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This week our Fast Bike Friday feature is showcasing an absolutely stunning aero road bike that is truly deserving of its ‘dream bike’ title; complete with a custom Trek Project One paintjob which helps to make the bike look super-fast even when it’s standing still, please take a moment to appreciate the high-spec, race-ready Trek Madone SLR Project One eTap AXS…
New for 2021 the Madone SLR 7 gets a serious upgrade over its predecessor; while it keeps all of its race winning aerodynamics and great ride quality it is now even lighter thanks to a frame that has been constructed from Trek’s new top-level 800-Series OCLV carbon composite. Trek’s lightest and strongest carbon material was originally developed for another flagship model in the Trek performance road bike range – the all-new Emonda which was launched in late 2020. The benefits of this new material – increased strength and lower weight, were too good to limit to just one model in their range, with 800-Series OCLV carbon perfectly suiting what the Trek engineers were trying to achieve with the Madone SLR, using it was a no-brainer.
The stunning Madone SLR 7 in Project One colours…
During its relatively short lifespan the Trek Madone has quickly proven itself as a race-winning bike at the highest levels of international professional road racing; Trek can be very proud of the fact that the Madone has already won the World Road Race Championships, piloted by Trek Segafredo pro rider Mads Pederson. The aerodynamic profile of each tube and of the bike as a whole helps riders onboard the Madone to cut through the air more efficiently; saving small amounts of energy as they race, over long distances these gains in aero-efficiency quickly multiply, leaving racers fresher for the all-important crunch-point of the race.
It’s important to reinforce just how aerodynamically-efficient the Trek Madone SLR 7 is in the real world; yes this race bike has been tested in wind tunnels and was part-developed using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) but the Trek engineers have produced this aero road bike to excel brilliantly out on the open road, complete with side winds. How have they done this? Well it’s thanks in no small part to the Madone’s Kammtail Virtual Foils (KVF) used on the profile of each carbon tube; the principle of KVF is relatively simple – take a conventional airfoil and remove the broad cross-section. Testing proves that the bike still gains all of the aerodynamic benefits using KVF but actually behaves better in real world situations, especially crosswinds.
The profile of a full airfoil is aerodynamic but a broad cross-section can cause problems in cross-winds…
Trek’s Kammtail Virtual Foil gives the same aerodynamic benefits but behaves better in real world situations…
The Madone SLR 7’s downtube features an aero-efficient KVF profile…
The paint finish on this special Trek Project One Madone SLR 7 is something to behold…
Trek’s all-new 800 OCLV Carbon composite shave extra weight off the previous generation Madone…
So we’ve established that the Madone’s tube profiles are particularly aerodynamic and provide a tangible aero-advantage when racing, but that will only take you so far. To really gain a performance advantage and negate any potential for aero-inefficiency the Trek designers and engineers have also fully integrated all of the key components such as bars, stem and seat post to be intrinsic to the Madone’s chassis. This means that the aero-profiled bars and stem blend seamlessly with the frame creating a super-slick front-end that can cut through the wind effectively; equally, the seat post is fully-integrated into the frame so that as the moving air hits the rear of the bike the Madone creates the minimum of turbulence.
The Madone’s headtube blends seamlessly with its headset and stem…
The Madone’s frame profile is super-streamlined, look at the seamless junction between stem, top tube and head tube…
From certain angles the Madone all but disappears thanks to its exquisite aero-profiled frame…
The cockpit of the Trek Madone SLR 7 is a masterful piece of integration and aerodynamic engineering; it’s striking just how slick this setup looks with absolutely no exposed cables on show. Of course in this instance Sram’s Force eTap AXS groupset is wireless so that instantly removes two sets of gear cables, but it’s worth pointing out that on other models in the range which feature either mechanical groupsets or Shimano Di2 electronic wired groupsets the cockpits are equally as aero-efficient. On this SLR 7 model the Sram Force’s hydraulic brake hoses are neatly routed through the carbon aero handle bars, the aero stem and then down through the frame between the fork steerer tube and head tube to run down inside the fork leg and through the frame to the rear disc brake caliper.
