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2021 Trek Emonda SL Pro 6 road bike review: for the climb lovers

The first review from our 2021 road bike field test. we review and compare the mid-priced version of trek's newly overhauled emonda race bike..

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When it was first released, the Emonda was a climber’s dream that Trek claimed as the world’s lightest production offering. Dealer events would have the ultra-premium 4.6 kg (10.25 lb) SLR 10 hanging from large helium balloons, and the American company made a big deal of it providing a benchmark stiffness-to-weight ratio. 

In many ways the Emonda back-filled the void left by the once round-tubed and low-weight Madone that was then becoming more aero. And as the Madone further trended to becoming Trek’s full aero racer (with an obvious element of comfort, too), the Emonda kept to its round tubes and stiff hill-attacking personality.  

That changed for 2021 with Trek overhauling the Emonda in a similar way to how almost every other brand has overhauled its lightweight race machine. The Emonda, now disc-only, gained a little weight by moving to slippery truncated airfoil tubes and a wholly new approach to cable routing in an effort to make it sleeker all-around. Additionally it should run quieter with a new threaded bottom bracket format, too. 

All of those techy details (and more) were covered in James Huang’s review of the top-tier Emonda SLR . And while James went pretty deep with that review, he left a few unanswered questions in relation to the more affordable 2021 Emonda SL. And so it’s exactly this more-affordable, second-tier version – specifically the Shimano Ultegra-equipped Emonda SL 6 Pro – that we took to our Field Test in Victoria’s High Country .

Emonda SLR vs Emonda SL

Story highlights.

What: A second-tier version of Trek’s all-round lightweight race bike. ||Key updates: Aero frame design, a more performance-oriented geometry, sleek semi-concealed cable routing, T47 threaded bottom bracket||Weight: 8.01 kg for the Emonda SL 6 Pro as tested (54 cm, without pedals), claimed frame weight is 1,142 g (56 cm).  ||Price: US$3,800 / AU$5,500 / £3,350 / €3,880-4,000||Highs: Obviously a race bike with geometry to match, agile handling, high-end looks, more tyre clearance than claimed, threaded bottom bracket, Shimano Ultegra is hard to fault, great saddle. ||Lows: Stiff ride quality, weight penalty in frame versus premium option, heavy carbon wheels, bend of handlebar is too tight.

There’s no denying that the Emonda SL (starting from US$2,700 / AU$4,000 / £2,275 / €2,580-2,600) is substantially cheaper than the pro-level SLR (starting from US$6,700 / AU$9,300 / £5,450 / €6,200), but what are you giving up in the process? Simply, it’s a matter of weight. 

An unpainted 56 cm Emonda SLR frame has a claimed weight of 698 g, while the matching fork adds 365 g. By comparison, the Emonda SL frame sits at 1,142 g, with the fork at 380 g. This 450-gram difference is simply attributed to the carbon composite layup used (in Trek marketing speak, that’s OCLV 800 vs OCLV 500), and simply less material is needed when the more expensive fibres and resins are stiffer and stronger.

That 1,142 g figure for the Emonda SL isn’t terribly heavy, but it is noticeably plumper than many other second-tier racing frames on the market. For example, the new Giant TCR Advanced frame offers a claimed weight of just 850 g, while Canyon’s comparable Ultimate CF SL frame has a figure of 980 g. And the Emonda SL’s higher frame weight is of course reflected in the complete bike weight, too, with our 54 cm SL 6 Pro tester tipping the scales at 8.01 kg (without pedals). 

Beyond the weight, the Emonda SL and SLR framesets are remarkably similar. They share the same moulds, and therefore the geometry and aero tube profiles are identical. Trek claims the stiffness profiles, and therefore ride quality is effectively equal. The way the cables are funnelled through the front of the head tube is the same, the new threaded T47 bottom bracket is mirrored, and likewise for the use of Trek’s reverser topper seatpost design. And heck, even the paint of our SL 6 Pro was an almost exact match to the SLR 9 that James tested. 

Beyond the frame there are some more apparent differences. The SLR models feature a wonderfully light Bontrager one-piece carbon handlebar and stem, while the SL models use a more traditional bar and stem setup. And it’s a similar story for the other components which are lighter (and more expensive) on the SLR models. 

A race-ready geo and ride

The Emonda of old had two geometry options. There was the low and aggressive “H1” pro fit (offered in the SLR level only), and then the more mainstream “H2” with its more accessible and upright stack figure. For 2021 Trek combined those two fits into one with “H1.5” being used across all Emonda models. 

That means the new Emonda SL is more aggressive than the last, and relatively speaking the reach figures are on the long side and the stack figures are fairly low. For example, our 54 cm tester offers reach and stack figures of 386 mm and 541 mm respectively, right in the realm of where many race-focused machines sit.

The handling is equally as sporty, with a traditional 73º head angle and 45 mm fork offset combining for a 58 mm trail figure with the control 28 mm Continental GP500 tyres fitted (25 mm Bontrager tyres are fitted as stock). And the wheelbase is kept fairly tight, too. 

Trek balances that longer reach by fitting a shorter-than-usual stem (90 mm on the 54 cm), and as a result the bike fits a little more upright than the figures may suggest. At the same time, that shorter stem produces a bike that handles even quicker and with less input than other race bikes with comparable trail figures. 

And it’s this quick-feeling attitude that will reward a rider with good handling skills. The Emonda can dive into turns and jump back out of them with little input. And it does that without an inkling of instability at speed. 

Further rewarding a good handler is the stiff frame that pounces when called on and lets you feel what the tyres are doing through your hands and bum. No doubt, this was the firmest-riding bike we had at our small Field Test, and despite the wider 28 mm tyres, I could still feel the cracks and inconsistencies in the road surface. Thankfully that stiffness manages to find the right side of the line between a bike that speaks to you and one that skips about. 

Both Andy van Bergen and I agreed the Emonda was the most impressive under power when directly compared to the Giant TCR Advanced Pro and Canyon Ultimate CF SL , and similarly it beats the Specialized Tarmac SL6s that we both have sitting at our respective homes. I’d most liken the ride to BMC’s recently updated and stiffened Teammachine SLR01 . 

That stiffness is great for riders who like out-of-the-saddle attacks and to feel their energy reach the rear wheel, but it’s less ideal for those seeking a smooth and compliant machine. And while many other brands utilise flexible seatposts to achieve more comfort through the saddle, Trek’s own reverse topper seatpost design just rides stiffer than the company claims and there are no options to change it for something more flexible – a somewhat surprising element given the company has gone to great lengths with its IsoSpeed technology to produce seated flex in its aero race and endurance platforms. 

Instead your best bet to add comfort to the Emonda is through the tyres. Trek officially states the Emonda can fit up to a 28 mm tyre, however that figure is extremely conservative. I trialled some 32 mm GP5000s (measured 32 mm width) in the frame without any sign of issue. 

Compared to the previous version, living with the new Emonda frameset has some wins and losses. The new internal cable routing sees the brake hoses and shift cables enter through a funnel at the proprietary headset top cap, and then squeeze between the squared-off fork steerer and top headset bearing. It looks wonderfully clean, but as James previously covered, it does introduce some servicing difficulty, and that’s especially true for this model that uses mechanical shift cables.

Perhaps offsetting that servicing pain is the new T47 threaded bottom bracket , something that’s more universally compatible with oversized crankset spindles and surely simpler to service than Trek’s previous BB90 design that saw bearings pressed directly into the carbon frame. And while that new bottom bracket (made by Praxis) does require a unique tool, servicing it is vastly more accessible than with the former press-fit design.        

I won’t get into the nitty-gritty of the aerodynamic design – we’ve done that – but I will say that the lines of this bike are quite stunning. The aero head tube is just so distinct, the wide and concave top tube offers a wonderfully interesting curvature, and similar can be said for where the long and flowing seat stays connect.  

The paint is also well done and makes this look far more expensive than it is. And as an added bonus there’s a second choice of colours, too (dark grey with chrome lettering). Although, perhaps Trek could have been a little more subtle with its logo, rather than turning the down tube into a rolling billboard. 

Carbon wheels aren’t always light

The tested Emonda SL 6 Pro sits smack bang in the middle of the Emonda’s range and features a full Shimano Ultegra R8020 mechanical groupset matched with a smorgasbord of Bontrager components (Trek’s own component and accessory brand).  

Below the SL 6 Pro (US$3,800 / AU$5,500 / £3,350) is the SL 6 (US$3,300 / AU$n/a / £2,900). The two bikes are effectively the same with the exception of the rolling stock. The cheaper SL 6 features Bontrager’s aluminium Paradigm Disc wheelset shod with the company’s R2 Hard-Case Lite tyres in a 28 mm size, whereas the tested Pro version moves to the carbon-rimmed Aeolus Elite 35 Disc wheels wrapped in a 25 mm version of the same tyre model. 

Adding US$500 to the bike’s price, those carbon rims offer a relatively shallow 35 mm aero-profiled rim that handles remarkably well without any sign of the flutter often present with deeper wheels in crosswinds. They offer a fairly modern profile, with an inner width of 19.2 mm and an outer width at 27.7 mm. However, the material is somewhat misleading and these wheels aren’t as light as you may expect. I weighed my sample set at 1,740 g for the pair (770 g front, 970 g rear).

That weight doesn’t sound like much, but it impacted how the bike felt when attacking steep slopes, with Andy remarking that it made the bike feel sluggish to respond. Carbon isn’t always an upgrade. 

Another area that left Andy and I underwhelmed was the Bontrager Elite VR-C handlebar. We just didn’t get along with the ultra compact shape of the drops which left me complaining of wrist clearance issues, while Andy found that he was unable to make comfortable use of the drops due to his hand sitting proud within the tight radius. We both agreed that the handlebar would be the first thing we’d change.

Thankfully that’s the extent of our issues, and the rest of the build kit is hard to fault. Bontrager’s basic alloy stem works with its Blendr series of computer and light attachments (some of which are supplied), while the new Bontrager Aeolus Comp saddle features a modern short-nose design with a generous centre channel. And all the smaller details, including the proprietary headset top cap and seat post topper, add to a premium look and feel. 

And finally there’s the Shimano Ultegra groupset. One thing James wasn’t able to test in his review of the SLR 9 was how the internal cable routing impacted mechanical shifting quality. I can confirm that it doesn’t. The shifts were just as snappy and consistent on this bike as they were on other bikes, and they should remain that way for a fair while with full-length housing used from shifter to derailleur. And that full-length housing should ease future repairs, although it does add to the bike’s total weight. 

