trek madone with aero bars

Trek Madone Speed blends tri & road using integrated, removable aero bars

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Today, Trek unveiled a new spec for the Madone that they’re calling the “ideal aero setup for most triathletes”. Dubbed the Madone Speed, the otherwise disc-brake road bike features an integrated front that borrows the Mono Bar Extension from the Speed Concept triathlon bike. The frame itself is the same as all Madone SLR models, made with Trek’s lightest 700 Series OCLV carbon with IsoSpeed top tube.

Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed triathlon & road bike

Trek has jumped head-first into the scene of aero disc brake road bikes, turning the Madone into something that looks almost nothing like the original bike. The new Madone Speed doesn’t do anything to the frame itself, but rather adds an integrated aero bar to the front end, somewhat reminiscent of when Specialized created the Alias women’s bike (which was essentially a road bike with aerobars added).

The heart of the system is the Speed Concept Mono Bar Extension, which is held to the stem with a pair of bolts. Trek did not comment as to whether this is intended for draft-legal ITU triathlons, which is the format used in the Olympics and has dimensional restrictions on what bars may be used.

The unique bar also includes an accessory mounting point. In case you’re wondering, the new stem and faceplate will be available as aftermarket parts, and compatible with all 2019 and newer Madone SLR models (pricing to-be-announced). The Madone Speed aero setup is also an option in the Project One custom program.

According to Jordan Roessingh, Trek Director of Road Product,

“Madone Speed has all the award-winning speed and handling of Madone SLR—plus the added benefit of a lot more versatility. You can train with a group without the bars, then throw them on for race day. It’s the smartest option for most people doing triathlon or time trials today.”

The Madone SLR 6 Speed Disc is spec’d with a Shimano Ultegra 2×11 mechanical drivetrain, Bontrager Aeolus Pro 5 carbon wheels, and flat mount disc brakes for an MSRP of $6,499. It’s available now through Trek dealers or the link below.

TrekBikes.com

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I am confused. I thought the last 20 years of triathlon fitting has taught us slapping clip ons to a road bike is the exact thing not to do. And here we are.

100% agreed. But “Most Triathletes” = Back-Middle of Pack who don’t want to invest in a separate TT/Tri bike, and are mainly of the “bucket-list” type who represent most of the newer Ironman clientele.

Spot on fine sir! Back in ’99 the it was a very different goal at IMLP and IMPC than it is today. Most of the folks are not in a race, they are in a “Participate” and the only goal can be found at a tattoo shop…..

I’m pretty skeptical triathletes are going to go for this. Regardless of goals, those committed to doing an IM are going to want to look the part on a proper tri bike. If it’s really a one and done, get the tattoo objective, you can get a really, really nice used tri bike that is a better tool for the job for a heck of a lot less than $6500.

Gents, I win many of the races I enter and I think it’s a good idea. Beyond what capitalism has taught, speed to mainly from the engine room. Spend more though and effort in training and you’d see better gain for significantly less dollars.

Nothing about it being offered with different seatpost toppers? If you’re stuck with 25mm setback, that’s not really going to help most people get aero, and it won’t really matter how smooth your bike is (in aero terms) if your body hasn’t rolled forward and down. That was the big difference with the Alias, it came with a 75 or 76 deg seat angle I think, and a 35mm setback post was offered after market if you wanted to use it like a normal road bike too.

Madone has always had 2 different seatpost toppers

Trek’s website only shows a 25mm setback topper. That paired with the 73-74 degree seat tube angle means the riders hips are going to be very closed and tight.

It’s not on their retail website, but there is a 5mm setback post.

Anyone know what is in store for the 2020 speed concept?

Where can I buy an aerodynamic set-up handlebar for a Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc for drafting races triathlon?

I’ve ridden both. TT specific and road fitted with TT bars. As some have mentioned, for most triathletes, a Madone with TT bars is going to do the job just fine. The benefit, when you’re not doing triathlon, you’ve got a great road bike that can be used for group rides, road races, and just about anything else “road” that the general cyclist can throw at it.

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Speeding on the Madone SLR really is very addictive. It's impossible to go out for a gentle jaunt. It wants hammer-time all the time. How it stacks up against other aero bikes needs some proper independent wind tunnel testing, but my seat-of-the-chamois impression, along with speed and power data from regular testing loops, confirms that it's easily comparable to the key rival aero bikes in this sector.

Some bikes just look fast, the Madone actually is fast. A regular proving ground for testing bikes is my local chain gang. Where better than a power hour to put a race bike through its paces, with rolling terrain, some punchy climbs and some fast drags, and people a lot fitter and faster than I am to keep up with? The Madone has given me the best advantage yet, not only allowing me to keep up but also slice a massive two minutes off my PB for the 40km route.

It's clearly insanely fast at high speeds. Get it up to 30kph and the speed really ramps up as you pile on the watts. But it doesn't feel quite as snappy at lower speeds, out of tight corners, and the weight holds it back on steeper gradients.

Handling and geometry

The Madone's handling is race-focused, as you'd expect. The new H1.5 geometry, which replaces the previous choices of slammed H1 and relaxed H2, is well judged. It provided a comfortable fit with a bit of stretch to the handlebar.

I shuffled a few spacers about – an easy task as the aero spacers are split – to get my desired position, a bit lower than standard. In the drops, it's an aggressive position but it's comfortable on longer rides too, but then I am used to race bike geometry which certainly helps.

The new two-piece bar and stem allow more fit adjustment than before, with the angle of the handlebar adjustable to suit your preference. The bar is a comfortable shape with the swept back design providing manageable reach to the hoods and drops.

It's a handlebar intended to be ridden in the drops or hoods the majority of the time – there's no tape on the tops. You can still cruise along gripping this section if you really want. The narrow 38cm width is good for reducing drag and keeping your arms tucked in, but might not be everyone's cup of tea. On a bike of this price, you can easily spec the bar width to suit your requirements.

Better brakes

The biggest improvement over the previous generation Madone, in my opinion, is the change from the custom designed integrated brakes with the head tube flaps (Vector Wings, in Trek speak) to disc brakes.

You'll have your own preference of braking system, and Trek is still offering the Madone SLR with rim brakes. In fact, it's one of the few brands still to offer rim brakes – many rival brands have fully embraced disc brakes with their latest aero bikes.

Compared to the slightly finicky integrated brakes of the previous Madone, the hydraulic disc brakes are easy to live with and required no maintenance during my time with the bike. Power is plentiful and lever feel is perfect for meting out the power smoothly in every situation. I experienced some occasional noise in damp weather but never for long.

Another benefit of disc brakes is increased tyre clearance, with 28mm tyres supported. That's a good option if you want to increase comfort. By contrast, the rim brake Madone only takes up to a 25mm tyre.

Fast and comfortable? Fast or comfortable?

I remember riding some of the first generation aero bikes and coming away impressed with the speed compared with regular road bikes, but less taken with the reduced ride comfort. Big aero tubes aren't good for building compliance and comfort into a bike.

Trek's solution, rolled out with the last Madone and upgraded with adjustability on this second generation bike, is the same IsoSpeed decoupler first developed for the Domane, an endurance bike designed to tame the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix.

Trek has now integrated the IsoSpeed decoupler into the top tube, from its previous location in the seat tube, and made it adjustable, allowing you to choose how soft or firm it is.

The IsoSpeed decoupler basically allows the seat tube and seatpost to move independently of the frame in a controlled manner, with a new elastomer bumper to control the rebound. Undo a couple of bolts and you can move a small slider to choose the firm, soft or somewhere-in-between setting.

If you're going from smooth crit circuits to bumpy normal roads you might adjust it frequently. Or, as in my case, you might play around with it for a few rides then just leave it in the softest setting.

Does it work? Yes, it does. How much compliance does it actually provide? Trek says: 'Compliance at the saddle of a 56cm frame ranges from approximately 119N/mm to 175N/mm depending on the slider's position. According to these figures, the new Madone is capable of both more compliance (+17%) and less compliance (-22%) than its predecessor.'

What does that mean on the road? In my experience the IsoSpeed softens bigger impacts, say if you clip the edge of a sunken drain or pothole when you're in a peloton and can't read the road ahead of you.

But make no mistake, the Madone still provides a very firm and hard ride. It just doesn't seem to be sensitive enough to smooth out poorly surfaced roads, the type where the top layer of tarmac has eroded away, or worse still, surface dressed roads. It's easy to overlook when you're galloping along, but on casual rides I found it a bit tiring.

Frame design

If there's an award for the biggest aero down tube, the Madone wins hands down. No other aero bike goes to such extremes to reduce drag as the Madone with massive profiles at the fork, down tube, seat tube and stays, all intended to reduce drag as much as possible.

The two-tone paint job gives an air of quality, a sparkly gloss paint over matt black. It's one of a handful of stock colour options too, and there's also Trek's Project One where a world of custom paint schemes awaits.

Integration is a key buzzword in bike design these days, and with the Trek Madone it's the IsoSpeed decoupler hidden away underneath the top tube, and a new aero handlebar and stem with greater fit adjustment than the old one-piece aero handlebar.

All cables and hoses are routed inside the Madone, right from the front where they are hidden inside the handlebar and stem and into the frame. The only exposed cabling is just where they exit ahead of the derailleurs and callipers.

