Trek Madone SLR 2023 Review: How Fast is it Really? With Wind Tunnel Testing...

[@christianalboroto7574]

That color is sick. Makes the bike look so much more premium.

[@oOoACFREEMANoOo]

I think it looks cheap. Like a car from some 20 year old that spray painted his own car and added some cheap modifications.

[@SPLSE]

There's definitely something attractive to this color and pairing of parts.

[@jurezupan5324]

I never liked the look of Trek bikes, but this one... I agree, currently one of the coolest looking bikes!

[@vika0194]

It’s just plain silver…

[@jurezupan5324]

Not only color, but I like the aero shape of the frame - wide downtube, wide forks, nice transition from downtube to top tube, black seat tube (I'm ignoring a bit this iso hole), black top of downtube, smooth lines... It is something special I think. To me at least :) But we have different taste...

[@SNS1212]

Patiently waiting for the new Propel vs your TCR test 😀

[@rommelreyes2209]

Interesting result. This tells me that my Giant TCR is more than enough and no reason to get another bike. Thanks as I am still happy with my TCR

[@MrHyrokumata]

please get more bikes on the wind tunnel test. great to see the comparisons :)

[@vozzen]

You are sitting like a sail in testing… Don’t buy an aero bike if you plan on sitting upright, it’s a waste of money

[@turbosalsa]

Great review Dave I have noticed the improvement in your reviews now doing wind tunnel testing 👍🏾that’s very radical, but much more informative. Keep up the good work 👏🏾. I like the Madone but the price is OMG how much!😮

[@ccadp1219]

Thanks David. Very detailed review as always....I just keep thinking how bikes are outrageously priced.

[@Lemond75]

Really interesting video Dave, and it’s very useful to show the difference between bikes and your TCR - congrats. What I’d be really interested to see is a comparison between your Enve wheels, and some shallow profile ones. I’ve got bikes with both, and whilst the deep section wheels feel, and sound fast, it’d be really valuable to see what the actual differences are in the tunnel, especially as deep section wheels can be tricky to handle in windy conditions - making me question just how beneficial they are. Thanks

[@PatrickJamesKiernan]

Impressive to see a wind tunnel test included in the review against your ride impressions. Feel counts for a lot though, and bombing down the hill on that must be amazing. That black and white paint job (with invisible Trek logo?) looks suitably stunning too! Love your channel!!!

[@cypriano8763]

bottom line is the tcr is a great all round bike, from racing flats, hill climbs and light gravel. what a bike!

[@MicroageHD]

Also, probably your old 80s steel frame aint much slower in the flats than a Trek Madone SLR + weight matters.

[@cypriano8763]

@@MicroageHD it isent. It's the legs, son, not the bike

[@yukiko_5051]

​@@MicroageHDNot really. If two identical strong athletes compete, one with top end modern bike and other with '80s bike, the one with new bike will definitely win the race

[@richardmannion2779]

i did expect the difference between the madone and TCR to be a bit more; but then when i thought about the details, the wind tunnel results seem more reasonable. if the rider is about 80% of the resistance (and David was sat quite upright on the hoods for these tests so more of a rider contribution to the total than if on the drops or in the aero hoods position) then out of 300 watts, the bike itself (not counting the impact on position from a narrower bar) can only influence the 20% left - 60 watts out of 300. Same wheels - so that reduces the 60 watts the bike can influence by a significant amount......maybe only 30-40 watts left that can be influenced directly by the frame. i can easily see that differences between a full aero frame and a frame that has some beneficial aero features would be 25% or less of the watts left for the frame to influence - so about 10, and even low enough to get lost in the test variability.

[@jurezupan5324]

Exactly, and if you add also the sizes of bikes into this equation (M/L... or 56/58... sizes are not completely aligned between manufacturers), it is quickly obvious that comparing "bikes" (without wheels? handlebars?...) or just frames is almost impossible task... I guess at the end, all tested bikes will fall into this +-5/10 W range... What was more interesting to me was the wider tires test which showed less drag - is this logical/true? What about the wheels with wider tires, were those deeper?

[@DaemonGeek]

I picked up my Madone SLR9 Gen 7 a few days ago. Here are some real world numbers from my own experience: Old bike (Time Skylon with Shimano DuraAce Di2 11sp) 30.7 mile loop, 18.8 MPH average speed at 182 W weighted avg. power 1:38:22 ----- New Madone (Shimano DuraAce Di2 12sp) 30.7 mile loop, 19.3 MPH average speed at 176 W weighted avg. power 1:35:24. It actually FEELS much faster as well, crazy the amount of difference it makes. Granted, the Time is about 6 years old, but still, a HUGE difference.

