# My Trek Madone 6.5ssl pictures



## tellico climber (Aug 14, 2006)

Hopefully this will work. I could not get pictures hosted through rbr. The steerer tube will get cut soon and stem probably flipped later.

https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/trekmadone/th_HPIM0164.jpg


https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/trekmadone/th_HPIM0150.jpg

https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/trekmadone/th_HPIM0153.jpg

https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/trekmadone/th_HPIM0155.jpg

https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/trekmadone/th_HPIM0162.jpg

https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/trekmadone/th_HPIM0158.jpg


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## tellico climber (Aug 14, 2006)

*Larger pictures now*

[/URL}

[URL="https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/trekmadone/HPIM0150.jpg"]https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/trekmadone/HPIM0150.jpg

https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/trekmadone/HPIM0164.jpg

https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/trekmadone/HPIM0162.jpg


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## tellico climber (Aug 14, 2006)

*more madone pictures*

Yeah, I finally got it right.


https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/trekmadone/HPIM0158.jpg


https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/trekmadone/HPIM0153.jpg


https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/trekmadone/HPIM0155.jpg


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## chrislh (Oct 2, 2005)

looking good!!


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## azuredrptp (Feb 8, 2006)

Sweet looking bike! I'm liking the white saddle and bartape.

Is the 6.5 the same military grade cf as the 6.9?


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## Daddy yo yo (Apr 2, 2005)

that's my personal number 2, just behind my ssl 6.9!!!  very nice bike! however, what i do not like are those rising stems that us-bike-riders have on their bikes. you'd never see such stems in europe. i mean, with such stems, you simply don't have that road bike typical horizontal drop between saddle and bar, so where's the point? what size is your bike? 62cm?


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## tellico climber (Aug 14, 2006)

yes, it is a 62cm frame. The 6.5 frame is the exact same frame as the 6.9. The only differences between the 2 bikes is the carbon seat and carbon clincher wheels on the 6.9. I am going to flip the stem so it will be flat. This will give me about 3 inches of drop. I have just been experimenting with it now due to the fact the frame is larger size than I rode before. thanks


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## floresb (Aug 29, 2005)

*Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

Very nice set-up! I wish you many enjoyable miles:thumbsup:


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## fillmore (Apr 2, 2005)

When you get some miles on it tell us how it rides. I'm a fan of Treks and if I were getting one this year, the 6.5SSL is the one I'd get. Nice to see Trek has toned down on the Trek stickers. I've lost count how many are plastered on my Trek. Enjoy the ride.


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## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

tellico climber,

What a beauty. For an unknown reason I really like black and white bikes, and yours is easily one of the nicest.

Congratulations,
Tshirt


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## tellico climber (Aug 14, 2006)

*reply and riding impressions*



T-shirt said:


> tellico climber,
> 
> What a beauty. For an unknown reason I really like black and white bikes, and yours is easily one of the nicest.
> 
> ...



Thanks, I also decided I liked the simplicity of the black and white on this bike. The madone tubing is also more traditional looking compared to a lot of high end carbon bikes these days. I think a lot of the radical looking tubing put out by some companies will begin to look somewhat silly over time.

I now have about 160 miles on this bike and am liking it more with each mile. I have really tried to factor out the new bike effect to remain objective while comparing this bike to my 04 5200. My impressions are as follows,

1. feels like a feather underneath you.
2. Bike accelerates,sprints very well, significant improvement over 5200
3. Out of the saddle climbing is unbelievable. In saddle climbling better than 5200
4. Dura ace shifters are more crisp than ultegra on my 5200. I had just replaced cable and housing on 5200 so I feel it is a fair comparison
5. Paint finish on this bike is excellent, better than 5200
6. Front end and bottom bracket stiffness is greatly improved.
7. Descends faster. Yesterday on a 6 mile descent I was descending at 45mph vs 43mph on 5200. I dont brake on these sections on either bike. I dont understand this. Possible the race x lite wheels roll better?

I know this is subjective and could be due to rider input but I have been faster on each ride I have done with this bike. Yesterday I did at 60 mile ride that had 4300ft elevation gain with one climb that gains about 3000ft vertical rise. On this ride I cut 13 minutes off my previous best time. When I put a strong effort into bike this bike gives a greater response than other bikes I have ridden.

The only thing this bike does not do as well as the 5200 is absorb road shock. The 5200 was remarkable at doing this. The SSL is still a smooth riding bike and takes out most road buzz it is just not as good at absorbing hard edged pavement anomolies as the 5200The SSL is still far smoother than past AL bikes I had and plenty smooth enough for century rides. I feel it is a worthy tradeoff considering the bike responsiveness elsewhere.

I know I have a case of new bike bias but feel these are objective observations.

Thanks to all of you for your past and future replies.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

tellico climber said:


> Thanks, I also decided I liked the simplicity of the black and white on this bike. The madone tubing is also more traditional looking compared to a lot of high end carbon bikes these days. I think a lot of the radical looking tubing put out by some companies will begin to look somewhat silly over time.
> 
> I now have about 160 miles on this bike and am liking it more with each mile. I have really tried to factor out the new bike effect to remain objective while comparing this bike to my 04 5200. My impressions are as follows,
> 
> ...



I wonder how it compares to my SSL 5.9 :idea:


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## Fast Old Gy (Feb 28, 2007)

*Just Over 9000 on my 6.5 SSL*

Just Over 9,000 klm logged on my 6.5 SSL

What a responsive ride, I just couldn' put it away at the end of the year and ride my trianing bike. I changed the wheels to Bontrager XXX carbon tubulars with Contie GP 4000 for race and Time Trials. I also use a set of Lightning Stryke TT bars. Other than that the bike is stock. With a Polar 200 with cadance, Durace pedals and Bontrager carbon cages the bike wiehs 14.93 kilomgrams with the new wheels and tires on.
The 6.5 brought me to a whole new level with 8 medel finishes in my age group. Two golds, Six Silver and Two Bronze. I am 55 and will race in ST. George Utah with this bike next year.
In the Crit's the stiffness off the hop gets you up to 60 klm per hour so quick I was able to stay witht he young riders in the front and take it home at the end for Gold.
With just a touch of pressure on the hoods I was saved numerous occasions during high speed rides and races. I just couldn't get over how nibble and quick the bike responded under pressure.
I improved my TT times by leaps and bounds. I used to hate TT, now I can't wait for then next one. So much so I just ordered a 2008 TTX 9.9 for next season.
My old ride was no slouch either, it was a 2002 5200 frame with full Durace 10 speed group and Bontrager X lite wheels. So comparison is close the only difereace was the frame and what a difference that made in feel.


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