{"id":66520,"date":"2024-06-27T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-27T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/37b2a055-375a-4fcc-95b9-8b69f079474a"},"modified":"2024-06-27T17:25:29","modified_gmt":"2024-06-27T15:25:29","slug":"trek-kills-the-emonda-with-new-earth-shattering-all-rounder-madone","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/trek-kills-the-emonda-with-new-earth-shattering-all-rounder-madone\/","title":{"rendered":"Trek kills the Emonda with new “earth-shattering” all-rounder Madone"},"content":{"rendered":"

New OCLV 900 layup makes new Madone “as aero as gen-7 Madone and as light as the Emonda” <\/p>

By Jack Luke\n <\/p>

Published: Thursday, 27 June 2024 at 15:00 PM<\/p>

\n\n

Trek has killed off the Emonda with the eighth-generation Madone, combining its lightweight climbing bike and dedicated aero platform to create what the brand claims is an \u201cearth-shattering\u201d do-it-all road race bike.<\/p>

A \u201cfusion of its fastest road race bikes\u201d, the new Madone is claimed to be as aero as the outgoing seventh-generation Madone<\/a> and as light as the Emonda<\/a>.<\/p>

Trek has introduced its new top-tier OCLV 900 layup with the new Madone. Making use of fresh manufacturing techniques, this is said to be up to 20 per cent stronger than the outgoing 800 series layup and lighter. This and a new one-piece fork saves a claimed 320g versus the seventh-generation Madone.<\/p>

The Emonda name will live on as the Emonda ALR<\/a> alloy race bike, but will no longer feature in Trek\u2019s top-tier road bike line-up.<\/p>

Foil System Foil is the future<\/h2>
Its logos are as big as ever, but Trek has slimmed the new Madone. – Jack Luke \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Trek developed a suite of tube shapes for the new Madone, doing away with its long-standing Kammtail shapes in favour of what it calls Full System Foil.<\/p>

Compared to the outgoing Madone, most of the tubes are broader and squatter. Trek says these are more structurally efficient (lighter) than Kammtail tubes. <\/p>

\"Trek
Trek says it took a full-system approach, considering the rider, bike and accessories, when designing the new Madone. – Trek<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Trek says the bike is designed to optimise airflow over the full bike and rider, rather than optimising individual areas of the bike.\u00a0<\/p>

\"Trek
Smaller-sized bikes have slimmed-down tubes, reducing weight. – Trek<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Size-XS and S bikes feature slimmer tubes than larger sizes. Trek says this reduces weight on smaller bikes and maintains consistent aero performance throughout the size range.<\/p>

\"Trek
The new bottles are key to the Madone’s aero performance. – Jack Luke \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Trek has developed new aero bottles and matching cages for the Madone.\u00a0<\/p>

Trek claims these save 3.7 watts at 45 km\/h versus a standard round bottle of the same capacity, and are faster than running no bottles at all. The cages work with conventional round bottles.<\/p>

The new bottles ship as stock with SLR-level bikes and are available aftermarket.\u00a0<\/p>

Compared to a previous-generation Madone with round bottles and a largely comparable build, the new Madone with aero bottles is claimed to be 0.1 watts faster at 35.4km\/h \u2013 or, in other words, about the same.\u00a0<\/p>

As should be expected, the difference is more stark when comparing the new Madone to the Emonda, with a claimed 11.3-watt saving at the same speed.\u00a0<\/p>

New layup reduces weight<\/h2>
\"2025
The top-tier SLR-level bike uses Trek’s new OCLV 900 layup. – Jack Luke \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Trek\u2019s new 900 OCLV layup technology, as used on SLR-level bikes, uses an inflatable mandrel \u2013 the form around which the frame is laid up \u2013 during manufacturing.\u00a0<\/p>

This improves compaction, pushing out excess resin and reducing wrinkles inside the tubes.<\/p>

Using this new manufacturing technique, a painted SLR-level size M\/L frame is claimed to weigh 796g and the fork 350g.\u00a0<\/p>

\"Emonda
The top-tier Emonda is still lighter than the new Madone, according to Trek’s figures. – Trek<\/figcaption><\/figure>

This is a claimed 320g saving versus the seventh-generation Madone, but is a little heavier than a top-tier OCLV 800 Emonda SLR frame in the same size (698g claimed).<\/p>

Comparing similar Red AXS<\/a>-equipped complete builds, the new Madone SLR 9 AXS is claimed to weigh 7.00kg and the outgoing Emonda SLR 9 AXS 6.75kg.<\/p>

\"Trek
SL-level bikes use a two-piece cockpit and are a bit heavier. – Trek<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The SL-level Madone uses Trek\u2019s 500 OCLV layup. This is claimed to weigh 1,054g for the frame and 363g for the fork.<\/p>

The top-spec SLR bikes also feature the new one-piece Aero RSL cockpit, whereas the SL has the conventional two-piece cockpit.\u00a0<\/p>

