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trek emonda slr 9 etap

The New Trek Émonda Is Faster Than Ever

Already one of the fiercest climbing bikes available, the new Émonda is even faster thanks to a dose of aero.

The Takeaway: The Émonda SLR is a benchmark pro race bike—and it’s surprisingly rider friendly.

  • It has 183 grams less drag than the previous generation, but the frame is only 33 grams heavier
  • There are 10 models starting at $2,699
  • SL models ($2,699 to $5,999) have the aerodynamic shaping and features but in a frame that’s about 400 grams heavier than the SLR
  • SLR models ($6,699 and up) use a new carbon fiber composite that’s 30 percent stronger than Trek’s previous top-of-the-line carbon.

For Émonda SLR bicycles, Trek will provide an individual handlebar and stem until an updated handlebar/stem combo is available.

Additionally, all customers who bring in their handlebars for replacement will also receive a $100 in-store credit that can be used toward any Trek or Bontrager merchandise through December 31, 2022.

Remember professional road racing ? It’s that thing where super skinny people go unbelievably fast up and down hills and fly over flat roads for hours at a time. It’s been a while since the pros have beat up on each other for our entertainment, but there might, hopefully, be some races on the horizon. When the races do resume, Trek’s pro riders will be aboard its new third-generation Émonda climbing bike. The new Émonda isn’t lighter, but it is faster thanks to a dose of aerodynamic tuning.

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trek emonda slr 9 etap

Now With Aero

The new Émonda gets a major drag reduction with a tiny weight gain.

trek emonda slr 9 etap

Simple Seat Mast

The seat mast has lots of adjustment range, and an easy-to-use saddle clamp.

trek emonda slr 9 etap

Light and Slippery

The new Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 wheels are light, sleek, and stable.

trek emonda slr 9 etap

Wide and Threaded

The T47 bottom bracket has a wide stance, and user-friendly threads.

trek emonda slr 9 etap

A built-in chain watcher prevents unwanted derailments.

Making the new Émonda frame more aerodynamic wasn’t exactly a tough hurdle as the previous Émonda had virtually zero aerodynamic optimization. But adding meaningful aerodynamic benefit while achieving the frame stiffness expected of a pro-caliber race bike, maintaining the well-regarded handling properties of the previous Émonda, and adding rider-friendly features like a threaded bottom bracket—all with adding only 33 grams (SLR frame, claimed)—is quite a feat.

Below you’ll find my review of the Émonda SLR—I’ve been on it since early March—followed by a dive into the technology and features of the new bike, and a brief model breakdown.

Ride Impressions: Émonda SLR 9 eTap

trek emonda slr 9 etap

The Émonda SLR is a tool made to fulfill the needs of some of the world’s best road racers. This bike will never be as comfortable or versatile as a gravel bike. Going fast on pavement and climbing performance are its only goals. These are obvious facts, but that’s the lens through which it must be viewed. And through this lens, it is one of the very best.

The new Émonda was born out of a request from Trek’s pro racers and pitched as the company’s “fastest climbing bike ever.” So little surprise they set me up with the lightest model (the SLR 9 with SRAM Red eTap ), which also has a build kit almost identical to the team’s bikes. It’s also, excepting customized Project One builds, the most expensive model at a buck under 12 grand.

That massive pile of clams gets you an aerodynamic frame with disc brakes, power meter, and wireless electronic shifting that weighs less than 15 pounds (54cm). And that’s with a hefty T47 threaded bottom bracket unit, lustrous paint , clincher wheelset, a chain-watcher, standard butyl tubes, 37mm deep rims, 160mm disc rotors front and rear, and SRAM’s largest Red cassette (10-33). That’s “Holy shit!” impressive.

By cutting drag a ton without adding much weight, it’s hard to argue with Trek’s claim that the new Émonda is faster than the outgoing generation. But if you have any doubts, they’ll be erased when you ride it. This is an explosive bike: it feels as light as a feather and as solid as a steel girder at the same time.

trek emonda slr 9 etap

Trek’s Émonda has always been a raw and rowdy bike that feels a little wild and a bit dangerous in precisely the ways you want a race bike to feel: That’s not lost with the added aerodynamics. If anything, the new Émonda is even crisper and punchier than before, which is saying something.

preview for Tested

A small downside to all this fury is the Émonda’s smoothness. Light and stiff race bikes aren’t a smooth-riding lot to begin with, but even measured against a stiffer riding genre, the new Émonda is on the firmer end of the scale. Still, it escapes harsh or punishing labels—I did a six-hour ride on the Émonda on the stock 25 tires and didn’t feel worn down by its ride. Swapping to 28s helped a lot (no surprise) and were on the Émonda for the bulk of my testing. I’d suggest reserving the lighter and more aerodynamic stock 25s for racing or PR attempts—assuming good roads—and use 28s as daily drivers.

The Émonda’s handling is excellent. Well, let me caveat that: Road racing geometry is pretty uniform, so whether I’m on a current race bike from Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, Cervélo, Canyon, Colnago, Wilier, Pinarello, BMC, Giant (etc., etc.), I find the broad strokes of their handling feel and performance quite similar. There wasn’t anything about the Émonda’s handling or cornering performance that set any new benchmarks for me, but there wasn’t anything to dislike either.

trek emonda slr 9 etap

It was quick and accurate, diving into corners with a light touch. It offered great feedback, so I always knew where I was relative to its and my limits, and I could count on it to be consistent and predictable. It was maybe a touch less settled in bumpy corners than the Specialized Tarmac, but the Émonda never broke traction or skipped. Overall, for such a light bike, the Émonda is remarkably solid and drama free. I’d have no qualms barreling down a technical alpine descent on the Émonda.

I received this test bike in early March, giving me plenty of time to ride it back to back with its primary competition—a Specialized S-Works Tarmac , what I consider the benchmark for aero-ized lightweight bikes. The Tarmac is smoother over the bumps and has a silkier feel overall, but the new Émonda feels more efficient, like it can go faster more easily.

I’ve also ridden a good slice of the Émonda’s competition, including the Canyon Ultimate CF SLX , Colnago V3Rs, Cannondale SuperSix Evo , Cervélo R5, Wilier Zero SLR , Pinarello Dogma F12 . These are all superb bikes, but I feel the Émonda is the class leader. It feels sharper and more explosive than all of them. It feels faster, and that’s what matters most in a race bike. But I also like that the Émonda is pretty straightforward and rider-friendly.

trek emonda slr 9 etap

For example, I swapped the stock one-piece bar/stem for a standard stem and round bar. One, I could run a standard bar and stem on this bike, which you can’t say about every modern race bike. And two, I didn’t have to pull any cables, wires, or hoses to make the swap: Again, something you can’t say about all race bikes. For the record, the shape of the one-piece Aeolus bar/stem is great, and the tops are the most comfortable to grab of all the aero-topped bars I've used. The only reason I swapped is my preferred length and width combination (110x40) wasn't available yet.

The BB is threaded, which makes it easier to service and replace than a press-fit (however, I was getting some noise out of the BB area, which I never resolved). The wheels employ standard offset, and it uses regular thru-axles. It’s compatible with pod-style power meters and mechanical shifting. Its signature seat mast is pretty much the only non-standard thing about this frame, and even then, it’s pretty user-friendly. There’s no cutting necessary, height adjustment is ample, the saddle clamp is easy to use, and it’s travel-case friendly.

trek emonda slr 9 etap

I expect so much from a modern high-end pro-level road racing bike that it’s hard to exceed those expectations. It’s rare when a bike does: The Émonda SLR is one of those rare bikes.

Team Request

The new Émonda is partially a result of a request from the Trek-Segafredo race team. “They are one of our primary customers,” said Jordan Roessingh, Trek’s director of road product. “And they started to realize that it’s not just weight, it’s not just stiffness and responsiveness, there’s this other thing—aerodynamics and speed—that’s also really important to be competitive and be faster on the bike. They had been one of the loudest voices saying, ‘We need the lightest-weight, stiffest bike possible.’ And now they started coming back saying ‘We need those things, but we also need the bike to be faster in order for us to be really competitive.’ ”

It is (comparatively) easy to make a light frame, it is easy to make a stiff frame, it is easy to make an aerodynamic frame. Making a frame that’s two of those three things is more challenging: Making a bike more aerodynamic usually makes it heavier, making a bike lighter typically makes it less stiff, etc. Making a frame that is light AND stiff AND aerodynamic enough to satisfy the demands of a top-level professional race team is extremely difficult.

trek emonda slr 9 etap

But not impossible. Many brands already make a light, stiff, and aero bike. The Specialized Tarmac is one, as are the Canyon Ultimate, the Cannondale SuperSix Evo, the Cervélo R5, the Wilier Zero SLR, the Pinarello F12, the Scott Addict, and the new Giant TCR . All of them seek to balance the three qualities—light, stiff, and aero—in the pursuit of the ideal race bike, and they all manage the balance differently. The common thread between these bikes: They’re all used by teams that compete against Trek-Segafredo.

Still Light, Now With Aero

The previous generation Émonda SLR Disc , launched in 2017, was an extremely light frame at 665 grams (claimed). But when a frame is already that light, it is much harder to make it even lighter. At least lighter enough to make a meaningful difference.

emonda drag chart

So, Trek took a different approach to making its climbing bike faster—instead of lighter, it made it more aerodynamic. The new Émonda frame is a touch heavier—yet still extremely light at 698 grams—but the bike has 183 grams less drag than the previous generation.

The important thing to note here is that, though the frame is more aerodynamic, the 183 gram drag reduction is not from the frame only. New wheels and a new aero bar (more info on both below) play a role. The specific setups Trek used to get that 183 gram number are: 2018 Émonda with 28mm-deep Bontrager XXX 2 wheels, and Bontrager XXX Bar/Stem Combo compared to the 2021 Émonda with 37mm deep Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 Wheels and Bontrager Aeolus RSL Bar/Stem Combo.

trek emonda slr 9 etap

Another drag saving upgrade: the housing, hoses and wires for the controls are almost fully inside the frame. They dive into the frame at the head tube passing through the upper headset bearing. The front brake hose runs into the fork steerer and down the left leg before popping out just above the brake caliper. The fork steerer’s flattened sides provide room for the rear brake hose and derailleur control lines to travel down and into the frame. Though it has flattened sides, the fork steerer is still compatible with standard 1 1/8” stems.

The overall drag reduction results in a bike that is 18 seconds per hour faster when climbing an 8.1 percent grade (the average grade of Alpe d’Huez ), and 60 seconds per hour faster on flat roads than the previous Émonda. Trek also claims the new Émonda is 13 seconds per hour faster than a Specialized Tarmac when climbing an 8.1 percent grade (all assuming the rider maintains a constant 350 watts).

Eight Point One Percent

With three qualities—aero, stiffness, weight—that work in opposition to each other, how do you decide how much to optimize one quality when you know it will negatively affect the other two? How aero is aero enough? At what point is improved aerodynamics offset by the weight added to get there?

The team behind the Émonda used a legendary climb to help them decide: Alpe d’Huez. “It represents an extreme example of what most people see on a regular basis when they’re doing a big climbing ride,” said Roessingh, “It’s around an 8 percent grade, and it’s about an hour-long climb for the pros—amateurs might go a little slower. It gives us a good understanding of what the benefit of a drag savings is relative to a weight savings.”

trek emonda slr 9 etap

By optimizing the weight and aerodynamic balance around this climb, Roessingh claims the Émonda is faster on Alpe d’Huez and also faster on everything shallower than the famous climb, “which is the vast majority of the environments that most riders are going to ride in, including the team,” said Roessingh. “So if we can say it’s faster up Alpe d’Huez, it’s going to be significantly faster everywhere because the flatter it is, the more aerodynamics benefit you.”

