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Trek CrossRip Elite review

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Trek CrossRip

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Words Derri Dunn | Photos Daniel Gould

Until its 2013 models were unveiled, American cycle behemoth Trek offered a dizzying array of commuter vehicles: dozens of bike types, from brash urban fixies to basketed shoppers. Yet, conspicuously, it hadn’t yet produced anything to fill one of the most successful iterations of the all-purpose bike to emerge in recent years: the drop-bar, disc-braked, multi-terrain machine.

That all changed last year when Trek’s UK arm chose to slim and streamline its range. Gone were the Dutch-style bikes, the singlespeeds and the electric cycles; in came the all-purpose CrossRip.

Although there’s a nod to its cyclo-cross roots in the bike’s name, Trek makes few bones about this being a much more everyday vehicle than a race bike. After all, it has two specialist cyclo-cross ranges already, the Cronus and the Ion. The CrossRip is less about racing and more about real life — one bike to do it all.

All-purpose primed

There’s certainly plenty to recommend it for a variety of purposes. The fork and rear stays bear the full complement of drillings to accept any combination of mudguards and luggage racks, and the clearances are massive around the tyres to make sure it’ll accommodate your chosen rack-fender set-up.

Ridden ‘naked’, it’ll take 29x1.8in mountain bike tyres, Trek says, so you could turn it into a fairly capable mud-plugger too, if that’s more your thing. With skinnier rubber and a heavy-duty rack, it could work nicely as a tackle-anything, round-the-world touring machine, particularly as it has mechanical disc brakes for ultimate reassurance descending rough, mountainous roads with luggage piled up.

In fact, the brakes are just one part of the bike that demonstrates pleasing attention to detail: the front one is a common 160mm size, but at the back, where frankly you don’t need as much stopping power, the rotor is a mere 140mm. The Hayes CX is an unusual choice — compared to the more frequently specced Avid BB5 and BB7 road brakes — but they are neither twangy nor feeble in use on road or over rougher surfaces.

So the CrossRip feels adventure-ready, but if the ride to work is as wild as you get, it’s just as well prepped for you. Tellingly, the wheel skewers are Allen key bolt-type, rather than quick-release, providing much better theft protection. The dull grey paintwork is another nod to urban intentions, blending into the metropolis in an understated way. Less so the pretty anodised blue trim on ferrules and skewers, though, which always give a really trick finish and expensive sheen to any bike.

Gearing on the CrossRip is Shimano’s new iteration of Sora, now with sensible STI levers instead of the thumb paddles of old. It’ll never have the finesse of the more expensive gearsets in this series — Tiagra and 105 — but it’s a perfectly functional nine-speed set-up. That said, on a £950 bike, this groupset seems a tad stingy. Sora is used because, we’d guess, the budget has been chewed up elsewhere, notably by the provision of internal cable routing. Unlike the anodised blue trimmings, this is not just about looks — it’s the ultimate protection for the cable inners, particularly on a machine like this, which might see some mucky trails.

Largin’ it

On our first outing on the CrossRip, the first thing we noticed was how large it felt and looked. Our test bike was the smallest size — 50cm — despite a pretty short little stem, yet for our 5ft 6in rider the CrossRip appeared both long and broad. A wide set of bars with padding below the tape are part of this beefy illusion, as are the 700x32c tyres, of course, but it’s also a long bike, which you can feel in its stability once rolling.

The ride isn’t especially cosseting or refined, but nor is it clattering or agricultural. The CrossRip feels like it is just getting on with the job of steamrollering you over the rough and smooth in a no-nonsense manner. There’s some sensation of road-drag as you pull away, which a smoother set of tyres would improve immeasurably — well worth it if you ride mostly on tarmac.

If you never tackle rough stuff, the CrossRip is more durability than you need. On the same budget, you could find a lighter, nippier road bike with a posher groupset that would meet your requirements. But if you have that niggling feeling that one day you might want to venture down the path less travelled or perhaps take that six-month two-wheeled jaunt overland to Mongolia, this multi-purpose steed feeds into those aspirations very nicely, while still being perfectly at home as your everyday ride.

