If Issue 25 has not yet made it into your hands or hit the shelves of your local cyclocross-loving bike shop, it should be arriving soon. Today we will be providing a small taste of what is to come with a sneak peek of our extensive review of Trek’s new Boone. And be sure to see our full review in Issue 25. You might be surprised by what we found and liked in our review.
You might be surprised by what we found and liked in our long-term review of the Trek Boone cyclocross bike in Issue 25. © Cyclocross Magazine
When Trek launched the Domane Classics Edition bike with IsoSpeed technology, many cyclocross enthusiasts wondered if we’d be next in line to enjoy the bump-eating benefits that helped Fabian Cancellara win Paris-Roubaix, and whether it would make us into podium contenders.
The seat tube can pivot a bit on this sealed bearing. Reviewed: Trek Boone cyclocross bike. © Cyclocross Magazine
Sven Nys and Katie Compton were the first two to enjoy the cyclocross version, named the “Boone” after Daniel Boone (the aluminum model is the “Crockett” after Davy Crockett), and both racers stormed their January 1, 2014 bike’s debut with impressive wins, and both kept piling up the wins through their national championships. We couldn’t help but wonder whether the IsoSpeed-equipped framesets were offering an advantage, and whether the Boone would be an easy way to eek out seconds and places in a cyclocross race. Despite getting our test bike just as the season was ending, we jumped on it with anticipation of finding out.
First of all, what the heck is IsoSpeed? Trek’s IsoSpeed takes on two forms in attempt to isolate the rider from some bumps. At the seat tube/top tube junction, there’s the IsoSpeed Decoupler. You’d be forgiven if you assumed that the “Decoupler” name meant the seat tube does not contact the top tube. Instead, the two are joined by a sealed bearing that allows the seat tube to pivot and flex with bumps. Up front, Trek utilizes rear-facing fork dropouts and svelte, curved fork blades to maximize vertical compliance when hitting bumps.
The Trek Boone also sports a tapered headtube. © Cyclocross Magazine
When Trek set about applying the IsoSpeed technology to the Boone cyclocross bike, the company didn’t just add tire clearance and canti studs to the Domane and call it a day. Royce Breckon, Assistant Road Brand Manager at Trek, revealed that the IsoSpeed went through significant re-engineering for cyclocross.
While the pivot was placed forward of the seat tube on the Domane, Breckon said they were trying to avoid the top tube from being too low and wanted to leave enough room for shouldering. “After we knew how important it was to maintain the top tube height, we had to re-engineer the dynamics of the IsoSpeed system in order to maintain the same compliance,” Breckon said.
The Trek Boone also has a built-in chain catcher incorperated into their frame. © Cyclocross Magazine
VITAL SPECS
MSRP: $4199.99
Frame: 600 Series OCLV Carbon, IsoSpeed, Ride Tuned seatmast, E2 tapered head tube, BB90, internal control routing, 3S chain keeper
Fork: Trek IsoSpeed Cross full carbon, E2
Weight: 17.0 pounds, 11.2 pounds w/out wheels
Drivetrain: Shimano Ultegra 6800, 11-speed
Cassette: Shimano Ultegra 11-28, 11-speed
Crankset: Shimano Ultegra, 46/36
Brakeset: TRP RevoX Alloy
Handlebar/Stem: Bontrager Race Lite IsoZone, VR-CF, 31.8mm
Seatpost: Bontrager Ride Tuned Carbon seatmast cap, 20mm offset
Saddle: Bontrager Evoke 3, hollow titanium rails
Wheelset: Bontrager Race Lite Tubeless Ready
Tires: Bontrager CX3 Team Issue, 700x32c
Warranty: limited lifetime for carbon frame
To read the full review, and find out about our impressions of the geometry, the IsoSpeed Decoupler and the ride of the fully built Boone, get your back copy of Issue 25 or subscribe to our Digital All-Access post. You might be surprised by what we found and liked.
For more information on the Boone, check out the details on Trek’s website.
