trek top fuel 2018 geometry

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Results have arrived, 2018 trek top fuel 9.9 rsl review.

The Top Fuel 9.9, Trek’s top-of-the-line XC race bike. Stiff, light, and with modern geometry, it’s a bike meant to go fast. This isn’t just any Top Fuel either. As an RSL, Race Shop Limited, the same bike ridden by Trek’s best athletes it doesn’t get any more pro than this.

Written by: Bruce Lin

Published on: Aug 1, 2018

Posted in: Tech

This bike sold in one day, but we've got other hot bikes at our Mountain Bike Collection here .

I look up at a hard climb, legs burning, heart about to burst, lungs struggling for air, and I decide to ignore all the pain and sprint up as fast as I can. When I get home, I look at a bag of cookies and decide, miraculously, to not eat it all in one sitting. I’m not my usual self. What’s happened to me? I blame race season. That time of year when I get beat every week by 90-pound teenagers and middle-aged men who can pedal like diesel engines. That time of year when I kick myself for every day last winter spent on the couch, not training. But I ride on, dreaming of the victories to come. Maybe I will realize these dreams with this special secret weapon: the Top Fuel 9.9, Trek’s top-of-the-line XC race bike. Stiff, light, and with modern geometry, it’s a bike meant to go fast. This isn’t just any Top Fuel either. As an RSL, Race Shop Limited, the same bike ridden by Trek’s best athletes it doesn’t get any more pro than this.

The first thing your eye is drawn to is a SRAM XX1 Eagle groupset, which provides 12 gears, a 500% range, and plenty of gold bling to show off the bike’s race-winning intentions.

The drivetrain spins a stiff and anorexic set of SRAM Rise 60 carbon wheels, weighing in at just over 1400g.

To bring it all to a stop are SRAM’s top-end Level Ultimate brakes with carbon levers and titanium hardware.

Out front is a RockShox SID World Cup, a pro-level cross country fork with the new Charger damper which provides less friction, and a stiffer and lighter carbon steerer and crown.

Providing the suspension in the rear is a Fox Float with Trek’s newest Re:Aktiv damping technology. Developed with the help of F1 suspension experts, Penske Racing, Re:Aktiv uses unique damping to help the shock react to what you’re riding, staying supportive and firm for pedaling, while still allowing it to open up to provide instant plushness for small bumps and big hits. This means you can leave the shock alone while riding and just let it work.    

Trek’s Mino-link chip in the rear triangle allows you to adjust the geometry to your liking, raising or lowering the bottom bracket by 10mm, and changing the head angle by 1°. In my opinion, the bike will ride best in the lower and slacker position, which is how most will choose to ride it.

The lower option makes the bike more stable at speed, allowing you to descend more confidently while expending less energy. To improve things even more, this Top Fuel 9.9 RSL comes with a RockShox Reverb dropper post, an increasingly more common sight on XC bikes as they become more capable and cross-country tracks become more rugged. To me, droppers are the best thing to happen to mountain biking, and the key to extracting the most speed from your bike going downhill.

This Top Fuel is the complete package, no upgrades required. It’s a bike that simply begs to be ridden fast. Someday, when I can justify buying it for myself, it will be my XC weapon of choice, and I will surely dominate all. But for now, it can be yours, and you will probably beat me on it.

This bike sold in one day, but we've got other hot bikes at our  Mountain Bike Collection here .

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Trek Top Fuel 8 2018

About the Trek Top Fuel 8 2018

The Trek Top Fuel 8 2018 is a Full suspension Cross Country Mountain Bike with a alloy frame. Equipped with a Shimano SLX drivetrain of 22 gears (2x11). Its features include boost 110 , boost 148, and hydraulic disc brakes. The bike weighs approximately 12,93 kg.

Hydraulic disc brakes

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Trek Top Fuel 9.8 review

Super-capable ripper on the racetrack or singletrack

Laurence Crossman-Emms

Ed Thomsett

Makes the climbs fun and rips on the way down; an elegant package with a choice of colours; the six frame sizes span a massive range

A higher front end would give more descending confidence; thin tyres don’t offer much grip or protection; carbon wheels and bar bump up the price without a big impact on performance

Trek’s ambition with the Top Fuel is to combine the best qualities of both cross-country and trail bikes. This genre-bending, 115mm-travel 29er is burlier than its XC thoroughbred, the Supercaliber , but lighter and more agile than the Fuel EX . It promises lightning-fast speeds, whether gravity is on your side or not.

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Trek Top Fuel 9.8 frame

The Top Fuel’s full-carbon frame is obviously a Trek design, with that familiar twin-triangle shape and ABP (Active Braking Pivot) suspension design, where the rearmost pivot is concentric with the rear axle.

As on the rest of Trek’s full-sussers, the ‘Full Floater’ shock mounting of the old Top Fuel is gone. Instead, the Fox DPS air-can mounts directly to the frame at one end and to a magnesium rocker link at the other. Travel has been extended by 15mm for 2020.