Specification

Trek CrossRip £950

Frameset 100 Series Alpha aluminium

Gears Shimano Sora

Chainset FSA Vero 50/34t

Brakes Hayes CX5 mechanical disc

Wheels Bontrager Nebula rims, Formula hubs

Tyres Bontrager H5 Hardcase Ultimate, 700x32c

Bar/stem Bontrager Race Lite/SSR

Saddle Bontrager Evoke 1

Seatpost Bontrager SSR

Size range 50, 54, 56, 58, 61cm

Weight 10.89kg

www.trek.com

Alternative

Kona Jake £1199

For years, the Kona Jake was almost peerless as the entry-level cyclo-cross bike of choice. Nevertheless, to keep up with current trends for disc brakes and all-round use, the 2013 model has received some pretty major upgrades. Most noticeable are those rather beautiful Tektro Lyra 140mm disc brakes. We think they look lovely, but sadly, in our experience, the Lyras can be a pig to set up and maintain. The Tiagra groupset is a small upgrade from the CrossRip’s Sora, but at £250 more, the Jake requires a chunk more budget.

www.konaworld.com

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Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away , following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed. 

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Trek CrossRip 1 review

Does this Trek rip it up and start again?

Immediate Media

Simon Withers

Tough, practical and comfortable with well-considered kit

Not that light, and the gearing won’t suit big-time adventurers

Trek flags its CrossRip range as for ‘workday commute to weekend adventure’, a machine for ‘any surface, any weather, any ride’. Yikes, that’s quite a lot to live up to. We tested the least expensive in the three-bike range, the CrossRip 1 with Sora shifters and mechanical disc brakes. If you’ve got the cash to splash, the range is topped by the £1650 (approx. US$2050, AU$2790) CrossRip 3, complete with Shimano 105 and hydraulic discs.

• What's the best bike for cycle commuting?
• Best touring bike: how to choose the right one for you

The geometry is typically touring-/commuting-/gravel-friendly, with even the smallest model having a wheelbase well over a metre long, and much shallower head-tube angles than a typical road bike, all of which serves to slow down the handling. And though the top-tube is longer than some rival machines, the result is still a reasonably upright and back-friendly ride.

At first glance the gearing looks like a typical compact chainset with a wide-ranging 11-32 cassette, but the chainset is actually a 48/32. The result is an interesting and practical gearing choice one for a generally urban-focused machine, and is well suited to day-to-day riding and commuting.

You might be reaching for lower gears if you’re thinking of selling up and riding around the world, but for most topography it’s more than adequate.

The tyres, too, should prove fine for most of the riding this bike is likely to encounter. The 32mm width of the Bontrager H5 all-rounders offers a good balance of comfort and protection without adding too much weight. They’re fine for poor tarmac, mixed surfaces and forays on to dirt and gravel, and Trek has also gone down the tubeless-ready rim route.

One feature that we really appreciate on the Trek, and something we think more commuter bikes should have, is its cross-top – or ‘in-line’ – brake levers. These are designed to work with a traditional drop bar, giving you a secondary braking position riding on the tops.

Unlike those spindly 1970s’ style ‘suicide levers’ these actually work, giving you the same amount of braking power as the levers on the drops. The narrower handhold means they’re not ideal for high-speed braking, and there are real estate implications on fitting lights, GPS and computers, but these are great for any riding that’s not heads-down, heart-pumping hard, particularly in city streets.

The rest of the Trek’s kit is pretty similar to other rival bikes at this price point. Shimano’s 9-speed Sora does its usual solid no-nonsense job, even if it lacks the smoothness of Shimano’s 10- and 11-speed offerings. The brakes are TRP Spyres, which offer plenty of power and control whatever the weather, and are some of the best non-hydraulic stoppers out there.

If your riding doesn’t encompass anything competitive and you’re not looking for an expedition-type tourer, Trek’s CrossRip bikes could be your friend.

The CrossRip 1 is snappy enough for urban riding, and tough enough and comfortable enough for longer, more adventurous rides. It has fittings for racks and guards – and bags of clearance – and those extra brake levers come into their own in urban environments.

