- Have you been thinking of buying a bicycle recently?
- Have you been confused between the choices available?
Well! I am sure most of you, just like me must be struggling in our heads to choose between a Trek or Specialized.
Bicycle is like the first love of any child. Did you know bicycles were first introduced in Europe in the 19th century? Long time! Right!! Not so surprisingly until today, bicycles are the most loved vehicle in many countries and regions.
Okay now, let me give you a shock.
“I am sure you were not aware that more than a billion bicycles had been sold by the early 21st century, which is way too much than the sales of cars all across the world.”
A little in-depth knowledge about specialized road bicycles to begin with!
Let’ dive in more to know about specialized road bicycles, “Trek” also known as Trek Bicycles Corporation with its headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin, USA. They have distributors in 90 countries across the world.
In December 1975 Richard Burke and Bevil Hogg established “Trek”, and same year “Trek” built nearly 900 custom hand brazed framesets, each selling for just under 200 USD. Specialized in road bikes and being technology-oriented, in 1985 “Trek” borrowed technology from the aerospace industry and introduced its first bonded aluminum bike frame.
Over the years “Trek” has evolved its bicycles both technologically and quality wise for instance they acquired and founded Gary fisher mountain bikes, entered into home fitness industry by introducing Trek fitness “Exercycles”.
They also have introduced its full suspension Y bike, the Y bike sold outstandingly and won an “Outstanding Design and Engineering Award” from popular mechanics magazine.
Lance Armstrong, world-famous cyclist and 7 times Tour de France winner won his first Tour de France in 1999, aboard a” Trek 5500″. Tour de France has described, as “the world’s most prestigious and most difficult bicycle race”. The race is held in the month of July every year while the route changes every year.
Love or Passion – “Bicycles” occupy lot of hearts
As a kid, bicycle is a favorite vehicle for almost all of us. We all run behind our parents to get us new ones at all stages like when we are a kid, a teenager, and then as an adult. For me it’s the same right now. Even in my mid 30’s nothing has been so far able to replace my love for bicycles until today and I doubt anything ever will.
Going to school was so much fun while riding a bicycle along with your friends. During summer holidays when we used to go hiking or camping, riding a bicycle was our favorite. We used to ride for hours (up hills, next to the river streams, sometime on bumpy roads) and never have felt any fatigue or tiredness at all.
I still remember it was my 14th birthday and my best friend had gifted me a brand new fuchsia pink color bicycle, newly launched for girls specifically. I was very thrilled, excited, and happy that I started jumping out of excitement, my brother got all this recorded, and later everybody has made so much fun of me. Honestly, I was extremely happy and never have felt this happy and thrilled at the same time ever again.
Now that we are grown up we don’t fit into those cute miniature bicycles any longer. So my dear bicycle lover, the question is which one to buy now?
Trek vs Specialized mountain bikes, which is better? Let’s find out:
Both “Trek” and “Specialized” mountain bikes have established themselves very strongly over the last couple of decades and offer great bicycles in different categories with great price ranges.
Specialized vs Trek, which is better and most loved bike?
It very difficult to choose and I can tell this out of my experience. As I have told you before about my love for bicycles, by this age I have tried riding a lot of them. At home, I have “Trek” bicycle and my brother got “Specialized” bicycle.
We exchange our bikes often and enjoy riding on both. We found out some interesting similarities in the journey of figuring out differences:
- Both offer (Trek and Specialized) similar bikes and components in the same price range.
- “Trek” has a wider variety of bikes to choose from as compared to “Specialized” bikes.
- Both offer high-end-bikes with almost unidentifiable difference in their appearance or geometrical specifications.
Alongside, we understood that There are few differences that are :
- design part,
- technology part and
- the outlook of the bikes, which impacts how bike feels and handles.
Both Trek and specialized offer wide variety of technologically advance, technically sound, best in comfort and style mountain bikes like hard tails, full suspension, hybrids etc.
When you are a beginner, it is very hard to find out any difference. Experienced mountain bikers can notice a difference even if it is minor. Like clothes, bike fits is also very important. Bike fit has nothing to do with any brand but it purely has to do with your comfort, style and longevity of the product.
- Both the brands have women mountain bikes but honestly talking, I do not support any gender specifics here.
- According to our research, women can easily ride “men’s” mountain bikes. There is no difference apparently.
- There is a noticeable difference in rear suspension bikes
- Trek developed the Full-Floater and Active Braking Pivot where Specialized has the Future shock Rear.
- Both claims their systems are superior, unique and brilliantly design however, this remains to be seen and felt. Both brands come from the same Taiwanese factory.
Cannondale vs. Specialized
As we are in discussion about brand vs. Brand, this time we are going to take a closer look at two reputable brands; Cannondale vs. Specialized.