In terms of geometry, the Top Fuel is now longer and slacker. Depending on which way you position the Mino Link flip-chip, the head angle can be set at either 67.5 or 68 degrees and the reach varied by 5mm, from 470 to 475mm on the large.

The effective seat-tube angle has been steepened to 75/75.5 degrees. With six sizes, it should be easy to achieve a perfect fit. The details of the frame have been well considered too, from its sleek, flowing lines to the fully-internal cable routing and integrated rubber protection finish.

Plus, Trek’s Knock Block steering-lock stops the fork crown fouling on the down tube.

Trek Top Fuel 9.8 kit

That 115mm-travel, air-sprung rear end is matched to a 120mm Fox 34 Performance fork. A bar-mounted RockShox TwistLoc remote lets you lock out both ends simultaneously, providing a firm pedal platform that’s easy to toggle on or off.

Combine that with a Bontrager Line Elite dropper post, and the Top Fuel switches easily into downhill mode, although a 10mm-shorter stem and slightly wider bar would help the handling.

Shimano’s SLX brakes are good, but it doesn’t take much to find the limits of the 160mm rear rotor and the lever return was a little sluggish.

I found the Bontrager XR3 tyres slightly flimsy too. They’re efficient uphill but the low-profile tread isn’t great on unsurfaced trails and I sliced a hole in the thin casing on a fairly mellow descent.

The bike’s price tag isn’t insignificant either and, while the spec is solid, I’d happily lose the carbon wheelset and bar to save some money.

Trek Top Fuel 9.8 ride impressions

You have to bite your tongue before criticising a bike like this because by its versatile nature it’s never going to be the best of the best in any scenario. With this in mind, there’s very little to fault in the way the Top Fuel rides.

With a poised feeling on the pedals even in the lower/slacker setting, the bike blasts up hills with minimal effort and I rarely found I needed to use the lockout apart from on long fireroads.

As a trail bike, the Top Fuel puts on an impressive show and never faltered, even when hammered into turns or launched off drops. The suspension gives you a solid base to push into and I was surprised after the first ride to discover that it only has 115mm of travel.

The main limiting factor to this downhill prowess is the low front end. When things get steeper, you do notice you’re on a bike that’s also built for going fast up hills. The short head tube and low stack height are clear indicators of this, and while for general trail riding I found them a little low, this does allow the bar to be fully slammed for all-out XC attacks.

Even with the 13-degree-rise stem positioned as high as possible on the steerer, I wouldn’t have minded a little more height. But then, upping the fork travel would blur the lines between the Top Fuel and the longer-travel Fuel EX.

On a bike like this, there are always going to be trade-offs, and opinion is always going to be biased by riding style, but for rapid mile-munching that doesn’t get in the way of enjoyment on the descents, the Top Fuel is hard to beat.

Trek Top Fuel 9.8 geometry (based on high setting for size L)

• Seat angle: 68.5 degrees
• Head angle: 68 degrees
• Chainstay: 43.3cm / 17.05in
• Seat tube: 47cm / 18.5in
• Top tube: 63cm / 24.8in
• Head tube: 10cm / 3.94in
• Fork offset: 4.4cm / 1.73in
• Trail: 10.3cm / 4.06in
• Bottom bracket drop: 2.9cm / 1.14in
• Wheelbase: 1,185mm / 46.65in
• Stack: 59.9cm / 23.58in
• Reach: 47.5cm / 18.7in

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Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Size / 15.5" Low, 17.5" Low, 18.5" Low, 19.5" Low, 21.5" Low

Weight / 10.93

At a glance

Where to buy.

Specifications

• Frame OCLV Mountain Carbon main frame & seatstay, alloy chainstay, ABP, Full Floater, EVO link, E2 tapered head tube, Mino Link, MicroTruss, Control Freak internal routing, Carbon Armor, PF92, Boost148 & G2 Geometry on 29ers, 100mm travel
• Fork Fox Performance Float 32, Fox Performance 32 Float, Step Cast, FIT4 2-position damper (with new push-to-unlock remote), E2 tapered steerer, Boost110, G2 Geometry w/51mm offset on 29ers, 100mm travel
• Wheels Bontrager Kovee Elite 23, Tubeless Ready, 54T Rapid Drive, Boost110 front, Boost148 rear (15.5˝: 142x12 rear, 21T), tubeless strips included, valves sold separately
• Wheel Size 29" 27.5"
• Tires Bontrager XR2 Team Issue, Tubeless Ready, 120 tpi, aramid bead, 29x2.20˝ (15.5: 27.5x2.20˝)
• Chain SRAM GX Eagle, SRAM GX Eagle
• Crank Truvativ Stylo Carbon, SRAM Stylo Carbon Eagle, 32T
• Bottom Bracket PF92
• Rear Derailleur SRAM GX Eagle, SRAM GX Eagle, Roller Bearing Clutch
• Shifters SRAM GX Eagle, SRAM GX Eagle, 12 speed
• Brakeset SRAM Level TLM, SRAM Level TLM hydraulic disc
• Handlebar Bontrager Race X Lite, OCLV Carbon, 31.8mm, 5mm rise
• Saddle Bontrager Montrose Elite, hollow titanium rails
• Seatpost Bontrager Pro, 31.6mm, 5mm offset
• Stem Bontrager Pro, 31.8mm, 7 degree
• Grips ESI Chunky
• Headset FSA IS-2, 1-1/8˝ top, 1.5˝ bottom

Q: How much is a 2018 Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL?