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Commutes Are Faster and Less Sweaty on the Speedy Trek CrossRip+

This full-featured commuter offers road-bike handling and a boost up to 28mph

Price: $4,200 Weight: 40 lb. (52cm) Class: Type 3 Motor: Bosch Performance Speed 350 watt/63 Nm Battery capacity: 500 Wh Frame material: Aluminum Drivetrain: SRAM Force1 1x11, cable actuated Brakes: SRAM Force hydraulic disc Wheel size: 700c The right bike for: Riders who want a road-bike experience and a faster commute

If you’re not ready to drop $4,200 on a new e-bike, don’t ride Trek ’s CrossRip+. Because if you do, forget it: You’ll drop the plastic at the register faster than you can say “63 Newton-meters of torque.” If you’re a red-blooded cyclist, you’ll become addicted to this utilitarian road e-bike and its smooth and torquey Bosch motor that boosts you up to the 28mph cutoff speed.

With a drop bar, traditional road-riding position, and road-bike-like handling, the CrossRip+ will feel more natural to an experienced cyclist than it will a newbie. Those position and handling qualities also make the CrossRip+ more suited to longer rides on mixed terrain than for battling the tight confines of a dense city .

A rear rack—designed for mounting bags, not for the direct attachment of cargo —slickly integrated lights, full-coverage fenders, and a kickstand are included, so you’re just a set of bags (and maybe a bell) away from giving up the car for many of your commutes and errands. The stock 38mm-wide tires feature toughened sidewalls to help protect against flats, and do smooth the ride a bit. But this bike’s frame is stout, and this is a fast bike, so you’re going to hit things hard, and the ride can be jarring at times.

The CrossRip+ makes a lot sense when you ride it. It’s full featured and very utilitarian, and makes “ugh” trips easy .

Front and rear LED lights are integrated into the frame.

Full Featured

Aluminum fenders and reflective sidewall tires are standard.

A sturdy kickstand is included when you buy a CrossRip+.

Stopping Power

The speedy CrossRip+ has powerful hydraulic disc brakes.

Shaped to Match

Tube shaping helps the external battery look more integrated.

The CrossRip Family

There’s one CrossRip+, and its offered in one build.

The frame is aluminum, with quick-release dropouts, an integrated (and removable) rear rack, a water-bottle mount on the down tube, fender mounts, and a kickstand, which is attached at the rear dropout. The fork features an aluminum steerer, carbon legs, and thru-axle dropouts.

A Bosch Performance Speed mid-drive motor provides assist up to 28mph, making this bike a class three/speed bike. An externally mounted Bosch 500 watt hour battery—currently the largest the company offers—powers the Crossrip+’s motor and lights. Like any e-bike, range varies wildly depending on the level of assist, terrain, and other factors, but you can expect 20 to 100 miles between charges. The battery may be charged in the bike, or removed for charging. A keyed lock secures the battery to the frame.

The Bosch Purion controller and display is compact and has a backlit, monochrome screen. It provides speed and distance info, current mode, battery charge, and estimated range. From it you can control the assist level, as well as the light mode.

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The CrossRip+’s drivetrain is SRAM Force1 1x11 with a wide-range 11-42t cassette. Stopping is managed by SRAM’s Force hydraulic disc brakes. The rest of the build comes from Bontrager and includes a tubeless-ready wheelset, 38mm tires with flat-resistant casing and reflective sidewalls (the tires are not tubeless ready), and aluminum seatpost, stem, and handlebar. Bontrager’s IsoZone padding under the bar tape provides a bit of extra shock absorption.

Integrated front and rear LED lights, full-coverage aluminum fenders with mud flaps, a kickstand, and a rear pannier carrier are stock. Note the rear structure isn’t a rack—it doesn’t have a platform to carry a box or a grocery bag—but rather a platform for attaching a pannier or pannier system.

If you like the CrossRip+’s platform, but aren’t looking for an e-bike, Trek offers three CrossRip models from $1,070 to $1,890. All these bikes feature wide-range 2x drivetrains and disc brakes, however, they do not come standard (though they can be fitted with them) with fenders, rack, lights, or kickstand like the CrossRip+.

Endurance Road Geometry

The CrossRip+’s geometry is similar to that of an endurance road bike: sporty and a little upright.

Getting down into finer details, the 49cm and 52cm Crossrip+’s chainstays are 435mm, which is in the ballpark for a endurance bike that can take pretty big tires, but then jump to a whopping 472mm on the largest sizes (55, 58, 61cm). That’s part of the reason there’s an almost 50mm jump in wheelbase (1,037mm to 1,085mm) between the 52cm and 55cm, despite those sizes sharing the same reach (387mm). If you happen to be in the 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-10 range, you could probably ride either size and would get to choose if you want a shorter wheelbase for a more lively ride, or a longer one for more stability (note the stack difference: 560mm versus 579mm).

