trek emonda forum

Trek Emonda 2021

imposter2.0 said: They need to make the Trek lettering bigger.

imposter2.0 said: They need to make the Trek lettering bigger. Actually, tbf I quite like the look of it..

joe_totale-2 said: Also having "f*cking SRAM" decals on it to quote Bauke Mollema is nothing to be proud of.

brenr6 said: I thought the Madone SLR had some form of front vibration dampening

mohammad.a.zaky said: Hello guys, Any news on Madone 2021 model? Also how often do Trek change shape in Madone and Emonda. I assume shape will be changed in mid 2021 model 2022. Thank you

brenr6 said: Disc only. I dont know why Trek just dont launch it, its in dealerships in Ireland.

joe_totale-2 said: I'm not so sure about the BB. We all know that BB90 is bobbins but it's also a fair bit lighter than T47 and the Emonda is all about being a lightweight climbing bike. Likewise, IsoSpeed adds more weight, there's already the Domane and the Madone if you want suspension.

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New Trek Emonda spotted? With IsoFlow?!?!?

Different article with speculation on the same WW post.

If the UCI can take action on sock heights and turned in hoods, I’d like to see them ban these interrupted seat tubes to preserve the aesthetics of the sport.

I understand the sentiment… but no… please no.

Honestly, I think the idea of a lighter Madone is more realistic than using IsoFlow on an Emonda……at least I hope so.

Can’t imagine Trek trying to force a polarizing feature onto a bike that is designed to be lightweight, all-rounder bike, especially one that provides dubious benefits.

I don’t mind it / like it. If Trek can fix of the looks of their cable routing stem spacers, I’d consider buying it.

I hope you’re right, but I fear you are not.

I have the new Madone with the Isoflow seat post. I really enjoy the bike and the polarizing styling is a conversation starter. The Emonda really needed a change, it was getting left in the dust by the other brands.

I actually like the look of IsoFlow. I’ve had the former Emonda. It was a great bike to ride, but significantly slower on the flat than a comparable dogma, tarmac, or supersix. That was the deal breaker for me, and maybe this is a good improvement.

I’m with you, I like IsoFlow. More and more Madones showing up on Wed night. Another local just bought one. The Tarmac SL7 is pretty hard on my body, wouldn’t mind trading it for a Madone and get a little more compliance (but IIUC, Madone is limited to 32mm as measured rear tire, which is a deal breaker for me).

Moderator… can we clean up some of these posts? It’s spelled TREK not Trek - especially if you’re talking about the Madone (the heavier aero bike named after a famous climb). Even when you’re talking about the Emonda (the lighter climbing bike named after nothing), Domane (the comfortable bike named after nothing), or the Checkpoint (the gravel bike that should have been named Nomade), we should use TREK .

As much of an OCD pedant as I am… I got my hand slapped enough times around here for fixing other peoples info that I avoid it unless absolutely necessary ( V02 → VO2 is the most common issue that I bother to fix in titles, for the sake of search at the very least ).

I learned something new recently. I can’t believe I just learned it, so I’ll share in case anyone else is as clueless as me.

Emonda and Domane are anagrams of Madone.

Hence my Nomade joke

Daemon is right there waiting for them

Weight Weenies

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My first lightweight(ish) build | Trek Emonda ALR Disc

Moderator: robbosmans

Post by EliBikerman » Thu Apr 22, 2021 6:02 pm --> by EliBikerman on Thu Apr 22, 2021 6:02 pm

by » Thu Apr 22, 2021 6:02 pm --> by Weenie on Thu Apr 22, 2021 6:02 pm

Post by jch3n » Thu Apr 22, 2021 6:54 pm --> by jch3n on Thu Apr 22, 2021 6:54 pm

Post by Lenfaki » Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:06 pm --> by Lenfaki on Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:06 pm

Post by EliBikerman » Fri Apr 23, 2021 12:59 am --> by EliBikerman on Fri Apr 23, 2021 12:59 am

jch3n wrote: ↑ Thu Apr 22, 2021 6:54 pm Regarding lighter chains, KMC X11SL, PYC SP1101, YBN SLA-110. Take your pick. Also, 35g of grease!? Is that right?

