Steve Sawyer

Looking forward to tomorrow, a day dry and (barely) warm enough to do some test rides, I stopped into a couple of LBS's to see what they have in stock from my short-list in my size that I could take out for a short ride.

One of the shops had a 2012 Trek 2.1 Apex that they're trying to clear out at a good price. I didn't have this on my list as it looks like it's no longer offered as part of the 2013 line-up. My research indicates that it came with both H2 and H3 fit (H1 being aggressive, H2 being more relaxed, and H3 being the most upright), so I'll find out when I go back on Saturday, but wanted to find out if any of the geezers around here have one and might share their impressions of it. I'm not enthused by the color (black and charcoal gray) but a good bike at a good price that feels good kinda trumps the cosmetic stuff.

stapfam

Can't find the Apex on the current listing but being a 2012 model it should be at a discounted price. Test ride if you can and remember that you have a budget to keep to. Just reminding you on that so you can forget it when you fall in love with the Dure Ace equipped bike with a discount as high as your original budget.

Found it--2012 2.1 Apex and the Apex refers to the Sram gearing. $1300 and I don't think you would want the alternative Colour it comes in. Compact Double up front and unless you have Hills should be OK. Rear cassette isn't listed and could be anything but that is an easy change item and if a bit tall- get the shop to change it before you buy.

MinnMan

I don't know what counts as "late model". I've got about 12,000 miles on my 2010 2.1, with 105. It has been a great bike for me. I guess your experience will depend on what kind of riding you do. I am chiefly an A/B club rider and the Trek 2.1 works well for me with a semi-aggressive riding position. I hated the Trek saddle and immediately swapped it out for a Fizik that suited me better. Also, I eventually upgraded the Bontrager SSR wheels, which were pretty heavy.

I have a newer nicer carbon bike with a more aggressive geometry that I ride when the weather is good and when I want to ride fast, but I still like to ride the Trek.

Steve Sawyer

Yeah - the alternative color is some kinda weird green - might look ok in person, but doesn't look like something I'd choose from the picture I saw! And yes, it has a SRAM Apex groupset. According to the tags hanging on it it's been marked down twice and it's now under $1100 IIRC.

My budget is a bit flexible as I'm anticipating the cost of a fitting, plus it seems that few are happy with the "stock" seats. Considering that LBS stocks seem to be a bit on the thin side right now - the Cannondale dealer only had a 58-cm 2012 Synapse 5 in stock - I'm willing to test-ride anything in my size and somewhere close to what I can afford, just to get a sense of how these bikes feel. From what one LBS told me, the prime season to get a smokin' deal on prior-year models when they have a good selection is in late fall when they're trying to clear stuff out with pre-Christmas sales, so the only '12 models I'm finding now are the left-overs. Not that they're bad, just few and far between.

The guy at this shop was really hot on the frame design on the new Domane. The seat post is held vertical by the joint between the seat stays and the top tube, secured by some kind of composite/rubber/plastic mounting and thus allows the entire seat tube to flex, not just the seat post. Interesting, but until they have one in my size I can ride...

Steve Sawyer

I'm not sure what an A/B club rider is - I just know that whatever it is, I'm not! I am into endurance rides, working my way this year upwards from last year's 38-mile top ride, and starting off in May with a 51-miler.

I saw some comments on the web that the wheels are a bit heavy. Not sure that I'd notice at this point (coming from a hybrid), nor am I sure that it would be an issue longer term, but considering I want to add wheel-building to my skill set, having an excuse to upgrade wheels at some point ain't all bad!

Thanks for the feedback!

stapfam

Those wheels are an issue or could be at a later date. But providing they stay together OM wheels and tyres have a use in the winter/foul weather riding. But it may be possible to upgrade the wheels at purchase to a better set with an allowance being given for the OM's. Saddle and I do not know many that ride a stock saddle. I do on the Pinnie but I think I have been lucky.

And within clubs the riders are graded with th top group being "A" riders. Rides are arranged and they normally grade them the same way with "A" being the harder- longer- faster rides. "B" is a bit lower grade and the rides vary accordingly.

side_FX

Damn, I actually like the green and white color scheme. I guess to each his/her own.

Steve Sawyer

For some reason, I really like anything where white is the predominant color. Yellow would also be cool. I've always had that preference in cars too (I used to have a bright yellow Mazda Protege, and now drive a bright yellow Ford Fiesta!). From a practical standpoint, I think it also makes you more visible - being on the side of a macadam road on a black bike on a heavily overcast day doesn't sound particularly visible!

