manc

How tall are you? I've had a DS now for a couple of years (21") ... A great bike.

Karmajack

Got my cockpit revamped. Here's what I got going on now. A description and semi review of the parts.

Securing my phone is the Quad Lock Universal bike mount. The adapter mount is attached to my Galaxy S8's charger case. The Quad Lock mount is on the Stem. The phone can switch between horizontal and vertically easily. The charger case gives me extra battery for extended rides. I also have a Quad Lock mount in my car to keep things convenient. Though I will still swap cases when I don't require the extra bulk from the battery. The mount is secured to the stem by zip ties, which were included along with some rubber o-rings of two sizes. This system is quite secure and stable. Even in a crash, I highly doubt the phone will come loose. It requires two hands to remove the phone from the mount. A small price to pay for the stability. The Quad lock mount comes with a blue collar as standard. Black, red, and white collars are available sold separately. I opted for black to match, and blend in more with the bike. There's also phone specific kits available for many iPhones and Galaxys.




Moving on to the Blendr stuff. The DS requires the Elite Blender base mounts. I have two. On top is my Garmin Edge 25 on the Blendr Garmin High mount. Functions like a typical Garmin mount would. Nothing fancy beyond it's position on the stem. Below is the Bontrager Ion 800 light. Mounted on the Blendr MTB light mount. If any of you are familiar with the Ion light and default Blendr mount that comes with the DS's, you'll know it's not entirely too secure. The way the mount latches to the light is somewhat flimsy. I've had mine pop off on bumpy terrain. The MTB mount is a vast improvement, which I'm almost surprised and impressed with. It securely locks the light in. It will not separate unless you press the spring loaded trigger release. Even with that trigger pressed, it takes a degree of effort to slide the light out of the mount. It also constructed to assist in cable management. The mounts and bases are of a decent quality rigid plastic.



Everything mounted on creates a very clean looking handle bar, for everything that's on it. I'm quite pleased with the way it all looks and functions. Everything is much more stable and secure as well.

I know, I need to readjust my handlebar position after putting the Blendr stuff on.







The downside...It's expensive. Each individual piece of Blendr accessory is about $20 a piece. To mount two items, your looking at roughly $70 before possible shipping or tax. The Quad Lock can run you between $40 for the universal kit, to $70 to a phone specific kit wich includes a case. Add another $10 for a colored collar.

It was worth if to me.

RubenAlonzo

KarmaJack, thats a good lookin pouch, where'd you get it? Those upwards curved bar ends are very nice as well, I really like how it all comes together. Impressive man, I wonder if I can get something similar to that on my Scott Aspect?

Karmajack

The bag is a Bontrager Pro Speed Box. It's a great size for me. Doesn't get in the way. Keeps a few things that I might need while riding for easy access. The bar ends are Ergon GP5's. Great for the longer rides to offer multiple positions.

BeachBunny

hokiefyd 

Congratulations on your new DS. You'll enjoy it for sure.

BeachBunny

finch204

BeachBunny

IrishYorf07

Well, I can't get a pic to load up right now but I finally got my DS2! Of course I jacked up my back this week and can't really get out on it right now but I love it. Based on what I've read on here, you guys seem to really like the Ergon grips, I just ordered the GP3s. I'm also noticing that nobody likes stock pedals. Any recommendations on a cheap pair that are still an upgrade?

Karmajack

Grats on the DS2.

As for pedals, check out the currently active Platform Pedals thread for some good examples and some pics.

I have Wellgo V8's. $12 at Chainreaction Quite inexpensive. A very nice step above from stock. Very grippy, though somewhat heavy. Spin just fine. I'm satisfied with them for now, and the foreseeable future. If I were to ever replace these, the Shimano Saints are something I've been eyeballing. But that's a much bigger price jump compared to these.

COBikeLover

That Bontrager rear bag you have becareful where the zippers make that 90 degree turn on the back of the bag. Pretty much exactly where you have the zippers in the picture. I had one of those bags and it didn't make it a year I think before the bag tore back there because there isn't much support making that 90 degree turn constantly. If it wasn't for the terrible design with the zipper, it would be a great bag.

COBikeLover

How have you adjusted to being on the 17.5" after a while now. I am only 5'7" and just picked up a Trek DS 3 17.5" and it feels a bit too small for me as I am still getting adjusted to it. I bought it used so I didn't have the option of picking the size. I am hoping I will adjust into it.

Karmajack

Thanks for the tip on the bag. I'll keep it on my radar. No issues so far though.

