trek domane sl6 disc 2017

Trek Domane SL 6 review

The versatile and comfortable Trek Domane SL 6 put to the test

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The Trek Domane SL 6 is a do-it-all bike that offers amazing comfort over long distances. It may not be the most sprightly bike out there, but it's a versatile machine that won't let you down, and comes with a great spec at a competitive price.

Comfortable

Slightly sluggish on steep hills

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The Trek Domane SL 6 enters Editor's Choice 2019 thanks to its superb versatility and great spec that provides comfort over any endurance ride. I've done century rides, touring rides and fast paced group rides with the Domane SL 6 never letting me down. A reliable bike that is a pleasure to ride, the Domane SL 6 is well worth it's place in this year's Editor's Choice.

The Trek Domane SL 6 is a very different kind of bike to the super-stiff frame and racey geometry I'd usually choose to ride. It's endurance setup and all-round capabilities won me over though and I was left hugely impressed after putting in a lot of miles on it.

>>> Best road bikes

>>> Buy now: Trek Domane SL 6 at Evans Cycles for £3200

The Domane is Trek's endurance offering, with its ride-smoothing IsoSpeed frame technology the unique selling point over other brands. The SL 6 is the mid-range offering, retailing at £3,200 with the most expensive version (the SLR 9) retailing at over £9,500.

The front and rear IsoSpeed is certainly the most noticeable thing when first riding the bike. Coming from a super-stiff frame, it's instantly noticeable how forgiving this bike is over rough roads and was perfect for the varying quality of British lanes in the early winter.

The IsoSpeed decouplers sit at the rear of the top tube and in the head tube, but unlike the higher end models in the Domane range you aren't able to adjust the rear IsoSpeed for more stiffness or more comfort on the SL 6. It would be a nice option to be able to adjust the bike to the style of riding your doing, but the comfort offered here on the fixed setting felt great nonetheless.

One concern ahead of riding the SL 6 was whether the dampening technology would compromise any power transfer or how fast the bike would feel. The SL 6 carbon fibre frame has some quite bulky tubes, and was responsive to seated and sprint efforts along the flats and draggy inclines. The aerodynamic shaping of the tubing also added to that feel.

Really steep climbs with efforts out of the saddle was the bike's weakest point however. It didn't feel sprightly - particularly in comparison to the Specialized Tarmac and Giant TCR I'd just ridden - and wasn't inspiring any attacking on the harsh ramps. But the Domane isn't really designed for that, though it features a wide range of gearing (50/34 at the front with 11-34 rear) that did allow me to get over anything with no trouble.

The best thing about this bike is definitely it's versatility. I used it for short commutes, long weekend rides, some short fast rides and even for multi-day touring. Trek has helped this feeling of versatility by building in neat features like the down tube storage compartment for your tubes, tyre levers and CO2 canisters, as well as built in mounts front and rear for Bontrager lights; all great touches that helped on those long rides and while touring.

Wheels can often be a mixed bag at this sort of price range, but I was impressed by the Bontrager Paradigm Comp 25 wheels provided on the Domane SL 6. With a rim width of 25mm, the wheels came shod with 32mm tubeless Bontrager R2 Hard-Case Lite tyres that I thought rolled really well and felt plenty fast considering their size and shallow rim depth. Moreover, the wheels felt stable and robust, adding to the comfort factor for endurance riding. I had no punctures or issues with the wheels at all over hundreds of miles of testing. The frame also allows you to add up to 38mm tyres if you want to as well as mud guards, perfect for winter or taking the bike over cobbles or light gravel paths.

The SL 6 comes with mechanical Shimano Ultegra R8000 which as usual performed brilliantly with crisp and reliable shifting. The bike uses flat-mount Ultegra hydraulic disc brakes which really added to the feel on long or technical descents.

In terms of value I think the Domane SL 6 is in the expected range for what its offering, coming in £200 cheaper than the comparable Specialized Roubaix Comp for example. Although this isn't the kind of bike I would usually ride, I was genuinely taken with what the SL 6 offered with it's all-round capabilities.

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Follow on Twitter: @richwindy

Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.