[@ccdbcvtrider1]

I have a 32mile loop and I found my Madone Gen 6 to be about 3 min faster in total compared to my Colnago C64. Thats even though the loop is hilly and the C64 climbs better...and this is the Madone Gen 6, the Gen 7 is supposed to be faster than the Gen 6.

[@draggerlane04090]

Not to disagree with you. is it faster then gen 6 yes. Is it faster then older madones? No. My experience with the new gen 7 from a friend loaning his for these tests, my fastest bike I own is a 98 trek 5200 weighs 1.7 lbs lighter then the gen 7 I have ultegra 6700 groupset and fsa slk carbon crank on the 5200. the 5200 accelerates out of the gate faster and hold it's speed better then the gen 7 Also tested out my 2012 ssl madone around the same loop that I also much lighter at 15 lbs even with Scram red double tap groupset rim brake and the results were the same the 2012 accelerates faster and maintains speed better then the gen 7 As I have said time and time again 2012 was the last of the great trek racing bikes. 2013 to present trek has nothing but fallen on there faces. Trek has focus putting tech into thre bikes and to me is in the wrong direction. Trek needs to get back to basics with there bikes and lose some weight off there frames

[@brody5211]

Are you still impressed ?

[@verryd]

Great review, and thank you for saying what we are all thinking - £13000 to acquire a top bike is ridiculous.

[@ozgurinsan]

One of the biggest lies in cycling is aero. No one needs it no one. Just ride your bikes and enjoy

[@pavlos..]

TREK = Lance Armstrong and U.S. Postal. Never again

[@williamkeys5701]

The amount of money that Trek is demanding for the Madone line was obscene with the previous iteration and outright madness with this one. It's to the point where Cervelo and Pinarello are almost bargain brands in comparison.

[@benhur5826]

Yeah, very interesting how fast can go on this bike a dentist or lawer for example on a sunday ride?

[@stereostig5983]

Directly comparing a racing aero bike to a "just a good bike" in a wind tunnel turned out to be a great idea. I think I'm not the only one who was very surprised at how small the difference is for an amateur cyclist. Now, when choosing my next bike, I will think less about the advertised aero-optimization and more about what I really need. Thank you!

[@MrJaycobsen]

Thanks for the video. Would be really interesting if you swapped to aero handlebar on the tcr comparison as well.

[@1a2b3c4.]

I really hate to say this but is it ignorance or is it that all British cyclists are completely dumb founded by the brand names. You compare one brand against the other. Also you make statements saying the bike is really fast. A bike is only as fast as the person riding it, that being said why don't you do your homework before publicly making false statements. Like the number of teeth on the freewheel and on chainrings that is what gives speed mathematically speaking, and then is all up the individual's physical condition. Sorry I had to say this, but if by now you don't know it.... Learning is never too late.

[@Tim_McMurray]

Been waiting for this review, I love the madone and no doubt its a great race bike but difference to a TCR or similar bike ( I am looking at Supersix evo ) is much much smaller than I thought. Although if you race regularly and have experience you can feel 5 to 10W difference as clearly you can David. I think I'll go for the Supersix evo, still relatively qquick but has rave reviews about handling and comfort for crappy roads and all day rides.

[@MJarthur95]

Nice looking bike, but I’m really scared about that seatpost “iso speed”. That thing looks like it’s going to fail within a couple of thousand KMs

[@davidarthur]

Have you seen how much aeroplane wings flex?

[@MJarthur95]

@@davidarthur yes I have. Have you seen all the issues with all the custom designed parts the past years 🤔? Kuch kuch, Canyon, Specialized, recall Trek etc 🤔

[@plantpoweredpedaller6264]

@@davidarthur How's is this even relevant?

[@doublejumpvideogames....]

@@davidarthur plane wings are not designed to be sat on....no step

[@nikpavlovic2770]

a five year old could have written a more logical comment, your remark is based on nothing!

[@mathieunorry]

The vast vast majority of all these bikes are total overkill for the vast vast majority of cyclists and the sad thing is ordinary cyclists are left footing the bill. People are spending thousands on the latest cutting edge wind tunnel researched aero bikes for the sake of saving a few hundred grams and Watts, instead people could simply drop some bodyweight and reap the benefits without taking out a mortgage on a new bike. In addition di2 is totally unnecessary and more unreliable than traditional tech. How often have we seen di2 fail for the pros for one reason or another.

