zorax2

First, the Domane SLR is an absolutely phenomenal bike! Its ride characteristics, handling and acceleration are superlative. Whether riding on road or gravel, it is always comfortable and responsive. So far, I have about 1,500 miles on it.

My Domane is a Project One build (SLR 7 / SLR 9 combo) with SRAM eTap. I have Bontrager Aeolus XXX 4 TLR wheels with 28mm Continental Grand Prix 500 TL tires and Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3V TLR wheels with 40mm Continental Terra Speed tires. Each wheelset has its own SRAM rear cassette for fast changeovers. The 40mm Terra Speeds easily fit (the specified max is 38mm) and I haven’t run into any interference issues. The two wheelsets with the Domane add incredible versatility to the bike and I haven’t felt the need to add a dedicated gravel bike (my gravel is rural roads with light and occasional moderate loose gravel).

I love the SRAM groupset. I really appreciate the ability to adjust shifting via the app, dialing in my break lever fit and buttery smooth shifting. I’ve really come to love the “Compensation” shifting mode allowing me to keep a consistent cadence while shifting.

The integrated storage compartment is a fantastic addition and I am so thankful the Domane now has a threaded bottom bracket.

This Domane is the finest endurance bike you can buy. The IsoSpeed suspension combined with the IsoCore handlebar lend itself to dreamy comfort on even the longest rides while still giving you exceptional handling and acceleration. My longest ride on the Domane has been 130 miles (my regular rides are typically 30 to 60 miles) and I did not feel any fatigue while all my riding buddies were saying “Uncle” well before 100 miles. They hung it up after completing our Century ride and I kept enjoying my ride until darkness set in – I’m sure I could have gone 150+ miles and still felt great.

Rider info: I’m a 6’2”, 190 lbs., mid 50s avid rider. I ride about 2,000 – 2,500 miles per year on road with some gravel, 200+ miles on my Fuel EX MTB and 200+ winter miles on my Fat bike. My previous ride was a 58cm 2014 Roubaix Expert (Ultegra Groupset and CGR seatpost). My bike fitter suggested I’d fit either a 60cm or 62cm Domane and I went with a 60cm. With a bike this nice, be sure to get the correct frame size – thank goodness I didn’t get a 58cm frame based on my last bike.

The Domane is an incredible step-up (obviously) from my 2014 Specialized Roubaix Expert that I had rode for about 5,0000 miles. That being said, I really enjoyed the Roubaix. The Ultegra groupset was great and the CGR seatpost was a wonderful addition for dampening the bumps. I also thought (prior to the Domane) that it was a very comfortable ride. I also spent some time on a Specialized Diverge with the original Future Shock and new Roubaix with the Future Shock 2.0. I was originally going to upgrade to the new Roubaix but I personally felt very disconnected with the Future Shock system on both the Diverge and Roubaix. I actually preferred my 2014 Roubaix with Zertz Inserts and the CGR seatpost to the new Future Shock setup. I’m thrilled I ventured over to my local Trek dealer to check out the new Domane – it’s just in another league by comparison.

One other thing to add: my local Trek dealer and Trek have been phenomenal. I’ve been thrilled with Trek’s generous 30 day return policy allowing me to find the perfect size for my Bontrager XXX Road Shoes and gave me the confidence to try a lot of other products without worry. Trek’s lifetime warranty on their carbon wheels is unparalleled.
Domane Project One - Viper Red

jaxgtr

very nice. I also have the 2021 SLR 7 Project 1 and love the ride. I was looking at those wheels but at the time, but decided to stay with the Pro 3V's for now and maybe down the road, I will upgrade to them.

guachi

I have a 2019 Domane SL5 and the biggest plus I saw of the 2020 and later is the ability to mount 38mm tires. With a wheel swap you can have two bikes in one. And the isospeed is really good.

I'll probably splurge for an SLR7 in a year or two when supply issues clear up.

