Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap
WHAT’S THE MOST fundamental aspect of any bike review? Context. So before we get hopelessly sidetracked by the eye-watering price-tag of the 2021 Trek Madone SLR 9 eTap, let’s just put it out there that this, very clearly, is not a bicycle for everyone. Costing upwards of $18,000 (as reviewed), it’s unlikely to be a bike I’d ever buy myself. Nonetheless, it’s one I can absolutely appreciate because, frankly, it’s a masterpiece. In the right hands, and with the right bank balance, it’s an epic speed machine to match the most epic of ambitions.
STYLING
Not surprisingly, the shape of the 2021 Madone SLR 9 is unrecognisable from the first Madone released by Trek way back in 2003. But on the flipside, it’s virtually impossible to discern any visible difference between the 2021 and 2020 framesets (aside from the rather ostentatious Project One ICON paint scheme
