trek madone slr 8 2019 review

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2019 Trek Madone SLR first-ride review: Upping the ante

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The Trek Madone SLR takes all that was good with the previous Madone and made the new bike markedly better in seemingly every way. It’s now offered in both disc-brake and rim-brake variants, it’s supposedly just as aerodynamic as before (in both versions), the ride quality is more balanced and composed, and it even looks better with a shape that’s clearly derived from the predecessor, but yet cleaner and more refined.

Is the new Madone SLR the best aero road bike on the market? That question is impossible to answer with putting every other competitor through an exhaustive battery of objective and subjective tests, like the new Specialized Venge , Cannondale SystemSix , Giant Propel , and BMC Timemachine Road . But Trek sure seems to have made it harder for anyone else to claim the crown.

A clever new IsoSpeed design and a more balanced feel

While much of the attention surrounding the new Madone SLR revolves around its newly available disc brakes, it’s the new IsoSpeed system that should really be generating all the buzz.

But first, a primer on IsoSpeed for those of you who might not be entirely familiar with it: Instead of molding the seat tube, seatstays, and top tube together in a single structural unit as is usually the case, Trek “decouples” the seat tube from the rest of the frame, connecting it only with a pivot axle and a set of cartridge bearings. In this way, the seat tube is able to flex much more than usual when riding over rough terrain, and there’s a very significant improvement in ride quality as a result.

Pivot or not, though, deep-section seat tubes like what you typically find in an aero road bike aren’t exactly conducive to bending, so on the previous Madone, Trek used a novel dual seat tube design, where the integrated seatmast stepped down to a much smaller section at the IsoSpeed pivot. That smaller-diameter tube was then inserted into the outer aero-section seat tube, and bonded at the base. It definitely worked, but it wasn’t without its issues.

For one, the softness of the system was inversely related to the length of the tube, which is exactly what you don’t want; smaller bikes are usually piloted by shorter and lighter riders, not heavier ones. And unlike Trek’s Domane SLR endurance road bike, the system on the previous Madone wasn’t adjustable. It’s also worth noting that from a manufacturing standpoint, the double nested seat tube design wasn’t exactly easy to make.

And so for this new Madone SLR, Trek has shifted to a new L-shaped design, with the spring portion of the IsoSpeed system residing beneath the top tube. Since there’s more length to work with here, smaller bikes can now be set up from the factory to ride softer than bigger ones as they should, and because the unit is also now externally accessible, Trek was also able to give it the same adjustable stiffness functionality as on the Domane SLR.

According to Trek, that adjustment range is pretty generous, too. The frame is 17% softer in its softest setting than the old Madone’s fixed setting for a given size, but up to 21% stiffer for riders who want a firmer feel. To combat unwanted bounciness, there’s even a small elastomer-based friction damper hidden inside the seat tube to help control the motion while pedalling.

Another complaint on the old Madone was its somewhat disjointed ride: while the rear end stayed impressively planted on rough roads, the front end was comparatively harsh and unyielding. Trek hasn’t added the Front IsoSpeed device on the new Madone SLR like it did for the Domane SLR, but the new cockpit supposedly offers a little more flex nonetheless to help balance things out (more on that in a bit).

Disc-brake and rim-brake variants

As expected, Trek’s new aero road flagship finally adds disc brakes to the options list, along with the usual flat-mount caliper interfaces and 12mm-diameter front and rear thru-axles. Despite the decidedly non-aero brake hardware, though, Trek says that the new disc-brake Madone SLR posts virtually the same drag figures in the wind tunnel as the previous rim-brake Madone — a claim that’s all the more impressive considering that the predecessor was already widely regarded (and proven in third-party testing) to be among the most aerodynamic bikes on the road.

Trek hasn’t abandoned rim brakes just yet, though.

Rim brakes will be available throughout the entire Madone SLR line, and they’ve undergone some significant refinements. The rear caliper is mildly reshaped, but still blended into the seatstays, but the front caliper is virtually complete redesign.

