2012 trek speed concept 9.9

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Trek Speed Concept 9 Series review

Laser-focus on aerodynamic performance

James Huang/Future Publishing

Ben Delaney

The new 9 series Trek Speed Concept is a bitching bike, in two ways. Once built, the bike flies out on the open road with stable steering, great aerodynamics and good looks. But while you (or your mechanic) are building it or working on it, you will be bitching.

• Pros: Excellent aerodynamic performance: fast and stable; range of builds and paint jobs through Project One; add-ons like the trunk add real functionality and claimed aero benefit
• Cons: Adjusting front end for fit tweaks and/or travel is a chore; plastic frame parts feel cheap

Like most of the super bikes these days, the Trek Speed Concept is a purpose-built machine with a complete prioritization on performance above all else. Trek engineers can trot out reams of data on how the aerodynamics are superior to previous iterations, and looking at the svelte front profile and internalization of not only cables but fasteners as well, it’s not a stretch to believe that the bike performs admirably in the wind tunnel.

We tested the bike over a few hundred miles in training and in an Ironman 70.3 , and came away very impressed with the bike. Our only gripes were the challenge of front-end adjustability and the relative sub-par performance of the plastic parts.

Trek sent a test bike with a Campagnolo Record EPS electronic group, but since this bike is available as Project One custom builds, we will focus on what is unique to the bike, plus the wheels.

There is so little frontal area Trek can barely fit any logos

Frame: Refined for 0-12.5 degree yaw, lightened by nearly a pound

To tweak the original Speed Concept, Trek engineers studied real-world wind conditions on Ironman courses , and settled on optimizing the bike for yaw angles between zero and 12.5 degrees. (They found 3-5 degree average yaw in Arizona, up to a 13 degree average yaw in the notoriously windy Kona worlds course.)

By slimming the front profile and tweaking the Kamm tail tubing, the 2014 version is substantially faster and lighter than its predecessor, Trek claims. For our purposes, we were only going on feel, not wind tunnel data, and in our experience, the bike handled very well in all wind conditions. With a head tube angle of 72.5 degrees on the three larger sizes, and a seat tube angle of 80 degrees across all sizes, the Speed Concept was never nervous or twitchy, even with the 90mm-deep Aeolus 9 D3 wheels in blustery sidewinds. For sure, you can feel side pressure from the wind, but the handling is always predicable and manageable. We were comfortable riding in the aero extensions through fast corners and down windswept hills.

Bottom bracket area stiffness isn't so much of a concern on such a bike, but the bike does accelerate with some snap, perhaps due to the relatively short but robust chainstays, enormous bottom bracket area and huge down tube. The low bottom bracket (8cm drop) contributes to stability.

Comfort on the frame is good. We swapped out the stock saddle for a firmer option, and were still comfortable for two- and three-hour efforts on the bike.

Total bike weight for our Large sample was 19.18lb. While Trek declined to quote a frame weight, its engineers say the frameset, cockpit setup, headset, BB and small frame parts come out to 1,874g, which they claim is less than comparable measurements on a Cannondale SliceRS, a Specialized Shiv Tri or a Cervélo P5-6.

Trek Speed Concept 2014 focused on 0-12.5 degree yaw

Modular front end: For engineers, aerodynamics trumped convenience

Granted, this bike is way out on the pointy end of aero performance, and machines with such low-drag front ends have until recently been custom creations for the world's best pros. So we appreciate the challenge in building a stock bike that has both a superior aero shape and the ability to adjust to fit a range of riders. Trek's solution is a modular front end, with a collection of stem heights/lengths and riser blocks. From there, one of four monocoque extension bars mounts atop the riser block of choice, and the pads are mounted via a collection of bolts and mount options. Should you have your measurements dialed ahead of time, Trek provides a worksheet that will get your fit close, specifying which stem and riser block to use.

The modular front end consists of various-sized stems and riser blocks, as well as the base bar, extensions and arm rests

Also, should you purchase such a machine, your local Trek mechanic will do the heavy lifting on dialing in all of the various modular components for you. And if you never travel with the bike, you're golden. But should you travel by air or rail and have to pack the bike, or should you even want to lower the bars by 1cm for a shorter-distance event, you will wish you had three hands for the dis- and reassembly.

All that said, there is a great range of vertical, fore/aft and width adjustment on most of the touch points relative to other super bikes; it just requires some time and often some part-swapping to execute.

Electric systems are far easier to cram into fully integrated front ends than cabled systems, but adjustments still aren't easy

Trek has improved the cockpit options somewhat for 2014. You can tilt the extensions with the adjustment of three bolts, which is nice. But the base bar remains dead level. This is best for aerodynamics, of course, but we would have preferred a slight upward angle on the outer handles for a bit more grip security.

And while there are four styles of extensions to choose from — S-bend, straight, ergo and short ergo — none allow width or angle adjustment as they are one-piece designs. Whether it's another price paid for aerodynamics or perhaps just simplicity in construction, it's certainly something to keep in mind. We used the ergo bar and found that while the bend angle was comfortable, we missed the rotational adjustment you can get on most aftermarket bars.

Knee clearance when out of the saddle was not an issue with the bar - as it sometimes is with TT/tri machines with large aero basebars.

Other components: Seatpost is super user friendly, but plastic parts aren’t the same caliber as the rest of the bike

The Speed Concept's spring-loaded seatpost clamp is a thing of beauty. It's just... easy. One 5mm bolt at the front for final tightness combines with a finger-operated dial at the rear for angle adjustment. A spring pushes the top plate up when loosening the bolts, and unlike many seatposts, there aren't loose parts to fall out when you swap saddles. If only all seatposts were this easy. Kudos, Trek.

The plastic parts are a bit disappointing. The front brake fairing - while it does offer little holes for pad holder adjustment on either side - did not sit perfectly flush with the fork on our test bike. For a bike of this cost, that's not cool. Also, while we love the functionality and general design of the Draft Box, the lid attachment feels chintzy, relying on the elasticity of plastic latches to lock it into place. The one time we crammed the Box to capacity, it popped open when we hit hard bumps like railroad tracks. When not jam-packed, the lid stays shut, but the connection mechanism definitely has room for improvement.

