Exit 180 - The Latest Buzz from Trek in Waterloo, WI

Exit 180 - The Latest Buzz from Trek in Waterloo, WI

Look For the OCLV Label

The Carbon Gauntlet

When it comes time to consider buying a carbon fiber bicycle, you may want to consider that, among the multitude of bike brands who've recently jumped on the carbon fiber bandwagon, Trek stands apart for their pioneer status in the production of race winning carbon technology. Trek first developed their proprietary OCLV Carbon back in 1992—when most other brands were still experimenting with aluminum. From that original OCLV 150 we've evolved the technology to include a family of OCLV Carbon: 120, 110, 55, Honey Comb and Boron. And not just frames, you can find an array of lightweight OCLV Carbon Bontrager components at your local Trek dealer as well. From the awesome Race XXX Lite carbon clincher rim to the new 172 gram Race XXX Lite handlebar - American made and race tested by both the Discovery Channel & Trek/Volkswagen racing teams.

Don't Believe The Hype!

Carbon Fork Filler Material

As part of Trek's on-going research and development process of building better OCLV carbon fiber bikes, we do plenty of lab tests (frontal impact & fatigue) to see what works and what doesn't. Fancy finishes notwithstanding, the best measure of how well a frame performs is how well it is made. We slice open plenty of our competitors' frames to check their quality.

Recently, I was stopped in my tracks at the sight of this carbon fork. Wrapped along the inside wall of each leg was a portion of some Chinese newspaper that was leftover from the manufacturing process. This is what you get from an “American” bike company that sources their bikes off-shore with little control over the process.

Take a Look Inside

Foam and Clay Filler

Then again, there's also this fine example of foam filler in place of real carbon that was found on the inside of another brand that touts itself as a champion of new technology and hands-on fabrication. There's enough clay in there to sculpt a small ash tray.

Who We Are

Trek Manufacturing

Unlike most of our competitors who build their carbon frames by assembling a variety of shared frame parts at one-stop frame shops as easily as most of us choose ice cream flavors at the local Ben & Jerry's, every OCLV Carbon bike is designed, engineered and then handmade at the Trek factory one at a time. We control the process every step of the way; from the initial design all the way until it lands on the showroom floor of your local Trek Authorized Dealer.

The Ad That Tells All

There's probably no better evidence of how the other half of the carbon bike industry lives than an advert found in the last issue of Bicycle Retail & Industry News. The ad from Futura Carbon Technology touts that they are

“…the best kept secret in town. We're the manufacturing muscle behind a large portion of the carbon parts on the market today.”

The most telling part came two paragraphs later when, in a nod to the level of paranoia that exists about outside vendors, the ad, with a sly wink & nod, promises that:

“Best of all, we are discreet and will work with you in total confidence.”

That sounds like the billing practices of some downtown gentlemen's club!

The Bottom Line

Trek VW Mountain Bike Team

If soul singer James Brown rode a Trek, like so many others he'd be out be there yelling, “Say it loud - we're OCLV and we're proud!”

No other carbon maker can lay claim to such a long and diverse record of carbon success. American made carbon technology that has won seven Tour de France, the Vuelta de España, the Giro d'Italia, Olympic medals, an IronMan world championship, the UCI XC world cup & world championships, UCI Dual Slalom, six NORBA national XC titles, and six 24 hour solo world championship crowns. Trek OCLV bikes don't just win races, they make history.