Whereas the previous Madone had the front brake mounted to the front of the fork, the new Madone SLR flips the script and places the caliper on the back of the fork. It’s still a symmetrical roller-cam arrangement like before, but now the cable passes directly through the base of the steerer tube, and the wedge-and-roller assembly is turned almost 90° to create a more compact package. The old “vector wings” — better known as the spring-loaded “flappy doors” — that were once required for sufficient steering range are gone. There’s now a stop hidden inside the upper headset assembly to keep the bars from slamming into the top tube during a crash.

I didn’t have a chance to sample the new rim brakes, but it’s at least encouraging to see that they offer the same amount of easy adjustability as before, including left and right pad location, left and right arm angle, and left and right arm tension, all of which can be accessed through ports on the cosmetic caliper cover.

The switch to disc brakes carries an additional benefit, too: more tire clearance.

Officially, the maximum allowable tire size is 25mm for the rim-brake version, but 28mm for the disc-brake one. However, it’s worth noting that Trek’s internal guidelines for tire clearance are more conservative than typical, requiring no less than 6mm of space between the tire and the closest point on the frame or fork; 4mm is more common (and technically mandated for stock bikes), and some companies flout those guidelines altogether when making claims of what will fit.

As such, it seems safe to say that a 28mm-wide tire will comfortably fit in the rim-brake Madone SLR, and 30mm-wide ones will fit in the disc-brake version, which should provide more than enough cush for most paved roads.

One geometry to rule them all, but still plenty of fit options

Trek previously offered each Madone size in two fit variants: the slightly more upright H2 version that was aimed at everyday riders, and the more aggressive H1 fit with its substantially lower, and slightly longer, front end. Trek has now switched to a single geometry called H1.5 for the Madone SLR, however.

As the name suggests, the H1.5 fit splits the difference between H1 and H2. It’s about 1.5cm taller than the former and about 1cm lower than the latter. According to Trek, a new -12° stem option will still replicate that H1 fit for its sponsored pro athletes and anyone else that can comfortably ride in that sort of posture, while the standard -7° stem will still offer a sportier fit than the old H2.

Like before, there is no women-specific frame. There will be women-specific models, but those will only differ from the unisex versions in terms of components, component sizes, and colors.

Speaking of components, Trek has supplied the Madone SLR with an all-new two-piece aero cockpit that replaces the previous one-piece design and finally allows users to fine-tune the bar angle (by up to +/-5°). The flattened tops are also now swept back slightly (for better ergonomics, according to Trek), and there’s more wrist clearance while in the drops than before as well.

Perhaps best of all, the new two-piece configuration not only allows for the slightly softer ride quality already mentioned but also offers a wider range of width and length combinations than before. Stem length options are again limited to 90, 100, 110, 120, and 130mm, but in addition to those two -7° and -12° angles, there are now four bar widths instead of three: 38, 40, 42, and 44cm. Changing either the stem length or bar width later on will obviously be less expensive now, too.

Just as aero, and nearly as light

Trek says that its goal for the new Madone SLR was to “maintain aerodynamic drag performance of the current Madone (within 30g) across an averaged -12.5° to 12.5° yaw sweep.” In the end, the company claims a 3,216g of measured drag with the disc-brake Madone SLR vs. 3,202g on the old Madone — supposedly within the margin of error for the well-known Low Speed Wind Tunnel facility in San Diego, California.

Frame weights have gone up, but only very slightly. According to Trek, the current 56cm Madone 9 frame comes in at 1,053g, plus 376g for the matching fork. Claimed weight for the new rim-brake Madone SLR frame and fork are 1,112g and 378g, respectively, while the disc-brake version is slightly heavier still at 1,131g and 421g. Even so, Trek says the complete bike weights are identical for the rim-brake version — 7.1kg (15.65lb) for a 56cm size, without pedals. Claimed weight for the disc-brake Madone SLR is expectedly heavier, at 7.5kg (16.53lb), but supposedly still within the design targets.

Truly stunning custom paint options with Project One ICON

Naturally, Trek will once again offer the Madone through its Project One custom program, and there are apparently a lot of people who choose to go that route. According to Trek, fully half of all current Madones sold are Project One variants.

Project One buyers will be able to choose components, component sizes, and paint as usual, but new this year is the Project One ICON paint program, which includes six pre-configured color and design schemes that are clearly above and beyond the usual offerings.

There’s little point in wasting words describing what the new Project One ICON paint options look like. Instead, it’s far better to just show them to you.

