It’s fair to say we’re a little bit excited to have the new Domane SLR 2017 range in stock. For those not familiar with this particular model, the Domane is Trek’s revolutionary endurance road frame, first released in 2012. The thing that made it stand out then among the crowd of other high-spec road bikes was its IsoSpeed decoupler, a clever little mechanical feature that creates way more flex in the rider position for a much more comfortable ride.
IsoSpeed was so successful that with this new iteration of the Domane, Trek has decided to add the same principle at the front of the bike too. The double-team effect means the new Domane SLRs ride more beautifully than ever before.
Because its biggest selling point is comfort, you could be forgiven for thinking the Domane is not a fast bike. Fortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The full carbon frame is light enough that you’ll be able to climb with confidence and speed, while the handling is super stable so you can fly through turns and really attack those technical descents.
Glowing reviews
When it was out for review in the big bike titles earlier this year the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Road Cycling UK said: “It’s a genuinely innovative machine and, at this early stage, one which looks to set the bar in terms of comfort.â€
While Cycling Tips had this to say: “IsoSpeed is once again what defines the Domane creating what is quite possibly the smoothest-riding road bike on the market.â€
Bike Radar wanted to really test the Domane SLR, so they, “spent two weeks in Belgium riding four bikes on the cobbles of the Tour of Flanders course and the Paris-Roubaix pavé in nearby northern France. The Domane SLR was noticeably the best of the lot.â€
Three versions
We’re stocking three of the new Trek Domane SLR models: the SLR 6, available with either rim brakes or discs; and the SLR 7 with discs.
The biggest difference between the 6 and 7 models is the drivetrains. The SLR 7 is specced with Ultegra Di2, while the 6 has the still extremely good quality Ultegra 6800. Both will function beautifully as you switch between the full range of gears, but the Di2 of course has the extra fun functionality of being electronic – just like the pros use!
Speaking of professionals, this is the bike of choice of a certain Fabian Cancellara, who used a custom Domane throughout his Classics campaign this year. Eagle-eyed gear heads may even have spotted the front decoupler on Cancellara’s bike at the Tour of Flanders before it was officially released to the public.
Because of its superior ability to even out the bumps in the road the Domane was a smart choice for the Swiss rider they call ‘Spartacus’. The pockmarked and cobbled roads of northern Europe in particular are extremely uncomfortable to ride over – which is why you need that bit of extra give in the seat position and in the cockpit. The choice paid off with Cancellara taking an impressive second place at Flanders and a first in the Italian one-day race, Strade Bianchi.
So there you have it, the Domane SLR series is super comfortable, fast and responsive; it has fantastic reviews; and it’s proven in the pro peloton. What more of a reason do you need to upgrade today?
