Madone 6.5 WSD

[equus123]

MY MADONE CAME IN YESTERDAY AND MY BIKE SHOP BUILT IT FOR ME IN ONE DAY!!!!! I say that because they're a very busy shop and it sometimes takes them a few WEEKS to build a bike, let alone the day it comes in from Trek.

Right now it's sitting at home looking pretty. I'm not exactly sure if I'm going to ride it any time soon because I'm not fit to it at all. The way it's currently set up, the handlebars/stem are about the same height as my saddle. On my R5000, my bars are like 4 inches lower. I tried moving the stem lower last night but 1) the steerer tube sticks up a good 2 inches above the stem that way (ugly) and 2) with the way the spacers worked, there would have to have been a spacer on top of another spacer that sticks above the steerer tube and would therefore be attached to nothing. So I put it all back together the way it came and I'll have to see what to do at a later point in time.

But DAMN is that thing perdy. I uploaded pictures to my photobucket account this morning before work so I could post them on here today but I just realized the settings were for uploading to avatar sized images (~100x200 pixels) so they're teeny tiny right now! I'll do it again when I get home later. But have a look at my itsy bitsy pictures. lol

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/sideview.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/cockpit.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/bars.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/seattube.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/downtube.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/crank.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/rearderaillure.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/fromtheback.jpg

My First Impression Review:

Again, I haven't even put pedals on the darn thing yet because I've only had it for a few hours but here are my first impressions....

1. Pretty. This bike is a work of art to look at and I keep forgetting it's born racing machine more than anything.

2. Light. I can easily tell the difference in weight between my Cannondale R5000 and this Madone 6.5 WSD.

3. Handlebars. They came with the X Lite Blade bars and these are actually REALLY comfortable. The variable degree bend in the drops is really comfy and there aren't any "corners" or weird spots. It's just a nice gradual bend all the way around. The tops of the bars are also really well designed because as the bars bend back (away from the shifters) and straighten out towards the stem, they flare out in width and height of the bars. This is really really comfortable to grab onto because it's more forgiving for your wrists because it's almost the same concept as ergonomically shaped computer keyboards. Your hands now have a slight rotation outward (supination).

4. Adjustable Reach Shifters [Shimano ST-R700]. I'm quite surprised by these. I initially didn't want them on my bike because I'm used to full Dura Ace but I can definitely get used to them. The big difference is in the distance between the smaller black shift levers and the front-most curve of the handlebars. It's almost half the distance on this bike versus my Cannondale with Dura Ace shifters. The moment I put my hands into the drops and went to reach all the way out to grab the levers, I was amazed at how close they were and how comfortable it was. I was so used to having to reach really far as well as bend my wrists at a very uncomfortable angle (due to kind of bars AND shifters) that I was actually amazed at how uncomfortable my other bike was in that sense. This will be a very nice change. I normally don't ride in the drops if I need to shift a lot because it bothered my wrists but I don't have to worry about that anymore.

5. White Spokes. I never knew these wheels came with white spokes and red nipples. It is soooo banging looking.

6. Compact Crank. I'm actually really excited to have a compact crank now (not that I had the option in ordering this bike anyway). I'm 5'5" and 122 lbs. My optimal cadence is 96 rpms. When I ride, I'm generally in the 53x23 which is only one gear from the top of the cassette. Now that I'll have a compact crank to work with I will definitely put less stress on the drivetrain because I'll be more in the center of the cassette and riding over variable terrain will be that much more comfortable in allowing me to spin higher as I prefer without immediately running out of gears. I'm excited to see how it goes.

7. Internal Cable Routing. I don't know about anybody else but I lift/carry/transport my bike more than a cyclocross racer. I live in a second floor apartment. There's an outside door and then our apartment's door. Neither door stays open by itself. The stairs are very narrow. And there's a stupid U-shaped path I need to go right inside of my apartment door because they decided 3 feet into our place would be a perfect place for a short wall to stick out into the room. Needless to say....I'm constantly bringing it up and down the stairs to ride or in and out to my car or whatever else. Not having the cables running beneath the top tube is a wonderful thing for me.

