2014 trek remedy 8

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First Ride: Trek Remedy 8 review

New all-mountain rig is an instant hit

Andrew Dodd

All-mountain all-rounders with six inches of travel are hard to do well. Instead of just bumping an inch of travel on to a lighter frame and sticking on some thicker gauge tubing, Trek has rewritten the rules with the fantastic Remedy.

This would be an ideal machine for the Mega Avalanche downhill run or any amount of similar Alpine shenanigans. The frame design is stunning and it looks good too but most importantly the unique suspension design is wonderfully effective.

Ride & handling: planted & capable

Getting the right set-up for the Remedy is crucial – too soft and it’s wallowy, too firm and you won’t feel the benefits. With correct sag, the rear end is very active throughout the stroke.

With a low main pivot, the Remedy uses a four-bar system to keep the bike as active as possible, but it doesn’t use a Horst Link. Instead there is Trek’s new Active Braking Pivot, which keeps the rear suspension working even if the wheel is fully locked.

A custom Fox RP23 shock with a big can offers supple action on small hits, with enough ramp-up for big hits.

The cockpit is long enough for efficient climbing, even with the 80mm stem, and the back end is short enough to flick the bike around – combination keeps the bike feeling planted. It’s low too – 14in centre-to-floor with huge 2.35in Kenda tyres – but not so low you bash your feet.

The frame was very stiff and tracked well. This was also noticeable under braking where the fore/aft rigidity of the fork through the E2 steerer prevailed – it feels better than a 1.125in set-up.

At 14.15kg (31.2lb) in a size large, you could knock a couple of pounds off with some mods, but as it is, the Remedy 8 is a very good bike.

Frame: roomy & low

The frame is made from Trek’s Alpha Red 7000 series aluminium, and features heavy hydroforming on the down and top tubes, but keeps a fairly traditional double diamond design.

The extremely low top tube (in relation to the size of the bike) allows a good standover height and the roomy 24in effective length lets you use a short stem without cramping your riding position.

Up front is a huge formed head tube that houses the E2 headset system, Trek’s unique design with a 1.5in lower race, a 1.125in upper race and a tapered fork steerer. This keeps weight down on the headset and stem and provides support for the 6in travel forks.

The head angle is nice and slack at 66.6 degrees, but the Rockshox Lyrik 2-Step fork allows a climbing-friendly 68.5 degrees in its short setting.

Equipment: effective gear

The Remedy is offered in three builds. Our mid-range model uses the excellent Rockshox Lyrik 2-Step fork with a Shimano Deore XT drivetrain and brake set, Bontrager Rhythm Comp wheels and Kenda Nevegal Dual Compound tyres.

The finishing kit includes a full width King Earl bar (we grumbled about the shorter 26in bar on pre-production bikes), an 80mm stem that’s both stiff and light, and a comfy Bontrager post and saddle combo. We ran a Crank Brothers Joplin seatpost on our bike, and it worked perfectly.

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Trek Remedy 8 review

• Alan Muldoon
• April 23, 2019

Now 2.6in tyres and ample clearance for 2.8in Plus size rubber

Product Overview

Overall rating:, trek remedy 8, manufacturer:, price as reviewed:.

Trail Bike of the Year in association with Alpinestars

Blink, and you could miss the latest round of revisions to the Trek Remedy 8. The biggest change to the frame is move away from Full Floater shock mount.

>>> Trail Bike of the Year 2019

Previously, the shock on the Remedy was mounted to an extension of the swingarm, allowing Trek’s engineers a degree of wiggle room to vary the progression rate of the 150mm suspension as the shock compresses. Ideal before the advent of volume reducers and custom tuned shocks, but much less relevant now.

The RE:aktiv damped RockShox Deluxe RT3 shock pumps out 150mm travel and gets a three position threshold lever

So full-floater is gone, the lower shock mount now wedged neatly between the seat tube and down tube. A move that also places the shock lower in the frame, allowing the upper linkage to shift down too, making it easer to accommodate 150mm dropper posts . The frame is also 100g lighter and 5 per cent stiffer.

