Originally Posted by
Campag4life
If you compare all the reviews, there is more consistent praise for the Synapse. The Domane...redesigned this year...previous gen is reported to have a split personality...very stiff front end and uber compliant rear end. Many find this contrast distracting. The Emonda in fact gets better reviews than the Domane for ride quality even though it maybe a tick stiffer in the rear because of no iso coupler. If not riding horrible road consistently, I wouldn't opt for a bike with suspension. My personal opinion. Also, I wouldn't be an early adopter of the new Domane either. Reports are mixed about the front end.
All said, I choose the Roubaix.
It isn't because it is a much better bike than the Domane or Synapse...its isn't, but the design for me is more reliable. The Roubaix can be had with English threaded BB with its excellent 10r carbon frame on its Expert model. This is big compared to less reliable BB90 on the Domane and BB30 on the Synapse. Seatpost is big. Synapse uses a 25.4mm post with limited aftermarket availability and the side by side bolt design of the FSA post that is spec'ed for the bike isn't as good as a pleathora of aftermarket posts that can be used on the Roubaix. I like Trek bikes...tech is undeniable...But...BIG but...I don't like BB90 with carbon on steel bearing press fit and their seatpost mast design stuck with 1 bolt seat clamp sucks big time. There are complaints on the web about both. Point is...this proprietary tech is needless when a superb Roubaix can be had with English threaded BB and 27.2mm std seat post which will accommodate a 2 bolt carbon post where the saddle tilt can't slip. Of course just about all of this goes over the head of the uinitiated however after purchase, an uninformed buyer will be stuck with the outcome after they throw down their 3 large. Buyer be weary when delving into the world of tech where companies are thirsty to separate themselves from the competition to carve a marketing niche and turn a profit. Look no further than Microsoft with all their tech, they get their operating systems right only every other time. Perhaps contrived
Sweet lord, every damn time with the complains about the seatmast. Every chance you get.
Again (we've had this conversation many times), I worked for a Trek dealer for over two years. In all of that time I saw ONE bike in the shop with someone complaining about the saddle slipping and tilting up/down. The problem was that they threw a bunch of grease at it. If you want something to not slip, you need to use fiber grip, not grease. In that case, we had to pull the whole assembly apart, clean it off and apply just a little bit of fiber grip.
Also, on my Domane, I don't even know if it came with grease or carbon paste or whatever in the rail mount assembly. I built it new out of the box and I've never, ever once had to mess with it after tightening the bolt to the proper torque. And I have switched saddles 4 times, including loosening and tightening it once or twice for fit adjustment. Not a single slip in many miles.
So would you PLEASE stop complaining about the seatmast that you have, as far as I can tell, never worked on or owned yourself? And you can't just go on the complaints you see on the internet because the internet is where people go to complain in the first place. I'm getting tired of you applying your assumptions as fact and propagating misinformation.
Furthermore: the Domane in question is the 4.3 which has a 27.2mm seatpost.
/end rant
Actual info: both are great bikes. People are usually very happy with either decision. I've been anywhere from 210-235 pounds on the Domane, and I really haven't noticed a night and day difference between the front and the rear as many people like to complain about. The difference is there, but it doesn't create any cognitive dissonance in my mind when I ride it. I mean, the front fork is rigid (though the shape definitely offers some deflection) and the rear has a friggin' pivot in it. It's going to be different but the front end is not overly harsh compared to any other bike I've ridden.
In terms of bottom brackets, I have owned a Cannondale CAADX with BB30 and now the Trek Domane and Crockett with BB90 and BB86 respectively. I prefer the Treks because their BB uses a standard Shimano 24mm Hollowtech crank, which in my experience is a much nicer design than any BB30 crank I've used/installed on a bike. The BB30 crank did come loose at one point on the Cannondale, but a quick turn of the wrench fixed that. Zero issues so far on the Treks.
If I had to give a recommendation I would go with the Trek Domane, but I can't say the Synapse is bad because it's not.