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Trek Domane SLR 7 Gen 5 vs Cannondale Synapse Carbon 2 SmartSense

Both are endurance bikes at a similar price. Here is what actually separates them.

The short answer

For a typical all-round rider the Trek Domane SLR 7 Gen 5 comes out ahead (80% against 72%). That is not a universal verdict — change the terrain or the priority and the order can flip.

Trek

Domane SLR 7 Gen 5

80% for a typical rider

£6,300 at Brand website
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Cannondale

Synapse Carbon 2 SmartSense

72% for a typical rider

£6,995 at Brand website
✓ Checked *

What actually separates them

Price
The Trek Domane SLR 7 Gen 5 is £695 cheaper — £6,300 against £6,995.
Weight
The Trek Domane SLR 7 Gen 5 is 1.4kg lighter, which you notice on long climbs more than anywhere else.
Riding position
The Trek Domane SLR 7 Gen 5 sits you more upright (1.58 stack-to-reach against 1.52). The Cannondale Synapse Carbon 2 SmartSense is the more aggressive of the two — quicker if you can hold it, harder work if you cannot.
Tyre clearance
The Cannondale Synapse Carbon 2 SmartSense takes 42mm tyres against 40mm — the single most common thing buyers wish they had more of.
Climbing gear
The Cannondale Synapse Carbon 2 SmartSense has the easier bottom gear (25 gear inches against 27), which matters more than weight on anything genuinely steep.

Side by side

Spec Domane SLR 7 Gen 5 Synapse Carbon 2 SmartSense
Price £6,300 £6,995
Weight 7.7 kg 9.1 kg
Frame carbon carbon
Groupset Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8170 2x12 electronic SRAM Force AXS
Stack / reach 1.58 1.52
Tyre clearance 40 mm 42 mm
Lowest gear 27 in 25 in
Mudguard mounts Yes Yes
Comfort 88 68
Speed 51 45
Climbing 77 64
Value 0 0

Neither might be the right answer

This page assumes an average rider. Tell us how you actually ride and we will rank these two against everything else at the price.

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