New Color - Trek Domane SL8 Disc 2018

[Dingman 172]

For the last few months, I've been spec'ing up a new bike.

Ya, it takes that long, it's winter time and it's not a small purchase for me.

 But Trek, my manufacturer of choice (their engineering is way over the top) has recently added some new colors.

Although I won't choose this color - I thought I'd throw it out there because of the association to much of the Carver equip. You already know what color it is, I bet. (I tried to change background color, couldn't - kinda ruins the effect)

 

[Dingman 172]

And once I get started on bikes, it's hard to stop me (ahem, like another topic that's to be avoided for me).

My current bike is a "go fast" - I'm a small guy, with like so little fat it's unhealthy - so I've always been what they call in the biking world as a "weight weenie".

The "go fast" is a 2015 Trek Emonda - currently coming in at 15.5 lbs (a gallon of milk is about 8 lbs). It's a dingin' sweet bike. Of course, I've modified it...

 

 

 

 

 

[Dingman 172]

So basically, if anyone wants to talk about bikes, I can do the discussion justice.

My new bike will have what Trek calls "iso dampening" - I'm getting older and long rides (70 to 100 miles) can wear on me more than 10-15 years ago. The dampening is really superior and now that disc brakes are being perfected (have you ever been caught in hilly terrain in the rain with rim brakes - if you have, you know it's fu..ing scary and dangerous), I have to upgrade. My gravel bike has discs and I'm hooked.

At any rate, sticking with just the color topic, I'm tempted to go with an old school gold...

This bike will have the hydraulic disc, iso-dampeners, ceramic bottom bracket, carbon wheels, internal cabling (assuming I don't go wireless shifting) and tubeless tires. It's good to be king, as Tom Petty would say.

 

[zumbini 6,062]

Nice ride Dingman!

 

My buddy and fellow gear head Mikie has been riding Treks since we were roommates in the mid-80's. He had 3 Treks the last time I saw him (2015), including a top of the line Madone 9.9.

 

I still own and ride my 1978 Bianchi Axis crossover though oddly there are very few official bike trails here in Virginia. When I lived in Illinois I used to ride the local paved forest preserve trail every day (2 passes on a 12.3 mile loop). Most weekends I would ride the streets from Broadview to the Illinois Prairie Path in Forest Park (about 5 miles) and take that to the Fox River Trail (15 miles on compacted dirt). The paved loop from Aurora to St. Charles was about 40 miles but I often connected to the Great Western Trail which itself is part of the 575 mile long Grand Illinois Trail. 

 

 

[Dingman 172]

That's cool bike Zu, Bianchi used to be big around here, not really sure what happened to them.

 

I've ridden a bit in illinois, in the Chicago area, but didn't know about a 575 mile loop! Man, that sounds like quite a trip. Here in Iowa, we're trying to connect some trails for a long loop, not quite sure how long yet tho.

 

One of the neatest things we've added recently, this was paid for by the railroad when they decommissioned on of their trestles - Iowa used to mine alot of coal, especially in this area, so the artist tried to create lights that when heading to\thru the trestle, it's supposed to simulate heading down a mineshaft. I can't really see that, but it is very cool and the trestle is like 110 feet over the riverbed, which adds to the coolness.

 

 

[zumbini 6,062]

Interesting though I'm not sure I'd appreciate the neon glow....

 

The prairie path was the first major Rails-to-Trails conversion in the US so it includes lots of old Illinois Central and Chicago, Aurora & Elgin train bridges and trestles. Of course Illinois is "flat land" so the tallest span is only about 30 feet high. 

 

 

 

 

[Dingman 172]

That is one heck of a loop - didn't know Illinois was one of the first.

 

That photo does exaggerate the glow, it's LED, but I understand the point. They now turn the lights off at 10PM - not because of energy but because it became a late night destination, mostly for kids. So, the organized "midnight' rides we used to have to the trestle won't be happending anymore I think.

 

And look what Trek just posted to Twitter - gee, they like Anthracite as well.

 

[PhilDent 986]

Dingman,

 

That bike looks very cool.  It's amazing how expensive bikes have gotten. I'm part of a cycling club and we're planning on doing a group purchase to keep the cost down as much as possible.  After my last crash which destroyed my frame and wheels I'm hesitant to sink too much money on a bike.  I try and live by the motto:  Work on the meat machine! 

 

We have to save money for Carver Gear.

[jldeni 435]

Quote

For the last few months, I've been spec'ing up a new bike. Ya, it takes that long, it's winter time and it's not a small purchase for me.

 

 But Trek, my manufacturer of choice (their engineering is way over the top) has recently added some new colors.

