trek 2013 madone

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Trek Madone 2013: Stiffer, Lighter, More Aero

Trek Madone 2013 series are coming with improvements to aerodynamics, weight, and stiffness. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7-series are OCLV carbon, while 2 series are alloy. The top of the line model, Trek Madone 7.9, at 40 kph in a 10° crosswind, and the producer claims to save 25 watts over the prior model (distance not specified). In addition to the aerodynamic improvements, frame weight has dropped down to 750 grams (7-series) (from 915g to 750g, a 165g savings). Compared to the previous 7 series of Trek Madone, it cuts almost 200 grams from the frame and fork without diminishing ride quality or stiffness.

Trek Madone 6 and 7 series continue to be “Made in the United States”.

Madone series have completely redesigned to incorporate aerodynamic tube profiles borrowed from Trek’s Speed Concept time trial bikes.

The positioning of the rear brake is one of the key frame features that is included in the 5, 6, and 7 Series of Madone. Trek has moved it down to sit behind and below the bottom bracket, rather than attaching to a bridge between the seatstays.

With that re-positioning, they reduced the aerodynamic drag. The new position of the rear brake also removes the braking forces from the seatstays, allowing Trek to use less material at the seatstays. This means a lighter frame. 6-Series frame, with a Shimano Dura-Ace groupset and Bontrager’s Aeolus 3 wheels in a 58cm model weighs 6.8kg (14.96lb) without pedals.

The Madone frames are now available in two fits: their performance-oriented H2 and a new super-pro H1. To get the rider in a fast but comfortable position, H2 uses a slightly taller headtube. But it is still allowing that “pro” look of a flat stem with minimal spacers. H2 will suit most riders. The new H1 fit has a slightly lower headtube and allows a bit more aerodynamic riding position.

To keep the frame a dropped chain, Madone comes up with Trek’s 3S integrated chain keeper which mounts directly to its frame via a threaded hole just north of the bottom bracket.

Trek Madone 2013 Series Comparison Table

Model | Drivetrain | Description | Price (approx.)

• 7.9 | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 | – | $11,549.99
• 7.9 WSD |Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 | Lady version | $11,549.99
• 7.7 | Shimano Dura-Ace | – | $7,979.99
• 6.5 | Shimano Ultegra Di2 | – | $6,619.99
• 6.2 WSD | Shimano Ultegra | Lady version | $4,619.99
• 6.2 | Shimano Ultegra | – | $4,619.99
• 5.9 | Shimano Ultegra Di2 | – | $5,039.99
• 5.2 WSD | Shimano Ultegra | Lady version | $3,569.99
• 5.2 | Shimano Ultegra | – | $3,569.99
• 4.7 | Shimano Ultegra Mix* | – | $3,149.99
• 4.5 WSD | Shimano Ultegra Mix* | Lady version
• 4.5 | Shimano Ultegra Mix*
• 3.1 WSD | Shimano 105 | Lady version
• 3.1 | Shimano 105 | $2,039.99
• 2.3 | Shimano 105 Mix*
• 2.1 |Shimano 105 Mix*

*Mix means some parts are the highest level of the mentioned Shimano series, some parts are below.

Related: Trek 2014 Models

• Trek Bikes website
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Thanks for the great review of the Trek Madone . The guys in the shops can’t wait to get the new Trek Madones and start riding/racing them.

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Map of everything.

2013 Trek Madone 7 Series

This is a closer look at the 2013 Trek Madone 7 Series. We already reviewed the proprietary aero brake system HERE .

The 2013 Madone is one sleek ride – this is a 50cm size:

The Madone takes care of aero duties in the Trek road line; the Domane is marketed as its more comfortable Roubaix-ready cousin. The fork and main tubes on the Madone feature a Kamm tail profile. Just how aero is it? Here’s the word, straight from Trek: “We based the all-new Madone frame on our groundbreaking KVF (Kammtail Virtual Foil) tube shape. KVF minimizes drag using a truncated airfoil shape. The virtual tail of the airfoil bends to respond to the angle of the most common crosswinds, significantly reducing drag in the real world, where it really matters. It's like getting 25 free watts.”

This 7 Series model features Shimano Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting.

Mechanic’s tip for the day: Want to keep your Di2 routing minimal and clean? Mini zip ties are your friend:

The Di2 junction box and routing are quite clean on the Madone. Also note the tapered head tube – it uses a 1.5” lower bearing, and 1.125” upper.

Where did the rear brake go?

Both front and rear calipers are a proprietary direct-mount design from Trek. Also note the Di2 battery mount:

The front brake lines up nicely with the proprietary fork:

Stock wheels on this bike are the Bontrager Race X Lite. They feature 23mm wide rims and an optional tubeless conversion kit. The stock bikes come with inner tubes and standard (non-tubeless) Bontrager R3 tires:

The left chainstay is compatible with Trek’s DuoTrap computer.

The Madone has a “No Cut Seatmast”; each bike has a range of compatible saddle heights. This will likely work for the majority of riders – but perhaps not those on the ends of the bell curve (i.e. a long-legged rider who uses shorter-than-average cranks).

That’s a 170mm 50/34 Ultegra crankset, Shimano chain, and Ultegra Di2 front derailleur:

On the other side, we see a slick integrated chain catcher:

Ultegra Di2 rear derailleur and 11-28 cassette:

The rider’s point of view:

One last time – the 2013 Madone 7 Series:

All images © Greg Kopecky / slowtwitch.com

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Trek Madone brake surgery

Bontrager TLR 2013 Review

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One of the key frame features that’s included on the 5, 6 and 7 Series Madones is the positioning of the rear brake. Rather than attaching to a bridge between the seatstays, Trek have moved it down to sit behind and below the bottom bracket. Why? It reduces aerodynamic drag and removes the braking forces from the seatstays, allowing Trek to use less material.

Of course, locating the brake at the BB isn’t a new idea. You’ll find similar on many time trial bikes and countless traditional bikes stretching back years and years. It works just fine. In terms of braking performance, there’s no difference and there are no sticky out bit where mud or water will collect on damp rides.

With the previous Madone design (and it remains on the 4, 3 and 2 Series bikes), the whole of the area between the brake bridge up to the seat tube was filled in. In other words, the seatstays joined at the brake bridge and stayed joined from then on. The new design is very different. The seatstays don’t join at all; they remain separate right up to the seat tube junction.

Visually, that takes some getting used to. It looks odd on a road bike. But in terms of performance, you really wouldn’t notice. The lack of that big wedge of material at the top of the seatstays makes no discernible difference to rear-end stiffness. The back of the bike still feels fully locked into place.

The biggest change of all to the frame design is the shape of the tubing. As we said in our write up from the launch , Trek have taken the Kammtail Virtual Foil (KVF) tube profiles from their Speed Concept time trial bike and incorporated them into a road bike design. Essentially, it’s an aerodynamically shaped tube with the tail cut off square. The idea is that the air behaves in virtually the same way as if the tail was still there, but the design sticks within the UCI’s rules on frame design, saves weight, and improves handling.

Trek reckon the new Madone has 330g less drag than the previous model. Their figures say that riding at 40kph/25mph (with a wind at 10° yaw) takes 25W less power than before. Or, for the same effort, a ride that would have taken 1hr now takes 57:56mins.

That’s a tricky one to verify without the benefit of a wind tunnel and it’s pretty much impossible to take a view on while riding on unfamiliar Belgian roads so, sorry, we’re going to pass on the question of aerodynamics.

We can tell you, though that the new Madone accelerates beautifully. It’s a really punchy bike that picks up speed ridiculously easily. We have the 6-Series frame with a Shimano Dura-Ace groupset and Bontrager’s Aeolus 3 wheels) in a 58cm model and it weighs in at 6.8kg (14.96lb) without pedals. That’s bang on the UCI’s minimum weight limit for racing which is good news if you’re thinking of taking part in the Tour de France. The newly introduced 7 Series is a little lighter still.

