In 2014 I bought a new trek 2.1 Madone, it a far cry from a real Madone but I guess at that time Trek has serveral levels of Madones. Anyway I only road that bike about 25 miles, then we moved and it got covered and put away for close to 10 yrs! Just the other day I pulled it out of the poll barn, and took it to the local bike shop to have it checked out, any adjustments that are needed and lubed. The bike has all SRAM components and Botranger wheels, tires, and seat. The shifters are the red sram double tap type. But I’ve been out of biking for 10 yrs, when I bought that bike they told me it’s a good intermediate bike, but has the technology come far enough to render my Trek obsolete, or is it still a good bike in todays standards?

Do you enjoy riding it? What benefit do you feel would come from replacing it with a newer bike?

People still ride stuff from the 60's and 70's. And some of those are just boat anchors.

If you are wanting to start riding again, it's as good as any bike for you to ride. If you get really enthusiastic and ride so much that you get very cycling fit so to speak, then you might find some things about the bike that seem to hold you back a little.

The technology today has give some gains from back then. But if you aren't riding at a high level, then the gains might seem pointless.

Looking at it, I thought it was grate for any kind of road ridding, though after 10 years in a poll barn, be sure to check the breaks.

Ride it. Realistically, you could ride it forever. If you get the itch, test ride some newer bikes as well.

It's probably good for another 25 miles...

Hi, Welcome back...
Given you haven't ridden it or anything in the past 10 yrs - it's more bike than you prolly might need or want for your 're-entry'.
In more general terms, the bike looks very nice. Yes, Bike tech has moved on, but not to where your bike is no longer 'equal' to the task of nice, speedy road riding. Nor is it 'outdated' tech
There are plenty of riders whom you will come across, riding bikes of much older tech/vintage - like me on my Daily Rider, and doing fine, enjoying their ride, keeping up...
Of course it all depends on 'The Motor'.
It looks brand new, prolly rides like 'New'.
... start getting it 'dirty' again...
Ride On
Yuri

2014 Trek might be a very good bike since it has alpha aluminium series frame, oclv carbon fork, bontrager wheels and tires, bontrager stem and bar, cane creek headset and sram force transmission. If the bikes shifts immediately, brakes smoothly and is giving you a secure and stable ride over the long haul then keep it forever.

Well ok then, thanks for all the info. When I get it back from the shop I’ll ride the hell out of it. It’s really ashame a brand new bike sat covered in the poll barn for 10 yrs, but she’s gonna have her days on the road now.
Thanks Again
Paul

Nice color and looks like new.

The one thing I would do is fit a pair of fresh high quality tires. 10 year old rubber will be dry and wooden. Plus they would be pretty low end Bontrager fitment from that time.

You really want an opinion from someone riding an '06 LeMond if your 2014 Trek is OK? Damn straight it is!!

My main question is this, are you planning on winning money riding your bike? If the answer is no, after that it's just a matter of whether you want a newer bike and the budget will support it.

It’s a very nice bike!

There is nothing obsolete about it.

What you should do is ride it.

SRAM Red was (and is) top of the line. Not much has improved there .... the rest of the bike is also quite good for its price point.

You would have to spend a serious chunk of money to get a modern bike with the same level of quality and componentry ... and all you would have would be a newer version of the brand-new bike you already have.

If you don't like it I will take it.

Just to be clear, the OP is worried that it might be “obsolete”. I’d be surprised if a shop would suggest it’s “obsolete”.

Even calling it “intermediate” is misleading. It’s a solid bike that isn’t going to limit you at all.

To echo some of the other comments......you are a recreational rider getting back into cycling. I assume for health, fitness and enjoyment. Ride this very nice bike until you feel the "need" for something newer. That will give you a better idea of what you want. Congrats. Rock on.

My favorite bike is my ~14 year old carbon fiber Felt Z which I built with what was then current Sram Red 10 speed and some nice Reynolds aluminum wheels, CF handlebars, etc. Love that bike and have no desire to "upgrade", unless the basic components crap out and I need to replace them. The frame? No desire for a different CF frame, especially since rim brake versions are hard to come by.

For perspective, I have a couple of years old titanium bike with Sram AXS 12 speed electronic. 10 speed mechanical is just fine from any perspective.

IMHO, there is nothing that a new bike will give you that is actually meaningful. You might consider changing the wheels if they aren't very good.

A 10 year old bike is much newer than any bicycle that I am currently riding. It has pneumatic tires, freewheel, index shifting and brifters. You are fine.

Not a big deal, but I believe that your bike is a 2012 Trek 2.1 Apex H2, and not a Madone 2.1

2.1 Apex H2 (Compact) - Trek Bikes

Also keep in mind that is one tiny little piece of anecdotal evidence not at all relevant to anything. One single mechanic at one bike shop saying one thing (potentially we don't even have their side of the story) does not a good warning make. Yes there are some people who may say something like that but not many and not often and without full context who knows what that full conversation was. However yes generally a properly built custom bike is going to be better than most off the peg stuff and performance isn't always totally and fully linked to modernity though it can help in some situations.

Also the second story is another bit of anecdotal evidence which is probably also not very likely or the bike was put together poorly with really short hoses as unless you are changing stem length or bar length or something a slight adjustment in your levers shouldn't have that great of an effect to need a total overhaul. It is more likely with some of the modern stuff but not totally realistic in that sense and if say I was going to a longer stem or bars or something like that with cables I would still have to put new cables and housing on if they were too short so it doesn't change significantly. aside from there being a bit more step wise to hydraulic brakes and fluid involved but I rarely need to replace fluid in a good brake just pads and rotors occasionally and that is the case with most any brakes though in some cases your rotor might be quite a bit bigger and maybe thicker or less tendency to wear like a disc rotor (because it is a wheel)

Yes continue enjoying your bike if you are having fun on it no need to replace it but that is not to say you shouldn't buy a new one because having new bikes is always fun (and new doesn't have to mean brand new it could be new to you) maybe a different bike that serves a different purpose. N+1 is real.

Until a few years ago I still rode my 1976 Trek and it was still a very enjoyable bike to ride. I suspect your bike will be, too. If you’re just itching to buy the latest and greatest, be prepared for you sticker shock at the store. But you have a really nice like-new bike.

Breaks where? In the frame?

Well thanks again for all the good advice, the main reason I’m starting back cycling again is cuz I always loved to ride, and my knees have become very arthritic to the point I need two new knees. But the knee Dr whose a cyclist told me cycling can help my old beater knees if I do it right. Start slow, at a cadence and resistance that’s comfortable, start out with only about 5 miles every other day and work my way up from there, and to do my knee exorcizes and stretches after every ride.
so I’m back in the saddle again!😁😁👍👍👍

If you have bad knees, you should also invest in a bike fit. Just looking at your bike, I suspect you could use one.