The seat tube angle had also been tipped forward a full degree, so you don’t have to tip you’re weight so far forward on the climbs. Trek retains the Mino-link, a small asymmetric chip in the rocker that offers two geometry settings. The bike now ships in the low setting and with the 2.6in tyres raising the BB height the high position is somewhat redundant.

Trek has always looked to gain a performance advantage with proprietary suspension components, the most recent development being its RE:aktiv valve. On the outside the RockShox RT3 shock on the 150mm travel Remedy looks like any other, but Trek’s custom internals give the suspension a unique response. It’s stable when pedalling but retains good small bump sensitivity. Also the damping ramps up to provide a hydraulic pillow on harsh drops and compressions.

Up front, the 160mm travel RockShox Lyrik RC fork needs no introduction. And while the Remedy doesn’t benefit from the top-end Charger RC2 damper, it still gets the bigger volume Debonair negative air spring and low friction seals, making it buttery smooth. Its real strength though, is that it’s super easy to set up.

Notice anything different on the Remedy compared to the other bikes? That’s right, the down tube is straight, rather than kinked at the headtube. This makes for a stiffer, lighter frame but has some knock on effects, namely; the fork crown hitting the downtube.

To prevent this the Remedy has a steering lock headset. Trek dubbed it Knock Block and sits just behind the top race of the headset. It’s a replaceable component designed to fail in a massive impact, which is why the frame also has protective bump-stops on the downtube. The head seat spacers and stem are both keyed to interlock with the headset, but you can use a normal stem providing you have a female conversion spacer.

Performance

Why so much detail on Knock Block? Well it’s important to highlight that it doesn’t limit your turning circle, even on the steepest switchbacks. It does make it tricky to get the bike into the back of a car though, because even with the front wheel out the handlebar won’t lie flat.

More importantly, the Remedy 8 comes with 30mm of interlocking headset spaces, three 10mm spacers to be precise. At max height the handlebar felt too tall, causing the bike to run wide on flat turns. Drop it done 10mm and it felt too low for steep chutes. Given that the spacers are custom, Trek really should replace one of the 10mm spacers with two 2.5mm spacers and a 5mm, so you can fine tune the bar height.

Size wise the Remedy 8 felt a little short and tall for the second largest size in a five strong range, the height of the seat mast making it nigh on impossible to upsize.

It still a really capable bike, and even though it’s one of the longer travel bikes in test, with gravity focused suspension that settles in under braking to make the bike feel more stable on the steepest descents, thanks to the stiff frame and RE:aktiv damper it’s no slouch on the climbs either.

All of the changes to the 2019 Remedy 8 are positive. The steeper seat angle helps with climbing, the 2.6in tyres increase traction and the lower shock position and 150mm dropper improve standover clearance and fit. Trek is still a touch too conservative with it sizing though. Yes, there are five sizes on offers but biggest option available only has a 475mm reach measurement….Hardly XL proportions. In fact, it’s sizing that’s the only thing holding the Remedy back as all other aspects of the bike are sorted. It even looks top dollar.

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Review: 2014 Trek Remedy 8 29

Back in August the Singletracks team got together for three days of shredding challenging mountain bike trails near Salida, CO. On our first day out we tackled the Monarch Crest trail, descending the oft-overlooked Agate Creek trail , which provided an excellent opportunity to test the Trek Remedy 8 29 I borrowed from  Absolute Bikes  back in town.

The Trek Remedy is a popular trail bike among Singletracks readers; in fact, it tied for fifth most popular trail bike  with the Santa Cruz Tallboy in our 2015 survey. I ride a Tallboy at home (though not the LT version), so I was stoked to ride a bike of roughly the same caliber as my everyday rig.

