# 2012 Trek Madone 5.2 with extras--going to check it out tomorrow



## Porschefan (Nov 12, 2011)

Here's a tempting upgrade possibility that I ran across a couple of days ago.

"_*This is the 2012 model of the TREK Madone with many upgrades. It's a 56cm size with Reynolds carbon fiber Attack wheels set (I do not have the original wheels), Aero bars and so much more! It has a Garmin GPS integrated into the bike for monitoring cadence, distance, elevation and time. 

I will throw in Dual bottle holder with CO2 cassette holder and CO2 air adapter, Blackburn Bottle holder (Carbon). . .. . .. . .. . .. More if interested you should contact me and take a look.. Im pretty much giving this gem away!*_"

I'm going to take a look at it tomorrow afternoon. Seller says he is a very experienced rider with a lot of fitting know-how and also has no problem in taking the the bike to my LBS. So, assuming the fit is good and there aren't any condition problems, are there any gotcha's, especially associated with the Attack carbon wheels? 

I don't need the aero bars and would probably sell those, if they are worth anything. Ditto with the Garmin, which appears to be an Edge 500 or maybe 510. I already have one of those.

Also I'm not sure whether it's an H2 or H3 model--I'll attach a picture and maybe someone more experienced can tell me. I'm thinking it's probably an H2. 

I may go over to the Trek store also and compare one of the 56 cm to a 58. I'm sure one of those two sizes would be what would fit me. And maybe get a feel for the difference between H2/H3.

This would be an upgrade to my $500 Fuji.

TIA.

STP


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Kind of a boring bike for me. You do get a bunch of carbon bits, which are higher-status. I'm glad you'd bin the aero bars; they're an abomination on a massed start bike.

Everything about it is higher-status. Are you excited about it? Do you want a black bike? What do you think it's going to change about your riding?


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Come to think of it, definitely less interesting and less cool factor than a Bianchi. Didn't that have a Campy drivetrain, too? Functionally, I really like Shimano, but your Fuji already has Shimano 105, IIRC. An excellent group.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

JMO, but I'd take everything the seller offers with a grain of salt. 

If you're interested in the bike and are confident it's sized correctly for you, bring it to your LBS for mechanical and fit assessment and ask a ball park on the bikes value. 

Maybe more importantly, keep in mind that used CF comes with no warranty, and can hide internal defects. Unless your LBS has a thermal imaging camera (or similar) that essentially x-rays the frame and fork, they can't guarantee its integrity. 

Personally, if I were buying used, I'd stay with alu and steel frames. Much easier to see and assess what you're buying.


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## mpre53 (Oct 25, 2011)

By "Garmin integrated into the bike" I'm assuming that he means that it has a Bontrager Duo-Trap sensor installed in the left seat stay. To me, it looks like he has a Garmin 500 on the standard mount set up on the top tube. Where you have to look down to see it. Most people have them set up on the stem.

Looks like the guy rode with the saddle pointed down at a hellish angle, too.


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## Porschefan (Nov 12, 2011)

Thanks for the inputs.

Andrew--I agree that the Bianchi was much cooler. But bottom line is that it's too small and the crankset (and probably the cassette) need changing too. So it's not cool ENOUGH!

PJ--good points on the risk of used CF. Last time I went through this, as you recall, I was entranced by a LeMond steel bike, so I'm certainly open to something like that. In fact, I'll attach a CL link for a Lynskey R340 that has some real appeal--but I suspect it's a real racer-oriented geo--don't have any data on that yet. May go see it.

mpr35--not sure. I do see the Edge 500 (or 510) strapped to the top tube. Since he makes a point of saying "built into" the bike, I guess the cadence sensor is as you describe.

I will still go see it tomorrow, but after my afternoon visit to the Trek store, I'm not at all confident that a 56 cm Trek is suitable for me. Warning--here comes another longish description of "newbie at the bike store." Andrew you may want to tune out now. 

