Why so many Trek Bikes out there?
02-04-19, 12:48 PM
#51
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02-04-19, 12:54 PM
#52
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Bikes: K2 (Marzocchi/Fox), Trek 6000 (red) MARS Elite up front, Specialized Hardrock Sport -> eBike (R7 Elite up front), lastly TREK 820 loaner. Recently sold Peugeot du Monde Record and 1956 Schwinn (owned since new).
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Yup, my LBS is a Trek dealer, along with Pinnarelli and other high end stuff. They like the reliability of most Treks (including eBikes) and the parts support. They work on most anything, but when push comes to shove, your repair may involve a Trek owned brand of parts. Works for me 
02-04-19, 02:43 PM
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You can roll your eyes all you want, but I guarantee you if I were to blind fold you and put on an identically built and equipped columbus steel (or you pick the italian steel) Italian bike and say a Japanese steel bike you won't be able to tell the difference. Just so you know, some years back they actually did this test, they didn't use blindfolds obviously so the bikes were all painted the same color void of decals and only the custom builder knew which was which, 6 or 8 people rode those two bikes for a month and no one knew which was which.
The takeaway from the test was that the riders' preferences were all over the place---some of them even preferred the straight-gauge Aelle tube set over all the butted tube sets. But no Japanese bikes were involved in that test.
02-04-19, 03:04 PM
#54
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This is an American-only phenomenon.
In the UK, I hardly see and TREK bikes unless they're quite old. Just not stellar value for money like some other brands.
In the UK, I hardly see and TREK bikes unless they're quite old. Just not stellar value for money like some other brands.
02-04-19, 03:13 PM
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02-04-19, 06:37 PM
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Perhaps influenced by this forum, once I got back into riding, I expected to see heaps of Trek's on the road, as I am addicted to checking out the name on every bike frame that goes past me, or that I pass.
Whilst there are plenty of Trek's in Brisbane(Australia's 3rd largest city), to my surprise, I have noticed far more Merida branded bikes than any other here.
Giant is also very popular but I am not sure whether they are more popular than Trek.
If I had to do an order for my city, it would be :
1. Merida
2. Trek & Giant
3. Specialized
4. Perhaps a localish brand called "Avanti"
5. Scott
6. Cannondale
Whilst there are plenty of Trek's in Brisbane(Australia's 3rd largest city), to my surprise, I have noticed far more Merida branded bikes than any other here.
Giant is also very popular but I am not sure whether they are more popular than Trek.
If I had to do an order for my city, it would be :
1. Merida
2. Trek & Giant
3. Specialized
4. Perhaps a localish brand called "Avanti"
5. Scott
6. Cannondale
02-04-19, 06:44 PM
#58
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Please, let's keep it civil.
02-04-19, 06:59 PM
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Trek has done a great job supporting the sport and the dealers. Dealers choose the brands they want to attach their reputation to. Even though most of the sub 3k Treks are made by Giant and other asian companies, the bikes are premium builds. Any bike is only as good as the dealer that sells it and the mechanic that puts it together and fits it to the rider.
A great company lead by a guy, John Burke, not a group of bureaucrats, produces great brands. Great brands attract great dealers, Great dealers attract great bicycle mechanics. Everybody's reputation is on the line. Customer wins!
A great company lead by a guy, John Burke, not a group of bureaucrats, produces great brands. Great brands attract great dealers, Great dealers attract great bicycle mechanics. Everybody's reputation is on the line. Customer wins!
02-04-19, 07:40 PM
#60
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Trek have always traded on being an American brand, although some have been made offshore, in Taiwan or China. I expect you will see even more as manufacturing
returns to America.
returns to America.
02-04-19, 08:51 PM
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Unless you can provide a link to the test you're citing, it seems highly likely that you're thinking of a test sponsored by Bicycle Guide magazine, back in 1986 or so, where an Italian custom frame builder (Mondonico, if I remember correctly) built six or seven frames using different models of Columbus tubing: SL, SLX, etc.
The takeaway from the test was that the riders' preferences were all over the place---some of them even preferred the straight-gauge Aelle tube set over all the butted tube sets. But no Japanese bikes were involved in that test.
The takeaway from the test was that the riders' preferences were all over the place---some of them even preferred the straight-gauge Aelle tube set over all the butted tube sets. But no Japanese bikes were involved in that test.
There was another test too that was done where the testers couldn't tell the difference, they were split 50/50, so far I can't find that one, that test was done many years ago, probably at least 20 years ago.
Last edited by greatscott; 02-04-19 at 08:57 PM.
02-04-19, 08:55 PM
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02-04-19, 09:17 PM
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" you proved that you're an elitist narcissist.
02-04-19, 09:35 PM
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I don't recall picking a fight, I was stating the obvious to which you got defensive because obviously due to your handle you own an Italian bike, which is great, I never said anything bad about Italian frames, all I said was you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Your cute little statement where you said: "Good luck to you and your Asian bikes. " you proved that you're an elitist narcissist.
" you proved that you're an elitist narcissist.You must be some kind of a genius making judgments about people that you know nothing about. How do you live with yourself?
Enjoy your life and enjoy your little Asian bikes.
I would call you what you rightly deserve to be called, but being the bigger person of the two of us, I will simply let you wallow in your own self-loathing envy.
