cdrewferd

I bought my new 8.5 DS specifically for pulling my daughter in the same setup. I got my first ride in yesterday and it was awesome. Can't wait for more rides with the new wheels.

Wittyname

It works great, he gets so excited when I pick him up from the sitter's and he's always asking if we can go to the park or the playground. I am planning on getting a shorter stem and replacing the riser bar with something flat, simply because any wind over 10mph is a killer when sitting straight up like the stock setup

Enjoy your new ride, you'll find that with half the wheels the outside is twice the fun

kc4sox

Finally got to give the new 8.5 a proper shake down cruise on Monday. The Fiance' and I spent the day on the Virginia Creeper Trail. We rode the section between Abingdon and Damascus Virginia (32 mile round trip) The bike was a joy to ride. I have nothing but good things to say about it. The Bontrager interlock rack and trunk was superb. It was great to be able to pack a picnic, and all the extras one might need for a long ride. All in all I'm very happy I bought this bike it will serve the role of "Family bike" very well. I am a hard core "Roadie" and club rider and it had been a long time since I rode 30+ miles at 8.5 mph average ! It was the most enjoyable ride I've taken in a very long time. Nothing like spending time with the ones you love.

vinuneuro

Hi, without having ridden one yet I'm very sure that I'm going to end up with an 8.5 DS. The only other bike I looked at was the Crosstrail.

I'm 5' 10.5" with a 32" inseam and 72" wingspan. I plan on buying a 2014 model which has to be transferred from another store so I can only try the 2015 beforehand, which seems to have slightly different geometry? Without being able to ride a 2013/2014 before purchase, would my measurements likely put me on a 17.5 or 19? There's been a lot said about the long reach of this bike. I'll be testing the 2015 tomorrow.

Thanks in advance. I'm really looking forward to this bike.

steve_cay

Either could probably fit. Try em both, and see which one feels best for you.
I am 5'9.5" / 31 / 69 and the 2013 17.5 fits me nicely, but I think I am at the upper end. Since you have a more of a reach and inseam, I am guessing you may prefer the 19.

ColonelSanders

It is such a good looking bike the 2015 8.5DS.

limbot

Good stuff

I'm about to pickup a second hand Giant Rove for my wifey this weekend to "match" my 2013 DS 8.4.

They are certainly not going to by any stretch of the imagination as long nor fast rides like I'm used to but.......

steve_cay

This is getting spookier limbot! Not only do we have the twin 2013 white/blue DS's with the same ergo bar ends (after we both did not like the bigger bar-ends) ... but just two weeks ago I bought my wife a 2014 Giant Rove 2 (to "match my DS")! Tell me hers is not the white/blue/teal coloured one that looks almost exactly like your DS!

BTW my wife LOVES it! I do prefer the DS, but at several hundred less than a DS/Nekko (for hydraulics, and lockout suspension), it is quite the bargain!

limbot

It's NOT !

Australian 2013 is white/silver/pink (https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au/bikes/model/rove.2/12054/57486/) . Lady says she's only ridden it twice and I have had a very quick look at it and it's been on a bike rack and is a little banged up. Need to take it for a short run this weekend and ensure there's nothing majorly wrong with it.

But for $150AU it'll do the wifey fine!

steve_cay

How is this for a match!

cdrewferd

As I said above, I just picked up my bike. I've done a few rides and am loving it. I picked up a bike for the wife too, so the rides with her will be shorter until she can build up her endurance. Hoping to do some longer rides by myself soon. I will also have to get a picture with the daughter and her Weehoo back there.







Can't wait to dig more into this forum and maybe get to know some people local to me.

vinuneuro

Has anyone ridden a 2013 or 2014 8.5/8.6 and a 2015? The difference is less than $40 between 2014 and 2015 8.5 at my LBS so it comes down to the Isozone rear end and colors.

Trek says the Isozone insert provides 20mm off travel and I'm sure it kills some buzz on pavement. I really like the idea of having some travel and damping in the back coming off a Tricross that was harsh. But I'm concerned about the long-term durability, what will happen as that elastomer goes through compression cycles and how much it will harden over time and become prone to cracking. Trek parts department quoted around $50 for the kit if it needs replacement though it should probably be covered under the frame warranty. How much difference does it make in practice, is the benefit mostly on-road or off? I'm wondering if the Isozone benefits would be more apparent if the tires were switched for harder ones down the road.