Fire up your muscles and the Madone responds in a nanosecond. We were out on a big group ride in Belgium and inevitably the testosterone kicked in and someone tried to jump off the front. It always happens. And then it keeps on happening. The Madone springs into life and is up to speed instantly.

It’s an excellent climber too, as you’d expect of a sub 7kg bike. That chunky front end is very stiff so there’s no hint of flex when you’re rocking it about and the bike is very pingable on the descents. You can chuck it about in confidence and end up exactly where you need to go. Lovely!

As for the new-design Bontrager brakes… well, we were using them on unfamiliar carbon rims so we’ll reserve judgment for the time being. Initial feelings are positive but we’ll swap the pads and fit some alloy-rimmed wheels before we write our full test.

All in all, the immediate impression is that this is a superb bike. It feels light and airy but it’s solid too; Trek haven’t sacrificed any stiffness in the quest for weight saving. We’ll be back with a proper review soon but, in the meantime, if you’re after a high-level performance machine you need to take a good look.

The 2013 6 Series Madones start at £3,800 with the 7 Series bikes costing from £6,860. The 5 Series bikes, with the same frame features, are £2,000 and upwards. Go to www.trekbikes.com for more details.

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Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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10 years and held up well weather rough roads tons of locked into trainer time.   

I commented on the Seatpost and rear brake under someone else's comment.

But one huge thing: the H1 option. So everyone talks about it being more aero. But not everyone's fit is the same. The H1 was amazing for me as someone with long torso (short legs) with my body position fit racy but not extreme. I got the 6 instead of the 5 as the H1 only came in the 6 and 7 (I don't believe the carbon layup stuff makes a difference to my mediocre amateur .... ahem ... racing results). 

So I'm 5'10'' out 165mm cranks on it have size 56 in H1 with 120mm stem (probably should have gone 130 but everything seemed odd 120 works. If super long legs short torso H3. So while the 'typically proportioned' rider may see 'super low drop to front end,' 'normal but race position,' 'endurance' position/fit, 3 riders could have the same 'fit on H1, H2, and H3 56's (me, 'typical oropotooned,' and 'long legs' 1/2/3). 

i know I'm more to one side of the bell curve than most but wonder why that hasn't gotten more traction as a. Major adjustment of 'stack' for each size of 'reach.'   

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Thanks for the Trek Madone review. I just confirmed my order of the bike in the pictures (the 6.5 with Ultegra Di2). Can't wait to ride it! We should start seeing the new Madone in the shops in a week or so.

Mat, did you gents have a consensus on which was the best looking paint scheme? None of them look that great, but the pics are low rez and a little washed out, so it's hard to tell. It's even harder to tell on The Project One site.

Would rather sacrifice a we saving in aerodynamics; and have the brake put in the usual place. I wouldn't buy a Trek Bike anyway, but, the positioning of the brake at BB would certainly put me off any Bike.

I have this bike its not a big problem occasionally inconvenient but not much. But the caliper release up front on cabling didn't hold up well...but agree not worth any incremebtal gain. But 'we' always expectthe new model always has to be x secnds faster. 

Soeakong of non standard spec? The seat post mast thing. It hasn't been a PROBLEM but cant use any other and IT is round not even 'semi aero' (bije theme) maybe it fivrs more 'vertical comoliance' than aero shape ... I'm comfortablr on it forever but dont have comparison exoereince to say it's a more dampening feel there  (as some review said they were imoressed by).'

So fat round seatoost (i hope as above that traded off aero for comfort in sadlle wouod be cool if on ouroose) has one bolt to saddle rails. That - single bolt - has been fine - for my mis sized road bike self (low 70s kg) but probably was to shave a few grams off looks good on papwr thing. Bigger rider may realize for fitst time they nerd 2 bolts there...dunno if ever an option.

But if there's no seat stay bridge what do you attach the mudguards to?

mr_stru wrote: But if there's no seat stay bridge what do you attach the mudguards to?

If you can afford a Madone7, then you can afford a cheap winter bike.

Latest Comments

I have watched that video above several times (no sound) and TBH I wouldn't consider that a close pass in Surrey....

Are people who want safe cycle lanes the “Active Travel Taliban”? One local Conservative leader thinks so,..... – but cyclists say he’s “wildly out...

The milkit tool bundle made it on, I wouldn't like to keep a £60+ tool sitting on the bike....

My Hiplock DX1000 should show up today. No CyclingUK members discount either.

I believe there was turnout of 72% for a certain vote in 2016 too....

What an incredibly convenient, blinkered, and ignorant argument you make....

Let's not celebrate cheating.

Just wait 'till they learn about the motorised transport used to drive the cannon fodder to the front lines, or that police are enthusiastic users...

Yep. If people saw their ability to drive as something that wasn't almost a god given right it would make a massive difference to road safety....

From what I've read, Australia beats the UK hands down for anti cycling attitudes.

Most Popular News

The 2013 Trek Madone 3.1 is a road bike with a carbon OCLV frame. The frame comes in   Trek  Black  /  Trek  Charcoal or   Trek  Charcoal  /  Trek  Black .

It was released in 2013. Due to the frame materials and other factors, we estimate that this bike weighs around 20 pounds. The Madone 3.1 2013 is fully rigid.

The Madone 3.1 2013 comes with various road bike components, including a Bontrager Race Lite stem, a Top Bottom headset and Shimano 105 shifters.

The Madone 3.1 2013 has 10 speeds and has a Shimano derailleur.

It comes with Bontrager R1 tires (622mm x 23mm) and Bontrager Approved rims.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Trek Ditches Emonda And Goes All In On Madone With Builds up to $17k

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The Trek Madone Gen 8 takes inspiration from the Emonda and earlier Madone models to create a new “super-bike.” Think of it as a greatest hits album from the Trek Road technologies, but all gathered under the Madone name. The Madone Gen 8 combines two popular (and sometimes hard to choose from) Trek models now (light and fast) under a singular bike model. Trek makes the road bike buying decision easier for the customer and keeps Trek’s commitment to reducing overall SKUs by 40% by 2026.

Trek Madone Gen 8 Overview 

Trek’s new Gen 8 Madone line looks like the “every bike” that companies are always searching for—a bike that can climb and sprint and has all the aerodynamics to satisfy the “free watt” counters. 

So, Did Trek Do It? 

On paper, the Madone Gen 8 is as light as the current Emonda SLR frameset and 320g lighter than the Madone. This weight reduction is due to an all-new level of Trek carbon dubbed “900 series OCLV Carbon.” 

Trek says the new OCLV 900 Series Carbon is up to 20% stronger material than the previous 800 OCLV carbon. Treks’ new and more efficient molding processes use less material and save weight. Also, the new Madone Gen 8 uses a single-piece carbon fork, saving extra weight.  Check that the box is accomplished. 

Trek Madone Gen 8 Weights

Below is a full breakdown of each Trek Madone Gen 8 and its corresponding weight. No surprise, the lightest model is the Madone SLR 9 Gen 8 ($17K) at 15.55 lbs; the heaviest is the Madone Gen 8 SL5 at 19.18 lbs ($3,500). But the Madone Gen 8 story isn’t all weight; it’s a balance of weight, aerodynamics, and comfort—the trifecta of a well-rounded ride and something challenging to produce.

How About Sprinting and Aerodynamics?

For the Madone Gen 8, Trek used different tube shapes and a “Full System Foil” aero design, a departure from the Kamtail Foil Trek previously used.

