Trek says its new ultra-lightweight road e-bike looks and feels like a non-electric bike

Trek has just unveiled its lightest electric bike to date, the Trek Domane+ SLR. The stealthy e-bike is designed to slot right in alongside non-electric bikes without sticking out.

Trek Domane+ SLR

Weighing in at a mere 11.75 kg (25.9 pounds), the Trek Domane+ SLR is the company’s lightest electric road bike to date.

It follows the company’s growing line of ultra-lightweight electric bikes, such as the Trek e-Caliber electric mountain bikes.

The Domane+ SLR’s lightweight design was made possible thanks to a combination of an ultra lightweight carbon frame, minimalist electric motor and a small battery pack, among other gram-saving design choices.

The Domane+ SLR is the first Trek bike to take advantage of the company’s highest level 800 series carbon frame, previously only used on the manufacturer’s pedal bikes.

That frame is said to have saved 700g compared to the frame used on Trek’s previous Domane+ e-bike, or around 6% of the bike’s overall mass.

The bike employs the TQ-HPR50 e-bike drive system, a lesser known but sophisticated e-bike drive powertrain developed by the German TQ Group. It puts out 50 Nm of torque, which isn’t exactly gear melting but should be sufficient for the type of electric gentle assist riding that most road bikers are seeking.

The motor is capable of speeds of up to 45 km/h (28 mph) when integrated into e-bikes destined for the US market, and it appears the Trek will allow the Domane+ SLR to take advantage of that higher speed in the US. In Europe, the bike will still be limited to 25 km/h (15.5 mph) to comply with local regulations.

The bike will sport a 360Wh battery, which the company says should be sufficient for 100 km (62 miles) of assisted riding. That range may be possible in the lowest power mode, but riders taking advantage of the higher end of the bike’s 300W output will likely achieve lower range figures per charge. The bike’s three power modes can be selected using shifter buttons on the bar hoods, allowing riders to keep their hands in place while adjusting the motor’s assistance level.

Trek also offers a 160 Wh range extender battery that fits in the water bottle cage and can add nearly 50% more battery capacity to the bike. That auxiliary battery option, which costs an extra $599, could prove popular for riders who enjoy bikepacking or simply want to push harder and farther on their fitness rides.

While the Domane+ SLR is designed as a road e-bike, its allowance for tires up to 40mm wide could offer decent utility as a gravel e-bike as well.

We’ve seen that with other top end electric road bikes like the Specialized Turbo Creo SL, which has been known to serve double duty as an electric road bike and gravel e-bike, depending on the loadout.

The bike’s integrated battery and hidden bottom bracket motor make the bike largely indistinguishable from many pedal bikes, at least at a quick glance.

One of the few giveaways of the bike’s electric nature is the digital display built into the upper surface of the top tube, which helps keep the handlebars free of digital clutter.

The Trek Domane+ SLR starts at US $8,999 (£8,890, €9,599) with a Shimano transmission, though the price increases to US $12,999 (£12,900, €14,499) for the higher end version with a SRAM Red eTap transmission.

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