# 2006 Trek Madone SL 5.2 Questions (Determining Frame Size, Bike Setup)



## MrDomino (Dec 30, 2008)

I'll be short. I just bought a 2006 Trek Madone SL 5.2 off a lady in California. She said the frame size was 52cm. Now I've been riding it around the block just to get the feel of it and the geometry felt a little wonky but I figured I'd get used to it.

However I was looking at the geometry paper provided by my LBS when they set it up for my body measurements and it looks like they plugged the bike in as a Trek 5200 Size 50. 

Which leads me to my questions.
1) I'd like to verify that the bike is a 52cm frame. Where do I measure from.
2) Do you think the fact that a Trek 5200 Size 50 is written on the geometry paper is worth taking the bike back to the LBS? I don't know if the frames are the same or what. I'm probably going to go back in a few days anyways to get some tubes and stuff.

Thanks for the help!


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

MrDomino said:


> I'll be short. I just bought a 2006 Trek Madone SL 5.2 off a lady in California. She said the frame size was 52cm. Now I've been riding it around the block just to get the feel of it and the geometry felt a little wonky but I figured I'd get used to it.
> 
> However I was looking at the geometry paper provided by my LBS when they set it up for my body measurements and it looks like they plugged the bike in as a Trek 5200 Size 50.
> 
> ...


Go to this link and the fifth question down answers #1.
http://www.trekbikes.com/faq/categories.php?categoryid=15

No way to know the answer to #2 because you don't know how the LBS measured, but it's irrelevant because if you measure as Trek describes, you'll know you framesize.


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## MrDomino (Dec 30, 2008)

PJ352 said:


> Go to this link and the fifth question down answers #1.
> http://www.trekbikes.com/faq/categories.php?categoryid=15
> 
> No way to know the answer to #2 because you don't know how the LBS measured, but it's irrelevant because if you measure as Trek describes, you'll know you framesize.


Ok, thanks. 

In regards to #2- it's the dimensions they used to adjust the seat, handlebars, etc. not the frame size for the bike. I'm thinking that if they used the wrong bike and size as the model that the dimensions for the seat and handlebars may be a little bit off.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

MrDomino said:


> Ok, thanks.
> 
> In regards to #2- it's the dimensions they used to adjust the seat, handlebars, etc. not the frame size for the bike. I'm thinking that if they used the wrong bike and size as the model that the dimensions for the seat and handlebars may be a little bit off.


Ah, gotcha. Trek prides itself on its geo as well as OCLV process, to the extent that even the new Madones share the same geo, so I think your LBS was safe in using the 5200 as a guide. 

As far as them saying it's a 50cm frame, you'll know the answer to that once you measure, but if you're comfortable on the bike and the minimum insertion mark isn't visible on the seat post, it's your size!


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

No way I can tell if the bike fits you, but here's the geometry chart for these bikes. The nominal (sticker) size is the dimension labeled "SIZE" (center of bottom bracket to the very top edge of the seat tube).


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## MrDomino (Dec 30, 2008)

Thanks for the help. I just found out that I bought a 50cm which was advertised as a 52cm on Craigslist. 

%#(*% I hate this.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*L o n g bike.*

You may be able to make it work. Note that the effective top tube for the 50 cm is 52.6 cm long, which is quite long for this size bike. The problem is the vertical size—that nominal 50 cm bike is only 47.5 cm center-to-center. But if you can deal with a large saddle-to-handlebar drop and have a long upper body in relation to your leg length, it may just be OK.


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## MrDomino (Dec 30, 2008)

wim said:


> You may be able to make it work. Note that the effective top tube for the 50 cm is 52.6 cm long, which is quite long for this size bike. The problem is the vertical size—that nominal 50 cm bike is only 47.5 cm center-to-center. But if you can deal with a large saddle-to-handlebar drop and have a long upper body in relation to your leg length, it may just be OK.


I know I may be able to make it work but in actuality I spent the money to get fitted and just spent $1500 on a bike so I kind of expect it to be the correct size. I'm going to talk to the lady tonight and see about sending it back to her but in the event that I get screwed then I'll have the bike shop kind of tweak it. 

I took it for a test ride and it really felt like the seat wasn't far enough back and my legs couldn't fully extend. It just didn't feel as good as my friend's 52cm 1.5 that I was borrowing.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

MrDomino said:


> I took it for a test ride and it really felt like the seat wasn't far enough back and my legs couldn't fully extend. It just didn't feel as good as my friend's 52cm 1.5 that I was borrowing.


Well, I don't think you can blame the frame size for lack of leg extension—just pull the seat post out some more. And if by "fully extend" you mean a straight leg, that's not what you want anyhow. Most people do best with their knees slightly bent at crank bottom dead center.

But yes, if the bar drop is too much, or the bike is horizontally too short for you, I agree that you should send it back and get reimbursed.


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## MrDomino (Dec 30, 2008)

Thanks for the chart by the way. I didn't know that all Madones were the same geometry so I was trying to find one for the '06 models.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Keep in mind that all these geometry numbers changed when the 'new' Madone (2007?) came out—the one with the seat mast and the 90 mm bottom bracket shell.


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## MrDomino (Dec 30, 2008)

wim said:


> Keep in mind that all these geometry numbers changed when the 'new' Madone (2007?) came out—the one with the seat mast and the 90 mm bottom bracket shell.


Ok so when I got fit over winter it's likely that they plugged me into an '09 model. So if I'm looking at an '08 or possibly an '07 I can fit on all 52cms? 

Actually I just checked some pictures on the internets and it looks like they added the seat mast thing on the '08 models. So '06 and '07 are the same and '08 and '09 are the same. Sound correct?


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Correct on the '08 being the first new Madone. Trek started hyping them in mid-'07, hence my (incorrect) 2007 guess.

The new Madones from the 5.2 on come in two versions—Pro fit and Performance fit. The Performance fit has a longer headtube, giving you a slightly higher handlebar position (less saddle-to-bar drop). The new 52 should fit like the old 52 other than a very slight shortening of the so-called effective top tube length for a given size.

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