An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).

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The Trek Domane SL 6 Can Glide Over Any Road Surface

With its own IsoSpeed suspension system, this versatile road bike is a winner for ride quality and value

Price: $3,200 Weight: 17.1 lb. (56cm) Use: Road

The Domane SL and SLR Family The Domane SL family starts with the SL 5 (in unisex and women’s versions), with rim brakes and a full Shimano 105 groupset, and tops out at the SLR 9 Disc, a $12,000 bike with full Shimano Dura-Ace, Di2, hydraulic disc brakes, and Aeolus 3 D3 Disc carbon wheels. The SLR models offer additional clearance for up to 32mm tires; all the bikes have front and rear IsoSpeed, which offers the patented road-damping technology that we love so much about this series. The SLR 6 comes in a disc-brake model and a disc-brake gravel version with wider, burlier tires. The SL 6 is a more budget-friendly version in the line, but it still brings the comfortable ride geometry and road suspension these bikes are known for. And, with a full Shimano Ultegra groupset, it has the distinct component advantage over the SL 5.

The Secret to Those IsoSpeed Decouplers The SL 6 has a lightweight carbon frame and a front and rear suspension system, called IsoSpeed, that allows it to effectively soak up road noise. Here’s how it works: The front IsoSpeed decoupler on the bike makes it so the steerer tube can flex independently from the head tube, which allows the bike to reduce road vibration. The rear IsoSpeed decoupler has a slider that lets you adjust the compliance level for terrain and personal preference by up to 14 percent. You might not even need to adjust the rear slider to experience the road-smoothing effects of the two decouplers working together—we found that the all-over effect of the bike was fast and smooth performance equally suited to asphalt and cobbles.

RELATED: Trek Finally Launches a True Gravel Bike

Other Component Highlights The full Ultegra drivetrain, with an 11-28 cassette and 50/34 compact crankset, gives you seamless mechanical shifting and plenty of gears to tackle any climb. The SL 6 also comes with Bontrager Paradigm tubeless-ready rims and tough Bontrager R2 700x28mm tires, so you’ve got a solid set of wheels for when you want to test out that suspension system.

RELATED: Trek and Ford Partner to Help Bikes Talk to Cars

Ride Impressions Bringing the Domane SL 6 to a spring group ride feels a bit like cheating—the bike is so fast, smooth, and versatile that it can make you feel stronger than you actually deserve to feel after a long winter of Netflix -enabled sloth. I’ve test-ridden some of the higher-end Domanes in the past (up one of the hardest climbs I’ve ever experienced, Mount Figueroa, in Solvang, California) and had a similarly impressed response, but I reasoned some of my “wow” reaction had to have been tied to how far out of my price range that bike was. To my delight, the Domane SL 6 brings a lot of that same lightweight, road-smoothing magic and X factor to a more affordable price range.

From the moment I hit the first loose-gravel climb on one of my usual lunch routes, I was sold on the bike’s seamless Ultegra shifting and talent for soaking up road chatter with IsoSpeed suspension. Big bumps in the road still jarred me, but the washboard ruts didn’t throw off my handling or rattle my shoulders too much. The endurance geometry helped with that, too—long rides were as comfortable from beginning to start as you can expect, without any sacrifice in speed. And the Bontrager R2 28mm tires were great on both smooth asphalt and rough gravel.

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Trek Domane SL 6 review

Doubled up Isospeed equipped machine

Ben Healy / Immediate Media

Warren Rossiter

Comfort, compliance, sweet handling and speed in abundance

If you really want discs it’ll cost you a chunk more cash

Since its debut back in 2012 the Domane has been a bike that’s always impressed us. The groundbreaking Isospeed ‘decoupler’ at the back-end effectively created a pivot sitting just in front of the junction between seat and top tube. This allowed the carbon seat tube (with a proprietary layup) to flex fore-and-aft, giving a soft tail feel that squashed jarring bumps and road vibrations better than anything we’d experienced before. It was so impressive that recently retired Trek riding legend Fabian Cancellara made it his bike of choice in every event (not just the cobbled classics).