[@jaycrume5941]

I agree about the mechanical vs electronic shifting and disc brake trend. Bike manufacturers have dealt us a planned obsolencence blow for their profit. I've bought my last new bike. I have DA9100 mechanical on my 3 bikes (SWork Tarmac and Roubaix, plus a Lynski R240) and love it. But I can't see trading an SWorks SL6 with rim brakes and mechanical DA9100 drive train for an SL7 with a lower level drive train and discs. I've test ridden DI2 and discs but really see no real world advantage for me over my well maintained mechanical group. (I have a very complete mini-shop and do my own maintenance as a stress reliever.) I just can't see that DI2 is worth $1,5000 more. And an SL7 over my SL6 frameset is a braggidocio move only. The bike world is now full of gimmicks that the novice isn't really going to benefit from, if there is a real benefit. I could tell a difference in long ride comfort with the SL6 over my previous SL5. And the SL6 is as comfortable as my SL4 SWorks Roubaix on longer rides. But since nothing I have test ridden feels like an improvement. Just gimmickry and vanity.

[@nicensleazy1892]

Dave if it was your money - would you go for the 2023 Madone or the Pinarello Dogma F ?

[@freebird61885]

This whole series in the wind tunnel is fascinating. I can’t be the only one that would gladly give up 6 watts to build a lighter, easier to work on and live with, TCR versus the aero bikes

[@JS-sn6dh]

True, those tests make me more and more happy about my decision to buy the 2021 TCR - has been a great and fast bike during the 15.000 km so far!

[@freebird61885]

(I say this as a Tarmac SL7 owner who recently struggled with the internal cable routing on that bike)

[@DEXVD]

Looking forward to the Propel comparison, a SL7 comparison would be great as well but it seems like manufacturers only make media bikes available when they release a new bike, so probably aren't lending out SL7s

[@luukrutten1295]

It may feel faster since its less comfortable now!

[@spx007]

The bike is as fast as the rider can push efforts on it. Geometry plays a factor but it is all up to the rider. Wow effect +10.

[@Questioneverything72]

Tx David for These recent videos. Wind tunnel testings are amazing. Combined with weight info and price, makes choosing the bicycle to buy much easier. Curious to see performance of Canyon Aero CF SLX and specialized Tramac SL7 in wind tunnel.

[@jeremysweeten2792]

So, you are paying for FEELING, not necessarily speed

[@cyanomical]

What a great review! I originally had my heart set on this bike in the ultegra model, but I've come to realise that I actually like a less aggressive and more comfy bike than this FULL AERO RACE bike. In the end I went with a Cervelo R5 which is lighter and very noticeably more compliant than my 2021 Trek Emonda SL7. I've come to realise that a max speed aero machine isn't actually the kind of bike I like the most for my kind of riding. I just want something that can climb hills easier and descend confidently, and whether I'm going 55kph at a max sprint vs 60kph on a more aero machine doesnt really mean that much to me anymore. Not even looking to get deep wheels for the R5 any more either

[@briancarter8694]

It’s great you are adding the wind tunnel. You’re subjective description of the ride was about how fast it felt, but the wind tunnel didn’t show too much difference from your Giant. That kind of real data is really valuable in a review because some bikes just feel faster, whether or not they actually are.

[@chrismills8455]

Hi Dave, really awesome video. Just a question though. I notice that aero road bikes are now considering the unaerodynamic shape of water bottles in their frame design (I believe this was also considered when developing the TCR). Would you be able to conduct future wind tunnel tests with bottles included? I wonder if the TCR might have actually been faster than the Madone with bottles included as the Madone doesn't appear to account for bottles whereas the TCR does. Just thought.

[@markwright8030]

Hi David Great job with the video as always. Big fan of the new Trek 👍🙂 Mega price tag for a Awesome super bike. 🚴‍♂️👍

[@davidarthur]

Thanks! 👍

[@frits8986]

Color is crazy good, the bike itself is ugly as hell

[@quentinpollard5173]

Excellent looking bike, and great review, I wonder how it compares to the canyon aeroad

[@mikewikstrom3416]

Thanks for the wind tunnel test against the TCR. I have a TCR and it seems that an aero bike would be faster if I were riding solo but not really in the group, and I only happen to care how fast I’m going when with others.