Ride Impressions

The CrossRip+’s riding position, handling, and overall experience is similar to a road bike. Experienced road cyclists will adapt easily to the CrossRip+ and will quickly fall in love with the speed and the sensation of floating up hills offered by the smooth Bosch motor.

But it was the multi-surface/multi-condition/long-distance versatility that makes the CrossRip+ such a special e-bike. The combination of wide and tough 38mm tires, a drop bar, near-road-bike handling, and the strong push of the Bosch motor make for a bike that lets the rider take the shortest or most fun route without always having to stick to paved roads. And the full-coverage fenders and excellent SRAM disc brakes make this a four-season, all-weather e-bike and killer commuter.

For longer and mixed-surface rides, the drop bar was quite functional. Not only could I change hand positions for comfort, but I could also get low at higher speeds (improving the rider’s aerodynamic profile will increase range). Riders can also switch to a more confidence-inspiring position for dirt paths and trails.

One thing that experienced cyclists might find a bit frustrating to adapt to is getting in sync with the motor when riding out of the saddle, “It’s very difficult to get the motor surge timed to your pedal stroke,” said one tester. Most e-bike motors provide their best experience when the rider is seated and pedals with a high, consistent cadence, so this isn’t a knock against the CrossRip+ specifically. But the CrossRip+ is so suited to longer and varied rides that it’s inevitable that the rider will be doing standing climbing with it, which magnifies the motor’s shortcoming in this situation.

With so many things affecting an e-bike’s power consumption, it’s hard to give a precise number for the CrossRip+’s range. But here’s what one of our testers got when he used the CrossRip+ for a 29-mile (each way) commute with about 1,800 feet of climbing.

If he used Eco mode exclusively, and was careful, he could do the round trip on one charge. But if he wanted to get there faster, he could use Sport mode with a bit of Turbo for the hills. He’d use the entire charge for one half of his commute, and need to recharge at work before riding home. In the latter case, he averaged 18mph, and the ride took about an hour and 40 minutes.

If you think one half of your commute will use more than one half of your charge, note that the Bosch battery charger is clunky, so you’re not going to want to carry it with you every day. A standard charger will cost you about $190, and will recharge the CrossRip+’s battery in about four and a half hours.

The front and rear lighting is well integrated, and kicks out decent light. However, if you’re planning to do serious nighttime commuting, you’ll probably want to supplement the integrated headlight with secondary unit.

We weren’t thrilled to discover the CrossRip+’s rear rack isn’t really a rack—there’s no platform, so there’s no way to carry anything—but rather a structure for mounting panniers, so be prepared for an additional investment if you want to carry anything on the bike. If you prefer to wear a backpack, the structure can be removed and the rear light relocated into the frame.

The CrossRip+ handles well, though its handling is better suited to open roads and higher speeds and less toward salmoning through mid-city rush-hour traffic. The big tires and padding under the bar tape do help smooth the ride, but the CrossRip’s overall ride certainly is firm, and occasionally jarring. At least some of this is because the CrossRip+ is so fast that you’re hitting a lot of bumps faster and harder than you would on an unpowered bike.

The CrossRip+ is a versatile multi-surface bike with the power, speed, handling, and riding position that make it an excellent choice for long and fast commutes, as well as longer, assisted pleasure bike rides.

A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling , Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race. 

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Trek CrossRip 2

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Colour / Matte Metallic Charcoal

Size / 49cm, 52cm, 54cm, 56cm, 58cm, 61cm

At a glance

- The drop-bar CrossRip is surefooted when roads get rough, quick in traffic, and comfortable over the long haul. Commuter? Gravel grinder? CafÉ racer?

CrossRip pairs the efficiency of a road bike with the go-anywhere durability of something more. It’s the one bike that takes you from your workday commute right into your weekend adventure.

