trek madone in salita

• Madone SLR 6 Gen 7

"Every inch an aero race bike"

"One of the most visually striking and competent aero bikes available today...More aero, less weight, less complication."

"Revolutionary"

"The brand new Trek Madone comes with a revolutionary design, but retains the neat and powerful look of its previous iterations."

"Ticks all of the boxes"

"The new design ticks all of the requisite boxes for top-tier road racing machines: Lighter-weight, more aerodynamic, and more integration."

"Lighter than ever"

"The most significant new bike to be seen [at the Tour de France] thanks to its radical aero design"

Which generation is right for you? 

Keep speed smooth with Madone Gen 6’s IsoSpeed vibration-damping tech, or go next-level with Gen 7’s aero and comfort-boosting IsoFlow.

Service manual

Time to bust out the repair stand for some maintenance? Find a detailed breakdown of your bike with part numbers, torque values, and platform-specific tech instructions below.

Madone goes green at La Vuelta

After three grueling weeks (and three stage wins), Mads Pederson wins the green jersey aboard a custom-painted Madone SLR at Vuelta.

Designing for speed

Trek's lead aerodynamicist breaks down the science behind our fastest road race bike ever.

World Champ Pedigree

Madone is the bike of choice for Mads Pedersen, UCI Road World Champion.

The always-on team

Research shows the single most impactful measure you can take to stand out to motorists is to use front and rear Daytime Running Lights. The team uses them on every training ride, any time of day—and they’ve found that these lights truly make a difference.

Product features

Unprecedented aerodynamics.

All-new aerodynamic Kammtail frame shapes, bar/stem design, and rider position make Madone SLR our fastest road race bike yet.

Exclusive IsoFlow technology

Never before seen IsoFlow technology specifically designed for the 7th generation Madone SLR shaves weight, improves aerodynamics, and smooths your ride.

Our lightest Madone disc ever

Super lightweight 800 Series OCLV Carbon and a new lightweight design make this our lightest Madone disc ever.

New ergonomic bar/stem

A newly optimized bar/stem that’s 3cm narrower in the hoods than the drops offers a more comfortable and ergonomic riding position for faster racing, improved aerodynamics, and ultimate control. Use the same bar/stem size you’re used to – if you normally ride with a 42cm bar/stem, opt for 42cm in the drops and 39cm in the hoods.

Refined integration

Every element of this bike is part of a greater whole. It has invisible cable routing, aero cockpit, hidden seatmast, and more.

Shimano 105 Di2

With a shared Di2 platform inherited from Dura-Ace and Ultegra, sophisticated ergonomics, Shimano 105-optimized gear combinations, and an exceptional hydraulic disc brake system, Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 marks a new era of affordable, 12 speed electronic performance. You can set up the drivetrain just the way you like it via Shimano’s user-friendly E-Tube app.

Don’t forget your pedals

This bike doesn’t come with pedals because you’ll have a better time on your new bike if you choose your own. See the pedal guide to find the best pedals for your riding style. We recommend clipless road pedals for control and efficiency.

Invisible cable routing

The brake and shift cables of the most aerodynamic bike are routed through the frame for the ultimate in sleek, aerodynamic performance.

Carbon Care Wheel Loyalty Program

Every set of Bontrager carbon wheels is backed by the Carbon Care Wheel Loyalty Program. In the unlikely event that you damage your Bontrager carbon wheels within the first two years of ownership, we’ll repair or replace them for free.

Project One

Don't settle for anyone else's bike. Create your very own with Project One, Trek's custom bike program.

Blendr stem

Bontrager stem technology lets you clip your gear directly to the stem for clean looks, maximum user friendliness.

H1.5 geometry, developed with Trek-Segafredo pro cycling teams, puts the rider in the optimal aero race position. It’s the sweet spot for what our racers want.

Warrantied for life

Carbon wheels can lighten your ride and improve your performance—and when you ride Bontrager, your investment is protected. All Bontrager carbon wheels are backed by a lifetime warranty for the original owner.

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2024 Trek Madone SL 7 review: This is the one to get

The flagship Madone is lighter and very slightly more aero, but also more than twice as expensive.

Second-tier models – ones that look the same, but use less-expensive materials and parts to lower the cost – typically aren’t nearly as exciting as their more premium cousins. But in the case of the Trek Madone SL vs. the Madone SLR, the difference in performance is so small – and the difference in cost so dramatic – that it’s hard not to consider the “lesser” version to be the one to get, even if you have the money for the flagship model.

The short of it: The same cutting-edge aerodynamic performance of Trek’s flagship Madone SLR, distilled into a much more affordable package. Good stuff:  Heaps lighter than before, tangibly speedy, surprisingly good ride quality, superb handling, lots of tire clearance, user-friendly two-piece cockpit, sharp lines. Bad stuff:  Polarizing IsoFlow aesthetics, poor weathersealing, narrow wheels and tires.

An aero primer

Trek went perhaps a little too far down the “aero and comfy” rabbit hole with the 6th-generation Madone, which was impressive in the wind tunnel and surprisingly comfortable to ride, but also among the heavier options in the category what with its complicated (and hefty) IsoSpeed pivoting seatmast design. With the latest iteration of the Madone launched last June, Trek supposedly improved the bike’s aerodynamic performance while also simplifying the structure, ditching IsoSpeed in favor of an even more radical-looking seat cluster configuration called IsoFlow.

In short, IsoFlow comprises a giant hole where the seat cluster would normally be. The seat tube stops just shy of its normal height, the seatstays bypass that area entirely and connect further forward on the top tube, and the semi-integrated seatmast is now cantilevered off the back of the top tube like the business end of an ice hockey stick.

Trek claims IsoFlow yields smoother airflow through that area, saves almost 150 g relative to the outgoing Madone (for the flagship SLR trim, at least), and – thanks to some clever carbon tuning in that area – also supposedly provides a better ride quality than you’d otherwise expect from such chunky frame proportions.

Trek has been one of the biggest proponents of Kamm-tail tube profiles since first using it on the Speed Concept way back in 2009, and those flat-backed shapes are very much alive and well on the latest Madone – if anything, they’re deeper than ever thanks to recent revisions in the UCI technical guidelines. The down tube, seat tube, seatstays, and fork blades are all more aggressively shaped than ever, and the head tube and cockpit areas are particularly sleek so as to keep air flowing cleanly over the carefully sculpted surfaces. 

The revised frame shape only accounts for about half of the new Madone’s claimed aerodynamic performance gains, however. The other half comes from the rider – or, more specifically, handlebars that have been radically narrowed by about 3 cm across the board in order to place the rider in a more aerodynamic position. 

Taking all of these factors together, Trek is touting some bold performance gains, saying the 7th-generation Madone frameset module (including the frame, fork, cockpit, and seatpost) is not only about 300 g lighter in total than the 6th-generation one, but also about 19 watts more efficient aerodynamically in a wind tunnel (at 45 km/h), which Trek says translates to a 60-second advantage per hour at that speed.

A single letter with small differences

All of those changes sound well and good, but keep in mind that when those announcements were made in June 2022, they only applied to the flagship Madone SLR models, whose retail prices start at US$8,000 / AU$11,800 / £7,600 / €8,200 (for a Shimano 105 Di2 build!) and top out at a whopping US$13,200 / AU$19,000 / £14,500 / €15,700 with a SRAM Red AXS groupset. More power to you if you can swing that kind of cash, but for most performance-minded riders, that’s just not in the cards. 

Trek has for years offered a less-expensive version in the Madone SL, but given how the 6th-generation Madone SLR was already overweight, the Madone SL was a veritable boat anchor. For example, a sample I tested a couple of years ago with a mid-range SRAM Force AXS wireless groupset and Bontrager’s reasonably light Aeolus Pro 51 wheels came in at a whopping 8.59 kg (18.94 lb), a tough pill to swallow, aero advantage or not.

Thankfully, the weight loss plan introduced with the Madone SLR now also carries over to the recently updated Madone SL. Despite the lower-grade carbon fiber blend here, claimed weight for a 56 cm Madone SL frame is now 1,200 g, plus 476 g for the matching fork. That’s still 208 g more than a comparable Madone SLR frameset, and hardly a featherweight given the selection of sub-800 g options now on the market, but still pretty good all things considered. If you take Trek’s aero claims at their word, those extra grams aren’t going to matter much at all against the stopwatch on most courses, and realistically speaking, the person considering a Madone these days will probably be more concerned about grams of drag.

