TREK SPEED CONCEPT 2022 – PRODUCT LAUNCH!

It’s got to be Trek’s worst-ever-kept-secret! Meet the all-new Trek Speed Concept, the super-aero third-generation time trial and triathlon bike built for the exclusive pursuit of speed over distance…

 

…so why was the launch of this time trial bike such a badly-kept secret? We’re more used to the Trek global marketing monolith being brilliantly organised and super-strict in how their new models are developed, raced and launched to the public. What tripped them up this time? Well, as is the case with so many things, the launch of the Speed Concept was impacted by the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

For more than ten years the previous generations of Trek Speed Concept have been piloted by time-trialists and triathletes alike to some of the biggest victories in racing including Tour De France stage wins, World Championship medals and numerous Ironman titles. With this in mind the all-new Speed Concept was due to be launched to the public at the annual Ironman World Championships in Hawaii this year, with the odd low-key appearance beforehand under the guidance of some of the most competitive road racing time trialists from the men’s and women’s Trek Segafredo professional cycling teams. Unfortunately this plan didn’t work out with the cancelation of Ironman Hawaii for the second year in a row; factor in further delays from groupset manufacturers Shimano and the product launch was pushed even further back.

Unusual circumstances have led to the Trek Speed Concept being hidden in plain sight for a number of months.

 

In the meantime however, those pro cyclists who were already discretely racing the new Speed Concept couldn’t help but to start winning on this super-aero weapon; one such example was the Dutch time trialing master Ellen Van Dijk who took another World Time Trial World Championship title, this time in Belgium during the Autumn onboard the next-gen Trek Speed Concept. Bike journos and cycling fans alike were increasingly calling out the new TT bike from Trek with some obvious visual clues and standout changes over the previous model being spotted including dramatically dropped seatstays and (inevitably) the addition of disc brakes.

Trek Segafredo’s Ellen Van Dijk has already won a World Championship title onboard the all-new Trek Speed Concept.

 

This new Speed Concept is more aero than its predecessor and has spent endless hours in the wind tunnel as well as being run through numerous computational fluid dynamics tests, with Trek claiming that the newly-refined shape of this new version saves 16 watts of power or the equivalent of six minutes over the length of an Ironman bike course. The Speed Concept is not just about pure speed though; if you’re going to perform at your best over long distances then you need to stay fresh and comfortable, being able to keep fueled as quickly and efficiently as possible. Featuring more integration the Speed Concept takes elements which have been seen on other Trek models, including a hidden storage compartment in the downtube – a nice new addition that makes the bike more practical for longer races or epic training days, as well as a fully-integrated bento box that allows you to carry more mid-race snacks without any adverse aerodynamic implications.

Regardless of whether you’re a devoted time trialist or dedicated multi-sport athlete taking on an Ironman you’ll be in the saddle for an almost endless amount of time, tucked into a super-aero position in an effort to cheat the wind as efficiently as possible. Staying in the saddle for such a long time will no-doubt cause you some discomfort and with this mind the designers at Trek have taken their very successful IsoSpeed solution from other road models and have incorporated it into the Speed Concept. The IsoSpeed pivot is located at the top of the seat tube to create a comfortable ride with no impact on the bike’s overall weight or all-important aerodynamic profile.

Eagle-eyed road-racing fans may have already spotted the new Speed Concept in action during the 2021 race season.

 

The all-new Trek Speed Concept is the fastest bike that Trek have ever developed and will help to make you aerodynamically-efficient and able to cut through the air while holding your speed over long distances. While speed is the main aim of this TT bike, being more comfortable for longer was another major factor in the design brief; the new integrated storage solutions add a whole new user-friendly element to the Speed Concept making the bike more practical over extremely long races or on day-long training rides which is great to see. Other headliners include the addition of disc brakes – something we would have been shocked not to have seen given their meteoric rise within road racing; the Speed Concept cockpit is super-slick and offers plenty of adjustment to allow you to refine your riding position and a choice of cutting-edge electronic groupsets mean the all-new Speed Concept is bang-up-to-date when it comes to tech.

The new Speed Concept is available to you exclusively through Trek’s Project One custom bike build programme; Project One lets you customise paint, fit and parts exactly to your liking. Speak to our team in the Wheelbase road department to begin planning your own Speed Concept.

Top UK Triathlete and former World Ironman 70.3 Champion Holly Lawrence rides the all-new Trek Speed Concept.

 

More aero, more integrated and a lot faster – the Trek Speed Concept 2022 is ready for time trail and triathlon action.

 

For the triathletes there’s a between-the-arms bottle for drinking without their arms leaving the aerobars. 

 

The on-frame downtube bottle is super-aero and holds 750ml of liquid.

 

There’s no surprises that the all-new Speed Concept boasts flat-mount disc brakes.

 

If you’re a time trialist taking on a long-distance 100 mile race against the clock this integrated bento box can hold plenty of fuel.

 

The hidden storage compartment allows you to store a repair kit for long races or epic training rides with no negative impact on aerodynamics.

 

All build options include an electronic drivetrain, here we have the Speed Concept SLR 7 featuring a Shimano Ultegra R8100 Di2 groupset.

 

The Speed Concept’s cockpit is clean and clutter-free making it super-aero.

 

With endless hours spent riding in the saddle in an aero-tuck it was a no-brainer adding Trek’s IsoSpeed pivot for enhanced comfort.

 

That integrated bento box on the top tube prevents any potential for poor aerodynamics.

 

There’s plenty of adjustability on the Speed Concept handlebars, allowing you to fine-tune your position.

 

The all-new Trek Speed Concept is available through Trek Project One, talk to our team in the Wheelbase road department to plan yours…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

 

Have you seen our weekly Fast Bike Friday feature? Missed some of our best bikes? You can now see all of our featured bikes in one place over on Pinterest where you’ll find links to each of our Fast Bike Friday Blogs too!

Click the link below and search our archive…