Sampling the Madone SLR in cow town

Trek’s global headquarters of Waterloo, Wisconsin seems like an odd place to develop a world-class aero road bike like the new Madone SLR. There are seemingly more dairy cows here than people, no massive cols, and the rumbly pavement is poorly maintained. Winters here are long and punishing, and summer heat and humidity can sometimes make riding indoors in artificially cooled air oddly appealing.

Yet that environment still offers a surprisingly demanding setting. Harsh-riding bikes are downright punishing on the coarsely surfaced tarmac and annoyingly pronounced expansion joints, and mushy chassis bog down on the steep and punchy climbs that dot the dairy roads west of town, not to mention the unofficial sprint lines marked by the frequent town and county limit signs. The downhills may be short, but they’re similarly steep and fast, and coupled with the lumpy road surface, it’s easy to get in over your head.

The previous-generation model was widely regarded as a benchmark in the category, with independently verified best-in-class aerodynamic performance, a surprisingly accommodating ride quality thanks to Trek’s truly innovative IsoSpeed “decoupler” at the seat cluster, and one of the most highly integrated designs in the industry.

So is the new version really better? Actually, yes, it is.

First and foremost, the improvement in ride quality is striking. The new IsoSpeed design is unquestionably smoother than the old one, but I didn’t notice a hint of bounciness in the saddle even with the IsoSpeed slider set in “full party mode.” Even better is the more controlled ride up front, which is less chattery and punishing than the one one-piece cockpit. It’s still nowhere near as pillowy as what the IsoSpeed offers out back, but it nevertheless makes for a more balanced feel front-to-back and a more planted sensation in general.

Remember what I said about those dairy roads being a little coarse and occasionally steep? One descent there dropped a paltry 70m (230ft) in elevation, and yet I still easily topped 80km/h (50mph) on the way down. Thankfully, the new Madone SLR felt perfectly at home in that moment, with neither the twisty corners nor the less-than-ideal pavement doing much of anything to upset its composure.

Those twisty corners also only served to confirm another of my favorite traits about the Madone: its impeccable handling. High-speed stability is truly confidence-inspiring, but yet it’s still plenty eager to change direction when necessary, and with little more than a subtle lean required to initiate the turn. Aside from the difference in head tube length, Trek changed nothing about the Madone’s frame geometry, and in this case, that’s a very good thing.

Bottom bracket stiffness feel about on-par with the old model, which is to say it’s very good and amply efficient. Front-triangle torsional stiffness seems to have improved slightly, though, which is a welcome change seeing as how I found the previous Madone to be a bit lacking in that regard.

Speaking of bottom brackets, Trek is soldiering on with its proprietary BB90 press-fit design . I didn’t experience any creaking either during my initial test ride in Wisconsin, or subsequent rides back on local roads in Colorado, but it’s still only been a few days so far. Even given the weight penalty, I still wish Trek had switched to a wide-format shell with more robust bearing options, such as PF86, T47, or even BB386EVO. But such is life.

I have no complaints so far about the new cockpit, however. The sweptback tops indeed feel more natural to hold (although I’d still prefer they were taped from the factory), and the additional wrist clearance while in the drops is most welcome.

But is the Madone SLR fast? And is it light? I can only objectively confirm the latter, as my 52cm sample weighed 7.70kg (16.98lb) without pedals, but with cages — not far off from the claimed figures, but still within the ballpark given the thick coats of paint (and paint is surprisingly heavy). As for speed, well, it certainly seems easier to maintain high speeds on the Madone SLR, which suggests that it’s just as aerodynamically slick as before.

However, what I found more interesting was the fact that I stopped thinking about it being a good aero road bike, and more about how it was a good road bike, period: capable, composed, planted, responsive. Those are all traits I value for any road bike, and the fact that companies have finally figured out how to make everything converge into a single machine that also happens to be aerodynamic is something that is long overdue.

Welcome to the new reality.

www.trekbikes.com

Disclaimer: Trek provided CyclingTips with airfare, accommodations, and loaner equipment to use during this event. Trek has also been an advertiser with CyclingTips.

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2019 Trek Madone SLR 8 Disc

• Description

Bike Specifications

Professional reviews.