Trek says the Madone Gen 8 is 77 sec/hr faster than Émonda and as fast as the previous Madone. So, it’s as fast as the current model but much lighter, giving the bike another dimension in climbing ability and agility.  

For this Madone, Trek opted for different tube shapes optimized for smaller and larger sizes. This ensures a balanced ride across sizes and a more proportional aesthetic.

Improved IsoFlow Technology

A key takeaway from the Madone Gen 7 is the IsoFlow technology. Madone Gen 8’s updated IsoFlow technology is lighter and provides 80% more vertical compliance than before. Remember, this isn’t actual travel; it’s more like mirco-small-bump-compliance, and it’s a notable difference in comfort while on slightly gravel/country road terrain.

New lighter-weight and more ergonomic bar/stem

The Trek Madone Gen 8 SLR models come with an updated Aero RSL Road Integrated Bar/Stem. The new cockpit is crafted from OCLV Carbon in “ultra-fast aero shapes” and has hoods that are 3cm narrower than the drops. 

Aero-accessories 

Some aero-help help comes from neatly integrated race day bottles, dubbed RSL Aero Bottles. The new bottles come with the SRL version of the Madone Gen 8 and are available separately. They offer enough water for a hot 60-minute crit, and the cages are compatible with traditional bottles in case you drop on trying to put it in (they are one-way bottles.) 

More Madone Gen 8 For the Masses 

The all-new Madone SL shares the same frame technology as the SLR model but keeps costs down. The Madone SL uses a more economical 500 Series OCLV Carbon and two-piece handlebar/stem combos. The Madone SL models range in price from $3,500 for the Madone SL 5 to $6,500 for the Madone SL7 (our test ride). 

Trek Madone Gen 8 Geometry 

For the Madone Gen 8, Trek went for T-shirt sizing rather than traditional. This move to T-shirt sizing eliminates the smallest XXS and the largest XXL sizing, keeping XS, S, ML, L, and XL. The frame sizing sticks to a somewhat “normal” sizing chart. The most pivotal sizing: M has a 54.5, and the ML has a 55.7 effective top tube. 

Welcome H1.5

If you’re a Trek rider, you already know about H1 and H2 sizing. H1 is a “professional” race fit, and H2 is a little palatable for the non-pro and all around rider. Now, Trek is combining the fitting and ushering in H1.5 – a combo of the two offerings. Trek says the new Madone has the same drop shape as the Gen 7 Madone and is still 3cm narrower on hoods than drops.

Trek Madone Gen 8 Pricing 

The new Trek Madone Gen 8 is available in nine different complete bike models (four Madone SL models and five SLR models) and two frameset options. The models start a race-ready $3,500 price point and grow to a “Who is this for?”  $17,000 Project One offering. 

All bikes are either SRAM or Shimano builds with Bontrager wheels and components. The Madone SLR bikes have Trek RSL Aero-Cages, and RSL bar stem combos. The Madone SL models have a Bontrager (proprietary) aero stem and bar combo. 

Look for a full review as we get more time under the monster, and look for the Lidl-Trek and the new Madone SLR at the Tour de France.

Madone Gen 8 will be available globally at select Trek retailers and online at trekbikes .com.

Jordan Villella is the Racing Tech Editor for BikeRumor.com, specializing in cross-country mountain, gravel, road, and cyclocross. He has written about bicycles and bike culture for over fifteen years with no signs of stopping.

Before BikeRumor, Jordan raced professionally and wrote for MTBR and the now-defunct Dirt Rag Magazine. He’s covered the World Championships, World Cups, and everything in between — where he loves to report what people are riding.

Based in Pittsburgh, PA,  Jordan coaches cyclists of all abilities with  Cycle-Smart ; you can find him racing bikes around North America and adventuring with his family.

For an inside look at his review rides follow him on Strava .

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If you’re a Trek rider, you already know about H1 and H2 sizing. H1 is a “professional” race fit, and H2 is aero and drop. Now, Trek is combining the fitting and ushering in H1.5 – a combo of the two offerings. Trek says the new Madone has the same drop shape as the Gen 7 Madone and is still 3cm narrower on hoods than drops.

This section makes me feel like English isn’t my first language.

News flash. The 1.5 geometry has been on the bikes for a few years now. There is no more H1 & H2(technically an H1 still exists, but I believe it’s overstock).

Sorry @thestansmonster the news flash was for Bike Rumor.

ChatGPT, is that you?

Check that the box is accomplished.

seems most of the aero gains are from the water bottles, something you could have on any bike last year from cannondale

Their cages are shaped very differently and are meant to have little space between them(1cm). Effectively, the bottom half of the triangle becomes a fairing. I imagine these are going to be ridiculously expensive though. Ya know… r&d and all that…

probably. The cannondale regrip aero cage and bottle was like $31 a pop, and did the same fairing thing to my sl7. The frameset alone is more expensive than a sworks sl8 frameset

$100/ bottle & cage combo

I bet they offer plastic cages for about $30 and carbon for +$60 each. I may very well buy this bike but I want nothing to do with those tiny bottles and they seem to work with normal bottles but they don’t sit all the way into the cages.

$9500 for a Force build?!?. $13k for DA??

Argon 18 Sum Pro w/ DA is $9000…that leaves $4k for training

Nice paint though!

Most brands have walked backed some of their crazy Covid tax increase from a few years ago. Trek and Specialized….hold my beer. I guess every brand pushes the envelope on the Dentist (or orthodontist?) bike.

The $3500 model isn’t horrible (but not great). The Scott Foil RC30 is almost equal to SL6 (105 di2) but the trek does come with carbon wheels for $500 more so I’d say that one is in line. The Frameset price on the SL really doesn’t make sense. You could buy a fully built bike for the same price and the conversion rates are all different on the frame vs the bikes.

Loved my Wilier over the years. Zero 7, Filiante. Two of the nicest bikes I have even owned.

Yeah if I’m spending over $15k I better be getting that Wilier with Super Record, not a Trek with Sram (to be clear, I am not spending $15k)

I wouldn’t spend my own money on an obscure brand with questionable development credibility (who even is Wilier?)and a virtually unsupported groupset over something that was designed in the US with great resources and global dealer support on the ready. But that’s just me…

Wow. Just because you think Wilier is obscure doesn’t make it so. They’ve been in business as a bike company since 1906. Campy unsupported? Oh, where’s your evidence?

I like that people in comment sections will say the dumbest things, but couch their inane replies with things like, “But that’s just my opinion” or “But that’s just me”.

Uninformed opinions have no value.

lighten up Francis

I’m not uninformed. Wilier is a brand name that’s been bought and sold a few times. It’s “history” is full of achievements of men they’ve supplied with bikes to race but not much technology or innovation. Maybe they’ll get lucky with Cavendish and build onto their story a little more.

I’ve sold plenty of Campy gear. While I wouldn’t say their customer service is terrible, it’s very bad considering what you’re paying for it. And it’s definitely worse than Shimano and SRAM.

A typical ignorant American. Willier Triestina was literally 70 years ahead before Trek was even born. It’s a reputable Italian brand with rich history. But that’s just you…

I have no issue with Willier but they haven’t innovated a thing for decades until their new TT bike. Very similar to Colnago in that respect.

Can you please re-read your comment, google Willier, and then laugh at yourself when you discover that is a brand way older and way more established than you know? And what does “designed in the US with great resources” even mean

Trek is more abour Marketing $$$

Trek does plenty of marketing but they also do a lot of innovative things. They may not always work but they’re certainly putting in the R&D

Trek is more about Marketing $$$

@David, That was the goofiest comment about a bike brand I’ve ever read, even for the internet. That had to be a sarcastic post.

@Dave listen to me fat American pos. cycling existed before lance armstrong.

