Trek refers to the Domane as a “Performance all-road bike” and I have to say their description is fairly apt. We decided to put this endurance road bike to the test, to find out just how capable it really is.
I’ve been riding the 4th Generation Trek Domane SL 7 for a while now and I can’t deny its versatility – the roads of West Sussex don’t tend to be in the best state so you can guarantee while testing a bike you’re going to encounter a variety of road surfaces.
At 163cm I sit right at the end of a 50cm frame but according to Trek’s sizing chart I could also fit on a 52cm. I opted for the 50cm which initially felt quite short, but I think that was more a case of me adapting from the previous bike I was riding as overall the 50cm fit comfortably.
Is the Trek Domane fast?
When you hear the term “Endurance Bike” you could be forgiven for thinking you might be trading speed for comfort. But that’s not the case with the Trek Domane.
Trek’s latest edition of the Domane is their fastest, lightest Domane disc yet. It was created to withstand some of the world’s toughest road bike races, including the infamous Paris-Roubaix (where the Domane was raced to victory 2 years in a row by Elisa Longo Borghini & Lizzie Deignan).
Updated aero Kammtail tube shaping, premium OCLV Carbon and a new lightweight frame design provide increased speed on the new Domane. Meanwhile, the newly refined IsoSpeed technology allows the Domane’s rider to enjoy long-haul comfort.
I certainly didn’t feel that I was losing out on the Domane – in fact, the added comfort features likely allowed me to ride faster as I was less concerned by the lumps and bumps of the West Sussex roads that I tested the bike on.
Is the Trek Domane comfortable?
The ability to run up to 38mm tyres, paired with endurance geometry and rear IsoSpeed make the Trek Domane a very comfortable bike for both short and long rides.
What is IsoSpeed?
The Trek Domane features rear IsoSpeed, a frame technology that “decouples” the seat post from the rest of the frame to provide extra seated compliance, which then reduces the impact of bumps/rough surfaces meaning you’ll feel less fatigued. This is ideal for longer rides where you need to manage your energy as much as possible.
I have to say, jumping from a more race-focused road bike to the Domane you can immediately notice the difference in comfort. Initially I ran the Domane with the stock 32c Bontrager R3 tyres, and even then I could feel the difference right away. Small potholes become slightly less concerning (though I’d still try to avoid them where possible) and I don’t feel like I’m taking every bump through my hands.
What is the spec on the Trek Domane SL 7?
The Trek Domane SL 7 model comes with a 12-speed Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset, which as I’m sure you can imagine shifts beautifully. Ultegra sits towards the higher end of Shimano’s groupset options, and delivers faster, smoother shifting than its cheaper counterparts, as well as sleek aesthetics. The 50cm Domane comes with 170mm cranks, which I had no complaints about.
Additional features include Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37 carbon wheels, that provide additional weight saving and aero benefits. The ability to run up to 38mm tyres on these rims means you can use a pretty chunky tyre if desired, for extra comfort on the road or confidence on light off-road. Which leads me to my next point.
Is the Trek Domane a Gravel Bike?
Trek touts this as an all-road/gravel-friendly bike, and we wanted to test that theory. Although primarily a road bike, the ability to run up to 38mm tyres on the gen 4 model means it’s perfectly capable of being ridden on a variety of road surfaces. We decided to put this to the test.
I swapped out the Bontrager R3’s for a set of Maxxis Ramblers in 38mm.
Why not keep it in the family with Bontrager tyres I hear you ask? Truthfully the answer mostly lies in aesthetics, as we really wanted to see what tan walls looked like on the gravel-coloured SL 7 (pretty great I think, but I am a sucker for a tan wall) and there wasn’t any tan walled stock available from Bontrager at the time.
But you also can’t go wrong with a set of Maxxis tyres anyway, the Rambler is a fantastic gravel option and they served me well on my little experiment.
I took the bike to a nearby section of the Downs Link, a 37-mile (59km) shared-use route that links the North Downs Way (Near Guildford) with Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex. I jumped on at Henfield and was pleasantly surprised at how well the bike handled off-road. Although some sections have recently been resurfaced there are still enough lumps and bumps to remind you that you aren’t on the road, but the combo of IsoSpeed and the thicker tyres meant it didn’t feel like I was going to be rattled to death.
Trek Domane SL 7 – Final Thoughts
Overall the Trek Domane SL 7 is a truly versatile, fast and comfortable road bike. I was really impressed with how comfortable I felt on the off-road sections once I had a set of gravel tyres on, and I didn’t feel disadvantaged whatsoever on the road. The spec on the Trek Domane SL 7 specifically is a perfect mid-high end blend of componentry that will serve any rider well.
Is the Trek Domane SL 7 the right bike for you? If you want a solid all-rounder that is still fast on the road but offers light off-road capabilities and all-day comfort then the answer is absolutely, yes.
