blendr stem trek

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Trek RCS Pro Blendr Stem

A lightweight alloy stem with a flush mount top cap and seamless cable routing offer a fully integrated and elegant aesthetic. Integrated elegance The RCS Pro Blendr Stem is a sleek alloy stem offering all of the performance you crave, with looks to match. Specifically designed for use with model year 2023 Domane SL, SLR, and RSL bikes, this stem fits seamlessly with the headset top cap to provide ultimate integrated elegance. A flush mount top cap, under-stem cable routing cover, and Blendr compatibility further add beauty and sophistication. Product details - Lightweight 7075 alloy construction - High-quality M5 corrosion-resistant face plate bolts with 5.2Nm torque spec - Cable routing cover keeps up to six cables and wires tidy under stem - Included Blendr Duo Base makes it easy to integrate accessories - Blendr accessory mounts sold separately - Compatible with model year 2023 Domane SL, SLR, RSL bikes

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• RCS Pro Blendr Stem

Trek RCS Pro Blendr Stem

A lightweight alloy stem with a flush mount top cap and seamless cable routing offer a fully integrated and elegant aesthetic. Integrated elegance The RCS Pro Blendr Stem is a sleek alloy stem offering all of the performance you crave, with looks to match. Specifically designed for use with model year 2023 Domane SL, SLR, and RSL bikes, this stem fits seamlessly with the headset top cap to provide ultimate integrated elegance. A flush mount top cap, under-stem cable routing cover, and Blendr compatibility further add beauty and sophistication. Product details - Lightweight 7075 alloy construction - High-quality M5 corrosion-resistant face plate bolts with 5.2Nm torque spec - Cable routing cover keeps up to six cables and wires tidy under stem - Included Blendr Duo Base makes it easy to integrate accessories - Blendr accessory mounts sold separately - Compatible with model year 2023 Domane SL, SLR, RSL bikes

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• RCS Pro Blendr Stem

Trek RCS Pro Blendr Stem

A lightweight alloy stem with a flush mount top cap and seamless cable routing offer a fully integrated and elegant aesthetic. Integrated elegance The RCS Pro Blendr Stem is a sleek alloy stem offering all of the performance you crave, with looks to match. Specifically designed for use with model year 2023 Domane SL, SLR, and RSL bikes, this stem fits seamlessly with the headset top cap to provide ultimate integrated elegance. A flush mount top cap, under-stem cable routing cover, and Blendr compatibility further add beauty and sophistication. Product details - Lightweight 7075 alloy construction - High-quality M5 corrosion-resistant face plate bolts with 5.2Nm torque spec - Cable routing cover keeps up to six cables and wires tidy under stem - Included Blendr Duo Base makes it easy to integrate accessories - Blendr accessory mounts sold separately - Compatible with model year 2023 Domane SL, SLR, RSL bikes

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Bontrager’s modular Blendr mounting system

Bontrager’s Blendr system is a modular mounting system that provides an integrated design to mount accessories on your bicycle. It’s a three piece design that combines a stem, base and mounting accessory to attach lights, computers or phones. While Bontrager has extended the system to include integrated handlebars, taillights and saddlebags, we’re going to focus on the core stem / base / mounts products in this guide. Bontrager also has a comprehensive compatibility chart that covers all the options and even legacy products no longer available we’d highly recommend taking a look at. There are a wide variety of accessories which makes the Blendr system perfect for riders of high-end road bikes down to budget single speed bikes.

Starting with the stem, there is the top-of-the-line $288.99 RSL Stem which has OCLV carbon construction and titanium bolts. The more affordable options are the $120.99 forged alloy Pro Blendr stem and even a $30.99 Comp Blendr Stem option. To utilize the Blendr mounts you’ll need to install either the dual-mount $19.99 Duo base or the single $14.99 Mono Base. The bases each have bolt-on two prong Go-Pro style attachments which are compatible with a number of mounts. The more notable mounts are the $34.99 alloy Pro Blendr Wahoo / Garmin mount, the $19.99 Garmin Low mounts and the $19.99 Garmin High mount. For attaching Trek / Bontrager lights you can use the $9.99 Universal Light Mount or the Low Commuter Light Mount. There is also a simple $19.99 GoPro mount which can be used with a wide range of accessories.

STEM + BASE

At first glance the Blendr stems look like traditional stems with two bolt attachments to steering tubes and four bolt face plates. Upon closer inspection you’ll notice each of the stems has a two-piece face plate with a specially designed center cutout that fits the Blendr base perfectly. To secure the Blendr base in place, there are notches cut into the stem which match up to the base’s tab extensions. When the stem is attached to a handlebar and the face bolts are tightened down, the base becomes sandwiched between the stem and handlebar. The RSL is the fanciest stem option which gives you a lightweight carbon construction while the more affordable options are alloy construction. The stem and base combination provides secure mounting for heavier computers or lights without the need for dual clamps like those found on the Topeak UTF out-front mount .

Whether you choose the dual or mono Blendr base, each of them have Go-Pro like two prong attachments which let you attach a variety of mounts on to them. These use a bolt with a nut to securely attach accessories and prevent heavier items from sliding down. Its simple interface is positioned close to the stem which means you have an integrated appearance. The adapters themselves are a plastic construction but are thick with a matte finish that blends well with the stem face plate. You can also loosen the bolt and adjust the angle to optimize the viewing angle to your bike setup. Bontrager also offers quite a few application specific options for integrated bars which utilizes bases that bolt directly onto the bar.