I wouldn’t ride Super Record if they paid me to ride it. The Wilier is OK

not to mention $6000 for just the frameset! That’s $500 more than the sworks sl8!

they can only get to 7.05kg for the “lightest” build.

My soloist (56cm) is 7.36kg with Enve 6.7, Assioma pedals, cages and garmin mounts. Minus pedals it’s basically the same weight!!

Built it myself for less than half the price of this bike. ~$6800

Not impressed…but the paint IS killer.

Between the stack heights on these things and the price…I’ve come to the conclusion that cycling isn’t for everyone; especially me. I’ll always ride bikes though…just not in the pro tour larping sense of it. All the more power to those that can swing it though.

I don’t think I’ve spent combined $17k on the 30-something bikes I owned in the last 20 years.

According to the industry, that means you’re not a cyclist.

I’d be interested in what that list of bikes is. That’s about $566/bike. Good cost less but weren’t exactly cheap 20 years ago.

I’m not buying another Trek with a proprietary seat post. I will say that their customer support treated me very well and I appreciate that.

Ya man, their customer service is kind and courteous but someone at trek figured it a good idea to not care replacement parts for bikes that are getting to the age of actually needing replacement parts. Ie, 2018 fuel main pivot hardware. Just seems wasteful to not support bikes with plenty of good use left in them.

My 4th gen Domane has been treating me well. But I’m certainly buying 2 sets of the internals for their ISOspeed bits. I’d like to get a good 200k miles on this like my last main bike

Missed opportunity by Terk, should have called it Onamed.

Or Daemon, perhaps…

That’ll be for when the market stabilizes and they make another true aero bike

i love everything about this bike .. except that BIG HOLE ..

If you’re going to spend $17,000 on a bicycle, why not get a custom made bike? I think we all need to boycott the big brand bicycle business (the BBBB) they are and have been getting way out of line for the past decade or so. Their trajectory is like that of the stock market, exponential growth over a short period, in design and price, poised to crash any year now. Please lets just make it happen. Sorry to say, but stop purchasing bikes direct or from your LBS (unless it’s custom “not big brand”). Get your service done at your LBS, but even the BBB’s are screwing over their dealers by allowing direct online sales, one of the few things that separated the bicycle industry from other industries. Too many MBA’s running and ruining the show capitalizing on high-income earners with large disposable income. Bring back the small LBS, bring back the custom made frame builder. Troy for bicycle world president.

I’m Troy, and I approve this message.

P.S. Screw Trek and Specialized. And essentially the rest of them. Buy from a brand you can put a face to, a brand where you can know your builder.

Support Humans not corporations!

I think we all need to buy whatever bike we like and want, whatever bike will inspire us, whatever will keep us riding. I think people should buy a given bike for whatever reason that suits them. I think people should ignore what anyone else thinks or says about that.

Trek and Specialized employ 1,000’s of humans with faces. A custom builder doesn’t have the resources to test the bike they build. If they tout “custom selected tubes for your weight”, it’s a guess made out of off the shelf tubes they didn’t design in the first place. That’s not to say a builder can’t build you a nice bike but it’s nothing like bikes like this.

They employ mainly lawyers and marketing peeps. Cycling would be better of with a couple less of those.

A lot of people want the fastest bike out there. This may not be that but none of the custom builders are building aerodynamically competitive bikes.

I’m sure it’s a wonderful bike, but it’s also a lot of coin for something that is going to be “last year’s model” in about 6 months.

Welcome to the club. People don’t buy a new Ferrari knowing it’s going to be the latest and greatest after a year or two

17k€ for a bike over 7kg? Very very heavy! A 17k€ bike should be less than 6kg.

These SLR group models surely would have one piece stem – handlebar combinations as Factor , Canyon , BMC , Look , as well as Cannondale are using them . I even sell them as an upgrade option . I have adaptor sleeves for some brands .

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Trek Does It All with the New Madone

Trek’s new eighth-generation Madone is lightweight, aerodynamic, and fast—the road bike raced by Lidl-Trek in the 2024 Tour de France.

Takeaway: For the eighth iteration of its legendary Madone road bike, Trek blended the low weight of the Emonda with the aerodynamics of the seventh-generation Madone. The result is a light, stiff, and fast all-around race bike. While the flagship SLR9 costs over $13,000, base-level Madon SL models start at $3,500.

Price as Tested: $13,500 Weight: 15.3 lbs (Size M, bottle cages, computer mount, no pedals)

Trek Madone SLR 9 AXS Gen 8

Jordan Roessingh, Director for Road Bikes at Trek, candidly confirmed that the new Madone actually started life as the next Émonda. “We constantly get the same feedback from our pro riders,” Roessingh said. “They tell us that they love how fast the Madone is, but could we make it lighter or they love how light the Émonda is, but could we make it more aero?”

Trek set out to make a more aerodynamic Émonda, and what they ended up with was a bike that had the same frame weight as the Émonda but was as quick as the Madone against the wind.

When your aero bike is as light as your climbing bike, or your climbing bike is as aero as your aero bike, there doesn’t seem to be a point to having two bikes anymore. So, while fans of the Émonda might be sad to see the bike go, it makes way for the return of the Madone as the ultimate road racing bike in Trek’s lineup. And this feels right, given the rich history of the Madone name.

Since it launched in 2003, the Madone name has always designated Trek’s fastest drop-bar race bike. That has meant different things at different points, with older models of the Madone leaning heavily on low weight and high stiffness while more recent models became all-out aero. Now that Trek returns the Madone to a do-it-all role, is it the best road racing bike Trek can make?

After spending the last two months riding the new Madone 8, my short answer is yes.

The new bike delivers the performance I expect from a five-figure top-of-line road bike made by a brand like Trek. For the steep price of entry, you get a bike that manages to be damn near perfect in terms of weight, stiffness, and road manners. And while all of that is important, it would matter little to bike racers (for whom the Madone is explicitly designed) if it wasn’t also fast.

Based on Trek’s provided data and my testing, the new Madone is definitely fast. But that declaration comes with a long list of caveats.

Speed is Aerodynamics In 2024

In 2011, Specialized first told us that “Aero is everything.” Knowing what I know now about the importance of aerodynamics in the context of racing, they certainly weren’t wrong. But marketing slogans are made to be catchy and concise and “Aero is everything until you build a bike that’s really heavy and doesn’t ride all that well. So maybe a bike that prioritizes aerodynamics without sacrificing weight and ride quality would be better,” does not quite roll off the tongue as easily.

Trek claims that the new Madone is as fast as the previous generation and is heaps quicker than the Émonda. The strategy to achieve this aerodynamic performance is called “Full System Foil,” where the bike is viewed not only as a cross-section of its tube shapes but as a much larger airfoil shape that includes the water bottles and wheels.

This isn’t a particularly new or earth-shattering concept. Manufacturers have designed (or at least tested) their frames around specific wheels (usually their own) for a while now. Using water bottles to fill the space between the down tube and the seat tube to smooth the airflow over a frame is also not new. It has been done on time trial and triathlon bikes for years. BMC has done it on their aero-focused time machine road bike since 2018. Cannondale recently introduced aerodynamic water bottles and cages on its all-around race bike, the SuperSix Evo , in 2023.

The cynical reading of what Trek does with the new Madone and its aerodynamic performance claims relative to the previous (and more obviously aerodynamic Madone Gen 7) is that directly comparing the two bikes is not apples-to-apples.

Trek’s claimed figures use a Madone 8 with the brand’s new aero bottles versus a Madone 7 with round bidons. In this comparison, the new Madone (at straighter yaw angles) is slightly faster than the outgoing Madone. At higher yaw angles (beyond 10º), the deeper frame tubes of the Madone 7 make it quicker than the new Madone. And when comparing the new and old Madone, with both bikes using round bottles, the results flip. According to Trek, the Madone 7 is about 1.6 watts more slippery at 22 mph.