Computer-Aided Optimization

Achieving the weight to the aerodynamic balance of the new Émonda required careful design of each tube shape. Aiding the Émonda’s team was supercomputing horsepower. The abridged and simplified version of the process goes like this: into the computer was fed a rough draft of the shape based on Trek’s aerodynamic experience and other information like UCI regulations. The program then varies the tube’s parameters within a predefined range and spit back several iterations of the shape, each with a different weight to aerodynamic balance. The Émonda’s team evaluated the alternatives and picked the one most suited to its location in the frame and best able to help the frame achieve its overarching goal.

Roessingh says that Trek cannot afford to buy the computing hardware necessary to run the CFD and FEA optimizations (in a timely manner) that helped shape the new Émonda’s tubes. The processing happens in the cloud where Trek rents time on Google, Microsoft, or Amazon’s supercomputers. It’s more affordable than buying a supercomputer. Even so, it is not cheap, “Cloud computing is becoming a relatively significant budget line item for us because we’re doing so many of these optimizations in CFD and FEA and all that processing happens in the cloud.”

tube shape comparison of the generation two and three emonda

The new Émonda’s fork legs, head tube, down tube, seat tube, and seat stays all use a variation of a truncated airfoil. The top tube and chainstays, which have virtually no effect on drag, are optimized almost entirely for stiffness to weight.

In Trek’s line, the new Émonda’s aerodynamic performance is equal to the third generation Domane ; the Madone is still significantly more aero. But while the more aerodynamic Madone is faster in flatter terrain, once the climb hits about 5.5 percent, the lighter Émonda becomes the faster bike. And for many of the Trek-Segafredo team riders—and many amateurs—that means the Émonda is fastest when it matters most: the hardest part of a race or ride, which is almost always on a steep climb.

trek emonda slr 9 etap

OCLV 800 Carbon

Getting the new Émonda SLR to be as light as it is while adding aerodynamic shaping would not be possible without employing a new carbon-fiber composite, said Roessingh. The new OCLV 800 composite is 30 percent stronger than Trek’s previous top-of-the-line composite (OCLV 700). Because it is stronger, they can use less: By using OCLV 800, Trek’s team was able to make the Émonda SLR frame 60 grams lighter than if they used OCLV 700.

trek emonda sl 5

The Émonda SLR is very cool, but it’s also very expensive (bike prices start at $6,699). For the 99 percenters, there’s the Émonda SL (models start at $2,699).

The SL uses OCLV 500 composite, and the frame is quite a bit heavier than the SLR’s. The SL’s frame comes in at 1,142 grams, with a 380-gram fork (SLR fork weight: 365 grams).

But material (and weight) are the only difference between the SL and SLR.

Aeolus Bar Stem

While a ton of work made the Émonda’s frame tubes faster, a big chunk of the new bike’s drag savings comes from the one-piece Aeolus bar stem. It alone is responsible for 70 grams of the Émonda’s 183-gram drag reduction. This means that if a traditional stem and round bar are installed on the new Émonda, its drag advantage over the previous-generation bike drops to 113 grams. And it means that you can make any bike with a round bar and traditional stem significantly more aerodynamic by merely installing the Aeolus. Retail price is $650.

trek emonda slr 9 etap

The integrated Aeolus is made of carbon-fiber composite, of course, with a claimed weight of 297 grams (42x120). It’s offered in 14 length and width combinations, from 44x120 to 38x80. Hoses, housing, and wires run externally for easier service and repairs, but in a groove that keeps them out of the wind. A bolt-on plate keeps the control lines tucked and organized where they turn off the bar tops to run in line with the stem.

The Aeolus employs a mount that works with Bontrager’s line of Blendr accessories for mounting computers and lights.

Aeolus 37 Wheels

Another new Bontrager product rolling out with the Émonda is the Aeolus 37 wheelset. It comes in two models: the Aeolus RSL 37 (1,325 grams/pair, $2,400) and the Aeolus Pro 37 (1,505 grams/pair, $1,300).

trek emonda slr 9 etap

The RSL 37 is claimed to be lighter than Zipp’s 32mm-deep 202, yet more aerodynamic and more stable than Zipp’s 45mm-deep 303. Both wheels are disc brake only (only Center Lock interface), tubeless compatible, use DT-Swiss internals, have no rider weight limit, and come with a lifetime warranty.

Surprisingly Rider Friendly

Though the new Émonda is clean and integrated looking and uses high-performance standards, it is also remarkably rider-friendly. Cables, hoses, and housing run externally on the one-piece Aeolus bar/stem for easier repair and service (with one exception: wiring for a Shimano Di2 or Campagnolo EPS bar-end junction box runs partially inside the bar). If you prefer a more traditional cockpit, it can be run with a standard bar and stem with 1⅛-inch steerer clamp.

The bottom bracket uses the threaded T47 standard , which is compatible with almost all common crank-axle standards.

trek emonda slr 9 etap

Front and rear thru-axles are standard 12x100 and 12x142mm, and the wheels employ a standard dish. The standard flat mounts for the brake calipers are compatible with 140, 160, or 180mm rotors.

Tire clearance is officially 28mm, but that’s with a ton of extra space. I fit 32mm tires in the Émonda with ease.

And though all models do use a seat mast, it’s a no-cut variety with lots of adjustment range.

H1.5 Geometry

Trek did offer its top-of-the-line race bikes in the aggressive H1 geometry for riders seeking an ultra-long and low geometry, or H2 which was an endurance fit. The new Émonda is offered only in H1.5, which splits the difference between H1 and H2. The result is pretty typical dimensions for a modern race bike—a 54cm Émonda H1’s geometry is remarkably similar to a 54cm Specialized Tarmac.

There are eight sizes starting at 47cm and topping out at 62cm.

emonda sl 7 etap

There are 10 models of the new Émonda. SL models start at $2,699 and are priced up to $5,999. SLR models start at $6,699 and go up to $11,999.

Only SLR models come with the Aeolus integrated bar/stem stock; and only the Émonda SL 7 ($5,499) and up come with the Aeolus 37 wheelset.

The new Émonda is a disc brake-only platform.

Project One

The new Émonda is in Trek’s Project One paint and parts personalization program. If that’s not luxe enough for you, Trek’s Project One Ultimate program allows you to work with a designer to come up with a one-of-a-kind finish, and Trek will source any parts you want for your new bike.

emonda project one gold flake

Trek Émonda SLR 9 eTap

Émonda SLR 9 eTap

A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling , Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race. 

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Trek Émonda comparison review: SL6 versus SLR6

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

In developing the Émonda, Trek devoted considerable resources to designing a lightweight race bike and trumped the industry with a 690g frame. CTech editor Matt Wikstrom takes a close look at the new bike and assesses the influence of different grades of carbon fibre by comparing the mid-level Émonda SL6 with the upper-level SLR6.

Trek is well known for its Madone and Domane road bikes but neither was ever designed as a lightweight race bike. So in 2012, the company set out to see what it could achieve and came up with the Émonda. The development process required over 30 months but the result is currently the world’s lightest production road bike. At 4.65kg for a size 56cm bike, the Émonda SLR10 trumps the previous title-holder by almost 1kg, but at a significant cost: $17,999.

There are, of course, more affordable versions of the bike yet Trek believes that the Émonda range is the world’s lightest production road line . There are over a dozen models in the Émonda range including women’s-specific versions and custom builds via Trek’s Project One portal . Variations in parts specifications account for some of the differences between each model, but there are also three different versions of the frameset (designated S, SL, and SLR) that differ in carbon fibre grade, country of manufacture, and ultimately, final weight.

| Related : How Trek is adapting to the challenges of online retail

Trek uses five different grades of carbon fibre for frame construction that vary in weight, strength, stiffness and cost. At one end of the spectrum there is 300 series carbon, a cost-effective blend, and at the other there is 700 series carbon, a high-cost, low-weight, military-grade blend.

As the base model in the range, the Émonda S is made in Taiwan from 300 series carbon with a simplified design (e.g. a standard seatpost is used rather than semi-integrated design) to reduce production costs.

In contrast, the Émonda SL and SLR share many of the same design features (such as a semi-integrated seatpost) however the SL is manufactured in Taiwan from 500 series carbon while the SLR is manufactured from 700 series carbon in the U.S.A. The use of the highest-grade carbon affords the SLR a weight saving of over 300g when compared to the SL but almost triples the price of the frameset.

Emondas-3

While weight was an important design imperative for the Émonda, Trek spent a considerable period road testing the new bike to refine its handling characteristics while paying attention to its stiffness. Riders from Trek’s professional team were instrumental in determining the value of each refinement but engineers were also guided by data collected from strain gauges and accelerometers fitted to prototypes.

CT’s roving reporter Dave Everett attended the launch of the Émonda last year and was able to take one ride on the SLR8 . While his report served as a good introduction to the Émonda, the new bike deserved a longer look. In this review, I spend a lot more time on the Émonda, and thanks to Trek Australia , compare two models — SL6 and SLR6 — to learn more about how different grades of carbon fibre affect the performance of the bike.

Before the ride

In developing the Émonda, Trek’s engineers pared away at the frame and forks until they arrived at the minimum structure that satisfied all of their performance and safety criteria. The result is a frameset that is noticeably skinnier than the Madone and Domane .

| Related : Trek 5 Series Madone and Domane comparison review

Like the Madone and Domane, the Émonda SL and SLR framesets utilise a BB90 bottom bracket and E2 headtube. At 90mm wide, the BB90 bottom bracket provides a broad footing for the downtube and chainstays to help the stiffness of the frame. The E2 headtube also helps the stiffness of the frame with an oversized lower headset bearing and tapered fork steerer.

Trek further refines the design of the SLR with an asymmetric steerer that is wider from side-to-side and skinnier from front-to-back. The difference provides extra stiffness for cornering while affording some compliance to soak up road shock.

EmondaSL6-24

The Émonda SL and SLR also inherit the semi-integrated seatpost design that was introduced with the Madone. A seatpost cap fits over an extended seat tube and offers a range of 10cm for saddle height adjustment. Trek offers a choice of two lengths for the seatpost cap (135mm and 175mm) along with two offsets (5mm and 20mm) to help with refining the fit of the bike.

| Related : First-look review: 2016 Trek Madone

Both framesets provide internal routing for the gear and rear brake cables, with interchangeable cable stops and ports to suit mechanical and electronic transmissions. There is also an adjustable chain keeper that is integrated into the seat tube while the left chainstay is ready to accept Trek’s DuoTrap S speed/cadence sensor .

Aside from the difference in carbon fibre blend and country of origin, the SLR frameset is further distinguished from the SL in a number of small ways. I’ve already mentioned the asymmetrical fork steerer above. Another difference lies with the brake caliper mounts: the SLR frameset uses direct mount calipers front and rear, while the SL uses conventional calipers.

The front derailleur mount also differs: the SL frameset has an alloy fitting that is riveted to the seat tube while the SLR has a carbon mount that is molded into the frame. Finally, the SLR frameset is offered with a choice of Trek’s H1 or F2 fit, while the SL is only available with a H2 fit. The difference between the two is in the length of the head tube, which is 30-35mm taller for the H2 fit at every frame size (see chart below).

There is a choice of up to nine frame sizes for the Émonda, as shown in the table below:

Emonda_geo

The range of frame sizes varies, depending on the model and fit of the frame. The SL6 is offered in sizes 47-62cm with a H2 fit only while the SLR6 is available in sizes 50-62cm with a H1 fit and 47-64cm with a H2 fit. Trek’s H1 fit can be considered very aggressive and race-oriented, affording plenty of handlebar drop. In contrast, the H2 fit is more moderate but riders looking for a more upright position will be better served by the geometry of Trek’s Domane. Visit Trek for detailed geometry charts for the SL6 and SLR6 .