Key features

- All-road geometry + massive tire clearance + drop bars = serious versatility

- DuoTrap S compatible: track your data, map your miles

- Disc brakes for reliable all-weather stopping power

- Make it your own with racks, fenders, and up to three bottle cages

Where To Buy

Specifications

• Frame 200 Series Alpha Aluminum w/rack & fender mounts, internal cable routing, inboard disc brake mount
• Hubs Front: Bontrager sealed bearing Rear: Bontrager sealed bearing, alloy axle
• Tires [F] Bontrager H5 Hard-Case Ultimate, 700x32c
• Chain KMC X10
• Crank Shimano Tiagra
• Bottom Bracket Shimano , external cartridge bearing
• Front Derailleur Shimano Tiagra
• Rear Derailleur Shimano Tiagra
• Shifters Shimano Tiagra, 10 speed
• Brakeset TRP Spyre C 2.0 mechanical disc
• Handlebar Bontrager RL IsoZone VR-CF, 31.8mm
• Saddle Bontrager Evoke 1
• Seatpost Bontrager , 2-bolt head, 27.2mm, 8mm offset
• Stem Bontrager Elite, 31.8mm, 7 degree, w/computer & light mounts
• Grips Bontrager gel cork tape
• Headset 1-1/8" threadless, sealed cartridge bearings

Q: How much is a 2019 Trek CrossRip 2?

A 2019 Trek CrossRip 2 is typically priced around $1,360 USD when new. Be sure to shop around for the best price, and also look to the used market for a great deal.

Q: What size 2019 Trek CrossRip 2 should I get?

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• Rider Notes

2018 Trek CrossRip 1

A 700c aluminum frame commuter bike with mid-range components and mechanical disc brakes. Compare the full range

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A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

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This full-featured commuter offers road-bike handling and a boost up to 28mph

Read Review

Jan 2018 · Marc Abbott

A do-anything, go-anywhere overlander for the colder months

Dec 2016 · Simon Withers

Well-thought-out machine for everyday riding, rough stuff, fitness and leisure riding. Buy if you’re looking for a commuter-cum-weekend away all-rounder

Tough, practical and comfortable with well-considered kit

Not that light, and the gearing won’t suit big-time adventurers

Last updated February 15 Not listed for 2,263 days

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Alpha 100 Aluminium is Trek's base material for making bikes but the Crossrip is nicely built and finished, with neat welds and an understated grey finish. We had the big 61cm bike which felt pretty rangy with a 60.8cm effective top tube. I could have happily ridden the 58cm (59.3cm ETT) too. The head angle is 72.5° on both those bikes, slackening to 71° in the smallest size, 50cm. The 20cm head tube doesn't sound that huge for what's a big bike but the carbon-bladed, alloy steerer fork is cyclocross length so that lifts the front of the bike too over what you'd expect from a road fit. The resulting position is comfort-oriented; the stem points down so you can flip that for an even higher front if you want but I already found myself as upright as I'd want to be. Cruising in the (fairly shallow) drops was comfortable for fairly long stints, and although the bike's more upright position isn't as aerodynamic, that's not really much of an issue.

It's a chugger rather than a tight and twitchy ride, the Crossrip; think big diesel. That's not a criticism, it's simply the nature of the bike, happy to cruise along and take everything in its stride. It's not unresponsive when you stamp on the pedals or wrench the bars round, but it's happier when you take things at a steadier pace. The position and the feel of the bike is very reassuring and I'd be plenty happy doing long rides on the Crossrip, but I wouldn't be expecting to break any PBs.

Is it a cyclocross bike? Well, not really. You can generally tell whether a company thinks a CX bike will actually be used for CX by checking the gearing and tyres; here we have a road compact chainset (an FSA Vero) and wide cassette, and Bontrager 32mm hardcase touring tyres. It's a bike for tarmac and hardpack, rather than lugging round a muddy field for an hour. You could; the geometry and build don't preclude it. But if you want to race, this isn't the best bike for your grand. Other touches mark this out as more of a town bike, for example the security-conscious skewers that open with an Allen key rather than a quick release, and the urban camouflage paint job.

So it's a disc-equipped commu-tourer then. And if you want a bike for a bit of everything but mostly commuting or all-weather miles, it's a good bet. The Crossrip is a very capable bike on the tarmac and it's perfectly happy heading onto unsurfaced paths too, with the unflappable Bontrager tyres shrugging off flints and thorns. We've checked them over and they've barely registered a scratch. The payoff for that is that they're a bit heavy and, sluggish on the blacktop, but if you're sticking to better surfaces you could swap them out for a lightweight set of 28s.

