trek 2100 frame for racing?
 

I have been looking at full carbon frames, but i can't get away from my love for aluminum bikes with carbon stays (like the merckx one which model i can't remember or the salsa campeon). is a 2100 (i have a 10sp dura ace group for it) any less a frame than those frames? i guess just because it says trek and has 105 i think of it as a lesser frame. but the price and the lifetime warranty on the frame makes it very appealing. does anyone around here ride one (hard) that can tell me how they react? i had a '99 2300 that i loved, but it was a little small, so i got rid of it when i moved. kinda kicking myself now. at any rate, if anyone has any info or advice let me know.

thanks
-jason

The frames on the 2100 and the 2300 as the same from what I know so if you liked the 2300 you will be getting the same thing in a better size. I have a 2120 and love it, but I am not a racer. Remember that the old Trek carbons did not have carbon stays. Carbon was used for the main triangle and aluminium for the stays and fork - just the opposite from current fashion.

right. i've never ridden the old trek carbons. the 2100 and 2300 are the same frame. it's just a matter of ultegra or 105 (already have the group, so that is inconsequential) and the 2300 was discontinued after last year. no more. same with the 5200. now if you want ultegra you have to buy a madone. good move, trek. (sarcasm) but i'm just curious if it's going to be stiff enough for racing. maybe i'm just curious to see how other people feel about the frame. (i can go to road bike review and look at that, but those are mostly comments on the components)

I have an older 2100 with the carbon main tubes and aluminum rear triangle, and the frame is more flexible than my OCLV. However, it's not like you're going to win or lose a race based solely on that.

Go test ride the bikes you're interested in, and put in a good 15 minutes or so on each bike. Stand up and sprint hard, put it through its' paces. Then make a decision as to which frame feels best.

not to be rude, but the older 2100's hold no appeal to me. the modern ones (post 02, i think, when they started coming with an aluminum main triangle and chainstay and carbon seat stays. that's the one i'm curious about.