Trek's Gen 7 Madone Road Race Bike Is Cycling on the "Edge" of Perfect Carbon Fiber

Folks, it's difficult to understand why anyone would ever spend as much as $13,200 (€12,300 at current exchange rates) on a bicycle. But, in the hopes of helping us understand a bit as to why, I've chosen to bring to light the freshest Madone SLR machines from world-renowned Trek.

If you need a bit of help remembering who Trek is, all you need to do is turn on your TV to any cycling channel, and chances are that you'll spot a Trek machine in the next few seconds. Heck, even long before 1975, when this crew finally became a brand, the founders had cycling in their blood, and today, anyone on a Trek probably has the same blood.

Now, Trek didn't get to where they are by focusing on anything other than the bicycle and how it molds with a rider. That said, their teams are hard at work right now, as you read these words, developing the next stage in cycling evolution, and the new Madone is unlike other bicycles I've seen before.

To give you an idea of what's in store, let me point out that Trek is calling this generation of the Madone their "fastest road race bike ever," and while they've said this about other machines they've spat out, this one is on a whole new level! For example, the frame is 300 g lighter than previous generations and is able to shave 60 seconds off your clock in one hour at 45 kph (28 mph) speeds.

First off, these babies are built out of nothing more than carbon fiber, so there's no need to dive deeper into that aspect, but what requires some more attention is what happens to that carbon and how it's shaped.

Suppose you've explored the images in the gallery. In that case, you have some idea that I'm hinting at how the top tub extends beyond the seat stay and suspends the rider in mid-air on a little ledge of carbon fiber. Then there's that gaping hole in the middle of the seat stay; what's that all about?

Folks, this is Trek's newest technological progression in terms of aerodynamics. It's called IsoFlow, and this system of frame building is responsible for directing airflow in such a way as to reduce drag and friction and give you those 60 seconds I mentioned.

But there's more magic than this. As I explored this frame style, a lightbulb turned on. What happens if you suspend a rider on a little piece of carbon fiber the likes of that seen on the Madone? Let's think about it.

Classic bicycles include a seat post that extends from the rider's saddle and into the seat tube of a bike's frame. Since that process is interrupted here, and the seat post stops in that seat mast, I bet every dollar in my wallet that this feature is responsible for one hell of a smooth ride, absorbing some of the vibrations and bumps the road throws at you. After all, it's called IsoFlow, and that whole 'Iso' bit has been present in previous generations and denoting slight flexion points in a frame.

Another aspect of Madone's frame is a newly redesigned cockpit that even affects how the frame is built. In short, Trek decided to focus its attention on creating a more comfortable bike, and thus, have shorted the reach to place the rider in a more ergonomic position. After all, a comfortable rider is one who can stay in the saddle faster and ride stronger. The stem and bar have seen some attention, too.

Now, these bikes are priced all over the board, and the least expensive complete bike is the SLR6 Gen 7, cruising in with a price tag of $8,000 (€7,450). However, the most expensive fish in this pond is the SLR 9 AXS, that $13,200 beast I mentioned earlier.

As I mentioned, this is the sort of bike destined for those who bring home gold medals on a daily basis, and with that, it features the most renowned gear the industry has to offer. Once we consider the SRAM Red eTap wireless shifting drivetrain, carbon wheels, carbon fork, and all the other tiny knick-knacks you need to complete a bicycle, we're looking at a 7.36 kg (16.2 lbs) machine meant for nothing more than speed.

Suppose you're still wondering why some manufacturers are charging an arm and a leg for their bicycles. In that case, the Madone may not be for you, and that's perfectly fine. Heck, even I don't know what I would do with this thing if I owned it. I'd probably put it on my wall. That doesn't stop us from taking a look at peak cycling goodness.