i deliver weed in nyc. this has been my main bike for the past 2 weeks. very happy with it, very fast and smooth ride. great for brooklyn's hills and potholes. i'd recommend this bike if you commute or ride long distances and also want something sporty
I just bought this exact same bike today. I was going to buy an SL5 but i changed my mind due to the ISO speed problems and the AL5 is much cheaper with the same 105 drivetrain. I bought the AL5 and added carbon wheels and better tires with the money i saved.
Just switched from an FX3 to a Domane. Wish I'd done that long before. Amazing bike. Really comfortable and holds its speed really well. I'm 3mph faster on average than before with no more effort.
Got a Domane AL3 few weeks back. Superb handling and comfortable for long endurance ride. As you said, its a bike where you can trust the frame and spend on nicer parts. Looking towards a 105 groupset on my bike in future.
I own this exact bike but with a 44cm frame. Converted it into a light gravel set up and upgraded some parts into carbon. it has now become the adventure bike i have been looking for. Love it.
@@lalengzuala It uses 700cc as normal. The frame is just tad bit cramped so there would be one less bottle cage as compared to the bigger framed bikes.
wym you trust it more? it's not gonna fall apart while youre riding 🤣. you aren't gonna bend it by picking it up. and if you get in a wreck the frame can get fucked with aluminum or carbon. why dont you go back to chromolly, you can surely trust steel more than aluminum by your logic. (i ride aluminum and steel ftr)
I wish they sold this as a frameset. A definite N-1 killer for UK conditions. Mudguards on for winter, still huge tyre clearance for comfort and speed, all the mounts you could possibly need (ok, not fork, but this is still good enough for an overnight bivvy trip). Perfect commuter bike too. Alternatively, set it up with lightweight wheels and race tyres and you could easily get it sub 9kg for fast road rides in the summer. As it is, I'll probably buy the AL2 Claris version, sell the gruppo and build it with a mix of Ultegra and 105.
They will never sell this as a frameset, because everyone would buy the frameset ;-) I did exactly what you propose: I bought the AL2 and put a better groupset on the bike, in my case a full 105 R7000 set. I switched over the wheelset to a Shimano GRX wheelset with Schwalbe GR1 nobbly tyres. This results in a (imho) perfect winter go-anywhere bike weighing 10kgs without pedals, so sub 9 is possible with lightweight road wheels and tyres.
@@sjurk81 I've had my AL2 for a week and I'm quite impressed with the latest version of Claris. I think I'll run it that way until spring, as long as it plays nice with some 105 165mm cranks (the 56 Domane comes with 175mm cranks which are way too long for most riders). It's such an impressive bike. Yes, it's heavier than my old Giant Defy Advanced but weight isn't everything, particularly for a winter bike. Mine is now wearing Bontrager NCS mudguards and an Aeolus Comp shorty saddle and the fit is perfect. Only a few short riders but comfort is very good, and according to Strava not that much slower. I feel I may end up looking for a Domane SLR eventually.
@@ajwitt7472 I switched to the aeolus saddle looking for a replacement to the (long ago discontinued) Paradigm saddles I'm used to. Only done 500kms with it but I do like it. Only real 'disadvantage' of the claris group is the square taper BB, so a new BB is needed to fit a 24mm Shimano crank.
@@mathewwong1415 not sure if they make it run faster, but the upgrade from R1’s to R3’s made about 10% difference to my average speed. And they roll a lot nicer too. I went for black
I got the 2021 SL5. Love the bike and the hidden stash to put your tubes and some tools. I wish I would have waited because the colors that came out now are way nicer. Lol
I love my bike. I got lucky last week and snagged up a hard to find Domane AL 5 factory orange. It was either The AL5 or SL5 carbon but ultimately decided this is better bang for the buck. Waiting on my duotrap sensor and 38mm Panaracer gravel tires and I’m set! I really like having the 105 crankset. This bike is legit! Highly Recommended. Riding it everyday. Great review!
Damn！Straight up ENVY!! f-_-!) Although,..I do love my TREK ‘022 QuickSilver FX2✨‼️👍🏾😎But,..Sure wouldn’t mind havin’ one of these like you in TREK’s “Factory Orange” !!✨🚴🏾💨Oooo Weeee!!! (*_* )/
I honestly love this bike, ive got it set up to have 2 wheelsets, the stock is with tubeless gravelking sk's in 35, but they measure to almost 40 on the rims inflated, and a set of alloy mavic kyrsium s' with 25mm vittoria corsa g2.0s! I've just about changed everything but the groupset itself so new bars,stem,seatpost, saddle, wheels and tires. With the new lighter cockpit, more aero handlebars and lighter wheels, this thing FLIES on road even with the tiagra version of the bike. I was doing a fondo event last week and on flat (with some tailwind help) there were parts this bike was taking me over 45kmh and did the 120km fondo in under 3:45! I would highly suggest this price range of alloy frame/carbon fork to anyone who's savvy on upgrading over time like i did.
Exactly. Some good road tires wakes it up a lot but I have most of your upgrades along with 50mm deep carbon wheels and its a hair below 8.7kg, definately a night and performance difference compared to the stock-speced version.
I got this exact model and color i convert it into gravel setup.. I put ritchey ergomax handle bar and panaracer gravelking sk 38c.. This machine is worthit!!
@@Jacob99174 first i want trek checkpoint but its very hard to purchase because of the bike shortage here in saudi arabia.. But im glad to have these very versitile i change only the wheelset i can use it as a roadbike or gravel bike.
I love Domanes. 105 R7000 is great for the money. That’s a great bike. I have an older, rim brake version of the Domane. It has been great. My next bike will likely be an SL with Di2, but that’s just a luxury item. Simpler bikes are certainly more solid and reliable.
Just got this bike. For some fun rides and throwing it on some smooth gravel fire road type riding. Ive had the carbon road bikes felt, and wilier. I decided to go AL and make it my fun bike. I have sram etap 1st gen 11spd and plan on slapping that on with my enve 7.8 wheels and throw on an enve seat post and handlebar. Going to keep the stock wheel set to throw on some 38s and gonna try to squeeze in 40s if they fit. Know some people who threw on 40s for some gravel but i believe it depends on which tire brand you use.
