We just received and are riding a 2011 Trek Madone 6.9 SSL Project One, with Campagnolo Super Record. Wow! A great looking frame, light and lively, fast and comfortable. A wonderfully balanced ride.
Out of the saddle, the frame is as stiff and responsive as anything we've ridden...as good as a lighter monococque race frame from another maker...which is something we couldn't say about the last Madone we rode. The bike makes you want to stand up.
The handling is predictable and a complete bike weight that tips the scale at a scant 6.375 kilograms (that's just over 14 pounds) speaks for itself. The custom paint is beautiful and shows especially well in the sunlight. The ride is a bit stiffer than the non-SSL Madone over rough pavement but the responsiveness of the newer carbon makes it a good trade-off. The internal cable routing is intelligently done and the Duotrap sensor (integrated sensor and sending unit built directly into the chainstay) works great with our Garmin 705.
The lead time was beyond reasonable...just two weeks! Some production bikes we sell take nearly that long to reach our shops...and this Madone SSL is full-custom in all the aesthetic details, painted and built to our spec and our order!
The 2011 Campagnolo Super Record shifts significantly better front and rear than 2010, and it's lighter...quicker in the front, more accurate and crisper in the rear. Improvements that make the entire package that much more desirable.
The Bontrager Race XXX-Lite wheels feel great...light, not soft, snappy. A pretty traditional design other than the OCLV rim. There is a slight braking performance penalty with the carbon rims but there is no pulsing or any other negative feedback that we've experienced with all-carbon rims from other makers.
The Bontrager bar is very light... lighter than the Easton we've ridden in the past. The carbon stem is actually a bit lighter than a light aluminum stem and it's nice and stiff. They are a nice compliment to the all-American, Wisconsin built Madone SSL.
From a mechanic's standpoint, the bike goes together with no hassle or head-ache. Everything is well thought out and the quality is apparent when compared to competitor's bikes that are made in Asia, especially in the details.
If we had to say one thing about the Madone SSL that sets it apart: it is the first carbon bike we've tested that we feel we could really get attached to. It was made in the U.S., by hand. It was painted in the U.S., by hand... difficult to define details that set this thoroughbred race bike apart from its competitors and that give it a priority place in our corral.
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