Post by EliBikerman » Fri Apr 23, 2021 1:05 am --> by EliBikerman on Fri Apr 23, 2021 1:05 am

Lenfaki wrote: ↑ Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:06 pm Interesting mix of 105/Ultegra/Dura Ace and some other nice components. You don't see that often but looks like a great bike to me! Is it already built up? Curious to see how it looks. Swapping the chain isn't going to save you that much weight I think, there are better options (rotors) to achieve that

Post by Kaludrob » Fri Apr 23, 2021 6:12 am --> by Kaludrob on Fri Apr 23, 2021 6:12 am

Post by petromyzon » Fri Apr 23, 2021 6:41 am --> by petromyzon on Fri Apr 23, 2021 6:41 am

Post by jch3n » Fri Apr 23, 2021 4:43 pm --> by jch3n on Fri Apr 23, 2021 4:43 pm

EliBikerman wrote: ↑ Fri Apr 23, 2021 12:59 am I stripped all the bearings and repacked them. I also weighted everything I used for assembly. It may be off by 10g or so because some did get wiped off. Also, I just needed to add grams somewhere because my calculation was different from my actual. Very very new at this! Haha!

by » Fri Apr 23, 2021 4:43 pm --> by Weenie on Fri Apr 23, 2021 4:43 pm

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Trek Emonda, Demone, Madone

• Thread starter dontay
• Start date 28 Nov 2021
• 28 Nov 2021

I’m coming from mountain biking to the road with minimal experience. I’m in process of road testing and then ordering either an Emonda SL5, Damone SL5 and Madone SL6. My initial aspirations are single day rides 25-50 miles averaging 4000 ft of assent. I appreciate they are quite different bikes. I would really appreciate the opinion of those with any experience. Many thanks D  

Legendary Member

• 29 Nov 2021

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable brexiteer.

Vickster is talking sense. those bikes are like comparing apples with pears. The only commonality is they are all Treks. Why are you even considering that sort of money on a first road bike? You don't know yet if you will end up enjoying that style of riding, or whether you will keep it up long term or the bike will just end up getting stuffed in the back of your shed gathering dust. The minute you take delivery of a new bike and ride it, that's a third of it's retail cost gone in an instant. If you buy the wrong one and decide you don't like it much, and it's a pricey high end model, its going to be an expensive learning experience. It would make a lot more sense to get a budget road bike from a reputable source, that will merely be good enough to be mechanically reliable, without being a depreciation money pit, and ride that around for a while to see if you really intend to stick at that type of cycling or not.  

4000 feet of ascent is quite a lot. You must love climbing. If you're in the northern hemisphere I'd be buying a winter bike first. Full mudguards, wide tyres and disc brakes. Then by the time the nice weather arrives you'll know what you want out of a bike. Are you limited to Trek ?  

SkipdiverJohn said: Vickster is talking sense. those bikes are like comparing apples with pears. The only commonality is they are all Treks. Why are you even considering that sort of money on a first road bike? You don't know yet if you will end up enjoying that style of riding, or whether you will keep it up long term or the bike will just end up getting stuffed in the back of your shed gathering dust. The minute you take delivery of a new bike and ride it, that's a third of it's retail cost gone in an instant. If you buy the wrong one and decide you don't like it much, and it's a pricey high end model, its going to be an expensive learning experience. It would make a lot more sense to get a budget road bike from a reputable source, that will merely be good enough to be mechanically reliable, without being a depreciation money pit, and ride that around for a while to see if you really intend to stick at that type of cycling or not. Click to expand...

• 30 Nov 2021

A lot of keen cyclists will have a couple of bikes. A best one for summer and then one for winter. It's easy to trash a nice shiny summer bike if you don't keep up on the cleaning through the winter.  

CanucksTraveller

Macho business donkey wrestler.

The Madone is the model you'll see on the pro tours when it's a high speed, flattish stage with low crosswinds, it's designed to be as aerodynamic and as fast as possible. The Domane is a slightly more comfort orientated bike for really long days, and the Emonda is the model that's meant to be optimised for climbing. So on paper you probably want the Emonda, although I agree that they need to be tried in person with that sort of outlay at stake.  

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler.

cougie uk said: 4000 feet of ascent is quite a lot. You must love climbing. Click to expand...

