Spring is synonymous with cycling and the Easter weekend didn’t disappoint, with Kasper Asgreen, of Denmark, pedalling to victory in the Tour of Flanders, one of the two major cobbled cycling classics.
Known around the world under a variety of names, including: De Ronde, Vlaanderens Mooiste (‘Flanders’ most beautiful’ in English) and its official moniker - Ronde van Vlaanderen - the race is steeped with history and excitement, both for riders, spectators and Trek.
First held in 1913, the Tour of Flanders was interrupted during the First World War, but had since taken place without hiatus since 1919, until its 2020 postponement due to Covid-19. Nevertheless, the 1919 – 2019 streak is the longest continuous stretch of any cycling classic.
The Tour of Flanders, alongside the Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix, are all notoriously difficult one-day spring classics, featuring gravel, dirt, or cobblestone roads. These challenging riding conditions were the inspiration for Trek to begin their IsoSpeed development project.
Trek’s IsoSpeed team wanted to build a faster race bike for their professional racing teams competing on these famously difficult courses. Their aim was to provide riders with enhanced comfort and control over rough surfaces.
The first Trek IsoSpeed-equipped road bike was the Domane. Developed as an endurance race bike in partnership with Fabian Cancellara, one of the world’s most successful classics riders, it changed the whole idea of a road bike.
Since the Domane was introduced in 2012, each of the aforementioned races has been won by a bike with IsoSpeed.
Fabian Cancellara tested the Domane over a sequence of surfaces, scrutinising minute details, described feeling like he was literally a part of the bike when he rode it, proudly calling it ‘his weapon’. He won the Tour of Flanders three times.
So what is IsoSpeed? In Trek’s words IsoSpeed is a design that “maintains the diamond-shaped frameset geometry but 'decouples' the seat tube from the top tube, allowing the seat tube to flex with the forces of the road.” This makes a smoother ride and reduces rider tiredness.
IsoSpeed is great for professionals, but it’s equally amazing for every cyclist. Who doesn’t want to ride for longer, faster, harder and smoother?
At Big Bear Bikes you’ll find a range of Trek Domane bikes, the Trek FX Sport Carbon 4 and Trek Procaliber 9.5 all equipped with IsoSpeed and in stock right now, waiting to be wheeled away by you…
Available in store right now:
Trek Domane SL4, SL5, SL6 - carbon, endurance and performance road bike with Front and rear Isospeed.
Trek FX Sport Carbon 4 - lightweight, fitness and performance, flat-bat road bike.
Trek Procaliber 9.5 - Lightweight, mountain hard tail.