Shifting-wise, new Sora is pretty good; certainly it's masses better than old Sora. There's one more ratio (nine instead of eight) which might please you but the real change is from thumbshift to proper Dual Control with the downshift behind the brake lever. It's much easier to use from multiple positions and it's a lighter action too. the engineering isn't quite up to the standard of the dearer groupsets (natch) so it's a bit clunky compared to 105 or Ultegra, but it's a big step forward.

At the back you get an 11-32 cassette; coupled with a 50/34 compact up front that's all the gears you're likely to need, unloaded at least. The Crossrip has rack mounts and, unusually for a carbon fork, low rider mounts too, so in theory you could fully load it up, but you'd want much lower gears than those specced for any heavy touring. It's a pity Trek don't offer a triple version for that extra versatility.

Then there's the brakes. The brakes are really, really good. It's the first time I've tried a bike fitted with the Hayes CX-5 callipers and I think I might even prefer them to Avid BB7s. Heresy, I know. But these are great mechanical discs. They're a bit of a faff to get set up just so, but once they're up they're super: lots of power and great modulation. They squawked and squeaked a bit when they were brand new and after every hose down but once they're bedded in you just get the nice buzz of the rotor pattern on the pads, and masses of stopping power.

In the interests of science – and since it's a big debate we all seem to be having – I tried to cook them, dragging them down the longest of Bath's descents (a mile and a half) and hauling them on at the bottom. There was a bit of fade, especially when just using the back brake with its smaller 140mm rotor, but they never felt like you'd run out of anchors. The back one could do with a better quality cable outer that doesn't compress, but that's my only gripe really.

The excellent brakes mean going downhill on the Crossrip is a lot of fun, with the confidence that you'll be able to scrub off speed daring you to push a bit quicker. The bike's good at speed, stable and reassuring with the steering direct. Once you get to the bottom of the valley and have to hoik yourself up the other side it's a bike that favours a seated approach. Getting out of the saddle and stomping up climbs feels like hard work, and it's not too hard to eke some flex out of the FSA chainset. Spinning feels more efficient.

Bontrager kit rarely warrants much of a mention at this level; suffice to say it does the job extremely well without showing off. The Race Lite Isozone handlebar is comfy in all positions and the SSR stem nice and stiff. The saddle was okay if a bit bulky, but it's easily swapped if it doesn't sit well with you.

The £950 RRP feels like a fair deal, rather than a bargain. You're getting new Sora and good discs on a nice frame and the bike as an overall package is well thought out and a nice ride. There's plenty of competition at this kind of money and the Crossrip Elite holds its own well.

Well put together, comfortable commu-tourer with solid spec and excellent brakes

road.cc test report

Make and model: Trek Crossrip Elite

Size tested: 61cm

About the bike

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

Frame: 100 Series Alpha Aluminium

Fork: Bontrager Satellite Plus, carbon disc w/lowrider mounts

Sizes: 50, 54, 56, 58, 61cm

Wheels: Formula aluminium disc hubs w/Bontrager Nebula Disc 32-hole rims

Tyres: Bontrager H5 Hard-Case Ultimate, 700x32c

Shifters: Shimano Sora STI, 9 speed

Front derailleur: Shimano Sora

Rear derailleur: Shimano Sora

Crank: FSA Vero, 50/34 (compact)

Cassette: SRAM PG-950 11-32, 9 speed

Pedals: Wellgo track-style aluminium

Saddle: Bontrager Evoke 1

Seatpost: Bontrager SSR

Handlebar: Bontrager Race Lite IsoZone, aluminium, VR-CF, 31.8mm

Stem: Bontrager SSR, 10 degree

Headset: Cartridge bearings, sealed

Brakeset: Tektro aluminium levers w/ Hayes CX5 mechanical disc brakes, 160mm front, 140mm rear

Grips: Bontrager cork tape, IsoZone inserts

Extras: Mudguard & rack mounts

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?

"The new drop-bar CrossRip is quick in traffic, sure-footed when the weather or pavement gets rough, comfortable over the long haul. Road bike? Cross bike? Commuter? Yes."