In the final analysis, it's really just cosmetics, and doesn't affect the ride or handling or comfort or performance. Not a deal-breaker even if it's baby-sh*t green!

bassplyr

I have had a 2.1 105 for over two years and like it. The saddle was OK, but I am now in the "hunt for the perfect saddle" journey. Stock wheels were fine for me, but I just ride for fitness. All I know is regardless of how well you like it and how much you spend, you will always be looking for the next upgrade.

Steve Sawyer

I took that 2.1 for a long ride in the cold (45*) on Saturday. A VERY nice bike. Almost pulled the trigger on it, but hadn't ridden enough bikes to feel confident in the decision. Rode one before this one, and two more after, and decided to go with a Specialized that seemed to have an equivalent ride.

If there's anyone in SE Michigan looking for a 52cm size in this class of bike can PM me and I'll point them to the shop that has it (about $1100).

oldbobcat

The Apex-equipped 2.1 has been a bit of a hard sell. With many users of 105 and Ultegra triples, you have to pry the STI levers out of their cold dead fingers. Double-tap is a bit of a learning curve for riders who've been using STI for a while, but you get the hang of it. In my experience it is a bit fussier about being kept in proper tune, though.

At this price all stock wheels are going to be a bit heavy. On the other hand, they hold up well, especially after Bontrager gave up on paired spoke patterns. Save them for winter after the upgrade.

Steve Sawyer

Well, being comPLETELY unfamiliar with brifters, I found them both easy to manage. Didn't like the little thumb-levers on the Sora shifters, but the Tiagra and Apex setups for me were six-of-one...

oldbobcat

Well, there you go. I'm digging the double-tap on my Force-equipped Madone. I tell my wife that learning new shifters will keep the Alzheimer's at bay. So far she doesn't believe me.

Steve Sawyer

Hey, I like that. Maybe it'll work with MY wife! (probably not - she's smarter than I am)

qcpmsame 

I have SRAM Rival on my bike, it was no sweat to switch to them after riding Shimano 105 for several years. I would ride either system without complaining, but the Sora and its thumb levers does not suit me personally. Double tap is now automatic for me. I would upgrade to Force or even Red if it were financially responsible.

Bill

stapfam

Sora and I had it on my first Road bike. Had no problems with it but it was all I knew. Year later and I got N+1 and it was 105 brifters. I changed over fairly quickly but jumped from bike to bike with no problems except a year later I was still looking for the thumb button on the 105 and wondered why it wasn't changing

MinnMan

There is a place for Sora! My road bikes have higher end brifters and I much prefer them. But my winter/commuter bike has Sora and I NEED it then. When riding with very thick gloves or mittens, I don't have the dexterity for the brifters, but the thumb lever on Sora is easy.

Just try shifting down to the small chain ring with, say, Ultegra brifters whilst wearing a thick pair of ski mittens.

oldbobcat

Sora works fine for what you pay for it. My beef with it is how the levers hang straight down instead of canting outward. They're just hard to reach, that's all.

One thing I like about SRAM is how ergonomically similar and cross-compatible they all are. Red's the only outlier, and that's in the front shifter and derailleur. Before wide-range rear derailleurs were added to Rival, Force, and Red, the SaxoBank riders were using Apex rear derailleurs on their Red-equipped Tarmacs for the way-beyond-category mountain stages of the Giro.

And, SRAM's continuously adjustable lever reach has Shimano's little black STI shims beat by a mile. And SRAM's shift cable routing is cleaner.

qcpmsame 

Agree completely on the Sora and Apex too. I rode many enjoyable miles on SunTour components that were at best entry level in the 70s and I started this long strange trip on Simplex made with Delrin plastic and their notorious box style horizontal plunger front derailleur. The canted levers that SRAM has are one thing that sold me on buying my first SRAM bike this time. I watched the Tirreno-Adriatico stage replay yesterday with the 27% section, I noticed that Apex and Red WiFli systems with the 32(?) tooth rear cog were in use.

There is a place for all the levels, to me, and I would gladly ride MOST of them on a daily basis. I looked at the Sora equipped bikes on-line a few days ago at the various major manufacturers and the technology they have is amazing. Right now however, I am looking in to a classic retro set up using 5 cogs on a freewheel, friction shifters and most likely NR campy like my International had. The more technology the merrier.

The Treks I have seen with Sora were well built and well engineered, Dudelsack posted a few weeks ago that he had gotten his daughter a Lexa with Sora components and that it was a pretty neat bike. Around here the entry Treks are popular but our LBS that carried Trek had to drop the line for some reason, their loss, but my wife loves her Trek 7300 hybrid, so I wish they would open a place nearby.
Bill