Some classics type weather greeted the arrival of the new Trek Domane Classics Edition road bike.

Ride what the pros race. It's a common marketing refrain in the cycling world, and one that's being pushed hard by Trek via its recently released Domane Classics Edition road bike. Indeed, the bike's website landing page trumpets that this is, "The Official Race Bike of Fabian Cancellara."

But unlike many "pro bike" replicas, which often feature weekend-warrior friendly geometry or lesser component spec, the Domane Classics Edition is the real WorldTour deal. That bike that Trek Factory Racing Team rider Giacomo Nizzolo won stage 2 of the Tour de San Luis aboard on Wednesday? Well, save for frame size, the same damn bike, paint scheme and all, is sitting in RoadBikeReview's Colorado test garage waiting for the snow to melt.

The question is, do you really want to ride the exact same bike that the pros ride. In this case, the answer will have to do a lot with one's flexibility or lack thereof. When lined up side-by-side the Domane Classics is a stretched out, slammed down version of the standard Domane. Comparing 60cm frames (which is what we'll be testing) effective top tube length is longer (58.9cm to 57.9cm), the head tube is shorter (16.6cm versus 22cm), head tube angle is steeper (72.8 degrees to 72.1) and the wheelbase is longer (104cm to 103.2cm). Clearly this is a bike that's meant to be ridden or raced aggressively.



A shorter headtube and increased tire clearance are two of this new bike's hallmarks.

Put another way, the Trek Domane Classics Edition is purpose-built for rough road riding, utilizing what Trek calls pro endurance geometry where the lowered head tube and longer wheel base allow for a more aggressive riding position. We haven't had a chance to spin around on our test rig yet, but clearly it's going to be a huge change for body and brain.

Shared between the two Domane platforms is Trek's impressive IsoSpeed frame design, which increases compliance without reducing stiffness by isolating the seat tube from the rest of the top tube. It's a race proven technology that helped propel Cancellara to wins at last year's Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.



Trek's IsoSpeed decoupler isolates the seat tube from the rest of the frameset, increasing compliance.

Other frame highlights include increased tire clearance, a one-piece steel derailleur hanger/dropout that helps stabilize shifting on rough roads. And of course it doesn't come with fender mounts like its more consumer-oriented cousin.

Riding the exact same bike the pros ride means riding top shelf components, which in this case translates to a full Shimano Dura-Ace 9070 Di2 electronic shifting drivetrain, a full array of super light Bontrager Race cockpit parts, and a set of carbon fiber Bontrager Aeolus 3 D5 wheels. On the scale, our size 60cm test rig weighed 15.65 pounds without pedals.

Also not surprising, is the price tag, which with this build, is a college tuition fund killing $11,520. No one said being pro was cheap.

The Trek Domane Classic Edition is available through Trek's Project One custom bike program. Here's a look at the full spec of our test rig. We'll update with a more detailed review after we get a chance to put it through its paces.

Full Spec Details

  • Frame: 600 Series OCLV Carbon, E2, BB90, DuoTrap compatible, IsoSpeed
  • Fork: Domane IsoSpeed full carbon, E2 asymmetric steerer
  • Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus 3 D5
  • Tires: Bontrager R4 Hard-Case Lite, 700x25c
  • Shifters: Shimano Dura-Ace STI Di2, 11 speed
  • Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, braze-on
  • Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
  • Crank: Shimano Dura-Ace, 53/39 (double)
  • Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace 11-25, 11 speed
  • Saddle: Bontrager
  • Seatpost: Bontrager Ride Tuned Carbon seatmast cap, 20mm offset
  • Handlebar: Bontrager Race X Lite IsoZone, OCLV carbon, VR-CF, 31.8mm
  • Stem: Bontrager Race XXX Lite, 31.8mm, 7 degree
  • Headset: Cane Creek IS-8 integrated, stainless cartridge bearings, 1-1/8 to 1.5
  • Brakeset: Shimano Dura-Ace
  • Sizes: 54, 56, 58, 60, 62cm
  • Weight: 15.65 pounds (size 60cm frame without pedals)
  • MSRP: $11,520
More Info at www.TrekBikes.com.