This cockpit has been designed to cut through the air as efficiently as possible…
Stem, frame and forks are all seamlessly connected…
User-friendly Madone adjustable aero VR-CF OCLV carbon handle bars and Madone SLR stem allow you to fine-tune your preferred position…
While other aero road bikes might have a reputation for giving a harsh ride there’s no such feeling with the Trek Madone SLR 7. Trek recognise that as well as aerodynamics and low weight there’s another important factor that contributes to a bike’s speed and how it performs – ride quality. If the ride is too harsh then riders soon begin to feel fatigued and will struggle to ride and / or race as efficiently; with this in mind the Trek designers took their proven Isospeed platform that has already shone on other Trek bikes across multiple cycling disciplines including road, gravel, cyclocross and mountain biking and applied it to the Madone.
The IsoSpeed logo lets you know there’s some clever engineering going on within the Madone’s frame…
Trek’s IsoSpeed decouples the frame’s seat mast from the rest of the frame to provide additional vertical compliance when you’re in the saddle without sacrificing any pedaling efficiency. The Isospeed decoupler is optimised for each frame size but it’s also possible to dial in the firmness to suit your own preferences. The Trek Madone SLR 7 features the latest version of Isospeed which also includes a damper to provide a more controlled rebound after hitting a bump, it’s a brilliant system that’s unique to Trek.
The Madone’s super-stiff aerodynamic frame is brilliantly compliant too thanks to the IsoSpeed decoupler…
The amount of vertical compliance is adjustable to make your ride softer or firmer…
Before we move on to look at the Madone SLR 7’s groupset and other components there’s a couple of other details to highlight. Firstly there has been slight change to the Madone’s geometry, concerning the height of the headtube. Until now Trek have categorised their road bike geometry as either H1 or H2; H1 geometry featured a shorter headtube for a lower overall front-end and a racier position. The H1 geometry is used by Trek’s own professional cyclists and was also available as an option if and when consumers were buying a custom Project One Madone. Alternatively H2 geometry featured a taller headtube and put the rider in a more neutral position with a slightly more upright feel; the H2 option was the most common configuration available on all standard (non-Project One) Madones. For this newest version of the Madone Trek have released their H1.5 geometry with a headtube length which falls between the two H1 and H2 options. The new H1.5 geometry will be popular with most cyclists looking for an aero road bike like this, it’s not so low as to put you in an uncomfortable riding position and it’s not so high as to put you in an inefficient non-aero position leaving you able to best generate and carry speed; the H1.5 geometry also features on Treks newest Emonda range of road bikes.
Another small detail that’s worth pointing out is the all-new Madone SLR 7’s bottom bracket configuration; Trek have moved away from the press-fit bottom bracket seen on the previous version of the Madone and have replaced it with their new T47 bottom bracket standard which is being used on more and more of Trek’s bikes. This threaded, oversized bottom bracket makes it much easier to install and service which makes it a little more user friendly for the home mechanics among us.
This Trek Madone SLR 7 Project One road bike features SRAM’s brilliant 12 speed wireless Force eTap AXS groupset. If you’re a regular reader of our Fast Bike Friday feature you may have noticed the trend for this groupset being spec’d on many of the high-end road bikes we’ve showcased; sitting one rung below SRAM Red eTap AXS on the groupset ladder, the Force drivetrain takes all of the technology from Red and makes it more affordable, being manufactured by slightly cheaper materials. It’s no wonder we’ve seen this groupset on so many road bikes this year; the efficient wireless activation remains the same as Red and is brilliantly functional as well as being user-friendly and intuitive to use.
The Trek Madone SLR 7 Project One road bike features SRAM’s brilliant 12 speed wireless Force eTap AXS groupset…
The wireless Force eTap AXS 12-speed rear derailleur picks up a signal from the gear shifters and changes gear precisely every time it is activated. The battery that powers its motor is neatly integrated into the rear derailleur and is easy to remove and charge when required; to ensure that the chain always stays in place and is never bounced off the cassette or the chainrings SRAM have included a clever Orbit fluid clutch within the body of the derailleur. Specially profiled jockey wheels and the addition of a thin flat-sided 12-speed chain further enhance the efficiency of each gear change.