Well, at least two of the three

Frame and fork

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

Urban stealth finish is fairly hardy, welds are tidy, graphics minimal

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

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

dual 72.5° angles, 60.8cm ETT, 20cm HT

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

It was fine, I could probably have ridden the 58cm fine too

Riding the bike

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

Very comfy, rangy and reasonably upright

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

The platform is stiff enough, the crankset isn't the stiffest

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

Yes, most of the time

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? Neutral

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

Stable and predictable, sometimes a touch on the slow side

The drivetrain

Wheels and tyres, your summary.

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes

Would you consider buying the bike? For a commuter, yes

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 7 /10

About the tester

Age: 40   Height: 190cm   Weight: 102kg

I usually ride: whatever I'm testing...   My best bike is: Genesis Equilibrium with SRAM Apex

I've been riding for: 10-20 years   I ride: Every day   I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track

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Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.

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Extremely comfortable bike, though not the fastest. Bought it a year ago and after 10.000km, almost 7.000 crossing Europe in four months from Tarifa (Cádiz, Spain) to North Cape (Norway), all I can say is good: good shifting, good brakes (although both will thank better cables and housings), pretty cheap, but strong wheels... Just the bottom bracket got somewhat hard to move (but still works) and the FSA cranks needed to be thightened every pair of weeks. It does perfect on asphalt, so on gravel and even stands light mountain biking. I'm planning to ride it on next year's Paris-Brest-Paris, maybe it will do good as a randonneur too. I'll tell you, guys.

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Bought this last week, and its a good bike; i agree that there are better value options out there, but one thing i have often found over the years is that a bike can look good on paper, but not be a very inspiring ride.

I've been pretty pleased with it - Sora is nowhere near as bad as i feared (i use Ultegra on my road bike, and have used last year's Sora with the button shifters on a friend's spesh allez and didn't like them one bit), shifts cleanly (as good as the tiagra i had a few years back), and no complaints. The ride is generally good, not the quickest, but spritely nonetheless, and will be when i stick some lighter tyres on.

For me the geometry was important, standover height was a factor (this is my weekend bike, so occasionally i have to stick kid's seat on the back, and can't physically get my leg over some cross bikes!), and the general scope of the bike fits perfectly for that role. Yes, i could've got a better cross bike elsewhere, a better value bike elsewhere, but the Trek just feels 'right', so i'd recommend.

neilysump wrote: as good as the tiagra i had a few years back

That looks bloody expensive, or poorly equipped for the price. Look around and there are £1000 Cross bikes come commuters with 105 levers and mechs.

The Merida Cyclo-cross 4-D has the same brakes and easily as good a frame and fork, but 105. It comes with cross tyres and cross crankset, but that's no big deal for commuting (a good shop will switch them for nothing), and it has all mudguard/rack mounts.

Otherwise, check out the Genesis CDF, with is about £850 £900, steel frame (more comfortable) and with Sora. Standard compact chainset and more rack/guard mounting options that you thought possible on such a bike.

joules1975 wrote: That looks bloody expensive, or poorly equipped for the price. Look around and there are £1000 Cross bikes come commuters with 105 levers and mechs. The Merida Cyclo-cross 4-D has the same brakes and easily as good a frame and fork, but 105. It comes with cross tyres and cross crankset, but that's no big deal for commuting (a good shop will switch them for nothing), and it has all mudguard/rack mounts. Otherwise, check out the Genesis CDF, with is about £850 £900, steel frame (more comfortable) and with Sora. Standard compact chainset and more rack/guard mounting options that you thought possible on such a bike.

Merida CC4: http://road.cc/content/review/74758-merida-cyclo-cross-4

Genesis CdF: http://road.cc/content/review/61480-genesis-cdf

Interestingly John didn't get on with the Hayes CX5 discs on the Merida, although I reckon the quality (and simplicity) of the cabling is really important on a mech disc, so maybe Merida skimped a bit there to get the bike under the grand. Deffo good spec for the money though and some high-quality cables and outers would only add another £30, you could ditch the cross-top levers too if you wanted

I've looked at the Trek Cross Rip Elite but prefer the Whyte Charing Cross better Group Set (Tiagra)(and a better paint job :D)

Who gives a shit about Lance, they've got Canc!

That looks a great bike, and would make commuting much more enjoyable than the joyless lump I'm currently riding to work.

Maybe Trek will have to adjust their pricing scheme now that they can't charge more because they're buddies with Lance Armstrong.

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