The 2016 Trek Madone 9-Series Project One Blew Us Away
The first thing you should know—which is pretty obvious—is that this is an aerodynamic road bike. Actually, Trek claims this is the most aerodynamic road bike, thanks to the slippery frame shaping and highly integrated components, which hide every possible wire, cable, and small piece from the wind. (It has yet to be compared with the new Specialized Venge ViAS in a wind tunnel.)
The second thing you should know is that everyone at Bicycling who has ridden the bike loves it. It's rare for a test bike to receive unanimous praise; in fact, it's never happened before with an aero road bike.
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Our testers are also unanimous on what they like about this Madone. One evaluation summed up the praise I heard from all seven riders we put on the bike: "It's one of those bikes that just feels incredibly fun to ride—speedy and snappy, but also surprisingly stable and comfortable." The Madone incorporates Trek's IsoSpeed Decoupler (bendy seat tube). And besides feeling fast, this aero bike is more compliant and comfortable than many road-race bikes.
It is expensive. Models start at $6,000 and hit more than $13,000 in Trek's Project One program, through which we chose the parts for our tester and ordered up this flamingo-pink paint job. The integration forces riders to make sacrifices (don't like the aero handlebar? Tough). And the bike does amplify drivetrain and road noises. Still, this is one of the most remarkable bikes you can buy and one of the best Trek has ever produced.
Related: Pro Cyclists Debut 2016 Trek Madone 9-Series
Price: $13,471 (as tested)
Weight: 16.1lbs (54cm)
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