Sea of vapours

Paul_Smith SRCC

Www.plsmith.co.uk.

dontay said: I’m coming from mountain biking to the road with minimal experience. I’m in process of road testing and then ordering either an Emonda SL5, Damone SL5 and Madone SL6. My initial aspirations are single day rides 25-50 miles averaging 4000 ft of assent.... Click to expand...

dontay said: I am able to have each bike for a weekend to try/test so that’s an advantage - Comfort, least fatigue, gearing and smile factor... Click to expand...

Hi Paul, what an absolutely superb concise informative reply. I’m blown away! Extremely useful and helps massively. Thank you so much. Agree bike numbers are very low, however. Two local shops have demo stock of the 2022 Emonda SL5 and 2022 domane SL5, my best friend has the Madone SL6. Thank you once again for taking time to submit this information. D.  

• 15 Dec 2021

dontay said: Hi Paul, what an absolutely superb concise informative reply. I’m blown away! Extremely useful and helps massively. Thank you so much. Agree bike numbers are very low, however. Two local shops have demo stock of the 2022 Emonda SL5 and 2022 domane SL5, my best friend has the Madone SL6. Thank you once again for taking time to submit this information. D. Click to expand...

Dogtrousers said: That's putting it mildly. To convert into metric, that's 1,219m in 40.2 km. 3% overall. That's a @Sea of vapours style ride. Get some low gears. Click to expand...

Sea of vapours said: Yeessss... the pointy end of that distance / ascent range is close to Lunacy Climbing Challenge ascent rates, isn't it. If the 25 miles / 4,000' is true then 34 x 34 gearing, which any of those bikes /could/ have, would certainly be a very good idea. Click to expand...

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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!

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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!

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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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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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2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro review

Trek's climbing specialist has been re-imagined as a do-it-all race bike.

Felix Smith / Immediate Media

Amazingly stiff ride; race-ready long and low fit; exceptionally fun to ride.

25mm tyres exaggerate harsh ride and harm performance on imperfect road surfaces; weight isn't competitive for price.

The new 2021 Trek Emonda sees a shift away from a purely climber-focussed bike to a more all-round package with the de-rigueur aero shaping to match.

We have two bikes in for review. My colleague, Warren, has the top-end 6.9kg Emonda SLR 9 model with all of the bells and whistles, and an outrageous £9,700 price tag .

I have been testing the Ultegra R8000-equipped 2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro.

The SL-level Emonda is based on Trek’s OCLV 500 carbon layup, which adds roughly 445g to an unpainted frameset in an unspecified size compared to the top-end model.

You do, however, get the exact same geometry and frame shape as the SLR-level Emonda, so the differences should largely boil down to weight alone.

More on the new Trek Emonda

• New 2021 Trek Emonda | An uncompromising disc-only race bike
• Trek Emonda SLR 9 eTap first ride review

At £3,350 ($3,799 / €3,799 / AU$5,499), the SL6 Pro is by no means cheap, but represents fairly good value for money in the context of the wider market

For that cash, you get a full Ultegra R8020 groupset , a Bontrager Aelous Elite 35 carbon wheelset, a perfectly inoffensive alloy cockpit and a very plush Bontrager saddle. The bike weighs 8.13kg on the nose with no pedals.

Picking two comparable bikes, the Giant TCR Advanced Pro 2 Disc costs roughly the same (£3,499) for a broadly similar build, as does the Rose X-Lite 6 (~£3,450).

Trek has significantly altered the geometry of the Emonda for 2021, and it is now only available in the brand’s middle-of-the-road H1.5 fit.

H1.5 sits pretty much in the middle of Trek’s super aggressive H1 geometry and its endurance-focussed H2 fit.

The resulting shape strikes a nice balance between real-world usability while allowing the sportier riders among us to get a low and fast setup should they so wish.

The stack for the new Emonda is on the lower end of the spectrum for a 56cm bike at 563mm. The reach is fairly average, at 391mm for a 56cm bike. The 56cm bike ships with a 100mm stem.

While the reach of the frameset is fairly average, when matched with the 42cm-wide Bontrager Elite VR-C bars, which have a hefty 100mm reach, the fit of the bike feels suitably long and low.

