Trek Emonda Sl6 disc

[Tripster]

About to decide on a Condor build as per one of my other threads but a few months ago when I was originally looking at a new bike I liked the Emondas as an off the peg Carbon bike. I have the chance of one an SL6. Anyone have one and thoughts as a year round bike, also I am 5ft 10” and looking at a 56cm frame

 

[Kestevan]

I had one...
Lovely aggressive, race oriented bike but limited as a year rounder.
They're limited to narrower rubber (mine was 2016, and it was a struggle to fit 28mm tyres).
No mudguard or rack mounts either, so for me that meant it was summer use only.

Just upgraded to a new domane, and for me it's a much better fit.

 

[Tripster]

I had one...
Lovely aggressive, race oriented bike but limited as a year rounder.
They're limited to narrower rubber (mine was 2016, and it was a struggle to fit 28mm tyres).
No mudguard or rack mounts either, so for me that meant it was summer use only.

Just upgraded to a new domane, and for me it's a much better fit.

thanks @Kestevan. I only ride leisure rides, no commutes so would be nicer of the winter days. The 2021 model takes a 28mm tyre with wider forks. In truth I would be a fair weather cycling but year round. I dont mind a wet ass in a down pour☺ Glad to hear you liked it. I have reserved a 2021 model and need to decide by tomorrow
You was lucky to find a Domane available. All special order and May 2021 delivery. And its a cracking looking bike too 👍

 

[Tripster]

Actually found stock of the domane sl6 disc but its more than the Emonda 😖

 

[Tripster]

I had one...
Lovely aggressive, race oriented bike but limited as a year rounder.
They're limited to narrower rubber (mine was 2016, and it was a struggle to fit 28mm tyres).
No mudguard or rack mounts either, so for me that meant it was summer use only.

Just upgraded to a new domane, and for me it's a much better fit.

I was reading up tonight and the new 2021 Emonda comes with 28mm tyres and is now the H1.5 fit so a little less extreme and sits between the Domane & the Madone.A local dealer has both in stock but only grey for the Emonda. Surprsed for same spec bikes the Domane is £450 more.

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

I had one...Lovely aggressive, race oriented bike but limited as a year rounder....Just upgraded to a new domane, and for me it's a much better fit.

The Domane has by design a more conservative bike fit. To repeat a recent post that should help illustrate the differences between the two, the 54cm Trek Domane and 54cm Trek Emonda are both listed as 54cm, both have a 54.3cm top tube yet the stack and reach is longer and lower on the Emonda resulting in a more aggressive riding position. The same transition would also apply to the 56cm size that Tripster is considering.





BikeCAD Pro can morph one drawing into another that may help illustrate this better, you can see that I've used the same saddle height and set back, the Domane by design actually offers a shorter and higher riding position even though some of the data especially at first glance may not highlight that.

..Surprised for same spec bikes the Domane is £450 more

Some of that price difference between the Domane SL6 and Emonda SL6 is that the former has a more complex frame, the front and rear IsoSpeed does push the price up, click for full comparison

 

[Tripster]

The Domane is a more year round, comfort bike with rack mounts and guards. In all honesty though I do not commute and have guards on my single speed and hate them, the rattle the toe overlap Increase is worse too. I have seen carbon bikes with guards and they look terrible so the Domane would look the same. In terrible winter weather I would not venture out but on a crisp cool winters day I would do a couple of hours. So I would ride them both without guards and probably not have an issue with comfort over short rides. The more upright position of the Domane may not help me asI have long arms so find on compact bikes or bikes with high front ends I am sat very upright

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

In context with this thread I've composed a BikeCAD drawing of a 56cm Domane SL6 and Emonda SL6 with the same saddle height and set back to illustrate some of the differences between each

The Domane is a more year round, comfort bike with rack mounts and guards...

Yes I'd concur with that Tripster and yes the Domane AL range does have mounts for full guards as well as rear pannier rack, although the SL and SLR ranges are really mudguards only, they are not really designed to mount a pannier rack. The majority ride the Carbon Domane range with out guards, Trek can supply a "Bontrager Mudguard Part Trek Hidden Mudguard Mount Kit" shown below which screw into the frame to allow full guards to be fitted, technically you could also attach a rack and fettle the higher mounts to the stays as a four point fitting rack or fit as a three point fitting to the removal seat stay bridge; I would not do that personally mind you.


For those who desire carbon and pannier rack mounts their Checkpoint range offers those features

 

[Tripster]

Big difference in ride height at the bars. Very much an upright position.

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

Big difference in ride height at the bars. Very much an upright position.

Yes how much designers dial back their endurance bikes from the faster set up bikes varies, Trek dial their Domane back quite a bit compared to the Emonda so you will see many reduce the height by removing spacers, it will never be as low as the Emonda but the below is a relatively generic saddle height on a 56cm Domane. With all the spacers removed a 54 cm drop to the bar top still allows for quite a quick set up.

Many choose an endurance bike as their first road bike, although they are set up for long fast comfortable rides some realise what they enjoy is trying quite hard over shorter distances and in higher effort ranges; working out more than chilling out. For those type of riders I quite often see them 'slammed' like this, although invariably their N+1 bike is a bit more Emondaish 😉

 

[Tripster]

I think what you said Paul is a great way of explaining exactly what I like to do (or aim for) before I am too old to do so..
I enjoy max effort for short periods, cycling the 15 miles to Kirkstone Pass and then pushing myself up it and over to Ullswater. I don’t want a Audax type bike or a leisure bike I want to ‘work out rather than chill out’ ☺️ Thanks for all the great advice and the CAD drawings, you may well have sealed the deal 👌

 

[Kestevan]

Although, just to muddy the waters a but, my Domane has the h1.5 geometry (I believe this is only available on the project one builds), and is therefore much more aggressive than the std H2 build.

I don't fit guards or panniers and probably never will. I do appreciate the ability to run wider tyres though, and the front and rear isospeed dampers are phenomenally effective at reducing road vibration and make for a superb ride.

 

[Kestevan]

Having said that, I've ridden the C2C in a day sportive a couple of times on the Emonda (150 miles and 12k feet of climbing) and never got off cursing the bike...so can't really fault the Emonda..that's a cracking bike too

 

[Tripster]

Having said that, I've ridden the C2C in a day sportive a couple of times on the Emonda (150 miles and 12k feet of climbing) and never got off cursing the bike...so can't really fault the Emonda..that's a cracking bike too

Could you make this any harder 🤣

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

Could you make this any harder 🤣

That's the trouble, the Domane may not be as quick as the Emonda but for many it is quick enough, like wise the Emonda may not be as comfortable as the Domane but for many it's comfortable enough. In your case when someone requires a bike for "max effort for short periods" that would normally result in them choosing the Emonda.

SL6 in both models are in short supply mind you, Trek have no stock of either but you may find a dealer who has one that they bought as part of their stocking in pre season order in that size. The 56cm Emonda in both colours are May 2021 and the Domane are quoting September which probably translates to them then being the 2022 models! Sadly this is consistent with many bikes from popular manufacturers, demand has far outstripped supply.

At the moment dealers are pretty much trading off their pre season deliveries and as such they may still have some Domane's and some Emonda's to offer, even if they are not the SL6 model in that size. When these initial deliveries sell through and with such long lead times for the replacements it's not surprising that many stores are anxious about what the short and mid term future holds. In normal times some Trel dealers can offer a bike fitting service, their fitting jigs will give you an indication how each will 'fit', not only will that help with what size to choose but it also helps with model choice.