Trek Emonda - calling YellowJack or others (+ Boardman SLS)
Discussion
Still not bought a bike but am looking at discounted stuff now the 2017 models are hitting the shelves.
Am looking at the Trek Emonda Sl series and will hopefully be having a test ride this weekend.
Has anyone got one and how do they find it. I don't want out and out harsh race geometry - id prefer a comfortable ride but don't need it to be a complete endurance machine - the Emonda seems to be a kinda 1/2 way between endurance and race from what I've read and people seem to find them comfortable ?
Been trying to find Yellowjacks posts as i know he has one and posted stuff up previously after trying lots of bikes and settling on the emonda
Also looking at a Boardman SLS (14/15 model) - any experiences of this bike out there (unfortunately cannot test ride as is online only now).
Thanks
Pot Odds
Am looking at the Trek Emonda Sl series and will hopefully be having a test ride this weekend.
Has anyone got one and how do they find it. I don't want out and out harsh race geometry - id prefer a comfortable ride but don't need it to be a complete endurance machine - the Emonda seems to be a kinda 1/2 way between endurance and race from what I've read and people seem to find them comfortable ?
Been trying to find Yellowjacks posts as i know he has one and posted stuff up previously after trying lots of bikes and settling on the emonda
Also looking at a Boardman SLS (14/15 model) - any experiences of this bike out there (unfortunately cannot test ride as is online only now).
Thanks
Pot Odds
I have a 2015 SL5 ( http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/reviews/road-bikes/... ) and absolutely adore it! The LBS that supplied mine still had one in their stock a couple of weeks ago ( http://www.bristowscycles.co.uk/offers/ )
I honestly can't fault mine, I did change the 23mm Bontrager tyres for 25mm Continental GP4000SIIs but only because I had them on my other bike already and once you've gone there, nothing else compares(In my humble opinion)...
I'd Happily ride her all day long, the geometry is the slightly more relaxed 'H2' what ever that really means but I've never felt any sort of back discomfort etc. - I feel like I can get low enough in the drops to be 'aero' etc. but also high enough on the hoods and centre to relax and take in the views / catch my breath!
ETA: The 11 speed Shimano 105 5800 group set is awesome! I have it on both my road bikes and it just does everything it says on the tin, smoothly, precisely and quickly every single time!
I honestly can't fault mine, I did change the 23mm Bontrager tyres for 25mm Continental GP4000SIIs but only because I had them on my other bike already and once you've gone there, nothing else compares(In my humble opinion)...
I'd Happily ride her all day long, the geometry is the slightly more relaxed 'H2' what ever that really means but I've never felt any sort of back discomfort etc. - I feel like I can get low enough in the drops to be 'aero' etc. but also high enough on the hoods and centre to relax and take in the views / catch my breath!
ETA: The 11 speed Shimano 105 5800 group set is awesome! I have it on both my road bikes and it just does everything it says on the tin, smoothly, precisely and quickly every single time!
Edited by Banana Boy on Friday 16th September 22:24
Daveyraveygravey said:
It looks great
Personally I hate the look of the Endurance bikes ... that high front end just doesn't look right ... and then there's THAT seat post
I bought my Mrs an Emonda SL6 (womens) which she absolutely loves ... she had it fitted and is very comfortable having done multiple 100 mile rides. Unless you have serious back issues, H2 fit with a few spacers should be ample.
My LBS (local to work at London Bridge) seemed to have a pile of cut price Emondas in the other day. From what I understand, Trek donated them to some event as neutral service backups or something so they've been transported around a bit and some ridden 100km or so, they looked perfect to me 2016 models. They don't seem to be showing in their stock online for whatever reason. From what remember (+-£100) they had tiagra ones for about £700 and Ultegra for £1000
idiotgap said:
My LBS (local to work at London Bridge) seemed to have a pile of cut price Emondas in the other day. From what I understand, Trek donated them to some event as neutral service backups or something so they've been transported around a bit and some ridden 100km or so, they looked perfect to me 2016 models. They don't seem to be showing in their stock online for whatever reason. From what remember (+-£100) they had tiagra ones for about £700 and Ultegra for £1000
Any idea whether they were Emonda S or Emonda SL ? Im guessing S if there were tiagra specced ones ?I test rode a Emonda SL today which was nice - I won't let shimano groupset put me off (I'm sure i'll get used to it) but weight aside my sram double tap Apex felt like a comfortable slipper when i got back on my bike afterwards. Really isn't much out there with SRAM ATM.