The 2019 Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc convinces with its absolutely outstanding riding characteristics in all aspects. The stability combined with first-class agility and the incredibly high level of comfort for an aero bike not only ensures fast times but also good times. The sprightly but composed handling conveys a lot of confidence and gladly forgives occasional rider errors. Despite the IsoSpeed shocks, Trek manages to keep the weight of the size 56 down at 7.63 kg. The Madone is a masterpiece of engineering. Trek has created an aero bike for everyone – from beginners to professionals, everyone wins, and it’ll make a lasting impression at the café too.

Manuel Buck, Gran Fondo Please note the specific model reviewed may be different.

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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

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• Madone SLR 9 Gen 6

Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc review

Cycling Weekly has shown that the Trek Madone is one of the fastest aero bikes available today, but has the update with discs made it even better? I certainly think so

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The Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc is a great bike – it feels like a technical masterpiece you can live with every day; of course you won't want to ride to work on it! The ride feels quality and it truly does want to take off. The added adjustable ISOSpeed is a great idea and the fact it doesn't hinder anything else, other than add a little bit of weight, is no bad thing. Great work Trek!

Ride quality

Performance

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

It is clearly one of the fastest bikes on the market, even a year since its launch. I really enjoyed my time with the Trek Madone and would happily have it back for more riding. Fast, capable, great handling and surprisingly comfortable for such an aggressive bike and that is why it is in for Editor's Choice again.

It's the year of the aero bike as Trek follows suit and launches an updated version of its wind-cheating machine, the Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc.

This is the sixth Madone iteration, the first being launched back in 2003, and although a lot of you might be crying out that it looks exactly like the fifth  Trek Madone,  launched in 2015, it has in fact received many updates despite that similar silhouette.

>>> Best carbon road bikes

The main thing you see here is of course the disc brakes for the new Madone, but you’ll have a rim-brake version to choose from if you so wish, something that other major brands have chosen to avoid. This is because the American brand believes the customer should have options and, truly, the jury is still out on disc brakes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H2kJb7rIiM&t=265s

Although it follows the same silhouette of the last year's Madone, the new Trek Madone SLR utilises a new geometry fit. The new H1.5 shape is something that Trek says was asked for by the riders and was developed with the women’s pro team, Trek-Drops. It means more riders can fit the Trek Madone SLR and with a choice of low or high-stack stems you should be able to get a similar fit to the older geo (H1 low, H2 high).

>>> Is women’s specific geometry still relevant in 2018?

With this you get a new two-piece handlebar and stem that offers full cable integration but also versatility. The most impressive thing is that you can get a 5° tilt on the handlebar, something I’ve wanted to see on aero handlebars for a while now. Being two-piece means you can get the right stem length to match the right handlebar width, very important for all us fussy cyclists.

The bars are nicely shaped, the tops are comfortable and feel relatively stiff when out the saddle sprinting – overall a very nice design.

Riding the new Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc

Aerodynamics

What impressed me the most is how fast the bike feels. This is really tangible, even against the likes of the Specialized Tarmac that does in its own right feel lightning quick (and the older version of the Venge ViAS) that I have been riding recently. The bike just flies!

Cycling Weekly's  in-house testing of the last model of the Madone found it to be the fastest bike aerodynamically, closely followed by the  Specialized Venge ViAS , which has also now been updated for the better in 2018 if a little more dramatically than the Trek Madone.

Does the Madone still remain the fastest aero bike available? That is yet to be seen although, according to Trek, it is in fact faster than the previous version despite the inclusion of disc brakes. According to Trek, between 10 and 20 grams of drag has been saved when compared to last year’s rim-brake bike but in the real world this is fairly negligible, representing a watt or two saving at most.

But what I want to know is why Trek hasn't used leverless thru-axles? I mean, it has taken care of every aspect of the bike but sticks a large lever on one side? I just don't get it.

Some of that quick nip will be down to the new wheels and tyres from Trek-owned Bontrager, which provides the Bontrager Aeolus XXX 6 tubeless-ready disc brake wheels and Bontrager R4 320 tyres that even sound fast as you're swooshing along.

Sadly, I haven't been uploading anything to Strava (I know, not on Strava didn't happen right?) but the Trek Madone SLR has felt effortless to ride and you can't help but cruise at 20mph without hinderance.

