trek domane 4.3 wsd 2013

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2013 Trek Domane 4.3 WSD (Compact)

A carbon frame women’s endurance bike with upper mid-range components and rim brakes.

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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.

Domane 4.3 WSD (Compact)

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Jun 2014 · James Huang

Better than the standard Domane in every way

Read Review

The standard Domane with its quick-release dropouts is no slouch in terms of frame stiffness – and in fact, Trek confirmed that it’s nearly on par with the edgier Madone for drivetrain efficiency and actually even better in terms of front-end stiffness.

May 2014 · Canadian Cycling Magazine

Trek has announced that it will offer the Domane 6.9 and 4.0 in a disc-brake version. Domane, the Waterloo, Wis.-based company's road endurance line, debuted in 2012 and has featured in cobbled Spring Classics.

May 2014 · William Tracy

Trek goes disc brakes with the two new Domane models. How do they stack up?

With the Madone and Domane, Trek offers riders a choice of two very different road bikes. The former is fashioned for performance, while the latter is devoted to endurance. In this review, CTech Editor Matt Wikstrom rides both models in Trek’s 5 Series to see what they have to offer. Most readers will be familiar

Take a look at the bike that won the Tour of Flanders

Bring on the cobbles. Just after introducing the new Trek Factory Racing team on Friday, a special delivery showed up at our door step. One that was painted in Trek Factory Racing colors, and happens to be the very same frame that Trek’s pro racers use for Spring Classics and other rides where comfort and …

Oct 2013 · R BA

Rear suspension comes to the sub-$2000 aluminum endurance road bike

Last updated June 29 Not listed for 2,466 days

Trek Domane 4.3 Review (Wherein The Grimpeur Attempts To Be Objective And Fails)

In this post I am going to review the Trek Domane 4.3 road bike. Or rather, I’m going to wax lyrically about it, ignoring any sort of protocol that requires me to be impartial and objective.

I purchased the bike in early July, as part of a bike fit / new bike / new knee saga, which I documented in this post and this one . I used it in my final training for RideLondon, and then for the event itself.

Interestingly (to me at least), one intelligent (and no doubt good looking) reader of this blog purchased a Domane after reading those posts. In fairness he’d already chosen to buy one, but I think I had some (positive) influence on the frame size he went for.

So there’s a lesson for you all: Don’t Fear The Grimpeur (’s advice).

(NEWS! NEWS! I’ve recently bought a gravel bike. Well, a Cross-Gravel-Road bike. So check out my review of the Ribble CGR 725 .)

Impotent Disclaimer

I may as well get this out of the way up front. I am in no way qualified to ‘review’ a bike.

I haven’t ridden lots of bikes. I have no frame of reference against which to describe how a bike handles or its ‘road feel’ (which might not even be a thing).

I only have my legs, my eyes, my arse, my wallet and my emotions. I am going to review this bike with my arse.

So What’s It Like?

In the word of my son, “Good” (spoken with a faux-Derbyshire accent, as the poor southerner tries to fit in).

You Might Need To Give Us A Bit More Than That

Yeah, whatever.

So, clearly, it’s a lot better than anything I’ve ridden before. It’s noticeably lighter than my aluminium-framed Dawes road bike. Partly that will be the wheels and the other guff, but making the switch to carbon has definitely knocked off the pounds*.

(*I’ve no idea what it weighs exactly – this is not going to be a technical review)

The ride is significantly kinder than my Dawes. The geometry of the bike is tailored to sportive riders rather than racers (i.e. people like thee and me). The body position is more upright. The head tube is slightly higher.

According to my bike fit, my back angle on the Trek is 48 degrees from horizontal, rather than the inappropriately-aggressive 40 degrees that I had been enjoying on the Dawes.

Whilst neck pain has never been a particular issue for me, longer rides on my old steed did result in some discomfort. The 100 miles of RideLondon (plus cycle travel to and from it) was 70% longer than I’d cycled before. The ride caused discomfort in many areas (emotional, legs, undercarriage) but my neck and back were fine.

Talking of my undercarriage, which I like to do at any opportunity, the Domane is specifically designed to provide a smooth ride over even the bumpiest and lumpiest of road surfaces.

At the high end, top-of-the-range Domanes were used this year by Fabian Cancellara to win the cobble-fueled pain fests at Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. At the low end, a Domane 4.3 is used by Andrew Montgomery to conquer the cattle grids and pot holes of rural Derbyshire.

Unusually for bikes that don’t fall apart, the seat tube is not connected to the top tube. Instead there is something called an ‘Isospeed Decoupler’, which is a sort of bracket that allows the seat tube to move in isolation from the rest of the frame. Because it’s not connected at the top, the seat tube has more opportunity to bend and cushion the impact of rough surfaces (or ‘British roads’, as they’re more commonly known).

Putting Down The Hammer

Unlike the aforementioned Spartacus , I am not known for putting huge amounts of power through my pedals. The great mass of carbon around the bottom bracket (the “widest available on a road bike”, according to Trek) is therefore rather lost on me.

Still, it’s nice to know that if I do suddenly develop a foot like a traction engine , my Domane won’t be a-twistin’ and a-flexin’ under the sudden influx of power.

Talking of speed (I was, sort of), switching to the Domane has definitely made me faster. On my first ride out, and without trying too hard, I recorded my best times on a couple of local climbs.

There is a 40km loop of rolling terrain that I’d done a couple of times on the Dawes. My first time round on the Trek knocked a full 8 minutes off my previous best time (though in the spirit of full disclosure, I should say that this also followed a reasonable block of training in Majorca).

All The Gears, No Ideas

The Domane 4.3 comes with a Shimano 105 drivetrain (i.e. gears and shizzle).

You can either have a compact chainset or a triple. I chose the compact, which, conveniently, was the one that was more readily available at my local bike shop. As a spinner, not a grinder (which I may have mentioned before), the lower gearing suits both my weakling legs and my spiky, pointy local terrain.

The only deviation from 105 is the rear cassette, which is the cheaper Tiagra version. Every cloud has a silver lining though – the largest sprocket on the Tiagra 10-speed cassette numbers (count ’em) 30 teeth. Combined with the 34 tooth smaller front chainring, that’s almost a 1:1 ratio in my easiest gear.

As you can imagine, using this secret weapon gear to spin casually up Leith Hill whilst still sat on my saddle made me look like an absolute RideLondon legend*.

* Assuming you ignore the fact that I was travelling at less-than-walking pace.

Other Things I Probably Should Mention

The Domane comes with an understated matt grey paint job. This probably suits you if you’re not after a garish colour scheme or you already have too many hues in your cycling wardrobe.

The good people at Trek have kindly left a hole in one of the chainstays. On the face of it, this sounds less than ideal, until you realise the hole is meant to filled with something called a Duotrap .

Rather than some of tandem toilet, a Duotrap is an ANT+ speed and cadence sensor that fits inside the chainstay, instead of being strapped on top of it with plastic cable ties. Trek claim aerodynamic benefits from having it tucked away. I just think it looks neat.

If you don’t want to splash out on a Duotrap , the hole comes filled with a pretend version which you can just leave in place.

The bike has brakes. They’re an awful lot better than the ones on my Dawes (which, to be honest, is not saying much). They’ve done all I’ve asked of them (i.e. stopped my bike).

Where There’s Muck, There’s Brass

As a Yorkshireman, I don’t like to part with money. As I disclaimed above, I haven’t been exposed to enough bikes to get a feel for whether the Domane offers value for money.

At £1,800, it’s certainly not cheap, but then I feel as if I’ve got a well-designed, well-made bike.

You can certainly get carbon-framed road bikes with Shimano 105 gears for less money. Spend a little more than the cost of the Domane 4.3 and you are into territory where Ultegra-level drivetrains become available.

Maybe what I’m saying is, it’s in the middle. Which is not something you’d see written in a magazine bike review. Bite me.

You’ve probably worked this out by now, but I am very happy with my Domane. It’s been a pleasure to ride. My average speeds increased immediately. It’s very easy to climb on. It got me round the 100 miles of RideLondon.

Given the value I received from being measured up pre-bike purchase, and then fitted up afterwards (as it were), I’m not going to recommend purchasing a bike online without trying it out. If you don’t want to heed this advice, you can certainly buy one from the Trek website .

Are there any other Domane owners amongst you? What have your experiences been? Let me know in the comments section below.

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77 thoughts on “Trek Domane 4.3 Review (Wherein The Grimpeur Attempts To Be Objective And Fails)”

Sounds like a lovely bit of kit. It cost pretty much double what my daily workhorse (that implies I have a whole stable of toehr bikes, I don’t I only have one other bike which is an old Specialised Hybrid that I only ever use in the winter when there is ice on the ground as it has spiky tyres) cost – a Scott Speedster S30. I would love a more expensive bit of kit like yours but as 99% of my riding is done through grimy London in all weathers and the bike rarely gets cleaned (i.e. never) it seems a bit of a waste to spend more an expensive bike which is just goign to have it’s components work down my London grime… Please convince me (and the wife) that I’m wrong and that I should buy a new bike! 🙂

The whole n+1 thing is a bit of a cliche, so how about the argument that you are clearly very committed to cycling. You get a lot of joy from it. You have your London/commuting workhorse, which you absolutely need, and it doubles as your winter training bike. It’s a very healthy hobby that benefits the environment. You deserve something a bit special for your summer weekends and sportive events. There are worse ways to have a mid life crisis. How can you (or more importantly your wife) argue with that? 🙂

Hmmmm…. Yes….

Thing is I only do about 4 non-commuting events a year (ok, maybe 6 including training) so spending a few grand on a bike that I use 6 times a year is a bit much. I sort of already have my mid-life crisis covered: http://mr04drs.giles.roadnight.name/ but at 35 I like to think that I’ve got a bit of time before I get to that. Thanks for the tips though.. I’ll see 🙂

thanks for this review. today i’ve ordered my first road bike since 34 years, can you guess which one? After spending year after year on saddles of any kind, from 20 kg downhillbikes, to 15 kg enduros, to a 12 kg twentyniner, it’s time to reduce it to the max and switch to carbonfibre. and because my back is not the fittest part of my body, it should be something comfortable. so i’m very happy that there is at least one other person, who ride this nice piece of engineering. 🙂

Bernd – thanks for your comment. Would that be a Domane then? 🙂 Enjoy…

to be honest: yes! saturday will be the day!

