New trek 2100 bicycle rides different than old cannondale alum? any thoughts?

Question

ive only been out a few times (one very long hilly almost century ride on it) but it seems to be a little slow despite being

partial carbon, triple, etc.. my old trusty cannondale r500, while a little uncomfortable with the bumbs of the road, ran like a champ. futhermore, my buddy rides a cannodale six-thirteen

and it seems faster.. mine is obviously a triple (not sure of the

gear ratio) and his is a compact double, while my old trusty

aluminum is a triple also. just wondering if it will speed up a little on the flats when i take it back to the dealer to be adjusted, tightened, etc..

Answer 1

Did you R500 have a light wheelset?  That alone makes HUGE difference in acceleration.   Rotating mass is the best mass to eliminate on a bike.   I recently swiched from an all aluminum frame to an all carbon frame but its apples to oranges.  My new Giant has way better wheels, and much ligher than my old Specalized Allez.   The Allez was stiff as h**l, and had great explosive power (as most aluminum bikes do)  however the stiffness came at a price of rough ride.   My new Giant TCR C2 is a much quicker bike (and rides better).

Your new trek might "feel" slower because it actually is smoother. But unless you ride one bike compared to the other, its hard to tell.   The bike shop could tell if you have a mechanical issue, possible a brake drag (but thats pretty obvious) maybe a bearing cone too tight in your wheel (again that would be pretty obvious)  but thats about the extent the shop can do.   If your bike still "feels" slow, try upgraded wheel sets.  That makes a huge difference.

Answer 2

How do the wheel sets compare on the bikes? That can have a big effect on the speed.

Answer 3

I used to own a Trek 5200 (full carbon)and now I ride a Felt F55 (aluminum with carbon rear). The Felt F55 feels a lot faster. Is it really faster is the question. If the ride is smoother, it might not feel as fast. That was the case with my Trek. However, I love aluminum frames. It gives me feedback from the road that lets me know my limits before I go into a turn. Just think of an aluminum frame as riding like a sportscar- great handling predictable, and stiff ride. Carbon fiber has the same capabilitites but without as much feedback- you don't feel as connected to the road even if you are. Maybe that's what you're feeling. You've gone from an aluminum frame to a aluminum with carbon rear. It is noticeably smoother and maybe the slight perceptive lack of stiffness is playing tricks with your head. In fact, I know if you owned one of the old Cannondale aluminums with the mega oversized tubing, you're used to a super stiff riding bike. The Trek is just as stiff but the ride is more compliant so it doesn't feel as "boy racer-esque" (Is that even a word?) Maybe that's something you need to get used to first. The Bontrager wheels aren't a bad setup and they are reasonably light. Give a little more time before you dump your hard earned cash into a new set of wheels. If there's no change after six months of riding, then consider the wheels. IMHO, I'm pretty sure that you're still getting used to the bike.