mjs560

Apologies in advance for so many different questions below....
I am considering the Domane SL7 Gen 4 and noticed the number of seat post issues out there. Is this still an issue or do the newer models in the shop contain the seatpost fix? I found the model and my size in both a Trek Store and a local bike shop. My preference is to purchase the bike at the LBS but was wondering if there were any advantages to purchasing at the Trek store - i.e. longer warranty, etc? Has anyone sold their used bike on buycycle.com or bicyclebluebook.com? If so, were you happy with the process?

JustinHS

There is another thread past few days about gen3 slippage, so I won't repeat. They replaced my gen3 frame with gen4, totally different design. Don't have enough miles yet to give verdict on gen4.

As far as trek store vs. LBS, I vote LBS. Used both. Warrantee is same. Trek store customer service depends on the employees and if they are happy. But none of them own the store,so if having a bad day/week/etc, then they may not go the extra mile for you, especially if you are having a problem and they are the middleman between you and corporate. I know one of the guys at my trek store that I trust, but there seems to be new faces every time I visit.

My LBS is owner operated, and if the customer isn't happy, he doesn't eat. He knows his trek rep by name. And he puts the personal touch into everything he does. You don't just buy a bike, you buy a bike shop!

jaxgtr

So the Gen 4 had a issues with the post clamp in the frame and they issued a warranty process on it in early 2023. I never had any issue with my post slipping, others did. I had my Gen 4 when I stopped by during a ride and one of the guy asked if I ever had issues, I said no, but they went ahead and ordered the new clamp model and put it in for me a week or so later, but I still have not had any issues with it. New bikes have been shipping with the updated clamping system since the 2nd quarter of 2023 if I recall. I got my Gen 4 in Oct 2022 which was about 2 months after they released them to the public. I also had a Gen 3, the Gen 4 is far better riding bike, if you have a choice, Gen 4 is the better option.

also, I have shopped at both owner operator and the Trek Store.... I have been a long time customer of the owner store, as Trek recently bought out 2 other Trek stores, so I stick with the LBS first and the Trek stores second. Any big orders will go through the LBS.

Kontact

For how much these bikes cost and how old seat post clamps are, there shouldn't be an issue with this part of the bike. Vote with you money by not buying expensive stuff that doesn't work right.

Mtracer

I have a Domane SLR7 Gen 4, bought last July (2023). I've noticed my seat post will settle ever so slightly, about <0.5 mm, after I have repositioned the seat post. I also make a point to always adjust the position lowering the seat rather then pulling up. If I've push the seat post in too far, and need to raise it to the final position, I first pull it up past the desired position then lower it to final position. It uses a wedging action and I think pushing it down into position rotates the wedge into a position more like the final position. Bottom line, seems to settle less.

The only reason I'll move the seat post is becasue after about 1,000+ miles I start to get popping sounds. Pulling and cleaning the post and re-seating it clears this up. Note: I've had this on another bike with a conventional seat post and clamp. So, this is not a Domane issue. While I don't ride in dirty or wet conditions or even wash the bike that much, I think some fine grit gets down in there and causes this popping. Maybe this is related to the flexing of the carbon seat posts on both bikes.

None of this is a big deal, and the Domane rides so nicely that I'll accept a little extra maintenance to get the cushier ride.

Sy Reene

So I guess if I was a buyer, I'd want to know how to identify floor stock that predates the new model vs the fixed newer version. Is there anything visibly obvious to look for?

jaxgtr

There is, but to me it was not super obvious, but this dude knew right away when he looked at it. I loved to tell you exactly but it has been about 6 months ago and well..... I'm old. You have to remove the cover over the bolt area to recognize it, but again, they looked the same to me.

ScottCommutes

Great advice. I've also heard this a lot with farm equipment (John Deere vs. Kubota, etc.). Find a dealer you can trust to take care of you years down the road. Quite possibly more important than the specs/price of the bike.