Trek Madone Project One 2019

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Lafolie
Posts: 662
Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2009 10:12 pm

by Lafolie

Been looking at the new Trek Madone in Project one with the Icon paintwork. I particualry like the white-pearl colourway. Just wondered if anyone on here owns one and can give some feedback on the ride and all round handling of the bike please. I have never owned an American bike before, always been Italian . However, the Madone's design has really caught my eye. Mant thanks

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TobinHatesYou
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Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

Lafolie wrote:
Tue Jun 25, 2019 8:41 pm
Been looking at the new Trek Madone in Project one with the Icon paintwork. I particualry like the white-pearl colourway. Just wondered if anyone on here owns one and can give some feedback on the ride and all round handling of the bike please. I have never owned an American bike before, always been Italian . However, the Madone's design has really caught my eye. Mant thanks

I have a P1 Madone SLR. It's certainly the "Cadillac" of aero bikes in that it's comfortable but also on the heavier side. I don't feel the weight when climbing...I just notice my times are very much slower on pitches of 8% at my power-to-weight after I upload my activity. Cornering and throwing the bike around? Don't really notice the weight there.

IsoSpeed works. On it's lowest setting, I've definitely "bottomed it out" on rough road and I only weigh 62kg. I've since pushed the slider back to a medium setting.

Another minor issue is the BB90 standard. You're basically limited to 24mm/25mm spindled cranks...no 30mm, no DUB. If your BB starts to creak, the fix is strong gap filler or .1mm oversized bearings. If you still have creaking after that, the frame has to go back to Trek for repair.

If you do order a P1 Madone, the seatpost, stem and bars all cost extra. US$275 + $300 + $400. There is also an option to have your frame personalized with the painter's signature on the NDS chainstay. Definitely get that...it's no extra charge.

Methodical
Posts: 119
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2018 11:40 pm

by Methodical

If BB90 creaking is a concern, just get This BB and don't look back.
"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic"

'20 Emonda SLR (Rage Red) - 6.27kg (6.04kg;no pedals)
'12 Madone (Black) - 6.96kg (6.73kg;no pedals)
Fujee Espree (Maroon) - 11.02kg

TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12457
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

I’ve seen that and mostly ignored it because of the ball diameter. That is absolutely a last resort.

Methodical
Posts: 119
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2018 11:40 pm

by Methodical

They are way better than the standard pressed fit bearings and even better the housing screw together.
"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic"

'20 Emonda SLR (Rage Red) - 6.27kg (6.04kg;no pedals)
'12 Madone (Black) - 6.96kg (6.73kg;no pedals)
Fujee Espree (Maroon) - 11.02kg

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Calnago
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by Calnago

Hi Warren, so you’ve got the new bike bug again? I’ve been able to build, and live with the Madone for awhile last year, and certainly rode it enough to get a good feel for it. It was H1 geometry. I will say, that even though this is supposedly one of the more “comfortable” aero bikes, it still feels harsh in comparison to a nice non aero bike, even with isospeed. Isospeed in the context of the Madone can only do so much to overcome the aero shaping of the downtube etc. plus, the seattube itself is very unforgiving. The isospeed is basically an L shaped seatpost with a pivot at the seatcluster which relies on the position of an elastomer piece to provide the cushioning. Very different then the first generation Domane which allows the flexing of the entire seattube, as well as some give throughout the seatstays and top tube. It was simple and worked.

No issues with its overall geometry. In my size at least (60cm) the headtube is steep but mitigated by probably the smallest fork offset (40mm) of any road bike my size that I can think of. What does that mean on the road?... it’s relatively quick handling (think carves through turns), but not so much that it’s at all twitchy, as the chainstays are long enough to provide a nicely balanced fit on the bike. I was able to achieve a very nice fit, although I hated the bars. Still, it’s an aero bike and feels like one. It’s not as comfortable as any of my other bikes and I wouldn’t trade for one. Ease of maintenance is never a strong point of an highly integrated frame, but I’m sure that’s no surprise.
As for the inability to use a 30mm spindle, who really cares. Not me for sure. Shimano has long ago eschewed the aluminum oversized spindle. It’s thermal expansion and contraction tendencies can be prone to creaks between bearings and spindle. Cannondale users I’m sure are familiar with the ritual of “freezing” their cranks overnight to help insert them through the bearings. Campagnolo produced an oversized crank (Overtorque) for a hot minute before suspending further production. So, if it’s Campy or Shimano you ultimately want to run, then a BB big enough to take 30mm spindles with proper size bearings is not an advantage as you have to somehow use “reducing” adaptors to fit the smaller ~25mm steel spindle, adding weight and adding yet more layers for potential creaks. Plus, steel is just a very good material for a crank, you don’t need to make it oversize to get the required stiffness.
And as for wearing out the carbon shell, well as long as it’s a pressfit shell, that issue is going to be there regardless of the bore size, be it for a 37mm bearing or a larger size to accommodate stuff like BB30 or whatever size bearings.
But that white icon color with the huge red logos (if that’s what you’re thinking of) is indeed pretty eye catching. And the whole thing is undoubtedly aero, so if that’s what you’re jones’n for, have at it. Oh, and if I were to get one, I’d have to advise getting disc brakes (I know I know), simply because I think the rim brakes are simply not up to par performance wise, especially if you’re used to the likes of Campy or Shimano. And they are a pain in the ass to set up and adjust. Disc brakes on an aero bike is of course contradictory to its intended purpose, but the manufacturers have indeed done a good job of saying “oh, it’s ok, they’re not really that bad aerowise” then in the other breath are screaming how they’ve tweaked another milliwatt by doing something somewhere else. Oh well... toot the horn when it goes in your favor and play down the negatives when it doesn’t. That’s the game these days.
Anyway, I don’t think it being from an American company should really be a slight against it. It’s got a great warranty and Trek seems quick to resolve things if something isn’t right.

