Recent content by rochrunner

I always found that Trek is the king of proprietary "solutions", which is the main reason I ended up with the NOS SL 4.0 instead of the FX+ 7S that I'd been eyeing. First off, they made the bike with the assumption that you want to use your smartphone as the central controller, requiring you to...

I've always started opposite the valve stem because the stem itself -- especially a tubeless one -- keeps the bead from seating fully down into the middle channel. I find that the only time I need tire tools, at least on a skinnier tire as opposed to MTB size, is to get the initial part of the...

What's your definition of "reasonably priced"? I think I'll have some other compatibility issues that I'd have to think through no matter what I do. The 4.0 is an 11-speed and, just as an example, I'm not sure about the availability of a compatible chainring that fits the OEM crankset with its...

I installed my ShockStop stem and headlight mount today and I think it came out looking pretty good. I went with the Lupine spacer mount and an extension that I found on Amazon (nice quality aluminum). As usual, nothing is as smooth as you picture it going beforehand and I did have to spend some...

My off-season training consists of my road bike on a smart trainer and subscription to virtual cycling apps such as FulGaz, which makes use of rider-filmed routes and GPS data from their Garmins to achieve a very realistic feel along with the video. I've ridden a few routes in that area and...

On my SL1 I found the 10% microtune setting to actually be detrimental. It tended to cut in and out as I easily exceeded its upper limit and I then found that it was definitely easier to pedal with the motor off than when keeping it at the 10% setting. So I use 20% as my minimum microtune level.

Does your chainring have narrow-wide teeth? My 5.0 had that feature but the 4.0 does not.

What did you end up with?

My wife has that saddle on her Trek Verve+ and likes it a lot, but she rarely rides for more than an hour at a time. I had the equivalent in a narrower size on my e-bike and/or road bike at one time. That Serfas looks interesting. If they have it at REI I might give it a try (REI because of EZ...

Switching from my 5.0 to the 4.0 has already revealed a couple things about the lower-end components used on the 4.0. Yesterday I installed the custom wheels that were built for the 5.0 onto the 4.0, which of course meant moving the discs and cassette from the OEM wheels onto the custom set...

Aha! Marine City. My wife and I go there about once a season for a meal and general outing. And I rode through there on my SL last June in the Blue Water Ramble (an event that was a lot more fun before the border crossings tightened up and then the ferry stopped running). We also came back from...

Stefan, I think you're disregarding differences in peoples' anatomy. I have never found a comfortable bike seat regardless of riding position, and I've tried a bunch over the years. Even when I was motorcycling I was always looking for a saddle "solution". A few years ago I had to have surgery...

Great looking bike! Almost gives me buyer's remorse for the route I took. :)

Yes. I had forgotten that the SL originally came out in 2020 just after I'd bought my regular Vado 4.0. Then, when they changed it up for 2022, that's when I got my SL 5.0.

Did something change during the Gen 1's lifetime? Your post had me running downstairs to confirm that my SL 4.0 indeed has an 11-speed cassette just as my 5.0 has a 12-speed.