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Answer if you HAVE EXPERIENCE with a Domane
Last Post 04/02/2014 12:57 PM by Steve Gabbard. 2 Replies.
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Jimmy
Posts:33
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| 03/21/2014 10:22 PM |
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I rarely come here after the VN site shut down. But I happen to be in the market for an endurance bike. I am well aware of the Roubaix, but started looking at the Domane. So imagine my surprise when one of the top posts was someone looking for input from individuals with experience on a Domane. And whoah! Look at all the responses! I thought I hit the mother load of useful feedback on the Domane. No such luck. Exactly one post (Smokey52) had personal experience on the Domane. One other had experience on a Trek, and a couple mentioned how to get a deal. Everyone else was postulating on the relative value, need...whatever...of the Domane. Don't care, and not interested in your opinions on the relative need, definition of endurance, blah blah blah. I am curious to see who has experience with the system that decouples the seat tube from the frameset, and how it feels on your back.
I am a (recently) former Cat 2. I've had a laundry list of beautiful bikes, team bikes and otherwise, that I simply cannot ride anymore because of back problems. I am not looking for a significantly more upright bike and since I have a long upper body, the somewhat shorter top tube is a concern. (My most recent bike had a 56cm top tube, 170mm head tube, and I rode a 130mm stem.) But the shock absorbing nature of the Domane holds significant appeal (as does the ass-ugly Specialized CG-R post) and slightly more upright would be OK. Too upright and I load weight onto my lower back, which is not good for me. Again, I'd love to hear from people who own a Domane, or have significant experience with one, and specifically, I am interested in the shock absorbing capabilities of the decoupled design. Thanks.
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smokey52
Posts:493
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| 03/22/2014 07:50 PM |
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| My previous Trek (2300), which I passed on to my son, had a 100mm stem. During the fitting included by the LBS as part of the Project One, I changed to a 80mm stem. Much more comfortable. |
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gabbard
Posts:27
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| 04/02/2014 12:57 PM |
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I went ahead and purchased a Domane 4.5. This is a lower end bike than I would normally purchase, but is still carbon, and was a demo bike for $1000 off retail, so I figured that for that price, I could try it out. I have had neck issues, and the Domane has the shortest reach and highest stack of any current performance bike around, so the fit was the closest to what I wanted outside custom frames.
I was coming from an aluminum Orbea, and riding this bike is noticeably more comfortable, but it is not a FS MTB - still feels like a road bike. If you are used to a carbon bike currently, then the difference might not be as noticeable. One point about the different models - supposedly the 5 series bikes with the integrated seat mast have about 4mm more compliance in the back than the 4 series with the regular seatpost, so that might be something to consider. If you really have a big budget, and are looking for something with more rear end shock compliance, have you considered a Moots YBB cross bike? I don't even know if they build this anymore, but that would give you an actual 1" of travel in the rear. Very expensive, but it might keep you riding.
Steve
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