 

Although I won't choose this color - I thought I'd throw it out there because of the association to much of the Carver equip. You already know what color it is, I bet. (I tried to change background color, couldn't - kinda ruins the effect)

 

 

Very nice! I've riden a Domane 5.9 Di2 for the past two years. Fun bike that I have taken on some long rides - and the Di2 is so forgiving of my sloppy shifting habits - it has never let me down! I also have a Madone 4.7 SRAM that is my go-to bike for daily use - it's a personal preference , but the Madone geometry seems to fit me a little better. 

 

Since it is winter up here in the northeast, I am picking up a fat bike (4.8" wide tires!) tonight that I ordered from bikes direct. I want to be able to do more riding on the snow-covered trails. I sold a Trek X-Caliber 9 that I was using. It was awesome on downhill trails, but was not great on the flat, snow covered trails last year.

 

Thanks for sharing the pics. I'll do the same when I have time to dig some out. Both the road bikes are covered up right now waiting for spring - but I'm sure I have some somewhere.

 

Enjoy the ride - and enjoy the music!

 

[Dingman 172]

Quote

Dingman,

 

That bike looks very cool.  It's amazing how expensive bikes have gotten. I'm part of a cycling club and we're planning on doing a group purchase to keep the cost down as much as possible.  After my last crash which destroyed my frame and wheels I'm hesitant to sink too much money on a bike.  I try and live by the motto:  Work on the meat machine! 

 

We have to save money for Carver Gear.

 

 

Yup, crazy prices, I hesitate to tell non-cyclists how much I'll be paying for the new bike. I've "tested" with a few bike clubs, but as an older rider, I find too much testosterone which does lead to jostling and crashing - I've see it and an certainly not interesting in that. 

 

I live in Iowa and so have done muliple RAGBRAI's and that's enough excitement in a crowd - good lord, what a crowd! 

[Dingman 172]

Jim,

Looks like you are in the Trek world as well. I thought about a Madone but have test ridden both and really like the front\read vibration dampening on the Domane SL®6(8). And I already have the nice lightweight Emoda and man, is that a hill climber. I'm weighing in a about 125lbs, and with the 16lb stiff Emonda, I do really well on the small hills we have here in Iowa - and the acceleration is fantastic.

 

So, the next will be a Domane and ya, I might get the Di2. It's been out long enough, it has enough history for me to be confident it won't be failing in a few years. I'm not crazy about extra batteries but I guess thats just part of the package.

 

I have several friends who are practically demanding that I try\buy a fat bike. I'm resisting, but it sure looks like a fun, versatile ride. That would sure extend the riding season, for sure. I also have a gravel bike but it doesn't fit me as well and I mostly use it for commuting and errands.

 

Good luck with the new fat bike! Come back and show us some pics too, I want to see. 

[jldeni 435]

Just finished putting together my Sturgis Bullet. Can't wait to get out on it but that will not happen today due to other commitments. Looks and feels like a beast - but not as heavy as I thought it would be. Some preliminary pics:

 

 

 

[Dingman 172]

Hey jidnei, that looks sweeeeet!

Man, I'm gonna have to test ride a fat bike, people won't stop telling me how nice they are - and sounds like once you get the wheels turning, it's not so bad?

 

I think a few guys around here with fat bikes are a bit bummed, we've had zero snow so far this year.

 

What's that Sturgis Bullet gonna weigh in at? I can't quite see - SRAM in the rear? 

[jldeni 435]

You should try one out - if only for kicks! This is the hydroformed aluminum frame and weighs in at an ounce over 35 lbs with my 1 lb pedals installed - so it is not a lightweight. (Of course, my frame is running 225 - not a lightweight either!)

 

This bike has a SRAM RD NX 1X11 SPD drive train with an 11-42T casette and a 30T Raceface crank. After a couple rides, I can say it is a blast to ride. Does well in the snow - we had about 6", but I really prefer playing on the plowed or shallow-snow trails.where I can fly. Probably the roadie in me. Here are a couple more pics....

 

 

 

[Dingman 172]

I'm not good at social media and didn't update you guys with my new bike - spoiler, I didn't get the Anthracite (sad face). But I have a blood red\maroon fade that's pretty cool.

As I said above, it is a 2018 Domane SL8. I was delivered last July, I got about a 1K mikes on it before winter hit. It is themed off of "Smaug" from Lord of the Rings. You'll see several touches for that effect, LOL. The bike is named Smaug, although the text on the bike is elvish, so you can't really read it.

It's a fun bike but still evolving, for example, I just put a set of aerobars on it, and some Garmin attachments.

 

[Dadvw 1,758]

On 12/20/2017 at 4:27 PM, PhilDent said:

 

We have to save money for Carver Gear.

Yes, the OCCD requires it........?