Are Treks cool now that Lance has retired?

Lumen

It's Friday, and I need to know.

billaustin

Treks have always been cool, ask any cyclist if they would like a nice 6.9 Madone and I'm sure the majority would say Hell Yeah brother! Cancellara's new Trek is very nice.

funkyjebus

Get over yourself.

Lance aside, treks are still uncool imo. But he did them no favours.

funkyjebus

Get over yourself.

billaustin wrote: »

Treks have always been cool, ask any cyclist if they would like a nice 6.9 Madone and I'm sure the majority would say Hell Yeah brother! Cancellara's new Trek is very nice.

Id take a free raleigh if it was offered, no mind a madone 6.9, I however would not pay money for one.

keano007

No, the fetid stench of Lance is still with them.

Always cool imo, I have to say so though cus I'm the proud owner of a madone

Cookie_Monster

where's "Atari Trekuar" option? Friday Poll fail

seamus

Treks are the only cool bike. Everything else may as well be built out of lego in comparison.

Cookie_Monster

seamus wrote: »

Treks are the only cool bike. Everything else may as well be built out of lego in comparison.

bah, never

my bike is cool
it's black, like the batmobile => cool
QED

dave.obrien

Get over yourself.

While they may well be great bikes, they ain't cool! I used to love riding my old trek, but it wasn't a cool bike.

niceonetom

Get over yourself.

Too soon to tell.

With Lay-oh-paaaar they're doing their best to make a clean break of it and invent a new personna before Lance has inevitable Ford Bronco breakdown. They could do a lot worse than sticking their bikes under the likes of Fab and Jens if they want to give their brand a veneer of eurocool. They might yet pull it off and in 5 years Trek could have no more negative connotations than Specialized.

Both brands are encumbered by their sheer size (a negative in a world where so many want exclusivity or boutique bikes) but they also have the cash to put their bikes under champions and the marketing departments to make sure we notice.

We all like to think we're immune to marketing and that our opinions are our own. We're all wrong though, and Trek could easily rehabilitate themselves.

If anything, Specialized should be more worried about Berto's continued use of the SL3.

Lumen

Well here's my opinion.

Trek and Bontrager owe a lot of their current market position to the Lance-factor, but they existed as companies before that, albeit with a lower market share.

I haven't bought a Trek for several reasons, partly VFM and partly the Lance associations. If a company deliberately chooses a particular association for marketing purposes then it's perfectly reasonable to reject the product if you don't like that association - they can't have it both ways.

However, if they're no longer pushing the Lance-bike angle, then I'm happy to judge their products on their own merits.

Unfortunately we're not quite there yet...

Jawgap

Get over yourself.

Like anything with a black and yellow combo in it, black socks, Nike, Oakley etc - they carry the imprimatur of the man and so depending on your stance on him they are either tainted or not.

I'll go for not cool because there are so many of them and nothing that is genuinely cool can be so widely available and so easily accessible

Chips Lovell

Get over yourself.

Lance never made Treks uncool. It was a good chunk of the people who bought them who did.

There's something quite lame about choosing a brand just because it sponsors your favourite rider (or, even worse, because it sponsors the only cyclist you've ever heard of). The fact that Trek markets its entry level frames as "Lance's bike, in aluminium" says it all really.

As a result Trek didn't become synonymous with Lance. It became associated with hairy legged, triple sporting, high-viz wearing, helmot visored weekend warriors.

manwithaplan

el tonto wrote: »

hairy legged, triple sporting, high-viz wearing, helmot visored weekend warriors.

You called?

My commuter is a Trek. And it's a hybrid. I have no illusions of cool.

I am, however, encouraged that I am only a tube of Veet, a chainring and a couple of small ads away from rocking.

Ah_go_on

My Gary Fisher is now a Trek and is therefore not as cool as it used to be.

Point proven.

petethedrummer

They shutdown Lemond bikes. Not cool.

goldencleric

Get over yourself.

Fabian et al kind of make Trek a lot cooler with their white saddles and tape but then you spot Levi with his black socks, shoes, saddle and tape and they just lose all credibility.

briano

Get over yourself.

Lumen wrote: »

...

However, if they're no longer pushing the Lance-bike angle, then I'm happy to judge their products on their own merits.

...

Yeah, or not there at all - a 2300 equipped 8 speed entry level bike described as

*"Perfect for the passionate enthusiast or aluminum aficionado"

*"Tour-tested"

But most annoyingly "Like Lance’s bike, in aluminum."




There is nothing wrong with bike for it's purpose, but I hate that "Like Lance's" bull that they use

fat bloke

Trek 6.9's and discovery colour 1.2's are at quite, quite different ends of the coolness and desirability scales...