The SL is also compatible with mechanical drivetrains.\u00a0<\/p>

IsoFlow stays<\/h2>
\"Trek
Trek has retained its IsoFlow design for the new Madone. – Jack Luke \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Introduced on the seventh-generation Madone, Trek has retained its distinctive IsoFlow system for the bike.<\/p>

This hole in the seat tube enables the seat mast to flex and is said to improve aero performance.<\/p>

The second incarnation of IsoFlow has been slimmed down slightly and the aerodynamic shaping refined to reduce weight and improve performance.\u00a0<\/p>

This, in combination with new layup techniques \u2013 which enabled Trek to remove the foam core used on the original incarnation of IsoFlow \u2013 is said to improve vertical compliance by 80 per cent.\u00a0<\/p>

Reduced size range covers more riders\u00a0<\/h2>
\"Lidl-Trek
Trek says the new Madone will fit a broader range of riders, despite the reduction in size options. – Trek<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The Madone size range has been slimmed from eight to six sizes. Trek says this new range covers a wider range of rider heights with less overlap between sizes.<\/p>

Trek has also done away with numerical sizing in favour of T-shirt-style sizing.<\/p>

Sizes 54 and 52cm have been combined into the new size-M bike. The previous 62cm bike is now covered by the size-XL bike, which features an extended seat mast.\u00a0<\/p>

\"\"
Both the SL and SLR-level bikes use an integrated seat mast. – Jack Luke \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

At the other end, increased seat mast adjustability broadens the size range to even shorter riders, according to Trek.\u00a0<\/p>

Trek previously offered its bikes in H1 (pro\/aggressive) and H2 (comfort\/endurance) fit options.\u00a0<\/p>

It did away with this split with the 2021 Trek Emonda, introducing its all-rounder H1.5 fit.\u00a0<\/p>

With the new Madone, Trek has dropped its \u2018H\u2019 naming conventions altogether, now describing its all-rounder geometry as \u2018Road Race\u2019.\u00a0<\/p>

The geometry of the seventh and eighth-generation Madone is similar \u2013 reach is slightly decreased across most sizes and stack increased, but only by a few millimetres in both instances.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

New Trek Madone geometry chart<\/h3>
<\/colgroup>
\ufeff<\/th>XS<\/th>S<\/th>M<\/th>ML<\/th>L<\/th>XL<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Seat tube (mm)<\/td>40.4<\/td>44<\/td>47.6<\/td>51.2<\/td>54.8<\/td>60.9<\/td> <\/tr>
Seat tube angle (degrees)<\/td>73.8<\/td>73.8<\/td>73.6<\/td>73.4<\/td>73.4<\/td>73.4<\/td> <\/tr>
Head tube length (mm)<\/td>10<\/td>12.1<\/td>13.6<\/td>15<\/td>17.2<\/td>20.1<\/td> <\/tr>
Head angle (degrees)<\/td>71.6<\/td>72.2<\/td>72.9<\/td>73.5<\/td>73.8<\/td>73.9<\/td> <\/tr>
Effective top tube (mm)<\/td>51.7<\/td>53.2<\/td>54.5<\/td>55.7<\/td>56.8<\/td>58.4<\/td> <\/tr>
Bottom bracket drop (mm)<\/td>7.2<\/td>7.2<\/td>7<\/td>7<\/td>6.8<\/td>6.8<\/td> <\/tr>
Chainstay length (mm)<\/td>41<\/td>41<\/td>41<\/td>41<\/td>41.1<\/td>41.2<\/td> <\/tr>
Offset (mm)<\/td>5<\/td>4.5<\/td>4.5<\/td>4<\/td>4<\/td>4<\/td> <\/tr>
Trail (mm)<\/td>6.1<\/td>6.2<\/td>5.8<\/td>5.9<\/td>5.7<\/td>5.7<\/td> <\/tr>
Wheelbase (mm)<\/td>97.1<\/td>97.6<\/td>98.1<\/td>98<\/td>99<\/td>100.7<\/td> <\/tr>
Standover (mm)<\/td>70.9<\/td>74<\/td>76.8<\/td>79.4<\/td>82.5<\/td>86.9<\/td> <\/tr>
Reach (mm)<\/td>37<\/td>37.8<\/td>38.4<\/td>38.9<\/td>39.4<\/td>40.2<\/td> <\/tr>
Stack (mm)<\/td>50.7<\/td>53<\/td>54.6<\/td>56.2<\/td>58.2<\/td>61<\/td> <\/tr>
Saddle rail height min, short mast (mm)<\/td>54.9<\/td>58.5<\/td>62.1<\/td>65.7<\/td>69.3<\/td>75.4<\/td> <\/tr>
Saddle rail height min, tall mast (mm)<\/td>65.4<\/td>69<\/td>72.6<\/td>76.2<\/td>79.8<\/td>85.9<\/td> <\/tr> <\/tbody> <\/table>