I really like the overall profile of these bars – there’s loads of room in the drops so you can actually spend some time down there comfortably without your hands getting smooshed up, and the extra reach offers additional useful hand positions.

Adding reach to the bars (rather than increasing the length of the stem) also means the tops stay a touch closer to you, giving a really comfortable position for seated climbing.

The ride of the bike is exceptionally stiff and incredibly fun in the way that a proper race bike can be.

It’s got that addictive ultra-efficient feel with a totally unyielding pedal response that is amazing on the climbs – you are giving up nothing to the frame when mashing yourself into a lactic oblivion.

I dare say the overall feel is almost a little old school, with a super stiff ride that’s reminiscent of early carbon bikes.

This will be polarising for some riders, but I personally really like it. It feels properly rapid and responsive, and going fast is never not fun.

Related reading

• Trek Domane SL7 review
• Trek Madone SL6 Disc review
• Best road bikes: how to choose the right one for you

While perhaps divisive, this super stiff ride also goes some way to differentiate the bike from the others in Trek’s lineup.

The line between the Emonda and Madone – and to a certain degree, the Domane – is now fairly blurred with this new bike.

But by keeping it simple, with no ISOSpeed squashiness, a racy ride and a lighter overall package, the Emonda stands out in the range.

That stiffness also translates into a really engaging and fun ride on the descents. The bike shrugs at irresponsibly heavy braking into corners, remaining accurate and giving – yes, I really am going to say it – a really feedback-rich ride. It’s a total hoot.

It’s no surprise that this stiffness results in a firm ride.

It’s not a rough ride, per se – the bike still provides that pleasingly damped feel that any quality carbon bike gives on imperfect surfaces, and the integrated seat mast brings a degree of rear end comfort.

However, on larger bumps, the front end can feel quite jarring. The alloy bars will contribute to this, but the stock 25mm tyres are the main culprit.

25mm wide tyres were considered progressive a few short years ago, but the majority of new road bikes these days ship with 28mm tyres (or even larger) and not without good reason.

Wider tyres have consistently been shown in testing to have lower rolling resistance than narrower tyres and, as they can be run at lower pressures, they also improve comfort. Being more comfortable means less fatigue, which means increased speed.

This is well-trodden ground, so to see 25mm tyres here is a little bit disappointing – other bikes in the Emonda range feature 28s, and I’ve always admired Trek for boldly speccing 32mm tyres on the Domane, so to see narrower rubber here feel like a bit of a cop-out.

Trek is clearly trying to pander to the hill climb kids with the tiny reduction in weight 25s will offer, but 28s would be better for the majority of riders in nearly all situations.

Keen to see how much of a difference wider tyres would actually make, I swapped the stock Bontrager R2 Hard-Case Lite tyres in favour of a pair of Panaracer Race D Evo tyres. These measure bang on 28mm when inflated to 70psi on the Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35 wheels.

Unsurprisingly, the wider tyres smoothed out the ride of the bike significantly without making the ride feel mushy – you can focus on getting the most out of the bike’s stiff frameset without having to worry so much about potholes or broken road surfaces. The larger tyres also improve grip on descents.

They also make very light gravel detours a more appealing possibility.

Gravel riding is absolutely one bazillion per cent not within the intended remit of this bike, but the larger volume tyres make short stretches along smooth unsealed rail trails or rough access roads a much less hateful experience.

On a similar theme, I was also a little disappointed to see the bike come set up with tubes.

The likes of Giant are now shipping complete bikes tubeless out of the box and, regardless of which side of the tubeless vs. tubed debate you sit on, including tubeless tech as stock adds value to a bike.

Given the new Aeolus 35 Elite wheels are tubeless-compatible, it’s disappointing that the included tyres aren’t at least tubeless-ready.

As mentioned, the bike has been doused in a liberal helping of aero sauce, and the new bike is claimed to sit between the outgoing Emonda and the Madone in terms of aero performance.

There’s no way I can quantify these claims, but the bike does feel fast on the flats. I suspect that has more to do with the fact the bike’s geometry means it’s possible to get into a properly long and low position, so I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether you believe Trek’s claims – or whether you care.