Honestly, I think the stock tyres are not fast enough if you intend to ride on smooth manicured roads most of the time. I belong to that group of bikers who neither race nor do a lot of adventures. So, I got this bike purely for enduring those long Ks. I got recommended to switch the stock tyres with Conti GP 25mm. Gonna try that out soon
They're noticeably slower (around 3%) than 28mm GP4000s but better than I was expecting. I'll run the stock tyres for winter and put my best wheels/tyres on when spring arrives.
I really wanted to buy a Trek Domane either an AL5 or SL5 but after months of waiting I ended up buying a Scott Addict 30. I decided to go with what was available in size 52cm. I literely for over 4 months was looking at every single bike shop within 25 miles of waiting for an endurance bike to come in and finally a bike shop by me got a shipment of Scott Addicts
@@flippmogaming1 emonda is a proper roadbike; domane is more akin to a hybrid with road bike cockpit. Heavy, you sit upright, very comfy, not aero and not a climbing bike. Emonda is a light climbing bike with aero features; the best of both worlds, the best 4000$ carbon bike imo.
The thing that bugs me about this bike is the price. Here in the UK. Trek are selling it for £2000 and that is a lot of money for not just an ALU bike but an ALU bike that comes with 105 and basic wheels that weigh in at some 2.3-2.4kg for the set according to other YT reviewers and websites. The stock wheelset would be one of the first things to go
James, thanks for the video review. Question for you about the weight. Trek website for the past year has shown the weight of the 2021-2022 AL5 as 22.16 lbs with the Affinity wheels. This past March they introduced the new color, which you reviewed, and showed it with the Paradigm wheels, which your example had. They didn't change the listed weight, but those wheels should be almost a pound lighter than the Affinity wheels. I would have expected your test bike to weigh LESS than the listed 22 lbs, not more. A similar change on the SL5 from 2021 to 2022 (plus lighter tires) dropped the weight by 1.5lbs. Thoughts?
J'ai commandé ce vélo en début de mois, afin de remplacer mon vieux Cannondale R700 (Caad 7) de 2004. J'ai demandé à mon vélociste le cadre blanc, Gpe 105, pédalier Rotor, roues Mavic Ksyrium S, pneus Vittoria et cintre - potence Déda Zéro. J'espère tourner autour de 9 Kgs
How is this for group rides? Hiker Omar was saying this is a slow bike and you won't be able to keep up on group rides? I am deciding between an AL 5 Disc and an Emonda ALR 5
LOVE TREK’s Domane AL5 more than ANY Carbon Fiber version!! Carbon bikes are great but just not practical for day to day use IMO due to the “High Cost & Risk” of owning one..f-_-!) For those whom have ,..just wait till you experience ANY KIND of damage , cost to repair ,..and treatment you’ll endure from the Fine Folks @TREK! Don’t just trust my comments,..go see for yourselves just what it WILL take to save your baby from ruin due to “the Policies” in place to have TREK not so “responsible” nor “liable” for various damage claims…😒🙄..then you’ll get just why there are so many “Aluminum Fans”..TREK Lovers!! Hey,..d(‘, ‘ ) to each his/her own huh!!?? Enjoy your Ride!!😊
@@jfar3340…and we’ll see just whom is a Fool when you get the bill for just a mere tip over or accidentally have a crash and the rear struts are done!! Or perhaps when your travel with it and break somethin’ huh…(the Airline Goons!,..Delivery etc;..🙄) Carbon IS the 💩but NOT for practical purposes…Racing!? Long Hilly Rides..Oh HellYeah!! 🚴🏾💨✨✌🏾
@@FlamesAt1000ft Duly noted but I don't take my bike on a plane and I have a lot of money if I destroy the frame I can pay for another one no problem cheers
I have the exact same bike in the same size 58. I'm not sure how much the stock tires weigh but it must have been a ton! I swapped them out to conti gp5000 in 28mm and changed the handlebar from 44cm to 40cm (same model). My total bike weight with pedals, lights, cycling computer, two bottle cages and two empty bags (one saddle bag and one top tube bag) is 10.4kg.
I have looked for videos that explain and about what is more affordable and why. You basically covered everything, shame on the Brits that talk about nothing but 8k bikes and up.
The only practical difference is 1 extra cog on the AL 5, plus slightly higher parts replacement costs. Personally I find Tiagra 4700 to be the sweet spot for most riders unless they're racing or really concerned with a few extra grams of weight in the build. I'd rather save around £250 and stick with the AL4 (well, actually, I'd rather save around £800 and stick with the AL2 and then upgrade it)
21 mm inner diameter wheels.. I wonder why they went this big. Even 18 mm will support tires larger than the frame allows.. they could a shaved weight with thinner wheels.
Marketing decision I'd guess. Wide rims are in vogue due to the whole gravel bike thing. I imagine they spec these on other bikes (Checkpoint possibly?) and it's easier just to have one width. One benefit is that the stock 32mm tyres plump up to just over 33mm on these rims.
23 lbs? Thats what my steel vintage Raleigh weighs. My aluminum bike weighs 21 lbs. with 8 speed Sora. The aluminum Fuji I built and sold weighed 19 lbs. with no carbon components. My full suspension mtb only weighs 27 lbs. and its all alloy. New bikes are tanks. Seen many high end mtbs that weigh in the 30-35 lb. range.
Somewhere around 2008 to 2012'ish seems to have been peak lightness for carbon bikes. After that, manufacturers seem to have gone dramatically backwards (especially Trek, out of all the big companies. Their bikes are super porky). The issue they seemed to run into circa 2010'ish was that they just did not have the technology at the time to get the carbon frames any lighter while still retaining the necessary strength. The tubes were just getting too thin, which risked cracking at stress points. Manufacturers then starting going the other direction, focusing on the "aero" trend more than super lightweight, so the weights starting going way up because they needed a lot of extra carbon for the extra surface area aero requires. I'm still happy with my 1992 Merlin titanium kitted with full 8 speed Dura Ace. 18 pounds without even trying including original 32 spoke alloy wheels. Could easily make that bike 14 pounds with spending vey little money (put super light tubulars on it, cheap carbon seatpost, and maybe cheap carbon handlebars). I laugh when I see people paying $8000 for new aero bikes that weigh almost 20 pounds.
Brother needed assistance here. Iam planning for a long ride bike packing which includes gravel road and road. So which brand is good. I came across GIANT REVOLT 2 and TREK DOMANI AL 5.
