Buying a new road bike can be a daunting task - aside from brand choices, now there are at least 3 different separate disciplines of road riding along with their own assorted standards for every conceivable part you can think of. Most recreational riders want the do-it-all bike, which was surprisingly easier to find 5 years ago than it is now amidst the increasing specialization of road bikes to specific tasks, be it gravel, endurance, sprinting, climbing, or some cycle event involving archery and ballet that has yet to be invented.
Interestingly enough, the original Madone was one of those do-it-all road bikes to begin with, perhaps not by design but by virtue of their only ever being one kind of road bike until the last decade or so. We all remember our sport's pariah no matter how hard we try to forget him, and he happened to ride one of the early Madones... Wild conspiracies anyone?
Interestingly enough, the original Madone was one of those do-it-all road bikes to begin with, perhaps not by design but by virtue of their only ever being one kind of road bike until the last decade or so. We all remember our sport's pariah no matter how hard we try to forget him, and he happened to ride one of the early Madones... Wild conspiracies anyone?
Trek has come a long way since then, and as demands for road bikes changed from featherweight to featherweight and slippery, the Madone slowly became what it is today. Even the Madone of 2016 makes the 2014 Madone that I had the fortune to review look antiquated, but the 2014 Madone captures a unique and well-made snapshot of an aero bike before it fully succumbed to the wind tunnel.
Frameset
First thing's first: The profile of this bike looks fantastic. As a mid-range model, a look straight out of the pro peloton is pretty impressive. The only differences between the 4.7 and the highest end 7 series at the time was the seatpost and brake caliper. Trek also differentiates their Madones with the grade of Carbon, which basically means that the highest end frameset is a little stiffer, lighter, and just feels a bit better. Will you notice a difference? I rode a 7 series to compare and really doubt you'd feel a pea under your wheel with any more severity on one model or another unless you're a princess of the peloton.
Trek will give all sorts of techno-babble about their carbon as is any company's obligation to business, but whatever sorcery goes into making a Madone frame, it pays off. One of the most notable aspects of the Madone for me was its ride quality - not only does it feel fast and slippery through the wind, but through any ride it's very forgiving. I took this bike through some pretty rough stuff after taking a wrong turn, but it softens every blow with predictability and grace, like how a good jar of Nutella makes even the roughest of patches seem not so bad in its smooth, hazlenut-buttery goodness.
This is what has always set Trek apart in this category, and I noticed it when trying a Specialized Venge in a brief side-by-side comparison. The Venge has a more substantial aerodynamic advantage yes, but ride quality (both in smoothness and stable predictability) on the Madone more than makes up for its comparatively blunt tube-shapes.
Trek will give all sorts of techno-babble about their carbon as is any company's obligation to business, but whatever sorcery goes into making a Madone frame, it pays off. One of the most notable aspects of the Madone for me was its ride quality - not only does it feel fast and slippery through the wind, but through any ride it's very forgiving. I took this bike through some pretty rough stuff after taking a wrong turn, but it softens every blow with predictability and grace, like how a good jar of Nutella makes even the roughest of patches seem not so bad in its smooth, hazlenut-buttery goodness.
This is what has always set Trek apart in this category, and I noticed it when trying a Specialized Venge in a brief side-by-side comparison. The Venge has a more substantial aerodynamic advantage yes, but ride quality (both in smoothness and stable predictability) on the Madone more than makes up for its comparatively blunt tube-shapes.
Speaking of tube-shapes, how sure are you that Trek also has some techno-babble for why the Madone is shaped the way it is and how that makes it the fastest bike on Earth?
As it happens, they do.
Looking closely at the Madone, you'll see that the downtube has a shallow rounded front and a flat back facing up and back towards the rider. The theory here is that by using what is effectively half of an air-foil, the aerodynamic benefits are still seen but the weight penalties are significantly reduced. This is a real thing called a Kammtail-Virtual-Foil. Trek didn't make this term up, but I'm yet to be convinced that it actually works until I do some wind tunnel testing myself. What I do know is that the cut-off also reduces surface-area, which means that cross-winds are a lot less dangerous than they would be on a tri-bike. While I'm still not positive if the benefits warrant it, Trek also made the nice touch of building the entire frame out of KVF shapes, including the fork legs, seat stays, and head tube, which is pretty impressive and really, pretty neat looking.
As it happens, they do.
Looking closely at the Madone, you'll see that the downtube has a shallow rounded front and a flat back facing up and back towards the rider. The theory here is that by using what is effectively half of an air-foil, the aerodynamic benefits are still seen but the weight penalties are significantly reduced. This is a real thing called a Kammtail-Virtual-Foil. Trek didn't make this term up, but I'm yet to be convinced that it actually works until I do some wind tunnel testing myself. What I do know is that the cut-off also reduces surface-area, which means that cross-winds are a lot less dangerous than they would be on a tri-bike. While I'm still not positive if the benefits warrant it, Trek also made the nice touch of building the entire frame out of KVF shapes, including the fork legs, seat stays, and head tube, which is pretty impressive and really, pretty neat looking.
Components
Now that the frame is out of the way, we can tackle the components.
Firstly, the Madone is given the full Ultegra kit, brakes and all, which means a very reliable drivetrain and braking. Just as an indication of how reliably the bike functions as a whole, my first fault occurred at about 1000 miles, and it was a flat tyre caused by a shard of glass.
I do have an issue with the drivetrain though, and that's the compact chainring. The 50-34t setup is very useful for mountain climbing, but it seems a little out of place on what's supposedly a sprinter's aero bike. I understand the desire to make the bike a good all-arounder, but I would have been happier to have a 52-36, since on anything other than a mountain the 34 simply doesn't get used.
Cockpit and wheels are provided by Bontrager, all solidly built. The Bontrager Race wheels performed admirably for an entry level performance set, and despite any punishment they rolled smooth and true.
The only unfortunate aspect to the Bontrager kit is the weight, especially in the wheels, which really take some of the oompf out of the carbon-frame's light weight. The complete bike weighed in at about 18lbs, at least 2 of which could probably be shaved off with upgrades to the alloy cockpit and wheelset.
Firstly, the Madone is given the full Ultegra kit, brakes and all, which means a very reliable drivetrain and braking. Just as an indication of how reliably the bike functions as a whole, my first fault occurred at about 1000 miles, and it was a flat tyre caused by a shard of glass.
I do have an issue with the drivetrain though, and that's the compact chainring. The 50-34t setup is very useful for mountain climbing, but it seems a little out of place on what's supposedly a sprinter's aero bike. I understand the desire to make the bike a good all-arounder, but I would have been happier to have a 52-36, since on anything other than a mountain the 34 simply doesn't get used.
Cockpit and wheels are provided by Bontrager, all solidly built. The Bontrager Race wheels performed admirably for an entry level performance set, and despite any punishment they rolled smooth and true.
The only unfortunate aspect to the Bontrager kit is the weight, especially in the wheels, which really take some of the oompf out of the carbon-frame's light weight. The complete bike weighed in at about 18lbs, at least 2 of which could probably be shaved off with upgrades to the alloy cockpit and wheelset.
Value
Overall, this is a very slick looking and fantastically riding bike. The componentry doesn't let the build down unless weight-savings is your primary objective, and what it may lack in featherweight components and harshly aerodynamic tube-shapes, it certainly justifies the price with reliability and general ride-awesomeness. It isn't an endurance bike, but I would be happy to ride this bike for hours on end not only for its speed but for its speed without compromising the rider's comfort.
Rating: 4/5
MSRP: $3,150
Rating: 4/5
MSRP: $3,150