There’s a lot to think about when buying your next road bike. What type of riding do you do? What’s your budget? Do you prefer a carbon or alloy frame? How about an e-bike?
With so many options, even within Trek’s fairly straightforward range, we thought a simple buying guide would be helpful. Read on for our Trek road bike range explainer where we compare Trek Émonda, Domane and Madone.
Trek’s road bikes range is essentially made up of three models: Madone, Domane and Émonda. Some people would include others: Speed Concept, though that’s a fairly niche triathlon and time trial bike; Checkpoint, which is a gravel bike; and Boone, the cyclo-cross racer.
To us, the mainstream road line-up from Trek comes down to those first three bikes. We’ll start really simple by summing them up quickly. Madone is light and very fast, Domane is the comfortable endurance bike and Emonda is a super light climber and versatile racer.
Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro Di2 - £3,700.
The Trek Émonda is designed for riders who are looking for speed, performance and outstanding climbing ability. It’s an incredibly responsive and lightweight bike. The Émonda ALR is Trek’s lightest aluminium bike but if weight savings are really important to you, you’ll want to look at the SL and SLR models, with the 500 Series OCLV Carbon and 800 Series OCLV Carbon frames, respectively. The 800 Series is unbelievably light, at less than 700 grams!
Émonda also has quite an aggressive geometry, which puts the rider in a more aerodynamic position, and the frame itself has aero styling, which all helps to minimise drag and cut through the air. The Émonda is a great choice for riders who want a fast bike that’s great on twisty routes and when tackling challenging climbs.
Prices range from £1,750 for the Émonda ALR 4 to £12,950 for the Émonda SLR 9 AXS.
Trek 2024 Madone SL 6 AXS - £5,625.
The Madone is Trek’s top-of-the-line aero road bike for riders who want the ultimate in speed and performance. Trek unveiled their new Madone – with the new Kammtail Virtual Foil tube design to reduce drag and increase speed – at the 2022 Tour de France. What really grabbed the headlines, however, was the IsoFlow seat tube design (see inset image above) which essentially has a hole where most bikes have the tube, offering weight savings, aero benefits and similar ride-smoothing benefits as IsoSpeed.
Madone has a more aggressive geometry than the Domane and is our pick for riders who prioritise pure speed. The great news is that the new frame design has now trickled down from its exclusive release on the SLR models to the less expensive SL range, so you can enjoy those aero benefits at a lower price.
There are no alloy-framed Madone models. Prices range from £3,360 for the Madone SL 6 Gen 6 but if you want the new frame it’s £5,625 for the SL 6 Gen 7, up to £13,625 for the Madone SLR 9 Gen 7.
Trek Domane AL 5 Gen 3 - £1,850.
The Trek Domane is perfect if you like to be out in the saddle for hours at a time, exploring all day on a comfortable and stable ride. It’s great over rougher road surfaces, winning the women’s Paris-Roubaix in 2022 when the latest iteration was released. The wider tyre clearance also allows you to use it as a gravel bike, with room for 35mm tyres with mudguards and 38mm without.
Domane features Trek’s IsoSpeed technology, which isolates the seat tube from the rest of the frame to provide a smoother ride, soaking up the bumps and reducing fatigue. This is the perfect bike if you’re the kind of cyclist who likes long-distance rides or if you’re looking for a comfortable bike for daily commuting. The range is available with carbon and aluminium frames and there’s also the Domane+ e-bike range if you’d like that extra assist. The TQ motor provides 50 Nm of torque and the 360Wh is good for 80 to 100km on Eco mode and 50km in Turbo.
Prices range from £750 for the Domane AL 2 Rim to £12,250 for the Domane SLR 9 Gen 4. The e-bike range starts at the Domane+ AL 5 for £3,050 and goes up to the Domane+ SLR 9 at £11,750.
All of these bikes are outstanding in their own way. Ultimately, it comes down to the kind of cycling you plan to do. If you want a lightweight and responsive bike for racing and climbing, the Trek Emonda is a great choice. If you like endurance riding and you want a comfortable and stable bike, the Trek Domane is the one for you. And if you’re a racer who wants the best in speed and performance, we’d recommend the Trek Madone.
Looking to upgrade your road bike? Come visit our store and chat with our knowledgeable team. They'll guide you through the features and benefits of each bike model, as well as discussing the different specifications available. Plus, we make your bike purchase more budget-friendly with a range of finance options, our price promise and access to various cycle to work schemes.