A 2018 Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL is typically priced around $5,699 USD when new. Be sure to shop around for the best price, and also look to the used market for a great deal.

Q: Where to buy a 2018 Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL?

The 2018 Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL may be purchased directly from Trek .

Q: How much does a 2018 Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL weigh?

A 2018 Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL weights 10.93.

Q: What size wheels does the 2018 Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL have?

The 2018 Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL has 29" and 27.5" wheels.

Q: What size 2018 Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL should I get?

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2018 Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL

A 27.5″ / 29″ carbon frame full suspension crosscountry bike with high-end components. Compare the full range

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Based on frame geometry and build specs.

A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

Top Fuel 9.8 SL

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Add custom gearing

Oct 2019 · Brandon

The Top Fuel is Trek’s endurance cross-country race machine built to conquer climbs and inspire confidence on descents.

Read Review

May 2019 · Stefano Udeschini

A few days before the Riva del Garda Bike Festival we were invited to the official presentation of the new Top Fuel, Trek’s full-suspension XC / Trail weapon. You read that right, I also entered the word “Trail”, as this is how the bike was presented. Compared to the previous version it is defined as a more versatile bike, made with more balanced geometry and a lower weight. Let’s start with geometry. In the following images you can easily pick up on what the actual changes made to the frame were. It is easy to understand how they wanted to change the soul of the bike,

Feb 2019 · Dale Tiessen

This is a XC race bike, and I should ride it as such without a dropper.

May 2017 · James Bracey

Swing a leg over the Trek Top Fuel 9 and the first thing you notice is the suspension is keen to get working. It’s a seriously rapid bike on the trails.

Rewarding ride provided by the Re:aktiv suspension.

SRAM X1 groupset performed flawlessly.

Handling is marred by the miniscule bar width.

Tyres are inappropriate for most British conditions.

Apr 2016 · Emily Schaldach

Trek's carbon fiber Top Fuel ruled in mountain biking’s mid-naughties heyday, and now it’s back and better than ever.

Mar 2016 · Christoph Bayer

Trek gave their Top Fuel a revamp for 2016. We've put the Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL through its paces to see if the performance can match the looks.

Who wouldn’t have expected the updated Trek Top Fuel’s shining point to be climbing? Its predecessor was a World Cup-winning XC race bike and the Top Fuel has now replaced the company’s other race bike, the Superfly. With larger wheels, improved suspension and other updates, the Top Fuel is poised to carry on Trek’s XC race heritage.

The Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL is a Greyhound designed to cover long distances fast and is tailor-made for über-fit marathon racers.

Last updated 15 February Not listed for 2,270 days

The Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL Is a Purebred XC Race Bike

A lightweight frame and carbon wheels make this bike fly

In a world full of trail bikes and long-travel enduro bikes that are made to blast over anything in their path, the Top Fuel 9.8 SL stands out as a no-compromise XC race bike aimed at the go-fast everywhere (not just go-fast downhill) crowd. The OCLV carbon frame rolls on carbon Bontrager Kovee Elite 30 hoops, and the 2.2-inch Bontrager XR2 tires have minimal tread—just enough to grab the trail without adding unnecessary rolling resistance. Shimano XT brakes and SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain give the type of high-end performance you'd expect on a dream bike without the premium price tag that typically goes along with it. Bontrager carbon handlebars and seat post, paired with a Bontrager Montrose Elite saddle with titanium rails, shave a few more grams and complete this lust-worthy build.

Solid and responsive to pedaling input, the bike is a pleasure to ride uphill, both on rough, technical terrain and, thanks to the Twistloc remote that locks out both the fork and the shock, on paved climbs as well. On the trails you get balanced handling that gives you a feeling of stability while also being incredibly nimble when you're navigating tight, slow turns. This is an XC racer's dream bike that comes at a reasonable price.

Five outstanding Top Fuel features

Trek Top Fuel 9.8 SL Detail Gallery

SRAM GX Eagle Drivetrain

32t front ring and 10-50 cassette give you all the go-fast and climb-easy gearing you need.

Rockshox Twistloc Remote

Lock out the fork and shock with the Twistloc remote located on the left grip.

Bontrager XR2 Team Issue Tires

These lightweight race tires have minimal tread to avoid unneeded rolling resistance.

Shimano XT Brakes

The Shimano/SRAM blend gives you superb braking and the expanded gearing from 12-speed.

Full Floater EVO Link Suspension

The rear shock floats between two shock mounts and gets compressed at both ends.