17.5 fits me quite comfortably. I tried the 19 and it just felt too big. Granted, I didn't fiddle a whole lot with every adjustment I could make on it at the store, but the initial quick adjustments and fitting, it still felt awkward. I have a short reach, weak back, and long legs. My position is adjusted to be more upright. I'm most commonly on 30+ miles of paved or crushed limestone trails. The 17.5 wasn't perfect out of the gate, but closer to feeling right. The salesman did some basic fitting with me, which after messing with, I ended up getting closer back to. For the first couple months, I would periodically stop to make adjustments and experiments on the fly. Since replacing the handlebars for something with more rise, I can raise my seat for optimal leg room, and not be as hunched over. Between that, and trying a few saddles, I've got it down.

Only thing I can suggest is bringing tools with you on a ride, and experiment. Mostly with seat height & fore/aft adjustments. Get your rear, legs, and knees where you want them. Narrow that down, and see where you can go from there. There's several methods of adjusting your reach beyond that. Be it for more or less. Stem swapping might do the trick. Do some googling for bike fitting adjustment tips like this page for example. Some of it may be common sense, but other stuff could help.

hokiefyd 

In what what does it feel small? If you feel that the handlebar is too close, there are two ways you can change this:

1. Move the saddle rearward. You usually have plenty of adjustment here (the saddle is likely centered), and you can likely slide it rearward at least an inch. Small differences seem to have a large effect. Also make sure the saddle's height is adjusted correctly -- you should have only a very slight knee bend in your extended leg when you pedal. A saddle position change is free.
2. Move the handlebar forward and/or down. This will have to be done with a replacement stem. You can buy an adjustable stem ($20-25 or so) that will allow you to pivot the stem up and down to find exactly the right height. Or, you can buy a fixed stem that's either longer or lower or both than your current stem. Going longer will obviously move it away from you, but going lower should help also, especially if you feel up in the air with it. A different fixed stem will likely cost $10-15 (unless you go for an exotic material, or for Trek's proprietary Blendr stem).

Karmajack

^Yeah at 5'7" the 17.5" should be good for you after making some proper adjustments and/or minor changes.

COBikeLover

After I wrote that, I found this for sizing: google "competitive cycles fit calculator" (it won't let me post hyperlinks till I have 10 posts so I will come back and fix this then.)

AI spent the time actually doing all the measurements. Had super easy youtube video that showed exactly how to take all measurements and was super surprised that the bike was actually pretty much dead on a perfect fit. I did some adjustments last night and spent 40 miles on the bike today. Was blown away how comfortable it is for me. Really falling in love with this bike!

The only thing I would like to do is raise the stem up a little higher somehow which I am going to look into tonight. Need a good seat, but outside of that, very happy to start.

I guess I have been on oversized bikes most of my life and just not use to it. But it is starting to fit like a glove!

COBikeLover

I think that I have just been on oversized bicycles most of my life and accidentally fell into the correct size bike finally. It's starting to feel correct after about 100 miles in less than 48 hours


Actually the opposite. When I lean forward or somewhat regular stance with two hands on the bar, it feels comfortable. I put on a lot of miles and like to be more upright and not leaning so far forward.
I did play with the seat a bit and made huge difference in things, including the bike feeling "too small" in many ways.


Stems are my next focus and what I need to educate myself more on. Definitely feel if I can get that part correct with a good seat, I am going to be a very happy camper for a while!

Thanks for putting some attention into it and responding at length.

Man I really fell in love with this bike today!

COBikeLover

I have read majority of this thread now. I am new to the forum, and a new 2016-2017? Trek DS 3. I picked it up on Craigslist for $300 on a great price IMO. I am somewhat technical and mechanical.

Everything is stock, but will be upgrading over time. Highest priorities is seat and peddles as the seat is awful. Brooks B17 or B67 is what I am thinking. Chain guard was removed as I don't like the way it looks, and now with it off it just feels like a cleaner peddle rotation. Eventually I would like to upgrade the fork, second wheel set with wider tires for more off road, Change crank set to a Deore XT (eventually upgrade to 8000 groupset), and some other minor real estate on the handle bars stuff.

Long term I would like to put an ekit on the bike like a Bafang BBSHD if I don't eventually switch over to full suspension to do this project on. Depends how comfortable I get on this bike long term.

I am in my late 40's and have been on Trek bikes in one form of another most of my life. I live in metro Colorado but literally ride everywhere. I don't do extreme technical downhill stuff, but on occasion have to get down it. I would like to do about a 60/40 split and really getting into more back country Colorado this year. The bike is my main transportation, do everything on it, bike. I have a lot of hills and some pretty steep climbs all the time. The plan is to make the bicycle as comfortable as possible over time as I age to do all my needs.