The Di2 junction box is hidden inside the handlebar for easy charging and gear tweaking.

Aero handlebars are a prime method for reducing frontal surface area, which is why nearly all aero bikes now feature them. The downside is the limited fit adjustment. Trek's new handlebar uses a design that splits the stem, allowing the angle of the handlebar to be adjusted with a range of +/-5 degrees. Under the stem are four bolts you can loosen to adjust the tilt of the handlebar. Computers and other accessories can be bolted to the front of the handlebar using a GoPro-style mount.

As I said earlier, the Madone uses Trek's new H1.5 geometry. This replaces the previous low and stretched H1 and slightly more upright H2 options. The 56cm model, for example, has an effective top tube length of 559.9mm – we might as well call that 560mm – a head tube of 151mm, a stack of 563mm and a reach of 391mm. Trek says it hits the sweet spot, and I would tend to agree.

The seatpost is an integrated design and is easy to adjust with bolts at the back, but you do want to pay close attention to the manual and the recommended torque settings. The saddle clamp is nice and easy to set up, with individual bolts for adjusting the fore-aft and tilt, and there's a choice of setback to tune your position.

For £10,000, this Trek Madone needs to be the ultimate bike, and it nearly is but for a couple of issues. It's specced with the sort of kit you'd expect on this level of bike, including the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset, which is flawless.

However, I can't help but question the 50/34-tooth compact chainset on a race bike – surely a 52/36 would have been better, Trek?

The 11-28 cassette is largely standard even on race bikes these days, and I appreciated it on some hillier rides.

Bontrager's Aeolus XXX 6 wheels enhance the aerodynamic performance greatly. They look fantastic and they sound great when you sprint the Madone up to speed. The wide profile provides a good base for the 25mm Bontrager R4 320tpi tyres too, and the wheels are tubeless-ready should you want to ditch the inner tubes. I found the wheels a bit of a handful in strong crosswinds but they were never erratic, you just have to be prepared.

I had zero issues with the Bontrager Montrose saddle nor the two-bolt seat clamp, which as I said above provides easy angle and fore-aft adjustment.

All the parts build up to a 7.7kg weight for the size 56cm bike tested. For comparison, the Specialized S-Works Venge in the same size and with similar parts tickled the scales to 7.15kg, so the Madone is carrying a bit of timber.

The Venge is the main rival that springs to mind because it's the aero bike I tested most recently. The Venge is lighter, cheaper (not by much), includes a dual-sided power meter, has more easily adjustable handlebar and stem, and the ride quality is a notch above the Madone. If it was my money, that's where it would be heading.

Other aero bikes we could throw into the ring include the Cervelo S5 Disc and Cannondale SystemSix (we haven't reviewed these bikes yet), Giant Propel Advanced SL Disc (we tested the £3,000 Propel Advanced Disc last year) and Bianchi Oltre XR2 .

> Buyer's Guide: 18 of the best and fastest 2019 aero road bikes

The XR2 is a good comparison because it also attempts to provide extra compliance by infusing the carbon layup with a special vibration-damping material, and it does provide a pretty smooth ride. It's not in the same ballpark when it comes to aerodynamics and integration, though.

Another rival comes from Trek itself: the recently introduced Madone SL, which brings the price down by virtue of using cheaper carbon fibre, though it still comes out of the same mould so you're getting the same aero performance and IsoSpeed decoupler. That range starts off at £3,600 which, if you love the look of this Madone but want to save a bit of cash, could be the bike for you.

The Madone SLR 9 Disc is ferociously fast and will enable you to smash PRs and dominate road races, with striking looks, some clever integration and a faultless build, but the firm ride makes it a chore to ride on regular roads at less than race pace, and it's a bit portly too. Those gripes aside, it's a very impressive bike, but I'm left just wanting a bit more refinement and finesse.

Seriously fast aero race bike with great handling, but not the smoothest and not the ultimate spec it should be

road.cc test report

Make and model: Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc

Size tested: 56cm

About the bike

List the components used to build up the bike.

700 Series OCLV Carbon, KVF (Kammtail Virtual Foil) tube shape, Adjustable Top Tube IsoSpeed, Micro-adjust seatmast, tapered head tube, BB90, flat mount disc brakes, 12 mm thru-axle, invisible cable routing, control centre, precision water bottle placement, Aero 3S chain keeper, DuoTrap S-compatible

Madone KVF full carbon disc, carbon tapered steerer, carbon dropouts, hidden cable routing, flat-mount disc brake, 12 mm thru-axle

Bontrager Aeolus XXX 6 Tubeless Ready Disc, 12 mm thru-Axle

Bontrager R4 320, 320 tpi, 700x25 c

Max tyre size

28 c Bontrager tyres (with at least 4 mm of clearance to frame)

Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, 11-speed

Front derailleur

Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, braze-on

Rear derailleur

Shimano Dura-Ace Di2

Shimano Dura-Ace, 50/34 (compact)

Bottom bracket

Shimano Dura-Ace, 11-28, 11-speed

Shimano Dura-Ace

Not included

Bontrager Montrose Pro, carbon rails

Madone carbon seatpost, 25 mm offset w/integrated light mount

Madone-specific adjustable aero VR-CF, internal cable routing

Bontrager tape

Madone-specific internal cable routing

Madone integrated, stainless cartridge bearings, sealed, 1-3/8in top, 1.5in bottom

Shimano Dura-Ace flat-mount hydraulic disc

Tell us what the bike is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about the bike?

Trek says, "Madone SLR 9 Disc is the hero of the road disc revolution. Advanced road bike aerodynamics, our lightest OCLV Carbon layup, adjustable compliance and a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 electronic drivetrain make it the final stop in your search for a top-of-the-line aero road bike.

"A lightweight 700 Series OCLV Carbon frame with Kammtail Virtual Foil aerodynamic tube shaping and road-smoothing Adjustable Top Tube IsoSpeed, KVF full carbon disc fork, 12 mm thru axles, an adjustable aero bar and stem, a 2x11 Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 electronic drivetrain, Tubeless Ready Bontrager Aeolus XXX 6 wheels, a micro-adjust Madone seatmast and Dura-Ace flat-mount disc brakes."

Where does this model sit in the range? Tell us briefly about the cheaper options and the more expensive options

Sits right at the top of Trek's aero bike category, it doesn't get better than this.

Frame and fork

Tell us about the build quality and finish of the frame and fork?

Exceptional quality, as you'd expect and hope at this price.

Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork?

Highest grade 700 OCLV is used to make the frame and fork.

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

Uses Trek's new H1.5 geometry which splits the difference between the slammed H1 and laid back H2.

How was the bike in terms of height and reach? How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size?

The stack and reach are predictably aggressive given it's a race bike, with a long reach and low stack. The new H1.5 cuts a nice compromise between the previous very slammed H1 and upright H2 geometry. I found the fit very good, only moved some spacers to lower the handlebar.

Riding the bike

Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.

Yes and no. It's not the smoothest ride on rough road surfaces, but the position makes it comfortable on longer rides.

Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too flexible?

It sure doesn't lack the stiffness you want in a race bike.

How did the bike transfer power? Did it feel efficient?

Extremely well for sprinting out of corners and attacking mates.

Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? If so was it a problem?

How would you describe the steering? Was it lively neutral or unresponsive? Quite laid back.

Tell us some more about the handling. How did the bike feel overall? Did it do particular things well or badly?

Handling is a highlight, with good stability at high speeds, and it's pretty docile at lower speeds.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's comfort? would you recommend any changes?

You could go up to 28mm tyres, which might certainly impart a bit more comfort for dealing with crappy road surfaces.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's stiffness? would you recommend any changes?

I'd like to see a 52/36t chainset and a power meter included at this price.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's efficiency? would you recommend any changes?

No changes.

The drivetrain

Wheels and tyres

Your summary

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes

Would you consider buying the bike? No

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Probably

How does the price compare to that of similar bikes in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

There are quite a few impressive rivals at this price and it compares well against those, but the lack of a power meter is a glaring omission.

Use this box to explain your overall score

I love the speed and handling and looks, but it's not the smoothest ride and the spec doesn't make it the ultimate bike it needs to be at this price.

Overall rating: 7 /10

About the tester

Age: 31   Height: 180cm   Weight: 67kg

I usually ride:    My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years   I ride: Every day   I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo-cross, commuting, touring, mountain biking

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David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes . 

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12 comments.

Steve I really feel for you mate.  You'd hope for a few months of silence for that sort of cash and for Trek to maybe support you a little more.

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[quote=ktache]<p>Steve I really feel for you mate.&nbsp; You'd hope for a few months of silence for that sort of cash and for Trek to maybe support you a little more.</p>[/quote]

Thanks ktache

It's a shame because it is a really nice bike otherwise. But, all for naught with poorly made press fit BB.

I have a 2019 Madone SLR 9 eTap. From the first day, bottom bracket creak.

Movement of the bearing on the non drive side has destroyed the frame.

Trek has been quite reticent about taking care of this problem.

Utterly disappointing.

Why is the reviewer comparing it to the 2013 Oltre XR2? The Oltre XR4 is the current model and has been since 2016.

Is this another of these Road.cc recycled articles?

