# Domane 6 series disc comparo to regular 6 series



## Jon D (Apr 11, 2011)

I recently added a 6 series disc to my growing number of bikes. I decided to buy a dedicated bike to leave in the mountains of NC after concluding that having disc brakes and a wider set of gears for the mountains had value to me vs my standard SFL configuration on my original Domane. 

Both have Di2 disc Ultegra mid cage the other Dura Ace, both have same saddle [SMP Glider], both running same tires [GPS 4000 II 25mm]. Wheels on the rim brake are Aeolus 5s [better than stock wheels on the disc]. 

Observations after about 150 miles on the disc version. They ride very similar and are equally comfortable however I noticed two things felt different.
1] Disc brakes do stop you much better - period - Very happy I made the decision for the mountains where I am now really convinced they add significant safety value.
2] Thru axles do change the feel of the frame a bit. Everything feels a little more solid and planted. I was surprised by this. Not a OMG level of difference but a subtle one that I noticed hitting road irregularities. 

On solo rides differences between the bikes is very subtle. You can tell but with the exception of brake performance very little delta. Handlebars are different [one carbon one not] so they feel a tad different in shape but general comfort very close.

Of course there is a weight delta between the two setups - the disc one is 19.4 lbs with seat/pedals/cages vs 17 lbs for the other one. Wheels/group/handlebars are the deltas. Same pedals on both. I was not expecting the disc to weigh the same as did not spend the $$ to minimize weight. 

Hope you all find this interesting.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

Hydraulic discs I assume?


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## Jon D (Apr 11, 2011)

Srode said:


> Hydraulic discs I assume?


Yes sorry did not think to detail that.


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## Mandeville (Oct 18, 2014)

Good review. Thanks!

All bikes suck at stopping. Properly functioning disc brakes stop you less worse than properly functioning rim brakes. In X amount of time Tour Pro bikes will have disc brakes.


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## Roland44 (Mar 21, 2013)

Jon D said:


> Hope you all find this interesting.


Great review, I made the same observations as you did once I switched to disc brakes. They do stop you better.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

i'm in the process of building a similar type bike. I went thru-axle and was told this would have an effect on the bike feel making it feel a bit stiffer. I went custom Ti however as I felt that disc brakes seemed to go better with bigger wheels so having a CX fork used along with 32 mm tires. A trek Domane disc being strikes me as an endurance bike just inches away from being a gravel bike so went all the way.


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

I recently built up an aluminum winter bike. It's roughly 2.4 pounds heavier than my carbon bikes.

I notice the weight. I think it's very noticeable. I find it to be about a full gear difference when climbing and I notice the speed increase when descending too. My bikes are about a pound or two lighter than yours overall but the weight comparison is the same really.

I'm quite surprised to not hear you say you notice the extra weight. I think it's very noticeable just after riding the heavier bike a couple hundred miles. It may be our weights though, are you heavier? I'm a lightweight (size small).


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

MMsRepBike said:


> I recently built up an aluminum winter bike. It's roughly 2.4 pounds heavier than my carbon bikes.
> 
> I notice the weight. I think it's very noticeable. I find it to be about a full gear difference when climbing and I notice the speed increase when descending too. My bikes are about a pound or two lighter than yours overall but the weight comparison is the same really.
> 
> I'm quite surprised to not hear you say you notice the extra weight. I think it's very noticeable just after riding the heavier bike a couple hundred miles. It may be our weights though, are you heavier? I'm a lightweight (size small).


If you're not climbing I don't think it will be noticeable. 2 pounds is the weight of a filled water-bottle. And if your looking for a light bike then maybe you should be thinking caliper brakes and quick release wheels which are lighter than disc and thru-axle. 

I have a road bike and I'm building a gravel bike. Two bikes , two purposes and different builds.


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## Jon D (Apr 11, 2011)

Trek_5200 said:


> If you're not climbing I don't think it will be noticeable. 2 pounds is the weight of a filled water-bottle. And if your looking for a light bike then maybe you should be thinking caliper brakes and quick release wheels which are lighter than disc and thru-axle.
> 
> I have a road bike and I'm building a gravel bike. Two bikes , two purposes and different builds.





Trek_5200 said:


> i'm in the process of building a similar type bike. I went thru-axle and was told this would have an effect on the bike feel making it feel a bit stiffer. I went custom Ti however as I felt that disc brakes seemed to go better with bigger wheels so having a CX fork used along with 32 mm tires. A trek Domane disc being strikes me as an endurance bike just inches away from being a gravel bike so went all the way.


Actually I agree with both of the above. I am heavier 200-205lbs, but I built the bike for the mountains. In my case it comes down to how much did I want to spend on this bike. I could have gotten it down another 1 to 1.5lbs pretty easily - carbon bars, Dura Ace Di2 group except for the rear [need long cage] and carbon wheels[Aeolus 3 disc ] which are coming [hopefully this week] which will take about 2/3 lb off the original weight. To do everything would have just made the bike more expensive than my target which I exceeded anyway. In the end I'm not a racer and the extra 1 pound or so will just make me stronger going up hill. Besides I can loose a lot more weight off me which will make me even faster.


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

Jon D said:


> I am heavier 200-205lbs, but I built the bike for the mountains.


I think this is it. I'm under 140. I can absolutely feel the weight of an extra full water bottle and I can absolutely feel the weight of the heavier bike. For you though, I don't think it's as noticeable. And for context, all I do is climb and descend.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

There's about 3lbs difference between my RLT9 and Domane and I can definitely feel the weight difference climbing - and I weigh 190 right now (too many Christmas Parties). I do have 28mm GP4 seasons on the Niner and 25mm Conti 4000s on the Domane so that may be some of it too.


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## Jon D (Apr 11, 2011)

Update, the Aeolus 3 disk wheels showed up went on the first ride with them today. WOW can't believe how much they transformed the ride. Bike really accelerates and rolls so much better than with stock wheels. Very satisfied.


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## PoorInRichfield (Nov 30, 2013)

Thanks for the review. Now if you could purchase a Trek Boone Disc and compare that to your Domane Disc, I'd appreciate it 

I have a Domane and a Trek ION CX bike, and if I didn't already have both bikes, I'd buy either a Domane Disc or Boone Disc and have a road wheelset and a dirt/trail wheelset (1 bike, two wheelsets).

As far as braking is concerned, something I've learned from the automotive world is that what really stops you is the contact patch of your tire on the road. With that being said, if you really need to stop, a good set of brakes and a wider tire will likely be the best bet. A good set of brakes and a skinny tire just causes you to skid (and bikes don't have ABS brakes yet, so...)


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## Jon D (Apr 11, 2011)

PoorInRichfield said:


> I have a Domane and a Trek ION CX bike, and if I didn't already have both bikes, I'd buy either a Domane Disc or Boone Disc and have a road wheelset and a dirt/trail wheelset (1 bike, two wheelsets).
> 
> As far as braking is concerned, something I've learned from the automotive world is that what really stops you is the contact patch of your tire on the road.


Exactly what I did, the Aeolus 3s have GP4000 25s on them, the factory wheels have 4 season 28s which I may switch out for something with more tread. 

Re braking you are correct, learned that with both cars and motorcycles.


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