trek madone team

The ultimate race bike Our fastest road race bike ever From a legacy of greatness comes a new standard of speed. Seven generations in the making, Madone SLR is our fastest and lightest Madone disc ever, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with a triple threat of unprecedented aerodynamics, exceptional ride quality, and lightweight design. This race-ready bike is complete with never-before-seen IsoFlow technology that gives you every advantage in speed and handling.

“Trek’s seventh generation Madone blends radical design and performance” What the world is saying about the all-new Madone

“A pure-bred race bike"

“Does an exceptional job of balancing all-day comfort with the agility and aggression needed to be a top-tier race bike.”

“Every inch an aero race bike”

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

“It doesn’t just look damn fast; it is damn fast”

“Seems to crave speed […] and the handling remains responsive at high speeds without lacking in stability.”

“Phenomenally fast and provides one heck of a thrilling ride”

“Offers all the aero tweaks and outright performance without compromising on day-to-day ridability.”

A new standard of speed Now 60 seconds/hour faster* We set out to make Madone the fastest road bike in the world. Years of research and development informed every aerodynamic inch of the seventh generation Madone SLR to create a frame, cockpit, and rider position that’s a whopping 19 watts faster than ever before.* *Compared to previous generation at 45km/h

• Read the white paper
• see the bike

Nearly 300 grams lighter*  

60 seconds/hour faster*  .

Never-before-seen IsoFlow technology Brutal performance. Total comfort. All-new IsoFlow technology soaks up fatiguing bumps in the road so you can ride stronger longer. A race-focused evolution of IsoSpeed comfort, IsoFlow flexes over bumps for a smoother ride, improves aerodynamics, and shaves weight to save precious seconds in the saddle.

Unprecedented road bike aerodynamics The devil is in the details when it comes to heart-pounding, race-winning speed. Every element of the new Madone Gen 7 was expertly sculpted to create our most aerodynamic road race bike ever, including a new generation of Kammtail tube shapes, an aero-optimized cockpit, and all-new IsoFlow technology that smooths air as it moves over the bike and accelerates it through the frame for even more free speed.

Positioned for power Ergonomic and aerodynamic riding position An overhauled bar/stem with a shorter reach and hoods that are 3cm narrower than the drops move you into a more comfortable ergonomic riding position. This narrower hood position also greatly reduces rider drag for extra aerodynamic speed while maintaining control in the drops so you don’t lose power in explosive moments.

Lighter than ever New gram-shaving design A new lightweight design and our best and lightest OCLV Carbon make the seventh generation Madone our lightest Madone disc ever, shaving around 300 grams off the previous ultra-lightweight version.

Behind the bike Hear from Senior Design Engineer, Alex Bedinghaus, on the new Madone SLR.

Pure race pedigree Informed by the world’s best cyclists Madone SLR was rigorously tested with the men’s and women’s Trek-Segafredo race teams to create a completely redesigned bike that’s faster, lighter, and fit for the biggest events on the cycling calendar, including the Tour de France and the first-ever Tour de France Femmes.

The new Madone SL Gen 7 offers the same revolutionary road race technology as the the seventh generation Madone SLR at a more accessible price point, thanks to a 500 Series OCLV Carbon frame and a two-piece flared RSL handlebar and stem. It’s the ultimate race bike, now available to more riders than ever. Our fastest and lightest Madone SL ever

Nearly 300 grams lighter*  

54 seconds/hour faster*  .

*When compared to Madone SL Gen 6 at 45km/h 

Choose your Madone

Madone Gen 6

The original industry-disrupting superbike. -Adjustable top tube IsoSpeed for a smoother ride -Traditional non-flared two-piece bar + stem -Grand Tour-winning aero tube shaping -Madone performance at a better value

Madone Gen 7

Built on a legacy of superbikes, Madone Gen 7 is our fastest and lightest Madone disc ever. -Lightweight, never-before-seen IsoFlow compliance tech -Flared aero-optimized bar (one-piece bar/stem on SLR, two-piece bar + stem on SL) -All-new ultra-fast aero tube shaping -Faster and lighter

Mountainbike

• TFR Downhill
• TFR Cross Country
• Baloise-Trek
• TFR Triathlon
• Trek Ambassadors
• Regional teams and athletes

• Lidl-Trek Fanclub
• trekbikes.com

Meet the new Trek Madone

Our fastest road bike ever. Period.

