Received my bike today from BCBC — a 2023 Trek Emonda ALR. It arrived partially disassembled and wrapped in a ton of foam for protection. As expected, I had to reinstall the handlebars, front tire, seat, etc. — all minor stuff. No problem for me. I figured I’d take the time to check its condition and make sure all the components were tightened to spec.
I did find some noticeable mar at the bottom of the front fork and on either side of the rear axle — through the paint and down to the aluminum. Not visible from a distance (or in the pictures online…), but easy to see up close. I thought, "Whatever, I got the bike for what I considered a good deal, and now I’ll baby it less and won’t panic when I add a few of my own."
The really frustrating part is the rear hydraulic brake line. It’s maybe 4–5 inches too long, so it sticks out and twists awkwardly between where it exits the headtube and enters the handlebar grip. Worse, it has a couple of deep kinks — like "folded in half" kinks — the kind that mean I should replace the brake line entirely.
What I thought was a good deal now feels less like one, as it's costing me time and more money because the bike didn’t arrive in the condition it was advertised. They did send me pedals I didn’t order — a nice gesture, I guess — but they’re pedals I don’t need. Really I’d rather return them in exchange for a properly installed brake line.
Overall, I’m happy to finally have the bike of my dreams. But I’m disappointed it’s already headed to the local shop for repairs, given how it arrived compared to how BCBC described it.
