Possible new toy - Trek 2.5 2010

[beanbag]

I'd like to get into road biking and have come across the following deal. Seeing as a lot of you are lycra warriors, I figured what better area to get advice!

I went into my local bike shop to check out some road bikes and I was recommended the Trek 2.5.

It's an aluminium frame bike but it has a full Ultegra group-set which I've been told is equivilent to XT and is pretty good. It's listed at €1599, however it's being offered to me for €1350 including a pair of CB egg-beater pedals. (I'm going to use these for now as I use Mallets on my MTB and it saves me having to buy another pair of shoes.

Apart from the colour (not a fan of red and white - however I have a red and white helmet )

What's the opinion of the bike and it's spec? My plan if I choose to go ahead is to seal the deal with another €100 off the price as the new 2011 bikes are out. I'm sure i'll get at least another 50eur off.

[fromage]

for not a lot more you can get a Nice Focus Cayo Team

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Focus_Cayo_Team_...

Which is a much much better bike having ridden both and also all reviews seem to agree with me.

[beanbag]

fromage said:

for not a lot more you can get a Nice Focus Cayo Team

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Focus_Cayo_Team_...

Which is a much much better bike having ridden both and also all reviews seem to agree with me.

Ouch! That's quite a bit more! €435 to be precise (including pedals)!

I'm not overly interested in carbon frames. What I've seen is the component set on them is usually of a lower standard as you have to pay for the carbon frame.

Plus since this is for training and non-competition use, I'd like to stick with aluminium and get the better quality group-set.

Just to add, it doesn't mean the Trek is my choice. I've also looked at the Allez bikes but I find them expensive and with poor component sets in comparison to the competition.

Edited by beanbag on Saturday 11th September 19:31

[beanbag]

Nobody? I guess you're all out riding!

[beanbag]

Actually, I have a question. I've noticed there are two versions of the bike. A compact and triple?!?!?

What on earth does this mean and which is most appropriate?

Cheers!

[Mr Will]

beanbag said:

Actually, I have a question. I've noticed there are two versions of the bike. A compact and triple?!?!?

What on earth does this mean and which is most appropriate?

Cheers!

A compact will only have two sprockets at the pedal end of the chain, a triple will have three.

This means that the triple will have more gears, but they don't actually cover a significantly greater range. Typically, they will have the same top gear and the lowest gear on the compact will be equal to second gear on the triple (i.e. there is only one gear on the triple which is lower than the lowest on the compact). The 9 other extra gears on the triple are just overlap, so you end up shuffling cogs lots for very little extra benefit.

Basically, get the compact!

[beanbag]

Ta for that! Good to know as the compact is the one being offered to me.....

Still pondering....

[shalmaneser]

It's good value but it's a very stiff frame with a very hard ride. The Cannondale is a much smoother machine, see if you can find a top end CAAD8 or 9 which should be about your budget.

[Crippo]

Thats a good bike. Th egroupset is excellent and on that bike you get a complete Ultegra one...no corner cutting going on here with lower spec substitutions where they think you cant see.
The Comnpact is usually a better bet for most people as you get a lower Q factor which is the distance between teh pedal s and also a lighter chain (shorter) rear mech (shorter) and chainset two rings as opposed to three. The only advantage to a tripl eis if you live somewhere really steep (Lake District) or with very long climbs and are still developing your fiotness or getting old) becauase the ratios are lower. however the 34 / 26 bottom gear on that bike will give you a pretty low gear.

[anonymous-user]

its a quality bike, whilst the full ultegra groupset is nice, the wheels could do with an upgrade. a set of fulcrum 5s or something can be had for £150 and would transform the bike. as an example, the difference between the bontrager wheels and a set of better wheels would be far more evident in comparison to the difference between 105 and ultegra brakes

[beanbag]

pablo said:

its a quality bike, whilst the full ultegra groupset is nice, the wheels could do with an upgrade. a set of fulcrum 5s or something can be had for £150 and would transform the bike. as an example, the difference between the bontrager wheels and a set of better wheels would be far more evident in comparison to the difference between 105 and ultegra brakes

It's a good point and my colleague at work has said the same. However to upgrade from 105 to Ultegra would cost a packet and a set of better wheels is £150, which isn't a huge stretch.

Hmmmm.....been shown an older Trek in carbon from the same shop. Full carbon, and full Dura Ace plus carbon wheels. It's 4 years old but the shop chap told me they sold it initially for €8,999 and he could offer it to me for €2,000. The old owner only changed it as he wanted an S-Works with the new electric Dura Ace groupset.

It's a shame it's over my budget but it's also probably massively OTT!!!

[beanbag]

Update - Possible new toy now purchased!

[Jameshs]

What do you go for in the end?

[beanbag]

Jameshs said:

What do you go for in the end?

I tried a few different bikes. Cube, Specialized Allez, even a Tarmac, but ended up with the Trek 2.5.

I managed to negotiate a huge discount along with some extra goodies.

Total price was €1300 and that included the bike, Bontrager Node 1 cycle computer, and a pair of 2011 CB Eggbeater 2 pedals. (Still on order)

Here she is on the Danube river near a town called Tulln West of Vienna. I managed 73km that day and another 35km the following.

Edited by beanbag on Thursday 23 September 10:59

[itsnotarace]

Colour scheme reminds me of winter mixtures

Have fun on your new bike

[Jameshs]

Looks great

[beanbag]

Jameshs said:

Looks great

Thanks

I'm very pleased with it. I've already managed to rack up 250km on it since I bought it this Saturday. Partly thanks to my new exercise regime!

[ratbane]

I've had a 2.1 for a few months. Racked up some mileage. I love it. It's taken me back into road riding, after 18 years of MTBing.

[beanbag]

ratbane said:

I've had a 2.1 for a few months. Racked up some mileage. I love it. It's taken me back into road riding, after 18 years of MTBing.

I much prefer the colours on yours! No idea why but both my bikes have ended up being red and white much to the amusement of my friends.....

I actually wanted the 2011 model as it is blue and "platinum". It looks great but not €500 extra great!!!!