Like with the previous Madone SL, this one again uses the exact same shape as the Madone SLR, so its aerodynamic performance should be identical, with one exception: the cockpit. The Madone SLR uses Trek’s latest one-piece carbon fiber handlebar/stem, but the Madone SL uses a more conventional two-piece setup that includes an aero-focused forged aluminum stem with a separate aero-shaped carbon fiber handlebar. And whereas the hose routing on the Madone SLR is fully internal, it’s hidden – but still largely accessible – on the Madone SL, with the brake hoses peeking out just a bit underneath the bar clamp before ducking away again into a plastic shroud bolted to the underside of the stem. 

Trek says this equates to a six-second hit to the Madone SL’s aerodynamic performance relative to the Madone SLR. Don’t worry; I’ll get to that soon enough.

Trek also says there’s a negligible difference in chassis stiffness – less than 5% – and ride quality shouldn’t take much of a hit, either. If anything, the lower grade of carbon fiber in the Madone SL might even make that bike more comfortable than the Madone SLR, not less.

Aside from the different carbon fiber blend and the two-piece cockpit, the rest of the feature list is identical, including Trek’s slightly modified T47 oversized and threaded bottom bracket shell, a built-in chain keeper, and the brand’s now-signature semi-integrated seatmast. Unlike true integrated seatposts, though, this one doesn’t have to be cut and will still squeeze into most standard travel cases, and Trek has gone to great lengths to ensure a proper rider fit. If the included proprietary seatpost doesn’t quite accommodate your position, Trek also offers a longer option – each with 65 mm of total height adjustment – and both are available in 0 mm and 20 mm offsets. Given the rather goofy component dimensions, Trek thankfully has a broad range of dedicated front and rear accessory mounts to accommodate stuff like lights and computers, too.

Both versions are also offered in eight sizes: impressive for a mainstream brand.

Otherwise, the differences between the Madone SL and Madone SLR simply boil down to more economical build kits. 

My Madone SL 7 test sample is the nicer of the two complete Madone SL bikes Trek offers currently, and comes equipped with a complete Shimano Ultegra Di2 2×12 wiredless electronic groupset, Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 carbon fiber clincher wheels wrapped with 25 mm-wide Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite tires, a Trek RCS Pro forged aluminum stem, Bontrager RSL Aero carbon fiber handlebar, and a Bontrager Aeolus Comp snub-nosed saddle. 

Actual weight for my 52 cm sample is 8.01 kg (17.66 lb), without pedals or accessories, and retail price is US$6,500 / AU$10,300 / £7,500 / €8,000.

You know what feels fast? Money left over in my pocket

Having fun on a road bike largely revolves around going fast – and holy cow, is the Madone SL fun in that respect.

For however many full-blown aero road bikes I’ve ridden over the years, it’s still shocking every time I get on a particularly good one and can so immediately feel – feel! – how much faster they are. It’s startlingly easy to hit – and hold – high speeds, but it’s also tangibly easier to just casually cruise if that’s what you feel like doing that day. The beauty is that the option to go fast is always there if you want it, and even after however many years I’ve done this, that thrill never goes away.

Those huge tube sections and all that material are also put to good use in terms of chassis stiffness. It’s wonderfully responsive when you lay down the watts, and it feels every bit like the race bike it’s supposed to be. High-speed jumps are where the Madone SL excels given that aerodynamic shape, but the combination of that stiffness and the new weight loss make it a surprisingly good partner on steep climbs, too. That rigidity also feels nicely balanced from tip to tail with no section of the frame coming across as more flexible than another. The Madone SL obviously doesn’t feel as light heading uphill as something truly feathery, but sub-8 kg is still pretty darn light, and if speed is truly what you’re after, the aerodynamic benefits should more than make up the difference. 

I fully expected my test sample’s 36 cm-wide bars (at the hoods) to feel very weird – and to be fair, they did, but literally only for the first few minutes, after which I almost completely forgot about it. I did miss the additional leverage of my usual 40 cm-wide bars on particularly steep climbs, but that was about it. Consider my eyes opened.

That the Madone SL efficiently cuts through the air and feels fast doing so shouldn’t be a big surprise. The old one was known to be very aerodynamic, and this one is supposedly a big step up from there. But a big aspect of being fast on the road is also being comfortable, and more specifically, that you are able to achieve and maintain an efficient position while also producing a lot of power.

And that’s where the Madone SL’s two-piece cockpit comes in.

One-piece cockpits may look cool, but I don’t always get along with them. Even if the bar width and stem length is correct, sometimes the bend just isn’t my favorite, or the cross-section doesn’t feel right in my hands, or the drop dimension isn’t quite there, or whatever. More often than not, I find myself having to adapt to the bar since there aren’t any other options available instead of the other way around. 

The two-piece setup on the Madone SL may be slower than the fancy (and lighter, and far more expensive) one-piece cockpit on the Madone SLR, but being able to easily adjust and tune the front end to my liking is something I find invaluable. In the case of the Madone SL, the stock bar actually worked quite well for me: an appropriately deep drop with a semi-anatomic bend, a nice flat platform behind the hoods to rest your wrists, and tops that are aero-profiled but still refreshingly comfortable to hold. 

The stem, on the other hand, was a hair too short given my shorter-legs-longer-torso proportions. On a one-piece setup – particularly one with fully internal routing – even a simple adjustment like that on an internally routed one-piece setup is literally hours of work. And while Trek may offer the fancier one-piece setup in fourteen different size combos, you still have to buy the thing (unless you go through Trek’s Project One custom program and pick the right one from the start). But on the Madone SL, it took me all of ten minutes (and many dealers would likely be willing to swap the stem for you). Oh, you also want to try lowering the stem for a bit before cutting the steerer? Just stack some totally normal round spacers on top for a bit. Brilliant. 

Such simple things shouldn’t be so refreshing, but these days, they are.

Speaking of comfort, the Madone SL rides much better than I’d expected. While the ride quality is on the firmer side, it’s very well damped and also effectively takes the edge off of bigger impacts. Tactile feedback is still superb, too, and it’s striking how well the front tire communicates grip levels through the bars without feeling harsh. And as much as I enjoyed the cushiness of the old IsoSpeed system, I have to admit that there seems to be something to Trek’s claims about how the IsoFlow mast flexes over bumps. I’m not sure what it’d feel like under someone appreciably heavier than my modest 72 kg (159 lb), or how well that sort of cantilevered arrangement will hold up over time, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t impressively comfy.

If you are after an even softer ride, don’t forget there’s room for tires with a measured width up to 33 mm – or even more if you’re willing to stomach the risk of running less than 4 mm of clearance at the chainstays.

Handling is another bright spot, as the Madone SL feels much like every other Madone I’ve ridden over the years. The steering geometry is quick and incredibly intuitive without ever feeling twitchy or nervous. It initiates turns with but a flick of the wrists and just a little tilt of your hips, falls naturally toward the apex, and then readily snaps back upright when it comes time to rocket out of the corner, never fighting you at all along any point of the process. High-speed stability is fantastic, too, with not a hint of drama – just relax and keep it pointed where you want to go. That magical combination is something I’ve long enjoyed about the Madone, and I hope Trek never changes it.

One change I’m quite fond of, however, is the new Madone SL’s edgier aesthetic. Gone is the incongruent mix of shapes on the previous model in favor of a more cohesive assortment of mostly straight edges. I’m particularly keen on how the seatstays, down tube, top tube, and chainstays seem to form a perfect parallelogram in profile. There’s beauty in the symmetry. 

That all said, it’s hard for me to ignore some of the Madone SL’s quirks, too.

Trek has engineered a surprising amount of saddle height adjustment considering the relative stubbiness of that integrated seatmast – not to mention the fact you never need to take a hacksaw to your brand-new bike. But the gap between the seatpost and seatmast base is big and unsightly, and the exposed slots further down are begging to suck in whatever’s flying off of your rear tire. 

Trek says that area is entirely sealed off from the rest of the frame so you theoretically shouldn’t be regularly filling your bottom bracket area with gnarly road spray. “You could drain any water that may get in there by tipping the bike upside down, and the material is carbon so there wouldn’t be any damage if water got in,” I was told. Ok, but wouldn’t it be better if it wasn’t so easy for water to get in there in the first place? And sure, the main parts are carbon fiber, but let’s not forget all of the metal hardware that fixes those pieces in place – hopefully not permanently someday. Trek has long demonstrated the ability to mold rubber bits in places like wire and hose ports, so it’s a mystery to me why the seatpost area is left so comparatively unfinished.

Speaking of sealing, just as I’ve noticed on other recent Trek road bikes, the upper headset bearing is perilously exposed to the elements. In fact, there’s enough of a gap between the headset cover and the head tube that you can very easily see the shiny (for now) silver of the upper bearing’s outer race. Trek may very well be using stainless bearings (I didn’t bother to ask), but even if so, that only applies to the races – not the bearing balls – and given the enormous cost and hassle of servicing headset bearings with fully internal routing, I want to see headset bearings be more protected, not less. 