10,000 pound for a reinforced plastic bike!  I bet any money the people at Trek are laughing so much that there must be concerns for health and sanity within the company, not as concerning of course for the loonies that would actually buy something like this at this price.  This bike probably costs pennies to make and the profit margin must be astronomical, nice one Trek.

Trek are not alone of course while people are willing to purchase this 5 minute wonder craze madness at prices that are totally immoral.

The world has gone totally mad, I tell you, you will be telling me next that Boris Johnston will be the next leader of the country, Ha, Ha, Ha, it's so crazy it's not even funny.

Please will somebody wake me up as this dream has become seriously bad and not funny.

yupiteru wrote: 10,000 pound for a reinforced plastic bike!  I bet any money the people at Trek are laughing so much that there must be concerns for health and sanity within the company, not as concerning of course for the loonies that would actually buy something like this at this price.  This bike probably costs pennies to make and the profit margin must be astronomical, nice one Trek. Trek are not alone of course while people are willing to purchase this 5 minute wonder craze madness at prices that are totally immoral. The world has gone totally mad, I tell you, you will be telling me next that Boris Johnston will be the next leader of the country, Ha, Ha, Ha, it's so crazy it's not even funny. Please will somebody wake me up as this dream has become seriously bad and not funny.  

It isn't £10,000 for reinforced plastic.  The Trek frame probably costs less than half the total.

I've read that a lot of people spend £15,000+ on a wedding. Now that is barmy.

Q: Which component would you recommend changing to improve the product? A: None.  Wheels - 6/10....but then again better wheels would no doubt increase the price and lower the already paltry 5/10 value for money score. 

I don't drive.

I have never learned to drive.

I hate cars.

I think they're not only poluting the planet, but also making people selfish and entitled.

But if I were given ten grand to spend, Brewster's Millions style, on a one-off purchase of a form of private transportation, I'd buy something like a Volkswagen Up over this. Even just to park on my drive as an ornamental feature. Or to take apart and admire the engineering of thousands of parts.

£10,000 is simply a ludicrous amount of money for a bicycle. And this one is not even nice to look at.

Plus Trek screwed over Greg Lemond.

handlebarcam wrote: I don't drive. I have never learned to drive. I hate cars. I think they're not only poluting the planet, but also making people selfish and entitled. But if I were given ten grand to spend, Brewster's Millions style, on a one-off purchase of a form of private transportation, I'd buy something like a Volkswagen Up over this. Even just to park on my drive as an ornamental feature. Or to take apart and admire the engineering of thousands of parts. £10,000 is simply a ludicrous amount of money for a bicycle. And this one is not even nice to look at. Plus Trek screwed over Greg Lemond.

It’s only ludicrous if you can’t afford it.

Htc wrote: handlebarcam wrote: I hate cars. I think they're not only poluting the planet, but also making people selfish and entitled. £10,000 is simply a ludicrous amount of money for a bicycle. And this one is not even nice to look at.

True. Once you get above a subsistence level of income and start to be able to afford non-essential "luxuries", there are those who will question how you spend your money. I for example think it is ludicrous to spend £1,000 on a mobile phone, with a useful life of 2 years, after which it is extremely difficult to recycle, but plenty of i-phone users would disagree. There are those who who spend £10,000 on a cruise after which they have nothing to show but a few selfies, or spend £10,000 on a hifi component or camera, or £2k per year on golf club membership, and why not if they have the cash and that's their interest?  But in the context of any of these, a bike, which will probably still be giving somebody some use 15 years from now,  (hence, unlike your unused VW UP, mitigating  the pollution caused by its manufacture and eventual disposal) doesn't seem to be a bad choice.

You could argue that consumerism in general might be screwing the planet, but I'd put bikes a long way down the list of problem items!

Htc wrote: It’s only ludicrous if you can’t afford it.

If you want to try to redefine the word "ludicrous" out of existence, well... that's pretty ludicrous in itself.

It may be expensive, but, I mean this is not a bike you would buy if you're not into cyclism and if you don't have the money to afford it. Inform yourself about high-end bike prices, and you will see that they can price up 16k sometimes. Everything can be expensive when it is high-end. Wanna buy a high-end TV or a high-end gaming PC, 3K at least. Same thing goes about cars!

Imagine you drive in a Porsche and I tell you "woah men at this price I'm better off buying a house" it's the exact same thing. Of course a car is more useful then a bike, but this bike however isn't something you would buy  just to ride occasionnally in the week-end, it's totally for those who practices regularely, and whom are into competition.

Anyways I'm surprised this is only rated 3.5 haha

Latest Comments

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Good luck Dave. May well see you there. Hopefully the weather will be like it is this week!

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2023 Trek Madone SLR 7 Gen 7

A carbon frame aero bike with high-end components and hydraulic disc brakes.

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Madone SLR 7 Gen 7

In Stock: 47cm

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In Stock: LG

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In Stock: 56cm

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Nov 2023 · Mat Brett

It had its idiosyncrasies – including flip-out 'Vector Wings’ in the head tube – but we wish every new bike offered as many interesting features as the Trek Madone 9 Series did back in 2015

Read Review

Oct 2023 · James Huang

The same cutting-edge aerodynamic performance of Trek’s flagship Madone SLR, distilled into a much more affordable package.

Heaps lighter than before

Tangibly speedy

Surprisingly good ride quality

Superb handling

Lots of tire clearance

User-friendly two-piece cockpit

Sharp lines.

Polarizing IsoFlow aesthetics

Poor weathersealing

Narrow wheels and tires.

Trek's new Madone SL Gen 7 is set to deliver SLR performance at a (much) lower price point. So — is the Madone SLR worth the extra money?

Aug 2023 · Troy Templin

The Trek Madone SL Gen 7 now completes the line matching the more expensive SLR and offers almost the same ride quality.

May 2023 · Simon von Bromley

The seventh-generation Madone is an excellent all-round performer, but it comes with a big price tag

Composed yet fast

Innovative design

Front end can run both integrated and non-integrated handlebar setups

Wide range of frame sizes

No power meter

Mid-range tyres and cheap inner tubes don’t belong on this bike

Dec 2022 · Sam Challis

The new Madone is leaner, meaner and wickedly quick

Very fast ride feel

Smart componentry design

Light weight

Narrow bars take some getting used to

Vulnerable in gusty conditions

Dec 2022 · Julian Schwede

Does the new IsoFlow system of the 2023 Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap Gen 7 really rise the bar in terms of aeroynamics and comfort?

Very balanced handling at high speeds

Reduced complexity and improved aerodynamics of the IsoFlow system

Customisation options thanks to the Project One configurator

High-quality workmanship

The damping of the IsoFlow system isn’t adjustable

The Bontrager R4 tires lack grip

Jun 2022 · Matt Hansen

The frame features striking new tube shapes and radical rear triangle

Last updated 27 June Not listed for 311 days

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Reviewed: Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed

It’s fun, it’s fast—and it delivers one hell of a ride, but with quite the hefty price tag..

The Trek Madone SLR 6 is a head-turner of a bike that is fun to ride—but it comes with a hefty price tag for a mechanical bike.

Fast, responsive, and super-stiff

Handles well, even in tight corners

The $6k price tag—when it’s “only” mechanical—stings

19 lbs. 2 oz.

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Trek is one of the most recognizable bike brands in the world and the Madone has been one of its most successful bikes over the last two decades. With the Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed nothing changes there and it is a pure joy to ride. Looking for a bike to remind you *just* how fun road bikes are to ride? Say hello to the Madone. With its Speed Concept Mono Bar Extension aero bars you can easily transform it into a race machine or remove them for group rides when you want a more pure road look and feel. Bontrager Aeolus Pro 5 wheels, Shimano Ultegra drivetrain, and Shimano Ultegra hydraulic disc brakes help round out a pretty sweet package.

Related: Triathlete’s 2020 Road Bike Buyer’s Guide

Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed: The Ride

From the moment you first ride the Trek Madone SLR   6 Disc Speed you know you’re in for a treat. It looks fast, it feels fast, it is fast. Trek is one of the most recognizable bike brands in the world and the Madone has been one of its most successful bikes over the last two decades. With the Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed nothing changes there and it is a pure joy to ride. Its aero-geometry is, unsurprisingly, well thought out and it’s a bike that begs to be ridden fast. Standing up out of the saddle and laying down some top-end power will reward you with a burst of acceleration that’ll have you grinning from ear to ear: this is bike riding at its finest. The frame beneath you is stiff yet fast and responsive. That said, this isn’t a racing machine that lacks comfort. It handles well—you feel stable—and you can lean it through tight turns and corners with relative ease.

Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed: The Good

The Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed is intelligently designed and easy to ride. It’ll remind you of why you first fell in love with riding bikes in the first place. For triathletes looking for a road bike that is both fast, comfortable, and easy to train on, you will not be disappointed. The Shimano Ultegra hydraulic disc brakes deliver sharp, crisp braking and all brake and gearing cables are neatly routed through the frame to maximize aerodynamics. Riding in the drops is incredibly fun on this bike—in fact, it almost begs you to get down in the drops and stay there, especially on more technical descents. Speed and comfort do not feel compromised in this position.  

Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed: The Medium

When you’re parting with more than $6,000 for a bike, we think it’s more than fair to expect electronic shifting, but instead here you’ve got a Shimano Ultegra mechanical set-up, which seems a little surprising at this price point. Obviously, you don’t necessarily expect an aero road bike to be the greatest climbing machine, but we found the 50/34 compact gearing helped improve that considerably.

Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed: Conclusions

This is a bike that’s easy to fall in love with on first ride, especially if you’re someone who loves riding hard and fast. It’s unashamedly aero and will tick all the boxes for triathletes looking for something close to tri speed on a road bike. You will definitely not be disappointed with how it handles and accelerates, but you could feel disappointed that you don’t have electronic shifting. If you’re OK with that (for this price tag), you’re going to have a lot of fun pedaling this bike to many PRs.

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Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc eTap

Madone is in a class of its own.

Madone SLR 9 Disc eTap pairs the aerodynamics and ride quality of the ultimate race bike with the reliability of SRAM’s fully wireless Red eTap electronic drivetrain. It’s built with our best Madone OCLV Carbon frame, Adjustable Top Tube IsoSpeed, flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes, and Bontrager Aeolus 6 XXX Carbon wheels.

A lightweight 700 Series OCLV Carbon frame with Kammtail Virtual Foil aerodynamic tube shaping and road-smoothing Adjustable Top Tube IsoSpeed, KVF full carbon fork, an adjustable aero bar and stem, a 2×11 SRAM Red eTap wireless electronic drivetrain, Tubeless Ready Bontrager Aeolus XXX 6 wheels, a micro-adjust Madone seatmast, and flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes.

Madone offers a complete aero braking solution, whether you prefer the weight savings of direct mount rim brakes or the all-weather stopping power and additional tire clearance of disc brakes

It's right for you if...

You want every advantage in speed and handling, and want a bike with the best tech available: our highest-end Madone frame, hydraulic disc brakes, and a full SRAM Red eTap wireless drivetrain

The final word

Madone SLR 9 Disc eTap is built with the fastest road bike frame we make, but what sets this model apart is the fully wireless SRAM Red eTap electronic drivetrain.

The aero advantage

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The all-new Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed

The new madone speed is the ideal aero set-up for triathletes.

On June 20th, Trek unveiled their new Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed – the first Madone with integrated, removable aero bars. The new bike is the ideal aero set-up for triathletes who go back and forth between group road rides and non-draft multisport events.

The new Trek Madone Speed features a stem faceplate that simplifies the process of adding and removing aero bars. The Speed Concept Mono Bar Extension is held to the stem faceplate with a pair of bolts. Trek claims that adding and removing the aero extensions takes as little as thirty seconds. So, no more hassle when you scramble to take off the aero bars for your group ride.

Related: Road bike or tri bike?

The new Trek Madone Speed features a stem faceplate that simplifies the process of adding and removing aero bars.

“Madone Speed has all the award-winning speed and handling of Madone SLR – plus the added benefit of a lot more versatility,” says Jordan Roessingh, Trek’s Director of Road Product. “You can train with a group without the bars, then throw them on for race day. It’s the smartest option for most people doing triathlon or time trials today.”

The Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed is made with Trek’s lightest 700 Series OCLV Carbon and features Adjustable Top Tube IsoSpeed, which allows riders to tune the frame’s compliance to their preference. With an MSRP of $8499.99 CAD, the Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed comes with a 2×11 Shimano Ultegra drivetrain, Bontrager Aeolus Pro 5 carbon wheels and flat-mount disc brakes. The Madone is now available on trekbikes.com and through Trek’s network of retailers.

Related: Ironman races in Canada: Road or tri bike?

The new stem faceplate and Speed Concept Mono Bar Extension are available as aftermarket parts and are compatible with all 2019 and newer Madone SLR models. The Madone Speed aero set-up is also an option in Project One – Trek’s custom bike programme.

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• As it happened: Sprinters miss out on Giro d'Italia stage 5 after failed chase

Trek revamps Madone with discs, top-tube IsoSpeed

New adjustable IsoSpeed aero bikes with wild paint options

This article first appeared on BikeRadar .

John Degenkolb's custom Tour of Flanders Trek Madone

Mads Pedersen's Trek Madone 9 Race Shop Limited for the Tour of Flanders - Gallery

Trek Madone Disc spotted at Criterium du Dauphine - Gallery

Trek's latest aero bike, the Madone SLR, has disc brakes for the first time, but the bigger stories might be the revamp of an adjustable IsoSpeed in the top tube, an adjustable but still integrated bar/stem and a Goldilocks geometry that Trek calls H1.5. The Madone SLR comes in men's and women's models from an SLR 6 model at £5,499 / $5,999 to a £10,000 / $11,999 superbike with premium paint.

To create this machine, Trek deployed a motley assortment of methodologies, from the high-zoot but expected CFD and modeling work to the creation of an enormous bumpy treadmill that can replicate all manner of road surfaces. Throw in some outrageous paint options and the new Trek Madone looks to be in a class of its own.

Adjustable IsoSpeed — now under the top tube

Trek's IsoSpeed system adds significant comfort to road bikes by allowing flex in the frame around a pivot point inside the seat-tube cluster. First introduced with the Domane endurance bike and then brought to the Madone aero bike in 2015, the system has always allows for flex in both the seatmast and the seat tube. 

With 'aero' and 'comfortable' having been in contradiction for so long, the 2015 Madone with IsoSpeed was a game changer. 

With the new Madone, the IsoSpeed pivot remains in the same spot, but now the flex happens under the top tube, as the hockey-stick-shaped IsoSpeed member goes from the seat mast to the underside of the top tube. Further, as with the top-end Domane, the flex is adjustable, which takes the ride from 17% more compliant to 21% stiffer than the previous Madone, Trek says.

The slider (at right) controls the amount of compliance. The design is similar to the current Domane, but in the top tube instead of the down tube. Also different is the presence of an elastomer rebound damper

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One reason to move the flex to the top tube was to damp the rebound of the flex (by 13%, Trek says) thanks to a little elastomer in the seat tube. Another reason was to get similar vertical compliance numbers on all the frame sizes. (On the last Madone, smaller frames' shorter seat tubes effectively reduced the length of the spring; with top tubes there is plenty of length, even on small frames.)

To adjust the flex, you loosen a 2.5mm Allen behind the seat tube (where the elastomer sits), then loosen a 4mm bolt at the end of the IsoSpeed beam under the top tube. Then, you move a slider forward to get more flex or back to effectively shorten the flexing leaf and thus make it stiffer.

The primary deflection comes from the extension flexing upwards towards the actual top tube. The slider adjusts compliance by increasing or decreasing the amount of empty space the tube can flex into

Treadmill testing

For Trek or any brand that works with pro riders, part of the challenge of designing a race bike is translating rider feedback into quantifiable and thus actionable information. To put some numbers on what 'bumpy' means, Trek built an enormous treadmill with bolt-on bumps. It even went so far as to take a silicone mold of a section of the Arenberg Forest from Paris-Roubaix, scan it, and recreate the surface on its treadmill. 

Then, by riding the treadmill on an instrumented bike, Trek engineers could measure exactly how a machine responds to a variety of surfaces, and track changes as they iterated frame designs (and tire widths and pressure and anything else they wanted to play with).

Ultimately, as the adjustable IsoSpeed shows, Trek concluded that it doesn't know exactly how you like your bike to feel, or exactly where you like to ride. But the option to have a more comfortable ride is there, right under the top tube.  

Rim vs disc: lighter vs faster?

Unlike the new Specialized Venge aero bike that only comes as a disc bike, the new Madone 6 comes in rim- and disc-brake options. The rim bike is lighter, as you'd expect, but the disc bike is more aero, which is unexpected. 

The Madone 6 SLR Disc with Bontrager Aeolus 6 wheels and a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9170 group weighs a claimed 7.4kg with an unpainted frame. The comparable rim bike weighs a claimed 7.1kg.

Madone Rim brake and Madone Disc brake

In terms of aero performance, Trek measured the disc bike as having 3,216g of drag to the rim bike's 3,221g, when testing from -12.5 to 12.5 degrees. The new rim-brake Madone, curiously, is slightly higher at 3,221g. 

The increase in drag is primarily due to UCI regulations, said Trek's Tony Lemke. " We lose head tube and down tube airfoil depth," on the rim bike compared to the disc bike, Lemke said. "When we lose airfoil depth, wind separation occurs sooner since we are still at a similar section lateral width vs the disc bike. It's truncated sooner. These slight differences in depth create more drag on the tail end of the section where air separation begins to occur, especially at yaw, not so much at zero. Deeper and properly shaped sections at yaw perform better because the air has greater tendency to create laminar flow when apparent wind is from the side. The delta is little to none, but this is the theoretical answer." 

The biggest change to the rim bike — aside from the IsoSpeed change — is the placement of the front brake behind the fork. 

New Two-Piece Aero Bar Stem

The new Madone bar/stem has +/-5 degrees of bar rotation, compared to the past monocoque design

Another big change with the Madone 6 is the adoption of a reshaped aero handlebar that has more wrist clearance when in the drops and also +/- 5 degrees of bar rotation. The previous model was a fixed one-piece bar and stem.

The new cockpit remains highly aero in its shaping and internal routing; now riders can just adjust the bar angle.

