{"id":6612,"date":"2019-02-19T21:14:15","date_gmt":"2019-02-19T19:14:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sparkbikereview.com\/?p=6612"},"modified":"2019-12-23T11:40:07","modified_gmt":"2019-12-23T09:40:07","slug":"2019-trek-madone-slr-6-disc-review-life-in-the-fast-lane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sparkbikereview.com\/2019-trek-madone-slr-6-disc-review-life-in-the-fast-lane\/","title":{"rendered":"2019 Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc Review \u2013 Life in the Fast Lane"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are\ntwo types of cyclists in this world; those that want to go fast, and those that\ndon\u2019t. The upgraded and evolved, 2019 Trek Madone satisfies the appetite of\nthose riders who dream about speed. Put yourself in the saddle of this bike for\na second\u2026 You\u2019re going flat-out\u2026 You\u2019re dropping down on the handlebars\u2026 You\u2019re\ntucking in your arms\u2026 You\u2019re fixing your eyes on the speeding tarmac\u2026. You\u2019re\nhearing the bike pierce the air\u2026 You\u2019re feeling the smooth roll of the wheels,\nevery time you pedal\u2026 You\u2019ve got rhythm, you\u2019ve got symmetry, and you\u2019re\nmanufacturing speed like it\u2019s nothing! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our ride on the 2019 Madone is probably best described by what you\u2019ve just read. Nothing but pure elegance from Trek\u2019s flagship aero-road bike. We\u2019ve mentioned that its fast. We\u2019ve mentioned that it\u2019s a wind weapon. But is it comfortable? As far as aerodynamically focused road bikes go, yes it is. Trek have managed to combine all three essential aspects of road bikes, into one. Lets find out how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

#1: Aerodynamics<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Madone SLR 6 follows a perfectly designed shape of a plane wing if you look it straight in the eyes. Trek\u2019s 700 Series OCLV carbon fibre material forms the frame\u2019s lightweight and aero features. The wind flow around and over the bike is seamless, and this is because of the down-tube that takes form in what Trek call, a KVF aero shape. Along with wing-like, Bontrager dropper handlebars; clinched by an aero stem, that uses the brand\u2019s Blendr technology to integrate your cycling computer, without buying extra mounts. Even though the Madone is centred around aerodynamics, the designers at Trek kept a clear mind in adding practical features to the bike itself.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2: Comfort<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comfort is key with any road bike, especially if you intend to spend more than 2 hours in the saddle. The Madone\u2019s comfort levels are acceptable for a bike of its standard. It comes with an adjustable Top-Tube IsoSpeed decoupler, which lets the seat post flex under impacts from irregular roads. The bar and stem of the bike, are also adjustable and can allow you to fine tune how the bike handles. Bontrager\u2019s Montrose Elite lightweight saddle also made a difference in comfort. It was less restricting to leg movement and was quite well cushioned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3: Quality<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Components can make or break any bike. Trek, however, are well acquainted with desires of road bike riders. Therefore, when questioning what components were best for the Madone, they looked at what was the most functional. For starters, going with flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes made braking solid and reliable on the Madone SLR 6. Minimizing the strain on your hands. And that\u2019s a point a we\u2019ll always argue. Integrating with the disc brakes was Shimano\u2019s Ultegra drivetrain that literally gets smoother every time you shift. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • \"\"<\/figure><\/li>
  • \"\"<\/figure><\/li>
  • \"\"<\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Specs:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
    • Frame-set: Frame700 Series OCLV Carbon<\/li>
    • Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus Comp 5 Disc Tubeless Ready<\/li>
    • Drivetrain: Shimano Ultegra, 11-speed.<\/li>
    • Saddle: Bontrager Montrose Elite<\/li>
    • Seatpost: Madone carbon seatpost, 25 mm offset w\/integrated light mount<\/li>
    • Handlebar: Madone-specific adjustable aero VR-CF, internal cable routing<\/li>
    • Grips: Bontrager tape<\/li>
    • Stem: Madone-specific internal cable routing<\/li>
    • Brake-set: Shimano Ultegra flat-mount hydraulic disc<\/li>
    • Total Bike Weight: 56cm \u2013 8.38 kg <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Trek\u2019s road\nbike geometry is always on point, and provides riders with a little bit of\neverything, from responsive handling to rider proportional sizing. The Madone\nSLR 6 makes use of the brand\u2019s H1.5 FIT frame measurements. Which have been\ntried and tested countless times, with the Trek Segafredo, and Drops cycling\nteams. You can play around and find out what geometry works for you. However,\nour test bike was 56cm frame size, with which we got a 73.3-degree seat post\nangle, and 73.5-degree head-tube angle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Keep it Fast and Low!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The Madone\nSLR 6 is like a fighter jet on steroids! Its unique and full-out aerodynamic\ndesign can pierce the air efficiently. The bike creates an ideal setup that\nalmost comes as a second nature, to duck-down into an aero-tuck. Which gets you\nout of the full brunt of wind resistance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Having been tested and raced by pro teams around the world at grand tours and one day events, Trek\u2019s Madone has a perfect design for climbing and descending. Its low and fast! The cassette on the Ultegra drivetrain can feel like its meant for really hard pedaling, with its smaller gear ratio. Nevertheless, it was lenient enough to get us up a fair amount hills, without burning out. One thing that we really like about aero road bikes, is the stiffened up frame. During a sprint you simply have to pick a line with the bike, and it holds it. No matter how hard you hit the pedals. The same can be said coming down descends. It didn\u2019t wobble around, instead it was smooth and firm, even when banking on corners. The slightly thicker handlebars supplied good grip, and great control over this race horse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Negatives: <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      A good review is never complete without a few criticisms over a bike or product. And so sadly, yes. There were a few things we didn\u2019t like on the Madone SLR 6. Mainly, the tyres. We\u2019re not sure if this was just a bad batch of rubber, but we had a lot of punctures! Most of the punctures\u2019 cause was from a simple stone, and we couldn\u2019t fathom why. It could\u2019ve been that we were running the tyre pressure too high, and thus we lowered it. Alas, no-luck. The punctures still accrued. We eventually put it down to the fact that Bontrager\u2019s R3 Hard-case Lite tyre set, are not that durable. In fact, that\u2019s quite a hick-up, because it\u2019s enough to dampen your mood on a ride. Perhaps a tyre swap on this bike model, to one with a harder compound, is in order. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Verdict <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The big question is, does the 2019 Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc do enough to break away from the pack, and get you to the finish first? In our opinion, it does! As far as technology goes, the brand\u2019s IsoSpeed and smoothly moulded carbon fibre, along with integrated disc brakes, are able to enhance your performance greatly. While the bike did lack a bit of agility, and the tyres weren\u2019t impressive, the Madone is still elite when it comes to speed. It’ll keep you living life in the fast lane!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Price: 98 999.00 – 2019 Trek Madone SLR 6 Disc <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n