Gallery: Trek field testing with Ben King and Matthew Busche
- By Caley Fretz
- Published Nov. 1, 2012
- Updated Nov. 2, 2012 at 12:13 PM EDT
Trek Frame Testing
Sometimes, the stories find you. As VeloNews.com reporter Matthew Beaudin and I sweated our way up Boulder's iconic Flagstaff climb early Thursday morning, we came across mechanic Eric Fostvedt setting up a rack full of unpainted, Sharpied Trek Madone frames. He noted that the riders — RadioShack's Ben King and Matthew Busche — would be up in a few hours. We came back with camera in hand.
Trek team liason Jordan Roessingh explained that the riders were testing a number of different carbon layups and geometry options ahead of the team's upcoming camp. The Madone frames were otherwise unchanged. The riders filled out small questionnaires after each run, and occasionally rode their normal bikes to help set a baseline and make it easier to feel the changes. Here, Ben King waits for the next test bike. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
The day's schedule. The riders were testing different fork rakes as well as the various layup designs. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Busche and King head out onto Flagstaff. Snow the previous week in Boulder meant that the support crew got to spend a few hours sweeping gravel Thursday morning. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
A bit of homemade branding on the unpainted Madone frames. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Geometry and layup changes are noted on the downtube. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Mechanic Eric Fostvedt tuning up one of the unfinished Madones before sending the rider out. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
King and Busche use different head tube heights (an option provided by Trek to consumers as well), which is part of the reason Trek wanted to have both in Boulder for the testing. The fact that both are based in the U.S. this time of year helped as well. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Layup changes are usually invisible to the naked eye, though occasionally the finishing (or lack thereof in this case) provides a hint. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Both riders had video cameras mounted to their seatposts to allow Trek's engineers to visually identify flex, based on movement of the rear wheel. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
King took a slight tumble early in the day, and subsequently added some padding to his shorts. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
A few last-minute adjustments to the camera on the back of Busche's bike. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Busche hits a corner. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Busche and King put the frames to the test on the way down Flag. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Busche finished up a run on one of the unfinished Madones, this one with a finished fork. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Busche post run, throwing his test bike in the trunk. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Busche's bike sits in the back of a rented minivan for the trip back up Flag. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Busche fills out his questionnaire after a downhill run. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Riding up after a run with Busche and Roessingh, spare fork sitting in the back. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
A Roubaix team fork, likely with a different rake for more stability. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Busche snakes through the switchbacks near the top of Flagstaff (or SuperFlag, as the locals call it, near the very top of the mountain). Both he and King rode their own bikes every few runs to set a baseline. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Grape fight in between runs. 'Tis the off season, after all. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Each frame had a number of Sharpied-on labels to keep everything organized. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Seat height markings, we can only assume that other riders will also be testing these frames. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
The white-out label harkens back to the old blocky Trek logo, actually. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
No need for the DuoTrap sensors on these test bikes. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Spare paint, perhaps to cover up a change in layup? Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Keeping fit precise between all the bikes was vital. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
The camera on the back of Busche's regular bike, used for setting a baseline ride quality. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
The command center. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
All done with these frames. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
In between test sessions, as Fostvedt swapped pedals and set up each bike, King and Busche challenged each other to two separate pushup contests. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
Trek Frame Testing
Busche showing good form. Photo: Caley Fretz | VeloNews.com
FILED UNDER: Bikes and Tech / Gallery / Pro Bikes TAGS: Ben King / Matthew Busche / RadioShack / Trek
Caley Fretz
Tech Editor Caley Fretz came on board with VN in September 2010, and now splits his year between Boulder, Colorado and Annecy, France. Beyond his journalistic pursuits, he is a category 1 road, 'cross and track racer. He also holds a pro XC mountain bike license, though unlicensed racing is now more his style.
