2015 Trek Emonda SL8 RED

JHumiston

Well it finally arrived, the bike is LIGHT. I swapped my Bontrager RXL wheels over even though they weigh the same as the Bontrager Race wheels. 2lbs 5oz. Better hubs though. I also bought the Bontagrer Paradigm XXX Saddle and replaced the Bontrager Paradigm RL saddle. I made the saddle color black as i think the white looks bad. I also changed the Handlebar tape to Black. I bought a XXX Handlebar also that i have to switch over. I bought the Duotrap S combo as well!

Frame: 500 Series OCLV Carbon
Forks: Full Carbon
Bars: Bontrager XXX (Aftermarket)
Stem: Bontrager RXL
Headset: Integrated, cartridge bearings, sealed, 1-1/8" top, 1.5" bottom
Bar Tape: Bontrager Supertack (Aftermarket)

Front Brake Lever: SRAM RED
Front Caliper: SRAM RED
Rear Brake Lever: SRAM RED
Rear Caliper: SRAM RED

Shifters: SRAM RED 22, 11 speed
Front Mech: SRAM RED 22
Rear Mech: SRAM RED 22

Seat: Bontrager Paradigm XXX (Aftermarket)
Seat Post: Bontrager Ride Tuned Carbon seatmast cap


Cranks: SRAM RED 22, 50/34 (compact)
Chain: SRAM RED 22
Cassette: SRAM X-Glide 1190, 11-28, 11 speed
Pedals: Shimano PD-R540
Bottom Bracket: BB30

Front Wheel: Bontrager RXL
Spokes: Aero
Hub: DT Swiss
Tire: Continental Grand Prix 4000

Back Wheel: Bontrager RXL
Spokes: Aero
Hub: DT Swiss
Tire: Continental Grand Prix 4000

Accessories: Duotrap S W/ Heart Rate Monitor

Weight: 15lb 5oz

Other info: Bontrager XXX Bottle Cages

tim_wand

Very much look forward to seeing this finished and with some pictures to do it justice.

JHumiston

Friends Roubaix with Full Ultegra

smokey_bacon

Very nice bike that. How does it ride?

Iamnot Wiggins

That is a monster headtube emphasised by the turned up stem, ruins the entire look of the bike. Bet it's light though!

JHumiston

Smokey Bacon wrote:

Very nice bike that. How does it ride?

Bike rides great! The brakes are nuts(In a good way)! The shifting is awesome, and the bike is probably the stiffest bike i have ever rode!

That is a monster headtube emphasised by the turned up stem, ruins the entire look of the bike. Bet it's light though!

Yea i have to get fitted, but for now ill use it like that. Im keeping it like that because i feel stretched as heck already! Im just not used to it yet. But ouch, i think it looks good and yea its stupid light! My Pedals add the most weight like 2lbs went from 13 to 15 once the pedals were added, might add some speedplays or dura ace, but my bank account is getting heavy.

Elfed

Lovely bike! Got the SL6 which has 6800, very impressed so far.

JHumiston

Heck yea man, did you do red or the all black?

LinkD

Great bike! What's the frame size?

Elfed

JHumiston wrote:

Heck yea man, did you do red or the all black?

The SL6 is only available in red, it's very red but I love it!
As far as the frame goes I'm not qualified to give an opinion as it's my first carbon framed bike, all I've observed compared to my aluminium Defy is that it's way quieter on the road, a hell of a lot quieter, so much quicker to pick up speed and also to hold on to speed, plus the bonus of going up hills quicker. It's also more comfortable, with less shock transmitted.
Wheels and saddle were transferred to the Emonda from the Defy so the comparison is pretty accurate.

Have to praise Trek on their superb build quality and also the fantastic service given at the LBS.

rtjdesign

That looks awesome, really like the love of the Emonda. Currently got a madone and it's a dream to ride but would love the extra weight saving of an Emonda.

rane

Elfed wrote:

JHumiston wrote:

Heck yea man, did you do red or the all black?

The SL6 is only available in red, it's very red but I love it!
As far as the frame goes I'm not qualified to give an opinion as it's my first carbon framed bike, all I've observed compared to my aluminium Defy is that it's way quieter on the road, a hell of a lot quieter, so much quicker to pick up speed and also to hold on to speed, plus the bonus of going up hills quicker. It's also more comfortable, with less shock transmitted.
Wheels and saddle were transferred to the Emonda from the Defy so the comparison is pretty accurate.

Have to praise Trek on their superb build quality and also the fantastic service given at the LBS.

Viper Red :-D

Got the same SL 6 too :-) I think that it looks better i real life. The picture on the Trek site has got a white background and gives it too high contrast tones...

JHumiston

Every bike i have seen from Trek has looked a million times better in person! As for the SL6 it comes blacked out or Viper Red. Viper red is beautiful. I wanted that color scheme for my bike but whatever. I hated my bikes color on the computer got it in person and turned the tape and saddle both black and looked a million times better! I love this bike i raced twice with the bike. The start of the race i popped a wheelie when accelerating! Handled awesome and SRAM's shifting was fuc*** Instant! I love SRAM. It will be hard for me to go back!

mulletmaster

As above the upturned stem is taking away from an otherwise lovely bike. I'm intrigued as to which pedals allegedly weigh a lb each? Bmx flats made out of lead?

JHumiston

mulletmaster wrote:

As above the upturned stem is taking away from an otherwise lovely bike. I'm intrigued as to which pedals allegedly weigh a lb each? Bmx flats made out of lead?