Smooth, Fast Suspension

The Top Fuel 9.8 boasts the same OCLV carbon main frame and seat stays as Trek's flagship XC bike, the Top Fuel 9.9 SL, the only difference is that this one has aluminum chain stays instead of carbon. The RockShox SID RL fork boasts 100mm of smooth travel, and the Fox Performance Elite shock is nestled into Trek's Full Floater, EVO Link suspension and provides 100mm of travel at the rear wheel. Both the fork and the shock have remote lockouts, activated by the Twistloc remote on the handlebar.

The design, which uses a pivot that rotates around the rear axle feels efficient and smooth, especially on rough terrain, where it helps the rear wheel find extra traction. That means you can worry less about your wheels slipping and stay on the gas longer in many situations, potentially gaining seconds on your rivals. Instead of connecting one end of the shock to a fixed point, like on many other suspension designs, Trek attaches it to pivots at both ends. That's what it calls Full Floater, and it gives engineers a little more latitude when plotting the kinematics to find a better balance between bump absorption and crisp pedaling. And in situation where you need even more efficiency, you can lock completely lock it out.

Components and Features that Standout

Trek blended Shimano XT hydraulic disc brakes with a SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain , taking advantage of both the amazing power and modulation of Shimano brakes and the expanded gearing range of SRAM's 12-speed, that comes with a 10-50 cassette and 32t chain ring, paired with a set of Truvativ Stylo Carbon Eagle cranks. This combination gives you such a great range of gears you'll have everything you need to handle ripping fast downhills, fast dirt roads, and long, steep, lung-busting climbs where you need that 32 x 50 to get to the top without feeling your heart jumping out of your chest.

The Bontrager Kovee Elite 30 carbon wheels, shod in 2.2-inch Bontrager XR2 Team Issue tires are light, fast wheels made to haul ass through the woods. The tires have enough tread to be grippy when you need it, but not so much to slow you down on fast terrain. They're great on dry race courses and less so on wet, rocky, or muddy conditions. You might need a second set of tires if you plan on doing more trail riding with this bike. And you should. Even though this bike is built for speed it's also impressive, for a short-travel bike, on pretty gnarly terrain.

Top Fuel Family

The Top Fuel 9.9 SL ($9,300) is Trek's top-of-the-line XC bike, with a full carbon OCLV main frame and stays, RockShox SID SE carbon fork with 100mm of travel, Fox Factor Float DPS shock giving 100mm of travel at the rear wheel, and Bontrager Kovee Pro 30 carbon hoops. The Top Fuel 8 ($3,150) has an all aluminum frame, RockSox Recon RL 100mm fork, and a Fox Performance Float DPS shock providing 100mm of travel at the rear wheel.

Nimble, Steady Handling

The geometry on this bike is pretty much what you'd expect from a short-travel XC bike. My 21.5-inch test bike had a reach of 472mm and a stack height of 606mm, which is pretty consistent with similar bikes. Cannondale's Scalpel-Si is slightly shorter at 466mm of reach and slightly taller with a 615mm stack height. The Specialized S-Works Epic is even taller at 630mm, but only just over half a centimeter longer with 475mm of reach.

On paper the Top Fuel most closely mirrors the Scalpel-Si. The Top Fuel's wheel base is 1166mm, which is only 3mm shorter than the Scalpel-Si, bottom bracket drop is 39mm for the Trek and 38mm for the Cannondale, and even the trail is very close, with the Top Fuel having just 3om more trail at 80mm, compared to 77mm for the Scalpel-Si.

Riding (and Racing) the Top Fuel

This bike is made to go fast, and that's what it does best. That's not to say it isn't an absolute pleasure to take on a casual trail ride, but to ride this bike is to feel the urge to push it harder and faster, as the bike amazes with what it can handle. It offers tight but not twitchy steering, which is incredibly welcome while navigating slow, rocky singletrack.

Sharp, low-speed turns, both uphill and downhill, were very easy to navigate, and mid-turn line corrections weren't troublesome at all. As nimble as this bike is in the tight stuff, it tracks beautifully at high speed and lets you dig into and whip around bermed corners. And don't be afraid to get sendy on this bike, either. It may be a short-travel XC bike but this thing feels stable in the air and the suspension helped make landings seamless and smooth.

4 Helmets for Singletrack Lovers

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Giro Montaro Giro’s top trail helmet has MIPS and is ready for anything. $82.47 to $149.95 | Backcountry

Insta-Ready

Bell Sixer An integrated camera mount lets you capture the action. $169.95 | Competitive Cyclist

Women’s Choice

Fox Flux Has 17 vents, and comes in an XS size. $104.97 | Competitive Cyclist

All the Style

POC Tectal Super protective, with tons of style $190 | Competitive Cyclist

Over the course of the test, I kept pushing the bike harder and harder, testing the limits, until I actually found them much further from what I'd expect a bike this fast to be capable of. On numerous occasions I was ready for a trip over the bars when, to my surprise, the fork just absorbed it and the wheels kept rolling.

Even with the suspension set very soft to handle the rocky terrain we have in eastern PA, the bike pedaled smoothly with minimal bouncing. Even paved climbs weren't a drag thanks to convenient Twistloc dual remote lock-out. With both the fork and the shock locked out, the bike felt stiff and responsive, ready to sprint up a hill or off the start line chasing the hole shot. Anyone looking to step up their XC game without paying a small fortune should check out this bike.