[@morrisizing]

It will be interesting to see how the new Propel fairs against the likes of this Madone, the New Foil & updated S5. It seems to sit a bit between the standard road race/climbing bikes and the full on Aero bikes in design do if it delivers in aero terms will be a winner.

[@romaint.5273]

Cette vidéo est très intéressante, cela va dans le sens de ce que je pense depuis le début sur les fameux tests aéro de TOUR qui réalise des essais aéro de vélos avec un demi mannequin, ce qui ne rend pas compte de la réalité, en effet les résultats aéro ne sont pas pareil quand on effectue le test en soufflerie avec un cycliste complet sur le vélo, car la masse du cycliste entier génère des perturbations aéro qui vont au delà du cadre du vélo, donc cela annule les bénéfices aéro des guidons profilés et cadres aéro. C est la position du cycliste qui fait que l'ensemble cycliste + vélo est aéro, les gains sur le cadre et le cintre sont marginaux, du même ordre que les roulements céramiques. Les gains aéro des roues sont par contre moins marginaux car les rayons se déplacent très vite dans l'air et en plus à contre sens du flux d'air, donc plus les rayons sont courts et moins de trainée il en résulte, c'est pour ça que les roues lenticulaires sont très aéro car il n'y a pas de rayons. Les nouveaux cadres aéros type Aeroad joue sur l'image qu'on a des cadres de triathlon / chrono, et laissent penser que c'est la forme aéro du cadre qui est responsable des gains de vitesse, alors que c'est uniquement la position du cycliste qui en est la cause. D'ailleurs il suffit de regarder les courses cyclistes professionnelles pour se rendre compte que les cyclistes professionnels peuvent gagner avec un cadre polyvalent et non optimisé niveau aéro, tel les Lapierre Xelius ou Canyon Ultimate. Dans les pelotons amateurs, on peut voir que le vélo a encore moins d'importance sur les résultats de courses, des coureurs gagent avec des vélos d'ancienne génération dont le cadre est non travaillé sur le plan aéro.

[@andrewhayes7055]

Only available for London stockbrokers and bankers🙄

[@ironore8677]

So I’m assuming this trek is prob close to as aero as any other of the new best aero bikes so do you think it’s safe to assume the tcr would do about the same against a canyon aeroad or cervello s5 ?

[@aaluminumandrescreening1108]

great question and funny that i had the same EXACT question as i am in the process of upgrading my bike to one of the aforementioned three. Hopefully, someone can give us some additional insight!

[@FaiscaaaH]

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL !!!! Some serious BULLSHIT RIGHT THERE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@andrewwoffinden8671]

Just looking at the difference of the bars between the 2 bikes, the bike industry would have you believe that there's 7 watts just on that alone. But no, throw a rider in there and it all seems to equal out almost. I think what makes a difference on the track in perfect conditions at 50kph is not at all relevant for on the road. I mean, we all really know this. You know how you know? Allaphilipe uses round bars and the person advising him knows. Also, when you're watching a bike race with a break you're never thinking, yes that person is going to win, see, they're on full aero bike.

[@Jarek.]

Really fascinating putting side-by-side "real road" perception ("blazing fast!") with wind tunnel results (2% faster comparing to your Giant). That makes me thinking: is this whole wind-tunnel testing a big BS? Another thing - 40km/h at 300W. From my experience - sounds _almost_ right. But what are your real life results? How many Watts you have to smash to keep 40 km/h on Trek? Cheers!

[@mickchaganis6607]

So do you thinks it's just a perception of speed? It looks fast so it feels fast.

[@imermana]

The wind tunnel data is fantastic! I love that you compare it to the TCR so there is a point of reference.

[@wyattchoia2473]

Trek trying to be the Louis Vuitton of the bike industry.... £13,000 is an insult.

[@james5150]

Another brilliant review, David! I love that your wind test protocol includes real world speeds that are relevant to average cyclists ❤ I hope other jounralists are watching your videos and scrambling to up their game - you're kicking butt!

[@davidarthur]

Thanks James!! :)

[@yukalbert38]

@@davidarthur Thank you so much for the wind tunnel tests. It actually gives us an idea of how aero bikes are.

