# Current Madone owners: what would it take to get you to buy a 2008?



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

Hi. Judging from the Trek carbon picture thread, there are many current Madone owners here. What would it take for you to buy the new, 2008 Madone? Would you sell your current Madone, which many seem to be happy with, or keep it and buy an additional 2008 model?


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## dead flag blues (Aug 26, 2004)

Basically i could use another bike. My current Madone SL is fantastic, way better than my abilities, tho when i get my new bike, current Madone will be a crit bike.

I can't wait to ride the 2008's!


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## gambo2166 (Oct 20, 2004)

I ordered my 2008 6.5 and will be selling my 2007 6.5 as soon as the new bike shows up..


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## stratos (May 20, 2006)

If someone stole my current Trek or I crashed it, sure, I'd get a new one. Meanwhile, no need!


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

gambo2166 said:


> I ordered my 2008 6.5 and will be selling my 2007 6.5 as soon as the new bike shows up..


I'm very interested about why you feel you will like the 2008 better than your 2007.


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

i will be buying one, a 6.5 and my 5.9 will be my DD, hopefully i Project one it


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## thomasfxlt (Mar 5, 2007)

I'll keep my 5.9 and add a 6.5 project 1 once available. I'd like to get a black/orange performance fit FS if they had one. 

My guess is the Project 1 options for the new bikes are going to be nothing short of killer.


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## z ken (Dec 30, 2006)

err if Lance would comes back and i could trade in my 06 Madone at the " reasonable price " + Alexandro Valverde would win this year's tour...2 out of 3 mostlikely won't happen ( first and second options ) so unless someone offer me the NEW Madone 50% discount from the retail MSRP, i won't bother spending, what!!??, $ 8 K on 6.9 pro. $ 4k?? i might consider it. until then i'll let someone else take the risk.


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## dead flag blues (Aug 26, 2004)

Lance is back!


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## z ken (Dec 30, 2006)

wow, Lance sure has gained some beefy muscle!!


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## acid_rider (Nov 23, 2004)

*it's about the fit more that the angle of the top tube*

or I should say - it *should* be about fit.

personal example: (a bit of a soap box, sorry)

in my case, I dont fit the average Madone rider proportions - I have average Joe upper and lower body and poor flexibility and weak core. 

Madone 2007 and earlier works well for *relatively* flexible riders with relatively longer upper body+arms and shorter legs, who like to sit a bit more forward of the BB i.e. who prefer steeper STA. If the new 2008 Madone is basically the same geometry then it wont work for me any better than the Madone 5.9 that I have. I.e. No Sale. I need ~20mm longer head tube (to avoid goofy 40mm of spaces) and ~10mm shorter top tube to avoid somewhat short 100mm stem and a ~1 degree slacker STA to fit on new Madone much better than on my current 5.9. Which is why I bought Time instead. Each to their own. If Madone geometry fits you well, it is a terrific bicycle. I still have and ride my Madone when my sore back and sore legs permit. At other times I time Time, it is easier on my body. End of sermon. 8^)


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## toyota (Sep 4, 2006)

z ken said:


> wow, Lance sure has gained some beefy muscle!!


I was thinking the same thing. He looks a lot better now thats for sure.


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## dead flag blues (Aug 26, 2004)

acid: I'm kinda in your boat, tho i have pretty long legs and a shorter torso. Yoga 2x/week is helping a bit, but i've still got 20mm of spacers under my stem.. Hope i can reverse the tightness of my hams and get back to where i was in my 20's. If not, there's always 'Performance Fit' Madones!


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## acid_rider (Nov 23, 2004)

*yup, i agree*



dead flag blues said:


> acid: I'm kinda in your boat, tho i have pretty long legs and a shorter torso. Yoga 2x/week is helping a bit, but i've still got 20mm of spacers under my stem.. Hope i can reverse the tightness of my hams and get back to where i was in my 20's. If not, there's always 'Performance Fit' Madones!


I gave up on becoming more flexible, in last 3 years my flexibiltiy has not improved, despite regular stretching. Working on my core helped though and stretching helps me to manage pain/injuries but not to be able to tolerate a 50-70mm saddle to bar drop. (I run ~35mm drop).

This is where Madone Performance Fit helps with 30mm taller head tube but on photo's it looks a lot like a Specialized Roubaix but with steeper STA and a shorter wheelbase. BTW I noticed the angles got even steeper on new Madone, only by 0.2 degree steeper (size 54cm) but still steeper. I liked the 8mm shorter top tube on 54cm Madone but why such steep angles Trek? Because of new very clever seatmast you will find that if the layback of -20mm is not far back enough you are out of luck unlike with other frames which can take other seatposts. I run -35mm set-back FSA seat-post (27.2mm), for example. Lucky for me, I have 20-30mm of rail travel left but those who do not have such travel really need to be aware of angles.

I think Pro Fit looks better (less top tube slope in it) but that is just personal choice.


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## yessl (Nov 1, 2005)

I won't be selling my 2006 Madone SSL as I love it too much, but I'll seriously look at getting an '08 frameset to replace my tired C'Dale. The group set on the C'Dale is relatively new Dura Ace so I'll just swap it all across and have two great bikes.

Anyone have idea of the price of the Pro-fit framset?


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## saturncyclist (Aug 8, 2006)

I have long legs / short arms and my current 60 cm '05 5.2 is perfect length to accommodate my leg length, but I'm (feel) quite stretched out. So I guess Madone's don't really work for me. I like the new madones, however I sadly feel I need more of a compact geometry bike.