• Giant TCR Advanced 1 Disc review
• Specialized Roubaix Comp review

Last season Trek introduced the new SLR, which combined the Isospeed back end with a new front end using similar tech called the Front Isospeed — another decoupler.

Inside the teardrop shaped cover you’ll find the familiar teardrop shaped fork steerer, which Trek has used for years across its carbon road machines. The striking difference is that although the fork is locked in on the headset's lower crown-bearing in the traditional manner, up top the bearing assembly of the headset is allowed some free-float, which gives a claimed 10 percent increase in compliance over the old Domane design. Contrary to what you might think, the front end feels as fast and sharp steering as ever and with no discernible loss of stiffness where you wouldn’t want it.

Trek bolsters front end compliance with the use of the Isocore bar design with its integrated elastomer pads on the sections you grip, which reduce high-frequency vibrations to an absolute minimum. The steering response is fast, race bike fast, so if you're coming from a more relaxed sportive special you’ll need to adjust to the snap of the SL, but believe me it's worth it for the nimble and rewarding ride.

Specialized Roubaix vsTrek Domane - which is more comfortable?

The SL differs from the SLR is one big way however, the rear design is the original Isospeed (nothing wrong with that), whereas the SLR gets the long sliding adjuster, which runs the length of the seat tube and has a slightly revised pivot point.

The slider is a neat piece of design, but I found that once I’d set it I rarely ever thought of going back to it, with the SL set just right out of the box I’d find it hard to justify the extra £1,100 for the equivalent SLR model just for the inclusion of an adjuster.

The minute you get on the Domane you can sense it's something different. It's not soft and squishy as you’d imagine, it all at once feels light, impressively smooth and fluid. On ‘normal’ roads the Domane feels well… normal, albeit as if you're riding a light, racy machine that’s running bigger tyres than even the 28s fitted (but with no loss of pick up from extra mass).

When climbing, the comfort afforded by the design combined with the low mass and wide gearing makes it very, very capable. On descents the Isospeed on the front and rear come into their own, when ruts and bumps get more aggressive and choppy — to the point where you’d be hitting the brakes on a standard carbon frame — the Domane comes into its own, and the faster you hit the rough the better the system works. Depending on your outlook, this is where decisions are made between buying a Domane, a new Roubaix (which is more active more of the time) or similar bikes like Focus’ Paralane and BMC’s Roadmachine, which rely on the carbon chassis and big rubber to do their comfort duties.

Shimano’s ever dependable and impressive Ultegra takes care of shifting

Bontrager, Trek's in house range of components, now has a line-up that’s as good as any aftermarket parts brand.The Speedstop brakes' cool industrial looking design and direct mount attachment that sits within the frame's profile are all impressive, and while in the past I haven’t been massively impressed with their performance on carbon rims (though they’ve improved since ditching cork pads), here they use quality SwissStop pads on aluminium rims and they’re damn powerful.

Shimano may still have the edge in amount of feel through the levers' progression, but the Speedstops do feel a bit more on-off in comparison. I became accustomed to the feel, and the wet weather performance was truly impressive, while their solid construction means judder-free stopping power to boot.

The Bontrager Race wheels may sit at the lower end of the range, but the shallow and wide rim profile is good and the bearings are smooth. The wheels are tubeless ready too so are future-proof.

The fat 28c tyres are shaped well by the rims and after using them in both dry and very wet conditions I'm completely sold on the fat rubber argument, these don’t feel any slower than 25s (remember when we all thought they were on the big side) yet the levels of control and grip, not to mention comfort from them, is all of the convincing I need.

Shimano’s ever dependable and impressive Ultegra takes care of shifting and it's just as good as ever, and good to see on the SL6 where we are seeing some of its rivals switching to 105. Ultegra is all the groupset most of us will ever need and its reputation for slick, long lasting performance is well earned.

Overall, the new SL Domane is one of 2017’s best rides for the money, On normal roads it's sublimely smooth without being boring and on the downs the combination of the compliance in the frame design and those tyres gives the Domane limpet like levels of traction and even the roughest rutted corners can be attacked with confidence without unsettling the double Isospeed tech.

