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Just In: Trek Emonda ALR 5 Disc

A redesigned aluminium road bike with a full Shimano 105 groupset, including hydraulic disc brakes

The new Trek Emonda ALR 5 Disc has arrived at road.cc HQ so let's take a quick look before we send it out for review.

Trek Emonda ALR5 - full bike.jpg

We've reviewed the Trek Emonda ALR 6 in the past but the Emonda ALR framesets have been updated for 2019, as announced last summer.  

As you might well know, Trek divides its higher level road bikes into three: the Madone range focuses on aerodynamics, the Domanes are all about comfort and endurance, and the Emondas are designed to be lightweight.

The rim brake version of the Emonda ALR frame weighs a claimed 1,112g (56cm model) while the disc brake version is 1,131g. The complete 58cm Emonda ALR 5 Disc that we have here weighs 9.16kg (20lb 3oz).

Trek Emonda ALR5 - cable routing.jpg

The new Emonda ALR frame uses what Trek calls its 300 Series Alpha Aluminum and features a tapered head tube (the upper bearing is 1 1/8in while the lower bearing is 1 1/2in) for front end stiffness, and internal cable routing. The gear cables and the rear brake hose all enter via a single port high up on the down tube. 

Check out your guide to Trek's 2019 road bike range

Trek uses hydroforming to shape the tubes – the process of injecting fluid into a cylindrical frame tube and stretching it to its capacity. This allows complex shapes to be formed in order to tune the ride and keep the weight low. It also gives the frame quite a carbon-esque look, helped by the fact that the welds are for the most part inconspicuous. 

Trek Emonda ALR5 - top tube.jpg

"By creating hydroformed tube shapes that fit together perfectly, Trek engineers were able to dramatically reduce the amount of weld material needed to join the tubes," says Trek. "This process is called Invisible Weld Technology. It allows for larger continuous surface areas on the frame, which increases strength and cuts down on weight."

All of the Emonda ALR bikes are built to Trek's H2 geometry which is a little less low and stretched than its H1.5 setup but still focused on speed.

"It’s the perfect fit for most road riders because it’s not overly aggressive but still puts you in the right position for power," says Trek.

Trek Emonda ALR5 - seatstays.jpg

As mentioned, we have the 58cm frame here with a 53.3cm seat tube, 57.3cm effective top tube, 19cm head tube and 73.8° and 73° frame angles. The stack is 596mm and the reach is 391mm (giving a stack/reach of 1.52).

For comparison, Trek's Madone SLR Disc in an H1.5 fit has a stack of 581mm and a reach of 396mm (giving a stack/reach of 1.47).

The Emonda ALR is available with either direct-mount rim brakes or disc brakes. Here's the range:

• Emonda ALR 4 (rim brake), Shimano Tiagra, £1,200
• Emonda ALR 4 Disc, Shimano Tiagra, £1,400
• Emonda ALR 5 (rim brake), Shimano 105, £1,350
• Emonda ALR 5 Disc, Shimano 105, £1,750
• Emonda ALR (rim brake) frameset, £800
• Emonda ALR Disc frameset, £800

Trek Emonda ALR5 - chainset.jpg

All models come with a full-carbon fork, 25mm tyres (there's clearance for 26mm on the rim brake models, 28mm on the disc brake models) and are DuoTrap S-compatible, meaning that there's a port in the non-driveside chainstay to take a wireless speed/cadence sensor. They're all fitted with 50/34-tooth compact chainsets and 11-28-tooth cassettes while the Disc models use flat mount brakes and 12mm thru axles front and rear. 

Trek Emonda ALR5 - front disc.jpg

Aside from the full Shimano 105 11-speed groupset, everything fitted to the Emonda ALR 5 Disc is from the Trek-owned Bontrager brand. 

Trek Emonda ALR5 - saddle.jpg

It's time to get this bike out on the road. Keep an eye out for a review here on road.cc soon.

