Comments on: Trek District Carbon

By: Airic

Airic — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:54:24 +0000

Image: http://www.erichalvorsen.com/beltdrive.jpg

By: Airic

Airic — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:53:15 +0000

I just got my Trek Carbon District it was born on 12/29/2009 built last week. I removed the stock bars and installed carbon riser bars and Paul levers, the bars were cut down 3 inches on each side. I live in Chicago and ride in traffic a lot and shorter bars help a lot for urban riding and getting through traffic. The bike stock out of the box is about 15 pounds in the 54 cm size.

The bike is super nice to ride, very smooth, the belt drive is very quite, rear wheel is super easy to remove and install to change the rear tire. Only learning curve is getting the belt on and aligned/tensioned correctly – read manufactures notes for installing and alignment…if installed wrong ie: not aligned you can throw the belt which makes this really odd rubber band sound “BOUNG” but the belt does not get thrown into the wheel or spokes – I’m happy to say…that really was the only learning curve and now it’s set and things are perfect.

It’s a really nice bike! My first Trek, carbon and belt drive…I ride a brakeless fixed gear most of the time – I’m 36 and have been riding brakeless in Chicago for 16 years…the belt drive is a really nice break from pedaling 24-7.

Image included:

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:38:51 +0000

They did it just because the could. End. Of. Story.

By: creede

creede — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:35:58 +0000

I’ve been riding my belt drive District as a commuter for several months now and it has been amazing. Definitely as solid feeling as a chain. Unfortunately no fixed options yet. As far as pricing, a lot of what is driving the price up on all these belt drive bikes is the non standard rear dropouts. To have a belt you have to break the frame, which means redesigning the rear triangle. I suspect a lot of the price goes to R&D and non standard low volume production.

By: djconnel

djconnel — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:37:56 +0000

The Gates belt drive is indeed claimed to be as efficient as a chain, and if it's less susceptible to dirt, all the better. I applaud Trek for going for this aspect of the market. Is it perhaps excessive? Yes. But some people feel the urge for excess, and it's a lot more affordable and less damaging for them to exercise that urge on a bike than on a car or motorcycle.

By: Erik

Erik — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:48:51 +0000

I think that the bike is a killer idea and hopefully more will fallow, but unfortunately Trek has a bad habit of way over specking things and making the price almost stupid. If they would have gone w/ the oclv white frame and less expensive brakes and wheel set they could have stayed in the 2k mark. or put on a rohloff 14 speed internal hub and made one super clean super light road bike.

By: Harry

Harry — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 04:19:35 +0000

I agree with Dan & Jim. If I had that kind of money to blow on a bike, custom steel with ace components would trump this. Bicycling magazine built up a Gunnar Street Dog with dream spec for about the same cost. Seems to me the Trek’s a “concept” bike more than anything else.

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:41:23 +0000

Yeah funny that someone could build you a full custom bike for cheaper than Trek can build a bike with all their resources. I guess they hope for a lot of people with more money than sense.

By: Dan Stanley

Dan Stanley — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 04:43:40 +0000

Or how about this… Have US framebuilder make you a frame with custom geometry and the sweetest wheelset you could imagine (please use real spokes nothing too Aero) for the same price and support a real artisan..Just Saying..

By: Dan Stanley

Dan Stanley — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 04:19:44 +0000

Who Cares… The end is near the beginning of this era no one can define. Bicycles are for fun or racing, this bicycle accomplishes neither. Two snaps down…OVer It!!