The 13 Best Trek Bikes
Trek’s founding story is out of a Hollywood director’s mind and a non-fiction writer’s wish list: In 1976, Bevill Hogg and Dick Burke drank beers at the Pine Knoll Supper Club in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, and debated over the name of their would-be cycling company. They settled on Trek and soon went to work in a barn between Madison and Milwaukee, where a total of five employees built the companies first bikes out of steel. That founding is still at the company’s core today, as its modern headquarters are in Waterloo, WI, near the barn that facilitated its first years.
“We’re a uniquely American success story from Small Town [sic] USA,” Brand Manager Eric Bjorling said in an email. “So many of the values that have led to Trek’s success-hard work, craftsmanship, responsibility, commitment to our customers-are Wisconsin values.”
Its values may be hyper-local and American, but it’s now a company at the center of a globalized cycling market that has made industry-leading technological advances.
Project One
Trek’s earliest models were fully manufactured in the U.S., and although that’s no longer the case, it does still perform some hands-on work stateside. A lot of that American labor comes from the Trek’s Project One, which is a program for customers to choose what frame, components, paint, and graphics they want to combine for their next bike. Those bikes are then painted and assembled in Waterloo, and once your bike is ready it’s sent to your local Trek retailer.
But, if you have the money and interest, you can take that personal experience a step further with two different options. Both options involve traveling to Trek’s headquarters in Waterloo, a tour of Trek’s factory, meeting the Trek development team, a lunch ride, and lunch in Trek’s on-site café. The two options diverge after these similarities.
Option 1 lets you pick up your bike at the headquarters, and Option 2 allows you to be professionally fitted and then design your bike at the headquarters. These options are available through Trek Travel, the company’s international travel business that offers a range of trips and experiences.
IsoSpeed
A recent example of Trek’s “industry-leading technological advances” mentioned above is IsoSpeed, which is available at the front and rear on certain Trek models. The rear decoupler is at the junction of the seat and top tube, and the front decoupler is located at the top of the headset.
The front IsoSpeed decoupler allows the fork steerer tube to flex more than it would with a fixed upper headset cup, which helps damp some impacts. The rear IsoSpeed decoupler provides increased vertical seat tube deflection (compared to a traditional fixed seat tube design), for a smoother ride. The rear IsoSpeed system is adjustable on the latest Madone and Domane models, which lets the rider you adjust the compliance level, for terrain and or personal preference, by up to 14 percent. You might not even need to adjust the rear slider to experience the road-smoothing effects of the two decouplers working together- our team found that the all-over effect was fast and smooth performance equally suited to asphalt and cobbles.
Classics specialist Fabian Cancellara, who retired from racing as a member of World Tour team Trek-Segafredo, worked with Trek engineers to develop the final version of IsoSpeed technology, which is especially useful on the cobbles and other rough surfaces that riders cover on most Classics courses. Since its 2012 release on the Domane, Trek has claimed that IsoSpeed doesn’t sacrifice the rider's power transfer at the cost of more compliance.
Trek’s Standard
“We hold all the products we make to an incredible standard-love,” Bjorling said. “It has to be something that we truly believe in and love using or we simply won’t make it.”
With that in mind, if you’re in the market for a road, mountain, or city bike (or any other style), then Trek has something made for you. These are our 13 favorite models from the brand.
Madone SLR 9 Disc
A speed-machine, ideal for serious road racers
Price: $12,000
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It’s no longer debatable that “disc brakes aren’t aero enough to race on.” Tell that to the now numerous Tour de France stage winners who’ve won highly contested sprints with disc-brake-model bikes. The Madone SLR 9 Disc is the premier aerodynamic offering from Trek. The SLR 9 Disc’s frame is made from 700 Series OCLV carbon and features a adjustable IsoSpeed, which can be set to create more or less frame compliance. This technology can be utilized to suit the rider and the route. Pro-level components on this bike include full Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset (50/34 crankset, 11-28 cassette), including flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes, Bontrager Aeolus XXX 6 carbon wheels (tubeless ready), and a Madone-specific seatpost, headset, and handlebar. Models range from $6,000-$12,000.