Once you have the stem and base setup you can find the right mounts for your setup. Bontrager offers a wide variety of mounts to cover GoPro, Garmin, Wahoo and Bontrager lights. If you use the appropriate mounts and the dual base you can easily mount both a computer and light onto the handlebar. Each of the mounts, including the GoPro mount, have bolt on designs which require an Allen key to install and remove. All the mounts are centered directly in front of the stem which ensures your accessories are directly in your line of sight. Except for the Pro Alloy Garmin mount, most of these products are plastic yet feel well made. Everything in the Blendr lineup is also a matte black finish which helps them blend into the bike.

If you have a larger GPS computer, like the Bryton S800 or Garmin Edge 1040, we’d recommend using the Pro Alloy mount with the Garmin base or the High Garmin Mount which places the computer slightly above the top stem bolts. Otherwise, smaller computers like the iGPSPORT BSC300 work well with the Low Garmin Mount and line the top of the computer with the top of the stem for a clean look. Using the dual base you can easily combine a GPS computer with a bike light underneath to stay visible during the day or nighttime riding. The Low Commuter Light Mount is a slick undermount that works perfectly with the Trek Commuter Pro RT which are directional lights and should only be mounted upright. The additional GoPro mount is perfect for attaching third-party lights or even a GoPro camera.

THE VERDICT

Overall, we found the Bontrager Blendr mounting system to be a simple and clever modular mounting system. The three-piece handlebar system uses a specific faceplate design that allows a base to be securely mounted against the handlebar and provide slots for one or two items. The two prong GoPro style connectors are compatible with a wide variety of Bontrager mount accessories to accommodate computers, lights or even cameras. With it’s integrated design you can mount multiple accessories directly off the stem without extra clamps like those used in out-front mounts. We appreciated the affordable design and versatility of the system. Bontrager has also included a number of mounts for their popular Ion and Flare RT lights as well as the larger Commuter light with specific light mounts. The only downside to the Blendr system is that there are limited alloy options and no color options available. That said, if you’re looking for a way to de-clutter your handlebars then you should definitely check out the Bontrager Blendr system.

Disclaimer: The products for this guide were provided by Trek . The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.

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Bontrager Blendr Pro Stem Bases - 2021

Key features: - Blendr works with this simple formula: Stem + Base + Mount. Add accessory. - Bases for use with Bontrager Pro Blendr stem - Add any XXX accessory mount (sold seperately) for an elegant, integrated look

Blendr compatibility

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Trek unveils radically updated, lightweight Madone and ditches the Émonda. Here’s why we think it's the biggest bike launch of the year so far

First Published Jun 27, 2024

Trek has merged its two top-end road platforms with the release of its Madone Gen 8 road bike which is said to be as aerodynamically efficient as the previous Madone and as light as the existing Émonda SLR. For those of you filling in your bike launch bingo cards, Trek also says that its updated IsoFlow technology – with a hole in the seat tube and a cantilevered seat mast – is 80% more vertically compliant than before to smooth the ride. There are SLR and SL versions, and it's the SL we've got our hands on that you see in the main image above.  

“With a new Gen 8 Madone, you really don’t need two race bikes anymore,” says Trek’s director of road bikes Jordan Roessingh. “It provides that snappiness and lightweight ride of the Émonda, but still provides that feeling of speed that you can only get on the Madone, and encapsulates that into one single bike platform. 

“If you’re an Émonda rider, you’re getting a much, much faster bike with the new Madone, but it’s the same weight. You get a bike that’s much, much lighter than the seventh-generation Madone, but with the same aerodynamics. 

“It’s the concept of no compromises that finally achieved the goal of merging those two platforms into one. Every rider, whether you’re a professional or you’re just simply doing the Sunday group ride, will benefit from the new platform because it’s the best of both worlds.”

Here are Trek’s key claims for the Madone Gen 8 in a handy cut-out-and-keep bullet point format:

• The top-level SLR is as light as the current Émonda SLR frameset and 320g lighter than the seventh-generation Madone SLR frameset thanks to redesigned tubes and the use of new 900 Series OCLV Carbon
• The Madone Gen 8 replaces both the seventh-generation Madone and the carbon Émondas (the alloy Émonda ALR will remain in the range)
• It’s 77 seconds per hour faster than Émonda and as fast as the previous Madone (as a complete system comprising bike, rider, bottles and cages) at 200 watts
• The Madone Gen 8 uses what Trek calls Full System Foil aero shapes which are considerably shallower and lighter than those used for the seventh-generation Madone frameset
• The updated IsoFlow technology is lighter than previously and 80% more vertically compliant to absorb road chatter
• Top-level Madone SLR models come with an updated Aero RSL Road integrated handlebar and stem that’s lighter and “more ergonomic” than previously
• The eighth-generation Madone SL shares top-level SLR’s frame design, but it’s made with 500 Series OCLV Carbon and the handlebar and stem are separate units

We’ve seen the Madone Gen 8 loads over the past few weeks after it was leaked online  and then ridden by the Lidl-Trek team. Mads Pedersen won Stage 1 of the Critérium du Dauphiné on the new bike on the first day it was raced.

> New Trek Madone breaks cover at Dauphiné… or is it an Emonda?

Why do we say this is the biggest bike launch of the year? Trek is a massive worldwide brand and merging its two best-known road bikes is a huge step. Plus, the fact that Trek has joined the likes of Specialized and Pinarello in offering a single top-end road race platform makes it even more likely that other brands will follow suit. If you disagree, let us know why in the comments. 

Trek merges the Madone and Émonda platforms

There was a whole lot of debate about the identity of the new bike in the run-up to this launch; would it be an Émonda (the lightweight option in Trek’s range), a Madone (the aero one), or an entirely new model? It was a lot of fun for a while back there , and it turns out that the discussion was justified.

