The new Emonda SLR9(Image credit: Trek Bicycle Corporation)
The new Direct mount Speed Stop brakes weigh just 95g each(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The Speed Stop's direct mount design offers increased tyre clearance over standard brakes(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The Speed Stop's slimline profile aids aero-performance up front(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The SLR frameset in both disc and standard incarnations is UCI approved(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
Trek's built in chain device offers welcome protection for the superlight frame(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
Just because the frame is one of the lightest ever made doesn't mean Trek has skimped on the details like this chrome finished head badge(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The SL5 is the only mdel in the range to be offered as a purely women's specific bike(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
Trek's claims its unique seat allows for much more compliance than a standard setup(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The £1,800 SL5 gets Shimano's 105 direct mount brake(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The men's SL5 features the same 105 spec as the WSD model, and is priced the same at £1,800(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
Bontrager's Montrose saddle features across the Emonda range(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The new SL6 disc gets the latest Ultegra hydraulic group and Paradigm disc wheels for £2,650(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
New Ultegra is still a pretty rare beast on new bikes(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The new Ultegra calipers and road specific rotors look like a step ahead of current designs(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The new SL6 gets full Ultegra, and Speed Stop brakes for £2,250(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The SL6's finish with colour coordinated seat mast looks pretty special(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
Especially with the colour matched stem too(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
Bontrager's all-new, all carbon 68g XXX saddle make an appearance on the SLR9(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The recess in the top tube is home to the rear brake cable on mechanical models(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The new Emonda SLR8 disc(Image credit: Trek Bicycle Corporation)
The Emonda SLR9 disc comes in this pretty bold fluro colourway(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The carbon front mech mount is just one of the weight saving measures on the new Emonda(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The Emonda's cable routing all runs internally from this port on the down tube(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The all-carbon dropouts on the Emonda disc have the aluminium hardware for the thru-axle moulded in when the frame is being constructed(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
Bontrager's Blendr stem allows you to fit a front light and a Garmin(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The front brake hose is external and zip-tied to fittings on the fork leg, not the most elegant, but certainly a light way of doing things(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
Shimano's new disc rotors get an outing on the new SLR9 Disc(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The SLR9 has masses of tyre clearance at the rear(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The Duotrap chainstay mounted sensor can read speed and cadence and transmit to your Garmin via Ant+or BTE(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The mechanical cables and rear hose all run through a single down tube port in the frame(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The Disc model gets a huge amount of clearance at the rear(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
Trek's signature E2 hourglass shaped head tube is still a feature on the Emonda(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The top tube arches and flattens through its length, with a noticeable recess where it meets the seat tube(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
The SLR9 is priced at £8,000 with Dura-Ace Di2, Speed Stop brakes, and Aeolus 3 TLR carbon clinchers(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
Sub 100g brakes on a £2,250 bike is a very rare sight(Image credit: Warren Rossiter/Immediate Media)
This article first appeared on BikeRadar. Since it was posted, Trek-Segafredo formally announced they would be racing the new Emonda during the Tour de France. Alberto Contador was riding the new frame during the Criterium du Dauphine.
At 690g, Trek's last generation Emonda was one of the lightest production framesets in the world. For the 2018 model Trek has pushed the boundaries even further making a 640g (H1, vapor coat paint, 56cm) frame for the standard brake model.
Even with this superlight chassis the Emonda is still backed with Trek's lifetime warranty. The firm has added a disc brake model for the first time and increased tyre clearances on both configurations, too. The disc brake frame tips the scales at an impressive 665g (H1, vapor coat paint, 56cm) - that's lighter than the previous generation caliper bike.
So as a direct comparison between old and new:
Emonda SLR (previous) 56cm H1 fit: 690g
Emonda SLR (new) 56cm H1 fit: 640g
Emonda SLR Disc 56cm H1 fit: 665g
It's not just a matter of weight reduction, however, as Trek also claims the new Emonda is stiffer at the headtube, bottom bracket, and in the frame overall, whilst at the same time introducing a little more vertical compliance. The standard fork tips the scales at 313g, and the disc 350g.
The development of the new Trek Emonda started more than three years ago, with initial studies and testing resulting in thousands of viable designs using HEEDS software (an engineering tool that allows for multi-parameters of data to informs the construction and shape of a frame). From that, more computing power in the form of FEA (finite element analysis) and plenty of further R&D into the materials and manufacturing process enabled Trek to produce the lightest frame it has ever made. Finally, the engineering and industrial design team built a series of prototypes, which were real world tested by the Trek Segafredo team.
Every size and every configuration of the Emonda SLR will be available in both H1 and H2 fit for both disc and rim brake frames. So those who favour a longer and lower ride position have the H1, and riders looking for a more endurance focused shape can opt for the H2 fit models.
All of the SLRs are built with Trek's OCLV 700 carbon. Product Manager Ben Coates is quick to point out that the 2018, 700 series carbon is different today than it was two years ago - the carbon grade and fibres have changed, the laminate has evolved, and even the production methods have been revamped.
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Trek has continued with pretty much all of its proprietary features like the E2 tapered headtube, their BB90 bottom bracket, the ride-tuned seat mast, and the duotrap sensor built into the chainstay.
It has added in a carbon front mech mount, all of the threads (bottle bosses, etc.) are moulded into the frame - so no drillings - and on the disc bike the aluminium dropouts are co-moulded into the frame and fork, which Trek claims is the most efficient way to integrate thru' axles.
The caliper braked Emonda is designed around direct mount brakes, with the advantage of increased tyre clearance over standard fittings. Bontrager designed a whole new direct mount version of its angular Speed Stop brakes built with hollow arms and titanium hardware. These tips the scales at just 95g. It's cheaper too
The flagship SLR model is now the SLR9, and compared to the last generations SLR10 that retailed for $15,749/£11,000 it's a veritable bargain at £8,000.
The SLR range starts with the Ultegra equipped SLR6 at $4,999.99/£4,000. For those of us who can't reach the pricing of the new SLR, then Trek has also launched an SL version built to the same design using the same molds and laden with the same tech details but using 500 series OCLV carbon.
The SL's stats are: 1091g for the standard frame, 1149g for the disc, and the SL fork 313g, and the disc model 350g. Lower priced models get the 5 series fork (436g). Entry into the SL range starts at $2,000/£1,800.
2018 Trek Emonda pricing and availability
Emonda SLR 9 Dura Ace Di2; Late June; $11,000/£8,000
Emonda SLR 8 disc Dura Ace; Early July; $7,000/£5,600
Emonda SLR 8 Dura Ace; Mid July; $6,500/£5,200
Emonda SLR 6 Disc Ultegra; Late Oct; $5,500/£4,400