[csr1210]

Ooooo - looks/sounds fantastic! Let us know how fitting goes:)

[RoadRaven]

Woohoo Equus!

You must have a special friend there at the LBS to get it all sorted in a day
:)

Looking forward to hearing the next installment :D

[Mr. SR500]

KILLER!

We are still waiting on Kim's 5.1, since about August - don't ask.

Love the bike!

[equus123]

Thanks everybody. :)

Let's try this again....

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/sideview-1.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/rearderaillure-1.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/fromtheback-1.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/fork-1.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/crank-1.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/cockpit-1.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/bars-1.jpg

[northstar]

Yow! Hot! Congratulations! :cool:

[7rider]

Sa-weeet!
Nice ride.
I'm curious to read how the Bonti crankset is, and how it behaves with the DA derailleurs - how flexy (or non flexy) it would be and how precise the shifting is. Looking forward to reading your review! :D
I rode the Madone 5.2 (non-WSD) and I thought it had a wonderful ride...lots of snap, but not harsh at all. I'm curious how the red carbon is vs. the black. The red has a different layup and it's lighter, right? How is it for stiffness? What's the overall weight of the bike?
Happy riding. Tailwinds and victorious sprint finishes for you!

[makbike]

Very nice! Enjoy your new ride!

[sbctwin]

Wow, that is one pretty bike.... You will have many happy miles riding her....

[KnottedYet]

Very sleek! Congratulations!

[equus123]

Sa-weeet!
Nice ride.
I'm curious to read how the Bonti crankset is, and how it behaves with the DA derailleurs - how flexy (or non flexy) it would be and how precise the shifting is. Looking forward to reading your review! :D
I rode the Madone 5.2 (non-WSD) and I thought it had a wonderful ride...lots of snap, but not harsh at all. I'm curious how the red carbon is vs. the black. The red has a different layup and it's lighter, right? How is it for stiffness? What's the overall weight of the bike?
Happy riding. Tailwinds and victorious sprint finishes for you!

Thank you everybody for all of your love. I'm so excited to actually get out and ride this puppy. :)

I finally had some time yesterday when I got home from work to put my Keo Carbon Ti pedals on the Madone and then throw my old Keo Sprints on my Cannondale. I tried moving the stem lower but the combination I need didn't work out so I'll have to stay with the bars this high for now. By the time I was ready to hop on and take it around the block a few times it was 6pm and pitch black and freeeeeezing outside. I threw a coat on, tucked my sweatpants into the tall softball socks I was wearing, and threw on my road shoes, gloves, and a beanie.

In picking up the bike to carry it down the stairs (re: stairs - see above post) and out the door. This was really the first time noticing the weight and balance difference between this Madone and my Cannondale R5000. I got on and then stopped real quick to drop the seat a little more. Then off I went.

First Riding Impression:

HOLY $(*#$&@# CRAP. This is illegal. I'm not kidding. For one, the freewheel makes almost no noise. It's a quiet, lower, and softer clicking as you coast. This is very different than the Mavic Open Pro wheel I use because of my Powertap hub. So right off the bat, the first thing I notice is how quiet the bike is. Literally AND figuratively. It's like a person with quiet confidence or quiet intensity. That's the best way I can describe the feeling when you first get on.

I make a turn onto another sidewalk and get out of the saddle to take some pedal strokes. This is probably the most earth shattering moment. When you get out of the saddle on this thing, it honestly feels like the bike is pushing itself forward. It takes no effort. The bike just goes. The best way I can describe this feeling is as if you're riding a magnetic trainer. If you've ever ridden one than you know what I'm talking about. There's a weird resistance to it and once you get a magnetic trainer up to speed, it almost keeps it's own momentum. That's exactly how this bike feels when you're out of the saddle and/or accelerating. It's unreal.

