trek fuel ex xc racing

• Forum Listing
• Marketplace
• Advanced Search
• Riding Style
• XC racing and Endurance

Racing with a Fuel EX?

• Add to quote

Hi, all I just recently got into mountain biking after riding road for awhile and I recently decided I wanted to do some XC racing. Right now I have a 2015 Fuel EX 8 everything is still stock besides switching over to tubeless tires. My question is would it even be worth trying to race with it for this upcoming season? I plan on getting a top fuel eventually to dedicate for racing, but kind of wanted to give racing a try until I get the funds for another bike.  

Your Fuel is more than adequate to start racing on. Switching to tubeless is a personal choice, some love it and some hate it. If you've done it before, it's pretty easy and you can hold on to your tubes if needed for later. I carry one with me just in case I can't get the tire to reseal if I burp it out on the trail. Pretty easy to just throw the tube in and hammer on till the race is over. Good Luck!!  

Go for it. I have been racing a 120mm, 130mm, or 140mm travel 29er in XC for the past three years. It has not been a disadvantage.  

Did race an Sworks Camber 29er last season with 110mm last year witout any problem. Will try to use the new Camber this year. As suspension gets better and better and the weight difference is low it might be a good option depending on your terrain. Especially if you are new to racing the more forgiving geometry might help you.  

I've got a friend who placed top 30 at SM100 on a fuel ex. Shouldn't be a problem. I'm looking to add a 120 "race bike" to my stable for Pisgah events.  

I think your idea of starting on the Fuel EX and progressing to a Top Fuel if racing "bites" you is perfect. I endurance raced a Fuel EX 9.8 last year. The simplest report I can give you is that I'll be doing it again this year (9.9 to spoil myself). The Reaktiv rear shock makes it more race worthy than I expected for a 120 mm bike, and 120 at both ends is just SO nice during the second half of a 100 mile race. If I were serious about regular xc as opposed to endurance, I might lean towards the Top Fuel, but it wouldn't be nearly as much fun for me when not actually racing, so still a tough call.  

Thanks everyone for the great replies! Going to get in better shape this winter and give a few races a try next year and see how I like it. I've always been into competitive sports and this gives me a reason to ride even more so I don't see how I'll dislike it.  

Fuel EX 8 was my first mountain bike, and I did 2 seasons of XC racing on it just fine. Sure, there were plenty of people in those races on 20 pound hard tails, but I learned a ton/got stronger racing that heavier full suspension bike. Plus, it gave me time to decide if I even liked XC racing, before I poured a ton of funds into a lighter racier bike. Funniest part is, after a season on a "racy" hardtail, I found myself building up a 120mm travel race bike again...way more fun to descend, well worth the weight penalty  

What category do you plan on racing in? I am going to race sport this year on my 27.5 Fuel EX 9.8. I have only ever done one race, last year the day after I got my new fuel I raced and won my age group in citizen cat 3. You will have an advantage in the more technical parts on the singletrack with that bike over a hardtail, and as someone said earlier, when not racing it's just a blast to ride.  

• ?            
• 15.5M posts
• 516.5K members

Top Contributors this Month

• Pinkbike.com
• Register New User
• First Looks
• Friday Fails
• Community Blogs
• Fantasy League DH
• Places Directory

Field Test: Trek Fuel EX - Evolution Underlined

Cool Features

• Pinkbike.com
• Register New User
• First Looks
• Friday Fails
• Community Blogs
• Fantasy League DH
• Places Directory

Field Test Review: 2022 Trek Top Fuel - Same Name, Different Bike

Cool Features

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
• Submit for Review
• Terms & Conditions

Enjoy reading this?

Get similar articles delivered directly to your inbox

Which Trek mountain bike is right for you?

• Benjamin Haworth
• October 3, 2017

Get to know your Remedy from your Fuel

We have a look over the 2018 range of Trek mountain bikes to see who suits what in a range featuring the Fuel EX, Remedy, Marlin and Powerfly models.

>>> All our recent Trek mountain bike reviews

Getting to grips with 2018 Trek mountain bikes

If you pop over to Trek’s website and click on ‘mountain bikes’ more than 120 bikes appear in front of you. It’s rather daunting. Choice is good but can be bewildering. So we’ve boiled Trek’s MTB range down to the basics to get you started.

>>> Trek road bikes: which model is right for you?

What type of bike do you want?

We think it’s best to split the whole range into three categories and then go from there: hardtail , full suspension and electric .

What type of riding will you be doing?

Once you’ve chosen one of the three categories you can refine it to the type of riding you want to do: cross-country, trail or downhill.

With those two category types chosen you’ll be left with a much smaller pool of Trek models to consider.

We’re going to assume that you already know the type of mountain bike you want. We’re not going to go into any debates or theorising (hardtail vs full suspension, 27.5 vs 29 , Plus vs Fat etc etc).

Trek hardtails

There are five hardtail models in Trek’s range: Marlin, X-Caliber, Roscoe, Procaliber and Stache.

Trek use their own proprietary frame materials. Their aluminium stuff is called Alpha. Their carbon stuff is called OCLV.

Some of their high end hardtails have the ‘IsoSpeed Decoupler’ configuration where the seat tube is designed to flex for compliance.

The Trek Marlin is an entry level cross-country focussed hardtail ranging from £370 up to £550. Thee are four models in total (the Marlin 4, 5, 6 and 7). The frame is Trek’s ‘Silver Alpha’ aluminium.

The Trek X-Caliber cross-country range starts from £650 and tops out at £1,150. The frame is Trek’s ‘Gold Alpha’ aluminium. The frames have internal routing for stealth dropper seatposts. The components are of a higher quality than the Marlins.

