Who among the big bike companies does not outsource their frame builds? At least Trek does build it's top line frames here in the US. Some companies like Speacalized have never built their own bike anywhere.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.

Here we go again. Another "why do people hate Trek" thread.

What is it with Trek people? Can't you all enjoy your bikes without worrying about what the rest of the world thinks?

The overwhelming majority of us silently enjoy our Treks and have for years. Sadly there's this vocal minority that appear to require justification from their digital cycling peers on their purchasing decisions. What's odd, is that Trek and these people appear to go together. It's baffling to me and the several of us in my area who ride Treks and joke about it on rides.

"Hey did you see that idiot on BF who made yet another Trek hate thread?" That was the running joke on this morning's ride, so kudos to you Anthony for serving up this morning's fodder.

Why all the Giant hate?

I own a Trek, but I'm not a "Trek person" any more than I'm a "Eureka person" due to owning a Eureka vacuum cleaner. My stuff does not define me.

I enjoyed reading your post. My first nice road bike was a steel Trek, circa 1985. It was a very nice bike with some interesting components.

A couple of years back, when I still thought that riding together would help us solve our problems, I bought my soon to be ex a nice Trek Madone 5.2 WSD. Now...if there was ever a reason to hate Trek.

There's Giant hate?? Next you'll be telling me there is Bianchi hate or Pinarello Hate. I'm mortified.

I hate Treks........oops........................I mean I hate Trix! Trix are for kids. I hate that rabbit, too.

Actually, in my area Specialized outnumbers Trek by about 4 to 1.There's one Trek dealer within reasonable driving distance, but I can't drive more than 15 miles in any direction without passing a Spesh dealer.

And how about that new special order Contador S-Works frame. Pretty nifty, wouldn't you say?

Bianchi hate = any color other than celeste.

I'm glad you clarified that, my Bianchi is celeste. I feel safe again.

Yeah, except I wouldn't want that little weasel's name on my bike! Much better than the usual fare of blackety black black bikes we're getting though.

Don't hate Trek. . .just don't really want one.

I was impressed with their thinking when they came out with ABP on their mountain bikes, and actually considered looking at the longer-travel line. But I never saw where I could get just a frame/shock to build up myself, which is the way I prefer to go.

Now, of course, without a MAJOR throwdown of $$, that's getting harder to do all around. A Nomad frame/shock is $2K; I think I saw ONE FS frame the other night under $1K that would serve.

Now, if ya wanna talk HATE...I HATE Specialized with a PASSION! (j/k, no passion, I just hate 'em, lol)

I ride (and love) a cheap discount store bike that most everyone here would scoff at. So I kind of look at a debate like this sort of like how a Linux guy might look at the debate between PC and Mac - or Android v Iphone: a load of silliness. Still, I get the Apple hate. People that buy Apple products are overpaying for equivalent or lesser hardware, paying for the privilege of being controlled by big daddy apple's walled garden rules, and are mostly overpaying for to sustain the fantasy that everyone else on the train is impressed or secretly envious of that apple logo on the back of their device.

Thing is, around here, that brand is Specialized. I don't know if they're overpriced the way Apple stuff is, but that's the bike of choice for the people that want imagine there's something extra special about their brand of ride. My impression of Trek has always been your paying a premium for the name - more of a premium than is probably worth it - but at least its worth something.

Personally, I'm more impressed with value. I appreciate somebody humble enough to ride Motobecane or Windsor stacked with 105 components for less than $1,000.00 - or a full carbon or ti for around $1,500.00. Some people see cheap, but I see a cyclist that doesn't care what you think, isn't superficial, likes getting bang for their buck, and probably has some know how with a wrench. When I fathom one day getting a better end bike (perish the thought!), I think it'd be a Fuji or a Giant because that's where I see the value. But that's just me.

I haven't bought a Trek since I went to the Dark Side(tm). Who knows, I might have bought a Trek recumbent by now, it it had been a reasonable design. Unfortunately, the one they came out with was designed by committee and ended up looking like the 'bent equivalent of the car Homer Simpson designed.

Just normal progression of empire. Trek started as a plucky WI company making steel frames with an interesting story about starting in a barn. People like to identify with that sort of quirkiness and project a lot of personality onto such companies. Now, it is the same old same old, MBA, behemoth making just about the same thing as everyone else. This doesn't mean I wouldn't buy a Trek the same way I wouldn't buy Nike or shop at Target, but, it has to be a good value. For such reasons, I probably wouldn't buy a Trek or Nike...usually there is better value elsewhere as my purchase dollar. I'd rather keep some of that money in my pocket. Lance, Tiger, or M.J. do well enough without getting a cut of my purchase.

I got my Trek for free. Good enough value there!

M.

OK, I'll admit it. I have an anti-Trek bias. Had it for years. I've never owned a Trek, other than around the parking lot I don't think that I've ever ridden on a Trek. There is no logical basis for my bias. I have nothing bad to say about Treks so I generally just don't say anything.

If somebody gave me a free Trek I MIGHT ride it, but I doubt it. I'd probably just take off all of the non-Trek branded components to use on something else.

Tribalism. Why do people prefer Chevys over Fords or vice-versa? Tribalism. Marketing plays up the brand and people buy into it, or they push back against it.

+1.

+1.

Plus it's really easy to hate a big brand, isn't it? They polarise. (cf Harley Davidson/Hardley Ableson)

Your declaration bears no regard to the many Trek owners on this forum that it may offend. I suggest that you attempt to reason with a conscientious adult-like mentality rather than the simpleminded impulsive mentality of a juvenile so as to avoid offending those who have done nothing to offend you.

I propose Building your own bike frame and fork, then you have no one else to Blame.

Stop trying to use big words to disguise just how sucky Treks ( and their owners) really are

I think that you may have just proven Doohickie's point.

At the beginning of 2013 I had three bikes (Target Bikes) hanging on hooks in the garage that had not been ridden in years. In February I was looking for a way to get out of to the YMCA so frequently and spend more time outdoors. Since I can't run due to prior knee surgeries and that I cycled a great deal when I was much younger a bicycle was the obvious conclusion. I visited the two LBS's that were the most popular in the area one, was carried primarily Specialized and the other carried Trek. The Trek dealer spent a great deal of time asking questions about what my goals were and matching bikes to my goals. I ended up buying a Trek Fitness 7.4 for myself and an Electra Townie for my wife.

Three months after starting my new adventure I was up 400 miles a month, loving and looking to move to a road bike. I was looking for a comfortable road bike and all of the reviews suggested either the Specialized Roubaix or the Trek Domane. Once again i went to be LBS's in the area and ended up with a Domane 4.5 mainly because it was on sale. When went in for my fitting the shop spent time with me on the bike and when I got home I went for a 35 mile ride. The next day I went took the bike back to the shop and described my ride and how I felt and the shop lowered the seat ever so slightly and I have a perfect fit.

I know it is and over used cliche but, I really did buy the shop and not the bike when I bought my bikes. I probably would have been just as happy with Specialized, Giant or some other brand but, I ended up with Trek's and I don't regret it. Will n + 1 be a Trek, I really don't know.

There are those on this board that are very vocal about there positions on a lot of issues, bike brands being one of them. I have gotten a lot of great advice on this board and have used the advice to improve my riding skills but, when it comes to the opinionated few I usually take their posts as trying to stir the pot rather than offer meaningful content to a thread.

FYI - For those that have a complex about other hating Trek, get over it and ride your bike.