As I was doing this up and down and around my apartment complex, the sidewalk I was on has a lot of lines and cracks and bumps and holes. I could honestly say that they were WAY less noticable than riding my aluminum Cannondale. The Cannondale feels like it exaggerates bumps/holes/crack. The Madone feels like it eliminates them. This bike was so damn quiet as I coasted down the bumpy sidewalk that it really surprised me. Nothing rattled or squeeked or made any noise at all. Just the quiet hum of the freewheel. It's similar to when you get in the zone during a hard effort. All other noises go away and stop. It's just you and your breathing. Riding this bike creates that atmosphere.

The first time I got out of the saddle in the drops and accelerated fast, I swear I was swerving so much I thought I was moving more laterally than I was forward. lol. It was hysterical. The bike is so responsive and light and jumps with you that I feel like I need to learn how to ride a bike all over again. But not necessarily in a bad way.

I test rode the Madone 5.2 WSD as well and the 6.5 WSD with red carbon feels as different from the 5.2 as the 5.2 feels from my R5000.

Holy moly batman. This is going to be fun.

[Andrea]

That's a sweet ride! I love the white spokes, too. If you've got the extra time to keep it clean, you should switch out to some white bar tape... or red if you don't want to worry about dirt (I'm worse about matching bartape/bike color than some women are about matching shoes/purses).

It looks like a really fun bike- hope you get a chance to put it through the wringer soon!

[equus123]

Thanks Andea. :) I've been trying to decide on the "bar to saddle" color scheme, myself. :o lol I have a really tough time finding a saddle that fits. Since I've never been on this one I'm not too sure if it will be okay for me. If for some reason it is then I'd like to change the bar tape to white. If not then I'll go with my old faithful black saddle and keep the tape black. :p

I'm totally the same way. I don't care HOW I dress or if I even match. But don't get in the way with my bike's colors...... :rolleyes: lol

[Trekn Teresa]

equus123,

Congratulations on your new bike!
It is sweet! Oh, and I sure enjoyed your
very descriptive review of this bike. Thanks for sharing :)

I am interested and have been looking
at the Madone 4.5. You mentioned that you are 5'5 inches-
so, may I ask what size frame you got?

Anyway, Enjoy your ride, I know you will share
many, many, many miles and adventures with your new bike.
Again Congratulations.
~ Trekn Teresa ~

[equus123]

equus123,

Congratulations on your new bike!
It is sweet! Oh, and I sure enjoyed your
very descriptive review of this bike. Thanks for sharing :)

I am interested and have been looking
at the Madone 4.5. You mentioned that you are 5'5 inches-
so, may I ask what size frame you got?

Anyway, Enjoy your ride, I know you will share
many, many, many miles and adventures with your new bike.
Again Congratulations.
~ Trekn Teresa ~


Weird. I could have sworn I replied to this though it didn't show up? :confused:

Anyway, thank you Teresa. I ordered a 52 cm frame. I chose that size because I did a one-to-one comparison with my Cannondale R5000's dimensions. The 52 cm Trek matched very closely. I also did that because I was unsure if I should go with the Trek 50 or 52 cm frame.

[Triskeliongirl]

Another option to get the bars lower is to use a stem that angles downwards. Or, if the stem is higher you may just need to go with a longer flat to duplicate the reach on your old bike if you like that look more.

Congrats. She looks like quite the beauty!

[HillSlugger]

Another option to get the bars lower is to use a stem that angles downwards.

Can you flip the stem that's on there so that it angles downward?

Congrats on a beautiful new bike!

[Triskeliongirl]

Can you flip the stem that's on there so that it angles downward?

Congrats on a beautiful new bike!

That's what I meant, although whether it will help depends on how much rise it has. But, that is my suggestion, pick a stem w appropriate 'rise' but turn that rise into a decline by flipping it upside down. But then she may not like how it looks, which is why the option of using a stem that is longer but without rise may do the trick. The idea is to keep the distance from the tip of the saddle to the start of the brake levers the same on both bikes (assuming same saddle and STA), and then the reach will match.