02-05-19, 02:21 AM
#65
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And, I will note that Trek was an established brand well before Lance came along. I had a Trek 660 back in the mid-80s and bought a Trek 9300 (or whatever it was) in the early 90s. The storied Trek 720 touring bike was around since at least as far back as the early 80s. The 520, still produced today, was introduced in, I believe '83.
Something else about Lance. I heard Trek wanted their money back from Lance's endorsements. I guess if he did that, they would in turn refund all the inflated prices to their customers. I don't keep up with such things any more. He was fun to watch!
02-05-19, 08:59 AM
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Yup. 44 dealers across the state.
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02-05-19, 09:10 AM
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You must not be looking hard enough. The UK has 300 Trek dealers. Granted there are more Trek dealer per capita (1 for each 113.000 Coloradans vs 1 for each 213,000 UK subjects) just in Colorado but that's still a lot of dealers. However, when you compare US Trek dealers per capita to the UK, there's more Trek dealers per capita in the UK (one Trek dealer for each 224,000 US citizens).
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02-05-19, 10:09 AM
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02-05-19, 10:41 AM
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It took me a while to find it but here it is: Tubing Article ? Nothing is better than a bike that fits
There was another test too that was done where the testers couldn't tell the difference, they were split 50/50, so far I can't find that one, that test was done many years ago, probably at least 20 years ago.
There was another test too that was done where the testers couldn't tell the difference, they were split 50/50, so far I can't find that one, that test was done many years ago, probably at least 20 years ago.
02-05-19, 10:44 AM
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Trek is a relative new comer. Started in 1975 in Wisconsin. Compared to Schwinn which started in 1895. But, L. Armstrong rode Trek to dominate cycling. It's a case of everything coming together just right. Sometimes, it's just a matter of luck and timing and doing it right.
Here's another fine representative of Trek.
Andre Cardosa recently got popped. Banned 4 years.
02-05-19, 11:05 AM
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I kinda thought more folks would know this, but I’ll have to chime in here. Until you get up to high end handbuilt frames (in my day it was Eisentraut, Hetchins, Strawberry, etc.) they are all the same except for the name. I was in the bike business 50+ years, I was a Fuji rep, a Bianchi rep, a Colnago rep, even a Muddy Fox rep. At any particular price point, all the bikes out there will have minor differences in parts selection and frame geometry, but they will have been built by the same handful of factories in Asia. This cheerleading for any one particular brand is just folks justifying their purchase. No one company has the secret to building a better bike.
All the Colnagos I sold except the steel Master and the lugged and glued carbon bike were made in Taiwan. All the Bianchis I sold except for some steel Reparto Corsa bikes were made in Taiwan. In fact I’ve seen pictures of the Giant assembly line with Pinarellos, Colnagos, Treks, and Giants all hanging there in one place. Most of the big names in bikes are mainly marketing companies, not manufacturers. Specialized is Merida, Fuji is Ideal, Giant is the aforementioned plus a lot more.
It’s just silly to knock one bike over another. It’s best to find a shop that you like dealing with, a geometry that fits you, and a color you like, and buy it, ride it, and don’t concern yourself so much with the name on the frame, or other people’s choices.
All the Colnagos I sold except the steel Master and the lugged and glued carbon bike were made in Taiwan. All the Bianchis I sold except for some steel Reparto Corsa bikes were made in Taiwan. In fact I’ve seen pictures of the Giant assembly line with Pinarellos, Colnagos, Treks, and Giants all hanging there in one place. Most of the big names in bikes are mainly marketing companies, not manufacturers. Specialized is Merida, Fuji is Ideal, Giant is the aforementioned plus a lot more.
It’s just silly to knock one bike over another. It’s best to find a shop that you like dealing with, a geometry that fits you, and a color you like, and buy it, ride it, and don’t concern yourself so much with the name on the frame, or other people’s choices.
02-05-19, 11:10 AM
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No surprise the Trek factory has the cheat Contador and funny yet, Cordosa his climbing domestique.
I guess no one gives a ratzazz about pro cycling today. Trek is a sellout these days. Mostly Taiwan made bikes.
Same old marketing. Just like they turned a blind eye when Armstrong cheated for years, and when LeMond called them out, they threw him under the bus. Does whatever it can to look like 'real' winners to sell more bikes.
I have a few early steel Treks, a full US made (1984) 760 and a partial US made (1987) 520. Greatly enjoy. A vintage Y foil is on my radar.
Today there's piles of other Asian made, near identical to Treks model lineup and I have zero interest in supporting their business model, regardless of price.
I guess no one gives a ratzazz about pro cycling today. Trek is a sellout these days. Mostly Taiwan made bikes.
Same old marketing. Just like they turned a blind eye when Armstrong cheated for years, and when LeMond called them out, they threw him under the bus. Does whatever it can to look like 'real' winners to sell more bikes.
I have a few early steel Treks, a full US made (1984) 760 and a partial US made (1987) 520. Greatly enjoy. A vintage Y foil is on my radar.
Today there's piles of other Asian made, near identical to Treks model lineup and I have zero interest in supporting their business model, regardless of price.
02-05-19, 12:02 PM
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02-05-19, 12:39 PM
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