The styling of the Émonda is very clean and simple with inviting lines that flow from one point to the next. The seat tube junction in particular is elegant and I like the way the seat stays seem to sprout with energy for the dropouts.

Trek keeps the paintwork simple with a minimum of decoration though the gloss paint adds some luxury to the final result. The Émonda SL6 is currently available in a choice of two colours (Matte Trek Black with Gloss Trek Black logos, or, Viper Red with Trek Black logos) compared to one for the SLR6 (Crystal White with Argent Silver logos and Trek Cyan details). However, there are many more paint finishes available for the SLR via Project One .

The SL6 and SLR6 are both dressed with Shimano’s mechanical 11-speed Ultegra groupset and a suite of Bontrager components but there are some distinct differences between the two bikes. For example, the SL6 uses Bontrager’s entry-level Race wheelset while the SLR6 gets an upgrade with a Race Lite wheelset that is lighter.

Similarly, the SL6 is supplied with a Bontrager Paradigm Race saddle with chromoly rails while the SLR6 gets a Paradigm RL saddle that has hollow titanium rails. There is also a difference in brake calipers, where the SL6 has standard Ultegra calipers while the SLR6 uses Bontrager Speed Stop calipers.

EmondaSLR6-10

All of these differences, from the grade of carbon fibre to individual parts, provide significant weight savings for the SLR6 when compared to the SL6. The SL6 sent for review (size 54cm, H2 fit) weighed 7.42kg sans pedals and cages while the SLR6 (size 54cm, H1 fit) weighed 6.68kg. The savings (740g) can be attributed largely to the SLR frameset (~300g) and the Race Lite wheelset (300g), with smaller weight savings provided by the shorter head tube and a lighter saddle.

Unsurprisingly, the weight savings come at a significant cost: the Émonda SL6 has a recommended retail price of $3,699 while the SLR6 retails for $8,499. In both instances, the frames come with a lifetime warranty while the forks and all Bontrager parts are covered by a two-year warranty. For more information on the Émonda range, visit Trek .

After the ride

After spending the day riding an Émonda SLR8 last year , Dave Everett found that “the first noticeable thing for me was not so much the weight but how planted the bike felt on the road.” Later though, once he found himself in hillier terrain, Dave was “definitely using the big chainring a lot more” than he normally would thanks to the low weight (6.15kg) of the bike.

Like Dave, I wasn’t wowed by the weight of the SL6 or SLR6. Instead, the Émonda was surprisingly ordinary, even mundane, compared to its marketing hype. Of course, there was more to discover, but after my early rides on the SL6 and SLR6, all I could say was that both bikes offered a very smooth and refined kind of ride that I’ve long associated with Trek’s bikes.

EmondaSL6-9

A “refined kind of ride” is not necessarily a compliment though. For those riders that like the bike to disappear beneath them so that they remain unaffected by road feedback, the Émonda should have plenty of appeal, regardless of whether it is the SL or SLR. However, I found myself wanting more from the bike, and while I could criticise the Émonda as being “dead” or “unlively”, that wouldn’t be fair. Instead, I’ll say this: riding an Émonda is like visiting a library to enjoy the quiet.

The steering and handling of the Émonda was very stable and predictable. As such, the bike is incredibly easy to ride. The bike obeyed my every instruction and while the steering tended towards slow, I didn’t find it required any extra effort to hold a line through sharp corners. I wouldn’t recommend the bike for criterium racing but then there isn’t much about the Émonda’s styling or marketing that would likely attract a dedicated criterium racer.

Neither the SL6 nor SLR6 felt like a particularly light or responsive climbing rig. Capable, yes, but still some distance from ever being explosive. What seemed to be missing was any great sense of the bike’s stiffness. It’s not that the bike was too compliant, but rather, I wasn’t getting any feedback from the bike in order to judge its performance. Thus it seems the Émonda is defined more by the absence of any sensation rather than what can be felt by the rider.

EmondaSLR6-5

The Émonda was well suited to long rides. The bike doesn’t rattle or chatter, even on rough roads, and I found the hours passed by with ease as the bike continued with steadfast assurance. I found myself re-evaluating the subdued ride quality as a comfort, like the support and encouragement from a devoted friend. After all, there’s no need for showmanship on a long ride, just steady commitment from the rider and the bike, and the Émonda was prepared to keep going for as long as I wanted.

By taking turns on the SL6 and SLR6, and then swapping the wheelsets between each bike, I found that the SLR6 was a stiffer bike. It was only a mild difference, but it could be felt when rising out of the saddle on a climb, traversing rough roads, and as a little feedback from the road. Overall, it provided the SLR6 with a racier feel than the SL6, but I must stress, it was very mild. Switching to stiffer mid-profile carbon wheels ( Curve 38mm clinchers ) enhanced this sense a little more but the wheels weren’t able to transform the Émonda into an aggressive race bike.

The Domane has a strong reputation for its comfort but the Émonda shouldn’t be overlooked, especially the SL series. I found myself marvelling at how well the SL6 was able to soak up every crack, bump and rut. Furthermore, there was a good balance of compliance between the front and rear of the bike. Adventurous riders that enjoy demanding terrain may find the Émonda lacking, otherwise the bike is well suited to a wide variety of terrain.

EmondaSL6-13

The SL6 had a lot in common with the SLR6. The overall ride quality was very similar while the steering and handling were identical. I’ve already mentioned that the SLR6 was marginally stiffer; it was also marginally more agile, but that was due largely to the lighter wheelset. Indeed, swapping wheelsets between the two bikes improved the SL6, however it made no difference to the stiffness of the bike.

Finally, I’m pleased to report that Bontrager’s new direct mount Speed Stop calipers are a significant improvement over the previous iteration supplied with the Madone . The calipers were smooth and effective with plenty of bite but they didn’t suffer any of the heavy effort that defined the last version. Indeed, I couldn’t find anything to separate the performance of Speed Stop calipers from the standard Ultegra brakes fitted to the SL6.

My only complaint is with the way the inner cable is routed: it ends up between the tyre and the brake arm to rest upon the brake pad. Cutting the cable short removes any risk of it getting caught against the rim but then is too fiddly to hold when re-adjusting the cable.

Summary and final thoughts

The Émonda has been positioned by Trek as an ultralight bike, purpose-built for climbing, with a strong emphasis on race performance. I don’t have a quarrel with their claims or strategy but the bike is much more versatile than a dedicated climbing rig. The ride quality is easy to like and the steering and handling ensure its reliability in essentially any situation, so while it won’t satisfy buyers looking for extremes in performance, it’s hard to see how it will disappoint anybody else.

trek emonda slr 6 etap review

The differences between the SL6 and SLR6 were modest at best. Some were a matter of the parts specified for each bike, but fundamentally, the SLR frameset is lighter, stiffer and more race-oriented that the SL.

It is interesting to note that most of the weight savings offered by the SLR6 can be obtained for an Émonda SL by upgrading from the SL6 to an SL8 (RRP $4,999) and substituting the stock Race wheelset for the Race Lite version without spending any more than $6,000. I’m not criticising the price of the SLR though, just highlighting what is perhaps the Émonda’s greatest strength, which is Trek’s range of models and options for the bike.

Trek Émonda SL6 Gallery

 

Trek Émonda SLR6 Gallery

 

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\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/new-panaracer-gravelking-tires\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"panaracer revamps their gravelking tire lineup, adds new x1 tread\"}}\u0027>\n panaracer revamps their gravelking tire lineup, adds new x1 tread\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u2018the race is way harder now\u2019: strade bianche\u2019s longer, tougher route divides peloton","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/strade-bianches-longer-tougher-route-sparks-debate-the-race-is-way-harder-now\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/strade-bianches-longer-tougher-route-sparks-debate-the-race-is-way-harder-now\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018the race is way harder now\u2019: strade bianche\u2019s longer, tougher route divides peloton\"}}\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\/strade-bianches-longer-tougher-route-sparks-debate-the-race-is-way-harder-now\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018the race is way harder now\u2019: strade bianche\u2019s longer, tougher route divides peloton\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018the race is way harder now\u2019: strade bianche\u2019s longer, tougher route divides peloton\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"the big watts of \u2018opening weekend\u2019: inside the power files of the fastest ever omloop and kuurne","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-training\/the-big-watts-of-opening-weekend-inside-the-power-files-of-the-fastest-ever-omloop-and-kuurne\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-training\/the-big-watts-of-opening-weekend-inside-the-power-files-of-the-fastest-ever-omloop-and-kuurne\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the big watts of \u2018opening weekend\u2019: inside the power files of the fastest ever omloop and kuurne\"}}\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\/the-big-watts-of-opening-weekend-inside-the-power-files-of-the-fastest-ever-omloop-and-kuurne\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the big watts of \u2018opening weekend\u2019: inside the power files of the fastest ever omloop and kuurne\"}}\u0027>\n the big watts of \u2018opening weekend\u2019: inside the power files of the fastest ever omloop and kuurne\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"neilson powless, usa\u2019s next classics king \u2018i\u2019m closing the gap to van der poel, van aert\u2019","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/neilson-powless-usas-next-classics-king\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/neilson-powless-usas-next-classics-king\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"neilson powless, usa\u2019s next classics king \u2018i\u2019m closing the gap to van der poel, van aert\u2019\"}}\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\/neilson-powless-usas-next-classics-king\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"neilson powless, usa\u2019s next classics king \u2018i\u2019m closing the gap to van der poel, van aert\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n neilson powless, usa\u2019s next classics king \u2018i\u2019m closing the gap to van der poel, van aert\u2019\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"more stones, more stoke will bigger be better for the \u2018xl\u2019 strade bianche","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/will-bigger-be-better-for-the-2024-strade-bianche-xl\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/will-bigger-be-better-for-the-2024-strade-bianche-xl\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"more stones, more stoke will bigger be better for the \u2018xl\u2019 strade bianche\"}}\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\/will-bigger-be-better-for-the-2024-strade-bianche-xl\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"more stones, more stoke will bigger be better for the \u2018xl\u2019 strade bianche\"}}\u0027>\n more stones, more stoke will bigger be better for the \u2018xl\u2019 strade bianche\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"antagonist, antithesis: how tadej poga\u010dar will wreck a visma-lease a bike rout of 2024","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/how-tadej-pogacar-will-wreck-a-visma-lease-a-bike-rout-of-2024\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/how-tadej-pogacar-will-wreck-a-visma-lease-a-bike-rout-of-2024\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"antagonist, antithesis: how tadej poga\u010dar will wreck a visma-lease a bike rout of 2024\"}}\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\/how-tadej-pogacar-will-wreck-a-visma-lease-a-bike-rout-of-2024\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"antagonist, antithesis: how tadej poga\u010dar will wreck a visma-lease a bike rout of 2024\"}}\u0027>\n antagonist, antithesis: how tadej poga\u010dar will wreck a visma-lease a bike rout of 2024\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"kopecky blitzes longo borghini on siena climb for her second strade bianche","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/kopecky-blitzes-longo-borghini-on-siena-climb-for-her-second-strade-bianche\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/kopecky-blitzes-longo-borghini-on-siena-climb-for-her-second-strade-bianche\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"kopecky blitzes longo borghini on siena climb for her second strade bianche\"}}\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\/kopecky-blitzes-longo-borghini-on-siena-climb-for-her-second-strade-bianche\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"kopecky blitzes longo borghini on siena climb for her second strade bianche\"}}\u0027>\n kopecky blitzes longo borghini on siena climb for her second strade bianche\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"5 weekend takeaways: van der poel lurking, \u2018generation remco\u2019, alarm bells for cavendish","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/5-weekend-takeaways-van-der-poel-lurking-generation-remco-rising-and-alarm-bells-for-cavendish\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/5-weekend-takeaways-van-der-poel-lurking-generation-remco-rising-and-alarm-bells-for-cavendish\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"5 weekend takeaways: van der poel lurking, \u2018generation remco\u2019, alarm bells for cavendish\"}}\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\/5-weekend-takeaways-van-der-poel-lurking-generation-remco-rising-and-alarm-bells-for-cavendish\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"5 weekend takeaways: van der poel lurking, \u2018generation remco\u2019, alarm bells for cavendish\"}}\u0027>\n 5 weekend takeaways: van der poel lurking, \u2018generation remco\u2019, alarm bells for cavendish\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"wout van aert sets classics tone with victory at kuurne-brussel-kuurne","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/wout-van-aert-sets-classics-tone-with-victory-at-kuurne-brussel-kuurne\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/wout-van-aert-sets-classics-tone-with-victory-at-kuurne-brussel-kuurne\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"wout van aert sets classics tone with victory at kuurne-brussel-kuurne\"}}\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\/wout-van-aert-sets-classics-tone-with-victory-at-kuurne-brussel-kuurne\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"wout van aert sets classics tone with victory at kuurne-brussel-kuurne\"}}\u0027>\n wout van aert sets classics tone with victory at kuurne-brussel-kuurne\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u2018it\u2019s on\u2019: poga\u010dar and pidcock\u2019s tuscan tussle at strade bianche","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/its-on-pogacar-pidcock-gravel-tuscan-tussle\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/its-on-pogacar-pidcock-gravel-tuscan-tussle\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018it\u2019s on\u2019: poga\u010dar and pidcock\u2019s tuscan tussle at strade bianche\"}}\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\/its-on-pogacar-pidcock-gravel-tuscan-tussle\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018it\u2019s on\u2019: poga\u010dar and pidcock\u2019s tuscan tussle at strade bianche\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018it\u2019s on\u2019: poga\u010dar and pidcock\u2019s tuscan tussle at strade bianche\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"how visma eviscerated the opening classics","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/visma-eviscerate-the-opening-classics-will-the-strategy-translate-at-flanders-and-roubaix\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/visma-eviscerate-the-opening-classics-will-the-strategy-translate-at-flanders-and-roubaix\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"how visma eviscerated the opening classics\"}}\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\/visma-eviscerate-the-opening-classics-will-the-strategy-translate-at-flanders-and-roubaix\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"how visma eviscerated the opening classics\"}}\u0027>\n how visma eviscerated the opening classics\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 >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>site map manage cookie preferences privacy request healthy living.