Yes you could argue that discs are the future, but if you're still not sold on metal discs for stopping duties then I implore you to be open minded about suspension on a road bike because the Domane is proof that comfort and speed needn’t be mutually exclusive. The Domane is a fast and thrilling bike that just happens to be one of the most comfortable I’ve ever tried too.

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The Trek Domane SL 6 Disc Road Bike 2017 offers a new level of reliability in terms of braking with the Shimano RS685 Hydraulic Disc brakes.

Descend and corner in new, inspired confidence and ride harder than ever before with Trek’s IsoSpeed technology that provides compliance over rougher terrain.

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The Trek Domane SL 6 Disc Road Bike 2017 has been developed to enhance braking in every weather condition imaginable and inspire confidence in the corners for greater enjoyment and overall ride quality. Using Shimano RS685 Hydraulic Disc, Flat Mount brakes alongside Vision Metron 40 Disc LTD wheels, everything remains stiff when sprinting, and efficient when climbing. Exactly what you need in a bike that combines some of the lightest, most high-performing components in the cycling industry.

Throughout the Trek Domane SL range, Trek have incorporated their lightweight, stiff and strong 500 Series OCLV Carbon, which when combined with their full-carbon fork, Endurance Geometry and IsoSpeed technology, becomes one of the most high-performing and functional frames on the market. Trek haven’t just slapped these features onto the Trek Domane SL 6 Disc Road Bike 2017 without any development though, they’ve used their arsenal of riders to push the technology to the next level.

Fabian Cancellara is known for his ultimate domination in the Spring Classics, with a riding style that is so finely tuned, he’s able to advise on how his bike needs to be altered. Winning the Paris-Roubaix takes some serious skill, with some serious technology to boot, and that’s why the Trek Domane has been developed.

Using Trek’s 500 Series OCLV Carbon frame, the Domane is lightweight enough to increase efficiency, but strong enough to remain stiff in a range of varied terrain - but this isn’t just down to the frame, though. Strenuously developed over numerous years, Trek’s revolutionary IsoSpeed technology delivers great compliance by allowing the seat tube to move back and forth, isolating the rider from the road without negatively affecting steering, cornering or power transfer.

IsoSpeed is also adjustable, ranging between cobble riding and full-out sprinting stiffness, claiming to be as stiff as the Emonda. The rear end is five times as stiff as other seatposts, whilst the front end is 10% more compliant than others in the market. Simply take a 4mm Allen key and unscrew the lower bottle cage bolt, slide the IsoSpeed slider up for a stiffer ride, and down for a more compliant ride.

Shimano Ultegra 6800, 11-speed is the pinnacle of reliable, fast-shifting gearing the mechanical world, and this is why Trek have used this prestigious drivetrain to enhance the ride feel of the Domane SL 6. A wide range of gearing provides enough versatility to suit every rider's riding style, whether that be to attack the climbs or sit back and spin through the gears, allowing you to stay comfortable and push your performance when it suits you.

The Trek Domane is specifically designed for long, endurance rides, and this is why Trek have incorporated their endurance geometry with a taller headtube, longer reach and slightly longer chainstays to make the Domane smoother and more stable over longer distances. The E2 head tube, lower BB90 bottom bracket and oversized chainstays enhance its superior stiffness and excellent ride quality.

Bontrager Race Lite IsoZone handlebar adds to the comfort of the IsoSpeed range, dissipating road vibrations by 20% compared to other stiff handlebars, whilst Shimano RS685 Hydraulic Disc, Flat Mount brakes give the versatility of riding in wet weather, knowing you’ll stop at the point you need to with its reliable and powerful braking prowess.

Vision Metron 40 Disc LTD wheels add to the performance of the Domane SL 6 Disc with a deeper rim construction for enhanced aerodynamics, but remaining shallow enough to ensure you’re as efficient as possible in the climbs and nimble enough around corners.

Vanishing mudguard mounts add to the Domane’s versatility, allowing to fit mudguards up to 45C, with tyres accommodated up to 32C on disc brakes and 28C for calliper brakes.

