When Trek Bicycle launched its Boone cyclocross bike in 2014, it was the start of an impressive commitment to the sport of cyclocross.
Helping launch the new Boone was Sven Nys, who signed with the company at the start of 2014. In 2016, the company became the bike sponsor of the Telenet Fidea Lions team, and in 2017, it hosted the first-ever World Cup Waterloo at its headquarters in Wisconsin. This year, Trek launched its women's-only Trek Factory Racing CX team.
The Boone has continued to evolve with the company's involvement in cyclocross. The newest iteration—which we first saw when Katie Compton won number 13 in Hartford—features a re-designed geometry and the front IsoSpeed decoupler for additional front compliance. [You can read our review of the Trek Boone RSL]
Earlier this year, several Trek-sponsored athletes put on a show in Waterloo. Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing CX) won the Trek CX Cup on Friday, and then Ellen Noble (Trek Factory Racing CX) dueled Marianne Vos (WaowDeals Pro Cycling) down to the wire in Sunday's World Cup. Toon Aerts (Telenet Fidea Lions) also took home a big win in Sunday's World Cup.
Aerts took home a big win at World Cup Waterloo. 2018 World Cup Waterloo. © R. Clark / Cyclocross Magazine
The following weekend in Iowa City, we took a closer look at Richards and Aerts' Boones for this double bike profile.
Toon Aerts' Telenet Fidea Boone
After riding a subdued black frame in 2016, the Telenet Fidea team has embraced the brighter of its two team colors the past two years, starting with a bright yellow frame in 2017. We got a first look at the new yellow, red and blue paint scheme earlier this year when Trek CFO and ’cross super-fan Chad Brown was riding one during our World Cup Waterloo course preview.
Aerts was riding the same frame with the same paint scheme at the U.S. World Cups, albeit in a slightly larger 58cm model.
Toon Aerts' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Aerts' team kit also prominently features the Boone's cross-stripe logo.
The Trek Boone logo is featured on the Telenet Fidea kit this year. 2018 World Cup Waterloo. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Aerts' Boone features Trek's 600-series OCLV carbon (700 is the highest), front and rear IsoSpeed decouplers, 12mm thru-axles front and rear and flat mount disc brakes.
The newest Boone has both rear and front IsoSpeed decouplers. Toon Aerts' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
As we noted in our profile of Kerry Werner's Kona Super Jake, Shimano-sponsored athletes are required to run 2x drivetrains—unlike the 1x setups of Eli Iserbyt's Shimano or Wout van Aert's SRAM Red eTap). Aerts ran a Dura-Ace R9100 crankset with pro-only 46/39t Dura-Ace chain rings.
Aerts runs pro-only Dura-Ace 46/39t chain rings with his Dura-Ace crank. Toon Aerts' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Both his front and rear derailleurs were Dura-Ace R9150 Di2 models. His FD-9150 front derailleur is mounted with a clamp since the Boone does not have a derailleur mount.
Aerts ran a Dura-Ace crankset with 46/39t chain rings. The Di2 R9150 front derailleur mounts with a clamp. Toon Aerts' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
We saw Werner running the new Ultegra RX805 clutch-based derailleur, but we have not seen the Euros embracing the new technology yet. At the Shimano event we attended in Minnesota in May, Shimano reps indicated no European cyclocross teams had plans for adopting the RX805, so Aerts' Dura-Ace choice is not surprising.
Aerts stopped his bike using Dura-Ace R9170 flat mount calipers connected to Dura-Ace R9170 dual control levers. Rotors were 140mm IceTech Freeza RT900 model.
The Boone has 12mm thru-axles and flat mount disc brakes front and rear. Toon Aerts' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Aerts' wheels were Bontrager Aeolus XXX 2 28mm-deep carbon tubulars. When we saw his bike, Thijs Aerts' wheels were on the bike. Knowing how picky pro riders can be about equipment, hopefully the first initial and last name cousins are friends!
