Trek Silque vs Madone

[Crankin]

So, I mentioned in another thread that on my tour, I fell in love with the feel of the Madone I was riding. Despite the crappy components, I felt "at one" with a bike for the first time ever, in 15 years of riding.
Yesterday, DH did some research and I followed up. It appears that the Silque is just a "smoother" version of the Madone. I compared every piece of the geometry charts for the two, in a 47 cm bike and everything was exactly the same. Basically, the Silque is geared toward longer endurance rides, which is pretty much what I do.
Anyone here have a Silque? I am going to test ride both, eventually, one with better components than I had in Portugal.
Seriously, the Madone fit me better than my Guru custom bike. I had a Trek 5200 before I had the Kuota, but that had 650 wheels and the newer Treks do not. I wasn't planning on a new carbon bike until I turned 65, but I think I may do it now.

[thekarens]

I have a friend whose madone was stolen and just got a silque. She seems to love it.

[ny biker]

I know the Domane has shock-absorbing inserts. Maybe the Silque has them too? Otherwise what would make it "smoother"?

My only complaint with my Madone (from 2010) is that mass-produced carbon frames are more fragile than they should be. Otherwise I've been very happy with my bike. I did switch to a slightly narrower handlebar, otherwise it's very comfortable.

As noted elsewhere, I did loathe the new Bontrager Race TLR wheelset, and that might be the standard wheels for the mid-range bikes that Trek is selling these days. I found that they transmitted too much vibration from the road, and made my bike feel totally different. Of course it's possible that my Gatorskin tires were not the best tires for those wheels, and maybe the Bontrager tires that come with the bike combined with the wheels give a smoother ride. Anyway I only mention this because switching to a set of Mavic wheels (Ksyrium Equipe, IIRC) made me much happier, for about the same price. So if you don't like the road buzz you feel on your test rides, you might want to try swapping out the wheels for a set from one of your current bikes instead.

Happy shopping!!

[Crankin]

Yes, the Silque has the inserts. The Domaine is too upright for my taste.
I would be getting the mid level of Madone/Silque lines, although DH is willing to spring for the highest one. I don't need electronic shifting. I have nice wheels on the Kuota that I could transfer, but truthfully, I'm not that into wheels; I have Gatorskins on both of my current bikes.
It will be awhile until this happens, but I want to test ride before it snows! And Murienn, you know I don't name my bikes!

[Crankin]

Yup, I have the Kuota and the Guru. I also am not into paint jobs, decals, or other cosmetic looking stuff. I just want good components on a bike that fits.

[Crankin]

I read the review. The fact that the bike is described as upright makes me think I should just stick to the Madone. As far as the reach, I have never had an issue reaching the shifters with Ultegra, in the drops, it's the brakes. They don't make the short reach brifters in Ultegra anymore and I'be had to scrounge for parts on E Bay when I've needed them for the Kuota. My Guru has short reach 105s, but they are not quite as short reach. The Madone I rode was about like the Guru. I can deal with that, as long as I have a short and shallow bar, which I will get if it's not on there. I have smaller hands with long fingers; nothing like people with really teeny hands. I rode in the drops a lot on the trip, but that was most on flats. I just don't like descending enough to get down low. However, with the handling of that bike, I might.
Of course, getting the DI2 might help with the reach, but I don't know if it's worth it, as well as my tendency to hate change.

[Catrin]

How did I miss this?!?!? Congratulations!!!!

[Crankin]

Well, maybe you have better things to do than read about my new bike!!???
The shop told me it wouldn't be until the end of December. I feel pretty confident that I'll get at least one ride in on it, before the snow flies. I don't care if it's 5 miles and 20 degrees out.

[OakLeaf]

Watch out for ice!

[Crankin]

I will start a new thread, with pics, etc. It seems like I was just propping the Kuota up in the living room to take a picture of it for TE. But, that was in 2006.
Oak, no ice around here. No snow, either. There's been snow close, and a few flurries, but other than the sporadic year when it happens around Thanksgiving, we rarely have a bigger snowstorm before the middle of December.
We struggled with whether we would take an early season "warm up" cycling trip in late February or early March, or do a major x country ski trip. Our friends got invited to do a "bigger givers" x country ski trip with the AMC President's Circle, in Yellowstone. We got invited, too, despite the fact we don't give AMC tons of $ (but they want us to). But, when we looked at the trip's details, it was just a little too much back country skiing for us, particularly, DH. So, we bowed out of that. For years, we've wanted to ski in the Methow Valley, WA and we decided this is the year! We found a x country ski trip there, done by a cycling touring company. Not that we wouldn't have gone there on our own, but we will get to see more, without renting a car. And, we are both going to take some skate ski lessons. I am excited. So, no winter cycling for me, especially the kind that requires shipping my new bike.