# Thoughts on the new 4.5 Trek Domane?



## Babs (Jul 19, 2012)

Thinking about getting one, thoughts on this new bike by trek? 4,5 WSD has the exact same components as the Madone 4.6

Only the Domane comes with a compact. Ok can someone please answer in easy to understand language. What is the difference between a compact and triple. I'm 47 out of shape, want to die going up hills....just die. Will a compact make this easier? I'm so lost with this arguement, the women I ride with are like stay with a triple....the men are like do the compact. I need help

Babs


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## Madone58 (Jul 2, 2012)

Babs said:


> Thinking about getting one, thoughts on this new bike by trek? 4,5 WSD has the exact same components as the Madone 4.6
> 
> Only the Domane comes with a compact. Ok can someone please answer in easy to understand language. What is the difference between a compact and triple. I'm 47 out of shape, want to die going up hills....just die. Will a compact make this easier? I'm so lost with this arguement, the women I ride with are like stay with a triple....the men are like do the compact. I need help
> 
> Babs


Where do you ride? What type of riding do you do?


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## Hooben (Aug 22, 2004)

The compact crank gives you a 2 rings with a smaller gear for climbing up in front. Yes, it's easier to climb with a compact crank. 

The triple gives you 3 rings in front which may make it more difficult for you to understand which gear to use as a beginner. 

Most club riders find the compact crank more simple and easy to use. 

The triple is found more with my friends that are going to ride cross country with full packs who need the extra ring. 

Go with the compact.


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## Babs (Jul 19, 2012)

I ride street/city or the river trails . I live in a mountain community so the streets are steep, some super steep. Basically with my triple my heart rates goes through the ceiling and i have to stop a few miles into the climb. Here you can choose roller hills or steep hills or flat. I just keep getting my butt handed to me on my old bike, now granted it's 10 years old an aluminum trek which I adore but it's time for him to get upgraded which is why i'm looking at the Domane, i recreational ride, sometimes for long distances on the flat, no 100 mile distance but i'm up to 40 miles on the flat. My problem is going up the steep hills, i just dont have the energy to pedal like a hamster to get up them, So looking for a lighter bike, Domane is carbon, nicer components, ultegra, compact crank so hopefully this might assist my climbing skills right?


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## Madone58 (Jul 2, 2012)

Babs said:


> I ride street/city or the river trails . I live in a mountain community so the streets are steep, some super steep. Basically with my triple my heart rates goes through the ceiling and i have to stop a few miles into the climb. Here you can choose roller hills or steep hills or flat. I just keep getting my butt handed to me on my old bike, now granted it's 10 years old an aluminum trek which I adore but it's time for him to get upgraded which is why i'm looking at the Domane, i recreational ride, sometimes for long distances on the flat, no 100 mile distance but i'm up to 40 miles on the flat. My problem is going up the steep hills, i just dont have the energy to pedal like a hamster to get up them, So looking for a lighter bike, Domane is carbon, nicer components, ultegra, compact crank so hopefully this might assist my climbing skills right?


I'm no expert...but my friends with triples do very well on hills. Can you keep up with a compact?? Well yes you can. It really depends on you. I think you can climb a hill on aluminum just as fast as you can on carbon. It's the whole "engine" debate....we hate talking about that....and I always love upgrading....I'm a sucker.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

Bottom line: Get a compact 34/50 crank and 11/28 cassette. That'll give you the range and gears you need without the complexity and weight of a triple. A triple could give you a bit lower lower and a bit higher high, but the instances where you'd need those will be rare to nonexistent.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

A compact with a wide range cassette (11-28 or 11-30) will have nearly the same bottom end as a triple, nearly the same top end (in terms of gearing ratios) and will actually make you a better rider. 

Triples are all too easy to say "you know, this is just way too hard, I'll use the granny gear and toddle up this climb" instead of challenging yourself to work a little, suffer a little and get stronger to match your gearing.


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## Shinjukan (Aug 22, 2011)

Concurring with madone58 on the "engine" debate. If the engine is already well-primed for the hills, the only debate between a triple and a compact is the snob factor. It's common in bike scenes to frown on those triples, categorizing them in the same boat as dorky or freddy. If you're at peace with who you are as a rider then you shouldn't be affected whether you have a triple, a compact or a double. Remember that you're riding for yourself, not for them.

To point out some of the Triple Riders' comments, in the triple, the gear difference between the big and the intermediate chainring (50/39) is closer compared to that of the compact (50/34) hence power delivery is a bit smoother rather than the pronounced jump. And once the rider becomes stronger, he/she will find out that there's lesser and lesser time that the granny gear is being used and now becomes a true bailout gear only. Once this is evident, there are some riders who are starting to explore the 53/39 double domain.

In the same light, I am also bitten by the Domane love bug. If only I could justify having one despite my current bike is only a year old.


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## Babs (Jul 19, 2012)

Thank you all so much! The whole compact/triple thing was just getting too confusing trying to research it online. I was going to upgrade to the Madone 5.2 but I rode a 4.5 and really liked it more, then my LBS let me ride the Domane which was just so comfortable. The Domane 4.5 only comes in a compact so that's one reason I wanted to poll you all on your thoughts. The Madone 5.2 just seems a bit squirrely the 4.5 a bit more solid.


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## Shinjukan (Aug 22, 2011)

Made a quick visit to the Trek website and glanced at the Domane 2-series and the 4.5. From what I saw, the triple option is nowhere to be found so that forces your hand if you still want the Domane that eagerly. Besides, the triple/9-speed combo is slowly going the way of the Dodo bird so you're much better off with the compact that's now the main powertrain in almost all new bikes today. You have lots of options on this setup and doesn't foresee any potential replacement in the near future.


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## Crusty (Nov 25, 2009)

looigi said:


> Bottom line: Get a compact 34/50 crank and 11/28 cassette. That'll give you the range and gears you need without the complexity and weight of a triple. A triple could give you a bit lower lower and a bit higher high, but the instances where you'd need those will be rare to nonexistent.


+1 I really hate all the responses here that don't take into account that IT DEPENDS ON WHAT CASSETTE IS ON THE BIKE. I feel better.

I had a triple (52/42/30, 12-25) and bought a compact double bike a couple of months ago (50/34, 11-28). You should compare the available range of gears on the double vs the triple. This is a good gear calculator.

There isn't much difference at the low end of the two bikes. The biggest difference? On the triple, I used the middle ring 95% of the time. On the compact double, I'm on the large ring 85% of the time. I mostly ride flats, though.

The Domane 4.5 looks like a nice bike: carbon + Ultegra. I test rode Trek 5.2 and I didn't like the WSD model. The bars were narrow and the drop on the bars was absurdly small, like a couple of inches. In the drops, my head was way forward of the the stem. The nonWSD was a better fit for me. I am 5'7". I bought the Cannondale Synapse, but the Trek was a close second.


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## Rockingeezer (Sep 16, 2012)

So Babs, what did you get? 4.5? I'm going to get one after my knee replacement at end of Oct. I'd like to hear your thoughts if you own one


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