It’s also worth dwelling for a moment on the yaw angle differences. My colleague Matt Phillips pointed this out in his review of the Specialized Tarmac SL8 , another new bike that balances optimizing aerodynamics, ride comfort, and weight. In that review, Matt points out that a rider’s speed affects the wind angles they encounter. Pro riders naturally encounter more direct (low yaw) wind angles because they (typically) ride much faster than amateur riders. Riders moving at slower average speeds will more likely encounter higher wind angles.

Trek’s aerodynamic claims for the Madone 8 are based on a rider moving at 22 mph. That is more real-world than Specialized data for the Tarmac SL8, which is based on someone moving at 28 mph.

Still, 22 mph is plenty fast for a lot of people. My rides typically average about 18 mph. At slower speeds, where the rider is more likely to encounter higher yaw angles of wind, the previous Madone will likely be faster. Strap the new Aero bottles on it, and it will almost certainly be quicker than the new Madone regardless of the wind derection.

But the gains in the Madone 8’s aerodynamics are not only down to the water bottles. Trek also introduced a new handlebar, which, when tested in isolation (without a rider on the bike), is slower than the previous handlebar. However, as part of the system with a rider on the bike, the new taller and blunter profile measures faster as it helps to smooth the airflow over the rider’s legs.

If I stop being a cycling media cynic for a minute, I can see where Trek comes from in how it designed the new Madone. Sure, there is broad acceptance across cycling to the benefits of aerodynamics, yet despite this, riders still love lightweight and snappy-feeling bicycles. With the design and packaging of the new Madone, Trek can say that the new bike is faster.

However, the issue with judging aerodynamic gains is the numerous “it depends” moments. Most of these depend on how each individual bike is equipped for testing. Using aero bottles for one frame but round ones for another is obvious, but even something less apparent, like a different handlebar shape or a different-sized rider (if you’re testing with a rider), could give different results.

To put it in perspective, Trek claims the new bike is 1.6 watts faster at 22 mph. That’s not nothing. But it’s also fair to point to the basically square downtube of the new Madone and say that Trek perhaps has left some potential aerodynamic gains on the table to make a lighter and better riding bike. And to be perfectly honest, I’m not that upset about it.

New Sizing, Similar Geometry

Long-time Trek fans will remember when the brand offered two different fits on its top-of-the-line road bikes: H1 fit, designed for pro athletes, and H2 for the riding public. This gave riders a choice of stack and reach figures. The H1 and H2 fits were eventually consolidated into what Trek dubbed H1.5. But the H1.5 designation didn’t make a ton of sense (since it referred to a geometry philosophy that no longer existed), so Trek rebranded H1.5 into “Road Race” geometry.

This rebrand comes with Trek changing its numeral sizing (51, 53, 55, etc) to T-shirt sizing (XS, S, M, etc). This is another change that makes sense to me as modern bikes rarely have a tube on them that actually measures close to their designated size number.

The big geometry shake-up with the new Madone is that Trek reduced the bike from eight sizes on the Madone 7 to six. This was accomplished by merging the 52cm and 54cm sizes into a Medium option and the 60cm and 62cm sizes into an Extra Large. Brands often reduce model options at each end of the size spectrum (to the detriment of shorter or taller riders), so it’s unsurprising that Trek merged the 60cm and 62cm. But it surprised me to see the 52cm and 54cm sizes combined.

Looking closer at the two sizes from the previous generation Madone, I was shocked at how close they were to each other. The bikes had only a 3mm difference in reach and an 8mm difference in stack. The new frame size has a few millimeters more stack than the old 54cm and 1mm more reach than the old 52cm.

I’m a rider who often chooses between these two sizes. For example, I’m happy to ride 54cm bikes from Specialized while I opt for 52cm frames from other brands like Enve or a size S from Giant. The new Medium-sized Madone I tested worked very well when paired with a 110mm stem and a zero-offset seatpost.

Still, I expect the merging of two sizes right in the middle of the size range, despite how close they are in practice, will cause some consternation for riders.

Models and Pricing

Trek offers the new Madone in nine complete bike builds and two frameset options. These are split between the more affordable Madone SL and a higher-end Madone SLR. Both bikes share the same frame shape and geometry, but the Madone SL uses a heavier 500 series OCLV carbon compared to the Madone SLR’s 900 series.

All versions of the Madone SL come equipped with a standard two-piece bar and stem. Riders who want the full aero benefits of the new bike will have to buy the aero bottles separately. A single bottle and cage set is $100, with replacement bottles at $25 each.

Four complete Madone SL bikes are offered, starting with the Madone SL 5 ($3,500), which features mechanical shifting using Shimano’s 12-speed 105.

The Madone SL 6 costs $5,500 and comes with a Shimano 105 Di2 groupset and Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35 carbon wheels. There is also a SRAM Rival AXS build of the Madone SL 6, which costs an additional $500.

At the top of the SL range is the Madone SL 7 ($6,500). This model upgrades to a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset, plus it uses a carbon handlebar and the deeper Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 carbon wheels.

Next on the price pyramid is the Madone SLR 7 ($9,000). It features the same build kit as the SL 7, but for the extra $2,500, riders get the lighter-weight SLR frame, the aero bottles, nicer tires, and the one-piece RSL bar/stem. For $500 more, riders can opt for a SRAM Force AXS version of the same bike.

Finally, there are the SLR 9 flagship options. Riders can choose a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 bike for $13,000 or one with the new SRAM Red AXS for $13,500.

Riders looking to do a frame-up build can pick between the Madone SL frameset, which costs $3,000, and the Madone SLR frameset at $6,000.

Ride Impressions

I don’t think there’s any point in dancing around it, Trek made a good bike with the latest version of the Madone—which is hardly a surprise. When you’re twenty-one years into developing a platform and are on the eighth version of it, I’m not going to say it’s impossible to make it bad, but it’s certainly difficult. This expertise, combined with wider tires that make current road racing bikes ride more comfortably than bikes from only a few years prior, I expected the new Madone to impress. And it delivered.

The new Madone is a big step forward from the previous generation Madone 7 in its enjoyability. Stomp on the pedals and the new Madone has plenty of snap, but crucially, it is vastly superior in seated comfort compared to the 7.

I complained about Trek shipping the previous Madone with 25mm wide tires, which honestly felt insane to me back in 2022 when I tested the bike. Thankfully, the new Madone ships with 28mm rubber that measures 29.5mm on the Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 wheels. The wider tires certainly help with how pleasant the new bike feels on the road, but you still wouldn’t mistake the Madone for an endurance bike. This race bike provides excellent road feedback to the rider. You don’t float over the road on the new Madone, but it doesn’t beat you up while riding.

The next big thing I felt about the new Madone was its low weight. I clearly remember testing the Madone 7 (only two years ago), that top-level build with SRAM Red and the same wheels was 16.2 pounds (without pedals, cages, or a computer mount). The new Madone 8 I rode is nearly a pound lighter at 15.3 lbs. And impressively, that weight includes the aero bottle cages and a computer mount (but not pedals).

While we know that, empirically, bike weight has a much smaller impact on performance than we think, a lighter bike still feels awesome. When a brand charges five figures for a road bike, it should be really close to, if not below, the UCI minimum bike weight of 14.99 lbs. The previous generation Madone was never in danger of falling under that weight limit, but the new Madone should comfortably hit it with a lighter set of wheels and one or two other weight weenie changes. The Madone’s low weight and stiffness make it a fun bike to ride uphill.

Thankfully, Trek did not change the Madone 8’s handling compared to the previous version. It’s still an exceptionally well-balanced bike. Racers will find steering that, while rapid, isn’t a handful. The Madone is very stable at speed while remaining exceptionally reactive to rider inputs.

