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Trek’s road bike lineup consists of Domane and Madone. Émonda was discontinued because Trek merged Madone and Émonda together in 2024. Below, I will explain their differences and advise you on which one to buy.
Continue reading for more details, the differences between ALR, SL, and SLR, and much more.
Domane vs. Émonda vs. Madone
Here’s a closer look at these 3 models and their main features.
| Family | Type | Ideal for | Price Range | Browse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domane | Endurance | Beginners, less flexible, adventure, long-distance riders, people on tight budget | $1,129.99 to $13,199.99 | Browse Domane |
| Madone | All-rounder (Lightweight + Aero) | Passionate roadies, racers, pros, sprinters | $3,499.99 to $13,499.99 | Browse Madone |
| Émonda | Lightweight | Passionate roadies, racers, pros, climbers | $2,299.99 to $13,199.99 | Discontinued |
Updated 13/08/2024
Trek Domane: All About Comfort
Domane could be classified as an endurance road bike. This means a relaxed geometry that doesn’t push you into as aggressive a position as Émonda or Madone.
Domane sits somewhere between those two. It’s reasonably aero and lightweight but doesn’t excel in any of these categories.
On the other hand, it has a wide tire clearance, so you can equip it with wide tires (up to 38mm), which are more comfortable. This means we can also classify it as a gravel bike and compare it with Trek Checkpoint.
It features an IsoSpeed decoupler, which absorbs shock and vibrations, making the ride smoother and more comfortable.
You can see I mentioned comfort several times. That’s because Domane is all about comfort.
Price-wise, it is Trek’s most affordable road bike line.
| Domane AL 2 Gen 4 | Domane AL 4 Gen 4 | Domane AL 5 Gen 4 | Domane SL 5 Gen 4 | Domane SL 6 Gen 4 Domane SL 6 AXS Gen 4 | Domane SL 7 Gen 4 | Domane SLR 6 Gen 4 | Domane SLR 7 Gen 4 Domane SLR 7 AXS Gen 4 | Domane SLR 9 Gen 4 Domane SLR 9 AXS Gen 4 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,199.99 | $1,799.99 | $2,099.99 | $3,499.99 | $4,699.99 $5,299.99 (AXS) | $6,829.99 | $7,999.99 | $8,549.99 $9,699.99 (AXS) | $12,749.99 $13,199.99 (AXS) |
| Frame | Aluminum | Aluminum | 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 | Carbon | Carbon |
| Available sizes | 49-61 | 44-61 | 49-61 | 44-62 | 47-62 | 47-62 | 47-62 | 47-62 | 47-62 |
| Wheels | Bontrager Paradigm SL tubeless-ready | Bontrager Paradigm SL tubeless-ready | Bontrager Paradigm SL tubeless-ready | Bontrager Paradigm SL tubeless-ready | Bontrager Paradigm Comp 25 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 | 700c | 700c |
| Tires | Bontrager R1 Hard-Case Lite 32mm | Bontrager R1 Hard-Case Lite 32mm | Bontrager R1 Hard-Case Lite (32mm) | Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite (32mm) tubeless-ready | Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite (32mm) tubeless-ready | Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite (32mm) tubeless-ready | Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite (32mm) tubeless-ready | Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite (32mm) tubeless-ready | Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite (32mm) tubeless-ready |
| Max tire size | 35mm without fenders 32mm with fenders | 35mm without fenders 32mm with fenders | 35mm without fenders 32mm with fenders | 38mm without fenders 35mm with fenders | 38mm without fenders 35mm with fenders | 38mm without fenders 35mm with fenders | 38mm without fenders 35mm with fenders | 38mm without fenders 35mm with fenders | 38mm without fenders 35mm with fenders |
| Drivetrain | Shimano Claris 2×8spd | Shimano Tiagra 2×10spd | Shimano 105 2×11spd | Shimano 105 2×11spd | Shimano 105 Di2 or SRAM Rival eTap AXS 2×12spd | Shimano Ultegra Di2 2×12spd | Shimano 105 Di2 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 | not included | not included |
| Saddle | Bontrager Verse Comp | Bontrager Verse Comp | Bontrager Verse Comp | Bontrager Verse Short Comp | Bontrager Verse Short Comp | Bontrager Verse Short Comp | Bontrager Verse Short Elite | Bontrager Verse Short Elite | Bontrager Verse Short Pro |
| Brakes | Tektro C550 mechanical disc | Shimano Tiagra hydraulic disc | Shimano 105 hydraulic disc | Shimano 105 hydraulic disc | Shimano 105 or SRAM Rival hydraulic disc brakes | Shimano Ultegra | Shimano 105 hydraulic disc | Shimano Ultegra or SRAM Force eTap AXS hydraulic disc | Shimano Dura-Ace or SRAM RED eTap AXS hydraulic disc |
