Trek Project One Bike

As I mentioned in a previous post, I ordered a Trek Equinox TTX 9.5 Time Trial bike.  I used the Project One Web site to configure the order, which means it had a custom paint job as well as some component options.  Last Saturday, I finally picked it up from the local bike shop (LBS).  I had ordered it back on Veteran’s Day 2009 (85+ day delivery time).  The site rendered the composite image of the bike to the left.

Customizations I ordered:

• Semi-custom paint job
  • Candy Red Logos
  • Orange Flames
  • Pearl White Base
• Bontrager Race X Lite Aero TT Handlebar
• Red Cable Housing
• White Headset and Stem
• Downgraded wheels to Bontrager Race Clinchers
• SRAM Rival Gruppo, including brakes
• Tangerine Grippy bar tape

The reason I downgraded the wheels was because I wanted to get SRAM S60 (front) and S80 (rear) wheels.  Why spend more money for a set of wheels I didn’t want?  They did not offer the SRAM wheels as a choice.  There is not much call for inexpensive Bontrager wheels, so the LBS was not willing take them and to sell them.

Another change I wanted to do is replace the SRAM Rival 175mm crank with a 180mm one.  The LBS was willing to perform the swap at no cost, since they could sell the 175mm crank.  I also wanted to replace the default saddle with a Selle SMP Strike Composit saddle, which is what I also have on my road bike.  Keeping with the components on the road bike, I went with SpeedPlay Light Action Pedals.

When I picked up the bike there were some issues still to be resolved.  First was that the Grippy Tape does not come in Tangerine.  I wound up getting regular Orange tape because the Tangerine regular tape did not look right with the Orange flames.

The second issue was the Cateye Astrale cycling computer I was going to install uses wires to get signal from the sensors and there was no clean way to route those cables.  I decided on getting the Cateye Strada Double Wireless computer instead.  One mode that does not come with the Strada computer and does on the Astrale is to have the cadence displayed in the large numbers and have the speed displayed in the small numbers; a mode that is very useful when the bike is on the trainer.

Since bringing the bike home, I noticed two more differences from what I ordered.  The first one is it had Bontrager instead of SRAM Rival brake calipers.  Bontrager calipers are the default, and are more expensive than SRAM Rival.  I have not been a big fan of Bontrager components and accessories, but that is mostly due to the lack of durability I have had with their tires.

The other issue I found is that the cable housing is white not red.  I think this is a case of getting the default, as with the brake calipers.  I’m not sure if its worth getting it corrected because of the time involved in replacing the internally routed cables.

The bike weighs in at 20 3/4 LBs.  I’ve had one training session on the bike.  It will take me a while to get reacquainted with the time trial position.  I have been riding without my aero bars on my road bike since August.  I have a few weeks to get comfortable with this position, as the first race I’m going to use it in is the Boston Triathlon Team Indoor Time Trial on February 21st.