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

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

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

The full bike and a good look at IsoFlow.

A cockpit built for speed.

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

A split seat post helps eat bumps in the road.

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

Power, comfort and control

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

Climb or descend like the best.

Lighter than ever

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

No detail overlooked.

Coming to a peloton near you.

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

Our fastest road bike ever

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

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

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

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

Trek IsoSpeed vs IsoFlow – An overview of the differences

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 2023 Trek Madone SLR in detail and models variants

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

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

Trek Madone SLR 9 2023

Specifications.

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

Technical Data

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

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

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

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

The geometry of the 2023 Trek Madone SLR Disc

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who is the new 2023 Madone for?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Words: Julian Schwede Photos: Mike Hunger

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Trek Introduces Its New Madone SLR

Improved aerodynamics, reduced weight, and radical looks are brought to the brand’s 7th generation road racing platform.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.

A test ride sample is in transit to the Bicycling offices. Once our gear team gets some ride time on the new Madone SLR we will provide the full download and detailed analysis of the bike. But for now, here are the key points you'll want to know.

Madone SLR Background

Introduced in 2018 as a 2019 model, the 6th generation Madone was an extremely good bike and raced to countless podiums by professionals and amateurs alike. But in the competitive European peloton, it was beginning to show its age. Trek's pro riders were looking for something faster and more aerodynamic, but they also (no surprise here) wanted it lighter. On top of that, elite riders questioned the effectiveness and need for the previous Madone SLR's IsoSpeed damper system, while riders like you and I still needed a bike comfortable enough for everyday riding.

Trek led off its product presentation to journalists with some bold claims about the new Madone SLR. Phrases including “Fastest Madone” and “lightest Madone ever” were used by Trek representatives, as well as lots of numbers: 300 grams lighter, 60 seconds per hour faster than previous Madone, almost 10-watt savings from updated aerodynamics, 10-watt savings from changes to rider positioning. So, how did they do it?

Madone SLR Technology

Let's start with what changed; well, lots changed, to be honest. This isn't a case of frame engineers shaving off some grams, adopting some new parts fitment standards, and calling it a day. Bikes at the elite level go through countless hours of development, analysis, and testing—both in the wind tunnel and in the real world. The Madone is no exception to this, notably with the Trek engineering team applying intensive use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) programs to optimize the Madone's aerodynamic profile and rider positioning for better performance. Trek's engineers studied the numbers and applied revised versions of its Kammtail aero tube shapes on the new Madone.

Through the design and iteration process, the development team at Trek abandoned the sixth-generation Madone's IsoSpeed damper system. In its place is a new cantilevered seat tube frame layout. Additionally, Trek updated the Madone's integrated bar/stem to improve aerodynamics by changing the rider's positioning on the hoods. This combo of radically shaped frame design and flared bars will surely draw jeers from traditionalists and cheers from anyone obsessed with speed and aero-gains—which add up to 19-watt savings at 45kph (27.96 mph) and drops 300 grams of weight.

Trek calls this new seat tube-tunnel design IsoFlow. Developed through the aforementioned CFD design process, Trek claims the IsoFlow helps make the new Madone SLR lighter, simpler, stiffer, and more aerodynamic than the outgoing IsoSpeed-equipped bike.

By integrating and tuning flex into the system via the cantilevered seat tube (rather than a separate damper system), Trek contends the new bike achieves about the same level of comfort as the previous Madone IsoSpeed in its stiffest setting. Additionally, the use of IsoFlow doesn't have moving parts and helps to shave 150 grams off the frame weight.