Sy Reene

Is the Domane pretty unique in its geometry characteristics? I took a look at its geo chart, and see that a 60cm frame has a really short reach-to-stack ratio (38.3cm/63.2cm). It would definitely be a bike I'd want to test ride I think. Eg. a Giant Defy in even L has a 390/605 ratio. A Synapse with 38.6cm reach, only has 59cm of stack. Are some then more often run with spacers, while a Domane it's much less likely (tradeoff being a long head tube)?

SkepticalOne

Great write-up.

I've been enjoying mine thoroughly - I've got about 12,000km on it at this point. My third domane.

I chose to configure the Project One with the ProEndurance geometry, thus the shorter head-tube.

I've played around with wheel and tire combos and have settled on Aeolus RSL 37Vs with 30c Schwalbe Pro Ones for road riding.

zorax2

That is one sweet looking ride!!!!

zorax2

Unfortunately, I don't know anything about the geometry characteristics. With that, I'm glad I went to a great bike fitter before purchasing my Domane. Finding 60cm or 62cm frames in a store to test ride is difficult in any year but was near impossible this past year with stores unable to keep anything in stock with the high demand.

GAtkins

I'm 6'4" and have a 61cm Specialized Allez. I went with the 62cm 2021 Trek Domane SLR Project One. It was the right fit for me. Glad yours is correct as well. Sure sounds like it is.

Glenn

Sy Reene

I had to look up the Pro Endurance geo. A 38.6cm reach (a tiny bit more than OP's) size is their 54, and the stack is 54cm (ie. 9cms less than the std Geo Domane)?

jaxgtr

Yea it is weird, I have always ridden a 54cm bike and on my Domane, I went down a size to a 52 as I felt the 54 was just a little long even though the geometry was not that far off from my older Emonda. I am really glad I went with the 52 cm though, really, really comfy.

Dancing Skeleton

I'm going to build up a Domane SLR, and I'm in between on frame sizes.
I'll start with this: I had a 2013 P1 Domane, which was destroyed in a crash, it was a 52 cm. I had a 100mm stem, and one spacer above the headset.
I replaced it with a 2019 Emonda SLR (rim brake) in a 52 cm. I've got a 90mm stem, and two (soon to be one) spacers above the headset.
In comparing the two frame geometries, it seems that a 50 cm Domane frame is closer (except in reach, I'd need a 105 or 110 stem) in fit to a 52 cm Emonda than a 52 cm is.
I'm really considering a 50 cm Domane to compliment my Emonda.
You have a 54 in the Emonda, and a 52 in the Domane. How do they feel in comparison to each other?

Thanks

Pizzaiolo Americano 

I'd go UP a size on the Domane or stay the same if you like the 54 in the Emonda. If not, the reach is going to feel real short. I had a 2018 Emonda in 52 and my 2020 52 Domane feels smaller...I'll also add that toe overlap becomes an issue on the 50 for me....

jaxgtr

My Emonda is the ALR version, so the SLR Carbon has an obvious advantage on overall smoothness, but, the Trek Alpha 300 frame with carbon bars and seat post, really helps make the ride less harsh than you would expect on an aluminum frame. When I bought the ALR, I was looking at the Emonda SL6 initially, but I took the ALR for a 45 mile test ride, and I was blown away at how nice the bike felt on the road. I really could not justify the price of the SL6 when the ALR felt just about the same and weight wise, was actually lighter by the time I got done making changes. I have Shimano 6800 mechanical\rim brake, Aeolus 50mm Carbon wheels on the Emonda, and Ultegra Di2\Disc brakes, Aeolus Pro 3V wheels on the Domane so there is some differences there. The Di2 is awesome by the way, really like the Di2. Did I mention that I liked Di2? Oh, I like Di2.

