NEW Trek Madone | The Holey $13k Aero Road B̶i̶k̶e̶ Spaceship!

After being teased in a few WorldTour races, Trek have finally released the latest version of their flagship aero race bike, the 2023 Madone SLR.
The most striking feature doesn’t lend itself to being ridden covertly. IsoFlow and the gaping hole in the frame is eye catching to say the least but it’s all in the name of making the Madone faster.
According to Trek, this seventh generation is 300 grams lighter and 60 seconds faster per hour than the previous model.
Simon runs you through all the key details that you need to know.
We want to know what you think. Is saving a minute over an hour worth £10,000? Let us know in the comments!
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[@HMSITH]

This bike has two holes, one in the frame and other in your bank acount.

[@elliewilliams0]

that was good👍

[@jack002tuber]

A fat wallet in the back pocket will mess up everything, they did it for you 😎😎😎

[@MrAttilaabri]

Love it:)

[@cosinus_square]

I'm holding out for the next version which willl have a hole in the front with an integrated Dyson bladeless fan, which sucks incoming air through the front hole and jets it out the back hole. Trek's aero mules revealed that it will save 69 sec/min and it will be called 'Crockett', as it's clearly a rocket. Let me stop you right there, no one cares about cyclocross because it's not aero.

[@xuchenglin6256]

Now basically you have a turbo bike with a jet engine.

[@madyogi6164]

If one saves 69 seconds per minute then it looks like time travelling... 😁😁😁

[@Kingjay814]

I just think it looks absolutely epic. I love theses wild designed bikes.

[@Megadeth6633]

It's one of the better looking aero bikes out there. I don't usually like them but this is a win in aesthetics.

[@xuchenglin6256]

As you dig a little deeper, you’ll know all the aerodynamics savings claim is all about “find an angle”, both conceptually and literally. Tweak and tink the weighted yaw angle equation and finally at some angle you’ll get whatever number you want.

[@marcelr.9035]

Trek saying narrower handlebars save you X seconds is like saying if you replace the amateur rider with a pro rider the bike will save you 10 minutes

[@DaveCM]

They might as well just send the bike out with the stem slammed. After all, it is more aero.

[@xuchenglin6256]

And if you are not strong in Yoga not only you can’t get the aero benefits, but also pains all over your body… they’ll say it’s your fault you are too weak, this sword is too strong for you to handle. Maybe check our endurance series for anther $8000.

[@alannkevin]

Honestly, I liked it. I am a big fan of madones, but… it’s too expensive. And I mean extremely expensive. The cheapest is $7900 with the new 105 di2. I have the money trust me, but I won’t spend it on a bike with 105. It’s di2 but is heavier than mechanical. I am waiting on Ribble to have the slr ultra available with dura ace di2 or sram force axs for $5900…. I think I could use an extra $3000 right now

[@xuchenglin6256]

@@alannkevin Maybe spend the money on a coach or gym membership if going faster is your thing, or just book a cycling trip if leisure is your thing. Those bikes are unnecessary, aero is within the error margin, and Di2 won't make you faster, but power does.

[@JanKowalski-pe9lo]

@@alannkevin Well... it would be quite stupid to spend same money as for motorbike for simple and overpriced bike. Very stupid but well... people actually very stupid so...

[@bikeradar]

Is the new Madone a radical step in the right direction or is it just a fad? Let us know what you think of Trek's new flagship aero bike! 👇

[@SecwetGwiwer]

It’s yet another step in the wrong direction for the consumer… disc only, electronic only, proprietary finishing kit only, service and repair at a bike shop only, designed to become defunct after 5 years nonsense. #savetheracebike

[@oneeleven9832]

Fad

[@ghajfjajdlfjalfld]

love the host’s jacket! where he get it?

[@lukasbormann4830]

That seatpost looks like a point for stress fractures

[@justinverigin2902]

I feel like with any bike of this nature it is first and foremost meant to win races. To get the name of the brand in headlines and in the forefront of the consumer. It will be interesting and exciting to see how they adopt this technology into more “manageable” bikes for the vast majority. 👍

[@kevinwells1660]

A 3 watt saving means i can leave home in the morning at 632 am instead of the regular 630

[@novacolonel5287]

If you got an ebike you could sleep till 7 and not have to change or shower at work. It's cheaper as well.

[@gabkoost]

It would also have turned around every single close finish in cycling history.