Trek’s 500 Series OCLV Carbon frame and Domane full carbon fork combine for a lightweight, durable and efficient ride

IsoSpeed technology increases compliance in both the front and rear end, for a more comfortable ride over rougher ground

Shimano Ultegra 6800 drivetrain gives a more in-tuned feel with the bike, inspiring you to push harder up the climbs and faster on the flats

Shimano RS685 Hydraulic Disc, Flat Mount brakes inspire confidence in the corners and provides powerful braking in all weather conditions

Taller headtube, longer reach and slightly longer chainstays provide a smoother, more stable ride

E2 head tube, BB90 bottom bracket and oversized chainstays increase stiffness and ride quality

Bontrager Race Tubeless Ready wheels and Bontrager R2 Hard-Case Lite 700x32c tyres offer more grip and traction in testing conditions

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2017 Trek Domane SLR: full tech details and first impressions

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Trek didn’t just launch a new bike when it debuted the Domane endurance platform in 2012; it introduced a groundbreaking way to increase rider comfort with its innovative IsoSpeed ‘decoupler’ — a mechanical pivot at the seat cluster that allows the entire seatmast and seatpost to flex much more under load than a more traditionally built frame. IsoSpeed is once again what defines the Domane but a second-generation, adjustable version has now been incorporated into the brand-new Domane SLR family along with a front version to match, creating what is quite possibly the smoothest-riding road bike on the market.

Dual IsoSpeed is twice as nice with no added weight

The original IsoSpeed concept relied on the entire seat tube to flex under bump forces but this latest Domane SLR borrows the current Madone’s twin seat tube design to separate structural and ride comfort roles. The new Domane SLR still incorporates a ‘decoupler’ at the seat cluster but whereas the original Domane’s seat tube and integrated seatmast were one continuous section, those parts are split apart on the Domane SLR and sandwiched next to each other with the smaller half behaving like a flattened leaf spring. The main seat tube is now rigidly attached to the top tube and down tube as on a conventional carbon fibre frame while the thinner, secondary seat tube is moulded as one piece with the no-cut integrated seatmast and anchored down near the bottom bracket. It’s this smaller, secondary frame section that passes through the IsoSpeed decoupler.

Quite ingeniously, you can now even tune the stiffness of that spring by sliding the spacer that separates the two seat tubes up and down. Moving it toward the bottom bracket yields the longest spring and softest spring rate; moving it up makes it progressively shorter and stiffer. According to Trek, the most comfortable setting is now 14% softer than before but the least is 25% more firm. Changing the ride quality requires just a few seconds with a 4mm hex wrench and your fingers.

While the original Domane was an impressive achievement, one of the most pointed criticisms was its somewhat disjointed ride quality: the rear end was super cushy but the front end was comparatively harsh. Rather remarkably, Trek has managed to replicate the IsoSpeed mechanism up front with a pivoting subassembly housed inside the top of the head tube that lets the steerer tube bend more on bumpy terrain. The result is a much more balanced ride on the Domane SLR.

https://youtu.be/zgADNPKolyE

“[The development of Front IsoSpeed] started very early on, even before we launched the last bike,” Trek road product manager Ben Coates told CyclingTips. “We consistently felt and heard that the rear end was so good that it made the front end feel noticeably different. But in that compliment was an opportunity that we couldn’t get out of our minds.  As we were racking our brains how to balance out the ride, some product manager just kept saying, ‘I don’t understand why you can’t just take that from the back and put it in the front.’ After a few months, a couple of our engineers got together and had an a-ha moment.”

Although the Front IsoSpeed concept sounds radical, keep in mind this isn’t the first time Trek has dabbled with tuned-in steerer tube flex. Previous-generation Madones and Domanes already use steerer tubes that are flattened on their front and rear sides to help them bend a bit under load but Trek says the new Front IsoSpeed mechanism adds another 5-10% more vertical movement at the bars (depending on stem length and rider hand position) than the current Domane. The thought of a steerer tube repeatedly bending over time may give some riders pause — let alone a system that actually encourages the movement. But if you think about it, the Front IsoSpeed mechanism may let the steerer bend more than before but it’s a larger-radius bend with less concentrated stress. In other words, the addition of IsoSpeed should actually improve the fatigue life of the fork, not shorten it.

