Madone 6.5 WSD

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.

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. [If I opted, the "perfect" stem for me on this bike would be a 90mm, 0 rise) but what I have is fine]. 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 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.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by equus123

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.

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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!

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)

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

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 on the Bontrager website. Could this be it???

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/Compon...bars/25030.php .

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!

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...23/saddle2.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...23/saddle1.jpg

thanks for the pics!

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!

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?

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!

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

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