Champagne tastes on a (craft) beer budget

Despite the lower price, Trek has done a solid job of bringing the Emonda SLR’s attributes to the SL. It offers the same handling, stiffness and aesthetic of its pro-level sibling, and that makes for an impressively enjoyable bike to ride.

However where the more expensive Emonda jumps with joy at every thought of an attack, the extra mass of the SL sees it hesistate somewhat. That difference may not be reflected on the clock, but it sure can be felt and it’s a constant reminder of the price tag attached to this ride. 

The new Emonda SL will be a good fit for the rider wanting a well-rounded race bike that handles and behaves like a WorldTour machine. However it’s best to avoid this one if you’re seeking an opulent ride quality or the lightest bike for the given sticker price. 

trekbikes.com

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the hill, but fortune and favor can prove fleeting\"}}\u0027>\n opinion: tadej poga\u010dar might be king of the hill, but fortune and favor can prove fleeting\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"bike check: italian team brings campagnolo to the giro d\u2019italia","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/bike-check-italian-team-brings-campagnolo-to-the-giro-ditalia\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/bike-check-italian-team-brings-campagnolo-to-the-giro-ditalia\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"bike check: italian team brings campagnolo to the giro d\u2019italia\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/bike-check-italian-team-brings-campagnolo-to-the-giro-ditalia\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": 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\"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"wout is back van aert returns in norway, without guarantee of tour de france\"}}\u0027>\n wout is back van aert returns in norway, without guarantee of tour de france\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"10 years gone: nairo quintana turns back clock with giro d\u2019italia raid","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/nairo-quintana-turns-back-the-clock-ten-years-after-giro-ditalia-gc-victory\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/nairo-quintana-turns-back-the-clock-ten-years-after-giro-ditalia-gc-victory\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"10 years gone: nairo quintana turns back clock with giro d\u2019italia raid\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/nairo-quintana-turns-back-the-clock-ten-years-after-giro-ditalia-gc-victory\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"10 years gone: nairo quintana turns back clock with giro d\u2019italia raid\"}}\u0027>\n 10 years gone: nairo quintana turns back clock with giro d\u2019italia raid\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"the 5 most fun gravel races","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-culture\/the-5-most-fun-gravel-races\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-culture\/the-5-most-fun-gravel-races\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the 5 most fun gravel races\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-culture\/the-5-most-fun-gravel-races\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the 5 most fun gravel races\"}}\u0027>\n the 5 most fun gravel races\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"review: the new sram red axs groupset pulls out all the stops","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/first-ride-review-sram-red-axs\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/first-ride-review-sram-red-axs\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"review: the new sram red axs groupset pulls out all the stops\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/first-ride-review-sram-red-axs\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"review: the new sram red axs groupset pulls out all the stops\"}}\u0027>\n review: the new sram red axs groupset pulls out all the stops\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"the giro d\u2019italia queen stage: will the mortirolo crack poga\u010dar, or will poga\u010dar crush the gc","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/the-giro-ditalia-queen-stage-will-the-mortirolo-crack-pogacar-or-will-pogacar-crush-the-gc\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/the-giro-ditalia-queen-stage-will-the-mortirolo-crack-pogacar-or-will-pogacar-crush-the-gc\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the giro d\u2019italia queen stage: will the mortirolo crack poga\u010dar, or will poga\u010dar crush the gc\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/the-giro-ditalia-queen-stage-will-the-mortirolo-crack-pogacar-or-will-pogacar-crush-the-gc\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the giro d\u2019italia queen stage: will the mortirolo crack poga\u010dar, or will poga\u010dar crush the gc\"}}\u0027>\n the giro d\u2019italia queen stage: will the mortirolo crack poga\u010dar, or will poga\u010dar crush the gc\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"here are the elite start lists for unbound gravel 2024","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/2024-elite-start-list-unbound-gravel\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/2024-elite-start-list-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"here are the elite start lists for unbound gravel 2024\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/2024-elite-start-list-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"here are the elite start lists for unbound gravel 2024\"}}\u0027>\n here are the elite start lists for unbound gravel 2024\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"wheels continue to come off visma-lease a bike: cian uijtdebroeks exits giro d\u0027italia","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/wheels-continue-to-come-off-visma-lease-a-bike-cian-uijtdebroeks-exits-giro-ditalia\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/wheels-continue-to-come-off-visma-lease-a-bike-cian-uijtdebroeks-exits-giro-ditalia\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"wheels continue to come off visma-lease a bike: cian uijtdebroeks exits giro d\u0027italia\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/wheels-continue-to-come-off-visma-lease-a-bike-cian-uijtdebroeks-exits-giro-ditalia\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"wheels continue to come off visma-lease a bike: cian uijtdebroeks exits giro d\u0027italia\"}}\u0027>\n wheels continue to come off visma-lease a bike: cian uijtdebroeks exits giro d\u0027italia\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"giro d\u2019italia stage 14: filippo ganna extracts time trial revenge over tadej poga\u010dar","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/giro-ditalia-stage-14-filippo-ganna-takes-time-trial-revenge-over-tadej-pogacar\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/giro-ditalia-stage-14-filippo-ganna-takes-time-trial-revenge-over-tadej-pogacar\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"giro d\u2019italia stage 14: filippo ganna extracts time trial revenge over tadej poga\u010dar\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/giro-ditalia-stage-14-filippo-ganna-takes-time-trial-revenge-over-tadej-pogacar\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"giro d\u2019italia stage 14: filippo ganna extracts time trial revenge over tadej poga\u010dar\"}}\u0027>\n giro d\u2019italia stage 14: filippo ganna extracts time trial revenge over tadej poga\u010dar\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u2018we had this stage in mind since december\u2019: a masterclass in winning from tadej poga\u010dar","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/a-masterpiece-in-the-planning-as-tadej-pogacar-reigns-supreme-we-had-this-stage-in-mind-since-december\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/a-masterpiece-in-the-planning-as-tadej-pogacar-reigns-supreme-we-had-this-stage-in-mind-since-december\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018we had this stage in mind since december\u2019: a masterclass in winning from tadej poga\u010dar\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/a-masterpiece-in-the-planning-as-tadej-pogacar-reigns-supreme-we-had-this-stage-in-mind-since-december\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018we had this stage in mind since december\u2019: a masterclass in winning from tadej poga\u010dar\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018we had this stage in mind since december\u2019: a masterclass in winning from tadej poga\u010dar\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "}]' > >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>advertise >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>privacy policy >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>contact >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>careers >", "name": 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First up, the comfort.

I picked up on the fact that the SL6 Pro has quite a firm ride – a little bit old school, dare I say. By that I mean that a lot of carbon fibre frames have become much more comfortable over the years as designers and manufacturers have learnt about carbon fibre grades, tube profiles and, more importantly, the layup of the composite material.

The Cube Attain GTC SL I tested recently highlighted this in the way that it really managed to reduce road buzz while retaining plenty of feedback through the frame and fork.

This isn't a criticism of the Trek at all, it just wasn't quite what I was expecting. I like it; I'm a big believer in ultimate performance over comfort when it comes to race bikes, and that is exactly what the Émonda delivers.

Stiffness throughout the fork and the lower half of the frame is very impressive, and means the Trek is responsive to your inputs. The wide bottom bracket shell allows for a large down tube and chunky chainstays to reduce flex when you are really nailing it, while the front end backs this up via the tapered head tube and firm fork legs. Sprinting and climbing are all taken in the Émonda's stride.

As you'd expect from a race bike, the riding position can be set up to be pretty aggressive – with a relatively short 151mm head tube length on this 56cm model I could achieve a low handlebar-to-saddle drop to aid the aerodynamics, especially when in the drops.

The rest of the geometry follows the same theme with a 73.5-degree head angle and a relatively short wheelbase for a disc-equipped frame (the chainstays are often a fair bit longer than those on rim-braked frames because of the extra axle width at the rear dropouts) at just 983mm.

Trek has achieved a good balance here with the Émonda I reckon.

The shorter wheelbase makes it nippy, which allows for snappy direction changes at high speed, yet it's managed to tame the handling just enough that the Émonda never becomes a handful unless you do something really stupid.

In my First Ride piece I mentioned that I hadn't managed to point the Trek at my favourite test hill, one that is fast and twisty with off-camber bends and chicanes. It really tests every part of a bike's handling in a blur.

Well, I have now, about five or six times, and the Émonda really impressed. It has the quickness in the steering and the overall agility to be pushed very hard into the corners.

After a night of heavy rain, gravel had been washed out into the lane slightly out of sight as I went into a fast left-hander at about 45mph; I dabbed the brakes a little, but seeing the grit and stones spanning the entire road there was no real way out of it. Letting the bike hit the gravel and predicting where the slide was probably going to end was the only option, and it was a sketchy couple of seconds.

As the front tyre regained grip on the asphalt there was a second where the still-sliding rear wanted to get in front, but the Trek's well-balanced handling allowed me to quickly regain control and blast to the bottom of the hill.

In less extreme circumstances the Émonda is an absolute hoot to ride downhill, with just slight adjustments to body position and the handlebar allowing you to flow from corner to corner.

On longer rides the Trek is just as well mannered; it is a very easy bike to ride quickly even when fatigue can kick in or when you are on unfamiliar roads.

The stiffness I mentioned earlier doesn't come through as a negative on higher mileage jaunts, especially if you get on with the saddle and have a decent pair of shorts on. The three- to four-hour rides I used the Trek on were a lot of fun. Unleash the power for the fun bits and then when you are on the flat, straight slogs you can just hunker down and keep the pedals turning over.

The only thing I needed to do was to shift the saddle 5mm closer to the bar than I would normally have it, because of the width of the top tube as it flows into the seatstays either side of the seat tube. I have quite large thighs and I could feel them rubbing on the frame every pedal revolution when I first started riding the Trek.

Frame and fork

The Émonda has always been the lightweight bike of Trek's road range, leaving outright speed to the Madone, but for this latest model Trek has incorporated more aerodynamic profiles in the Émonda's design.

Unlike most aero bikes, though, the Émonda's frame doesn't focus on being fast in a straight line or at high speed, it is a climbing bike after all. Instead the engineers have focused on 'unsteady aerodynamics', which fit in with the much lower speeds found when ascending.