The new, wider Draft Box fits all your flat-fixing essentials and then some

Trek sells the Speed Concept as a frameset and in a variety of bike builds. While we won't go into the Campagnolo EPS Record group here, it is worth noting that the Bontrager Aelous 9 D3 carbon clincher wheels were flawless throughout the testing. Having carbon clinchers on this bike makes good sense to us as there's no reason you can't race and train on the same wheelset. Yes, your buddies and perhaps total strangers will make fun of you for training on super-deep carbon hoops, but this is much better than training on shallow wheels then jumping on deep wheels for race day and freaking out every time the wind blows because you are unaccustomed to the feel. And besides, if you're going to spend this much on a bike, why not rock the hot wheels every day?

Bottom line: The 2014 Trek Speed Concept is a highly specialized machine within an already specialized category of bicycles. Working on it is not easy, but it does seem to live up to Trek's promises of a very fast, very functional machine for solo efforts — and with custom paint options, to boot.

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2012 Trek Speed Concept 9.9 Frameset

A carbon frame triathlon frameset with rim brakes.

For This Bike

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158cm – 171cm

168cm – 180cm

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186cm – 199cm

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Do you have this bike? Help other riders make a decision about which size will work for them by sharing your own size and fit notes. Report your fit

Jul 2013 · William Tracy

The 2014 versions can save around two minutes during the 112-mile bike leg of an Ironman race

Read Review

Jul 2011 · Guy Kesteven

The latest aerodynamic science at an affordable price, but rider fit and responsiveness issues leave the Trek disappointing overall

May 2011 · Mat Brett

Super-fast aerodynamic machine - it could be the most aero bike out there; if not, it's certainly right up there - with excellent adjustability and a top spec sheet

Last updated 29 June Not listed for 2,477 days

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Everything about the Speed Concept 9 Series is designed with aerodynamics in mind and that starts with the shaping of the carbon tubes. Trek use a tube profile called the Kammtail Virtual Foil (KVF). Think of it like this: it's a 5:1 airfoil shape with the tail cut off.

If that doesn't make much sense, imagine at one stage the tube profile was five times as long as it was wide. This is excellent for minimizing drag when the wind is coming head on, but it's not the best when the wind is at yaw - when the apparent wind comes at an angle. The airfoil doesn't retain its full benefit, plus it can make for dicey handling.

So, Trek have sliced off the back of the tube. Chopped it off square, just like that. They reckon that when the wind comes straight on, the air behaves in almost exactly the same way as if the tail section was there - hence, it has a 'virtual tail' - and the KVF shape retains its aero performance at yaw.

Plus, you don't have problems with handling in crosswinds - you're less likely to get blown sideways, basically. Keeping the sidewalls wide rather than tapering them also increases the section strength of the tube, allowing Trek to use thinner walls to bring the weight down. And the KVF shape conforms to UCI (cycle sport's world governing body) rules which say that no tube can have a length: width ratio greater than 3:1. The profile of the down tube, for example, is 81mm long and the width is 29mm according to the road.cc callipers, so it falls within the regulations.

The carbon Bontrager SC fork, with legs that follow the same KVF pattern, is designed specifically to integrate with the Speed Concept frame. The centre-pull front brake is built into the fork - the arms are integrated into the structure so there's nothing sticking out to catch the wind - and the rear brake is shielded away behind the bottom bracket. Neither is as easy to adjust as normal but that's the price you pay for the improved aerodynamics. The brake cables are fully internal and the gear cables run in through the base bar and emerge right next to the derailleurs. In the case of the rear mech, it comes out right at the end of the chainstay in Shimano Di2 style.

Although 70mm deep (front to back), the Bontrager Speed Concept Race Lite seat post is ultra skinny at just 20mm across and it's held in place via a bolt that sits flush with the top tube. Ours slipped a bit but the tightening wedge has since been updated and we're assured that it now works just fine even with a big bloke in the saddle.

The seat post fits in its slot just one way round but the cap on top comes in a choice of two different offsets (10mm and 35mm), both of which are reversible. We had the 35mm version which allowed us to set the seat angle at either a steep 75 or a really steep 81 (you can move the saddle rails along the clamp in the usual way too). Although this seat post is perfectly legal in triathlon, it isn't allowed in UCI events. That means you couldn't use it in the TT national championships, but you can either spec a UCI legal post if you are buying it as a Project 1 bike (with required amount of layback to get the saddle in the required position in relation to the bottom bracket) or swap it over in the bike shop.

Trek integrate a DuoTrap computer sensor flush into the left-hand chainstay to save you spoiling all that smooth-flowing air by fitting your own. It'll pick up both speed and cadence readings and relay them to any other ANT+ device you want to use.

Finally, that curious piece of kit behind the seat tube is a Speed Storage Draft Box that's large enough to hold a spare tube, tyre levers, a few bars and gels... cheese and chutney sandwiches, whatever. Trek reckon the bike is actually more aerodynamic with this box in place and triathlon rules allow you to use it. Again, it's not UCI legal though. It is detachable and you have holes for mounting another storage device on the top tube.

This frame and forks combo is used throughout the Speed Concept 9 Series (£5,000-£7,500) while the cheaper 7 Series bikes (£2,100-£3,000) use the KVF technology and most of the same features, but they come with standard forks. The 2.5 (£1,600) has KVF tubing although it's made from aluminium. You can get the frameset of the Speed Concept we're testing for £4,000.

The 9.9 is the highest level Speed Concept bike. It's the flagship model; the poshest of the lot. That means it comes with SRAM's top Red drivetrain and R2C (Return to Center) bar end shifters. Even if you're not familiar with them, the name is pretty self-explanatory. When you change gear, the lever flicks back to its central position (which you can set) ready for next time so shifting, whether up or down, is always from the same point every time. It just makes life that little bit easier. Not much, admittedly, but a little bit.

