Tonight is the big night. The all-new Madone makes it's
international premiere to media and dealers from around the world. We'll gather at the world-renowned, Calatrava designed Milwaukee Art Museum.
We are ready to roll. Bikes are ready to ship, supported by a great marketing campaign. Word is there will be a few surprises at the event. Stay tuned for updates over the next few days.
Starting almost a year ago, I began designing the new Madone with Tyler Pilger by taking a close look at the frameset’s centerline geometry. Based on lots of rider feedback, field trips (road riding in Italy is great!), and years of experience riding and fitting riders on their bikes, we designed the frame geometry for a full range of sizes. I designed and oversaw the construction of several generations of aluminum prototypes in Trek’s Waterloo welding facility (Trek’s advanced laser mitering capabilities and flexible manufacturing staff make quick experimental frames easy), putting miles on each generation riding back-to-back comparisons with other bikes.
Finally, we settled on a range of sizes driven by the frame’s stack and reach dimensions. Frame stack and reach aren’t new; Dan Empfield has championed the concept for years. Seat position is pretty adjustable these days, but stems are a little less so. Because the rider touches the bike at “feet, seat and hands,” and since the new Madone’s sloping top tube makes the traditional way of measuring frame size less meaningful to riders, designing around frame stack and reach makes perfect sense.
In the end the new centerline geometry is essentially the same as the current, well-liked Madone’s, so if you ride a current Trek road bike you’ll find you fit the same on a new Madone of the same size. In fact most will find they fit better: For example, during the research phase, Tyler found most riders have plenty of head set spacers under the stem. As a result the new Madone comes in two Fits: "Pro Fit", with a standard head tube length to match the current Madone's hand height, and the new "Performance Fit", with a longer head tube (+30 mm) to permit a higher hand position (or the removal of some spacers).
Questions, comments, observations welcome!
Hi - I'm Damon Rinard. I am bike racer and have worked as a mechanical engineer at Trek for six years, most recently on the new Madone.
My time at Trek has been spent engaged in the design of aerodynamic tandem wheels, light weight Radial Ridge™ machined rims and Lance Armstrong’s carbon fiber wheel hubs, among other projects.
I've been an R&D engineer in Trek’s Advanced Concept Group (ACG) for the last three years where my main focus is on road bikes, making them ride faster and better by improving their aerodynamics, bike fit and rider positioning, handling and road feel. Starting almost a year ago, I began designing the new Madone with Tyler Pilger. It's been quite the journey. It's not over yet. I look forward to your feedback. Damon Rinard, Trek ACG Engineer - Road
Check out the 2008 Ride the Best demo tour, featuring the all-new Madone at more than 80 stops nationwide this summer.
Hi Trek Road Fans, My name is Tyler Pilger and I am the Trek Road Bike Product manager.
On the new Madone, I worked with our Engineers and Industrial Designers to help define a final bike out of our research on the various aspects: Geometry, Fit, Technologies, Styling and Components. We swung for the fences and did not hold anything back on the new Madone.
I am anxious to hear what you think both, good and bad.
Tyler Pilger, Product Manager
I have to share the secrecy aspect of the new Madone, since I’m one Trek’s storytellers.
We tried hard to keep the new Madone under wraps so we have ignored the media’s sneak preview pleas, bit our tongue when the spy photos surfaced on the web and had to come down hard on loose-mouthed employees.
Just last week I was riding an all-black, brandless Madone prototype and stopped to read a sign at a park. A cyclist rode up to me and asked what kind of bike I was on. I said “Cantsay,” meaning I can’t say too much about it just yet. He said, “I’ve never heard of that brand but I really like it!”
The Madone Watch is officially on. Having to be tight-lipped has ended. Trek, and specifically this blog spot, is welcoming your comments and
questions. If you haven't checked out out the new Madone, take a look. And let us know what you think.
The all-new Madone has been a huge undertaking here at Trek. Yet as I write this there is a sense of relief. This product unveil is our time to show the cycling world that Trek is indeed the carbon fiber authority.
Under this Up the Road heading, you'll hear from three experts on the all-new Madone.
• Tyler Pilger, Madone Product Manager
• Damon Rinard, Bike Genius and Engineer
• Ben Coates, our Discovery Team Liaison
Along with this crew, I will be helping to market the new Madone and tell its story to the world. Hope to hear from you soon and thanks for reading.
Scott Daubert, Road Bike Brand Manager