On the aerodynamics side, Trek holds that the IsoFlow system significantly reduces drag around the seat tube. The Madone's frame shaping has been designed to accelerate air around the headtube, channeling the air into the seat tube tunnel, and then into the low-pressure zone behind the rider. All of this saves the rider 9.3 watts (of the 19 watt total) at 45 kph.

Integration

The balance of the remaining 9.7 wattage savings comes from changes to rider positioning. Trek's design team (again, through the use of CFD programs and wind tunnel testing) found they could save watts by making changes to the rider position on the Madone. Since road riders spend a lot of time riding on the brake hoods, the cockpit was designed for added efficiency in that position.

The Madone SLR handlebar measures a traditional width in the drops, but the bar's flare positions the hoods inward by 30mm. This narrower hood location puts the rider in a more aerodynamic position when riding, thus saving watts. While the traditional width drops allow for better control when descending and more power for sprints. This isn't a totally new concept, as aftermarket brands have been doing it for a few years now.

For example, if you previously rode a standard 420mm drop bar, the new bar will still measure 420mm at the drops. However, the Madone's bar has 15mm per side (15mm x 2 = 30mm) of flare—or as Trek labels it, camber. So, the width measurement at the hoods and tops (Trek calls this the control width) only comes to 390mm.

Reach on all of the bars is 80mm and drop is 124mm. Constructed from carbon fiber, the new combo saves an additional 150 grams off the Madone's weight.

If you aren't into the length or width of your frame size's stock bar/stem, Trek offers 14 different pairings of bar width and stem length to (hopefully) meet your needs. If you want to run a traditional non-flare bar (and give back those spare 9.7 watts) you can go with a combo like the Aeolus RSL bar/stem used on the Emonda platform (the two bikes share brake hose routing). Another option would be to get a different upper headset bearing cover from Trek and use a standard 1-1/8" stem and whatever bar you choose. If you want to run lights or mount accessories to your Madone SLR's bar will accept a range of Blendr compatible mounts .

To accommodate the new IsoFlow design, Trek needed to re-engineer the Madone's seatpost design. The seatpost wedge now has a flip-chip design for added post extension/adjustment. Posts will be available in two lengths and two offsets.

The H1.5 geometry set used on the 6th-gen Madone carries over the new 7th-gen Madone SLR. This was originally conceived as a meeting point between the exclusively racing-focused (H1) and more relaxed (H2) geometries offered on the 5th-gen version of the frame. If it's not broken, don't fix it I guess.

Stem/bar combinations that come stock on each frame size are as follows: 47cm: 380mm x 80mm, 50cm & 52cm: 400mm x 90mm, 54cm: 420mm bar width x 90mm stem length, 56cm & 58cm: 420mm x 100mm, 60cm & 62cm: 440mm x 110mm

Frame Features and Standards

Now that we've got the fancy tech stuff out of the way, let's get down to some of the other details we all love to pour over whenever a significant new bike comes out.

Tire clearance on the Madone SLR is tight. The bike ships with 25mm tires and fits up to 28mm in width. This isn't a gravel bike.

For maximum compatibility options, Trek continues with the T47 bottom bracket shell on the Madone. It has threads; your mechanic will love you.

The battery for Di2 equipped models is located in the seat tube...at the bottom of the seat tube. It can be accessed via a port in the bottom bracket shell. You'll need to remove your crank and BB to get the battery out, but that's a pretty rare occurrence these days.

Also relating to batteries, the new Madone goes fully electric and there are no frame options to run mechanical groupsets. So, this means that only wireless (like AXS) and semi-wireless (like Di2) are compatible.

For wheels, both front and rear remain with industry standards for road bikes: 12mm x 142mm for the rear hub and 12mm x 100mm for the front.

For brakes, the attachment standard is 160mm direct mount for the fork, and 140mm direct mount on the frame. If you want to run a 160mm on the back you will need an adaptor. 160mm is the maximum rotor the frame and fork can accept.

