@laxer29 - the Madone 5.9 is surprisingly good for being a mid level bike. A fairer comparison would be against a Madone Seven series.
In Australia the Madone 7 and Parlee Z5 frame sets are about the same price.
The 5.9 however has proved to be far better than I expected.
The Parlee is a lot lighter and has a smoother ride. In my opinion the a Parlee climbs better and would be more comfortable for long days in the saddle.
Handling is very similar, which is not surprising considering how similar their geometries are.
From a bang for your buck perspective, I reckon the Madone 5.9 is fantastic value for money. As a training bike or someone on a tighter budget looking for a capable race bike it's a good option. You are getting the same frame design and geo as the Seven series, just using cheaper carbon and obviously about 300g heavier than the Madone 7.
So far the only real negative with the 5.9 is the braking performance from the Bontrager brakes supplied with the frame. As the Trek only accepts direct mount brakes, currently only available from Bontrager or Shimano DA or Ultegra. It looks like EE Brakes will be releasing direct mount brakes soon. I will be experimenting with brake setup to see if I can improve the brake feel.
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