I drove over to the Trek "Superstore" here in ABQ and was helped by a real nice guy who turned out to be the general manager of the store--so I assume he knows what he's doing. I wanted to find out whether I was a 56 or 58 cm guy and whether the Madone geo was a go/no go for me. He was very helpful, although at first he thought he was 6'2" and would need a 60 cm--which was his size. I think my hiking shoes might have push me up an inch or two, 'cause I'm 6' almost exactly and haven't had a growth spurt for about 50 years. After chatting for awhile, he suggested we just go over to their "Guru Fit" machine and just try some things out. I'd never seen anything like it, but it's a bike "jig" for lack of a better term, that's hooked to a computer that has all the geometry for all the Trek bikes stored as programs. Once you pick a model and size, there are additional controls that allow the fitter to adjust seat height, stem length, etc., etc. so you can fine tune (to a degree) a basic fit. So we tried Madone and Domane in 56, 58 and 60 cm sizes. After about 1/2 hour of pedaling away, I would say it was fairly apparent that if I were to buy a bike based on this (incomplete) data, I would definitely choose a 58 cm Domane. And after experiencing the feel of a 56 cm Madone, I don't have much/any hope that this particular bike is going to be a fit. If it did fit, I think it would be a pretty good deal, financially speaking.

Here's a link to the Lynskey R340 Ti bike on CL. It's more expensive @ $2,500. Although it's listed as a 58 cm I haven't found any real information on what that means. From what I have discovered, it's definitely a racer-oriented frame too. But I may go see and ride it just for the experience. I like the looks a lot although the bar tape has to go.

There's also a Litespeed Ti bike with full Campy Record drivetrain, but it's too small to consider.

One last thing--hoping you can take a look at this PJ--I'll attach the frame geo chart for the Domane. Maybe you can give me a clue as to why the Fuji just doesn't feel as "right" as the pseudo-Domane did? BTW, at this point I'm very open to your suggestion about possibly finding a good deal on a new bike--there was a Domane 4.0, 2013 model, with Tiagra, on sale for $1,600. That includes a full "premium" fit. Definitely doesn't have any real "cool" factor, but based on today's experience it would probably be better than the Fuji. Or not.

Meanderings over for now.

STP


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Re: the Lynskey R340, I'm not intimately familiar with their lineup, but believe the R350 has replaced it. If so, and if the geo has pretty much carried over, I don't think you'll be gaining much (if anything) over the Fuji. It's still a race oriented bike with the requisite shortish HTL.



Porschefan said:


> One last thing--hoping you can take a look at this PJ--I'll attach the frame geo chart for the Domane. Maybe you can give me a clue as to why the Fuji just doesn't feel as "right" as the pseudo-Domane did?


There are a couple of reasons for this. First, I suspect the Fuji isn't set up optimally for you. Second, I don't think the geo (particularly stack, or HTL) is optimal for your anatomy - or at least current flexibility.

Next, from your description, it sounds like this "fit machine" is similar to Serotta's size cycle, where the fitter can basically dial in your fit, approximating your reach and saddle to bar drop requirements. 

That, in conjunction with the fact that the 58CM Domane has a 5CM taller HTL (HUGE difference from the Fuji) could well account for the "fits right" feel. 



Porschefan said:


> BTW, at this point I'm very open to your suggestion about possibly finding a good deal on a new bike--there was a Domane 4.0, 2013 model, with Tiagra, on sale for $1,600. That includes a full "premium" fit. Definitely doesn't have any real "cool" factor, but based on today's experience it would probably be better than the Fuji. Or not.
> STP


Honestly, I think you could do far worse. Work with the fitter on dialing in your fit on that $1600 Domane and if you still have that "fits right" feel after a test ride, consider it. 

I understand the bling (or cool) factor re: bikes, but if you stay with this, there WILL be a next bike in your future. So for now, you'll be getting a quality bike that fits and will serve you well for years (if you so desire). All the while, you could be searching out that hi-bling, Campy equipped wunder bike. :wink5:


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

One of my friends has a guru sizing bike in his garage. Pretty much the same deal as the Serotta one.

