ENDURANCE
Trek Domane SL6 eTap
£4,300 Endurance smoothy gets SRAM’s wireless Rival
Weight 9.42kg (56cm) Frame OCLV carbon Fork Carbon Brakes Rival disc Gears SRAM Rival 46/33, 10-36 Wheels Bontrager Paradigm Comp 25 Finishing kit All Bontrager: alloy bar, stem, carbon internal seatmast, P3 Verse Comp saddle, Hard Case Lite R3 32c tyres
The Good
Impossibly smooth riding; handles with ease; great versatility
The Bad
A bit weightier than its rivals
Storage solutions
There are mudguard and top tube mounts – and even a storage chamber in the down tube with a custom-sized tool wrap
Mast-er of science
The rear IsoSpeed allows the seat tube to flex fore and aft, so the Domane has a shortened seatmast that inserts into an extended seat tube
You’ve got clearance
The Domane has a class-leading 38mm tyre clearance, and with peerless rough-road handling, this opens up the world of light gravel, too
TREK’S ENDURANCE ROAD bike, the Domane, is a suspensionequipped machine with aerodynamic tube profiles. The SL6 is constructed from Trek’s OCLV 500 series carbon and, other than weighing a few more grams than 700 series frames, it’s still a premium carbon chassis with innovative tech.
The front IsoSpeed system replaces the headset top with a rocker cup that allows the steerer to flex fore and aft, smoothing out rougher road surfaces.
My 56cm test bike has a fairly relaxed riding position compared to Cannondale’s Synapse and the Cervélo Caledonia, though I did shift the saddle to extend the reach and allow myself to get that bit lower. The 71.9-degree head angle is more relaxed than most endurance bikes while the 73.3-degree seat angle is steeper.
The groupset is SRAM’s excellent Rival eTap AXS. Shifting is a match for its dearer wireless offerings, and it’s also tunable through SRAM’s superb AXS app. The gear range is ideal for a bike like this. Elsewhere, it’s all Bontrager. The middleweight Paradigm wheels have a generous 25mm internal width and they’re paired with 32mm tyres that roll beautifully. On the road I didn’t notice any excess weight.
Despite weighing close to 9.5kg overall this Domane simply wafts over rough tarmac.
The IsoZone handlebar is designed to work with Bontrager’s gel pad and bar tape and is, frankly, brilliant. This helps make the Domane one of the best-rolling bikes I’ve ever tested. A bold statement, but the way it glides over poor surfaces is a wonder.
The Domane is a fine climber, assisted by the wide-range gearing. It breezes uphill if you’re in the saddle and holding the comfortable oversized tops, with their plush tape. And if you get out of the saddle and punch it to the summit, it’ll respond in kind. Descending is almost as impressive – the relaxed head angle combining with the chassis’ compliance for a bike that’s very assured speeding downhill. I found myself carving into corners looking for the best line and ignoring any road imperfections.
Its origins as a cobble-busting racer set the standard for compliance, but its evolution makes it an endurance bike of today.
Verdict
Versatile, comfortable and capable bike that’s well equipped and fantastic fun to ride