Trek Domane+ HP 7 Review

In April of 2021, I received my Domane HP+7 after ordering it five months prior; who knew Wisconsin was so far away?

So what processed me to spend over $10k when the bike it replaced cost a quarter of that and was still getting the job done? For those who hate long reviews, I’ll give the answer up front: I had the money and it’s a literal time machine. For the rest of you, here goes.

Review by John Dougherty

I rode my previous bike for five years and it was all mechanical with a Shimano 105 groupset and weighed in at 20 pounds. Nice bike, but it had an unsolvable issue with ghost shifting.

A word of warning: Do Not ride a bike with Di2 shifters and expect to go back to your former bike and be content with sloppy shifting.

The other thing I had to sort out was my age. At 69, I had to consider the next decade and what it would look like. There was really only one answer: a literal time machine and that’s what I got.

I only had one big reservation about this bike.

On faith, I could accept the fact that it only had one chainring, but the gearing was suspect. The front is only 46T and had a 42T tall sprocket on the rear.

– Yeah, its got a small of eleven, but what is this bike after all? Was this a serious road bike or some sort of hybrid that would disappoint? There was very little first-hand information out there, but I was assured it would be no problem to reach 28mph, even with the required 80 rpm cadence. 80?? I ride at sixty, thank you. They were right, it’s not a problem. In fact, when the assist kicks out, I have achieved 32mph on the flats.

I am sure there are reasons to buy a Class-1 bike (20 mph assist) that is relatively lite to help on climbs, but if they sold one that went 35mph, I would have wanted it. I was obsessed with the max speed and rode it that way at first.

Now, I tend to turn off the assist except for going up pesky hills where I can lose 100 pounds and 45 years in the flick of a button.

Time Machine indeed.

Climbing is where this machine excels. With four power settings, there is nothing you can’t do best. BTW, I have literally never selected the top power assist; it just hasn’t been necessary and has become a thing.

So now we get to range.

The main limiter to range is the rider’s weight.

Yeah, how fast and how steep matters, but weight is the limiter. I weigh 250 lbs at 6’3”. I can ride forty miles in the lowest power setting on rolling hills and have 30% left. I can also go up 12% climbs for seven miles at 16mph and use 70% battery.

The 4amp charger will take about two hours to recharge. I have no doubt that if you weigh 200 lbs or less, you can improve these numbers and ride 70 miles in the lowest power setting.

The brakes are wicked good.

You can read the specs and come to your own conclusions, but braking is never an issue. The shifting is crisp and predictable. The overall quality is excellent, which is a Trek hallmark IMO. The motor is Bosch and I don’t think anymore needs to be said about that.

You will hear a little motor “noise” when the power is on, but no one is being fooled into thinking you have a normal bike.

It’s not something you would notice. When you coast, you will hear some sound coming from the mid-motor interface, but it’s not a lot, like cards in the spokes.

One pleasant surprise was how easy the controller works.

They call it a Kiox.

I have had other brands that recorded what we like to know about the ride, but this is the easiest one I have ever used and gives you everything w/o requiring different buttons to push; it’s sequential. Maybe that is the best part for a non-tech person like me.

They say that the extra weight of the motor and battery actually help with the handling. I think that is maybe accurate for duffs like me; it has a lower center of gravity. This has road bike geometry and as such is precise and predictable. I have descended at 44mph and the only thing I noticed was that the cross-section of the carbon wheels (1 1/2”) and the fatter down tube caused some push from a crosswind.

I like the size of the tires: 38mm.

I can pump them to 75 pounds and get a decent ride along with the Domane frame w/its frame isolators. This is a comfortable frame to ride and the seat is good.

Maybe the last to consider: at 36 lbs I can lift my bike into the back of the truck. I see guys with ramps for heavier bikes. This is an achievement by Trek and it will cost. Is it worth it? It gets my vote and I am thrilled with why purchase. Absolutely no regrets.

Trek Domane+ HP 7 Specifications

• Bike Weight (56cm frame): 35.8 lbs / 16.2kg
• Max. Weight Capacity (bike + rider + gear): 275lbs / 125kg

Frame & Wheels

• Frame
  OCLV Carbon, 500-series
  Removable integrated battery
  Tapered head tube
  Rear isoSPEED
  Internal routing
  Flat mount disc
• Frame fit
  Endurance
• Fork
  Domane+ carbon
  Tapered steerer
  Flat mount disc
  12x100mm thru-axle
• Wheels
  Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3V
  OCLV carbon
  TLR
  25mm rim width
  Front – 100x12mm thru axle
  Rear – 142x12mm thru axle, Shimano 11-speed freehub
  Skewers – Bontrager Switch thru axle, removable lever
• Tires
  Shcwalbe G-One Speed, 700x35c
  Max tire width – 38c

Drivetrain

• Shifters
  Shimano Ultegra Di2
  R8070
  11-speed
• Rear Derailleur
  Shimano GRX RX817 Di2
  Long cage
  42t max cog
• Cassette
  Shimano Deore XT M8000
  11-speed
• Crank arm
  Praxis carbon for Bosch 46t
  Sizes:
  52 – 170mm
  54, 56 – 172.5mm
  58, 60 – 175mm
• Chain
  Shimano Ultegra HG701
  11-speed
  

Components

• Brakes
  Shimano RX400 hydraulic disc
  flat mount
  Rotors – 160mm Shimano MT800
• Saddle
  Bontrager Commuter Comp
• Seatpost
  Bontrager carbon internal seatmast cap
  Integrated light mount
  20mm offset
  Sizes:
  52, 54, 56 – short length
  58, 60 – tall length
• Handlebar
  Bontrager Pro IsoCore VR-CF
  OCLV Carbon
  31.8mm
  Internal Di2 routing
  Reach – 93mm
  Drop – 123mm
  Width:
  52 – 40cm
  54, 56 – 42cm
  58, 60 – 44cm
  Handlebar tape – Bontrager Supertrack Perf tape
• Stem
  Bontrager Elite 31.8mm
  Length:
  52, 54 – 90mm
  56, 58 – 100mm
  60 – 110mm
• Kickstand
  Pletscher Comp 40

Electronics

• Motor
  Bosch Performance Speed
  250W
  75Nm
  28mph / 45kmh (Class 3)
• Battery
  Bosch PowerTube 500
  500Wh
• Controller
  Bosch Kiox
  Anti-theft solution
• Charger
  Bosch standard 4A (100-240V)
• Lights
  Front – Bontrager Lync, 1000 lumens
  Rear – Domane+, STVZO compliant

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About the Author

Sam Millers

Sam Millers is the guy behind Bikexchange.com. From the early days of three wheels to conquering challenging mountain trails, Sam's love for cycling knows no bounds. With a background in web development, Sam seamlessly combined two of his greatest passions – cycling and technology. As the creative force behind Bikexchange.com, he shares insightful stories, expert tips, and engaging content for fellow cycling enthusiasts. When he's not exploring new biking routes or tweaking website codes, Alex enjoys sipping on a post-ride espresso and planning his next cycling adventure.