OP, why not get on the waiting list for a custom? A lot of the manufacturers only take their race bikes seriously. If that design approach doesn't work for you, it's going to be that much harder to find a cool bike that's also the right ride and geometry for you. Get on a wait list that's a year long and get your Fuji properly fit to you and by the time your name comes up, you should have a relatively stable fit and a stronger idea of what you really want from a bike and if you're ready to spend that kind of money on a frame. You also get to choose everything in the build.

My mother in law bought me this book for Christmas.
http://www.amazon.com/Its-All-About-Bike-Happiness/dp/1608195759#

I feel kind of mixed about it. I like that now that I have some bikes that are very reliable, I can just go riding. But he really commits to putting together his own perfect bike, and I enjoy what happens when people commit to really doing something well. Which actually is also my message to you - if you want a cool bike, don't be lukewarm about it. Every lawyer and dentist rides a Madone and Trek has been diluting the marque like crazy lately. Really commit.


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## Porschefan (Nov 12, 2011)

AndrwSwitch said:


> One of my friends has a guru sizing bike in his garage. Pretty much the same deal as the Serotta one.
> 
> OP, why not get on the waiting list for a custom? A lot of the manufacturers only take their race bikes seriously. If that design approach doesn't work for you, it's going to be that much harder to find a cool bike that's also the right ride and geometry for you. Get on a wait list that's a year long and get your Fuji properly fit to you and by the time your name comes up, you should have a relatively stable fit and a stronger idea of what you really want from a bike and if you're ready to spend that kind of money on a frame. You also get to choose everything in the build.
> 
> ...


Hi Andrew,

Thanks for the comments. It's something to consider for sure. To solve the present problem--getting something that fits better than the Fuji, I'm leaning towards watching for a hot deal on something like a new Domane or Roubaix. My Specialized LBS also sells Scott's and one the guys there says they have some offerings worth checking out too. I'm also checking on what might be done to the Fuji to improve its fit. 

I actually read "It's All About the Bike," a couple of years ago and enjoyed it tremendously. In fact, I just went over and ordered a used copy so I can read it again--thanks for the reminder! I thought the section on the custom frame builder was especially great and, of course, was the essential ingredient in creating his ideal bike. Of course, I don't have the years of experience that Mr. Penn had, so I'm not in any real position to know what I would need/want/like--yet.

My major commitment, at this point, is to get as healthy and fit as I can. I'm hoping that cycling will be an integral part of the endeavor. If it does, and I progress on the cycling path, I could definitely see getting something unique/custom at some point--it's a good idea!

I'm supposed to get my first fitness and bike assessment at the local cycling studio (P2M Cycling). I'm hoping they might have some opinion about whether the Fuji even can be tweaked to fit better. They are also working up an overall training program and some nutrition stuff too. I'm not their typical client, but I was referred to them by another pro trainer in town, who knows my physical situation.


STP


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## Porschefan (Nov 12, 2011)

PJ352 said:


> Re: the Lynskey R340, I'm not intimately familiar with their lineup, but believe the R350 has replaced it. If so, and if the geo has pretty much carried over, I don't think you'll be gaining much (if anything) over the Fuji. It's still a race oriented bike with the requisite shortish HTL.
> 
> 
> There are a couple of reasons for this. First, I suspect the Fuji isn't set up optimally for you. Second, I don't think the geo (particularly stack, or HTL) is optimal for your anatomy - or at least current flexibility.
> ...



Thanks, PJ. Excellent analysis and advice--as always.

STP


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Computrainers are really cool. A little outside my price range, but I did a fair amount of work on them in the off-season before I moved. It's really interesting to experience what a steady-state effort really feels like, and it's really hard to do that without power feedback. Having someone who knows what he's doing write you a plan should help too. Whether it surprises you or it's just what you expected and refused to do, paying someone for advice confers a sense of authority that I think makes it easier to at least try following.

