Trek Madone

And so what of the Madone? The previously vast range has been stripped back to just five bikes for model year 2015: three 7-Series machines (including one WSD women’s model) and two 2-Series bikes.

We’ve covered the Madone is detail previously, most recently when we shot Jens Voigt’s 7-Series machine for the 2014 Tour de France, and last year when we reviewed the now-defunct Madone 5.2.

Madone 7-Series

The 7-Series frame remains the same for 2015, so there’s the aero-profiled truncated Kammtail tube profiles, BB90 bottom bracket (which also features on the Emonda) and direct mount brakes, with the rear brake hidden from the wind behind the BB.

The Madone 7.9, dressed in Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 and Bontrager Aeolus 3 wheels, is the top-of-the-range model, and it’s also available as a WSD option. Otherwise there’s the Madone 7.7,  with mechanical Shimano Dura-Ace and Bontrager Race X Lite Tubeless Ready wheels. UK prices for the 2015 Madone 7-Series bike are to be confirmed.

Madone 2-Series

Leap down to the Madone 2-Series range and there are two aluminium bikes: the £1,200 Madone 2.5 and the £1,000 Madone 2.1.  But why, if the Madone is now Trek’s high-end-only, out-and-out aero race bike, keep the alloy line-up?

“We still needed a nicely-specced, nicely-engineered alloy road bike that was still higher end than the 1-Series bike,” says Garrison. “Rather than create an entirely new platform, we kept the Madone 2-Series. It’s a really nice bike which got a facelift last year – it rides a lot better than you think it will. It’s pretty light and while it’s certainly not as aero as the 7-Series, it’s still got a lot of the KVF tube shaping. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Of the two 2-Series bikes, the Madone 2.5 comes with a mix of Shimano Ultegra/105 components, Bontrager Race Tubeless Ready wheels and Bontrager finishing kit, while the entry-level Madone 2.1 uses mostly Shimano 105 components.

While not part of the Madone range, Trek’s 1-Series aluminium bikes remain in the 2015 line-up, with three bikes – the 1.1, 1.2 and 1.5 – for £600, £700 and £80 respectively. Like the Madone 2-Series, the 1-Series received a facelift last year, with a new hydroformed frame introduced, so the chassis remains the same, but the colours have been updated.

Finally, let’s take a closer look at the Domane range on the final page.