Trek or specialized

I would look into the Specialized. They have great bikes. Trek bikes are good as well but they seem to have more quality issues. check out the blog bustedcarbon.com it seems that there are more trek bikes that all others.

Trek doesn't have failure issues. Either Specialized or Trek is fine.

I guess what i meant was that Trek carbon is not quite as strong as say Specialized or Giant. I have this opinion from talking to numerous bike industry folks and the riders who own them. That being said carbon from any manufacturer is weak if it is involved in a crash. It is very strong under normal riding but it does not take a beating. I myself have ruined a carbon fiber fork when I hit a wet wooden bridge and had my bike slide out from under me. But this incident has not kept me from riding carbon fiber.

ride4him said:

I guess what i meant was that Trek carbon is not quite as strong as say Specialized or Giant. I have this opinion from talking to numerous bike industry folks and the riders who own them. That being said carbon from any manufacturer is weak if it is involved in a crash. It is very strong under normal riding but it does not take a beating. I myself have ruined a carbon fiber fork when I hit a wet wooden bridge and had my bike slide out from under me. But this incident has not kept me from riding carbon fiber.

I think you have to be careful with assumptions like these, especially if you base your opinion on what industry folks say. As an example, Mavic apparently still thinks the R-SYS was a good design. 🙄 Also, industry folks don't necessarily base their views on fact and may accidentally or purposefully disseminate bad info.

As for Trek's trouble's or whether or not they even have any. I haven't heard much in any forums, be the forumites racers or regular folk. That's not to say they haven't had a frame or two fail, but no manufacturing process is perfect. Also, it's not uncommon for a bike owner to prevaricate a bit when presenting broken bits to a dealer or company rep to insure they get a warranty claim or summat.

My intent isn't to argue with you but rather to say to new riders that there are very few bad frames on the market, be they Ti, Al, Steel, Mg, or CF. Therefore a new rider should keep their focus on fit, wow factor, and price.

karatemonkey said:

I have the choice between a Trek Madone 6.5 and a Specialized pro SL I am currently riding a 2006 giant TCR1 it is a very nice bike but I believe that I have outgrown it in many ways. I love to climb mountains and I love to sprint for the city limit sign on our group rides. I would deeply appreciate any input that other cyclist would have to offer.

Have you considered simply getting a new wheelset and/or updating your shifters/etc.?

karatemonkey said:

I have the choice between a Trek Madone 6.5 and a Specialized pro SL I am currently riding a 2006 giant TCR1 it is a very nice bike but I believe that I have outgrown it in many ways. I love to climb mountains and I love to sprint for the city limit sign on our group rides. I would deeply appreciate any input that other cyclist would have to offer.

thanks Jeff

Either bike will be a great bike, assuming it fits you properly and puts the starch in your knickers. Differences, excluding components, will be in geometry. The Madone has a shorter wheelbase and bit steeper head tube angle, meaning the Madone might steer more quickly. The Tarmac Pro has a taller headtube and a bit longer effective top tube. That'll affect fit. As far as quality goes, it's a toss up. Both have been making bikes for a long time, and both were early entries into the CF bike game, so they've got a lot of experience building CF frames.

That's about all that can be said. You decision is going to come down to what your head, butt, and wallet tell you.

Agree with Alienator. Test ride both and get which ever one fits you the best. The Specialized top tube might be a tad longer than the Giant. I went from a Giant TCR 1 aluminum to a Specialized Allez and I had to go to a 80mm stem. But I also have lost some flexibility as I get older. Either bike you end up with will be a bike shop quality bike that will give you years of enjoyment under normal riding.