2012 Trek Madone 5.9 Carbon Frame
The Five series Madone's from Trek have been a huge success, and just about any review you care to find will rave about the ride quality, frame stiffness and finish. For those out there unfamiliar with frame construction there are two different ways to go about making a carbon frame. Monocoque construction, which we hear about a lot, can be thought of like an Easter egg, with two halves brought together to make a single structure. The Tubed & Lugged method is where you make the frame intersections separately (the bottom bracket area, head tube area and seat mast area), then put it all together with the corresponding tubes (top tube, down tube, chain stays and seat stays). Trek employ a unique "Step Join" process to piece these tubes and junctions together, which results in the lightest union possible while actually reducing any possible stress riser that you may get with other methods. Using this technique, Trek engineers are able to deliver a frame that incorporates different characteristics for different parts of the frame. That's why you'll find the Madone 5.9 to have oodles of frame stiffness around the overbuilt bottom bracket shell for efficient power transfer, a strong and flex-free front end for accurate steering and a vertically compliant seat stay and seatmast assembly for vibration damping. It all adds up to create a superior handling bike that will blow you away with its silky smooth ride.

The very best frames on the market are made with this Tubed & Lugged construction, but none of which are done at the Five series price points. In fact, most other frames of this level will cost well over twice the price, with only the additional bragging rights that come with purchasing a hard to pronounce Italian or French brand name. With that said, the Madone 5.9 frame-set is easily as good as the best frames available, perhaps the only exception being a Trek 6 Series. You need to test-ride a tubed & lugged frame to really appreciate how good they are, and you'll realise just how much of an difference a good quality frame can make.

Our favourite features of the Madone 5.9
 

	Seamless integration   Di2-specific cable stops and a slick bottom bracket battery mount allow for the perfect interface with the industry-leading Shimano Di2 electronic drivetrain. The system is integrated without a single zip tie, strap  or piece of tape. It’s the most seamless component integration in the industry. The bottom bracket cable stop is replaced with a clever Di2 battery mount using a single screw. Simple & slick.   Di2-specific cables connectors are 7mm wide instead of the standard 4mm. Madone has specific adapters for both, so you don't need electrical tape to route cables through the frame.
	Ultimate comfort, adjustability, & light weight  Trek have designed a Ride-Tuned seatmast to save energy and counter the pounding doled out by three-week Grand Tours. It’s the lightest and most comfortable solution for riders interested in day-in, day-out performance and comfort. Most seatmast systems have to be cut leaving little or no adjustability. Madone's seatmast system has more than 10 cm of adjustment making it the most adjustable system on the market. Madone's no-cut seatmast eliminates traditional seatpost clamping forces. That means we can use less material at the seat tube junction, resulting in a lighter frame
	DuoTrap DuoTrap seamlessly integrates the computer sensor into the frame to measure speed, distance, and cadence with no added aerodynamic drag and no ugly cable ties or tape. It also works with all the major ANT+ wireless technology players, including Bontrager, Garmin, Powertap, and SRM.