Advice re bike of year

andywye

I have to say i found the article very usefull. I have an excellent LBS for Trek and was considering upgrading my old ali Trek to a carbon. It was reassuring to read about the Madone. I have a question, as an older person I think I need a triple to get up the hills. There is a Madone 4 for the same price as the 3.5 - just poorer specification, does Rob or his team have any experience on this, should I go for the 3.5 or ignore lower spec (but better frame????) or go 4.5 with the triple. Any advice appreciated

porker33

Go for the better frame...

don't take this the wrong way.....but why a triple.......my thought being a double "compact" with a 34 front and 28 rear, should be enough to get up any hill.......If it's not enough, then you are probably wasting your time buying such a relatively expensive bike in the first place.....my response attempted to be logical rather than outright rude...hope it came across that way!

andywye

Good point but live in an area where I go out my door and have 1;5 climbs so really need a low granny gear to wind my way up. At the moment a compact low gear is the same as my current triple but the triple offered on the 4.5 is lower and thought as I get nearer to 70 a lower gear might be useful plus I have to admit that no experience of a compact, I generally stick to middle ring until to either a very steep hill going up or coming down then use other rings. Also looking for anyfeedback on difference between a Madone 3 and 4 frame.

porker33

3 series has OCLV carbon which is of a better grade than the TCT used on the 4 series....quite honestly, neither will be a bad ride and you will probably notice different tryes and wheels more than you would on a slightly different carbon composite.. Trek's geometry is fairly consistent..I would assume both are H2.

Just looking at evans...the 3 has ultegra and better brakes than the 105 and tektra stoppers on the 4.......why not ride them?...
In terms of compact gearing...a 34 inner ring with a 28 rear, offers slightly less resistance than not actually having a chain fitted (joking!).....Far less messing around, weight and maintenance on a double than triple..

I have a 5 series oclv madone, which is great and you will be pleased to hear, flies up the hills!

andywye

Thanks, good points I normally would test ride as my LBC normally offers this. I have been into several trek shops apart from my local and nome haave any Madones and are struggling to get delivery dates for any of them!!!! I am also a 52cm frme so not many have those anyway. Think I will just risk the compact. The local LBC take huge efforts on fit,, last time changing handle bar width, stembar btape etc etc and not charging anything for this.

porker33

As I mentioned Trek are fairly consistent with their geometry.....if you can find a different model as in 2.1-2.3 up to madone 5 series....if it is a 52 and H2 geo as the bikes you mentioned appear to be. you should get a good idea on fit.

My old Trek 1.9 is the same geo as my madone 5,,,,just different materials etc....

andywye

Thanks, have been in touch and have an Ali for me to try

banditvic

Get a double, long cage rear mech and stick a mountain bike cassette on it 12 -30.
Jobs a good un.

andywye

Thanks for all advice, just one thing, the Madone 3.1 has cheap wheels, any advice on a cheap upgrade that will make a difference.