The carbon Speed Concept Aero bar, which is common across the 9 Series, is bladelike (of course it's a proper word; I looked it up) in profile - which means that, like the seat post it falls foul of UCI rules. That central section is less than 1.5cm tall and you can alter the height of the armrests and ski bend extensions by removing spacers as you would with headset spacers on most other bikes. If you don't want to fall foul of UCI regs you've got two choices: you can simply fit a specially provided extension that fits on to the front section of the bars, or you can fit different bars entirely.

There's plenty of fore/aft adjustment on those extensions too and you can move the armrests independently, both forward and back, and laterally. The only distance that's not variable is the distance between the extensions - it's fixed at 90mm (centre to centre). If you wanted to fit different bars, that is possible; the bike comes with a 1 1/8in adaptor stem. Trek don't recommend it, though, because you'll lose some of the aero benefit of the integrated system but of course if you want the bike to be UCI legal this might be your preferred option.

The wheels are Bontrager Aeolus 6.5 clinchers - the 6.5 referring to the rim depth in centimeters. They've been designed in collaboration with aero specialist Steve Hed of, um, Hed, to work best with a 22mm tyre - which, cunningly enough, is what Trek have fitted in the shape of Bontrager R4 Aeros.

The brake tracks are carbon, as are the surprisingly flexible V-sections. You can press the two sides in towards each other with very little effort. At 1,670g the pair they're not mega light, but that's not what these wheels are about. As with everything else related to the Speed Concept, aerodynamic performance is the top priority, hence the quick-release skewers that are designed to help the air flow smoothly backwards.

While we've got the scales out, the whole bike in our large (55.3cm seat tube) size is 8.56kg (18.8lb, without pedals).

Flatline speed is what the Speed Concept does best. Get it moving, point it where you want to go, and it flies. The 9.9 feels fast but it's when you look at the times you're doing over regular courses that you really start to think that there's something going on here.

Bad science alert! I've got four fairly level, circular routes that I test myself on in training, ranging from 10 miles to 56 miles. I ride them flat out as benchmarks. I set PBs on them all while riding the Speed Concept.

That's completely unscientific, though. It's anecdotal and proves absolutely nothing. It's hardly worth mentioning, to be honest. You need to get wind tunnel data to be sure of a bike's aerodynamic credentials, engineers with tons of experience in the field, and lots of time and money.

Even then, though, it's not as straightforward as you might assume. Far from it. If you think you take a bunch of bikes, stick them in the tunnel one by one, switch on the fan and collect pure, objective data that everyone agrees upon... think again.

Do you put a rider on board each bike? Logically, you might think so, but then the rider has to do exactly the same thing every time. Is that possible, or are you going to stick a mannequin on the bike instead? If you go with the mannequin, who decides on its position? Do you test the same size bike across different manufacturers? Of course. But they're not all available in exactly the same size. Which yaw angles are most significant? Do you fit a water bottle? And so on.

The point is, there's not one protocol upon which everyone agrees. There are enough variables to make even something as seemingly incontrovertible as wind tunnel data anything but simple to obtain. And that's why different manufacturers assure us with complete and utter certainty, beyond any doubt whatsoever, that their bike is the most aerodynamic ever produced.

Check out Trek's Airfoil Development data it's very interesting reading. We won't go into the details here - it would take ages - but it concludes, 'Trek is confident to introduce the Speed Concept as the fastest production bicycle in the world'. You have to bear in mind that this is Trek's own document, of course, that it's a year old, and it doesn't consider either the Specialized Shiv or the Giant Trinity Advanced, for example.

Online triathlon magazine Slowtwitch recently took a bunch of top bikes to a wind tunnel and the Cervlo P4 came out on top overall, although the Trek Speed Concept did best at certain yaw angles with certain setups.

The guys from Trek might well disagree with Slowtwitch's results. And that's the issue. What we can say without much fear of contradiction, though, is that the Trek Speed Concept is right up there when it comes to aero performance. If it's not the absolute best, it's very close to it. If you want anything more concrete than that... too bad. It's just not that black and white.

Something else to consider is that about 80% of the drag you experience when you ride comes from you, the relatively small remainder from the bike. So it's vital that you get a bike that allows you to set your most efficient ride position (that's a whole other can of worms; let's not get started on that one. These pics, by the way, were taken with the bike straight out of the box without any fettling. We're not saying the ride position is in any way ideal).

Plus, you might be able to put up with an uncomfortable ride position on an 10-mile TT but if you're in the saddle for several hours - maybe you're doing an Ironman and have to run a full marathon afterwards - you need enough adjustability to get the setup just right.

The Speed Concept is excellent in this respect. The seat post is available in two different lengths (275mm and 335mm) and we've already mentioned both the reversible seatpost cap and the aero bars. You can choose the stem length and height when you order the bike too.

Okay, that was a big old digression. Back to the way the Speed Concept rides. So we were bowling along fast, slicing through the air and ticking off the miles with ridiculous ease...

No TT bike is going to offer a plush level of comfort and the Trek's large tubes transfer quite a lot of road shock and vibration; that's not unusual. Comfort is more down to the contact points, the gel arm pads on the aerobars providing excellent damping, and the rests themselves are scooped enough to cradle your forearms securely without any fear of mishap if you hit a pothole. I got on really well with them.

Fizik's Arione Tri 2 saddle is a winner too, although you might expect one with rails made of something more high end than manganese on a £7,500 bike. I certainly didn't have any trouble getting in the long rides aboard the Speed Concept, just lifting myself out of the saddle occasionally to relieve tension. That comes with the territory.

The Trek isn't the most manoeuvrable bike ever but let's not go over the top there. The integrated fork limits the steering just a tiny amount. If you ride really slowly and turn the bars really, really tightly you might knock the fork against the frame... but in the real world, it's not much of an issue, even on a dead turn.