Having been the owner of a Giant TCR Advanced for almost three years, my friends at the Bicycle Chain told me to try out the Domane. The showroom model was a 5.3 which I test rode for some 20 miles during which I found myself purposely heading for potholes and bumps in the road. It performed exactly as I had been informed, smoothing out the inferfections encountered on the Somerset roads and I immediately felt I should have one. The only thing that I didn’t like was the 5.3’s colour scheme. When I found out that the 5.9 had “an electric gear shift system” that was the one that I had to have. I do like my gadgets and having previously tried the same gearing system on a Giant road bike, the decision was a no brainer. My TCR had always been a reliable and great performing bike but now in my 52nd year I felt that the aggressiveness of a true racer was not doing my ageing and aching back any favours! And so it was that three months ago, although over twice as many pennies that I had paid for my lovely Giant, I made the brave decision to purchase the 5.9. It really has made a huge difference in both my riding style and performance and together with the recent change to tubeless tyres I managed to knock almost two hours of my predicted time on the London 100, completing it in six hours. There is absolutely no doubt, that if the bike fits and everything works correctly, i.e. it is comfortable and it changes gear exactly when you ask it to, then you will ride it that much more, and as a result I have found myself regularly clocking up 120 miles and more per week. In one simple sentence I bloody love it! I just want to ride it continuously. It makes cycling such a pleasure and I no longer fear my local Somerset hills, which I hasten to add can be far tougher than the three encountered in Surrey. I climb them faster and with less effort, not at the speed of a much younger Tour competitor, but at a rate that I am very proud of considering my 52 years of age. If there is anyone reading this that may be considering upgrading or getting a better fitting bike, if your finances allow, just go for it!

Nigel – wow. Thanks for that! Your 5.9 looks awesome. I’ve never tried electronic gears (nor the mechanical ultegra). I’m sure it’s ace. Glad you’re enjoying the bike. I’ve got a lot of pleasure from mine already 🙂

I have the women’s version of the 4.3 (with the triple chainset) and also purchased mine a little while before Ride London 100 and used it on the day (made it up all the climbs). I know nothing technical about bikes and components but am totally in love with it, rides beautifully – looking forward to taking it on a few autumn sportives.

greetings from germany,

my domane 4.3 arrived last friday, a beauty in dark grey. i rode the bike on the same day for about 70 km to check my roadbike compability and it was awsome. i started a ride on saturday too, but was stopped by a wasp after 25 km… finally tomorrow i’ll ride my first 100, if possible. ride on, bernd

106 km…. 🙂

Bravo Bernd!

I’m glad the Domane is working for you. I’m still enjoying mine as well 🙂

As you say, ride on!

A wasp stopped you? I have been stung by bees on several rides in the back of throat, chest, upper lip and left knee (so far) and no stoppages. The lip was interesting as it was 80 km into a 300 km ride. It took about 130 km to swell to its maximum size and return to normal.

Really tempted to get the 4.3. Especially as you mention the prices are starting to drop nearing the end of the season. My main concern (also being tight) is that they will bring out a disc brake version next year and I’ll have to fork out even more money for an upgraded verison in 2014.

I’m very happy with the brakes that are on there currently.

My (ill-informed) take on it is that since the UCI has not approved disc brakes for professional road racing, a model like the Domane (based on the bike [new name for Radioshack-Trek] use in the spring classics) won’t see disc brakes any time soon. The major brands believe that people only buy road bikes that (largely) resemble those used by the pros (“if I have the bike, maybe I’ll ride like one”) so we need quite a big shift at the UCI for this to filter down to bikes at the Domane 4.3’s price point.

I could be wrong though. Anyone else have a more informed opinion?

I am the proud owner of a Trek Domane 4.3 and I am over the moon with it. I started riding some 18 months ago after being persuaded to have a go at a sprint triathlon. So off to the local bike shop where I purchased a Specialized Allez, it was the cheapest in the shop but I thought £500 for a bike “I must be bonkers”. Several sprint tri’s later I realised that I enjoyed the cycling much more than the swimming and actually hated the running. So 3 months ago I set about choosing a new carbon framed bike, I set a budget but was just over whelmed with the number of bikes to choose from, and actually I was not sure what I wanted or more importantly what I needed. What I did know was that the Allez is a great bike but you feel every bump on the not so well maintained Essex roads so my posterior and eyeballs requested something more comfortable. A cycling mate said go to Richardson’s in Lee-On-Sea to have a chat maybe they can help you. Well suffice to say they did. After many questions Eric, the owner, suggested I take a test ride on the Trek Domane 4.3, so he fitted some clipless pedals and off I went. Well what a difference! I found myself looking for holes to test this amazing ride comfort. So what about hills? I found the steepest hill and set about it. That was the clincher, I stayed in the saddle and it was so much easier to get the power down. Ok, I was still “huffing and puffing” at the top but it just felt good. A deposit was paid and I arranged to have the wheels upgraded to American Classic 350 Sprint’s. ( I have now fitted Continental 4000s tyres) The Trek Domane 4.3 is a joy to ride. If you want comfort and speed and intend to do some higher mileage rides then in my limited opinion you won’t go far wrong with a Domane.

Another member of the ‘Trek Domane 4.3 Appreciation Society’!

really funny and informative review, I was thinking of getting a 4.3 and your review was very convincing, next stop the bike shop!

thanks Ian. Glad you enjoyed it.

I’ve had my 4.3 for about three months now and covered a lot of miles. I like the feel of the bike apart from numb hands on a decent ride. I was in two minds wether go back to ribble for the grand fondo or the trek. I regret picking thr trek mainly because of the cracks and clicking noises from the front end of the bike. Also would have got ultegra and better wheels for a lot less money .

Thanks Shane. That’s true on the spec front – the Boardman in that price bracket certainly comes with mainly Ultegra. I’m sure the same is true with Ribble. Personally I’ve not had any cracking and clicking noises – maybe worth checking out with the shop you bought it from?

just a quick update on the cracking and clicking noises. I took my bike back to the shop for its first service and mentioned the problem to the staff at Hargreaves in Dewsbury.The cracking had become worse also play on the front end turned out the head set was coming loose which was a slight concern but the staff were spot on and sorted it .back in love with my bike now (still wish id gone with the ribble though)

sorry to say this is the worst bike ive ever owned . Cracks creaks all over the frame. ive had the bike to three different Trek accredited bike shops’ Changed the wheelset at my own expense (total joke ) free hub seized not had bike six months. seems to be problem in bb area that doesn’t surface until around 15 mile into ride . I would like to take this opportunity to say to anyone who like I was, if your in two minds between ribble or trek go ribble . I have had my Ribble (dedaccai) thirteen year without an itch/ untrue wheel a lot of reviews slate ribble customer service but believe me the wait will be worth it.

Hi Shane. Sorry to hear about your experience with the Trek. My sister and her fiance both ride Ribbles and are very happy with them.

Andrew, I loved reading your post. I’ve just bought a Trek Domane 4.3 and guess what? I think it’s fabulous! I’ve been riding a Dawes Audax steel bike, built for comfort. But the Trek is noticeable more comfortable and I love the handlebars – great flattish tops and shallow drops – a joy to use. I live in Shropshire and we’ve plenty of hills. Like other folk who have commented I’m getting up the hills more easily. It tracks beautifully, and handles accurately round the bends so I’ve got an extra dose of confidence when heading downhill at speed. The brakes are good enough for me, but like you I’ve not tested loads of bikes. It really has added a sparkle to my cycling. Can’t wait to get out on it tomorrow!

Great news. And tomorrow (today as I write) looks to have reasonable weather 🙂 Enjoy

As a 50+ gent the new bike I was seeking had to measure up to the comfort I had experienced from my 1999 steel Dawes Galaxy. I wanted a reasonably light machine with a quality feel capable of fast club rides. My research homed in almost straight away on the Domane 4.5 with its seat post decoupler and some Ultegra gear. Not that I think Ultegra is that much better than 105 but there is a slight pose factor to consider. I am now the very proud owner of a Domane 4.5 and it truly is a superb bike. I have covered many 100s of miles in the past few weeks in complete comfort and I eagerly look forward getting out on it.

Thanks Martin. I’m sure Ultegra will be up there as a requirement on ‘my next bike’…

Nice review … I bought a 4.3 last week, loving it so far. I didnt like the 4.7 colours, so opted for the GrayBlack 4.3 with upgraded Bontrager RACE wheels.

Yep, the 4.3 isn’t flashy (in the slightest) so I thought it would fit with my ‘understated’ riding ability…

I actually went into the bike shop with my heart set on a 4.3 because I preferred the matt colour scheme (and still do) but the guy talked me up to get the 4.5 because they were having a Tour De France 10% off sale and I fell for it. I still love the bike though and can’t wait to try my new proper road pedals and shoes. I have been using SPD with MTB shoes up to now. Have I fallen for another waste of money cycling upgrade I wonder?

No way. Sounds like a smart investment to me.

Yesterday I use for the first time my new Domane 4.3. I choose this bike because I had several months ago a complicated back surgery and I need a very comfortable bike to get back on the road. I bought it for 1.750€ in Madrid, Spain, although they offered me the 4.5 with Ultegra for 1.900€. I prefer the 4.3 color theme much better than the 4.5.

I had the Domane 5.2 to test the bike for two days and I was amazed by how comfortable the bike was. I tested a 54cm and I finally bought the 52cm even though everyone in the store advised me to go for the big one. I am 5,9 and my leg length is 81cm. The bike really looks very small on the rear side, not only due to the size but also because of the geometry itself. I hope not to have make a big mistake, but after the surgery I feel much easier to place my hands on the proper place in the handlebar with the smaller one.

Thanks Eduardo. Hope it is working out for you.

just bought the 4.3 2014 colours, electric blue/white, lovely to ride and comfy. got the trek due to lower back probs, consultant advised cycling as good excercise. did lots of research, narrowed down to roubaix or domane. pro bike fit and lbs stocking the trek did it for me as well as the comfort factor.

Thanks Steve. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with it.

Enjoyed your review. I bought a Domane 4.0 last October as a winter trainer as it nicely fits 25mm tyres with the bontrager fitted mudguards, brilliant! I used it to do the C2C where it really came into it’s own. I have a top end Di2 Cube Litening and while that is a tad lighter than the Domane it isn’t as nice to ride but I guess, for me at least, the Cube’s racey geometry doesn’t suit my advanced years 😛 That said, I find the Domane as quick, if not quicker than the Cube which I put down to the power transfer that you refer to albeit I am certainly no power house! The taller head tube and longer wheelbase also allows me to make the most of twisty decents with far more confidence than the Cube. The Domane is just a great bike, sure for the money you can get more spec and more toys but the warranty and frame build will beat most brands for comfort and reassurance. I have since resigned the Cube to the used bike market and have invested in a 5.9 Domane for 2014, I can’t wait!!

No better recommendation than that. The 5.9 looks very nice 🙂

Just got the 2014 Domane 4.3 in liquid blue and white. Absolutely love the bike. It is replacing my 2.3 which I enjoyed, but it was no comparison to this ride.

Good news. I hadn’t realised the new ones were out. The new 4.3 colours are somewhat brighter than my 2013! Quite like the orange/grey scheme on the 4.5 (as well as the Ultegra chainset…)

In 2010 I sold my racing steeds as the decrepitation of age was begining to knaw at the neck & nethers. I bought a Specialized Tricross Comp. Comfort from an upright stem, zertzy-thingies and fat tyres; but a bit hefty.

Come 2013 I have many miles in on the Tricross scrote-bike. The joints are happy, the thrusting muscles reet firm! Yet still I am passed by a damn sprog or even a racer-bloke going up The Cross of Greet. A “friend” whispers to me about the Trek Domane and the accolades it’s collecting from ole scrotes just like me. I go to the shop…..