Pot Odds said:
Any idea whether they were Emonda S or Emonda SL ? Im guessing S if there were tiagra specced ones ?
Sorry, I didn't notice the model designations because it wasn't reality what I was there for. On your bike is the name of the shop, worth giving them a call if you're shoping around.Sorry, I've been away. Back now though.
Can't find that big review I put up from when I bought it, but the Emonda is still going strong. Here's the "what bike" thread during which I bought it... http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... ...and I can honestly say I've not regretted buying it even once in the last year-and-a-half and 6,064 miles.
It's had a lot less use recently than I would have liked, due to a sad obsession with riding the same MTB race lap over and over again, but I aim to change that soon. Ten 'century' rides so far this year, nine of them on the Emonda. I was planning 1 x 100 mile ride per calendar month but that personal challenge died last month, sadly. Bad planning and poor time management more than an issue with the bike.
In that time it's had three chains, two cassettes, several sets of tyres and tubes agogo. But no real remedial work has been required, although it now sports a fetching chip out of the shiny red paint on a seatstay where it blew over in the wind. Very comfortable place to be for over 100 miles, my longest day on it was about nine hours. I love it, it's a really fabulous bike. Like I said at the time, I rode others, including a Cervelo, both on a turbo trainer in a shop, and out on the road. None of the others got close to the fit and instant comfort of the Emonda, which is why I bought it. It wasn't even on my radar at the start of the bike search.
Much like you, I didn't like the tall head-tube look of many of the 'endurance fit' models,but I think the Emonda really does look the part with it's asymmetric oversized tube set, and it's proportions. I'd definitely take a look at Trek's Domane (Iso-speed decoupler thingy) at the same time, but personally I find the Emonda plenty comfortable without such trickery.
Mine's the 2015 model SL 6, with full Ultegra groupset and Bontrager (in house brand) finishing kit. No trinkety wheelsets or fancy bars and stem, just good solid componentry that gets the job done well, and leaves room for you to put the bike on a diet later if funds allow. Given the same budget and the same wish list, I'd definitely put the current Emonda high on my shortlist again...
Can't find that big review I put up from when I bought it, but the Emonda is still going strong. Here's the "what bike" thread during which I bought it... http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... ...and I can honestly say I've not regretted buying it even once in the last year-and-a-half and 6,064 miles.
It's had a lot less use recently than I would have liked, due to a sad obsession with riding the same MTB race lap over and over again, but I aim to change that soon. Ten 'century' rides so far this year, nine of them on the Emonda. I was planning 1 x 100 mile ride per calendar month but that personal challenge died last month, sadly. Bad planning and poor time management more than an issue with the bike.
In that time it's had three chains, two cassettes, several sets of tyres and tubes agogo. But no real remedial work has been required, although it now sports a fetching chip out of the shiny red paint on a seatstay where it blew over in the wind. Very comfortable place to be for over 100 miles, my longest day on it was about nine hours. I love it, it's a really fabulous bike. Like I said at the time, I rode others, including a Cervelo, both on a turbo trainer in a shop, and out on the road. None of the others got close to the fit and instant comfort of the Emonda, which is why I bought it. It wasn't even on my radar at the start of the bike search.
Much like you, I didn't like the tall head-tube look of many of the 'endurance fit' models,but I think the Emonda really does look the part with it's asymmetric oversized tube set, and it's proportions. I'd definitely take a look at Trek's Domane (Iso-speed decoupler thingy) at the same time, but personally I find the Emonda plenty comfortable without such trickery.
Mine's the 2015 model SL 6, with full Ultegra groupset and Bontrager (in house brand) finishing kit. No trinkety wheelsets or fancy bars and stem, just good solid componentry that gets the job done well, and leaves room for you to put the bike on a diet later if funds allow. Given the same budget and the same wish list, I'd definitely put the current Emonda high on my shortlist again...
Typically I've now found this...