It's certainly a bike that emphasizes stability over manoeuvrability, though, and that's exactly what you want when you're down on the aero bars. The wheelbase is pretty long and the bottom bracket is lower than usual for extra stability in a crosswind. If it's blowing a gale, things can get a bit squirrelly up front, but considering the depth of those wheels this is a bike that's simple to control in most conditions.

In terms of acceleration and climbing, the Speed Concept holds its own with other bikes of its ilk. Weighing 8.56kg (18.8lb) for our large sized model, it's not especially light, and those Aeolus 6.5 wheels aren't featherweight either, so I found myself getting out of the saddle quite often after tight turns to get back up to speed, and on steeper inclines in order to maintain the pace. But that's the tradeoff for those aero tubes and deep-section rims. You can't add material without adding weight, and given the choice between an aero TT bike and a lightweight TT bike, unless you happen to be taking part in a mountain time trial, there's only ever going to be one winner. I did find the base bar a little flexy when really hauling on the ends for climbs but not enough to put me off.

We expected the complicated internal cabling to result in spongy braking but it's pretty impressive. There are no barrel adjusters which makes fine-tuning trickier than normal although the actual braking performance on the carbon rims is really powerful. You'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between this and braking on alloy rims. Well, that's an exaggeration, but not by much. That doesn't just make you safer, it allows you to keep the power going for longer and minimises the amount of 'just in case' braking that you do - and that's all time saved.

I cheekily used this bike during the Ironman 70.3 UK triathlon before sending it back to Trek (of course I didn't ask. What if they had said no? I was careful and everything). It’s a 56.4-mile/90.2km bike course on Exmoor, with 5,735ft/1,748m of climbing. That’s sandwiched between a 1.2-mile/1.9km swim and a half-marathon.

I got the 12th fastest bike split of the day, out of 1,250 or something. Seven of the 11 quicker times were by professional athletes, which I ain’t. As I was at pains to say up top, anecdotal evidence isn’t really evidence at all but, for what it’s worth, that’s the best bike result I’ve ever had in a big triathlon. Of course, I might have got as good a result on a P4 or a Cannondale Slice or whatever.

What I can tell you for sure is that I could tweak the fit of the Trek enough that it was spot on. It felt great throughout. In terms of comfort, I could have stayed in my aero position much longer. The last thing you want is to have to get out of your tuck all of the time because your back aches or the elbow pads aren’t comfortable enough. There’s little point having an aero setup if you can’t stay in it. Even getting distracted by discomfort can really put you off your stroke.

I’ve never ridden a time trial bike that’s especially agile on the climbs but the Speed Concept is fine on that score. It’s not mega-light compared to a road bike, of course, but I got a firm, wide grip on the base bar and could get it up some steep Exmoor climbs without too much trouble.

The Trek absolutely flies on the flat and on shallow gradients, both up and down, and you get a ton of stability which helps keep things steady even in a slight crosswind. It was actually fairly blowy at times but I never felt out of control or even close to it.

There’s one long, quite steep and technical descent too where you need to get your hands on the base bar for ages for steering and braking. That was fine too. Admittedly, in triathlon ‘technical’ means ‘not straight and flat’. A 30° bend is technical in triathlon terms. But I digress; handling is… well, it’s not a worry.

Those R2C levers are a real plus too. I know it doesn’t sound like a big deal but the fact that they’re waiting in the same place every time no matter what gear you’re in makes a difference. You can keep them between your thumb and forefinger the whole time if you like so there’s very little movement required when you want to shift. Something I forgot to mention before is that you get little markers on the levers too, telling you which gear you’re in, so you don’t have to check the mechs.

Downsides? Hmmm. Let me think. Adjusting the brakes could be easier… a whole lot easier, in fact, particularly the back one which is, to be frank, a bit of a pig to get at. It’s a fag if you just want to wind the blocks a little closer to the rim… but that’s the price you pay for the aerodynamic benefit, I guess. If brakes are tucked away from the wind, they’re tucked away from fingers and Allen keys too.

It’s a similar deal with the gears. You don’t get any external cable stops or in-line barrel adjusters so you can’t adjust them on the fly. If you ever found the chain struggling to go up a sprocket, you’d couldn’t do anything about it from the saddle, so you have to make sure everything is bang on before you set off. Not that I had any worries on that front but, you know, hypothetically.

So, there you go… just a few more real world comments. If I were buying a TT bike right now, the Speed Concept would certainly be on a very short shortlist. Well, it would be if I had 7.5 grand burning a hole in my pocket.

Super-fast aerodynamic machine - it could be the most aero bike out there; if not, it's certainly right up there - with excellent adjustability and a top spec sheet

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Trek Speed Concept 9.9

Size tested: Large

About the bike

State the frame and fork material and method of construction. List the components used to build up the bike.

Frame OCLV2 Carbon, KVF (Kammtail Virtual Foil) tube design, SC Speed Box & DuoTrap compatible, includes SC Draft Box

Fork Bontrager SC, OCLV2 Carbon, KVF leg design, integrated brake and stem

Wheels Bontrager Aeolus 6.5, carbon

Tyres Bontrager R4 Aero, 700x22c

Shifters SRAM Red R2C, bar end control, 10 speed

Front derailleur SRAM Red

Rear derailleur SRAM Red

Chainset SRAM Red 53/39

Cassette SRAM OG-1090 11-23, 10 speed

Saddle Fizik Airone Tri2, manganese rails

Seat post Bontrager Speed Concept Race X Lite, carbon

Handlebars Bontrager Speed Concept aero bar w/ski bend extension, carbon, direct mount

Stem Bontrager Speed Concept, direct mount

Headset Integrated, sealed bearings, proprietary top, 1in bottom

Brakeset Bontrager Speed Concept integrated brakes w/Bontrager Race XXX Lite aero levers

Tell us what the bike is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about the bike?

In this guise it's aimed at triathletes, really, although TTers will want to look at other Speed Concept options.

