PDKL45

We are threadjacking, so I will start another thread in the touring sub-forum about down gearing options for the Specialized AWOL.

At the moment I am keeping my 30-39-50 up front and am going to go with a 9-speed 12-36 in the rear with a Deore 592 derailleur to handle the 36t cog on the cassette, keeping the stock Sora STI shifters.

With that 105 crankset, I think you will need to carefully look at the total capacity of the front derailleur. I don't know about others, but the Sora FD can only handle a tooth difference of 20, so dropping to a 26t granny ring is out, for me at least, with the stock FSA Omega crankset.

Squeezebox

Does anyone in the St. Louis area have a Trek 920 I could look at? It seems that none of the shops have one.

veganbikes

None of these shops, all Trek dealers, have one at all? Even the Trek Store? I find that hard to believe a little because it is their big new bike that they say everyone wants.

[h=2]South side Cyclery (6.2 mi)[/h]6969 Gravois Avenue Saint Louis, MO 63116-1043 US
314-481-1120



[HR][/HR]
[h=2]Maplewood Bicycle (6.8 mi)[/h]7534 Manchester Road Saint Louis, MO 63143-0000 US
314-781-9566



[HR][/HR]
[h=2]Billy Goat Bicycle Company (10.7 mi)[/h]10211 Manchester Road St. Louis, MO 63122 US
314-821-0216



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[h=2]South County Cyclery (10.8 mi)[/h]9985 Lin Ferry Drive St Louis, MO 63123-6913 US
314-843-5586



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[h=2]The Cyclery Shiloh (14.3 mi)[/h]1225 Thouvenot Lane Shiloh, IL 62269 US
(618)233-0070
Sunday10:00 am - 5:00 pmMonday10:00 am - 7:00 pmTuesday10:00 am - 7:00 pm


[HR][/HR]
[h=2]Trek Store of St Louis - Ballwin (15.6 mi)[/h]13922 Manchester Road Ballwin, MO 63011-4506 US
636-394-2453
Sunday12:00 pm - 5:00 pmMonday11:00 am - 7:00 pmTuesday11:00 am - 7:00 pm


[HR][/HR]
[h=2]Trek Store of St. Louis -Arnold (16.2 mi)[/h]2166 Michigan Avenue Arnold, MO 63010-2145 US
636-287-6700
Sunday12:00 pm - 5:00 pmMonday11:00 am - 7:00 pmTuesday11:00 am - 7:00 pm


[HR][/HR]
[h=2]THE CYCLERY AND FITNESS CENTER(17.2 mi)[/h]2472 Troy Road Edwardsville, IL 62025-0000 US
618-692-0070
Sunday10:00 pm - 5:00 pmMonday9:00 am - 8:00 pmTuesday9:00 am - 8:00 pm

Squeezebox

Thanks Vegan bike my search came up smaller.

veganbikes

You are quite welcome!

Odd I just put in St. Louis in the Trek website and all that came up. You might have used postal codes or something like that.

Squeezebox

I called billy goat bicycles, St. Louis. and talked to someone I've known for many years. not a 20 something hot dog. Talked a while about all of it. He sold a 920 my size recently, with my expected modifications. He called the person and a test ride is set up. Just maybe this is it.

I appreciate you folks putting up with me. Maybe I should have gone to my doc and asked for bi-polar meds. But I really want this to happen.

enigmaT120

That's cool, their customer will meet up with you to give you a test ride. Let us know what you think.

side_FX

You can't go wrong at a place called "Billy Goat Bicycles"!

Squeezebox

He's gonna leave it for 2 weeks while the Dr. sucks the gravel out of his knee. I'll leave a get well soon card and a box of chocolates!
Would you do the same thing as he did??

Squeezebox

Dave is good. But I don't expect the place to smell right.

veganbikes

That's awesome glad they could set that up for you! Also glad the customer is chill. Usually most are but sometimes you get the ones who just won't be happy no matter what.

enigmaT120

I don't know. If I had a knee full of gravel, probably. I'd be afraid you would change my seat height!

Squeezebox

The test ride for the Trek 920 is Sat afternoon. The test ride for the LHT is Sat morning. I think I owe it to myself and you folks to try the LHT. I'll let you know what I think. But don't expect an objective opinion. I'll try. I already have the name picked out for the 920.

Squeezebox

Thanks for reminding me not to do that.

