It feels like cheating: The Trek Domane+ SLR9 gravel bike, reviewed
- Thread starter JournalBot
- Start date
Interesting about the views on use of GPS over wheel turns. I would have thought wheel turns have the risk of mis-reading as the wheel slips and slides on gravel, etc.? So, a blend of both GPS with wheel spins to give the truest reading is optimal?
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For now. Don't be smug. Everyone gets old.
And here's me trying desperately to get back to century legs after medical drama last season. On a £1500 Ribble. Three grand? What are ye, lad, a dentist?
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ColdWetDog
Ars Legatus Legionis
But selling upscale stuff is what Trek is currently about. They do sell a pretty wide range of bikes but most of them seem a bit pricey for what you get - even compared to the competition. Bike manufacturers in general are trying to push this for pretty obvious reasons, but it is unclear to me if it will really work out for a lot of bike manufactures. There aren't that many people willing to part with this kind of money for a bike.
The e-bike trend is an obvious one to latch on to. An actual reason to cost more. Opening a much wider potential audience. But there is going to be a lot of competition for each customer and bikes are interestingly morphing out to new designs and potential customers (gravel bikes, which didn't exist a few years ago and others).
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I would posit that any slip/slide on a bike is going to be an near instantaneous event that is filtered out by software. Nobody here is attempting "Tokyo Drift: Gravel Bike Extreme"
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ColdWetDog
Ars Legatus Legionis
That works. (Stares longingly at sailboat that was left in Alaska.)
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It costs more than a lot of new motorcycles. Like this thing has the same msrp as a Ducati monster+ and a mt07 is 4 grand less. 13 grand gets you a lot of fucking motorcycle before you even consider the used market.
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$12k for a eBike is expensive. when I asked a local bike dealer why these were so expensive he said "The drivetrain (motor battery, controller) is about $6k), then you factor in the cost of the analog bike".
So that bike with it's fancy wireless shifter, carbon rims, brakes etc would be pricy even as an analog bike.
So that bike with it's fancy wireless shifter, carbon rims, brakes etc would be pricy even as an analog bike.
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Yeah but with Ducati maintenance costs, the TCO of the Trek is way less /s
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Judging by the repeated screen shots from the different days' rides the 'irritation' which shows significantly different mileage I would say the article was "being polite" about a feature which I would describe as "not fit for purpose"!
but then again each to their own, ymmv ;-)
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It may be the case that the photos in the article are of a bike that was different than the one Trek lent to the author. But all the photos in the article clearly show a SRAM (RED) drivetrain and brakes.
I'm not even sure DA-9200 (the 12 speed variant) is e-bike compatible. Shimano tends to be pretty clear that their halo road group set is targeted purely at road racing.
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I can't even fathom what could possibly make ANY bicycle worth $13k without copious precious metals and gemstones being involved for no reason. Even after reading this review, I don't think there's anything that could convince me personally there's enough value in the materials OR engineering to get to that price.
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Trek isn't some start up, but they do have cheaper e-bikes in the $1K range. They also have more expensive, non-electric bikes with all the bells and whistles that get close to this thing's price. This e-bike is just one step being those fancy gravel bikes, and the motor is a huge help for reasons other commenters have already mentioned.
Even though this bicycle isn't for me for multiple reasons, I was happy to read the review, and I'm glad Ars is featuring more and more e-bikes. I'd rather see something like this than a cheap, Chinese, alphabet soup name bike with non-standard parts and an unsafe battery that is going to be useless in a few years because you can't get it repaired. Trek (and Giant, and their sub brands) have relationships with local bike shops so end users can actually try the things before buying them, and know they can get replacement parts a few years down the road.
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I ride a $3,000 mountain bike, and I'm super-duper paranoid that it could be stolen. Even if I could afford $13,000 for a bike, I don't think I'd ever buy one because of the endless fearfulness of it getting stolen. Even the best locks and chains and cables are easily broken by someone with the right tools. If I spent that much money on a bike, I'd want it handcuffed to my left wrist and a gun in my right hand, even in my sleep.
And repairs? Let's not even think about the price of repairs.
