On the eve of the Tour de France we had the chance to see the new Trek Madone SLR Gen 8 up close. Mads Pedersen will use for the Grande Boucle.
Even if the route appears rather demanding, Lidl-Trek has a lot of confidence in the former Danish world champion for the finish line of the first stage.
A stage victory, in addition to being prestigious, would award the first yellow jersey.
Setting up and measuring the frame
With the introduction of the new Madone Gen 8, Trek has changed the sizing chart from the Gen 7 Madone (which Pedersen was a fan of) and we were curious to see how the Pros would fit.
Pedersen used a size 58 on the Gen 7 and for the new Madone SLR Gen 8 he chose an L, also because the geometries are superimposable. Jonathan Milan, on the other hand, who was riding a 60, revealed to us that he opted for an XL with a little less thickness.
The integrated cockpit measurements have remained the same: handlebar mount da 130 mm, width of 37 cm on the upper part of the fold and 40 cm on the lower part.
The shape is practically identical to the Madone handlebar, although the upper bar is a little less flattened.
Pedersen is 181cm tall, pedals at around 79cm and, as you can see, has opted for a straight seatpost.
Transmission
Pedersen’s new Trek Madone SLR Gen 8 for the Tour is equipped with a Sram Red AXS drivetrain.
The crankset has 172.5mm cranks and chainrings 56-43very long ratios that the Dane particularly loves. The rear cassette is a 10-33.
The pedals are the Time XPRO 10, which have been part of the Sram family for some time. We would like to point out that this is not the lightest model in the range. A choice that we also saw on Milan’s bike at the Giro and which (we imagine) is linked to the desire not to refine too much on a component so stressed.
Wheels and tires
The photos you see in this article are taken with the Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 with 51 mm profile and 23mm internal channelbut for the fastest stages we have often seen the Dane adopt the RSL 62. The hubs have DT Swiss internal mechanisms, with the exception of the bearings, which on the wheels used by the team are ceramic and made by Kogel.
The tires are new Pirelli P Zero Race TLR RS 700×28 made with FSC certified natural rubber. We remind you that the maximum wheel clearance allows you to accommodate tires up to 700×32.
The choice between tubeless and TPU inner tube is not a given for Pedersen, as in some races the Dane prefers to use the inner tube to get the feeling of a stiffer and more responsive bike.
The equipment is completed by the cycle computer Wahoo Elemnt Roam.
The measured weight, with bottle cage, cycle computer support and pedals is 7,2 kg.
Pedersen’s new Trek Madone SLR 8: technical specifications at a glance
Chassis: Trek Madone SLR gen 8 mis. L
Group: Sram Red AXS
Crankset: Sram Red 56-43, 172.5mm shafts, with power meter
Sprocket pack: Sram Red 10-33
Pedals: Time Xpro 10
Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus RSL 51 o 62 in base all studs
And: Pirelli PZero Race TLR RS 700×28
Stem and handlebar: Aero RSL Road 130mm x 37-40cm wide
Cycle computer: Wahoo Elemnt Roam
Weight: 7.2 kg with pedals and bottle cage
For more information: trekbikes.com/it/it_IT/
Below are all the details of the new Madone Gen 8:
New Trek Madone Gen 8: Replaces both the Emonda and Madone Gen 7