The new bar also has more wrist clearance when in the drops

There are four stem lengths (90-130mm) and four bar widths (38-44mm). The 38mm width is new. Trek makes longer stems for its pro riders, as well.

H1 is pro geometry. H2 is more upright. The Madone 6 is H1.5

In the past, Trek offered many of its high-end bikes in two fit options — the low-head-tube H1 and the more upright H2. With the Madone 6, Trek split the difference and will only have one middleground H1.5 geometry.

The new Madone has what Trek calls the H1.5 fit - halfway between the ultra-low H1 and the more upright H2

Men’s and women’s models

The Madone disc bikes officially fit tires up to 28mm, but you can squeeze in 32mm slicks. The rim bike is designed for 25mm tires.

All the SLR bikes share the same frameset and cockpit, and vary by parts build. The only SRAM option is eTap; otherwise the bikes are various Shimano builds. Trek's house-brand Bontrager provides the everything else, from wheels and tires to saddles and handlebar tape.

Click or swipe through the gallery above for a closer look at the full Madone line.

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TriTech for the Masses

Trek Madone Speed – First Look

From the moment we saw our first aero road bike we knew we were in love. A bike that was almost as fast as a true time trial bike, but able to be used for group rides spoke to our pragmatic side. Buy one bike – but essentially get two was music to our ears. But the first generation of bikes was more compromise than utopia. Not nearly as fast as a TT bike and not stiff enough to be a serious road bike. But with advances in aerodynamics and carbon construction the generations that followed continued to get closer and closer to that promise. And the latest bikes have become the true best of both world bikes we have hoped for… except for one item. As aero road bikes have moved to aero drop bars – clip on aerobars have become a challenge. And also, some place innovation has been waiting for. Meet the Trek Madone Speed – a best of both worlds aero road bike that features the aerobars straight off of the Trek Speed Concept .

The Trek Madone Speed

The Trek Madone Speed starts with the new 2019 Trek Madone Disc .  The 2019 Madone featured a new albeit more traditional, yet still proprietary bar and stem system. This new set up offers 40 possible configurations versus the 26 possible configurations when considering the H1/H2 frames. Riders also get the added benefit of +/-5 degrees of bar roll to allow deeper fit refinement. The -7deg stems offer the industry standard set up and the -14deg stems are intended to allow current Madone H1 riders to match their same fit as well as offer more flexibility to new consumers. Stems are offered in 90mm to 130mm lengths in both -7° and -14° angles. The bar receives one additional width size and is offered in Variable Radius Compact Flare (VRCF) fit in widths from 38cm to 44cm. With these expanded options, changing fit is now easier and more affordable.

To that system, the Speed adds a new stem faceplate that simplifies the process of adding and removing aero bars. The included Speed Concept Mono Bar Extension is held to the stem faceplate with a pair of bolts,and adding and removing the aero extensions takes as little as thirty seconds.

“Madone Speed has all the award-winning speed and handling ofMadone SLR—plus the added benefit of a lot more versatility,” said Trek’s Director of Road Product Jordan Roessingh. “You can train with a group without the bars, then throw them on for race day. It’s the smartest option for most people doing triathlon or time trials today.”

Being that it is based on the 2019 Madone you get the same frame as all Madone SLR models. It’s made with Trek’s lightest 700 Series OCLV Carbon and features Adjustable Top Tube IsoSpeed, which allows riders to tune the frame’s compliance to their preference. For those not familiar with how this is done – lets recap.

The Madone Adjustable Compliance technology is comprised of two frame elements integrated into each other just like the Domane SLR but has been rotated into the top tube for aerodynamic advantage. This method also aids in more uniform compliance for all frame sizes. Lastly, Trek has implemented hardware on the back of the seat tube that offers rebound damping characteristics to the bike. The two frame elements are connected by the IsoSpeed Decoupler and the bolted joint at the front. In between the two frame elements is a vacant space with an adjustment slider that can move along the entire path. The seatmast element utilizes the IsoSpeed Decoupler to transfer the aft deflection of the upper aero section of the seatmast to an upward deflection of the lower seatmast element. The vacant space allows the lower seatmast to deflect in the upward direction while the main frame top tube element remains independent from the lower seatmast. The slider contacts both the lower seatmast element and main frame top tube element to limit the upward deflection of the lower seatmast per the rider’s preference. If the slider is towards the front of the frame, a rider will experience more compliance because of the greater vacant space that allows the lower seatmast to deflect more. If the slider is near the back of the frame towards the IsoSpeed Decoupler, a rider will experience less compliance because the slider is inhibiting deflection in the vacant space in front of it.

The Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed ($6499.99 MSRP) is spec’d with a 2×11 Shimano Ultegra drivetrain, Bontrager Aeolus Pro 5 carbon wheels, and flat-mount disc brakes.

Our Thoughts

Let’s start with the good – we really love where Trek went with this. The monoriser aerobar from the Speed Concept is a tried and true system. While it is proprietary to Trek, because of the amount of time it has been available on the market there are all sorts of spare parts already available on the second hand market for those looking to switch from s-bends to straight bars to ski tips. After four years of riding our Trek Speed Concept test bike, we are fans of these bars and love riding with them.

The Madone SLR 6 Disc Speed at $6,499 is just $200 more than the standard Madone SLR 6 disc, and for that $200 you get carbon fiber aerobars and the mount which we think is a fair add on price.

But we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the one item that bothers us about the Madone Disc Speed – this should have been introduced with an electronic group set. Aero road bikes with clip on aerobars are begging for electronic shifting so that you can shift while in the aero bars. With electronic shifting it is truly as simple as plugging and unplugging from the junction boxes. We would have much preferred to see this released on their SL 7 build which features Di2 and a slightly lesser grade of carbon. An argument can be made that those looking for a best of both worlds bike are looking for something more affordable. And in that case stepping down to the lower grade carbon but up to electronic at essentially the same price of the SLR 6 would have been a winning combination.

Wrapping Up

While we may not agree with the build this was first released on – we absolutely think that Trek has a great idea on their hands with this bike. Clip on aerobars have become incredibly common now a days, and having a bike built with them in mind is a great move for consumers. And while there is not yet a more affordable version featuring electronic shifting, we have little doubt that Trek will find a way to make one available in the future. For those interested in a SLR 6 Disc Speed you can head over to www.trek.com or to your local Trek retailer. As always thanks for reading AeroGeeks.com and stay tuned as we have a number of new bike reviews in the pipeline that we cannot wait to share with you!

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3 responses to “ Trek Madone Speed – First Look ”

Hi team, any change to review the aeria ultimate hydration system?

Unfortunately not yet. We will share as soon as we get a chance to check it out!

Can the front of the aero bar extension be tilted up like the Speed Concept extension bar, with a simple adjustment screw? Or is it just bolted flat? Thank you

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Trek officially launches new Madone with Isoflow seat tube

The seventh-generation madone is lighter, faster, still kind of comfy, and has always-available drs..

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Since switching its Madone from a lightweight climbing bike to an aero-focused speed machine in 2012, Trek has described the platform as the “ultimate race bike”. First, with Kammtail tubing, then deeper tubes (and the deepest decals), upside-down brake callipers, and flappy paddle brake covers, the Madone designers have focused on maximising aerodynamics and speed within the UCI regulations. Compliance was also high on the agenda, so Trek incorporated its IsoSpeed decoupler into the Madone top tube.

But all that aero and comfort came with a cost as the Madone bikes piled on the grams over the past decade.

Now Trek has a new Madone and while aero and compliance are still major targets, reduced weight was a must-have. Something had to give, and seemingly that something was a hefty chunk of the seat tube. The new Trek is an entirely new design with some lofty claims, but it’s still recognisably a Madone.

While we haven’t yet had a chance to ride the new bike, here’s what we know so far following a one-on-one meeting with the Madone design team.

In keeping with what is almost Trek tradition at this point, the new bike first appeared at the Criterium du Dauphine earlier this month. The Dauphine offers a chance for the pros to race-test the new rig before the big bike race around France throughout July.

However, that pro testing on the new Madone stretches right back to before the previous Madone was even announced. Trek relies on its WorldTour teams for feedback on current platforms in developing new models, and those pros told Trek the next Madone had to be lighter. Presumably more aero and stiffer also, but mostly lighter. Definitely lighter.

As such, weight reduction was one of Trek’s biggest design goals for the new seventh-generation Madone and the obvious place to start was with the IsoSpeed decoupler. Trek’s solution to bringing a smoother ride to an aero frame did an admirable job of taming rough surfaces and creating an aero bike that rode somewhat like a conventional bike, but it came with a weight penalty.

This extra bulk jarred the minds of the pros who are seemingly happy to trade mind-jarring for bone-jarring if the result is a lighter, faster bike. Put simply, and as is often the case, the pros were not totally convinced they needed a smoother ride, but were passionate about having a lighter bike.

IsoSpeed simply had to go. The new Madone ditches the pivot and flexing components of IsoSpeed and instead gets a big hole in the seat tube, a host of aero tweaks, new tube profiles, and an entirely new cockpit. All told Trek claims the new seventh-gen Madone is 300 grams lighter and 19 watts (or 60 seconds per hour) faster than the outgoing Madone, all while retaining some level of comfort.