Squeezebox

Report: Well I rode the LHT and the Trek 920 today.
The LHT was much better than I expected. It is not a dept store bicycle in any way. Stable handling and response, nice wide handle bar helping with control esp. low speed. sluggish but it's a bike for heavy touring. good braking and shifting, 30 speed, but I still don't like bar end shifters, this ride reminded me why. I kinda doubt it could be converted to brifters. I can see why it's probably the most popular touring bicycle. Price and stability are good. not as responsive as the 920.
The Trek 920: Luckily the customer had it modified to brifters and 35 mm tires, & fenders. I will do the same but probably 32 mm. I fell for it at 1st sight. This bicycle screams at you "hop on, or get the F--- out of the way" Dave show me how sram shifters work. I felt the 920 to be a bit more stable and a bit better handling, slightly more responsive. Even though the geometry is almost identical. The Al frame may cause a increase in crispness. pounds lighter. A good rear rack, a monster front rack. Very comfy ride, nothing harsh. I appreciate the person who said a few weeks ago that he locks his up even inside the house because he's afraid that when he's not home it will take off on it's own and hunt zombies. Thus my bicycle will be named Zombie Killer.

johnbort2

I have had my 920 for about 7 months now and I love it. Make me want to ride even more than before, as I just have fun on it. Don't know why, but it just puts a smile on my face. I have arkel bags coming for it..riding the GAP and C&O in May. Curious to see how I feel about it after all those days/miles. I like it a lot better than my cannondale road bike around here, as I ride a lot of country roads that have horrible pavement. Enjoy Zombie Killer..I guess I need to give my ride a name too. I think it will be the "Green Machine"...

elcruxio

So let me get this straight. All this time you've been bashing a bike you've never even tried before this? You do realize that this wipes off even the smallest credibility you might have had. It's like a MTB'er that has never tried a road bike bashing road bikes. Priceless

On other news. If you do end up getting the 920, you need to swap the wheels asap. I trust the wheels in my GF's 520 because they have 36 spokes and she's really lightweight. But considering how cruddy bontrager wheel components are in general (rims are wonky, spokes are just weird, nipples are also a bit weird) those things aren't going to last any kind of touring at all if you're more than yourself. It's also quite overpriced for what it is, especially when you need to swap the seat asap (Bontrager stock seats are the worst stock seats I've ever tried). And it has some thru axles, which is a beautiful thought, but in reality can make things difficult if you need spares on the road.
And as the rear rack is probably bontrager, I wouldn't trust it too much. Tubus is the way to go there.

Squeezebox

Thanks for your opinion about bontrager wheels. My carbon Trek road bicycle with 20/24 wheels, the wheels have needed no maintenance in over 15 years, Yea tires. I remember breaking an axle once on something. So a broken axle is very low on my list of concerns. I've heard that some MTBers use 28 spoke wheels. Sure I don't understand why they did not do 32. The seat seemed okay to me.
So why do you consider it over priced with a better frame and better components than a LHT? better shifting braking & handling also. I don't think I would do heavy gravel on a LHT, I will on a 920. The rear rack is a Tubus copy, I don't plan on putting more than 10 kilos on it. Trek can't keep up with demand, so what's that about.
But most of all I wonder where your ego is at that you need to level personal attacks when I disagree with you. I believe I've read other posts from you attacking other people also. Maybe you need more sunlight, seriously.

Tourist in MSN

A review of the 920 at:

https://www.adventurecycling.org/def..._Robertson.pdf

elcruxio

I'm not going to comment on the LHT build. I have the frame I've built upon, but the Surly offered LHT build itself is a bit expensive as well. My LHT/disc trucker hybrid is pretty much in the same price range as the LHT build and it's much, much better. That's what you get by choosing your own component set and building your own.

About the frame... Well, you can be of many opinions on that. The 920 is aluminum, which is no problem but also not a better material for a touring bike. Steel is potentially heavier, but it also handles screws better, is more impact resistant, and in my experience gives a better ride. Even the LHT, while a tank of a bike, gives a better ride in terms of buzz clearing and spring than any of the aluminum bikes I've ever tried, and I do own aluminum that's of higher grade than the 920. Also the fork doesn't have any curve in it, which is kinda typical for aluminum. Nothing wrong in it, it's just not as comfortable as a curved blade steel fork.

If we consider the actual build of the 920, it's pretty much a fully rigid 29er MTB with a drop bar. You usually get quality 29ers in that component range for about 1k or a bit more, except you'll probably be getting better wheels, brakes, drive train and a suspension fork. For 2k you'd already be in the full squish 29er range. Building your own you can get a really good fully rigid for 1k.
So essentially you're looking at an overpriced rigid 29er that has a drop bar and not even brifters as stock. For crying out loud for all the difficult to field service componentry they've put in that bike they could have at least put on brifters as extra. Then the price could potentially be somehow justifiable. And if you consider that the wheels are way too lightweight in terms of spokes for decent touring and you'll still need to swap the saddle it's a lot more expensive than just 2k.

