Trek has formally launched its model new model of the Madone. Which would be the eighth technology of the bike. Trek claims it’s as aero because the Gen 7 Madone however now as light-weight because the Emonda. The new Madone will change each bikes, so Trek joins the rising variety of bike manufacturers to desert separate aero and light-weight choices.
Ever for the reason that new bike was first noticed below the professionals in the beginning of 2024, its skinnier seems in comparison with the Gen 7 Madone generated intense hypothesis about whether or not it was a brand new Madone or a substitute for the Emonda.
Whilst the Gen 7 Madone was solely launched two years in the past, the light-weight Emonda is now 4 years previous, so the bets have been on for a brand new Emonda.
Actually, the brand new Gen 8 Madone replaces each the Gen 7 Madone and the Emonda in a single light-weight aero package deal. Trek says that the brand new Madone sheds 320g from the Gen 7 Madone frameset, which in flip was already 300g lighter than its personal Gen 6 predecessor.
It claims a 796g weight for a painted measurement ML Madone SLR body and 350g for the fork, with out added {hardware} corresponding to the brand new UDH rear derailleur hanger. That places the claimed full bike weight of a top-spec Madone SLR 9 AXS bike at precisely 7kg.
The light-weight makeover signifies that the Gen 8 Madone is now as mild because the Emonda. At the identical time, Trek says that it’s aero optimised the frameset the place that’s most vital, however thinned out the tube profiles from the Gen 7 bike the place the aero good points are much less, to permit it to shed the burden.
The aero tube profiles have had an improve too. Trek says that its new Full System Foil shapes have gone past Kammtail, providing higher aerodynamics over a wider vary of yaw angles due to a extra rounded trailing edge instead of the sharper, squared-off edges of a Kammtail profile.
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Wind tunnel testing urged that the previous Gen 7 Madone was sooner than the Emonda on gradients as much as 3 per cent when weight took over from aero because the dominant issue. The new Gen 8 body is alleged to be sooner than the Emonda on climbs as much as 12 per cent, the steepest gradient examined.
As aero because the Gen 7 Madone
Trek says that the brand new bike is as quick because the Gen 7 Madone and 77 seconds sooner per hour at 200 watts in comparison with the Emonda. The design optimises airflow for the bike-plus-rider whereas the experience place stays the identical as on the Gen 7 bike.
Madone SLR fashions can even function an up to date Aero RSL built-in handlebar and stem. This bar options hoods which are 3cm narrower than the drops to assist riders keep aero. It’s thicker in cross-section on the tops than the Gen 7 bike’s bars and extra snug to carry, although it’s nonetheless suitable with the previous bike’s RCS headset design.
The new design raises the highest of the bar/stem by 4mm, however Trek presents an aftermarket RCS Race Low bearing high cowl if you wish to revert to the Gen 7’s 4mm decrease bar high top. There’s additionally a brand new Blendr accent mount that’s lighter and may extra simply be eliminated.
There are additionally new, aero-profiled 595ml water bottles and cages, though it’s also possible to match spherical bottles into the cages.
Trek says that the RSL Aero bottles and cages save 3.7 watts at 45kph over normal spherical bottles and make the bike sooner than driving with out bottles. They can be purchased aftermarket in case your bike wants an aero improve.
It’s an analogous strategy to that utilized by Cannondale on the most recent SuperSix Evo, with that model claiming that its bottles enhance the SuperSix Evo’s aerodynamics.
Lower weight, extra consolation
The high tier SLR-grade Madone is constructed utilizing Trek’s newest 900 OCLV carbon, which it claims is as much as 20 per cent stronger than the 800 OCLV carbon used within the Gen 7 Madone. A brand new moulding course of and single-piece fabrication of the fork additionally permit Trek to avoid wasting further weight.
When Trek launched the Gen 7 Madone, lots of the burden saving on that mannequin got here from the substitute of the Gen 6 bike’s adjustable IsoSpeed seatpost with a lighter non-adjustable IsoFlow system.
Trek stated on the time that it made the Gen 7 seat mast as stiff because the Gen 6 bike on its stiffest setting.
With the brand new Gen 8 Madone, it’s elevated the vertical compliance although, which it says is now as much as 80 per cent better than on the Gen 7 bike and 24 per cent better than the Emonda. The new design can be lighter than the Gen 7 Isoflow.
Trek has amended its tube shapes throughout the scale vary in order that the body stiffness is extra comparable between sizes. A by-product is that XS and S measurement frames are actually lighter, whereas it says that the body’s aesthetics are actually extra proportionate throughout the scale vary.
The new Madone can match 32mm tyres, the identical because the Gen 7 mannequin.
New sizing
With the brand new Gen 8 Madone Trek has rationalised the scale vary, with the brand new bike now provided in six sizes from XS to XL, as towards the Gen 7’s eight sizes. Despite providing fewer sizes, Trek says that there’s much less overlap between body sizes, in order that the Gen 8 Madone can really match a wider unfold of rider heights.
The new measurement M replaces the previous sizes 52 and 54, whereas the brand new measurement XL replaces the 62, however features a taller seat mast. As with the Gen 7 bike, the seatpost wedge may be reversed to extend the vary of saddle top adjustment.
The geometry throughout the vary is just like the Gen 7 Madone, though the body stack is barely greater. 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 costs
Trek will promote the brand new Madone in two body grades, SL and SLR. Both are provided at launch in 4 specs, with SRAM and Shimano choices, in addition to a frameset-only possibility.
The top-spec SLR bikes use the most recent 900 Series OCLV carbon, the one-piece bar/stem and RSL Aero bottles and cages and are digital groupset solely. You can select your individual colors in Trek’s Project One configurator in addition to off-the-shelf colors.
The SL bikes are made utilizing 500 Series OCLV carbon and have a separate bar and stem. They’re not accessible for Project One customisation and are solely pre-built. You don’t get bottles or cages, however the body is suitable with mechanical groupsets.
US costs for the Gen 8 Trek Madone vary from $3,499.99 for the SL 5 as much as $13,499.99 for the Madone SLR 9 AXS. That’s a $200 worth hike from the top-spec Gen 7 bike, though that’s most likely attributable to to the brand new Sram Red AXS groupset.
In the UK, that interprets to an entry-level worth of £3,250 with the highest spec priced at £12,500. That’s really a £2,050 discount from the UK checklist worth of the Gen 7 Madone SLR 9 AXS bike – perhaps manufacturers are getting the message on pro-level Tour de France bike costs.
The Euro worth unfold is €3,499 to €13,999 and in Australia, costs vary from AU$4,499.99 to AU$19,999.99 for the SLR 9 AXS.