I'm not sure whether they are saying any bottom bracket will fit or just any new Shimano BB. My biggest area of concern is using the net molded CF as a bearing surface in the head tube and BB. It may work fine, but I wonder about longevity.

I'll give TREK credit. They are trying to push the envelope on these bikes and as we all know, there are some customers that just have to have the latest and greatest. I'm looking to buy my first Modern Era Road Bike. My last one was a Peugeot Tri from 1985 that I bought used in 1999 and sold the same year. I should have never sold it. T'was a weak moment.

Our shop still has a left over LeMond Versailles with the 10 speed group on it in my size. I've thought long and hard about it and wish I had the cash right now. I love the classic look of the lugged Steel/Carbon Fiber of this bike. Best of both worlds in my mind.

Chris

I wonder how much just buying the frame and the conversion kit for the Bottom Bracket will be.........my components are still new and serviceable.

I'm flipping bikes at the rate of one or two a month. If I save all the money I make on the bikes I flip, I calculated that I will be able to buy a Madone in 15.2 years. Anyone interested in a used 96' Rockhopper?

I read somewhere in their documentation that the frame WILL NOT be available for individual purchase.

EDIT: OOPS!, appears only on some models you can't get the frameset. Sorry!!

They are nice looking bikes. The only concern I had was the BB bearings riding directly on the CF BB. Trek says they tested this and went through two sets of bearings without getting any wear on the BB. This was probably in the lab environment using machines. Will it perform as well in the real world with stomping on the pedals, riding through rain etc.

I believe they are only selling Pro frames you cannot buy the performance frame.

Not a direct performance comparison, but the new "Road Bike Action" magazine produced by the same folks that have the ever present "Mountain Bike Action" on every news rack in the country put some high end Carbon bike side by side reviews in one of the first two issues. At least its interesting to drool over. The magazine is bi monthly for now and is potentially a refreshing change as it concentrates more on the machinery.

...and last month he was extolling the virtures of the previous generation Madone.

He's a salesman he will move whatever product he can. The worst are the TREK branded stores where you stand in a sea of TREK with a few Lemonds thrown in for variety.

Find me a store that sells Trek next to LOOK, Time and Cervelo and I'll show you a store that doesn't sell to many Treks.

All LBSs will push the bikes they have and tell you horror stories about the ones they don't sell. When I was at the store that was selling the new madone (they also carry Cervelo, Specialized and Look) the salesman was saying how much better he felt the Trek warranty was over other bikes and the Race Lite wheels held up better than the Mavics etc. When I was at another LBS the salesman told me use to sell Trek's but had so much trouble with bad madone's and poor corporate response they don't sell them anymore. I think you have to use common sense and recognize that they want to sell you the bikes they have and will beat up on the competition.

I am not sure why so many people have so much disdain for the Trek's. The OCLV is made in the US, the pricing is reasonable and they seem to make a good bike. The older lines may have been considered less stylish but the new line is right up their with the other top brands. Now Schwinn who would ever buy one of those

+1

Bikes are no different than automobiles, appliances, etc. The salesman will push what he sells.

I currently have 3 Treks and haven't had a problem with any of them. One of the main reasons I chose the Trek was the service I receive at the LBS. If he had been selling another brand I might have different bikes in the garage

[insert company here] makes some very good bikes, and some not so good. You pays your money and you makes your choice.

The Madones are like all the other bikes in their price range in one critical aspect: I can't afford them.

My inside source at the Trek factory tells me they have back-orders for over 1,000 Madones so far. He didn't say what that was time wise.

YEAH BOY! Bet they are really gonna discount them!

Hey, there is probably an opportunity here to get in line and "Flip" one for a good profit!! What do ya think?

I just looked @ the new Madone @ Richardson Bike Mart in Dallas, pretty pleasing to the eye, light as usual, compact geometry. What I thought was pretty slick was the new seat post design.
Also in my mind it looked almost identical to the Orebea.
I sold my Madone only because I did not like the geometry and could never get comfortable on it, I doubt I would ever buy another Trek. I do miss the lightness though especially up hills.