Entry level treks are as attractive as... pardon the analogy...testicular cancer

studiorat

Who is this Lance character? A porn star or something?

DirkVoodoo

fat bloke wrote: »

Trek 6.9's and discovery colour 1.2's are at quite, quite different ends of the coolness and desirability scales...

Entry level treks are as attractive as... pardon the analogy...testicular cancer

I think the thread is more about riding a bike simply branded as a "Trek" rather than any of the actual models. Judging a frame on its performance and technology is not really the issue.

To me, Treks are about as cool as elbow patches or Jamie Lawson, i.e. not at all. Sorry.

studiorat

briano wrote: »

Yeah, or not there at all - a 2300 equipped 8 speed entry level bike described as

*"Perfect for the passionate enthusiast or aluminum aficionado"

*"Tour-tested"

But most annoyingly "Like Lance’s bike, in aluminum."

There is nothing wrong with bike for it's purpose, but I hate that "Like Lance's" bull that they use

The welds on that thing. Shocking, tis like something you'd make up yourself.
How much is that bike over here?

Like Lance's bike in Alu. Yeah, like the sh1t one he keeps locked in the garden out in the rain all year!!

ednwireland

Get over yourself.

i've already told you the answer lumen

cormpat

Get over yourself.

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

To me, Treks are about as cool as elbow patches or Jamie Lawson, i.e. not at all. Sorry.

I happen to think elbow patches are cool. I've never heard of Jamie Lawson & on Trek's I would never never own you. Too common to be cool.

lukester

Get over yourself.

Treks are as cool as flappy jackets.

Diarmuid

Get over yourself.

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

To me, Treks are about as cool as elbow patches or Jamie Lawson.

or planet-X's :P

I have a p-x AND a trek. I'm uncool-squared.

ednwireland

Get over yourself.

Diarmuid wrote: »

or planet-X's :P

canyon is going the same way on here imo

i have a planet-x kaffenback does that count ?

DirkVoodoo

Diarmuid wrote: »

or planet-X's :P

I have a p-x AND a trek. I'm uncool-squared.

The fact that you used maths to describe your lack of cool must make it true.

Diarmuid

Get over yourself.

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

The fact that you used maths to describe your lack of cool must make it true.

uncool-cubed.

mloc123

Lumen wrote: »

It's Friday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2LRROpph0&feature=related

Its Friday?

DirkVoodoo

mloc123 wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2LRROpph0&feature=related

Its Friday?

No, it's Friday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzfQwXEqYaI

manwithaplan

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

No, it's Friday

Unless he was referring to Ms. Black as "it".

jiffybag

Get over yourself.

Treks IMO remain uncool . Spesh is going down the same route with Contador and Vino as their poster boys.
Phillip Deignan is onboard a Trek this season bit it aint no Cervelo!!

ednwireland

Get over yourself.

jiffybag wrote: »

Phillip Deignan is onboard a Trek this season bit it aint no Cervelo!!

hate to say it but it did look nice when i saw it last year pretty uncool after riding it in full cervelo kit though (he hadnt got his radioshack kit yet)

petethedrummer

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

No, it's Friday:

Death Metal Friday?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi00ykRg_5c
might scare young childer.

DirkVoodoo

manwithaplan wrote: »

Unless he was referring to Ms. Black as "it".

Confusion. I was referring to the (superior) edit of the song verus mloc's posting of the original. Unless you were referring to my use of a contraction?

manwithaplan

Confusion indeed. I thought you were pointing out the grammatical error in the previous post.

That's one spectacularly awful song.

gmoorewest

Get over yourself.

Trek are a good bike, not a cool bike.

pkeno

Oh no. Being totally new to cycling I bought a trek 1.2 second hand a few weeks ago. I didn't even know Lance rode one.

Now at least I know when fellow cyclists stare at me it won't be because I've accidentally exposed a testicle, it will just be my uncool bike.

AstraMonti

Get over yourself.

If Lance's kids take up cycling then Trek will forever remain uncool, if they don't, we need 3 generations to pass to clear the name and we can discuss that again at the time.

Harrybelafonte

Get over yourself.

petethedrummer wrote: »

Death Metal Friday?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi00ykRg_5c
might scare young childer.

It works because they never seem to blink, the intensity is palpable

Junior

Who cares, I've a Madone, a Project One and a Scott none of them were bought due to affiliation to a rider, team or brand.

el tel

Treks are not cool, MAW's bike on the images of beauty thread excepted. Even the brand Bontrager is not cool, the word alone screams heavy and uncomfortable. Id put trek and bontrager in the same pool as British Leyland.

mloc123

Are Treks cool? Dunno, but they are good. Most(or one of the most) aero frames going at the moment.

thebouldwhacker

Well it depends on the definition of cool. Perhaps cool is:

Desirable, when people see something they want it...