And the best thing is it doesn't come at the price of handling or comfort.

Comfort v stiffness

Straight out on the road you can tell the Madone is a racing bike. It is hard and fast, so if you are looking for a sofa to sit on, look elsewhere. That isn't to say it can't be a comfortable ride too.

As the Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc now comes with the IsoSpeed decoupler fitted to the top tube so that aerodynamics isn’t compromised but ride quality can be improved, you can tune comfort levels to suit you, whether dictated by terrain, rider weight or rider preference.

This according to Trek also allows for the ride qualities of the frame to be the same across all the sizes.

I initially thought this would mean issues for the consumer: don't give people a choice because it surely creates more complications down the line; just make a bike that is compliant and stiff. How very wrong I was!

In its softest setting it yields 17 per cent more compliance than the older Madone and in the hardest setting it is 21 per cent stiffer. A damper has been added around the seatpost to help reduce rebound by around 13 per cent.

I've ridden the Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc in various IsoSpeed modes to discover what difference to the rear it would make. I learnt that I probably wouldn't ride in the stiffest setting as it was a little too harsh at the rear for me. At that point it was very similar to the likes of the  Giant Propel  in terms of rear-end feel – a little uncomfortable and I needed the odd out-of-the-saddle break.

Towards the middle and softest setting was my preferred mode and I could altogether forget I was riding such a racing machine, let alone an aero road bike that more often than not is too hard to ever be called comfortable.

To be frank about the bike's stiffness, I couldn't really tell that I was getting anything less from the bike in the softest setting, it still whipped up a storm no problem.

However, unlike the Giant it propelled me down descents like a dream. I didn't feel that chatter that stiff aero bikes can suffer from around the bends when pushed, whereby you are skipping across the surface of the tarmac instead of remaining planted and gripping firmly around the corners. It has enough compliance to hold the bends and offer up plenty of ride feel to keep you aware of what is going on underneath.

The Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc Weight-wise we’re looking at around 1,000g for a 56cm frameset according to Trek and my size small 52cm complete is 7.5kg on our scales, which is competitive for an aero bike and is in large part thanks to the use of the high-end and much respected OCLV 700 carbon, the American brand’s highest-grade carbon – although there are lighter aero bikes out there.

That 7.5kg weight isn't felt that much though, even on the climbs, and the bike feels light on its feet, which thanks to the performance and stiffness of the frame helps the bike's feel enormously.

There isn't much you could do to bring it down, I fear. Wheels of course could be replaced with lighter ones if that is what you are after; maybe sticking some lighter components on such as the saddle etc. But I don't think that's needed here. You get plenty of advantage from the aerodynamics so that you don't need to concern yourself too much with weight – but as I say there are lighter aero bikes on the market.

Trek has done an amazing job with the Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc. The American brand has just improved on that, even more, which can only mean I give it a 10/10 to match the £11,050 price tag.

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Symon Lewis joined Cycling Weekly as an Editorial Assistant in 2010, he went on to become a Tech Writer in 2014 before being promoted to Tech Editor in 2015 before taking on a role managing Video and Tech in 2019. Lewis discovered cycling via Herne Hill Velodrome, where he was renowned for his prolific performances, and spent two years as a coach at the South London velodrome. 

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• Rider Notes

2019 Trek Madone SLR 8

A carbon frame aero bike with ultra high-end components and rim brakes. Compare the full range

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A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

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What’s better than Trek’s Madone SLR? How about a Madone SLR that’s lighter? Or one with a different bottom bracket? If either of those sound good to you, then you’ll want to check out the 2021 Madone SLR. The SLR addition to the Madone name gives the indication that this isn’t your average Trek. In […]

Read Review

Dec 2019 · Symon Lewis

Cycling Weekly has shown that the Trek Madone is one of the fastest aero bikes available today, but has the update with discs made it even better? I certainly think so

Ride quality

Performance

Aug 2019 · Stu Bowers

Trek proves hands down that disc brakes, true-aero race geometry, light weight and sublime comfort no longer need to be conflicting

Incredibly comfy rear end that’s adjustable to suit rider preference

With handling to back it up

You may need to sell a kidney or remortgage the house to afford one

June 2019 · David Arthur @davearthur

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

Mar 2019 · Warren Rossiter

Winner of best superbike in our annual Bike of the Year awards is the latest evolution of Trek’s flagship aero bike

Groundbreaking comfort, stunning handling and seriously rapid

Five-figure price tag

Nov 2018 · Manuel Buck

Das Beste. The Best. Le Meilleur. The latest generation of the Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc promises to be even faster, more aerodynamic and lighter.

