Madone 6.5 WSD

[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!
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!

[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!
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. 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.

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...... 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?

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!

[smilingcat]

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

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

[Andrea]

Thanks Andea. I've been trying to decide on the "bar to saddle" color scheme, myself. 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.

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...... 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)