dkyser

I recently purchased a Trek Boone and did not do enough research or have the ability to ride first and find it to be a much more race geometry than I thought. I now even read on the website that its a pure race geometry bike.

So I have it on ebay and plan to purchase a Cannondale Synapse but before I take to much of a beating wondering if you can get used to a more aggressive geometry or is it something I will always want the more relaxed ride of a touring bike. I am losing more and more belly and have done some decent rides on this bike but when I first get on it it feels different.

dbikingman

Here's the question when you ride the bike does it put a smile on your face? If the bike feels fine to YOU after you get on it and get riding that is that matters. After you start riding for a while do you still feel comfortable? If you feel comfortable and like the ride, don't let the label make you get rid of it.

I'm not aware of anything that prevents a clyde from riding a race geometry bike. I'm sure someone will speak up and say that is what they ride. I'm sure there are differences in "race geometry" between bikes. So having the label of a "race geometry" can be misleading. Not to mention how you have it set up.

jesspal

I was riding race bikes at 330lbs, I just think they are flipping awesome. I never had an issue with the geometry, I never used to use the drops though.

jsigone

It's a cross bike...99.998% are designed for racing cross. The good side of it is that it's geo is very similar to a relaxed road going bike like the synapse or defy. But with disc brakes and much more tire clearance to a 34c minimum. There as the road version are still limited to 28c.

If you bought the Boone new. Did you cut the stem? What stem do you have and how many spacers are under it?

1242Vintage

I have two friends at work, both non-racers, who ride Boones. Both commented on how smooth they ride. Local shop sells quite a few of them, many to folks who just want to get out to ride and explore places that skinny tire road bikes cannot go.

I have a cross bike and like the geometry. I race cross in the fall and the rest of the year she serves as a commuter. The geometry of the cross bike along with the ability to run a little wider tire makes for a really fun winter and spring commute bike.

dkyser

I have not done anything to the bike, that is my next question, is there anything I can do to get me just a little more upright until I loose a little more belly.

dkyser

I am glad I posted this, was hesitant because I know I should have done more research and was waiting for the "Should have thought about that before you purchased" My original plan was to buy a Domane but weight limit on a Domane is 275 and the boone is 300. At the time I was 290 so decided not to push it.

I may give this bike a while longer before I take a bath selling it.

deapee

It could be in your head...set it next to an endurance bike and see how different they really are. My endurance Roubaix bars are lower than a stock Tarmac. Could be in your head, and you can always get a different stem or if your stem if angled down, you can flip it so it angles up. If the boone BB is higher than a normal road bike, you'll have to take that into consideration also when measuring.

chaadster

Yes, there probably is a lot you can do to get more upright.

First, you can get a stem with more rise. It's common for bikes to be spec'd with +/-6º stems (plus/minus refering to the installation orientation; make sure yours is installed for positive rise), but you can find stems with up to +17º rise easily and fairly inexpensively. They're also very easy to install/remove.

Also, you can couple the increased rise stem with a shorter extension, probably. Doing so will bring the bars closer in towards the saddle. If you have a 110mm extension, for example, try a 100mm one; if needed, you can go even shorter.

If you have any spacers above the stem, remove the stem and relocate the spacers below it.

Confirm your seat location is as far forward as is comfortable. That is, loosen the seatpost clamp and slide the seat forward, towards the handlebars. Also, make the seat height is on the lower side of good; too much leg extension is bad, but it also locates the saddle further away (if seat is not adjusted to compensate).

Changing out the handlebars is another possibility, providing the one you have is not already a short reach, compact bar. Bar reach is that distance forward the bar bends from the flat, straight part before dropping down into the bend. Since your levers are mounted out there, and that is your primary hand-hold, reducing bar reach can be significant; it's possible you could gain 10mm or so there, too, but replacing bars is more costly and complicated than replacing a stem, so that's a third-tier adjustment, probably.

I'm assuming you have no fitting experience, so I'd suggest posting a picture of the bike and sideview of you on the bike with your lens-side leg extended to the bottom of the pedal stroke, so that we can make some specific recommendations for you. It may be that you have lots of opportunity for adjustment, or none, but that depends on the bike setup, which we need to see (or have explained in a more thorough and detailed manner). For example, perhaps bar rotation or lever position would be of help, too.

PatrickR400

Just for fun I checked both the Boone and the Synapse and they have fairly similar geometries. Specially the stem with are listed at 6/7 degrees. That is fairly shallow and makes a big difference until you are accustomed to it.

I ride a Specialized Diverge, basically a Roubaix with bigger tires, and my starting stem was 17 deg, 80 mm. I changed it last last week to 17 deg, 95 mm, and I feel the change.

So, I suggest a bike fit; tell the fitter about your limitations, and you might find that there is a very cheap solution to your current problem.

dkyser

Thanks everyone for the information and help.

rm -rf

I think the Boone will work for you.

