Anyone have a Trek Portland?

[sundial]

DH is interested in the Portland which is outfitted for accessories--like fenders and panniers. He currently rides a Trek SLR 1600. Does anyone ride a Portland? What do you like or dislike about the bike? Thanks in advance.

[Mr. SR500]

The LBS has one, looks like a great bike. US frame, disk brakes, fenders, not sure about eyelets, but I would guess yes. I've not ridden one, but looks good.

[VeloVT]

Is this the touring rig, with bar end shifters (that switch from indexed to friction at the flip of a lever? I thought that was pretty cool!)?

I don't have much more concrete information than MRSR500 (did I get that right?), but I concur with his opinion. I was shown this bike while looking for a commuter in December 2006. (Ended up with Bianchi Axis). I didn't ride it because it was heavier than I wanted (26-27ish I think?). But pretty, functional, comfortable looking geometry, steel... a nice bike. I would totally test ride it.

[KnottedYet]

This is what I found: http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...land/portland/

but it's aluminum and doesn't have barcon shifters.

Could be a very cool commuter.
I have barcons on one of my bikes (flip from index to friction) and utterly love them. I have the feeling that any future road bikes I get will have barcon barend shifters as well. (unless it's Campy... mmmm)

The steel one with barcons might be the Trek 520.

BTW: I have mixed Campy and Shimano on both my bikes. No problem.

[withm]

ME!!!! ME!!!!

I bought one today. I got last years model - burnt orange. I was hoping it would look more red but it's OK. The price was right. Had I seen the color in person first, I would probably have opted for this year's model in "pearl." My LBS did not have it in stock, but apparently Trek still had 4 left in last years model in a 52 so they brought that in for me to try. Got to hand it to them, there was no hemming and hawing about doing that, even if I did not commit to buying it ahead of time. (But then again I have bought 4 bikes in the last 7 years from them).

But I LOVE the bike, and plan to use it for commuting. I even think it fits better than my Pilot but it does need a little tweaking. I will work with it next weekend weather permitting. We had north winds all morning and then snow showers on an off all afternoon and I was just too cold to spend more time out on it today, but I did manage to get about 10 miles in.

I did find out that the tires are not fat enough to ride on the gravel road to my mailbox. The hard way. Had unclipped left just in case but and fell right anyway. Ooops! I'll probably have a bruise or two but don't see any damage.)

The rear brake is still a little squishy and the cable routing seems a little awkward right at the disc, but the mechanic has a plan to fix that. He's very good, and he'll take care of it when I bring it back for adjustments in a couple weeks.

Bought Frog pedals, a rack and computer, water bottle cages, seat pack and tire changing tools, but still need a pump, co2, and some sort of a trunk or maybe the Arkel Tail Rider bag for the rack. I don't carry a lot to work (no laptop or anything) and usually leave clothes at work. But with the price of gas I really want to ride more. The main deterrent for me is the dark - 10 of the 13 miles one way are a pretty desolate stretch on coastal highway - 4 lanes 60mph, 10' bike lane but NO LIGHTS AT ALL. And in the middle is the bridge over the inlet to the ocean that has barely a 2' bike lane and no lights (and lots of debris) so I really have to wait till it stays light till about 5:30 PM before I start riding again. Once I get on the south side of the bridge, there are at least a few houses and some street lights in the neighborhoods though still none on the highway, but I'd be comfortable there I think....

Anyway, the Portland comes with clip on fenders that are pretty cool, but did not fit with the rear rack I bought, so I took the rear fender off.

I really think I'm going to be loving this bike. Now if I could only figure out where to put it! 3 bikes in the living room really does not work for me.

Martha

[Zen]

ME!!!! ME!!!!

Since you didn't get the Pearl that I think is soooooo pretty, I'll forgive you you hussy

That is one nice bike.

[VeloVT]

I was looking at the Trek 520, not the Portand:

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2008/road/520/520/

Maybe worth a look as well?

[KnottedYet]

I was looking at the Trek 520, not the Portand:

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2008/road/520/520/

Maybe worth a look as well?

Look at the Surly Cross Check and Long Haul Trucker, too. This year's Trek 520 paint is the same as the Cross Check's has been, but the CC also comes in a very pretty light dove gray. I saw a gray one yesterday at my LBS, very nice. (I have a gloss black one) http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck_comp.html

Here's mine last year, before I changed a lot of things.


(and the CC is about $400 cheaper than the 520)

[withm]

After all the talk about Portlands, though I better post a pic of mine. I'll take a better one with better background but this will do for now.

It comes with both fenders, but the rear fender doesn't really fit so well with the rack. The quick release for the fenders is pretty cool though.

I only rode it about 10 miles on Saturday, then the sub freezing cold rolled in yesterday. I still need to get a trunk bag, lights, and a pump for it and I'm ready to start riding to work as soon as it stays light till around 5:30-6:00. Oh, and and when it gets a little warmer too. High about 26oF today but at least it was sunny.

[Zen]

I can smell the new from here

[withm]

I can smell the new from here

Zen - it's a 52. I think you have frogs so I'll be happy to let you try it if it would be close to fitting you but I think you are way shorter than me...?

I'll be in DC weekend of Feb 2-3 but Sunday I am booked up (Leon Fleischer tix at Strathmore!) If weather is decent I'll bring a bike and plan on riding for Sat. somewhere.

[sundial]

I like the orange color. When I was shopping for an Element, I wanted the chilli orange color but settled for Galapagos Green.

Hubby has a cool Axiom rack and fenders he may play with. I can't wait and he's so excited!

[Zen]

Waaay shorter.
my Pilot is a 47
Besides, I don't ride outside if the temp is below 50

[7rider]

You and Kalidurga, Zen.
Withm...that is a way nice bike! Congrats on the (second) new ride!
(and darn, I think it'd be a tad too small for me....I ride a 54!)

Sundail...You have an Element? A friend of mine has been looking at those. How do you like it?
edit: Oops..are you talking HONDA Element....or Novara Element? My friend is looking at the REI bike.....

[withm]

Waaay shorter.
my Pilot is a 47
Besides, I don't ride outside if the temp is below 50

OK maybe I'll let you touch it if you can't ride it. LOL.

Warmer weather will come again someday. I used to say my limit was 50o, sunny, and no wind and that I had to have 2 of the 3 conditions to even consider playing outside. Now it seems to have dropped to about 34o but it has to be sunny, and wind condition has been relaxed to under 20kt or so. But if it's that cold I'll only stay out for an hour or so.