Is the District Carbon Trek’s strangest-ever road bike?
A belt-drive single-speed with a dropped handlebar, the District Carbon was an interesting concept… but it didn’t stick around for long“No, let’s do this one with a drop handlebar. And let’s base it on the Madone 5 race bike.”Okay, Trek’s planning meeting might not have gone exactly like that, but it’s hard to imagine the scenario that led to the brand’s District Carbon, surely one of its most niche models ever.
Costing £2,800 at the time, the District Carbon featured a limited edition carbon-fibre frame –Trek didn’t knock these babies out in great numbers – based on Madone 5 Series Pro race bike geometry. That’s the frame Alberto Contador won the 2007 Tour de France on although Trek gave it a new backend because, believe it or not, El Pistolero didn’t use a Gates carbon belt.
The Gates Carbon Belt was fitted to an FSA Energy 55T chainset and a 22T rear sprocket, giving you a 66-inch gear. Brakes were Bontrager's very swish-looking Speed Limit design – cable-operated rim brakes, as was normal at the time – matched to Tektro road levers.As mentioned, the District Carbon was a single-speed so there’s not masses more spec to tell you about. All the finishing kit was from Trek's Bontrager brand, and it was none the worse for that.
In some ways, the District Carbon didn’t make a whole lot of sense, and the fact that it has long gone from the Trek range tells its own story . In retrospect, maybe its strangeness was all part of the lasting appeal. After all, we’re still talking about it 15 years later.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Check out the 2014 GT Grade, the first purpose-built carbon gravel bike2014 GT Grade: the first purpose-built carbon gravel bike
Read more »
Cannondale Updates Scalpel with 120 Travel Front and Rear Plus One Piece Carbon BarThe new Cannondale Scalpel will be the steed on which riders like Mona Mitterwallner will chase down their Olympic dreams.
Read more »
Quoc M3 Air Debuts Lightest, Raciest Carbon Road Shoe to Date, Enters Pro PelotonAll-new Quoc M3 Air road shoes reset top benchmark for the UK-based shoemaker, debuting in the pro peloton on the feet of Geraint Thomas…
Read more »
Much-loved paraglider killed in Lake District cliff face tragedyMalcolm Grout was a 'well-known and much-loved member of the paragliding community'
Read more »
Tailfin Frame Bag Comes in 9 Different Sizes w/ Size-Specific Internal Carbon Space Frame!Tailfin just launched the most impressive range of frame bags we've seen – with nine different sizes to fit almost any bike.
Read more »
Controversial 'banned' painting of Queen Elizabeth II turns up in Lake DistrictFamous names who own some of the original Queen pieces include Michael Buble, Akon, Lord Vaizey, Rishi Sunak, Joe Biden, Boy George and John McEnro
Read more »