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Trek Checkpoint SL6 eTap long-term review: Simple done brilliantly

The trek checkpoint is the only bike you need to take you on every adventure.

Trek Checkpoint SL 6 eTap

Cyclingnews Verdict

If you can only have one bike, the Trek Checkpoint SL6 eTap is a serious contender. It’s the kind of bike that just works. You can upgrade it if you want to but you don’t need to. There are mounts for mudguards and bags, and with only a tyre change it will transition from a comfortable road bike to a capable off-road partner.

SRAM Rival AXS is the perfect groupset for an all-arounder

Mud-guard mounts

Mounting points for every bag you can think of

Non-proprietary seat-post provides options

Internal storage is convenient

Downtube protection eases worry

Threaded bottom bracket

Ideal all-around gearing

Short stem for added stability means handlebar/knee interference

Lacks included protection for the chain stay

Detail behind the fork steerer collects water and is difficult to clean

You can trust Cyclingnews Our experts spend countless hours testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

There's a cadre of people who get really far out into adventure riding that it's basically a small step away from needing a mountain bike. There are also lots of people who want the absolute fastest road bike available. Those ends of the spectrum don't represent the vast majority of riders though. Most people have a lot less focus and need a good, versatile bike that just works. We included the Trek Checkpoint on our list of the best gravel bikes available because that's exactly what you get, a bike that just works. 

The Trek Checkpoint is a bike that I have held onto for close to a year. It carried me across thousands of miles and all kinds of weather. I've had adventures on and off the road and I've put the bike to the test in every type of riding I could think of. After all this time, I'm ready to discuss the experience, what I like about it and where it falls short. If you've been considering a new gravel bike keep reading to see if the Trek Checkpoint is the right choice for you.

Design and aesthetics 

In many ways the Trek Checkpoint is a fairly uncomplicated design. The biggest standout design feature is the rear IsoSpeed decoupler system but even that piece, at least in the SL, sticks to the less complicated version. Trek refers to this version as the "seat tube IsoSpeed" and it refers, as expected, to the seat tube alone. There's no adjustment, nothing to think about, and just an isolation of the seat tube from the structure of the top tube and the seat stays. The end result is a passive suspension design that relies on flex in the 500 series OCLV carbon. 

To further exaggerate the effect, there's a prominent cutout near the bottom of the seat tube. The cutout doesn't reroute the tube for better aerodynamics but instead narrows the tube. The narrow point becomes the fulcrum and the rest of the tube has room to move around. If you want to add even more passive suspension, the non-proprietary round seat post means there's plenty of opportunity to take advantage of aftermarket seatposts. Something like the Ergon CF Allroad Pro Carbon seat post is an easy swap, further emphasising how uncomplicated the design of the Checkpoint is. 

There are a few other smart little design features as well. Details that continue to keep it simple but functional like the in-frame storage. Behind the water bottle mounts on the downtube is a lever that opens up a space at least as big as your typical flat repair kit. There's a bag that makes sure anything in the space doesn't rattle and the back of the door has room for the Bontrager Bits Multi-tool. 

On the other side of the down tube is where you'll find the carbon armour. This amounts to plastic cladding permanently attached to the lower section of the downtube. It's once again simple but important. Unfortunately, there's no matching armour on the rear chain stay but what you will find is a water bottle mount in the carbon armour. 

The under-the-downtube water bottle mount is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mounting points. There are two standard water bottle mounts, that one under the downtube, and an extra three mounting points higher up the downtube. If you aren't running frame bags that's room for an extra water bottle but there are also three mounting points under the top tube. The Bontrager adventure frame pack, on our list of the best bikepacking bags , will attach to the frame without straps using these mounting points. That still leaves an extra pair of mounting points on the upper portion of the top tube for a bolt-on top tube pack. 

The SL version of the Trek Checkpoints goes even farther with mounting options. While the SLR build gets the lighter 700 series OCLV carbon it also does with "only" the fourteen frame mounting points. Sticking to the SL models means there are also three extra mounting points on each side of the fork. Both models also have the option of fitting real mudguards and the Bontrager NCS Alloy Fender Set is one of best out there although there are also other options on our list of the best mudguards . 

Like the design features, the aesthetics of the Checkpoint differ a bit throughout the lineup. The top-shelf SLR 6, 7, and 9 are where you'll find the most colour options while lower down the line the ALR and SL models have only one or two colours depending on the specific build. In the case of the SL 6 eTap here, the only colour available is a deep red Crimson/Carbon Red Smoke that dips the bulk of the frame in a rich high-gloss blood red. There are metallic flakes throughout and a geometric pattern at the downtube and forks with a few details in a darker smoked red. 

The Trek Checkpoint lineup is extensive to the point of confusion. Right now, there are 12 different models listed with three frames serving as the building blocks. Serving as the entry-level models, the aluminium ALR frameset gives less expensive options with two builds before moving up to the carbon SL models. All using the same 500 series OCLV carbon, the SL models have three builds. These are less expensive than the SLR models but also focused more squarely on bikepacking with additional fork mounts. At the top of the lineup, the four SLR models switch to the lighter 700 series OCLV carbon and they also lose the fork mounting points. 

The SL 6 eTap that we spent our time with represents a middle-of-the-lineup option and costs less than half the price of the top model. The groupset is SRAM Rival AXS with 12 gears across a 10-44 cassette and a 40-tooth front crankset. The frame works with 1x or 2x but if you want a front derailleur you'll have to decide if you'd prefer to move up or down. Down drops to 11-speed GRX while up gets SRAM Force AXS Wide but also packages carbon wheels and represents a significant price jump. 

Instead of the carbon wheels on the more expensive SL 7 eTap, the 6 comes with the alloy Bontrager Paradigm Comp wheelset. While not a particularly high-end wheel these check all the boxes with a centre lock disc interface, 25mm internal width, and tubeless compatibility. Thru axles are standard bolt-through in 12x142 and 12x100 and the included tyres are Bontrager GR1 Team issue in a conservative 700x40mm width. There is space for up to a 45mm tyre if you find yourself looking for more off-road capability. 

For the touchpoints, expect Bontrager pieces. The saddle is a short nose Bontrager Verse Comp with steel rails and it's supported by is a 27.2mm carbon piece also from Bontrager. At the front of the bike the bars are the rather unique Bontrager Elite Gravel bars that we feature in our best gravel handlebars list. They have an integrated foam padding to help ease the rough roads and come paired with a shorter than standard Bontrager alloy stem.  

Performance

As a journalist who writes about cycling technology, I have an attraction to exotic tech in bikes. The new Trek Madone with a chunk missing from the seatpost sounds interesting. Or, if we are talking gravel, maybe a single-sided Lefty suspension fork like the Cannondale Topstone I previously spent time on. The wilder the better for me both because of my job and because that's my personality. 

The problem is that those kinds of bikes can be difficult to live with. The higher the integration and the more proprietary the pieces, the bigger the challenge. For example, the Lefty fork is amazing at what it does but if I want to drive to a ride with a friend I have to ask what kind of rack they have. If it's a fork-mounted version, then it won't work for me.

Then there's the Trek Checkpoint SL 6 eTap and its distinct lack of fancy technology. On paper, it's almost a boring bike but when people ask me for a bike recommendation, it's often my go-to choice. There are mounts everywhere, including for mudguards and it will do whatever you ask of it. I got the Checkpoint, added Garmin power pedals and swapped the saddle to an Ergon SR Allroad Core Pro, and proceeded to ride it for thousands of miles without ever having an issue. When winter hit, I added mudguards and rode through the winter spending seven hours at a time in constant rain every weekend. I never once had to mess with seat post issues or creaky bearings, everything just worked. 

I changed wheels and handlebars because I was testing things but the stock pieces were fine. The groupset in particular is a highlight and has become my gold standard example of why 1x12 might make sense for everyone. Rival has worked flawlessly and while 11-speed 1x gearing occasionally leaves me searching for gears, 1x12 has everything I need. The 40-tooth front and 44 rear works for climbing on loose surfaces, even with a loaded bike, but has plenty of gearing for road riding too. Every now and then I spin out when descending and chasing someone but it's rare and I prefer to have the climbing gears. 

When asked, I tell people you can walk out of the store with an SL 6 eTap and there's nothing you need to swap. The wheels aren't light, or fancy, but they work just fine. Same with everything else except the stem. One of the headline details about the Trek Checkpoint is the geometry that uses a short stem and a long wheelbase and right away I found it annoying. I swapped to the Trek RSL stem in a 100mm length as soon as possible. I noticed no lack of stability but I did stop banging my knees on every hill. 

Other than the stem, the Checkpoint has never left me asking for more. During the winter I would come home freezing and drenched with a bike caked in mud. I didn't wash the bike and at one point the brakes only alerted me to an issue when the pads ground down to the metal backing. Despite the lack of maintenance the groupset, wheels, and frame haven't needed anything. If I want to go bikepacking, I will never need to get creative with mounting. If I want to use the Checkpoint as a road bike, a tyre swap will have it ready to go. 

There are bikes that excel at a particular thing. You can get as specialised as you want in whatever area appeals to you and you can collect a quiver of bikes that you choose between depending on what's on the menu that day. Or you could get a bike like the Trek Checkpoint SL 6 eTap that just works no matter what you want to do. 

The Checkpoint might be a gravel bike but that's far from all it offers. Swap to a 28 or 30mm tyre for road riding and it's perfectly capable of keeping up with whatever group you want to ride with. If a summer gravel race catches your eye, swap on a 40mm tyre and only your legs will keep you off the podium. For a more relaxed pace bikepacking weekend, a 45mm tire might be a good option and you can load up all the mounts with every bag you can think of.

