Trek Madone Frames
We recently managed to get a test ride on one of the Trek Madone bikes that are to be ridden in the 2008 season by the Professional Astana Cycling Team, and we liked what we saw. There are a few different versions of the Madone; the one we rode was fitted with the team issue SRAM Red group set, in this review we look at the full range
OK I admit it, I didn’t like the old Trek Madone, yes it would go very fast when Lance Armstrong rode one in the Tour de France, but I didn’t like the look, the top tube that looked like it sloped up to the front, the big gap between the seat tube and the rear wheel, sure it was comfortable, but to my eye it wasn’t a thing of beauty. The new Trek Madone is up to date and has a modern frame design.
The Technology
There is fifteen different models of the Trek Madone, four women’s specific, four with Pro frame designs and four different kinds of carbon, seven different sizes in the Pro range, six different women’s sizes and nine different sizes in the standard frame and quite a few different color combinations, so there should be a bike amongst all those to fit and suit everyone. You just have to decide how much you want to spend and which group set and wheels you want, there are lots of different combinations, so here we will go through them before we give our opinion on the ride.
 Hidden Set |
The Madone Pro Range
In the Pro Range you are getting the same frame design that the professional riders use, the head angle is steeper and the top tube is slightly longer, which gives a livelier, more sporting feel, but could be less comfortable than the standard frame. The Pro 6.9 and the 6.5 is made with OCLV Red Carbon and the forks are Bontrager full carbon with the E2 carbon steerer. The Pro 5.5 and 5.2 is made with Black Carbon and has an aluminum steerer. The components vary from Shimano Ultegra to SRAM Force and at the top of the tree; Shimano Dura-Ace and then the wheels are all from Bontrager, each depending on the model of bike.
 Madone 6.5 Pro |
The Women’s Specific Models
Of the four Women’s Specific Trek Madone’s the top Madone 6.5 WSD is as good as the men’s Pro version, but with the woman’s frame design. OCLV Red Carbon and the same all carbon forks, Shimano Dura-Ace and Bontrager Race X Lite wheels and cranks. The 5.1 is made with White carbon with aluminum steerer forks and is kitted out with full Shimano Ultegra and Bontrager Race wheels. The 4.7 and the 4.5 are both made with TCT Carbon and carbon forks have an aluminum steerer, the better bike (4.7) has more Shimano Ultegra equipment and both are available with double or triple chain sets. The geometries look just right for most women and the angles are not too severe, where the women have an advantage is that they can check out the men’s frames and so they have a much bigger choice. Ladies, if you are looking for a light weight racer or a very good sports bike then these cant be beaten.
 Solid Carbon |
The Others
There is six other Madone’s to choose from, the 6.9 and the 6.5 are as good as the Pro series, there is just that slight difference in the geometry and the components, of course. Both are made with OCLV Red Carbon and have full carbon forks, the equipment is either Shimano Dura-Ace or a Bontrager/Dura-Ace mix. The 5.5 and the 5.2 are both the same frame, Black Carbon with aluminum steerer, the difference being the Shimano Dura-Ace/Ultegra/Bontrager mix, as with the other, Bontrager wheels. The 5.1 is made of White Carbon and aluminum steerer with Shimano Ultegra bits in either double or triple chain set. TCT Carbon is used for the 4.7 and the 4.5 and the forks have an aluminum steerer, the equipment is a Shimano Ultegra/105 mix, these are at the bottom of the range and the frame style is a little different, but they are still great bike at a brilliant price.
 Madone 5.5 |
Different OCLV Carbon
Red, Black, White and TCT Carbon, it’s got nothing to do with the color of the bike, it’s the quality of the tubes. Red is the highest quality carbon tubes and has the most carbon for the best performance. Black is not as high in carbon and white even less. TCT is another method and doesn’t cost as much as the others to produce.
 Seat Tube |
The Look
Well, it looks great, from the straight forks to the solid back end it’s a work of bike art. The hidden head set always makes for smooth lines and the forks blend into the head tube perfectly. The tubes are all different shapes for added strength, but this adds to the beauty of the frame, the top tube is sloping, but not too much. There is a lot of carbon around the seat cluster for more rigidity, this also adds to the looks as does the extended seat tube which comes up a bit higher than the top tube, unlike other frames of this design you don’t need to cut the tube to suit and its not too difficult to work out your frame size as the extension comes up to around where a normal level top tube frame would come.
 Madone 6.9 Pro |
The Ride
As I said before the bike we had the chance to ride was an Astana Team issue Trek Madone, so it would be the best available, like the 6.9, but it had SRAM Red group set, which at the moment I don’t think is available as a stock bike from Trek. We didn’t mind as it rode really well, especially as it was fitted with Bontrager Race XXX Lite carbon wheels, which was the cream on the top of the cake.
The ride was short, but comprehensive enough to test the bike over all different terrain, except cobbles! When descending there was no speed wobble or deviation from a straight line and cornering was a dream as the bike could be banked over at what seemed to be a very tight angle with out feeling dangerous, let’s say I pushed it as far as I thought safe, but maybe there was a little left. Climbing was easy, well as easy as I could find it, the frame jumped up and seemed to accelerate with out much more effort. The back end is solid and this was felt when sprinting as there was no flex from the rear and pulling hard from side to side there was no twist at the front end either. This bike handles as well as any other bike I’ve ever ridden and in some cases better, it’s light and responsive and handles like a race bike should, precisely.
 Tour Winners Bike |
The Summing Up
The Trek Madone 6.9 is the top bike and comes in at just over $8,000 and the 4.5 can be bought for just over $2,000, so there is some thing for everyone, especially the ladies as there are lots of bikes in lots of different sizes. The only problem being which one to buy?
Marks out of 10 = 9.75, well there is far too much choice!
 Team Astana |