And finally, storage. The frame does not have any stash boxes or cargo holds built into the frame. This was done for improved aerodynamic tube shapes and weight reduction. So, it means you need to carry your tools, spare tube, and CO2 in a seat bag, your jersey pockets, or (if you're a pro) wait for the team car to roll up with a spare wheel or bike.

Build Kit Details, Pricing, and Claimed Weights

Pricing on complete builds goes up by $200 for 2023 on each model compared to equivalent 2022 Madone SLR models. Complete bikes are available in five different colors and six different groupsets—three Shimano and three SRAM.

A limited number of bikes will be available to order at the time of launch through Trek retailers, with more bikes scheduled to arrive over the next two months. Project One offerings on the Madone SLR will come at a later date, as well as framesets.

We can argue whether it's brands like Trek (releasing electronic-only high-end bikes) or brands like SRAM and Shimano (no longer developing high-performance mechanical road groupsets) or if consumers are just voting with their dollars. But the result is that we are witnessing the death of mechanical shifting from high-end racing bikes. And that's a little bit sad.

Trek Madone SLR6 and SLR6 eTap

• 17.1 lbs. (56cm)
• Shimano 105 Di2 , 12-speed
• 50/34T chainrings, 11-34T cassette
• Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51, carbon tubeless wheels
• Madone integrated carbon handlebar/stem
• 17.7 lbs. (56cm)
• SRAM Rival eTap AXS , 12 speed
• SRAM Rival AXS Power Meter
• 48/35T chainrings, 10-36T cassette

Trek Madone SLR7 and SLR7 eTap

• 16.5 lbs. (56cm)
• Shimano Ultegra Di2, 12-speed
• 52/36T chainrings, 11-30T cassette
• SRAM Force eTap AXS, 12 speed
• SRAM Force AXS Power Meter
• 48/35T chainrings, 10-33T cassette

Trek Madone SLR9 and SLR9 eTap

• 15.6 lbs. (54cm)
• Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 , 12-speed
• Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51, carbon tubeless wheels
• 16.2 lbs. (56cm)
• SRAM Red eTap AXS, 12 speed
• SRAM Red AXS Power Meter

Madone SLR Frameset

• approx 1,400g (frame + fork)
• Seatposts and bar/stem not included

As Deputy Editor, Tara Seplavy leads Bicycling’s product test team; after having previously led product development and sourcing for multiple bike brands, run World Championship winning mountain bike teams, wrenched at renowned bicycle shops in Brooklyn, raced everything from criteriums to downhill, and ridden bikes on six different continents (landing herself in hospital emergency rooms in four countries and counting). Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Tara spends tons of time on the road and trail testing products. A familiar face at cyclocross races, crits, and bike parks in the Mid Atlantic and New England, on weekends she can often be found racing for the New York City-based CRCA/KruisCX team. When not riding a bike, or talking about them, Tara listens to a lot of ska, punk, and emo music, and consumes too much social media.  

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Trek Madone SLR 7 Gen 7 review - very fast and very expensive

The latest Madone may have a hole through the seat tube but we couldn't find any in its performance

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The Trek Madone is an absolute speed weapon. The deep-section tubes with the radical-looking cutout help, as does the newly designed handlebar, which is narrow and provides good wrist support for the ‘aero-hoods’ position. And then there are the 51mm deep Bontrager Aeolus Pro wheels. The handling is incredibly fast, responding to the smallest shift in weight and the tiniest tweaks of the bars, and ride quality is so impressive that it’s almost possible to overlook things like the narrow tires and ungenerous clearance - but you can’t ignore the price. If you have the budget and want a WorldTour-level race machine with exceptional handling and ride feel, this is the bike.

Super smooth ride

Light for an aero bike

Striking aesthetics

Limited adjustability

No power meter

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

• Construction

Value and conclusion

For this latest Gen 7 version of the Madone, Trek’s aero bike, the US brand removed the IsoSpeed Decoupler of the previous Gen 6 model and left, in its place, a big hole.

OK, it’s not the crude, reductionist approach it sounds like.

