Trek has introduced the discharge of the latest Madone, the eighth era of its aero highway bike.
Wait? One other Madone?
Definitely, it’s uncommon for a motorcycle model to launch a mannequin solely a few years after the final replace, particularly when that model featured some vital new expertise. However Trek I’m certain would argue that the Gen 8 Madone isn’t any abnormal bike. What began life as the subsequent Émonda has ultimately developed right into a merging of the 2 platforms to depart one race bike that Trek believes can do all of it.
The brand new Madone cuts a barely extra svelte form than earlier than
(Picture credit score: Trek)
The brand new Madone claims to be as gentle as the present Émonda SLR but nonetheless as quick because the outgoing Madone. Trek says the Gen 8 SLR frameset, at 1,146g, is 320g lighter than the Gen 7 thanks largely to the introduction of its new 900 Sequence OCLV carbon and the brand new slimmer tube shapes. The carbon advantages from what Trek describes as a “extra environment friendly molding course of”, which interprets to much less materials used.
Regardless of this weight discount, it nonetheless claims to be as quick because the Gen 7 Madone when examined with a rider and utilizing the brand new RSL aero bottles and cages (extra on these later), and a few 77 seconds sooner per hour than the Émonda SLR.
A single race bike
The idea of a single efficiency race bike isn’t new. But it surely is likely to be the long run as developments in each supplies and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) allow engineers to seek out the confluence of ‘light-weight’ and ‘aerodynamic’ like by no means earlier than. In financially difficult instances, decreasing the variety of race bikes within the line additionally means decrease manufacturing prices.
Trek says the most effective of each worlds is attainable, with the Gen 8 Madone offering earlier Émonda riders with improved aerodynamics and present Madone prospects with a far lighter bike that may excel when the highway factors up. At an expert degree, it means the Lidl-Trek workforce will now not have the selection – or dilemma – of matching bikes to stage or race. Certainly the workforce was instrumental within the Madone’s growth.
So how did the bike come to fruition?
The Madone SLR resplendent within the Lidl-Trek colourway
(Picture credit score: Trek)
Trek says that early on in its work on what was then the subsequent era Emonda it grew to become clear that the aero hole between the prevailing Emonda and the Madone could possibly be lowered, making the only bike concept a chance. The important thing could be to make sure that this could possibly be achieved with out compromise.
A collection of prototypes have been produced with Trek utilizing “lots of of CFD and structural evaluation iterations” that led to 3 bikes being examined additional in a wind tunnel. Of those one stood out as having the potential to be ‘Emonda gentle, Madone quick’. After additional optimisation, the trail to the brand new Madone, created as a single race bike, was clearer and centered round some attention-grabbing new aero shapes Trek calls Full System Foil.
The brand new tube shapes are extra rounded on the rear than the earlier Kammtail tubes
(Picture credit score: Trek)
Gone are the Kammtail shapes of outdated, with the replacements a product of a extra versatile cross-section generator. This enables for a better number of shapes that may then be altered utilizing the software program to check each the aerodynamics and structural effectivity. From right here a set of cross sections was created that finest mixed low weight with efficient aerodynamic properties; they’ve a notably extra rounder again finish than the earlier Kammtail shapes.
As soon as the shapes have been set, the engineers then labored on discovering the optimum place for them on the body. Trek says that the downtube, for instance, favours structural effectivity over aerodynamics as a result of low-drag shapes are much less necessary on this space of the bike. On the different finish of the spectrum, the seat tube and seat put up have to be as aero as attainable to assist negate the drag that is created in that space by the rider’s legs rising airflow.
A complete rider system
Certainly, designing shapes that work optimally with a rider on board seems essential to the look and efficiency of the brand new Madone. Wind tunnel and real-world testing present {that a} rider drastically alters the circulate of air round a motorcycle. Therefore Trek’s entire rider system, which components in bike, rider and parts, in addition to cages and bottles.
The latter, referred to as the RSL Aero Bottle and Cage System, was designed along with the body and wheel cross-sections to create a digital airfoil; at 45kph Trek says the bottles save 3.7 watts in comparison with a daily 21oz bottle. They’re nonetheless appropriate with spherical bottles nonetheless and might be bought individually.
