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Unique Trek Project One bike examples

Cows, zebras, flowers, oh my! Take a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most unique, expensive, and ‘udderly’ rad examples of Trek Project One bikes we’ve ever made, and get inspired to fuel your own creative design.

The most expensive Project One customization
Petals, pedals, and our priciest design to-date

Year: 2020  Bike Model: Trek Domane

The "Bird of Paradise" Domane was painted for a cyclist who wanted to create an ode to their mother, whose favorite flower was the bird-of-paradise.The owner requested that each petal and leaf render its own unique design — requiring extensive graphic work and design presentations between the bike owner and Trek’s expert graphics team and paint shop. When all was said and done, the one-of-a-kind Domane left with a $13,000 paint job and a total cost of $25,000. 

The best Trek athlete Project One customization
Pink zebras and podium finishes 

Year: 2023  Bike Model: Trek Ticket  Athlete: Caroline Buchanan

Caroline Buchanan is a Trek C3 athlete, author, and a woman on a mission to empower young girls to get involved in cycling and sports. In her recent children’s book, one page featured the outline of a Trek bike, inviting kids to submit their own bike design. Ayla, a young reader from Australia, colored a bright pink, zebra print bike and shared her creation. Caroline loved the design so much, she asked the Trek paint shop to bring Ayla’s bike to life. In 2023, Caroline rode her zebra print Trek Ticket to a podium finish at the first-ever women’s slope style event, Crankworx Rotorua. 

The most difficult Project One paint scheme
One slick looking bike

Year: 2023  Bike Model: Trek Madone

Want to put our paint team to the test? Ask for our oil slick paint scheme. The oil slick painting technique and finish uses ultra-iridescent Chroma coating to create unique color combinations of shades of orange, blue, and yellow. Why is this technique so difficult? It’s our only paint scheme that can’t be modified or tweaked once the process has started. When not applied properly at the first attempt, painters must scrap it and try again.

The fastest Project One design turnaround
A special delivery in France

Year: 2023  Bike Model: Trek Madone Athlete: Giulio Ciccone

When Lidl-Trek athlete, Giulio Ciccone, won the red polka dot jersey in the 2023 Tour de France, the Trek paint shop had the chance to show off their ability to work quickly. The graphics and paint teams in Waterloo, Wisconsin, created a custom Trek Madone in a single day. The bike then traveled for two days before being hand delivered to Ciccone in France. From jersey win to delivery, the project took only three days, a record-setting time for the Project One team, and a well-deserved surprise for the Lidl-Trek rider. 

The most animalistic Project One design
Udderly creative works of art

Year: 2019 and 2023  Bike Model: Trek Boone

The Trek CX Cup is an annual cyclocross event hosted in Waterloo, Wisconsin, Trek HQ’s backyard. Inspired by the Midwest’s grazing cattle and dairy farms, the race embraces a cow-themed identity, filled with cow décor, cow costumes, and even live cows that spectators can pet. For one customer, it only made sense to race on a cow-inspired bike. The rider had two bikes painted like the state’s favorite grass-fed friends — one, a black and white cow scheme, and the other, a brown and white cattle design. It’s safe to say these bikes can really make moooves. 

The most popular Project One paint scheme
Great minds paint alike

For road riders designing their Project One bikes, there’s one paint scheme that stands out amongst the rest. The solid logo design with a full fade is overwhelmingly the most popular paint scheme offered through Project One. While it's only available on Trek road models, more than 50% of Project One orders render this design. Why is this scheme so popular? For bike owners, it offers the most custom options for frame and logo colors and other graphics.