[Andrea]

Thanks Andea. :) I've been trying to decide on the "bar to saddle" color scheme, myself. :o lol I have a really tough time finding a saddle that fits. Since I've never been on this one I'm not too sure if it will be okay for me. If for some reason it is then I'd like to change the bar tape to white. If not then I'll go with my old faithful black saddle and keep the tape black. :p

I'm totally the same way. I don't care HOW I dress or if I even match. But don't get in the way with my bike's colors...... :rolleyes: lol

Sella Italia offers a decent selection of solid red & solid white saddles. The white one with white bar tape would be freakin' SWEET on that bike! I'm drooling a little just thinking about it...
Whatever you do, be sure to put some update pics up!

Oh yeah, and I don't care much for matching clothes, either! T-shirt, jeans, & retired running shoes are my uniform!

[lph]

Yowza. What a GORGEOUS bike. And a terrific description of the ride, very evocative. :)

Reminded me of Paul Simons: "He makes it look so easy, look so clean, he moves like God's immaculate machine" (One-trick pony)

[equus123]

That's what I meant, although whether it will help depends on how much rise it has. But, that is my suggestion, pick a stem w appropriate 'rise' but turn that rise into a decline by flipping it upside down. But then she may not like how it looks, which is why the option of using a stem that is longer but without rise may do the trick. The idea is to keep the distance from the tip of the saddle to the start of the brake levers the same on both bikes (assuming same saddle and STA), and then the reach will match.

I'm actually not sure if this stem can be flipped. I've looked everywhere online about it, but it doesn't say. And Bontrager's website doesn't help either. Whenever I take the bike into my LBS to get the steerer tube shaved down a bit, I'll also ask about this stem.

I'm having a professional fit done some time in Feb with my current bike. Then I'll go again and have that fit replicated on the Madone. Because right now, the Madone is WAY off and not fitted at all. I don't want to waste my time having an interim fit done on the Madone and then the professional one done.

But actually what I meant by not being able to lower my bars is that the combination of risers + the stem's height are greater than 10mm. I have a few tiny spacers and then 2 or 3 10mm ones. So the only combination this works is if the stem goes on last because it's height is greater than the 10mm difference between the top of the steerer tube and the top of the spacers+stem group. I hope that makes sense.

Even in trimming the steerer tube at the bike shop and putting the stem beneath any spacers, I still may need a +/- 17 stem to get my bars low enough to match the offset on my current bike. The head tube on my Cannondale measures 11.5 whereas the Madone WSD's is 14.5. That's why it seems like I'm trying to get my bars as low as possible but it's also because the head tube is quite a bit taller.



THANKS EVERYBODY FOR LOOKING AND COMMENTING!!! It's very much appreciated. :D:D:D

[smilingcat]

Beautiful bike. And a aero shaped seat post/mast. Bit envious.

Many happy miles (collect them preems, collect them ALL :D)
smilingcat

[Mr. SR500]

You can flip the Bontrager stem either way (it's a beauty). But I would hold off on cutting your steerer until you have your fitting, until then you can simply stack spacers on top of the stem. I think you need to at least use one spacer (2.5 mm), but that with a 17 degree stem (may need a different stem) flipped down sill give you the most seat to bar drop. The top of the headtube on the new Madones is 30 mm higher then previous models, unless you go with the "Pro", but I'm not sure if you can get a Pro in a WSD. A smaller frame can also give you some more drop, but you made need the taller seat post cap and a longer stem.

P.S. Why not get the fit on the Madone rather then your current bike?

[equus123]

You can flip the Bontrager stem either way (it's a beauty). But I would hold off on cutting your steerer until you have your fitting, until then you can simply stack spacers on top of the stem. I think you need to at least use one spacer (2.5 mm), but that with a 17 degree stem (may need a different stem) flipped down sill give you the most seat to bar drop. The top of the headtube on the new Madones is 30 mm higher then previous models, unless you go with the "Pro", but I'm not sure if you can get a Pro in a WSD. A smaller frame can also give you some more drop, but you made need the taller seat post cap and a longer stem.