Maybe wait to get a fitting after you ride for a month. Then you'll be more used to the riding position, and the bike handling will feel more normal.

Adjustable stems are good for experimenting with bar positions.
This Performance adjustable stem, in 31.8 and 110mm, would be good. Angle it way up, do a few rides, then start lowering it a little at a time.

Swapping stems is easy, once you understand the adjustment method. This Park Tool Help on Headset Adjustment is easy to follow.

rm -rf

Bike geometry: Stack and Reach

Stack and Reach is good for comparing two bikes. It shows the position of the top of the headset measured to the crank axle. So you can see how high and far ahead the bars will be, if the stems are the same. (And some bar shapes have more reach than others, but most bikes have a "compact" "short reach" bar these days.)

For example:

Boone 5 disc in 56cm:
Stack 580mm
Reach 387mm

Cannondale Synapse Alloy in 56cm:
Stack 597mm. 17mm higher, almost 2 10mm spacers.
Reach 384mm. 4mm farther back, a minor difference.
(the Synapse Carbon is Stack:590mm, Reach: 386mm. A little lower and a bit more reach. It's interesting that they are different from the aluminum frame.)

Stem calculator tool
This calculator will show the difference in bar position for different spacers, stem lengths, and angles. (It usually takes quite a large change in angle to make much difference in the height.)

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Turzy

Give yourself more time to get used to the position.
I ride a CAADX, which, according to the geometry chart, is just a bit more aggressive than the boone, yet I find it very comfortable now that I got used to it, even more comfortable than my mtb, I also switched out the 100 mm stem for a 90mm one, which is now flipped (not slammed (yet)) and I'm thinking about going back to the 100mm stem to be more stretched out.
So yeah, mess around with the stem as it was mentioned earlier, you can also mess with the handlebar rotation too.

btw, I'm about the same weight as you, but ride a 58 cm

jsigone

also add the fork length from crown to axle is longer on the CX bike to allow for 34c tire (UCI spec)

This info doesn't reflect into the stack dimension but is there when fitting the bike. Fine tune with spacers and stem degree angle, 0,7,10 and 17 are the common ones out there. The 3t 17* stems are like $55

Personally I think your will be just fine on the Trek vs selling it for a loss and getting something that will feel exactly the same minus brake options and clearance for fatter tires and more adventurous roads/dirt forest roads

dkyser

Thanks, going to look into stem options and adjustments before selling.

jsigone

have a pic of how it is currently set up?

dkyser

Here is the current stem setup.

RubeRad

Yeah, easiest change is to swap that top spacer, get it below the stem instead of above, that's a free 5mm. If you don't know how, it's pretty trivial, go here, scroll down to "Adjustment (Threadless)" and start reading.

Depending on the length of your steerer tube, you may be able to squeeze another 5mm spacer in that stack as well. You just want to make sure both of those pinch bolts on the stem are pinching steerer.

Looks like your stem is already in the up-angled installation orientation, so no free height from flipping the stem. Maybe a more angled stem as suggested above. Maybe even an adjustable-angle stem so you can play around with it.

dkyser

I took the bike out today and have to say it was much more comfortable than before, probably because you guys talked me into it. This bike is an amazing ride with 28mm 4 season conti's on it.

PatrickR400

See? It was all in your head after all...

superdex

You bought a bike that has the tagline, "Cyclocross superbike" and the following copy: "Boone is our fastest, smoothest, lightest Cross bike ever, with competition-crushing race geometry and our exclusive course-smoothing IsoSpeed technology."

I hope you get acclimated to it or sell and start over, because it sounds like you didn't do any research at all; the information above is right on the Boone page on trek.com...

What are you looking for?

jsigone

glad you feel better on the bike, with the amount of spacer you have to work with, you can make it "feel" like a cdale or as you get fitter move some spacers to the top of the stem.

the 3T 17 stem will raise the bar height at least another 1/2" vs the current setup you have now. And again fine fit with spacer locations. You still want to be able to get in the drops, might not be for long durations, but able to fit in them and pedal for a min or two or a longer downhill where betterr brake coverage is needed. Knees rubbing your stomach is normal... It gets easier as your core and upper body gets stronger.

donalson

I'll toss this out with talk of adjusting the stem... stem length as well as angle and playing with the spacer stack will all effect both the height and reach to some degree... a 5mm difference in height might not wound like much but it can be a HUGE difference in comfort...

play around with this calculator to get a visual and numbers of how adjusting things will change the height and reach... a very simple example is that putting that single spacer below the stem will both raise the bars slightly and bring the bars slightly closer to you (because of the angle of the steerer tube)

Stem calculator tool

oddjob2

Apparently, a ZO6 Corvette that rides like a Cadillac?