Most of the attention has been placed on the front end, including the head tube and down tube. The top-end SLR models use the Bontrager XXX aero handlebar/stem combo which further increases the benefits, but that isn't available on the SL options.

The SLR models also use a new OCLV 800 grade carbon fibre while the SLs use the 500 series, which increases the weight a bit, although a claimed frame weight of 1,142g and 380g for the fork is far from shabby.

If wind cheating is your main goal then it's worth noting that the Émonda is optimised for 25mm tyres, as that is the most common size used for racing, but if you want something a bit wider 28mm will fit while still allowing 6mm of space around the tyre.

As you'd expect on an aero-based bike, the Émonda has full internal cable routing but this is taken to an extra level compared with most frames, with the cables and hoses leaving the handlebar and entering the frame through the spacers rather than the head tube or down tube. This gives much cleaner lines at the front.

You won't find a standard seatpost either. The Émonda's seat tube continues up past the top tube by a fair old way and then an external seat mast is placed over the top; you tighten the hex bolt to clamp it into place at the right saddle height.

The Émonda range is now completely disc brake-equipped which to my mind is a bit of a shame as I am a big fan of rim brakes, and it would certainly bring the weight down for a bike aimed at climbing.

Many manufacturers are seeing sales of disc models outstripping rim options by a large margin, though, so it is kind of inevitable. There is also the cost – the Émonda is available in seven sizes so that'd be 14 different moulds required if Trek offered both brake options.

The Émonda comes with flat mounts, as you'd expect, and 12mm thru-axles front and rear.

I mentioned the wide bottom bracket shell earlier and this is normally only achievable by using a press-fit BB, where the bearing cups are pressed into the frame. If tolerances aren't adhered to, creaking can occur, especially after water or grit gets between the mating faces, which is why we've seen many brands return to external threaded options.

Trek has gone for what is possibly the best of both worlds with the T47 system. First introduced by Chris King and Oregon's Argonaut Cycles , they thread into the bottom bracket shell which allows it to be wider, increasing stiffness without affecting the width between the pedals (Q-factor).

If you want a more in-depth look at what changes and design tweaks were made to achieve this new Émonda frameset then it'd be worth checking out Mat's full breakdown here .

Wheels and tyres

Trek says that the SL 6 Pro comes with all the lightweight components you need as standard, so there is no need to upgrade. You could save a few grams here and there, but overall it is a pretty complete package.

This model is the first carbon bike in the line-up that comes with a set of carbon fibre wheels. The 35mm Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35s are 35mm deep and are tubeless ready.

It's a good set of wheels for a whole range of riding styles: shallow enough to work on the climbs and just about deep enough to give you a small aerodynamic gain without being affected by crosswinds. Comparing the price of the near-identical SL 6 suggests you are getting them for just £450 too.

Reliability isn't an issue as they took on everything that was put in their way over the test period, and should anything happen and they get damaged Trek will replace or repair them for free in the first two years of ownership.

Wrapped around the wheels are a pair of Bontrager R2 Hard-Case Lite tyres. They are all right in terms of rolling resistance, grip and durability, but their 60tpi casing does give them a bit of a 'wooden' feel. You aren't getting a whole lot of suppleness which would really benefit the frameset, so I'd definitely upgrade when they wear out.

I've been using the R3 Hard Case Lites recently and they are a much better tyre, so something like that would be a good upgrade if you want to keep the Bonty/Trek theme going.

Drivetrain and brakes

On the SL 6 Pro, Trek is giving you a full Shimano Ultegra hydraulic/mechanical groupset and it suits the bike very well. You are getting near-Dura-Ace performance but at a much reduced price.

Trek has specced a 52/36-tooth semi-compact chainset and an 11-30 cassette, which is a great choice of gear ratios for a bike of this style. There are plenty of top end gears for speed work while the 30-tooth sprocket will give you an extra bailout gear over the more usual 28T found on the majority of race bikes.

The gear shifts from Ultegra are top notch. You get quite a light feel at the levers, but one that also gives a very nicely defined click so you can be sure that the shift has taken place.

When it comes to the braking, Trek has chosen to fit 160mm rotors front and back, which give more than enough power for a bike of this type.

Shimano's hydraulic systems are very powerful but also easily modulated thanks to loads of feel through the levers, allowing you to stop quickly without the fear of locking up the front tyre, even in the wet.

Finishing kit

All of the finishing kit is supplied by Bontrager, Trek's in-house parts department, and it's all decent quality stuff.

The handlebar is the Bontrager Elite VR-C which is an aluminium alloy model with a short reach and a shallow drop, making it ideal for a whole host of different riders' proportions. Helping that is the fact that different size frames get a different width bar, ranging from 38cm up to 44cm.

It's the same for the Bontrager Pro stem: the smallest 47cm bike gets a 70mm unit, with the 62cm extending that out to 110mm. The stem on each frame size seems to come up a bit shorter than most bikes of this type, but it seems to work.

I got on fine with the Aeolus Comp saddle. Its shape is well suited to riding hard and fast, and I like the firm padding which gives you a good platform to push against when you are really hammering it. (There's a separate review of it here .) 

This SL 6 Pro model has an rrp of £3,350, which isn't a bad deal for what you are getting here with the aero carbon frame, fork and deep-section wheels.

> Buyer’s Guide: 21 of the best 2020 aero road bikes

The similarly themed Scott Addict RC 30 is £3,199 and also come comes with an Ultegra groupset, but it is begging for an upgrade to the wheelset. It is light, though, at just 7.88kg.

If it's aero that you want then there is the Orro Venturi . The closest model in price is £3,299.99; you only get alloy wheels, but you are getting Ultegra Di2 for the gear shifting.

Overall, the Émonda is a very good bike. The aero tweaks have turned it into a very fast and efficient bike that still manages to deliver on the weight front and this SL 6 Pro model is so well specced there's no need to update anything when it comes to the components, just the tyres when they wear out.

A quality frameset that works both on the flat and the climbs, and well specced for the money

road.cc test report

Make and model: Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro 2021

Size tested: 56cm

About the bike

List the components used to build up the bike.

Trek lists:

Front wheel Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35, OCLV Carbon, Tubeless Ready, 35 mm rim depth, 100x12 mm thru axle

Rear wheel Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35, OCLV Carbon, Tubeless Ready, 35 mm rim depth, Shimano 11-speed freehub, 142x12 mm thru axle

Tyre Bontrager R2 Hard-Case Lite, aramid bead, 60 tpi, 700x25 c

Max tyre size 28c

*Shifter Size: 47, 50, 52

Shimano Ultegra R8025, short-reach lever, 11-speed

Size: 54, 56, 58, 60, 62

Shimano Ultegra R8020, 11-speed

Front derailleur Shimano Ultegra R8000, braze-on

Rear derailleur Shimano Ultegra R8000, short cage, 30T max cog

*Crank Size: 47

Shimano Ultegra R8000, 52/36, 165 mm length

Size: 50, 52

Shimano Ultegra R8000, 52/36, 170 mm length

Size: 54, 56, 58

Shimano Ultegra R8000, 52/36, 172.5 mm length

Size: 60, 62

Shimano Ultegra R8000, 52/36, 175 mm length

Bottom bracket Praxis, T47 threaded, internal bearing

Cassette Shimano Ultegra R8000, 11-30, 11-speed

Chain Shimano Ultegra HG701, 11-speed

Max. chainring size 1x: 50T; 2x: 53/39T

Saddle Bontrager Aeolus Comp, steel rails, 145 mm width

*Seatpost Size: 47, 50, 52, 54

Bontrager carbon seat mast cap, 20 mm offset, short length

Size: 56, 58, 60, 62

Bontrager carbon seat mast cap, 20 mm offset, tall length

*Handlebar Size: 47, 50

Bontrager Elite VR-C, alloy, 31.8 mm, 100 mm reach, 124 mm drop, 38 cm width

Bontrager Elite VR-C, alloy, 31.8 mm, 100 mm reach, 124 mm drop, 40 cm width

Bontrager Elite VR-C, alloy, 31.8 mm, 100 mm reach, 124 mm drop, 42 cm width

Bontrager Elite VR-C, alloy, 31.8 mm, 100 mm reach, 124 mm drop, 44 cm width

Handlebar tape Bontrager Supertack Perf tape

*Stem Size: 47

Bontrager Pro, 31.8 mm, Blendr-compatible, 7-degree, 70 mm length

Bontrager Pro, 31.8 mm, Blendr-compatible, 7-degree, 80 mm length

Size: 52, 54

Bontrager Pro, 31.8 mm, Blendr-compatible, 7-degree, 90 mm length

Bontrager Pro, 31.8 mm, Blendr-compatible, 7-degree, 100 mm length

Size: 58, 60, 62

Bontrager Pro, 31.8 mm, Blendr-compatible, 7-degree, 110 mm length

Brake Shimano Ultegra hydraulic disc

Brake rotor Shimano RT800, 160 mm, CenterLock

Tell us what the bike is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about the bike?

Trek says, "Émonda SL 6 Disc Pro is the first carbon road bike in the line-up that gives you lightweight carbon wheels to match your lightweight frame. Aero tube shaping, disc brakes and a high-performance drive train make it a great option for roadies who value great handling and lots of speed."

Where does this model sit in the range? Tell us briefly about the cheaper options and the more expensive options

There are five models in the range starting with the SL 5 which comes with a Shimano 105 groupset for £2,725, finishing off with the SL 7 with SRAM eTap at £5,250.

A frameset is also available for £2,200.

Tell us about the build quality and finish of the frame and fork?

A well made and finished frame and fork.

Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork?

Frame – Ultralight 500 Series OCLV Carbon, Ride Tuned performance tube optimisation, tapered head tube, internal routing, DuoTrap S-compatible, flat-mount disc, 142x12 mm thru axle

Fork – Emonda SL full carbon, tapered carbon steerer, internal brake routing, flat-mount disc, 12x100 mm thru axle

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

The geometry is race orientated with a steepish head angle and a short head tube length.

How was the bike in terms of height and reach? How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size?

The stack and reach figures are pretty typical for this size and kind of bike. This 56cm comes with a stack of 563mm and a reach of 391mm.

Riding the bike

Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.

Overall it's fine, although it does have a firmer ride than a lot of new carbon fibre frames.

Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too flexible?

Stiffness is very impressive, especially around the bottom bracket area.

