Trek Slims Madone Road Bikes - Keeps Madone 7-series (Carbon) and the 2-series (Aluminum)

2015 Trek Madone 2.1 - Entry Level Aluminum Road Bike

Trek has limited the 2015 Madone range to the top-end carbon 7-series and aluminium 2-series bikes, giving greater prominence to this entry point to the Madone pedigree. This follows the introduction of the ultra-light Trek Emonda and Trek's continued emphasis on the sportive-friendly Domane.

It has an Alpha 200-series (Trek’s premium alloy) aluminium frame that's based on the carbon Madones. It includes the KVF (Kammtail Virtual Foil) down tube shape – a flatter profile on the back of tube to improve aerodynamics – and internal gear cabling. The frame also has a wide BB86.5 bottom bracket, which houses the bearings inside the bottom top shell, and allows a chunkier down tube and stiffer platform for power transfer. The all-up weight is 8.9kg.

The H2 fit of the 2-series Madones isn’t as racy as the company’s H1 setup – our 54cm sample has a 150mm head tube – but it strikes a nice balance between head-down racing bikes and more upright endurance-focused machines.

The tapered fork also has KVF shaping on the rear of the legs, and is carbon with an alloy steerer. It includes a SpeedTrap module for transmitting speed and distance data to a head unit via a traditional magnet attached to the spoke. There are hidden mudguard mounts behind both the front and rear dropouts.


Last year’s 10-speed Shimano 105 levers with Tiagra cassette are now 105 11-speed (with an 11-28 cassette) 105 derailleurs. There’s no 105 crankset though – instead the Madone 2.1 is specced with a black RS500 chainset (50/34t), which retains Shimano’s older five-bolt set-up.

The Bontrager TLR tubeless-ready wheels have low-profile, rounded rims, and are shod in Bontrager R1 Hard-Case Lite 23mm tires.

You'd expect the aluminium seatpost at this price point, although it may be the first thing to put on your upgrade list. The second being the unbranded dual-pivot brakes. Even with these concessions, the Madone 2.1 could well prove to be a smart choice at this competitive price point – if its frame lives up to its name.

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