With a historical past spanning some 4 a long time, the Trek Bicycle Company has grow to be one of many foremost bicycle makers on the planet, and a perennial staple in our record of the greatest street bikes. What began out as a small metal frame-building firm working out of a carpet warehouse in Waterloo, Wisconsin, has grown enormously into a world chief of bicycle design and innovation. The Trek street bike vary is predicated round three anagrammatic fashions; Domane, Madone, and Emonda – nominally the endurance, aero, and climbing bikes respectively. All can be found in an array of construct choices, with the Domane and Emonda additionally obtainable in each carbon and aluminium guises.
Trek has a historical past of innovating on the planet of bicycle manufacture, with a specific emphasis on pioneering new supplies. Bonded aluminium and carbon development was lifted from the aerospace trade within the ’80s, creating the 2000 and 2500 framesets. The teachings realized from bonded carbon have been then poured into the manufacture of the model’s first full-carbon frameset, the 5000. These days it has its personal patented in-house carbon fibre, referred to as OCLV (optimum compaction low void) which is on a par with aerospace-specific alternate options
Trek continues to disrupt the trade from a producing standpoint, however before everything it makes bikes for riders; the manufacturing innovation is just a method to an finish. For some meaning the very greatest commuter bikes, for others meaning the greatest touring bikes, and for lots of riders meaning racing on the highest ranges. It is no nice shock that Trek has grow to be an enormous participant on the planet of gravel biking too, and it additionally options on our record of the greatest gravel bikes. No matter your pursuits in biking, Trek has choices. If you’re eager about one thing from the Trek street bike vary, maintain studying to see all the small print about what’s obtainable.
Trek street bikes you should purchase as we speak
The most recent mannequin of the Trek Domane has gone by an entire makeover. The comfort-enhanced mannequin within the Trek street bike vary picks up a lot of aerodynamic particulars, together with an all-new Isospeed decoupler design (extra flex on the steerer and seat put up) and house within the body and fork for as much as 38mm of the greatest street bike tyres you’d care to cram in. These are adjustments that make the Domane an extremely versatile street bike. The lineup is ideal for all-day consolation and the brand new Domane+ LT, makes our record of the greatest electrical street bikes too.
The Domane is obtainable in three body sorts. For the finances minded, you may wish to take a look at the aluminium Domane AL; it is probably the most accessible when it comes to value, and the one possibility for followers of a rim brake. It is entry degree but it surely would not depart off the efficiency and provides choices for racks for commuters, although it might probably solely match 35mm tyres reasonably than the 38mm max on the carbon fashions.
Transferring up the vary, the subsequent possibility is the mid-range Domane SL. Stepping as much as the SL means a transfer to 500 sequence OCLV carbon fibre. That opens up entry to a twin IsoSpeed decoupler system, not discovered on the alloy model, for comfort-enhancing vibration damping. It additionally means house for bigger tyres and storage within the downtube. If you would like to stay with rim brakes there are not any choices for a completely constructed bike within the SL vary however you’ll be able to nonetheless get a rim brake possibility of the frameset.
The highest-tier Domane SLR can also be carbon fibre but it surely’s a lighter 700 sequence OCLV. It nonetheless carries the twin IsoSpeed decoupler, but it surely’s an upgraded adjustable model additionally seen on the aero focussed Madone. Just like the SL, there is not any totally constructed rim brake possibility obtainable however you’ll be able to nonetheless get an SLR frameset in a rim brake format.
Relying in your style, and finances, builds can be found from Claris-level at one finish, by to SRAM Crimson eTap on the different excessive, with most choices in between obtainable.
For years, the Emonda had been the light-weight possibility within the Trek street bike lineup, and one of many typical suspects in our lineup of the greatest light-weight bikes. That is the bike to seize while you wish to head to the mountains. As expertise has progressed although the trendy climber’s bike has considerably disappeared; manufacturers have been slowly shifting away from labelling their lightest providing as a ‘climbing bike’, and as an alternative pivoting to promoting it as an all-round possibility, for each up hill and down dale. Trek is not any totally different on this regard, with the Emonda filling its all-rounder spot. It is no lump although, if weight is your concern.