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Exactly. Although I'm not there yet, at some point in the not too terribly distant future I could see going to a bike with assist. Expecially since I do an 1100 ft climb every day.
As for the cost, meh. My pre-covid Project One Domane cost around $9k. The current full suspension mountain bike I'm building will be in excess of $7k and that is without wheels. But cycling is my one vice. I worked my ass off and saved my entire life to be able to afford these kind of purchases when I retired so I'm going to enjoy them while I'm still able.
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"Everyone gets old" if we're lucky.For now. Don't be smug. Everyone gets old.
And here's me trying desperately to get back to century legs after medical drama last season. On a £1500 Ribble. Three grand? What are ye, lad, a dentist?
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I have a Trek Domane+ LT, which isn't as nicely outfitted as this bike, but it's still got a very nice carbon frame, Ultegra hardware, and a slightly older model motor and battery. It was about $6,000, so a little less than half the price. It's absolutely wonderful to ride. I live at the top of a mile long steep hill, and before the e-bike, I used to drive down the hill to start my rides as I was having a hard time making it back up that hill at the end of a ride. The e-bike lets me start from my house and not have to worry about that last hill crushing me.
I don't really get the part of the review where he says that having an e-bike makes it harder to get in a good workout. My rides are still very much determined by my heartrate--the motor just lets me have more fun on the climbs. If the roads are flat or downhill, then I just turn the motor off.
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I’ll plug the Orbea Gain. For your usecase, their low-end gravel bikes are very usable.
I bought one for $3000 during the start of the pandemic and the pedal assist shaves off about 10-15 years.
It’s a well-made bike and reputable, but without the huge Trek markup.
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Finally, after enduring the scorn of roadies that I zoom past on my rides (I have a Trek old-school Turbo), it is great to hear a wedgie in Euro-weenie gear that digs ebikes! I can ride as fast as I used to in my hard-ass training days! Try it. If it is too expensive, OK, not for you, but don't criticize the ride for it.
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I have been riding a Specialized Creo Comp Carbon SL Turbo for a couple of years alongside my 85yo father-in-law on the same. This bike is just over half the price of the Trek reviewed here - it is less of a fetishistic object. It is fantastic. For those who wonder why ride an e-bike, it's just about going further faster, and about equalizing pace among different abilities. My 85yo father-in-law can use more assist to keep up with me, and we can do 35-40 mile rides with thousands of feet of elevation gain (Catskills). Sure, the bikes should cost less, and undoubtedly will in the future, but the use-case is very clear.
Note, I have had serious riders (more serious than me) visit and ride these bikes with me, and they immediately understood the enormous benefit. Of course there will be those who disagree.
Note, I have had serious riders (more serious than me) visit and ride these bikes with me, and they immediately understood the enormous benefit. Of course there will be those who disagree.
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Adding onto Janne, this is a hobby, and it's not as luxurious as much of the aspirational tech on this site. Don't get me started on cars, from Ss and Plaids to absurdium $2m cars, but transpacific first class flights start at ~$10k and a lot higher. Anyone with even a crappy powerboat? A midsized salt water aquarium? Private trips to space? Buying social networks for vanity purposes? There's so much opportunity for outrage over inequality, but instead a fancy bike with a boost gets the outrage?Owners are unlikely to use this for grocery shopping. It's for joyriding, and you're probably with the bike at all times. Bikes like this don't even come with a stand (it's less aero), never mind adding weight with a lock.
And the price is fine. I don't mean it's not hugely expensive - it is - but that it's akin to a 800k+ sports or luxury car. Nobody needs one, but plenty of people want one and some have the money to make that dream a reality.
It's a hobby, and the only valid criterion for a hobby is if you enjoy it and can afford it. Any ideas of practicality or utility are irrelevant, whether it's using an expensive bike; running a small minority desktop OS; knitting your 500th Christmas sweater; or putting a spoiler and outward tilted tires on a japanese 1980s sedan.
In my town, bankers ride racing bikes to their offices where they have secure parking and luxurious gyms with dry cleaning service. One nice lady I know well, in her early 50s has 12 miles each way, uphill on the return to her $2m+ 3 bed 2 bath house (single mother two kids). 24 miles is fine most days but on a late day, a sick day, she gets a boost from the small battery on her $8k road bike. Her alternative is literally a sporty 5 series BMW. Which do you prefer that she take to work?