| Weight | 10.55 kg / 23.26 lbs | 10.45 kg / 23.04 lbs | 9.85 kg / 21.72 lbs | 9.02 kg / 19.89 lbs | 8.90 kg / 19.63 lbs 8.89 kg / 19.61 lbs (AXS) | 8.26 kg / 18.22 lbs | 8.25 kg / 18.19 lbs | 7.89 kg / 17.41 lbs 8.38 kg / 18.48 lbs (AXS) | 7.25 kg / 15.99 lbs 7.80 kg / 17.2 lbs (AXS) |
| Buy | Buy Domane AL 2 Disc | Buy Domane AL 4 Disc | Buy Domane AL 5 Disc | Buy Domane SL 5 | Buy Domane SL 6 Buy Domane SL 6 AXS | Buy Domane SL 7 | Buy Domane SLR 6 | Buy Domane SLR 7 Buy Domane SLR 7 AXS | Buy Domane SLR 9 Buy Domane SLR 9 AXS |
Specifications source: trekbikes.com, updated on March 27, 2025
Trek Madone (Gen 8): The Blend of Aero and Lightweight
Madone was a pure-blood aero road bike until 2024. Since Jun 2024, Trek merged Madone and Émonda into one, making an aero and lightweight bike. They did the same as Specialized did with Venge and Tarmac.
The main changes include lower weight, thinner tubes, and new aero bottles, which help the bike make more aero than the previous 7th generation. However, without those bottles, Madone Gen 7 is still more aero.
| 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 8 Di2 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 | $8,999.99 | $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) | Carbon (900-series OCLV) |
| Available sizes | XS-XL | 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 Pro 51 tubeless-ready | Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 tubeless-ready |
| Wheel size | 700c | 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) | Pirelli P Zero Race (28mm) |
| Max tire size | 32mm | 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 Ultegra Di2 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 |
| Saddle | Bontrager Aeolus Comp | Bontrager Aeolus Comp | Bontrager Aeolus Elite | Bontrager Aeolus P2 Pro | 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 Ultegra SRAM Force (AXS) 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 | n/a | 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 7 Di2 | Buy Madone SLR 9 Di2 Buy Madone SLR 9 AXS |
Specifications source: trekbikes.com
Updated on March 27, 2025
Trek Émonda (Discontinued): Lightweight Yet Aero Racing Bike
Émonda were lightweight road bikes designed for racing. They had more performance geometry than Domane. They were less aero than Madone, but more aero than Domane. They were ideal for climbing and riders who wanted an agile bike.
Since the 2024 merge of Émonda and Madone, the Émonda was discontinued.
Trek Road Bikes Range Explained
You already know the differences between Domane and Madone. But what do the abbreviations and numbers in their names mean (e.g., Trek Madone SLR 7)?
The abbreviation refers to the frame material. The key is as follows:
- 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).
And the numbers mean the groupset:
- Models ending with 2 use Shimano Claris (R2000) groupset.
- Models ending with 3 use Shimano Sora (R3000) groupset.
- Models ending with 4 use Shimano Tiagra (R4700) groupset.
- Models ending with 5 use Shimano 105 (R7000) groupset.
- Models ending with 6 use Shimano 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.
Conclusion
When comparing Trek road bike models and their specs, I found that bikes with SRAM are heavier and more expensive than those with Shimano groupsets, even though SRAM groupsets are usually cheaper than Shimano on their own.
So, I recommend buying a Trek road bike with a Shimano groupset unless you want to try SRAM or prefer it.
The AL models are aluminum and good for beginners because they are affordable. The SL models are made of 500 OCLV carbon and are suitable for most people, while the SLR models, made of 800 OCLV carbon, are perfect for more demanding riders.
The Domane AL line is versatile and comfortable, thanks to wider tires and relaxed geometry. In my opinion, the AL 4 with the Tiagra groupset (2x10spd) offers the best value.
Finally, Madone is for those who want a performance-oriented bike, which is lightweight and aero. The 2024 generation offers thinner tubes than the 7th generation and is lighter. It also stands out thanks to the IsoFlow. The 6th generation was pretty heavy and “old school.” Choose a model that fits your budget. I suggest the Madone SL 7 with Shimano Ultegra Di2 because of its hidden buttons.