Is this bike family (Domane) good for road riding, for instance is it easy to climb hills on and ride fairly fast? I can see it’s built for light gravel but due to back restrictions I prefer this position, would be good if someone could help me out
I have a 2020 SL5. I am 59 in very good shape and have been a DC since 1997. I would highly recommend the Domane. I ride road 99.9% of the time and am a B rider in a bike club in upstate NY where there is no shortage of climbing (14-16 mph average moving speed). Only been road riding for 1.5 years coming from a mountain bike background. This bike is plenty fast, faster than I am lol. It does climb well but that is relative. Are there lighter more race oriented bikes? Sure, the Emonda is an example. I don't race though so I would rather have the endurance geo and comfort while I'm not sacrificing a ton of climbing and speed difference. Getting beat up less with the endurance position allows me to ride longer and stronger. Most can afford to lose a few pounds which would make your climbing easier lol. You can always lighten the load with carbon wheels, tubeless tires, etc.. I would not hesitate to recommend this bike to you.
I have AL5, and it's great for road use, fast enough. Of course, aero bikes with more agressive position will be faster, but this can do all. Gravel with 35/38mm gravel tyres, road with thinner road tyres. I have 30mm gp500 tyres currently (with latex tubes), made bike already much faster. It's better for you back than racier bikes. I swapped carbon seatpost, and maybe noticed additional improvement (back) compared to aluminium one. Fairly wide steering, so small aero penalty from this. I have used triathlon bars if I want to go really fast + they also bring additional position, which can be good for your back.
@@happydogg312 No I have not, but I'm thinking to change to 28mm. Would be more aero choice for my hunt aluminium wheels, dont know yet. Maybe 28 to front and 30 back.
@@happydogg312 We just got snow, and it's expected 30cm more within a few days😐. I have hunt 34 Aero wheels. Problem with them is that they are not true, despite being new. They were about 1mm off when they arrived. Bike shop was able to get them to 0,4 to 0,5mm, but the seam area opposite side of the valve is the problem. The seam causes them be out of true in the seam area. So I would say that quality is not what I expected. Hunt offered new wheels etc, but I did not have time to sent the ones I had back, so now I have wheels that are not true.
what's the cheapest sub 20lb flatbar in the market?, I don't really care about speed, just need it light for carrying up 3 flights of stairs(daily) and flatbar cause it's more comfy in commutes.
Officially, according to Trek, no - maximum 125kg system weight including the bike. In practical terms a few kgs over I doubt will make much difference, the thing has thru axles, powerful brakes, and is pretty robust. Wheels are 28H. Often wheelbuilders spec 32 or 36 hole wheels for heavier riders but I've ridden 20H wheels on rough roads with no issues (I'm a similar weight)
Great video. Wow over 23 pounds . That's pretty heavy. I was expecting it to be under 20 lbs For me AL 2 is the best setup with Shimano Claris 2x8 (Rim brakes)
That was my exact take away. Add pedals and H2O cages and your up to ~25. My retro build do-it-all steel frame and fork comes in at under 22/w pedals. That also includes a set of 26" wheels with 44mm wide rubber just for fun and comfort. I have other complaints with modern bikes but I have to go outside and yell at some clouds first.
I like this bike a lot and thank you for your review. I'm wondering why Trek doesn't make this bike in ALR version, with Alluminium Alpha 300 Series frame: they use it for Emonda and Checkpoint, I think also this bike should deserve the best alluminium frame they have...what do you think? Do you know the differences between the two alluminium version? Thank you very much.
@@Nahduge for shure the difference is also the weight. The weight of the Domane AL5 is also more than the Checkpoint ALR5, which has quite the same components but it's a gravel bike with wider tyres
Great review, thanks. Tempted to try out the AL5 with dics brakes. Being in Europe though, it's hard to ignore the 400€ cheaper Cube Attain though. Didn't deep-dive into all the specs yet, if there's any bike geeks out there who can convince me to (not) pick the Cube over the AL5, don't hold back please :)
it can fit 38c, if you need any more than that, you are in need of a gravel bike and not a domane. Fitting 38c on a "road bike" is still a massive sized tires compared to other road bikes that can barely fit 28s
I am conflicted! I have a 2022 FX3 and I would love a drop bar bike like the AL5, but also love the carbon and 1x simplicity of the FX6 Sport. But this looks like it would be faster than the FX6?
23lbs is enough to go carbon for me Pretty surprising that there are 10+ year old road bikes that are significantly lighter than bikes in 2022 Overall package is good here though
i heard from expert its best to go aluminium for longevity and that last way longer than carbon. Carbon would be good for those that want to do competitions and looking for the best of the best and dont worry to change parts.
@@johndef5075 how is it a tank when most of the average punters wanting light bike has fat gut. If they shed 10-15kg then they wouldn’t a few grams or a 1kg difference.
I agree. I had a Jamis Quest in ~2005 that was made with Reynolds 531 steel, Shimano 105 (triple!) all around, Mavic rims. 20 lbs. STEEL. Even if I had upsized the tires to 28s which was probably the max I could for a bike of that era, it would not have weighed 21 pounds. I sold it after a few years as my wife had won an Orbea Diva at a race that weighed under 16 and had to upgrade! We climb A LOT in the CO Rockies and a light bike absolutely makes a difference. I found a titanium Litespeed Arenberg on Craigslist for $500(!), stripped the older Ultegra parts and moved them to another bike. Spec'd SRAM Force/Red 2x, alu bars and stem, Ritchey WCS fork, ~1500g rims. I got it under 16 pounds before pedals. It's a very good climber. I think it cost me about $3k for all new parts at the time but I bet I could do better if I could find a $500 titanium frame again. I love titanium frames. Mine still looks brand new and it's over 20 years old.
@@Jacob99174 giant propel advanced 1 rim brake is like $2200. 105 with ultegra cranks. The disc is like $2500. Still better value for money than buying a 2k alloy bike
I'd have to weigh my bike now, but I changed the wheels to mavic krysium s's and it knocked a TON of weight off. I've changed pretty much every thing but the frame and shifter set, but the wheels were by far the heaviest part on the bike.
23 lbs and $2k?? What a joke the bike business it's now 🤣🤣... I own a 2017 Giant TCR SLR2 with full shimano 105 5800 groupset weighting 16.9 lbs and i paid $1400... Marketing really works hahaha.