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## tellico climber (Aug 14, 2006)

I just realized today that with the new Madone coming out that my 07 Madone 6.5ssl will now become a limited production. It will be made for less than a year. I have yet to see another one around my area and now they will never get numerous. This is the way I have to look at it. LOL Really though, I am very happy with my bike and its geometry works well for me( I have a long torso and long arms) . I do like the new bikes, does anyone know if any of the new Madones also have the defense grade high modulus carbon in the bottom bracket like my 6.5ssl. They may not need it though since the new bottom bracke area is now wider.


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## azuredrptp (Feb 8, 2006)

I love my current Madone, but I'm seriously considering an '08. Waiting to see what project one options are available.

I'd keep my current Madone as well, since I went project one with that as well.

LBS says they'll have some in the next 7-10 days, so I'm very anxious to test ride one.


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## Italianrider76 (May 13, 2005)

Is it just me or are '08 bikes coming out really early this year?


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## z ken (Dec 30, 2006)

i guess Trek want to sell as many bikes as possible BEFORE Levi and team disco. choke in the tour, hopefully not.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

Although I work for a Trek dealer, I've never had much of an urge to get one. The full carbon bikes, from the original 5000 series, to the Madone's, to the SL's, while being fine bikes, have just left me cold. I admit I'm a fan of steel, having "grown up" on Reynolds and Columbus tubed frames. In fact, all three in my current stable are steel, two Reynolds 531's and a Dedacciai EOM 16.5, with a Columbus SL fixie on the way. Call me a retro grouch (the Trek rep certainly thinks so.)

Here in Orange County CA we've seen a significant drop in road bike sales. I think there is a lot to be said for the "Lance Factor" (and maybe the doping scandals.) We're sitting on so many '06 Madone's, despite heavily discounting them, that we didn't order any '07's for the floor. I also thought it was interesting that Trek was offering '07 5.2's and 5.9's for "employee purchase" at almost ridiculously low prices (and no, I won't say what!)

I've even told my manager and the Trek rep that I'm glad we didn't stock up on '07's as we'd be in the same boat with them. I think potential road buyers are going to pass right over them. Selling bikes at or near cost is a sure way to go out of business.

That being said, I think the new Madone's are a "great leap forward," and a pleasant surprise considering how generally conservative Trek historically has been. Now, if they just had a "Campy Equipped" model, I might have to change my thinking altogether.


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## mtbdcd (Jul 7, 2002)

New Madone's look really nice. Still can't understand the seat mast thing on the Madones or all the other carbon bikes. What is wrong with the old design with normal seatpost. It does look like Trek did a good job on it though. Although it does lock you into a Trek/Bontrager type seat mount.

I will have to admit, i have never seen an OCLV Trek i didn't like. And since i started riding carbon have never seen or been on a steel bike i liked at all. 

Different likes is what makes the world go around


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## shoerhino (Aug 13, 2004)

mtbdcd said:


> What is wrong with the old design with normal seatpost.


I think I read that Trek felt like that they could save some weight with the new seatpost design - check it out below..

Traditional seatpost systems place the clamping mechanism at a very high stress point on the frame, requiring the seat tube to be overbuilt to withstand the rocking forces of the post. The all-new Madone's seat mast design solves this problem by eliminating the post entirely and moving the clamping mechanism above the stress zone. This design not only achieves a 25% weight reduction compared to a standard carbon seatpost, but also allows the seat tube to flex in a more natural way, improving vertical compliance by 39% compared to last year's Madone.


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## shoerhino (Aug 13, 2004)

I had the opportunity to see the new Madones this weekend at our local bike shop as I was taking a Race X Light wheel in for repair (it had developed cracks in the rim). The Trek test ride trailer was there and I talked to Trek rep about the new Madones for quite a while, although a lot of the information he gave me is explained on the website. I didn't have time to ride one and I wasn't dressed for the occasion anyway.

Overall, I thought the new Madones looked great. I was telling the rep that I had a 2006 Madone and he hinted that I should sell it and get a new Madone. I think I'd take a bath on that deal...

Anyway, I got a Madone brochure that lists that fuselage weights (which it says includes frame, fork, seatpost/cap, headset and bottom bracket inserts) of various bikes. The new Madone weighs 1428g for the 56 cm frame. 

Other bikes listed weights are:

1785g - Specialed Roubaix (56)
1647g - Orbea Orca (54)
1637g - Madone 6.9 (56)
1594g - Specialized Tarmac (56)
1487g - Cervelo R3 (56)
1463g - Giant TCR (50)
1348g - Scott Addict (56)


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## WhiskeyNovember (May 31, 2003)

Richard said:


> I admit I'm a fan of steel, having "grown up" on Reynolds and Columbus tubed frames. In fact, all three in my current stable are steel, two Reynolds 531's and a Dedacciai EOM 16.5, with a Columbus SL fixie on the way. Call me a retro grouch (the Trek rep certainly thinks so.)


Nothing wrong with riding what makes you enthusiastic. : )


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## Daddy yo yo (Apr 2, 2005)

what would it take to get me to buy a 2008 madone? well, i guess, first of all my current 2007 6.9 ssl would have to be broken. then, no more 2007 madone ssl 6.9 had to be available as it has to be the hottest color ever seen on a trek (p1 are an option but expensive). and then the 2008 madone would have to have a *HORIZONTAL* top tube. as none of these will hopefully/possibly/definitely happen, i won't buy one...  

but ask me again in 2-3 years, everything could be different then!


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## mikbowyer (Feb 20, 2006)

lol the 2008 madone is listed as the "current" madone on the trek dealer website, and the rest are listed as 2007 madones.

irony


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