Trek Domane SL6 or SLR6 or something else?

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Markgixer6

New Member
Hi all,
After a long layoff I've got back on my 2009 Boardman Team Carbon road bike and I think I have the bug back to do more hours in the saddle. My road racing and TT years are behind me now (50 last year) and I'm looking for something more comfortable, I didn't even know endurance bikes existed, until I started looking last week! It sounds like the thing I need for comfy miles.
After doing some online research I'm rather confused. The Trek Domane SL6 looks great as does the Specialized Roubaix Comp. Then I started looking at the SLR 6 and wondered how much of a difference there is in between the two. I realise the frame is different and something like 200g lighter but the weight difference doesn't interest me, I can make up more than that by stopping drinking beer for a week or two. So the SL6 is £3,200 and the SLR6 is £5,400.

The big question is, what would I be getting for the extra 2K? And if I was to go for the SLR6, is there anything else I should be looking at? I don't want to spend the extra if it's not a big difference in the real world.
Any advice would be greatly welcomed!
 

NotAsGoodAsMyBike

Active Member
I suspect the main difference is a better quality carbon frame and better wheels. Whether you’d notice the difference I can’t say as I haven’t ridden them.

Just one thought though: £5K is a lot to spend. When I spent a significant sum on a bike a few years back I decided against carbon fibre because I didn’t want to look at a scuffed and “last year” frame a few years down the line. I decided to go for a titanium frame instead: for this sort of money you could get ti or steel with bling components, but I accept some people prefer carbon fibre. And the Domane is a cool bike!

Enjoy making the decision!
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
A big part of the difference in price (probably half) is the wheels - the SL6 has aluminium wheels whereas the SLR has a shallow section carbon wheelset. That'll also account for a substantial part of the weight difference. In addition the higher spec bike has carbon handlebars etc vs the alloy of the SL6.

Overall I think the SL6 is the better value for money and is the one I would go for it would leave you enough spare cash to take the bike on a nice holiday :okay:

Edit: I have an older Domane ALR and it's a lovely bike, very comfortable even though it's "only" an alloy bike.
 

StuAff

Silencing his legs regularly
Location
Portsmouth
+1 for the SL6. The SLR6 is about 500g lighter and has the adjustable version of the rear IsoSpeed coupler. For £2k that doesn't seem an awful lot extra.

That said, if you did want to spend a max £4-5,500 anyway, you have some rather interesting options. EG:
https://www.bespokecycling.com/shop/products/parlee-chebacco-core (this is a bargain...sort of)
Titanium from the likes of J.Guillem, Litespeed, Enigma, Lynskey…I can reasonably say I'd go for one of those, because I did....plus cheaper but still quality Ti from Kinesis, Ribble and others…
 

icowden

Veteran
Location
Surrey
I've had my SL5 for 3 months now, and it is very comfortable. My only gripe is that cos I am vertically challenged I had to go with a 52 frame which comes with 40cm handlebars which I am going to have to change for 42cm (possibly even 44 - I'm broad but short!). The SL6 was out of my budget...
 

Kestevan

Last of the Summer Winos
Location
Holmfirth.
I've just bought a Domane SLR7 and I went through a similar debate with myself (and mrs Kes).
As has been pointed out, the wheels and bars on the SLR are carbon, and the frame is a "higher grade" carbon. All adding up to about 500g difference in weight. For me that's neither here nor there. However (there's always a but), for me, the SLR has two main advantages.

The new top tube adjustable isospeed decoupler works exceptionally well (the older one is good, but not as smooth).
Project One. The SLR is available as a Project One bike whereas the SL isn't. I was ale to swap out the wheels for even better deep section ones, upgrade the saddle etc, for less than the cost of the parts. For me however the most important bit was being able to choose the paint scheme.... as mrs Kes pointed out, for me this was my dream bike; the most I've ever spent on something besides a car or a house, and I wasn't going to get the opportunity to do it again, so I'd best get something I really loved... hence the Project One Molten Marble paint job.

BTW - The bike is fantastic. Comfortable, fast and far far better than the old, fat knacker on the saddle deserves.
 
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Markgixer6

Markgixer6

New Member
Thanks all, some great advice and things for me to research further. Just one thing I noticed @Kestevan. I did have a quick mess around on the project one customisation and there is something bothering me. I made 2 identical builds, 1 with SLR6 and one with SLR7. The only difference (as far as I can tell) is that one has mechanical Ultegra and the SLR7 has Di2 Ultegra. The price difference is £1,150 between the two. I might be missing something obvious, but when I check various suppliers, the difference is about £700 ish. That doesn't seem like a value upgrade on Trek's project one build. Any thoughts as to why it is so much more?
 
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Markgixer6

Markgixer6

New Member
Nice bike no doubt, but as I stated in my original post, I'm after an endurance bike.
 

Kestevan

Last of the Summer Winos
Location
Holmfirth.
Thanks all, some great advice and things for me to research further. Just one thing I noticed @Kestevan. I did have a quick mess around on the project one customisation and there is something bothering me. I made 2 identical builds, 1 with SLR6 and one with SLR7. The only difference (as far as I can tell) is that one has mechanical Ultegra and the SLR7 has Di2 Ultegra. The price difference is £1,150 between the two. I might be missing something obvious, but when I check various suppliers, the difference is about £700 ish. That doesn't seem like a value upgrade on Trek's project one build. Any thoughts as to why it is so much more?
No idea... Some of Treks pricing structure does seam 'odd' to say the least.
I went with Sram etap so paid more anyway 😭
However... I also got a decent discount off the rrp through my LBS. If you're anywhere near, go see Dan at cycletechnology in Wakefield...
 
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