As I have told you before, the best bike brand is the one with geometry that fits you the best. An expensive Cannondale bike could fit worse than a cheaper specialized bike and vice-versa. It is not a matter of quality, looks, or appeal but it is a matter of different geometries and components. None of the brand compromise when it comes to technology, design, safety, and comfort when it comes to its customers.
Specialized has a wide range of variety to offer from, however, they are highly competitive in the expensive high-end bike segment and offer extra compared to competitive brands. That does not mean Cannondale is not competitive or less competitive or ambitious.
They (Cannondale) offers you a high-end bike that will make you go weaker on your knees and make you drool.
The biggest difference is in the frames. “Cannondale” was founded in 1971; it is a Canadian company and “Specialized” in 1972 and is a US-based company.
The real difference is usually in the component group, if you take a look at their tires, wheels, shifters, saddles you will be able to see and figure out which bike offers the best parts. Once you are able to figure out the difference according to your own need you will be able to figure out which one is best for you.
I like “Specialized” bikes, as I own one and they look spectacular. Some people prefer performance on aesthetics and some prefer both. It is a very personal preference. Before you plan to buy either of the brand bikes, make sure you have a significant amount of money.
If you are on a limited budget then it is better to look at other brands and choose the one, which fits your budget and suits your style quotient.
Trek vs Giant
One probably already suffers from a headache looking for all the differences between mountain bike brands like Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, Giant, etc. if you need to decide between a Giant mountain bike or a Trek you surely wonder which is best. Giant vs.Trek mountain bike, which is better?
Both the brands are well-known leaders in their industry. Both perform excellently depending on the bike and your personal preference and body type, because of the difference in suspension, heavyweights and racers often prefer trek bikes. Both companies have manufactured mountain bikes for a long time.
Both have great exposure, experience in designing, manufacturing, and developing new technologies.
Giant comes to mind if there is a budget constraint.
They often provide the best bikes at the lowest price. Their bikes are not very visually impactful or appealing and people (especially young hearts) do not appreciate their designs but I would seriously recommend that you look into it before your next buy.
Giant Vs. Specialized
Firstly, there is quite an evident cost difference in both the bike brands. While Giant will give you a lower or mid-pocket-friendly bike within a range of $850 to $2100, “Specialised” is going to be close to $5000 since their concentration is more towards the high-end market.
“While choosing a bike don’t just decide based on the price difference as a lot of specifications go into bike making and what suits you the best will depend on them.”
“Giant” makes frames for themselves in their own huge factory, whereas “Specialised” are getting it all purely made from a different factory. Although both are coming from Taiwan only. With this fact you can notice a prominent difference in the design of both bikes.
So, we hope by now you would be able to decide which one you should go for.
However, for the best experience, we would recommend if you ride both once and to be certain about your decision.
This is only full proof way you will find out which one you like more and which fits your riding style best and compliment you find the answers for giant vs trek
I always had a thing for bike sport or for riding a bicycle when in dilemma, it helps me to clear my head and loosen up. Riding a bike is not only about fun but it is also about embracing small things in life. A car can add to your social status but a bicycle can add to your health and happiness.
Some of world-famous scientists and intellectuals have defined cycling in their own poetic words; here are my favorite three quotes:
- “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”, Albert Einstein.
- “Pain is temporary, it may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever”– Lance Armstrong.
- “When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work become monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down a road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking”- Sir Arthur Canon Doyle, author of Sherlock Holmes.
Conclusion:
Above mentioned bike company’s offer excellent suspension systems, it just depends on what feels more comfortable to you and appeals you best; you need to decide for yourself. These companies offer best parts, components, and offer variety of bikes for men and women. If you are planning to buy a full suspension bike for yourself, for your family member, or for a friend than go for it, these can expensive mainly because of the materials and technology used.
It is an entirely a different experience when it comes to ride a full suspension bike and it comes at a price. After researching the pros and cons of the brands it is difficult to tell which truly is better. You need to do your own research and look at individual parts, how it fits, and bike feel. My advice is look at as many as brands you want to before making a purchase. In many countries, people love to use bicycles as a daily mode of transportation. This helps them to keep themselves fit, stress-free, healthy and balanced. Riding a bicycle is healthy for our environment as well, since it keeps it toxins free and helps reducing pollution.
Bicycling is famous for its recreation, as children’s toys, for military cadets, for delivering goods from one place to another (short distance or long distance), for bicycle racing and for bicycle stunts too. The invention has had an enormous effect on society. The types of bicycle include utility bicycles, mountain bicycles, racing bicycles, touring bicycles, hybrid bicycles (general-purpose bike that can tolerate a range of riding conditions and applications. Their stability, comfort and ease of use makes them popular with beginner cyclists), cruiser bicycles.