As far as ride characteristics, both bikes are super responsive, the Domane more so due to the 108 point engagement on the rear hub, so when I mash on the pedals, there is absolutely no delay in forward motion. The Emonda is much more twitchy with a shorter wheel base and lighter in weight almost 2.5lbs. My Emonda weighs in at 15.9 lbs, the Domane is 18.25 lbs, and that includes the pedals. I have really come to enjoy the wider tires and tubless on the Domane and I am running them around 55 psi. With the Emonda, I am running tubed with 25mm at 90 psi. I am seriously looking at moving to tubeless on the Emonda, but in any event, the next set of tires I get for this bike, will be 28's. I also have shorter cranks on the Domane, 170 versus 172.5 but don't really feel any difference there, so that is a non factor.

I find the more relax position and cushier tire pressure on the Domane much easier on my 56 year old body. If I plan on putting in longer miles, 45 plus, I am taking the Domane without a second thought. However, I still love to ride the Emonda, it is a snappy, quick, exhilarating ride. I don't have to worry about climbing here as I live in Florida, so my biggest challenge is wind. Ugggg, the wind, so due to that I use 14-28 cassettes on both bikes. I rarely if ever used the 11,12, or 13 tooth cogs, so I would rather have a 16, 18, and 20 to battle the winds. Then if I take a trip to the hills in GA or the Carolina's, I have 11-28, 11-30, and the 11-34 cassettes that I use in combo with the 50/34 cranks. I also put a r8000 long cage on the Emonda, so I could take advantage of the larger cassettes without having to change chains. The Emonda is also my the bike I use on my Wahoo Kickr Core which is nice, so if I want to ride some mountains, I can swap cassettes and away I go.

I seriously thought about selling the Emonda after I got my Domane, but I just could not do it...I still love the bike, it makes me happy to ride it. Did I mention I like Di2? And yes, if the new Di2 is wireless I will eyeballing that for the Emonda as my specific frame was not designed for Di2 and I would never drill the a hole in the rear dropouts to run it.

blakcloud

Champlain lookout on the Gatineau Parkway I presume? I cycled that this summer. Looking forward to riding it gain next summer. I also settled on the Aeolus RSL 37Vs with Rene Herse Chinook Pass 28c but plump out to 30 mm on those rims.

To the OP, congratulations on your new bike. It is great to hear when someone really enjoys their bike. Happy riding.

Dean V

Are they both the same geometry category. i.e H2 or H1.5 or something else?
I ride 56cm in both Emonda and Domane. Both H2. The geometry isn't identical but near enough that I can get the same fit on both by moderate stem and spacer adjustments.

Dancing Skeleton

Both are standard geometry.

I'd like to find out how the two frames feel fit wise in relation to each other, with the Domane being 2cm smaller than the Emonda.

Thanks

Pizzaiolo Americano 

Like I posted above, I have had both and the new Domane definitely feels smaller. The 2018 Emonda fit me perfectly and I almost went up a size on my new Domane (I was able to get fit right with a longer stem and less spacers). I also had a 2019 Domane (hit by a car...) and it was sized really similar to the Emonda. To further complicate (or simplify maybe) the new Domane can be had is H1.5 fit which is closer to the old Emonda.

Dancing Skeleton

Same here with being hit by a car.
On your 2019, where you write that it was sized really similar to the Emonda, were both frames the same size, or is there where you went up a size?
I've got the H2 on the Emonda, and will have the standard Domane frame.

Thanks.

Pizzaiolo Americano 

The 2019 was the same size (52) as my 2018 Emonda. If I remember right, I had the same size stem but less spacers on it to match the Emonda. My current 2021 Domane is also a 52 but feels smaller than both of those bikes. The 54 would have probably been closer. I have the 52 set up with less spacers and a longer stem as well. If you are getting an SLR, I believe you can get it with the H1.5 geo and that may be the best bet if you are looking to get a bit more aggressive fit.

tigat

Six ft. tall. First Domane was a 58. Moved to a 56 on the Emonda, and stayed there on the 2020 Domane. On the Emonda I run a shorter stem and 4cm more drop - 9 vs. 5 on the Domane. Both are very comfortable.