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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11 comments

Avatar
mtbtomo | 5 years ago
1 like

I actually had my Emonda ALR (56cm) side by side with a CAAD10 (54cm, so supposedly a smaller frame) last night and with both stems slammed (both 8 Deg, 100mm), the handlebars were the same height..... So I'm even less convinced of this talk of it not having "proper race" geometry compared to bikes mentioned. Moreover - it's the combination of stem, conical spacers etc which can more than compensate.

Avatar
Glov Zaroff | 5 years ago
0 likes

The ALR frame looks fantastic close up and the finish Trek have given the various versions over the past few years make them look like bikes that costs at least twice the price. I’ve got one that I built up and use as a ‘dry’ winter bike and folk ask if it’s carbon because of the hidden welds. Compare that to the industrial tube welding of the Caad and the Bowman (seriously man, it looks like it was put together in a garage by an apprentice welder FFS). As for the H2, I’ve got no spacers under the stem and it’s dialled in perfectly to my bike fit. I can’t recommend the ALR enough. It’s great.

Avatar
mtbtomo | 5 years ago
1 like

The sloping top tube and masses of spacers I think make it look more upright than it is

Avatar
mtbtomo | 5 years ago
1 like

If you take out the spacers and slam the stem then H2 really is only a few mm difference to what people might term the "race geometry" of other bikes.

The handlebar height and bar reach my Emonda ALR are barely any different to my Tifosi Auriga, my old Giant TCR, Kinesis Aithein etc, and all those have their stems slammed too. A few mm here or there can easily be dealt with by a shallower headset cone or more negative rise/longer stem.

Avatar
mtbtomo | 5 years ago
1 like

If you take out the spacers and slam the stem then H2 really is only a few mm difference to what people might term the "race geometry" of other bikes.

The handlebar height and bar reach my Emonda ALR are barely any different to my Tifosi Auriga, my old Giant TCR, Kinesis Aithein etc, and all those have their stems slammed too. A few mm here or there can easily be dealt with by a shallower headset cone or more negative rise/longer stem.

Avatar
themuffle | 5 years ago
0 likes

- I imagine that this is a bike given to various different websites/publications to test and may not necessarily be in the correct size hence the spacers. Also, i dont think they would be too happy if the fork steering tube was cut down.

- Yes, I agree, I would love a race geometry aluminum road bike but the manufacturers (Canyon included) only seem to do carbon race bikes. Shame.

Also, is it just me or does anyone else find the way all the cables fit in the frame low in the down tube a real eyesore? Personally I find the old way of having separate entry points much neater....

Avatar
jaspersdog replied to themuffle | 5 years ago
2 likes

njmoffat: wrote

- Yes, I agree, I would love a race geometry aluminum road bike but the manufacturers (Canyon included) only seem to do carbon race bikes. Shame.

Tha CAAD 12, Specialized Allez Comp Sprint and Bowman Palace are all aluminium bikes aimed at racers, and I see a fair few of them at my local crit races.  All have 'race' specific geometry. 

Avatar
matthewn5 replied to jaspersdog | 5 years ago
0 likes

jaspersdog wrote:

njmoffat: wrote

- Yes, I agree, I would love a race geometry aluminum road bike but the manufacturers (Canyon included) only seem to do carbon race bikes. Shame.

Tha CAAD 12, Specialized Allez Comp Sprint and Bowman Palace are all aluminium bikes aimed at racers, and I see a fair few of them at my local crit races.  All have 'race' specific geometry. 

Also Cinelli Experience, great crit bike with proper 'race' geometry.

Avatar
Chapo | 5 years ago
4 likes

The combination of that long headtube and stack of spacers does nothing for me.

Avatar
djbwilts replied to Chapo | 5 years ago
2 likes

finkcreative wrote:

The combination of that long headtube and stack of spacers does nothing for me.

 

...and only available in the H2 geometry. Does everyone buying an aluminium bike have a bad back?!

Avatar
djbwilts replied to Chapo | 5 years ago
0 likes

finkcreative wrote:

The combination of that long headtube and stack of spacers does nothing for me.

 

...and only available in the H2 geometry. Does everyone buying an aluminium bike have a bad back?!

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