“We’ve had a high volume of bikes in the field with this same RCS-stem compatible headset bearing cover with similar clearance to the frame for some time (Gen 4 Domane SLR and SL, for example) and have not seen an uptick in the amount of headset service reported by Trek shops,” explained Trek bike product marketing coordinator Jake Glahn.

Consider the old shop mechanic in me unconvinced.

Build kit breakdown

Trek has outfitted the Madone SL 7 with solid, no-frills component mix and I have few complaints.

I’ve extolled Shimano’s latest Ultegra Di2 12-speed wiredless groupset several times in the past already, and my opinions haven’t changed. Shift performance is superb front and rear, lever ergonomics are excellent, and the brakes are strong and mostly silent, and with superb lever feel. Riders in particularly hilly environments might want to consider adjusting the 52/36-tooth chainrings and/or the 11-30T cassette, but Shimano’s use of a long pulley cage across the board for this latest generation of Ultegra Di2 at least lessens the financial hit.

The Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 carbon wheels share the same rim profile as the higher-end Aeolus RSL 51 – just with different carbon materials – and the DT Swiss 350-based hubs aren’t quite as nice as the RSL version’s DT Swiss 240-based one, either. As such, they’re essentially a wash in terms of aerodynamics, and while the nearly 200 g weight penalty can be noticeable when sprinting or climbing, it’s not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things. 

Perhaps more questionable are the Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite tires. The tires themselves are perfectly reasonable for everyday use: decent rolling resistance, reassuring grip (at least in dry conditions), seemingly good puncture protection, surprisingly comfortable ride quality. But with even top road pros moving to 28s and beyond , the choice of 25 mm-wide casings here seems a little behind-the-times, even though the actual inflated width is just a hair over 28 mm. 

Bumping up a size would enhance the ride quality even further while also improving cornering grip, and there’s certainly room in the frame and fork to spare. The reduced weight of this latest Madone SL was clearly a big story for Trek, though, and my guess is the product manager didn’t want to add any more. But another likely explanation is the shape of the Aeolus Pro 51 rim, which is currently aerodynamically optimized around that tire size. My hunch is the next generation of Aeolus wheel grows in width, at which point I’m guessing the tire size will grow as well. 

“25 mm tires are what’s fastest on our current lineup of 23 mm internal-width rims,” Glahn said. “Further, 25 mm tires on 23 mm internal-width rims are what was used in the wind tunnel testing for the Gen 7 IsoFlow Madone, and therefore contribute to the basis of our aero claims for this platform.”

As for the Bontrager finishing kit, the Aeolus Comp saddle is one of my favorites: a sort of hybrid between a Specialized Power and a Pro Stealth, mixing the overall profile of the former with the wider nose of the latter. It seems hard at first, but the high-density padding offers excellent support that arguably gets better as the hours tick by. 

I know I’ve already mentioned this, but the Bontrager RSL Aero handlebar was a pleasant surprise. The narrow width is initially jarring, but the overall shape is very comfortable, and there’s excellent wrist clearance when you’re in the drops. Kudos to Bontrager for not merely following trends and slapping a shallow drop on this thing, too. It’s an aero bar meant for performance riding, and so the 80 mm reach and 124 mm drop strike me as just about right. I do wish Bontrager had included more room in the middle for a computer mount, though. Unless you’re running something with a particularly narrow clamp, you’re stuck with some sort of stem-based computer mount.

It’s a winner for me

I haven’t always been a fan of the Madone SL in recent years. Although I loved the aerodynamic performance, it was just too darn heavy. Now that Trek has lopped so much weight off of it, though, it’s not only become much more appealing in my view, but also arguably the one to have if only for that more livable two-piece cockpit design.

If you’re on a budget, yes, there’s also the Madone SLR 6 that comes with Shimano’s new 105 Di2 wiredless electronic groupset, which would more closely align with the old “buy the best frame you can afford” mindset. The complete bike is about 250 g lighter overall than the Madone SL 7 despite the groupset being 130 g heavier, comes with the same wheels, shift quality would be virtually identical, and if the mid-compact gearing of the Madone SL 7 seems a little too tall for your liking, the 105 setup includes a friendlier 1:1 ratio for clawing your way uphill. 

But the braking performance of 105 isn’t quite as good as Ultegra, you can’t add remote shifters, and the supplemental upper buttons on Ultegra and Dura-Ace that are so handy for things like controlling your computer are missing, too. And then there’s that potential fit and comfort issue of that Madone SLR’s one-piece front end I’ve already mentioned, plus the Madone SLR 6 is still US$1,500 more expensive. 

Get the best frameset you can afford, sure. But when the second-tier one is this close, I know which one I’d be buying.

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

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2022 Trek Madone SL 7 eTap review: Speedy and comfy, but seriously heavy

Unusually good ride quality and the handling is brilliant, but it’s hard not to notice the heft when you point it uphill..

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Story Highlights

What it is: Trek’s second-tier aero road bike, built with a more affordable carbon blend and less integration than the flagship version.|| Frame features: OCLV 500 carbon fiber construction, truncated airfoil tube shaping, Adjustable Top Tube IsoSpeed “decoupler”, almost fully internal cable routing, T47 threaded bottom bracket, built-in chain watcher.|| Weight: 8.59 kg (18.94 lb), 52 cm, without pedals or accessories.|| Price: US$7,030 / AU$n/a / £6,900 / €7,400.|| Highs: Superb aerodynamics, comfy ride, excellent handling, accommodating cockpit design, threaded bottom bracket.|| Lows: So-so front-end ride, so heavy.

Aero above all else

Trek’s Madone SLR flagship aero road bike is undeniably fast and efficient when it comes to slicing through the air, but the significant amount of complication that goes into its design also results in a lot of cost. For riders that are chasing every last watt of drag — but are on more modest budgets — Trek introduced two years ago the Madone SL collection, which uses the exact same shaping, but with a less-fancy carbon fiber blend that shrinks the price tag at the expense of an additional 240 g or so of weight.

Indeed, if you were comparing on the design alone, the Madone SL is a literal carbon copy of the SLR. The deep-profile Kammtail truncated airfoil cross-sections are present and accounted for, there’s the same ultra-sleek seat cluster treatment with that no-cut integrated seatmast, an identical hourglass-profile head tube, and the same aggressively shaped fork blades. 

Up top is the same ace-in-the-hole found on the Madone SLR, too: Trek’s incredibly effective Adjustable Top Tube IsoSpeed “decoupler”. While clever surfacing suggests the seatmast is all molded together with the rest of the frame, it’s actually an L-shaped piece with the base extending underneath the top tube, and an aluminum axle and two cartridge bearings at the seat cluster. As a result, that seatmast can pivot rearward on rough roads far more than appearances would suggest, with the lower section of that “L” acting as a leaf spring. 

Even better, a hidden slider between the base of that “L” and the top tube also allows you to fine-tune the spring rate to your liking.

In addition to the different fiber blend, Trek reduces costs further by using a standard stem and headset on the Madone SL as compared to the more heavily integrated two-piece carbon fiber cockpit on the Madone SLR. Cable routing is still fully internal with lines entering the frame through a proprietary upper headset cover, though, and down below is a slightly tweaked version of the T47 oversized threaded bottom bracket standard. 

Whereas many disc-equipped aero road bikes have surprisingly generous tire clearance for narrower all-terrain tires, Trek is clear on what the Madone SL is meant to be, with room for 700×30 mm-wide rubber and not really much more. In terms of geometry, you get a notably aggressive rider position with a long reach and low stack, together with classic stage race handling and trail dimensions in the mid-to-high 50s.

Our Madone SL 7 eTap model comes outfitted with SRAM’s mid-level Force eTap AXS 2×12 wireless electronic disc-brake groupset — including a crank-based dual-sided power meter — and Bontrager’s 51 mm-deep Aeolus Pro 51 carbon clinchers wrapped with 25 mm-wide Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite clinchers. Finishing kit is sourced from the corporate parts bin, too, including a Bontrager Elite Aero VR-CF aluminum bar with flattened tops, a Bontrager Pro forged aluminum stem, and a Bontrager Aeolus Comp saddle.

Weight weenies will want to turn away for a moment as this next part will come across decidedly ugly. 

Actual weight for our 52 cm test sample is a rather hefty 8.59 kg (18.94 lb) without pedals or accessories, and yet despite that, retail price is a still-expensive US$7,000 / AU$NA / £6,900 / €7,400.

As well as other bike types can sometimes mimic the performance of a dedicated road bike, there’s simply no substitute for the sort of free speed you get out of a full-blown aero model. Despite being several years old at this point, the Madone is still one of the fastest bikes on the road. It’s a difference you can actually feel, and this second-tier Madone SL is no different.

