Carbon aero road bike Trek Madone SL 5 era white: Gen 8 frame, Shimano 105 2x12, 8.64 kg in ML

Trek Madone SL 5 era white: your first carbon race bike

The Trek Madone SL 5 Gen 8 combines an OCLV Series 500 carbon frame with the aerodynamic shapes of the SLR models, a mechanical Shimano 105 2x12 groupset and Paradigm alloy wheels, for 8.64 kg in size ML. It is the most direct way into the current Madone, the bike that now brings together at Trek the lightness of the former Émonda and the speed of the former Madone. The Era White colourway dresses the frame in a clean, bright white that is understated and timeless.

Technical specifications

Who is it for?

For the rider who has spent two or three seasons on an aluminium bike and wants to make the move to carbon with a proper race frame. It also suits anyone torn between a climbing bike and an aero bike: this Madone does both, with a more aggressive position than a Domane.

The LVR workshop view

OCLV carbon, Trek's signature. Since 1992, Trek has moulded its frames in OCLV, a carbon whose sheets are pressed and heated until all internal air pockets are eliminated. The series number reflects how refined the lay-up is: the higher it goes, the fewer fibres are needed to reach the target stiffness. The Madone SL 5 gets OCLV 500, Trek's entry point into road carbon, but with exactly the same tube shapes as the SLR models, and the Trek lifetime warranty on the frame.

Put simply: on the SL 5, the difference from an SLR is measured on the scales, not in the wind. The aerodynamic profile is the same; you are simply carrying some 270 g more on the frame and fork, a gap that only a very fussy climber will notice.

Moving from aluminium to this frame is above all about gaining liveliness: OCLV carbon filters vibrations better, and the IsoFlow opening in the seat tube provides vertical compliance that the aero frames of the past lacked. Trek claims up to 24% more compliance than the Émonda; you feel it on the rough roads of the Biterrois.

The 50/34 paired with an 11-34 cassette is sensible for a first race bike: it lets you keep up with a group on the flat and climb the hills of the Minervois without straining. The 23 mm Paradigm alloy rims, Tubeless Ready, are tough and not very sensitive to wind; they are also the first thing to change if you want to upgrade the bike.

Which Madone should you choose?

Our take: the SL 5 Pro adds carbon wheels for 200 g less, the SL 6 moves to Di2 and comes down to 8.16 kg. The SL 5 remains the least expensive way to get the same frame as the whole SL range.

Your questions

Why buy from LVR Cycles? In Béziers, we prepare and set up your Madone in our workshop, adjust the position with you and support you when the time comes to move to carbon wheels.

Please note that the specifications may be changed without prior notice by the manufacturer, based on the availability of components and other factors.