“All of our forks, including the new Domane fork, go through the same extensive testing — testing that goes above and beyond industry and governmental standards,” Coates said. “Your suspicions are correct, though. Because we are able to reduce point load at the upper headset bearing, we do actually have a better structural design for the bearing/steerer tube interface. This allows us to reduce weight.”

Speaking of weight, all of that additional aluminium and steel hardware is obviously heavier than an equivalent all-carbon head tube but Trek claims that design efficiencies in other locations on the Domane SLR more than cancels that out. In fact, claimed frame weight is an impressive 950g for an unpainted 56cm sample – 100g lighter than the original Domane – plus 330g for the matching fork. Coates says paint will add 5-200g depending on the finish, and both the disc and rim brake versions are virtually identical on the scale.

Further balancing out the ride is the new IsoCore handlebar, which utilises a layer of rubber inside the carbon fibre lay-up. Trek claims the additional rubber layer produces 20% more movement at the hoods under load than a conventional all-carbon bar — or 24% more than an aluminium one — while still weighing posting a reasonable weight of 236-267g, depending on size.

Tire clearance gets a big boost, too. Whereas the previous Domane was only approved for 25mm-wide tyres across the board, rim brake-equipped Domane SLR models will now officially swallow 28mm ones while the Domane SLR Disc gains another 4mm of room on top of that. Bear in mind that those limits are based on government-mandated regulatory clearances and riders who are willing to take a bit more risk (and don’t plan on trudging through the mud) will likely find space for even higher-volume rubber. For example, some cyclocross knobbies will physically pass through the fork blades and stays but without any wiggle room for debris or a wheel that falls out of true so it’s not something I recommend trying.

Other new features on the Domane SLR include a removable ‘Control Center’ access panel in the down tube to house the battery on Shimano Di2-equipped models, flat-mount calliper interfaces on disc brake-equipped versions, and direct-mount callipers on bikes with rim brakes. Disc-equipped bikes also move to 12mm-diameter thru-axles front and rear while bikes with rim brakes stick with quick-release open dropouts.

Key traits from the original Domane carry over unchanged, including the relatively upright rider positioning, ultra-stable handling, hidden fender mounts, integrated chain catcher, 1 1/8-to-1 1/2in tapered steerer tube, and BB90 bottom bracket shell with direct press-fit bearings.

Trek will offer the new Domane SLR in five complete bikes to start — two with disc brakes and three with rim brakes — plus one rim and one disc frameset, all with the standard Endurance geometry and a generous size range from 44-62cm. There will also be a team-replica Domane SLR Race Shop Limited edition with a more aggressive ‘Pro Endurance’ geometry that features a longer reach, shorter stack, and quicker handling, plus a more upscale 700-Series OCLV carbon fibre will also be available. Those will only be offered in 54-62cm sizes, however, since the Trek Segafredo team doesn’t have anyone of smaller statures on its classics squad. Both geometries will be offered through Trek’s Project One custom program (albeit only with rim brakes to start).

Prices and key component specs are as follows:

Domane SLR 9 eTap (US$11,000 / AU$12,999 / £7,600)

• OCLV 600-Series frame and fork
• SRAM Red eTap groupset
• Bontrager Aeolus 3 D3 TLR wheelset

Domane SLR 7 Disc (US$6,500 / AU$n/a / £4,800)

• Shimano Ultegra Di2 drivetrain
• Shimano R785 levers and brakes
• Bontrager Affinity Comp wheelset

Domane SLR 7 (US$6,000 / AU$6,800 / £4,400)

• Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset
• Bontrager direct-mount brakes
• Bontrager Paradigm Comp wheelset

Domane SLR 6 Disc (US$5,500 / AU$6,300 / £4,000)

• Shimano Ultegra 6800 drivetrain
• Shimano R685 levers and brakes

Domane SLR 6 (US$5,000 / AU$5,800 / £3,600)