The only real question is which of the many build options makes sense. The SLR frameset is lighter but it's also a lot more expensive and it lacks mounting points on the fork. The SL 5 build gets you all the mounting points at a lower price but it’s also an 11-speed mechanical build with narrower wheels. If you are looking to save money look to the aluminium frameset options and if you've got a bit more money to invest, the Trek Checkpoint SL 6 eTap represents a do it all bike that balances price and performance. 

Logbook: Trek Checkpoint SL6 eTap

  • Temperature: .5-38 degrees C / 33-100 degrees F
  • Weather: Anything you can ride in
  • Road surface: paved roads, unpaved roads, and double track 
  • Rides: many
  • Mileage: 2778km / 1726 miles

Tech Specs: Trek Checkpoint SL6 eTap

  • Price: £4,000.00 / $4,499.99 / €4,449.00 / $5699.99 AUS
  • Frame: 500 Series OCLV Carbon, IsoSpeed, internal cable routing, downtube storage door, 3S chain keeper, T47 BB, rack and fender/mudguard mounts, integrated frame bag mounts, flat mount disc, dropper post compatible, 142x12mm thru axle
  • Weight: 9.05 kg / 19.96 lbs claimed for size 56
  • Groupset: SRAM RIVAL XPLR AXS
  • Crankset: SRAM Rival XPLR crank; 40T
  • Cassette: SRAM Rival XPLR 10-44T
  • Wheels: Bontrager Paradigm Comp 25, Tubeless Ready, 25mm rim width
  • Handlebar: Bontrager Elite Gravel, 42cm width
  • Stem: Bontrager Pro, 31.8mm, Blendr compatible, 7 degree, 80mm length
  • Seatpost: Bontrager carbon, 27.2mm, 8mm offset, 330mm length
  • Saddle: Bontrager P3 Verse Comp, steel rails, 145mm width
  • Tyres: Bontrager GR1 Team Issue, Tubeless Ready, 700x40c
  • Max tire size: 700x45c / 650x2.1"

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Josh Ross

Josh hails from the Pacific Northwest of the United States but would prefer riding through the desert than the rain. He will happily talk for hours about the minutiae of cycling tech but also has an understanding that most people just want things to work. He is a road cyclist at heart and doesn't care much if those roads are paved, dirt, or digital. Although he rarely races, if you ask him to ride from sunrise to sunset the answer will be yes. Height: 5'9" Weight: 140 lb. Rides: Salsa Warbird, Cannondale CAAD9, Enve Melee, Look 795 Blade RS, Priority Continuum Onyx

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Endurance mountain bikes

Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap

  • AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Size / 47cm, 50cm, 52cm, 54cm, 56cm, 58cm, 60cm, 62cm

At a glance

Where to buy.

Trek Logo

Specifications

  • Frame Ultralight 800 Series OCLV Carbon, Ride Tuned performance tube optimization, tapered head tube, internal routing, DuoTrap S compatible, flat mount disc, 142x12mm thru axle
  • Fork Emonda SLR full carbon, tapered carbon steerer, internal brake routing, flat mount disc, 12x100mm thru axle
  • Wheels Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37, OCLV Carbon, Tubeless Ready, 100x12mm thru axle
  • Tires Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite, aramid bead, 120 tpi, 700x25c
  • Chain SRAM Rival, 12 speed
  • Crank Size: 47, SRAM Rival AXS Power Meter, 48/35, DUB, 165mm length; Size: 50, 52, SRAM Rival AXS Power Meter, 48/35, DUB, 170mm length; Size: 54, 56, 58, SRAM Rival AXS Power Meter, 48/35, DUB, 172.5mm length; Size: 60, 62, SRAM Rival AXS Power Meter, 48/35, DUB, 175mm length
  • Bottom Bracket SRAM DUB, T47 threaded, internal bearing
  • Front Derailleur SRAM Rival eTap AXS, braze-on
  • Rear Derailleur SRAM Rival eTap AXS
  • Shifters SRAM Rival eTap AXS, 12 speed
  • Brakeset Hydraulic Disc
  • Handlebar Size: 47, 50, Bontrager Aeolus RSL Integrated bar/stem, OCLV Carbon, Di2 routing, 100mm reach, 124mm drop, 38cm width, 80mm stem length; Size: 52, Bontrager Aeolus RSL Integrated bar/stem, OCLV Carbon, Di2 routing, 100mm reach, 124mm drop, 40cm width, 90mm stem length; Size: 54, Bontrager Aeolus RSL Integrated bar/stem, OCLV Carbon, Di2 routing, 100mm reach, 124mm drop, 42cm width, 90mm stem length; Size: 56, Bontrager Aeolus RSL Integrated bar/stem, OCLV Carbon, Di2 routing, 100mm reach, 124mm drop, 42cm width, 100mm stem length; Size: 58, Bontrager Aeolus RSL Integrated bar/stem, OCLV Carbon, Di2 routing, 100mm reach, 124mm drop, 42cm width, 110mm stem length; Size: 60, 62, Bontrager Aeolus RSL Integrated bar/stem, OCLV Carbon, Di2 routing, 100mm reach, 124mm drop, 44cm width, 110mm stem length
  • Saddle Size: 47, 50, 52, Bontrager Aeolus P2 Elite, 155mm width; Size: 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, Bontrager Aeolus Elite, austenite rails, 145mm width
  • Seatpost Size: 47, 50, 52, 54, Bontrager carbon seatmast cap, 20mm offset, short length; Size: 56, 58, 60, 62, Bontrager carbon seatmast cap, 20mm offset, tall length

Q: How much is a 2022 Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap?

A 2022 Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap is typically priced around $7,999 USD when new. Be sure to shop around for the best price, and also look to the used market for a great deal.

Q: Where to buy a 2022 Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap?

The 2022 Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap may be purchased directly from Trek .

Q: What size 2022 Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap should I get?

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Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap Long-Term Review: Light for Climbing, Slippery for Speed

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Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap long term review

Trek has touted the Emonda as its climbing bike since introducing it in 2014. But the 2021 revision threw aerodynamics into the light-is-right alchemy, producing a road race bike that blurs category lines.

Editor’s note:  Trek issued a recall on this bike and is replacing the integrated stem and handlebar free of charge to the customer. Learn more in our full article .

The claimed aerodynamic gains over the prior model are huge. Trek states that the current Emonda is 60 seconds faster per hour at 350 watts of output on the flats. The claimed gain on an 8% grade is 18 seconds.

And the bike is still substantially lighter than Trek’s aero road race bike, the Madone. The current equivalent Madone has a claimed weight of over 1.3 pounds heavier than the Emonda SLR 9 eTap.

I used the Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap as a long-term review bike, putting it on the roads for 18 months. The bike rolled across super smooth, new tarmac and neglected country blacktop. I tested other parts on the bike and took it on several trips to ride terrain different from my home in the Hill Country of Central Texas. It has been in my testing rotation longer than any bike.

In short: The Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap is a pure race bike at the highest end. Although it may be called a climbing bike, the new aerodynamics vault it into a well-rounded road racing machine of the highest caliber. And it still satisfies the weight weenies.

How Aero Is the Emonda?

Aerodynamics on a bicycle frame is mainly dependent on tubing shapes. And often, going “full aero” means losing vertical compliance, which hinders comfort. Super aero tubing also often adds weight.

Trek had to walk fine lines to keep the weight and compliance advantages and maintain lateral and torsional stiffness. But engineers wanted substantial free speed offered by improved aerodynamics.

Modern bike designers use CFD (computational fluid dynamics) and CAD (computer-aided design) to help them in their quest for the ultimate alchemy of shapes to produce the intended results. And Trek claims they scrutinized every inch over hundreds of CFD and CAD models.

Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap long term review

The result is truncated-airfoil profiles other than the seat tube, which is still round. Trek also went integrated, with a one-piece bar and stem that hides the cables from the wind.

The claimed reduction in drag is 182 g, with the claimed frame weight for an unpainted 56 cm size being 698 g.

Somewhat surprisingly, Trek kept the non-dropped seat stays. This greatly pleased my antiquated tastes in bicycle aesthetics.

Other Significant Frame Changes

Trek didn’t stop at the truncated airfoil. The brand incorporated several other significant changes.

Trek Emonda Geometry Long term review

Trek used to offer aggressive (H1) and more upright (H2) geometries but split the difference on the new Emonda SLR with the middle-of-the-road H1.5. This singular geometry follows the lead of the full aero Madone.

Surprisingly, Trek omitted women’s-specific Emonda frames. But it does offer a full spread of sizes, from 47 cm to 62 cm.

T47 Bottom Bracket

Gone is the BB90 press-fit bottom bracket. A T47 threaded bottom bracket takes its place, pleasing home mechanics everywhere. The BB90 was reportedly problematic, although I never experienced issues with any Trek BB90 bottom brackets.

Not only does this follow the current trend to a homologated bottom bracket standard, but T47 also allows oversized crank spindles where BB90 did not.

800 Series OCLV Carbon

Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap long term review OCLV carbon

Trek’s longstanding OCLV (Optimum Compaction Low Void) carbon on the Emonda SLR frame moved from 700 series to 800 series, purportedly to allow aero profiles without a concomitant increase in weight.

The Waterloo, Wisconsin-based brand claims the new carbon contains fibers that are 30% stronger, with the same amount of stiffness as before, and with no gain in mass. This means less material is required to maintain the same positive characteristics, which translates to aero shapes without adding weight.

Trek also developed over 50 new carbon layups (how the carbon fibers are aligned) to create the new 800 Series OCLV. Real-world testing of the final layup choices was done by the professional Trek-Segagredo team. And the brand builds these frames in Waterloo.

Trek Emonda SLR 9 Ride Experience

trek emonda long term review side shot

Testing high-end road bicycles these days is an act of trying to split hairs that have already been split. All these bikes are sublime. Any differences in performance are minuscule, and much of it is subjective. But here’s my best attempt after 18 months of solid use.

Damn, It’s Light

There is no getting around how light the bike is (our 56 cm tester weighs a verified 14 pounds, 5 ounces with tubed tires). That attribute alone brought me joy when accelerating or climbing. The Emonda SLR 9 eTap floated like a butterfly. No need for more explanation. Remember when race bikes were 21 pounds?

The H1.5 geometry fits me exceptionally well. I have had custom-built titanium road race frames, and if I ever ordered one again, I would replicate the Emonda SLR geometry.

I am 6 feet tall, but my inseam is only 32 inches, making my torso long. My lower back is accustomed to road racing positioning, but my hips and hamstrings are not exceptionally flexible. I found the reach and stack spot on, and the stock-integrated 100mm stem, without spacers, was also perfect.

The 42cm-wide bars of the Bontrager RSL felt correct, but I had to move the SRAM Red brake hoods a touch higher up the bar’s primary curve to feel comfortable. Moving the hoods up the bar created slack in the brake hoses that was hard to manage. The stiff hoses run straight from the underside of the bars through the head tube.

A tiny range of brake hose lengths will provide a clean run. So this is a concern to anyone that wants to change the dimensions of the front cockpit. But lines are not threaded through the bar, simplifying at least that part of the process.

Stiffness vs. Compliance

Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap bottom bracket and driveline long term review

Climbing out of the saddle and sprinting revealed that the Trek Emonda SLR chassis is plenty stiff laterally and torsionally about the head tube. The bottom bracket felt equally rigid, and I never felt like the frame was squandering energy.

Riding a stiff, efficient bike typically means trading off some vertical compliance and comfort. And I felt the Emonda SLR chassis sat on the efficient side more than the comfortable side. But it wasn’t overly so, as it tends to be with super light bikes. Much of how the bike felt regarding compliance came down to wheels and tires.

Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 wheels trek long term view

The Emonda SLR 9 eTap came with tubeless-ready Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 wheels, which felt like a great all-around road wheel. But the Bontrager R4 320 tires (with tubes) were 25c. I felt wider tires on hookless rims with lower air pressures would drastically improve the comfort. Trek states that the frame can accept 28c tires.

It was ridden with various wheels and tires over 18 months as a long-term review bike. Using hookless wheels, 28c tires, and lower pressures improved comfort drastically.

Zipp 353 NSW wheels on trek side shot long term review

I felt like just swapping the tires to 28c on the RSL 37 stock wheels would be such a welcome change. But going to a wheel like a Zipp 404 Firecrest or Zipp 353 NSW with the ability to use lower pressures (for me, on those wheels, I ran under 72 psi) was an absolute game changer.

It gave me the best of both worlds. A light, super efficient bike that kept me comfortable over long hauls on rough chip seal blacktop.

As expected, the Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap was a snappy, quick-turning bike. On twisty tarmac, it felt like it wanted to turn about the head tube axis, with the rest of the bike to follow — more of a “turn and flick” instead of the other way around. It was one of the quicker-steering road bikes I’ve tested over the last few years.

Yes, the bike required attention on the straights and in groups, but I never thought it was twitchy or nervous. It reacted to small inputs without delay, but that’s what I expect in a WorldTour race bike. The bike wasn’t a lazy café cruiser, and it shouldn’t be.

On wider radius turns on smooth pavement at high speeds, the Emonda was pure joy. I felt the chassis was reading my mind, putting the tire contact patches precisely where I desired, and fed me the tactile information I needed to predict how it would respond to any slight irregularities in the road.

How Fast Is the Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap?

The bike came with a SRAM Red eTap AXS groupset with a power meter. And I’m familiar with the power output versus speed on my regular routes. I’m not a human strain gauge, but subjective feelings mated with the power output did convince me that for a “non-aero” bike on moderately aero wheels, the Emonda SLR 9 eTap was a rocket.

On calm days on smooth, flat pavement, the feeling of speed while churning a tall gear was palpable and brought a big grin to my face. Trek’s data points to an aero gain while climbing, but I felt the bike’s super light weight and stiffness contributed more to my feeling of speed on ascents.

With either the Bontrager RSL 37 wheels or the mentioned Zipp wheels, I didn’t feel any buffeting or other negatives of aero profiles except in extremely windy conditions. Only once did the buffeting cause an unstable feeling to the point where I tensed up.

I had exited the cover of trees on a speedy descent, and the sudden, super-gusty, 90-degree crosswind got me pretty good. I cannot say that about other “full aero” setups, which I’ve found somewhat puckering when large trucks pass me.

So, in the end, I felt like the aero gains of the new tube shapes delivered free speed without much downside.

Final Thoughts

Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap side shot long term review

One trend in cycling that I don’t necessarily like is the continued segmentation of products. The number of mountain bikes one could “need” is astounding. And coming from road racing in the ’80s, the “need” for a climbing bike and an “aero” bike seems superfluous. Now throw in gravel rigs, and you could have a garage full of bikes.

I can somewhat understand having multiple mountain bikes, as different terrains’ travel and handling requirements dictate wholly differing chassis. But road bikes? Most of us will never see the level of competition that demands different chassis and a slew of wheels. But plenty of serious recreational cyclists buy high-end road bikes, and it’s the category that splits choices into “aero” and “climbing.”

Although Trek labels the Emonda SLR 9 eTap as a “climbing” bike, with the aero gains, it makes a perfect all-around high-end road bike. It’s under the minimum legal weight for the WorldTour, satisfying the weight-obsessed.

It has enough aero shaping for legitimate free speed gains, yet it doesn’t ride like a brick (especially with wider tires and lower pressures). And it’s super efficient.

The MSRP of the Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap is an astonishing $13,000 . It sits at the top of the Emonda SLR lineup. But the pricing is in line with other bikes of the same caliber. And for that money, to me, the bike should perform well in all areas. Which it absolutely did.

Trek does offer Emonda SL bikes with the same aero gains at a much lower price, using 500 Series OCLV carbon.

trek domane

Trek Domane Gets Racier, Looks to Keep Reputation for Comfort

Trek cut up to 1.5 pounds of frame weight off the Domane, its all-around road bike that cyclists have long known for a comfy ride. Read more…

Seiji Ishii user profile headshot

Seiji Ishii is Editor at Large at the AllGear network and the Climbing and Cycling editor at GearJunkie.

He has been writing about cycling, climbing, outdoor endeavors, motorsports, and the gear and training for those pursuits for 20+ years.

Before AllGear, Ishii was a freelance contributor to print and web publications related to his interests and professional experiences. He continues to pursue climbing and cycling objectives seriously.

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Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro 2021

First up, the comfort.

I picked up on the fact that the SL6 Pro has quite a firm ride – a little bit old school, dare I say. By that I mean that a lot of carbon fibre frames have become much more comfortable over the years as designers and manufacturers have learnt about carbon fibre grades, tube profiles and, more importantly, the layup of the composite material.

The Cube Attain GTC SL I tested recently highlighted this in the way that it really managed to reduce road buzz while retaining plenty of feedback through the frame and fork.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - riding 3.jpg

This isn't a criticism of the Trek at all, it just wasn't quite what I was expecting. I like it; I'm a big believer in ultimate performance over comfort when it comes to race bikes, and that is exactly what the Émonda delivers.

Stiffness throughout the fork and the lower half of the frame is very impressive, and means the Trek is responsive to your inputs. The wide bottom bracket shell allows for a large down tube and chunky chainstays to reduce flex when you are really nailing it, while the front end backs this up via the tapered head tube and firm fork legs. Sprinting and climbing are all taken in the Émonda's stride.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - UCI badge.jpg

As you'd expect from a race bike, the riding position can be set up to be pretty aggressive – with a relatively short 151mm head tube length on this 56cm model I could achieve a low handlebar-to-saddle drop to aid the aerodynamics, especially when in the drops.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro.jpg

The rest of the geometry follows the same theme with a 73.5-degree head angle and a relatively short wheelbase for a disc-equipped frame (the chainstays are often a fair bit longer than those on rim-braked frames because of the extra axle width at the rear dropouts) at just 983mm.

Trek has achieved a good balance here with the Émonda I reckon.

The shorter wheelbase makes it nippy, which allows for snappy direction changes at high speed, yet it's managed to tame the handling just enough that the Émonda never becomes a handful unless you do something really stupid.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - riding 4.jpg

In my First Ride piece I mentioned that I hadn't managed to point the Trek at my favourite test hill, one that is fast and twisty with off-camber bends and chicanes. It really tests every part of a bike's handling in a blur.

Well, I have now, about five or six times, and the Émonda really impressed. It has the quickness in the steering and the overall agility to be pushed very hard into the corners.

After a night of heavy rain, gravel had been washed out into the lane slightly out of sight as I went into a fast left-hander at about 45mph; I dabbed the brakes a little, but seeing the grit and stones spanning the entire road there was no real way out of it. Letting the bike hit the gravel and predicting where the slide was probably going to end was the only option, and it was a sketchy couple of seconds.

As the front tyre regained grip on the asphalt there was a second where the still-sliding rear wanted to get in front, but the Trek's well-balanced handling allowed me to quickly regain control and blast to the bottom of the hill.

In less extreme circumstances the Émonda is an absolute hoot to ride downhill, with just slight adjustments to body position and the handlebar allowing you to flow from corner to corner.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - riding 1.jpg

On longer rides the Trek is just as well mannered; it is a very easy bike to ride quickly even when fatigue can kick in or when you are on unfamiliar roads.

The stiffness I mentioned earlier doesn't come through as a negative on higher mileage jaunts, especially if you get on with the saddle and have a decent pair of shorts on. The three- to four-hour rides I used the Trek on were a lot of fun. Unleash the power for the fun bits and then when you are on the flat, straight slogs you can just hunker down and keep the pedals turning over.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - riding 6.jpg

The only thing I needed to do was to shift the saddle 5mm closer to the bar than I would normally have it, because of the width of the top tube as it flows into the seatstays either side of the seat tube. I have quite large thighs and I could feel them rubbing on the frame every pedal revolution when I first started riding the Trek.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - top tube shape.jpg

Frame and fork

The Émonda has always been the lightweight bike of Trek's road range, leaving outright speed to the Madone, but for this latest model Trek has incorporated more aerodynamic profiles in the Émonda's design.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - down tube.jpg

Unlike most aero bikes, though, the Émonda's frame doesn't focus on being fast in a straight line or at high speed, it is a climbing bike after all. Instead the engineers have focused on 'unsteady aerodynamics', which fit in with the much lower speeds found when ascending.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - riding 7.jpg

Most of the attention has been placed on the front end, including the head tube and down tube. The top-end SLR models use the Bontrager XXX aero handlebar/stem combo which further increases the benefits, but that isn't available on the SL options.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - head tube.jpg

The SLR models also use a new OCLV 800 grade carbon fibre while the SLs use the 500 series, which increases the weight a bit, although a claimed frame weight of 1,142g and 380g for the fork is far from shabby.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - frame detail.jpg

If wind cheating is your main goal then it's worth noting that the Émonda is optimised for 25mm tyres, as that is the most common size used for racing, but if you want something a bit wider 28mm will fit while still allowing 6mm of space around the tyre.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - clearance.jpg

As you'd expect on an aero-based bike, the Émonda has full internal cable routing but this is taken to an extra level compared with most frames, with the cables and hoses leaving the handlebar and entering the frame through the spacers rather than the head tube or down tube. This gives much cleaner lines at the front.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - steam detail.jpg

You won't find a standard seatpost either. The Émonda's seat tube continues up past the top tube by a fair old way and then an external seat mast is placed over the top; you tighten the hex bolt to clamp it into place at the right saddle height.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - seat post.jpg

The Émonda range is now completely disc brake-equipped which to my mind is a bit of a shame as I am a big fan of rim brakes, and it would certainly bring the weight down for a bike aimed at climbing.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - front disc brake.jpg

Many manufacturers are seeing sales of disc models outstripping rim options by a large margin, though, so it is kind of inevitable. There is also the cost – the Émonda is available in seven sizes so that'd be 14 different moulds required if Trek offered both brake options.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro 2.jpg

The Émonda comes with flat mounts, as you'd expect, and 12mm thru-axles front and rear.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - rear disc brake.jpg

I mentioned the wide bottom bracket shell earlier and this is normally only achievable by using a press-fit BB, where the bearing cups are pressed into the frame. If tolerances aren't adhered to, creaking can occur, especially after water or grit gets between the mating faces, which is why we've seen many brands return to external threaded options.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - bottom bracket.jpg

Trek has gone for what is possibly the best of both worlds with the T47 system. First introduced by Chris King and Oregon's Argonaut Cycles , they thread into the bottom bracket shell which allows it to be wider, increasing stiffness without affecting the width between the pedals (Q-factor).

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - bottom bracket 2.jpg

If you want a more in-depth look at what changes and design tweaks were made to achieve this new Émonda frameset then it'd be worth checking out Mat's full breakdown here .

Wheels and tyres

Trek says that the SL 6 Pro comes with all the lightweight components you need as standard, so there is no need to upgrade. You could save a few grams here and there, but overall it is a pretty complete package.

This model is the first carbon bike in the line-up that comes with a set of carbon fibre wheels. The 35mm Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35s are 35mm deep and are tubeless ready.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - wheel and tyre.jpg

It's a good set of wheels for a whole range of riding styles: shallow enough to work on the climbs and just about deep enough to give you a small aerodynamic gain without being affected by crosswinds. Comparing the price of the near-identical SL 6 suggests you are getting them for just £450 too.

