Well, here she is. A 2009 Trek Madone 6.9. I had said in the past that i couldn't ride a Trek cause there are so many of them and they aren't very unique and in all reality I'm a bike snob. So, it turns out i had an opportunity to purchase a frame and some wheels for a deal i couldn't pass up. So, to stand out, i had to make mine a little different than all the rest out there. The frame set in the living room for a bit, then i got a crank, and then the wheels were added to the pile, and then i came to the conclusion that i wasn't going to be able to put a whole new gruppo on it and it was going to sit in the living room till the roads of Minnesota were covered in snow. So after searching ebay for things like red faux carbon bar tape and some cork brake pads, i had most of the things to get it together. Well, thats what i thought. Turns out that the Mavic cassette on my Ksyrium wheels wouldn't fit onto my new Bontrager XXX carbon wheels. So, after searching some more on ebay, i found an American Classic conversion cassette to make the Shimano compatible freehub work with a Campy drivetrain. So as it stands right now, i have Campy Chorus components, American Classic cassette, Wipperman Connex stainless chain, Time pedals, Fizik Arione saddle, BBB cork brake pads, Thorius bars and palm bar, Barbieri cages, Mavic skewers (borrowed from my Ksyrium wheels), Bontrager XXX carbon wheels, Cateye wireless computer, Bontrager tires, and Jagwire cables.So i bet your asking yourself, does he like it, does it ride nice, is it a POS? Well, I've had it out for the last 3 weeks or so and have got a pretty good feel for it. I didn't want to admit it, but in all reality the bike rides really really nice. I guess i shouldn't be surprised, since the price tag for such a bike is around $8,000, but i really had my mind set that it was a Trek and shit, how well could it ride. Ive had a few bikes in my time, with 2 Alans being my most recent bikes. The Alan's are nice bikes, although i had problems with the 1st one which after 3 long years i finally got a warranty replacement. Granted it wasn't the same bike, it was a mix of carbon/aluminum vs. the all carbon i had before. I really like having something a little different than everyone else, and everyone asking what is a "allan" and who makes that bike. So anyways, back to the Trek. The bike handles nice. The decents are nice, it doesn't seem to be prone to speed wobbles. Atleast not unless you slam on the brakes, which i found out on Trout Brook Rd in Wisconsin this weekend when blasting into a turn, then there's gravel everywhere and me bout sharting my pants. Granted, the carbon wheels are the reason for that as they brake differently than aluminum wheels with a grabbing feel. As for climbing, it seems to climb better, which i would attribute to the lighter wheels and frame. Granted, I'm still vertically challenged but that's another story. As for sprinting, it feels pretty stable in the group sprints, however it is slightly prone to front wheel hop, but i have a feeling that's pretty normal for most modern light weight rigs these days. As for tracking, that's my most exciting thing to announce....After a 4 yr hiatus, i can finally ride with no hands again. The last bike i had that i was comfortable doing that on was a 2001 Specialized Alez Comp. I know most of you are like "big deal", but really, it made my day. Its so much easier to stretch, put something in or take out of your back pockets, and just sit up for whatever reason. As for aesthetics, i think it looks pretty killer. Ive never really liked the looks of Treks, but this yr, they pulled out all the stops on the aesthetic side. The sloping top tube that's flat, the straight blade front fork, integrated seat mast, and pearl white/black/red paint look awesome. Add to that a set of red spoked Bontrager XXX carbon wheels (whites are the factory option), red tires and red carbon bar tape, and that sick looking Campy Ultra Torque crank, this thing sure gets looks and stands out. I'll probably burn in hell at some point for admitting this, but it is what it is, a super nice rig!!!