It’s legitimately easier to hit higher speeds on the Madone SL as compared to bikes that are less aerodynamic, and easier to hold those speeds, too. It’s particularly obvious on descents, where both CyclingTips social media editor Mike Better and I noted we were going faster than usual on our everyday routes.

Further adding to that sense of speed is the frame’s superb stiffness, which perhaps should come as no surprise given all that carbon fiber and the massive tube cross-sections. The Madone SL is efficient through the air, but also efficient in terms of how the structure translates pedaling effort to the rear wheel. Even sprinting feels better than usual given the excellent front-end torsional stiffness. 

Basically, the Madone SL is all about going fast, and feels every bit of it.

Handling is also superb, and exactly what I’ve come to expect from Trek’s long-running Madone family. It’s quick to turn in and can readily change its line mid-corner, but it’s also confidently stable at very high speeds. Simply put, it just does exactly what you want it to do while on the road, all the time, every time. The traditional stage-race road geometry of course has plenty of toe overlap, but it’s not an issue in the vast majority of riding situations. 

Ride comfort is yet another high point for the Madone SL, at least out back. That Adjustable Top Tube IsoSpeed thingamajig may seem like a gimmick, but it absolutely works as advertised, which is especially amazing given the depth of the seatmast. There’s tangible movement when you hit bumps, and I’d argue there’s even a handling benefit since your weight isn’t getting bounced around as much as usual on less-than-perfect pavement when attacking corners and descents. 

The motion isn’t overly bouncy, either. In fact, I found it to be quite well damped and controlled, and it’s easy to firm things up if desired by moving the slider fore and aft under the top tube. It’s literally a three-minute job, and one you could do roadside with a multi-tool.

One downside of the Madone SL’s fantastic aero efficiency, however, is its susceptibility to crosswinds. Between the deep tube profiles used throughout and the 51 mm-deep front and rear rims, both Mike Better and I noted how it was sometimes a little unnerving to ride the Madone SL in blustery conditions. Predictable handling or not, all that surface area gives the wind plenty to push on, and lighter riders should particularly take note. 

Unfortunately, the excellent ride quality out back isn’t mimicked up front. Trek doesn’t bother to include its Front IsoSpeed mechanism here, and those deep-section fork blades and the massive head tube area aren’t exactly conducive to flex on bumps. The flattened tops of the standard carbon fiber handlebar are almost certainly more forgiving than the more aggressive integrated setup of the Madone SLR, but it still makes for a very firm, and somewhat disjointed, feel. 

The Madone SL 7 eTap’s biggest performance drawback by far, however, is its weight — essentially, that there’s an awful lot of it.

Even with last year’s weight loss, the Madone SLR has never been renowned as a particularly light frameset, and this Madone SL is only heavier yet. Adding to the heft is the SRAM Force eTap AXS groupset, which — as well as it works — is anything but light. The bare weight of 8.59 kg (18.94 lb) hurts enough as is, but once you add pedals and accessories, you’re looking at around 9.5 kg (19.5 lb) for a road bike that still costs an awful lot of money.

On flat roads or moderately rolling conditions, that mass honestly isn’t incredibly noticeable; here, the bike’s superb aerodynamics will play a bigger role. But once the road turns uphill in a more significant way, it’s a different story. Both Mike and I had a hard time not feeling like the bike was dropping anchor a bit when climbing. Try as you might, there’s just no fighting gravity.

SRAM’s Force eTap AXS wireless electronic groupset may be heavy, but it’s functionally hard to fault. Overall shift performance is excellent, with smooth and reliable chain movement at both ends, and more range than we’ve historically expected from traditional road transmissions (although Shimano’s new 2×12 Dura-Ace and Ultegra groupsets are now roughly on par). It’s still not quite as quiet as what you can get from Shimano or Campagnolo, but SRAM’s eTap shift button actuation is the best in the business — and certainly the most progressive-thinking — and while the lever aesthetics are polarizing, the ergonomics are hard to beat. 

The hydraulic disc brakes are also excellent with a gentler initial grab than Shimano calipers, and arguably more user-friendly modulation, too. And kudos to Trek for specifying 160 mm rotors front and rear given the higher speeds people are likely to be hitting on this thing, along with the stock dual-sided power meter.

Similarly, the array of house-brand Bontrager stuff that fills out the rest of the spec sheet is all solid kit as well. 

Topping the list are the Bontrager Aeolus Pro 5 carbon clinchers, which — much like the frameset — offer virtually identical aerodynamic performance as the higher-end Aeolus RSL versions , just with more weight (and, in this case, a less-fancy hubset). Our test bike arrived with Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite tubed clinchers, which aren’t necessarily our favorites in terms of outright performance, but are a good option nonetheless for everyday racing and training. Should you decide to ditch the tubes at some point, the rims are tubeless-ready and only require dedicated molded plastic rim strips and valve stems for the conversion.

Bontrager has done a particularly good job on the ancillary bits. 

The Aeolus Comp saddle is proving to be one of my favorites for its mix of all-day comfort and support, and I’m certainly a fan of the Elite Aero VR-CF bar with its semi-traditional drop bend and moderately flattened tops. Bonus points for the optional Blendr mounts that allow for clean integration of lights, computers, cameras, and other accessories on the stem and saddle. That said, despite what the name suggests, the bar is aluminum, and although the shape is excellent, it’s disappointing to not find a carbon fiber handlebar here for this kind of money.

Final thoughts

The debate over weight vs. aerodynamics has always been an interesting one when it comes to high-end road racing bikes, and one that has largely been settled. In almost all situations, aerodynamic efficiency is more meaningful than low weight when it comes to going fast. 

That said, it’s hard to ignore the emotional side of the equation when it comes to the Madone SL 7 eTap. It may very well be a super aero bike, and it may very well be faster than one that’s significantly lighter, but this is no modest increase we’re talking about here.

Whichever way you slice it, the Madone SL 7 eTap is an awfully heavy bike, particularly when you consider the price tag. It might get you where you need to go in less time, but it might not feel that swift in the process, and that’s something you’d just have to be OK with.

So when picking an aero road bike, do you shop with your head or your heart? And do some of those other Madone-specific benefits — that excellent ride quality, in particular — mean enough to you to overlook the weight? 

That’s unfortunately something you’ll have to answer for yourself.

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

Our Field Test group bike tests are by no means paid events, but they’re still only possible with some outside support. CyclingTips would like to thank the following sponsors for this round of the Field Test:

• Rudy Project
• Pearl Izumi
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
• Lead Out Gear

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\"sean kelly: tadej poga\u010dar\u2019s giro-tour double prospects have leaped forward\"}}\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\/sean-kelly-tadej-pogacars-giro-tour-double-prospects-have-leaped-forward\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"sean kelly: tadej poga\u010dar\u2019s giro-tour double prospects have leaped forward\"}}\u0027>\n sean kelly: tadej poga\u010dar\u2019s giro-tour double prospects have leaped forward\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"the enve fray is an all-road bike with near-gravel tire clearances","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/new-enve-fray\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/new-enve-fray\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the enve fray is an all-road bike with near-gravel tire clearances\"}}\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-gear\/new-enve-fray\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the enve fray is an all-road bike with near-gravel tire clearances\"}}\u0027>\n the enve fray is an all-road bike with near-gravel tire clearances\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"tom pidcock grabs dramatic amstel gold race in four-man sprint","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tom-pidcock-grabs-dramatic-amstel-gold-race-in-four-man-sprint\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tom-pidcock-grabs-dramatic-amstel-gold-race-in-four-man-sprint\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tom pidcock grabs dramatic amstel gold race in four-man sprint\"}}\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\/tom-pidcock-grabs-dramatic-amstel-gold-race-in-four-man-sprint\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tom pidcock grabs dramatic amstel gold race in four-man sprint\"}}\u0027>\n tom pidcock grabs dramatic amstel gold race in four-man sprint\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"amstel gold race essentials: favorites, maps, profiles, start lists, and more","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/amstel-gold-race-essentials-favorites-maps-profiles-start-lists-and-more\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/amstel-gold-race-essentials-favorites-maps-profiles-start-lists-and-more\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"amstel gold race essentials: favorites, maps, profiles, start lists, and more\"}}\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\/amstel-gold-race-essentials-favorites-maps-profiles-start-lists-and-more\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"amstel gold race essentials: favorites, maps, profiles, start lists, and more\"}}\u0027>\n amstel gold race essentials: favorites, maps, profiles, start lists, and more\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 >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>my newsletters manage cookie preferences privacy request healthy living.

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Trek’s Seventh Generation Madone Blends Radical Design and Performance

Trek's new Madone is made to go fast and win races.

