Trek 1000 and Pilot 1.0

Hi everyone, I'm looking to buy a new road bike. I don't know if i'll get into racing or not, but I'd like a road bike to replace my MTB, since almost all of my riding is on the city streets. I've been looking at two trek bikes, the cheaper end of the line; the 1000 and the Pilot 1.0. From what I can tell, the 1000 is more racing-oriented, but other than that, what are the differences, and what would you all recommend?

Thanks!

PS: here are the stats for both...I don't know how to read many of those numbers and figures...

Complete Trek 1000 Specifications

Frameset
Sizes: 43, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 63cm
Frame: Alpha SL Aluminum
Fork: Bontrager Approved, carbon
Wheels
Wheels: Alloy hubs; Alex alloy rims w/eyelets
Tires: Bontrager Select, 700x25c
Drivetrain
Shifters: Shimano Sora STI, 8 speed
Front Derailleur: Shimano 2203
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tiagra
Crank: Bontrager Sport 52/42/30
Cassette: SRAM 850 12-26, 8 speed
Pedals: Alloy/nylon road w/clips and straps
Components
Saddle: Bontrager Race Basic Lux
Seat Post: Bontrager Carbon Handlebars Bontrager Sport, 26.0mm
Stem: Bontrager Select, 17 degree
Headset: Aheadset Slimstak w/semi-cartridge bearings, sealed
Brakeset: Alloy dual pivot w/Shimano Sora STI levers


Complete Trek Pilot 1.0 Specifications

Frameset
Sizes: 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 63cm
Frame: Alpha SL Aluminum
Fork: Bontrager Satellite Plus, carbon
Wheels
Wheels: Alloy hubs; Alex alloy rims w/eyelets
Tires: Bontrager Select K, 700x28c
Drivetrain
Shifters: Shimano Sora STI, 8 speed
Front Derailleur: Shimano 2203
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tiagra
Crank: Bontrager Sport 52/42/30
Cassette: SRAM PG850 12-26, 8 speed
Pedals: Alloy/nylon road w/clips and straps
Components
Saddle: Bontrager Race Basic Lux
Seat Post: Bontrager Carbon
Handlebars: Bontrager Sport, 26.0mm
Stem: Bontrager Select, 17 degree
Headset: Aheadset Slimstak w/semi-cartridge bearings, sealed
Brakeset: Alloy dual pivot w/Shimano Sora STI levers

Ah...I see they've improved the specs on the Trek 1000 since 2004.

I can't give you any information on the Pilot, but I can say the Trek 1000 is quite upright for a road bike and the gearing is fairly low compared to my other road bikes. The Alex rims are OK, and seem to be holding up well since they have so many spokes.

What do you mean by riding on city streets? The road or the footpath?

__________________
2004 Trek 1000
2005 Giant Elwood
ACE Folding Bicycle

I mean that I am almost always on pavement, and I like long distance road rides, and I'll still have my mountain bike for the offroad trails, so I want a light road bike to use while on the streets. My current MTB is rediculously heavy and slow.

Oh and can somebody explain the types of pedal systems on road bikes? What's the scoop on clips and cleats, etc?

The difference between the Pilot 1.0 and the Trek 1000 is the riding posture. The pilot is basically more comfortable, while still preserving road bike geometry. The Pilot will be much more comfortable to ride and should fit your needs if you're starting out with a road bike.

The difference in specs between the two bikes is as follows.
Frame
The frame on the two bikes is made out of the same aluminum, SL.
Fork
Pilot1.0: Bontrager Satellite Plus, Carbon
1000: Bontrager Approved
The Bontrager Approved fork is higher quality and lighter than the Satellite, although both are carbon.
Wheels
The wheels on the bike are both made out of the same material, wiith the same rims.
Component Group
In general, the components in the 1000 are either the same or slightly higher quality, although both bikes, being low-end, have low end components. The shifters on the 1000 are better, as is the Cassette.

As far as pedals go, pedals with baskets a.k.a Toe Clips allow you to wear normal shoes and still pull on the upstroke. Clipless pedals like SPD/Speedplay pedals allow you to lock directly in to the pedals with biking shoes. The shoes have cleats on the bottom which clip in to the pedals.
SPD Pedals

SPD pedals allow much more power being transmitted to the pedals, which results in more speed and more stability on the bike. However, you are locked directly into the bike, so if you fall over or have to stop you have to have the instincts to twist your feet sideways and click out of the pedals, or else you will fall over sideways. However, anyone who has adapted to them will tell you that clipless pedals are absolutely the way to go.

My son recently bought his first road bike, looking at both of these. He settled on the Pilot 1.0 due to the more comfortable riding geometry. He goes on rides with me from 20 to 100 miles, so needed something comfortable. We bought his bike a few weeks before BRAG (Bike Ride Across Georgia), and he was very comfortable on it. He's also sped up a great deal with the new bike, since it fits him much better than the one he had outgrown.

I suspect he would be more comfortable on the Pilot, unless he's wanting to quickly get into racing.

Thanks, the both of you!
After reading this, and talking to a fellow at my LBS, I think I'll go with the pilot. But due to financial issues, I will probably not be buying a bike until next season, so I'll have a while to decide.

Happy riding!

__________________
Adam

I too was looking for a new road bike that was under $1000. I also preferred the more "relaxed" riding position. I road both the Trek Pilot and the Giant OCR-2. When it was all said and done, I chose the Giant, it just "fit" me better. Oh ya, it only cost me $829!! The Pilot was much more.

Good luck,

Tom