Aerts' bike had teammate Thijs Aerts' wheels mounted when we saw his bike. Toon Aerts' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Like many European teams, the Telenet Fidea Lions do not have a tire sponsor. (Thijs) Aerts had Dugast Rhinos mounted front and rear. Thijs raced in the muddy Sunday C1 at Jingle Cross (Toon Aerts did not), so the Rhinos would have been a good choice if he got his wheels back for the race.
On Sunday at Jingle Cross, Aerts had Dugast Rhinos mounted. The Boone routes the front cable externally. Toon Aerts' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Many of the other parts of Aerts' bike were from Bontrager. He used a 44cm Bontrager IsoCore carbon handlebar, Bontrager carbon seat mast cap and Bontrager Montrose Pro saddle. For pedals, he used Shimano XTR M9000 SPDs.
The Boone requires a special Bontrager seat mast cap to integrate with the rear IsoSpeed decoupler. Toon Aerts' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
For more on Aerts' bike, see the photo gallery and specs below.
Evie Richards' Trek Factory CX Boone
Evie Richards has been with Trek Factory Racing for mountain bike racing for several seasons now. This year, she was elevated to the pro team for mountain biking and joined the new Trek Factory Racing CX UCI cyclocross team. The Trek Factory CX team is the only all-women's UCI team, with Noble and Emma Swartz rounding out the team lineup.
Richards is part of the new Trek Factory Racing CX team. Day 1 of the 2018 Trek CX Cup. photo: Dave Mable
The team's bikes are painted to stay matchy-matchy with the blue team kit.
Evie Richards' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Richards' bike features several pieces of personal flair. First, there are the rainbow stripes to honor her 2018 U23 World Championship in Valkenburg.
Richards' bike features the rear IsoSpeed decoupler and some well-earned rainbow stripes. Evie Richards' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
She also has a couple of motivational messages up front. Her stem cap reads "Chin up, breast out," and the top tube is inscribed with "You are braver than you believe, smarter than you seem, and stronger than you think."
Richards' top tube reads "Chin up, breast out." Evie Richards' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Richards' bike has a motivational message on the top tube. Evie Richards' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Like Aerts' bike, Richards' Trek is the newest Boone with front and rear IsoSpeed, full OCLV 600 carbon and front and rear 12mm thru-axles.
The Trek Factory Racing CX team features SRAM as an equipment sponsor, so Richards was running the Force 1 derailleur with a 38t chain ring mounted to a Force crankset with 170mm crank arms. While the Boone does not come with a derailleur mount, it does have a mount for a chain catcher, and Richards had one installed. Her cassette was a SRAM 11-32t.
Richards runs a SRAM Force 1 drivetrain with a 38t chain ring up front. Evie Richards' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Her brake calipers were SRAM Force HRD flat mount, controlled by Force HRD DoubleTap shift/brake levers. Rotors were SRAM Centerline, 140mm.
Richards stopped using SRAM Force HRD flat mount calipers and Centerline rotors. Evie Richards' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Richards' wheels are Bontrager Aeolus XXX 2 carbon tubulars as well. The Trek Factory CX team rides Challenge tires, so Richards had the company's Team Edition S tubulars mounted. When we saw her bike before her race on Sunday at Jingle Cross, she had a Baby Limus front and Grifo rear.
Richards' Bontrager Aeolus XXX 2 carbon tubulars are easy to tell apart from her teammates'. Evie Richards' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Richards' bike included several other Bontrager parts. She ran a 40cm Pro IsoCore carbon handlebar, carbon seat mast cap and women's specific Ajna Pro saddle. Her pedals were Shimano XTR M980 model.
Richards uses XTR PD-M980 pedals, and not prototypes we have seen some Euros run. Evie Richards' 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
For more on Richards' Boone, see the photo gallery and specs below.
Photo Gallery: Toon Aerts and Evie Richards' Trek Boones
Richards’ bike has a motivational message on the top tube. Evie Richards’ 2018 Trek Boone Cyclocross Bike. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