Reliability isn't an issue as they took on everything that was put in their way over the test period, and should anything happen and they get damaged Trek will replace or repair them for free in the first two years of ownership.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - rear hub.jpg

Wrapped around the wheels are a pair of Bontrager R2 Hard-Case Lite tyres. They are all right in terms of rolling resistance, grip and durability, but their 60tpi casing does give them a bit of a 'wooden' feel. You aren't getting a whole lot of suppleness which would really benefit the frameset, so I'd definitely upgrade when they wear out.

I've been using the R3 Hard Case Lites recently and they are a much better tyre, so something like that would be a good upgrade if you want to keep the Bonty/Trek theme going.

Drivetrain and brakes

On the SL 6 Pro, Trek is giving you a full Shimano Ultegra hydraulic/mechanical groupset and it suits the bike very well. You are getting near-Dura-Ace performance but at a much reduced price.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - crank.jpg

Trek has specced a 52/36-tooth semi-compact chainset and an 11-30 cassette, which is a great choice of gear ratios for a bike of this style. There are plenty of top end gears for speed work while the 30-tooth sprocket will give you an extra bailout gear over the more usual 28T found on the majority of race bikes.

The gear shifts from Ultegra are top notch. You get quite a light feel at the levers, but one that also gives a very nicely defined click so you can be sure that the shift has taken place.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - bar and lever.jpg

When it comes to the braking, Trek has chosen to fit 160mm rotors front and back, which give more than enough power for a bike of this type.

Shimano's hydraulic systems are very powerful but also easily modulated thanks to loads of feel through the levers, allowing you to stop quickly without the fear of locking up the front tyre, even in the wet.

Finishing kit

All of the finishing kit is supplied by Bontrager, Trek's in-house parts department, and it's all decent quality stuff.

The handlebar is the Bontrager Elite VR-C which is an aluminium alloy model with a short reach and a shallow drop, making it ideal for a whole host of different riders' proportions. Helping that is the fact that different size frames get a different width bar, ranging from 38cm up to 44cm.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - bars.jpg

It's the same for the Bontrager Pro stem: the smallest 47cm bike gets a 70mm unit, with the 62cm extending that out to 110mm. The stem on each frame size seems to come up a bit shorter than most bikes of this type, but it seems to work.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - stem.jpg

I got on fine with the Aeolus Comp saddle. Its shape is well suited to riding hard and fast, and I like the firm padding which gives you a good platform to push against when you are really hammering it. (There's a separate review of it here .) 

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro - saddle.jpg

This SL 6 Pro model has an rrp of £3,350, which isn't a bad deal for what you are getting here with the aero carbon frame, fork and deep-section wheels.

> Buyer’s Guide: 21 of the best 2020 aero road bikes

The similarly themed Scott Addict RC 30 is £3,199 and also come comes with an Ultegra groupset, but it is begging for an upgrade to the wheelset. It is light, though, at just 7.88kg.

If it's aero that you want then there is the Orro Venturi . The closest model in price is £3,299.99; you only get alloy wheels, but you are getting Ultegra Di2 for the gear shifting.

Overall, the Émonda is a very good bike. The aero tweaks have turned it into a very fast and efficient bike that still manages to deliver on the weight front and this SL 6 Pro model is so well specced there's no need to update anything when it comes to the components, just the tyres when they wear out.

A quality frameset that works both on the flat and the climbs, and well specced for the money

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro 2021

Size tested: 56cm

About the bike

List the components used to build up the bike.

Trek lists:

Front wheel Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35, OCLV Carbon, Tubeless Ready, 35 mm rim depth, 100x12 mm thru axle

Rear wheel Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35, OCLV Carbon, Tubeless Ready, 35 mm rim depth, Shimano 11-speed freehub, 142x12 mm thru axle

Tyre Bontrager R2 Hard-Case Lite, aramid bead, 60 tpi, 700x25 c

Max tyre size 28c

*Shifter Size: 47, 50, 52

Shimano Ultegra R8025, short-reach lever, 11-speed

Size: 54, 56, 58, 60, 62

Shimano Ultegra R8020, 11-speed

Front derailleur Shimano Ultegra R8000, braze-on

Rear derailleur Shimano Ultegra R8000, short cage, 30T max cog

*Crank Size: 47

Shimano Ultegra R8000, 52/36, 165 mm length

Size: 50, 52

Shimano Ultegra R8000, 52/36, 170 mm length

Size: 54, 56, 58

Shimano Ultegra R8000, 52/36, 172.5 mm length

Size: 60, 62

Shimano Ultegra R8000, 52/36, 175 mm length

Bottom bracket Praxis, T47 threaded, internal bearing

Cassette Shimano Ultegra R8000, 11-30, 11-speed

Chain Shimano Ultegra HG701, 11-speed

Max. chainring size 1x: 50T; 2x: 53/39T

Saddle Bontrager Aeolus Comp, steel rails, 145 mm width

*Seatpost Size: 47, 50, 52, 54

Bontrager carbon seat mast cap, 20 mm offset, short length

Size: 56, 58, 60, 62

Bontrager carbon seat mast cap, 20 mm offset, tall length

*Handlebar Size: 47, 50

Bontrager Elite VR-C, alloy, 31.8 mm, 100 mm reach, 124 mm drop, 38 cm width

Bontrager Elite VR-C, alloy, 31.8 mm, 100 mm reach, 124 mm drop, 40 cm width

Bontrager Elite VR-C, alloy, 31.8 mm, 100 mm reach, 124 mm drop, 42 cm width

Bontrager Elite VR-C, alloy, 31.8 mm, 100 mm reach, 124 mm drop, 44 cm width

Handlebar tape Bontrager Supertack Perf tape

*Stem Size: 47

Bontrager Pro, 31.8 mm, Blendr-compatible, 7-degree, 70 mm length

Bontrager Pro, 31.8 mm, Blendr-compatible, 7-degree, 80 mm length

Size: 52, 54

Bontrager Pro, 31.8 mm, Blendr-compatible, 7-degree, 90 mm length

Bontrager Pro, 31.8 mm, Blendr-compatible, 7-degree, 100 mm length

Size: 58, 60, 62

Bontrager Pro, 31.8 mm, Blendr-compatible, 7-degree, 110 mm length

Brake Shimano Ultegra hydraulic disc

Brake rotor Shimano RT800, 160 mm, CenterLock

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, "Émonda SL 6 Disc Pro is the first carbon road bike in the line-up that gives you lightweight carbon wheels to match your lightweight frame. Aero tube shaping, disc brakes and a high-performance drive train make it a great option for roadies who value great handling and lots of speed."

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

There are five models in the range starting with the SL 5 which comes with a Shimano 105 groupset for £2,725, finishing off with the SL 7 with SRAM eTap at £5,250.

A frameset is also available for £2,200.

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

A well made and finished frame and fork.

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

Frame – Ultralight 500 Series OCLV Carbon, Ride Tuned performance tube optimisation, tapered head tube, internal routing, DuoTrap S-compatible, flat-mount disc, 142x12 mm thru axle

Fork – Emonda SL full carbon, tapered carbon steerer, internal brake routing, flat-mount disc, 12x100 mm thru axle

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

The geometry is race orientated with a steepish head angle and a short head tube length.

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 figures are pretty typical for this size and kind of bike. This 56cm comes with a stack of 563mm and a reach of 391mm.

Riding the bike

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

Overall it's fine, although it does have a firmer ride than a lot of new carbon fibre frames.

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

Stiffness is very impressive, especially around the bottom bracket area.

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

Efficiency is very impressive, it is a proper point and shoot bike.

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? Responsive.

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

The handling is very well balanced, making the Trek easy to ride whether you are just cruising along or pushing it hard through the bends.

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

I liked the saddle, it was firm yet comfortable for all sorts of rides.

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

The Bontrager wheels offer loads of stiffness even when riding hard, out of the saddle.

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

I'd change the tyres for something a little more supple which would help you achieve higher speeds in the bends.

The drivetrain

Tell us some more about the drivetrain. Anything you particularly did or didn't like? Any components which didn't work well together?

The Shimano Ultegra groupset can't really be faulted. Gears and brakes offer great performance and reliability.

Tell us some more about the wheels.Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the wheels? If so what for?

It's good to see a quality set of carbon wheels on a bike as standard at this price. They performed well in all sorts of conditions and seem to be durable.

Tell us some more about the tyres. Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the tyres? If so what for?

The Bontrager R2s aren't bad, but the SL 6 Pro deserves something faster and grippier.

Tell us some more about the controls. Any particularly good or bad components? How would the controls work for larger or smaller riders?

Decent quality in-house kit that suits the bike well.

Your summary

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes

Would you consider buying the bike? Yes

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Yes

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

For a semi-aero bike the Émonda is pretty well priced, like against the Scott and Orro mentioned in the review.

Use this box to explain your overall score

The Émonda's new aero frameset means that not only is it a good climber, it also works well on the flat sections too. The overall quality is very good and you are getting a well chosen spec. The firm ride might not be ideal for those who focus more on comfort, though.

Overall rating: 8 /10

About the tester

Age: 41   Height: 180cm   Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike   My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

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trek emonda slr 6 etap review

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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Quote: The Émonda has always been the lightweight bike of Trek's road range

8.23kg isn't 'lightweight'... that's porky. 1.4kg over the UCI minimum!

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Not a big fan of the way the cables and hoses run at the front of the bar in order to fit under the stem like that, I'm surprised they haven't gone for a system where they run intrnally then under a stem cover etc

Quite a lot of money for an 8.2 kilo bike. 

"Comparing the price of the near-identical SL 6 suggests you are getting them for just £450 too."

The side by side comparison of the SL6 and the pro makes them identical bar the wheels. Which listed on the trek website retail at a price difference of £250, not £450. So either the stock wheels on the SL6 are over priced on their own (then maybe the bike is too) or the only reason to buy the pro is if the Aeolus are the wheel upgrade you want over everything else on the market.

I'm still more inclined to the RC30.

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Trek Émonda SL 6 road bike review

Giving the ride feel of a thoroughbred GC frame, Trek manages to deliver the perfect balance of stiffness and comfort in the elegant looking and reasonably priced Trek Émonda SL6.

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trek emonda sl6

The Trek Émonda SL 6 exists a few places below Trek's signature SLR model but that doesn't stop it embodying the GC spirit and as a frame it certainly feels worthy of Alberto Contador.

It's made the coveted  Cycling Weekly's Editor's Choice list for its lightweight, fast and comfortable ride quality that'll have dancing up climbs like Contador himself. 

Think of top Tour de France bikes, and there are only a handful of names that pop into your head faster than the Trek Émonda.

While its old sibling, the Émonda SLR occupies the top echelons of WorldTour racing, we've got our hands on the more reasonably priced Trek Émonda Sl 6, coming in at £2,250.

Made famous in recent years beneath the likes of Alberto Contador and his Trek-Segafredo team mates, the Trek Émonda SL 6 feels like a thoroughbred GC frame regardless of its lower price point, and it's a frame that looks built to race yet still manages to maintain an air of elegance.

Trek Émonda SL 6 : c lassy looks

Sweeping lines blur one area of the frame into the other, and the slender seat stays make the bike look responsive and nimble. Pair the sweeping design with the matte silver paint job, and the bike has a seriously classy look.

But it isn't just surface, and the 500 series OCLV carbon makes the frame a skimpy 1091g. On our scales, the whole bike weighed in at 7.66kg, with any additional weight no doubt coming down to the components rather than the frame.

Down below, an overbuilt, beefy bottom bracket makes sure that every pedal stroke powers the bike forward – which is especially helpful when things start heading uphill.

Without a doubt, the most exciting equipment on the bike is the Shimano Ultegra R8000 groupset. Newly updated, it marks an enormous overhaul of Shimano's everyman groupset.