Trek say, "Speed Concept is the fastest triathlon bike on the planet. Its revolutionary design pairs a groundbreaking aero shape with the cleanest integration of brakes, cables, and electronics ever seen on a bicycle."

Frame and fork

Tell us about the build quality and finish of the frame and fork?

Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork?

Both are OCLV2 carbon. OCLV stands for Optimum Compaction, Low Void. It's Trek's proprietary method of producing carbon. This is their top level material

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

The head angle is 72.5, which is the same as many other TT bike manufacturers use. You can set the seat angle between 75 and 81 depending on how you orientate the seat post cap. A 101cm wheelbase on our large sized test bike provides plenty of stability.

You set the front end height by selecting the right stem and then adjusting the number of spacers between the base bar and the aero extensions.

How was the bike in terms of height and reach? How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size?

At 54.1cm, the top tube is actually pretty short for a large sized bike

Riding the bike

Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.

See main body of text. The contact points were very comfortable.

Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too flexible?

It's a stiff enough frame, yes.

How did the bike transfer power? Did it feel efficient?

Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? If so, was it a problem?

How would you describe the steering? Was it lively, neutral or unresponsive? About normal for a TT bike

Tell us some more about the handling. How did the bike feel overall? Did it do particular things well or badly?

There's plenty of stability when you're down on the aero bars

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's comfort? would you recommend any changes?

Good, gel-like pads on the aero bars - that makes all the difference.

Very little frame flex

Compared to other TT bikes, it holds its own

Not a particular strength - but that's not what this bike is about

Compared to other TT bikes, fine

The drivetrain

Tell us some more about the drivetrain. Anything you particularly did or didn't like? Any components which didn't work well together?

SRAM Red across the board

Wheels and tyres

Your summary.

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes

Would you consider buying the bike? I'm not in the market for a tri/TT bike at this price!

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Yes

Anything further to say about the bike in conclusion?

It's an incredibly fast bike with enough adjustment for you to get exactly the position you want. It costs a lot of money -no two ways about that -but it's fairly similar to the price of Specialized's Shiv.

Although this bike scores various marks on different features of the ride, the main consideration is speed on flat and rolling roads, and on that front it's fantastic.

Averaging out the value and performance marks would give it an 8 overall - but in this case it feels as if performance outweighs value. Anyway, you can make up your own mind on value.

Overall rating: 9 /10

About the tester

Age: 40   Height: 190cm   Weight: 74kg

I usually ride:    My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years   I ride: Most days   I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, sportives, general fitness riding,

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Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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You can trust Cyclingnews Our experts spend countless hours testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

This article originally appeared on Bikeradar

The new 9 series Trek Speed Concept is a bitching bike, in two ways. Once built, the bike flies out on the open road with stable steering, great aerodynamics and good looks. But while you (or your mechanic) are building it or working on it, you will be bitching.

Pros: Excellent aerodynamic performance: fast and stable; range of builds and paint jobs through Project One; add-ons like the trunk add real functionality and claimed aero benefit Cons: Adjusting front end for fit tweaks and/or travel is a chore; plastic frame parts feel cheap

Like most of the super bikes these days, the Trek Speed Concept is a purpose-built machine with a complete prioritization on performance above all else. Trek engineers can trot out reams of data on how the aerodynamics are superior to previous iterations, and looking at the svelte front profile and internalization of not only cables but fasteners as well, it’s not a stretch to believe that the bike performs admirably in the wind tunnel.

We tested the bike over a few hundred miles in training and in an Ironman 70.3, and came away very impressed with the bike. Our only gripes were the challenge of front-end adjustability and the relative sub-par performance of the plastic parts.

Trek sent a test bike with a Campagnolo Record EPS electronic group, but since this bike is available as Project One custom builds, we will focus on what is unique to the bike, plus the wheels.

To tweak the original Speed Concept, Trek engineers studied real-world wind conditions on Ironman courses, and settled on optimizing the bike for yaw angles between zero and 12.5 degrees. (They found 3-5 degree average yaw in Arizona, up to a 13 degree average yaw in the notoriously windy Kona worlds course.)

By slimming the front profile and tweaking the Kamm tail tubing, the 2014 version is substantially faster and lighter than its predecessor, Trek claims. For our purposes, we were only going on feel, not wind tunnel data, and in our experience, the bike handled very well in all wind conditions. With a head tube angle of 72.5 degrees on the three larger sizes, and a seat tube angle of 80 degrees across all sizes, the Speed Concept was never nervous or twitchy, even with the 90mm-deep Aeolus 9 D3 wheels in blustery sidewinds. For sure, you can feel side pressure from the wind, but the handling is always predicable and manageable. We were comfortable riding in the aero extensions through fast corners and down windswept hills.

Bottom bracket area stiffness isn't so much of a concern on such a bike, but the bike does accelerate with some snap, perhaps due to the relatively short but robust chainstays, enormous bottom bracket area and huge down tube. The low bottom bracket (8cm drop) contributes to stability.

Comfort on the frame is good. We swapped out the stock saddle for a firmer option, and were still comfortable for two- and three-hour efforts on the bike.

Total bike weight for our Large sample was 19.18lb. While Trek declined to quote a frame weight, its engineers say the frameset, cockpit setup, headset, BB and small frame parts come out to 1,874g, which they claim is less than comparable measurements on a Cannondale SliceRS, a Specialized Shiv Tri or a Cervélo P5-6.

Modular front end: For engineers, aerodynamics trumped convenience

Granted, this bike is way out on the pointy end of aero performance, and machines with such low-drag front ends have until recently been custom creations for the world's best pros. So we appreciate the challenge in building a stock bike that has both a superior aero shape and the ability to adjust to fit a range of riders. Trek's solution is a modular front end, with a collection of stem heights/lengths and riser blocks. From there, one of four monocoque extension bars mounts atop the riser block of choice, and the pads are mounted via a collection of bolts and mount options. Should you have your measurements dialed ahead of time, Trek provides a worksheet that will get your fit close, specifying which stem and riser block to use.