The old bike’s micro-adjustable suspension system at the top tube/seat tube juncture added weight and was mostly redundant since Trek discovered most riders would ‘set and forget’.

And by radically reengineering the frame Trek claims to have saved 300g, and says the new bike is almost 20 watts faster than its predecessor, which equates to 60 seconds per hour when ridden at 45kph. It looks radical, too - always a good thing for a new bike.

In our 2023 Race Bike of the Year grouptest we awarded the Madone 'best aero bike' against competition that included the Cervélo S5, the Canyon Aeroad and the Giant Propel.

However, over $9K / £10K for an Ultegra bike has to be unchartered territory - so how does it compare overall to the best road bikes ?

Trek Madone 7 Gen 7: construction

Let’s peer a bit more closely into that hole or, to give it its real name, IsoFlow. The aerodynamic explanation for it is: “It’s a way to direct some high energy flow into a low energy region of the bike.” What that means is that the seat tube area creates a disproportionate amount of drag and the hole helps to dissipate this by adding what Trek calls a “jet of fast moving air.”

It turns out that only half of the claimed watt saving comes from the IsoFlow hole. Trek has entered the integrated cockpit wars (along with Colnago, Canyon, Cervélo et al) with a completely new and very slick-looking design but it’s neither adjustable nor V-shaped: according to Trek it saves watts by changing rider position rather than via the aerodynamic properties of the cockpit itself.

A standard 42cm bar becomes 39cm at the hoods and 42cm at the drops and there’s a backsweep so that a flat-forearms aero position on the hoods becomes very aero indeed.

There are 14 different combinations available and, since the backsweep gives the bar a shorter reach, it’s important to get the right one - if you’re like those of us who rode this bike, you’ll need a longer stem. You can change this at point of purchase at no extra cost, Trek told us, or the 1 1/8in steerer is compatible with a non-integrated stem and bar (though the frame is electronic groupset only).

The same goes for the seatmast. The cutout in the seat tube leaves less room for a long seatpost and less adjustability (around 6cm minimum to maximum) so if you are long-legged but prefer a smaller frame you may need the tall version that comes with the size 56 upwards (as I ideally would have done). There are also two offsets available.

Our size 54 with a standard short mast could only manage a maximum saddle height of 74cm and the reach felt very short with the 90mm stem cockpit it comes with.

The latest geometry is called H1.5 (halfway between the old H1 race and H2 endurance). The reduced reach combined with the shorter reach of the swept-back bar works very well for that super aero hoods position, but it does feel surprisingly short. The kamm-tailed rear of the stem is much closer to your knees than you’d expect.

The new SLR bikes are all made from Trek’s 800 OCLV carbon - from the 105-equipped SLR 6 up to the flagship SLR 9 - and are impressively light, especially compared with other aero bikes such as the Cervelo S5. Trek says this is its lightest ever disc Madone.

There’s clearance for 28mm tires max, which is tight by modern standards. This model comes with Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 tubeless-ready wheels, set up with Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite 25mm tires and inner tubes - again, surprisingly narrow.

Despite the fact that the fit wasn’t optimal - I could have done with the size up - the ride quality of the Madone is absolutely incredible. That’s the first thing that strikes you, or rather doesn’t strike you.

Aero bikes used to supply a harsher ride simply because deep, bladed tubing doesn’t flex like round tubing. This was undoubtedly the reason why Trek bolted the IsoSpeed decoupler onto the Madone two iterations ago. So you might expect that with its suspension system gone, the latest bike might have gone backwards in comfort. Not a bit of it.

It feels like a coiled carbon spring - full of potential energy and floating over bad road surfaces seemingly without any effect on its speed. And this is on 25mm tires that aren’t even the best (at this price they really ought to be).

The handling is also exactly right. The shortish 90mm stem section of the cockpit could have made it a little twitchy, but thanks to the sweeping shape I found my weight sufficiently over the front wheel in the hoods position, and steering was fast but balanced on descents and tight corners.