Not that it has any bearing on performance, but the aero shaping has resulted in a bike that looks fast. I’m fond of the overall shape of the bike and I’m glad to not see dropped seat stays here. The lines are classic and the traditional cockpit doesn’t look out of place either.

Trek clearly doesn’t want you to forget you’re riding one of its bikes judging by the sheer size of the logo on the down tube. It is so over the top and a bit daft, but I kind of dig it – it’s like a postmodern statement, the David Byrne big suit of bicycle logos .

I also think the paint job looks really nice for what is, in the context of this model range, a ‘budget’ bike.

A surprising standout from the bike is the Bontrager Aeolus Comp saddle.

Every man and his dog has thrown his hat into the short nose and stubby saddle game, and I’ve tried a fair few now, but I think it’s a toss-up between this and the Pro Stealth Superlight for my all-time favourite .

Trust me when I say this is very high praise because I love the Pro Stealth. The Aeolus is squashy, comfortable and perfect for my peach. I can’t believe it has taken this long for saddles to get this good.

The bike is built around a full Shimano Ultegra R8020 groupset . It’s nigh-on impossible to level criticism at R8000, offering nearly all of the performance of Dura-Ace at a considerably lower price point.

The 52/36 crankset is paired with an 11-30 cassette. For a go-fast all-round climb-friendly bike, this is perfect.

However, it’s worth noting that the bike is equipped with a short cage mech, which officially limits the drivetrain to a 30t cassette. This means you would have to go for a smaller set of chainrings if you require lighter gearing.

Even so, the gearing has more than enough range to climb comfortably in the saddle on most climbs.

The SL6 Pro is the ‘cheapest’ bike in the new Emonda range to feature carbon wheels.

At 35mm deep, the Aeolus Elite 35 should, in theory, give a bit of aero advantage without sacrificing too much on the climbs in terms of weight.

A 35mm wheel is unlikely to present serious problems in crosswinds, and they feel perfectly well-mannered and stiff. The wheels are based on DT Swiss’ Ratchet EXP freehub, which are easy-enough to service with widely-available spares.

Again, I’m a bit miffed these aren’t set up tubeless out of the box. It would allow you to run lower pressures, improving comfort and grip, which is never a bad thing.

2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro conclusion

Make no mistake – the Emonda is an uncompromising race bike, and it’s all the better for it.

In a world of squashy do-it-all bikes, the Emonda’s wonderfully moreish super stiff ride stands out and I’ve really enjoyed my time testing it.

Speccing standard 25mm clincher tyres in 2020 is an odd move, and the weight for this particular build isn’t that competitive.

You also lose out on some (claimed) aero benefit with the standard cockpit versus the fancy new integrated Bontrager Aeolus RSL VR-C bar-stem combo. But, if you’re anything like me and enjoy endlessly tweaking your position and cockpit setup, this might not be such a bad thing.

Jumping up to the Emonda SL 7 (£4,850) would get you an Ultegra Di2 groupset, Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37 wheels and the integrated cockpit, but I’m not convinced the extra expense would be worth it.

A few small spec niggles aside, if you’re after a delightfully fun go-fast race bike, the 2021 Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro is very unlikely to leave you wanting.

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Trek Emonda SL BB?

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I've posted in the Trek forum with no response. Since Trek is having a sale, with some very attractive pricing, I am considering an Emonda SL and would like to hear about BB problems in the Emonda SL frame, if any? Thanks in advance for your help.  

BB90 is a press fit system that uses the bearings you'd normally see in Shimano or SRAM, or Campy bottom bracket cups. It works w/ 24mm axles, so no BB/PF30 cranks. I've been working on them and have owned them for years. No problems if they're installed correctly. If they're not, and the shell is slightly loose there is always the 'V2' bearing available that is .1mm oversize. I'd love it if manufacturers went back to threaded shells, but the Trek BB90 works fine in my opinion.  

I just wish I could get more people to respond.  

A guy I work with had his BB90 shell un-bond from the frame. He also ate bearings for lunch. I'd forget Trek.  

I owned a Scott with the same system and echo everything CX said. If you want Shimano or Sram cranks it's fine and lighter than BSA. The only downside is you can't use most 30mm axle cranks and the ones you can use (Lightning on my bike) have tiny bearings that wear out quickly. This isn't too much of a concern though since if your priority is performance the Sram Red GXP crank is pretty light and stiff.  