Quote taken from this thread... http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
in June 2015 yellowjack said:
I'm no professional bike reviewer, but I bought a Trek Emonda SL6 in March this year. Not the SLR you are looking at, but I believe it's pretty similar, if not identical, 'cept for the grade of carbon fibre used?
I came to it from a Merida Road Race HFS 905 (2010 aluminium road bike with 10-speed Ultegra) via a serious injury and 14 months off road bikes altogether. This is important only because you need to know I've never ridden it back-to-back with anything remotely modern.
I take a small frame size, so getting test rides was a big issue, due to shops not stocking my size. I tried a Cervelo R2, but even on a short ride that one was way too 'twitchy' in the steering response, so I left it where it was. Then, by expanding my search area, I found a shop willing to order a bike in my size (we worked that out by using a shop-floor bike with similar geometry) and I rode a brief test loop on it. Based on that short ride, I had to have it. I'd already ruled out the ("GREEN!!") SL5 with 105 kit, so was spending a damned sight more than intended.
I'm totally chuffed with my purchase. PH TdF stage three - a hundred miles from Cambridge to London? All day in the saddle, and the only issue was tired legs when we got to Epping. No comfort (or more accurately discomfort) issues, and in fact I felt like I could get back on for another couple of hours at the end. 1260 miles so far, in less than three months. I can't get enough of it, to the point where I've not bothered getting a new MTB (I'd have no time to ride it
). Longer rides, more often, and I'm more willing to get off my 'usual' routes and push into new territory. The only weak point so far has been the tyres, but after a couple of early punctures, and some cutting up, even they have settled down. 100% reliability so far too, and a joy to get on it at the start of a ride.
The Ultegra group is slick and crisp in the shifting. The brakes are brilliant. The wheels, which I'd budgeted to replace are pretty damned good too - at 1720g they are lighter than the vast majority of 'stock' wheelsets, and feel very taught and well built. They are as true as the day I first rode it. So I never did 'upgrade' the wheels, 'cause it didn't seem worth it.
It's light. Very light compared with the other bikes in my garage, considerably lighter than my previous road bike. It didn't make me ride faster, nor climb better than the old bike, and there was no 'miraculous transformation' evident in my Strava feed, but I think it really does contribute to doing longer rides because I feel fresher now at the end of rides than I ever did in the past. Then recently I went out specifically to go as fast as I could on shorter (30 to 35 mile) rides, and really surprised myself with average speeds of up around the 17mph mark, where my usual average struggles to reach the peaks of low 15's mph. I've no idea whether the bike contributes greatly, or if I just "got the bit between my teeth" more, but the bare facts are that I've ridden this bike faster than I ever managed on my old one, according to Strava data, despite a long lay-off Feb to Jun last year and a tough recovery from Feb's broken shoulder.
I don't have much depth of experience with alternative bikes, but what I do know is that I'd buy another Emonda in a heartbeat. It's far more than I needed in a bike (I'm the very definition of 'overbiked' at the moment) and everything I wanted it to be. All I need to do now is tune the engine a bit to extract the performance potential more thoroughly. It's not perfect. I found it a bit "aesthetically challenging" at first, due to the sheer size of the oversized tubing, and the asymmetrical nature of the seat tube particularly, but because it shows no 'character flaws', I can forgive it those minor sins.
Ultimately, the Emonda isn't being marketed as an outright speed weapon. Trek's marketing men push it as a lightweight climber's tool. It's claimed to be the "lightest production frameset" or some such blurb. Once you've added a pinch of salt, though, you'll realise that there are quite a few frames out there that can compete on an even footing. I bought mine simply because, both on the turbo trainer, and out on the road, it seemed to fit me better than anything else I could afford to consider. I'd have loved to be able to afford the SLR8 with full Dura-Ace at 6.15kg (£5800), but my SL6 at 7.39kg (£2,300) is no bloater, and there's no way I could justify the extra £3,500, especially not at £2.82 per gram saved.
Despite having ridden a (very) limited number of it's competitors, I'd thoroughly recommend the Trek Emonda to anyone in the market for a new road bike. All you have to do is match a model to your available budget, and away you go...