Is it a hole? Is it a wing? It’s IsoFlow!

So IsoSpeed is gone, and into its place steps IsoFlow nothing, just a great big hole. Unsurprisingly with such a unique design element all talk about the new Madone has focused on this seat tube gap, but what exactly does it do? Well, at least according to Trek, IsoFlow does a bit of everything: it offers aero gains, weight savings, and similar ride-smoothing benefits as the outgoing IsoSpeed (in its stiffest setting).

We recently sat in on the media launch for the new Madone and followed that up with a desk-side Q&A with Trek’s road bike heads of design and aerodynamics. In both meetings, we were told how central IsoFlow is in achieving all the parameters and goals Trek set for the new Madone. Although the feature first emerged as an aero tweak, it offers the added benefit of added compliance and reduced weight.

IsoFlow – DRS for all

IsoFlow is said to be the result of a considerable amount of aero testing, wind tunnel testing, CFD and computer modelling, all looking at which areas of the frame offered the greatest drag savings. CFD, in particular, allowed Trek to extrapolate the benefits of each design tweak in ways a wind tunnel simply can’t replicate.

While Trek looked at the front end of the bike and has made changes there also, the American brand seemingly decided the seat tube area offered the greatest potential and of all the concepts it investigated – including variations of IsoFlow, dropped stays, steeper and slacker stays, bigger and smaller holes – the final IsoFlow offered the greatest drag reduction in a functional design permitted within the UCI regulations.

Aerodynamicist John Davis explained Trek initially hadn’t considered the weight and compliance benefits of IsoFlow. The brand was merely incorporating the feature having considered all other updates to the seat tube and seat stay before ultimately settling on the split tube design due to its drag reduction benefits.

Davis explained that the IsoFlow hole is designed to accelerate air from around the head tube and direct a jet of fast-moving air or high-energy flow into a low-energy area behind the bike and rider. Getting rid of this low energy in high drag areas is said to improve the aerodynamics of the entire system.

F1 fans can think of IsoFlow as an always-available DRS (Drag Reduction System). Aero drag drops when the driver opens that rear wing flap on an F1 car. Trek is seemingly leaning on a similar concept here, opening up a chunk of the seat post to reduce drag and improve aerodynamics. When asked, though, if the turbulent or so-called dirty air coming off the rider’s legs disrupts any aero gains in this area, Davis explained that while they can’t make subtle tweaks to guide the turbulent flow, it can direct bulk movements of airflow and effectively feed the IsoFlow.

Faster and lighter

All the aero claims sound good, but remember weight reduction was Trek’s main target for the new Madone. Well, as luck would have it, apparently removing the heavier IsoSpeed system and a large chunk of seat post also works wonders for reducing frame weight.

Well, sort of. Delving into the numbers Trek has provided suggests less than half of that 300 g weight saving comes from the frame, with the new bar stem providing the greater proportion of the savings, but more on this later. Still, the aero and weight savings come as a package, with the claimed IsoFlow aero savings not possible without dropping the IsoSpeed, while simply removing IsoSpeed without any aero improvement or new compliance features would likely result in a significantly less good Madone.

The challenge for Trek was how to drop weight and retain that “conventional bike” ride feel. IsoSpeed may have added considerable weight to a frame, but it had countless fans and did an admirable job of taming rougher surfaces on an otherwise performance-focused bike.

Trek, and most paying customers, probably still care for some ride comfort even if the pros do not. Furthermore, comfort, although tough to quantify, does play a definite role in overall performance. With the removal of IsoSpeed, Trek had to find a new way to add ride compliance back into the new Madone. Again, as luck would have it, compliance is the final part of the IsoFlow hat-trick.

While the hole in the seat tube rightly draws much of the attention, the other part of the IsoFlow concept is the cantilevered seat mast. Trek claims this works with the new wider and shallower top tube featuring a thinner cross-section allowing the seat post member to flex and add back some of the compliance removed with the disappearance of IsoSpeed.

The Trek presentations described how IsoFlow offers a simpler and lighter way of introducing ride compliance – the cantilevered seat post flexes over bumps and provides a smoother ride – while retaining stiffness for out-of-the-saddle sprints. In fact, Trek suggests the IsoFlow offers similar comfort levels to the outgoing IsoSpeed’s stiffest setting.

Perhaps unsurprisingly Trek also suggests that while IsoSpeed’s softer settings were great over cobbles and very rough terrain, its Domane may be the better bike for those conditions. As such a stiffer Madone is more in line with how the bike is most often raced.

Simpler it may be – without the pivots, adjustability, and flexing components of the IsoSpeed system – but IsoFlow seems far from simple to design. I put it to Trek that the new IsoFlow design seems to introduce the opportunity for significant stress points in a cantilevered seat post with such sharp angles. I gave the example of hitting the first cobble of the Forest of Arenberg at 65 km/h with the rider’s weight fully back in the saddle.

Alex Bedinghaus, Trek’s senior design engineer, agreed Trek certainly could have made life easier for themselves than deciding to, as he describes it, “create something entirely new, in carbon, with multiple junctions, while making the system aerodynamic, lightweight, and manufacturable.”

All up, the designers spent somewhere in the region of four to five months of development time solely on IsoFlow and ensuring the design was capable of withstanding the forces exerted on those potential stress points. The designers worked through various iterations to find the optimal pedalling stiffness and vertical compliance while still being structurally sound to cope with ultimate loads in a high-stress area.

My non-engineer brain sees the answer to this problem as simply adding more and more layers of carbon into that high-stress area to ensure the suspended seatpost doesn’t fail on the first cobble at Arenberg. Such a solution also carries the obvious knock-on effect of compromising the compliance the IsoFlow design might offer, and Bedinghaus explains it’s not quite so simple.

Simply adding more and more carbon would increase the stiffness too far, diverting flex to other areas of the frame and actually increasing the risk of breakages in a rigid and high-stress area. Instead, Trek claims to have optimised the material choices in this area with varying carbon thicknesses and laminates used throughout the top tube and through the seat mast, balancing stiffness and energy absorption where required.

With all these challenges why didn’t Trek just drop the stays and opt for a narrower seat tube? After all, that’s a design we have seen on countless frames by now. Trek claims simply dropping the stays isn’t always as effective as it may appear and introduces new design challenges in maintaining ride quality and maintaining the compliance offered by either of its Iso systems.

Particularly, Trek suggests dropped stays would have forced it to move to a much narrower seat tube, significantly altering the aerodynamic gains from the entire bike. Simply put, Trek says IsoFlow allows it to hit all the design parameters achieving the vertical compliance and gains it had set out for the new Madone.

All-new frame

The new IsoFlow will no doubt be the centre of attention when the new Madone lands on shop floors and local roads, but Trek has made a host of other updates to the Madone platform. Unsurprisingly, Trek is claiming its new Madone – its flagship, aero-focused speed-motivated platform – is its fastest road bike ever.

The design team was tasked with retaining the overall aesthetic and identity of the Madone while starting with a blank slate to design an entirely new frame. Perhaps most notably, but also the most subtle update, is a new generation of Kammtail tube shapes, which Trek says are derived from thousands of iterations found from improved computing power and software its designers now have access to on-site. The new Kammtail shapes feature blunter noses and rounder trailing edges.

Aerodynamicist John Davis goes so far as to suggest the new Kammtail tubing is a significant development that would otherwise have been Trek’s major talking point in a new frame had they not developed IsoFlow.

These new Kammtail shapes and an ever-improving understanding of carbon layups are said to combine with Trek’s OCLV 800 carbon fibre, to create a more aerodynamic and also lighter frame throughout.

These updates include a smoother head tube with the old headset cut out making way for an integrated design, a down tube said to be aero-optimised for use with and without bottles, and a taller bottom bracket shelf for improved flow over the rear of the bike.

Trek also optimised what remains of the seat tube for both aero and weight savings and introduced a removable front derailleur mount for improved aerodynamics with 1x setups. Just about the only thing remaining from the previous-generation Madone is the T47 bottom bracket.

Rounding out Trek’s aero claims for the new Madone, the brand suggests that around half the aero savings of the new platform are from the new Madone chassis with the other half coming from the improved rider position the new cockpit enables (more on this in a moment). Within the aero savings from the chassis, around a third come from the IsoFlow design, while all the minor details and aero tweaks to the frame combine to make up the other two-thirds. Again these are calculations made possible by CFD modelling which allows the aerodynamicists to isolate separate design interventions and measure their effectiveness.

Weight-wise, the new frame (as mentioned above) accounts for just less than half of the weight savings across the entire bike. Dropping the IsoSpeed sheds some weight, although it is difficult to extrapolate the exact difference due to a host of other adaptions and factors required to accommodate both designs.

Trek also found some weight saving in a new seatpost clamp designed specifically for the new Madone. Combined with the new seatpost, this new clamp offers a greater saddle height range with lower and higher saddle heights both now possible with each seatpost option.

All told, Trek is describing the new rig as its lightest-ever disc brake Madone, although, given the weight of the previous disc Madones, that’s not exactly earth-shattering news.

Perhaps unsurprisingly the new Madone is only compatible with electronic groupsets, be they wired or wireless. Riders choosing a Shimano build will still find their internal battery hidden inside the seat tube. Although, sitting as it now does below the IsoFlow opening, the battery is only accessible by removing the bottom bracket.