Development work started on a new Émonda but the design morphed into a Madone along the way – hence the release of this eighth-generation model just two years after the previous version was launched.

“One of the things that repeatedly came up whenever we talked to the Lidl Trek team riders about the Madone or the Émonda was that they would stress over which bike was right for them, specific to their job on the team, or for the course,” says Jordan Roessingh.

“One thing that fed into the development of this bike was the feedback that we got from them. For us, this new Madone delivers on an expectation from them to race the best bike in the world. The concept of a single race bike has been out there for a while, and one of the reasons we haven’t done it previously was that it required too much compromise. We started the R&D [research and development] process for this bike and it was originally intended to be the next generation of Émonda. 

“We were trying to reduce the weight of that bike while keeping the aerodynamic benefits. We had just got back from our first wind tunnel trip, and we were starting to get our initial structural analysis results in as well. 

“We figured out that we could make this really super-lightweight bike, but also with aerodynamics that were approaching the performance of the current Madone. We got through a couple of prototypes, modelling, wind tunnel trips, some structural analysis, and we realised there was an opportunity to make something completely new.

“We were our own biggest critics of the concept. The scepticism was about whether or not we’d be able to execute this no-compromises concept. 

Lead engineer Alex Loy takes up the story.

He says, “We drew a plot on the whiteboard, weight versus aerodynamics, and we put a big X on there and said, ‘this is our BHAG [big hairy audacious goal; a major target, essentially]’. The only way the bike would truly be successful for all of the riders on both of our platforms today is if it could perform the same as an Émonda and the same as a Madone. We designed many different prototypes. Every couple of months we’d get a little bit closer.”

Jordan Roessingh says, “It was only halfway through the development process that we finally gained confidence in the idea that the best of both worlds without compromises was a reality – the opportunity to have one bike that can do it all, that exceeds in every environment. It quickly morphed through that development process into becoming the next generation of the Madone.”

The story behind Trek’s new tube profiles

Among the most important features of the Madone Gen 8 are tube shapes, which are radically different from previously.

“We’re calling them the Full System Foil shapes,” says aerodynamic lead John Davis. “The previous generation used old-style Kammtail aero shapes where we tried to get as deep an airfoil as possible, thinking of the tube shapes like airplane wings. You take a deep airfoil, you cut off the back, and that’s a Kammtail. 

“But now we have updated the simulation methods, and we can get the same performance as a deep airfoil in a much more compact, lightweight shape. We have cutting-edge optimisation techniques and we have a computer generate thousands of different shapes. We get a book of aero and lightweight shapes that we can choose from.

“We look through these shapes and select the one that works best for a particular area, and we build up many different prototypes to see what works and what doesn’t.”

Trek says that simply selecting the shapes that are most aerodynamically efficient might produce a frame that performs well on its own in the wind tunnel, but it might not be as impressive when built up into a complete bike. For that reason, the designers say they included shapes that work best with the areas in front and behind them to get the fastest possible complete system. 

“You’ve got the down tube, the two aero bottles, and then the seat tube. We took that slice and we designed all those shapes to work together to design one large airfoil,” says John Davis. “That way we can get the aero benefits of a really deep airfoil, but we don’t have to have a huge section of carbon fibre that’s going to be heavy.

“We’ve designed the fork to be a nice aero-shape. The legs are the draggiest, slowest part of the full system, so anything you can do to slow down or move the air around the legs is important. 

“Other parts of the bike don’t look like traditional aero shapes. An example would be the down tube which is shaped with a pretty blunt front end because it’s behind the wheel, which slows down the flow, so the leading edge doesn’t matter as much. Then the sides are shaped to direct the flow around the down tube bottle, and then move around the seat tube bottle, and finally onto the seat tube itself. 

“After the rider’s legs, there is slow-moving, low-energy flow, and you want to add speed and energy to that flow. That’s why we have IsoFlow with a gap to allow energy to get back into that slow-moving region, and why we have very fast aero shapes on the seat tube and the seatpost to make sure we’re not sucking energy out of that crucial region.”

According to Trek, Madone Gen 8 has less drag than the Émonda at all yaw angles, and less drag than the seventh-generation Madone at the low yaw angles most commonly encountered by riders.  

If you’re interested in more details, Trek has published a whole white paper on the Madone Gen 8’s aerodynamics.

New RSL bottles and cages designed to improve aero performance

The Madone SLR comes with its own RSL bottles and cages that are designed to improve the bike’s overall aero performance. The Madone SL doesn’t have these as original equipment, but they can be added later.

“We took the optimisation techniques that we used for the Full System Foil and applied it to the aero bottles and the down tube and seat tube shapes on either end to give your maximum gains on the Gen 8 Madone,” says John Davis.

The bottles fit flush with the carbon RSL Aero Cages, which can also take standard round bottles. The cages use a low-profile button-head bolt and are mounted via slots. These slots allow you to move the cages up and down to achieve the most aero position. Trek says that minimising the gaps between the frame and bottles maximises aerodynamic efficiency.

Although designed to work specifically with the tube shapes of the Madone Gen 8, the bottles/cages can be mounted to most bikes that take a standard round cage. “We tested the aero bottles on a lot of other bikes, and we saw gains on every single one,” says John Davis.

Madone SLR gets a lighter one-piece RSL Aero handlebar/stem

The top-level Madone SLR also gets a new one-piece RSL Aero bar/stem that has been designed with the Full System Foil aero shapes. Trek says it drops weight over the previous model while improving ergonomics.

