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This article compares the Trek Madone SL 6 up to SLR 9 to help you navigate this do-it-all road bike family, which was formerly purely aero. Plus, I’ll tell you which model gives you the best value for your money to help make your decision easier.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Trek Madone bikes are ideal for flat and hilly terrain. They were the most aerodynamic of the Trek road bike family but have been redesigned as a “universal” bike since 2024. Thanks to their lower weight, they are now more suitable for climbing. Individual models differ in components (e.g., electronic shifting or wheels) and frames. The more expensive ones are usually lighter and have a higher-grade carbon frame, but they usually have diminishing returns.
This article compares Trek Madone Gen 6 and 7. The main difference between Madone Gen 6 and Gen 7 is that Gen 6 has IsoSpeed decoupler, while Gen 7 has IsoFlow.
Trek Madone SL 6 vs. SL 7 vs. SLR 6 vs. SLR 7 vs. SLR 9
The following table summarizes the main differences between all Madone bikes.
| Feature | Madone SL 5 Gen 8 | Madone SL 6 Di2 Gen 8 Madone SL 6 AXS Gen 8 | Madone SL 7 Di2 Gen 8 | Madone SLR 7 AXS Gen 8 | Madone SLR 9 Di2 Gen 8 Madone SLR 9 AXS Gen 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $3,499.99 | $5,499.99 (Di2) $5,999.99 (AXS) | $6,499.99 | $9,499.99 | $12,999.99 (Di2) $13,499.99 (AXS) |
| Frame | Carbon (500-series OCLV) | Carbon (500-series OCLV) | Carbon (500-series OCLV) | Carbon (900-series OCLV) | Carbon (900-series OCLV) |
| Available sizes | XS-XL | XS-XL | XS-XL | XS-XL | XS-XL |
| Wheels | Bontrager Paradigm SL tubeless ready | Bontrager Aeolus Elite 35 tubeless-ready | Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 tubeless-ready | Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 tubeless-ready | Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 tubeless-ready |
| Wheel size | 700c | 700c | 700c | 700c | 700c |
| Tires | Bontrager R1 Hard-Case Lite (28mm) | Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite (28mm) | Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite (28mm) | Pirelli P Zero Race (28mm) | Pirelli P Zero Race (28mm) |
| Max tire size | 32mm | 32mm | 32mm | 32mm | 32mm |
| Drivetrain | Shimano 105 2×12spd | Shimano Ultegra Di2 2×12spd SRAM Force AXS 2×12spd | Shimano Ultegra Di2 2×12spd | 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 |
| Saddle | Bontrager Aeolus Comp | Bontrager Aeolus Comp | Bontrager Aeolus Elite | Bontrager Aeolus P2 Pro | Bontrager Aeolus P2 Pro |
| Brakes | Shimano 105 hydraulic disc | Shimano Ultegra SRAM Force hydraulic disc | Shimano Ultegra hydraulic disc | SRAM Force hydraulic disc | Shimano Dura-Ace SRAM RED (AXS) hydraulic disc |
| Weight | 8.70 kg / 19.19 lbs | 8.16 kg / 17.99 lbs 8.43 kg / 18.59 lbs | 7.88 kg / 17.38 lbs | 7.43 kg / 16.39 lbs | 7.05 kg / 15.55 lbs 7.00 kg / 15.44 lbs |
| Buy | Buy Madone SL 5 | Buy Madone SL 6 Di2 Buy Madone SL 6 AXS | Buy Madone SL 7 Di2 | Buy Madone SLR 7 AXS | Buy Madone SLR 9 Di2 Buy Madone SLR 9 AXS |
Specifications source: trekbikes.com, updated on August 1, 2025
Madone Pros & Cons Summary
I summarized the pros & cons of the Madone series below.
Madone Pros
- Faster than standard road bikes thanks to the aero frame and aero bottles
- Madone Gen 7 stands out from the crowd thanks to the IsoFlow, Madone Gen 8 has thinner tube shapes and is lighter than Gen 7, it keeps the IsoFlow
- Racing geometry
- Availability in multiple sizes and colors
- Integrated cable routing
- Lifetime warranty
Madone Cons
- Heavier than Émonda road bikes
- More expensive than non-aero road bikes
- No aluminum models are available
- Narrow tire clearance (28mm)
Madone Main Features
Let me now explain the most important features of the Trek Madone aero bikes.
Frame and Geometry
The Madone bikes are part of Trek’s road bike lineup. They’re made of carbon. No aluminum version of the Madone is available.
The names of the bikes have abbreviations that refer to the type of carbon used for the frame:
- 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).
SL (Gen 6) frames are heavier than SLR Gen 7 frames, mainly due to the IsoSpeed vs. IsoFlow (learn more). The Gen 8 frames are ~320g lighter than the Gen 7 frames, thanks to thinner frame tube profiles.
The bikes are available in many sizes and colors. They have a relatively relaxed geometry compared to the Cervelo S5 but are almost identical to the Cannondale SystemSix.
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics evaluation is a challenging discipline because it requires a lot of resources. No extensive independent database is available that compares the speed of different aero wheels.
In Trek’s whitepaper, I learned that the Madone Gen 7 is 19W faster than Gen 6 at 45 km/h. With the Gen 8 it’s a bit more complicated because most aero gains come from the use of the aero bottles. You can dig into the whitepaper here.
However, it’s hard to compare it with other bikes. For instance, in Cannondale’s whitepaper, there’s a comparison of Cannondale SystemSix (one of the fastest aero bikes) with Madone 9.9. Madone was only slightly worse. But that was an old-generation Madone.
Wheels and Tires
Although the wheels on some Madone models may be different, they typically come with Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 wheels. Surprisingly, the front and rear wheels have the same rim depth. Other aero bike manufacturers often use deeper wheels in the rear and shallower ones in the front.
The same goes for tires. Madones come with 32mm tires (Bontrager or Pirelli) in both the front and rear (25mm on Gen 7), but it’s common for competitors’ bikes to have 25mm tires in the front and 28mm tires in the rear.
Groupset
Unsurprisingly, the Madone 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 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.
With the Gen 7, the Madones with SRAM RED were heavier than the Madones of the same series with the Shimano groupset. But thanks to the latest SRAM RED, they are a few grams lighter than those with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2. However, bikes with SRAM are ~$500 more expensive. That’s why I recommend choosing Trek bikes with Shimano groupsets unless you prefer SRAM.
IsoSpeed vs. IsoFlow
Undoubtedly, IsoSpeed and IsoFlow have become unique features that make Madone stand out from the crowd. The IsoSpeed decoupler aimed to improve riding comfort by absorbing road vibrations. Unfortunately, it added weight to the bike.
The 7th generation Madone took people’s breath away. IsoFlow is a significant design change from the traditional bike appearance, but it’s supposed to improve both riding comfort and aerodynamics.
On the other hand, some have expressed opinions that changing the shape from a classic triangle to a quadrilateral will inherently reduce the overall frame stiffness. However, since the launch of the IsoFlow, there have not been many cases of this system failing.
My Verdict
So, which Trek Madone bike is the best? If you’re considering buying a Madone, I suggest going for a model with a Shimano groupset. They tend to be lighter and less expensive than the equivalent SRAM models.
Consider the Madone Gen 7 if you prefer thick-tube aero bikes or Gen 8 if you prefer thinner ones.
The SL frames are more affordable and only a bit heavier than SLR frames, so choose the one that suits your budget. I believe the bikes with mid-range groupsets (Ultegra, Force) provide the best overall value.
