help with Trek Madone Decision!

[bikepress]

Hi guys!
i´m new!!!

I will buy a new bike in a couple of moths, because one of my options is sold out.
My bike options are Madone 9.9 (sold out) vs Emonda 9!

I like deep wheels, and the sexy Madone is my first option, the point is:

I don’t have hill´s in a ratio of 300km (like bigst hill is 4km at 4%) ,
Madone with a combo of aeolos 7 and 9 can be heavy
Emonda with the same combo is much light.
I service my own bikes all the time and I guess emonda will be a much more easy bike to live with. But Madone is Sexy

From the ride the Madone is Superb, and I already have a Canyon ultimate Cf, so another bike looking the same the Emonda… mumm??? Doesn’t make sense!

A couple of guys that I asked the all say go for the Madone because areo is better the weight, I’m old school and my fist racing bike at 13 was 12kg ( I raced from 13 to 23 but before of all of this aero discussion )… bike weight was all of my life ( and riding at 45kmh for regular joe... is a but to much i think)


The other point is the pro´s and areo bikes… are just a few ride areo bikes in a regular base, even by trek is 50/50 or 30/70 in favour of the Emonda… Sagan rides more with tarmac then with the Vegue! Or is the Madone really superior to the Vengue!
but in my area there is lots of areo bikes like the Foil and the S5 ( Technically easier bikes to live )

I´m really in the Madone (super sexy and hard to live ) but all of the questions make think on the Emonda!

aeolus 7 and 9 are a must!!

HELP HELP any Madone and Emondas owners around???

[bilwit]

if you already have a Canyon Ultimate then go for the Madone IMO...

[oldnslow2]

I have a Emonda SLR with Sram eTap and Zipp 303. I got it before the Madone 9 was out and if I were to do it again, i'd stick with the Emonda. While the terrain here is not very hilly, there are enough. I also love the look of the bike.

From everything i've read, aero trumps light weight.

So since you're in love with the Madone... get it.

[Miller]

I'm waiting for either the Trek Nomade or Daemon.

[Greenduck]

Both will be amazing bikes and have their own advantages and disadvantagaes. It sounds like you like the Madone the best so go with that. Sometimes you need to chose with your heart and not your brain. Sometimes it's better to have a bike that just makes you smile.

[CanadianBiker]

I have the Madone 9, SRAM Etap and Aeolus 5/7 and Its an incredible bike, much better at climbing then I expected and wow does it ride fast. I've ridden both quite a bit and I prefer the Madone by far.

[queloque67]

Seems like you want sexy. Get it or you will always second guess yourself. Pro ride what is practical for the race. Sagan does seem to prefer the Tarmac no matter the race conditions. Contador always seem to ride the Emonda . I think average consumers lean toward sexy.

[alcatraz]

A Madone can be made light too. 5 vs 7 kg won't make any bit of difference if your hills are 4% max. In fact you'd be slower on the Emonda. (Yes I'm a weight weenie )

It will come at a comfort price though. Speed doesn't come for free. You will have to get more aero (less comfortable fit) on the Madone to do it justice I think.

If you are an aging gentleman and love to do more and more touring then comfort becomes increasingly important. I see sometimes old timers on Dogmas/Propels/Venges and I'm thinking what kind of life crisis they must be in to torture themselves like that. I'm not saying it's wrong, just it's not a bike that fits their riding style.

/a

[Kazyole]

A Madone can be made light too. 5 vs 7 kg won't make any bit of difference if your hills are 4% max. In fact you'd be slower on the Emonda. (Yes I'm a weight weenie )

It will come at a comfort price though. Speed doesn't come for free. You will have to get more aero (less comfortable fit) on the Madone to do it justice I think.

If you are an aging gentleman and love to do more and more touring then comfort becomes increasingly important. I see sometimes old timers on Dogmas/Propels/Venges and I'm thinking what kind of life crisis they must be in to torture themselves like that. I'm not saying it's wrong, just it's not a bike that fits their riding style.

/a

Agree about position to maximize the aero benefit of the madone, but I've heard that the isospeed decoupler on the new madones gives them a very comfortable ride for an aero bike.