Trek offers the Remedy in 27.5″ and 29er wheel configurations, and the bike I tested is the 2014 29er version. The bike has 140mm of travel front and rear and features Trek’s Mino Link adjustable geometry that allows the rider to run either a 67.5° head tube angle or a more slack 67°. For my test ride, the Remedy was in the 67° configuration–more on that later.

To be perfectly honest, the 2014 Trek Remedy 8 I tested features a mostly uninspiring build kit. The 3×10 Shimano SLX drivetrain is probably a good call on a rental bike in the steep mountains of Colorado, but this is no custom spec–the 2014 Remedy 8 actually shipped with this drivetrain. The Fox 34 up front is burly but heavy, and the seat post on the 2014 Remedy 8 isn’t a dropper.

Shimano SLX brakes are spec’d on the 2014 Remedy 8 I tested, and this is the one place where Trek seems to have cut costs (with Deore) in the 2016 version. The wheels, bars, stem, seatpost, and even saddle on the 2014 Remedy 8 are Bontrager (Trek house brand) components, which makes it tough to compare to similar bikes (unless they are Trek bikes). Suffice it to say none of these components stood out during my test ride.

The Remedy 8 looks sharp and is color-coordinated from the frame to the fork to the saddle and spacers and lock-on grips. The sloping downtube is unmistakably Trek, and the skid plate on the underside is a solid, nice touch. Ditto for the integrated chain guard in the rear.

All told, the Remedy 8 I tested is heavy. So heavy, in fact, that I audibly grunted the first few times I picked the bike up. Greg’s scale showed about 34 pounds with the bike loaded up as shown (note the massive pump and tool bag on the saddle) so to be fair, I’ll estimate the (size large) bike weighs 32 pounds.

Speaking of the pump and tools, kudos to Absolute for packing this stuff for me! Yes, it adds weight, but the rides around Salida are all pretty remote and having a proper pump, extra tube, and tools is super important. Not everyone travels with this gear, so it’s great to have it included with a rental bike. In the past Absolute has also included at least one water bottle to use and keep after the ride.

On the Trail

The Monarch Crest -> Agate Creek route we rode starts out just like the more traditional Monarch Crest -> Silver Creek -> Rainbow Trail route with a stiff climb up to 12,000 feet for a total of nearly 1,000+ feet of climbing before the descent begins. On the climb up the Trek felt stiff enough with little noticeable pedal bob but still, it definitely felt heavy.  Having the Mino Link set to a 67° head tube angle probably made matters worse than if it had been in the default 67.5° position.

Interestingly, the 2016 Remedy figuratively “flips the switch” on the Mino Link, giving the rider the choice between a 67.5° head tube angle and a steeper 68.2° angle. Again, I think this is an excellent change and should make up for some of the shortfalls in the climbing abilities of the 2014 Remedy 8.

Once the trail turned downhill, the Remedy 8 let its hair down a bit and felt like a much more confident bike. The Agate Creek descent is steep and rocky, with roots and a ton of stream crossings where the Remedy 8 performed well. I wouldn’t describe the suspension platform as super plush, but it wasn’t harsh either. As expected, the 29er wheels were definitely at home on the brief section or two of wide-open flowy goodness, but a bit clumsy in the low speed tech.

With two big Colorado rides on the 2014 Trek Remedy 8 under my belt, my impression is there is a lot that can be improved about this bike. Fortunately it seems like Trek has addressed most of these concerns with the 2016 version while keeping the price roughly the same, which is obviously great news for consumers. I’m definitely interested in getting on the latest Remedy 8 to rally this bike more properly.

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2014 Trek Remedy 8 29

A 29″ aluminum frame full suspension trail bike with high-end components. Compare the full range

For This Bike

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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.

Remedy 8 29

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Bike Test: Trek Remedy 9.8 29

Oct 2014 · Steve Williams

Capable and well-built, but weight, unadventurous angles and basic shocks hold it back

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As an out and out trail bike, with the components to match, the Trek Remedy 29 does it all, but this bike has far more about it than just that...

