Trek Domane+ HP Is Closer to a Motorcycle With Pedals Than a Road-Raging e-Bike

Folks, the raging road warrior you have before you is known as the Domane+ HP from none other than Trek, and while this bike is technically considered a road bike, it also falls in the fastest e-bike category available Class 3. Before I get into the details that make Domane+ what it is, a refresher about the minds behind this monster is in order.

Trek. Honestly, that should sum it all up for you, but if you don't know who this team is, you can turn your TV to any channel with a cycling event, and chances are you'll see a Trek-branded bike in the next minute or so. This crew has been in the cycling industry since 1975, but their love for bicycles goes back further than that. Today this crew has a bike for every rider's ability, style, and pockets.

While the Domane+ HP isn't a cheap bike, priced at upwards of 7,500 USD (6,419 EUR at current exchange rates), the components it has equipped are there for one thing and one thing only, speed. How much speed? Well, a Class 3 bike means that you have a speed cap at 28 mph (45 kph), whether it uses a throttle system or not. On a downhill segment, you'll be able to achieve much more than that, but the flat-surface speed is 28 mph.

How is this speed achieved? Well, in part by a Bosch Performance Speed mid-mounted motor with 75 Nm (55 lb-ft) of torque. Part two of this system is completed by Bosch again with a PowerTube that brings 500 watts of juice. A Bosch Kiox controls everything, and the PowerTube I mentioned is a swappable one; hello, infinite range (as long as you have charged packs).

The final aspect that you have to thank for speed is the drivetrain. For the Domane+ HP, Trek uses a Shimano GRX shifter and rear derailleur to direct an Ultegra chain on a Deore XT 11-42T cassette. Everything is then tuned to the sound of nothing more than eleven speeds. Braking, too, is covered by Shimano and features an RX400 hydraulic disc setup with RT800 160 mm (6.3 in) rotors.

Like any other road bike that's well into the thousand-dollar range, be it electric or not, the most common reason is that the frame is completed from carbon fiber, and sure enough, Trek features their 500 Series OCLV Carbon to build this frame. The fork features a carbon construction, too. All lines are internally routed, so you don't have to worry about snagging on anything, plus it looks hella sick.

Since bikes like these normally lack a suspension, to help take care of some vibrations, the Domane+ features front IsoSpeed and top tube IsoSpeed decouplers. These two components help flex the frame just enough to reduce bumps without affecting road traction and are proven to reduce rider fatigue.

Now for the fun bit about bikes with software-limited speeds, they can be hacked. With the proper resources, you can lift this limit to unimaginable levels. Reports exist of people unblocking their e-bikes up to 45 mph (72 kph) or more. The cost is motor lifespan, as factory speed settings are also in place to keep your motor within functioning parameters for as long as possible.

In time, I feel we will see stronger and stronger components mounted to bicycles. With that, speed is sure to be a byproduct, so make sure you know what you're doing before you pick up a bike like this, and always wear a helmet.