@@Jacob99174 everything on that bike including the frame is made in the east and should be cheaper than it is! Manufacturers are dreamin with their prices! That’s a $1400-$1500 bike.
Made in China, cheap-ass straight gauge frame with amateur-hour welds. It's a shame because I want a bike with exactly these features, made with decent quality triple butted aluminium and a little more care and attention to welds (which don't need to be sanded and smoothed, just done properly and neatly the first time). It might cost Trek an extra $50 per frame for this extra level of quality and yet they cheap-out and sell this rubbish.
No offense, but why buy a road bike at all. Far more dangerous riding pavement than offroad and far more boring as well. Plenty of fun and exercise on gravel, fire roads, doubletrack. Maybe in other countries people actually pay attention when they drive. Not in the USA. Almost 30 cyclist fatalities on pavement in my county alone last year. Almost 1000 killed every year in the USA and its getting worse. Offroad is the way to go, or paved cycle routes.
It seems nowadays a road bicycle is worthless if it hasn't clearance for 48mm tyres. This kind of nonsense is becoming tiresome. (See what I did here?)
Bike Guy!! ☝🏾🤨Love this thing way more than a “Carbon” version!! Gotta ask tho’…what’s your take? ..what up ‘wit the ugly/ eye sore Weld Seams that kinda diminish the frame LOOK /Design and ruin the Dignity of the “Domane” name IMO….just think of how “Stunning” it would be with the colors offered and those welds smoothed out!! 🥹Did TREK do this for integrity or strengthening??..or just blown one here?? ..and the Gearing! WHAAATTTT!! f-_-!)???
i deliver weed in nyc. this has been my main bike for the past 2 weeks. very happy with it, very fast and smooth ride. great for brooklyn's hills and potholes. i'd recommend this bike if you commute or ride long distances and also want something sporty
Do you deliver to Morocco, bro !
FBI is on the way...
😂 one of the best comments I’ve read.
Best not leave it unattended in that shithole city 😅
I just bought this exact same bike today. I was going to buy an SL5 but i changed my mind due to the ISO speed problems and the AL5 is much cheaper with the same 105 drivetrain. I bought the AL5 and added carbon wheels and better tires with the money i saved.
Great choice
Just switched from an FX3 to a Domane. Wish I'd done that long before. Amazing bike. Really comfortable and holds its speed really well. I'm 3mph faster on average than before with no more effort.
Ha, I made the same jump. Now my FX feels slow and cumbersome in comparison.
What do you think makes it that much faster?
Have a 2019 SL4 it’s holding up well although I agree the the AL5 is the best bang for your Buck
Got a Domane AL3 few weeks back. Superb handling and comfortable for long endurance ride. As you said, its a bike where you can trust the frame and spend on nicer parts. Looking towards a 105 groupset on my bike in future.
aluminum sucks dudes
Rimbrake is better than disc.
yeah the sora groupset is meh; you ll love 105
I own this exact bike but with a 44cm frame. Converted it into a light gravel set up and upgraded some parts into carbon. it has now become the adventure bike i have been looking for. Love it.
Does 44cm frame use 650b or 700c tire/tyre?
@@lalengzuala It uses 700cc as normal. The frame is just tad bit cramped so there would be one less bottle cage as compared to the bigger framed bikes.
@@TheMissRyn thanks. Can you still put 2 bottles between the frame?
@@lalengzuala unfortunately no.
@@TheMissRyn thanks
I love the cable routing on the SL models but the AL5 takes my money. I trust aluminum more than carbon.
true
wym you trust it more? it's not gonna fall apart while youre riding 🤣. you aren't gonna bend it by picking it up. and if you get in a wreck the frame can get fucked with aluminum or carbon. why dont you go back to chromolly, you can surely trust steel more than aluminum by your logic. (i ride aluminum and steel ftr)
From the moment I understood the weakness of carbon frames, it disgusted me. I craved the strength and certainty of steel.
@@kravok3358 ew dude
I wish they sold this as a frameset. A definite N-1 killer for UK conditions. Mudguards on for winter, still huge tyre clearance for comfort and speed, all the mounts you could possibly need (ok, not fork, but this is still good enough for an overnight bivvy trip). Perfect commuter bike too. Alternatively, set it up with lightweight wheels and race tyres and you could easily get it sub 9kg for fast road rides in the summer. As it is, I'll probably buy the AL2 Claris version, sell the gruppo and build it with a mix of Ultegra and 105.
They will never sell this as a frameset, because everyone would buy the frameset ;-)
I did exactly what you propose: I bought the AL2 and put a better groupset on the bike, in my case a full 105 R7000 set. I switched over the wheelset to a Shimano GRX wheelset with Schwalbe GR1 nobbly tyres. This results in a (imho) perfect winter go-anywhere bike weighing 10kgs without pedals, so sub 9 is possible with lightweight road wheels and tyres.
@@sjurk81 I've had my AL2 for a week and I'm quite impressed with the latest version of Claris. I think I'll run it that way until spring, as long as it plays nice with some 105 165mm cranks (the 56 Domane comes with 175mm cranks which are way too long for most riders). It's such an impressive bike. Yes, it's heavier than my old Giant Defy Advanced but weight isn't everything, particularly for a winter bike. Mine is now wearing Bontrager NCS mudguards and an Aeolus Comp shorty saddle and the fit is perfect. Only a few short riders but comfort is very good, and according to Strava not that much slower. I feel I may end up looking for a Domane SLR eventually.
@@ajwitt7472 I switched to the aeolus saddle looking for a replacement to the (long ago discontinued) Paradigm saddles I'm used to. Only done 500kms with it but I do like it.
Only real 'disadvantage' of the claris group is the square taper BB, so a new BB is needed to fit a 24mm Shimano crank.
All those brazeons.. bravo!!! Glad to see a vendor putting so many on a bike.
I have the Domane AL4 and I love it. It’s an amazing bike and rides so smooth. Just fitted some 28mm R3 tyres and it’s even better.
I thought this bike was designed for 32-35c tyres. Aren't 28's too small for this bike?
@@joed7185 why would you think that? It can take up to 35c tyres, but 28’s work great too.