[@1411198812345]

Going by the wind tunnel data, both the bikes(giant and madone) don’t have much to differentiate them wit respect to their aero properties. By that logic giant should be faster than previous gen madone as current gen madone is 19watts faster. I was thinking of buying a super bike but these tests convince me to stay with my factor o2. All these claims made by these companies are nothing more than marketing hype.

[@lazarosnikolaidis256]

V. interesting video David. Glad to see you are using Zefal Pulse L2 bottlecage (nice looking, super-light but a little bottle-rattling cage on paved roads). Can't wait the TREK vs Giant comparison.

[@cosmo7c]

Please do stat comparison with 2023 Giant Propel Advanced SL both wind tunnel test & ride feel. Thanks

[@djtreyb3835]

Thanks great review I brought a new madone last year about 8 months in like others had problems with Isospeed like many riders. There warranty was great and replaced the whole frame but I lost my ideal color. I did order the new one due in dec. I have not seen many reviews , doesn’t look like they have out so many demo bikes to press. Wish someone would test wind tunnel vs old one. U said it’s not as comfortable. We will see

[@phil_d]

It's a great looking shape with the down tube and rear stays at the same angle. I wonder how those change in a smaller frame? The seat tube is a worry though; they should have stopped fettling or made a 'Pro Team' version and left us mere mortals with the ISOFIX.

[@russellorr6400]

Great video David! not one to leave comments, but I feel this video deserves it. Isolating the frame in the wind tunnel and running tests at 30 and 40 kph makes it relevant to consumers rather than pros. It also helps cut through marketing bs! I hope you do the same with wheels and also start providing a top 10 table of the most aero bikes and wheels (watt savings). This information is so relevant for the people actually buying these expensive products

[@russellorr6400]

an addition: independent testing of marketing claims in the car industry is almost a standard. As yet we lack this for bikes, so this work is appreciated. An extension of this and hopefully an inspiration for a future video would also be both the reliability, part availability as well as the level of customer service of different bike brands. When you are paying a high price, you are buying into a brand so it is also important to know if that brand is "a complete package" rather than just a bike, can they also deliver when consumers experience problems (or are you forgotten after they have got your money)? From personal experience the answer is not always yes, with some top-end brands making you wonder why you have paid the premium for a bike with a spec you could have bought for a lot less from a competitor.

[@Shadowboost]

@@russellorr6400 we don't lack this in the bike industry. It's called Tour

[@russellorr6400]

@@Shadowboost ??? elaborate please!

[@johne1605]

@@russellorr6400 Tour is a subscription german magazine that tests bikes and wheels on their aerodynamics, comfort, etc. I haven’t bought it myself since you can find some bits of the testing results in the weightweenies forums if you dig hard enough, but i would like to

[@Shandy6733]

That's the price...if you want it cheaper, buy another bike....it's like saying: This Ferrari is expensive, can they make it from other materials to make it cheaper.....no, 'cause it wouldn't be a Ferrari any longer, it would be another car....

[@knedliczek]

These bikes are getting uglier ...

[@Lufftschwimmer]

Nonsens....I cant understand why so many people follow bikes which made for UCI races ....how many people are racing with UCI rules ??

[@danielbiederman5408]

Thank you, David. I'd be interested in a wind tunnel test on a more modest bike. I have an aluminum BMC Team Machine, some exposed cables and not aero optimized. What kind of aero gain would a rider like this realize with an upgrade to a modern aero bike such as the Propel or Madone? Thanks again for the excellent reviews.

[@Shadowboost]

15-20 Watts

[@glennoc8585]

Under 45kmh probably less that wearing a skin suit.

[@Michaelsmith21588]

Thanks for the in depth review David. Bike looks great.

[@Hippiehansie]

It always amazes me how bicycle manufacturers manage to design even uglier bikes. What an ugly bike. And the price tag is completely ridiculous for a frame from the same factory as aliebabba . The cycling world is sick.

[@mikespadafora9077]

Hah, I knew it! Alot of marketing bs!

[@jeffbender2180]

Thanks David, for the wind tunnel comparisons. I think most bike riders know that the big companies are just trying to get everyone to believe that they are "faster, stiffer, lighter" just to sell us something that is simply only a micro- or nano-step better, ie 2 watts faster. These are basically meaningless to the 99 percentile of riders who just love riding, and are not time trialing. Thanks for helping keep the companies accountable, and for your honest reviews! (I feel prices will be dropping soon as the industry is now heading into "correction" mode. Staring to see plenty of sale prices not seen since before pandemic)

[@adrianc6534]

there may be a few sale prices, but MSRP has only continued to rise. for example, i bought an ibis hakka in february for 3600 USD. i checked the price again in march out of curiosity and the same bike was now 4700 USD. nothing changed, all components are the same, but the price is now 33% higher. i dont see bikes getting cheaper anytime soon.