I have some questions:

Throughout the threads, I don't recall hearing anyone actually upgrading the fork to something significantly better. Anyone recall this type of modification being done? I know there are lots of questions about forks, especially going to a regular fork, or upgrading to a better Suntour, but don't recall specifics about going to a significantly better shock like a Rockshock. Recommendations?

I don't know if my bike is a 2016 or 2017. I have the original receipt the guy bought the bike with and it was purchase in October of 2016. I can go to the original store with the receipt and track it down, but was wondering if there was another way? Does anyone know what the first year they made the DS 3?

I was on a 2016 Trek Crossrip for a while and then suddenly made a switch to another Trek Alpha frame type and now this Trek DS 3. Something I noticed when I first got off the Crossrip road bike to the MTB was the overall peddle circumfrance seemed smaller to me. Like it took less to go around in a rotation. It seemed like a big difference to me. It feels the same way to me on this bike also. I checked the size of the crank on the Trek Crossrip and it is actually the same size as this bike which is 170mm. Is this just in my head switching over from the road bike to the MTB and now hybrid that the actual rotation feels like a shorter distance? It just feels kind of cheap or something compared to my Crossrip. I don't know how to explain it or I just don't have enough exposure to different technology to have a good feel. I do plan to upgrade to the Shimano Deore XT crankset eventually, but would like to educate myself further on this subject matter if possible. Any thoughts?

I ride a lot of miles, often doing 30-50 miles a day. One of the concerns I have is the sizing of the bike in general. I am 5'7" and purchased a 17.5". The seat feels way up high for me from what I was use to on a 54" road bike. The other problem I feel like is when I am sitting in an upright position long term, the handlebars don't feel high enough, or maybe close enough, but certainly high enough for me for some reason. I am not sure what to do about overcoming these things just yet. I am trying to figure out the best way to set the handlebars up for long miles. That's another thing, the handlebars actually don't feel very wide either. Maybe look into upgrading that as well.

I will probably have some more questions coming as I am soaking in all these threads...

Can't show a picture till I have 10 posts

I am coming to find out that this bike may be exactly what I have been looking for in many ways and I really like it! I have never been on a $2k+ bicycle before so I don't have anything to compare things to other than what I have had, and I am very impressed for $300 bucks! I love the 700 tires on it and covering more distance again than I could on my MTB. Although, the tires are terrible on slippery surfaces, slight mud, sand, etc... and have gone down twice adjusting again coming from 26x2.25 tires. We have a very short wet season and then everything is hard packed for the rest of the summer anyway so I am not to concerned about it since these stock tires are still practically brand new. In time, I would love to get a second wheel set with wider tires for more off road stuff to interchange easily. I really like this bike though and as I am tweaking adjustments, it is only getting better!

Thanks!

COBikeLover

That is what I was thinking...Amazon has a couple I will show when I get my 10 posts that I am thinking about...

Karmajack

I don't know if I'd trust an adjustable stem for long term use. It's certainly something to consider as a temporary tool to experiment in finding the right rise you're looking for though. Once you figure out that degree, you can get a similar fixed one. A different handlebar can offer even more rise and add width.

Glad your finding your comfort zone on the bike. $300 sounds like a great deal. I'm pretty sure the first year DS 3 is 2016. Though there was other DS versions before that. I'd imagine a Trek dealer can run the numbers to get a year. I don't know of another method.

hokiefyd 

Once you tighten the adjustment bolt/nut, the stem is fixed in that position until you loosen it. They're just as safe for long term use as other adjustable items on the bike, such as brake lever and shift lever clamps, sliding saddles, adjustable seat posts, etc.

One certainly can use it to find a handlebar position and then replace it with a fixed stem, but about the only thing you'd save is a few grams (the adjustable stem will be heavier than a fixed stem), but I suspect that a few grams' weight won't make a difference to most of us.

Clyde1820

I've got a Ritchey adjustable stem. It's as rock-solid and in-place as any rigid stem. (It's the nature of the attachment; impossible to move, once tightened down.) I wouldn't worry about such a thing of the quality of a Ritchey's attachment ever moving without your wanting it to. (Can't speak to other brands/models of adjustable stems.)

COBikeLover

Do you have a link to that Ritchey stem?

Clyde1820

Ritchey 4-axis adjustable stem.

There are also a bunch available on eBay, at SJS Cycles (UK), at ChainReaction, and pretty much any local bike shop ought to be able to order them.

Bomb-proof, once the bolt is screwed down tightly, given the splines/grooves on the inside of the halves of the stem. The adjustable part of the arm isn't going anywhere, once attached, unless you smack the ground so hard that other items (and you) are at risk of breaking too.