Trek began life in the spring of 1976 in a barn in Waterloo, Wisconsin. With five employees, the founders Dick Burke and Bevil Hogg produced 904 steel touring bike frames. Fast forward 40 years, Trek is one of the biggest bike brands in the world. They are still based in the same neighborhood, with their headquarters just a mile from the barn.
As they gained experience in bike manufacturing, Trek moved from steel to aluminum bikes in 1985 and eventually carbon bikes in 1992. Trek rose to prominence in the late 90s when they sponsored the US Postal Team, where Lance Armstrong won seven consecutive Tour de France from 1999 to 2005, although these wins were later nulled due to doping violations. Nevertheless, the publicity throughout these years brought Trek enormous success.
Trek road bikes lineup
Trek bike names are easy to understand. There are three distinct models; Emonda, Madone, and Domane. Each model is designed to perform well in a particular type of ride.
The general rule of thumb below will give you a clear idea of what the bike is about, where it sits in the lineup and how it’s specced.
- SLR models use the top-of-the-line 800 Series OCLV carbon.
- SL models use the mid-range, 500 Series OCLV carbon.
- ALR is for aluminum frames.
- Models ending with 9 use Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 or SRAM Red AXS groupsets.
- Models ending with 7 use Shimano Ultegra Di2 or SRAM Force AXS groupsets.
- Models ending with 6 use Shimano 105 Di2 or SRAM Rival AXS groupsets.
- Models ending with 5 use Shimano 105 R7000 groupset.
| Model | Designed for | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Trek Emonda | Lightweight race bike | $3,349 to $13,199 |
| Trek Madone | Aero race bike | $5,199 to $13,199 |
| Trek Domane | Endurance bike | $3,499 to $12,749 |
Trek Emonda
The Trek Emonda is a lightweight bike for the high mountains. The lightest Trek Emonda frame weighs less than 700g using Trek’s 800 Series OCLV Carbon. This is the bike Richie Porte rode to his third place in the 2020 Tour de France.
The SLR is the lightest and most expensive atop the Trek Emonda models. There are six Emonda SLR options, specced electronic shifting groupsets from SRAM or Shimano.
Next in line is the SL, the mid-range, more budget-friendly option. It has the same frame design and geometry as the SLR but uses the 500 Series OCLV carbon instead. The groupset choices are Shimano Ultegra/105 Di2 or SRAM Force/Rival eTap AXS.
The Emonda SLR and SL framesets are also available separately.
| Model | Frame material | Groupset | Retail price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trek Emonda SLR 9 | Carbon (800 Series) | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 (R9200) | $13,199 |
| Trek Emonda SLR 9 | Carbon (800 Series) | SRAM Red eTap AXS | $12,749 |
| Trek Emonda SLR 7 | Carbon (800 Series) | Shimano Ultegra Di2 (R8100) | $8,999 |
| Trek Emonda SLR 7 | Carbon (800 Series) | SRAM Force eTap AXS | $9,699 |
| Trek Emonda SLR 6 | Carbon (800 Series) | SRAM Rival eTap AXS | $8,399 |
| Trek Emonda SLR 6 | Carbon (800 Series) | Shimano 105 Di2 (R7100) | $7,699 |
| Trek Emonda SL 7 | Carbon (500 Series) | SRAM Force eTap AXS | $6,699 |
| Trek Emonda SL 7 | Carbon (500 Series) | Shimano Ultegra Di2 (R8100) | $6,199 |
| Trek Emonda SL 6 | Carbon (500 Series) | Shimano 105 Di2 (R7100) | $4,999 |
| Trek Emonda SL 5 | Carbon (500 Series) | Shimano 105 (R7000) | $3,349 |
More reading : Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 (R9200) vs SRAM Red eTap AXS Groupsets
Trek Madone
Dubbed the ultimate superbike, the Trek Madone is all about maximizing aerodynamics and speed.
Trek refreshed the Madone in June 2022, just before the Tour de France started. The new Trek Madone features a radical-looking seat tube with a big hole. The previous IsoSpeed system, which allows the seatpost to flex for extra comfort, is replaced by the IsoFlow Technology. According to Trek, the IsoFlow technology adds an aerodynamic advantage, reduces weight, and smooths the road ahead.
The range-topping SLR is built on the Trek’s lightest 800 Series OCLV carbon, with a one-piece carbon handlebar. The SL models are still based on the previous Madone frame design and use the 500 series OCLV carbon.