The shop is in Lancaster next to a small maze of cobbled streets. They let me out with their Domane 4.3 and I thrash it mercilessly over these lumps. It works! No kicks up the arse although the front end is telling me that those cobbles certainly are trying to put the boot in. I buy it.

Some months and a couple of thousand miles later I’m still grinning, especially up the hills. It’s comfortable even over the scabby rutter-roads of the Bowlamd Fells. It does transmit the power extremely well, so (as your review mentions) many minutes come off the best time for hilly circuits (compared to the Tricross). Of course, it is now away for the winter, as I have become silly about keeping it’s gleams intact. (The Tricross looks like a tractor just in from the cowfields).

Although I’m happy with the frame, forks and gear train, I wasn’t keen on the “Bontrager approved” wheels and tyres. They weigh a ton – nearly 1Kg more than the HED Ardennes + Schwalbe Ultremos I swapped them for. I also indulged in an FSA CF chainset that knocked off another 250 gms and made the drivetrain even stiffer/fast/efficient. And that “saddle” had to go (replaced by a Fizik Curve Bull – made for ole scrotes, d’you see).

Yes – it’s the best bike I’ve ever ridden (and I’ve ridden loads, doing Randonees, touring & road racing). Fast, efficient yet comfortable. Quite good looking in the grey. But why won’t they sell you just a series 4 frame/forks so you can make the most of their potential? Those Bontrager wheels seem to be made partly of lead……

Thanks Fintan. Great comments. Interesting about the wheels – I’m happy with the bike for the moment, but maybe the thing to look at when I’m looking for another boost (although there’s an argument to be made for losing some of my own weight before focusing on the lead in the wheels…)

Just put in my order for a 4.3 (they’re white/blue on this side of the pond too … Arizona). At 71, this is my first road bike since my Peugot PX-10 in 1970 (I’m now a Mountain Biker). My son-in-law and grandson convinced me to ride the RAGBRAI (ride across Iowa) next July so … even though the PX-10 is in the attic I thought an upgrade to a more comfy frame geometry would be best. Can’t wait for it to come in so I can start getting in some ‘road time,’ (I have had the PX-10 out but a lot more twitchy and stiff than I remember) definitely different that my Cannondale Carbon Scalpel where you don’t spend all of your time sitting. Will let you know how it goes when it arrives.

Great news. You’ll love it. Best of luck with your training.

I have a 2014 Domane 4.3 that I got on 9/6/13 (Liquid Blue & Trek White – looks very nice). It is an awesome ride. I have managed to put 1400 miles on it since then in spite of lots of nasty weather here in the middle of the USA. Can’t wait for the weather to improve so I can get back to riding on a regular basis. I rode a 53/42/30 triple before my new compact domane and that change took some getting used to, before I rode in the 42 most of the time (uphill and on flats) and now I do have to shift the front chainrings more but the bike shifts flawlessly and now those extra shifts are very routine. And compared to my old aluminum road bike the ride is sublime. The only issue I have had with it was a popping/clicking noise when I rode over bumps or dips, took me awhile to locate the source (I was sure it was the headset) but it turned out to be only a shifter cable sliding over the plastic guard on the bottom of the bottom bracket, I put a little silicone lube there and the noise was gone (the carbon frame really amplifies noises it seems).

I enjoy the blog, informative and funny as well.

Thanks Joe, glad you’re enjoying the blog. I’m looking forward to spending a bit more time on my Domane as well!

Hello, I started commuting (16k per day) in Australia approx 18 months ago on a very old mountain bike. This soon died so I quickly bought a second hand 2011 Trek 1.2. I never planned on a road bike but had to buy quickly and have gotten quite used to it although rarely use the drops.

As my fitness improved riding became a pleasure instead of a commute and I’m now about to join a club to start weekend rides. Only prob is the Trek is having issues and become unreliable so I’ll need to get most of the the drive train replaced as I can’t afford the bike off the road.

Instead of fixing up the bike (and last owners handy work) I’m talking myself into upgrading and the 4.3 seems to tick all the boxes! My only concern is I’ve read carbon fibre is not good for commuting as it could crack. The bike would be used all year round, although winter is really just cool mornings and occasional rain but the roads are pretty rough.

I’d be happy to hear your thoughts or from anyone in the same situation…

Cheers, Jon.

Jon. Thanks for your comment. I don’t think you’ll have a problem with the carbon cracking (unless you’re taking it off road and doing jumps or something). It’s a substantial piece of carbon (and presumably of sufficiently high quality). The high end Domane was designed to be ridden by Cancellara et al on the Belgian cobbles, so hopefully some of this design has filtered down to the lower end models. I reckon you’re more likely to damage your wheels before the frame, and even these are pretty strong (and some people say a bit heavy).

Personally I think the Domane makes a great commuting bike – comfy riding position, fittings for mudguards (you’ll have to buy a little pack of fittings), a bit of suspension.

Go for it 🙂

Got the bike and have had it out for 3 x 15 mile rides. Your review is spot on. Very comfortable, certainly compared to what I rode a bunch of years ago. Went across a cattle guard ( do they have them in the UK?), felt a rumble in the bars and the seat was great (my old Peugot would have beaten me up a bit). Definitely smooths things out. I wish I hadn’t ridden my son-in-laws bike, that electronic shifting is really nice (seems like a long throw to change gears on the 4.3, but ok). I guess you could cut out some weight by changing the rims and tires (checked the front, it weighs just under a kg.), but probably would be best to just get in better shape first. Love the bike, sorry your’s isn’t blue and white, pretty nice! 🙂

Thanks Dale. Glad you’re enjoying the bike and found my review accurate 🙂

We do have cattle guards (grids over here) – there are plenty in the hills near where I live. The Domane loves them!

Hi, i think we have bought a quality frame set here but am finding the components a little restrictive so advise (If your on a limited budget like myself) to junk the wheels n tyres and try Campy ‘Zondas’ with Gatorskin rubber. Together with a new Ultegra cassette the whole riding experience became so much smoother! If there’s only one thing you ever do then make it to replace that horrid silver bar tape! What were Trek thinking?

🙂 I had the handlebars replaced when I had a bike fit. I could have got the tape removed then but just had them swap it over. I suppose it doesn’t grate on me as much as it does for you! Agreed on the wheels/tyres – they’re next on the upgrade list (though I hate the thought of riding over a surprise pothole on expensive wheels).

I purchased my 2014 Domane 4.3 in January and have about 2150 miles on it now. For me this is a great bike. I ride strictly for recreation and rehabilitation therapy. The only issues I have had were the saddle and the white bar tape. The saddle was replaced with a Brooks B17 narrow which suits me better. I didn’t expect the factory saddle to be great but the one supplied was quite bad IMHO. I am still waiting for the bar tape to tear so I have a good excuse to replace it. Whoever decided to use white bar tape should have their head examined. Between road dirt and the grime that you pick up changing a tube the tape dirties very quickly and looks like heck after a while. It doesn’t clean up very well. The original tires were replaced at about 1600 miles, so that is certainly a reasonable life in my opinion. In the future I may try some 700X23 rather than the 700X25. I’ve been doing a reasonable amount of climbing with the Domane long-term averaging about 50ft/mile. There haven’t been very many flat land miles. The bike handles it well even with 60+ year old reconstructed legs pushing it. Probably the first thing I’ll change, though, is the rear derailleur and upgrade to Ultegra for smoother shifting. My conclusion is that it’s a very good bicycle for me and worth the price.

Hi Jack, thanks for this. Glad the Domane has been working well for you. Good feedback on saddle and tyres.

As a 2013 owner, I am blessed with the slightly more demure silver bar tape (and matt grey frame)….

I’m up to 3000 miles and about 145k’ climbing on my Domane now. I still think it is a great bicycle. The bar tape is still original and getting dirtier. It is almost no longer white, and looks like crap, but still serviceable so I’ll spend my money elsewhere. I am still on my second set of tires (OK tyres) and they still have quite a bit of life left. They are Vittoria Pro Slicks. My only complaint with these is that they seem very sticky when starting an incline. I haven’t tried 700X23s yet but will down the road. More experimentation. The wheels seem a bit of a problem for me in crosswinds so I have a set of Dura Ace 7850 SL s coming. I think the issue I am having is due to the large surface area of the spokes. Time for experimentation. These wheels will also let me use tubeless clinchers if I decide I want to. The cassette is getting rather noisy so another purchase was an Ultegra 12-30 which I hope will be smoother. It should be arriving in the next few days. The chain is starting to wear so it too will be replaced. As I said before the saddle has been replaced with a Brooks. It is now fully broken in for my posterior and is quite comfortable even on long rides. I went around Lake Tahoe, (72 miles each way, CW then CCW) a few weeks ago with no discomfort.

Bought son a cheapo Fuji 1.3c, bar-tape on this bike is superior to the wife’s Specialised, in that it is slightly slick surfaced and wipes clean easily, whereas the Spec is matt finish and keeps oily marks, I have to pre-wash hands before adjusting gears or brakes…the Fuji tape is marked with their brand name so NFG for other makes, but wonder who makes the stuff in plain?

Update on my 4.3. Other than 3 weeks in SE Asia, I have had the bike since early February. Still loving it, but have made some changes. Changed the saddle to a Shimano Pro Turnix Carbon to fit my sit bones width and feels pretty good so far. Switched out the wheels/tires to the Bontrager Race XL Tubless and R3 Tubless tires (and dropped about 2 lbs). The problem with being 71 is these weight changes don’t seem to help a lot. I do think it goes down hill much faster … but when you’re old and slow, you don’t notice a lot on the hills (and unfortunately hills is all we have … I finished April with 300 miles and 23,500 ft of climbing). Did just get back from California where I road 90 miles of relatively flat (580 ft) roads and felt really good. So maybe the hills are deceiving me and I am getting stronger … One can always hope, and keep riding.

Brilliant. Thanks Dale for your updates. Glad to hear it’s going well for you. You’re definitely getting stronger! 🙂

Trek is going to be my next bike, you’ve made a cracking choice, a mate in Wales rides lots, Has owned a Trek Madone for years and has put more miles on his than his GSXR Suzuki! Hollowtech bottom bracket, new ones are press fit aren’t they? I’ve had two sets of BB30 bottom bracket bearings and now have rusty water running from graunchy headset bearings, plus slung the standard fit wheels for Shimano on a Cannondale Synapse as the bearings wanted constant adjustment. Cannondale is a superb ride but could do with more durable parts?

Madame wants disc brakes on her next steed and less weight, so Robaix SL4 disc looks appropriate although Sora gears don’t match the carbon frame, do they?

And yet another update on my 4.3. Just spent a week in Washington, DC. Didn’t want to ship the bike for such a short period so borrowed my Son-In-Laws Specialized Tarmac with the Ultegra group plus DI2 shifting. It’s interesting how one adjusts to what you have … after some 900 odd miles on the 4.3 the mind starts thinking ‘was this isoframe thing just a gimmick’ or is it really more comfortable. Well after a week on the Specialized I can confirm that it definitely is not. Even though the bike probably cost about $1,500 more than mine, I felt like it was beating me up … I felt every bump, manhole cover, etc. Very nice to get home to my comfy ride.

