2012 Madone 5.9

ALaPlage

I finally picked up my new Madone 5.9 with Di2. After 3 years on a Madone 5.9 and some ready cash to treat myself I thought I would get a new bike and fancied something a little more "exotic". So test rides booked on a Colnago CLX and Pinarello Rokh and FP Quattro were arranged. They were good particularly the Colnago but something wasn't quite right. So the kind man in the LBS suggested the latest incarnation of my old bike and a test ride later and a lighter wallet I arrive home with a new Madone.

Just one 26 mile done and I am delighted with it. Stiffer than the outgoing model and a joy to ride. Love the clean lines with all the wiring internal plus the Duotrap system which feeds my Garmin Edge meaning no zip tied speed/cadence sensor on the frame

Weighed it with saddle and Keo blade pedals and it stands me at under 7.4kg

Spec and pictures for your pleasure below.

Colour - Blue Ink/Trek White
Frame - 500 Series OCLV Carbon, E2, BB90, internal cable routing, DuoTrap compatible
Fork - Race X Lite w/E2 carbon steerer, carbon crown & legs
Size - 56cm
Frame fit - H2
Wheels - Shimano Ultegra, tubeless
Tyres - Ultremo ZX HD 700x23c
Shifters - Shimano Ultegra STI Di2, 10 speed
Front derailleur - Shimano Ultegra Di2, braze-on
Rear derailleur - Shimano Ultegra Di2
Crank - Shimano Ultegra, 50/34 (compact)
Cassette - Shimano Ultegra 11-28, 10 speed
Pedals - Look Keo Carbon Blade Ti 16nm
Saddle - Bontrager Affinity Race Lite, hollow stainless steel rails, 146mm width
Seatpost - Bontrager Ride Tuned Carbon seatmast cap, 20mm offset
Handlebar - Bontrager Race X Lite Blade VR-C, carbon, 31.8mm
Stem - Bontrager Race X Lite, 7 degree, 31.8mm
Headset - Integrated, cartridge bearings, sealed, alloy, 1-1/8" top, 1.5" bottom
Brakeset - Shimano Ultegra brakes w/Shimano Ultegra STI Di2 levers
Grips - Bontrager gel tape

bencolem

All that beautifully presented neatness then you go and mount the rear tyre upside down! What's the extension behind the saddle? Interesting that you preferred it over the CLX. More relaxed geo?

ALaPlage

bencolem wrote:

All that beautifully presented neatness then you go and mount the rear tyre upside down! What's the extension behind the saddle? Interesting that you preferred it over the CLX. More relaxed geo?

The rear saddle extension is a clip on Bontrager seat pack. Damn tyre - thanks for pointing out - I'll have to change it

The CLX was a lovely ride but felt heavy and not as responsive as the Trek. Didn't feel stretched or uncomfortable on it and maybe it's because of my previous Madone the Trek just felt and rode better for me.

flanners1

The CLX is a good ride but a little harsh and it is quite 'heavy' like all 'Nags it is well planted especially on fast downhills.

The Madone just does everything so well all in mind boggling comfort and speed, but it is a Trek.

Mind you neither of mine are current models.

p9uma

Ooh yummy, I think I need to lie down.

MarksMintness

Drool... I really want a Madone one day. I have a 1.1 and love it, working my way up the chain gradually! Mate, enjoy that bike vicariously for me

ALaPlage

Thanks for the comments chaps. I love my new Madone. When I was moving up the bike chain ( ) I had a ride of a friends Madone and was hooked as it just fit and felt so light and responsive compared to the Boardman I had. Don't get me wrong the Boardman was much loved and really got me to love my cycling after a long break. It had got me wanting to ride whenever I could but drove the inevitable of wanting something lighter and exciting :!:

So trying different bikes in my sub £1500 budget I was left wanting after the spin on the Madone 5.9. So I turned my eye to second hand and surprisingly found quite a number of options in the Madone world of lightly used and good condition bikes. Finally picking up a 2005 unused frame that had been built up with brand new race lite wheels and Bontrager X lite finishing kit and Ultegra 6700 groupset. I paid the man £1300 for the bike and have had three great years of riding on it. So with a bonus from work recently I thought I'd treat myself to a new bike and despite my success buying used wanted to have a new new bike this time. Even crazier I stuck my Madone on Fleabay for £900 start price and it ended up selling for £1300! How mad is that.

As I said above I had it in my head to go for something different but after test rides have ended up with another Madone. It's great. If you want a Madone though don't rule out buying used. In my experience the owners love their cycling and have looked after their bike so all the ones I saw at the time were in great shape and it just came down to spec of components and colour scheme - I wanted a red one so ignored the plethora of USPS Blue liveried ones that were available on the used market place. It got me my dream bike at the time and I've had great fun on it.

Now a whole new adventure of riding awaits on my new Madone starting with the 52 mile Manchester ride on BH Monday and a round Britain challenge for Alzheimer's Research UK that runs in August (see expedition wise website for details of full ride and day stages or link from Iceland Foods website as they are the event sponsors).