SRAM’s Force eTap AXS 12-Speed wireless rear derailleur is a clever piece of tech…
This 12-speed groupset features SRAM’s unique ‘X-range’ approach to gear ratios, created in an effort to decrease the size and weight of the drivetrain while making the jump between each gear ratio smaller for an overall more user-friendly riding experience. For the Madone SLR 7 Project One Trek have spec’d a 46T/33T chainset combined with a 10-33T cassette to ensure that you’ll always be able to select the appropriate gear for every riding scenario.
The wireless front derailleur is activated by pressing both the front and left gear levers together at the same time, shifting from the small ring to the big ring with one activation and then back from the big ring to the small ring the next time you press both gear levers together at the same time. This becomes pretty intuitive very quickly!
The Force front derailleur is simple an intuitive to use…
SRAM Force eTap AXS 12-Speed shifters are ergonomic and provide precise shifting…
The Trek Madone SLR 7 carbon frame and fork features neat flat-mounts for the SRAM hydraulic disc calipers to attach to. The overall look is compact and unobtrusive with the rear brake caliper sitting neatly within the rear triangle of the frame safe from the potential for crash damage and tucked away from airflow to help the super-aero Madone remain as aerodynamic as possible.
Neat flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes keep things super-aero…
The front disc caliper is tucked neatly behind the fork leg to help cheat headwinds…
The Trek Madone SLR 7’s performance potential is significantly boosted by its carbon wheelset; the Bontrager Aeolus Elite 50 TLR wheels are full-carbon, tubeless-ready, and have been designed and engineered to meet the unique demands of a disc brake road wheel. The Aeolus 50’s balance durability, weight and aerodynamics for outstanding performance, helping you to accelerate quickly and hold your speed efficiently thanks to their 50mm depth.
Race-ready Bontrager Aeolus 50’s will help you hold your speed in the sprint thanks to their aerodynamic 50mm rim depth…
A real plus for Bontrager wheels is their lifetime warranty for the original purchaser and their accompanying Carbon Care service which means if you damage the wheels while riding in the first two years of ownership Trek will replace them. The Aeolus Elite 50 carbon wheels come fitted with Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite tyres in a 28mm width – a road tyre size that has increased in popularity over recent years thanks to their extra width providing more comfort on rough road surfaces and providing more grip on tight turns; as the use of disc brakes has increased and the width of wheel rims has grown a 28mm wide tyre has quickly become the norm.
Bontrager R3 Hard-Case Lite tyres in a 28mm width roll fast but provide plenty of grip…
Trek have spec’d a Bontrager Verse Pro saddle on the Madone SLR 7 which should suit most riders; Bontrager describe the Verse as one of their most versatile saddles, designed to suit both men and women it puts you in a posture for enhanced speed and control. Ultra-light the Verse Pro features carbon rails and a carbon reinforced shell and includes Bontrager’s inform design with a full cut-out shape to relieve soft-tissue pressure points when you’re in the saddle. Available in various widths this particular saddle is 155mm which is pretty wide and supportive; the narrowest option for this saddle is 135mm and the widest is 165mm.
An ultra-light Bontrager Verse Pro saddle with carbon rails features a versatile shape that will suit most riders…
This custom painted Trek Madone SLR 7 Project One eTap AXS aero road bike is simply stunning to look at and is garnering tons of attention in our Staveley store in the Lake District. That paint job makes it look fast while it’s standing still but, rest assured, as I’ve highlighted within this feature the Trek Madone SLR 7 is most certainly not ‘all style and no substance’. With Trek’s lightest ever 800 Series OCLV carbon frame, Kammtail Virtual Foil aerodynamic tube shaping and road-smoothing IsoSpeed decoupler the Madone boasts so much tech and engineering brilliance which has evolved from previous generations of Trek’s high-performance race bikes. Fully-integrated componentry, concealed cables, a cutting-edge wireless 12 speed SRAM eTap AXS groupset , hydraulic disc brakes and Bontrager’s Aeolus Pro 5 carbon wheels complete this race-ready aero road bike. While it’s fair to say you can’t buy your way to success, the Trek Madone SLR 7 would give you a pretty good head start!
The stunning Trek Madone SLR 7 is packed full of Trek’s best tech and engineering brilliance…
If you want to create your own dream Project One bike get in touch and one of our road team will be able to help.
Written by Johnny Dodgin
Photos by James Vincent
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