If you’re shopping for a bike box to travel with a Trek Madone Gen 8, the integrated front end may be the first thing that gives you pause. Removing a cockpit with internally routed brake hoses every time you fly is hardly an appealing prospect, particularly when the bike has already been set up to suit your position.
Fortunately, the current Madone is generally well suited to the Buxumbox Ventoux. The bike can be packed with its handlebars still attached, provided the cockpit rotates through the 101 degrees required by the Ventoux mounting system and the remaining measurements fall within the box limits.
Why the Madone Gen 8 suits the Ventoux bike box
The Ventoux was designed for modern road bikes whose cockpits are integrated or internally routed but can still be turned alongside the frame. To pack the bike, remove the wheels and seat post, then rotate the handlebars 101 degrees to the right:
The bike is then secured inside the box using the front and rear axle mounting points. The cockpit remains attached throughout, so there is no need to disturb the headset, brake hoses, bar position or stem alignment.
That is an important advantage with the Madone Gen 8. Trek’s SLR complete bikes use the one-piece Aero RSL handlebar and stem, while SL models use Trek’s RCS Pro headset and stem arrangement. Both systems route the brake hoses through the front of the bike, although the exact cockpit fitted will depend on the model and whether the bike has been modified.
Removing the complete cockpit would add time at both ends of the journey and introduce more opportunities to alter the bike’s fit. With the Ventoux the front end stays assembled and the bike requires relatively little work before it is ready to ride again.
Does the Madone have a steering stop?
Some earlier Trek road bikes, including previous Madone configurations, use an integrated steerer stop designed to prevent the handlebars from over-rotating and damaging the frame or cables. Trek still lists this component for older Madone SL and SLR applications.
The current Madone Gen 8 service manual shows three RCS headset arrangements and does not list the same steering-stop component. Its installation instructions instead state that the brake hoses should be routed so the handlebars can turn freely. This makes the Gen 8 a better candidate for the Ventoux than bikes whose steering is physically restricted.
Even so, check the actual bike before ordering. Turn the bars fully to the right and confirm that they can reach 101 degrees without the cockpit, controls or hoses contacting the frame. Do not force the bars beyond their natural range.
An older Madone should be assessed separately rather than assuming that the same advice applies across every generation.
If your bars cannot turn 101 degrees and you do not want to remove your cockpit, then you'll need to look at our Aubisque range, where the bike can be loaded in with the bars straight and still attached. Or alternatively, if you're happy removing your bars, then a Ventoux with our straight mount pack is also an option.
Standard or Wide Ventoux?
The correct Ventoux width is determined by Measurement D as shown below, not by the Madone’s frame size or nominal handlebar width:
With the bars in their packing position, measure from the centre of the stem cap to an imaginary line across the furthest-forward point of the brake hoods. Choose:
- Ventoux Standard when Measurement D is below 270 mm
- Ventoux Wide when Measurement D is 270 mm or more
The Aero RSL cockpit is available in several bar-width and stem-length combinations, including stems from 70 to 130 mm. Longer cockpits may require the Wide Ventoux, but the published component dimensions cannot confirm this on their own because the brake-hood position also affects Measurement D. Measure the complete bike before selecting the box.
Check the remaining measurements
The Madone must also meet the Ventoux’s other fitting limits, which are listed on the size guide for the Ventoux.
For a current Trek Madone Gen 8 that passes those checks and allows the bars to rotate through 101 degrees, the Ventoux provides a compact way to travel without dismantling the cockpit.
For a current Trek Madone Gen 8 that passes these checks and allows the bars to rotate through 101 degrees, the Ventoux provides a compact way to travel without dismantling the cockpit. Whether you need the Standard or Wide version comes down to Measurement D. In either case, the bike’s front end remains assembled, preserving its setup and reducing the work required at your destination.
Trek Madone images courtesy of Rhino's Workshop on Instagram.