It would have a persona attached to it, ie an observer would see the product and associate certain positive attributes to that person

It would have an individual quality to it, the owner because of their selection of the item is in some way identified as being separate from the greater group, slightly elitist through choice of product, not necessarily price driven.

It is functional, of good quality but not necessary a requirement to completion of a task: at a minimum level it has to be able to preform the task that the group observing are involved in but in its own way that other can not.
However as a contradiction it possibly can do only one part of the task extremely well while deliberately ignoring surplus activities associated with the task which are deemed unnecessary. this adds to the rebel aspect thus making the item usable only by some thus making it desirable but unattainable to others.

This list could go on forever but using these points cool become something which is relative to the observer, take something pretty straight forward like clip less pedals.
Someone who is new to cycling sees them, and finds them desirable, they mean you take cycling serious, using clip less means you re a 'cyclist' not just a POB, they do make cycling easier and make you go faster thus making you better than users of flat pedals, their not very good walking shoes, sometimes requiring the wearer to bring a second pair of footwear. this is even more exaggerated when using road clip less cleats....... hence they are cool.

However if one is an avid cyclist, you may see clip less as a basic requirement and that is when sub categories start to form ie which make, style, weight, components and materials etc etc

So Trek as a make is so big with so many models of bike that to ascertain if it is cool or not one must ignore the specifics and look at it as a brand. For many it is the manufacturer of their first bike thus it was desired, sought after and attained. It made them feel good and as a recognised brand of distinction gave them a source of division from POB's thus they saw themselves as belonging to the 'cyclist group'. Trek bikes work so a good link is formed with the brand, this is elevated by the fact that the brand is involved in pro-cycling, again reinforcing the elitist element. Furthermore they are expensive so not attainable to many, (though some would like them spending anymore that €200 on a bike would be madness)

Therefore Trek are most definitely cool............... to those who are not involved in cycling. To those who do cycle Trek is linked with lance which immediately divides the group, they are very common at entry level, therefore easily attainable, they mean conformity and group acceptance without any individual input. As all bikes at that level are reliable that is not a factor but as they are not viewed (as a brand) as leading the way in design, performance or fashion in so far as they are in the majority easily attainable to the masses, so many cyclists, who do not have an existing affinity with the brand see trek (as a brand) which is not cool, but they do make great bikes!!!

goldencleric

Get over yourself.

God if only this didn't have Trek and Bontrager plastered all over it:

SurferDude41

Get over yourself.

Trek bikes are very uncool, I certainly wouldn't buy one:D
Apparently there have been lots of problems with their BB90 bottom bracket.

American bikes that are cool: Moots, Lynsky, Kent Erikson, Parlee, Calfee,
These are the only bikes American bikes, I would buy with my own money...

Merlin used to be uber cool, but since they were taken over by the American bicycle group they lost their cool status...ABG recently sold Merlin to an online retailer...I should have bought a Lynsky instead:eek:

Much the same story with Litespeed, since the Lynsky family sold it to the American Bicycle Group...They only make two titanium bikes now...the rest being mass produced in the far East..of carbon...

ROK ON

I wouldnt buy a trek, but thats because I am a crank that tries to avoid what is generic. That said, I have seen some fantatsic looking bikes in the past two years. One on a spin only a few weeks back (last years Madone, but with a great paint job).
Only issue I have with the likes of Trek or Spesh, is not the bikes, but that they are very very expensive versus what you could get. IMHO, the cost of marketing and support of a lot of pro-teams, is paid for by the likes of us buying bikes. I prefer to buy something that doesnt have this margin built in. For me its purely economic, rather than cool versus uncool.

Anyway, I hardly think that a bunch of PX/Canyon owning freds know anything about what is cool in bikes:D.

If I was to feck money after a bike I would look for something iconic. For me that is Colnago.

Joxer_S

I ride a Trek 2.1, my biggest gripe with is that the brand is written on the frame and fork no less than eight times. I think any more than once either side and it becomes shameless marketing, no more than a quick glance at the down tube is ever required when checking what make a bike is. Canyon too, I love the understated look they normally have, and then this...

velo.2010

I wonder, does Fabian Cancellara think Trek Bikes are 'cool'? :rolleyes:

ednwireland

Get over yourself.

velo.2010 wrote: »

I wonder, does Fabian Cancellara think Trek Bikes are 'cool'? :rolleyes:

i reckon he'll ride what the team give him