Thanks Dale, the model up from mine (Cannondale Synapse) has a carbon seat stem, on eldest son’s Giant Defy 1 you can see his seat post flexing on bumps and absorbing shocks, his is on 23mm tyres but rides well. Might pop a carbon stem on as this seems to be a good route. What were the Di2 shifters like? Got a mate in Chelmsford with this kit, he puts it onto his laptop and can now shift three gears with one long press… cool

The Di2 shifters were really great. Just a little touch is all it takes. Can’t really justify the expense however, but I did love them. My Dominane sures rides smoother though and that’s definitely more important for those long days.

Bit late to this particular party…. Nevertheless, your ‘not review’ helped persuade me and I ordered my Domane 4.0 disk equipped bike today. Like so many others here, was after a more comfortable sportive bike. Rode this against a steel genesis and was blown away by the combination of comfort and acceleration from the same bike. Sure it’s “only” got Sora, but the combination wire/hydraulic brakes get a really good review and worked well for me and in time it’ll be worth (and necessary!) upgrading the transmission.

It arrives next week… Can’t wait

Hi Glenn – how is the Domane and in particular, how are the disc brakes?

Hi Andrew, good and bad so Far problems so far-all quite small. After just one ride 3 rear spokes were flopping about uselessly. Whellmwas still pretty true though. The adaptor for mudguards/fenders on the disc side wasnt with the bike so had to wait for that. The threaded hole at the top of the fork for the mudguard bracket wont accept a bolt-noones worked out why yet. The rear mech cable has stretced a lot and has neded adjustmentment twice so far.

Things i dont like-sora is very Agricultural, and with a 30 tooth large ring the gapd im the casseytte are quite big. I do like havin the 30tl though, im in surrey nd do Leith hill/s whitedown/pitch hill etc. I dont find the saddle very occomfortable, too wide.

Brakes-im a bit disappointed TBH, always squeek teribly, and not as effective as I thought y3t, no doubt connected.

Good-fast and stiff to pedal, i think v comfprtable, i certainly never feel any jolts throught the saddle. Front end definately transmits a bit more road shck than thenrear. Fit v nice, courtesy of my LBS. Loads of clearance, i have fitted 28mm gatorskins with sks longboard guards, i think 35 mm would fit ok too.

Still gettting used to the bolt-through wheels-neutral about them so far. The ‘hiddenn’ gueard eyes are v neat and nice. Hope i dont lose the tiny inserts when i tske them off in spring.

So as i say mixed. If i hadnt bought it from my LBS only 10 mins away i would feel worse for the number of times it has been back.

Would i buy another-at this stage of ownership, no. Positives dont outweigh the niggles, and i would get something with tiagra at least

ShouLd have added re brakes, not too hard to gwt wheel back in, and brake lever reach is longish but perfectly acceptable to me.

It’s interesting that you are still getting comments on this review, it speaks words for the success of the domane.

I also noticed that the 4.3 is a popular choice! I ordered and put a deposit on a 2015 Domane 4.3 Disc (the black and blue) with the new 11 speed 105’s last week. Plan on picking it up and riding it home sometime in the beginning of April, after the snow clears (I live in New York, USA). This will be my first carbon bike and figured the endurance geometry would fit my long distance riding style more than an aggressive frame. Glad to see mostly positive reviews!

Thanks Poseign, I think it speaks volumes for the quality of my review 😉

Great review, firstly. Involving and fresh rather than staid and jocular. I’m also a proud owner of one of these (54cm, grey, £999 from Grafham Cycles last year).

My first move was to swap those lumpen hoops for some Dura Ace C24’s (c. 1300gms for the pair) with Michelin Pro 4’s so it’s a lot lighter. Also a Fizik saddle now sits under my knackers, which is plus legere and more supportive.

The ride is smooth (though definitely better out back), the geometry is comfortable and that granny ring should technically allow you to scale a wall, but I only have one question – how much does it weigh? I don’t have any scales and I can’t find this anywhere. It would just be good to know, if only to satisfy my curiosity. Anyone?

Also considering changing the chainset to drop some weight – to the chap(ess) who forked out for the FSA CF cranks, was it worth it?

Also, I added a Canyon VCLS seatpost with that odd split leafspring design. It simply gives you even more compliance. Eery at first but I wouldn’t go back now. The only feedback I get when the road tries to beat my backside to a pulp is a low, muted rumble. Perfectly happy with that…!!

Lastly, I’m actually not that enamoured with the bars/fork combo. I’m sure it’s designed primarily with comfort in mind, but the front end feels weighty, certainly less “chuckable” than my previous superlight but stiff frame) and at times it’s like steering a boat. At least it’s predictable. Forget putting on a gilet or something, you could probably knit, be on the phone and hold a conference call whilst riding hands-free on this thing.

Ideally I’d stick a full carbon fork in there for more lightness again and a more direct feel and maybe even upgrade the bars to something with an ergo top since this is meant to be a sportive machine (*cough*)

Cyclists, eh? Never satisfied.

But I think the reason why the 4.3 is the model du jour is precisely because it offers the cheapest carbon palette upon which to carefully layer and impress your oils of delicious accoutrements in carbon, alloy, leather and other sundries.

Good woik, Trek…

Now, anyone in the market for some “Bonty approved hoops?” I’ll do you a great deal. Absolutely brand new. I’m not kidding, I could see my reflection in the rim as I took a photo of them, they’re that shiny…

Great, had me smiling

Things have moved on; wifey wanted an upgrade to her 2011 Specialised Dolce so we looked at all the makes, to our suprise the best combo of ride, comfort, Fizik saddle and carbon seatpost/frame/forks was a Giant Liv Avail, and they are attacking the market like a Piranha with their pricing. She lurves the disc brakes too having female hand-strength and can actually stop on wet hills now with confidence. Trek are a Qulaity bikje but I get the feeling they’ve loaded too much lardy stuff on it to compete now, even my Cannondale is going to be swapped for the Defy carbon as I’m sick to death of changing BB30 bottom bracket bearings, and following her ladyship over bumps really shows how carbon soaks up botty-bashing bumps.

Not what the originator of this thread wants to hear, but for the moment at least, Giant are leading, albeit with crap colours though, the Trek grey is georgeous….

I agree wholeheartedly with most of your comments. I did put DAs on mine and instantly was able to climb faster. I hated the saddle that came stock with the bike, but I went old school and put on a Brooks B17 narrow – works great with my bottom. The 105 cassette doesn’t work nearly as well as the Ultegra cassette and chain that went on after the chain wore past .75%. For my birthday this year the LBS put on new 46cm handlebars and replaced the dirty white bar tape – yes the carbon does absorb some of the road vibrations. Also for my birthday I found a take off Ultegra Di2 electronics set (I’ve been fascinated by electronic shifting) and put that on myself – love this toy. Totally unnecessary but worth the it in fun factor for me. I’m doing a fair amount of climbing so will see if I can fit a cassette with a 32 gear on next. Us old folks need all the help we can get. Mine is a 2014 model with rim brakes. So here’s to Trek’s excellent bike and here also is another set of Bontrager wheels up for sale.

Hey Jack. That’s funny, I’ve been having so much fun on this bike that even since that last post, I’ve upgraded the (triple) 105 gruppo that came stock to a double Ultegra – mechanical, mind. I’ve also swapped out the bars to 3T Ergonova carbons…and the front end is plusher and lighter as a result. Nice place for my palms on top too.

Last thing was the bar tape. Lizard Skins do just the right type of grey for this bike – I should really post a pic, it’s quite lovely. In tandem with the new bars, road clatter is greatly reduced. As is the weight. The LBS had it on at a shade under 7.8 kgs after everything was fitted. Happy with that.

Monsieur Armstrong, I’ve never actually tried disc brakes, though I imagine they work a treat in Blighty. My traditional Ultegra stoppers are currently doing a fine job, though we’ll see if winter changes my mind on that front…!!

Now…anyone in the market for brand new Bonty wheelset and/or the 42cm bars..?? 🙂

I switched out my original wheels on my Domane 4.3 for Bontrager Race XL Tubless and R3 tubless tires Last May. After 460 miles the rear tire started to get a ‘blister’ which expanded out to about 8 inches. My dealer got Trek to replace the tire which I road about 50 miles before going to the RAGBRAI 2014. After 60 miles on the first day another blister on the (new) rear tire. About 2 inches, it ‘popped’ after a couple of miles but, thankfully the tire did not flat (sealant works). About 2 miles later the same thing happened to the front tire (again, fortunately, it did not flat). Got to the overnight town and bought a set of Gatorskins (with tubes). When I got back, my dealer had 2 more new ones from Trek. Right now I’m content to leave the Gatorskins on and put these on the shelf. I love the tubless system I have on my Cannondale Scapel but there is clearly something wrong with the Bontrager road tires.

I know this post is a couple of years old now but I just wanted to add I picked up a Domane 4.5 disc from samways in Derby, same as you. I have been very happy with their service and the bikes performance in general. The disc version is no featherweight, but the hydraulic brakes are awesome and taking on the rough roads of South derbyshire is a more pleasant experience on this bike.

I’m only 200mi in so early days to draw conclusions but I’m very happy so far. Samways now offer bike fitting themselves which I have booked myself on, the bike feels comfortable to me so it will be interesting to find out what they say. I have 58cm and I’m 6ft, bike is currently completely stock, just lowered the stem a few spacers.

I’ve just been reading through your blog and finding it very enjoyable, maybe see you out on the roads!

Mine is a 2014 model. Started having trouble changing gears on the front compact gears. Took it to the shop for a service to find out the front derailleur assembly had detached from the frame. Its being fixed under warranty by Trek.

Great “review” and really interesting set of comments! I had a bike “crisis” last spring and sold off a Cannondale Flash, Scalpel and Synapse all within about two weeks. I was DONE with cycling! About two months later and a nervous breakdown later, I found myself at the LBS thinking, “just buy the cheap one, and call it good…” I bought the Domane 2.3, added Gatorskins and happily road 1,000 miles over the next four months. I’ve commuted about once a week, 32 mile round trip, and would commute more except I carry lunch and various teaching “accessories” (student work), and the early start time dictates a lot of dark riding. So, thinking that fenders, a rack and some dedicated lighting might be in order. But, that would make my relatively light sportive a bit of a clunker… So, pondering a new 4.3, or 4.5 as my “spirited” bike, and the 2.3 as a workhorse? Is this too redundant? Am I missing a point, or hitting exactly on a mark? I’d hate to have the 4.3/4.5 and add those accessories to it, actually, I wouldn’t dare too. Great to see a community stretching across the Atlantic that is really happy with this bike in all its guises!

