# Trek vs Giant and Dura-Ace vs Sram Red.



## Toothpick13 (Oct 5, 2008)

I am having trouble choosing between 2 bikes. A giant tcr advanced SL 2 or the trek madone 5.5 or 5.2 (all 09). Is it possible to get dura-ace 7900 (the new one) for both of the because giant has ultegra and the 5.5 has sram force. Also I've heard mised reviews about sram red so I was wondering what you had to say.


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## Ray_from_SA (Jun 15, 2005)

Based on my experience with Giant's after sales support (read: cracked frame - refused to replace), I would point you to Trek on that basis alone - I've never had any hassle with Trek support.


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## Getoutandride (Sep 1, 2008)

trek by far, and im not biased either i ride neither


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## WhiskeyNovember (May 31, 2003)

Have you ridden both bikes? If not, you really need to do so.


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## mtbbmet (Apr 2, 2005)

Both are great bikes.
I have owned about a dozen Giants over the years and have had to warranty a carbon hard tail that may have had a crack. It could have just been chips in the clear coat, but they sent out a new frame the next day without even seeing the frame in person. They went off of the LBS's opinion. They even offered to upgrade me to an NRS C1 for free.
So I take issue with Giant not being good to deal with.
In terms of groupo's, Red is junk. Sure it's light, but it works about as well as 105. Maybe. DA is much, much better than Red, especially 7900. It ain't even close.


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## Toothpick13 (Oct 5, 2008)

Can you switch Sram Force for Dura-Ace on the madone 5.5 or does it come with it without using project one?


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

Toothpick13 said:


> Can you switch Sram Force for Dura-Ace on the madone 5.5 or does it come with it without using project one?


You need to use Project One. But there is no price penalty for doing so. From what I understand, your LBS will use P1 from now on, when you spec a build that is different from the stock offering. This is pretty cool actually because there are several more paint options available from the primary stock option at no additional cost. Mind you not the full P1 paint schemes (those are extra) but you are no longer limited to 1 or 2 paint options.

Just visit the trekbikes (not the P1 site) and select your stock bike: Then click on the P1 icon at the bottom and customize away! 

EDIT: of course I should add, that switching components may involve a price increase. But you can get an OCLV Red frame with Ultegra and nice wheels too, for less than a stock 6.5Pro. For what it is worth, I just built a 6.5Pro for $3818 if you don't care about wheels, and we all have extra wheels right, can't say that is too shabby.

2d EDIT the $3818 6.5Pro is really curious because I cannot build a 5.5Pro with the exact same options for less, in fact it is $3893! Off to try a 5.2Pro to see what happens (Exact same frame...who knows): ... Back... It's the same $3893. So lesson to be learned...Start with a more expensive frame and build it down. Maybe I should delete this post and and not alert Trek to the price bonus for going with the OCLV Red frame over the Black frame on P1....Back again FWIW, a 5.2Pro built up to the same specs as a stock 6.5Pro is $6825 and a stock 6.5Pro is $6930. Pays to shop!

HTH
zac


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## Toothpick13 (Oct 5, 2008)

Zipps or Aelious?


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## Toothpick13 (Oct 5, 2008)

Ya that's true. I can only get it to work for the 6 series for P1 even doing it the way u say how can u get it to work. Also i've been looking at zipp 404's which might be good to do and get cheap wheels like a 6.5


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

I would have voted 7900 but it is too expensive right now. I haven't ridden SRAM. Don't listen to my opinion, it is steeped in personal taste.


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## mbaulfinger (Aug 2, 2007)

Wondering if the price difference between 7800 and 7900 is worth it? Anybody here ridden both and have an opinion? or have seen a review somewhere? Thanks.


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

Yes, different. The shifting is much more subtle. Is it worth the extra $1000? Not when you can get a complete 7800 group for less than Ultegra.


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

The nice thing about the 7900 is that it auto trims because it knows when you are cross chaining... Wish they had that on the mechanical models.


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