How did the bike transfer power? Did it feel efficient?

Efficiency is very impressive, it is a proper point and shoot bike.

Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? If so was it a problem?

How would you describe the steering? Was it lively neutral or unresponsive? Responsive.

Tell us some more about the handling. How did the bike feel overall? Did it do particular things well or badly?

The handling is very well balanced, making the Trek easy to ride whether you are just cruising along or pushing it hard through the bends.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's comfort? would you recommend any changes?

I liked the saddle, it was firm yet comfortable for all sorts of rides.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's stiffness? would you recommend any changes?

The Bontrager wheels offer loads of stiffness even when riding hard, out of the saddle.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's efficiency? would you recommend any changes?

I'd change the tyres for something a little more supple which would help you achieve higher speeds in the bends.

The drivetrain

Tell us some more about the drivetrain. Anything you particularly did or didn't like? Any components which didn't work well together?

The Shimano Ultegra groupset can't really be faulted. Gears and brakes offer great performance and reliability.

Tell us some more about the wheels.Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the wheels? If so what for?

It's good to see a quality set of carbon wheels on a bike as standard at this price. They performed well in all sorts of conditions and seem to be durable.

Tell us some more about the tyres. Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the tyres? If so what for?

The Bontrager R2s aren't bad, but the SL 6 Pro deserves something faster and grippier.

Tell us some more about the controls. Any particularly good or bad components? How would the controls work for larger or smaller riders?

Decent quality in-house kit that suits the bike well.

Your summary

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes

Would you consider buying the bike? Yes

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Yes

How does the price compare to that of similar bikes in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

For a semi-aero bike the Émonda is pretty well priced, like against the Scott and Orro mentioned in the review.

Use this box to explain your overall score

The Émonda's new aero frameset means that not only is it a good climber, it also works well on the flat sections too. The overall quality is very good and you are getting a well chosen spec. The firm ride might not be ideal for those who focus more on comfort, though.

Overall rating: 8 /10

About the tester

Age: 41   Height: 180cm   Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike   My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years   I ride: Every day   I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

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As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

Add new comment

Quote: The Émonda has always been the lightweight bike of Trek's road range

8.23kg isn't 'lightweight'... that's porky. 1.4kg over the UCI minimum!

• Log in or register to post comments

Not a big fan of the way the cables and hoses run at the front of the bar in order to fit under the stem like that, I'm surprised they haven't gone for a system where they run intrnally then under a stem cover etc

Quite a lot of money for an 8.2 kilo bike. 

"Comparing the price of the near-identical SL 6 suggests you are getting them for just £450 too."

The side by side comparison of the SL6 and the pro makes them identical bar the wheels. Which listed on the trek website retail at a price difference of £250, not £450. So either the stock wheels on the SL6 are over priced on their own (then maybe the bike is too) or the only reason to buy the pro is if the Aeolus are the wheel upgrade you want over everything else on the market.

I'm still more inclined to the RC30.

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• Rider Notes

2017 Trek Émonda SL 6

A carbon frame race bike with high-end components and rim brakes.

Manufacturer Price

Émonda SLR 6 H2 - 2017, 54cm

In Stock: MD

For This Bike

View more similar bikes →

Based on frame geometry and build specs.

A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

Émonda SL 6

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When Trek first introduced the Émonda back in 2014, it was sort of a surprising addition. Seeming to compete directly with the Madone, the biggest difference was that Trek’s new lightweight lacked the aerodynamic touches of its sibling. Now with the most modern iteration of the Madone, we know that Trek was already working on creating …

Last updated 21 July Not listed for 2,492 days

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.

The New Trek Émonda Is Faster Than Ever

Already one of the fiercest climbing bikes available, the new Émonda is even faster thanks to a dose of aero.

The Takeaway: The Émonda SLR is a benchmark pro race bike—and it’s surprisingly rider friendly.

• It has 183 grams less drag than the previous generation, but the frame is only 33 grams heavier
• There are 10 models starting at $2,699
• SL models ($2,699 to $5,999) have the aerodynamic shaping and features but in a frame that’s about 400 grams heavier than the SLR
• SLR models ($6,699 and up) use a new carbon fiber composite that’s 30 percent stronger than Trek’s previous top-of-the-line carbon.

For Émonda SLR bicycles, Trek will provide an individual handlebar and stem until an updated handlebar/stem combo is available.

Additionally, all customers who bring in their handlebars for replacement will also receive a $100 in-store credit that can be used toward any Trek or Bontrager merchandise through December 31, 2022.

Remember professional road racing ? It’s that thing where super skinny people go unbelievably fast up and down hills and fly over flat roads for hours at a time. It’s been a while since the pros have beat up on each other for our entertainment, but there might, hopefully, be some races on the horizon. When the races do resume, Trek’s pro riders will be aboard its new third-generation Émonda climbing bike. The new Émonda isn’t lighter, but it is faster thanks to a dose of aerodynamic tuning.

.css-1hhr1pq{text-align:center;font-size:1.1875rem;line-height:1.6;font-family:Charter,Charter-roboto,Charter-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;}.css-1hhr1pq em{font-style:italic;font-family:Charter,Charter-styleitalic-roboto,Charter-styleitalic-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;}.css-1hhr1pq strong{font-family:Charter,Charter-weightbold-roboto,Charter-weightbold-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;font-weight:bold;} —Five Cool Details—

Now With Aero

The new Émonda gets a major drag reduction with a tiny weight gain.

Simple Seat Mast

The seat mast has lots of adjustment range, and an easy-to-use saddle clamp.

Light and Slippery

The new Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 wheels are light, sleek, and stable.

Wide and Threaded

The T47 bottom bracket has a wide stance, and user-friendly threads.

A built-in chain watcher prevents unwanted derailments.

Making the new Émonda frame more aerodynamic wasn’t exactly a tough hurdle as the previous Émonda had virtually zero aerodynamic optimization. But adding meaningful aerodynamic benefit while achieving the frame stiffness expected of a pro-caliber race bike, maintaining the well-regarded handling properties of the previous Émonda, and adding rider-friendly features like a threaded bottom bracket—all with adding only 33 grams (SLR frame, claimed)—is quite a feat.

Below you’ll find my review of the Émonda SLR—I’ve been on it since early March—followed by a dive into the technology and features of the new bike, and a brief model breakdown.

Ride Impressions: Émonda SLR 9 eTap

The Émonda SLR is a tool made to fulfill the needs of some of the world’s best road racers. This bike will never be as comfortable or versatile as a gravel bike. Going fast on pavement and climbing performance are its only goals. These are obvious facts, but that’s the lens through which it must be viewed. And through this lens, it is one of the very best.

The new Émonda was born out of a request from Trek’s pro racers and pitched as the company’s “fastest climbing bike ever.” So little surprise they set me up with the lightest model (the SLR 9 with SRAM Red eTap ), which also has a build kit almost identical to the team’s bikes. It’s also, excepting customized Project One builds, the most expensive model at a buck under 12 grand.

That massive pile of clams gets you an aerodynamic frame with disc brakes, power meter, and wireless electronic shifting that weighs less than 15 pounds (54cm). And that’s with a hefty T47 threaded bottom bracket unit, lustrous paint , clincher wheelset, a chain-watcher, standard butyl tubes, 37mm deep rims, 160mm disc rotors front and rear, and SRAM’s largest Red cassette (10-33). That’s “Holy shit!” impressive.

By cutting drag a ton without adding much weight, it’s hard to argue with Trek’s claim that the new Émonda is faster than the outgoing generation. But if you have any doubts, they’ll be erased when you ride it. This is an explosive bike: it feels as light as a feather and as solid as a steel girder at the same time.

Trek’s Émonda has always been a raw and rowdy bike that feels a little wild and a bit dangerous in precisely the ways you want a race bike to feel: That’s not lost with the added aerodynamics. If anything, the new Émonda is even crisper and punchier than before, which is saying something.

A small downside to all this fury is the Émonda’s smoothness. Light and stiff race bikes aren’t a smooth-riding lot to begin with, but even measured against a stiffer riding genre, the new Émonda is on the firmer end of the scale. Still, it escapes harsh or punishing labels—I did a six-hour ride on the Émonda on the stock 25 tires and didn’t feel worn down by its ride. Swapping to 28s helped a lot (no surprise) and were on the Émonda for the bulk of my testing. I’d suggest reserving the lighter and more aerodynamic stock 25s for racing or PR attempts—assuming good roads—and use 28s as daily drivers.

The Émonda’s handling is excellent. Well, let me caveat that: Road racing geometry is pretty uniform, so whether I’m on a current race bike from Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, Cervélo, Canyon, Colnago, Wilier, Pinarello, BMC, Giant (etc., etc.), I find the broad strokes of their handling feel and performance quite similar. There wasn’t anything about the Émonda’s handling or cornering performance that set any new benchmarks for me, but there wasn’t anything to dislike either.

It was quick and accurate, diving into corners with a light touch. It offered great feedback, so I always knew where I was relative to its and my limits, and I could count on it to be consistent and predictable. It was maybe a touch less settled in bumpy corners than the Specialized Tarmac, but the Émonda never broke traction or skipped. Overall, for such a light bike, the Émonda is remarkably solid and drama free. I’d have no qualms barreling down a technical alpine descent on the Émonda.

I received this test bike in early March, giving me plenty of time to ride it back to back with its primary competition—a Specialized S-Works Tarmac , what I consider the benchmark for aero-ized lightweight bikes. The Tarmac is smoother over the bumps and has a silkier feel overall, but the new Émonda feels more efficient, like it can go faster more easily.

I’ve also ridden a good slice of the Émonda’s competition, including the Canyon Ultimate CF SLX , Colnago V3Rs, Cannondale SuperSix Evo , Cervélo R5, Wilier Zero SLR , Pinarello Dogma F12 . These are all superb bikes, but I feel the Émonda is the class leader. It feels sharper and more explosive than all of them. It feels faster, and that’s what matters most in a race bike. But I also like that the Émonda is pretty straightforward and rider-friendly.

For example, I swapped the stock one-piece bar/stem for a standard stem and round bar. One, I could run a standard bar and stem on this bike, which you can’t say about every modern race bike. And two, I didn’t have to pull any cables, wires, or hoses to make the swap: Again, something you can’t say about all race bikes. For the record, the shape of the one-piece Aeolus bar/stem is great, and the tops are the most comfortable to grab of all the aero-topped bars I've used. The only reason I swapped is my preferred length and width combination (110x40) wasn't available yet.

