Home > Bike Types > Road Bike

The Ultimate First Road Bike? New Trek Domane AL Disc is value packed for the price

Written by Zach Overholt
31 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

If you’ve been thinking of buying a new bike to give cycling a try recently, you’re not alone. Loads of new riders have taken to two wheels to get outside while maintaining their social distance. And while new bikes can be very expensive, the new Trek Domane AL Disc is proof that you don’t have to spend a fortune to find a very well equipped bike.

New Trek Domane AL Disc bento box

Using an Alpha 200 aluminum frame with smooth-ish welds, a gently curved top tube, thin stays, and internal cable routing, the Domane AL has a better looking silhouette than the outgoing 202 model.

New Trek Domane AL Disc top tube

New Trek Domane AL Disc drivetrain

It also makes the move to flat mount disc brakes and 12mm thru axles at both ends.

New Trek Domane AL rim brake 2021

Don’t want to move to disc brakes? While all of the new Domane AL models use discs, there will be just one version of the Domane AL 2 sold with rim brakes and the previous generation frame as a 2021 model year bike.

New Trek Domane AL Disc blendr stem New Trek Domane AL Disc duotrap sensor

New Trek Domane AL Disc rear rack mount

Back to the new frame design, the AL frames include multiple accessory options including 3 water bottle mounts, top tube bento box mounts, front and rear rack mounts, fender mounts, and a BLendr compatible stem plus Duotrap speed/cadence sensor compatible chainstay.

Frames also have clearance for up to 700c x 35mm tires, though they will be sold with 700c x 32mm tires and TLR tubeless compatible wheels for comfortable riding on many surfaces.

New Trek Domane AL Disc 2

The new Domane AL frame will be sold in four complete builds in the form of the 2, 3, 4, and 5 disc. Pricing starts at $1,049.99 for the Domane AL 2 Disc with Shimano Claris, mechanical disc brakes, and Bontrager Affinity TLR wheels. The Domane AL 3 Disc steps up to $1,249.99 with Shimano Sora, mechanical brakes, and Bontrager Affinity TLR wheels, followed by the Domane AL 4 Disc with Shimano Tiagra, hydraulic disc brakes, and again Affinity TLR wheels. The top end Domane AL 5 Disc moves to a 2×11 Shimano 105 R7000 group with hydraulic disc brakes, and Affinity TLR wheels at $1,799.99. It should be noted that while these bikes include TLR wheels, they do not include TLR tires, so you’ll have to upgrade the tires and provide sealant and rim strips in order to take advantage of tubeless in the future.

New Trek Domane AL Disc geometry 2021

The Domane AL Disc will be available in seven different frame sizes, all with 700c wheels. Available now.

trekbikes.com
Zach Overholt
5,778 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

31 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Tim
Tim
4 years ago

Beware of any bike with R7000 105 hydraulic discs. The brake levers have no bite point adjustment, and the levers take so long to engage that they nearly bottom out on the handlebar. I was amazed that this was the case with mid-range components and wrote on a few forums. I was told that that was simply how 105 brakes worked.

1
Reply
fatcamper
fatcamper
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim

I’ve ridden R7000 and didn’t notice the levers almost needing to be pulled to the handlebars to stop. They lack servowave, and I thought this helped with modulation as they lack the on/off feel of Shimano’s mountain brakes. I’ve only ridden flatter rides though.

0
Reply
Tim
Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  fatcamper

I’ve had them on my Canyon road bike which I got at the beginning of the year. Maybe all the way to the handlebar is an exaggeration, but not much. Braking from the forward part of the drops is not an option because the levers touch my hands before they begin to slow the bike down. And there is no bite point adjustment, something which I find amazing given that MSRP on the brifter-caliper set is upwards up 300 bucks.

1
Reply
Garrett
Garrett
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim

Have you re bled them? My first set of Shimano road discs was literally to the bar after a shop bleed, then I did the bleed myself and they were perfect.

1
Reply
Tim
Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  Garrett

I have indeed bled them. Some bubbles came out of each brake, but not that much. I wrote about this on a couple forums and was told on both of them: that is how 105 brakes are, even after a bleed.

0
Reply
TheKaiser
TheKaiser
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim

Have you made sure the pistons are sliding freely in the square seals, so they can advance properly. If they’re sticking in the seals, then they won’t slide out which will leave an excessive pad gap that needs to be taken up by each lever squeeze. If they’re not sliding, you can pull the wheel and pads out and work the pistons back and forth while lubing the pad/seal interface to free them up.

If you are really desperate you can also overfill the system by pushing some extra fluid into it at the bleed nipple, which will have the effect of making mildly pre-activating the brake, leaving less for the lever pull to do. Downsides are it will reduce the room for heat related expansion, and you might get a little weeping at the master cylinder reservoir.

0
Reply
Tim
Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  TheKaiser

I did notice that on both the front and rear brakes, one piston is doing most of the work. Kinda like having single-piston hydraulic disc brakes from circa 2000. Will use your tip to lube the cylinders. Thanks for the info!

0
Reply
Bart
Bart
4 years ago
Reply to  TheKaiser

Honestly, is a brand new bike supposed to require so much maintenance? Why bother buying a new bike if you just have to spend hours to fix it?

0
Reply
David
David
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim

Wha? That just sounds like a bad bleed.