Does the 28mm make it faster? What colour bike did u get? I’m looking to fit continental 5000 in 28mm for the summer
@@mathewwong1415 not sure if they make it run faster, but the upgrade from R1’s to R3’s made about 10% difference to my average speed. And they roll a lot nicer too.
I went for black
Try 28c tubeless just like I did. It significantly improves ride quality without sacrificing comfort.
I got the AL 4 & I love it!
I got the 2021 SL5. Love the bike and the hidden stash to put your tubes and some tools. I wish I would have waited because the colors that came out now are way nicer. Lol
I love my bike. I got lucky last week and snagged up a hard to find Domane AL 5 factory orange. It was either The AL5 or SL5 carbon but ultimately decided this is better bang for the buck. Waiting on my duotrap sensor and 38mm Panaracer gravel tires and I’m set! I really like having the 105 crankset. This bike is legit! Highly Recommended. Riding it everyday. Great review!
Congratulations on your new bike!
Damn！Straight up ENVY!! f-_-!) Although,..I do love my TREK ‘022 QuickSilver FX2✨‼️👍🏾😎But,..Sure wouldn’t mind havin’ one of these like you in TREK’s “Factory Orange” !!✨🚴🏾💨Oooo Weeee!!! (*_* )/
You cannot fit 38mm tyres..35mm is the max
better bang for your buck, yet nothing beats carbon.
What year is the orange?
just got a carbon version of it and its way way comfortable trust me. it is more worth it
I honestly love this bike, ive got it set up to have 2 wheelsets, the stock is with tubeless gravelking sk's in 35, but they measure to almost 40 on the rims inflated, and a set of alloy mavic kyrsium s' with 25mm vittoria corsa g2.0s! I've just about changed everything but the groupset itself so new bars,stem,seatpost, saddle, wheels and tires. With the new lighter cockpit, more aero handlebars and lighter wheels, this thing FLIES on road even with the tiagra version of the bike. I was doing a fondo event last week and on flat (with some tailwind help) there were parts this bike was taking me over 45kmh and did the 120km fondo in under 3:45! I would highly suggest this price range of alloy frame/carbon fork to anyone who's savvy on upgrading over time like i did.
Lol i was thinking about buying lighter wheels and tires. What is the weight of the bike now?
What seat post and handlebars did you get?
Exactly. Some good road tires wakes it up a lot but I have most of your upgrades along with 50mm deep carbon wheels and its a hair below 8.7kg, definately a night and performance difference compared to the stock-speced version.
I got this exact model and color i convert it into gravel setup.. I put ritchey ergomax handle bar and panaracer gravelking sk 38c.. This machine is worthit!!
Enad - you happy with the purchase? Any regrets to not getting something else?
@@Jacob99174 first i want trek checkpoint but its very hard to purchase because of the bike shortage here in saudi arabia.. But im glad to have these very versitile i change only the wheelset i can use it as a roadbike or gravel bike.
@@EnadTorio completely agree with shortage forcing us to make other decisions. Good decision
Congrats on great bike!. I got my AL5 recently and gonna setup with same panaracer 38s. Loving my bike too
@@Jacob99174 checkpoint is very aggressive compared to domane. Just so you know.
managed to snag this used bike at 770usd. considering the groupset and decent frame, for that price, its absolutely worth it
I love Domanes. 105 R7000 is great for the money. That’s a great bike.
I have an older, rim brake version of the Domane. It has been great. My next bike will likely be an SL with Di2, but that’s just a luxury item. Simpler bikes are certainly more solid and reliable.
Just got this bike. For some fun rides and throwing it on some smooth gravel fire road type riding. Ive had the carbon road bikes felt, and wilier. I decided to go AL and make it my fun bike. I have sram etap 1st gen 11spd and plan on slapping that on with my enve 7.8 wheels and throw on an enve seat post and handlebar. Going to keep the stock wheel set to throw on some 38s and gonna try to squeeze in 40s if they fit. Know some people who threw on 40s for some gravel but i believe it depends on which tire brand you use.
Honestly, I think the stock tyres are not fast enough if you intend to ride on smooth manicured roads most of the time. I belong to that group of bikers who neither race nor do a lot of adventures. So, I got this bike purely for enduring those long Ks. I got recommended to switch the stock tyres with Conti GP 25mm. Gonna try that out soon
They're noticeably slower (around 3%) than 28mm GP4000s but better than I was expecting. I'll run the stock tyres for winter and put my best wheels/tyres on when spring arrives.
I really wanted to buy a Trek Domane either an AL5 or SL5 but after months of waiting I ended up buying a Scott Addict 30. I decided to go with what was available in size 52cm. I literely for over 4 months was looking at every single bike shop within 25 miles of waiting for an endurance bike to come in and finally a bike shop by me got a shipment of Scott Addicts
I got a emonda SL5 in blue, one of the best purchase of my life
@@jfar3340how does the emonda compare to the domane?
@@flippmogaming1 emonda is a proper roadbike; domane is more akin to a hybrid with road bike cockpit. Heavy, you sit upright, very comfy, not aero and not a climbing bike. Emonda is a light climbing bike with aero features; the best of both worlds, the best 4000$ carbon bike imo.
Got my Al 2 in jan but couldn’t ride much because I got neck spasms next day 😂 don’t even know how it feels till now 😢
Just keep riding you will get better
Thanks for the precise review James, keep it up. Kudos
Thanks for watching!
Trek makes a durable bike. I rode a 3700 mountain bike for 10+ years and never oiled, maintained, or replaced anything except tires .
A great review for a real nice bike I want. Can't find one though. All sold out.
I got a alr5 checkpoint and love it
those are quite nice
I like the paint jobs on the Treks
The thing that bugs me about this bike is the price. Here in the UK. Trek are selling it for £2000 and that is a lot of money for not just an ALU bike but an ALU bike that comes with 105 and basic wheels that weigh in at some 2.3-2.4kg for the set according to other YT reviewers and websites. The stock wheelset would be one of the first things to go
lol only a smidge off my steel Trek 470 from 1996, that carbon fork probable helps the ride quality alot
Wonder how much weight I would save with a better tire in 28 and set up as tubeless?