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2022 Trek Top Fuel Review | All-new frame & geometry, with a whole new attitude

The not-so-minor details, 2022 trek top fuel 9.8 xt.

https://www.trekbikes.com/

- Brilliant trail-ripping geometry - Active and supportive suspension - Masses of cornering grip & stability - Refined and practical frame design - Downtube storage is a welcome addition

- Dropper post is sluggish - Wheels are solid but quite heavy - Carbon bars are harsh - Heavier than many of its competitors

Flow reviews the 2022 Trek Top Fuel

The Trek Top Fuel has long been known as the American brand’s flagship full suspension XC race bike, purpose-built to to compete at the very highest level of the sport. In more recent years however, the Top Fuel has steered in a different direction. With the short-travel Supercaliber taking over duties for World Cup XCO racing, Trek has softened the Top Fuel’s serious, race-focused persona, adding travel and bulking it up in the process.

For 2022, the Trek Top Fuel makes its biggest move away from its XC racing roots. Equipped with a brand new frame, an updated suspension design and some thoroughly modern geometry, the Top Fuel aims to retain the pert pedalling performance of its predecessor while significantly boosting its all-round capability. So, has Trek succeeded?

Watch our video review of the new Trek Top Fuel here:

Along with the active ABP suspension design and chunky tyres, there’s an exceptional amount of grip and support on offer for a 120mm travel bike.

Trek Top Fuel overview

Despite being all-new, the Trek Top Fuel retains its position in between the Supercaliber (the 60mm travel XC race bike) and the Fuel EX (the 130mm travel trail bike).

It’s equipped with a 120mm travel fork just like its predecessor, but rear travel has actually lifted by 5mm up to 120mm. This increase has been achieved with a longer stroke shock (50mm vs 45mm), and Trek has also flipped the orientation of the trunnion-mount. The rocker link now drives the shock via two sealed cartridge bearings to improve sensitivity.

You’ll no longer find a dual remote lockout on the Top Fuel, which leads to a vastly cleaner bike with fewer cables occupying your view from the cockpit. Along with the bigger shock, slacker geometry and 2.4in wide tyres, it is without doubt the most trail-oriented Top Fuel we’ve seen yet.

To put it into context, that sees it move away from the likes of the Orbea Oiz TR and the Canyon Lux Trail , and more towards the direction of the Santa Cruz Tallboy and Pivot Trail 429 .

A new, burlier chassis

Though it looks pretty similar, the Trek Top Fuel frame is all-new for 2022. It’s not so much a radical overhaul, but rather a collection of many small refinements that add up to a more practical package.

The chassis is notably beefier than its predecessor, with the seat tube diameter swelling to the new-school 34.9mm size. As well as increasing frame stiffness, the fatter seat tube is also shorter, allowing it to swallow a modern long-stroke dropper post.

The downtube is also larger, and it now features the integrated storage design we’ve seen employed on the latest Fuel EX and Slash. A latch underneath the bottle cage removes the trap door, providing you access within. A neat tool roll is included with the bike so you can carry a spare tube, levers and CO2. You could also fit a lightweight jacket in there along with some snacks.

Trek has updated the Knock Block headset, increasing the available turning radius from 58° to 72°. This provides you with greater freedom of movement on the trail, but still prevents the handlebar controls from smashing into the top tube. If you’re not into it though, the Knock Block is removable.

Also nice to see is a threaded bottom bracket shell for ease of maintenance, and the rear ABP pivot can now be tightened with a cassette tool. Also new for the Top Fuel is guided internal cable routing – poke the cable in at one end, and it’ll pop out the other, no fishing required.

Trail-leaning geometry

The 2022 Trek Top Fuel has received a series of geometry updates over the outgoing model, bringing it up to speed with other boundary-pushers in this travel bracket. Here are the key numbers;

• Head tube angle: 66°
• Seat tube angle: 76°
• Reach: 420mm (S), 450mm (M), 465mm (M/L), 480mm (L), 500mm (XL)
• Rear centre length: 435mm
• BB drop: 36mm

Compared to the old Top Fuel, the head angle has kicked back by 1.5-degrees and the reach measurements have gone up by 10mm. The seat tube angle has also steepened by 1-degree to improve the climbing position, while the chainstay length and BB drop remain the same.

The Top Fuel still features a Mino Link, but it’s now located at the lower shock eyelet. Bikes will come setup from the factory in the Low position. Flipping that into High will lift the BB height by 7mm and steepen the angles by 0.4°.

You can get even rowdier by fitting a 130mm travel fork, which will kick the head angle back to a very-slack 65.6° in the Low position. And for those wanting to push the needle further, there’s clearance to run 2.5in tyres.

Trek Top Fuel price & specs

We’ll see four Trek Top Fuel models coming into Australia this year – two with alloy frames and two with carbon. All Top Fuel models feature the same geometry, suspension design and travel. They’re all equipped with 29in wheels, and there are five frame sizes available from Small through to X-Large (the XS size with 27.5in wheels won’t be available in Australia).