Whereas the Emonda remains to be the bike you’d wish to flip to on the steep uphill segments, it is greater than that now. Aero-optimisation and disc brakes take it away from a motorcycle just for the mountains to a way more well-rounded possibility. In some methods it is outlined extra by what it is not than what it’s. It isn’t the all-out aero bike and it isn’t an endurance bike. The Emonda is the lightest of the choices but it surely’s additionally a motorcycle that does slightly little bit of every part.
Obtainable fashions for the Emonda nonetheless cowl a variety in a lot the identical means because the Domane, with an aluminium possibility at one finish, with a rim brake frameset possibility, and two tiers of carbon above it. The SL represents the center floor with a carbon body at a extra reasonably priced value. Then, on the top quality, sits the SLR with a brand new ultralight 800 sequence OCLV carbon development. There’s even an SLR frameset with a extra aggressive geometry obtainable for these competing on the highest ranges or followers of ultra-responsive dealing with.
The Madone sits on the top quality as Trek’s most purebred race bike. It is aero optimised in each means, and options amongst our record of the greatest aero street bikes too. Being the vary topper implies that it is the most costly possibility within the Trek lineup however that has extra to do with an absence of low-end choices reasonably than it essentially being vastly dearer. There are solely SLR and SL fashions obtainable, which means no entry degree aluminium alternative available.
After years of aero bikes carrying a fame for being harsh and uncomfortable, Trek went in a special path. It was the primary to market its aero bike as not simply aerodynamically quick, but in addition quick due to its consolation, primarily due to the addition of the IsoSpeed decoupler system lifted from the Domane.
In fact, consolation is not the one trick for the Madone; built-in cables function closely, together with totally built-in cockpits on the highest finish fashions. Even decrease fashions, with out an built-in cockpit, look to cheat the wind, with truncated aerofoil tube shapes and aerodynamically optimised disc brakes. Tyre width is nevertheless rather more restricted than with different fashions, topping out at 28mm.
The Trek Velocity Idea is the Trek answer for triathletes who need the perfect. For years the design had been stagnant however that each one modified on the finish of 2021. The model new 2022 Trek Velocity Idea is all new and sooner than it is ever been earlier than. In comparison with the earlier model, Trek claims the brand new bike saves a full six minutes over the Kona full Ironman race course.
Transferring away from a solely wind-tunnel focus, Trek has sought to create a motorcycle that works as a complete system, reasonably than merely a lab-optimised object. The system strategy means hydration and storage helps make not solely the bike sooner, but in addition the rider. There’s an obtainable between-the-arms (BTA) bottle that enhances aerodynamics by smoothing air between the arms and a clip means that you can drink with out leaving the aero bars. It is also simple to refill throughout a race with a port on the highest that accepts the nozzle of one other bottle.
Whereas the BTA bottle is a separate buy, the downtube bottle comes with each Velocity Idea bike. Capability is 750 ml and, just like the BTA bottle, it additionally enhances aerodynamics; the system is 14 per cent sooner when the bottle is in place.
Outdoors of hydration there are two extra storage options onboard and included. The 2 bottles cowl alternatives to reinforce aerodynamics so the storage would not make the bike extra aero. As a substitute, the bento field and the flat restore storage reap the benefits of the elevated body house to cover from the wind.
Trek’s street bike vary defined
The once-simple train of selecting a bicycle has grow to be an appreciably complicated resolution owing to a plethora of recent driving disciplines and technological developments.
There are 4 several types of street bikes obtainable in Trek’s present catalogue — aero, endurance, time trial, and climbing/do-it-all, every of which differs primarily based on design and performance.
Because the title suggests aero street bikes are designed for velocity whereas nonetheless retaining some type of compliance and luxury. Climbing bikes are perfect for hilly/mountainous routes and are fairly first rate all-rounders. Endurance bikes supply a mixture of sturdiness and luxury whereas time-trial bikes are extra outlandish-looking of their look and constructed for velocity.
Trek provides a big selection of specs for every of the fashions in its vary. Many of the model’s street frames can be found in three several types of carbon, in addition to aluminium and denoted by SLR (Trek’s lightest OCLV carbon), SL (mid-range OCLV carbon) or AL (Aluminium).
Completely different geometry choices are additionally obtainable on sure fashions, with the bulk that includes common H2 geometry and a few provided within the extra aggressive H1 geometry, designed particularly for racing.