[@MrLuigi-oi7gm]

That cantilevered seat post platform gives me the Cracked Carbon Willies!

[@telkm4r]

3W!?! That's like 10% of my FTP!!!

[@SecwetGwiwer]

3w is more than ceramic jockey wheels save, so by that measure, it’s worth at least £1000.

[@ansamilano]

6:53 Did Trek really put "the new battery mount lowers the center of gravity" in the press release? A Di2 battery is a whopping 52g we're not talking about a Tesla or RAV4 here 🤭

[@thomasjackson4702]

Wow.. I hope not. Although I have not removed/replaced my Di2 battery after 2.5 years of use on my 2020 SLR . Would not have to take the BB off to get to it. I like it in the downtube for easy inspection.

[@andyl9700]

HELLO HAMBINI FANS! His review is worth more than this ad.

[@daxmotis27]

They finally gave an option to take away that huge logo. That’s the one id get if going for an aero bike. I love it.

[@81antiloop]

We couldn't get it right so we simply ripped out the isospeed and made a hole. Lol

[@thomaskruse6200]

Love Trek for pushing the aero design envelope. Losing Iso-speed is a good thing. Over time it eventually creaks and the little cover plates never fit flush after service. Watching this bike perform over the cobbles of TDF, Stage 5 proves a lot.... Good work Trek!

[@casefarley5744]

The new handlebar geometry is an interesting idea; I expect to see more of that from other manufacturers. The rest of the 'updates' are marketing wank. Was the iso thing really unpopular? Maybe, or maybe the Emonda was capturing most of the sales and they needed a differentiator.

[@80robs92]

Isoflow reduces drag by 3 Watts... unmounting the Garmin head unit saves even more Watts. Marginal gains for a speed of 45 km/h. which is equivalent to zero Watts saved for amateur riders.

[@gabkoost]

Who cares if amateurs won't gain anything from it. They are a leading bike company. It is their job to provide marginal gains every year. Then in a decade it all add up to significant improvements even for amateurs.

[@Enzo575]

Did they poach a designer from Ferrari or Lamborghini? Cuz this is absolutely beautiful

[@TheObeseDuathlete]

My problem is how to mount fenders on this. Bummer

[@ArteUltra1195]

The new colors are insane, every manufacturer should have this kind of blue and red on offer

[@DaveCM]

YES! Bike makers are finally getting away from the all black or all flat looking bikes.

[@SonjaTheDork]

@@DaveCM Black bikes can look nice with the right build and if you get good accenting features. They're still far too generic though lol. I'm happy enough with my rattle-canned purple

[@phil_d]

Looking forward to seeing Canyon-esque problems around that cantilever seat tube design... And the hole is in very dirty real-world air. How you measure 3 real watts is beyond me...

[@robbchastain3036]

It is all amazing to me, design tech and application, thanks for telling us about this new frame. And I tend to prefer narrower bars, too, and with gravel riders making aero bars a thing on the dirt, perhaps we'll see the popularization of a compromise and there's a lot of room for design tech with that.

[@Sator810]

Would be fun if someone actually added up all the seconds each new model is supposed to save.

[@marcelr.9035]

Pretty soon you'll save one hour over one hour and start teleporting

[@xuchenglin6256]

And pro riders now are definitely becoming weaker, they don’t have the strong work ethic like their fathers…. It’s a shame they don’t train hard any more and become lazy over the years. Or why the hell the world record won’t break itself every year ???? With all these fancy techs, definitely something somewhere is wrong! 😂

[@m37b]

You’ll arrive before you start!

[@andrewj4752]

I have a 21 year old race bike and a new one. The old one is brutally uncomfortable and flexes side to side quite badly. The new one is comfy and so stiff when I snap into a sprint the front wheel lifts off the ground. The little gains per year really adds up!

[@iancreighton1]

I saved so much time on my ride that I just stopped riding.

[@thomasb.7210]

The most exciting looking bike:-):

[@galenkehler]

I wanted to hate this but I just can't. It looks really nice, especially the seat cluster.

