Madone 3.5 or Madone 4.7

camerondds71

I am about to buy the Madone 3.5 or Madone 4.7, I think I can buy the 4.7 for £200 more than I can buy the 3.5. I think it's a no brainer to buy the 4.7, but one worry persists: Why does the 3.5 get a five star rating and why did the 4.7 only get three stars? Am I missing something? Is the 3.5 a better bike?

ALaPlage

The 400 series frames a better frame than the 300 series. Marginal however for the average man but will have a better combo of stiffness and flex. I can't comment on the magazine reviews as it often depends if it's a group test or it may have been list price where value I'd deemed less equitable and cost a star in the rating.

For £200 ish I would pay for the 4.7. Longer term if you wanted to upgrade wheels or groupset then you are doing it with a better frame.

Have you tried the bikes? That should feel the same in terms of geometry and fit. If you get a test ride where you may notice a little difference is when you put the power down to sprint or push on uphill. The 4.7 will have that little better feel to it and appear to kick on more sharply. As I say it will be marginal.

Good choice of bike either way but my heart and head say go for the 4.7 particularly as there's such a little in cost difference.

gabriel959

I am not a Trek man but the 4.7 has slightly better spec, like Ultegra brakes, carbon seatpost plus better frame as above. That for me would sway it over the 3.5.

edhornby

the star ratings are taken from the magazine that rated them - and the ratings will be relative to their peers in the same price bracket, so might be worth hunting to see if you can figure out what was tested alongside it?

camerondds71

Thanks. I took the ratings from the reviews on this website, I have no idea what they were tested against. I think the 4.7 that was tested was the 2011 bike. Would that make a difference?