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In this article, I’ll help you navigate the Trek Émonda aero road bikes by comparing the Émonda SL 6 to SLR 9.
You will also learn:
- Who are they best suited for?
- Why I think you shouldn’t buy Trek Émonda with SRAM groupset.
- And which model gives you the best value for your money?
Let’s dive in to help make your decision easier.
This article compares Trek Émonda Gen 6 and 7. The main difference between Émonda Gen 6 and Gen 7 is that Gen 6 has IsoSpeed decoupler, while Gen 7 has IsoFlow.
Trek Émonda ALR 5 to SLR 9
The following table summarizes the main differences between all Émonda road bikes.
| Émonda ALR 5 | Émonda SL 5 | Émonda SL 6 Pro Émonda SL 6 AXS | Émonda SL 7 Émonda SL 7 AXS | Émonda SLR 6 Émonda SLR 6 AXS | Émonda SLR 7 Émonda SLR 7 AXS | Émonda SLR 9 Émonda SLR 9 AXS |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,299.99 | $3,349.99 | $4,999.99 $5,299.99 (AXS) | $6,199.99 $6,699.99 (AXS) | $7,699.99 $7,999.99 (AXS) | $8,999.99 $9,499.99 (AXS) | $12,549.99 $12,999.99 (AXS) |
| Frame | Aluminum | Carbon (500-series OCLV) | Carbon (500-series OCLV) | Carbon (500-series OCLV) | Carbon (800-series OCLV) | Carbon (800-series OCLV) | Carbon (800-series OCLV) |
| Fork | Carbon | Carbon | Carbon | Carbon | Carbon | Carbon | Carbon |
| Available sizes | 47-56 | 47-62 | 47-62 | 50-62 | 47-62 | 47-62 | 47-62 |
| Wheels | Bontrager Paradigm tubeless-ready | Bontrager Paradigm SL tubeless-ready | Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35 tubeless-ready | Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37 tubeless-ready | Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37 tubeless-ready | Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37 tubeless-ready | Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 tubeless-ready |
| Wheel size | 700c | 700c | 700c | 700c | 700c | 700c | 700c |
| Tires | Bontrager R1 Hard-Case Lite (28mm) | Bontrager R1 Hard-Case Lite (28mm) | Bontrager R2 Hard-Case Lite (28mm) | Bontrager R2 Hard-Case Lite (25mm) | Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite (25mm) | Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite (25mm) | Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite (25mm) |
| Max tire size | 28mm | 28mm | 28mm | 28mm | 28mm | 28mm | 28mm |
| Drivetrain | Shimano 105 2×11spd | Shimano 105 2×11spd | Shimano 105 Di2 or SRAM Rival eTap AXS 2×12spd | Shimano Ultegra Di2 or SRAM Force eTap AXS 2×12spd | Shimano 105 Di2 or SRAM Rival eTap AXS 2×12spd | Shimano Ultegra Di2 or SRAM Force eTap AXS 2×12spd | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 or SRAM RED eTap AXS 2×12spd |
| Pedals | not included | not included | not included | not included | not included | not included | not included |
| Saddle | Bontrager Verse Short Comp | Bontrager Verse Short Comp | Bontrager Aeolus Comp | Bontrager Aeolus Comp | Bontrager Aeolus P2 Comp | Bontrager Aeolus P2 Elite | Bontrager Aeolus P2 Pro |
| Brakes | Shimano 105 hydraulic disc | Shimano 105 hydraulic disc | Shimano 105 SRAM Rival hydraulic disc | Shimano Ultegra SRAM Force hydraulic disc | Shimano 105 SRAM Rival hydraulic disc | Shimano Ultegra SRAM Force (with power meter) hydraulic disc | Shimano Dura-Ace SRAM RED hydraulic disc |
| Weight | 9.00 kg / 19.85 lbs | 8.87 kg / 19.55 lbs | 8.25 kg / 18.19 lbs 8.69 kg / 19.16 lbs | 7.80 kg / 17.2 lbs 7.97 kg / 17.56 lbs | 7.35 kg / 16.21 lbs 7.48 kg / 16.5 lbs | 7.10 kg / 15.66 lbs 7.37 kg / 16.25 lbs | 6.60 kg / 14.56 lbs 6.75 kg / 14.89 lbs |
| Buy | Buy Émonda ALR 5 | Buy Émonda SL 5 | Buy Émonda SL 6 Di2 Buy Émonda SL 6 AXS | Buy Émonda SL 7 Buy Émonda SL 7 AXS | Buy Émonda SLR 6 Buy Émonda SLR 6 AXS | Buy Émonda SLR 7 Buy Émonda SLR 7 AXS | Buy Émonda SLR 9 Buy Émonda SLR 9 AXS |
Specifications source: trekbikes.com, updated 26/04/2023
Émonda Pros & Cons Summary
I summarized the pros & cons of the Émonda series below.