Takeaway: A pure-bred road race bike designed to win at the WorldTour level. With its latest Madone, Trek ditches the IsoSpeed decoupler for the new lighter weight, more aerodynamic, and visually radical IsoFlow seatmast.

• Drops weight and gains efficiency.
• Proven geometry remains unchanged from the gen-6 model.
• Flared bars for reduced drag.
• Three SRAM and three Shimano build kit offerings.

Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap Gen 7

Trek’s Madone is an iconic bike. First launched in 2003, the Madone has evolved massively over the past two decades. The platform’s most significant technological leap came about in 2014 when Trek debuted the Emonda, its dedicated lightweight bike. The Emonda freed the Madone from having to strictly be a light bike, allowing aerodynamics to become its primary focus.

To deal with the notoriously stiff and uncomfortable ride of early aero bikes, Trek’s engineers incorporated an IsoSpeed decoupler, similar to the one used on the brand’s Domane endurance bike. With IsoSpeed, the bike’s seat tube moved independently from the top tube and seat stays, allowing it to absorb road chatter and small bumps. The resulting sixth-generation Madone was incredibly fast against the wind while also receiving praise for its ride quality. But the downside was the added weight.

With the new seventh-generation Madone, Trek set an ambitious goal of reducing weight without sacrificing the comfort and aerodynamic properties of the old bike. The most obvious place to shed grams was the IsoSpeed system, now replaced by the visually striking IsoFlow.

According to Trek, function drove IsoFlow’s development. Aided by computational fluid dynamics (CFD), Trek sought to overhaul the entire aerodynamic package of the Madone. The result was a new generation of Trek’s Kammtail tube shapes, including a smoother head tube, a down tube better optimized for use with and without bottles, a taller bottom bracket area, and the radically designed seat tube.

The new Madone is bold and will not be mistaken for any other bike. But it definitely won’t please riders who prefer a more traditional aesthetic. Trek deserves props for pushing the design language of a bicycle forward. Though its looks won't please everyone, I’m happy to see something other than a cookie-cutter, dropped-stays, aero-ish, all-around-er that seems so popular amongst bike designers.

The new seat mast set-up is well-designed, offering easy and consistent height adjustment. But the best detail was in the seat clamp, which allowed for fore and aft adjustment independent of saddle tilt. It’s a small detail that makes setting up the bike much easier, as it allows for minor saddle angle tweaks while leaving it clamped in place.

These changes account for roughly half of the aerodynamic improvements of the new bike. Trek claims that the new Madone saves riders 19 watts of pedaling energy at 28 mph, but just half of that savings (9.3 watts) is from improvements to the frame. The remaining watt savings come from changes to the rider position due to the new flared handlebar design. The Madone SLR handlebar measures a traditional width in the drops, but the bar's flare positions the hoods inward by 30mm. This narrower hood location puts the rider in a more aerodynamic position when riding, thus saving watts.

Thankfully for riders that are particular about their contact points, Trek made the new bike compatible with standard 1-⅛” stems so riders can set up their cockpit however they like. However, changing to this would give up a large chunk of the Madone’s claimed aero benefits unless riders choose a narrower-than-normal bar width.

More importantly for pro riders and weight weenies alike, the new frameset is now two-thirds of a pound lighter than its predecessor. Our 56cm test bike came in at 16.2 pounds which is pretty svelt for an aero bike with 51cm deep clincher wheels and disc brakes. A big part of the weight saving comes from the new IsoFlow design. The cantilevered design of the seat tube and IsoFlow allows for engineered flex in the new Madone. This design is how Trek maintains the Madone’s celebrated ride quality.

Trek stuck to its H1.5 geometry as used on the previous generation Madone. It conceived this as a meeting point between Trek’s old racing-focused H1 geometry and its more relaxed H2 angles. The wheelbase on our 56cm bike was only 983mm, nearly a centimeter shorter than the Specialized Tarmac SL7 and Giant’s TCR, and 13 mm shorter than Canyons Ultimate. Combined with a relatively steep 73.5-degree head tube angle and a 58mm trail figure, you get a bike that will dive into corners as hard as you’re willing to push it.

Pricing and Build Options

There is no getting around the fact that as the top-of-the-line road racing bike from Trek, the Madone is not cheap. The move to electronic-only groups on all builds of the Madone does the price no favors as well. While equivalent new models of the Madone only get $200 more expensive for 2023. The entry-level build for the 2023 Madone SLR 6 (with Shimano 105 Di2) comes in at $8,000. That is a $1,100 increase over the 2021 Madone SLR 6 equipped with mechanical-shifting Shimano Ultegra. Top-of-the-range Dura-Ace and Red eTap builds retail for $12,750 and $13,200, respectively.

Trek offers the new Madone in six builds, three with SRAM (Red, Force, and Rival eTap) and three with Shimano (Dura-Ace, Ultegra, and 105 Di2). All of the Madone builds ship with the new integrated cockpit; Dura-Ace and Red-equipped Madones ship with Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 wheels, while all other builds get the slightly heavier Aeolus Pro 51.

Ride Impressions

The new Madone has an exceptionally smooth ride, lacking the characteristically dead and harsh feel of past aero bikes. But the mellow ride is not without an edge. The Madone does an exceptional job of balancing all-day comfort with the agility and aggression needed to be a top-tier race bike. Under sharp accelerations, especially at speeds under 25 mph, the Madone felt impressively stiff. But accelerations from the high 20s into 30+mph territory felt a bit more muted, which is not inherently a bad trait. A twitchy bike is not helpful when you’re going that fast.

Once the Madone is up to speed, it just wants to stay there. I was impressed with how quickly and easily the bike would get rolling up to 20-22 miles per hour. Combined with the gentle ride quality, it felt like the new Madone would constantly surprise me with how fast I was going. The sensation of speed on this bike is almost sneaky, you get used to what 25mph feels like on a road bike, but on the Madone, the same pace feels calmer and less frantic, at least in a straight line. Throw the Madone into a corner, and it instantly feels sharp and aggressive.

As a racer, I very much enjoyed the Madone’s willingness to corner aggressively, but it did expose one of the bike's faults. The 25mm tires shipped on our test biker are simply too narrow. Trek claims that the Madone can fit tires up to 28mm, but this feels short-sighted. Wheel brands such as Reserve, Enve, and Zipp now design around a 28mm tire as the default width. There is plenty of space in the frame for wider tires, so Trek is likely very conservative in its stock tire choice and maximum tire width recommendation.

Even riding the stock 25mm tires with pressures as low as 65 psi front and 75 psi rear, the narrow rubber still felt like it was missing grip, with the back end stepping out multiple times when exiting a corner. It was also discouraging that a road bike selling for over thirteen thousand dollars does not ship with tubeless compatible tires or the proper bits to easily set up the Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 wheels as tubeless.

Another thing missing from the bike was a computer mount. Usually, it is not something I would expect a brand to include, but the bars require a Trek-specific part. Given the complete bike’s price tag and Trek’s integrated cockpit, it should come with a computer mount. I sourced a Blendr mount from my local Trek store, but it was not without its issues (it rattled loose during a training crit and fell off). It is possible to entirely avoid this proprietary part by using a standard 1-⅛” stem and handlebar but making this swap would involve cutting hydraulic houses and would not be cheap.

I was also pleased to see Trek continue using the T47 bottom bracket standard on this bike. A threaded bottom bracket shell is a win for mechanics everywhere. However, the latest Madone is now only compatible with electronic shifting. We can argue whether it's bike brands like Trek (releasing electronic-only high-end bikes) or component brands like SRAM and Shimano (no longer developing high-performance mechanical road groupsets) or if consumers are just voting with their dollars. But the result is that we are witnessing the death of mechanical shifting from high-end racing bikes. And that's a little bit sad.

Ultimately this Madone, like the versions that have come before, was conceived and designed to meet the needs of World Tour professionals. Everything about the bike, from how it rides, to how much it costs, reflects that niche design requirement. Aside from a small pool of professional racers, very few people will likely make the most of this bike’s capabilities. It’s analogous to the way most drivers will not benefit from driving a Formula One car. It’s a pure-bred race bike designed to win at the highest level. If that’s what you’re looking to do—or you just want to own a bike with that ability—then the Madone should be on your shortlist.

Test Editor Dan Chabanov got his start in cycling as a New York City bike messenger but quickly found his way into road and cyclocross racing, competing in professional cyclocross races from 2009 to 2019 and winning a Master’s National Championship title in 2018. Prior to joining Bicycling in 2021, Dan worked as part of the race organization for the Red Hook Crit, as a coach with EnduranceWERX, as well as a freelance writer and photographer. 