[@climbinsimon]

Bikes are only likely to go up in price due to the increased cost of manufacturing and shipping.

[@nluisa]

I also think a lot of bike riders are absolute suckers for new bike bling like this... I agree with you, but there is clearly enough market for these things (and not necessarily from amateur competition riders)... They surely look great and must be fun to ride, but even if I had the money, I can't stomach having to bleed the brakes to service the headset... And for what, 1-2 watts and nice looks? Yes, a mechanic can be paid to do these, but it will come at a cost (including the bike for longer at the shop, whilst they do the quick jobs first). And so many more watts can be saved on training certain riding positions and snug fitting clothing.

[@glennoc8585]

​@@nluisa How often do we service out headsets though in reality?

[@nluisa]

@@glennoc8585 Every 6 months or so, in my case. I ride most days of the week, even in bad weather, so rust can take root if I'm not careful. I service everything on my bike except for changing BB bearings and bleeding brakes. The less I have to faff with when changing parts, the better.

[@Jarek.]

Is it a paid option to have small Trek logo? 🤣

[@waterkoud1]

Should you buy it? It is a Trek, so never buy it. All marketing bullshit and a horrible warranty service. Never a Trek bike again.

[@tomermahlis12]

How is it possible going 40kph for 295w the maths don’t match

[@lookatpalacios]

So what does it say? Do we need such expensivr bikes isn t ir maybe just marketing of the brands.. of course some are more aero or less….. but I guess many thinks what they try to sell us makes no sense…

[@brody5211]

Thinking of this or the sl8 tarmac- guessing the sl8 will have more comfort but equally as fast ?

[@stanislavkindiakov6334]

New Madone really lost in appearance: parts are not proportional any more, front and seat post are obviously cheaper… I would not change my „old“ Madone to this one

[@plrach]

Whats th3 différence btw SLR 7 2024 and SLR 9 2024 please ?

[@LitNews]

So the aero gains are fake. In the margin of error. One bike might _feel_ faster because it is stiffer.

[@freebird61885]

P.S. I’ve owned the new Enve 4.5s and rate them really highly all around.

[@climbinsimon]

They are an amazing wheelset, and very stable too.

[@lucidapersi3149]

Fancy looking hole in place of actual frame integrity. Instead of two triangles for geo there's only one.

[@davemellor4697]

Just buy a winspace T1500 or Elves Falath...........a fraction of the cost and much better made and quicker!!!!

[@kimwarner6050]

David what do you think of Trek abandoning short people?

[@stefanomancini6569]

agreed there reach are too long now

[@roadracer1584]

Perfect bike for a middle aged fat guy for those 25 kph group rides to the local pub.

[@vongdong10]

Surprised the trek logo is so tiny

[@BrianMcDonald]

Normally when we have relatively "drastic" new designs with bikes, there is initial backlash leading to acceptance and enjoyment of the aesthetics over time. After initially really liking the look of the bike design, I'm not sure if the paint schemes aren't doing as many favors for the bike compares to previous Trek bikes (which were almost saved by very nice paint options), but I'm liking the design less over time. Something about the shape of the stem seems a little clunky compared to other bikes as well as not maintaining the clean elegant lines in the frame design, and I think proportionally the frame shape kind of lends itself to the clunky descriptor (not talking about aero or actual speed, just looks). The two tone paint scheme wasn't really utilized to its full potential in my opinion, as I think they could have made some of the more beefy parts of the frame look slimmer which would have added to the overall look.

[@tomrodriguez9052]

I can't help but think that the seat post is not going to hold up, if plan on keeping it for more than a season.

[@andrewwoffinden8671]

Hmm, so if you got an aero road bar for the TCR you get a lighter, comfier, better handling some would say, cheaper bike that's just as fast? I think this review just broke the cycling industry..

[@damnfew4]

Great video, what is your size on your regular bike? I’m having issue with the sizing. I have a 54 venge with a 130 stem -12 degree I’m running a 54 new madone 130 stem but still not comfortable. I wonder if we have to go up in sizing on trek bikes or same sizing. Haven’t really bad issue

[@douglasbooth6836]

Change the wheels and tires and you could hit 7kg on the madone. I never change my madone set up so this new one is my next bike. I’m on my third madone. I also run 140 disc on the front. I’ve also crashed my madone and got free wheels and 40% of the frame from trek. You can’t complain about that fir service.