There appears to be a lot of a trek haters out there and many who have never even tried one. Mostly due to links with LA or dislike for American products generally which I can understand. That said they miss out on a great range of bikes.

JSVB01

Hi, I bought a 60cm 5.9 Madone from Sigma Sport in Kingston back in February after having a quick ride (with bruised ribs from going over a car's bonnet a week earlier which wrecked my 4 month old Kinesis GF Ti) - loved it and find it gets better with more miles - very comfortable, great riding position and it's much quicker than it looks though 50/34 and 12/28 is pretty spot on for the 40 somethings that don't race. I can't recommend it enough.

I modified it quickly with a set of Mavic Kysrium Elites and new Conti 4000S tyres having had problems with changing tyres on the tubeless compatible Ultegras and the BontRager whitewall tyres made it look like a 1950s American Roadster!

However, the best wheels for this bike are my Harry Rowland training wheels (32 spokes Mavic Open Pros front and back with Ultegra Hubs) that aren't that much slower then the Mavics and a damn site more comfortable. Also have some Fulcrum Racing Ones I bought at half price last year and the bike absolutely flies if a little harsh on the crap roads around here.

Also threw my Fizik Aliante Saddle on it not that the Bontrager was uncomfortable in the slightest - just get bored easily.

My only niggle with the 5.9 is that the Ultegra brakes aren't really strong enough when screaming down the local hills (40+ mph) in Surrey (Box Hill etc.) though I'm considering upgrading them to Dura Ace and will change the pads this weekend.

I was originally going to go bespoked Titanium but decided this bike had all the elements including Di2 which when tuned to the cassette is brilliant (changing wheels over can be a nuisance if the indexing isn't the same). Also didn't want to have to wait 2 months to get the bike!

To sum up I can't think of many bikes that are better value for money (relative at £3.5k but the insurance claim helped) and believe me I did my homework.

Other than replacing the bent titanium training bike, I think the next bike will have to be something really quite special (Parlee or Guru?) to warrant chopping this one in!

Cheers.
JB

RideOnTime

Coolio, stoolio...

ALaPlage

Got some miles in now and completed the 52 mile cycle Manchester ride in 2h 40m. The bike is just a great ride; really responsive and enough stiffness when putting the power on. Delighted with my choice and the Di2 is so sweet clicking through the cogs.

Thought I'd end up changing the saddle but surprised with the comfort of the Stock Bontrager seat supplied.

I also switched the Bonti R3 tyres with whitewall to the Ultremo ZX HD's as it just didn't look right to me. Have righted the tyre orientation for photo compliance so will upload a pic again.

TMR

JSVB01 wrote:

My only niggle with the 5.9 is that the Ultegra brakes aren't really strong enough when screaming down the local hills (40+ mph) in Surrey (Box Hill etc.) though I'm considering upgrading them to Dura Ace and will change the pads this weekend.

Sorry, but this is b*llocks. I have a full Ultegra GS on my 2011 Cervelo RS, and can say that Ultegra brakes are excellent. I bet I'm heavier than you as well (96KG) and I have NO problems braking. I have no problems descending either - you make it sound as though 40 MPH is fast. I have a friend in Dorking, so have visited and rode Box Hill, White Down etc a number of times - no problems with braking.

I have no issue at all with someone criticising equipment if it's genuinely bad, but Ultegra brakes are superb - the problem seems to be with the user having no clue how to descend or brake :P

CharlesM505

As with above, I disagree about the ultegra brakes, I had them on my old trek, and thought they were bloody good, maybe your weight is not at the right point when braking? Eg leaning back slightly, also using both and not just the front, this is a common mistake made by people, only using the front brake,also I may be wrong but pads may need to brake in a bit? Don't quote me on that one though haha

Lovely bike btw!

rolf_f

If the pads are in cartridges then braking strength can only really be affected by (assuming everything is clean and working properly) the pad material, the pull ratio of the brake and the rigidity of the calipers and levers themselves.

I can't believe that Dura Ace is going to be any better in any of these variables than Ultegra aside possibly (but perhaps unlikely) in terms of the pad material.

But if you just want to spends some more money for the sake of it.....

JSVB01

Man have I set off a storm in a tea cup when we're all in violent agreement! I should have been more careful in what I wrote.

Definitely agree the Ultegra brakes are very good - had them for 6 years and close to 20,000 miles over the last 3 years on 4 different frames. Whilst I'm not Cancellara, I can descend quickly and know all the tricks to pull the bike up quickly living in the outskirts of London!

My comments were meant to be relative (as per the term "niggle" rather than and I'm not into wasting money for gear that I don't need but the brakes were noisy and not pulling straight. So I dropped into Sigma Sports today and got the bike sorted and I will change the pads over to Dura Ace as I've got them on Ultegra calipers on the broken Kinesis!!

Also just put the Fulcrums Racing Ones on and can't wait to get out tomorrow!

Thanks for your concern and will put up some pictures once I've cleaned the wheels!