“We’ve designed the new bar/stem to be lightweight and aero and also comfortable to ride,” says John Davis. “That usually requires a trade-off because an aero shape by itself is going to be deep and heavy and it’s not going to be as comfortable when your hands are on the tops, but we came up with a new shape.

“We took the aero shape and widened it, and that helps the structural efficiency, helps to make the shape lighter and more comfortable in your hands. That would usually hurt drag, but since it’s in front of the legs, it conditions the flow and actually reduces the drag of the full system, because we’re reducing the speed of the air hitting your legs.”

The bar/stem uses the same drop shape as with the seventh-generation Madone, with a hand position that’s 3cm narrower on the hoods than on the drops. The idea is that you get a wide, stable stance when you’re down in the drops, and an aero advantage when you’re on the hoods.

Trek has introduced a new high-end frame material

Trek has introduced a new grade of carbon fibre, which it calls 900 Series OCLV, for the top-level Madone SLR. OCLV stands for Optimum Compaction Low Void and it’s the name that Trek has given to various kinds of carbon for years, but 800 Series has been the highest grade until now.

Trek says that 900 OCLV is “up to 20% stronger” than its previous top-tier carbon, so it can use overall material and make its lightest-ever carbon laminate.

“The carbon-fibre material is more efficient at achieving our structural and weight needs,” says lead engineer Alex Loy. “Then [we can further improve the frame through] manufacturing processes, including using an inflatable mandrel to improve compaction in the carbon fibre and allow for a much cleaner interior to the tubes themselves, which means fewer wrinkles and less need for additional structural material.”

Trek claims a frame weight of 796g for the Madone SLR Gen 8 (size ML, no hardware), and 350g for the fork.

The Madone SL is made from existing 500 Series OCLV carbon fibre.

New IsoFlow design offers 80% more vertical compliance, says Trek

Ah, good ol’ vertical compliance. It wouldn’t be a proper bike launch without a mention. Trek says that its IsoFlow design is now lighter and more compliant than on the Gen 7 Madone and that the bike is 24% more compliant than the Émonda.

“The very first part of this project was to determine whether IsoFlow was going to carry on to this generation, so we spent three or four months iterating on different models and different concepts, pushing the boundaries of UCI legality on completely different top tube to seat tube to seatstay junctions,” says Alex Loy.

“Drop stays perform really well, but they wouldn’t provide the combination of ride quality and weight savings we were looking for. We looked at three parameters: weight, aerodynamic impact, and comfort. The combination of those can be tricky. We looked at larger IsoFlow holes, smaller IsoFlow holes, and different locations. We also looked at different lead-ins and exits for the surfacing around it. 

“As a result of what we were able to change from the previous version, we’re able to have 80% more vertical compliance at no cost to aerodynamics or weight. We reduced the size of the IsoFlow hole a little bit and changed the aerodynamic shaping that goes through the hole to optimise the airflow.”

Madones come fitted with 28mm tyres but you now fit up to 32mm (as measured) if you want to put more air between yourself and the road. The Madone SL 6 and upwards are tubeless-ready.

Madone Gen 8 shifts to ’Road Race’ geometry

Compare the Madone Gen 8’s geometry chart with the previous version and it looks like everything has changed, but it’s not as if Trek has radically altered its approach here.

First, the Madone’s geometry is now called Road Race rather than H1.5. Why? H1.5 originally came between Trek’s H1 and H2 geometries, and neither of these exists anymore. Plus, Trek feels that Road Race is a whole lot more descriptive.

Trek has also shifted from eight frame sizes down to six. Why? Although Trek doesn’t give it as a reason, we know that the company is driving down stock-keeping units (SKUs) to reduce costs. https://road.cc/content/tech-news/what-treks-rightsizing-plans-mean-bike... . Going to six sizes means tweaking things to cover a similar range. 

The 52cm and 54cm sizes have been combined into one medium size and the 62cm model has been replaced by an XL with a taller seat mast.

“When we were making the new Road Race geometry, we wanted to make sure we were fitting a realistic race population, so we took real data from our Precision Fit system https://trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/precision_fit_retail/ , and then our in-house data analyst expanded that dataset,” says mechanical design engineer Christie Sorenson. “The new geometry is within millimetres of our old one, and riders shouldn’t notice a difference.

The Madone now also comes with size-specific tube shapes designed to provide the right level of compliance and reduce the weight for smaller riders.

“We now have a second tube shape that we use for the lower half of our size range,” says Christie Sorenson. “With this range, we are getting lighter bikes at the smaller sizes because we're designing specifically for those smaller sizes.

“This time around we were able to bring two bikes to the wind tunnel and test both to make sure that we were getting the benefits, the speed and the quickness that we're seeing on the top end in the small sizes when we’re scaling down.

“The big sizes are still optimised – they’re still getting the best that we can produce in aerodynamic, stiffness weight. Now we’ve made sure of that across the whole size range.”

The small stuff

Trek says it has made a big effort towards standardising components across its family of road bikes, and that continues with the new Madone.

“This started with the T47 [threaded] bottom bracket system that’s used on all Trek road platforms, and with the Gen 8 Madone that’s extended with the inclusion of UDH (Universal Derailleur Hanger) and the new RCS Headset System,” says Jordan Roessingh.

RCS Headset System? It aims to standardise the parts needed across different platforms and models. 

Trek says, “Starting with Madone SLR/SL Gen 8, the new RCS Headset System simplifies and standardises the parts needed to cover cockpit setups across models and between platforms.”

“Trek road frames made for the RCS Headset System will use a consistent headset bearing cover and spacers depending on stem type [RCS Race is designed for use with the new RSL Aero bar/stem found on the Madone SLR Gen 8; RCS Pro is for use with the RCS Pro Blendr stem included on the Madone SL Gen 8; RCS Universal is for use with traditional round stems], so you’ll always know exactly what parts are needed to swap cockpits between models/platforms.”

