nborders

And it's not just because I'm from Stump-town.



https://www2.trekbikes.com/bikes/bike...id=1037000&f=7

Wow! I'm getting one! First thing to do is to change those whimpy fenders to something that can hold-up.

Disk breaks! AMAZING. I truck my fat-ass up the biggest hill in Portland every morning. Needless to say, i need to ride down the other side. I'm through my 3rd set of break pads this winter. I have dreamed of a road bike with Disk Breaks just for this reason.

High pressure tires and the gearing is perfect!

My last Trek was from 1988. I loved my Trek, I just couldn't afford them any more. This makes me want to get one again. $1539 -- Yeesh! That's going to be one long coversation with the wife!

~n

worker4youth

Why only the Northwest?

cog_nate 

This ad brought to you by "Viral Marketers, Inc.".

halfbiked

Lose the fancy wheels, fancy brakes & fancy shifters to bring the price down to the reasonable...

marqueemoon

Those fenders do suck, but the lack of fender eyelets on the frame sucks a lot more. What were they thinking? For that kind of money it should have quality full coverage fenders that fit and work around the disc brakes.

Jarery

It may not have the clearance for full fenders either.
But maybe next year they will improve it. At least its a good start for a production commuter bike.

slvoid

My OCR touring with discs works just fine.

trackandtrials

That looks pretty similar to my personal "ultimate" commute bike - a surly KM with drops + avid disks.

Cyclist0383

Why would you need a ten speed cassette and a triple up front for commuting?

trackandtrials

Wouldn't need the cassette, but a triple comes in handy for steep hills when tired + fully loaded down at the end of the day.

pinkrobe

That bike needs to be SS and have decent fenders. Also, cut $300 from the price and give it regular 32-spoke wheels.

linux_author

- sorry Trek fans, but that bike has an absurd MSRP, IMHO...

Treespeed

It's always interesting to see the marketing departments design a bike, anyone on these forums could have eaten the specs and crapped a better commuter.

banerjek

If you rode in strong enough winds, the granny ring could be useful for giving you an entire selection of wind fighting gears, especially if you're carring much gear. More riders could probably make use of third ring than the 52/12 ratio.

My commuter has 3 rings (it's a touring bike). I threw out the ridiculously wide 9 speed 11/32 cassette that came with my touring bike so I could get a regular 12/25. Having gears that are close allows you to keep a really even cadence and good speed -- handy if your commute is an hour each way. I only used the granny once in a storm. Although not essential, it was nice. My bike normally weighs 45 lbs loaded so I don't care about another 1/2 lb. When I want to feel sporty, I take my 17.5 lb riding bike instead.

mtn_mojo

Heh, that does make me wonder about this forum. We are pretty much the perfect community for cycling oriented viral marketing. Maybe that's why Surly has such a rockstar reputation?

Then again, it's hardly worth it. One peek at the roadie forum (which I peek at all day long, dangit) and it's clear that everyone has carbon fiber on the brain -- doesn't take much for people to lust after bikes and components all day. I know I sure do, even though I'm perfectly happy with what I have.

genec

10%+ grade roads.

genec

Actually the lack of spokes is what bothers me the most... a commuter should be able to handle what ever load you might dish out, from groceries to a daily change of clothes... and the road... including potholes.

Those wimpy wheels just don't inspire me.

metal_cowboy

I do not quite understand the "half fenders". Those fenders look like the only way they are going to work is if you do not ride them in the rain.

If you are going to name a bike after a city where it rains 9 months out of the year, you would think that they would outfit it with fender eyelets. How about eyelets for a rear rack?

I like the effort to make a commuter bike, but I think that they got all their input from the marketing department, and not real live commuters.

I must say that I give them a big thumbs up for the new 520 color! This world need more green bikes!

Here is a picture of a real Portland Commuter.

Cyclist0383

The triple up front I can see, but a 10 speed cassette? How many of us use more than four cogs on our commuters on a rugular basis?

HiYoSilver

Four cogs, you've got to be kidding. We have hills here. If I try to conserve gear changes, I might be able to get by with 9 gears.

Trek did some things very right about this bike:
1. disc brakes
2. decent color
3. price point is in upper part of range, but may have been forced by 10 speed gearing and fancy wheels.
4. 28mm wheels
5. middle ring is a 39 instead of a 42, nice

What I don't like about it
1. don't trust light tires, what about commute loads and clydesdales?
2. fenders are a joke. Who is going to ride regularly in the rain with mini fenders?
3. lack of fender mount points could be a problem.
4. low gear would have been better off being a 26 or 28 ring instead of a 30.

Maybe next year they will get it right, but still they are much closer to reality than they have ever been.

peregrine

Which hill?


+ 1 for the not enough spokes. IMO this bike's a bit expensive for a commuter but if you can afford it, good for you. I like my Fuji Cross but the brake pads do wear out quickly in this freaky weather

Bekologist

Looks like the price point on trendy, mid level bikes is soon to surpass $1,500. Look at the new, 'hot' Specialized Tricross.

Maybe it has something to do with price of oil???

Jarery

Oh thats all we need....the oil companies to buy out all the bike manufacturers LOL

jyossarian

I'm guessing they're targeting well-to-do commuters w/ that price tag. Like everyone said, it needs 32 spoke wheels, full coverage fenders, clearance for different wheel sizes and tire types (studs, slicks) and braze-ons for front and rear racks. A comfy saddle and riding position for all riders and body types would be good too.

Fred Smedley

I like yours much better! How did you get the V-brakes and road levers to work together?