James, thanks for the video review. Question for you about the weight. Trek website for the past year has shown the weight of the 2021-2022 AL5 as 22.16 lbs with the Affinity wheels. This past March they introduced the new color, which you reviewed, and showed it with the Paradigm wheels, which your example had. They didn't change the listed weight, but those wheels should be almost a pound lighter than the Affinity wheels. I would have expected your test bike to weigh LESS than the listed 22 lbs, not more. A similar change on the SL5 from 2021 to 2022 (plus lighter tires) dropped the weight by 1.5lbs. Thoughts?
It's a size 58. Website is based on size 56.
it's not a light bike
I have the same exact bike and it's a great bike. just changed the tires and the performance is amazing compare to the stock tires.
Nice
Which tires did you go with?
Michelin Power Road TL 32mm
Thanks for the reply!
J'ai commandé ce vélo en début de mois, afin de remplacer mon vieux Cannondale R700 (Caad 7) de 2004. J'ai demandé à mon vélociste le cadre blanc, Gpe 105, pédalier Rotor, roues Mavic Ksyrium S, pneus Vittoria et cintre - potence Déda Zéro. J'espère tourner autour de 9 Kgs
How is this for group rides? Hiker Omar was saying this is a slow bike and you won't be able to keep up on group rides? I am deciding between an AL 5 Disc and an Emonda ALR 5
should be able to get 38s on that bike - i put 35s on my giant defy
I bought a checkpoint but fancy a domane now
My local shop has this exact bike in my size… not a good sign for my bank account.
Lol time to spend it!
Update: bank account is now empty. NEW BIKE!
Lol. Sweet!
@@thejarrod123😂😂🎉🎉
LOVE TREK’s Domane AL5 more than ANY Carbon Fiber version!! Carbon bikes are great but just not practical for day to day use IMO due to the “High Cost & Risk” of owning one..f-_-!) For those whom have ,..just wait till you experience ANY KIND of damage , cost to repair ,..and treatment you’ll endure from the Fine Folks @TREK! Don’t just trust my comments,..go see for yourselves just what it WILL take to save your baby from ruin due to “the Policies” in place to have TREK not so “responsible” nor “liable” for various damage claims…😒🙄..then you’ll get just why there are so many “Aluminum Fans”..TREK Lovers!! Hey,..d(‘, ‘ ) to each his/her own huh!!?? Enjoy your Ride!!😊
exactly, that why I didn't want a carbon frame. If something happens to it then you are screwed. Aluminum just more durable and practical.
carbon >> aluminum. You can fool yourself, but you're fooling no one but yourself.
@@jfar3340…and we’ll see just whom is a Fool when you get the bill for just a mere tip over or accidentally have a crash and the rear struts are done!! Or perhaps when your travel with it and break somethin’ huh…(the Airline Goons!,..Delivery etc;..🙄) Carbon IS the 💩but NOT for practical purposes…Racing!? Long Hilly Rides..Oh HellYeah!! 🚴🏾💨✨✌🏾
@@FlamesAt1000ft Duly noted but I don't take my bike on a plane and I have a lot of money if I destroy the frame I can pay for another one no problem cheers
Great review! Can you please do a review on the cannondale synapse 2 rle? Even a comparison to a similar bike?
So you would chose a Trek Domane AL5 over the 2023 Trek FX Sport 5 in Red Carbon Smoke I just ordered that is all Carbon?
I have the exact same bike in the same size 58. I'm not sure how much the stock tires weigh but it must have been a ton!
I swapped them out to conti gp5000 in 28mm and changed the handlebar from 44cm to 40cm (same model). My total bike weight with pedals, lights, cycling computer, two bottle cages and two empty bags (one saddle bag and one top tube bag) is 10.4kg.
Ihave the exact bike did you have to upgrade the front wheel as well?
@@AworexFX not at all. Stock wheels.
Do you know anything about Trek plans on making new Trek 520? It is impossible to buy 520 or 920 or even Diamant for bikepacking.
Which is better triban rc520 or this ?
Thank you for doing this video
Thank you for watching!
Anyone tried upgrading to carbon stem/ handlebar and also carbon seatpost, just to understand if it helps?
It does help by reducing weight and absorbing some of the shock from the road that travels through metal materials.
Components and wheels can be upgrade later but frame doesn't
Roughly true
Nice bike as review. Can you please make comparison video between Trek Domane AL 5 vs Giant Contend AR 1? Thanks in advance! Ashwin
I have looked for videos that explain and about what is more affordable and why.
You basically covered everything, shame on the Brits that talk about nothing but 8k bikes and up.
What is your opinion on the best between 2022 Domane AL 4 Disc and the Domane AL 5 Disc 2022?
The only practical difference is 1 extra cog on the AL 5, plus slightly higher parts replacement costs. Personally I find Tiagra 4700 to be the sweet spot for most riders unless they're racing or really concerned with a few extra grams of weight in the build. I'd rather save around £250 and stick with the AL4 (well, actually, I'd rather save around £800 and stick with the AL2 and then upgrade it)
The carbon version of this bike (SL5) is $1,500 more. Buy the aluminum version and use the saved money on carbon wheels and good tires.
21 mm inner diameter wheels.. I wonder why they went this big. Even 18 mm will support tires larger than the frame allows.. they could a shaved weight with thinner wheels.
Marketing decision I'd guess. Wide rims are in vogue due to the whole gravel bike thing. I imagine they spec these on other bikes (Checkpoint possibly?) and it's easier just to have one width. One benefit is that the stock 32mm tyres plump up to just over 33mm on these rims.
Nice job! Would like to know rim brake weight if anyone knows.
23 lbs? Thats what my steel vintage Raleigh weighs. My aluminum bike weighs 21 lbs. with 8 speed Sora. The aluminum Fuji I built and sold weighed 19 lbs. with no carbon components. My full suspension mtb only weighs 27 lbs. and its all alloy.
New bikes are tanks. Seen many high end mtbs that weigh in the 30-35 lb. range.
Somewhere around 2008 to 2012'ish seems to have been peak lightness for carbon bikes. After that, manufacturers seem to have gone dramatically backwards (especially Trek, out of all the big companies. Their bikes are super porky).
The issue they seemed to run into circa 2010'ish was that they just did not have the technology at the time to get the carbon frames any lighter while still retaining the necessary strength. The tubes were just getting too thin, which risked cracking at stress points.
Manufacturers then starting going the other direction, focusing on the "aero" trend more than super lightweight, so the weights starting going way up because they needed a lot of extra carbon for the extra surface area aero requires.
