Trek XO 1

Price Paid:  $800.00 at Trek Store, Cincinna

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Trek XO1

Bike Setup:
Stock set-up, no changes (yet). I plan to remove the 2nd safety brake levers.

Summary:
Excellent ride in off-road conditions - fairly quick to respond while absorbing moderately rough terrain. On the road it's surprisingly smooth and responsive. It reminds me of a mid-80's classic steel road bike with relaxed frame angles.

Strengths:
I was lucky and got the last 2007 @ a discounted price. It's still a good buy @ $1100. Decent stock set-up including mix of 105 components, gearing, and wheels.

Weaknesses:
I don't like the extra set of hand brakes, plus my knee hits the brake clamp when climbing out of the saddle. The front brake squeals and the fork shakes a bit during aggressive stops off road. I suspected the headset and/or front brake might be a bit loose. I adjusted without fixing the problem, though.

Similar Products Used:
KHS mountain bike; Cannondale R1000 road bike. The Trek XO1 is a good mix of a road bike and mountain bike.

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Price Paid:  $1100.00 at Machinery Row Bikes,

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
evening commute!

Bike Setup:
'06 frame and fork, replaced with '07
Shimano 105 drivetrain and shifters, double chainring, 9sp cassette (stock in '06)
Avid Shorty 4 brakes (also stock)
Cane Creek headset and inline/secondary brake levers (stock in '06)
Bontrager Select stem, seatpost, original wheels (Stock)
Bontrager Race cranks (stock)
Bontrager Race Cyclocross handlebars (stock)
Wheels: custom-built, Velocity Deep-V rims, 105 hubs
Continental Contact Reflex tires
Pinhead locking skewers
Specialized Alias 155 saddle
Shimano PD-324 pedals (great all-purpose pedals!)
CatEye MicroWireless cyclocomputer
Rack, panniers, lights, bell, etc.

Summary:
My XO-1 has been a faithful workhorse for my first year of commuting into DC. I've put about 6,000 commuting miles on it (25 a day) on a combination of asphalt bike trails and city streets full of potholes, construction and traffic, as well as the occasional group ride and my first century. This bike has always done what I asked. When I crashed my '06 hard, I replaced the frame with an '07 because it's worked so well for me. I roll through construction, race taxis and hop curbs in the city, then get out on the bike path and fly past the roadie wannabes - in the grass, carrying my bags. (Safely, of course!) I hope to get a chance to race it soon. I would recommend it to anyone in my situation: loves going fast, mainly on hard surfaces, and covering moderate to long distances, but doesn't want to sacrifice robustness and maneuverability by going all the way to a road bike.

Strengths:
-Tight geometry makes for responsive handling, critical for avoiding taxis, buses and doors
-Simple paint job doesn't announce itself as a nicer bike, thieves haven't gone for it yet
-No carbon fiber to get scratched and weakened on bike racks, gravel, signposts...
-Stiff and fast enough to blow past the roadie wannabes in the afternoon, even with my rack and loaded panniers
-Full complement of braze-ons for mounting racks, fenders, etc. - and durable enough to handle it all comfortably
-Doesn't flinch when I cut through grass or gravel, or hop it off a curb
-Wheel clearance can handle big tires for muddy or snowy conditions

Weaknesses:
-The tight geometry does cause wheel/foot clearance issues, as others have noted; with my size 48 shoes this is particularly a problem. I learned quickly to keep the cranks vertical when turning to avoid problems.
-The included Bontrager Select wheels were a little on the weak side for me, at 200+ lb.; it still took a pretty hard, bone-rattling pothole hit to break them, though. They probably should have included something with a higher spoke count as stock on their largest size.
-Like a couple of the other reviewers, I had problems with the front brake squealing and shimmying. They should check the bolts on the headset, brake arms and pads to make sure they are tight enough. Once I found the bits that had worked themselves loose, the problems went away. Now 40mph descents are no problem.
-The braze-ons at the top of the seat stays (for mounting a rack) are facing inward, making it difficult to get a wrench in there to tighten them properly. I was able to get everything tight once I got a set of ball-head wrenches that I could use at a slight angle.
-The included saddle was was pretty basic and too small for me, but the LBS that sold it to me swapped it out for free.

Similar Products Used:
None, this is my first road or cross bike.

Price Paid:  $1299.00 at Terre Haute Cycling

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Trek XO 1

Bike Setup:
Setup by the bike shop.

Summary:
Very nice cyclocross bike. Light weight, fast, and has smooth shifting. I have ridden this bike on smooth pavement, chip and seal, gravel, dirt, and grass and it has handled very well so far on all those surfaces. I got the cyclocross bike because I wanted something that would be fast and would be able to handle the awful road conditions in my area. I also wanted something that I could use for road races as well as off road races. This is my first cyclocross/road bike, so I can't make any true comparisons by experience, but it does come with some good components for the price (Shimano 105 shifters and derailleurs and Bontrager Select wheels). Over all a really good buy.

Strengths:
Light weight, fast, handles well on rough terrain as well as nice roads. It handles well on wet pavement due to its tires.

Weaknesses:
The Bontrager Jones CXR tires that come with the bike do not contain any puncture resistance from my experience. All it takes is a little bit of glass and you will have a flat. Either get reinforced inner tubes (if low on money) or get better tires with kevlar reinforcement.

Similar Products Used:
N/A

Price Paid:  $1500.00 at www.halfords.co.uk

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Trek X-01

Bike Setup:
Standards 2007 factory build, see www.trekbikes.com

Summary:
I thought that I would get this bike because I can go offroad, if need to.

Strengths:
None at the price.

Weaknesses:
The wheels/tyres. The factory supplied X-01 tyres keeps coming off the rims, and causes flat wheels. I had to change the tyres, but still not correct. The bikes is skaky/wobbles at high speeds and I would not try and go more than 30-Miles per hour. The fork very cheap and welding shows everywhere. The cables stick out. The seat very basic.

Similar Products Used:
Telon Kestrel
Marin Moutain bike

Price Paid:  $400.00 at Capeable Bikes

Model Year:
2007

Bike Setup:
Trek xo1 frame, winwood muddy carbon cross fork, bontrager race bars and stem, thompson elite seatpost, felt saddle, bontrager race lite crank, dura ace 9 speed derailers with ultegra shifter, whatever wheels i can find.

Summary:
So, this bike is set up differently than the standard factory set up but i will give you my two cents any way. This bike is very good, i dont have much experience with the stock fork but with the carbon the ride was super comfortable. The frame is decently light, nothign like a road frame but better than some other cross bikes. My one complaint which could be bar/stem related was that out of the saddle the bike felt noodlely and not as stiff asa my road bike also it didnt seem to track well out of the seat. Another major problem is at least in the 54 the toe overlap is a major problem i have size 46 shoes and i was always getting my foot stuck until i got well aclaimated. This bike is a great bike none the less. Cross bikes are a surprisingly versitle i used mine from october until december for racing tand then trained with it on the road for the next 4 months with out any problem except for component wear.I guess the one other problem is the paint seems to flake and chip and scratch easier than it really should for a cross bike.

Strengths:
Light and reliable bike, super versitile great for any style of riding looking to get started. Very comfortable and again, versitle. Great price for an American made high end frame.

Weaknesses:
Noodlely? Paint chips and toe overlap.