I have £1500 or so to spend on a new road bike.

I want something for longer rides in the Peak District (not racing of any variety) any needs to be comfortable enough to suit my mtb-ers posture. I currently commute on a Steel SS (Paddy Wagon) but am fairly sure that I want carbon for this new steed (my carbon Scott Genius is great).

Evans have the Madone 3.5 on offer (Click). It’s had good reviews, though I’ve never owned a Trek or dealt with Evans.

Any thoughts / experience much appreciated.

I used to have a Madone, now have a Defy – so I say get a Defy.

Send me an email. There is no email address in your profile. I might be able to help you out with 3.5 Madone (a great bike with a lifetime frame guarantee).
Steve.monks@gmail.com

comfortable enough to suit my mtb-ers posture

I’m in same situation but I’m looking at the Domane it has a more relaxed position Trek Domane 4.3
Defy seem nice as well but I prefer the Grey 🙂

Dad has a Madone (the 2012 version of that) and is very happy with it. Seems comfortable enough for him; I think the bottom end of the Madone range is a little more relaxed than the top end.

Madone’s are awesome. Really comfy on long rides, stable at speed without handling like a barge.

I just bought a cheapy trek with the h2 fit and love it. I’d have a 3.5 madone in a heartbeat as it also has mudguard mounts 🙂

Here you go http://a-pic-a-ride.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/madone-35-test-ride-ride.html?m=0

Or the Domane http://a-pic-a-ride.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/trek-domane-40.html?m=0

bikeradar liked it a lot

2012 model

Nice reviews Rocketdog, thanks
Domane 4.3 is my choice, now to find a 58 and haggle or do I wait since Project One will include series 4 from 5th Sep
Nah just do it you can wait for ever for the perfect bike

Thanks for the feedback.

Going for a ride on a Madone 3.5 (54cm) on Friday.

Provided it fits, could be on to a winner…

I got a lowly 2013 1.5 back in August last year, to see if I liked road riding. I did, and I like the bike, so much so I’ve just relegated it to commuter duty and winter bike, as I’ve just come back from ordering a 2013 5.2!

beaker2135 – Member
Nice reviews Rocketdog, thanks
Domane 4.3 is my choice, now to find a 58 and haggle

YHM 🙂

Save a bit more and get a Madone 5.2 for £1999 from Wheelbase, or a 4.9 for £1899.

I have a 2012 madone 3 series and a 2013 Domane 4.3. They are both good, but I would go for the 400 series carbon for a few hundred pounds extra. The madone H2 geometry is pretty relaxed, so go whichever floats your boat. The Domane is clearly more comfortable you can just fly over cobbles without losing your teeth, but you do notice the longer wheelbase. Even a MAMIL like me can tell the difference

I was told the 4 series includes project 1.

Geometry is almost identical to your Paddy Wagon (assuming you also ride a 54cm). Handling will feel similar – which is no bad thing as the PW is a wonderful bike. Carbon will feel smoother, and stiffer than the steel, and of course it will be about 1.5 kilos lighter (if your PW is stock). Otherwise, if you use the same stem length and pedals, it will feel very similar.

So you can buy with confidence. But me, I personally ride a Giant Defy.

Parts spec is nothing special for the price, a mix of Ultegra and 105 is the norm. Buy some new tyres.

Shock. Horror
I took a Domane 4.3 for test ride last night. I didn’t like it at all. Admittedly I haven’t owed a road bike for 30 years or so but it was like riding a waterbed, there was a swell after every bump, really awful. So much so that I took a Madone 3.5 out straight after. What a difference I totally get what RocketDog says about encouraging you out of the seat on climbs, it’s like a collie on a lead it wants to off. I liked it
Which makes colin27 shout brilliant. Double bonus I’ll be in the Lakes next weekend so white/lime green or black/charcoal

Thanks for all the views and feedback.

Picked up the 3.5 from Evans (Chill Factore – thanks Steve) this morning and have just done a quick loop.

Wow. Fast, light, comfortable and well specced for the money. Highly recommended.

I totally get what RocketDog says

yay! 😀

Happy to help Matt. Enjoy the bike. I hope they looked after you well this morning.

Hi there, i just registered to say that i have bought a madone 3.5 last tuesday. I am from Holland and must say that the prices in the uk are a bit steep. I payed 1170 GBP for it. I just checked at the shop, they are now gone. But they still have a 3.1 for 1227 GBP or a Giant TCR composite 2 for 1065 GBP!!!!!! You just pay 10 Euro for orders outside the benelux. I would have bought the Giant if the salesman there, an amateur racer, wouldnt have told to me that the frame and the hubs of the Madone are better than the TCR. But sure is a damn sweet deal. Some absurd prices you have in the UK (is your economy that strong?). Focus on the mainland for bicycles, especially Holland and also Germany. But you have to do some research to know for sure what you want. I didnt even ride on the bike beforehand. Just buy what you like and as cheap as possible. They all are quality bikes and terrific rides. Just order the right size frame and everything will be fine;)

I owned a race bike 20 years ago, a Gazelle, with triathlon bars. Now the last 6 years i only did mtb, on a Trek 6500, which i each year upgraded with something better. My girlfriend owns a Stevens Manic mtb and a Giant TCR composite 2. Finally i decided to buy myself a race bike, instead of changing the nobby tires of my 6500 with slicks. And i must say i now understand what my girlfriend allways said about the feeling of a good carbon race bike on the road against an alu. mountainbike. And what a smooth ride is that Madone 3.5. Climbing, speed, acceleration, all very nice. The geometry is more comfortable on this then on my 6500. And i dont have sore knees like after a mtb course. The green color touch i wasnt sure about liking that, but its something i slowly dig. But most important is that this bike is carbon, shockabsorbing, light 8,5kg, has a more than good enough weelset for my purposes, and some very nice ultegra and 105 parts. Im a fitness user, 45 years of age, and will never reach the level of the bike itself, i think:) o yeah the chain will clog when you use the 34-11/12 and 13 finetuning cannot solve this! I think its normal on a compact, or has someone other ideas on this? It is also the case on the TCR. But not that extreme on our mountainbikes with triples.