Again, this will also help Trek reduce its SKUs.

How do the Madone SLR and the Madone SL differ?

The main difference between the two new Madone platforms is that the top-level SLR is made from Trek’s new 900 Series OCLV carbon fibre (see above) while the SL uses the existing 500 Series OCLV. This makes a difference to the weight, Trek quoting 796g for the Madone SLR’s frame (size ML, no hardware) and 350g for the fork, whereas the equivalent figures for the Madone SL are 1,054g and 363g respectively.

The Madone SLRs also come with Trek’s updated one-piece carbon-fibre handlebar/stem (see above) whereas the Madone SLs come with separate handlebars and stems. Trek says the Madone SL’s bars share a similar shape and flare to those of the Madone SLR cockpits, and all SLs use the same RCS integrated stem (which takes any 31.8mm diameter bar).

The SL is compatible with mechanical drivetrains whose front derailleurs have a housing stop whereas SLRs take electronic drivetrains exclusively because there’s no exit port for front derailleur housing on the down tube.

Trek argues that the Gen 8 Madone SL is a better-performing road bike than its seventh-generation SLR, offering a similar level of aerodynamics while being lighter.  Weights, builds and prices

Trek lists these weights for the Madone SLR:

Frame: 796g Fork: 350g

Trek lists these weights for the Madone SL:

Frame: 1,054g Fork: 363g

...and here are the various build options with prices:

Madone SLR 9 AXS (£12,500) Groupset: SRAM Red AXS (inc power meter) Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 Claimed weight: 7.00kg

Madone SLR 9 (£12,000) Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ac e Di2 Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 Claimed weight: 7.05kg

Madone SLR 7 AXS (£8,500) Groupset: SRAM Force AXS (inc power meter) Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 Claimed weight: 7.43kg

Madone SLR 7 (£8,000) Groupset: Shimano Ultegra Di2 Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 Claimed weight: 7.31kg

Madone SL 7 (£6,000) Groupset: Shimano Ultegra Di2 Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 Claimed weight: 7.88kg

Madone SL 6 AXS (£4,750) Groupset: SRAM Rival eTap AXS (inc power meter) Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35 Claimed weight: 8.43kg

Madone SL 6 (£4,250) Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2 Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35 Claimed weight: 8.16kg

Madone SL 5 (£3,250) Groupset: Shimano 105 mechanical Wheels: Bontrager Paradigm SL Claimed weight: 8.70kg

A Madone SLR frameset is £4,575 and a Madone SL frameset is £2,750.

The Madone SLR is also available through Trek’s Project One custom programme , where you can choose the finish and the build.

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Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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24 comments.

Back to the 20teenies then with a "one Madone to rule them all". Looks like a lovely bike, I fully approve, but if combining 52cm and 54cm frame means something in between, then that'll be too small for me. I've 2014 and 2021 54cm Madones just right for me and I'm average height (5'9"). Seems an odd choice of sizes to merge.

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wire bead tyres and heavy wheels on this one so as not to embarrass the more expensive bikes with a cheaper bike weighing less - "Madone SL 5 (£3,250) Groupset: Shimano 105 mechanical Wheels: Bontrager Paradigm SL Claimed weight: 8.70kg" 

Can't decide who's the mug - them for not realising sooner that one bike could be simultaneously as light and aero as their two specialist models, or us for believing them. Something about that Lidl team paint job pleases my inner child though.   

quiff wrote: Can't decide who's the mug - them for not realising sooner that one bike could be simultaneously as light and aero as their two specialist models, or us for believing them. Something about that Lidl team paint job pleases my inner child though.   

Part of me thinks it looks pretty cool, somewhat reminiscent of the Looks ridden by Lemond and Hinault in the '80s, but another part of me thinks why would I want to cycle around on a big advert for a supermarket chain having paid £12,000 for the privilege?

It's academic because I'm not going to buy one (even if the team livery is available to Joe Public) but I think I could tolerate it because it doesn't look like it actually says Lidl anywhere, just pleasing bold colours. However, if I ever win the lottery to be in a position to spend this on a bike, I'll be taking it for full custom paint from Fat Creations (drool emoji)   

Well isn't that what Specialized did with the tarmac? 1 bike to rule them all - bye bye Venge.   

then they released the Aethos!   

so what's all that about? 

£500 difference between the frame only and 105 model is bonkers!   And only 250g difference in frame weight between SL and SLR. So basically buy the 105 model dump the components and wheels and spend about £1000 on upgrades and you probably end up with an SLR killer that comes very close to its weight but for about £4k. 

that seat tube is making me twitchy about the time to warranty claim! 

All largely irrelevant for the majority of cyclists - unless you're a high level racer. The cycling industry/media in the UK are far too focussed on the performance/ racing sector.....

I'd say that the biggest bike company in the world launching a new top-end (and "cheaper" versions) bike is the sort of thing a publication aimed at cycling fans and recreational cyclists would be expected to cover. There's perhaps more racing stuff than usual, but the Tour's about to start and many readers are interested. Much as I'm sure it disappoints road.cc, the majority of cyclists don't read or view any cycling media.

I'm not interested in the travails of Halfords because I don't shop there, and there are lots of reviews of commuter-type things that I wouldn't buy. If I'm especially not-interested in a product or topic, I might even just not read about it on the understanding that not everything is tailored to my interests. 

Not sure I agree - the lower end models are well within the budget of an average road.cc reading and the aero benefits at low wattage of 200 was a nice touch.   