I just got fitted, and the stem fits the way it is. Racing season ill flip it over, but i cant hold that angle for off season with the way my back is. The pedals are Shimano 540's and they're a pound. I don't remember what that other lb was. All I remember was the pedals were the only things not on the scale when it came out to 13 lbs.

FransJacques

Bike looks great. Hope you're back improves, you're right not too go too aggressive too quickly just to make the bike look good.

But given that your set up is rather extreme for such a racey bike, it's worth investing the time off the bike to stretch and try the plank position and all the typical 'core' stuff.

JHumiston

Hey yea, i got the the stem switched over the back was fine. Heres the KICKER. I only switched it over because I got a new frame.

I was on a bike trail going about 28mph and a kid pulled out onto the trail. He was riding down a hill from the road (There is no trail at all to do this) to the trail and was not looking and he pulled out in front of me and it was too late for me to do anything and IU t-boned this kids WalMart BMX bike and I flew over top of him (Unclipped unwillingly out of bike) and landed and got up this kid is still standing with a bloody lip. I go look at my bike and its cracked in 3 places: Headtube, Bottom Bracket, and Downtube (pics to come) I called the cops, they couldnt do anything. Trek couldnt do anything for me and i had no insurance. The kids parents were not around and he didnt speak english so i was pretty much screwed. So i bought a new frame $$$

tim_wand

Bloody hell that's bad luck and then some.

You must have hit him square one for the frame to go at three points, Just behind the headtube, Bottom bracket and then again at downtube.

I was considering one of these framesets, but I m nearly 90 kg and I think the limit on them is 95kg,

I know no one can legislate for T boning a piece of pig iron at 28mph, but I wouldn't have expected it to go in 3 places, wonder just how built down for lightness these frames are?

JHumiston

These suckers are light, i was wondering the same and so was a few others. I think they are built really well! Its just i fucking nailed this dude. Straight T him! If you lose some kilo's you can move faster too!

dwanes

A downside to carbon frames. These carbon frames have not got the strength in the directions that they are not supposed to be stressed. The frames are engineered to take stresses in riding only. Light though!

JHumiston

dwanes wrote:

A downside to carbon frames. These carbon frames have not got the strength in the directions that they are not supposed to be stressed. The frames are engineered to take stresses in riding only. Light though!

Absolutely, I saw that statement come to life and and now im paranoid when i ride.

tim_wand

What shape was the front wheel and Fork in.

Guy in our LBS who races for the Army hit a pot hole at over 30mph on his Madone 6.7. Front fork broke just below the crown on Right hand side and it chewed up his Di2 lever. He replaced the whole frame set has he doesn't trust it now, but I d say the actual frame looks okay.

JHumiston

tim wand wrote:

What shape was the front wheel and Fork in.

Guy in our LBS who races for the Army hit a pot hole at over 30mph on his Madone 6.7. Front fork broke just below the crown on Right hand side and it chewed up his Di2 lever. He replaced the whole frame set has he doesn't trust it now, but I d say the actual frame looks okay.

Man, everything was A-ok. The front fork looks the same, all the components came out golden. The front wheel was as true as it was out of the box. The dish was perfect also. The frame was the only thing that got owned!

flintlock

tim wand wrote:

Bloody hell that's bad luck and then some.

You must have hit him square one for the frame to go at three points, Just behind the headtube, Bottom bracket and then again at downtube.

I was considering one of these framesets, but I m nearly 90 kg and I think the limit on them is 95kg,

I know no one can legislate for T boning a piece of pig iron at 28mph, but I wouldn't have expected it to go in 3 places, wonder just how built down for lightness these frames are?

Tim

If you check with Trek I think it might be the SLR version that has the 95kg weight limit, the std version is around 125kg.

Cheers

DKay

I'm going to say it; would you be able or willing to cut open the trashed frame to take a look at the internal construction? I think it would be interesting.

tim_wand

Flintlock wrote:

tim wand wrote:

Bloody hell that's bad luck and then some.

You must have hit him square one for the frame to go at three points, Just behind the headtube, Bottom bracket and then again at downtube.

I was considering one of these framesets, but I m nearly 90 kg and I think the limit on them is 95kg,

I know no one can legislate for T boning a piece of pig iron at 28mph, but I wouldn't have expected it to go in 3 places, wonder just how built down for lightness these frames are?

Tim

If you check with Trek I think it might be the SLR version that has the 95kg weight limit, the std version is around 125kg.

Cheers

Thanks the frameset option I was looking at is £1350, I would Imagine this is the one they use in the SL model, so hopefully it will be rated at 125kg, still surprised to see the OPs frame go in three places like that.

flintlock

Yep the £1350 frame is the SL one. I'm also looking at one.

skooter

Great bike I have the SL 8 Dura ace in black, I also changed the saddle for the lightest carbon xxxL with lighter handle bars, I did also change the chainring for a Dura ace 52/36.
I have some Elite S's on at the moment but looking to upgrade at christmas..
All I can say is AWESOME..
PS not weighed it yet as I looking for some decent scales..

JHumiston

DKay wrote:

I'm going to say it; would you be able or willing to cut open the trashed frame to take a look at the internal construction? I think it would be interesting.

Im not going to cut it open haha! Also yea i want to change my chainring now, maybe my cassete. Its pretty flat where i live at and i can spin out very easily.

DKay

JHumiston wrote:

DKay wrote:

I'm going to say it; would you be able or willing to cut open the trashed frame to take a look at the internal construction? I think it would be interesting.

Im not going to cut it open haha!

Spoil sport.