The Madone SLR frameset is also available separately.
| Model | Frame material | Groupset | Retail price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trek Madone SLR 9 | Carbon (800 Series) | SRAM Red eTap AXS | $13,199 |
| Trek Madone SLR 9 | Carbon (800 Series) | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 (R9200) | $12,749 |
| Trek Madone SLR 7 | Carbon (800 Series) | SRAM Force eTap AXS | $9,699 |
| Trek Madone SLR 7 | Carbon (800 Series) | Shimano Ultegra Di2 (R8100) | $9,049 |
| Trek Madone SLR 6 | Carbon (800 Series) | SRAM Rival eTap AXS | $8,399 |
| Trek Madone SLR 6 | Carbon (800 Series) | Shimano 105 Di2 (R7100) | $7,999 |
| Trek Madone SL 7 | Carbon (500 Series) | SRAM Force eTap AXS | $7,499 |
| Trek Madone SL 7 | Carbon (500 Series) | Shimano Ultegra Di2 (R8100) | $6,999 |
| Trek Madone SL 6 | Carbon (500 Series) | Shimano 105 Di2 (R7100) | $5,199 |
More reading : Shimano Ultegra Di2 (R8100) vs Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 (R9200) Groupsets List of Road Bikes with Shimano Ultegra Di2 (R8100)
Trek Domane
The Trek Domane is designed as an all-day endurance bike.
It can also be referred to as all-road as its wider tire clearance of up to 38c can tackle hard-packed gravel and cobblestones like those in the Paris-Roubaix race. Trek built the Isospeed dampening system in the front and rear to achieve this.
There are carbon and aluminum versions of the Domane. The SLR uses the 800 Series OCLV carbon compared to the SL on the 500 Series.
The Trek Domane SL and SLR frames are also available separately for those after a custom-built bike.
| Model | Frame material | Groupset | Retail price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trek Domane SLR 9 | Carbon (800 Series) | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 (R9200) | $13,199 |
| Trek Domane SLR 9 | Carbon (800 Series) | SRAM Red eTap AXS | $12,749 |
| Trek Domane SLR 7 | Carbon (800 Series) | SRAM Force eTap AXS | $9,699 |
| Trek Domane SLR 7 | Carbon (800 Series) | Shimano Ultegra Di2 (R8100) | $8,549 |
| Trek Domane SLR 6 | Carbon (800 Series) | SRAM Rival eTap AXS | $8,399 |
| Trek Domane SLR 6 | Carbon (800 Series) | Shimano 105 Di2 (R7100) | $7,999 |
| Trek Domane SL 7 | Carbon (500 Series) | SRAM Force eTap AXS | $7,499 |
| Trek Domane SL 7 | Carbon (500 Series) | Shimano Ultegra Di2 (R8100) | $6,829 |
| Trek Domane SL 6 | Carbon (500 Series) | SRAM Rival eTap AXS | $5,299 |
| Trek Domane SL 6 | Carbon (500 Series) | Shimano 105 Di2 (R7100) | $4,699 |
| Trek Domane SL 5 | Carbon (500 Series) | Shimano 105 (R7000) | $3,499 |
More reading : Shimano Ultegra Di2 (R8100) vs SRAM Force eTap AXS Groupsets List of Road Bikes with Shimano 105 Di2 (R7100)
Trek road bikes in professional cycling
Today, Trek sponsors its own World Tour team, Trek-Segafredo. The team has men’s and women’s pro teams under the same name. Today riders such as multiple Grand Tour winner Vincenzo Nibali, and former men and women road race world champions, Mads Pederson and Lizzie Deignan currently race on a Trek bike.
In the past, several high-profile riders such as Fabian Cancellara and Alberto Contador have ridden Trek bikes during the later stages of their career.
More reading : Bikes at the 2022 Tour de France
Frequently asked questions
How long is Trek’s warranty?
All Trek bikes come with a lifetime warranty for the frame and fork. This is only applicable to the first owner. Second and subsequent owners are entitled to a 3-year warranty from the initial purchase date.
More about Trek’s warranty policy.
Does Trek have women-specific models?
Trek addresses the women-specific models by having frame sizes as small as 44 for riders between 4’ 11” to 5’ (150 to 153 cm).
These smaller bikes have several modifications, such as shorter crankarms, compact cranksets, shorter stems, narrower handlebars, shorter reach brake levers, and women-specific saddles.
What is the difference between Trek’s H1 and H2 geometry?
The H1 and H2 refer to the frame geometry. Most of the Emonda and Madone comes with an H2 geometry known as the traditional fit.
H1 is a racing geometry with the head tube 30mm shorter to achieve a lower and more aggressive position on the bike. Most professional cyclists ride the H1 geometry.
What is Project One?
Project One allows you to customize every detail of your dream bike, from colors to components. You can design it through Trek’s website or a Trek-authorized retailer. Bikes available under Project One are the Domane, Emonda, Madone, and Speed Concept (TT).
Are Trek bikes still made in the USA?
As of December 2017, Trek no longer makes any bikes in their Waterloo and Whitewater facilities in Wisconsin. Before that, they used to make around 20,000 of their high-end bikes (SLR models) yearly there. They are made in Asia and sent to Wisconsin for painting and final assembly.