Trek has improved the cockpit options somewhat for 2014. You can tilt the extensions with the adjustment of three bolts, which is nice. But the base bar remains dead level. This is best for aerodynamics, of course, but we would have preferred a slight upward angle on the outer handles for a bit more grip security.

And while there are four styles of extensions to choose from — S-bend, straight, ergo and short ergo — none allow width or angle adjustment as they are one-piece designs. Whether it's another price paid for aerodynamics or perhaps just simplicity in construction, it's certainly something to keep in mind. We used the ergo bar and found that while the bend angle was comfortable, we missed the rotational adjustment you can get on most aftermarket bars.

Knee clearance when out of the saddle was not an issue with the bar - as it sometimes is with TT/tri machines with large aero basebars.

Other components: Seatpost is super user friendly, but plastic parts aren’t the same caliber as the rest of the bike

The Speed Concept's spring-loaded seatpost clamp is a thing of beauty. It's just... easy. One 5mm bolt at the front for final tightness combines with a finger-operated dial at the rear for angle adjustment. A spring pushes the top plate up when loosening the bolts, and unlike many seatposts, there aren't loose parts to fall out when you swap saddles. If only all seatposts were this easy. Kudos, Trek.

The plastic parts are a bit disappointing. The front brake fairing - while it does offer little holes for pad holder adjustment on either side - did not sit perfectly flush with the fork on our test bike. For a bike of this cost, that's not cool. Also, while we love the functionality and general design of the Draft Box, the lid attachment feels chintzy, relying on the elasticity of plastic latches to lock it into place. The one time we crammed the Box to capacity, it popped open when we hit hard bumps like railroad tracks. When not jam-packed, the lid stays shut, but the connection mechanism definitely has room for improvement.

Trek sells the Speed Concept as a frameset and in a variety of bike builds. While we won't go into the Campagnolo EPS Record group here, it is worth noting that the Bontrager Aelous 9 D3 carbon clincher wheels were flawless throughout the testing. Having carbon clinchers on this bike makes good sense to us as there's no reason you can't race and train on the same wheelset. Yes, your buddies and perhaps total strangers will make fun of you for training on super-deep carbon hoops, but this is much better than training on shallow wheels then jumping on deep wheels for race day and freaking out every time the wind blows because you are unaccustomed to the feel. And besides, if you're going to spend this much on a bike, why not rock the hot wheels every day?

Bottom line: The 2014 Trek Speed Concept is a highly specialized machine within an already specialized category of bicycles. Working on it is not easy, but it does seem to live up to Trek's promises of a very fast, very functional machine for solo efforts — and with custom paint options, to boot.

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Review: Trek Speed Concept 9.9

• By Marc Lindsay

Ever wonder how the top-of-the-line superbikes used by the pros compares to your less expensive rig? Active tested Trek's Speed Concept 9.9 to find out how this high-end bike stacks up.

Trek Speed Concept 9.9

Price: $11,549 Components: Dura Ace Di2 Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus 5 D3 Frame: 600 Series OCLV Carbon Tires: Bontrager R4 Aero Saddle: Bontrager XXX Hilo Handlebar: Bontrager Speed Concept Full Foil

Search for a

Frame gussets.

The new re-design of the Speed Concept in 2014 improved overall speed over the 112-mile Ironman bike leg by 1 to 2 minutes over its predecessor. Part of the credit for this improvement to an already extremely fast bike are the larger gussets—the area where the tubes of the bike join.

The redesign of the front fork likely plays a major role in the improved speed of the 2014 model. The shape and how the fork interacts with the wheel is a major factor in aerodynamic performance.

Integrated Brakes

Both front and rear brakes have been redesigned for the 2014 model. The front brake is built into the front fork for increased aerodynamics. The rear brake is so well hidden it can almost be hard to find. The good news is, it's much easier to adjust than previous Speed Concept bikes, which was truly a pain if you used wheels with different widths to train and race.

Bontrager Aeolus 5 Wheelset

The Aeolus 5 is a versatile wheel that performs well in windy conditions. The OCLV carbon makes the wheelset light, durable and stiff. Rim depth is 50mm, and the wide shape (27mm outer, 17.5 inner) produces a rim that lowers wind drag when used with Bontrager tires. Stacked lacing provided good stiffness and the white spokes are eye-catching. While we liked how these wheels performed overall, our guess is that some will still want a deeper rim profile to make this superbike a bit more studly—and perhaps even faster. An option to choose wheelsets should be an option at this price point.

Superbikes and cockpits on tri bikes can be hell to adjust. While we wouldn't call this one easy, it's easier than most. Fore/aft adjustment of the aerobars can be done by removing four bolts—a feat that was accomplished without a trip to the mechanic. You'll also notice that all of the electronic drivetrain parts are internally routed, which makes the bike look fast and clean.

The Add-Ons

The storage containers on the Speed Concept are add-ons, which means they aren't included in the price. The good thing about these devices is that Bontrager designed these to work specifically for this bike with aerodynamics in mind—something other companies have failed to do. Since you'll need to carry spare tubes and food for a 112-mile course, the extras are essential. Trek claims that putting these add-ons on the bike actually makes it faster by an additional 4 minutes, which is quite impressive. What we didn't like was that these extras were plastic. On a $12,000 bike, the expectation is that these parts would not only come with the bike, they'd also have a higher level of craftsmanship, and use of a higher-quality material.

The Feedbox

The rubber feedbox that screws into the top tube makes it easy to eat without having to fiddle around with zippers like a lot of other food storage units. It's also supposed to make the bike faster—and it looks good too.

Bottle Cage

The idea for the aerobar-mounted bottle cage makes sense, but you'll still need cages on the back of the bike too. The computer mount option on the cage didn't work as well as we'd hoped either—you still need to look back quite a bit to get a good view of your numbers. A mounting option that's a bit more forward on the bars would have been better.