Pricing kicks off at $3,499 AUD for the Top Fuel 5 and goes up to $8,299 AUD for the Top Fuel 9.8 XT that we have on test here. Additionally, Trek will offer a 9.9 spec via the Project One bike builder program.

You can check out the specs and prices for all those models down at the bottom of the page. Right now we’ll be diving straight into our experience of testing this bike here; the Top Fuel 9.8 XT.

• Frame | OCLV Mountain Carbon Fibre, ABP Suspension Design, 120mm Travel
• Fork | RockShox SID Select+, Charger 2 RL Damper, 44mm Offset, 120mm Travel
• Shock | RockShox Deluxe Ultimate RCT, 185x50mm
• Wheels | Bontrager Line Elite 30, OCLV Carbon Rims, 29mm Inner Width
• Tyres | Bontrager XR4 Team Issue 2.4in Front & Rear
• Drivetrain | Shimano XT 1×12 w/XT 30T Crankset & 10-51T Cassette
• Brakes | Shimano XT 4-Piston w/Ice Tech Rotors
• Bar | Bontrager Line Pro, OCLV Carbon, 27.5mm Rise, Width: 750mm (S), 780mm (M-XL)
• Stem | Bontrager Line Pro, 45mm Length
• Seatpost | Bontrager Line Elite Dropper, 34.9mm Diameter, Travel: 100mm (S), 150mm (M-M/L), 170mm (L), 200mm (XL)
• Saddle | Bontrager Arvada, Austentite Rails
• Confirmed Weight | 12.88kg (Large, Tubeless)
• RRP | $8,299 AUD

This differs from some other brands that utilise a single frame, and simply up-fork and up-shock it to create a slightly longer travel bike (like the Specialized Epic EVO and Orbea Oiz TR). The Top Fuel is not one of those bikes.

Trek Top Fuel sizing & fit

We put the new Trek Top Fuel into the hands of our tester Ben, who owns the current Top Fuel and has also spent considerable time on the Fuel EX. At 181cm tall, Ben’s been riding a size Large across all three bikes.

The Top Fuel is well-proportioned out of the box. The 480mm reach is very long, but it’s balanced nicely with a 50mm stem and the 76° seat tube angle. The Bontrager saddle is totally inoffensive, and we haven’t needed to shunt it into an extreme position just to get it comfortable.

The 760mm wide riser bars are a great match for this bike, and while it may not be totally necessary for all riders, the 170mm stroke dropper post is fashionably long for such a short travel bike.

Suspension & tyre setup

With the anodised sag gradients on the fork and shock, suspension setup is made easy. Weighing 80kg loaded up, Ben’s been running 180psi in the rear shock (26% sag) 80psi in the fork (20% sag).

The factory rebound tune for both the RockShox SID fork and Deluxe shock is quite light, so each rebound dial was set a couple of clicks slower than halfway.

Tubeless rim strips and valves come pre-fitted to the Bontrager wheels, and Trek kindly includes two bottles of sealant with the bike, making tubeless setup the breeze it should be. Pressures were set at 20psi on the front and 22psi on the rear.

Trek Top Fuel weight

Given its swollen proportions, the new Trek Top Fuel has gotten heavier. With the tyres setup tubeless, our test bike came in at 12.88kg without pedals. To put that number into perspective, here’s how it compares to some similarly-priced XC and Trail bikes we’ve recently tested;

• Canyon Lux Trail CF 9 – 11.22kg
• Merida Ninety-Six 8000 – 11.63kg
• Scott Spark 910 – 12.43kg
• Specialized Stumpjumper Pro – 12.84kg
• Trek Top Fuel 9.8 XT – 12.88kg
• Giant Trance Advamced Pro 29 1 – 13.38kg

Trek claims a carbon Top Fuel frame weighs 2.7kg including the rear shock, which puts it on the heavier side of things for a 120mm travel bike. The alloy frame is purportedly a whole kilo heavier again, with a claimed weight of 3.74kg.

The Top Fuel’s rolling stock is also a significant contributor to its overall mass. The Bontrager Line Elite wheels are heavy at 2,071g for the pair (with tubeless strips and valves). Incidentally, these are exactly the same wheels that came on the Slash 9.9 X01 , which is a full-bore enduro race bike.

Trek has also plumped up the rubber. The previous Top Fuel featured semi-slick XR3 tyres, but the new bike is now spec’d with 2.4in wide XR4 Team Issue tyres. They’re not overly heavy at around 800g each, though they do offer significantly better grip across a broader range of conditions.

What does the Trek Top Fuel do well?

From the very first ride the new Trek Top Fuel proved to be easy to get used to, with no quirks to the fit, handling or suspension.

The proportions are significantly broader compared to the outgoing Top Fuel, with the front wheel sticking out much further ahead of the rider. Despite the long reach however, the effective top tube length is basically identical to its predecessor, so the overall cockpit length remains the same.