July 2018 · Dan Cavallari

Trek has fine-tuned its IsoSpeed Decoupler, improved the fit, and added disc brakes, making this edition of the Madone even better.

It might look the same on the outside, but underneath it's an all new Madone

Last updated 16 September Not listed for 1,713 days

Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc 2019 Review

The Best. Le Meilleur. The latest generation of the Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc promises to be even faster, more aerodynamic and lighter. With its oversized tubing and eye-catching paint scheme, the 2019 Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc definitely stands out, and thanks to the IsoSpeed suspension, supposedly even aero bikes can be comfortable. Has Trek succeeded in doing so, and will it be enough to beat the competition?

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test : The best aero bike of 2019 – 3 race machines head-to-head

The Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc 2019 gets you a lot of bike for € 11,499; no other bike in the test field features tubes as massively oversized. Rather than looking clumsy, however, the Madone looks as if the whole thing has been popped out of a single mould, thanks to the harmonious design and the organic shapes. The gorgeous matt black frame, paired with glossy logos and colour accents screams speed. Only when examining it closely will you discover Trek’s individually adjustable IsoSpeed damper, which is designed to provide adjustable flex between the frame and seat tube for comfort. The designers have done a great job of integrating the damper into the overall design. As with the competition, integration is one of the key aspects of the Madone. Cables and hoses are routed internally through the cockpit and the frame and the Di2 junction box is hidden in the handlebars. The chain catcher, as well as the cadence and speed sensor, are hardly visible, and the aerodynamic transition between frame and fork is much smoother when turning than compared to the competition.

No matter the light – the Madone looks imposing

Trek has also installed a steering block to prevent damaging the internal cables. The integrated seat post (ISP) is beautifully colour matched and the adjustment is easily accessible. The only drawback is the open design on the back, which is susceptible to collecting dirt. A cover would have been nice. On a positive note, the saddle clamp has an attachment point for Bontrager’s Flare RT tail light, which slots in beautifully under the saddle for increased visibility and safety on the road.

The cockpit of the Madone is definitely a highlight. The cables and hoses are routed through the bars and disappear directly into the frame. The handlebars are clamped from below with four bolts, which requires some practice if you want to avoid unsightly gaps. Advantage: the angle of the handlebars can be adjusted individually and when everything is in place, you have a great looking, tidy cockpit. We liked the slightly flared drops off the bat, offering a great compromise between an aerodynamic position on the hoods and control in the drops. Besides looking clean, the stem is horizontal with the ground – the #slamthestem community will be happy. For those who want to mount their GPS device on the cockpit, Bontrager has got an appropriate option in its catalogue of accessories. With regard to the hefty price tag, we would have expected this – as with Specialized – to be a part of the standard spec.

The Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc 2019 in detail

The Madone doesn’t disappoint when it comes to the components, offering a mix of the high-end Shimano DURA-ACE groupset and Bontrager’s own XXX carbon components. The DURA-ACE Di2 R9170 comes with a compact 50-34 crankset and an 11-28 cassette, 160mm brake rotors, and 60mm deep Bontrager Aeolus XXX 6 tubeless ready wheels, which in combination with Bontrager’s 25mm wide R4 320 tyres provide the lightest wheel-tyre combination in the test field. The geometry of the Madone is new: the H1.5 geometry now offers only one geometry variant which is meant to provide “the best of both worlds,” instead of the race-oriented H1 and the more comfortable H2.

Drivetrain Shimano DURA-Ace DI2 Wheels Bontrager Aeolus XXX 6 Brakes Shimano DURA-ACE 160/160 mm Tires Bontrager R4 320 Weight 7.63 kg Price € 11,499

If the standard colours of the Madone aren’t flashy enough for you, for an additional € 1,200 the one-off Trek Project One ICON paint job, only available for the Madone, might be the ticket. The “regular” Project One finishes are available as well for € 600.

