November 25th, 2008 by 
thien
2009 Trek 2.3 WSD - Spearmint/Pearl White
Out on the road.
I’ve had the Trek long enough to put in a variety of Santa Cruz miles. That means steep climbs, fast descents, rolling strawberry fields and shaded canyons, with plenty of oceanside stretches.
The 2.3 has been fun to ride. It feels lighter and more nimble than its measured weight. It climbs like a champ, feeling like nothing is wasted when I turn the pedals – everything goes forward, no side to side mushiness. The Shimano 105 shifters are easy to shift, with a quick crispness for rear gear changes. I really like the feel of the leather and synthetic covered Bontrager Race saddle – it’s very comfortable and supportive with a contoured relief zone cut out. I think it’s a fantastic saddle for a beginning rider.
The Bontrager Race wheels and tires handle everything I threw at them gracefully. They have a nice sticky quality in the corners – I’ll take anything to add confidence to my cornering and these do the trick. With the 25mm width, they take the edge off rough road surfaces. The quick releases are really long, making it easy for me to open them and lock them closed again.
Alongside those nice aspects, there were a few things that didn’t quite hit the mark for me. Even with the carbon stays and fork, the bike felt stiff, with a bit of road chatter over longer rides. The 105 front shifter needed a lot of throw to upshift onto the big ring; however the rear didn’t demand as much throw to change gears. The generic brakes were flexible and needed a lot of pull on steep descents. I would have preferred a little better speed modulation; perhaps upgrading the pads would help.
Strengths:
- Reasonable weight
- Well built frame
- Nimble road manners
- Stable steering geometry
- Great proportional sizes for women riders
- Bars and controls well scaled for a feminine hand
- Easy shifting Ultegra rear derailleur
- Choose between tasteful silver and cute spearmint color schemes
- Choose a compact double or road triple crank
- Really comfortable saddle
Weaknesses:
- Lots of throw to shift front derailleur
- Brake caliper flex and modulation
- Noticeable road chatter
Value:
3.5
Overall:
4
Bottom line:
The Trek 2.3 WSD is an easy to fit women’s bike, well suited for the beginning to mid level rider, looking for decent performance. The bike handles well, is comfortable out of the box, and is a great bike to get your ride on. The WSD trend is in full stride, and this bike is a prime example, with of a collection of components carefully chosen to provide a great fit for women riders. It’s certainly isn’t the cheapest bike at this equipment level, but the Trek name and warrantee counts for a lot. I’d recommend this bike to my girl friends.
December 9th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Hi I have been looking at this bike for my wife and she actually rode it yesterday. She’s not sure about size. She is 5′ 2.5″ and is looking at the 47 or 50cm. I see in your review you rode the 47, how tall are you? Any input would be appreciated
Thanks
Kurt
January 12th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
If your wife is 5′2 and looking at a 47 or 50 cm bike she may be looking at way to big of a bike. I’m ~ 5′2.5″ and I ride a 43 cm bike (TREK 1000). I’m a bit long in the torso (but not ridiculously so). Have you gone to your local bike store to try on some different bikes? Small bikes can be really hard to find (Richmond VA had exactly 2 in my size when I started looking- fortunately I moved to Madison, Wi which has a much larger bike culture and selection). I would recommend calling ahead and seeing what they have in stock. I found my bike because a store had nothing to fit me and the owner called around town and gave me a list of bikes and where they were in stock.
I think everyone I know who has a really short road bike has a TREK, LeMond, or a Giant - but we’re poor and that only covers the entry level market.
March 15th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
It’s a great bike to get if you are not sure if you will stick to cycling; it’s not expensive and comes in eight different sizes and two chainset combinations. A very good first bike with class. The Trek 2.3 frame is made of 6000 series aluminum which gives strength, rigidity and lightness and will not break the bank. The equipment is a mix of Shimano Ultegra and 105 with 10 speed shifter and a choice of either a compact or triple chainset.
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