Why It’s Coolhen the Trek engineers responsible for keeping Lance Armstrong in yellow had lightened the man’s frame as much as they could, they turned to aerodynamics. Using a wind tunnel, the team refined the tubing on what would become the Madone to eliminate tiny drag differences that purportedly added up to a minute over 125 miles. If that sounds way too weenie for you, consider Lance’s winning margin in last summer’s big race: 61 seconds. » The Madone is decked out with the latest version of Shimano’s top-of-the-line Dura-Ace parts. The components are precise like surgical instruments, while adding stiffness, shaving weight, and squeezing in an extra gear to make 20 speeds. » Every last part is curated for weight, like the Bontrager Race X Lite wheels, bar, and stem. The final package weighs an astonishing 15 pounds 12 ounces.
Hmmm . . .It costs a full grand more than the 5500, Trek’s longtime standard in carbon-fiber bikes, and we can’t really see why.