Anyone expecting sluggish and cumbersome handling due to the sheer volume of the frame will be taught otherwise right from the get go. The Trek Madone surprises with its nimble and agile handling and gets up to speed very quickly thanks to the stiff frame and the light wheelset. When pedalling you can feel the efficiency, which is a joy when climbing too. The Madone isn’t only fast, but also sounds that way. Thanks to the large volume of the frame, the whoosh of the Madone announces itself like a low flying jet.

Tuning Tips:

• 140 mm rear brake rotor for better braking balance
• matt black carbon rims for a more matching look
• steerer spacers must go
• semi-compact crank instead of compact crank

The geometry of the Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc 2019

Going downhill, cornering and also on the straights, the Madone impresses with its confidence inspiring stability in all situations. It corners like it’s on rails and the Trek even makes quick direction changes feel easy. Hard braking never feels uncontrolled whereby we would actually have preferred a 140 mm rotor instead of the 160 mm rotor at the rear, for a better distribution of braking power.

When it comes to comfort, the Madone easily puts the competition in its wake, thanks to the IsoSpeed shocks. Individually adjustable, they offer a high degree of comfort at the rear, which is almost at the level of a comfortable non-aero bike. Vibrations, bumps and potholes are muted by the IsoSpeed shock, making even long rides a joy. Despite all this extra comfort, Trek manages to keep the weight of the size 56 at 7.63 kg, slightly lighter than the Cannondale. The front is a lot stiffer, but the fork and a slightly flared handlebar combined do a great job of absorbing vibrations and bumps. We’re going to go out on a limb and say we would try Paris-Roubaix on the Madone.

A great feature for the mechanics who want to tinker with the Madone is the opening beneath the bottle cage, which gives access to the cables in the frame.

The 2019 Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc convinces with its absolutely outstanding riding characteristics in all aspects. The stability combined with first-class agility and the incredibly high level of comfort for an aero bike not only ensures fast times but also good times. The sprightly but composed handling conveys a lot of confidence and gladly forgives occasional rider errors. Despite the IsoSpeed shocks, Trek manages to keep the weight of the size 56 down at 7.63 kg. The Madone is a masterpiece of engineering. Trek has created an aero bike for everyone – from beginners to professionals, everyone wins, and it’ll make a lasting impression at the café too. A deserved best-in-test for the € 11,499 Trek.

– best handling in test – comfort – integration of the IsoSpeed shock

– compact cranks – missing cover for the ISP adjustment – is no longer in our garage

Uphill | Downhill | Stability | Comfort

For more info head to: trekbikes.com

The test fleet

All bikes in test Cannondale SystemSix Hi-MOD DURA-ACE Di2 | Specialized S-Works Venge 2019 | Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc 2019

This article is from GRAN FONDO issue #010

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• February 19, 2019
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There are two types of cyclists in this world; those that want to go fast, and those that don’t. The upgraded and evolved, 2019 Trek Madone satisfies the appetite of those riders who dream about speed. Put yourself in the saddle of this bike for a second… You’re going flat-out… You’re dropping down on the handlebars… You’re tucking in your arms… You’re fixing your eyes on the speeding tarmac…. You’re hearing the bike pierce the air… You’re feeling the smooth roll of the wheels, every time you pedal… You’ve got rhythm, you’ve got symmetry, and you’re manufacturing speed like it’s nothing!

Our ride on the 2019 Madone is probably best described by what you’ve just read. Nothing but pure elegance from Trek’s flagship aero-road bike. We’ve mentioned that its fast. We’ve mentioned that it’s a wind weapon. But is it comfortable? As far as aerodynamically focused road bikes go, yes it is. Trek have managed to combine all three essential aspects of road bikes, into one. Lets find out how.

#1: Aerodynamics

The Madone SLR 6 follows a perfectly designed shape of a plane wing if you look it straight in the eyes. Trek’s 700 Series OCLV carbon fibre material forms the frame’s lightweight and aero features. The wind flow around and over the bike is seamless, and this is because of the down-tube that takes form in what Trek call, a KVF aero shape. Along with wing-like, Bontrager dropper handlebars; clinched by an aero stem, that uses the brand’s Blendr technology to integrate your cycling computer, without buying extra mounts. Even though the Madone is centred around aerodynamics, the designers at Trek kept a clear mind in adding practical features to the bike itself.  