Hi Andrew, just stumbled across your blog by accident, but as it happens I have recently upgraded my Raleigh Pioneer Elite (circa 1993) with Domane 4.5 C. The Raleigh has served me well, getting me from Land’s End to John O’Groats and across the Way of the Roses without a hiccough. However at 16kg all up I really fancied a proper road bike that was light and responsive. My son races and has been on at me for ages to splash out. First of all the Domane had looks to die for. It is truly a thing of beauty! Then it is comfortable beyond belief; I have to ride on some of the worst roads in the country here in North Manchester as well as some of the hilliest as I’m on the edge of the Pennines. The bike really does soak up the bumps. It is also quick, the gear change is smooth and imperceptible, hill climbing is noticeably easier and the Domane has a feeling of surging forward when you put some power down – something I never got with the Raleigh! To top it all I picked it up with a saving of £250 off the list price. It is an Ultegra/105 mix and I’m looking forward to doing a sportive or two as well as some big hills later in the year.

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Cycling Plus

Trek Domane 4.3 review

Vibration-damping road bike with IsoSpeed tech

We were blown away by the premium 6-Series Domane , which introduced us to the pavé-pancaking IsoSpeed fork at the front and decoupler technology at the rear. You get these on the 4.3 as well, and the bike finished in the top five of our 40 Cycling Plus Bike of the Year contenders :

Trek domane 4.3

Tech ed Warren Rossiter talks through the Domane 4.3

Ride & handling: Comfort without compromise

Any worries that a lower grade of carbon or spec would dilute the effectiveness and performance of the 4.3 are unfounded – it’s 1.8kg (4lb) heavier but also £5,200/US$4,430 less than the 6.9, and for £1,800/US$2,499 you get a simply astonishing frame and an addictive ride quality.

First ride impressions are fairly conventional, until you realise that the usual road chatter and vibration is muted to the point of being barely noticeable, although the road feel, so crucial to precise handling, is unaffected.

Arguably, the road feel was accentuated because the Domane seems to be in contact with the surface more of the time. Turning into corners on roughly patched tarmac was refreshingly undramatic, the wheels seeming to tuck in and bite instead of skipping across the surface.

With such impressive stability and poise, exploring the Domane’s limits becomes de rigueur on almost every ride. Go looking for rough stuff expecting to lose fillings and instead you’re cosseted by a sublimely floaty feeling.

Of course, on the most extreme roads there’s still an element of vertical movement, but sudden kicks and general vibration are removed. Not beating about the bush – the Domane’s ride is little short of astonishing.

Frame & equipment: IsoSpeed tech with functional kit

The IsoSpeed system doesn’t have a threshold below which it feels inert. There is no intrusive movement that could affect your pedalling action, as the active component of the Domane is the whole seat tube, not just the seatpost.

The decoupler is basically a rotational pivot attaching a lug on the front of the seat tube to the top tube, allowing the tube to bow and flex along its length in isolation from the frame, with no more effect on seating position than a slim carbon seatpost. The increased active length results in several times more shock absorption without the need for excessive movement in a restricted space.

Complementing the rear end is the IsoSpeed fork. This has a 1 1/8in to 1 1/2in tapered steerer tube for huge rigidity, and a constant radius curve that continues slightly ahead of the dropout to maximise its bump-smoothing ability.

Despite sounding like a full suspension bike, the Domane sports an oversized down tube and muscular asymmetric chainstays, which envelop a simply massive BB90 bottom bracket shell, and combined with the fork’s lateral stiffness make it as responsive as any fast road bike out there.

As ever, at this price there are some parts we’d quickly upgrade, and with so much technology in the Domane’s frame the wheels are the obvious place to start. The Bontrager Approved hoops roll well and resisted the worst we could fling them at with no problems, but they aren’t on the same level as the frame and are a little sluggish.

Shimano’s 105 was faultless as ever, though Trek still include an integrated chain catcher to prevent it dropping between chainset and bottom bracket. The exclusively Bontrager finishing kit is all competent stuff, but could benefit from judicious upgrading when budget allows.

That said, we’d gladly choose to take the Domane out more often than more exotic machinery because the frame offers so much comfort with no performance penalty. A stunningly simple but superbly accomplished design.

This bike was tested as part of Cycling Plus magazine’s 2013 Bike of the Year feature – read the full results in issue 273, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio .

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Review: 2013 Trek Domane Endurance Road Bike

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Announced in March for the Classics, the Trek Domane 6-Series carbon endurance road bike line increased with 5-, 4- and 2-series models recently .

Aimed at the cobblestone races in Europe, the Domane uses a unique IsoSpeed Decoupler at the seat tube/top tube junction to separate the rider from bumps. Up front, the IsoSpeed fork uses thinner legs with rearward-set dropouts to absorb vibrations and bumps without sacrificing steering precision. Combined, they do an admirable job of smoothing out rough roads, gravel paths and cracks in the pavement.

We borrowed a Project One build from our local Trek Store Greensboro  ( thanks Chris! ) for a few rides. While we had it, we also de-coupled the decoupler just to see what was inside, weighed it and put about 150 miles on it in both rain and blazing heat…

FRAME DETAILS

We tested a size 60 with a complete Bontrager cockpit, saddle, tires and Aeolus5 aero wheels with Dura-Ace Di2 (first gen). It also came equipped with the DuoTrap speed/cadence sensor and a rather nice Bontrager computer.

The Domane’s frame is big. For a bike that claims to be comfortable over the rough stuff, all of the tubes have substantial diameters and shaping that looks to favor stiffness over flex. Indeed, the entire lower half of the bike from the head tube through the downtube/BB/chainstays to the rear dropouts is called Power Transfer Construction and is designed to maximize, um, power transfer and keep the frame laterally stiff.

Part of the stiffness, and, we suspect, steering precision, comes from the ridges and shaping of the down- and top tubes combined with the tapered headtube. What you can’t see is Trek’s E2 asymmetric steerer tube, which is wider side-to-side than front to back. The frame is the same whether you’re running a mechanical or electronic drivetrain, you simply use different plugs.

Bottom bracket is PF92, which is essentially the widest internal bearing set up you’ll find. Non-driveside crank arm sits flush against the frame, and the seat tube comes all the way to the edge. On the driveside, there’s room for the front derailleur and Trek’s built-in chainguide.

Behind the BB is a small fender mount bolt. The ANT+ DuoTrap speed/cadence sensor is cleverly integrated into the chainstay.

At the back, small fender/rack bolts are all but invisible. These debuted on the Gary Fisher road bikes and we’re glad to see they’ve continued on. A large opening at the rear of the chainstay makes routing cables and wires to the rear derailleur easy.

At the heart of the Domane’s USP is the IsoSpeed Decoupler. The top tube splits just in front of the seat tube and continues around it to become the seat stays. The seat tube floats between them, pivoting on an axle:

Remove the cover (top left) and you’ll see two sealed cartridge bearings (top right, bottom left), which separate the frame from the axle. The axle serves as a pivot point for the seat tube, which allows it to essentially act as a leaf spring. Combine that with a good amount of flex built into the seatmast and seat stays and you have the makings of a very comfy bike. Here, we made a video:

Pedaling is intentionally high cadence with an exaggerated bounce. The first part of the video really shows the seatmast flex. Once it zooms in, you can notice subtle flex in the seat tube. Once pedaling stops and I bounce on it, notice the wide range of flex in both the seat tube and seat stays. Hit HD and full screen for best viewing results, and if you really wanna geek out, hold the edge of a paper inline with the seat tube and watch the magic happen.

Under normal pedaling in a cadence of 80-102rpm, my usual range, I didn’t feel any unwanted “bounce”. Get the cadence up a bit higher and you’ll notice it a bit, but it’s actually more pleasant than the usual bouncing up and down on the saddle that occurs when cadence gets abnormally high. Also note the lack of frame flex when I stand up and bounce, which is by design. There are no concessions for flex when the riders’ weight isn’t on the saddle. Except at the fork, it’ll do it’s job regardless.

ACTUAL WEIGHT

Actual weight is 15lbs 15oz on our scale with uncut steerer tube, computer and Bontrager XXL bottle cage. Pretty good considering a) it’s a size 60, b) it has aero wheels and c) it’s holding a two-bearing-equipped axle that no other road bike has.

RIDE REVIEWS

Tyler – I did four rides on the Domane – one 45 minute sprint interval workout, one 55 minute time trial in the rain and two normal rides, each about three hours. The sprint workout showed the bike could get up and go. It’s plenty stiff when you stand up and crank. It doesn’t feel as light and tight as a pure race bike, but it doesn’t really leave you wanting either.

On my rainy time trial, there were sections of John Anderson (part of the famous Loop ride) in Ormond Beach with an inch or so of standing water, which tend to hide that road’s abundant cracks and ridges. Where most bikes would keep a wider line away from the side of the road to avoid the chatter, the Domane plowed through rough patches seen and unseen without breaking stride. And I could absolutely power through it all, which, I like to imagine, is how Cancellara felt aboard the Domane training for this year’s Spring Classics (before he broke his collarbone).

There are three things I really like about the Domane. First, it perfectly smooths over any bump or crack under half an inch, and up to an inch is entirely manageable. Where a crit bike would skip and hop over every bump, requiring constant attention, the Domane lets you relax and just point it where you want to go. Second, you can rail into sketchy corners and maintain both traction and your desired line. Third, it just rides really well.

The result is a bike that I could ride fast all day, over any type of road, and still feel relatively fresh.

Colin – I only took the Trek out on one ride, a blistering hot 35 miler, and wish I had more time to get to know the bike better. But all in all, on a short ride, the first thing that’s noticed is the sponginess (in a good way) in ride quality. Trek’s IsoSpeed Technology in the seat tube absorbs bumps to a huge extent. There’s a serious “wow” factor on hitting potholes and such. Jarring terrain becomes very manageable. Although I was concerned of energy dissipation from this feature, I don’t feel like the frame robbed any of my power.

The Domane’s handling is relaxed and stable. It’s big, built for cobblestones, and handles that way. But I wouldn’t limit the Domane to pavé. When on the streets it rides the same as many road bikes while slightly more relaxed. Surprisingly light at sub-16lbs, I’m not sure what else I’d ask for in a weekend rider. Durability, stability, ability to ride on rough terrain, racy, light. Trek packs a ton of awesome features into the Domane that might make it a worthy investment even if you don’t race the Classics, particularly with the design already trickling down to models that should start well under two grand.

Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com . He has been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for almost two decades. Prior to that, Tyler launched and built multiple sports nutrition brands and consumer goods companies, mostly as an excuse to travel to killer riding locations throughout North America.

Based in North Carolina, Tyler loves family adventure travel and is always on the lookout for the next shiny new part to make his bikes faster and lighter.

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You’ve gotta be joking. This really is a joke, cyclist need to HTFU and just pedal.

Second, the cyclist in the video has horrible cadence, drop those damn heels.

Yea, what Salty said! Who needs all those advances that produce a more comfortable and smoother ride! HTFU indeed! I want my rides to be as uncomfortable as possible, dangit! How about STFU?

Triathlete.

Some ppl really has problems in their life… Anyway this is pretty amazing I wish to try this on my terrible local roads

I’m actually impressed. This may be the first time a company has actually delivered on the “laterally stiff, vertically compliant” trope. (Hint: this cannot be done with a traditionally diamond frame without any degrees of freedom, no matter whether it’s steel or titanium or magic)

haters gonna hate

The best suspension system for road bikes (and not only) are the PNEUMATIC TYRES. If road road frames had sensible clearance for 35mm tyres and manufacturers offered high performance tyres in 28-35mm range, we wouldn’t need fancy OTT designs.