The BB is threaded, which makes it easier to service and replace than a press-fit (however, I was getting some noise out of the BB area, which I never resolved). The wheels employ standard offset, and it uses regular thru-axles. It’s compatible with pod-style power meters and mechanical shifting. Its signature seat mast is pretty much the only non-standard thing about this frame, and even then, it’s pretty user-friendly. There’s no cutting necessary, height adjustment is ample, the saddle clamp is easy to use, and it’s travel-case friendly.

I expect so much from a modern high-end pro-level road racing bike that it’s hard to exceed those expectations. It’s rare when a bike does: The Émonda SLR is one of those rare bikes.

Team Request

The new Émonda is partially a result of a request from the Trek-Segafredo race team. “They are one of our primary customers,” said Jordan Roessingh, Trek’s director of road product. “And they started to realize that it’s not just weight, it’s not just stiffness and responsiveness, there’s this other thing—aerodynamics and speed—that’s also really important to be competitive and be faster on the bike. They had been one of the loudest voices saying, ‘We need the lightest-weight, stiffest bike possible.’ And now they started coming back saying ‘We need those things, but we also need the bike to be faster in order for us to be really competitive.’ ”

It is (comparatively) easy to make a light frame, it is easy to make a stiff frame, it is easy to make an aerodynamic frame. Making a frame that’s two of those three things is more challenging: Making a bike more aerodynamic usually makes it heavier, making a bike lighter typically makes it less stiff, etc. Making a frame that is light AND stiff AND aerodynamic enough to satisfy the demands of a top-level professional race team is extremely difficult.

But not impossible. Many brands already make a light, stiff, and aero bike. The Specialized Tarmac is one, as are the Canyon Ultimate, the Cannondale SuperSix Evo, the Cervélo R5, the Wilier Zero SLR, the Pinarello F12, the Scott Addict, and the new Giant TCR . All of them seek to balance the three qualities—light, stiff, and aero—in the pursuit of the ideal race bike, and they all manage the balance differently. The common thread between these bikes: They’re all used by teams that compete against Trek-Segafredo.

Still Light, Now With Aero

The previous generation Émonda SLR Disc , launched in 2017, was an extremely light frame at 665 grams (claimed). But when a frame is already that light, it is much harder to make it even lighter. At least lighter enough to make a meaningful difference.

So, Trek took a different approach to making its climbing bike faster—instead of lighter, it made it more aerodynamic. The new Émonda frame is a touch heavier—yet still extremely light at 698 grams—but the bike has 183 grams less drag than the previous generation.

The important thing to note here is that, though the frame is more aerodynamic, the 183 gram drag reduction is not from the frame only. New wheels and a new aero bar (more info on both below) play a role. The specific setups Trek used to get that 183 gram number are: 2018 Émonda with 28mm-deep Bontrager XXX 2 wheels, and Bontrager XXX Bar/Stem Combo compared to the 2021 Émonda with 37mm deep Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 Wheels and Bontrager Aeolus RSL Bar/Stem Combo.

Another drag saving upgrade: the housing, hoses and wires for the controls are almost fully inside the frame. They dive into the frame at the head tube passing through the upper headset bearing. The front brake hose runs into the fork steerer and down the left leg before popping out just above the brake caliper. The fork steerer’s flattened sides provide room for the rear brake hose and derailleur control lines to travel down and into the frame. Though it has flattened sides, the fork steerer is still compatible with standard 1 1/8” stems.

The overall drag reduction results in a bike that is 18 seconds per hour faster when climbing an 8.1 percent grade (the average grade of Alpe d’Huez ), and 60 seconds per hour faster on flat roads than the previous Émonda. Trek also claims the new Émonda is 13 seconds per hour faster than a Specialized Tarmac when climbing an 8.1 percent grade (all assuming the rider maintains a constant 350 watts).

Eight Point One Percent

With three qualities—aero, stiffness, weight—that work in opposition to each other, how do you decide how much to optimize one quality when you know it will negatively affect the other two? How aero is aero enough? At what point is improved aerodynamics offset by the weight added to get there?

The team behind the Émonda used a legendary climb to help them decide: Alpe d’Huez. “It represents an extreme example of what most people see on a regular basis when they’re doing a big climbing ride,” said Roessingh, “It’s around an 8 percent grade, and it’s about an hour-long climb for the pros—amateurs might go a little slower. It gives us a good understanding of what the benefit of a drag savings is relative to a weight savings.”

By optimizing the weight and aerodynamic balance around this climb, Roessingh claims the Émonda is faster on Alpe d’Huez and also faster on everything shallower than the famous climb, “which is the vast majority of the environments that most riders are going to ride in, including the team,” said Roessingh. “So if we can say it’s faster up Alpe d’Huez, it’s going to be significantly faster everywhere because the flatter it is, the more aerodynamics benefit you.”

Computer-Aided Optimization

Achieving the weight to the aerodynamic balance of the new Émonda required careful design of each tube shape. Aiding the Émonda’s team was supercomputing horsepower. The abridged and simplified version of the process goes like this: into the computer was fed a rough draft of the shape based on Trek’s aerodynamic experience and other information like UCI regulations. The program then varies the tube’s parameters within a predefined range and spit back several iterations of the shape, each with a different weight to aerodynamic balance. The Émonda’s team evaluated the alternatives and picked the one most suited to its location in the frame and best able to help the frame achieve its overarching goal.

Roessingh says that Trek cannot afford to buy the computing hardware necessary to run the CFD and FEA optimizations (in a timely manner) that helped shape the new Émonda’s tubes. The processing happens in the cloud where Trek rents time on Google, Microsoft, or Amazon’s supercomputers. It’s more affordable than buying a supercomputer. Even so, it is not cheap, “Cloud computing is becoming a relatively significant budget line item for us because we’re doing so many of these optimizations in CFD and FEA and all that processing happens in the cloud.”

The new Émonda’s fork legs, head tube, down tube, seat tube, and seat stays all use a variation of a truncated airfoil. The top tube and chainstays, which have virtually no effect on drag, are optimized almost entirely for stiffness to weight.

In Trek’s line, the new Émonda’s aerodynamic performance is equal to the third generation Domane ; the Madone is still significantly more aero. But while the more aerodynamic Madone is faster in flatter terrain, once the climb hits about 5.5 percent, the lighter Émonda becomes the faster bike. And for many of the Trek-Segafredo team riders—and many amateurs—that means the Émonda is fastest when it matters most: the hardest part of a race or ride, which is almost always on a steep climb.

OCLV 800 Carbon

Getting the new Émonda SLR to be as light as it is while adding aerodynamic shaping would not be possible without employing a new carbon-fiber composite, said Roessingh. The new OCLV 800 composite is 30 percent stronger than Trek’s previous top-of-the-line composite (OCLV 700). Because it is stronger, they can use less: By using OCLV 800, Trek’s team was able to make the Émonda SLR frame 60 grams lighter than if they used OCLV 700.

The Émonda SLR is very cool, but it’s also very expensive (bike prices start at $6,699). For the 99 percenters, there’s the Émonda SL (models start at $2,699).

The SL uses OCLV 500 composite, and the frame is quite a bit heavier than the SLR’s. The SL’s frame comes in at 1,142 grams, with a 380-gram fork (SLR fork weight: 365 grams).

But material (and weight) are the only difference between the SL and SLR.

Aeolus Bar Stem

While a ton of work made the Émonda’s frame tubes faster, a big chunk of the new bike’s drag savings comes from the one-piece Aeolus bar stem. It alone is responsible for 70 grams of the Émonda’s 183-gram drag reduction. This means that if a traditional stem and round bar are installed on the new Émonda, its drag advantage over the previous-generation bike drops to 113 grams. And it means that you can make any bike with a round bar and traditional stem significantly more aerodynamic by merely installing the Aeolus. Retail price is $650.

The integrated Aeolus is made of carbon-fiber composite, of course, with a claimed weight of 297 grams (42x120). It’s offered in 14 length and width combinations, from 44x120 to 38x80. Hoses, housing, and wires run externally for easier service and repairs, but in a groove that keeps them out of the wind. A bolt-on plate keeps the control lines tucked and organized where they turn off the bar tops to run in line with the stem.

The Aeolus employs a mount that works with Bontrager’s line of Blendr accessories for mounting computers and lights.

Aeolus 37 Wheels

Another new Bontrager product rolling out with the Émonda is the Aeolus 37 wheelset. It comes in two models: the Aeolus RSL 37 (1,325 grams/pair, $2,400) and the Aeolus Pro 37 (1,505 grams/pair, $1,300).

The RSL 37 is claimed to be lighter than Zipp’s 32mm-deep 202, yet more aerodynamic and more stable than Zipp’s 45mm-deep 303. Both wheels are disc brake only (only Center Lock interface), tubeless compatible, use DT-Swiss internals, have no rider weight limit, and come with a lifetime warranty.

Surprisingly Rider Friendly

Though the new Émonda is clean and integrated looking and uses high-performance standards, it is also remarkably rider-friendly. Cables, hoses, and housing run externally on the one-piece Aeolus bar/stem for easier repair and service (with one exception: wiring for a Shimano Di2 or Campagnolo EPS bar-end junction box runs partially inside the bar). If you prefer a more traditional cockpit, it can be run with a standard bar and stem with 1⅛-inch steerer clamp.

The bottom bracket uses the threaded T47 standard , which is compatible with almost all common crank-axle standards.

Front and rear thru-axles are standard 12x100 and 12x142mm, and the wheels employ a standard dish. The standard flat mounts for the brake calipers are compatible with 140, 160, or 180mm rotors.

Tire clearance is officially 28mm, but that’s with a ton of extra space. I fit 32mm tires in the Émonda with ease.

And though all models do use a seat mast, it’s a no-cut variety with lots of adjustment range.

H1.5 Geometry

Trek did offer its top-of-the-line race bikes in the aggressive H1 geometry for riders seeking an ultra-long and low geometry, or H2 which was an endurance fit. The new Émonda is offered only in H1.5, which splits the difference between H1 and H2. The result is pretty typical dimensions for a modern race bike—a 54cm Émonda H1’s geometry is remarkably similar to a 54cm Specialized Tarmac.

There are eight sizes starting at 47cm and topping out at 62cm.