• Shimano Ultegra 6800 groupset

Domane SLR Race Shop Limited frameset (US$TBC / AU$TBC / £TBC)

• OCLV 700-Series frame and fork

Domane SLR frameset (US$3,000 / AU$n/a / £2,400)

Domane SLR Disc frameset (US$3,000 / AU$n/a / £2,550)

First impressions: Riding the new Domane SLR 7 Disc

Trek may have only officially launched its new bike in Belgium today but I received an early-production Domane SLR 7 Disc — the top-end disc-equipped version — several days prior to test on home soil. I mean that in the literal sense, too, seeing as how my sample has thus far spent plenty of time on pavement but even more time on the endless expanse of unpaved roads surrounding my Boulder, Colorado home base in order to better gauge the bike’s ride quality.

To simply say that the new Domane SLR is ‘smooth’ would be to do a gross disservice both to what Trek has achieved here and to anyone searching for the holy grail of comfort. Whereas many endurance bikes aim to reduce vibration, the Domane SLR’s ace in the hole is bona fide movement at the contact points — and a lot of it. In fact, it’s the closest thing to a full-suspension road bike currently available. It’s not just smooth; in the most comfortable setting, the frame is freakishly, otherworldly, and almost alarmingly calm and composed in how it utterly levels the ground beneath you. If you think this assessment borders on sycophantic, then so be it; but do yourself the courtesy of riding one first.

Even better, the ride quality is far more balanced than the previous Domane could ever hope to be. Granted, the combination of the radical Front IsoSpeed and the surprisingly effective IsoCore handlebar still doesn’t equal the softness of the rear end but it’s a much better match than it used to be. Pavement cracks are seen but never felt and front-end impacts are met with little more than a dull thud through your hands; coarse road texture feels like polished granite. Since the Front IsoSpeed’s pivot axis is mechanically limited, there’s no out-of-plane vagueness when arcing through corners or when torquing the bars during climbs and sprints, either.

As before, there’s negligible bounciness from the pseudo-suspended rear end in most situations but it is possible to generate an odd oscillation at times – especially if you have a particularly ‘square’ pedal stroke or your position requires a lot of saddle setback. That said, I didn’t have any issues with it (nor did I with the previous version, either).

The adjustability of the rear IsoSpeed is tangibly effective. In its softest position, the Domane SLR decimates washboarded dirt country paths and poorly maintained pavement; in the firmest, it feels much like any other high-end carbon endurance frame. That said, anyone buying a Domane is almost certainly going to be drawn to the bike’s comfort so my suspicion is that most will gravitate toward the cushier end of the spectrum. For reference, Fabian Cancellara opted for the second-softest setting when he rode the new Domane SLR to victory at last month’s Strade Bianche and at this year’s Tour of Flanders.

Even better, the Domane SLR’s superb comfort doesn’t come at the expense of traditional performance metrics on smoother surfaces, either. As already mentioned, the frame is competitively light but since the bike’s ride quality is baked in with mechanical solutions, there’s no need to engineer much flex into the tubes themselves. As a result, the main frame and chainstays use enormous cross-section throughout and the chassis is amply stiff and efficient when sprinting or climbing out of the saddle.

That Trek has managed to build a phenomenally comfortable road bike isn’t in question but whether you actually like the feel may be. Whereas even the most heavily damped composite road frames still tend to transmit a fair bit of information on what’s happening at the tyre contact patches, the Domane SLR delivers a highly muted sensation throughout. I’ve little doubt that I was able to ride faster on rough sections of road than I would on a more unyielding frameset but the ride can be so thoroughly isolating at times that you could be forgiven for thinking there was something missing in the experience.

Geometry-wise, Trek has carried over intact the original Domane’s figures for this more upscale Domane SLR version and that may be a love-it-or-hate-it proposition as well. As compared to Trek’s more agile Madone and Emonda platforms, the Domane geometry is markedly longer, lower, and slacker with a bottom bracket that’s 10mm closer to the ground, a rear wheel more than a centimetre further behind you than typical race bikes, and a wheelbase that’s a whopping 3-4cm rangier from axle to axle. The front end is also 1-2 degrees slacker and rises up 4-5cm taller for a substantially more relaxed riding posture.