-another Janne
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ColdWetDog
Ars Legatus Legionis
I manage a better workout (according to my watch anyway) on the e-bike compared to my regular ol mountain bike because I can work longer and manage to stay at a high, but sustainable, heart rate. That's the key for e bike exercise. Not everyone can do triathlon levels of power for any length of time.
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So, is the means for battery replacement designed in, or is it going to require cutting carbon fiber? I'm okay with throwing away a cell phone after a couple of years of use, not so much a $10k bicycle.
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You'd be wrong in that assumption. I'll bet that my local Trek store is sold out of them. Stuff like this flies off the shelf, it's absolutely insane.
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Nora Lenderbee
Ars Tribunus Militum
I always find it interesting that after more than a century of development effort, the derailleur shifting mechanisms are still the tech to beat. They have become incredibly sophisticated, precision engineering marvels, but the basic concept of moving the chain to differently sized sprockets hasn't changed.
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I'm 67 years old and use an E-bike for exercise... it helps to motivate me to ride. It was only $1500 and does what I want it to well. $13k is just too much for me.
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I'm definitely down with the gravel bike thing. I'm a longtime roadie, and have not been interested in mountain biking, but did 3 days riding a gravel bike in Vermont last year, and liked the experience a lot, so much so that I was going to buy one -- a considerably cheaper model, mind -- this year. Unfortunately, had a weird vestibular event happen this spring, before I'd had a chance to pull the trigger on a new bike, and so riding a bicycle is a currently a big 'nope' -- to scary to even ride around on my local streets. Hopefully that changes soon. I'm also fine with the e-bike bit; I'm getting to an age where the hills are harder, and a little extra boost would be nice, bit I, perhaps vainly, don't think I'm there yet (modulo my current balance issues). Sounds like a nice bike, though I couldn't justify that amount of money to myself, much less my wife.
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What are you thinking of? This isn't a commuter bike, you're not going to be leaving it anywhere in public. Carrying the kind of locks necessary to actually stop someone determined walking off with it would add so much weight to your ride that it would defeat the point of riding a lightweight/race-style bike. Even if you do lock it up with serious enough locks, the unlocked components such as the seat are still worth loads, so you're still silly to leave this bike somewhere unsecure. If you wished you could put a GPS tracker in the frame, but I don't see the need for Trek to add that themselves, it adds unnecessary cost when not everyone wants/needs it and there are perfectly good 3rd-party options.
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I would want a set of Free fenders for $13k. And, mirrors.
However, to play devil's advocate, if the bike comes with a long term parts and labor warranty it might be almost worth it. E-bikes break a lot and many times parts and service are almost impossible to get.
When I had to order the 4th transmission (in one year) from England (I found one in the Netherlands, but they don't sell parts to us Americans(?)) for my online $3k e-bike which I had to install myself because no one else would do it, as well as fix everything else on it that kept breaking, I sold it at a loss, of course.
If I ever returned to this hobby I'd probably go with a high end true electric motorcycle and a fabulous warranty with a repair shop within 20 miles.
However, to play devil's advocate, if the bike comes with a long term parts and labor warranty it might be almost worth it. E-bikes break a lot and many times parts and service are almost impossible to get.
When I had to order the 4th transmission (in one year) from England (I found one in the Netherlands, but they don't sell parts to us Americans(?)) for my online $3k e-bike which I had to install myself because no one else would do it, as well as fix everything else on it that kept breaking, I sold it at a loss, of course.
If I ever returned to this hobby I'd probably go with a high end true electric motorcycle and a fabulous warranty with a repair shop within 20 miles.
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ColdWetDog
Ars Legatus Legionis
You likely have to pull the motor. But that probably takes 30 minutes and something you would only do every 5 (?) years or so. No big deal.
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After all the bitching about the price of the last ebike, this feels like trolling.
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People on here crabbing about the price of the bike who then go out and pay nearly $100,000 for a pickup truck ...
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The security feature is, if you’re the sort of person who can afford to buy one of these things then you can probably also afford to buy another one.
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