So it passes ‘comfortable’ and ‘fast’ with flying colors (actually Deep Smoke for this one).

At 7.5kg it’s light for an aero bike - or any disc brake bike - and it leaps up hills as if it weighs even less. I was so impressed with its performance that I kept forgetting Trek also has the Emonda climbing bike. The next Emonda has its work cut out (pun intended).

Finally, stability in crosswinds. There’s one particular gateway on my test loop where any bike not designed for big yaw angles will be gusted and the Trek was indeed blown sideways slightly - but not alarmingly considering the deep wheels and frame tubes.

This bike is incredibly good but it’s also incredibly expensive. It’s a full $1,000 / £1,000 more than the equivalent outgoing Gen 6 Madone SLR 7, and you’d have to look hard to find a more expensive Ultegra Di2-equipped bike from the other mainstream brands. 

The Canyon Aeroad CFR with Dura-Ace costs $8,999 / £8,799, while the Cervelo S5 with SRAM Force AXS costs $9,000 / £9,200. The Giant Propel Advanced SL1 also with SRAM Force costs $8,000 / £8,999.

You might also reasonably expect a power meter at this price - those three bikes all come with them - but it’s just the regular Ultegra crankset here.

So the price is stratospheric but compared with the current aero bikes I’ve ridden so far including the Colnago V4RS , Canyon Aeroad SLX , Cervelo S5, Tarmac SL7 and Pinarello Dogma F, the ride quality is superior.

• Frame: 800 Series OCLV carbon
• Fork: KVF carbon, tapered steerer
• Groupset: Shimano Ultegra Di2
• Wheels : Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51
• Tires : Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite 25mm
• Cockpit: Madone integrated
• Seatpost : Madone aero internal
• Saddle: Bontrager Aeolus Elite
• Weight: 7.5kg
• Contact: www.trekbikes.com

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Simon Smythe is a hugely experienced cycling tech writer, who has been writing for Cycling Weekly since 2003. Until recently he was our senior tech writer. In his cycling career Simon has mostly focused on time trialling with a national medal, a few open wins and his club's 30-mile record in his palmares. These days he spends most of his time testing road bikes, or on a tandem doing the school run with his younger son.

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Trek officially launches new Madone with Isoflow seat tube

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

IsoFlow – DRS for all

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

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

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

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

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

Faster and lighter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All-new frame

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All-new cockpit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Model specs, availability and pricing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Trek Madone 9.0 review

A magic carpet ride — if you can fit within the parameters

Ben Delaney / Immediate Media

Ben Delaney

Tangibly fast and blatantly comfortable, very good braking for aero calipers, well-thought-out integration

Steep price, tight fit parameters, toe overlap

The Trek Madone is the most comfortable aero bike I've ridden by a long shot, and its ultra-clean front end and massive, sculpted tubing deliver not only a fast but a luxuriously quiet ride. There are no sloppy cables whistling in the wind here.

The catch? This magic carpet comes with a tight fit window: the front end is a touch high for a race bike, the seatmast's vertical adjustment is limited, and the front wheel has toe overlap and a limited turn radius. But if you fit, you will fly.

• Tunnel test video: How slippery should your aero road bars be?
• How to ruin an aero road helmet (don't do this!)
• 10 of the best deep aero wheels lab tested

Trek Madone 9.0 highlights

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

One Madone that breaks (a little) free of certain fit constraints

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

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

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

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

The Madone 9.0 is the first Madone to come with separate bar and stem components. Yes, it's marginally slower in a wind tunnel, but you can easily adjust the bar angle or, like I did, replace the stock stem as needed.

Front and rear fit constraints — versus the competition

Like most of the other Madone bikes, the 9.0 comes in Trek's H2 fit. The lower H1 fit is only available in Project One, which adds $1,500 to the price.

As such, the Madone 9.0 has a slightly taller stack height than other aero bikes. Stack is the vertical difference between the top of the head tube and the center of the bottom bracket. Front-end height comparisons are often done with head-tube measurements, but this doesn't account for differences in various bikes' bottom bracket heights.