As a result, the Domane is ultra-stable but also slow to initiate turns, requiring a concerted lean to get the front end aimed at tight apexes. The unusual geometry also yields a feeling of sitting ‘in’ the bike rather than ‘on’ it — something not everyone will agree with. In fairness, the Domane isn’t about winning criteriums; it’s about gobbling up long stretches of road in comfort and the fact that it’s Trek’s best-selling road platform speaks volumes about how well that attitude appeals to the masses.

As for the component particulars of this Domane SLR 7 Disc edition, there’s not much to complain about. The stock 32mm-wide Bontrager tyres only further accentuate the smooth-riding chassis, and the wide-range 50/34T chainrings and 11-32T cassette on the Shimano Ultegra Di2 drivetrain play well with the bike’s versatility. Shimano sadly hasn’t squelched the incessant rattling and clunking in its hydraulic Dual Control levers, though, and while the Bontrager Affinity Comp aluminium clincher wheels are tubeless-compatible, the stock tyres are not.

Actual weight for my 52cm sample is 8.31kg (18.32lb) without pedals — quite a reasonable figure given the front and rear pseudo-suspension, disc brakes, and fat tyres.

Overall, it’s so far, so good but I’ll have a more in-depth review later after I’m able to log some more significant mileage.

Trek Domane SLR models and performance data

Disclosure: Trek is an advertiser with CyclingTips and we would like to thank them for providing this early demo for review.

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• Rider Notes

2018 Trek Domane SL 6 Disc

A carbon frame endurance bike with high-end components and hydraulic disc brakes.

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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.

Domane SL 6 Disc

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• 6'0", size 56cm, Just right

Dec 2019 · Richard Windsor

The versatile and comfortable Trek Domane SL 6 put to the test

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May 2018 · Anna Cipullo

A bike that’s comfortable and forgiving, but stiff and powerful in all the right places. Buy if you want an exceptionally smooth and comfortable ride, but aren’t willing to sacrifice speed or control for the privilege

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The Trek Domane SL7 endurance road bike comes in a wide variety of specs, prices and with disc or rim brakes. But the real selling point is the IsoSpeed decouplers front and rear that reduce bumps and impact forces to improve long distance cycling comfort. Read our Trek Domane review for tech details & more!

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Trek's Domane crushes cobbles, sure. But on smooth blacktop it’s just as capable.

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The endurance bike gets smoother

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News from MAKS 2017 AIRSHOW (MAKS2017)

Today, International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS holds one of the leading positions among the world's largest aviation forums and it is well-deserved.

The main objective of MAKS is to demonstrate achievements of Russian high tech and receptiveness of the domestic Russian market to joint projects with foreign partners.

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MAKS provides a comprehensive insight into the priorities and achievements of the Russian aerospace industry. Some prototypes of aircrafts and combat systems as well as experimental units that for one reason or another cannot be shown abroad, are demonstrate exclusively at MAKS.

MAKS provides a unique opportunity to experts in the field and businessmen for establishing multi-level connections, further developing industrial cooperation and finding new business partners. The key role of the Aviation Salon as a generator of new alliances and productive ideas is recognized worldwide.

MAKS is held in Zhukovsky – the town synonymous to the aviation science and technology – at the airfield of the country's central test base – Gromov Flight Research Institute. Guests of the Salon can familiarize themselves with the biggest Russian scientific, production and experimental hubs located in the close proximity.

Scientific conferences and round tables held under the auspices of the State Scientific Center of Russia –  TsAGI (the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute)  constitute a significant part of the MAKS program. This is where scientists and experts can exchange opinions about most heated topics of the current and future development of the aviation and space industries.

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Results have arrived, trek domane sl 6 disc road bike - 2017, 60cm, item #brd26875, condition: certified pre-owned what's this, fit range: 6'3" - 6'5" sizing guide, every certified pre-owned bike passes our multi-point inspection.

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