Giant Propel Advanced 1 2016

The mission of the Design & Innovation Award is to positively change the bike world. It serves as a forum for forward-looking ideas and innovations and honors the best products in the industry. Over 40 experts from 10 countries traveled to Kronplatz/San Vigilio – Dolomites in October 2015 to test, analyze and judge the most innovative and best bikes and products of the 2016 season over a period of two weeks. The Gold Award is given either for perfect product design and performance, or for innovations that set a new standard and have the potential to significantly influence future generations of products.

The new Trek Madone changes the conventions of the road bike world. From now on, “fast and stiff” doesn’t necessarily mean “uncomfortable.” Trek has managed to combine the performance of an aerobike with the comfort of a marathon racer, wrapped in a sleek design with futuristic lines. From the head tube to the dropouts, the shape of the OCLV carbon frame flows in beautiful strokes and has excellent aerodynamics despite its voluminous comb-tail profile. The Madone is much more than a super stiff and aggressive road rocket: With the IsoSpeed linkage, Trek has implanted a tremendous amount of comfort into the bike by decoupling the seat tube from the top tube. Trek knows: The new Madone is probably the most desirable road bike on the planet – not only for the pros of the peloton, but also for many amateur riders. Trek offers the Madone in a total of two different geometries, with the aero-optimized version (H1 geometry) as well as the somewhat more comfortable H2 geometry.

The design reflects the perfection with which Trek has developed the Madone: from the one-piece aero handlebar-stem combination with integrated cable routing to the sophisticated Vector wings that cover the brakes, no expense or effort has been spared to optimize the aerodynamics. On the road, the Madone is a master of all classes: fast uphill, unrivaled on the flats and confident on the descents, while always comfortable for everyday use. The Trek Madone is a revelation, a masterpiece of engineering that has a terrific balance of aerodynamics and comfort. This is the bike all other road bikes have to measure up to. Price: 12.999€ | Weight: 7.18kg | trekbikes.com Did you like this article? Then we would be very happy if you would support us as a supporter with a monthly contribution. As a GRAN FONDO supporter you ensure a sustainable future for high-quality bike journalism and make sure that the new-road world will continue to have a free and independent leading medium. Become a supporter now!

Recommended for you

Bike categories are history! Due to the innovations and technical advances of recent years, the boundaries between the individual categories are blurring – pardon the pun – disappearing. The perfect example is the new OPEN U.P. (Unbeaten Path), which is classified as “GravelPlus” but obviously breaks these boundaries. The design is absolutely coherent and well thought-out. Technically, it relies on technologies from the road and mountain bike segments and stands out for its variability: Thus, it is compatible with 700c road, gravel and cross wheels (up to 40 mm) as well as 27.5″ mountain bike wheels with up to 2.1″ wide tires. The 420 mm short and stiff chainstays provide direct power transmission, while super-thin seatstays offer a significant plus in comfort. The X12 thru axle ensures stiffness and stability at the rear wheel. The beautiful frame shines with its clean lines, which are further emphasized by the internal cable routing, and the eye-catching paint. You might ask: Is the OPEN U.P. a mountain bike for roadies or a road bike for mountain bikers? Or something completely different?

What is clear is that with its comfortable and versatile geometry, the Unbeaten Path not only bridges the deep divide between road and mountain bikers, but is equally attractive to both target groups. Never before have the opposing worlds of mountain bikers and road cyclists been united in a unique concept. The OPEN U.P. lives up to its name: it opens up new paths that previously had to be left to the left and will save lives, because with the OPEN you can escape the real dangers of road traffic and enjoy freedom on two wheels. It is as equipped for adventures on remote roads or adverse conditions as it is for undiscovered trails and paths in the middle of nature. Price: 2900€ | Weight: 8.26kg | opencycle.com Did you like this article? Then we would be very happy if you would also support us as a supporter with a monthly contribution. As a GRAN FONDO supporter you ensure a sustainable future for high-quality bike journalism and make sure that the new-road world will continue to have a free and independent leading medium. Become a supporter now!

Recommended for you

Giant Propel Advanced 1 2016.

Anna Hein

Giant Propel Advanced 1 2016