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FEATURES: RBA’S PROJECT ONE TREK MADONE 6.9 WITH SRAM RED
Ron Lawson
July 5, 2008
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Trek used the bicycle frenzy surrounding the Tour de France as a backdrop to announce the revitalization of an existing but underused tool available to its buyers. Project One is a web-based system that allows customers to order a customized six-series Madone through a local dealer. This was introduced in 2001, but the entire program has been completely rebuilt and will be relaunched in August, 2008.
Like the original Project One, the new program will allow buyers to design a custom bike on a computer. But the new version goes much further than just colors and groupo, and in most situations the time required to build a bike has been cut from 30 days to just a week. The cost for a Project One-generated bike can be no more than that of an identically spec'd off-the-showroom model.
We got to see how the system worked first hand when Trek allowed us to build a Madone 6.9 in Road Bike Action colors for L’Etape du Tour, which is the amateur race associated with the Tour de France. The first step is to go on line and choose the basic frame that you want to start with. Interestingly enough, you won’t choose the frame size at this point; that will come later when the dealer gets involved. This isn't like ordering a bike on Ebay where you have to live with the results of a few bad keystrokes forever. Project One lets you pick and play with design elements without the pressure of anyone looking over your shoulder, but in the end, you are still buying a bike from a dealer who checks over everything including your measurements.
So we chose various parts and then played with saddle trim colors, bar tape, wheel decals and hoods. There are some choices on the menu that don’t affect the basic price at all. In fact, you see the price and delivery time of the bike in the corner of the screen at all times. We went a little off the beaten path and came up with a very individual design. We’re pretty much guaranteed to have the only bike that looks like this on any given ride.
The bike is gorgeous. It’s a made in Wisconsin, OCLV Carbon Madone 6.9 with a 58cm, performance-fit frame, Sram Red group, Bontrager Carbon wheels. Price: over $9000. Of course, seeing it for the first time at a stage of the Tour made it seem that much more impressive and exotic. Riding it for the first time on the same roads and climbs made it even better. You don’t have to spend so much or travel so far-any Project One bike can be built with virtually any parts in the catalog and it doesn’t cost a thing to go on-line and play. Check out Trek's website in August, go to Project One and create your own one-off signature bike. Thats half the fun. Riding it is the other.
Stay tuned for more Project One adventures....
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