therh

Hello all,

I need help in comparing that differences of the the following, Trek Domane ALR 5 Disc Vs Emonda SL 5.

I know the Domane has Disc's, but are they really better for me than direct mount brakes? I live in a primarily dry weather and fairly flat roads and that pretty smooth. Also I have never had a disc brake bike and not sure how to maintain or adjust them.

What would be an overall more comfortable ride, as one is carbon and the other has larger wheels? I know I can always add a stem with a higher rise if I wanted.

And what other differences am I missing would make for a better over road bike, I do not plan to do any gravel riding or anything like that as price is the same.

Thanks,
RH

floridamtb

Never ridden a Domane much less and aluminum one, I have a SL6, but I've heard good things about the ALR frames, some have said they are more comfortable than some low end carbon such as the SL5. I'd say ride them and see how you like them. I'm like you, I live in flat south Florida so while discs are better in wet weather there's not much need for them here and when I travel to where I will be climbing I'm not screaming down descents where I need that much breaking power. I will say though the disc brake bikes with no rim brakes look very clean looking and thus allow for wider more comfortable tires. IN the end it would surprise me if the Domane ALR is a smoother ride.

therh

Any other differences?

TaintedRide

Well I have a Trek Emonda ALR and I really like the way it rides.

As far as getting a bike with rim brakes or disc it could go both ways. Right now the trend toward discs seems that it may decrease the price of some nice wheelsets with rim brakes in the near future since probably less people may be purchasing them in the future? This is just my opinion and could be totally wrong.

I would go with whichever bike feels more comfortable to you.

RJM

I ride an Emonda SL6 and love it...I wouldn't change it for an aluminum Domane. No way, no how. The bike is totally comfortable and scoots when I put power down. Great bike. I believe the SL5 is the same frameset but 105 instead of Ultegra.


That Domane has a regular seatpost and the carbon models, at least the higher end ones, have the seat mast system. According to my LBS, the seatmast system gives the rider a more compliant ride and allows the decoupler thingy more freedom to do what it is supposed to do. Just one shop's opinion on it.

af2nr

The SL5 has the same frame as your SL6, the only difference being the components, 105 v. Ultegra, and maybe some other bits. Maybe you are thinking of the S models which have the 400 level carbon?

OP, as far as your intended purposes and the bikes you are considering I'd say you would enjoy the Emonda, it is lighter, and it actually has a very good ride.

therh

At the same price and going to carbon, that is what I was thinking. And I like how the brake and the shift levers are also 105's as well, as well as 500 series carbon not 400 series.

gsa103

I would say there are two primary advantages to disc brakes for fair weather bikes:

1) Ability to fit larger tires. If you ride on 23-25mm tires then this doesn't really matter. If you think you'd like to try 32's then get disc brakes.

2) Using budget carbon wheels. The biggest risk with budget carbon wheels is poor braking and wheel failure due to braking heat. Disc brakes solve that.

deapee

An aluminum frame, at that price point, is much better than the lower-end carbon frame at the same price point.
Whether the aluminum frame is better than the higher-end carbon frames, is debatable.
PS: Incoming angry mob of lower-end carbon frame owners who will, obviously, disagree.

sooni

Convoluted statement. Is the Emonda SL considered a low end carbon frame?

There is no debate that the ALR is better than a SLR.... I own an ALR, and have not ridden an SLR, still, no debate.

RJM

The SL 5 isn't a low end carbon frame. Trek has three levels and it is in the middle. S, SL, SLR.

rbk_3

It's the "low end" now. They scrapped the S series for 2018.

Anyway, I chose the S series over the ALR and I am very happy with it. One of the main reasons is I sweat like a mad man and my last Aluminum frame started getting some pitting from all the sweat dripping on it.

RJM

Interesting, didn't know that. I've had quite a few bikes in my life and choose the SL6 because I found it the best value package, plus it was on sale and it rode so well. For the price that I got it at and the ride quality, I can't fault it for anything. It's even been through a few crashes and survived fine.


Man, I hear you about the sweat. I ride a trainer regularly and just pour on it; apparently I have acid sweat too because it was never good on my lasts bikes which were aluminum or steel. This bike is handling that great but I did have a problem corroding shifter cables, so watch that. lol