Émonda Pros
- Lighter than Madone road bikes
- Aluminum and carbon models are available
- Relaxed geometry
- Availability in multiple sizes and colors
- Integrated cable routing
- Simplicity
- Lifetime warranty
Émonda Cons
- Slower than Madone road bikes
- Narrow tire clearance (28mm)
Émonda Main Features
Let me now explain the most important features of the Trek Émonda aero bikes.
Frame and Geometry
The Émonda bikes are part of Trek’s road bike lineup. They’re made of aluminum or carbon.
The names of the bikes have abbreviations that refer to the type of material used for the frame:
- ALR are aluminum frame bikes.
- SL are bikes with 500 series OCLV* carbon (mid-range).
- SLR are bikes with 800 series OCLV carbon (high-end).
*OCLV carbon is Trek’s patented carbon fiber process (learn more).
ALR Émondas are great entry-level road bikes, thanks to their affordability. However, they are still a bit more expensive than less-known competitors.
SLs are the best mid-range option. They are slightly heavier than SLRs but about 25% cheaper.
And SLRs are ideal for people who have more money to spend and don’t want to compromise.
Most Émondas are available in 47-62 sizes and multiple colors giving you a wide range of options.
Their geometry is more relaxed than on other racing bikes, so you won’t experience as much strain on your lower back and neck. The following picture shows the comparison with Specialized Tarmac SL 7.
Weight & Aerodynamics
Trek Émonda frame weighs 760g in size 56. The highest-end Émonda even weighs below the UCI 6.8 kg limit. However, low weight is not everything. Stiffness and aerodynamics are also important.
Trek claims Émonda frames are also relatively stiff and aero (of course, less aero than Madone). They are 18 seconds per hour faster at 8% gradients. (Source) However, more information on the methodology is not available.
Émondas are so lightweight also due to the absence of an IsoSpeed decoupler that adds weight.
Wheels and Tires
On some Émonda models, the wheels may be different, but typically, they come with Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37 wheels.
Of course, the low-end models have cheaper aluminum wheels. Fortunately, all Émondas come with tubeless-ready wheels. But remember, the tires are clinchers. So, if you want tubeless tires, you have to buy them separately.
One of the things that surprised me is that the lower-end Émondas have 28mm tires, while the higher-end only have 25mm. Most road bikes these days (except for some aero bikes) have 28mm or 30mm tires.
Unfortunately, Émondas only have tire clearance for 28mm tires.
Groupset
Unsurprisingly, the Émonda bikes have a 2X drivetrain, as is customary for road bikes.
Trek fits them with Shimano and SRAM groupsets, and the number in the bike name indicates the groupset.
- Models ending with 5 use Shimano 105 (R7000) groupset.
- Models ending with 6 use Shimano Ultegra, 105 Di2 (R7100) or SRAM Rival AXS groupsets.
- Models ending with 7 use Shimano Ultegra Di2 (R8100) or SRAM Force AXS groupsets.
- Models ending with 9 use Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 (R9200) or SRAM Red AXS groupsets.
Interestingly, the Émondas with SRAM are heavier than the Émondas of the same series with the Shimano groupset. In addition, those with Shimano are also cheaper.
This is somewhat strange because Shimano retail prices are higher than SRAM. That’s why I recommend choosing Trek bikes with Shimano groupsets unless you prefer SRAM.
TIP: You might also be interested in this comparison of Shimano vs. SRAM.
Trek Émonda FAQ
My Verdict
So, which Trek Émonda bike is the best?
If you’re considering buying an Émonda, I suggest a model with a Shimano groupset. They are lighter and less expensive than the equivalent SRAM models.
For better value, consider the Émonda SL. It’s around 30% cheaper than the SLR but offers almost the performance. From all models, I believe the Émonda SL 6 Pro with the Shimano 105 Di2 is the best deal.
However, if you don’t want to compromise, go for the SLR, which is more expensive but lighter.
