Carbon aero road bike Trek Madone SL 5 dark star for riding into the wind: 105 2x12, 8.64 kg in ML

Trek Madone SL 5 dark star: an ally against the tramontane

With its Full System Foil tubes designed to cut through the air with the bottles in place, the Trek Madone SL 5 Gen 8 weighs 8.64 kg in size ML, equipped with mechanical Shimano 105 2x12 and 28 mm Bontrager R3 tyres. Its OCLV 500 frame shares the same aerodynamic design as the Madone SLR models, making it a bike that is as much at home on the flat as on the climbs. The Gloss Dark Star/Matte Deep Smoke colourway plays on a deep gloss black and a discreet matt smoked grey.

Technical specifications

Who is it for?

For the strong rider of the Béziers plain who spends their rides facing the tramontane or the sea breeze, and for anyone who loves the long straight roads to the sea as much as taking turns in a group. It is also the understated choice for a rider who wants an elegant bike without loud colours.

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.

According to Trek, this frame is as aerodynamic as the Gen 7 Madone and saves 77 seconds per hour over the Émonda at 200 W, measured on the whole rider, bike and bottles system. On a three-hour ride at a steady pace, that is a real benefit, all the more noticeable when the wind is blowing head-on.

The 23 mm deep alloy rims have an advantage in crosswinds: they catch little wind and keep the bike stable, where deep rims can push the front wheel off line. The R3 Hard-Case Lite tyres roll supplely; inflated slightly less than 25 mm tyres, they also absorb vibrations from patched-up roads.

Which Madone should you choose?

Our take: for even more speed on the flat, the SL 6 brings 50 mm carbon wheels and Di2, for 480 g less. In strong crosswinds, however, the shallow rims of the SL 5 remain easier to control.

Your questions

Why buy from LVR Cycles? As a Trek retailer in Béziers, we build your Madone, set up the aero position with you and look after the drivetrain and hydraulic brakes.

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