Re: Salty – 07/03/12 – 3:09pm “You’ve gotta be joking. This really is a joke, cyclist need to HTFU and just pedal.”

Comfort gives you just that. You can just get on with pedalling instead of unnecessarily engaging your whole body in a fight against cobbles, potholes and other imperfections of the road. In most of cases a comfortable bike is faster due to reduced “suspension losses” and rider’s fatigue.

Any thought on the battery placement? Seems like under the BB wouldn’t exactly be the best option…but maybe I’m wrong. Also don’t get other manufacturers who put it just in front on the BB on the outside of the down tube. Wouldn’t putting it inside the main triangle keep it the cleanest and least likely to get banged up? (Asking as a serious question btw)

Any possible issues with the flex affecting the alignment of the front derailleur? …probably unlikely that you shift if you’re bouncing all over the place, but what if you hit that 1″ crack? What if you’re Fabian on some cobbles just as you drop the down to the little ring for a berg? Ok maybe not Fabian, but some lesser (sportive) rider! 😉

i have 2 rides on one and the Domane is just awesome. we have terrible roads here and the Domane is just the answer.

Anyone seen any info on how wide a tire you can run on the Domane?

@RED – that is no problem as the frame has an integrated chain catcher!

Gotta say I used to hate Trek for many years as I felt they presented no real innovation in their road bikes. Oh how wrong I was… Now I’m hooked – Speed Concept and Domane just seem to be amazing machines!

RED, I wondered that too, but I could see the derailleur move only a couple millimeters fore/aft under the hardest bouncing , and it essentially rotated in plane with the chainring. I don’t imagine it would be an issue, it never affected shifting for me, and the chain keeper is there just in case.

Bunch of whinny roadie trash, thats all. Always stuck with what’s “new” and “mainstream”–kinda like listening to radio rock.

Open your eyes, get out of your “box” that you live in and explore other, non-mainstream, options.

Haters gonna hate.

The Domane will run a 28mm tire easily. They come stock with 25’s

i cant really say how i feel about this bike unless i can actually ride it, i also feel like we will be seeing ALOT of these break in the next year.

Salty, you’re the only one here I see spewing whiny roadie trash. If the bike is not for you, that’s fine. It isn’t my cup of tea either. However, I am not perpetually bashing it because I know that for some people, this is exactly what they want.

@twerp What’s your reasoning? Seems as if breakage would have already occurred on European shit roads under Fabian’s 1000+ watt efforts.

Why did you have to borrow one from a shop?

ultegra – It was the quickest way for us to throw a leg over the bike and get some miles on it, and the local Trek Store’s owner and shop guys are stellar…they usually get the new bikes in the second they’re available.

Saw it, loved it, bought it nuff said. To the synics; what Wiggins said in the bleeped out part of his post Tour winning interview. Just ride man an feel the difference. Nice one Trek, kicking ass and taking numbers! Again

Twerp, remember that you will see a lot of Treks break compared with other brands for precisely the same reason that you see more Toyotas broken down on the side of the road that Maseratis.

Brilliant concept for those on the roads less travelled. Audax and Randonneur riders will love this bike so they can ride all day, night and have mudguards. I will be getting one as soon as they’re available in my shop.

rode one. loved it.

bought one. love it.

I purchased the Domane 5.2 and have found it to be as advertised. It absorbs the rough roads in the mountainous town where I live. The riding position is relaxed and comfortable. I feel as if I could ride it all day long. It feels as if I am riding at a slower pace, but when I look at my average speed I am slightly faster than the Madone I replaced. As a 60 year old rider I am happy with the more relaxed position and softer ride. For me it is a big win for Trek and a great bike for me.

I am competing in the 508 this year, a RAAM qualifier and I’m looking at RAW(Race Across the West) for next year to build up for RAAM. Is this going to be a durable bike? I like what I’m hearing about the ride, but with all the miles I put on a bike, is it going to hold up? Any comments are appreciated. Looking to purchase a bike soon and still looking at CR1, Roubaix, & Domane. Anyone doing any of these races on this bike have thoughts on it too?

Can someone please comment on the benefits of the E2 asymmetric steerer tube…how well does it isolate the road defects from the riders upper body? Aside from this sniping, does anyone know why Mr. Cancellara fell…umm…ah..well… could the bike have predisposed him to take a fall in spite of his known skill level?

I got my Domane 4.0 a couple of weeks ago. It isn’t light but given that isn’t a high end model that is to be expected. @JR 60+ it is really comfortable…like insanely comfy! Although most of the focus is on the decoupler I really notice the front end absorbtion the most. Yes you notice some ‘bounce’ but that sensation didn’t last for me but I always notice the lack of vibration coming through the bars. Comfort wise it does what all the hype says it does.

However, although the Domane frame has the very neat lugs for mudguard mounts the mudguard clearances are insanely tight, even if fitting Bontrager’s ‘approved’ guards. No way will a third party SKS or even Cruds fit with enough clearance if you use the stock 25mm tyres. The issues isn’t just the clearance between tyre and brake caliper it is really tight on the frame and fork. There appears to be less clearance than i have on my Cube Litening!

I wasn’t happy about this being as that was a major feature for me…serves me right for not checking I guess. My LBS were even scratching their heads as to what guards to use, the ‘approved’ guards arrive this weekend and I am leaving it to my LBS to fit them if only to prove a point! I understand this is a bit of trend where manufacturers make a claim but miss out the bit that says ‘only when purchasing approved acessories’…

It was almost a deal breaker for me, it certainly shortens my big smile when looking at it but the bike does ride nice and is brilliant for the long hauls on the rubbish UK roads. As I said the comfort is great and the ride and handling is reassuringly stable. I haven’t been riding for long enough to experience the disconnected feel as described by some reviews but it certainly feels connected enough for me without my eyeballs being shaken. A carbon frame with the Trek warranty, along with the ride quality are pure win at the £1,500 price point. Higher spec machines will be lovely bikes I have no doubt!

I picked up my Domane 6.2 around a month ago. I tried various tire pressure combinations and settle in on 105 front and 110 rear. I’m 174 lbs. and the bike is plush and transfers power perfectly. In the past, I always stayed away from the main stream manufacturers but after riding most of the endurance bikes available, I’m totally satisfied with my decision to buy the Trek Domane.

When I first saw the Domane, I went looking for reviews (by actual owners). I never saw one, but I bought mine anyway (6.2). Now I see a lot of owner reviews on this page. I will add mine as well. The comfort level in the seat post is extreme. You can feel the road through the bars and pedels but you can handle that. I have gotten to the point where I sink into the saddle when I see a rough spot coming. The hype Trek puts on the Domane is really understated. The ride is even BETTER then advertized. Avg. speed is up as well. The relaxed postition dose take a bit to get used to. But in the end I was on a group ride, and my riding buddy and I were crusing at 24 miles per hour when we hit some really rough pavement. I kept right on at 24 mph and he fell away in an instant. Just like he hit a wall that I missed.

I purchased this bike about a year ago and find it very comfortable and effective . i I was very impressed by the performance in 100 mile bike ride . this year my partner purchase the bike and also loves it what a wonderful bike track

Just wish they offered a “race,” model Madone geometry.

I purchased my Domane 5.2 a few weeks ago. I am 57 and have ridden bikes my entire life. I commute, I mountain bike, do centuries, and weekend rides with our local club. I have owned numerous bikes over the years, everything from basic department store brands in my youth to high end road bikes. I have to say that the Domane is everything its advertized and more. Its comfortable, responsive, fast and truly a bike I can ride all day. For me Trek hit a home run with this bike.

So, I just wrote a review of the Domane 5.2 and definitely agree with Tyler’s and Colin’s takes. Even with the less-than-stellarly spec’d 5.2 (compared to the P1 6.9 reviewed above), I really enjoyed the comfortable, yet capable feel of the Domane. It could very well be my next road bike. You can read the full review here, but just to warn, it’s not as good as the one above: http://tubelessready.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-trek-domane.html .

Potential problem if you are planning to ship the Domane 5.2 in a Trico Iron Case: Be advised that the seat post extends HIGHER than other bikes. So when you place the disassembled bike in the case, the seat post AND the big ring BOTH TOUCH the inside of the case.

This could be a MAJOR problem if the case is bumped during transit. The carbon seat post is liable to be DAMAGED. Or the big ring could be damaged.

I am shipping my bike now and will provide feedback after my trip. Wish me luck.

There is an apparent known issue with the iso-speed decoupler. I have a Trek 5.2 Domane and first noticed that the shifting was extremely rough. Had it adjusted, felt great but very quickly became rough again (I have upgraded to Dura Ace cassette and Ultegra chain when first purchased in March 2013). Apparenlty the known issue is resolved by installing an o-ring in the decoupler. The flexing of the bike can cause flexing of the bottom bracket. I can attest to the fact that the entire bike feels a bit squirrely and am riding my old Giant until the part arrives. I hope this part will be a permanant fix, but I am a bit concerned.

After an accident which caused me my bike, I’m considering Trek Domane 5.2 for my next purchase. Would appreciate if somebody is able to give comparison between Cervelo R3 against this one. Thanks.

If somebody can give comparison between 2014 trek domane 5.2 C vs 2014 giant defy advanced 1, I would really appreciate that. thanks in advance. 

Man, you guys are right, Cancellara needs to HTFU. Obviously Spartecus is quite a weenie, I mean the Spring Classics, how hard can that be to what all of us ride. I think you are missing the point, the Domane was not designed to be a “comfort bike”, it was designed to keep your body fresh while suffering and enduring long punishing rides. Unless you are riding a 60s steel frame downtube shifting leather seat 7 speed while wearing wool kit, I do not think embracing an excellent piece of engineering with input from a great classics rider makes you soft. Thanks Spartecus!

Just ordered a Domane 6.2 this week. This after renting a brand new bike for $65 at LBS. Let me just say the experience was great. Bike is incredibly stable, very sure and fast downhill. I like what someone else said: “it feels more like you ride _in_ it than on it”. Check it out, it really is amazing. The one change I made was CF bars over the stock aluminum.

Great bike from Crits to long 200km+ rides, just great, stiff and comfortable. If you have problems with your back, no more, most of vibrations are removed and back feels much better.

I wanted a lower priced entry level bike but didn’t want a Trek 1 because they come with the Claris or Sora. I bought a GT that had carbon forks and Tiagra for 750.00. I kept thinking about that Domane that was double the price. I later new I had to upgrade and got my money back on the GT (I had a one year money back gaurentee). I found Felt Z4 carbon with 105 & a Domane 2.0 with Tiagra…both bought and never used…both listed for 1100.00. I road them both and though I really like the Felt, carbon, and 105…the Domane was still the most comfortable ride…it’s geometry is one of the best for comfort, without even talking about the ISOspeed decoupler. I have the Trek and glad I do.