#2: Comfort

Comfort is key with any road bike, especially if you intend to spend more than 2 hours in the saddle. The Madone’s comfort levels are acceptable for a bike of its standard. It comes with an adjustable Top-Tube IsoSpeed decoupler, which lets the seat post flex under impacts from irregular roads. The bar and stem of the bike, are also adjustable and can allow you to fine tune how the bike handles. Bontrager’s Montrose Elite lightweight saddle also made a difference in comfort. It was less restricting to leg movement and was quite well cushioned.

#3: Quality

Components can make or break any bike. Trek, however, are well acquainted with desires of road bike riders. Therefore, when questioning what components were best for the Madone, they looked at what was the most functional. For starters, going with flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes made braking solid and reliable on the Madone SLR 6. Minimizing the strain on your hands. And that’s a point a we’ll always argue. Integrating with the disc brakes was Shimano’s Ultegra drivetrain that literally gets smoother every time you shift.

• Frame-set: Frame700 Series OCLV Carbon
• Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus Comp 5 Disc Tubeless Ready
• Drivetrain: Shimano Ultegra, 11-speed.
• Saddle: Bontrager Montrose Elite
• Seatpost: Madone carbon seatpost, 25 mm offset w/integrated light mount
• Handlebar: Madone-specific adjustable aero VR-CF, internal cable routing
• Grips: Bontrager tape
• Stem: Madone-specific internal cable routing
• Brake-set: Shimano Ultegra flat-mount hydraulic disc
• Total Bike Weight: 56cm – 8.38 kg

Trek’s road bike geometry is always on point, and provides riders with a little bit of everything, from responsive handling to rider proportional sizing. The Madone SLR 6 makes use of the brand’s H1.5 FIT frame measurements. Which have been tried and tested countless times, with the Trek Segafredo, and Drops cycling teams. You can play around and find out what geometry works for you. However, our test bike was 56cm frame size, with which we got a 73.3-degree seat post angle, and 73.5-degree head-tube angle.

Keep it Fast and Low!

The Madone SLR 6 is like a fighter jet on steroids! Its unique and full-out aerodynamic design can pierce the air efficiently. The bike creates an ideal setup that almost comes as a second nature, to duck-down into an aero-tuck. Which gets you out of the full brunt of wind resistance.

Having been tested and raced by pro teams around the world at grand tours and one day events, Trek’s Madone has a perfect design for climbing and descending. Its low and fast! The cassette on the Ultegra drivetrain can feel like its meant for really hard pedaling, with its smaller gear ratio. Nevertheless, it was lenient enough to get us up a fair amount hills, without burning out. One thing that we really like about aero road bikes, is the stiffened up frame. During a sprint you simply have to pick a line with the bike, and it holds it. No matter how hard you hit the pedals. The same can be said coming down descends. It didn’t wobble around, instead it was smooth and firm, even when banking on corners. The slightly thicker handlebars supplied good grip, and great control over this race horse.

A good review is never complete without a few criticisms over a bike or product. And so sadly, yes. There were a few things we didn’t like on the Madone SLR 6. Mainly, the tyres. We’re not sure if this was just a bad batch of rubber, but we had a lot of punctures! Most of the punctures’ cause was from a simple stone, and we couldn’t fathom why. It could’ve been that we were running the tyre pressure too high, and thus we lowered it. Alas, no-luck. The punctures still accrued. We eventually put it down to the fact that Bontrager’s R3 Hard-case Lite tyre set, are not that durable. In fact, that’s quite a hick-up, because it’s enough to dampen your mood on a ride. Perhaps a tyre swap on this bike model, to one with a harder compound, is in order.

The big question is, does the 2019 Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc do enough to break away from the pack, and get you to the finish first? In our opinion, it does! As far as technology goes, the brand’s IsoSpeed and smoothly moulded carbon fibre, along with integrated disc brakes, are able to enhance your performance greatly. While the bike did lack a bit of agility, and the tyres weren’t impressive, the Madone is still elite when it comes to speed. It’ll keep you living life in the fast lane!

Price: 98 999.00 – 2019 Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc

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