[@hjshoon5244]

Needing to remove the bb to gain access to the di2 battery is just absurd. Sram axs for me all the way

[@rosabal56]

8k for the Shimano 105 model……total disconnection from reality

[@BrianMcDonald]

I had the same initial thought, but the difference with Trek is that unlike other companies who use a lesser quality carbon frame for the lower level component groups (Like specialized using 12R carbon for s-works tarmac and 10R carbon for the pro/comp/expert which has around a 2k price difference for frame), the SLRs are the same top end frame with the lower components so you could theoretically upgrade over time. That being said, prices are still nuts.

[@pennyblue6372]

meanwhile you get the cube litening for the same price with dura ace

[@pratikmohanty2015]

Please make a detailed comparison video of trek madone 2023 vs scott foil 2023. It would be helpful for us to choose between the two.

[@georgiaguardian4696]

This revolutionary design definitely looks visually ground breaking and sharp at the same time!

[@sworks7124]

I would rather give up 3 watts for an easy to adjust seat post that one looks it will be a pain to adjust height.

[@erich8258]

3 watts at what speed? It's probably even less at mortal speeds.

[@MichaelLonetto]

What is the weight limit? As a heavier rider, there is no way I would trust that seat tube junction. I’m sure the extra flex would be more comfortable, until it gives way.

[@markvonwisco7369]

The weight limit of the bike and rider combined is 275 lbs/125kg. The weight limit is the same for the Émonda and Domane as well.

[@henzsy1404]

Great video , new Madone got adjustable seatpost which can be adjusted by screw for height adjustment . After riding , would seatpost area cause any free play at the adjustable seatpost after long use ? Your thoughts ?😜

[@alainpfammatter8224]

Nice shirt 👌

[@novacolonel5287]

No.

[@marcopaganotto9125]

Bet it won't look like that next year!

[@xuchenglin6256]

The bicycle market is more insane than the market of lady's handbag. LV Gucci Prada... you name it they don't claim any "performance" difference over the cheaper alternatives. They still sell well. Our lady friend knows it well too but they still buy it but purely for the price tag (to show that they can), design, fashion or the brand legacy... At least they know what they are paying for, and the brands are honest enough to not lie or make stories just to sell the products.

[@Eddie_-_]

Fun fact; LV and Pinarello belongs to the same group of companies

[@jonathanzappala]

I don’t mind it. I’m definitely a trek guy (stache, speed concept, Crockett), but I’ve never wanted a mad one. This one doesn’t look bad. If I ever gave up my 2015 propel I’d still rather have a venge (rip) or a s3.

[@CyclingInsider]

Is it true that the weight is 8.4kg for size 56 for this new Trek Madone SLR? If yes, that's absolutely crazy.

[@jcsrst]

Using the rider as part of the aerodynamic picture is pushing it, especially if you're like me and more non aero than aero 🤣 I do love the new bike though and am happy I didn't buy one last year with the old design.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

... if you're* like me ...

[@jcsrst]

@@einundsiebenziger5488 Thanks I fixed that. You must be awfully busy correcting peoples's spelling on youtube!

[@haroldocantanhede]

Dizzying, to say the least. So much acceleration, as prices simply disappear in the horizon whille a prospective buyer+rider of this gorgeous bike huffs and puffs , legs burning, trying to catch the £13K price tag!! Never mind, I 'll keep pedalling... Hope I do not fall off in the attempt! Nice video, many thanks for the description.

[@BobShurunkle]

blackout screens at 2:46, 3:02. Still don’t trust that seat post assembly, and having to remove the BB to change a battery??? Nope

[@jnichols959]

Trek is being cheeky. 100%

[@DaveJohnson4137]

Wow £9k+ for an Ultegra equipped bike! 😳😳

[@solitaryrefinement6787]

Waiting for all the warranty claims on the cantilevered seat post extension when "real world riders" (aka over 100kg) start buying these gorgeous rigs.

[@eddievega1100]

Nice ride but the hoods in Central Park will be looking out for this one .

[@OneBikeForAll]

Is Lance coming back to ride this one for the TdF?

[@broccoli5408]

This bike seems to be my very own kryptonite.

[@jony7779]

3 watts is 50% of my FTP so that'll help me a lot

[@bikeradar]

Relatable 👏

[@dadcram]

400 + day delivery time in Australia!!!