There are 10 models of the new Émonda. SL models start at $2,699 and are priced up to $5,999. SLR models start at $6,699 and go up to $11,999.

Only SLR models come with the Aeolus integrated bar/stem stock; and only the Émonda SL 7 ($5,499) and up come with the Aeolus 37 wheelset.

The new Émonda is a disc brake-only platform.

Project One

The new Émonda is in Trek’s Project One paint and parts personalization program. If that’s not luxe enough for you, Trek’s Project One Ultimate program allows you to work with a designer to come up with a one-of-a-kind finish, and Trek will source any parts you want for your new bike.

Trek Émonda SLR 9 eTap

A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling , Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race. 

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Trek Émonda 2018 range: lightweight all-rounders now disc equipped

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The Trek Emonda is the featherweight, all rounder in the brand's stable and the recently released 2018 models are the lightest yet.

The carbon bikes within the Trek Emonda range come in two standards: the SL and SLR – the latter being the lighter of the two. Both frame standards now come with the option of disc brakes.

>>> Trek bikes: which model is right for you?

The range also contains lightweight aluminium bikes in the Emonda ALR collection, though the only 2018 version currently available is the Shimano Ultegra equipped Trek Emonda ALR6.

2018 Trek Emonda: lightest ever and disc brake equipped

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

The newest Trek Emonda SLR frame comes in at 650g, in a size 56cm, with the disc version tipping the scales at 665g. The slightly heavier SL versions are still hardly hefty, at 1091g and 1146g with disc brakes.

>>> Trek Emonda SL6 review

For 2018, Trek also increased the tyre clearance of the Emonda SL and SLR models to 28mm – going as far as to say that this addition, along with disc brakes, made the bikes fully capable of gravel and adventure riding duties. This is quite a claim on a bike that’s been tried and tested for pro racing by Trek Segafredo riders.

To cater for racers after adequate power transfer, developers of the lightweight frame have ensured that it continues to remain stiff.

Indeed, the newest 2018 model is said to be stiffer than previous versions across the frame, head tube, bottom bracket thanks to the use of the OCLV carbon layup which has been tested extensively by pro riders.

Trek Emonda Reviews

• Trek Emonda SL5
• Trek Emonda ALR 6
• Trek Emonda SL6 2018

Alberto Contador's Trek Emonda SLR

Special features of the Trek Emonda SL and SLR

The disc models use a flat mount system. The non-disc brake models come with Trek’s own rim brakes: Bontrager Speed Pro Brakes.

They say these direct mount, tuneable rim brakes are lighter than other options. At 95g thanks to their hollow arms and titanium components, this is hard to argue with.

In terms of computer technology, Trek has centralised it all into its cockpit. Accordingly to the company, "Blendr Integration" seamlessly mounts Bontrager's cycling computer, Ion bike lights or even Garmin computers directly to the handlebars.

All of the bikes in the Emonda range also boast a ‘ride tuned seatmast’ which is created to be light whilst promoting comfort, dampening out rough roads.

The SLR models are lighter than the SL bikes, and use 700 Series OCLV carbon as opposed to 500 Series OCLV. They also feature ‘Control Freak Cable Management’ which allows for shifter and brake cables to be housed through the frame and they’re available with a Project One custom pain job.

Whilst the Emonda is race tested, most built bikes come in the H2 fit, which is the slightly more relaxed geometry when compared to more aggressive H1. However, SLR frames are available with H1 fit if you choose the 'Race Shop Limited' version.

Trek Émonda SLR weights and technical specs:

• Émonda SLR frame = 640g
• Émonda SLR disc frame = 665g
• Émonda SLR fork = 313g
• Émonda SLR disc for = 350g
• 28c tyre clearance
• H1 and H2 fit possible
• Specs from Emonda SLR6 with Shimano Ultegra at £4,400 to Emonda SLR9 in Shimano Dura Ace Di2 for £8,500

Trek Émonda SL weights and technical specs:

• 500 series OCLV carbon
• Trek SL frame = 1019g
• Trek SL disc frame = 1149g
• Trek SL fork =313g
• Trek SL disc fork = 350g
• Émonda SL 5 (women's model) fork = 436g
• Women's model available as Émonda SL 5
• Specs from Emonda SL4 with Shimano Tiagra at £1,500 to Emonda SL7 with Shimano Dura Ace Di2 at for £4,400

TrekÉmonda ALR:

• 300 Series Alpha aluminium
• Specced with Shimano Ultegra on the ALR6 for £2,000

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Giro d'Italia stage 17 Live - Uncertainty as riders protest at dangerous Umbrail Pass

Best carbon road bikes: Our pick of the best racing and endurance road bikes

Carbon road bikes combine meticulous weight saving, geometry tweaking and aerodynamic sculpting to rule the road

Best carbon fibre race bikes

Best carbon fibre endurance bikes, carbon road bikes explained.

Carbon fibre is a bit of a wonder material because it can be moulded into just about any shape, and tuned to be stiff in one plane and flexible in another. With these properties, it's heavily used throughout the bike industry and we see it in everything from frames down to brake levers. There are advocates of bikes made from steel, titanium and aluminium, but the best road bikes are most commonly made from carbon fibre. For evidence, look no further than the bikes ridden in the WorldTour .

Best road bikes Best aero road bikes Best lightweight bikes Best aluminium road bikes Best road e-bikes

There is no shortage of remarkable bikes made from aluminium, steel and titanium, but with its stiffness, strength and malleability, carbon fibre reigns supreme in road bike technology. Once a reserve for top tier racing bikes, advances in carbon production and technology has resulted in carbon being utilised across every cycling discipline from the best lightweight bikes to full suspension mountain bikes and surpassing the performance possible with metal tubes. 

Scroll down for a pick of our favourite carbon road bikes that are available today and an overview of what to look for when choosing a carbon road bike .

Specialized Tarmac Disc Expert

Specifications, reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

We're up to the SL6 version of the Specialized Tarmac, and the current frameset has lost a bit of weight and the tubing profiles are a bit boxier. The chainstays have been dropped drastically, and the back of the seat tube and seat post are now flat, a well-tested way to introduce compliance to the rear end.

Introduced a few iterations ago, the new Tarmac is based around what Specialized calls Rider-First Engineering, each frame size is built with a specific geometry, layup and tube shapes, meaning gone are the days of the ultra-stiff XS and noodly XL frames. Also gone are the gender-specific geometries, the only difference between the men's and women's versions are the touchpoints and cranks.

Specialized tell us the frame is more aero too, claiming the new Tarmac is 45-seconds faster over 45km compared to 'other lightweight bikes in the same category'. Only available with disc brakes for 2020, this has allowed the brand to balloon the max tire clearance to 30mm. The Expert spec comes with a Shimano Ultegra mechanical groupset, Roval C38 carbon wheels finished in with S-Works Turbo 120TPI rubber and one of our favourite paint jobs of the bunch.

Raced by: Bora-Hansgrohe , Deceuninck-QuickStep , Boels Dolmans

Trek Emonda SL 6 Disc

The Emonda is Trek's lightweight carbon road frame, and the top-end SLR version is one of the lightest framesets you can buy. While the SL version doesn't get the 600-series carbon and ultralight paint of the SLR trim, it's no slouch on the scale. Only available in the brands H2 more relaxed fit, the Disc version of the frame is made using the brand's second-tier OCLV 500 carbon.

At the back, the Emonda uses a seat mast and cap, which adds some vertical compliance, however, it does limit your minimum and maximum saddle height. Tipping the scales at around 8.6kg, depending on the size, it's not the lightest bike on the market but considering the price, it is well specced.

• Richie Porte's Trek Emonda – Gallery
• Sandy Floren's Trek Emonda gravel-lite race bike - Gallery

The latest version of the Emonda SL is noticeably stiffer and leads to a lively road feel, the stable BB creates a tight pedalling feel. Trek still hasn't applied its ISO-speed technology to the Emonda, and with the additional stiffness in the frame, some feedback from the road makes it through to your body, especially through the handlebars.

The Emonda SL is also specced with a Shimano Ultegra groupset and Bontrager Paradigm Disc tubeless-ready wheels; we feel it demonstrates decent value for money.

Raced by: Trek-Segafredo , Trek-Segafredo Women

Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod Disc

Launched just ahead of the 2019 Tour de France , Cannondale 's latest SuperSix Evo comes complete with a first for the frame – a sloping top tube. But it's not just the death of the flat top tube, Cannondale has swapped to Kammtail tube shapes for a claimed 30 watt saving (at 48kph) over its predecessor and the brand says the new SuperSix is between nine and 40 watts faster than a range of its competitors. The frame also gets a flat-backed seat post and seat tube, and the dropped chainstays which are becoming increasingly common among carbon race bikes.

Capable of taking 30mm tyres (28mm rim brake), the new frame is claimed to weigh 886g in a size 56, painted. The rim version of the bike uses the standard open quick release dropout, however, the disc version is shod with Mavic's speed release thru-axle system which pairs an open dropout with a threaded counterpart to speed up wheel changes.

• Cannondale SuperSix EVO review
• Lachlan Morton's Cannondale Supersix Evo - Gallery

Cannondale has also opted for an integrated bar and stem and sees the brands in-house KNOT components providing the seat post and wheelset. As you'd expect for a bike in this price bracket, the 45mm deep road wheels are carbon fibre and tubeless-ready, and a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset provides the gearing. The new SuperSix EVO also comes with a Power2Max NG Eco power meter installed in the HologramSiSL2 cranks, though you'll have to pay a fee on top of the retail price to activate it.

Raced by: EF Pro Cycling

Giant TCR Advanced Pro 0 Disc

Giant's TCR has long been a no-nonsense performer, and the brand as a whole demonstrates top value for money. Designed around the brand's compact road geometry, the frame is built using Giant's Advanced Composite Technology, and moulded in a modified monocoque construction — meaning the front and rear triangles are moulded separately and then bonded together.

The TCR has always been known for its snappy ride quality and that's due in large part to its compact rear end. At the front, the TCR gets Giant's chunky Overdrive steerer which combine with the front and rear thru-axles and stiff carbon fork mean no steering input is lost to flex.

• A closer look at the new Giant TCR - Simon Geschke's 6.4kg bike
• Greg Van Avermaet's golden Giant TCR Disc - Gallery

Depending on where you live, the Advanced Pro Disc comes with either a Shimano Ultegra or SRAM Force eTap AXS drivetrain, but, regardless of your region, the wheels and tyres are tubeless-ready out of the box, meaning they come with valves and rim strips installed and Giant even gives you enough sealant to get rolling.

