# new 08 madone 5.2



## Dale (Mar 13, 2004)

I got myself a 08 madone 5.2 for my birthday and christmas. I hope it rides as good as it looks.


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## trek5200cs (May 4, 2006)

Dale said:


> I got myself a 08 madone 5.2 for my birthday and christmas. I hope it rides as good as it looks.


Congrats! I just came from my LBS and checked them out. I didn't test ride, but from everything I've read and heard, the new Madone frame is amazing. I can't dedide whether to pony up the extra $$ for the 5.5 with Dura-ace and Carbon Bontrager crank arms. The rest of the bikes looks about the same as the 5.2 for about a $700 difference. What do you think?

PS: I sort of like the Carbon and white versus the Carbon/Red. But both are really sweet. Anybody care to chime in on the Carbon/White versus Carbon/red color combo?


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## dhtucker4 (Jul 7, 2004)

Black & white go together sort of like oil and water - it's not that cool, in fact it looks terrible... Looks like a damned chessboard. What;s even worse is black and red - so icky, maybe if they put a little bit of white and light blue to give it some depth. Black Carbon & red are even godawful, versus black carbon & white, which are even worse a color combination. I like black carbon & pink (vis-a-vis T-Mobile or Deustche Telekom), black carbon & yellow (as in ONCE), and even black carbon & green. Thin stripes of pink, blue, green, and yellow would be fine. 

But I have found that a carbon fiber bicycle that is all-white doesn't look all that good - especially to clean!


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Dale said:


> I got myself a 08 madone 5.2 for my birthday and christmas. I hope it rides as good as it looks.


Congrats Dale, I think you've got a great bike there. Enjoy it!
(some pics would be nice)


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

trek5200cs said:


> Congrats! I just came from my LBS and checked them out. I didn't test ride, but from everything I've read and heard, the new Madone frame is amazing. I can't dedide whether to pony up the extra $$ for the 5.5 with Dura-ace and Carbon Bontrager crank arms. The rest of the bikes looks about the same as the 5.2 for about a $700 difference. What do you think?
> 
> PS: I sort of like the Carbon and white versus the Carbon/Red. But both are really sweet. Anybody care to chime in on the Carbon/White versus Carbon/red color combo?


I think both color combos are nice, but pressed for a choice I'd go with black/ red. BUT, beyond that, considering they're the same framesets, the 5.2 has Ultegra SL and the difference in weight is about .75 lbs, I'd go for the 5.2 and pocket the $700.


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## 67fb (Jul 30, 2007)

trek5200cs said:


> Congrats! I just came from my LBS and checked them out. I didn't test ride, but from everything I've read and heard, the new Madone frame is amazing. I can't dedide whether to pony up the extra $$ for the 5.5 with Dura-ace and Carbon Bontrager crank arms. The rest of the bikes looks about the same as the 5.2 for about a $700 difference. What do you think?



I've been riding my 5.2 since July and its a great frame. I did test ride the 5.5. IF the 5.5 had a upgraded wheel set over the 5.2, I would have considered it. But the only real difference was Ultegra SL drive train and shifters vs. Dura-Ace. 

Yes the DA rear derailer is better, but the other differences were minimal. Save the $700, buy yourself a carbon handle bar.


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## bupton (May 15, 2006)

I picked up one of the 5.2 Perf's as well and really liked the way it felt. I had to get a slightly longer stem on it, and the taller seat mast (for a 54cm frame) but other than that I was happy. That is until the shop I bought the Trek from decided to put a Seven id8 tha fit me well on sale. I was "forced" to take the Trek back and get the Seven.


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## trek5200cs (May 4, 2006)

Has anyone compared a Trek 5.2 Madone to the Cannondale Synapse SL? I rode a Synapse last year and loved the ride quality and comfort. I am a recreational/fitness rider. Mostly 25-50 mile rides. I never race, and I prefer as much comfort (Trek performance version) as I can get. (Ultimately, I'll have to test ride both bikes to decide how they 'feel' to me. But for my buying dollar ... see below:

I can get an '08 Synapse with Dura-ace Rear deraliuer and Dura-ace front shifters, Kysrium SL Premium wheels for about $300 more than a stock '08 Trek 5.2 Madone with all Ultegra, and the basic Bontrager Race Lite wheels.

Or comparing stock bike to stock bike, the Cannondale Synapse SL3 has Ultegra everywhere with Dura-ace rear Deralieur, Kysrium Elite Equippe wheels for $500 less than a stock Trek Madone 5.2

Is the Trek 5.2 Madone that much better? The Cannondale is spec'd a bit nicer for less money. Thanks for your input.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

The Madone frame is 20 years ahead of the others in terms of design and quality (that's a slight exaggeration, but you get the idea) read up on it. The BB design, the headset, the seatmast design. Everything about the frame has a purpose that makes sense. Try not to think of them as Ultegra bikes or DA bikes and whatnot. The 5.2 Performance comes out of the box @ 16.4lbs! There are not many sub $5k bikes that can say that. Try to ride one if you can. You will be amazed.


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## trek5200cs (May 4, 2006)

Thanks DavidKa ...I plan to test ride the new Madone 5.2 Performance this weekend if I get a chance. If not, next week sometime will do. I look forward to it. Looking at the frame, the tube shapes, ... it's a thing of beauty. Wow. Love it. But the whole bike has to 'feel' right and fit my recreational/fitness/50 year old sensibilities.


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## rboseley (Sep 28, 2007)

OR - go with the 5.2 Pro. Beautiful Blue, Black, Silver. All Ultegra SL. As for comport, 99% of dealer would point me to the perf - however I smiply don't know how a bike could be more comfortable that the Pro. I already had a set of Bonty Aeolus 5.0 wheels - which do not add to comfort, but make no mistake they add to performance. Especially in holding that top sprent speed LONGER. Not a fan of sloping top bar, but the Pro build slope is very acceptable.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

The two differences between a Pro and a Performance version of the Madones is 30mm of head tube height (Pros are exactly the same heights as the previous versions of Madones per size) and Compact chainring cranks (Pros have standard 53-39 rings). The ride quality between the frames is identical, the Performance just allows for a higher hand position for either comfort or matching proportions of riders with long legs/short torsos. It could be looked at as the whole run of frames being available in "regular" and "tall" sizes, like designer suits.


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## bupton (May 15, 2006)

I will second the recomendation to ride the 5.2. As I said earlier, I took one home for a few days and REALLY liked it. The ride was very nice; smooth, quick/stiff where it counts and really comfortable at the same time. And I thought the black/white colour combo looked the buisiness as well! Only reason I took it back was that I got a hell of a deal on my Seven.


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