Maximum tyre clearance is officially set at 28 mm, but Trek was at pains to point out this figure still offers 6 mm clearance all around and so riders may want to experiment with wider rubber.

All-new cockpit

Along with the frame, Trek has completely redesigned the cockpit, introducing a new one-piece bar stem optimised for both weight and aero. In fact, at approximately 160 g lighter than the previous cockpit design (depending on the size), just over half the weight savings of the entire Madone chassis were realised in the newly designed stem.

The new handlebars are not just lighter though; the design team has overhauled what we might expect from a stock road handlebar. Most notably the new bars feature 3 cm of flare in the drops. With the bar sizes measured in the drops, this flare puts the lever hoods 3 cm narrower for the same size bar, a move Trek says allows riders to adopt a much more aerodynamic riding position.

Just as with the weight saving, Trek suggests just over half of the total drag savings from the new bike were realised through the new narrower hand position the new cockpit enables. It’s not the first time we have heard of the aerodynamic benefits of different hand and arm positions and it’s in keeping with the trend toward narrower setups , particularly since the UCI outlawed the ‘puppy paws’ position.

While the suggested savings might have their fans and detractors, much like with the retained focus on ride comfort, Trek’s focus on not just improving frame aerodynamics but also rider aerodynamics seems like a smart move. The rider on top of the bike will always create the vast majority of the total system drag, so anything that helps riders adopt a more aero position and reduce that drag will almost always have a greater benefit than any adaption to the frame.

The new bars are not just fast because they are narrower. Trek also incorporated its new Kammtail tube shapes into the tops of the bars, again focusing on the wake behind the tube rather than just the tube itself. As such, Trek believes it can move to a more ergonomic bar shape and still reduce drag due to how the airflow interacts with the rider’s legs.

Trek suggests traditional aero-profiled handlebar tops which appear really fast in wind tunnel testing actually increase the airspeed hitting the rider’s legs, potentially neutralising the benefit of the aero handlebars. Trek designers focused on improving the flow interaction with the rider, allowing the designs to incorporate a more ergonomically shaped bar top without increasing aero drag.

The new bars certainly look much more ergonomic than large wing-profiled handlebar tops. The new bar top’s circumference is similar to that of a 31.8 mm round bar, meaning the grip surface area, while still aero profiled, should feel much closer to the grip you might expect from a round bar. Coupled with a significant backsweep and downsweep, Trek claims the new bars allow for much more natural wrist positions and, ultimately, improved comfort.

The drops are new also. There is of course that 3 cm of flare, which Trek says provides a stable and strong platform for sprinting and cornering. The new drops also feature shorter reach and a new curvature designed to enable riders to spend more time in the drops.

The stem is also designed for improved aerodynamics, blending with the bars and flowing into the headset spacers and new top cap in a design which also looks much sleeker.

The new bar stem design is available in 14 different sizes and Trek suggests maintaining your traditional bar width of choice, which will result in your levers sitting 3 cm narrower. If you are not convinced or would prefer to use a different handlebar and stem combo, the new Madone is compatible with standard round 1 1/8” stems. However, a separate bearing top cap from Trek is required.

Trek is making some big aero claims with the new Madone: 19 W faster overall, 60 seconds faster per hour at 45 km/h – essentially you could now ride the same distance in 59 minutes you would have previously covered in 60 minutes.

The savings claims are huge, especially when viewed as a single package. The suggested aero gains are more palatable when assessed on an individual basis. Of the 19 W apparently saved in total, Trek explains more than half of those – 9.7 W – are found in the new rider position and those narrower lever hoods. Again, this makes sense based on what we have seen previously on the importance of hand position and the rider’s contribution to overall drag. Although, we have asked Trek to clarify which position this 9.7 W saving is in comparison to.

The remainder of the savings are said to come from all the marginal improvements made throughout the entire platform. The new Kammtail tubing, the aero bar tops, new head tube, taller bottom bracket etc. all account for about 2/3 of the savings while IsoFlow is thought to account for the remaining third.

Still, almost 10 W is still a huge saving and Trek has reduced the weight by 300 g while retaining some level of compliance. It’s big stuff and it’s a bike we are looking forward to testing in the coming weeks. In the meantime, we will have to both take Trek’s claims at face value, and reserve judgement.

Unsurprisingly, Trek has retained the H1.5 geometry first introduced with the previous generation Madone and later on the current Emonda. The H1.5 geometry is halfway between the super aggressive H1 geometry and the more upright H2 fit Trek has offered previously.

What will have changed though is the lever reach for those who follow Trek’s advice and opt for the new 3 cm narrower lever position on the new integrated cockpit. Trek suggests the difference wasn’t great enough to adjust stock stem lengths. Nevertheless, Trek did tell us “riders will have the option to configure their preferred bar width and stem length in Project One once Madone launches within the configurator at a later date. While riders can work with their local dealer to order the appropriate size for bikes purchased off the shop floor.”

All 47-54 cm bikes will get a short seatpost as standard, while bikes sized 56-62 get a tall seat post. All stock seat posts are 0 mm offset.

Model specs, availability and pricing

Trek will offer the new Madone in six models with a range of groupset options and exclusively at its top-end SLR frame construction. Prices start at US$7,999.99 for the SLR 6 105 Di2 bike and go all the way up to an eye-watering US$13,199.99 for the SRAM Red eTap AXS equipped SLR 9 eTap build. The frameset module (including the frame, fork, and seat post) is priced at US$4,599.99 with international pricing TBC.

Every bike across the range is equipped with Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 tubeless-ready wheels and the new aero bar stem as standard.

As mentioned above, the new Madone will be available through its custom Project One configurator at a later date.

As for availability, officially Trek says it doesn’t expect to have significant inventory at every Trek dealer globally for the first few weeks. The new Madone is available to order through local dealers with first orders delivered within the first two months after today’s launch. Reading between the lines, that sounds a lot like “limited availability at first”.

Also worth noting, Trek will retain the current Madone – including the IsoSpeed – as the Madone SL going forward. It’s due to sit at a lower price point and entry into the Madone range.

More information can be found at www.trekbikes.com .

