# Just ordered a Trek Belleville



## lazyrack (Apr 19, 2004)

I just put in an order for a Trek Belleville (non-mixte version) over at Trek San Jose. They had a no-tax deal going today so I ended up with a final price of $596.

This is a very new model so it'll take about 1-2 weeks to arrive and I've never ridden it or actually seen one in real life so I'm hoping it lives up to my expectations. The bike uses a Shimano Nexus 3-speed hub and has racks/lights pre-installed.

Once I get the bike I'll post a ride report and compare it to my Schwinn Coffee and my old Trek 400.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Looks like it'll make a good commuter.


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## commutenow (Sep 26, 2004)

Wow it has a pretty color scheme.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

THey've done a really nice job with that series.

I really like the fact that it looks like a bike. And that it would be at home on any city street form the last 60 years, and probably for the next 60 as well. Timeless.

can't wait to hear how it rides.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Looks good. I'll just wait for the report.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

That's really nice. Looking forward to the ride report.


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## hepcatbent (Aug 19, 2009)

Timeless design. Great description! I like it.


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## Tweezak (Dec 6, 2008)

I like the old school Trek badge on the seat tube.


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

Very cool, but the front fender is fifty percent useless because it's too short.


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## shimano4 (Aug 21, 2008)

rcnute said:


> Very cool, but the front fender is fifty percent useless because it's too short.


 Are u sure what u are saying? Front wheel splash up only occurs on rear section of the front wheel.

I gives u a example of fender guard area . Take alook at Trek Portland and u will know what I mean

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/urban/portland/portland/


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

rcnute said:


> Very cool, but the front fender is fifty percent useless because it's too short.


Still a lot better than no fender and it looks short enough not to interfere when you put it on a roof rack or take the front wheel off- long fenders tend to hit the ground before the fork does when you take the front wheel off to lock up your bike.


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

I live in Seattle. Quite sure.  



shimano4 said:


> Are u sure what u are saying? Front wheel splash up only occurs on rear section of the front wheel.
> 
> I gives u a example of fender guard area . Take alook at Trek Portland and u will know what I mean
> 
> http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/urban/portland/portland/


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## messyparrot (Sep 17, 2007)

I really like the looks of that bike!

Nice job with that Trek.


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## Laing (Sep 23, 2008)

I ordered mine several weeks ago. The LBS told me it that it should be here around Thanksgiving. I already have a Brooks B33 saddle to put on it and I also have some reverse bar end brake levers that I may use. I ordered a leather flap for the front fender, a Pletscher double kickstand and a Spanninga battery powered light for the rear fender. 

I have wanted a bike with a dynohub for years, I used to use a Sanyo BB mounted generator on my Paramount years ago (still have them both) but it was useless in the rain. At one point I was considering lacing a dynohub onto a District or Soho, but the Belleville is much less expensive and seems like a perfect bike for commuting. I love the front rack almost as much as the dynohub.


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## teoteoteo (Sep 8, 2002)

Laing said:


> I ordered mine several weeks ago. The LBS told me it that it should be here around Thanksgiving. I already have a Brooks B33 saddle to put on it and I also have some reverse bar end brake levers that I may use. I ordered a leather flap for the front fender, a Pletscher double kickstand and a Spanninga battery powered light for the rear fender.
> 
> I have wanted a bike with a dynohub for years, I used to use a Sanyo BB mounted generator on my Paramount years ago (still have them both) but it was useless in the rain. At one point I was considering lacing a dynohub onto a District or Soho, but the Belleville is much less expensive and seems like a perfect bike for commuting. I love the front rack almost as much as the dynohub.



I have these in the shop and can say the saddle and the kickstand are good additions. The stock kickstand won't hold it up well and it falls all of the time. Be ready for a sturdy feeling bike, it feels as if it is built like a tank, IMO that makes it all the more cool.


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## lazyrack (Apr 19, 2004)

teoteoteo, I didn't realize there was a stock kickstand at all?

How is the stock saddle?


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## teoteoteo (Sep 8, 2002)

lazyrack said:


> teoteoteo, I didn't realize there was a stock kickstand at all?
> 
> How is the stock saddle?



Saddle is comfy enough but from a looks perspective not that great, it deserves a Brooks. The bike doesn't cost much, lots of value for the money. I like that it has a rear der hangar as you could change up the standard config if you choose.