Dura-Ace Di2

You won't hear any complaints from us with the incorporation of electronic drivetrains. The Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components might not be traditional, but the performance is unparalleled. You get precise shifts every time with the push of a button; you'll never have to deal with chain drops again.

Dura-Ace Di2 Rear Derailleur

The lack of cables and single pulley wheel give the electronic rear derailleur and clean look.

One of the fastest and most expensive triathlon bikes on the market, I expected big things from the Speed Concept 9.9 and it did deliver. The agility through turns and tight corners was a surprise and a detail that often goes overlooked, as triathlon bikes usually only focus on straight-line speed. The stiffness and compliance of the frame was also noteworthy. You'll notice right away that once you get up above 18 mph all of your energy is being transferred as efficiently as possible—a feeling that you might not notice until you try a superbike for yourself.

The Ride Continued...

What stood at to me the most though was the pure speed and comfort that this bike design accomplishes. Some bikes are fast, and others are comfortable, but it's tough to find a machine that is both. On a short 40K time trial, I was able to shave a full minute off my personal best—and my race results this season don't indicate that I'm in the shape of my life. As for comfort, a 100-mile ride produced less fatigue from road vibration and wasted energy during power transfer. This bike has a cruising mode that really is remarkable—it almost makes you feel like your riding on a motorbike. While this might not justify the price for some, it does come down to how much you have to spend. Is this bike better than the Cervelo P3, or other top models in the $5,000 to $7,000 price range? Absolutely. Whether or not it's worth the price for you is something you'll have to determine for yourself.

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2012 Trek Speed Concept 9.9 - Carbon - DuraAce - $6k Retail

Cool Features

• Trek Speed Concept 9.9 Frameset 2012

158cm - 171cm

168cm - 180cm

178cm - 189cm

186cm - 199cm

Frame summary

Bike components.

600 Series OCLV Carbon, KVF (Kammtail Virtual Foil) tube design, SC Speed Box & DuoTrap compatible, includes SC Draft Box

Suspension Fork

Bontrager SC, 600 Series OCLV Carbon, KVF leg design, integrated brake & stem

Bontrager Speed Concept integrated brakes

Bontrager Speed Concept, direct mount

Bontrager Speed Concept aero bar, carbon, direct mount

Integrated, sealed bearings

Bontrager Speed Concept Race X Lite, carbon, +/-10mm offset

Bike geometry

Model overview.

Speed Concept 9.9 Frameset belongs to the Trek Speed model. Trek released 112 frames variations of this model so far. Check out the entire range from 2012 of this model, by clicking this link .

Take safety seriously when you ride your bike, and always wear your helmet. Moreover, don’t ride on the sidewalk. This is actually against the law in some states and can be dangerous for both you and pedestrians.

Average price for Triathlon frames

According to our calculations, the average cost of a Triathlon frame that is reliable is 3089 $ . However, you could also get a good Triathlon frame even if you pay a lower amount than the average price. In short, before purchasing your ideal frame do some research about its components, and also check for reviews online.

Overview of components

Fork material.

The fork is made out of carbon, so, it won’t add up to much weight to your frame. However, the price you have to pay for a carbon fork is considerably higher.

Stopping the bike when needed, it’s essential for your safety. This frame has Rim brakes. Slightly lighter than hydraulic brakes, rim brakes are a budget choice. However, they have problems in wet conditions.

This frame is available in 4 sizes . They vary from 158 cm – 199 cm (5.18 ft – 6.53 ft) . In short, you can easily find one that suits you.

Trek Speed models from 2024

Trek speed models from 2023, trek speed models from 2022, trek speed models from 2021, trek speed models from 2020, trek speed models from 2019, trek speed models from 2018, trek speed models from 2017, trek speed models from 2016, trek speed models from 2015, trek speed models from 2014, trek speed models from 2013, trek speed models from 2012.

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STRUCTURES INSIDER

• Oct 23, 2020

The 1 billion dollar Mercury City Tower in Moscow

Updated: Dec 1, 2020

General Info 📚

Architects: frank williams & associates; m.m.posokhin, structural engineer: rosenwasser/grossman consulting engineers p.c., cost: us$ 1 billion, location: moscow russia, main contractor: rasen construction, space usage: offices, apartments, retail, fitness centres.

👉 Visit Structures Insider's homepage for more stories 👈

Mercury City Tower is 29m higher than the Shard in London, UK, Mercury City Tower is 29m higher than the Shard in London, UK, and it was the tallest tower in Europe between 2012-2014 before being overtaken by several competitors. Currently Lakhta Center in St Petersburg, Russia holds the record at 462m height.

The skyscrapers its copper-coloured cladding is what makes it unique. The building was originally designed to be surfaced in reflective silver glass in order to mirror the buildings surrounding but eventually came to be wrapped in equally reflective bronze-tinted glass.

Thanks to its inimitable façade, the tower exhibits a constant glow that makes it appear as though it is continually immersed in the light of the sun on the horizon.

A media facade made of 2 million LEDs was installed on the exterior of the 67th and 68th floors of the building. Thus, the Mercury City Tower has the tallest media facade in Europe.

Sustainability Futures 🌿

The building is claimed by architect Frank Williams as the first environmentally friendly building in Russia since it was designed to collect melting snow water, as well as provide 70% of the workplaces with access to daylight.

The building also features a smart “energy cycle” system that regulates energy usage, ambient temperatures, and hot water distribution throughout the development.

Materials ⚒️

Materials used for the construction include heat-resistant reinforced concrete. Approximately 130,000m³ of concrete and 35,000t of reinforcement was used for the construction.

For greater reliability, two independent reinforced concrete skeletons were provided to make the Mercury City Tower resistant against a 6.0 magnitude earthquake .

This, as a result, gives the building a futuristic and high-tech look, fitting it in the Structural Expressionist architectural style.

The façade is built of steel and glass with aluminium glazing, with approximately 1,500t of foreign steel used for the façade cladding. It is the first Russian building constructed using environment-friendly methods.