Fwiw, the LBS' I've talked to all say they haven't had any failures in the past models with it, DS or FX. It's only been a couple years though.

The 2015 8.5 paint scheme is stunning imo.. can't have it all.

Slow Bro

Nice looking bike. Love the green accents

gpburdell

Two other notable differences from 2014 to 2015 on the 8.5/8.6 DS are that the 2015+ has internal cable routing (I believe) and also supports the DuoTrapS speed/cadence sensor. The 2014 does not. Whether these difference matter to you is a personal thing. The DuoTrapS integration support was important to me as I like the "cleanliness" of the install vs. typical other options.


On the Isozone insert - there's a youtube video from a guy who had a failure. I'm of mixed opinion about it but ended up choosing a 2015/2016 model anyway for the two reasons above so it became a moot point. I'd find out (in writing if possible) whether the inserts are considered a wearable item in terms of inclusion in the frame warranty.


I did test ride a 2014 8.5 DS but it was around a parking lot and not on the same day as the 2015/2016. I'm probably not experienced enough to be sufficiently discerning, but still I didn't really notice any difference.

Sunsanvil

Personally not a fan of the Isozone, and as anecdotal as this is, Trek dropping it to me speaks volumes (either it didn't hold up or people didn't like it/want it...either explanation is reason enough to avoid it). Notable between the '14 and '15 is slightly more standover on this years' and perhaps slightly more (artificial) stack, but otherwise the same geometry.

cdrewferd

Thanks. The green accents is what made me choose it over the 2015 model. That and it was over $300 cheaper with the sale they had going on.

vinuneuro

I went and looked at bikes today and am also considering the 8.6 now. The 8.5 has the color scheme I like better and is $140 less (which I'm less concerned about since I want to keep this bike long term). Here are component differences. Am I right in thinking the crank is the only major difference? Even that, how noticeable is the upgrade to an outboard design in practice?

Here are the component differences:

Crank: FSA Dyna Drive vs. Shiman T551
Brakes: Shimano M395 vs. M496
Shifter: Deore vs. SLX (9sp vs 10sp)
Cassette: HG20 vs. HG62
Hubs, center lock: RM35 vs. RM66

Interestingly they had a few different 2014 models and both 8.5 and 8.6 bikes I'm interested in (because of paint) had RST Vita forks whereas the other had the Suntour (like all the 2015 models). I'm not thrilled about this to be honest. They were not replacements or anything of that nature. Both had paint matching the rest of the bike.

richella

I bought a DS8.3 a few weeks ago. It's a great bike but I now wish I had spent a bit more and got the DS8.5. Can anyone tell me if the DS frame is the same throughout the range? Has anyone upgraded drivetrain and brakes and other components on their DS. I'm thinking of upgrading to hydraulic brakes and a better drive train with better shifters and smoother gear transition.

ColonelSanders

The 8.3 has the same frame as 8.4, 8.5 & 8.6 DS.

vinuneuro

How does the Trek matte paint hold up in the long run? My Tricross was matte black and it was a nightmare with scratches.

gpburdell

FWIW, in Atlanta the price differential is $100 between the two models.


With the 8.6 you effectively get an extra, lower gear. I'm not sure how steep the hills you might tackle are but I've been glad to have the extra granny gear a number of times.

Also my 8.6 came with M445 levers and M447 calipers. I'm not clear on the differences vs the M355. The M447 has a slightly different (nicer) bleeding setup than the M446 but that's really just a point of information and not a concern.

vinuneuro

It's down to 2014 8.6, 2015 8.5 and 2016 8.5. Largely due to paint unfortunately. I think it plays an important role in connecting with the bike, which makes a difference in wanting to get out there and ride it.

Here's a pic of the 2016 8.5 from the LBS.

steve_cay

re: your pic. At first I did not want a white bike, but it was the only discounted leftover bike from previous year that they had so "savings over colour". But now I am glad I got the matt white, I have "connected" with the colour and find it really stands out is a sea of hard to distinguish black and grey bikes!

Duvall408w

I am thinking about getting the 2014 8.5 ds. Its on sale for 899. Is this a good price?

vinuneuro

In Chicago there really aren't many 2014's left. The cheapest listed price I've found for an 8.5 is 950 with another store willing to beat it slightly. Keep in mind the 2014 8.5 was almost 100 more than 2015, so it skews the comparison with current prices.