P.S. Why not get the fit on the Madone rather then your current bike?

Thank you for all of that advice. I was definitely going to wait in cutting the steerer tube.

I'm going to wait to fit the Madone because I just figured it would be easier to dial in on my current fit that I've had for the past year on my other bike. But now that I think about it more, I guess it really doesn't make too much of a difference? I just went back and re-read the email I got back from our team's coach (who's going to be doing the fitting) and he suggested waiting to fit the new bike so we know bar, stem, etc. to build on the new one. But the more I think about it, it wouldn't really matter because the geometries are so different, it wouldn't be possible to use the exact same stem or whatever between both bikes. Right?

Hmmmmm....... :cool:

[Mr. SR500]

If it were me, I would try and get the Madone close (at least you should be able to pull the seat height and fore/aft off your old bike). That way you can ride it and be ready when the fitter dials you in. I'm assuming the Madone will be your main bike, so makes sense to fit you on that.

Also depends on how the fitter fits you, fit kit, Compu-trainer, experience, etc... To get the best fit you really should be on the bike you'll be riding. Stems, reach, bars, are the last adjustment usually made (assuming the bike is the correct size), so you can dial in whatever you like. While a lower position will likely me more aero, a slight rise may make you more comfortable and efficient - thus faster. Depends on type of riding and style.

Enjoy the bike, Kim has so much studying to do, she wouldn't have time to ride even if her bike did show up early.

[silver]

Oh My!!! that bike is a beauty! Sexy and sleek!!!!!! enjoy!!!!!

MrSR..which one is SR500 getting?

[Mr. SR500]

Oh My!!! that bike is a beauty! Sexy and sleek!!!!!! enjoy!!!!!

MrSR..which one is SR500 getting?

5.1, looking like April now:(

[Triskeliongirl]

I hesitated saying this, but I thought I'd throw it out while the bike is still new and could be exchanged. Could it be that the bike you ordered is a size too large for you? You spent a lot of money for that bike, and it is still brand new so it seems to me the shop that sold it to you should be willing to work with you on it. The way our shops here work, is that the fit is performed first, and then matches are made to bikes that are likely to fit the best. As MRSR mentioned, as long as you can get your saddle high enough on the smaller frame, and could tolerate a stem 7 mm longer (diff in tt length corrected for sta) perhaps the 50 cm would be better. All I worry though is whether the 50 may have toe clip overlap based on the published tt length, and the handling may be slightly different as there is a slight diff in trail (5.9 vs 6.1) although if it were me I would find 6.1 too stable and prefer 5.9. A lot to consider. I second being fit to the madonne first. I find my fit is not the same on bikes with diff geometries, since balance over the bike is key, and how to best achieve that can vary with diff. frame geometries.

[equus123]

That's great advice Trisk. Thank you very much for that insight. I'm going to ask....

[SouthernBelle]

First I'm not disagreeing with Trisk, but wanted to note that I DO have toelap on my Giant. It's almost never an issue. You just really don't turn the wheel that much.

[Triskeliongirl]

I realize different women have different opinons on whether TCO is a problem or not, I was just trying to make the point that the same model bike in different sizes isn't always the same bike. This is particularly true in the smaller sizes where the frame geometires can vary by quite a bit. So, if she LOVES the handling of the 52, she may prefer to be fit to it with whatever stem adjustments are required, than going with the 50 which will have a shorter headtube. You have to be careful, cuz if you read a review of how a bike handles, unless you are going to ride it in the same frame size, the geometry may actually be quite different. I have found trail to be one of the major differences between diff. frame sizes, but its effect on how a bike handles is huge. Also, how your body balances over the bike effects handling, so again, if she loved the 52 it indeed may be the best for her, or not, we don't know which is why a professional fitter needs to look at her on the 52 and decide if its the perfect frame size or if he/she thinks the 50 would be better. And then she needs to find out *if* the 50 cm frame has TCO, and how *she* feels about that.