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## Laing (Sep 23, 2008)

Is the wiring to the rear light run through the frame or on the outside?


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

Sorry. I can't help myself.


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## moschika (Feb 1, 2004)

buck-50 said:


> THey've done a really nice job with that series.
> 
> I really like the fact that it looks like a bike. And that it would be at home on any city street form the last 60 years, and probably for the next 60 as well. Timeless.
> 
> can't wait to hear how it rides.


i agree. so much so that i went and bought a chainguard for my commuter/town bike.


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## Laing (Sep 23, 2008)

The bike is here! The wiring is through the frame and under the rear fender. The headlight & tail light are Spanninga - the rear is the capacitor style that stays on when you stop. Too bad I have to wait till tonight to ride it.


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## J_Rod (May 13, 2009)

So where's the ride report? Don't leave us hanging now!


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

Really nice looking bike. I'd expect an aluminum seatpost and a cro-mo fork at that price, though.


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## Laing (Sep 23, 2008)

Just got back from a 7 to 8 mile ride (at night). I live on the only "hill' on the east coast of Florida (known as "High Point") and the bike steers well going down the hill, no excitement. Generally the bike rides and steers without much thought, just kind of goes where you want it to go. The handlebars are going to be the first thing to get replaced. Actually, the seat was the first to go, the stocker didn't make it out of the bike shop, I just had them bolt the B33 on. I bought the 55cm frame - I am 6' tall with a 30" inseam - short legs / long body. There is plenty of room over the top tube to stand, but the bars are a little too close and too low (below seat level) - they hit my legs in a tight turn so I am investigating alternate bars. The stock bars, stem and spacer are one welded piece - the stack height is about 90mm, the bars are about 61 cm center to center - rather wide for a French inspired urban bicycle. The stem is about 80mm long and parallel to the gound and there is a slight rise to the bars, kind of like upside down porteur bars.

The Nexus 3 speed shifts beautifully, better than the Sturmey Archers that I remember from my youth. I found myself in 1st gear most of the time.

The racks seem vey sturdy. I have a net bungee on the front and a flat strap over the rear. They are just crying out for some wood slats....

The lights are better than expected. The front is a Spanninga LED light (switched) which has a OK pattern for my low speed usage. The rear is a Spanninga LED that stays on after stopping. It has integrated reflectors on the sides of the tail light and there is another reflector on the rear fender. The wiring goes inside the front fork from bottom to top. after it comes out, it splits between the front rack mounted light and the downtube. it passes into the downtube and exits before the bottom bracket, goes under the bottom bracket and into the rear fender. It routes under the fender till it exits the fender at the rear rack mounted tail light. All fender and frame and fork penetrations have plastic grommets. Overall, better than expected. The tech at the bike shop said it took 4 hours to put together.

In addition to the Brooks B33 seat, I switched pedals - MKS GR9 platforms with MKS deep leather covered half toe clps. the stock steel pedals have a lot of friction in them. I also installed the double kickstand - what a great invention, wish I had known about these before. The bike rests on the front tire when on the stand.

I plan to ride it to work in the morning ~15 miles each way. Need to wear gloves - the grips are hard plastic.

Overall, I am very pleased. I kind of expected to replace the handlebars, etc as my body proportions are somewhat out of the norm.


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## seeborough (Feb 3, 2004)

rcnute said:


> I live in Seattle. Quite sure.


My growing up in Northern Germany trumps your Seattle and I agree. 

A mudflap ought to fix it up nicely, though.


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

Laing said:


> The tech at the bike shop said it took 4 hours to put together.


Good grief. A typical $600 bike should take an experienced mechanic 20-30 minutes to build, tops. Even with the lights and stuff more than an hour either shows an inexperienced wrench or a bike that no shop owner in his right mind would want to stock. What could that guys possibly have been doing for four hours?


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## Laing (Sep 23, 2008)

Racks, fenders and fishing the wiring through the frame I assume. He was probably exaggerating though. 

I am trying to determine what type of bars I can use - it appears that the bars are mountain bike diameter - 22.2 mm / 7/8" so I need to use this diameter for the twist shifter. I wish I could get a lever shifter. It appears that the only way to use reversed brake levers is the Nitto Dove /Albatross bars?


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