Weaknesses: Bottom bracket system. Found out too late that bb bearings DO NOT LAST! about 1 year of use, bearings failed. seized and ate into frame, which TREK will not warranty. After this I hear that bb bearing failure common in less than 1 yr riding. After this mechanic tells me that now Shimano and FSA recommend bb bearing maintenance at either 500 or 200 miles. While I love the ride, not sure I will get a plastic bike again
Weaknesses: Internal cable routing works well - but not as handy for repair work or cable replacement down the road.
Bottom Line:
After 18 years the chain-stay on the Trek 5200 cracked but Trek denied the guarantee request. However, a local dealer sold me a 2011 H2 Five-Nine frame at a very low cost. Shifters/break levers, Wheel -set (mavic ksyrium elite) , head-set and BB bearings were up-dated to produce a light and quick bike. It shifts cleanly and precise, carves corners like a scalpel in the hands of a German surgeon, spins great on the new BB bearings and climbs like it was being chased by the entire underworld. I call it my Fat bottom bracket bike!
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Knut
a Road Racer
Date Reviewed: October 2, 2011
Strengths: Light weighted, good at climbing, downhill, looks great, stiff, comfortably ride .
Weaknesses: None so far
Bottom Line:
Got the frame after returning my Fisher Cronus Ultimate had big crank problems. Moved over a complete SRAM Red set, a new saddle Selle Italia SLR carbonium, did not like the Bontrager saddle. Wheels were Bontrager RXL. now i ride on Dura Ace C 50 clincher, they are doing just fine, fast, stiff, and looks like a dream on the bike .
It is a H2 bike, very comfortably at long rides, longest is 165km, most of the time it get used at rides lasting from 2-4 hrs.
No problems with the bike so far, got lot of comments on the look of it, i do like the colors on it, and riding it is not bad at all ;)
Similar Products Used: Fisher Cronus Ultimate
Ridley Noah
Bike Setup: Trek Madone 5.9 H2
Dura Ace C 50 Clincher w Schwalbe ZX
Complete SRAM Red group
Look Keo carbon
Selle Italia SLR Carbonia saddle
Bontrager carbon stem
Bontrager RXL Blade Handlebar
Strengths: stiff, GREAT handling, yet comfortable.
Weaknesses: maybe paint job- but it has grown on me
Bottom Line:
Trek 5.9 2011. My Carbon LeMond broke at the drive side rear dropout (pretty flimsy arrangement). Schuss got me a warranty replacement- the '11 5.9. I had liked my LEmond quite a lot, so not sure about the new Trek. It is excellent! Stiff, but comfortable, handling is excellent. I really can't imagine a bike that rides much better. The folks at Schuss were great too.
Similar Products Used: LEmond Zurich carbon triomphe frame, fuji team
Bike Setup: ultegra with easton circuit wheels
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Value Rating:
Submitted by
william
a Road Racer
Date Reviewed: June 2, 2011
Strengths: Weight, stiffness, handling, Bontrager wheel set is problem free, compact crank. Also the seat mast configuration actually takes the edge off stippled pavement, it's like the old carbon beam bike, sort of, you get noticable moderate flex that actually makes hammering easier.
Weaknesses: Not my cup of tea color scheme, but it was a replacement frame, for my 2009 5.2. I got the 5.9 with the frilly blue and white colors, 54cm. Ultegra anodized crank is mottled where my foot scuffs the crank arm.
Bottom Line:
My Trek Madone 5.9 2011 was a replacement frame, free, b/c my 2009 Trek 5.2 developed cracks in the seat mast. I built up the frame with the 2009 ultegra kit and Bontrager wheel set. I've been riding road bikes for awhile, steel, aluminum, titanium and carbon. The Trek is light, uber light and flex free, no BB deflection whatsoever. It climbs like a dream, the vibration damping of the carbon makes the thing silky smooth, and descending is predictable. I have had the thing at 57 MPH on the Lee Hill descent in Boulder, and carved down left hand canyon at 45 MPH plus. It goes where you place it in the turns, and that means you have lot's of options for putting the bike in the place you want to be with speed and moxy. LIke I said, it's smooth, and we had a dry winter, so I put in a lot of 4-6 hour weekend rides. Base miles. The comfort of the ride is a back end saver. While it has the H2 head tube, I have dropped the stem, and in the Deer Trail road race this year, with the benefit of increased aerodynamics and good position, road away from a big bunch, I finished smack dab in the middle. I have ridden a Serrota Colorado Titanium 1993-97, A Merckx Columbus SL, 1989-93, a Trek 5500, circa 2005, a Bridgestone RB-1. It's a great bike, and I assure you the faster you pedal, the faster the bike will go, it's amazing. That makes it like so many other bikes, the more force you apply to the gear, the greater the velocity. The Bontrager saddle happens to be comfy, allowing for nice fore and aft positioning, narrow enough to not snag and wide enough for my sit bones. I love the ride of this thing and it's raceable, trainable, Grand Fondo able.