Source: designbuild-network

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• Speed Concept 9.9

The spiraling 246m high Evolution Tower is located on plots 2-3 of Moscow-City high-rise business district on Presnenskaya Embankment of Moscow river. New multi-function center occupies the territory of 2.5ha in area, 2ha of which is a landscaped terraced civic plaza, the integral part of the new city piazza, the central open public space of Moscow-City business downtown.

ivic plaza includes 10m high ceremonial stairs (leading from embankment and pedestrian Bagration Bridge to the higher terraced levels) as well as landscaped areas with green lawns, trees, water features, travellators and feature lightboxes.

Evolution Tower

Location: Moscow, Russia

Typology: High-Rise, Office, Mixed-Use

Years: Construction 2011-2014

Status: Built

Height: 246m

Design team: GORPROJECT  (2011-2015), 

RMJM Scotland Ltd 

(original concept 2005-2007)

Under the piazza levels the 2-storey retail mall connects the Evolution Tower with metro station and pedestrian bridge over Moscow river, thus integrating the new development into the large Moscow-City district, the Europe's newest and most ambitious high-rise cluster (7 of 10 highest European skyscrapers ae located here), housing over 4 million square meters of office and retail areas with associated transport and engineering infrastructure.   

The Evolution Gallery mall houses food court and 6,000m2 family entertainment and educational center for various children activities (the first center of that kind in Moscow). 

The 82,000m2 office tower has 52 levels rotated 3 degrees each floor with overall twist reaching 156 degrees clockwise. With world’s largest innovative cold-bent glazing the tower façade provides seamless floating reflection that rotates the panoramas of Moscow skyline vertically, where the reflected clouds moving up enhance the dynamic visual impact of the twisted tower, an unprecedented optical effect in the world architecture.  The Crown with supporting steel structure made of two twisted arches provides the helipad at the very top as well as the open observation roof decks at Levels 51-52 featuring the best panoramas of Moscow riverside with views towards the historical center. 

From the very beginning the developer and architects have set an ambitious task to create a recognizable and symbolic tower, the new icon of contemporary Moscow.  The sculptural DNA-shaped twisting tower symbolizes the evolution spiral with the white façade ribbon wrapping over the roof in a form of 90-degree twisted infinity symbol, which speaks of philosophical concept of evolution and celebrates the development of human civilization. From spiraling onion domes of St. Basil to the iconic Tatlin Tower concept the Russian architecture was obsessed with idea of spiral. The simple and innovative design was based on principles of twisting square-shaped floor plates with vertical structural RC frame supported by a central core and 8 columns with continuous beams and 4 spiraling columns at the corners. 

The proposed structural scheme with cantilevered continuous RC beams and cantilevered floor slabs  picking up the overhangs from the twisted floor plates appeared to be simple, efficient and economical. The complex sculptural tower façade envelope was built using the innovative cold-bent glazing with flat double glazed units cold-formed in 3D within the aluminum frame under its own weight to avoid stepping in geometry. This approach appeared to be both more energy-efficient and more cost-efficient solution in comparison to the stepped curtain wall units previously applied in some twisted unitized facades. 

The multifunctional architectural glass by Guardian significantly reduces the solar gain whilst providing the double glazed unit thermal performance equal to standard triple glazed unit normally used in Moscow to withstand harsh winter conditions. The use of innovative TWIN elevators by ThyssenKrupp saved 2 shafts within the core (10 TWINs instead of 12 double-deckers in the original concept) and contributed to the overall project sustainability with lesser power consumption per passenger. Other sustainable design features include green roofs over the retail mall and integrated coil floor heating under landscaped civic piazza levels using the return water in winter to melt the snow and ice for the safety of pedestrians. The reinforced concrete formwork by PERI, including self-climbing ACS formwork specially designed for the twisting corner columns, allowed to achieve the impressive speed of RC frame construction of 6 days per floor due to perfect site logistics by Renaissance Construction as main contractor. 

All innovative design solutions and optimizations secured the delivery of this fairly unique skyscraper within the project plan and almost within the budget of the standard ‘benchmark’ high-rise building. This turned out to be a major achievement of the design and construction teams. 

The organic twisting silhouette dominates on its background of extruded glass towers greatly contributing into the overall composition of the high-rise Moscow-City cluster. The development delivered a significant open public space on the landscaped roof of the retail mall, thus providing the perfect mix of business uses with public and social activities of the civic plaza and the mall with its food court and core family entertainment function. The synergy of that mix with large underground car-park complemented by the direct link to the metro station and pedestrian bridge as means of main public transportation secured the successful project completion with the recent entire tower acquisition. Bold shape and timeless aesthetics as added values brought by its unique architecture materialized in a commercial success of this project with the tower being fully acquired for corporate headquarters even in the context of oversupply in the Moscow office market. The outstanding quality of architecture and its fine detailing, state of the art building services and communications of Class A office Tower together with the highest level of transport accessibility  (direct access to metro station from the lobby, large car-parking, proximity to boat pier and helipads) make this property very attractive for tenants and visitors. The beautiful riverside panoramas from offices are complemented by green roof and water features of the large 2ha terraced civic piazza as the main recreational outdoor space with direct link from the office tower lobby. 

The highest quality of façade cladding, glazing, vertical transportation and MEP equipment from leading European and international suppliers provided the truly Class-A office environment with the luxury of minimalist spirit in the architecture of the new landmark on the Moscow skyline. Even before its completion the sculptural spiral of Evolution Tower, more often appearing in commercials, posters and magazines, became a new icon for modern Moscow as the symbol of its business ambitions and fast development. The Evolution Tower also became the monument to the courage of its developer (Snegiri Group) and investors, who built the great deal of trust with architects, engineers and contractors by investing their efforts and funds in a challenging adventure of designing and building the unique and innovative skyscraper for the capital of Russia. 

Evolution Reflections

Philipp nikandrov.

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

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