The difference between fast and really fast comes down to details. And it’s in the details that the Equinox excels. Slipsteam internal cable routing. A lowered down tube that presents a virtual continuous surface from the front wheel to the frame. A fork crown that flows seamlessly into the frame. All details that shed precious grams of drag and add up to a considerable aero advantage for Levi and the rest of his Astana teammates.

Sierra Road. Bonny Doon. The climbs of the Tour of California. Levi and his Madone have tackled them both, and used them as a launching pad to ride away from the competition. But without a mountain top finish in the race, Levi needs a bike that’s not only wicked-light on the climbs, but also stable and confidence-inspiring on the descents. And to keep him fresh for when the decisive moment comes, he needs a bike that’s efficient and comfortable, ready for a full day in the saddle. Levi needs a bike that’s capable of doing it all. He needs a bike that’s, in a word, balanced. And that’s the Madone.

The 2009 collection of Madones represents the most technologically advanced road bikes Trek has ever made. And with two Tour of California championships (2008 and 2009) and three grand tour titles (Tour de France 2007, Giro d’Italia 2008, and Vuelta a Espana 2008) to its credit in only two years of production, we feel like they’re the most proven race machines on the road today.

Available in your choice of either a Performance fit or a more aggressive Pro fit—both built with the exact same race-proven geometry—the Madone is available in three different frame platforms, all identical from the exterior. But inside, we use three different OCLV Carbon recipes that combine different grades of raw carbon material and lay-up complexities within the mold. We label Madone frames OCLV White, Black, or Red, with OCLV Red being the lightest and most complex lay-up process. Each is built in Waterloo, Wisconsin USA, with our patented and proprietary OCLV Carbon process.

Within that carbon process, Trek adds a slew of additional industry-changing proprietary technologies like BB90 bottom brackets, E2 forks and headsets, and no-cut integrated seat masts, just to name a few. The end result is a ride that’s impossible to rival.

When it comes to dialing-in the perfect riding position, Levi and his Astana teammates trust Bontrager handlebars and stems for their legendary strength and durability, as well as their wide range of lengths and rises. Astana riders choose from Bontrager’s collection of XXX Lite or Race X Lite stems based on their positioning requirements and personal preferences.

When it comes to handlebars, Astana time trialists slip into their tucks atop Bontrager’s wind tunnel-sculpted XXX Lite Carbon Aerobar outfitted with their choice of either traditional or s-bend extensions. In the peloton, Astana’s team-issue Madones come kitted with either lightweight carbon or aluminum bars, which are available from Bontrager in anatomic or variable radius bends, as well as multiple widths.

Select Astana riders, including Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner, ride Bontrager’s new inForm RXL saddle. Featuring a scientifically derived Size Specific Curvature, as well as strategically positioned Zone Density foam padding, inForm saddles distribute saddle pressure evenly by properly supporting a rider’s skeletal structure. The result is unmatched comfort and proper blood flow.

As an official partner of team Astana, SRAM Red provides riders with the ridiculously light weight and resilient drive train components that the pro peloton demands. SRAM Red is a living lab, creating competition-vanquishing advantages that exceed the demands of the sport's most serious riders.