Trek 2010 Preview

"If it's not broke than break it and fix it!"

Alberto Contador's Trek

MADONE 6 SERIES

With an industry leading design in the Madone road bike Trek wasn't about to break their own arm patting themselves on the back.  No way!  Which is a surprise considering all the money (70 frame redesigns), time (tens of thousands of hours) and press that went into the original 6 Series Madone. 

Whats New?

Lighter. 150 grams lighter in the fuselage (frame, fork, seatmast)

Stiffer. 17% stiffer at the front end, for more confident handling.

More Compliant. 43% more vertically compliant through a redesigned seatmast and asymmetrical fork steerer.

Integrated. 6 Series has the cleanest, most integrated approach to handling modern drivetrain equipment, including power meters, GPS, and Shimano Di2.

Riding Impressions.

Caveat: Though we're not professional bike testers, we like to think that after riding so many miles over so many years we have some of the most refined behinds in the industry.

 "Maybe a little stiffer" one tester said.
"Can't tell if it is any smoother than the already smooth 6 Series, certainly a lot more compliant than the Fisher." Was another comment.

"Nailed the handling. Intuitive cornering" yet another.

4 SERIES MADONE

Why it's better.
The number of competitors selling carbon bicycle frames has increased dramatically over the past five years.  While many brands are now selling these bike, however, very few are actually designing and building them themselves.  By relying on the small handful of companies in Asia to help them design and manufacture bikes, these companies often become "carbon copy" builders, offering very little to differentiate their products beyond a logo and paint job.

With decades of experience engineering and building carbon bikes in their Waterloo, Wisconsin facility, Trek has the engineering capability and experience to work with our Asian partners to improve their manufacturing processes and materials technology.  The result is a higher performance value carbon product than any of their competitors can offer.  With the same high-standard in both their Asian and US manufacturing plants, we're also able to validate their superior designs and fine their characteristics to set a new standard in off-shore road bike manufacturing.

Through a change in the carbon lay-up schedule, they were able to give the 4 Series greater than 15% more stiffness at the bottom bracket without adding a single gram to the weight of the frame, or a single dollar to the price tag. Now riders can have racecar acceleration without a racercar price.

In fact, several component specifications changes were made to the 4.5 in order to get the price as close to $2000 as possible.  Including the brakes are upgraded to Shimano Tiagra.

 TREK MOUNTAIN

For many years Trek was the first name in road bikes, especially carbon, but always seemed be second choice behind the Big "S" California based company. 

Well, times, they are a changing.  Trek hired a suspension guru by the name of Jose Gonzales and one day at lunch a co-worker overheard is suspension quandary and said "why don't you just make the pivot concentric with rear axle?"  And then went back to his roast beef sandwich.  

From that epiphany was born "ABP" technology.  It's benefits include better braking --no brake jack or the tendency of the suspension to stiffen or lock out under braking forces, better suspension performance, stiffer design, faster speeds and more control.

FUEL EX

Whats New?

DRCV. Developed in a joint partnership by Trek ad Fox, DRCV is a unique two-stage air spring that takes the pedaling efficient, small bump sensitivity of a single canister air shock and gives unprecedented, big hit control only available through DRCV's second chamber.

Fox FIT/QR15 fork. The Fox FIT F120 series of forks are significantly lighter than the forks used in 2009, and included QR15 front axles which significantly improve front end stiffness and control.

Riding impressions. 
One word: predictable.  This bike goes where you want to when you want it to.  The stiffness is evident immediately.  This allows the rider to take almost any line he/she wants and remain in control.  Point and pedal and trust in your suspension seems to be the best method of riding such a fun bike.

TOP FUEL

Top Fuel is Trek's no-holds-barred cross country race bike.  All new in 2009, the new platform established an unheard of standard for cross country race bikes --21 lbs., out of the box, with one of the torsionally stiffest frames around and 100mm of performance suspension.  With this new benchmark established for suspension performance and strength to weight ratio, the Top Fuel is the perfect bike for the athlete who cannot compromise trail performance on race day, training day or any other day of the week that ends in "y". Top Fuel comes in both men's and WSD models.

Whats New?

Fox Race Cam. For 2010 Trek and Fox introduce a Race Cam RP23 rear shock custom for Top Fuel.  Race Cam take an RP23 and makes it equal parts race and trail.  ProPedal positions 1 and 2 maintain that same great trail bike feel, while position 3 gives the highest degree of lockout ever offered by Fox --perfect for out of the saddle sprints and extended climbing.

New boost valve.  This gives a wider range to the ProPedal settings, and the final tune was developed by Chris Eatough, Travis Brown and the Trek Suspension Development Team.

Team edition paint.  The highly anticipated Trek World Racing houndstooth Team Edition paint is available as a frame only.

Riding Impressions. If the EX  is "predictable" than the Top Fuel is "balanced".  Meaning that this bike is a comfortable climbing as it is descending.    If your game is beating up the buddies or winning the World Championship then look no further.

ELECTRIC

This thing hauls butt!  Believe it.

RIDE+. Your Power, Plus. We never thought we say this but this electric bike is cool.  It is so cool we would even say we would like one for ourselves.

Imagine a world with no more hills or tired legs. Sweat-free, business-formal bike commutes a viable possibility.  The grocery store that's four long miles away becomes a quick little errand.  That's the world that Ride+ creates.  Trek has brought a mix of electric bikes that addresses unique key wants and uses.  Ride+ can expand a person's world by breaking down the barriers of what is possible by bicycle.

Key Features.

-The perfect option for the guy looking to tow a trailer or keep up with a spouse or faster riding partner.

-The smoothest riding Ride+ over various terrain conditions.

-Trek electric-assist kit featuring Bion-X technology.

-Front and rear lights.

-Removable battery pack for light human powered travel.

KIDS

Bikes that Grow as Fast as They Do.
A lot of parents think they should buy their child the biggest bike possible so that it will last longer.  The main problem with this thought is that the child is placed on a bike that is way too large for him in the beginning.  It's not safe, it's not a good experience for the child as he's learning to ride, and it won't adjust to fit him as he grows.  Trek has changed all that with Dialed frame and parts.

-All Trek models are designed to fit a size range of kids.

-The frames are Dialed into each of those size ranges with the proper lengths, stand over heights, and bottom bracket heights to make the bikes more stable. and thus, easier to learn to ride.

- Contact points - grips, brake levers, saddles, and pedals - have been Dialed for each model so that they are appropriate for the age range for which the model is intended.

 -Add to all of that the adjustable crank lengths on key models, and you get a combination that fits now and for years to come.

Whats New?

-All Mystics have been redesigned to provide the little lasses with a girl friendly frame and fun details.

-The Kids' FX evolves into a model for both boys and girls with spec that offers a better value while keeping the light and fast feel of the bike.

-Zara is a brand new 26" wheel model specifically targeting the 'tween girls with a style and fit to help girls love their bikes.

We Believe