Jul 2014 · Alan Muldoon

Read the full review of the Trek Remedy 650b 9.8 27.5 mountain bike

Trek has cranked the fun dial on the Remedy 650b up to 11.

Being able to adjust the geometry is a massive bonus.

Handlebar and stem don’t match the attitude and geometry.

Reverb remote and Shimano shifters aren’t the best bedfellows.

Check out our full review here. It’s nice to be able to get away with mistakes. You know, maybe give someone’s car a nudge on a tricky reverse park, but they don’t see and there’s no damage. Or looping out during a wheelie but getting your feet unclipped just in time to save your coccyx. …

Well-proven suspension and spec

Requires a wider bar

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Last updated June 29 Not listed for 2,508 days

Trek Bikes Remedy 2014

Reviews / Enduro Bikes

• Enduro Bikes

At A Glance

The Remedy has been in the line-up at Trek for some time now, billed as the ultimate technical trail bike it has undergone a few guises over the years. In 2013 it was a 150mm 26” wheeled machine that could eat up a lot more than one might expect. For 2014 the range has been split in two in order encompass two different wheel sizes. There is now a 29” version and also a 27.5” version, with 27.5” being very much in vogue at the moment we felt this was a good place to start with the Remedy range, we’ll be testing the 29” version later in the year

With the bigger wheels comes slightly less travel and this year the Remedy 27.5 features 140mm of travel front and rear. The 9.8 model is the only carbon framed version in the line-up, this is a departure from recent times when there were always a few different models with carbon frames. The top spec 9.9 is missing from the range this year, traditionally being a masterpiece of beauty and components with an outrageous price tag. Anyway back to the 9.8 and the bike we have here…

The frame utilises their OCLV Mountain Carbon with carbon seat stays and alloy chain stays, there is built-in carbon armour on the down tube to give the bike some added protection. An E2 tapered head tube rolls gracefully into the rest of the tubing, the bottom bracket uses the BB95 standard. Internal cable routing for the derailleur and dropper post gives the bike clean lines and there are ISCG 05 mounts for fitting chain devices. The EVO link is the traditional magnesium to save weight and there is a Mino Link to adjust the geometry too.

Front suspension duties are catered for with a Fox Performance Series 34 Float w/CTD (climb, trail descend), FIT damper, rebound, 15GR thru axle and 140mm of travel.

In the rear is a Fox Performance Series Float w/DRCV, CTD (climb, trail descend), damper, rebound, custom tuned to the frame by Trek in California.

Drivetrain duties are taken care of by Shimano with an all XT affair and 10-speed with an 11/36t cassette at the rear and a double 38/24 at the front. The brakes are Shimano XT hydraulic discs as well with 160mm rear and 180mm front spec.

Naturally, being a Trek, there is a healthy dose of Bontrager gear. The wheels are the Bontrager Rhythm Comp Tubeless with stacked lacing, 15mm front hub and 142x12mm rear. These are shod with Bontrager XR3 Team Issue tubeless-ready tyres with an aramid bead.

Bontrager Race X Lite Carbon low-riser handle bars are held in place with a Bontrager Rhythm Pro Stem, a Bontrager Evoke 3 titanium railed seat sits atop a RockShox Reverb Stealth seat post.

Trek Remedy 9.8

Low 18.5 High 18.5

Seat tube 445mm 445mm Effective top tube 601mm 598mm Head tube 105mm 105mm Chain stay 435mm 435mm Wheel base 1151mm 1149mm BB height 338mm 346mm Head angle 67.5° 68.1° Seat angle 67.5° 68.1° Reach 417mm 424mm Stack 699mm 594mm

Weight w/o pedals 28.8lbs

On The Trail

Although the Remedy isn’t a newcomer to the Trek catalogue, the new 27.5 bike has been completely redesigned from the ground up to accommodate the new wheel size. The geometry has been tweaked and adjusted, not just to fit the wheels but also to get the most out of them. In addition modern riding styles and terrain have been considered to deliver a bike that should perform to the highest level available.