[equus123]

UPDATE! I have three bits of great news:

1) Wobble Naught laser fitting
2) 52cm frame size is perfect
3) Madone is a GREAT bike


I haven't ridden my bike since initially getting it in fear that the head tube may be too tall and now allow me to get low. So since the day I brought it home....it's just been sitting there looking pretty. All of this changed this past Friday in getting the new technology in bike fitting, Wobble Naught, onto the Madone. The stock stem that comes with the bike (90mm, 7 degree rise) is actually almost the dead-on right stem for me. . So what does that mean? 6 hr 50 min of riding between Sat, Sun, and Mon on this puppy. I FINALLY have some ride reviews of the 6.5 WSD.......

First off - this saddle is what I've been looking for my whole life!! From somebody who has the hardest time finding something that doesn't make me scream after 10 minutes, this saddle really is a godsend. My teammate hopped on the Madone for a few minutes during the ride and she even loved the saddle. She and I are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum, too, when it comes to saddle choices. So I thought that this was something really special that two different people can agree upon it. I may even think of buying one for my other bike even though I just got a new Terry to replace my old one.

Second - the bike corners like [I]IT picks the line and you're just along for the ride. What a HUGE difference between my aluminum R5000 and this Madone (with the Race XXX Lite fork). I wasn't necessarily interested in crit racing with this bike but after the first few corners, I may reconsider!

So the Madone rides SUPER quiet, super smooth, and super comfortable. My teammates would joke as we rolled over rough pavement areas "do you even feel that?" with a snide look on her face. Of which I smiled and returned "feel what? :D ". The best way to describe the ride feel is that every road feels like good pavement. You don't really feel the texture of each individual road from one to the next. It all feels smooth and comfy. When my teammate and I swapped bikes for a little bit, I hopped on her SystemSix. The front end has a much stiffer feel and you can feel the road's texture a little. On the Madone, it's like you can ride the thing all day and all night. I seriously didn't want to stop riding. I can only imagine how many weekly training hours I'll get once spring and summer approach. And in contrast to my other bike, I can really feel the difference with the Madone's lack of rider fatigue because of the carbon's suppleness. I would be a little drained after a 2 1/2 hr ride on my aluminum bike. Not this puppy. It almost feels refreshing after a ride, especially because my fit is so dialed in now....all the right muscle groups working and all the others not. What a rude awakening it was this weekend!

And last but not least, I cannot tell you how many compliments I received on how gorgeous the design and color scheme is. Even by my teammates out on the road, they think it's a really sharp looking bike and they love the white base color.

For those of you who may be interested in this bike, here is how I can sum it all up - smooth, soft, comfortable, quiet, fast but not too twitchy, excellent at cornering, stable descending, nice stand over height (sloping top tube), handlebars are excellent, shifters I've grown to like because of the ease to reach the brakes while in the drops, saddle is what I've always wanted but never experienced, each watt of power feels like it transfers directly to going faster.

[Beane]

First off - this saddle is what I've been looking for my whole life!! From somebody who has the hardest time finding something that doesn't make me scream after 10 minutes, this saddle really is a godsend. My teammate hopped on the Madone for a few minutes during the ride and she even loved the saddle. She and I are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum, too, when it comes to saddle choices. So I thought that this was something really special that two different people can agree upon it. I may even think of buying one for my other bike even though I just got a new Terry to replace my old one.




So can you tell us more about the saddle? I looked at your pics and the trek website and I'm a little confused. Does it say anything on it? Any info is appreciated!

.. and congrats on finding your dream bike!

[Beane]

by the way, your review is now linked from the trek travel webpage:

http://www.trektravel.com/why-trek-travel/what-we-ride/

(scroll down to the wsd)

[Triskeliongirl]

I am so happy for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[uforgot]

Hey congrats on the bike! She's a beauty.

I went on the Trek website and they call the saddle Bontrager Race X Lite FIT CRZ+

I have to admit that I cringe when I see the words "saddle" and "bontrager" in the same sentence. On Trek's low end bikes they are things of torture. I found this (http://www.bontrager.com/Road/Components/Saddles/21284.php) on the Bontrager website. Could this be it???

