# Is the new, 2008 Madone frame a success?



## the sky above tar below (Mar 31, 2004)

Hi. As all of you know, Trek came out with a brand new, redesigned carbon road frame for 2008. Many have had the chance to test ride it or own it for the better part of a year.

Is the frame a success or a failure?  Not in terms of sales, but ride quality: stiffness, comfort, strength and beauty?


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

It surpasses the marketing hype.


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## WhiskeyNovember (May 31, 2003)

It's very, very difficult.....and perhaps impossible.....to find a bad review of the bike.


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## kneejerk (Feb 2, 2007)

I've heard a few complaints of instability at speed, mainly with the larger sizes. With larger riders and all. I have yet to find a bike that is rock stable and these individuals are likely dreaming. All my bikes take some TLC to keep them stable, some more than others. If bikes were built for stability at speed down hills, they would have long wheel bases and more fork rake / head angle (kinda like downhill ATB's).

Otherwise it looks like a big hit! Time will tell the rest of the story.


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## joker (Jul 22, 2007)

great success , i had a test ride of the 5.2 madone and it was excellent , but at the minute i'm trying to decide weather to buy this 5.2 frameset or a cervelo soloist for my amature road raceing


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## the sky above tar below (Mar 31, 2004)

zac said:


> It surpasses the marketing hype.


That's saying quite a lot.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

Although I sell Treks and think very favorably of them, I was never much of a fan of either the 5000 series or the first generation Madones. I grew up on lugged steel and my favorite bike for just plain old long rides is still my late '80's vintage Falcon built with Reynolds 531P. It's not a fit question as the Madones actually fit me quite nicely. It's just that, even for carbon, they just didn't seem to have enough "vertical compliance" (to echo BikesnobNYC).

When the new one came out, I took an '07 5.5 and the new 5.2 Performance fit (I'd prefer the pro fit for the lower bar but that's another story) back to back out around the shop looking for the worst pavement I could find. The bikes had the same wheels and tires for those of you who scream "but wheels and tires dramatically affect ride." 

First off, the 5.2 with Ultegra SL is lighter than the 5.5 with DA. Second, it's a different bike. While I couldn't really tell any difference as to "torsional rigidity" (I am not Erik Zabel), I could immediately feel the improvement in ride quality. It's still a nice, neutral "stage race" type bike in overall handling.

Now if they only specced a model with Campy.


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## kneejerk (Feb 2, 2007)

Richard said:


> First off, the 5.2 with Ultegra SL is lighter than the 5.5 with DA. Second, it's a different bike. While I couldn't really tell any difference as to "torsional rigidity" (I am not Erik Zabel), I could immediately feel the improvement in ride quality. It's still a nice, neutral "stage race" type bike in overall handling.
> 
> Now if they only specced a model with Campy.


I would hope the bikes with the same frames rode the same, when comparing for geometry and comfort.

Supposedly Project One should accomodate Campy soon!?

"steel is real", it's just heavy too, difficult to get over that for all out performance,

_must weigh the variables_


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

kneejerk said:


> I would hope the bikes with the same frames rode the same, when comparing for geometry and comfort.
> 
> Supposedly Project One should accomodate Campy soon!?
> 
> ...


The 5.5 was the previous generation Madone. The 5.2 is the new one. Not the same frame at all but Trek carried over the frame geometry and dimensions.


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## kneejerk (Feb 2, 2007)

Richard said:


> The 5.5 was the previous generation Madone. The 5.2 is the new one. Not the same frame at all but Trek carried over the frame geometry and dimensions.



Okay, I should have noticed the comparison of old and new but didn't. 

I didn't see a mirror image of the geometry as you are saying. They list the virtual top tube lengths as being different. 

I never completely trust geometry charts anyway. It does make for good "popcorn" viewing.


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## 08Madone5.2 (Dec 25, 2007)

The 2008 Madone 5.2 frame was a success in last year's TdF when it was ridden to victory as a rebadged 6.9, and its a success now that us mere mortals can buy and ride it.


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