After taking some time to set the bike up properly, imperative with the DRCV shock to get the most out of the suspension, we headed of to some of our more familiar trails in the Surrey Hills. We’ve loved the Remedy for a while now and we were pleased to find that while it has undergone some major changes, there was still the familiar feel.

The Full Floater suspension set-up offers a stable platform for pedalling and the light-weight frame combines to give the Remedy an agility that will see you scampering up the climbs with gusto. The larger wheels of course make easy work of technical terrain too, offering plenty of grip when you need it and rolling over roots that we have perhaps struggled with in the past.

There is a very playful nature about the Remedy too, when you get it onto some flat twisty single track you can maximise the energy in the trail with the sorted suspension and the nimbleness of the bike. You’ll be flicking your way in and out of the trees with a stupid grin on your face that is usually only reserved for the village idiot…

Get the bike pointing downhill on some more challenging terrain and the true majesty for the Remedy becomes apparent, it is a very capable bike, especially if you rig the Mino Link to the Low setting you get a head angle that can cope with most things and a stability that inspires confidence. I was a little concerned that the 140mm of travel would soon feel out of its depth at speed over rough terrain, but I needn't have worried. While it isn’t as capable as the Slash, for instance, I never felt under-biked or overwhelmed.

Before I bestow too many superlatives on the Remedy I must take a look at the negatives, I was surprised at the list price for this top end bike, it’s actually really good value, in previous years the top-end Remedy has repeatedly pushed the £5000 GBP barrier and, if I recall correctly, went skyward of the £6000 GBP mark on one occasion. This year’s 9.8 model at £4300 GBP seems like positively good value then, however the XT spec, whilst perfectly capable, is hardly bling. For the money the Remedy is a great bike, but surely there is a 9.9 missing from the range draped in 1x11 and other expensive trinkets.

I’d also like to see a chain guide fitted as standard, bikes of this genre are aimed at aggressive riding, and while the clutch rear mech does a good job, it’s not perfect at keeping the chain in place…

Other than that it’s a great bike, and lets be realistic here, we just complained it wasn’t expensive enough, and in these austere times that seems frankly ridiculous. What you do get is a top-of-the-range Trek for a very good price with an excellent frame and fantastic trail feel. As capable uphill as it is down, it is sure to entertain you at every turn!

This review was in Issue 28 of IMB.

Trek Bikes Slash 9 27.5

Trek bikes slash 9.8, trek bikes remedy 9 29, commencal meta am 3, scott bicycles genius lt 700, santa cruz bicycles bronson c, pivot cycles mach 6 carbon xo1, ghost bikes cagua 6590 650b, cube bikes fritzz 160 tm 27.5, santa cruz bicycles heckler r am, nukeproof mega am 275 comp, vitus escarpe 275 vr.

By Rou Chater Rou Chater is the Publishing Editor of IMB Magazine; he’s a jack-of-all-trades and master of none, but his passion for bikes knows no bounds. His first mountain bike was a Trek 820, which he bought in 1990. It didn’t take him long to earn himself a trip to the hospital on it, and he’s never looked back since. These days he’s keeping it rubber side down, riding locally and overseas as much as possible.

Tried this? What did you think?

2014 Trek Remedy 9.8 27.5/650b (discontinued)

• Write Review

Reviewed by Steve Wentz and Brandon Turman // Photos by Shawn Spomer and Lear Miller

The Trek Remedy has been a mainstay in the trail bike realm since before trail bikes were a must have item. For 2014 the bike received a few upgrades in the form of 27.5-inch wheels and a burlier 34mm stanchion fork. Surprisingly Trek reduced the travel from 150 to 140mm as a result of the bigger wheels and in an effort to better fill the gap between the 120mm Fuel EX and 160mm Slash. They also reduced the head angle by 0.5 degrees. Would any of the changes be detrimental to the ride or would they improve it in other ways? Curious to find out we pedaled it all over Sedona, Arizona during the 2014 Vital MTB Test Sessions .

