Gear News

Trek Emonda SLR goes on a diet, claimed weight now just 640g

Trek also introduce Emonda SLR Disc with 665g frame

Trek’s Emonda set a new benchmark for a lightweight road frame when it was launched ahead of the 2014 Tour de France. Now, three years later, the Emonda has been put on a diet – with the flagship SLR frame dropping to a claimed 640g, while there’s also a disc version.

Besides shedding 50g from the frame weight, Trek say the model year 2018 Emonda is both stiffer and compliant than its predecessor. Well they would, wouldn’t they?

Trek’s new Emonda SLR frame weighs just 640g

However, it also now has clearance for 28mm tyres, thanks in part to the adoption of direct mount brakes. In fact, Trek have designed their own ‘Speed Stop Pro’ brakes for the Emonda SLR which, as well as offering that additional clearance, apparently weigh just 95g.

While the rim brake frame comes specced with 25mm tyres as standard, the ability to run 28s has led Trek to call the Emonda not only lightweight racer, but a machine capable of taking on ‘more adventurous riding’. Still, this is a race bike at heart, with Alberto Contador riding the new frame at the 2017 Tour de France.

Trek-Segafredo’s Alberto Contador has been testing the frame and will ride it at the Tour de France

Meanwhile, Trek have also launched the Emonda SLR Disc – a bike that takes full advantage of that additional tyre clearance by coming with 28mm tyres as standard.

The Emonda SLR Disc weighs a claimed 665g, so not only is it 25g lighter than the previous rim brake Emonda, it’s only 25g heavier than the current featherweight flagship. That’s a frankly remarkable weight for a disc frame.

Trek are touting the new Emonda SLR Disc as gravel-worthy

Trek will offer both the Emonda SLR and Emonda SLR Disc in H1 (race) and H2 (endurance) geometries.

There’s also a new mid-range Emonda SL frame, made from Trek’s 500 Series OCLV carbon fibre, as opposed to the 700 Series black stuff utilised for the top-end bikes. The Emonda SL frame is reported to weigh 1,091g, with the disc version coming in at 1,149g.

Trek Emonda 2018 range

All in all, there are 12 bikes in the 2018 Trek Emonda range, topping out with the 6.08kg Emonda SLR 9 for £8,500, so here’s a quick rundown of the line-up.

Trek Emonda SLR 9 (Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, £8,500)
Trek Emonda SLR 8 (Shimano Dura-Ace, £5,200)
Trek Emonda SLR 6 (Shimano Ultegra, £4,000)

Trek Emonda SLR 8 Disc (Shimano Dura-Ace, £6,000)
Trek Emonda SLR 6 Disc (Shimano Ultegra, £4,400)

The Trek Emonda SLR 6 comes with Shimano Ultegra and costs £4,000

Trek Emonda SL 7 (Shimano Ultegra Di2, £4,000)
Trek Emonda SL 6 Pro (Shimano Ultegra, £2,850)
Trek Emonda SL 6 (Shimano Ultegra, £2,250)
Trek Emonda SL 5 Women’s (Shimano 105, £1,800)
Trek Emonda SL 5 (Shimano 105, £1,800)

Trek Emonda SL 7 Disc (Shimano Ultegra Di2, £4,400)
Trek Emonda SL 6 Disc (Shimano Ultegra, £2,650)

Website: Trek Bikes