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Trek Domane 2013

Trek Domane is the carbon endurance road bike, this means it’s good for bad road surfaces, cobbled roads, etc. It is specifically designed for the cobbled classics in Europe. It has a big frame, uses a unique IsoSpeed Decoupler at the seat tube/top tube junction to separate the rider from bumps on the road. Here are the Trek Domane 2013 models.

Related: Trek Madone 2013: Stiffer, Lighter, More Aero

Upfront, the IsoSpeed fork uses thinner legs with rearward-set dropouts to absorb vibrations and bumps without sacrificing steering precision. Combined, they do an admirable job of smoothing out rough roads, cobbles, gravel paths and cracks in the pavement. Trek Domane is a true “race winner”. UCI World Tour Team RadioShack-Nissan use Domane bikes in the cobbled spring classics in Europe.

Cobbled classics specialist Fabian Cancellara won Montepaschi Strade Bianche 2012 edition with a Trek Domane 6 series bike.

Trek Domane 2013 6 Series Specifications

Upgrades from Domane 6.2:

• Bontrager Race X Lite Tubeless Ready wheels
• Shimano Dura-Ace drivetrain
• Shimano 11-speed shifting

Specifications:

• Bontrager Race X Lite IsoZone handlebar
• Colors: Trek White/Chi Red/Onyx Carbon
• Frame: 600 Series OCLV Carbon, E2, BB90, performance cable routing, DuoTrap compatible, Ride Tuned seatmast, IsoSpeed
• Fork: Trek IsoSpeed full carbon, E2
• Sizes: 44, 47, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62cm
• Wheels: Bontrager Race X Lite, Tubeless Ready
• Tires: Bontrager R3, 700x25c
• Shifters: Shimano Dura-Ace STI, 11 speed
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace, braze-on
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace
• Crank: Shimano Dura-Ace, 50/34 (compact)
• Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace 11-28, 11 speed
• Saddle: Bontrager Affinity Race X Lite, carbon rails
• Seatpost: Bontrager Ride Tuned Carbon seatmast cap, 20mm offset
• Handlebar: Bontrager Race X Lite IsoZone, OCLV carbon, VR-CF, 31.8mm
• Stem: Bontrager Race X Lite, 31.8mm, 7 degree
• Headset: Cane Creek IS-8 integrated, stainless cartridge bearings, sealed, alloy, 1-1/8” top, 1.5” bottom
• Brakes: Shimano Dura-Ace brakes w/Shimano Dura-Ace STI levers
• Grips: Bontrager Gel Cork tape

Domane 6.9 WSD

Upgrades from Domane 6.2 WSD:

• Colors: Black Titanite/Trek Gold/White Shell
• Saddle: Bontrager Affinity Race X Lite WSD, carbon rails

• Colors: Black Titanite/Trek White
• Wheels: Bontrager Race Lite
• Shifters: Shimano Ultegra STI, 10 speed
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra, braze-on
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra
• Crank: Shimano Ultegra, 50/34 (compact)
• Cassette: Shimano Ultegra 11-28, 10 speed
• Saddle: Bontrager Affinity Race Lite, hollow stainless steel rails
• Handlebar: Bontrager Race Lite IsoZone, alloy, VR-CF, 31.8mm
• Headset: Cane Creek IS-2, integrated, cartridge bearings, sealed, alloy, 1-1/8” top, 1.5” bottom
• Brakes: Shimano Ultegra brakes w/Shimano Ultegra STI levers

Domane 6.2 WSD

Colors: Gunmetal/Rage Red/Trek White Frame: 600 Series OCLV Carbon, E2, BB90, performance cable routing, DuoTrap compatible, Ride Tuned seatmast, IsoSpeed Fork: Trek IsoSpeed full carbon, E2 Sizes: 44, 47, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62cm Wheels: Bontrager Race Lite, Tubeless Ready Tires: Bontrager R3, 700x25c Shifters: Shimano Ultegra STI, 10 speed Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra, braze-on Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Crank: Shimano Ultegra, 50/34 (compact) Cassette: Shimano Ultegra 11-28, 10 speed Saddle: Bontrager Affinity Race Lite WSD, hollow stainless steel rails Seatpost: Bontrager Ride Tuned Carbon seatmast cap, 20mm offset Handlebar: Bontrager Race Lite IsoZone, alloy, VR-CF, 31.8mm Stem: Bontrager Race X Lite, 31.8mm, 7 degree Headset: Cane Creek IS-2, integrated, cartridge bearings, sealed, alloy, 1-1/8” top, 1.5” bottom Brakes: Shimano Ultegra brakes w/Shimano Ultegra STI levers Grips: Bontrager Gel Cork tape

Trek Domane 2013 5 Series Specifications

Upgrades from Domane 5.2:

• Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset
• Bontrager Race Lite Tubeless Ready wheels
• Colors: Trek Black/Trek Charcoal
• Frame: 500 Series OCLV Carbon, E2, BB90, performance cable routing, DuoTrap compatible, Ride Tuned seatmast, IsoSpeed
• Sizes: 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62cm
• Wheels: Bontrager Race Lite, Tubeless Ready
• Shifters: Shimano Ultegra STI Di2, 10 speed
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2, braze-on
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2
• Saddle: Bontrager Affinity Race Lite, titanium rails
• Headset: Integrated, cartridge bearings, sealed, alloy, 1-1/8” top, 1.5” bottom
• Brakes: Shimano Ultegra brakes w/Shimano Ultegra STI Di2 levers

Domane 5.9 WSD

Upgrades from Domane 5.2 WSD:

• Colors: White Shell/Trek Gold
• Sizes: 47, 50, 52, 54, 56cm
• Saddle: Bontrager Affinity Race Lite WSD, titanium rails

• Colors: Viper Red/Trek White
• Wheels: Bontrager Race, Tubeless Ready
• Cassette: Shimano 105 11-28, 10 speed
• Saddle: Bontrager Affinity 3, hollow chromoly rails

Domane 5.2 WSD

• Colors: Eggplant/Crystal White
• Sizes: 44, 47, 50, 52, 54, 56cm
• Saddle: Bontrager Affinity 2 WSD, chromoly rails

Trek Domane 2013 4 Series Specifications

Upgrades from Domane 4.0:

• Bontrager Race Tubeless Ready wheels
• Shimano Ultegra drivetrain
• Colors: Trek White/Black Titanite
• Frame: 400 Series OCLV Carbon, E2, BB90, DuoTrap compatible, IsoSpeed
• Fork: Trek IsoSpeed carbon, E2
• Tires: Bontrager R2, 700x25c
• Crank: Shimano R565, 50/34 (compact)
• Saddle: Bontrager Affinity 2, hollow chromoly rails
• Seatpost: Bontrager Carbon, 20mm offset
• Handlebar: Bontrager Race Blade VR-C, 31.8mm
• Stem: Bontrager Race Lite, 31.8mm, 7 degree
• Brakes: Shimano 105 brakes w/Shimano Ultegra STI levers

Domane 4.5 WSD

Upgrades from Domane 4.0 WSD:

• Colors: White Shell/Rage Red
• S izes: 47, 50, 52, 54, 56cm
• Saddle: Bontrager Affinity 2 WSD, hollow chromoly rails
• Handlebar: Bontrager Race VR-S, 31.8mm

Domane 4.3 WSD

• Colors: Washed Denim/Crystal White/Trek Black
• Wheels: Alloy hubs w/Bontrager Approved alloy rims
• Tires: Bontrager R1, 700x25c
• Shifters: Shimano 105 STI, 10 speed
• Front Derailleur: Shimano 105, braze-on
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano 105
• Crank: Shimano R565, 50/34 (compact) or 50/39/30 (triple)
• Cassette: Shimano Tiagra 12-30, 10 speed
• Saddle: Bontrager Affinity 1 WSD, steel rails
• Brakes: Shimano 105 brakes w/Shimano 105 STI levers

• Colors: Trek Black/Placid Blue
• Sizes: 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60cm
• Shifters: Shimano Tiagra STI, 10 speed
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Tiagra, braze-on
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tiagra
• Crank: Shimano Tiagra, 50/34 (compact)  or 50/39/30 (triple)
• Saddle: Bontrager Affinity 1, steel rails
• Seatpost: Bontrager Race Lite, infinite tilt adjustment, 20mm offset
• Brakes: Alloy dual-pivot brakes w/Shimano Tiagra STI levers
• Trek Bikes official website
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2013 Trek Domane 4.3 Great Road Bike Review

Trek Domane 4 Series blows past any other carbon endurance race bike in its class, with IsoSpeed for comfort, endurance geometry for stability, and Power Transfer Construction for speed.

Ride and Handling Trek Domane:

Any worries that a lower grade of carbon or verbal description would dilute the effectiveness and performance of the four.3 ar unwarranted – it’s one.8kg (4lb) heavier however conjointly £5,200/US$4,430 but the vi.9, and for £1,800/US$2,499 you get a merely astonishing frame associated an habit-forming ride quality. First ride impressions ar fairly typical, till you realise that the same old road chatter and vibration is muted to the purpose of being barely noticeable, though the road feel, thus crucial to specific handling, is unaffected.

Arguably, the road feel was accentuated as a result of the Domane appears to be in touch with the surface a lot of of the time. Turning into corners on roughly patched tarmac was refreshfully unspectacular, the wheels ostensible to finish and bite rather than skipping across the surface.

With such spectacular stability and poise, exploring the Domane’s limits becomes obligatory on virtually each ride. have a look for rough stuff expecting to lose fillings and instead you’re cosseted by a utterly light feeling.

Of course, on the foremost extreme roads there’s still a component of vertical movement, however sudden kicks and general vibration ar removed. Not beating regarding the bush – the Domane’s ride is no wanting astonishing.

Frame and Equipment Trek Domane:

The IsoSpeed system doesn’t have a threshold below that it feels inert. there’s no intrusive movement that might have an effect on your pedalling action, because the active part of the Domane is that the whole seat tube, not simply the seatpost.

The decoupler is essentially a move pivot attaching a lug on the front of the seat tube to the highest tube, permitting the tube to bow and flex on its length in isolation from the frame, with no a lot of result on seating position than a slim carbon seatpost. The magnified active length leads to many times a lot of shock absorption while not the requirement for excessive movement in a very restricted house.

Complementing the seat is that the IsoSpeed fork. This includes a one one/8in to 1 1/2in tapered steerer tube for immense rigidity, and a relentless radius curve that continues slightly sooner than the dropout to maximise its bump-smoothing ability.

Despite sounding sort of a full suspension bike, the Domane sports associate outsized down tube and muscular uneven chainstays, that wrap a merely huge BB90 bottom bracket shell, and combined with the fork’s lateral stiffness build it as responsive as any quick road bike out there.

As ever, at this worth there ar some components we’d quickly upgrade, and with such a lot technology within the Domane’s frame the wheels ar the plain place to start out. The Bontrager Approved hoops roll we have a tendency toll and resisted the worst we might fling them at with no issues, however they arn’t on constant level because the frame and are a bit sluggish.

Shimano’s one hundred and five was immaculate as ever, although Trek still embrace associate integrated chain catcher to forestall it dropping between chainset and bottom bracket. The completely Bontrager finishing kit is all competent stuff, however may gain advantage from even handed upgrading once budget permits.

