MichaelJH

I am considering a purchase of a Trek Domane. I have been riding a Aluminum Trek 2000 for years and like the way it fits but want something new. My concern is will the Domane feel like a sluggish truck with the H2 endurance geometry ? I would like a smoother ride but still a responsive , racy feeling bike.

GlennR

Test ride a Emonda... i like mine.

hokie cycler

Fabian Cancellara has done ok on a Domane.

MonsterFat

Only way to know is test ride one. Another vote for the Emonda, mine doesn't feel like a sluggish truck. Even with an H2 fit, it is quite responsive.

macca33

Coming from a 2000 aluminium Trek, a tractor is going to feel like a jet. I'm sure the Domane will do all you need - and then some....

cheers

JHaldane

I went from a Trek 2.1 Apex to a Domane 5.9. The bike is light years ahead of my old bike as far as feel. It feels incredibly more responsive.

I also recommend taking an Emonda for a test ride, it is also a great feeling bike. You will definitely feel the road a lot more on the Emonda, so you might end up being a little more fatigued on long rides vs the Domane, but I have seen people ride full centuries on the Emonda as well. All personal preference.

Yoohoo

The Trek Domane is a sweet ride, you won't be disappointed.

HTupolev

The lack of aggressiveness of H2 is more of a compromise to aero than handling. It's more upright, but they've kept the bikes nimble.

tedder

the other thread from OP:
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...-new-bike.html

WalksOn2Wheels

If it helps, I "sized down" because I didn't want a massive head tube. It also give me space to bring the stem down should I chose to do so in the future. I'm 6'2" and would probably take a 58 in a more aggressive fit frame, but typically end up on a 56.

Also, yes Cancellara rides the Domane (or did, he is on the new Madone for his last season as far as stage racing goes), but he rides the race geometry version which is available at a steep price from Trek as a frameset.

WalksOn2Wheels

My 56cm Domane set up for my 6'2" self. Plenty racy.

MichaelJH

Looks sweet , I am 6 ft 3" and ride on a 60 on my 2000. I am wondering if I could ride a smaller size as most of my length is in my torso

timmbo

Emonda or clearance Madone!

you are probably a perfect fit on a 60, I am 6' 1" with long arms and I ride a 58cm, size charts say a 60 is a possibility but the 58 feels amazing when sized fitted professionally.

WalksOn2Wheels

As a point of reference, the seat height on my bike is 80cm from the BB center to top of saddle.

WalksOn2Wheels

I would never trust a chart. According to Trek's "fitment guide" I would barely fit on a 58 and should probably be on a 60. Both my Domane and Crockett are 56's. I would probably go with a 58 in an Emonda, but never would I touch a 60. It comes down to personal preference and most people can ride 2-3 sizes comfortably depending on the geometry.

gsa103

Probably not. Sizing down works best for riders with short torso, long legs & long arms. If you're in the long torso category, getting a proper fit is much more challenging.

Gladius

I'm 5'10" on a 54cm Domane and I should probably be on a 56cm - I had to buy the longer seat mast to get a proper fit and angle my stem up to get the right reach. All the fitters I've seen have told me I should have gone with the larger frame. It's really noticeable when I switch over to my 56cm Boone.

warpdrive

Emonda would be a good upgrade provided you aren’t looking for the extra comfort. Compared to an old generation Trek, any upgrade to a lighter carbon bike is going to feel more lively


The Emonda is their classic geometry modern bike, is suitable for people looking for a more aggressive position. The Domane can be made aggressive if you opt for a smaller frame and combination of lower stem. You can probably achieve a very similar position on either with the right combination of stems/sizing, but overall it’s going to feel a little more plush overall especially with the iso coupler which basically takes the edge off all jolts on the back end.


You should just test ride them both and see which one speaks to you. I think the Emonda would probably feel more familiar to you but the Domane isn’t a slouch either.

PaulRivers

The best way to know is to test ride one.

The Domane with the base level carbon does indeed feel like a sluggish truck.
If you move up to the midlevel of carbon, it feels a lot stiffer and more responsive, but the steering is still relatively slow. Whether this is good or bad is a matter of preference though, steering that's to fast ends up being twitchy and hard to ride, it's a matter of what steering you prefer. I was not a huge fan, I thought the turning radius was to wide.

The Trek Emonda - in midlevel carbon not the base carbon (The "SL" models if I remember right, cost around $2,800 and up) - is a much faster and more responsive bike that does not feel like a sluggish truck like the Domane did. It's a very, very, very comfortable ride, even over potholes (I test rode it). I was pretty amazed by it. It does have 1 drawback - in exchange for handling bumps and potholes easily, it loses some road feel.

The best thing to do is to go test ride some yourself and see. Try a Specialized Tarmac to if you want something super fast and responsive.

timmbo

I wouldn't say to trust the guide as a sole resource, but a rough guide to give you an idea of what sizes may work for you.

WalksOn2Wheels

Also, I just realized that you could probably get a rough estimate on fit by looking at the saddle height range on a given frame. For bikes with the integrated seat mast, Trek gives a seat height minimum and maximum (note that two seatmast lengths are offered, ask your dealer for specifics). If you look at the seat height on your current bike, you can get an idea of whether or not you would be on the extreme end of fitment for a given frame.

Also, compare stack and reach on your current bike to the Domane and Emonda for a given frame size.

But your best bet is to just call your local dealer and ask what they have in stock for a quick test ride. Everything else is just guesstimates and ballpark figures.

oldbobcat

Fabian Cancellara's Domane is very different from the Domanes at your Trek store. One model is the race shop Classics Edition. It shares the wider wheel clearances, low bottom bracket, and longer fork rake, but has a steeper head angle, a (much) longer top tube, and a (much) shorter head tube. This one is made for cobbled classics and is no longer available to the public. The other is the race shop Koppenberg edition, which is basically a Domane built to Madone H1 geometry. It's is still available, but this year Spartacus is using the new Madone 9000 in its place. It's not clear if Trek is going to make more in 2016.

I demo'd a Domane 6 two seasons ago, and I thought the handling was sluggish. Others I know love the bike. My idea of a great "endurance" bike, though, is Scott's CR1. I demo'd an Emonda SLR last fall, and it looked and rode a lot like my 4 year-old Madone 5, but lighter.