The steeper seat angle is noticeable though, providing an improved climbing position with your hips placed further over the bottom bracket. As a result, less bum-shuffling is required on stem-chewing ascents.

Pedalling performance is also superb. Despite its burlier exterior, Trek is still prioritising pedal efficiency with the Top Fuel, with the main pivot positioned high and quite far forward of the bottom bracket. Anti-squat is claimed to hover around the 100% mark, and indeed the rear suspension clenches tightly under chain torque, propelling the whole bike forward with minimal energy loss.

Active suspension performance

Despite the trunnion bearing mount and the longer shock stroke, the rear suspension doesn’t feel radically plusher than its predecessor, which already offered great performance. It is noticeably more supportive though, particularly when absorbing square-edge hits at speed, and when returning to earth after boosting off a lip on the trail.

It’s worth noting here that many bikes in the 100-130mm travel bracket make use of a carbon flex-stay design, including the Canyon Lux Trail, Merida Ninety-Six, and Specialized Stumpjumper. As well as being simpler, flex-stay designs are typically lighter too.

In comparison, the Top Fuel sticks with a genuine four-bar platform based around the ABP suspension design. Trek claims the ABP pivot helps to isolate braking forces from the suspension, and indeed it does result in less skipping and skidding when you’re on the brakes on loose, rocky descents.

With all the pivot points rolling on steel ball bearings, the suspension is more active and possesses a more consistent feel to both compression and rebound damping when compared to a flex-stay design. Yes it’s heavier, but the Top Fuel offers notably more active suspension performance, with excellent traction on loose climbs and better reactivity across chattery rock gardens. It’s very impressive for a 120mm travel bike.

Look out Fuel EX!

The geometry is also brilliant, and the handling really sets it apart from the outgoing Top Fuel.

Cornering performance has improved, with more grip courtesy of the longer front end and those XR4 tyres. These are great all-rounders, with a supple casing and surprisingly decent rolling speed given their size and tread pattern.

The new Top Fuel is also much more composed on rough and fast descents. Thanks to the longer reach and slacker head angle, the overall wheelbase length has grown by almost 40mm. That’s huge, and it offers a vastly more planted feel at speed. Along with the big tyres and active suspension, this really is a solid little trail bike.

In fact, the geometry updates kind of make the Fuel EX look a little outdated. The two bikes now share the same head angle, and the Top Fuel has a 10mm longer reach and a steeper seat angle. The front end is quite a bit higher on the Fuel EX though, and that does inspire more confidence on really steep descents.

As mentioned earlier though, it’s possible to fit a 130mm fork to the Top Fuel, which would lift the front end and actually make it slacker than the Fuel EX. Indeed there’s now quite a bit of overlap between the two platforms, leaving us to ponder what could be in store for the next generation Fuel EX.

What does it struggle with?

You’ve likely gathered that the new Trek Top Fuel is more of a muscly trail ripper than a spindly XC featherweight. While it may carry over the name, it’s evolved into quite a different bike compared to its racier ancestors.

The lack of a remote lockout results in a much cleaner cockpit, and we like how it signals the Top Fuel’s commitment to its trail riding intentions. However, it may disappoint those riders and racers who prefer having an instantaneous sprint button at their fingertips.

Indeed with all the updates, and the fact that the new Top Fuel has double the travel of the Supercaliber, there is now an even bigger gap between these two bikes. Riders who are still interested in some part-time XC racing, but aren’t sold on the Supercaliber’s sharp geometry and proprietary IsoStrut suspension design, may be turned off by the Top Fuel’s new attitude.

Of course you could easily inject some speed with some lighter and faster-rolling tyres, like Bontrager’s XR2. There’s also around half a kilo to be saved in the wheelset, which would make a significant difference to the Top Fuel’s acceleration and climbing enthusiasm.

You could also flip the Mino Link into the High position to steepen the angles. In that guise, with lighter wheels and faster tyres, the Top Fuel would make for a comfortable and confidence-inspiring option for those wanting to sign up for the odd endurance race or multi-day event. If you’re serious about your XC racing though, this is not the bike for you – you’ll be wanting to look at the stupendously efficient Supercaliber for such endeavours.

Component highs & lows

The 2022 Trek Fuel 9.8 XT is a solid package out of the box, especially when you consider it comes in $1,600 cheaper than the 2021 model. And that’s with a pretty much identical build kit. How has a new bike gotten cheaper in the midst of a global pandemic and industry-wide component shortages? Heck knows!

There’s not a lot to be said about the Shimano XT groupset – it works, it’s solid, and it’s easy to tune. The I-Spec mounts offer plenty of adjustability for getting the brake and shift levers into the right spot, and the integrated dropper lever is a nice touch too.

The RockShox suspension isn’t quite as sensitive as the Fox equivalent, particularly the SID Select+ fork, which felt a little stickier than we expected. Otherwise the fork and shock perform well, and the ease of setup is great.

The Bontrager dropper post works fine, but the action is sluggish compared to some of its competitors. And while the carbon handlebars offer a nice profile, having spent a lot of time on OneUp handlebars lately, the Bontrager Line Pro feels considerably harsher in comparison.