I'm still happy with my 1992 Merlin titanium kitted with full 8 speed Dura Ace. 18 pounds without even trying including original 32 spoke alloy wheels. Could easily make that bike 14 pounds with spending vey little money (put super light tubulars on it, cheap carbon seatpost, and maybe cheap carbon handlebars). I laugh when I see people paying $8000 for new aero bikes that weigh almost 20 pounds.
My aluminum Hightower weighs over 30 lbs
Brother needed assistance here. Iam planning for a long ride bike packing which includes gravel road and road. So which brand is good. I came across GIANT REVOLT 2 and TREK DOMANI AL 5.
Both brands are good
@@Jamesthebikeguy thank u broooo
Looks like an fx3 with drop bars
Those welds tho 😮
Invest in wheelset and its even better
I'm trying to choose between this and the carbon frame equivalent. Alas, the question posed by the title of the video was not answered.
What did you land on?
Is this bike family (Domane) good for road riding, for instance is it easy to climb hills on and ride fairly fast? I can see it’s built for light gravel but due to back restrictions I prefer this position, would be good if someone could help me out
I have a 2020 SL5. I am 59 in very good shape and have been a DC since 1997. I would highly recommend the Domane. I ride road 99.9% of the time and am a B rider in a bike club in upstate NY where there is no shortage of climbing (14-16 mph average moving speed). Only been road riding for 1.5 years coming from a mountain bike background. This bike is plenty fast, faster than I am lol. It does climb well but that is relative. Are there lighter more race oriented bikes? Sure, the Emonda is an example. I don't race though so I would rather have the endurance geo and comfort while I'm not sacrificing a ton of climbing and speed difference. Getting beat up less with the endurance position allows me to ride longer and stronger. Most can afford to lose a few pounds which would make your climbing easier lol. You can always lighten the load with carbon wheels, tubeless tires, etc.. I would not hesitate to recommend this bike to you.
I have AL5, and it's great for road use, fast enough. Of course, aero bikes with more agressive position will be faster, but this can do all. Gravel with 35/38mm gravel tyres, road with thinner road tyres. I have 30mm gp500 tyres currently (with latex tubes), made bike already much faster. It's better for you back than racier bikes. I swapped carbon seatpost, and maybe noticed additional improvement (back) compared to aluminium one. Fairly wide steering, so small aero penalty from this. I have used triathlon bars if I want to go really fast + they also bring additional position, which can be good for your back.
@@happydogg312 No I have not, but I'm thinking to change to 28mm. Would be more aero choice for my hunt aluminium wheels, dont know yet. Maybe 28 to front and 30 back.
@@happydogg312 We just got snow, and it's expected 30cm more within a few days😐. I have hunt 34 Aero wheels. Problem with them is that they are not true, despite being new. They were about 1mm off when they arrived. Bike shop was able to get them to 0,4 to 0,5mm, but the seam area opposite side of the valve is the problem. The seam causes them be out of true in the seam area. So I would say that quality is not what I expected. Hunt offered new wheels etc, but I did not have time to sent the ones I had back, so now I have wheels that are not true.
what's the cheapest sub 20lb flatbar in the market?, I don't really care about speed, just need it light for carrying up 3 flights of stairs(daily) and flatbar cause it's more comfy in commutes.
Trek FX probably the closest you’ll find to “cheap” and near 20 lb, with flat bar
Giant has several options as well, but heavier
Go for FX3 Disc with aluminum frame & carbon fork, or the lighter version FX Sport with carbon frame & fork.
I own a FX3 Disc 2022 model. I use it as my commuter bike to and from work. For me a great every day commuter bike.
I was looking at these, nice bike, if you can find one. Those welds on the chain stays, look sketch.
Would this be a suitable bike for a heavy rider? 120kgs or 250lbs
You'll be fine. I've had mine for 2 years now and have done a lot of mileage on it at 115kg.
Officially, according to Trek, no - maximum 125kg system weight including the bike. In practical terms a few kgs over I doubt will make much difference, the thing has thru axles, powerful brakes, and is pretty robust. Wheels are 28H. Often wheelbuilders spec 32 or 36 hole wheels for heavier riders but I've ridden 20H wheels on rough roads with no issues (I'm a similar weight)
Great video. Wow over 23 pounds . That's pretty heavy. I was expecting it to be under 20 lbs
For me AL 2 is the best setup with Shimano Claris 2x8 (Rim brakes)
That is what you get by buying disc. Entry level bikes used to be around 18~19 pounds. Now because of disc they are in the 20+ pounds.
That was my exact take away. Add pedals and H2O cages and your up to ~25. My retro build do-it-all steel frame and fork comes in at under 22/w pedals. That also includes a set of 26" wheels with 44mm wide rubber just for fun and comfort. I have other complaints with modern bikes but I have to go outside and yell at some clouds first.
its a mountain bike
Can you please remove those reflectors? Just doesnt do justice to it 🙌
Safety First
I like this bike a lot and thank you for your review. I'm wondering why Trek doesn't make this bike in ALR version, with Alluminium Alpha 300 Series frame: they use it for Emonda and Checkpoint, I think also this bike should deserve the best alluminium frame they have...what do you think? Do you know the differences between the two alluminium version? Thank you very much.
Honestly the difference between the AL and ALR is just how pretty the welds are.
@@Nahduge for shure the difference is also the weight. The weight of the Domane AL5 is also more than the Checkpoint ALR5, which has quite the same components but it's a gravel bike with wider tyres
Tienen Tamaño de rin mas grande??
Great review, thanks. Tempted to try out the AL5 with dics brakes. Being in Europe though, it's hard to ignore the 400€ cheaper Cube Attain though. Didn't deep-dive into all the specs yet, if there's any bike geeks out there who can convince me to (not) pick the Cube over the AL5, don't hold back please :)
I’m finding the aluminium endurance bikes to all be pretty good value.
Thanks found a new name for my MTB Hybrid for ENDUROAD Category. My TREK "NOMANEE" It means I am on budget 😂🤣😂🤣
Lol
@@Jamesthebikeguy I am on a budget so its best for my MTB to called NOMANEE 🤣🤣🤣
Tape up that amazing specialized stand?