I logged quite a few miles on the new Madone and while I know that sensations are not statistics, the new Madone feels very fast. On a flat and fast weekly group ride I do, I found myself rolling off the front of the group when it was my turn to take a pull at the front. Despite the lack of deep aero tubes, the new Madone certainly has the sensation of speed that the best aero race bikes often possess. It’s best described as feeling like you’re riding with a permanent tailwind.

Conclusions on the New Madone

Combining two bikes into one is a surefire way to leave some cyclists wanting more. Some will want a more aerodynamic Madone. While others will rightly point out that Trek could have made an even lighter bike. However, the demands of modern racing often require a bike that is both aerodynamic and lightweight.

I appreciate the raw speed of an all-out aero bike. Yet bikes like that are never at the top of my dream bike ownership list. Instead, I’ve gravitated to more all-around performers, if not straight-up weight weenie dream bikes like the Specialized Aethos .

This is probably why I don’t mind Trek going with the happy medium. Even though a true Émonda rider would have wanted Trek to make the Émonda platform lighter versus more aero, I agree with Trek that the majority of Madone 7 riders—and most road riders in general—will appreciate the new Madone’s big weight reduction without taking a massive aerodynamic hit (at least on paper).

For riders with the taste and budget for this bike, the new Madone won’t disappoint. It’s a great road bike capable of competing at the highest level while offering an alternative to other high-end, do-it-all lightweight aero bikes, like the Pinarello Dogma F, Specialized Tarmac SL8, or Factor’s Ostro Vam. For cyclists seeking a bike like this but on a more limited budget, Trek offers one of the lowest-priced entry points into a high-end race bike its $3,500 Madone SL 5.

So, while the eighth-generation Madone might not be for everyone, Trek at least offers its latest race bike in a broader range of prices than the previous version, and that’s something worth celebrating.

Notes From the Field

Random observations from my time testing the bike..

• Considering how important the new bottles are to the aero performance of the new Madone, it’s worth discussing them. There is an adjustment time to become accustomed to getting them in and out of the aero cages. The actual hold feels extremely secure. If anything, they are a bit harder to get in and out than I want them to be, but I got used to them after a few weeks of riding. My only real gripe with them is the valve. It takes more force to open and close than I want. Plus, the flow isn’t that great. A minor annoyance is that you can’t stand the bottles on their end to fill them. Fortunately, the aero cages can hold a traditional round bottle, or you can ditch the bottle and cages altogether if the extra aero gains aren’t that important to you.
• Given I recently wrote a story on every bike being raced in the 2024 Tour de France , including all 18 of the World Tour teams, I’m rather confident that the new Madone is the only bike currently using a UDH derailleur hanger in the World Tour. This is great for everyday riders as it means a spare hanger should never be all that hard to find and this generation of Madone should be future-proofed for whatever drivetrain SRAM might have in the future.
• While the battle against through-the-headset cable routing has been lost, Trek at least makes the latest Madone a little easier to live with. Trek offers separate headset and spacer options to match its RSL Aero one-piece bar/stem and its RCS Pro two-piece cockpit, but there is also a headset cap that allows riders to run whatever handlebar and stem they want. Trek even offers an alternative top cap that lets riders run a round spacer on top of the RSL Aero bar. This means riders can adjust their bar height without cutting brake hoses or trimming the steerer tube.
• The included computer mount does not allow you to adjust the angle of your computer, which is annoying. Otherwise, it’s a tidy mount and a big improvement over the one used on the Madone 7.
• The new saddle clamp design is a big highlight. It’s secure and features independent adjustments for the angle and fore/aft adjustments, which is a big improvement over Trek’s previous single bolt design.
• The RSL Aero one-piece cockpit won’t please everyone. Personally, I found it quite comfy in both reach and drop shape. However, the back sweep on the tops might annoy some riders who prefer a straighter top section and spend lots of time with their hands there.

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

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As light as the Emonda and fast as the Gen 7 Madone, this is the Emonda-killing Trek Madone Gen 8

The new Trek Madone replaces both Trek’s lightweight Emonda and its aero Madone Gen 7

Trek has officially launched its brand new version of the Madone. Which will be the 8th generation of the bike. Trek claims it’s as aero as the Gen 7 Madone but now as lightweight as the Emonda. The new Madone will replace both bikes, so Trek joins the growing number of bike brands to abandon separate aero and lightweight offerings.

Ever since the new bike was first spotted under the pros at the start of 2024, its skinnier looks compared to the Gen 7 Madone generated intense speculation about whether it was a new Madone or a replacement for the Emonda . 

Whilst the Gen 7 Madone was only launched two years ago, the lightweight Emonda is now four years old, so the bets were on for a new Emonda.

Actually, the new Gen 8 Madone replaces both the Gen 7 Madone and the Emonda in one lightweight aero package. Trek says that the new Madone sheds 320g from the Gen 7 Madone frameset, which in turn was already 300g lighter than its own Gen 6 predecessor. 

It claims a 796g weight for a painted size ML Madone SLR frame and 350g for the fork, without added hardware such as the new UDH rear derailleur hanger. That puts the claimed full bike weight of a top-spec Madone SLR 9 AXS bike at exactly 7kg.

The lightweight makeover means that the Gen 8 Madone is now as light as the Emonda. At the same time, Trek says that it’s aero optimised the frameset where that’s most important, but thinned out the tube profiles from the Gen 7 bike where the aero gains are less, to allow it to shed the weight.

We headed to Spain for the new Madone's launch and you can read our first ride review here. 

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The aero tube profiles have had an upgrade too. Trek says that its new Full System Foil shapes have gone beyond Kammtail, offering better aerodynamics over a wider range of yaw angles thanks to a more rounded trailing edge in place of the sharper, squared-off edges of a Kammtail profile.

Wind tunnel testing suggested that the old Gen 7 Madone was faster than the Emonda on gradients up to 3 per cent when weight took over from aero as the dominant factor. The new Gen 8 frame is said to be faster than the Emonda on climbs up to 12 per cent, the steepest gradient tested.

As aero as the Gen 7 Madone 

Trek says that the new bike is as fast as the Gen 7 Madone and 77 seconds faster per hour at 200 watts compared to the Emonda. The design optimises airflow for the bike-plus-rider while the ride position remains the same as on the Gen 7 bike.

Madone SLR models will also feature an updated Aero RSL integrated handlebar and stem. This bar features hoods that are 3cm narrower than the drops to help riders stay aero. It’s thicker in cross-section at the tops than the Gen 7 bike’s bars and more comfortable to hold, though it is still compatible with the old bike’s RCS headset design. 

The new design raises the top of the bar/stem by 4mm, but Trek offers an aftermarket RCS Race Low bearing top cover if you want to revert to the Gen 7’s 4mm lower bar top height. There’s also a new Blendr accessory mount that’s lighter and can more easily be removed.

There are also new, aero-profiled 595ml water bottles and cages, although you can also fit round bottles into the cages. 

Trek says that the RSL Aero bottles and cages save 3.7 watts at 45kph over standard round bottles and make the bike faster than riding without bottles. They can also be bought aftermarket if your bike needs an aero upgrade .

It’s a similar approach to that used by Cannondale on the latest SuperSix Evo , with that brand claiming that its bottles improve the SuperSix Evo’s aerodynamics.

Lower weight, more comfort 

The top tier SLR-grade Madone is constructed using Trek’s latest 900 OCLV carbon, which it claims is up to 20 per cent stronger than the 800 OCLV carbon used in the Gen 7 Madone. A new moulding process and single-piece fabrication of the fork also allow Trek to save additional weight.