Lots of people would find the sales pitch attractive even if the aero gains are to be taken with a pinch of salt. 

Yes, definitely relevant to club riders and weekend warriors (me). My 2014 Madone gave me about an extra 1/2 mph average over 50-80 miles and more on short club pub rides (20ish mph). 2021 Madone about the same again and the IsoSpeed makes it properly comfy too.

Velophaart_95 wrote: All largely irrelevant for the majority of cyclists - unless you're a high level racer. The cycling industry/media in the UK are far too focussed on the performance/ racing sector.....

The top-end stuff works by association or reputation. Just like car and motorbike manufacturers spend many millions on racing a vehicle with their name on it, even though it bears no similarity to the ones on the forecourt, because they know it works. "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday".

Like Rendell, I really like the colourscheme from the moment I saw the photos from the Dauphine. And I agree it is reminiscent of the La Vie Claire team colours (also echoed in the Look 795 RS). But I think the IsoFlow thing looks a bit gimmicky.

It must be one of the ugliest at any rate.

77 seconds per hour faster????

It was good to see the figures quoted for a wattage figure, and even one that (some) people spending their own money on it might be able to do. The usual X watts saved over an hour at 45kph probably isn't very relevant to the target market. 

thought exactly the same - savings at 200w is somethign i can do regularly rather than 45km/h so if this is all aimed at marketing to amateurs - the pros have no choice - then i'm surprised more brands dont use this metric. 

I'm struggling with this - does this mean my life will be longer or shorter as a result of riding it?🤔🤪

Your life will be the same length, but you'll experience everyone else around you aging at a different rate due to your relative speed difference.

Road Race Geometry means whopping great head tube does it, that's mental for a race bike

I have a 'special edition' white paint job like that on my bike too. 

Oh wait........no!

Makes Giant's decision - to maintain both the tcr & Propel models - a bit puzzling

Get rid of the TCR? Sacrilege.

Cervelo stick firmly with the R5 & S5 and Visma-Leaseabike (TJV. Etc) seems to do pretty well.   

Scott still have an Addict and Foil

Cannondale still do a supersix and systemsix.   

there is no one way that is best. Mostly it's down to money. If you only make 1 frame of varying standards it's cheaper than 2-3 different bikes. They will give all these fantastic figures yet I've read a lot of reviews that question given stats like weight or real world aero benefits and it should be taken with a pinch of salt. 

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As light as the Emonda and fast as the Gen 7 Madone, this is the Emonda-killing Trek Madone Gen 8

The new Trek Madone replaces both Trek’s lightweight Emonda and its aero Madone Gen 7

Trek has officially launched its brand new version of the Madone. Which will be the 8th generation of the bike. Trek claims it’s as aero as the Gen 7 Madone but now as lightweight as the Emonda. The new Madone will replace both bikes, so Trek joins the growing number of bike brands to abandon separate aero and lightweight offerings.

Ever since the new bike was first spotted under the pros at the start of 2024, its skinnier looks compared to the Gen 7 Madone generated intense speculation about whether it was a new Madone or a replacement for the Emonda . 

Whilst the Gen 7 Madone was only launched two years ago, the lightweight Emonda is now four years old, so the bets were on for a new Emonda.

Actually, the new Gen 8 Madone replaces both the Gen 7 Madone and the Emonda in one lightweight aero package. Trek says that the new Madone sheds 320g from the Gen 7 Madone frameset, which in turn was already 300g lighter than its own Gen 6 predecessor. 

It claims a 796g weight for a painted size ML Madone SLR frame and 350g for the fork, without added hardware such as the new UDH rear derailleur hanger. That puts the claimed full bike weight of a top-spec Madone SLR 9 AXS bike at exactly 7kg.

The lightweight makeover means that the Gen 8 Madone is now as light as the Emonda. At the same time, Trek says that it’s aero optimised the frameset where that’s most important, but thinned out the tube profiles from the Gen 7 bike where the aero gains are less, to allow it to shed the weight.

We headed to Spain for the new Madone's launch and you can read our first ride review here. 

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The aero tube profiles have had an upgrade too. Trek says that its new Full System Foil shapes have gone beyond Kammtail, offering better aerodynamics over a wider range of yaw angles thanks to a more rounded trailing edge in place of the sharper, squared-off edges of a Kammtail profile.

Wind tunnel testing suggested that the old Gen 7 Madone was faster than the Emonda on gradients up to 3 per cent when weight took over from aero as the dominant factor. The new Gen 8 frame is said to be faster than the Emonda on climbs up to 12 per cent, the steepest gradient tested.

As aero as the Gen 7 Madone 

Trek says that the new bike is as fast as the Gen 7 Madone and 77 seconds faster per hour at 200 watts compared to the Emonda. The design optimises airflow for the bike-plus-rider while the ride position remains the same as on the Gen 7 bike.

Madone SLR models will also feature an updated Aero RSL integrated handlebar and stem. This bar features hoods that are 3cm narrower than the drops to help riders stay aero. It’s thicker in cross-section at the tops than the Gen 7 bike’s bars and more comfortable to hold, though it is still compatible with the old bike’s RCS headset design. 

The new design raises the top of the bar/stem by 4mm, but Trek offers an aftermarket RCS Race Low bearing top cover if you want to revert to the Gen 7’s 4mm lower bar top height. There’s also a new Blendr accessory mount that’s lighter and can more easily be removed.

There are also new, aero-profiled 595ml water bottles and cages, although you can also fit round bottles into the cages. 

Trek says that the RSL Aero bottles and cages save 3.7 watts at 45kph over standard round bottles and make the bike faster than riding without bottles. They can also be bought aftermarket if your bike needs an aero upgrade .