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Meet the new Trek Madone

Our fastest road bike ever. Period.

The holy grail of road bike engineering is a perfect balance of aerodynamics, light weight and comfort. With the seventh generation of the Trek Madone, the mad scientists at Trek’s laboratories may have finally found the sweet spot for what we can proudly, and unequivocally, call our fastest road bike ever.

The secret is hiding in plain sight. Each frame is sculpted with IsoFlow technology, which splits the seat tube, creating a funnel beneath the seat mast that smooths and accelerates air through the frame while also creating flex near the saddle to smooth out those bumps in the road, so you can ride even farther. 

IsoFlow is both eye-catching and revolutionary. You can see it at work already for the Trek-Segafredo men’s and women’s teams at some of the biggest races of the year, including the Tour de France. If you love speed, you’re going to love this bike.

The full bike and a good look at IsoFlow.

A cockpit built for speed.

Trek engineers didn’t stop at IsoFlow to improve the Madone’s aerodynamics. Painstaking research went into the frame, cockpit and rider position to make sure that riders got every ounce of free speed possible. The result? The new Madone is 19 watts faster than the previous generation at 45 kilometers an hour. That’s a savings of approximately 60 seconds per hour. 

A split seat post helps eat bumps in the road.

A more comfortable position means longer games of "tag."

Power, comfort and control

Riders are now placed in an even more ergonomic riding position compared to the previous Madone, thanks to an overhauled cockpit that features a shorter reach and hoods that are 3 centimeters narrower than the drops. Combined with IsoFlow, riders can expect to feel faster late into their long efforts.

Climb or descend like the best.

Lighter than ever

It may not beat the mountain-eating Émonda , but the new Madone has always been plenty snappy on steep gradients, and it’s even more so now. The new Madone is around 300 grams lighter than the previous version, again thanks to IsoFlow, as well as our best and lightest OCLV Carbon. Take on your hometown’s killer climb (you know the one) without fear.

No detail overlooked.

Coming to a peloton near you.

You want a lighter, faster, more comfortable road bike? Well here it is. The Madone compromises nothing to give you the ultimate ride. There’s simply nothing like it. 

Our fastest road bike ever

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A fairytale Tour de France awaits for Mads Pedersen

Close up with the new Trek Madone: Mads Pedersen's Tour de France bike

We take a closer look at the Trek-Segafredo rider's steed as the eagerly anticipated Trek Madone 2023 is finally revealed in Copenhagen

Teased as the "ultimate race bike" in the build-up to its release, Trek finally unveiled the new Madone at the Tour de France with several new features.

The most striking aspect of the design is a new IsoFlow seat tube technology that replaces the previous model's IsoSpeed system. The seat tube splits and forks outward to join the seat stays, resulting in an almost diamond-shape hole below the seat which screams out for attention.

So we took a closer look at Trek-Segafredo rider Mads Pedersen 's new bike to get to grips with the new upgrades.

The IsoFlow system not only adds compliance for a smoother ride, says Trek, but also brings gains in aerodynamics and weight-saving.

In fact Trek says the new Madone is 60 seconds per hour faster than the previous generation thanks to its new aero frame alongside a redesigned integrated handlebar and stem. The hoods on the handlebar are 3cm narrower than the drops which Trek says allows for an improved, more aero rider position.

The new Madone will come with Bontrager's Aeolus RSL 51 carbon tubeless-ready wheelset, but Pedersen's bike was fitted with deeper 62mm rims in Copenhagen.

It was also equipped with SRAM's Red eTap AXS 12-speed groupset.

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Ben has been a sports journalist for 16 years, covering everything from park football to the Olympic Games. As well as cycling, his passions include podcasts, tennis and speaking enough Italian to get by on his snowboarding trips to the Dolomites. A DIY rider who is almost as happy in the toolbox as he is in the saddle, he is still trying to emulate the feelings he experienced as a nine-year-old on his first Peugeot racer – he couldn’t fathom the down-tube friction shifters then and he’s still wrestling with groupsets now. When he isn’t making a beeline for the nearest Chiltern hill, he is probably tinkering or teaching his kids how to clean a bike properly. He rides a heavily modified 1980 Peugeot PVN10 Super Competition (steel is real) when the road is smooth and dry, and a BMC Alpenchallenge when it’s not.

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Trek Madone Bikes Compared: Which One to Choose?

CyclistsHub is supported by its readers. We may receive a commission if you buy products using our links.

In this article, I’ll help you navigate the Trek Madone aero road bikes by comparing the Madone SL 6 to SLR 9 .

You will also learn:

• Who are they best suited for?
• About the differences between each model and Gen 6 vs. Gen 7.
• Why I think you shouldn’t buy Trek Madone with SRAM groupset.

Plus, I’ll tell you which model gives you the best value for your money to help make your decision easier.

KEY TAKEAWAY

Trek Madone bikes are ideal for flats and rolling terrains. They are the most aero bike family of all Trek road bikes . The models differ in components (e.g., electronic shifting or wheels) and frames. The more expensive ones are usually lighter and have a higher-grade carbon frame, but usually diminishing returns.

This article compares Trek Madone Gen 6 and 7. The main difference between Madone Gen 6 and Gen 7 is that Gen 6 has IsoSpeed decoupler, while Gen 7 has IsoFlow.

Trek Madone SL 6 vs. SL 7 vs. SLR 6 vs. SLR 7 vs. SLR 9

The following table summarizes the main differences between all Madone bikes.

Madone Pros & Cons Summary

I summarized the pros & cons of the Madone series below.

Madone Pros

• Faster than standard road bikes thanks to the aero frame
• Madone Gen 7 stands out from the crowd thanks to the IsoFlow
• Racing geometry
• Availability in multiple sizes and colors
• Integrated cable routing
• Lifetime warranty

Madone Cons

• Heavier than Émonda road bikes
• More expensive than non-aero road bikes
• No aluminum models are available
• Narrow tire clearance (28mm)

Madone Main Features

Let me now explain the most important features of the Trek Madone aero bikes.

Frame and Geometry

The Madone bikes are part of Trek’s road bike lineup . They’re made of carbon. No aluminum version of the Madone is available.

The names of the bikes have abbreviations that refer to the type of carbon used for the frame:

• SL are bikes with 500 series OCLV*  carbon (mid-range).
• SLR are bikes with 800 series OCLV carbon (high-end).

*OCLV carbon is Trek’s patented carbon fiber process ( learn more ).

SL (Gen 6) frames are heavier than SLR (Gen 7), mainly due to the IsoSpeed vs. IsoFlow ( learn more ).

The bikes are available in many sizes (47-62) and colors. They have a relatively relaxed geometry compared to the Cervelo S5 but are almost identical to the Cannondale SystemSix.

Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics evaluation is a challenging discipline because it requires a lot of resources. No extensive independent database is available that compares the speed of different aero wheels.

In Trek’s whitepaper , I learned that the Madone Gen 7 is 19W faster than Gen 6 at 45 km/h.

However, it’s hard to compare it with other bikes. But it’s rumored that Madone is among the fastest aero bikes.

For instance, in Cannondale’s whitepaper , there’s a comparison of Cannondale SystemSix (one of the fastest aero bikes) with Madone 9.9. Madone was only slightly worse.

Wheels and Tires

On some Madone models, the wheels may be different, but typically, they come with Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 wheels.

Surprisingly, the front and rear wheels have the same rim depth. Other aero bike manufacturers often use deeper wheels in the rear and shallower ones in the front.

The same goes for tires. Madones come with 25mm tires in both the front and rear, but it’s common for competitors’ bikes to have 25mm tires in the front and 28mm tires in the rear.

Remember, the wheels are tubeless-ready, but the tires are clinchers.

Unsurprisingly, the Madone bikes have a 2X drivetrain, as is customary for road bikes.

Trek fits them with Shimano and SRAM groupsets, and the number in the bike name indicates the groupset.

• Models ending with 6 use Shimano Ultegra , 105 Di2 (R7100) or SRAM Rival AXS groupsets.
• Models ending with 7 use Shimano Ultegra Di2 (R8100) or SRAM Force AXS groupsets.
• Models ending with 9 use Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 (R9200) or SRAM Red AXS groupsets.

Interestingly, the Madones with SRAM are heavier than the Madones of the same series with the Shimano groupset. In addition, the Shimano bikes are also cheaper.

This is somewhat strange because Shimano retail prices are higher than SRAM. That’s why I recommend choosing Trek bikes with Shimano groupsets unless you prefer SRAM.

IsoSpeed vs. IsoFlow

Undoubtedly, IsoSpeed and IsoFlow have become unique features that make Madone stand out from the crowd.

The IsoSpeed decoupler aimed to improve riding comfort by absorbing road vibrations. Unfortunately, it added weight to the bike.