That said, we’d lief {choose to|prefer to|like better to|value a lot of highly to|favor to|opt to} take the Domane out a lot of typically than more exotic machinery as a result of the frame offers such a lot comfort with no performance penalty. A spectacularly straightforward however fantastically accomplished style.

Image Credit © TrekBikes and BikeRadar

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Domane: 2013 4.5 vs 2014 4.3

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Rode the bike and found it to be the smoothest machine I've ever been on. Note I'm coming from a 10 year old Giant OCR2 upgraded with Ultegra shifters and RD. alum with carbon fork. I actually like the color scheme of the 4.3 better than the 4.5 black and white...that's the issue! Its a trade off as the 4.3 is all 105 vs Ultegra. The 4.5 has a better wheel set but I can just move my William's 30 over. Prices are about the same as the 2013 is on close out. But I'm struggling with how much difference I'm giving up just going with 105. In real life, it's probably smallish. Just looking for some feedback, I guess. Thanks...  

I bought a 4.5 WSD last spring because I prefer the metallic rage red/white frame to the black/white. I ride a 52cm frame anyway and there is absolutely no difference in the frame between the man's version and the WSD version. The only changes are a narrower handlebar and a women's saddle. The latter works for me quite nicely - on a 45 mile test ride I took with the man's version I felt that the saddle was a touch too narrow and I find the WSD one to be absolutely comfortable (2000 miles on it so far). Of course if you need a 58cm or larger frame, this post is entirely meaningless...  

I don't have the specs readily available, but if I recall correctly, last year's 4.5 wasn't full Ultegra. I think it had a R-565 crank, and either a 105 or Tiagra cassette. It didn't have Ultegra brakes, either. Or the KVF frame.  

You are correct. I just looked up the specs; last year had the R565, Ultegra FD,RD, 105 brake set and 11-28 cassette. The 4.3 has R565, 105 FD,RD, 105 brake set and Tiagra 12-30 cassette. Different wheels but I've no issue with part, as I mentioned. I don't mind the 12-30...I've got a ton of climbs where I live. So to get what I consider a more attractive looking paint job, I'm basically giving up Ultegra for 105 on the shifters, a one group downgrade that I'm hoping should be 'mostly' unnoticeable.  

Thats all up to you. I ride a 4.5 and love it. The only thing left is the frame, fork and ultegra components though. Its an awesome bike either way you go.  

Well, frame and fork on the 4.3 and 4.5 should be identical, as far as I know.  

Here I go again, confusing the Madone and Domane. :lol: The 4 series Madones have a new frame for 2014. The Domanes don't. Coming from a 10 year old Giant, I don't think you'd be giving up that much with 105 instead of 6700 Ultegra.  

The Giant (OCR2) originally came with Tiagra shifters, FD and 105 RD. About 2008, someone I knew had an OCR1 spec'ed with Ultegra he was swapping out for something else. I grabbed those shifters, found a RD on EBay and went from there. The upgrade from Tiagra to Ultegra shifters was dramatic. I suspect today's 105 is just as good as that old Ultegra but it's the unknown so that's why I'm questioning it. Ha! bottom line is that I just like the blue/white better than the black/white combo and if the 105 shifts cleanly, I'll be happy.  

My 2003 Klein has 105 shifters with an Ultegra rear derailleur (9sp) while my Domane 4.5 has both in Ultegra. Honestly I don't notice a huge difference in the performance of the shifters, bot work quite nicely. One thing I notice is that the new stuff seems to handle cross chaining okay, at least when on the small chainring.  

I have 5 Treks. I can tell no difference between the 105 gear set and the Ultegra. None.  

Yep, between 6700 Ultegra (2013) and 5700 105 (2014) I can feel zero difference and I've ridden both extensively. The new 2014 6800 Ultegra is supposed to be an entirely new animal though. Basically it appears Shimano has fixed the shift quality issues of the previous generation of groups with Dura Ace 9000 and Ultegra 6800.  

Thanks for feedback....soon as I've got the bank account lined up, I'm doing a visit to the LBS. Just to satisfy my curiosity though, I may have to drop by the Spec. dealer to test a Roubaix. It would have to be a dramatic ride for me to go there instead of the Trek. (edit): I just read that the Spec in my price range probably weighs more than the 4.3. Okay. maybe sticking with Trek! Anyone know what the 4.3 tips the scale at? I'm guessing 18-1/2 maybe?  

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Results have arrived, trek domane 4.3 wsd 54cm womens bike - 2013, item #brd11622, condition: pre-owned used condition with signs of use but functions as intended. backed by tpc's risk-free return policy..

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• Trek Domane 4.3 WSD (Compact) 2013

Bike summary

Bike components.

400 Series OCLV Carbon, E2, BB90, DuoTrap compatible, IsoSpeed

Suspension Fork

Trek IsoSpeed carbon, E2

Rear Derailleur

Shimano 105

Front Derailleur

Shimano 105, braze-on

Shift Levers

Shimano 105 STI, 10 speed

Shimano Tiagra 12-30, 10 speed

Shimano R565, 50/34 (compact)

Bottom Bracket

BB90, 90.5mm, press-fit

Alloy hubs w/Bontrager Approved alloy rims

Bontrager R1, 700x25c

Shimano 105 brakes w/Shimano 105 STI levers

Bontrager Race Lite, 31.8mm, 7 degree

Bontrager Race VR-S, 31.8mm

Integrated, cartridge bearings, sealed, alloy, 1-1/8" top, 1.5" bottom

Bontrager Affinity 1 WSD, steel rails

Bontrager Carbon, 20mm offset

Bike geometry

About this model.

Domane 4.3 WSD (Compact) belongs to the Trek Domane model. 316 bikes variations carry this model name so far. Take a sneak peek at all Trek Domane bikes models from 2013 , by clicking here .

Your safety is a top priority so always wear a helmet when you ride your bike. Moreover, wear the right clothing. You want to be visible to other drivers, so avoid wearing dark clothing.

Endurance bikes average price

According to our calculations, the average cost of an Endurance bike that is reliable is 2346 $ . However, you could also get a good Endurance bike even if you pay a lower amount than the average price. In short, before purchasing your ideal bike do some research about its components, and also check for reviews online.

Overview of components

Fork material.

Domane 4.3 WSD (Compact) has a carbon fork, so, it won’t add up to much weight to your bike. However, the price you have to pay for a carbon fork is considerably higher.

Wheels size

As for the wheels, Trek Domane 4.3 WSD (Compact) 2013, has a 700c aluminum model. There is no doubt, that 700c wheels are very popular on all road bike models. However, these wheels don’t perform so well when passing over obstacles.

We ride faster and faster, so a good braking system is essential on a bike nowadays. The Domane 4.3 WSD (Compact) comes with Rim brakes. Slightly lighter than hydraulic brakes, rim brakes are a budget choice. However, they have problems in wet conditions.

Trek Domane models from 2024

Trek domane models from 2023, trek domane models from 2022, trek domane models from 2021, trek domane models from 2020, trek domane models from 2019, trek domane models from 2018, trek domane models from 2017, trek domane models from 2016, trek domane models from 2015, trek domane models from 2014, trek domane models from 2013.

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2013 Trek Domane 4.3 Womens WSD

• Serial: WTU332XD5183G
• Manufacturer: Trek
• Model: Domane 4.3 Womens WSD
• Primary colors: Blue
• Frame Material: Carbon or composite

Distinguishing features

Trek Domane 4.3 WSD Womens Road Bike - 2013, 50cm

• Domane AL 4 Gen 3

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Assumed Credit Limit £1,200.00 Purchase Interest Rate 23.9% P.A. (variable) Representative 23.9% APR (variable)

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Subject to Status. Terms and Conditions apply. Sigma Sports Limited acts as a credit broker “Licence Number 688619” and not a lender offering credit products from Secure Trust Bank PLC trading as V12 Retail Finance.

The Domane (Dough-Ma-Knee) is Latin for 'the Kings Crown'.

Domane 4 Series blows past any other carbon endurance race bike in its class, with IsoSpeed for comfort, Domane geometry for stability, and Power Transfer Construction for speed.

Four great reasons to buy your bike from Sigma Sports

Sigma Sports has one objective - to help you find your perfect bike. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff ask you a series of questions to understand what type of rider you are and the type of riding you do. We can then identify the style of bike that best suits your needs.

Riding a bike that fits you perfectly will help keep you injury-free and ensure you enjoy riding further for longer in total comfort. We check your measurements on a jig to ensure your optimal set-up.

When you collect your new bike we'll double-check your position and make any micro-adjustments if required. We'll also discuss the controls on your bike as well as maintenance tips.

Cyclescheme can save you up to 39% on a bike and accessories. Visit our Cycle to Work Scheme page to learn more and claim.

Introduction

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IsoSpeed Technology

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Put Domane 4 Series through its paces on your most challenging rides, and relish the new-found comfort of conquering the pavement.

WSD is Women's Specific Design - A great-fitting bike is a joy to ride. The better the fit, the greater your comfort, stability, power, and control. And nothing fits better than Trek WSD, Women’s Specific Design.

• Efficient - Domane makes the most of every pedal stroke. Our Power Transfer Construction stiffens the frame to transfer your pedaling power directly to the road. No waste, all win.
• Smooth - Long days and rough roads are no match for IsoSpeed technology. Our innovative decoupler doubles vertical compliance so you ride stronger, longer.
• High performance - OCLV Carbon frame. Race-optimised cable routing. World Champion Fabian Cancellara's seal of race-ready approval. Performance doesn't get any higher than this.
• Stable - Balanced, race-stable geometry and integrated chain keeper give Domane extraordinary handling and flawless gear shifting on any road, under any load. This bike will not let you down.

Upgrades from Domane 2 Series

• 400 Series OCLV Carbon
• Trek IsoSpeed decoupler gives you an incredibly smooth ride
• Power Transfer Construction puts all your power to the road
• Exceptionally stable geometry and flawless gear shifting
• 400 Series OCLV Carbon frame, race-optimised cable routing

Technical Specification

Built, checked, tuned and tested.

All our bikes are fully built, checked, tuned and tested by our Cytech qualified mechanics and then securely packaged, ready for delivery. All you have to do is add the pedals (if included), attach the handlebars to the stem and tighten them following the included detailed instructions or by watching our video and using the provided FREE tools. Visit our Bike Assembly page to see how you assemble your new bike once you receive it.

All bikes collected from our shop, are built, tested and ready to ride. For hassle-free home delivery and bike set-up from a qualified mechanic use our Premier Delivery Service . 

Please note, occasionally, manufacturers may change the specification without notice. Bicycles do not come with pedals unless otherwise specified. Bikes ordered for delivery will not arrive with the pedals installed, please refer to the owners manual and pedal installation guides provided for guidance. We do not install accessories to bikes, including mudguards. Bikes ordered for delivery that have tubeless compatible tyres and rims will arrive with inner tubes installed or with tubeless valves installed, this will be brand dependent. Sealant is available to be purchased separately .

If you require any assistance please contact our Customer Care team .

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