[equus123]

Thanks everybody. I appreciate it. (Don't you think Trek should send me like a free t-shirt or something?! They use my thread as a review and I get no thanks or recognition? :p)

As far as the saddle goes - It's a new Bontrager saddle that looks very similar to the Race X Lite FIT on their website but the center channel is slightly depressed and there's a little cutout just fore of center. For whatever reason, it's not on their site.

The side profile of the saddle is somewhat similar to the Fizik Aliante. The Aliante flares up in the back, slopes down in the center, then slopes back up slightly towards the nose. The Bontrager Race X Lite FIT CRZ+ is flat with exception to the flare up in the back. The width of the back and the nose of the saddle are perfect for me (I'm 5'6", 123 lbs). Since I'm used to riding a Terry Butterfly for the last couple years, I really love that the saddle is a little higher in the back because it makes for great power transfer when the road angles upwards and the cadence begins to slow. But it's not so much so that you're constantly griding away on your sit bones.....it's there when you need it. And for me, there's enough of a cushion on the Bontrager that I can slide up towards the nose a bit on harder efforts and be comfortably supported. It doesn't feel like sitting on a pole or a hard surface like other saddles I've tested.

Since there's no info anywhere yet on Bontrager's site, I can't tell you how much the saddle costs or what the weight is. I would LOVE if it came in black (ahem...need to match the saddle color with bar tape :rolleyes: ) but I'm not sure if there's even that option either.

I'll take pictures and measurements when I get home and post them on here for those interested in the saddle.

A side note - the high resolution images of the 6.5 WSD on Trek's site shows a different saddle and handlebars than what's listed/what actually comes with the bike. The correct saddle isn't anywhere online yet and here are the Race X Lite Blade OS bars - http://www.bontrager.com/Road/Components/Handlebars/25030.php .

[Starfish]

I noticed that on the Trek site they put the link to your review under the lower model bike, not under the 6.5 description.

Very interesting about the saddle!

[equus123]

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/saddle2.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/equus123/saddle1.jpg

[Beane]

thanks for the pics!

[NJBikeGal]

Congrats on the new wheels, Anne! Recently went throught my own shift from Aluminum to Carbon (my Felt to a Specialized Tarmac), so I can relate to all of your ride reactions! Amazing isn't it! So glad you're loving your new toy!

See you on the road sometime soon, I hope!

[equus123]

Yes, thank you. And congratulations on your carbon upgrade as well! :)

I may hit up several of the Lancaster, PA road races this year for the women's 3/4. Maybe we'll be seeing your team there as well?

[NJBikeGal]

Oh, yeah...we're always out there! I'll probably be doing some races down in MD now, too...a few that are Cat 3 to 2 upgrade worthy. Awesome that you'll be heading over the border this year!

[elk]

:) ah...another love story.....:)

[rij73]

How bout the measurements on the saddle? It looks so nice, and would look absolutely fab on my bike!

[equus123]

I'll get back to you on that. I forgot when I took the two pictures last week. :o

[rij73]

That would be great... I still don't see the saddle on their website, but am curious anyway. My Terry 155mm fits me great, but I really wish I could find a more attractive saddle that also fit me. It's really all about the bike's looks after all, isn't it? :p

[equus123]

Absolutely :D Trek certainly out did themselves with this finished product.....

[rij73]

Yes, your bike is really hot! I love the white saddle with blue accents, though. It would be perfect on my bike.

[Skierchickie]

Measurements? Measurements? It looks a little thick through the nose, but maybe it is just short? My Fizik Vitesse HP is something like 41 or 45mm in that area, which seems great to me (my Butterfly TI was too wide), but I think I need something flatter in back. And it killed me in the one tri I did last summer (18 miles of horror, followed by a couple of days of horror). My dream is to find something that I can use with my aerobars. sigh....

Bontrager does have that money-back comfort guarantee on their after market saddles.