The 7th generation Madone took people’s breath away. IsoFlow is a significant design change from the traditional bike appearance, but it’s supposed to improve both riding comfort and aerodynamics.

On the other hand, some have expressed opinions that the change in shape from a classic triangle to a quadrilateral will inherently reduce the overall frame stiffness. Learn more in the following video.

So, which Trek Madone bike is the best?

If you’re considering buying a Madone, I suggest going for a model with a Shimano groupset. They tend to be lighter and less expensive than the equivalent SRAM models.

Consider the Madone SL 6 or 7 (Gen 7) for the best value for money. You will get an adjustable cockpit (which you won’t get with SLR Gen 7), Gen 7 frame (IsoFlow), and Shimano 105 Di2 or Ultegra Di2.

The only sacrifices you make are the lower-grade carbon, higher weight, and slightly worse aerodynamics and aesthetics due to the semi-integrated cockpit.

Trek Madone FAQ

Trek Madone bikes are for pro cyclists, competitive roadies, and enthusiast cyclists who want a unique-looking but fast road bike. They are ideal for flats, rolling terrain, and fast-paced rides (races, criteriums, etc.).

The main differences between Madone Gen 6 and Gen 7 are that Gen 6 has IsoSpeed decoupler, while Gen 7 has IsoFlow. Gen 7 frames are lighter and 19W faster at 45km/h ( source ). They also look different due to the significant design change. Trek introduced SL 6 and SL 7 Gen 7 with an adjustable cockpit in August 2023. These bikes are more affordable than the SLX versions.

The main difference between Madone and Émonda is that Madone is a pure aero road bike, while Émonda is a lightweight road bike for climbing. For more detailed info, please check out my comparison of Madone vs. Émonda .

The main difference between Madone and Domane is that Madone is a pure aero road bike, while Domane is an endurance road bike with wider tire clearance, also suitable for off-road adventures. Learn more in my Madone vs. Domane comparison.

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Petr Minarik

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• Rider Notes

2023 Trek Madone SLR 6 Gen 6

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

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Based on frame geometry and build specs.

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.

Madone SLR 6 Gen 6

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5'8" – 5'11"

• 5'11", size 56cm, Fits small

Nov 2023 · Mat Brett

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

Read Review

Oct 2023 · James Huang

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

Heaps lighter than before

Tangibly speedy

Surprisingly good ride quality

Superb handling

Lots of tire clearance

User-friendly two-piece cockpit

Sharp lines.

Polarizing IsoFlow aesthetics

Poor weathersealing

Narrow wheels and tires.

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

Aug 2023 · Troy Templin

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

May 2023 · Simon von Bromley

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

Composed yet fast

Innovative design

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

Wide range of frame sizes

No power meter

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

Dec 2022 · Sam Challis

The new Madone is leaner, meaner and wickedly quick

Very fast ride feel

Smart componentry design

Light weight

Narrow bars take some getting used to

Vulnerable in gusty conditions

Dec 2022 · Ronan Mc Laughlin

The "ultimate race bike" has only a few minor flaws – and the hole in the seat tube isn't (exactly) one of them.

Seriously expensive, IsoFlow equals spray flow, fit can be tricky.

Dec 2022 · Julian Schwede

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

Very balanced handling at high speeds

Reduced complexity and improved aerodynamics of the IsoFlow system

Customisation options thanks to the Project One configurator

High-quality workmanship

The damping of the IsoFlow system isn’t adjustable

The Bontrager R4 tires lack grip

Last updated August 4 Not listed for 253 days

Exclusive first ride review of the 2023 Trek Madone SLR 9 Gen 7 – Trek’s aero comfort revolution?

After introducing the 2023 Trek Madone SLR with its unique look and promising updates, we couldn’t wait to put it to the test. We’ve now had the exclusive chance to swing our legs over the € 15,699 Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap Gen 7. Read on to find out how the new aero bike fares with the reduced weight and complexity of the IsoFlow system.

Trek claim to have developed their fastest bike yet with the all-new 2023 Madone SLR, and caused an uproar in the community while they were at it. When the first photos of the 2023 Trek Madone SLR at the Critérium du Dauphiné went live, the online community went nuts. The reactions ran the gamut from “that’s definitely a mad one” all the way to “at first I thought it was a joke, sadly it wasn’t.” There was a lot of speculation, but now we’ve finally got the first in-depth test results.

The 2023 Trek Madone SLR Disc is more than just a looker with its radical design and all-new IsoFlow system. The American brand promise a wide range of advantages and claim to have solved some of the issues of its predecessor. Trek have completely overhauled the existing IsoSpeed damping system, implemented several aero optimisations such as bigger aerodynamic compensation surfaces, according to the latest UCI regulations, and reduced the weight significantly. Besides the striking IsoFlow design, Trek obviously spec the bike with high-end components, including some from their in-house brand Bontrager, and offer deep customisation via the Project One configurator.

Trek IsoSpeed vs IsoFlow – An overview of the differences

Improved aerodynamics of the 2023 trek madone slr 9 etap gen 7.

It’s not just thanks to the new IsoFlow system that the aerodynamics of the 2023 Trek Madone SLR Disc have been improved, but also via the cockpit and therefore the position of the rider. After all, the rider produces the most wind resistance by far: riding on flat terrain, as much as 75% of the total drag is caused by the wind resistance of the rider, from speeds of just 15 km/h. So, there are a lot of gains to be made by optimising the position of the rider. As such, the handlebar of the Madone has been designed specifically for this bike, bringing the rider into an aerodynamically optimised position.

The slightly flared drops should offer improved control over the bike while also optimising the airflow over the rider’s thighs in order to reduce drag. Even the water bottles and the front mech have been integrated into the frame design, and the enlarged bottom bracket area takes advantage of the latest UCI regulations to further improve aerodynamics, like on the new Cérvelo S5 or SCOTT Foil RC .

Trek have attempted to quantify the promised gains. Accordingly, the American brand claim to save 9.3 Watts with the bike’s improved aerodynamics, i.e. the new IsoFlow system, improved tube shapes and cockpit design (without the rider). The optimised rider position alone should save around 10 W, giving you total saving of 19 Watts at 45 km/h in the drops. All these figures are relative to the 6th generation Trek Madone.

Weight optimization – How much lighter is the 2023 Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap Gen 7?

As the predecessor, the 2023 Trek Madone SLR is made of OCLV 800, which is the highest grade carbon that Trek offer. The SLR 9 with the eTap groupset weighs in at just 7.36 kg in size 56, making the 2023 Madone SLR Disc the lightest Madone Disc on the market. In total, Trek say they’ve shaved off 300 g compared to the predecessor, which would be a significant weight reduction. However, the previous Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc Gen 6 we had on test tipped the scales at 7.63 kg in size 56, so the actual weight saving is quite a bit less at 230 g, and that’s compared to a bigger frame size.

Of course, a large part of the weight reduction is down to the new IsoFlow system. Despite all their efforts, however, the Trek Émonda SLR 9 (review here) remains the lightest bike in Trek’s portfolio, weighing in at just 6.86 kg, though the latest generation of the Madone is steadily closing the gap. Whether you stand to gain more from aero or weight optimisation is heavily dependent on the elevation profile of the route, of course. On the climbs, you’ll benefit the most from the lower weight of the Émonda – especially the rotating mass of its wheels. The Madone, on the other hand, can play to its strengths on flat stages and descents.

300 g lighter than its predecessor – the lightest Madone yet.

The 2023 Trek Madone SLR in detail and models variants

The 2023 Madone SLR Disc is available in 6 different models with prices ranging from € 8,199 to € 15,699. If none of the standard models meet your demands, you can let your creativity run wild and even adorn your bike with gold leaf in Trek’s Project One configurator. The new, 7th generation Trek Madone SLR is exclusively available with electronic groupsets. You can choose pretty much freely between SRAM and Shimano, though. From SRAM, Trek offer the Rival eTap AXS, Force eTap AXS and RED eTap AXS groupsets, or the corresponding 105 R7170, ULTEGRA R8170 Di2, or DURA-ACE R9270 Di2 options from Shimano. All the SRAM equipped models also come with an integrated power metre in the cranks. Only the SL models will be available with mechanical groupsets. The SL models will also continue to rely on the old, 6th generation Madone frame featuring the IsoSpeed system, and a different carbon layup. As such, the new IsoFlow technology is reserved for the SLR range for the time being.

