Synapse vs. Domane
 

Hello, would you guys know what are the significant differences in terms of performance and confort of these two bikes? I am choosing between Synapse 105 and Domane 4.3. I live in Spain and I can´t test them, Local bike stores don´t have test bikes here, you guys are lucky with that.

Comparably equipped I suspect they are going to be fairly similar - certainly similar intended purpose. I'd say go for the one whose looks appeal, or which seems better for the price, or where you prefer the shop. Loved my recently-stolen 2012 Synapse carbon Ultegra, but I suspect Domane riders love theirs equally. Modern bikes at these sorts of price points are all so good that it's hard to find real problems.

The Domane is a very comfortable bike just put some better tires on it the stock are heavy and kind of slick in rain. I don't have a synapse and I never looked at them due to the bb30 bottom bracket which requires more maintenance and special tools because they have a tendency to creak, I prefer spending my time riding but I'm sure its a great bike none the less.

I really like my Synapse. I suspect they have very similar ride qualities. Go for whichever shop you like better, or by whichever paint scheme you like more

Domane!

2017 Domane SLR is a new design and IMHO is currently the better all around bike for road and gravel. I have a 2014 Synapse HiMod disc that I really like but would get the Domane today (accepts larger tires, has fender mounts, you can adjust seat tube flex). If all you ride is road and don't care about fender mounts then the Synapse is still a really nice bike.

Synapse!

I saw the new Domane, I was asking about the 4.3 model. I don´t think Trek is going yet ti implant the new double isospeed in all the models

The new domane is nice, but is more than twice the price of the 4.3.
I have a 4.3 disc and love it.

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 ;)

I have the Domane 5.2... I have read about the difference in compliance between front and rear... personally I don't notice it at all, not a problem for me. I love the ride and of my 4 bikes, it is my all around favorite.

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.

I have the Domane 4.0 disc size 58. I'm 6'2 275 and really enjoy my bike. Ive put a couple thousand miles on mine since July 2015 and had zero issues. I ride in rain on chip seal rough pot hole roads[I live in coal mine country] and enjoy the ride.

Trek's seat mast designs SUCK. So does Speciallized...my Roubaix came with the Pave single bolt and it slipped as well on my bike. Difference is, you can retrofit a 2 bolt seatpost on a Speciaized and can't on a Trek. This is a COMMON industry issue with single bolt seatposts. The industry is split about 50/50 on single versus 2 bolt posts and there are NO issues with 2 bolt posts.

Here is just one thread about it...tip of the iceberg.

Madone 5 Series Seatmast issues. The clamp won't stay put!!! Suggestions?

Also, aside from your pristine shop, BB90 has been problematic for owners as well including carbon shell wear.

The seat design doesn't suck. People who suck at using tools suck.

EDIT: Just for fun, I gave it a shot and googled it. I didn't really find too many complaints, so I'm not sure where your "tip of the iceberg" comment comes from. And each one tends to have 2-3 other owners saying "no problems here" or "use a torque wrench" including the one you linked.

So again, until you actually own and ride a Trek for a good while, I don't want to here your conjecture anymore.


And you know what, while we're at it: what is your "voice of the industry" tag there all about? In what capacity do you work in the cycling industry? I don't think it's every directly come up. I'm not doubting it, I just don't think you've ever explicitly stated what you do.

The Domane 4.3 rides differently than, say, a 5.2...the seat tube/seat mast design is different and the compliance afforded by the isozone coupler between the two models is different...so keep that in mind.

Yeah, the seat design of the Trek in the Domane 5 series (and the Emonda) doesn't suck. It does require you install it correctly and they even supply you with a torque wrench when you buy the bike so you don't over torque the seat tube. At least my Emonda came with one. It works fine and is really easy to adjust and someone harping on it all the time is a little weird. I've read it from Campag over and over again and just keep shaking my head. It's not a weird system and it works well...unless you are an incompetent mechanic.


My dealer is reporting really no issues with the bottom bracket on Emondas but in the past, like 4 or 5 years ago, had quite a few fail on Madones. I think Trek has since redesigned them or implemented better manufacturing tolerances to the BB area.

I agree. The clamp on the Domane seat mast topper is the worst clamp in the business!

Among the many issues is that, due to the way it the clamp sides wedge into the mast body, it is VERY DIFFICULT ,if not I mpossible, to get the two sides of the clamp at exactly the same angle! Also, no matter what you do, when you tighten the clamp, the angle of the saddle changes. Compensating for this is also almost impossible because you have to loosen the bolt and tap the wedges out, which almost inevitably results in the clamp sides shifting again. Rinse and repeat, over and over. It's TERRIBLE. A simple two-bolt would have been so much better.

I think there's probably an opportunity for someone like Easton to make a third-party replacement and have commercial success, because pretty much everyone I know with the seat mast hates it and struggles with it.

Again, 1 or 2 guys on the internet make it sound like the sky is falling. I never heard a single complaint from a customer or a mechanic, including guys who did fits on multiple Trek's a WEEK where adjusting saddle tilt is pretty critical.

Since we're about correcting misconceptions, I'll add two that came up for the synapse:

1. The skinny seatpost is awesome. So comfy. I can only imagine with the carbon post it would literally be sitting on heaven.

2. Synapse doesn't have BB30, it has BB30A... which is ever so slightly weirder in that it's a lopsided BB30. But at least it's not unique anymore, now that the Hi-Mod supersixes share it (since it's the stiffest BB out there).

I have a 2012 Synapse Rival, have test ridden a 4series domane, and have test ridden the Roubaix as well. Roubaix was a 2011 model I think, it was CUSHY!!! very nice bike, I preferred the Synapse though, less cushy but still softer than an Evo or Tarmac or Madone, it was a good fit for my prefences. I can't comment on the new Synapse though, but everything I've read says its much nicer than mine.

I ride an alloy 2013 Synapse. No complaints from me after throwing Conti II 4000's in 28mm on it. It's a soft bike, really it feels like most of the out of the saddle climbing mush comes from the RS10's, and not really the frame. Wheels feel noodlie, not the bike itself.

I'm keeping myself from spending any more money for awhile (or the next couple of weeks anyhow, right)? So I'll pretend the wheels are good to go.

Very informative answer. Can you tell us why you say that?

Cuz it b gud.

Sounds like a never ending debate! I checked out the Synapse Disc 105, which looked nice and priced slightly less than the Domane 2.3. Cannondale is making some good looking bikes lately. You can sit and compare until you are blue in the face. Best to ride the bikes!

Yeah, and some other guy talking about how some other guys didn't have any complaints is somehow less anecdotal and somehow, therefore, more meaningful? This clamp is universally hated by end users. And if you google, you'll find plenty of discussions about this. So, you have a couple guys you knew at a shop that "didn't have complaints," I have a bunch of people posting about it in various fora. (For example:

Madone Saddle Tilt Problem...: Triathlon Forum: Slowtwitch Forums

https://nycc.org/message-board/frust...seatpost/50422

...and pretty much every end user I've spoken to hates the damned things.

The sky's not falling, but the clamps are terrible. They make it impossible to adjust tilt and setback individually, they shift the tilt when you tighten them down, the clamp jaws fall out of alignment because they bind before the pressure from the clamp can swivel them both into meeting the rails at the same angle on both sides, and precise fine tuning is also virtually impossible cause you have to dislodge the wedges by banging on them before you can change the angle. (Banging is rarely a precise way of making adjustments.) I could go on. Just excerable design.

Worst clamp I've ever seen. Period.