It’s a similar approach to that used by Cannondale on the latest SuperSix Evo , with that brand claiming that its bottles improve the SuperSix Evo’s aerodynamics.

Lower weight, more comfort 

The top tier SLR-grade Madone is constructed using Trek’s latest 900 OCLV carbon, which it claims is up to 20 per cent stronger than the 800 OCLV carbon used in the Gen 7 Madone. A new moulding process and single-piece fabrication of the fork also allow Trek to save additional weight.

When Trek launched the Gen 7 Madone, a lot of the weight saving on that model came from the replacement of the Gen 6 bike ’s adjustable IsoSpeed seatpost with a lighter non-adjustable IsoFlow system. 

Trek said at the time that it made the Gen 7 seat mast as stiff as the Gen 6 bike on its stiffest setting.

With the new Gen 8 Madone, it’s increased the vertical compliance though, which it says is now up to 80 per cent greater than on the Gen 7 bike and 24 per cent greater than the Emonda. The new design is also lighter than the Gen 7 Isoflow.

Trek has amended its tube shapes across the size range so that the frame stiffness is more similar between sizes. A by-product is that XS and S size frames are now lighter, while it says that the frame’s aesthetics are now more proportionate across the size range.

The new Madone can fit 32mm tyres, the same as the Gen 7 model.

New sizing 

With the new Gen 8 Madone Trek has rationalised the size range, with the new bike now offered in six sizes from XS to XL, as against the Gen 7’s eight sizes. Despite offering fewer sizes, Trek says that there’s less overlap between frame sizes , so that the Gen 8 Madone can actually fit a wider spread of rider heights.

The new size M replaces the old sizes 52 and 54, while the new size XL replaces the 62, but includes a taller seat mast. As with the Gen 7 bike, the seatpost wedge can be reversed to increase the range of saddle height adjustment.

The geometry across the range is similar to the Gen 7 Madone, although the frame stack is slightly higher. 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 prices 

Trek will sell the new Madone in two frame grades, SL and SLR. Both are offered at launch in four specs, with SRAM and Shimano options, as well as a frameset-only option.

The top-spec SLR bikes use the latest 900 Series OCLV carbon, the one-piece bar/stem and RSL Aero bottles and cages and are electronic groupset only. You can choose your own colours in Trek's Project One configurator as well as off-the-shelf colours.

The SL bikes are made using 500 Series OCLV carbon and have a separate bar and stem. They’re not available for Project One customisation and are only pre-built. You don’t get bottles or cages, but the frame is compatible with mechanical groupsets.

US prices for the Gen 8 Trek Madone range from $3,499.99 for the SL 5 up to $13,499.99 for the Madone SLR 9 AXS. That’s a $200 price hike from the top-spec Gen 7 bike, although that’s probably due to to the new Sram Red AXS groupset.

In the UK, that translates to an entry-level price of £3,250 with the top spec priced at £12,500. That's actually a £2,050 reduction from the UK list price of the Gen 7 Madone SLR 9 AXS bike  – maybe brands are getting the message on pro-level Tour de France bike prices .

The Euro price spread is €3,499 to €13,999 and in Australia, prices range from AU$4,499.99 to AU$19,999.99 for the SLR 9 AXS.

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Paul has been on two wheels since he was in his teens and he's spent much of the time since writing about bikes and the associated tech. He's a road cyclist at heart but his adventurous curiosity means Paul has been riding gravel since well before it was cool, adapting his cyclo-cross bike to ride all-day off-road epics and putting road kit to the ultimate test along the way. Paul has contributed to Cyclingnews' tech coverage for a few years, helping to maintain the freshness of our buying guides and deals content, as well as writing a number of our voucher code pages. 

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What is different about the Madone Gen 8 compared to the Madone Gen 7?

There are several all-new features on the Madone Gen 8: – 900 Series OCLV carbon on SLR – Full System Foil lightweight aero tube shapes – Improved IsoFlow comfort tech is now lighter and more compliant – RSL Aero Bottle and Cage system (included with SLR, available aftermarket for SL) – RSL Aero bar/stem is lighter and more ergonomic (included with SLR) – UDH (universal derailleur hanger) – Premium Switch Pro chamfered thru-axles – RCS Headset System – 32 mm (width as measured) max tyre clearance

Where can I find details like max chain ring/rotor size, routing instructions, where to mount my lights, swapping cockpits, etc?

Please see the Madone Gen 8 service manual.

Does the Madone Gen 8 replace the Émonda?

The Madone Gen 8 is the direct replacement for both the aero-orientated Madone Gen 7 rider and weight-orientated Émonda rider. It is the evolution of both the new Émonda and the new Madone, with the benefits of both bikes now in one.

How much does the frame set weigh?

Size ML Madone SLR Gen 8 in Matte Gloss/Carbon Smoke (no hardware): – Frame: 796 g – Fork: 350 g

Why are there six sizes instead of eight?

After looking carefully at our sizing and geometry charts, we realised that the stack and reach measurements in our current line-up could be simplified into six frame sizes without a major impact to overall fit. Sizes 52 cm and 54 cm have been combined into one size (M) and size 62 cm has been replaced with a new XL frame. The XL frame features a taller seat mast, which allows a rider who is coming from a 62 cm Madone Gen 7 to achieve the same max saddle height on the new XL. This new sizing system still accommodates the same range of riders as when we had eight sizes, but now it’s easier to pick the right bike size the since there’s less overlap.

Has the geometry changed?

We now call the Madone geometry “Road Race” since this is more meaningful than “H1.5”, but Road Race geo brings a very similar fast and aggressive rider position compared to the previous H1.5 geometry.