[@Justplainoljeff]

3 watts.. I nearly made my heart explode for a 4 watt ftp gain recently. 10k plus? Might be worth it if you hate having extra money

[@pennyblue6372]

makes total sense. testing it with 45 kmh and it is faster per 60 minutes than the old one at the same speed……THE SAME SPEED!🤨🤷🏻‍♂️

[@1mrudolf]

3 watts means everything .... 😁

[@shankeong6753]

it is probably going to be heavier and more flexy given the seat tube/stay design. the bike industry is really pulling every gimmick out of its book to justify ridiculous prices with no significant real world innovation/gains. but it does look good and easy to show off to your mates on the Sunday coffee ride if you can afford it.

[@TheWeardale1]

will mudguards negate any upgrades?

[@hippoace]

put a pannier on it while you are at 🤣

[@TheWeardale1]

@@hippoace LMAO

[@ucdescents]

Not a fan of the rear hole

[@jesseladd6864]

Without context some might disagree

[@SecwetGwiwer]

That’s what she said.

[@JibbaJabber]

@3:38 Haven't u heard bruv, gainz r gains - nuff said;)

[@glenntelesforo6099]

Wow nice bike♥️

[@ArteUltra1195]

8,000$ for a shimano 105 equipped bike. I know there’s more to that, but just let that sink in

[@MattBirmingham]

Do yourself a favor and don't look at Pinarello, BMC, or Orbea pricing :)

[@ArteUltra1195]

@@MattBirmingham I’m pretty sure Orbea and BMC are a little cheaper than this, but who knows, the next BMC Timemachine may also be 8k base

[@jesseladd6864]

@@ArteUltra1195 BMC likely will be lighter and built to better tolerances

[@kimwarner6050]

I'm confused on the price. The group set is only 1700usd, and since they buy in bulk of course it's cheaper. It's not making sense to me

[@glharlor]

Guessing they are going to have issues with the seatpost area failing over time. I wouldn't touch this thing with a 10 foot pole.

[@muff_jr5760]

Treks R&D/Testing is likely to be more reliable than your guess work.

[@glharlor]

@@muff_jr5760 like canyons seat post? Sorry companies make mistakes.

[@cliffsangelsphotography]

An interesting design. 🤔

[@dominickbrookes5103]

I've owned 2 madones can't imagine a faster bike than the 18RSL, but I bought one of these

[@reenierkendrickdelosreyes9264]

HAHAHA!! don't know if that was sarcasm or not, but "A ride that would normally take 1 hour will ONLY take you 59 minutes...." hahaha! woop!! huge gap there! better trade in your old madone for this stress crack waiting to happen brand new model!

[@DietPizza1]

Out of control pricing. $200 frames made in China.

[@jesseladd6864]

You’re insane. A frame of this technicality is way pricier. Hence the price spike

[@xuchenglin6256]

@@jesseladd6864 LOL Let’s say it’s 10x of that, $2000, still half of the price is the ads.

[@DaveCM]

High prices but definitely NOT $200 frames. Carbon frames are labor intensive.

[@DietPizza1]

Yea you are right, they probably pay the Chinese workers solid wages 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@bossg2817]

They should also put the handlebar of Cervelo S5, that would be a huge aero gains 🤔

[@Darkmonster620]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Timtimzi]

Ok the marketing has gone too far. The engineering KZbinrs already ripped this bike to shreds on the structural integrity

[@thomasjackson4702]

The ISO-Speed bolt assemble on the 2019-2022 SLR's was a nightmare. Wish they would just go back to an aero shape seat mast, seat post and seat tube. Take the design from the Emonda SLR and make it aero shaped for the Madone, it would be simple straight forward and less weight. Fewer things to go wrong. This looks good and efficient now, but what about reliability 3-5yrs, 20k miles+ of rough roads and racing after purchase? Is there a rider weight limit? Go back to KISS (keep it simple sherlock) engineering & design. my2cents...

[@alesstysanchez1614]

I have a 2011 trek Madona 3.1, upgraded carbon fiber wheelset, total spent on components plus the bike $2500. But if you have $13,000 hey why not go for it

[@markvonwisco7369]

Sweet looking bike, but for the type of riding I do, the Domane is a better match.

[@dominicbritt]

Hmmm, I see Trek has found a new way to crack carbon fibre.

[@ben_pedelty]

bro has no idea what he’s on about

[@dominicbritt]

@@ben_pedelty ok "bro" - as a BEng Mech graduate... I have to disagree - and don't get me started on the aero claims...

[@ben_pedelty]

@@dominicbritt don’t get me started basically translates to i don’t have A valid reason for my claims.

