No, this is not some famous actress or musician. It’s the beloved Trek Emonda, an uncompromising superlight climbing road bike for people like me who could care less about aerodynamics. Instead, Trek has made the aero Madone model lighter, but still not as light as the Emonda, while also somewhat reducing its aerodynamics to produce a single compromise model to supposedly cover all bases. They have also reduced the number of sizes by 2, all in the name of simplifying the choices for consumers, but in reality this is just a matter of Trek cutting the costs of producing two different models. In the end they are offering less for all consumers. I certainly would never buy a Madone with its Batmobile looks and crazy proprietary aero water bottles and cages, which are required to achieve their max spec aerodynamics. The wheel rims on the Madone are 14mm deeper than on the Emonda, significant increasing rotating mass and also increasing the effect of sidewinds. Then there are stupid design features such as the need to remove the bottom bracket in order to replace the Di2 battery. Anyway, I’m fortunate to own a 2023 Emonda, which I bought about 1.5 years ago, and will do my best to maintain in top condition for the rest of my riding life.

https://escapecollective.com/goodbye...-madone-gen-8/

Glad I got my Emonda SL7 when I did (April 24), i personally think the Madone, with its interrupted seat post/tube design is ugly. Even then Trek, for some poor reason, had my 56 ETT bike provided with the 175mm long proprietary seat post. I had to buy a new 135mm shorter seat post for $160 in order to get the seat at the correct height. They should have provided this bike with the 135.

That is one of the few things I don’t like about the Emonda’s design. Fortunately, the stock seat post was the correct size in my case. Also, I bought the SLR7 with it’s one piece bar and stem, where fortunately the stem length and bar width were correct for me, otherwise I would have needed to downgrade to a separate bar and stem.

Thread moved from Foo to Road.

Since you have a bike you like already, you don't really need to be too concerned. Trek is unlikely to make you swap bikes.

If only there were a bike company other than Trek!

My local Trek shop is unloading their stock of Emondas for ridiculous prices. I can get a matte black model with full 105 groupo and carbon wheels for $1,800. If I wasn't going through money like water on other things right now, I'd buy one just for the principal of it all.

there is a fine line between best of both worlds and “jack of all trades, master of none.”

it’ll be interesting to see if specialized discontinues the aethos since the tarmac is now much closer in weight!

I like the Emonda but have a Madone and wouldn’t want any less aero so feel your pain and also dislike this change but from the other side. It’s phenomenal on descents. Luckily I got mine just before the ugly A-frame thing and bottle cage nonsense.

P.S. “Couldn’t care less”. Because you don’t care about it at all, you see, so it’s not possible to care less. The use of “could care less” would be the subject of an Executive Order if I was in charge.

I live in Southern California, with lots of hills and mountains and plenty of steep roads. They're all close or reasonably close to my home. Although a few pounds up or down won't make a difference in time, I prefer lighter weight over aero. Biking uphill is one of the reasons my heart rate is 42bpm as I'm typing this sentence.

I've got a 2017 Emonda SLR 6 (with a mechanical Ultra group set, including rim brakes). Even with lights and a water bottle cage, bike bag and computer, it's remarkably lightweight. I've added a lighter saddles and lighter wheel sets. Although I know I'd enjoy the latest and greatest, especially because I've rented such bikes, for now I can't see springing for a new ride.


Lately I've been biking to and walking up some obscure sets of stairs to strengthen my calves. It's not difficult to shoulder a bike that weighs 6.4kg.

Trek is consolidating SKU’s.

I get that. The market is soft.

Instead of cutting the entire Emonda/Madone line - they could have pared down the number of options within each line. Have 3 versions of the Emonda vs the 6/7(?maybe more) versions.

Have a basic 105 bike like the ALR 5. Then 2 high end versions of an aero bike and a climbing bike.

Whats done is done.

They were probably having difficulty justifying 2 bikes. To a degree, this isn't only because they've made the Madone lighter, but also because their flagship 'superlight' Emonda had gotten heaver. An SL6 Pro in 2018 was just a hair over 16lbs. The SL7 today is 17.5lbs. Today, a Canyon Ultimate CF SLX is almost 1.5lbs lighter. Trek themselves effectively removed the niche appeal of the Emonda.

I actually did this. Building a brand new beautiful blue SL5 into an SL7 as a hot spare. One will live on the trainer.

How much less could you care?


...I figured a smarmy response was best, since the actual 'issue' is a molehill that you are trying to make into a mountain.

Where?

I am willing to travel.

When Trek puts stuff on sale on their website, our local Trek places retain the original, higher prices.

Bargains to be had in the UK
https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/bikes/road-bikes/performance-road-bikes/émonda/émonda-slr/émonda-slr-9/p/35715/?colorCode=red_reddark

Tell them to honor the online price. Or order on line for delivery to the store where it will be put together and made ready for you.

You have my deepest sympathies, but Ribble is a great deal, plus you have all of those classic framebuilders.

When I lived there, I think I had the only Trek (a 520) in Cambridge.

I did get a great deal on my Madone back in 2019. They are quite good at inventory management here these days so absolute bargains clearing the warehouse are pretty rare. Sadly.

with all do respect the Emonda was never a "light bike" and two the seat mass was hideous. Also factor in the that Trek is a business and having twice as many skus to just have a "climbing" and aero bike is just stupid in 2024. We can debate looks and function, but the modern Emonda simply was not competitive and if you listened to Trek they said the current gen "Madone" started as the "new" Emonda but then they realized it was pretty much just as aero as the Madone, so even if they kept the Emonda you would have had all the thing you hate about the Madone on the Emonda regardless.

IMO there are plenty of great bikes if you hate the new Madone. Specialized and Cervelo would love to sell you a lightweight climbing bike

Actually, I initially tried to buy a Cervelo R5, but they didn’t have my model and size, so I bought the Emonda instead. Same specs and price. No regrets.

65-85+ Thread See post #3655

It’s “due” respect as in “the respect that is due”.

It was pretty light wasn’t it? Close to 6kg?

​​​​​​​

You missed the other one I merely provide enlightenment in dark grammatical times.

I will never understand why Trek made the last generation of the Emonda heavier than previous models.
I have two 2019 Emonda SLR's (got a steal of a deal on the disc frame).
The rim-brake model weight under 13 LBS, the disc-brake model is under 14 LBS.
The outgoing model was over a pound heavier.
This didn't make any sense to me.