Anyway, that’s my two cents. But handling wise it’s a good frame, although harsher than its non aero equivalent (Emonda).
Colnago C64 - The Naked Build; Colnago C60 - PR99; Trek Koppenberg - Where Emonda and Domane Meet;
Unlinked Builds (searchable): Colnago C59 - 5 Years Later; Trek Emonda SL Campagnolo SR; Special Colnago EPQ

TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12457
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

I own both a Madone SLR and Emonda SLR. I would choose the Madone every single time for flattish, but rough roads. Both the Madone and Emonda easily clear measured 30mm tires as well...the Madone actually has about 1mm more clearance than the Emonda. IsoSpeed “flexes” significantly more than any traditional seatpost/seattube. My ridemates have commented on the very obvious movement when riding behind me.

As I mentioned earlier, I had to change to a stiffer setting because the lowest setting was occasionally “bottoming out” the IsoSpeed unit.

On top of that, the Emonda fork has noticeable fore/aft flex under braking. I can hear and feel it chatter a bit (it’s not from headset preload.)

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pdlpsher1
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by pdlpsher1

I came across this video. At 7:50 the tester said the ride isn't as smooth as what he had expected despite having the Isospeed set to the softest setting. I find it quite surprising. Is there an explanation for his disappointment in Isospeed? At the end of the video he mentioned the Venge having a better ride which I also find it surprising.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4nND3YJCms

TobinHatesYou
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by TobinHatesYou

pdlpsher1 wrote:
Wed Jun 26, 2019 5:32 am
I came across this video. At 7:50 the tester said the ride isn't as smooth as what he had expected despite having the Isospeed set to the softest setting. I find it quite surprising. Is there an explanation for his disappointment in Isospeed? At the end of the video he mentioned the Venge having a better ride which I also find it surprising.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4nND3YJCms

Like I said, the softest setting is too soft even for me at 62kg. He also may not have played with the rebound adjustment in the back.

Also Road.cc is garbage.

Pretty much every other media outlet like Tour Magazin, CyclingTips, etc. point to the Madone as being the most comfortable.
Last edited by TobinHatesYou on Wed Jun 26, 2019 9:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

Lafolie
Posts: 662
Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2009 10:12 pm

by Lafolie

thanks for the feedback so far guys - much appreciated :-)

by Weenie


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tymon_tm
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Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:35 pm

by tymon_tm

I'm riding P1 SLR as well - mech and rim brakes, no abominations lol. on flat/rolling roads it's perfect. difference in ride quality, handling, comfort between her and my previous Aeroad aren't big, but noticeable - Maddie's just refined, you can feel this project was through a lot before it enden up on the shelves. as for climbing - don't notice the weight at all. mine's a little over 7kg mark, light enough for me. afaik my climbing speeds got just lil bit better this season (I went from 53/39-12/28 for a 53/36-12/25 so the lowest gears are kinda the same). it feels tad bit more alive than Aeroad, although I climb seated, I'm no Pistolero fwiw. obviously it's not as agile as 'proper' climbing bikes are (I have an Ultimate as well, although not as richly speced) but that's hardly and issue. infact I feel a lot better even on those steep punchy climbs on Madone than on any other bike I've ever ridden. I bet the wheels should get some praising too - XXX TLR 4 are just wonderful. I might miss the extra weight when I get her going fast, but they're just so easy to accelerate, corner, dh, everything. yeah, I've found a perfect bike - I've never felt that confident, fast and simply good on my bike before.

..of course there's a downside, and it's namely the price. it's kinda in the back of my head, although I'm getting used to the fact I picked Madone over a new car (literally, went for a Saab instead of a new poshy suv or estate, and I'm in love with that thing as well, but that's another story..)
kkibbler wrote: WW remembers.

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