Likely just you. But my post really isn't in the region of personal attack. Just a criticism about your earlier posts where you have bashed the LHT quite heavily without having no experience about it whatsoever. That's just funny man

Happy Feet

While I may not agree I get Madronemike's POV from a few posts back as I can read the reality between the lines, which apply to almost everyone. Personal opinion is always shaped by personal experience.

He's right in the sense that you can jump on almost any bike and tour so... he bought a bike, toured, and found it worked. Hard to argue that. I'm sure one could jump on all the bikes mentioned here and tour no problem most of the time. In fact they are probably better than 75% of the bikes being toured on right now (better than mine anyway). Mike also works a shop that sells trek. Of course he bought a trek. Discount, peers and familiarity.

Not saying mike was wrong, just that personal opinion isn't always the best way to judge objective quality.

When I look at that trek it appears to be niche est, like last weeks cutthroat. Almost every image shows knobby type tires (how long will you ride those on the road) and no fenders which puts it more in a the bikepacking genre. Candy for the eye and imagination but how much of what it has transfers to basic touring needs is questionable, if one considers there is a high dollar cost for it's specific uniqueness.

I imagine the through axle is meant to appeal to the target audience, many of whom are familiar with TA's on downhillers. That crowd will have no problem with the concept but it is a pretty small subset of touring overall.

The larger group will ask why mess with axle technology that works? Having a through axle that would be hard to repair is a HUGE error in my books. Sure failures are rare and a solution probably could eventually be sought but I want easy sourced, easy fix components on a touring bike, not proprietary stuff.

Why 28 spokes. I really don't get that on a bike targeted to off road use. I don't even get why people would choose 32 over 36 on the road but that's just over engineered me. There are no negatives to more spokes and all I can think is some cool factor attempt to shave the buffer to just above failure point... why? I want degrees of buffer on a touring bike.

And that is probably a big divide to jump for people coming from a road bike background where light and fast is promoted so much.
SQ mentioned calling his future bike Zombie Killer. Interesting. It's funny the way people view an activity or piece of equipment. I call my Raleigh Matilda as in the song. For many hours some days I hum it as we waltz together down the road. When I tour I am in meander rather than ripping a new a hole mode. Not a criticism, just an observation about the psychology of names and the perception of what we are going to do when we tour.


Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled:
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me?"

Chorus:
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled:
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."

Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong.
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee.
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag:
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."

(Chorus)

Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred.
Down came the troopers, one, two, and three.
"Whose is that jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."

(Chorus)

Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong.
"You'll never take me alive!" said he
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong:
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me?"

Doug64

Yeah, I wouldn't do serious gravel on a LHT either

On this tour we had over 400 miles of dirt/gravel. FYI that happens to be a LHT with brifters.

The dirt road was too muddy to ride on

LeeG

It looks like 32 spokes is the most for through axle hubs

Squeezebox

I did try both the LHT and the 920 yesterday. Granted short rides and unloaded. But I much preferred the 920. Gravel National forest roads are also on the must list. The 920 will handle that kind of gravel as well as paved road touring. Will the LHT do that? Brifters are also a must for me. An LHT conversion to brifters might cost near the price of a 920 conversion. So go ride a 920 and get back to me with your opinion when you have. The LHT is a good solid bicycle for the price. But there is a better stuff out there. Personally I'ld go carbon if it was available with racks and low to mid 20's gearing.
I've done morris dancing, so I also know the dance for Waltzing Matilda, good dance , good tune, good name for a bicycle. One of my favorites to play on my button accordion. "And the band played Waltzing Maltida" one of my favorite anti-war songs.

saddlesores

really? short, unloaded ride to test out a loaded touring bike vs. a "zombie killer"?
you dinna even strap a duffel bag with 25 pounds of ego on the rack?
that's like testing the winter handling characteristics of a volkswagon vanagon
vs. an F150 by a ten-minute drive in manhattan rush hour.....in the summer.

you keep mentioning "gravel".............what is this "gravel thing"? please define.
have you ever ridden "gravel"? ............i mean besides your gram's driveway.
i see an awful lot of "i'm gonna" and not much "i done did." getting some
serious "all hat and no cattle" vibes.

seems like you've been fully subverted by the grrrrrrrrrrrrravel grrrrrrrrrrrrinder
marketing...........those short mtv-like quick action videos complete with buffy
shaved-chest (but 3-day facial hair!) studmuffins and loud 'lectric guitar tracks.

and what's with the "zombie killer" tag? seems to me you're buying a harley....you
know.....paying way over value for the "experience" or the "lifestyle." haha, old
fart thinks he's gonna be mad max. bet you already have the skull and bones
doo-rag!

never mind, i get it......if i have to ask, i'll just never understand.