For comparison in size 56cm bikes, Canyon's Aeroad has a stack of 55cm, Specialized's Venge ViAS a 56.4cm and Cervélo's S5 a 56.5cm to the Madone's 58.2cm.

All the Madone sizes have a relatively tight saddle adjustment window. The 56cm bike has a saddle height range of 67-76cm.

For me, at 6ft with short legs, I had the saddle all the way up to 76cm and a 120cm stem all the way down, and would have appreciated another centimeter or two of handlebar drop. Fit, of course, is highly personal — just be sure the bike always fits you, whatever it is!

Aero brakes: decent power and, gasp, a delight to work on

Trek isn't the first company to experiment with hiding the brake calipers from the wind, but I believe they have done the best job thus far. By extending the frame's front section to house the front brake cable, Trek reduced drag substantially compared with bolting a standard caliper on the front of the fork.

The little cuckoo-clock panels flip open when you turn the bars, allowing the brake and housing room to move. (No cuckoo bird pops out, though, unfortunately.)

I hate rim calipers positioned underneath a frame's bottom bracket. At best, they are a chore to work on, and quickly gather grime. At worst, they are a literal drag, causing brake-pad rub when out of the saddle. Trek keeps the Madone's rear brake where it should be — up on the seatstays.

The power is decent for a rim brake. A Dura-Ace caliper it ain't, but modulation is predictable. The spectrum of aero brakes runs from horrible/dangerous to pretty good. These are pretty good. I tested the bike quite a bit with carbon wheels as well, where the power is adequate when used with SwissStop pads.

Perhaps most surprising to me was how easy it is to work on the brakes. Swapping and then adjusting the pads is easier than on most standard calipers. Seriously. In the absence of a barrel adjuster, Trek has a screw to adjust width on each side, and another to adjust toe angle.

Ride quality: a magic carpet

By now, you have probably seen enough aero-drag graphs and charts to understand that aero shapes are faster than round shapes, especially at higher speeds. I did not take the Madone into a wind tunnel, but my friend Dan Cavallari at VeloNews did. You can get his data and conclusions versus the Specialized Venge ViAS here . I did take the bike out for a few hundred miles, often on fast group rides and solo jaunts, and the thing is tangibly faster than a round-tubed bike with box-section wheels. During the year I switch between a number of test bikes, and the back-to-back rides really highlight differences.

Two things stand out with the Madone. It's fast! (Of course, your body position is the major factor here. But with that normalized, the Madone is perceptibly quick.) And two, it is more comfortable than many standard road bikes, never mind aero bikes, thanks to the full-flexing seatmast and seat tube.

I have an older Scott Foil that I love racing crits on, and while I ride it on dirt roads, it's not my first choice for mixed-surface riding. The Madone, on the other hand, I'd take on any ride.

With Trek's stout BB90 chassis, you still get plenty of firm pedaling efficiency when in and out of the saddle.

The wheel depth of the Bontrager Aerolus Comp 5's is manageable in crosswinds. I rode the bike on many gusty days and did a few days with Mavic's new 65mm Comete Pro Carbon SL tubeless wheels . On one fast group ride, I managed to plow straight into a pothole deep enough to crack the Mavic rear rim . After checking everything out — and opening the rim brake caliper — I rode back home without incident. Would I have crashed on a stiffer aero bike? Who knows. But I can say it is nice to have a forgiving frame underneath you when unexpected bumps and holes appear.

Wheels and components

The Bontrager Aeolus Comp 5 wheels can be set up tubeless but come with 25mm standard clinchers and tubes. Although not as light as all-carbon hoops, the aerodynamics of the metal-rim-with-carbon-fairing design are very similar. And you get the more consistent braking of an alloy track. A downside is that they can take in water at the spoke holes. (There is a hole on the side to release the water.)

