The MAMIL’s Comfort Bike

Trek launches a new road bike for MAMILs: the Domane (pronounce it “dough money). Join the fun discussion with Byron @ Bike Hugger and I on the merit’s of this bike and its marketing.

You can see the details of Trek’s new Domane here, but the gist is Trek finally launches something to compete with Specialized’s top selling road bike, the Roubaix. The Madone is showing it’s age and Specialized has been eating Trek’s lunch since the Roubaix was launched eight years ago, so I’m sure Trek dealers are happy to see this.

2013 Trek Domane road bicycle

There’s a lot of engineering in this nice looking carbon fiber bicycle to give it some extra vertical give. Trek’s PR on the Domane brags about the utility of their “IsoSpeed” frame design for use on the harsh, cobbled roads of the Spring Classics. Fabian Cancellara won the Strade Bianche a few weeks ago on this bike.



Trek’s target demographic is me, the MAMIL (middle aged man in lycra) who appreciates a little more flexibility in the bike frame as our own biological frames begin to lose their flex. This might also be a nod to the crumbling transportation infrastructure in the United States. Many of the roads I ride are teeth chattering bone breakers that look like they’ve been cratered with American runway bombs and Taliban IEDs.

In his commentary at Bike Hugger and over at Google Plus, Bryon reminds us we can get the same benefit with a steel frame or with wider tires, but that doesn’t appeal to the pro rock and roll fantasy. Even bald and slow middle aged fatties like me can reach for the sky and tear up the ground with the Domane.

The Dough Money is clearly Trek’s “Roubaix Killer.” I’m a big fan of the Roubaix’s soft ride with road racing looks, so I’m enthusiastic about the Domane. Join the discussion at Google Plus if you’re so inclined.

Update: More of this conversation here.

2 Comments

  1. They are doing some wild stuff with bike design and geometry. That is the first time I have seen a road bike with a flexing seat post. Personally I would love to have that as my road ride.

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