Is IsoFlow adjustable?

No, IsoFlow is tuned to balance aerodynamics, weight and comfort across all frame sizes.

Is there internal storage?

Is the seat post adjustable.

Yes. Like the Gen 7 Madone, the seat post wedge assembly is reversible to allow for a larger range of saddle height adjustment. Maximum and minimum seat height per frame size are shown in the Geometry tab on the bike’s Trekbikes.com product page.

What size seat post will de delivered with each bike?

Sizes XS, S and M will be delivered with the short 0 mm offset seat post. Sizes ML, L and XL will be delivered with the long 0 mm offset seat post.

What’s new about the RSL Aero bar/stem?

The bar/stem drops weight while improving ergonomics thanks to new blunted aero shaping. It maintains the same reach, drop and flare measurements as the Madone Gen 7 bar/stem. It also uses an updated Blendr mount. Note that this new blunted shaping has made the top of bar/stem 4 mm higher than before.

I don’t want to be 4 mm higher, what can I do?

We’ve designed a special RCS Race Low bearing top cover to account for the 4 mm increase in bar/stem height. The RCS Race Low bearing top cover is only available as an aftermarket part and will not come stock on the bikes. Please see the service manual for part number and installation instructions.

What’s new with the Aeolus RSL bar/stem Blendr mount?

A new, non-adjustable Blendr base/mount combo cuts grams and – on complete bikes – includes pucks for mounting either a Garmin or Wahoo computer. Also included is an all-new, easily removable front light mount. Need to ditch your front light for race day? Quickly and easily unscrew the light mount for maximum aero; no more swapping between mono and duo bases. Find more details in the service manual.

Is the new RSL Aero bar/stem compatible with mechanical shifting?

Is the new rsl aero bar/stem compatible with clip-on aero extensions, tell me about those aero bottles and cages.

Included with the Madone SLR Gen 8, the all-new Trek RSL Aero Bottles hold 595 ml each, are BPA-free, dishwasher-safe and work seamlessly with the Madone Gen 8’s Full System Foil shaping to keep you fast (and hydrated) in the wind. The bottles fit perfectly flush into the included carbon RSL Aero Cages, which also work with a standard round bottle. The cages require a low-profile button-head bolt and are mounted via slots that allow you to move the cages up and down to achieve the most aero bottle position possible on any frame size. They will be available to purchase aftermarket for Madone SL Gen 8 riders.

How do I install the RSL Aero Water Bottle and Cage to maximise aerodynamic effect?

For the Madone Gen 8, install the seat tube cage first with the bottom of the cage as close to the bottom bracket as possible. Then, install the downtube cage with the bottom of the cage 1 cm away from the seat tube cage. Minimising the gaps between the frame and bottles will help you maximise aerodynamic efficiency. For other bikes, follow the same process as Madone Gen 8.

Are the RSL Aero bottles/cages compatible with other bikes?

While they were designed to work specifically with the tube shapes of the new Madone Gen 8, they can be mounted to most bikes that could use a standard round cage.

What colour RSL Aero bottles/cages will I get if I order a Madone SLR through Project One?

On all Project One tiers except ICON, cages will be painted to match the frame colour. ICON bikes get black cages (there isn’t enough surface area on the RSL Aero cages to apply ICON schemes). All bottles offered through Project One are black.

What’s the RCS Headset System? What stems are compatible with this bike?

Starting with the Madone SLR/SL Gen 8, the new RCS Headset System simplifies and standardises the parts needed to cover cockpit set-ups across models and between platforms: – RCS Race: For use with the new RSL Aero bar/stem (included with Madone SLR Gen 8) – RCS Pro: For use with the current RCS Pro Blendr stem (included with Madone SL Gen 8) – RCS Universal: For use with traditional round stems Trek road frames made for the RCS Headset System will use a consistent headset bearing cover and spacers depending on stem type (outlined above), so you’ll always know exactly what parts are needed to swap cockpits between models/platforms that feature the RCS Headset System. The Madone is just the beginning, look for RCS Headset System compatibility on future Trek road bikes, too. See the service manual for more details and part numbers.

Is it compatible with mechanical drivetrains?

The Madone SL Gen 8 is compatible with mechanical drivetrains whose front derailleurs have a housing stop. The Madone SLR Gen 8 is only compatible with electronic drivetrains because there is no exit port for the front derailleur housing on the downtube.

I want to run a 1x drivetrain, is the front derailleur mount removable?

Yes! Just like the Gen 7, you can easily remove your front derailleur mount for maximum aero gains and a sleeker aesthetic. See details in the service manual.

Are these bikes tubeless-compatible? What additional parts are required?

The Madone SL 6 and up come tubeless-ready with 28 mm tyres. Just add sealant (included) and air.

Will the Madone SLR Gen 8 be available in Project One?

Yes. However, the Madone SL Gen 8 will not be available in Project One.

Do I need a special repair stand?

We recommend using a repair stand that doesn’t clamp the frame/seat post, like the Feedback Sprint.

What is UDH (universal derailleur hanger)?

The Universal Derailleur Hanger consolidates thousands of hanger options across the industry. It protects your derailleur against chain jams by pivoting back and out of the way and slips slightly when encountering impacts. It improves shifting performance, guarantees better alignment and works with all drivetrains. Plus, if you ever need replacement, it will be available everywhere.

Anything else I should know?

The Madone SLR/SL Gen 8 accepts a 180 mm or 160 mm front rotor. The rear can be either 160 mm or 140 mm.

Have a question you don’t see the answer to?

Check the Madone Gen 8 service manual. Still searching? Contact customer care!