New Trek Madone Disc and Specialized Venge Disc confirmed by the UCI

Is this the new Trek Madone Disc and Specialized Venge Disc bike?

Since this article was published, the UCI's list of approved bikes has been updated. And included is a Specialized VENGE MY19 and Trek Madone MY2019 Rim and Disc brake. That makes it clear Trek is intending to offer the first disc-equipped Madone, while keeping a rim version available. But which route will Specialized take? We have no idea.

The Dauphiné  is the traditional final warmup before the Tour de France, but as well as providing an indicator of who has good form, it also serves as a chance for the riders to get familiar with any new bikes that a team sponsor might be lining up for a launch at the Tour de France, when most new bikes get unveiled to the world.

We’re not at the Dauphine unfortunately so we haven’t had a good nose around these new bikes, so we’re very much reporting simply on the photos that have been shared on social media this week.

What’s this then??? . #Repost @bsbtribike with @get_repost ・・・ Novidades da Trek que apareceram no Criterium Du Dauphine 2018!!! A bicicleta de ciclismo aerodinâmica mais rápida do mundo agora com freios a disco, qual a opniões de vocês? Velocidade, conforto e segurança no mesmo pacote. #bsbtri#bsb#tri#bike#bicileta#bikes#eurobike#euro#bike#triathlon#brasil#cycling#run#swim#trek#swimbikerun#natação#ciclismo#corrida#ironman#ironman703#ironmankona#kona#speed#concept#trek#burning#for#kona#mburningforkona#trekbrasil#bontrager

A post shared by road.cc (@road.cc) on Jun 4, 2018 at 2:10pm PDT

It’s obvious a Madone Disc was in the pipeline. Trek has embraced disc brakes with its Domane and Emonda, the latter one of the lightest disc-equipped production bikes currently available. The new Madone Disc looks to carry over much the same frame and fork design as the rim brake version, with the IsoSpeed decoupler clearly visible.

Ooops looks like a new Trek Madone is on the way #trekbikes #madone #discbrakes #roadbike #aeroiseverything #newbikeday #trekbicyclestore

A post shared by Trek Bicycle Store Gothenburg (@trekbicyclestoregothenburg) on Jun 4, 2018 at 12:21pm PDT

Obviously, the fork and the head tube have been redesigned, doing away with the integrated caliper brake and those flaps in the head tube, otherwise known as Vector Wings. We’ll go out on a limb and say the new bike will use 12mm thru-axles, and those are clearly flat mount brakes calipers. Rotor size looks to be 140mm front and rear, which Shimano recommends.

What’s that then??? . #Repost @mikey.vk with @get_repost ・・・ New Venge in the wild #criteriumdudauphine #specialized #iamspecialized #venge

A post shared by road.cc (@road.cc) on Jun 4, 2018 at 2:06pm PDT

Although it doesn’t say it on the frame anywhere, we’re expecting this to be a replacement for the Specialized Venge ViAS Disc. That makes sense since it’s the oldest bike in the company’s range, the Roubaix and Tarmac having been updated in the last two years. What’s clear from the photo is that the curvy downtube and praying mantis handlebar of the previous Venge have gone, and in their place a much straighter and sharper looking aero frame with a new two-piece handlebar and stem that looks to have the brake hose internally routed.

While we know the Madone is currently available with rim brakes and this new disc version will appease the growing number of disc brake fans, will there be a rim brake version of this new Venge? We’re not seeing any pictures yet, it might be that it’s just not been spotted at the race yet, or hasn’t been tested yet. Or maybe there isn’t a rim brake Venge?

Neither of these bikes appears on the UCI's list of approved equipment yet, but it's updated reguarly so maybe the Swiss organistion is just a bit behind on its paperwork?

That’s about all we can deduce from the photos, when we get more information we’ll share it, but we’d to see the bikes officially launched at the Tour de France because that’s when a large chunk of the bike industry likes to reveal new products.