# Trek Madone head tube length pro/cons



## acid_rider (Nov 23, 2004)

Hello

I am curious what advantages and disdvantages a Trek Madone 5.x frame has over other makers frames as far as its relatively short head tube length goes?

I notice that frames by others in Pro-Tour like (for example) Specialized, Look, Colnago, Giant etc tend to have somewhat longer/higher top tubes for the same given frame size as compared to Madone frames. So Madone pro-riders tend to use more stem spacers than other teams. I presume Trek thinks this gives them an advantage or is it just "the look" only?


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## JRS (Jul 30, 2005)

*Steerer tube material is critical!*

I just bought a Madone and, you are right, the head tube is shorter than others of the same frame size. This is not a problem at all if you use the Trek forks since the top of their steerer tube is aluminum and is plenty stiff (must be a Lance thing). I am 187 pounds and just noticed recently on my previous bike with a very long head tube that i was getting a ton of flex from the carbon steerer tube on my Reynolds Ouzo-pro fork. Even with the spacers and longer extension, the Trek fork with aluminum steerer is much stiffer. Carbon steerer tubes are amazingly flexy on the other hand.

Hope this helps.

Jeff


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