When Trek launched the Gen 7 Madone, a lot of the weight saving on that model came from the replacement of the Gen 6 bike ’s adjustable IsoSpeed seatpost with a lighter non-adjustable IsoFlow system. 

Trek said at the time that it made the Gen 7 seat mast as stiff as the Gen 6 bike on its stiffest setting.

With the new Gen 8 Madone, it’s increased the vertical compliance though, which it says is now up to 80 per cent greater than on the Gen 7 bike and 24 per cent greater than the Emonda. The new design is also lighter than the Gen 7 Isoflow.

Trek has amended its tube shapes across the size range so that the frame stiffness is more similar between sizes. A by-product is that XS and S size frames are now lighter, while it says that the frame’s aesthetics are now more proportionate across the size range.

The new Madone can fit 32mm tyres, the same as the Gen 7 model.

New sizing 

With the new Gen 8 Madone Trek has rationalised the size range, with the new bike now offered in six sizes from XS to XL, as against the Gen 7’s eight sizes. Despite offering fewer sizes, Trek says that there’s less overlap between frame sizes , so that the Gen 8 Madone can actually fit a wider spread of rider heights.

The new size M replaces the old sizes 52 and 54, while the new size XL replaces the 62, but includes a taller seat mast. As with the Gen 7 bike, the seatpost wedge can be reversed to increase the range of saddle height adjustment.

The geometry across the range is similar to the Gen 7 Madone, although the frame stack is slightly higher. Rather than calling the geometry H1.5, as with the Gen 7 Madone, it’s now renamed Road Race Geo. 

Madone Gen 8 specs and prices 

Trek will sell the new Madone in two frame grades, SL and SLR. Both are offered at launch in four specs, with SRAM and Shimano options, as well as a frameset-only option.

The top-spec SLR bikes use the latest 900 Series OCLV carbon, the one-piece bar/stem and RSL Aero bottles and cages and are electronic groupset only. You can choose your own colours in Trek's Project One configurator as well as off-the-shelf colours.

The SL bikes are made using 500 Series OCLV carbon and have a separate bar and stem. They’re not available for Project One customisation and are only pre-built. You don’t get bottles or cages, but the frame is compatible with mechanical groupsets.

US prices for the Gen 8 Trek Madone range from $3,499.99 for the SL 5 up to $13,499.99 for the Madone SLR 9 AXS. That’s a $200 price hike from the top-spec Gen 7 bike, although that’s probably due to to the new Sram Red AXS groupset.

In the UK, that translates to an entry-level price of £3,250 with the top spec priced at £12,500. That's actually a £2,050 reduction from the UK list price of the Gen 7 Madone SLR 9 AXS bike  – maybe brands are getting the message on pro-level Tour de France bike prices .

The Euro price spread is €3,499 to €13,999 and in Australia, prices range from AU$4,499.99 to AU$19,999.99 for the SLR 9 AXS.

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Paul has been on two wheels since he was in his teens and he's spent much of the time since writing about bikes and the associated tech. He's a road cyclist at heart but his adventurous curiosity means Paul has been riding gravel since well before it was cool, adapting his cyclo-cross bike to ride all-day off-road epics and putting road kit to the ultimate test along the way. Paul has contributed to Cyclingnews' tech coverage for a few years, helping to maintain the freshness of our buying guides and deals content, as well as writing a number of our voucher code pages. 

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Madone 2013 brakes

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So I have been using new Madone for a few weeks now.And everytime after a longer ride,both brakes are out of center and one pad pushes the wheel more than other pad(curving?). And I have question about those 2 skewers (L and H),how to adjust those brakes ? Because one skewer has to be loose in order to adjust the other skewer. I have looked on internet but I couldn't find anything.  

Hi, I got my Madone 5.2 a few weeks ago and am loving it! I have the same problem with the brake adjustment, have poked around the Trek and Bontrager sites with no luck. Any help would be much appreciated.  

The L and H have to do with leverage ratio of the brand brake you are using, Shimano uses the H and SRAM uses the L. Which ever one you use, back the other out before adjusting. I set up my six series with SRAM Red today. I backed out the H screw and then used the L to adjust centering. I hope this helps. :thumbsup:  

Thank you,but I still don't understand why 2 screws.I tried few times and when I backed out one(I'm not sure which one) and the lever was much easier to pull. I have Ultegra on my Madone,will try this  

exactly like jrob1775 said... the H screw is for adjusting the brakes if you're using Shimano levers. the L screw is for adjusting the brakes if you're using SRAM or Campy levers. back out the screw you're not using a bunch, and adjust w/ the proper screw. works pretty well. obviously you're using SRAM brakes so you'll back out the H screw and adjust using the L screw.  

:thumbsup:Thank you again:thumbsup: I have tried this and the front brake is much more easier to pull now.Till now it was like i have hidraulics,and I couldn't pull the brake to the end. Altough,the rear brake is very hard to adjust,especialy when my aero chainring is on the bike. Rear brake is much harder to adjust.Probably will wait for the Dura Ace to arrive,and put on the bike.  

it's the same brake, it should adjust with the same ease as the front. i can see a TT chainring causing problems, but not the brake itself. make sure the piece of housing from the frame to the brake is 180mm long, this can make a difference.  

I meant that screws are hard to turn,much harder than one on the front brake. And today again,after 2 hour ride,my front brake was out of center.I don't know why,back home it was in perfect center.  

so are there any 2013 madone riders out there not experiencing this issue and happy with the new brake placement? looking at picking up a 2013 5.2 (or otherwise a 4.5 or 4.7) with the new brakes and there doesn't seem to be a lot of information on them. a quick google found this which is pushing me towards a 4 series to avoid any issues with the new design, despite the 4 series being the old frame design...  

@cmclean3 Madone breaks are good when you understand how to adjust them. Front brake is ok,but rear is real pain.Because lot of things from the road stucks in them and it is realy hard to reach two screws.Mine after 70miles had something sticky on them,a lot of dirt.And brake pads leave black dust on frame which is realy hard to clean. And you can change them only for Dura Ace brakes (9010),for now.  

thanks i'm worried about the dirt buildup/hard maintenance/cleaning you mention and i don't imagine the dura ace brakes are going to be any better at preventing this issue. 70miles isn't a lot of distance. Seems like the design might have a few early flaws and i should look towards a 4 series with the traditional seatstay brake for now? Its annoying because the price difference between the 5.2 and the 4.7 or even 4.5 isn't that much. Considering the 5.2 has the new frame with slightly better components in places/wheels it feels like being safe and going traditional isnt going to be the best value.  

5 series if you want to clean brakes after some miles,if you don't mind slow taking off rear wheel because rear brake QR doesn't work well on my bike,it's very cheap, 4 series if you want to have classic design of brakes,so everything is as usual. But no Kamm tail,cables are outside If someone ask me now,what bike would I choose,probably it would be the normal design. I drive about 20-30 miles per day and I have second bike,Bianchi Sempre which is better for every day use,but for race Madone 5 should be great,at least my 6 series H2 was.  

the 5.2 is exceptional value, I bought one on the back of all the tech, brakes, kvf etc etc, only place it really lacks is the wheels. basic upgrade saves you 200g carbon bars save you another 100g. I have the green machine and havent thought twice about my purchase.  

i agree its exceptional value compared to the price of the 4.5 and 4.7 i'm just worried about the brakes being a nightmare. at the moment i'm going to purchase the 4.5 or 4.7 (hopefully this weekend) purely because i don't want to run the risk of brake issues with the new design. and it will give me an excuse to upgrade in a year or 3 if the design proves itself and sticks around... thanks for all your input guys  

I think if you can afford the 5.2 but are writting it off on the back of its brakes you are making a big mistake, the brakes are an advantage due to lighter frame at the seat stays, the brake at the front is flush with for thus more aero. not one complaint from brake issues from anyone in the UK or US on the 5,6 or 7 madones brakes. if I were you i would be looking at writting of a 4 series for the 5 series as its in a different league of tech.  