[@dominicbritt]

@@ben_pedelty there are already several analyses of this on KZbin - go and look at how Trek have turned the seatpost into a cantilever beam. Time will tell.

[@ben_pedelty]

@@dominicbritt ohhh so you’re youtube friends told you it would break. that explains it now, i forgot youtube was the peak of knowledge and not the actual people who are qualified to design the bikes 🙄🙄 silly me

[@aveedub7403]

I'll drill a few big holes in my trusty Cannondale, that'll save a few watts and then make the handlebars so narrow all you'll get on them will be the brake levers. Lol hype hype hype

[@eddievega1100]

Yeah I know only for pro racing, it’s cool looking.

[@skolanavyku6127]

Does anybody know if there will be SL version?

[@jesseladd6864]

Likely SL 7-9, SLR, and Project 1 over time

[@MaQuGo119]

I'm praying to sweet baby Jesús for X Caliber series to finaly get thru axle on the rear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!!!11111ONE

[@rodolfoty]

Never forget the rain and the water bottle,become dusty

[@rodolfoty]

Hello please let me know what. Happens ,can you explain Thanks

[@samvilla6290]

3 watts is worth $13,200 obviously

[@steveflor9942]

Is this supposed to work better than Trek's BB90?

[@leeasy7112]

Tbh, nobody buys aerobikes for performance gain, it is always the flashy look!

[@jamesvan8166]

how much seatpost adjustment?

[@keagandevilliers2832]

but where does the seatpost go????

[@Lehao_TK]

3 watts - it's between KOM and 10+ place xD

[@jeffv103]

I just saved 3 watts by changing which finger I pick my nose with.

[@Bingguine]

am i the only one that is afraid of the seat tube snapping off

[@lingchen6388]

Who cares about the bike. Tell us where that jacket is from!

[@jonathanzappala]

My first thought was Jack’s closet :)

[@oneeleven9832]

Hambini looked into this said it was bu..sh.t

[@zack_120]

0:24 - nowadays the majority of video hosts have become 'fund raiser' where they ask people, explicitly, not to donate money here, but to click the Like button and Subscribe! 😅 it's better than begging, but if your video is good everyone would appreciate your time and click.

[@bikeman123]

£12k for 3 watts seems fair 😂

[@xuchenglin6256]

And I bet the “3 watts saving” claim is from bike alone - tested in wind tunnel without a rider. That’s the old trick again… Trek bikes are good, but I’m just tired of all these marketing bullshit and tricks.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

... especially by statements like "so aero you save x seconds per hour" when each and every hour lasts exactly 3600 seconds, no more and no less!

[@dannyhaya]

The bike that's gonna say "CRACK"

[@lieblingsleguan1591]

Ohne das Video gesehen zu haben, kann ich bestätigen, dass es sich definitiv um ein Rad handelt.

[@meweskl]

Danke. Hätte ich sonst nicht gecheckt

[@markvonwisco7369]

Stimmt!

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

... und um ein ausgesucht hässliches noch dazu.

[@milkbunnies]

This bike will age like my mother in law… badly.

[@user-uq5gd3rs8y]

너무좋다

[@StevenMolina]

It’s great to see innovation in cycling and all stuff but at this price seems pointless put a lot of money in I+D if you can’t translate that technological advance in something that could be used for a lot of people. It’s like when you read great news about hi-tech materials (like graphene) but in the end it’s just extremely expensive lab material.

[@xuchenglin6256]

And by shorten the stem and change to a narrower handlebar, that becomes the second sell point highlight of this bike, and they claim that’s their big innovation…. What’s wrong with you Trek, aren’t these bullshit specialized to Specialized???

[@RichyH1000]

Fad and, quite honestly, the claims these brands make for their bikes are bordering on ridiculous. “X watts saving at x km/h resulting in x seconds saving over x km”. Jeez, give us a break. The worst is “x percent more comfortable”. 🤣🤣🤣

[@littlevo9]

he is stunning but at this price i take a pinarello dogma f

[@supersucka]

Waiting for a disaster to happen the seatpost. That hole there with so many irregularities of support is just adding unneccesary drag and surface area i dont believe this bike will be faster than previous gen

[@Krik76]

Can i Get 58 size?

[@greg4318]

Bikeradar infomercial on behalf of Trek………do you guys actually do any form of journalism or just regurgitate the marketing departments brief……..