We’ve had excellent long-term experience with Bontrager’s latest Line Pro & Line Elite carbon wheels , which feature thick carbon beads that are designed to increase impact strength while also reducing the chance of pinch-flats. They’re totally solid and come with an excellent crash-replacement guarantee, while the buzzy 108pt engagement freehub delivers rapid pickup at the pedals. As mentioned earlier though, they are heavy, providing an opportunity to drop significant weight with a wheel upgrade.

Otherwise we’ve been impressed with the frame finish so far. The Mino Link is simple and effective, the Knock Block is totally unnoticeable on the trail, and we’re big fans of the built-in storage from the Burrito Box. Or is it the Kebab Cave? Maybe a Sausage Roll Hole? Sushi Shaft? Cannoli Cavity? Hot Dog Hollow? Spring Roll Room?

Alright, alright! We’ll show ourselves the door…the door that leads into the Spring Roll Room – ha!

Flow’s Verdict

Tying together a whole suite of updates to the frame and suspension design, there are no doubts that the new Trek Top Fuel is a more capable bike than its predecessor. It’s still very efficient, but having adopted a more progressive approach to its geometry, it delivers a significant improvement in stability. Along with the active ABP suspension design and chunky tyres, there’s an exceptional amount of grip and support on offer for a 120mm travel bike.

With all those changes, the Top Fuel moves even further away from the Supercaliber. And for some riders, that gap will be a little too wide.

Trek seems happy to have a clear delineation between the two platforms though. This differs from some other brands that utilise a single frame, and simply up-fork and up-shock it to create a slightly longer travel bike (like the Specialized Epic EVO and Orbea Oiz TR). The Top Fuel is not one of those bikes.

Instead of being a long-legged Supercaliber, it’s really a shrunken-down Fuel EX, albeit one with more contemporary geometry. And having ridden both bikes, unless you really need the extra travel of the Fuel EX, this is arguably the better option.

Sure it may have put off the weight-weenies and lockout-lovers, but there’s no denying that the Top Fuel has broadened its appeal to an even wider range of riders, and we reckon it’s more fun as a result.

2022 Trek Top Fuel 9.9 XTR

• Fork | Fox 34 Step-Cast, Factory Series, FIT4 Damper, 44mm Offset, 120mm Travel
• Shock | Fox Float DPS, Factory Series, 185x50mm
• Wheels | Bontrager Line Pro 30, OCLV Carbon Rims, 29mm Inner Width
• Drivetrain | Shimano XTR 1×12 w/e*thirteen TRS Race Carbon 30T Crankset & 10-51T Cassette
• Brakes | Shimano XTR Race 2-Piston w/Ice Tech Rotors
• Bar | Bontrager RSL Integrated, OCLV Carbon, 27.5mm Rise, 820mm Width
• Stem | Bontrager RSL Integrated, OCLV Carbon, Length: 35mm (S), 45mm (M-XL)
• Saddle | Bontrager Arvada Pro, Carbon Rails
• RRP | $14,199 AUD

2022 Trek Top Fuel 9.7

• Fork | Fox Rhythm 34, GRIP Damper, 44mm Offset, 120mm Travel
• Shock | Fox Float DPS, Performance Series, 185x50mm
• Wheels | Bontrager Line Comp 30, Alloy Rims, 29mm Inner Width
• Drivetrain | Shimano SLX/XT 1×12 w/Deore 30T Crankset & 10-51T Cassette
• Brakes | Shimano SLX 4-Piston
• Bar | Bontrager Line, 27.5mm Rise, Width: 750mm (S), 780mm (M-XL)
• Stem | Bontrager Elite, 45mm Length
• Seatpost | TranzX Dropper, 34.9mm Diameter, Travel: 100mm (S), 150mm (M-M/L), 170mm (L), 200mm (XL)
• Saddle | Bontrager Arvada, Steel Rails
• RRP | $6,299 AUD

2022 Trek Top Fuel 8

• Frame | Alpha Platinum Alloy, ABP Suspension Design, 120mm Travel
• Fork | RockShox SID, Rush RL Damper, 44mm Offset, 120mm Travel
• Brakes | Shimano Deore 4-Piston
• RRP | $5,299 AUD

2022 Trek Top Fuel 5

• Fork | RockShox 35 Silver RL, Motion Control Damper, 44mm Offset, 120mm Travel
• Shock | X-Fusion Pro 2, 185x50mm
• Wheels | Bontrager Alloy Hubs & Alex MD35 Rims
• Drivetrain | Shimano Deore 1×12 w/Deore 30T Crankset & 10-51T Cassette
• Brakes | Shimano MT200 2-Piston
• Bar | Bontrager Comp, 15mm Rise, 750mm Width
• Stem | Bontrager Rhythm Comp, 50mm Length
• Seatpost | TranzX Dropper, 34.9mm Diameter, Travel: 100mm (S), 150mm (M-M/L), 170mm (L-XL)
• RRP | $3,499 AUD
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