Current-edition Shimano Ultegra continues the Japanese company's fine tradition of an excellent second-tier group that for all intents and purpose functions very much like Dura-Ace but with a few more grams. My one gripe with the mechanical Ultegra is how the inner shift lever on the lefthand control can pop slightly outside the primary brake lever on rattling roads. It doesn't affect performance at all, but it's annoying. Dura-Ace levers don't do this.

One curious spec choice is the compact 50/34t crank. When paired with the 11-28t cassette this is a great everyday setup, but it seems like amateur racers, in particular, would be drawn to such an aero bike. They might want, if not necessarily need, a 52/36t crankset. If this is a concern, it is likely that your local Trek dealer could swap it out for you. I suspect that, like the H2 geometry, Trek studies customer fit data carefully, and makes decisions based on the bulk of rider numbers.

Bottom line: Certainly the most comfortable and among the fastest aero bikes on the market

The Trek Madone fuses two seemingly incompatible traits: it is a very fast and very comfortable bike. The 9.0 build is the most inexpensive — but still not cheap — model, and the only one with separate and therefore adjustable stem and handlebar.

If you want to look at third-party aero numbers, check out Dan Cavallari's VeloNews piece where he put the top-end Madone against the top-end Specialized Venge ViAS in the A2 Wind Tunnel and found the Venge to be faster . For context, A2 found both to be faster than Cervélo's S5.

The fit, as discussed, is Trek's H2 geometry, which is slightly higher at the front end than other aero bikes. As with Trek's Emonda, a lot of riders will get toe overlap on the Madone, because of its short and sharp front end. So investigate carefully before you buy — but if everything fits, I doubt you will be able to find a bike as fast and comfortable as this one.

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

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

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

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

An aero primer

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

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

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

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

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

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

A single letter with small differences

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Consider the old shop mechanic in me unconvinced.

Build kit breakdown

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s a winner for me

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

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

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

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

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

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• Spring Classics

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The American Lidl-Trek squad emerged from the ashes of the RadioShack and Leopard squads with Trek Factory Racing stepping up as the title sponsor at the start of the 2014 season.

The team then became Trek-Segafredo in 2016, before changing to Lidl-Trek during the 2023 season.

In the past, Fabian Cancellara won three Monuments for the team before retiring in 2016. Cancellara’s Classics-winning legacy remains ingrained within the team, however. With the likes of Jasper Stuyven, Mads Pedersen and Edward Theuns on their roster, they’ve quickly become a force to be reckoned with in one-day races and a big rival of the cobble-crushing kings, Alpecin-Deceuninck and Soudal Quick-Step.

Their goals don’t lie solely in the spring though, with climbers like Bauke Mollema, Giulio Ciccone, Kenny Elissonde and Juan Pedro López, the team have also been a constant threat in the Grand Tours, particularly when it comes to hunting stage wins from breakaways.

For 2024, however, their remit has certainly broadened, with the continued development of cyclo-cross starlet Thibau Nys and the armada of new talent that has been signed ahead of the new road campaign.

Tao Geoghegan Hart is perhaps the blockbuster name amongst the team's new signings, with the former Giro d'Italia champion set to become their big GC leader in the Grand Tours. Geoghegan Hart is looking to rebound from a career-threatening crash at the 2023 Giro d'Italia, but the likes of Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) and Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) demonstrate that riders can come back better than ever following major rehabilitation.

Should that be the case with Geoghegan Hart, Lidl-Trek will be a team to be reckoned with in the Grand Tours. Not only do they already have Giulio Ciccone - who himself fancies a crack at a Grand Tour podium - but their climbing roster has been bolstered for 2024 with the additions of Carlos Verona, Sam Oomen, Patrick Konrad and Fabio Felline.

Tim Declerq will provide ample support on the flatlands, as too will the likes of Ryan Gibbons and Andrea Bagioli, whilst the signing of Italy's Jonathan Milan will offer the team a secondary sprinter to Pedersen.

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Provided by FirstCycling

• Nationality United States of America
• Founded 2011
• Team Principal Luca Guercilena
• UCI Code LTK
• Bike Sponsor Trek

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