# red or black carbon?



## smokey0066 (Mar 6, 2006)

Just curious if there is a noticable difference in the ride between the two carbons. I'm asking of course because I'm trying to decide between the two. I haven't riden either one since its still snowing here but once it clears up I will try them both. Just wanted to get an idea of what I should expect...


----------



## lookrider (Dec 3, 2006)

smokey0066 said:


> Just curious if there is a noticable difference in the ride between the two carbons. I'm asking of course because I'm trying to decide between the two. I haven't riden either one since its still snowing here but once it clears up I will try them both. Just wanted to get an idea of what I should expect...


Cyclingnews has reviews on the 5.2 and 6.9 I believe, I don't think they could tell a difference.


----------



## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

smokey0066 said:


> Just curious if there is a noticable difference in the ride between the two carbons. I'm asking of course because I'm trying to decide between the two. I haven't riden either one since its still snowing here but once it clears up I will try them both. Just wanted to get an idea of what I should expect...


Do a search here in this subforum, there is another thread that was pretty long about red v. black. (I am too lazy to look it up right now)

My impression and I have ridden both extensively was very much like what cyclingnews did in their review.

My impressions touched on two points:

1) I felt and still feel that the black rides just like the red. In cyclingnews.com's review, they appear to have confirmation from Scott Daubert that the two were designed to be identical. In other words the two frames are identical in ride, but for the slight weight penalty in the black frame.

2) That being said, the lighter red gives you just that shade more road feel, most likely due to it lowered inertia. Now this is very subtle, but as I have ridden them both more in the last couple of weeks, It is also very real. ( I have 3 months on my Red frame, and for the last two weeks have taken a 5.2 out on several 40+ mile rides, the other guy gets to ride my 6.5) Riding the two side by side, you can feel the diff; but after a couple of miles on either, it goes away. So the difference is really only perceptible in a side by side comparison, and not over any other significant criteria.

Disclosure: I have a 6.5Pro and I love it. I would be just as happy with an equally outfil 5.2 or 5.5. Indeed, the smart money is on either of the 5.x series. I think either the 5.2 or the 5.5 Pros are awesome top of the line frames, and IMHO Trek with the black and red frames have the two best carbon frame/forks in the industry today.

Of course all is for naught, if you don't like the ride or the feel or the fit. So absolutely test one out. Doesn't matter which.

Conclusion: Were you to test ride a black and liked it, you would be thrilled with a red. And the converse is equally true: Were you to test ride a red, and like it, you would be thrilled with a black.

HTH
zac


----------



## tg3895 (Mar 14, 2006)

Ditto on what Zac stated. 

Here is an excerpt from the Cyclingnews article:

*The top-end OCLV Red Series frame accounts for 120g of the difference and the carbon-steerered fork another 90g. *

Here is the article itself: 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2008/reviews/trek_madone6908

Good luck in your choice.


----------

