Revealed: The remarkable technologies on Cancellara's Flanders Trek Domane SLR

Revealed: The remarkable technologies on Cancellara's Flanders Trek Domane SLR

Textured cobbles, palmarés on the top tube, with front and rear adjustable IsoSpeed

Cancellara's Domane SLR that he rode to second place in his final Tour of Flanders

Ben Delaney / Immediate Media

Ben Delaney

Published: April 5, 2016 at 5:26 pm
Cancellara's Domane SLR that he rode to second place in his final Tour of Flanders - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Trek made Cancellara a special frame with textured cobbles and his Flanders results on the top tube - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
De Ronde celebrated its 100th edition this year - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
The new Domane's rear IsoSpeed is adjustable with this black slider. Cancellara set his in the middle, between Madone-like firmness and very plush - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
This bolt loosens the IsoSpeed adjustment system. To adjust, you loosen this bolt, move the slider, then tighten the bolt back down - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
For the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, Cancellara races without a power meter and without a heart rate strap - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
FMB tubulars are handmade and a favorite of the team - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
While Trek has new elastometer-infused carbon bars, Cancellara goes with 44cm alloy bars - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Shimano Dura-Ace direct-mount brakes offer plenty of clearance for 25 and even 28mm tubulars - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Say hello to my little friend! Tony M is Cancellara's Scarface reference - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Despite all the new technology, many pros still use the humble magnet for speed and distance - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Trek's built-in speedometer and cadence sensor means no ugly zip ties mucking up the frame - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Despite the bike's vertically plush character, the ultra-wide bottom bracket area means it's still quite stiff for pedaling - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Part of the bike's big news is the Front IsoSpeed, where the steerer pivots inside the head tube, with bolts on either side preventing lateral movement but allowing the steerer to bow fore and aft - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Cancellara is one of the world's strongest bike racers. He ran an 11-28 cassette at the Tour of Flanders - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Shimano Dura-Ace pedals aren't flashy, but they get the job done, year after year - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media

Fabian Cancellara raced his final Tour of Flanders Sunday aboard a special Trek Domane SLR. The just-announced Domane SLR sports two radically new technologies — front IsoSpeed and adjustable rear IsoSpeed — and Cancellara's race bike also has some 3D graphics celebrating his accomplishments at Belgium's biggest race.

Cancellara has been instrumental in the formation of the Domane line of bikes from the beginning, working with Trek on testing prototypes, riding instrumented bikes, giving feedback and of course handily delivering as a marketing icon for the endurance machine.

"My wife would not like when I say, it’s like the third baby, the Domane," Cancellara said on the day after the Tour of Flanders, where he placed second to Peter Sagan.

Trek made cancellara a special frame with textured cobbles and his flanders results on the top tube:

Cancellara regularly made the podium at Ronde van Vlaanderen

Cancellara first raced the bike at Strade Bianche, which he won for the third time. Although many noticed the new bike, neither Trek nor Cancellara would talk about it until the day after the Tour of Flanders at the bike's official launch in Kortrijk, Belgium.

There are two new and remarkable technologies on the new Domane SLR. One, the rear IsoSpeed — first introduced with the original Domane where the seat tube flexes on a pivot at the top tube/chainstay junction — is now adjustable in its range of flex. The split seat tube has an adjustment tab that slides up and down, changing the compliance characteristics from Madone-like stiffness to more plush than the current Domane. To adjust this, you loosen the bottle bottle cage bolt, adjust the slider, then retighten the bolt. Cancellara chose to run his with the slider set in the middle.

The new domane's rear isospeed is adjustable with this black slider. cancellara set his in the middle, between madone-like firmness and very plush:

The rear IsoSpeed is now adjustable in its seat tube flex, with the black tab just behind and above the bottle cage

The second is the front IsoSpeed, where the steerer tube is allowed to bow fore and aft inside the head tube. Pivot bolts on either side keep laterally rigidity identical to a standard bike, Trek says.

For complete coverage of the Tour of Flanders and the upcoming Paris-Roubaix where Cancellara will race his last Hell of the North, check out Cyclingnews.com.

Complete bike specifications

  • Frame: Trek Domane SLR, 58cm
  • Fork: Trek IsoSpeed carbon
  • Stem: Bontrager Race XXX Lite, 140mm
  • Handlebar: Bontrager RL Anatomic, 44cm width
  • Brakes: Shimano Dura-Ace direct-mount
  • Brake levers / shifters: Shimano Dura-Ace 9000
  • Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace 9000
  • Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace 9000
  • Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace, 11-28T
  • Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace
  • Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace, 175mm, 53/39T
  • Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace
  • Wheelset: Bontrager Aeolus 5
  • Tubulars: FMB Paris-Roubax, 25mm
  • Saddle: Bontrager Team Issue
  • Power meter: None used for the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix

Critical measurements

  • Rider's height: 186cm (6ft 1in)
  • Rider's weight: 80kg (176lb)
  • Saddle height from BB, c-t: 782mm
  • Tip of saddle to centre of bar: 620mm
  • Saddle-to-bar drop: 111mm

Ben Delaney

Contributor

Ben Delaney is a journalist with more than two decades of experience writing for and editing some of the biggest publications in cycling. Having studied journalism at the University of New Mexico, Ben has worked for Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, VeloNews and BikeRadar. He has also previously worked as Global Brand Communications Manager for Specialized. Ben covers all things road and gravel, and can be found logging big miles in the Rocky Mountains that nestle alongside his home in Boulder, Colorado. He has covered the most important bike races in the sport, from the Tour de France and Tour of Flanders, to the Unbound gravel race, and specialises in tech content, showcasing what the pros are riding and putting everyday equipment through its paces.
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