Trek says the RSL Aero bottle and cages save watts
(Picture credit score: Trek)
Elsewhere the IsoFlow system that was launched on the Gen 7 Madone stays, however has been tailored. Trek says it’s lighter now and 80% extra vertically compliant to extend consolation whereas on the identical time delivering aerodynamic enhancements. It’s additionally mentioned to assist make the Gen 8 Madone 24% extra vertically compliant than the Emonda SLR. Moreover, tire clearance has been elevated to 32mm, which ought to additional help consolation.
The IsoFlow tech stays however this time provides extra vertical compliance
(Picture credit score: Trek)
One other space impacted by the entire rider system method are the Gen 8 handlebars. Noticeably extra chunky than the slimline cockpit of the earlier era, the highest of the bars is each thicker and extra rounded. Trek says, in isolation, the brand new bars are much less aerodynamic than their predecessors. Nonetheless, with a rider on board, “the wake of the thicker bars barely reduces drag on their pedalling legs by slowing the air down in entrance of them.” Like earlier than, the bars are 3cm narrower on the hoods than the drops, selling a extra ‘tucked in’ using place that’s proven to save a substantial variety of watts.
The built-in cockpit is 3cm narrower on the hoods than the drops for a extra aero using place
(Picture credit score: Trek)
Maybe unsurprisingly provided that the Lidl-Trek WorldTour groups use SRAM groupsets, the Madone Gen 8 has adopted the Common Derailleur Hanger (UDH) normal. It is saved the T47 backside bracket, which is used throughout Trek’s line of highway and gravel bikes. It’s price noting that the SLR body is just appropriate with electrical groupsets
New sizing
For this iteration of the Madone, Trek has lowered the variety of sizes accessible from eight to 6. It says that the stack and attain of the brand new bike match neatly into fewer sizes with out “a significant influence to general match”. The sizing now runs from XS to XL (with a ML) and makes use of Trek’s ‘highway race’ geometry, which is intently associated to the earlier H1.5 geometry.
So how does this examine with each the outgoing Madone and the Emonda SLR? The Gen 8 Madone in a dimension ML has a stack peak of 56.2cm and a attain of 38.9cm. A comparable dimension 56cm Gen 7 Madone and an Emonda SLR have virtually an identical numbers, with a stack peak of 56.3cm and a attain of 39.1.
The extra skeptical may even see the discount of sizes supplied as simply one other means of decreasing manufacturing prices and will probably be attention-grabbing to listen to suggestions from present Trek prospects on whether or not they’ve been in a position to transfer seamlessly from the outdated sizing to the brand new with out having to regulate their set-ups significantly.
The vary defined
(Picture credit score: Trek)
The SLR is obtainable in two fashions, the SLR 9 and the SLR 7. The 9 presents a groupset alternative of SRAM Crimson AXS or Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, whereas the 7 comes with both SRAM Pressure AXS or Shimano Ultegra Di2. All 4 choices function the Aero RSL cockpit, Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 carbon wheels with DT Swiss 240 hubs and 28mm Pirelli P Zero Race tires. The SLR 9 AXS is the lightest possibility, weighing a claimed 7kg / 15.44lbs for a dimension ML.
(Picture credit score: Trek)
The brand new Madone additionally comes within the extra wallet-friendly SL model. Whereas it options the identical body expertise it makes use of Trek’s 500 Sequence OCLV carbon and is provided with a standard two-piece bar and stem. The frameset weight rises to 1,417g, with the lightest SL possibility being the SL 7, which weighs a claimed 7.88kg / 17.37lbs and is provided with Shimano Ultegra Di2 and a Bontrager Aeolus Professional 51 wheelset. The entry degree SL 5 is provided with Shimano 105 and Bontrager Paradigm SL wheels and weighs a claimed 8.7kg / 19.18lbs.
Each the SLR and the SL are additionally supplied as framesets solely.
Pricing
- Madone SLR 9 AXS: £12,500 / $13,499
- Madone SLR 9: £12,000 / $12,999
- Madone SLR 7 AXS: £8,500 / $9,499
- Madone SLR 7: £8,000 / $8,999
- Madone SLR frameset: £4,575 / $5,999
- Madone SL 7: £6,000 / $6,499
- Madone SL 6 AXS: £4,750 / $5,999
- MAdone SL 6: £4,250 / $5,499
- Madone SL 5: £3,250 / $3,499
- Madone SL frameset: £2,750 / $3,799