In terms of shifting feel and action, it's every bit as good as it's older, more expensive Dura-Ace sibling. The re-designed front mech and more ergonomic levers offer a light action to front shifts, and rear shifts are crisp, accurate and powerful.

Of the new Ultegra groupset itself, the most exciting feature are the excellent rim brakes – again, they're every bit the match to the Dura-Ace models.

With them being so good, it was a bit of a disappointment to find them missing on the Émonda. Instead, Trek has specced its Bontrager Speed Stop Pro brakes rather than Shimano's far superior rim brakes.

Bontrager's in house stoppers can't match Shimano's for neither feel nor power but it's an oversight we can forgive considering the Émonda's excellent frame and ride qualities. Besides, the Ultegra brakes are always going to be there for that next upgrade.

Again, the Bontrager Paradigm aluminium wheelset could be lighter to match the svelte carbon frame but at this price point they're par for the course and they didn't feel like lead weights when heading uphill.

GC quality frameset

Out on the open road, the ride quality of the GC frame really shines through, and there's a sense of urgency laid up in the carbon that wants to let rip.

But there's a gentler side to it, too, and the high modulus frame gives comfort to the ride. Unlike so many stiff carbon frames, the Trek Émonda Sl 6 feels dampened and absorbent without that dreaded sluggishness that heavier bikes suffer from.

The skip in its step no doubt comes from its lack of weight, and even with the aluminium wheels and overbuilt brakes, the Émonda SL 6 weighs a tiny 7.66kg. Spoil yourself to some killer wheels and you'll bring that down even further.

Dancing out the saddle on the Émonda SL 6

On the hills it climbs like you'd expect from a frame built for Alberto Contador, encouraging you to imitate his signature out the saddle dance on the steepest inclines. But its a frame that really shines on the downs, too. The 992mm wheelbase is manoeuvrable but well balanced and the handling was sharp in the corners, everything you'd expect from a GC super bike.

The Émonda Sl 6's frame is faultless – lightweight, comfort and stiffness all in perfect equilibrium. Its more than a match for the aluminium wheels it comes with, but it has to meet a price point after all.

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trek emonda slr 6 etap review

  • Émonda SLR 6

trek emonda slr 6 etap review

  • Rider Notes

2023 Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap

trek emonda slr 6 etap review

A carbon frame race bike with upper mid-range components and hydraulic disc brakes.

For This Bike

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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.

Émonda SLR 6 eTap

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nov 2023 · Charlotte Head

Hill climbers push their bikes to the extreme and this Trek Émonda is the perfect example, slimmed down to an

Read Review

Bicycling

Dialed geometry, smooth welds, and an excellent ride feel add up to make the latest aluminum Émonda ALR a great alternative to pricier carbon bikes.

A great riding aluminum frame with dialed fit and geometry

Mostly easy to service, adjust, and upgrade

Official max tire clearance is 28mm

Through the headset cable routing

road.cc

jun 2023 · Mat Brett

Recently updated road bike has Kammtail aero tubing and internal cabling and comes with Shimano’s 105 groupset

BikeRadar

okt 2022 · Warren Rossiter

A climb-friendly bike with aero styling

Snappy handling

Fast to respond through the pedals

Power meter included in a fine package

Faster tyres would enhance its ride further

aug 2020 · James Bracey

Trek's latest GC/climbing bike has undergone an aero transformation, but has it helped?

Efficient power transfer

Excellent handling prowess

Compliant ride

New SL frame has lost some of the excitement of the existing Émonda

Heavy for a 'climbing' bike

jul 2020 · Dan Cavallari

OCLV 800 launched with Trek's feathery Émonda, but now the brand's flagship aero bike gets this lighter, stiffer carbon — along with a T47 BB.

Bikerumor

Have you seen Bontrager’s new Aeolus carbon wheel lineup? Spanning the gap between budget and race ready, the aerodynamic hoops are the perfect complement to another new Trek product launching today – the all new Émonda. Fans of super light, efficient climbing bikes needn’t worry. The Émonda is still as light as ever, but now […]

Gran Fondo Magazine

jun 2020 · Benjamin Topf

With Trek's completely revised 2021 Émonda SLR 9 eTap, the American brand's lightest frame goes into the 3rd generation. Have Trek managed to design an aerodynamic climbing specialist that performs just as well on flat terrain? How does it compare to the Madone? Our first ride review includes everything you need to know about the brand new bike!

Light-footedness and speed in every situation

High precision

Race-level stiffness when attacking

Coherent overall concept

Tidy look with excellent attention to detail

Race-level stiffness all the time

99 Spokes on YouTube

Last updated 27 juni Not listed for 248 days

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trek emonda slr 6 etap review

PEKIN, Elektrostal - Lenina Ave. 40/8 - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor

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55K6 Command Post S-400

55K6 Command Post S-400

  • Oct 18, 2010

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IMAGES

  1. Trek Emonda SL 6 ETAP Dark Prismatic/ Black 2023 Model

    trek emonda slr 6 etap review

  2. Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap 2022 navy carbon smoke/viper red 560mm

    trek emonda slr 6 etap review

  3. 2018 Trek Emonda SLR 6

    trek emonda slr 6 etap review

  4. Trek Emonda SLR 6 eTap 2022

    trek emonda slr 6 etap review

  5. Trek Emonda SLR 6 eTap 2023

    trek emonda slr 6 etap review

  6. Trek Émonda SLR 6 (2021)

    trek emonda slr 6 etap review

VIDEO

  1. Trek Emonda SL 7

  2. 2022 Trek Emonda SL5

  3. Trek Emonda SLR7 eTap

  4. Trek Emonda SLR 6,000 Mile Review

  5. Dream Build Trek Emonda SL6 Ultegra 12s Di2

  6. Trek Madone SLR 2023 Review: How Fast is it Really? With Wind Tunnel Testing

COMMENTS

  1. Trek Émonda Review

    SLR models ($6,699 and up) use a new carbon fiber composite that's 30 percent stronger than Trek's previous top-of-the-line carbon. Price: $11,999 as tested (Émonda SLR 9 eTap) Weight: 14.75 ...

  2. 2022 Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap

    Trek Émonda SL 6 eTap review. Oct 2022 · Warren Rossiter. A climb-friendly bike with aero styling. Highs. ... 2021 Trek Émonda SLR 9 eTap road bike first ride review - An aerodynamic climber ... Emonda SLR full carbon, tapered carbon steerer, internal brake routing, flat mount disc, 12x100mm thru axle ...

  3. Trek Émonda SL 6 eTap review

    The Trek Émonda SL 6 eTap is a lightweight road bike with aero features and wireless shifting. It offers a smooth and responsive ride for climbing and descending. Read our review to find out how ...

  4. Trek Emonda SLR 6 review

    If you are looking for a superbike frameset that combines lightness, stiffness and comfort, the Trek Emonda SLR 6 might be your ideal choice. Read our review to find out how it performs on the ...

  5. Trek Émonda comparison review: SL6 versus SLR6

    The SL6 sent for review (size 54cm, H2 fit) weighed 7.42kg sans pedals and cages while the SLR6 (size 54cm, H1 fit) weighed 6.68kg. The savings (740g) can be attributed largely to the SLR frameset (~300g) and the Race Lite wheelset (300g), with smaller weight savings provided by the shorter head tube and a lighter saddle.

  6. Trek Checkpoint SL6 eTap long-term review: Simple done brilliantly

    Then there's the Trek Checkpoint SL 6 eTap and its distinct lack of fancy technology. On paper, it's almost a boring bike but when people ask me for a bike recommendation, it's often my go-to choice.

  7. 2022 Trek Émonda SL 6 eTap

    Trek Émonda SL 6 eTap review. Oct 2022 · Warren Rossiter. A climb-friendly bike with aero styling. Highs. Snappy handling. Fast to respond through the pedals. Power meter included in a fine package. ... 2021 Trek Émonda SLR 9 eTap road bike first ride review - An aerodynamic climber.

  8. 2022 Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap

    The 2022 Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap comes in sizes 47, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62. After measuring your height, use the size chart below to find the typical Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap size for your height. Remember that these sizes are a general guide and bike sizes can vary between riders and bikes.

  9. 2022 Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap

    The 2022 Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap comes in sizes 47cm, 50cm, 52cm, 54cm, 56cm, 58cm, 60cm, 62cm. After measuring your height, use the size chart below to find the typical Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap size for your height. Remember that these sizes are a general guide and bike sizes can vary between riders and bikes. The best way to find your size is ...

  10. Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap Long-Term Review: Light for ...

    Trek Emonda SLR H1.5 geometry; (image/Trek) Trek used to offer aggressive (H1) and more upright (H2) geometries but split the difference on the new Emonda SLR with the middle-of-the-road H1.5.

  11. Émonda SLR 6 AXS

    Émonda SLR 6 AXS. 8 Reviews / Write a Review. $6,999.99 $8,399.99. Model 5282041. Retailer prices may vary. Émonda SLR 6 AXS is an ultralight, aerodynamic carbon road bike that's designed and built to be the fastest climbing bike we've ever made.

  12. Review: Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro 2021

    A look at the Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro 2021. A quality frameset that works both on the flat and the climbs - and well specced for the money. ... The top-end SLR models use the Bontrager XXX aero handlebar/stem combo which further increases the benefits, but that isn't available on the SL options. ... finishing off with the SL 7 with SRAM eTap at £ ...

  13. 2021 Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap

    2021 Trek Émonda SLR 9 eTap road bike first ride review - An aerodynamic climber ... Trek 2018 Émonda SL 6 Disc review - CyclingTips. ... Emonda SLR full carbon, tapered carbon steerer, internal brake routing, flat mount disc, 12x100mm thru axle. Bottom Bracket: SRAM DUB, T47 threaded, internal bearing.

  14. Trek Émonda SL 6 road bike review

    The Trek Émonda SL 6 exists a few places below Trek's signature SLR model but that doesn't stop it embodying the GC spirit and as a frame it certainly feels worthy of Alberto Contador.

  15. Émonda SLR 6

    Emonda SLR full carbon, tapered carbon steerer, internal brake routing, flat mount disc, 12x100mm thru axle. Frame fit. H1.5 Race. Weight. Weight. 56 - 7.26 kg / 16.00 lbs. Weight limit. This bike has a maximum total weight limit (combined weight of bicycle, rider, and cargo) of 275 pounds (125 kg). Drivetrain.

  16. 2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro review

    2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro review - BikeRadar. The 2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro is an uncompromising and spectacularly stiff all-round race bike, but one spec niggle makes it is just short of greatness.

  17. 2023 Trek Émonda SLR 6 eTap

    Reviews; Geometry; Specs; Rider Notes ... Overview 2023 Trek. Émonda SLR 6 eTap. A carbon frame race bike with upper mid-range components and hydraulic disc brakes. RRP: € 7.599: Weight: 7,5 kg ... Rival AXS: Power Meter: Rival AXS: Brakes: Hydraulic Disc: View on trekbikes.com Add to Watch List Learn about Trek Report data problem. Add to ...

  18. 96L6E Radar, S-400

    First S-400 bltn, Elektrostal, Moscow. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.

  19. PEKIN, Elektrostal

    Pekin. Unclaimed. Review. Save. Share. 17 reviews #12 of 28 Restaurants in Elektrostal $$ - $$$ Asian. Lenina Ave., 40/8, Elektrostal 144005 Russia +7 495 120-35-45 Website + Add hours Improve this listing. See all (5) Enhance this page - Upload photos!

  20. Yuzhny prospekt, 6к1, Elektrostal

    Get directions to Yuzhny prospekt, 6к1 and view details like the building's postal code, description, photos, and reviews on each business in the building

  21. 55K6 Command Post S-400

    First S-400 btln, Elektrostal, Moscow. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.