The Giant TCR has recently been updated, so the current model TCR is soon to be deemed 'old-hat', but that should mean discounts are readily available on what is still an excellent bike. 

Raced by: CCC Team , CCC-Liv

Canyon Aeroad 7.0

German direct-to-consumer brand Canyon has redefined the level of bike that you can get for your money, and the Aeroad 7.0 is proof. The frame and fork are made from a slightly lower grade of carbon than the SLX version that the Movistar Team rides, but beyond that it's identical. Aero tubing isn't prone to flexing, and the Aeroad offers a stiff ride, but it's still not as bone-rattling as some wind-cheating frames on the market.

For the £2,450 / $3,000 / AU$3,950 price tag, you get a Shimano 105 groupset, which offers fantastic shifting performance and reliability with 11 gears at the back. The base model of the Aeroad is only available with rim brakes; however, you still get direct-mount calipers, which are a reasonable trade-off to save a bit of cash.

While the majority of the bike is fitted with Canyon's own components, the wheels are Reynolds AR58 deep-dish carbon wheels . For the money, the Aeroad is damn hard to beat.

Raced by: Movistar Team

The third iteration of the S5 is claimed to be faster, stronger, and stiffer than its predecessor. At the front, the ultra-stiff front integrated bar and stem is more akin to the spoiler on a racing car than the front end of a bike. Combined with the proprietary external steerer tube that's designed to cheat the wind, Cervelo says as a system this creates a 17g reduction in drag when compared to a standard setup. With the cables routed completely inside the bike, you’re going to want the S5 with an electronic or wireless drivetrain, as replacing the fully internal gear and shift cables and housing will be time-consuming, at best.

Only available with disc brakes, the new frame has room for up to 30mm rubber and sees 12mm thru-axles using the quarter-turn RAT system developed by Focus, which is owned by the same parent company. With improved stiffness throughout, the robust front end makes for pinpoint cornering and allows you to push the limit through the corners. The downside is it can be a bit harsh through your hands.

• Tiesj Benoot's Cervelo R5 - Gallery

Cervelo is a brand well known for its aero bikes , and the new S5 is claimed to be around 5.5-watts quicker than its predecessor, which combined with increases in stiffness throughout make it sharp and always wanting to surge forward.

It's not cheap, but for your investment, you get a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset and a set of DT Swiss ARC 1459 62 Disc carbon wheels.

Raced by: Team Sunweb

Scott Foil 10 Disc

The Scott Foil has come quite a long way from its origins, which were often touted as way too stiff, but ultra-responsive with zero flex or vibration dampening. In 2016, Scott completely revamped the frame and added discs in 2017, changing the layup to combat road buzz and dropping the seat stays for vertical compliance.

It's still a stiff and agile frame but lacks some of the snap of the original — not necessarily a bad thing because it makes the bike considerably more manageable, especially four hours into an all-day epic.

Available in both rim and disc versions, Scott graduated from Kammtail to aero tubing and even includes a carbon fairing to shield the disc brake caliper from the wind. The top-end RC versions of the bike come with a one-piece integrated Syncros bar and stem, which is why we like the Foil 10 Disc. Using the brands HMF carbon, it comes with a standard bar and stem and is kitted out with a Shimano Di2 Drivetrain and Syncros Carbon wheels. All that said, we’re not so sure about the brown paint job.

Race by: Mitchelton-Scott , Mitchelton-Scott women

Pinarello Dogma F12 Disk

Say what you will about Pinarello's Dogma but it has won seven of the last 10 Tour de France's. The latest iteration of the Italian brand's aero racer is the Dogma F12, and it's the first race bike from Pinarello to come with discs from the outset. It's quite a big deal given in 2017 Fausto Pinarello famously declared he wasn't convinced high-performance bikes needed disc brakes. The rim brake version also swaps from a single bolt to direct mount brakes.

At first glance, the F12 doesn't look all that different from the F10; there are quite a few claimed improvements to aerodynamics and stiffness throughout the frame. The fork has been revamped to better combat twisting forces from the disc brake caliper, and the frames themselves are said to be 10 per cent lighter than the F10 (unpainted). Pinarello has also made refinements to its asymmetric frame design and changed to a higher grade carbon, said to amount to a 10 per cent increase in stiffness.

• Luke Rowe's Pinarello Dogma F12 XLight
• Rohan Dennis' Pinarello Dogma F12 XLight - Gallery

Now with the ability to take 30mm tyres, the F12 is designed around the Most (Pinarello's component brand) Talon bar and stem combo, which is available in 16-stem length and bar width combinations. Pinarello is making the Dogma F12 in 13 frame sizes, however, they are so expensive, most retailers seem to only be offering framesets at the time of writing.

Raced by: Team Ineos

BMC Teammachine SLR02 Disc One

The BMC Teammachine is one of our favourite race bikes (in fact this writer owns one), and the latest iteration exemplifies the brand's prowess for engineering. As one of the first brands to adopt the dropped chainstays, the Teammachine finds a stellar balance, offering snappy power transfer, seemingly laser-guided handling while dampening a large portion of the vibration before they make it through to your touchpoints.

The big issue we have is the price tag for the range-topping SLR01 version. However SLR02 is about half the price, but still maintains the same geometry and the majority of BMC's hallmark ride characteristics. The frame itself is made with the brand's second-tier carbon, which adds a bit of weight, and doesn't absorb quite the same level of vibration.

Even at the second level of the frame, there are four specs, but it's hard to pass up the Teammachine SLR02 Disc One, complete with SRAM's shiny new Force AXS eTap wireless groupset. The bike is specced with BMC's Integrated Cockpit System, which uses a BMC stem, but standard bars, allowing for a bit of added adjustability, customisation and ease of servicing.

Raced by: NTT Pro Cycling

Ridley Helium SLX Ultegra Di2

A Ridley product manager once told me that the design ethos for its bikes come directly from its sponsored race teams. He explained the design and performance elements are balanced against what will make race mechanics want to pull their hair out and the Helium SLX exemplifies this rational. It's not the stiffest or the lightest bike on the market but the cable routing is simple and while the majority of the finishing kit comes from 4ZA, Ridley's in-house components brand, there's no proprietary anything.

The Helium SLX might not be the stiffest frame out there but it's still robust were it needs to be. Made with a mix of 60/40/30-ton high modulus carbon, Ridley subtlety transitions from round to boxy tubing in areas like the down tube and BB and even the strongest sprinters will struggle to bend the tubing under pedalling.

At the back pencil-thin seat stays soften big hits and the layup does well to absorb vibration. The geometry is racy, but not so stretched out and aggressive that the weekend warrior can't find a comfortable position.

This particular model takes the top end frame, and bolts on the latest Shimano Ultegra Di2 drivetrain and finishing kit comes from 4ZA. Ridley sends these bikes out with Fulcrum Racing 5 wheels, with the assumption being if you're buying a bike like this you probably already own a nice wheelset and may not want to pay for another. However, in Australia, Ridley bikes are only sold as framesets, and the local distributor allows customers to customise everything from drivetrain and wheels to a fully bespoke paint job.

Raced By: Lotto Soudal

Bianchi Oltre XR4

Raced by the Jumbo-Visma team, Bianchi 's Oltre XR4 is an eye-catching ride, especially in the trademark celeste paint job. But, it's what's hidden inside the carbon that sets this bike apart. The CV Countervail carbon architecture, which is also used by NASA, incorporates a viscoelastic resin to better dampen road vibrations coming up through the frame, which the brand says also increases stiffness. There is no doubt the frame is stiff under pedalling forces, but you can feel the difference the countervail tech makes when it comes to comfort.

The main focus of the Oltre XR4 is to slice through the wind so it's no surprise to see the cables fully hidden, with Vision's 5D ACR one-piece cockpit wrangling everything into the frame. With these properties, the Italian outfit has also made the geometry fairly unforgiving and you'll need to be flexible to find a comfortable position.

Don't mistake the Oltre XR4 for an aero bike that's just meant to go straight, it handles with cat-like reflexes. The price tag is pretty heavy and depending on where you live it may only be offered as a frameset.

Raced by: Team Jumbo-Visma

Specialized Roubaix Expert

The Specialized Roubaix was the first commercially available endurance road bike when it was launched back in 2004. With a slightly more relaxed geometry and taller head tube, early versions of the Roubaix featured Zertz inserts, said to absorb road buzz — their effectiveness is still up for debate.

The Roubaix has come quite a long way since then, now featuring the Future Shock. Designed in collaboration with McLaren, the Future Shock is now in its 2.0 version and features a hydraulic piston inside the head tube which provides 20mm of travel, now with a dial to adjust the compression and rebound damping.

• Alison Tetrick's Specialized S-Works Roubaix for Super Sweetwater gravel race - Gallery

The cheaper models of the Roubaix (Comp and below) get a Future Shock 1.5, which is the same unit minus the adjustable damper. Specialized has also added a new D-shaped seat post at the back, complete with a drop-in clamp to maximise flex and create a more balanced ride quality front to back.

It's not as snappy as the Tarmac when you push on the pedals, but it does an excellent job of smoothing out square edges on the road. According to Specialized, the new Roubaix is more Aero than the Tarmac SL6 and lighter than a Venge. Like the Tarmac, it only comes with disc brakes and a unisex geometry, with the only difference between the men's and women's bikes being the touchpoints.

Ridley Fenix SL Disc

On paper, the Fenix SL looks like your typical Fondo bike, with sure-footed endurance geometry. In practice, the frame is on the stiffer end of the spectrum and makes for a ride quality that's anything but boring. There is precisely zero unwanted flex in the fork or laterally in the frame, a characteristic that's relatively commonplace in this category of road bikes. With dropped seat stays, the bike isn't harsh, however, we're not sure we'd describe it as a comfortable ride.

We'd argue among a field of endurance bikes, most of which look like they've been hit with the ugly stick, the Fenix SL, even with its chunky slightly aero tubing, is a pretty good looking bike.

It's not particularly light on the scale, but the Fenix is an endurance roadie that isn't willing to trade comfort for boring or sluggish ride quality.