Supplied in-house, the 25 mm Bontrager R4 tires keep the bike grounded. These are fitted to Bontrager Aeolus RSL wheels with a rim depth of 51 mm, which, unlike the R4 tires, are tubeless-ready. Before converting to a tubeless setup, therefore, you won’t just need tubeless valves and sealant, but also new tires. Trek recommend a maximum tire width of 28 mm, which they say should give you 6 mm clearance around the tires. If you want to make the most of this clearance and fit wider tires, it’s up to you to decide how far you want to risk pushing this limit. However, doing so isn’t officially Trek approved.

Trek Madone SLR 9 2023

Specifications.

Seatpost Madone 0 mm Brakes SRAM RED eTap AXS HRD 160/160 mm Drivetrain SRAM RED eTap AXS 2x12 Chainring 48/35 Stem Madone 90 mm Handlebar Madone 420 mm Wheelset Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 12 x 100/12 x 142 mm Through Axle Tires Bontrager R4 700 x 25C 28 Cranks SRAM RED AXS Power Meter 172.5 mm Cassette SRAM XG-1290 10–33T

Technical Data

Size 47 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 Weight 7.4 kg

The seat post and handlebar are made especially for the 2023 Madone Disc. The seat posts are available in 4 different variants. Frame sizes 47 to 54 come with a short seat post whereas sizes 56 to 62 come with a long version. Adapting the seat post length according to the frame size is necessary since the seat mast is too short to offer a wide range of adjustability. By making the seat post clamp reversible, Trek were able to maximise the adjustment range, allowing you to adjust the saddle height by 70 mm with both the long and short seat post. Unlike our test bike, the seat post is colour matched, and it comes with 0 mm offset as standard, though there’s a 20 mm offset version available.

The cockpit of the 2023 Madone SLR Disc is made of one piece. Allowing you to dial in the fit, Trek offer 14 different sizes of the one-piece cockpit, which get specced according to the frame size or the customer’s request. If that still doesn’t let you get comfortable, you can fit any stem and handlebar combination you want, as long as it relies on a 31.8 mm clamp. All you need is a special headset cover. The stock bike features a big 160 mm rotor up front and rear, making sure there’s enough braking power. Nothing has changed with regards to the cable routing, remaining almost completely hidden – you can only see a short section of the brake lines peeping out just before they reach the callipers.

As before, the 2023 Trek Madone SLR Disc is compatible with Trek’s Blendr range of lights. There’s a front Blendr mount included with the bike. Unfortunately, you’ll have to buy the mount for the Madone SLR seat post separately – we would have preferred if it was the other way around. After all, you want to be seen by other road users first and foremost. Of course, if you’re going to be training or riding day and night and in all conditions, it’s best to have both. Since it’s reliable and easy to maintain, Trek remain true to the T47 bottom bracket standard. That said, the 2023 Trek Madone SLR Disc is also compatible with 30 mm crank axles – you must just make sure that you’re using the correct bearings.

The geometry of the 2023 Trek Madone SLR Disc

As before, Trek have gone with their “moderate” H1.5 geometry for the 2023 Trek Madone SLR Disc, which sits between the more aggressive H1.0 geometry and the H2.0 variant that they use for their endurance road models. The rider gets put into an aerodynamic position predominantly via the handlebar. The bike will be available in Trek’s usual 7 sizes, ranging from 47 to 62 cm.

The 2023 Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap Gen 7 on the road – Our first ride review of the new IsoFlow aero machine

The 2023 Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap Gen 7 looks like it’s raring to go just standing there, looking like it’s in a continuous state of tension and striking a good balance between clean, simple lines and high-quality details – our high expectations of the bike were high. Once aboard the bike, you can feel the flex and pleasant level of compliance offered by the IsoFlow system. While it isn’t adjustable, the amount of flex changes depending on how far you’ve got the seat post sticking out – 77.5 cm in our case. It does a good job of filtering out small bumps, and even bigger impacts get mitigated by the bike before being passed on to the rider. There’s nothing to stop you from taking on longer tours on rough asphalt and poorly maintained roads. The comfort offered by the rear end stands somewhat in contrast to the stiff front end, only providing a bit of compliance when you’re in the drops – if you hit corrugations with your hands on the hoods, you’ll feel your teeth rattle.

Cruising leisurely aboard the 2023 Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap Gen 7, you’ll quickly realise that that isn’t the bike’s forte. At slower speeds, the handling feels slightly nervous, and the front wheel tends to tip from side to side. This wasn’t an issue when winching our way up steep climbs, but it doesn’t instil you with confidence when rolling slowly up to a red traffic light as you wait for it to turn green. When get up out of the saddle and put the hammer down, however, the bike surges forward and begs for more. The stiff bottom bracket transfers your pedalling input with minimal losses, quickly propelling the bike up to cruising speed despite the deep and therefore relatively heavy 51 mm rims. Once you’re at your desired speed, the bike will hold that pace with ease, not least thanks to the ergonomically and aerodynamically shaped cockpit: the gentle back-sweep puts you in an aero position with your elbows tucked in while the flared drops offer plenty of control and a higher level of compliance. The rounded edges of the tops are pleasant to hold on to in case you feel like assuming a more upright position. Assume the aero position, though, and the 2023 Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap Gen 7 seems to crave speed, so much so that we feared running out of gears on flat terrain.

Once you’ve summited the peak and start heading downhill, the 2023 Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap Gen 7 really comes into its own. The handling feels planted and composed at high speeds, yet it remains responsive and precise enough for spontaneous corrections in the peloton or to swerve around a pothole that you didn’t see coming. Trek have struck an excellent balance with the bike’s handling at speed. The bike does get pushed sideways by crosswinds, but it does so evenly and remains easy to control. It doesn’t get jerked around and feel nervous at all! Only the tires tend to lose traction and slide out during hard braking manoeuvres on wet asphalt – we would have preferred a set of tubeless-ready 28 mm tires instead.

You can make the bike significantly more comfortable by fitting a pair of wider tires, though it’s an excellent all-rounder in the stock configuration, nonetheless. All in all, the 2023 Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap Gen 7 has become significantly more versatile: it’s become lighter and more aerodynamic, it’s a better climber and it’s less complex thanks to the new IsoFlow system, which is a boon for both home and pro mechanics. An (almost) complete all-rounder.

Who is the new 2023 Madone for?

Whether pro athlete or ambitious privateer, criterium or steep Alpine passes, the 2023 Madone Disc is aimed at those who have need for speed. If you know Trek, you will know that the SLR range isn’t aimed at the masses, but rather at pros and all those who dream of being one – assuming you’ve got the money. Still, the components make this aero bike a superb all-rounder for all those looking to save some Watts. If you prefer flying under the radar as you enjoy your training rides, the polarising design of the Madone clearly isn’t the right choice as other riders will try to quiz you about it wherever you go. That’s exactly what some riders want, so it all depends on the type of rider that you are. Want that race feeling, but far away from traffic and asphalt? Then check out our review of the 2023 Checkpoint SLR 7 with its integrated storage compartment (find the review here).

Tuning-Tipp: downsize for more comfort, due to the longer seat post extension | 28 mm tubeless tires

Our conclusion on the new 2023 Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap Gen 7

The updates made to the new 2023 Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap Gen 7 have made it significantly more versatile. It doesn’t just look damn fast; it is damn fast, too. And the handling remains responsive at high speeds without lacking in stability. The clever new IsoFlow system reduces the bike’s complexity while offering a similar level of compliance. As such, the new Trek Madone serves ambitious (hobby) racers well and has what it takes to get you on the podium.

• very balanced handling at high speeds
• reduced complexity and improved aerodynamics of the IsoFlow system
• customisation options thanks to the Project One configurator
• high-quality workmanship

• the damping of the IsoFlow system isn’t adjustable
• the Bontrager R4 tires lack grip

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Words: Julian Schwede Photos: Mike Hunger

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Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc review

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

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

Ride quality

Performance

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

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

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

>>> Best carbon road bikes

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

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

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

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

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

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

Riding the new Trek Madone SLR 9 Disc

Aerodynamics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Comfort v stiffness

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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• Madone SL 7 Gen 7

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"This is the one to get"

"For however many full-blown aero road bikes I’ve ridden over the years, it’s still shocking every time I get on a particularly good one and can so immediately feel – feel! – how much faster they are. It’s startlingly easy to hit – and hold – high speeds, but it’s also tangibly easier to just casually cruise if that’s what you feel like doing that day [...] It's a winner for me."

Stiffer, quicker, sharper

Getting on the bike as a whole, which is the way you ride bikes, it feels like a fast aero bike [...] for a race bike, comfy and certainly for an aero race bike it is on the more comfortable end of things.

Without a doubt, a performance bike

Modern performance geometry makes race bikes much more versatile and fun for the general rider, and in my opinion, [Madone SL] is a great balance for most riders looking for a performance feel from a road bike. [...] lateral stiffness and pedalling efficiency seem very good

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