Super Commuter+ 8s
A literal super commuter, ready for any ride to work or elsewhere
Price: $5,200
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As our editorial director Bill Strickland says, “An E-bike isn’t a worse bike. It is a better car.” No statement is truer of the Super Commuter+ 8s. The “E” part of this bike comes by way of a 350W Bosch Performance Speed motor and a 500Wh Bosch PowerPack battery that’s integrated into the frame. This bike’s pedal assist reaches up to 28mph, which you can plainly view on its Bosch Purion Display that also shows estimated battery life. This sturdy bike features 27.5x 2.4-inch Schwalbe Super Moto-X tires, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, and an 11-speed, 11-42 cassette. Lights, front and rear, and fenders help make this bike more versatile, ready to work no matter the weather or the time of day. With the Super Commuter+ 8s, no commute is unrideable.
Domane SL 6 Disc
The smoother endurance race bike
Price: $3,600
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The Domane SL 6 Disc comes in at the middle of the Domane SL line, but it’s far from a middle-of-the-pack bike. With front and rear IsoSpeed technology and endurance geometry, the Domane SL is a great for racers or riders who love put in big hours on the saddle. The SL 6 version is stock with a full Shimano Ultegra groupset (50/34 crank, 11-32 cassette), including flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes, 32mm Bontrager Hard-Case Lite tires, and a Bontrager carbon seatpost. The Domane SL is designed for comfort and efficiency on long, multi-surface rides.
520
Steel touring bike ready for anything
Price: $1,575
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There are few things more classic than a steel touring bike, especially from a brand like Trek that got its start with steel. The 520 is made for multi-day tours, bikepacking on non-technical terrain, long-range commutes, and single day riding. Complete with a Shimano Sora/Alvio blended 9-speed groupset, including a 48/36/26T crank and an 11-36 cassette, 38c Bontrager tires, this bike is capable of climbing and covering non-technical unpaved routes. The 520 is a bike with many faces, but its value is most felt on bike tours that span more than a day.
Marlin 7 Women’s
An everyday bike that’s also capable of satisfying your off-road curiosity
Price: $750
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The Trek Marlin 7 Women’s is a trail-ready bike with a robust, aluminum frame and features that are typically found on higher-end bikes, such as internal cable routing, a RockShox XC30 coil-sprung fork with 100mm of travel and a hydraulic lockout switch, dropper-post–ready internal routing, and mounts for a rack and kickstand. The Shimano Altus 9-speed drivetrain and triple chainrings offer a wide range of gearing. Women-specific touches include a narrower handlebar, short-reach brake levers, and a women’s saddle. Available in a non-women's-specific model too.
CrossRip+
Made for riders who want a road-bike experience and a faster commute
Price: $4,200
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With a drop bar, traditional road-riding position, and road-bike-like handling, the CrossRip+ will feel more natural to an experienced cyclist than it will a newbie. A rear rack-designed for mounting bags, not for the direct attachment of cargo-slickly integrated lights, full-coverage fenders, and a kickstand are included. The stock 38mm-wide tires feature toughened sidewalls to help protect against flats. The CrossRip+ features a 1x11 SRAM Force 1 groupset, 11-42T cassette, and SRAM hydraulic disc brakes. With a Bosch Performance Line motor that can pedal assist up to 28mph, this utilitarian bike makes “ugh” trips easy.
Fuel EX 9.8 29
Trail bike that can climb and descend well, ready for all shredding
Price: $5,700
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Although the higher-end models of the Fuel EX line are quite expensive, this bike delivers components and an on-ride versatility that makes it worth the money you’ll spend. The 9.8 29 version comes with an OCLV mountain carbon frame, a Fox Performance 34 Float fork with 130mm of travel, Fox Performance Float EVOL rear suspension, Bontrager Line Carbon 30 Wheels, and a 1x12 SRAM GX Eagle groupset (32t crank and 10-50 cassette). All of that comes together to create a bike that exists within the middle of the cross country and trail bike Venn diagram. Models range from $2,000 - $8,000.
