THE MADONE SLR9 DISC
We never give a bike a star rating after one short test ride at a launch, so once we get a new Madone in we’ll give it a thorough workout. To be honest, it was me that got the workout on the roads around Trek’s global HQ in Wisconsin. Put a bunch of competitive bike journalists in a peloton, add cycling legend Jens Voigt (pictured), sprinkle in one of the US’s most successful sportsmen – multiple NASCAR champ Jimmy Johnson – and turn up the humidity to full and either the bike or the pale, jetlagged Brit is going to suffer.
My first impression of the new Madone was it’s fast, really fast. I’m no racing snake, and while I’m in my best riding shape for a long time, that doesn’t account for the pace of the Madone.
Early in the ride I had a minor mechanical so had to stop for a few minutes. Obviously, my fellow scribes buggered off up the road leaving me and two Trek-mates to chase. The Madone shone and we were able to make our way back to the group with surprisingly little perceived effort.
Sadly, I’d underestimated that effort and towards the end of the ride I, erm, blew up. Again, the group pulled away and I was left in no-man’s land, pedalling squares on a slight incline, wondering whether I was going to throw up or fall off first. A look down at my speed and I was still managing to do 25mph!
Wisconsin’s roads are reasonably straight, but on the twisty bits the disc brakes, hardto-fault Aeolus XXX wheels and the frame combined to provide an agile, responsive and fun feel.