[@mrwezbo]

Eye wateringly (sp) expensive, but I'm a big supporter of 'buy whatever makes you ride more'. If that takes $23 thousand AUD and you can afford it, then so be it. Still, you could get an equally aero road bike from a different vendor with zipp 454nsw for cheaper. Now THAT would make me ride more :).

[@vika0194]

Your camera resolution really gets bad when you are going fast. It can’t handle it.

[@tranquill80]

Any reason why you didn't use water bottles during test? I know the TCR downtube is thicker to improve drag with a water bottle so would have been curious how it would compared with bottles which is more realistic than no bottles. Super awesome to know my TCR fares well against Madone/Ultimate even with exposed cables.

[@ABCDFGH69]

those wind tunnel results make this bike almost completely pointless

[@glennoc8585]

A guy in my group ride just bought one with ultegra di2, not sure the exact frame grade. Looks better in the black I think in that design. The thing is the young amateur racer that would benefit the most is priced out from these bikes. Personally I'd go the emonda for an all around bike.

[@grazryan]

Hi David, can you comment about the climbing characteristic of this bike? Is it really that bad? Or this can be considered as an all around bike knowing that its geometry is just the same as the emonda minus the weight difference

[@bradsburgess4806]

I wish they would cut the crap about how fast these bikes really are,it all depends on who buys these bikes,not everyone is chasing kom's,for me it's rather only a selling point🤔😕

[@simonalexandercritchley439]

Good review Dave and interesting results but the price is outrageous. You could by a nice used motorbike for that money. Or several top used bikes; road, gravel and mountain.

[@ZwiftDude]

I am sure they put the Specialized S Works SL7 Tarmac from £10,000 in 2020, to £12,500 in early 2022 and now £13,150 i've recently?? Looks like the new normal because Trusanomics and slump in the pound.

[@davew782]

Might need to check your comparison prices: the S Works SL7 is13250 with same SRAM group. So basically the same price not "much cheaper".

[@SimonGoesSideways]

Loving the last few vids with the wind tunnel testing. The last comparison proved exposed cables outfront make no difference to drag. This video is super interesting. You have proved that someone spending £13k plus on the Madone only benefits by a few watts at 40kph and only once the wind yaw angle is at 10degrees. Not many people cycle at 24miph or higher. Most people average between 15 - 20mph on their rides and therefore there are no gains to be made with aero bikes. Another proven point, my boss had a 2015 rim brake emonda, in 2018 he upgraded to a Madone and he was no faster , even slower on some segments. Let’s have more of these videos please David,

[@aaronwhiting7725]

How long do you think before we get a sub-7kg aero road bike at an "accessible" price. I mean a bike that is built light enough to absorb the weight of Ultegra/Force (or lower) level components and still be sub 7kgs.

[@CrazyAboutCycling]

❤you got my attention ❤️ for testing at low normal human speeds. This is very useful. Any chance you can borrow Scott Foil from Francis Cade to see the difference between all these bikes?!

[@h31sman]

That color scheme makes it look like those cheap e-bikes you can rent in downtown areas. Not a fan of the disjointed seatpost as well. I think if consumers start to demand lightweight aero bikes, then we will start to see them like the Giant TCR.

[@johnbeltran4988]

Nice review and I agree the cost of this one is joust for sponsored ridders. Love the comparison gives you a good reference point.

[@sayedhassan6322]

سبحان الله وبحمده سبحان الله العظيم سبحان الله وبحمده سبحان الله العظيم سبحان الله وبحمده سبحان الله العظيم ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️👍

[@spartanbike2260]

something off with this aero comparison. round bars on the giant vs aero integrated on the trek and at 0 degrees the giant is faster. don't make any sense. if you exchange the bars for zipps sl70 the giant would faster at 30km at every yaw angle. i will wait for german tour mag tests for the madone.

[@ovathere93]

Great video and great review. Love the comparisons. One question, which glasses and what's your opinion? New Sutros?

[@kennedystuart5685]

Great video Dave. I’d love to see you review and your thoughts on a new Factor OSTRO VAM. Keep up the great videos. Always enjoy watching your videos