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finale","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/giro-ditalia-stage-4-jonathan-milan-wins-wild-sprint-pogacar-avoids-trouble\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/giro-ditalia-stage-4-jonathan-milan-wins-wild-sprint-pogacar-avoids-trouble\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"giro d\u0027italia stage 4: jonathan milan wins wild sprint, poga\u010dar avoids trouble in dangerous finale\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/giro-ditalia-stage-4-jonathan-milan-wins-wild-sprint-pogacar-avoids-trouble\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"giro d\u0027italia stage 4: jonathan milan wins wild sprint, poga\u010dar avoids trouble in dangerous finale\"}}\u0027>\n giro d\u0027italia stage 4: jonathan milan wins wild 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analysis: is geraint thomas the only opposition to a poga\u010dar procession\"}}\u0027>\n giro d\u0027italia gc analysis: is geraint thomas the only opposition to a poga\u010dar procession\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"man arrested for firing shotgun at cyclists on a charity ride","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/man-arrested-for-firing-shotgun-at-cyclists-on-a-charity-ride\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/man-arrested-for-firing-shotgun-at-cyclists-on-a-charity-ride\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"man arrested for firing shotgun at cyclists on a charity ride\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/man-arrested-for-firing-shotgun-at-cyclists-on-a-charity-ride\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"man arrested for firing shotgun at cyclists on a charity ride\"}}\u0027>\n man arrested for firing shotgun at cyclists on a charity ride\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u0027ride for magnus\u0027 memorial bike ride will honor magnus white and serve as rallying call","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/ride-for-magnus-memorial-bike-ride-will-honor-magnus-white-and-serve-as-rallying-call\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/ride-for-magnus-memorial-bike-ride-will-honor-magnus-white-and-serve-as-rallying-call\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u0027ride for magnus\u0027 memorial bike ride will honor magnus white and serve as rallying call\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/ride-for-magnus-memorial-bike-ride-will-honor-magnus-white-and-serve-as-rallying-call\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u0027ride for magnus\u0027 memorial bike ride will honor magnus white and serve as rallying call\"}}\u0027>\n \u0027ride for magnus\u0027 memorial bike ride will honor magnus white and serve as rallying call\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"cavendish sits up in sprint marred by nasty crash, sagan kicks to 18th in road return in hungary","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/cavendish-sits-up-in-sprint-marred-by-nasty-crash-sagan-hits-deck-in-road-return-in-hungary\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/cavendish-sits-up-in-sprint-marred-by-nasty-crash-sagan-hits-deck-in-road-return-in-hungary\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"cavendish sits up in sprint marred by nasty crash, sagan kicks to 18th in road return in hungary\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/cavendish-sits-up-in-sprint-marred-by-nasty-crash-sagan-hits-deck-in-road-return-in-hungary\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"cavendish sits up in sprint marred by nasty crash, sagan kicks to 18th in road return in hungary\"}}\u0027>\n cavendish sits up in sprint marred by nasty crash, sagan kicks to 18th in road return in hungary\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"giro d\u0027italia results: jhonatan narv\u00e1ez foils poga\u010dar to win stage 1","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/jhonatan-narvaez-foils-pogacar-to-win-stage-one-of-the-giro-ditalia\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/jhonatan-narvaez-foils-pogacar-to-win-stage-one-of-the-giro-ditalia\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"giro d\u0027italia results: jhonatan narv\u00e1ez foils poga\u010dar to win stage 1\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/jhonatan-narvaez-foils-pogacar-to-win-stage-one-of-the-giro-ditalia\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"giro d\u0027italia results: jhonatan narv\u00e1ez foils poga\u010dar to win stage 1\"}}\u0027>\n giro d\u0027italia results: jhonatan narv\u00e1ez foils poga\u010dar to win stage 1\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u2018i tried, i gave everything:\u2019 poga\u010dar mulling over missed opportunity for giro d\u2019italia stage win","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/i-tried-i-gave-everything-pogacar-mulling-over-missed-opportunity-for-giro-ditalia-stage-win\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/i-tried-i-gave-everything-pogacar-mulling-over-missed-opportunity-for-giro-ditalia-stage-win\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018i tried, i gave everything:\u2019 poga\u010dar mulling over missed opportunity for giro d\u2019italia stage win\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/i-tried-i-gave-everything-pogacar-mulling-over-missed-opportunity-for-giro-ditalia-stage-win\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018i tried, i gave everything:\u2019 poga\u010dar mulling over missed opportunity for giro d\u2019italia stage win\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018i tried, i gave everything:\u2019 poga\u010dar mulling over missed opportunity for giro d\u2019italia stage win\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"giro d\u0027italia stage 5: benjamin thomas rules from four rider escape as breakaway stuns the sprinters","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/giro-ditalia-stage-5-benjamin-thomas-rules-from-four-rider-escape-as-breakaway-stuns-the-sprinters\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/giro-ditalia-stage-5-benjamin-thomas-rules-from-four-rider-escape-as-breakaway-stuns-the-sprinters\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"giro d\u0027italia stage 5: benjamin thomas rules from four rider escape as breakaway stuns the sprinters\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/giro-ditalia-stage-5-benjamin-thomas-rules-from-four-rider-escape-as-breakaway-stuns-the-sprinters\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"giro d\u0027italia stage 5: benjamin thomas rules from four rider escape as breakaway stuns the sprinters\"}}\u0027>\n giro d\u0027italia stage 5: benjamin thomas rules from four rider escape as breakaway stuns the sprinters\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"5 ways to go faster (without increasing your power)","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-training\/5-ways-to-go-faster-without-increasing-your-power\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-training\/5-ways-to-go-faster-without-increasing-your-power\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"5 ways to go faster (without increasing your power)\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-training\/5-ways-to-go-faster-without-increasing-your-power\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"5 ways to go faster (without increasing your power)\"}}\u0027>\n 5 ways to go faster (without increasing your power)\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"the next great breakthrough cian uijtdebroeks shines early in giro d\u2019italia","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/the-next-great-breakthrough-cian-uijtdebroeks-shines-on-stage-two-of-the-giro-ditalia\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/the-next-great-breakthrough-cian-uijtdebroeks-shines-on-stage-two-of-the-giro-ditalia\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the next great breakthrough cian uijtdebroeks shines early in giro d\u2019italia\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/the-next-great-breakthrough-cian-uijtdebroeks-shines-on-stage-two-of-the-giro-ditalia\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the next great breakthrough cian uijtdebroeks shines early in giro d\u2019italia\"}}\u0027>\n the next great breakthrough cian uijtdebroeks shines early in giro d\u2019italia\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"red bull to debut at tour de france but don\u0027t expect spending spree: \u0027our goal is not to sign riders who\u0027ve already won the tour\u0027","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/red-bull-to-debut-at-tour-de-france-but-dont-expect-spending-spree-our-goal-is-not-to-sign-riders-whove-already-won-the-tour\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/red-bull-to-debut-at-tour-de-france-but-dont-expect-spending-spree-our-goal-is-not-to-sign-riders-whove-already-won-the-tour\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"red bull to debut at tour de france but don\u0027t expect spending spree: \u0027our goal is not to sign riders who\u0027ve already won the tour\u0027\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/red-bull-to-debut-at-tour-de-france-but-dont-expect-spending-spree-our-goal-is-not-to-sign-riders-whove-already-won-the-tour\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"red bull to debut at tour de france but don\u0027t expect spending spree: \u0027our goal is not to sign riders who\u0027ve already won the tour\u0027\"}}\u0027>\n red bull to debut at tour de france but don\u0027t expect spending spree: \u0027our goal is not to sign riders who\u0027ve already won the tour\u0027\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"review: the merlin sandstone 40 is forward looking with timeless style","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/review-merlin-sandstone-40-xlg-titanium-all-road-bike\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/review-merlin-sandstone-40-xlg-titanium-all-road-bike\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"review: the merlin sandstone 40 is forward looking with timeless style\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/review-merlin-sandstone-40-xlg-titanium-all-road-bike\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"review: the merlin sandstone 40 is forward looking with timeless style\"}}\u0027>\n review: the merlin sandstone 40 is forward looking with timeless style\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "}]' > >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>advertise >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>privacy policy >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>contact >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>careers >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>terms of use >", 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Trek Madone 9.0 brings normal bar and stem to aero superbike

Most inexpensive new Madone gets more adjustable cockpit

Ben Delaney / Immediate Media

Ben Delaney

Interested in an aero bike but want something with a normal, adjustable cockpit and a pricetag that isn't five figures? Trek's new Madone 9.0 might be what you're after.

• Trek Madone 9 Series review
• Trek Madone 9.0 review
• Best aero road bikes: 13 of our top picks

Trek Madone 9.0 highlights

• Same frame and fork as $12,000 / £12,000 / AU$13,499 Madone 9.9
• Normal stem and adjustable aero handlebar
• Shimano Ultegra group with Madone Aero brakes
• Bontrager Aeolus Comp Tubeless Ready 50mm wheels
• 50-62cm sizes, four color options
• $3,999 / £3,500 / AU$5,499

The head tube has cuckoo-clock-like panels that hide the upper portion of the integrated caliper

Aero, but....

In late 2015 Trek overhauled the Madone as an ultra-aero race machine, with not only cables but the brakes themselves hidden from the wind. The bike received plaudits from several cycling outlets including BikeRadar for its aero performance and its comfort, thanks largely to Trek's IsoSpeed flex design.

But while the bike managed to avoid the typical buggabo of early aero bikes — they're fast, but they ain't comfy — it did proceed with a typical aero compromise of ergonomic adjustability in favor of an ultra-clean integrated bar/stem that is demonstrably faster.

For context, most major companies with a high-end aero bike sell it with some form of integrated bar/stem, for the same reason: it's aerodynamically faster than a round bar and normal stem by a significant margin. Most companies claim at least a 4-watt improvement. (A good aero bike has a total drag number in the 70-watt range.)

And while integrated bar/stem cockpits work well for many riders, some people would prefer particular bar shapes, or bar angles, or at least the ability to make changes. With an integrated design, you get what you get.

Integrated pieces have another issue: cost.

Enter the Madone 9.0. Now Trek has an aero bike with the exact frame and fork as the $12,000 / £12,000 / AU$13,499 Madone 9.9, but with a normal stem and an aero but separate handlebar — and a much more attainable $3,999 / £3,500 / AU$5,499 price tag.

Made from the brand's 600 series OLCV carbon the Madone 9.0 sees the H2 geometry — only the Race Shop Limited version gets the H1 fit.

Deep wheels and a compact crank

The Bontrager Aeolus Comp 5 wheels can be set up tubeless but come with 25mm standard clinchers and tubes. Although not as light as all-carbon hoops, the aerodynamics of the metal-rim-with-carbon-fairing design have to be very similar. And you get the more consistent braking of an alloy track.

Current edition Shimano Ultegra continues the Japanese company's fine tradition of an excellent second-tier group that for all intents and purpose functions like Dura-Ace but with a few more grams.

One curious spec choice is the compact 50/34 crank. When paired with the 11-28 cassette this is a great everyday setup, but it seems like amateur racers in particular would be drawn to such an aero bike, and might want if not necessarily need a 52/36. If this is a concern, it is likely that your local Trek dealer could swap it out for you.

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Things to Do in Elektrostal, Russia - Elektrostal Attractions

Things to do in elektrostal.

• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Budget-friendly
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Electrostal History and Art Museum

2. Statue of Lenin

3. Park of Culture and Leisure

4. museum and exhibition center.

5. Museum of Labor Glory

7. Galereya Kino

8. viki cinema, 9. smokygrove.

10. Gandikap

11. papa lounge bar, 12. karaoke bar.

• Statue of Lenin
• Electrostal History and Art Museum
• Park of Culture and Leisure
• Museum and Exhibition Center
• Museum of Labor Glory

40 Facts About Elektrostal

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 02 Mar 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy, materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes, offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development.

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy, with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

Elektrostal's fascinating history, vibrant culture, and promising future make it a city worth exploring. For more captivating facts about cities around the world, discover the unique characteristics that define each city . Uncover the hidden gems of Moscow Oblast through our in-depth look at Kolomna. Lastly, dive into the rich industrial heritage of Teesside, a thriving industrial center with its own story to tell.

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