Lol
needs more tire clearance.
it can fit 38c, if you need any more than that, you are in need of a gravel bike and not a domane. Fitting 38c on a "road bike" is still a massive sized tires compared to other road bikes that can barely fit 28s
Okay.... But can it race ?
Worth it
What? $2000 for those ugly welds? Come on! Might as well buy a Bikes Direct for less $.
Back ordered until Aug. 2023, for me 😭
Did you get it ?
2000 usd for over 10kg....fucking inflation
Why buy carbon? Because it's better, provided it's in the budget! 😀
I am conflicted! I have a 2022 FX3 and I would love a drop bar bike like the AL5, but also love the carbon and 1x simplicity of the FX6 Sport. But this looks like it would be faster than the FX6?
It will be faster than the fx6 all day
@@jfolklfd10946 which would be more upright for a bad back? I have an order on a 2023 FXSport 5
Very nice
Oh yeah
23lbs is enough to go carbon for me
Pretty surprising that there are 10+ year old road bikes that are significantly lighter than bikes in 2022
Overall package is good here though
Disc brakes are not very light
i heard from expert its best to go aluminium for longevity and that last way longer than carbon. Carbon would be good for those that want to do competitions and looking for the best of the best and dont worry to change parts.
Its a tank. My vintage steel Raleigh weighs the same.
@@johndef5075 how is it a tank when most of the average punters wanting light bike has fat gut. If they shed 10-15kg then they wouldn’t a few grams or a 1kg difference.
I agree. I had a Jamis Quest in ~2005 that was made with Reynolds 531 steel, Shimano 105 (triple!) all around, Mavic rims. 20 lbs. STEEL. Even if I had upsized the tires to 28s which was probably the max I could for a bike of that era, it would not have weighed 21 pounds. I sold it after a few years as my wife had won an Orbea Diva at a race that weighed under 16 and had to upgrade! We climb A LOT in the CO Rockies and a light bike absolutely makes a difference. I found a titanium Litespeed Arenberg on Craigslist for $500(!), stripped the older Ultegra parts and moved them to another bike. Spec'd SRAM Force/Red 2x, alu bars and stem, Ritchey WCS fork, ~1500g rims. I got it under 16 pounds before pedals. It's a very good climber. I think it cost me about $3k for all new parts at the time but I bet I could do better if I could find a $500 titanium frame again. I love titanium frames. Mine still looks brand new and it's over 20 years old.
For just above 2k, theres the giant tcr advanced carbon.
The rim brake version for $2,500?
We’re getting suckered into the “just a bit higher” cost ladder….
@@Jacob99174 giant propel advanced 1 rim brake is like $2200. 105 with ultegra cranks. The disc is like $2500. Still better value for money than buying a 2k alloy bike
2000 for 10.6kg!!! What has the cycling world come to! 10.6kg is crap endow storey
Agree great bike but the combo paint job and huge logo kinda kill it for me
10.6kg is kind of heavy for Alu bike, I think if we upgrade the wheelset we can hit 10kg or sub 10kg.
I'd have to weigh my bike now, but I changed the wheels to mavic krysium s's and it knocked a TON of weight off. I've changed pretty much every thing but the frame and shifter set, but the wheels were by far the heaviest part on the bike.
I have some carbon wheels on my AL5 with a few other small parts and full 105, sits at 8.8kg in size 58
23 lbs and $2k?? What a joke the bike business it's now 🤣🤣... I own a 2017 Giant TCR SLR2 with full shimano 105 5800 groupset weighting 16.9 lbs and i paid $1400... Marketing really works hahaha.
USD or CAD? Cheers.
@@CedricsSZ USD... Cheers.
Buy Ti or Steel!
K
$2100 for aluminium and 105?? Hahahahaha!
Keep looking East, you may find it cheaper
@@Jacob99174 😂
Not too mention, made in Chynah! HASA offer incredible value and they're made in Taiwan. Anyway, time to go for a ride...
@@Jacob99174 everything on that bike including the frame is made in the east and should be cheaper than it is! Manufacturers are dreamin with their prices! That’s a $1400-$1500 bike.
I just saw the weight! 😂 let me revise that valuation. This bike is a $1000 bike!
Beautiful and good value 😀 but pretty uncomfortable and not very aerodynamic. I prefer my recumbent bike.
No money no party ....
I think you shouldn't call yourself "the" bike guy but "a" bike guy.
Thanks for your opinion
Made in China, cheap-ass straight gauge frame with amateur-hour welds. It's a shame because I want a bike with exactly these features, made with decent quality triple butted aluminium and a little more care and attention to welds (which don't need to be sanded and smoothed, just done properly and neatly the first time). It might cost Trek an extra $50 per frame for this extra level of quality and yet they cheap-out and sell this rubbish.
You can always make your own bike right 🤙
@@PhiyackYuh As a bike mechanic, yes I can. But that requires decent frames as platform on which to base
Check out the Origine Trail.
Aluminium not aluminum
No offense, but why buy a road bike at all. Far more dangerous riding pavement than offroad and far more boring as well. Plenty of fun and exercise on gravel, fire roads, doubletrack. Maybe in other countries people actually pay attention when they drive. Not in the USA. Almost 30 cyclist fatalities on pavement in my county alone last year. Almost 1000 killed every year in the USA and its getting worse. Offroad is the way to go, or paved cycle routes.
Because of the weight 23 pounds.?
It seems nowadays a road bicycle is worthless if it hasn't clearance for 48mm tyres. This kind of nonsense is becoming tiresome. (See what I did here?)
Worthless? Barely anyone to rides that wide of tire on road bikes
@@Jamesthebikeguy Did you happen to read the "nonsense" part in my comment? It was a sarcasm.
Bike Guy!! ☝🏾🤨Love this thing way more than a “Carbon” version!! Gotta ask tho’…what’s your take? ..what up ‘wit the ugly/ eye sore Weld Seams that kinda diminish the frame LOOK /Design and ruin the Dignity of the “Domane” name IMO….just think of how “Stunning” it would be with the colors offered and those welds smoothed out!! 🥹Did TREK do this for integrity or strengthening??..or just blown one here?? ..and the Gearing! WHAAATTTT!! f-_-!)???
So heavy
2 grand for a 24lb bike 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@Steven Vanlancker Origine Trail
Carbon is sh it...
Sit up and beg bike
Heavy bike.
Palpatine has spoken
@@Jacob99174 😂