So apart from forgetting that the looks were slightly 'challenging' at first (they obviously grew on me quite quickly!) I'd stand by that review. And I never did swap out the 'stock' Bontrager wheelset. It's still on the bike, doing sterling work, with no need for any upgrade as far as I can see.I came to it from a Merida Road Race HFS 905 (2010 aluminium road bike with 10-speed Ultegra) via a serious injury and 14 months off road bikes altogether. This is important only because you need to know I've never ridden it back-to-back with anything remotely modern.
I take a small frame size, so getting test rides was a big issue, due to shops not stocking my size. I tried a Cervelo R2, but even on a short ride that one was way too 'twitchy' in the steering response, so I left it where it was. Then, by expanding my search area, I found a shop willing to order a bike in my size (we worked that out by using a shop-floor bike with similar geometry) and I rode a brief test loop on it. Based on that short ride, I had to have it. I'd already ruled out the ("GREEN!!") SL5 with 105 kit, so was spending a damned sight more than intended.
I'm totally chuffed with my purchase. PH TdF stage three - a hundred miles from Cambridge to London? All day in the saddle, and the only issue was tired legs when we got to Epping. No comfort (or more accurately discomfort) issues, and in fact I felt like I could get back on for another couple of hours at the end. 1260 miles so far, in less than three months. I can't get enough of it, to the point where I've not bothered getting a new MTB (I'd have no time to ride it
). Longer rides, more often, and I'm more willing to get off my 'usual' routes and push into new territory. The only weak point so far has been the tyres, but after a couple of early punctures, and some cutting up, even they have settled down. 100% reliability so far too, and a joy to get on it at the start of a ride.The Ultegra group is slick and crisp in the shifting. The brakes are brilliant. The wheels, which I'd budgeted to replace are pretty damned good too - at 1720g they are lighter than the vast majority of 'stock' wheelsets, and feel very taught and well built. They are as true as the day I first rode it. So I never did 'upgrade' the wheels, 'cause it didn't seem worth it.
It's light. Very light compared with the other bikes in my garage, considerably lighter than my previous road bike. It didn't make me ride faster, nor climb better than the old bike, and there was no 'miraculous transformation' evident in my Strava feed, but I think it really does contribute to doing longer rides because I feel fresher now at the end of rides than I ever did in the past. Then recently I went out specifically to go as fast as I could on shorter (30 to 35 mile) rides, and really surprised myself with average speeds of up around the 17mph mark, where my usual average struggles to reach the peaks of low 15's mph. I've no idea whether the bike contributes greatly, or if I just "got the bit between my teeth" more, but the bare facts are that I've ridden this bike faster than I ever managed on my old one, according to Strava data, despite a long lay-off Feb to Jun last year and a tough recovery from Feb's broken shoulder.
I don't have much depth of experience with alternative bikes, but what I do know is that I'd buy another Emonda in a heartbeat. It's far more than I needed in a bike (I'm the very definition of 'overbiked' at the moment) and everything I wanted it to be. All I need to do now is tune the engine a bit to extract the performance potential more thoroughly. It's not perfect. I found it a bit "aesthetically challenging" at first, due to the sheer size of the oversized tubing, and the asymmetrical nature of the seat tube particularly, but because it shows no 'character flaws', I can forgive it those minor sins.
Ultimately, the Emonda isn't being marketed as an outright speed weapon. Trek's marketing men push it as a lightweight climber's tool. It's claimed to be the "lightest production frameset" or some such blurb. Once you've added a pinch of salt, though, you'll realise that there are quite a few frames out there that can compete on an even footing. I bought mine simply because, both on the turbo trainer, and out on the road, it seemed to fit me better than anything else I could afford to consider. I'd have loved to be able to afford the SLR8 with full Dura-Ace at 6.15kg (£5800), but my SL6 at 7.39kg (£2,300) is no bloater, and there's no way I could justify the extra £3,500, especially not at £2.82 per gram saved.
Despite having ridden a (very) limited number of it's competitors, I'd thoroughly recommend the Trek Emonda to anyone in the market for a new road bike. All you have to do is match a model to your available budget, and away you go...
