TREK DOMANES L6 DISC WOMEN'S £3100
SMOOTH, COMFORTABLE AND DECEPTIVELY FAST
After a close-fought battle, in 2018, the Domane SL6 Disc was named Women’s Road Bike of the Year. This year, with the competition just as tight, it’s done it again. Branded as the women’s Domane, it actually has the same unisex frame as others in the range, but with sexand size-specific finishing kit, such as the Bontrager Ajna Comp saddle and adapted stem lengths and handlebar widths.
IsoSpeed is one of the most impressive features on the Domane: a decoupling system achieved through frame design and shock-absorbing elastomer pads, it allows both the seat tube and the headset area of the fork to have some free movement. This means they flex to absorb road chatter, and are isolated from many of the same forces coming through the frame, which means bumps and bounces aren’t transmitted through the saddle and handlebars.
As you’d expect for a bike at this price-point, the Domane SL6 boasts a full Ultegra 11spd groupset, including hydraulic disc brakes.
The Bontrager Paradigm is an alloy wheelset with interchangeable axles, which means greater wheel compatibility and more options. They’re tubeless ready and the 23mm outer rim forms a good base for the 32mm Bontrager R2 Hardcase Lite tyres. For an endurance bike, 32mm may seem wide, but there’s no obvious penalty in rolling resistance and the additional comfort outweighs any negatives.
Finishing kit is a combination of alloy and carbon. The carbon Bontrager Ride Tuned seatmast helps increase flex and adds to the comfort of the ride. An alloy Bontrager Pro stem and Elite IsoZone VR-SF handlebars form the bases of the cockpit. The stem comes ready to fit a range of products as part of Bontrager’s Blendr system of mounts and brackets, which helps to keep it clutter-free.
The Domane does what it was designed to do, and it does it very well indeed. It’s a clear winner in terms of all-round versatility.
“THE STEM COMES READY TO FIT A RANGE OF PRODUCTS AS PART OF BONTR AGER’S BLENDR SYSTEM OF MOUNTS AND BRACKETS”