820
An affordable just-ride bike for paved and unpaved trails
Price: $380
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Now, despite some amazing $5,000-$12,000 bikes, don’t begin to think that Trek doesn’t have a carefully crafted model for every sort of rider. The 820 is Trek’s answer to people who just a want solid, reliable, and affordable bike to ride. With a steel frame, a fork with 75mm of travel, and 26 by two-inch-wide tires, the 820 is labeled as an entry-level hardtail mountain bike. This bike would be great for college students looking for a reliable commuter and way to explore local trails, or a family looking to buy a bike that can be used by several people for a variety of purposes. A 7-speed Shimano Tourney groupset, with a 42/34/24 crank and a 14-28 cassette, will enable almost any level rider to get where they’re going.
Farley 5
An entry-level, rigid fat bike
Price: $1,790
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A fat bike is made for all-year riding in the conditions otherwise unmanageable, even with a regular mountain bike. The Farley 5 is the beginning of the Farley family, but with an aluminum frame, carbon fork, huge 27.5x4.5-inch tires, and a 10-speed Shimano Deore drivetrain it’s ready to grow with you as you get more serious about fat biking. SRAM Level hydraulic disc brakes stop those burly tires whenever you’d like. Although it’s absolutely a fat bike, the Farley 5 would be great for bikepacking adventures and some single track, which makes it useful any time of the year.
FX 3 Disc
Hybrid bike that works for greenway rides, commutes, and neighborhood strolls
Price: $780
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A hybrid bikes mean different things to different people. To some, it’s both a way to habitually exercise and explore. To others, it’s only a tool for good-weather fun. With an aluminum frame, carbon fork, and 32mm Bontrager Hard-case tires, the Trek FX 3 Disc can be enjoyed by, and comfortable for, any sort of rider. A 9-speed Shimano Acera groupset, with a 48/36/26 crank and an 11-34 cassette, works with Shimano hydraulic disc brakes to help you stop and go. This bike is made for someone who is looking for a bike that she can ride for exercise or leisure, without spending hundreds more dollars on a road bike.
Remedy 9.9
A well-balanced bike for riding technical and challenging trails
Price: $7,000
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The top-of-the-line Remedy 9.9 has the most diverse parts group of the Remedy family. This is the only model with a FOX fork–a Factory 36 Float with GRIP2 damper and 160mm of travel–and Shimano brakes (XT four-piston). This model comes with a SRAM X01 Eagle (10-50t cassette) drivetrain, Bontrager Line Carbon 30 wheels, a Bontrager Line Pro carbon handlebar, Bontrager SE4 Team Issue 27.5x 2.6-inch tires, and RockShox Deluxe RT3 shock with 150mm travel. Models range from $3,300 – $7,000.
Boone 5 Disc
Cyclocross race bike for riders wanting a carbon frame
Price: $3,400
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The Boone 5 Disc is Trek’s introduction to elite-level cyclocross race bikes. Although it’s the lesser half of the two-member Boone family, this bike delivers a ride feel and component set up that few ‘cross racers can truthfully claim “is not enough.” Complete with a complete SRAM Rival 1 groupset, including flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes, a 40T crank, and an 11-32 cassette. This bike also features front and rear IsoSpeed technology, allowing you to smooth out your ride or make it more compliant depending on the course. A Bontrager Race VR-C handlebar, a carbon Bontrager seatpost, and 32mm Bontrager CX3 Team Issue tires complete this build.
Emonda ALR 5 Disc
Aluminum race bike on-par with the industry’s best aluminum frames
Price: $1,890
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You’d be forgiven for thinking the new Émonda ALR is full-carbon. But it's not. It’s an aluminum race bike with the same geometry as Trek’s carbon Emonda frames. The ALR 5 Disc comes stock with a full 2x11 Shimano 105 drivetrain, a compact (50/34) crankset, 11-28 cassete, and hydraulic flat-mount disc brakes. Our tester noted that this bike is made to accelerate and bomb down technical descents. The Emonda ALR is also sold in a build with full Shimano Tiagra ($1,680) and as a frameset ($960). All three options come in Women’s builds for the exact same prices.
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