0
Reply
Me
Me
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim

Solution: Take off the wheels, pull the brake levers to advance the pistons and put the wheels back in. Do it again if they are still soft. Works, trust me.

0
Reply
Tim
Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  Me

I did that and it work, but it’s imprecise- you can easily end up having to reset the pistons entirely, and you don’t have fine control over how the brake ends up feeling. It’s pathetic that on a 400-dollar or so brifter-brake setup we have to resort to this crap.

0
Reply
Jeff
Jeff
4 years ago

The Giant Contend AR is a much better Value at 1500$ vs 1800$ for the Trek similarly spec’d.

0
Reply
Zach Overholt
Author
Zach Overholt
4 years ago
Reply to  Jeff

Maybe. Maybe not. It’s hard to tell because Giant doesn’t provide complete spec information, but Trek uses a full Shimano 105 drivetrain including the chain and crank. Giant cuts costs in these areas with a KMC chain, down spec Shimano crank (with “cartridge” BB, probably not Shimano), and things like the headset are unlisted where Trek lists an FSA sealed cartridge headset. Then there’s the hubs – the Giant looks like it runs 6 bolt hubs and rotors (though again, unlisted) which is a step down from the Centerlock Bontrager hubs and Shimano SM-RT70 rotors on the Trek. The Trek also appears to have better integration of electronics with the Duotrap sensor and Blendr mounts, plus rack mounts, top tube mounts, and a third bottle cage mount under the downtube. Also, it’s not clear if the Giant has fender mounts.

So yes, the Giant is priced less, but like many bikes, when you really dig into the specs you start to notice all the little details that have been overlooked to decrease cost. The Giant looks like a great bike, and if you don’t need/or want the features on the Trek, then it go for it. However, the Trek seems to be more versatile, with more features, albeit slightly more expensive.

5
Reply
stevie962870553
stevie962870553
4 years ago

now, if they would just stop selling to police who use their bikes as weapons against peaceful demonstrators…

-12
Reply
Dinger
Dinger
4 years ago
Reply to  stevie962870553

Severing ties with police isn’t any kind of way forward. Far more good police work is done with bicycles than bad. I’d rather see the keep a seat at the table and be a part of the conversation.

3
Reply
J Hall
J Hall
3 years ago
Reply to  stevie962870553

Makes me want to buy from them exclusively

2
Reply
William Leiva
William Leiva
4 years ago

@stevie962870553 is that sarcasm? I can’t tell.

0
Reply
stevie962870553
stevie962870553
4 years ago
Reply to  William Leiva

not even a little bit

-7
Reply
Chros
Chros
4 years ago

Is ultrega disc brakes the same problem ?

-1
Reply
Tim
Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  Chros

No, that’s because Ultegra has free stroke adjustment. Turn a bolt, and the pads get closer to the disc.

0
Reply
Bee
Bee
4 years ago

Available now? B2B shows March ’21…

0
Reply
J.L. Galache (@JLGalache)
J.L. Galache (@JLGalache)
4 years ago
Reply to  Bee

That’s what “now” means in The Times of COVID. A month ago I ordered a bike from my LBS “available now” according to all media outlets. Estimated (ESTIMATED) delivery date is still 35 days from today! And I’ll consider myself lucky if the bike actually shows up on the estimated date.

0
Reply
Onrhodes
Onrhodes
4 years ago

This 100%

0
Reply
JB
JB
4 years ago

Hi there,

I’m in a pickle. About to purchase my first road bike for commuting/fitness and I am tossing up between this Trek Domane al 2 disc 2021 or the Giant Contend AR 4 2021. Both similar in specs, and same price.

What would the community recommend?

Thank you!

0
Reply
RE
RE
4 years ago

“Trek uses a full Shimano 105 drivetrain including the chain and crank.” – yeah, and that’s a big upcharge at OE level. >2x the cost of an FSA.

0
Reply
pixls
pixls
4 years ago

Bikerumor making a whole post about “where we ride from here” about social justice and everything and then continuing to post Trek news entirely uncritically without even a single mention of the boycotts and calls for them to drop police contracts really says a lot about what y’all are actually willing to do with your platform.

-4
Reply
Lyford
Lyford
4 years ago
Reply to  pixls

Do you think it’s better for communities to have more police on bikes or have them all in cars?

Stopping all bike sales to police because some are misused is like stopping all mountain bike sales because some riders tear up trails.

4
Reply
pixls
pixls
4 years ago

No it’s like demanding accountability for your role in state violence. Taking away material resources from police departments is a real way that a huge company like Trek can affect change. Your false equivalency only shows that you have no desire to engage with actual change and only to hang wring about “community safety” when time and time again it has been shown that more police and more police equipment do nothing to make communities safer.

-3
Reply
Al
Al
4 years ago

Are there any reviews about the Domane AL 5? I want to know everything that I can about this bike. Not interested in Giant, Canyon or any other bike. Please tell me about the TREK Domane AL 5.

1
Reply
SapeMies
SapeMies
4 years ago

I mean, i love this bikes specs, price point and the color, but WHY the headset has to be so… Penis-y? I mean I jest, the bike looks amazing, but that headset…

0
Reply
Drew P
Drew P
4 years ago

Aluminum flexes until it cracks.

-1
Reply

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.