ANY crank you get from ANY 'major' manufacturer will more than stiff enough for your needs. Weight...? You can make that decision.  

Anyone else?  

I have a Madone and my friend has an emonda. No troubles with ours. He hasn't changed his out since he has had it, that i know of. Mine i changed twice. Easy to do and no troubles with all three sets  

Why did you change it?  

I have the Madone with BB90 and using Shimano crank. No problem, no creaking. I also have another bike with BB90 and Shimano crank, and no issues here too. Of all the various pressfit bottom bracket systems out there, BB90 is probably one of the better ones, better then the BB30, PF30, Specialized pressfit. Having said that, I have 4 other bikes with threaded bb, and I'd say threaded BSA bb is still king when it comes to minimizing creaking noise. Recently I did have one of these bikes develop a creaking noise bb after 4 years of hard use in the mountains (it's my climbing bike), so I put in some new Shimano Ultegra bottom bracket, cheap and easy to replace, creaking noise gone. It don't get much easier  

My current Domane frame has 12,000 miles on it and the BB90 has never been serviced - still smooth with no creaking. Previous Domane frame had the BB DS bearing replaced around 4000 miles due to it getting a bit rough, not creaking.  

So, I know this is an old thread but just to ensure the feedback goes in the right place on this huge WW web....Just for the record: My 2016 Emonda SL6 with approx. 4500 miles (i'm 6' x 180lbs) has developed a problem and I think Trek has agreed to warranty it, although I don't have a new frame in hand yet. The problem is a small crack growing around the drive side of the BB. Also the bearings were already in need of replacement, which is what led me to look close enough to find the crack. Non drive bearing was indexing and the drive side bearing is loose fitting now. Replacement bearings were $50.  

Attachments

GeojeRider said: My 2016 Emonda SL6 with approx. 4500 miles (i'm 6' x 180lbs) has developed a problem and I think Trek has agreed to warranty it, although I don't have a new frame in hand yet. The problem is a small crack growing around the drive side of the BB. Click to expand...

Since we're updating I'll update my two year old post where I said very few BBs exist that fit a 30mm crank (BB386 size) in a Trek BB90 shell and my experience with Lightning's was not great. Since then Raceface and others have come out with BBs that do this and while still having small bearings the durability of my Raceface has been good. I've been running a Next SL G4 crankset in a Scott MTB with BB86 for a year now and it still feels like new.  

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2024 Trek Emonda vs Giant TCR Advanced

Our bike maestro Alex Lee compares the Trek Emonda and Giant TCR Advanced, comparing the variant, features, technologies and pricing.

This article compares the Trek Emonda and Giant TCR Advanced .

I’ll help you understand the bike model lineups, specifications, and suggested retail prices in USD. I’ll explain the carbon fiber technology ( Trek OCLV and Giant Advanced Composite ) and innovative frameset technologies on each bike.

The objective is to provide you with a clearer understanding of Trek Emonda and Giant TCR Advanced .

Trek Emonda

The Trek Emonda is a lightweight bike for the high mountains.

The lightest Trek Emonda frame weighs less than 700g using Trek’s OCLV 800 carbon. This is the bike Richie Porte rode to his third place in the 2020 Tour de France.

The SLR is the lightest and most expensive atop the Trek Emonda models. There are six Emonda SLR options, specced electronic shifting groupsets from SRAM or Shimano.

Next in line is the SL, the mid-range, more budget-friendly option. It has the same frame design and geometry as the SLR but uses the OCLV 500 carbon instead. The groupset choices are Shimano Ultegra Di2 , Shimano 105 Di2 , SRAM Force AXS , or SRAM Rival AXS .

The Trek Emonda SLR and SL framesets are also available separately.

Trek Emonda vs others

2024 Canyon Ultimate vs Trek Emonda

2024 Orbea Orca vs Trek Emonda

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2024 Pinarello F vs Trek Emonda

2024 Scott Addict RC vs Trek Emonda

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2024 Specialized Tarmac SL7 vs Trek Emonda

2024 Specialized Tarmac SL8 vs Trek Emonda

2024 Trek Emonda vs BMC Teammachine SLR

2024 Trek Emonda vs Cannondale SuperSix Evo

Giant TCR Advanced

The top-tiered Giant TCR Advanced SL uses the super light Advanced-SL carbon, has an integrated seat post, and is specced with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 (R9200) or SRAM Force eTap AXS . The Giant TCR Advanced Pro sits in the mid-range, uses a lower-grade carbon fiber ( Advanced carbon), and is slightly heavier.