Trek Domane SL 7

The third generation of the Trek Domane carries the dual front and rear IsoSpeed technology. The top-end SLR models borrow the Madone's top tube mounted adjustable pivot, while the rest retain the standard inbuilt flex point. Trek say the new Domane is more aero than its predecessor, with Trek claiming it's a full minute per hour faster than the previous version - although at what power output, we cannot be sure. 

Trek has fully committed the Domane to disc brakes and the result is that it can accept up to 38mm tyres, or 35mm with a fender. At the front, there is a nifty cable guide mounted under the stem; it's not quite as clean as the internally routed options, but not having to run cables and housing through handlebars and stem make maintenance and changes to bike fit considerably easier.

The Domane also features a clever down tube storage box that allows for tools and a spare tube to be stored in the frame inside a plush tool roll. The full Ultegra SL6 version pictured is built around Trek's H2 Endurance Fit, however, if you spring for the Project One SLR, the slightly more aggressive H1.5 is available. Trek has also ditched the gender-specific geometries, with the only difference between the gendered bikes being the touchpoints and paint jobs.

BMC Roadmachine 01 Four

At first glance, the BMC Roadmachine looks identical to the Teammachine racer, but closer inspection reveals a higher stack, shorter reach, softer ride and room for fat tyres. Even with the more relaxed geometry the Roadmachine still retains much of is racier cousin's efficiency and snap when pressure is applied to the pedals, but with slightly more forgiving steering characteristics.

The frame is made using the TCC (Tuned Compliance Concept) Endurance lay-up, which BMC says is designed to take the edge off rough roads. BMC has also employed what it calls Angle Compliance technology, which is marketing-speak for flex built into the fork, seat stays and seat post. The Roadmachine is where BMC first employed its integrated cockpit design, so it's no surprise to see it here and we love the addition of mounts for a top tube food/storage box so your pre-knock Haribo can be at hand at all times.

There is enough room in the frame for 33mm tyres so even though 'road' is in the name, nothing is stopping you from taking the Roadmachine past where the pavement ends. At the front, the new asymmetric fork is said to be ten per cent stiffer, while the back features the brand's dropped seat stays. The trouble, however, is the BMC sized price tag.

Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0

Since it was introduced in 2009, Giant's Defy has consistently been the brand's top-selling bike — it was also the first road bike to be offered exclusively in disc brakes. With only minor refinements to the geometry over the years, every other aspect of the bike has been improved from the D-Fuse seat post and handlebar to the oversized and tapered OverDrive 2 steerer tube.

The Defy Advanced sees an updated rear end with a slight curve in the seat stays to promote deflection. To balance out the plush rear end, Giant has adapted the D-Fuse technology for the front of the bike. The tops are now D-shaped like the seat post and Giant says the amount of flex can be customised by rotating the bar in the stem.

With these comfort features the remainder of the front triangle is robust with Giant employing its beefy Megadrive down tube and PowerCore BB shell, similar to what's seen on its race bikes. For a period in time, the Defy was the lightest frameset in Giant's range, but now made from the brand's second-tier carbon, it has gained a bit of weight.

Bianchi Infinito CV

While Bianchi's Infinito CV offers a more relaxed and upright riding position, it's anything but boring. The handling is sharp, but the bike is a tad more reluctant to change line than the racy Oltre XR4 or Specialissima climbing bike.

Bianchi has borrowed a good bit of the geometry from its racing bikes, but added ~20mm of stack and subtracted ~10mm from the reach (depending on the size), shifting a bit of weight away from the front wheel, but maintaining the steep angles.

Bianchi has also borrowed a bit of the aero tubing from the Oltre, and the frame gets the Brand's Countervail carbon, which uses a viscoelastic resin to insulate your body from road noise - aka vibrations. We'd argue the effect is a bit less noticeable on an endurance platform because, by design, there is more comfort built into the frame.

Even with the frame designed with more comfort in mind, it's not flexy. With beefy tube shapes and a large bottom bracket shell, there is no power lost out of the saddle or climbing. Specced with a Shimano Ultegra groupset, Bianchi has also opted for 160mm rotors meaning there is oodles of braking power accessible with a single finger.

Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105

Cannondale's Synapse was made stiffer last year, with engineers honing in on the head tube and bottom bracket. It's disc-specific with thru-axles, has improved cable routing, more tyre clearance and a geometry that offers more uniform ride characteristics across the range.

In previous years the Synapse had been a touch flexy under power, but Cannondale has nipped that in the bud and the brand tells us the new frame has the same head tube stiffness as the SuperSix EVO. It has a slightly longer and lower position than the Roubaix or Domane, and thus, its handling characteristics are a bit more aggressive. To keep things comfortable, Cannondale has built the bike with its SAVE micro-suspension, which is just a fancy way of saying that the flex points are built into the rear triangle, seat post, and fork.

Even with a Shimano 105 spec, the Synapse comes with Cannondale's lightweight HollowGram SL crankset and is the first model to come exclusively with disc brakes. The frame will take up to a 32mm tyre and there are even hidden fender mounts on the rear seat stays.

How carbon road bikes are made

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Carbon fibre is a bit of a wonder material because it can be moulded into just about any shape, and tuned to be stiff in one plane and flexible in another. With these properties, it's heavily used throughout the bike industry and we see it in everything from frames down to brake levers.

There are vast differences in the quality of carbon road bikes and components, and this ultimately comes down to the layup. Most carbon road bikes are made using pre-preg carbon fibre sheets; basically, the fabric is pumped full of uncured resin and shipped on massive rolls which are cut into the individual pieces that will be moulded into a bike.

Many brands use the same manufacturing facilities in Asia to produce all but their most premium bikes, and while certain details and processes may vary from brand to brand, the main bullet points of creating a carbon road bike frame are the same.

Sheets of pre-preg carbon fibre are hand laid into or around a mould and placed into a heated press, which is assisted by air bladders. Solid forms compact the layers of carbon together; spreading the resin through the frame, removing gaps and voids, and squishing out the excess. Then the frame is put into what equates to a giant pottery kiln where the resin is cured, and then the frames are sanded and painted.

The layup of a carbon road bike is essentially a really difficult 3D jigsaw puzzle with upwards of 400 individual pieces and the order in which they are put together will ultimately define the ride characteristics. Depending on the orientation of the fibres, using the same mass and modulus of carbon can yield a rigid structure or one that is noodly and flexible.

Woven vs Unidirectional

There are two main types of carbon, woven and unidirectional.

As you can probably guess, woven carbon sees the fibres knitted into a fabric, crisscrossing each other, allowing the material to be stiff in more than one plane. Woven carbon is used in areas where there are lots of different directional forces coming through the frame like the head tube and the bottom bracket and also around holes that have been drilled into the frame, like cable ports and bottle cage mounts.

On the other hand, with unidirectional carbon, all the fibres run parallel. This is what's used throughout the majority of the frame because sheets of unidirectional carbon can be laid on top of one another to combat specific directional forces.

The modulus refers to the stiffness of the individual fibres. Higher modulus carbon is accomplished by refining each fibre to make it smoother and thinner allowing for higher tensile strength. While high modulus carbon is stiff, it's also brittle, and a bike made of exclusively high modulus carbon would likely break on the first impact, whether that be from road debris or a crash. Lower modulus carbon isn’t as stiff, but it is also less delicate.

No matter the frame, it will be made from a mix of different modulus carbon, strategically placed throughout for the best possible performance and strength.

A french term meaning single shell, a monocoque is a structural system where loads are supported through an object's external skin, like an egg — or a bicycle.

When the term is applied to bicycles, it's a fancy way of saying the entire frame is moulded in one piece. True monocoque frames are becoming increasingly rare, and in most cases, the front and rear triangles are manufactured in two separate pieces and then bonded together. When you see a brand using a term like semi-monocoque or modular monocoque, this is how the frame is made.

What to look for in a carbon road bike

Our general advice when looking to buy a road bike is to spend as much as you can on the frame and worry less about the components bolted onto it. It's easy to upgrade wheels, handlebars and groupsets, but you're stuck with the frame.

We've split our favourite carbon road bikes into two categories, race bikes and endurance bikes. While you’ll likely see a crossover in terms of technology and features, these bikes are designed to do separate things, and the geometry will vary to help in achieving these goals.

Race bikes are designed to go fast, which can sometimes come at the expense of things like comfort. A race bike's geometry will have steep angles for fast steering and facilitate a long reach and low stack to achieve an aerodynamic position. To get the most out of a race bike, you need to be pretty flexible.

Endurance bikes feature a more upright geometry, slacker angles and plenty of built-in comfort technology. As things have progressed, quite a lot of new technology gets its start on endurance bikes before it's then adapted onto a brand's race bikes. You’ll often see pro teams don endurance bikes for the cobbled classics, not only for the additional comfort but for the slower handling that makes maintaining control through the bumpy and slippery cobbled sections slightly less herculean.

A lot of these bikes will feature aerodynamic cues, but if you're looking for out and out speed, our guide to the best aero road bikes will provide the fastest, most aerodynamic bikes available.

Disc brakes have been utilised for years in just about every other cycling discipline other than road bikes because of their superior performance in all conditions and the additional tyre clearance they allow. The brakes and rotors themselves may weigh a bit more than calipers, but they also allow for light rims because there is no brake track needed.

Most road bikes are available in both rim and disc varieties, but unless you've got a stable of the very best road wheels in your garage, we'd recommend seriously considering discs brakes. With this, most disc-equipped road bikes have swapped to 12mm thru-axles, not only for a more secure wheel to frame connection, but the end to end lateral stiffness is vastly improved.

Integrated cockpit

With most bike brands now having an in-house or partner components brand, quite a few high-end bikes come with one-piece bar and stem combos. They have a definite cool factor while allowing for cables to be fully hidden from the wind which makes them aero and they are a bit lighter than their standard bar and stem.

But changing cables can be an absolute nightmare, and even with brands offering plenty of handlebar widths and stem lengths, if you can't find the numbers that match your specific fit needs or a bar shape you like, you are out of luck.

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Based on the Gold Coast of Australia, Colin has written tech content for cycling publication for a decade. With hundreds of buyer's guides, reviews and how-tos published in Bike Radar, Cyclingnews, Bike Perfect and Cycling Weekly, as well as in numerous publications dedicated to his other passion, skiing. 

Colin was a key contributor to Cyclingnews between 2019 and 2021, during which time he helped build the site's tech coverage from the ground up. Nowadays he works full-time as the news and content editor of Flow MTB magazine. 

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