@Captainlip This brake won't make you more aero,at least you won't feel it.But you will feel mud in the rear brake and problems adjusting them. Brakes QR is realy poor made,plastic feels like it's going to brake apart. I told him,4 series if you ride a lot,5 series only for races along few rides. Frame is aero,but difference between my Bianchi Sempre and this in ride is almost none,Madone is bit more softer for road.  

tell me how this brake will get any dirtier than a normal brake. and on everyone i've built (probably a dozen at this point) the brake q/r works just fine.  

I would write off the 4 altogether, the 5 frame is more aero, although you wont feel it as none of us are pro, either way it will benefit you here and there, the 5 series also has internal routed cables, the 4 doesn't. the brakes again reduced drag again wont feel it but its there, the brakes are really easy to adjust and setup correctly. I maintain my bike alot and the madone 5 is my year round any weather bike. so far in the gloomy Uk nothing had entered my brakes or cause any concern nor any build up of grime.  

@cxwrench won't it get dirtier from the grime coming off the front wheel and being flicked directly onto the back brake? @captainlip how often do you maintain/have to adjust/have to clean? i'm guessing more than a more common brake brake on seatstay. which isn't a problem if you are prepared to do that. interesting point you say that no complaints from the us/uk but ivanoile seems to have some experience with it and mentions what i was concerned about buying a 5 series  

how would it get any dirtier than a normal brake gets from crap thrown on it by the rear tire? seriously...go look at a bike and think about it.  

I work in a trek dealer and am aware of warranty claims for bikes, as for my own bike I cant see anymore build up that a brake in a normal location.  

I ride a pretty nice Madone 7. Project One, SRAM Red, Quarq, ENVE, etc. I've put quite a few miles on it in the 1.5 months I've had it. Brakes have been perfect. No adjustment needed after initial setup. No issues with crap being thrown on the rear brake. From it's position, I'd worry more about crud from the rear tire than crud from the front. In any event, I've had 0 problems with adjustment and 0 problems with cleaning/crud.  

Ah,I wrote my experience with this brakes.I drove this bike under sunny weather,maybe rain 1-2 times.And I don't know how,but rear brake was full of pieces of wood,leaves and something sticky. I have about 750miles and this is my experience.With Bianchi I did this year at least 2000miles+ and I have cleaned rear brake maybe 3-4 times,by cleaned I mean remove mud. I don't know why this brake gets everything from the road but I am not going to use Madone as training bike.  

This thread is pretty comical and I can't for the life of me understand why people are having setup problems and cleaning issues. In the 3 weeks that I've owned my 6 series Madone I have not had any issues with the integrated brakes. Let me clear up a few myths so others don't think these brakes are problematic. Myth 1: I can "feel" the aero advantage of the new frame design. Of course you can't! Moving the front brake in tighter and putting the rear brake underneath the frame is nothing you can feel. It does make the bike slightly more aerodynamic and allows a lighter and more compliant seat stay. It's a free speed...don't question it. Myth 2: The brakes are harder to setup, work on, and clean. Understanding how the brake works is key here. I've explained this here before so see my prior post if you are having problems. If you are having problems with the brakes staying centered put more loctite on the set screws. Because the brake is underneath does not make it magically attract dirt, debris, "sticky stuff", or molten lava. It's just as susceptible as if it were on the seat stays. Myth 3: The rear wheel is harder to get in and out. Yes the brake quick release is in a different spot up on the head tube. This makes it more convenient so you don't have to flip the bike over. It i plastic, but I don't see anyone breaking it unless you hit it with a hammer. Besides, How many times do you really need to remove the rear wheel on a road bike? The new brake is a solid design and is simple to work on and clean, is lighter, improves the ride quality, and makes the bike faster. I don't see any problem with that.  

I have the 4.5, and I replaced the break pads with the larger Ultegra brake pads. I found the bike stops faster and when applying pressure with the brake levers there is a more secure feel as their is a larger contact with the rim. No need to replace the brakes as they work well, but the pads made a nice difference  

well said!!! those complaining of brake issues and setup and dirt need to be shot or never allowed to sit on a bike again.  

ok maybe i can add some further comments since my purchase on saturday... although not my first choice i ended up getting a 5.9. long story short, both the 4 series and 5.2 which i were keen on at different times were not available until jan/feb and the dealer and supplier were both able to offer me a substantial discount on taking a 5.9 that made it nearly the same retail price as the 5.2. so worth it since i didn't want to wait and i figure if i didn't like the design i would be able to resell for around the same price. anyway on the previous comments: myth 1: i know i can't feel the aero but the bike feels fast and i was a few kph faster on one 2km straight down hill section on my "slow" ride on saturday. it even felt fast on the flats - maybe part of the reason my slow ride didn't turn out to be very slow in parts. myth 2: looking at the rear brake in person it really doesn't stick out as much as i first thought it would and i agree it shouldn't collect more dirt than usual especially from the front wheel. maybe the di2 battery helps a little here as well but after 70kms on sat there was little to no dirt anywhere near it... despite other parts of the bike getting a few spots here and there. its only been one ride but i'm pretty confident the design will be fine but i will monitor it and let guys here know if not. myth 3: the q/r looks fine, i don't take my rear wheel off often but i dont see any problems here... touch wood. it's only been one ride but the bike feels fast and is definitely a lot more comfortable to my previous rides. i don't know how much of this the new brake design is responsible for but it definitely feels like a good design so far. i'm just glad they weren't able to get a 4 series back when i wanted it because i was worried about the design...  

you got a killer deal on a great bike, enjoy!  

Gday all, quick slightly off track question about 2013 madone brakes has anybody tested both the Dura Ace models and the bontrager version? Do they both have a simalar feel, power, weight aero etc? im coming off campy chorus skeletons and the bike will be set up with 11speed record so my plan is currently bontys but if the DA is better well.......  

Been on my madone 7 over 3-4 months now maybe more, bike is my daily commuter, has only been washed once on purpose as I am treating like a long term review--I do wipe down the top tube to get salt off. The underside of the bike/brakes is pretty disgusting. On the commute I ride on an MUT that often has wet, muddy spray. This far no degradation on performance, the cable housing will likely now need to be replaced faster but so far the brakes under is a non issue.  

Maybe they should give an IQ test before allowing people to purchase. I think there is a lot of internet folklore that spins and spins over a brand or a given feature which leads to an unrealistic bad rap. -All my bikes have bottom brackets, yet I don't get anymore dirt build up there than where the brakes are typically located. -I've put quite a few miles on demo 6's, and experienced no more "crud accumulation" by the bottom bracket brake than I have at the top position. Think about the rotation of the wheel - tradition setup is ground, then brake. This setup is ground, and then nearly a full rotation by the time it gets to the brake. -Crud from the front tire? I'm sure anything is possible if one is riding through mud puddles. But how dirty does your crank get, and consider that has grease on it which holds the dirt? -Most manufacturers have positioned the Di2 battery in that location. Yes, the battery is sealed, but the cover must be difficult to deal with if so much dirt and grime from the front wheel flies and land there. -The front derailleur is along the path of front tire spew, and has been for many, many years. OK, so not at the bottom where the brake is, but along the "flight line" of debris. No issues. -Many TT bikes have the brakes at the bottom bracket. -The new BMC TimeMachine (highend roadbike) now has the brake at the bottom bracket - same location as the Trek 6 and 7 series. Innovation. Some love it while others tear it down, and a few just can't comprehend. If you ride in the mud, you'll get muddy.  

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