The framesets are available in the Advanced SL and Advanced Pro versions for those looking to custom-build their bikes.

Giant TCR Advanced vs others

2024 Canyon Ultimate vs Giant TCR Advanced

2024 Giant TCR Advanced vs BMC Teammachine SLR

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2024 Giant TCR Advanced vs Pinarello F

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2024 Specialized Tarmac SL8 vs Giant TCR Advanced

Trek vs Giant carbon fiber

Trek oclv carbon.

The OCLV (Optimum Compaction, Low Void) carbon is a proprietary carbon fiber manufacturing technology developed by Trek.

• Optimum Compaction refers to the heat and pressure applied during the curing process to squeeze out excess resin and ensure that the carbon layers are compacted to the optimal density.
• Low Void refers to the goal of reducing microscopic air pockets or voids that can occur in the carbon fiber and create weaknesses.

One of the key advantages of OCLV carbon is its ability to achieve an optimal balance between stiffness, strength, and weight. Trek engineers carefully tune the carbon layup and utilize varying modulus carbon fibers to create stiff frames in certain areas to maximize power transfer while maintaining compliance in other areas to enhance comfort and ride quality.

The OCLV carbon is available in 800 and 500 series.

• OCLV 800 is the highest-grade carbon fiber used by Trek. The carbon modulus is higher in OCLV 800, making it stiffer and lighter. The manufacturing process is more refined, using more advanced carbon and resins, leading to a bike frame that provides top performance levels for stiffness, weight, and strength. OCLV 800 is used in all models with SLR .
• OCLV 500 is a lower-grade carbon but still offers a high level of performance. It has a slightly lower carbon modulus, meaning it’s a bit less stiff and heavier than OCLV 800. OCLV 800 is used in all models with SL .

It’s worth noting that the different OCLV grades don’t only refer to the material itself, but also to the manufacturing techniques used to form the carbon fiber into bike frames. Higher-grade carbon requires more precise manufacturing techniques to take full advantage of its superior material properties.

Giant Advanced Composite Carbon

Giant’s Advanced Composite Carbon is a proprietary carbon fiber technology used in constructing bicycle frames. It’s a high-quality composite material with carbon fibers embedded in a resin matrix.

Using Advanced Composite Carbon, Giant can design frames with specific performance characteristics tailored to different riding disciplines. The material offers excellent vibration-damping properties, enhancing comfort and reducing fatigue on long rides. It also provides efficient power transfer, enabling riders to maximize their pedaling efficiency and accelerate easily.

The Giant Advanced Composite Carbon is available in standard and SL (Super Light) versions.

• Advanced SL represents the pinnacle of Giant’s carbon fiber engineering and construction. Advanced SL frames undergo additional optimization, utilizing a higher grade of carbon fiber and meticulous layup techniques. It’s found in Giant’s top-of-the-line bikes.
• Advanced is a step down from the top-tier Advanced SL carbon fiber, but it still offers an impressive balance of performance and value for money.

Frameset technologies and innovations

Trek Emonda and Giant TCR Advanced framesets incorporate advanced technologies to enhance their bikes’ performance and ride characteristics.

Here’s an overview of the technologies used in each bike model.

Where to buy

• Trek online shops . Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States
• Trek retailers . Use this tool to find your nearest Trek retailers.

Giant retailers

• Giant retailers . Use this tool to find your nearest Giant retailers.

Alex Lee is the founder and editor-at-large of Mr. Mamil. Coming from a professional engineering background, he breaks down technical cycling nuances into an easy-to-understand and digestible format here.

He has been riding road bikes actively for the past 12 years and started racing competitively in the senior category during the summer recently.

Mr. Mamil's content is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The content is not a substitute for official or professional advice. Please do your own due diligence.

Mr. Mamil participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. We also participate in various other affiliate programs, and at times we earn a commission through purchases made through links on this website.

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