Trek Remedy 9.8 27.5 Highlights

• OCLV Mountain Carbon main frame and seatstay, alloy chainstay
• 27.5-inch (650b) wheels
• 5.5-inches (140mm) of rear wheel travel
• Trek Full Floater suspension design with DRCV FOX Performance Series CTD Float rear shock
• Integrated E2 tapered headtube
• 67.5 or 68.1-degree head angle (size 18.5 tested)
• 67.5 or 68.1-degree seat tube angle (size 18.5 tested)
• 13.3 or 13.6-inch (338 or 346mm) bottom bracket height
• 17.1 or 17.0-inch (435 or 433mm) chainstay length
• ISCG05 tabs
• 142x12mm through axle
• Measured weight (size 18.5, no pedals): 28-pounds (12.7kg)
• $5,559 MSRP

Our test bike was the Remedy 9.8 model, which is the second-tier in the Remedy lineup and one of three carbon offerings. After a thorough once over, everything about the frame seemed very well thought out - something we've come to expect of Trek bikes.

Expect for the chainstay, the Remedy 9.8 frame is made with Trek's Optimum Compaction, Low Void (OCLV) Mountain Carbon, which could be argued is a good thing seeing as how the chainstay is most likely to be struck by rocks and trail debris.

The bike features a Mino Link geometry adjustment system in the seat stay. In the “high” position the bike has a 68.1-degree headtube angle and 13.6-inch bottom bracket height. Flipping the chip to the “low” position brings the head angle down to 67.5-degrees and lowers the bb height to 13.3-inches.

Out back, the Remedy relies on Trek's Full Floater suspension design coupled with a magnesium EVO link and Active Braking Pivot (ABP) centered on the 142x12mm rear axle to deliver 140mm of travel. Trek's Dual Rate Control Valve (DRCV) FOX Float CTD shock uses an internal plunger to cycle between two chambers, combining the pedaling benefits of a low volume shock and the big hit cushion of a high volume one. Unfortunately the bike uses a proprietary 197x57mm shock size, making swaps a little difficult, but RockShox recently released a compatible Monarch for those looking to make a switch.

Internal routing for the rear derailleur, front derailleur, and seatpost add to the sleek look of the frame and really clean things up nicely, though they can be a hassle when it comes time to do maintenance. Additional frame features include a post mount disc brake, direct mount front derailleur, exclusive BB95 bottom bracket, integrated tapered headtube, ISCG tabs, room for a water bottle inside the front triangle, ~1.25cm of mud clearance with the stock 2.35-inch Bontrager tires, and a rubberized downtube guard.

With six different models to choose from, ranging in price from $2,840 to $8,300, the Remedy line is just as diverse as the terrain they say it can tackle. Add in five sizes per model and you've got a whole lot of variations of the same bike to choose from. Options are good, and in this case it's very likely that Trek has one to fit your budget and size needs.

On The Trail

We piloted the Remedy up and down some of Sedona’s best rides. Trails included Tea Cup, Jordan, Slimshady, HiLine, Old Post, Carroll Canyon, Ridge, and Templeton.

To our 5’8” tall tester the size 18.5 Remedy frame felt spacious with lots of standover. To our 5’10” tester the same frame felt very compact. Having just come off a long-term test of a similarly sized 18.5 Trek Slash, a burlier 160mm travel bike, he had grown accustomed to the roomier 440mm reach. Hopping on the same size Remedy he was surprised to find the bike felt noticeably shorter. While the top tube measurements are similar, the frame’s reach measures just 417mm, over an inch shorter than the Slash and the shortest of all 25 bikes in our Test Sessions . Trek does spec a longer stem on the Remedy than the Slash, but that's not an ideal solution. In short, for those on the border of typical medium/large sizing, consider the slightly larger 19.5 size.

