Trek 2015 road range – an overview
Lightweight Émonda all but replaces aero Madone
Although Trek has now done away with model years, it still observes the annual tradition that is Trek World. BikeRadar was at Silverstone race circuit for this year’s event, which revealed a radical shake-up of the company’s road collection.
The big news is that the new Émonda line of bikes, topped by the £11,000/AU$15,999 weight weenie SLR 10 build, has all but replaced the Madone standard-bearer.
Trek’s road range is divided into ‘performance race’ and ‘endurance race’ – the latter header applies to the the Domane range, while the former category is subdivided into ‘lightweight’ (the Émonda) and ‘aero’ (the Madone).
Check out more of our Trek 2015 coverage.
The remarkable Emonda SLR 10, 4.8kg (10.6lb) as pictured
That said, most of the Madone range is no more. The aluminium 2 series remains, along with the range-topping 7 series, but everything in-between has been superseded by the Émonda.
There are three levels of Émonda frame which are, in ascending order of price, the S (300 Series OCLV carbon, BB86 bottom bracket), the SL (500 Series OCLV carbon, BB90 bottom bracket, full carbon fork) and the SLR (700 Series OCLV carbon, BB90 bottom bracket, full carbon fork).
The Emonda’s frame is an entirely new design
Prices start at £1,200/AU$1,899 for an S 4 with Tiagra, although the cheapest model is not expected to be available in the UK until April. Select versions of the S and SL models are already shipping, while availability for the SLR is to be confirmed, as is US pricing and availability. We’ve already got our hands on an SLR 8 and will be bringing you a full review in the coming months.
The rim brake Domane range remains largely unchanged apart from cosmetic details, while the disc range has expanded to include the 4 series. Most interesting to us is the 4.5 Disc, which gets full hydraulics with the forthcoming Shimano R685 levers, as well as mechanical Ultegra components at a very reasonable sounding £2,300/AU$3,599. If that sounds too expensive, the 4.0 Disc (Sora) and 4.3 Disc (105 5800) are £1,500/AU$N/A and £1,900/AU$2,749 respectively. Both use the hybrid hydraulic/mechanical TRP Hy/Rd brakes.
Trek hasn’t forgotten its female customers. In addition to the Lexa line of entry-level road bikes and the existing WSD versions of the 7-series Madone, there’s now an all-new women’s road platform – the carbon Silque. It aims to combine the rear-end comfort of the Domane with some of the liveliness of the Madone, catered specifically to the needs of female riders. Refreshingly, that looks like it could mean a little more than simply ‘shrink-it-and-pink-it’.
The Silque is an all-new carbon road bike developed specifically for women
Check out our gallery above for some highlights from the show, including more shots of the remarkable Émonda SLR 10.
Authors
Matthew is an experienced mechanic and an expert on bike tech who appreciates practical, beautifully-engineered things. Originally a roadie, he likes bikes and kit of every stripe, and he's tested a huge variety of both over the years for BikeRadar, Cycling Plus and others. For a long time Matthew's heart belonged to the Scott Addict, but he's currently enjoying Trek's lovely aluminium Emonda ALR and having a torrid affair with a Giant Trance e-MTB. At 174cm tall and 53kg, he looks like he should be better at cycling than he actually is, and he's ok with that.
