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The last two years of lockdown-driven cabin fever and the growing need to shed some of that work-from-home weight have led to a boom in bicycle sales. Cue the cycling enthusiasts who are willing to get up at the crack of dawn for a quick 50 km-long power ride.
Here’s a little something to take your race game up a gear: the Madone SLR 9 by US-based bicycling giants Trek Bicycles.
The brand’s newest road racing flagship – now in its seventh iteration – promises a quicker and lighter ride than ever before, clocking in at around 300g lighter and a whole “60 seconds faster per hour” compared to its predecessor.
Though it might sound like an inconsequential leg up on one’s competitors at first, these advantages compound the longer a race wears on: think long-distance bouts, where even factors like aerodynamics come into play.
To that end, Trek’s racer – from the carbon frame and handlebars, down to the svelte redesigned tubes – is designed for maximal aerodynamic efficiency. They’ve even adjusted the handlebars to force riders into “a more comfortable ergonomic riding position”, while also reducing “rider drag for extra aerodynamic speed.”
A comfier and stronger riding experience
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The brand also unveiled a race-focused improvement on their bicycle suspension system, a feature they essentially pioneered. Once dubbed IsoSpeed, the system works by flexing and buckling along with bumps in the road, deadening unnecessary vibrations and jolts to the rider.
Riders can get a comfier and stronger riding experience – and the race-ready IsoFlow in the seat tube gives up some of that pliability for extra stiffness, weight and aerodynamics.
All this, coupled with an ultra-responsive wireless electronic gear-shifting system, means that you’ve got a fearsome race bike on your hands – if you’re willing to fork out around US$13,200 (around S$18,300) for it.
More from Trek Bikes. Available via distributor Treknology 3.