While we’re on the topic of sizing, it's odd that the size (e.g. 18.5 or 19.5) doesn't actually correlate to the seat tube height measurement. In most cases the seat tube is 1-inch shorter than the size indicates. This nomenclature could be misleading to some.

The stock bars are a bit narrow at 720mm, which seems a bit out of place for the very capable Remedy line. The nearly flat, narrow bar coupled with 140mm front travel seemed a bit low and stretched out for descent oriented riders. A wider riser bar with a 50/60 stem would likely be an improvement to the overall handling. The low front end feeling is made worse on larger sizes that have a very short head tube, so consider the use of spacers under the stem if new bars aren’t an option.

Pointed downhill the Remedy has tons of potential. Provided you’re on the right size, the bike’s geometry helps create a ride that’s stable and really fun to charge on. It picks up speed quickly, aided by the lightweight Bontrager tires. Confidence isn't as high as the burlier bikes on offer from Trek, but it will handle most trail obstacles in its stride. It jumps well, pumps well, manuals easily, and feels stable under most trail conditions. When things turn steep, however, the bike is held back a little by its head angle and stock cockpit. A fork with 10mm more travel would be a welcome addition, helping to slack the front end a hair, raise the sagged ride height slightly, and give the bike a more rearward weight bias when going downhill. We rode the bike in the lower/slacker geometry setting with a 67.5-degree head angle and 13.3-inch bottom bracket height, and can't imagine a scenario when we’d want to go to the steeper/higher mode. As it was there was lots of clearance for rocks and it cornered well.

The FOX Float 34 CTD fork was sufficiently stiff, a welcome change from prior years, and the rear suspension matched up quite well. The DRCV shock felt very controlled and close to bottomless on sections with successive bumps, which helped it track nicely and feel planted in corners. G-outs and jumps were decent as well as we pressed into the mid-stroke. Large single hits easily bottomed the shock with the frame’s slightly progressive design, but luckily Trek offers aftermarket shock volume spacers made by Push for those who find this to be a common occurrence. Overall the bike strikes a great balance between sticking to the ground and being able to move it around at will.

At 28 pounds, the Remedy 9.8 isn’t incredibly lightweight on the scale, but on trail it changes direction quickly and feels very nimble. Rolling speed seemed on par with many other 27.5-inch wheeled bikes if not a little quicker thanks to the lightweight Bontrager tires.

Pedaling and sprinting was very good in the big chainring. Quick bursts from the granny ring resulted in a more perceptible loss of power and bob, however. The bike puts you in a good position for climbing and does not require a shock lockout or any special levers. Pedal efficiency is aided by the Trail mode on the rear shock, though it performs best in Descend mode on rough terrain, allowing the rear to track the terrain better and maintain traction. In the rockiest terrain, the Remedy was easy to move around on, keep our balance, and just keep moving up and through rough sections, which surprised us in a good way.

The Remedy 9.8 comes equipped with a nice mix of components from FOX, Shimano, Bontrager, RockShox, and FSA.

Aside from a possible bar/stem swap as mentioned previously, we’d also consider changing out the white Bontrager saddle and grips. Though comfortable, they’ll likely get dirty your first ride out.

The 125mm RockShox Reverb Stealth seatpost was a welcome addition to the build and worked well. Reverb and Shimano XT brake lever compatibility could be better as the two don’t interact well on the bars, however, making it difficult to get that perfect position.

Braking and rolling speed was great on the 2.35-inch Bontrager XR3 Team Issue tires, and we commend Trek for spec’ing a set of high volume tires on a bike that will use them. They were a slight bit vague on Sedona's sometimes loose-over-hard dirt and steep slickrock terrain, leading us to believe a slightly beefier/knobbier front tire would help out up front. Something with a little more sidewall support could also add to the overall stability of the bike. We’ve found puncture resistance while running tubes to be poor on many Bontrager trail tires in the past, but we didn’t have any issues this time.