Quote taken from this thread... http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I can't say that I'm any use helping to advise between SRAM and Shimano. I've been a Shimano fan-boy since I can remember, and have never ridden with a SRAM road groupset to compare. I'll probably get chased out of town with torches and pitchforks for this,but I have to say I prefer Shimano over Campagnolo too. I simply can't understand the obsession with "Italian for the sake of it" in cycling. If I'd have had the cash, I'd have bought an SLR 8 with Dura-Ace groupset and DA C50 wheels in a heartbeat.
Buy one that fits rather than one that looks OK or that someone else says is perfect. It might be perfect for them but not for you. I've made that mistake 3 times now and finally decided to get a bike fit. Turns out I have a long inseam (85cm) for my height (172cm) so I should ride a size 56 at the back and a 52 at the front. Finding a bike that fits within those type of parameters limits me to a select few endurance type bikes and whilst I'm not a fan of huge headtubes I now realise that I will need to compromise or go for an uber expensive custom build.
paulmon said:
Buy one that fits rather than one that looks OK or that someone else says is perfect. It might be perfect for them but not for you. I've made that mistake 3 times now and finally decided to get a bike fit. Turns out I have a long inseam (85cm) for my height (172cm) so I should ride a size 56 at the back and a 52 at the front. Finding a bike that fits within those type of parameters limits me to a select few endurance type bikes and whilst I'm not a fan of huge headtubes I now realise that I will need to compromise or go for an uber expensive custom build.
Absolutely agree with that. It's how I ended up with the Émonda in the first place. It was the first bike I tried that really clicked on a fit/comfort level for me. It wasn't even on the short-list of bikes to look at, but thankfully Matt at Pedal On virtually strong-armed me onto it for a test ride, and I'm so glad he did. I certainly went bike shopping with an open mind, and got a great bike as a result. My heart had been set on a Cervélo at the start, but two test rides on it both failed to achieve a comfortable fit, and I found it really rather 'twitchy' in the steering/handling, hence going to other shops/brands with a sensible 'want' list. I exceeded my budget, and my minimum requirements in the end, but that was mainly because I didn't like the colour of the SL 5... 
Pot Odds said:
Thanks for your posts Yellowjack - i'd remembered that you'd posted a +ve writeup of you Emonda experience and it sounds like your still enjoying it.
I rode a Dura Ace SL8 today and liked it but am still wrangling over shimano vs my preferred SRAM shifters.
Cheers
Pot Odds
I'm going to have to have a go on a SRAM equipped bike, I can't get my head round just how good the shift must be considering how well the Shimano groupset works!I rode a Dura Ace SL8 today and liked it but am still wrangling over shimano vs my preferred SRAM shifters.
Cheers
Pot Odds
Banana Boy said:
I'm going to have to have a go on a SRAM equipped bike, I can't get my head round just how good the shift must be considering how well the Shimano groupset works!
It's just personal preference......I prefer sram's double tap to using the brake lever.I haven't let it stop me though as i've ended up ordering a Boardman SLS 9.2 with full ultegra groupset and ultegra wheels for £1360 with an extra, shorter boardman carbon stem thrown in for free.
Nice as the dura ace was I couldn't justify the extra £500 (I found an emonda sl8 for £1850) for someone of my vintage and ability - plus other more important expenses helped me reign in a creeping budget before it nudged towards 2k.
If anyone fancies a brand new full ultegra groupset as a swap for a brand new sram force 22 groupset then shout out otherwise i'll be getting accustomed to the ultegra and no doubt singing its praises once the bike arrives.
Thanks for all your feedback
I heard about this double tap feature, I might have a look at the Cycle Show this weekend. You don't hear many people complain about SRAM on hear.
Nice Boardman BTW! My brother has a Boardman, not sure which, Ally framed but he loves it!
Looking at the deals about at the moment I almost wish I'd waited 12months before buying! That SL8 is £50 less than my SL5 was when new! I bought when the rumours in the market said to expect a 20% increase over the following year... can't say I regret buying her though, I do love her to bits!
Nice Boardman BTW!
My brother has a Boardman, not sure which, Ally framed but he loves it!Looking at the deals about at the moment I almost wish I'd waited 12months before buying! That SL8 is £50 less than my SL5 was when new! I bought when the rumours in the market said to expect a 20% increase over the following year... can't say I regret buying her though, I do love her to bits!
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