As for OP's point about the pros, not really applicable imo. Sure, contador always rode an emonda. But he also hid in a 200 rider peloton the whole tour except for the steepest climbs. As an amateur you're eating wind for most of the miles you ride, and the madone is going to be faster. Especially if OP already has an Ultimate CF and doesn't live near mountains, the madone is the right decision IMO.

[queloque67]

A Madone can be made light too. 5 vs 7 kg won't make any bit of difference if your hills are 4% max. In fact you'd be slower on the Emonda. (Yes I'm a weight weenie )

It will come at a comfort price though. Speed doesn't come for free. You will have to get more aero (less comfortable fit) on the Madone to do it justice I think.

If you are an aging gentleman and love to do more and more touring then comfort becomes increasingly important. I see sometimes old timers on Dogmas/Propels/Venges and I'm thinking what kind of life crisis they must be in to torture themselves like that. I'm not saying it's wrong, just it's not a bike that fits their riding style.

/a

Agree about position to maximize the aero benefit of the madone, but I've heard that the isospeed decoupler on the new madones gives them a very comfortable ride for an aero bike.

As for OP's point about the pros, not really applicable imo. Sure, contador always rode an emonda. But he also hid in a 200 rider peloton the whole tour except for the steepest climbs. As an amateur you're eating wind for most of the miles you ride, and the madone is going to be faster. Especially if OP already has an Ultimate CF and doesn't live near mountains, the madone is the right decision IMO.

But doesn't aero only come into play if you are going 20 plus MPH to really see the benefits? Most people don't average that on a long ride and definitely not for climbing. Downhill at the most unless you are doing crits. So its more about sexy than practical most of the time.

[AJS914]

No, aero is in play at all times. The slower one goes the more time one saves. Let's not re-ignite the debate on whether aero benefits are real or worth it.

The OP is itching for an N+1 purchase. He already has the Canyon so the obvious choice is the Madone.

[Kazyole]

A Madone can be made light too. 5 vs 7 kg won't make any bit of difference if your hills are 4% max. In fact you'd be slower on the Emonda. (Yes I'm a weight weenie )

It will come at a comfort price though. Speed doesn't come for free. You will have to get more aero (less comfortable fit) on the Madone to do it justice I think.

If you are an aging gentleman and love to do more and more touring then comfort becomes increasingly important. I see sometimes old timers on Dogmas/Propels/Venges and I'm thinking what kind of life crisis they must be in to torture themselves like that. I'm not saying it's wrong, just it's not a bike that fits their riding style.

/a

Agree about position to maximize the aero benefit of the madone, but I've heard that the isospeed decoupler on the new madones gives them a very comfortable ride for an aero bike.

As for OP's point about the pros, not really applicable imo. Sure, contador always rode an emonda. But he also hid in a 200 rider peloton the whole tour except for the steepest climbs. As an amateur you're eating wind for most of the miles you ride, and the madone is going to be faster. Especially if OP already has an Ultimate CF and doesn't live near mountains, the madone is the right decision IMO.

But doesn't aero only come into play if you are going 20 plus MPH to really see the benefits? Most people don't average that on a long ride and definitely not for climbing. Downhill at the most unless you are doing crits. So its more about sexy than practical most of the time.

No. Data suggests that for a recreational cyclist on any gradient of less than 4-5%, you'll see more benefit from being aero than lightweight. For pros the tipping point is closer to 8%. Aero is always a factor, and the faster you're going the greater the aero gains. Plus OP said he lives in flat land and has to travel to even hit a 4% claim. And OP already has a GC oriented bike in the Ultimate.

[wheelbuilder]

If you are going to do your own mechanical work on the Madone, get either etap or Di2. Mechanical shifting on that bike is a real pain. Trust me. I have built a great many of those bikes. Even with experience and lots of tricks, I would absolutely dread having to replace cables and housing on the bikes. The barrel adjuster system in the downtube control panel is a royal pain to deal with. Once done though, it rides well and looks great. Go with your heart.

[queloque67]

Regardless the OP in just about every paragraph he wrote its in favor of his preference of a Madone...with barely a peep about the emonda. He pretty much answered his own question without any need of opinions. LOL


So if he buys the Emonda he will always second guess the purchase because he didn't really post any strong reasons to buy it vs the Madone.

[Calnago]

^^100% this^^