Getting another fit on the Fuji will probably help a lot. From your other posts, it sounds like the last guy just gave up on it, and also like it's competitive with about a $1500 bike. Which can be a good thing to remember with bikes bought secondhand, on closeout, from a team form, whatever. We're sometimes too dismissive of things we get good deals on. I was shocked when I found out what my favorite mountain bike tires go for, and the price tag on the tires on my track bike is pretty ridiculous too, something it can be good to remember when making comparisons or guesstimating costs for things.


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## Porschefan (Nov 12, 2011)

AndrwSwitch said:


> Computrainers are really cool. A little outside my price range, but I did a fair amount of work on them in the off-season before I moved. It's really interesting to experience what a steady-state effort really feels like, and it's really hard to do that without power feedback. Having someone who knows what he's doing write you a plan should help too. Whether it surprises you or it's just what you expected and refused to do, paying someone for advice confers a sense of authority that I think makes it easier to at least try following.


I'm in a position where I know I NEED good advice--I don't want to repeat my previous experience. All the doctors I've consulted seem to be entirely focused on drugs as therapy and don't have much of a clue (or interest) in fitness/training as a therapy and/or discipline. I'm on Medicare, so in some respects, this is probably an example of "you get what you pay for"! The realization that I didn't really know what I was doing led me to reading some on the science of training, which led to consulting a trainer here, which led to the P2M guys. They are much more reasonable that I expected--for about $45/week, I get a custom made plan which will be monitored and it includes one session per week at their bike training facility. I'm really looking forward to it and I certainly hope they know what they are doing--and I'm pretty confident they do. BTW, the best book I've found (so far) is "Training for the New Alpinism." It's a new publication and the first three chapters cover the physiology of training. It was a BIG eye-opener and it's a very well-written and gorgeous book.



> Getting another fit on the Fuji will probably help a lot. From your other posts, it sounds like the last guy just gave up on it, and also like it's competitive with about a $1500 bike. Which can be a good thing to remember with bikes bought secondhand, on closeout, from a team form, whatever. We're sometimes too dismissive of things we get good deals on. I was shocked when I found out what my favorite mountain bike tires go for, and the price tag on the tires on my track bike is pretty ridiculous too, something it can be good to remember when making comparisons or guesstimating costs for things.


Yes, the Fuji (2010 model) was about $1,500 (MSRP) new according to what I have found out. It's certainly not a BAD bike by any means, and there's a strong possibility I might end up keeping it for awhile. Here's the Bicycle Blue Book page for it. . My bike looks exactly like the picture. Present value for "good" condition is $538. As far as the last fitter "giving up" on the fit--it was at my direction because at 235 lbs. the way the fit was heading--some really goofy stem, pointing skyward, just didn't appeal. So I just decided to see if I could work my way into a "fit." I'm closer than I was and I can ride the Fuji for 45 minutes to an hour and not feel terrible or anything--I just feel a little too stretched out and a little uncomfortable.

The Trek store has a demo Domane 58cm that I can have for 72 hours for $50, applicable to any bike purchased withing a certain time period. I think I will do that just for the experience of a little more extended time on a different bike.

I (obviously) enjoy the process of hunting for a bike, so I'm having a fine time. I do realize that others might find my process a little tedious or perhaps foolish, but I appreciate the feedback as well as the opportunity to "talk" about bikes.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

mpre53 said:


> By "Garmin integrated into the bike" I'm assuming that he means that it has a Bontrager Duo-Trap sensor installed in the left seat stay. To me, it looks like he has a Garmin 500 on the standard mount set up on the top tube. Where you have to look down to see it. Most people have them set up on the stem.
> 
> Looks like the guy rode with the *saddle pointed down at a hellish angle, too*.


How so? Looks damn close to level to me.


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