The Bontrager Rhythm Comp wheels were stiff and problem free. We’ve put the wheels through a beating in other tests and they proved to be quite durable. They’re easy to repair with readily available parts if something really goes wrong. Provided you pick up a set of Bontrager TLR rim strips they’re also tubeless compatible, and we’ve had good luck with their ability to hold a tire without burping.

Shimano’s XT brakes bedded in very quickly, providing lots of predictable power consistent with all the other Shimano stoppers we’ve used.

After riding many bikes with single ring drivetrains during our Test Sessions, the 2x10 Shimano XT setup seemed a bit out of place at first. The added range was welcome though, especially after several days of big rides back to back. There was very little drag and we never dropped a chain thanks the clutch mechanism. Chain noise wasn’t too bad, but in the small chainring there was some chain slap on rougher terrain.

Long Term Durability

It's tough to forecast long term concerns, but the bike as a whole seemed very reliable. Trek sweats the small details, has an impressive testing facility, and maintenance of the critical components seems like it won't be an issue. Worst case, the frame and Bontrager components are backed by a limited lifetime warranty with a five year condition on the swing arm.

What's The Bottom Line?

The Trek Remedy 9.8 27.5 is a great all around, all day bike that strikes a great balance between fun and stability. Trek classifies it in the same “Technical Trail/Enduro” category as the burlier Slash, and there's certainly potential in that classification given the performance of the suspension and most of the components. We think it'd take a few part swaps to be ready for the burliest of trails, though. In the end we think it’s a great platform to build on and a really good starting point that lots of people will enjoy as a trail bike. Just be sure to carefully consider the sizing before purchasing.

Visit www.trekbikes.com for more details.

Bonus Gallery: 31 photos of the 2014 Trek Remedy 9.8 27.5 up close and in action

About the reviewers.

Steve Wentz - A man of many talents, Steve got his start in downhilling at a young age. He has been riding for over 17 years, 10 of which have been in the Pro ranks. Asked to describe his riding style he said, "I like to smooth out the trail myself." Today he builds some of the best trails in the world (and eats lots of M&M's).

Brandon Turman - Brandon likes to pop off the little bonus lines on the sides of the trail, get aggressive when he's in tune with a bike and talk tech. In 14 years of riding he worked his way through the Collegiate downhill ranks to the Pro level. Formerly a Mechanical Engineer, nowadays he's Vital MTB's resident product guy.

Which reviewer resembles you the most? Don't miss our Q&A with the testers for more insight about their styles and preferences.

Post a reply to: 2014 Test Sessions: Trek Remedy 9.8 27.5

Specifications, sizes and geometry.

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Trek Remedy 8

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Colour / Trek White

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

At a glance

Where to buy.

Specifications

• Frame Alpha Platinum Aluminum w/ABP Convert, Full Floater, E2 tapered head tube, internal front derailleur cable routing, Stealth dropper post routing, ISCG 03 mount, magnesium EVO Link, Mino Link, 150mm travel
• Wheels Bontrager sealed cartridge bearing 15mm thru axle front hub, Bontrager sealed cartridge bearing rear hub w/ Bontrager Duster Disc 32-hole double-walled Tubeless Ready rims
• Wheel Size 26"
• Tires Bontrager XR3, Expert, 26x2.35"
• Crank Shimano M552, 42/32/24
• Front Derailleur Shimano SLX
• Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore XT Shadow Plus
• Shifters Shimano SLX, 10 speed
• Brakeset Shimano SLX hydraulic disc
• Handlebar Bontrager Race Lite Low Riser, 31.8mm, 15mm rise, 9 degree sweep
• Saddle Bontrager Evoke 2, chromoly rails
• Seatpost Bontrager Rhythm Elite, 31.6mm, zero offset
• Stem Bontrager Rhythm Comp, 31.8mm, 7 degree
• Headset FSA NO.57E, E2, sealed bearings

Q: What size wheels does the 2013 Trek Remedy 8 have?

The 2013 Trek Remedy 8 has 26" wheels.

Q: What size 2013 Trek Remedy 8 should I get?

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