The Trek Roscoe range of Plus-tyred trail hardtails running from £800 to £ 1,250. The frame has internal routing for dropper posts and is made from Trek’s ‘Alpha Gold’ aluminium.

The £1,300 to £6,500(!) Trek Procaliber cross-country race bike range can look a a bit confusing; there are aluminium Procalibers, OCLV carbon Procalibers and Super Light OCLV Procalibers. Although the frame material varies the intent of Procalibers is the same: xc racing. The geometry remains the same. All Procalibers have the ‘IsoSpeed Decoupler’ feature of deliberate flex.

The Trek Stache bikes are rather unique in that they are 29er Plus bikes. They roll on some seriously large rubber! Monster trucking hardtails. Price: £1,300 to £3,500.

Trek full suspension bikes

There are five Trek full susser types: Fuel EX, Remedy, Top Fuel, Slash and Session.

All Trek full sus bikes use a version of the ‘ABP’ suspension design. ABP stands for Active Braking Pivot. The rear wheel axle is also the rear pivot. The idea is to prevent the suspension from locking up during rear braking.

Fuel EX, Remedy and Top Fuel bikes also have RE:aktiv rear shock damping. This damping design claims to ‘know’ which forces are coming from the pedals/rider and which forces are coming from the trail, and it reacts accordingly.

The Trek Fuel EX 130mm travel, full sus, all-rounder, trail bikes come as either 29er or as 27.5 Plus. They can be run with either wheel size but are initially purchased with one or the other. Starting from £1,800 for aluminium versions they top out at £6,500 for the top end carbon version.

>>> Trek Fuel EX Plus 9.8 27.5 (2017) review

The Trek Remedy is the 150mm travel trail-cum-enduro bike. Prices range from £2,300 to £6,000. There are aluminium Remedy models and carbon fibre Remedy models. For 2018 they are all 27.5in wheel.

The Trek Top Fuel bikes are full suspension XC race machines. 100mm of travel at either end. Begins with the aluminium Top Fuel 8 for £2,400 and goes up to the £7,800 carbon Top Fuel 9.9 RSL.

>>> Trek Top Fuel 9 (2017) review

2018 Trek Slash

The 160mm travel enduro racing Trek Slash range is all 29in wheels and carbon only for 2018. It’s a bold move by Trek but one that makes the Slash arguably the most defined model in their range.

>>> Trek Slash 9.9 29 RSL (2017) review

The Trek Session is the downhill bike. Aluminium or carbon. And now available as a frameset as a 29er with 190mm of travel. Complete build Sessions are all 27.5in wheel and deliver 210mm of rear travel.

Trek electric mountain bikes

There are three electric mountain bike types: Powerfly, Powerfly FS and Powerfly LT Plus.

The Trek Powerfly hardtails start at £2,300 and go up to £3,300. Aluminium frames with 100mm travel forks up front. The motors come from Bosch. There is also a £4,200 Powerfly Plus with 2.8in tyres.

On the Trek Powerfly FS bikes the ‘FS’ stands for Full Suspension, 130mm of suspension to be precise. The Powerfly FS bikes are aimed at cross-country riding with a bit of rougher stuff every now and then. All but the entry level £3,500 Powerfly 5 FS come with Plus tyres.

Trek Powerfly Launch in Verbier, Switzerland

The Trek Powerfly LT Plus models have more travel (150mm) and fatter tyres (2.8in Plus tyres). These e-bikes are up for a bit more aggro riding and technical trails. Prices: £4,200 to £5,250.

>> Trek Powerfly 9 LT (2018) first ride

Trek Women’s mountain bikes

Even as stalwarts of the whole Women’s Specific Design thang, Trek (along with most other bike brands) are now seemingly moving away from design theories that assume that women’s body proportions are different to men’s.

Bikes fit humans, not genders. Rider height is the only thing you should really be factoring in when choosing a bike. It really is only saddles that need to be a bit different to men’s.

It’s fine to opt for a supposedly ‘men’s’ Trek model if it fits your height. Get the saddle swapped out for a ladies saddle at time of purchase. Sorted.

Having said that, if you want a Women’s bike because you prefer the different colourway and decals, fair enough.

• Trek Skye – entry level cross-country hardtails
• Trek X-Caliber Women’s –  lighter and fancier cross-country hardtails
• Trek Roscoe Women’s – Plus tyred trail hardtail
• Trek Procaliber Women’s – XC racing hardtail
• Trek Fuel EX Women’s – 130mm travel full suspension all-rounder
• Trek Remedy Women’s – 150mm trail/enduro full susser
• Trek Powerfly Women’s – entry level e-bike hardtail
• Top Fuel Women’s – XC racing 100mm travel full suspension

Race Shop Limited models

You may spot some Trek mountain bikes with ‘Race Shop Limited’ (or ‘RSL’) in their model name. These are essentially super high spec models. Often limited edition. And sometimes with slightly tweaked designs (a bit more travel, slacker geometry etc etc).

Mark Webber’s Top Fuel Project One

Trek’s Project One

This is Trek’s custom paint and decals option. Yep, if you have the funds and are prepared to wait a bit for your bike, then you can get a Trek in pretty much any colour scheme you want.

Be warned: you can waste hours (days!) tinklering away with the online Project One dream bike builder.

It’s only available on a few mountain bike models: Top Fuel, Fuel EX and Procaliber.

serving the wargame community since 1996

1941: Race to Moscow Review

Posted on May 22, 2020 9:23 am Categories: Game Review Phalanx Games World War II (1935-1945)

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.

Tested: Trek Top Fuel

Don't call it a race bike. Trek's new Top Fuel is for railing steep fast decents with no course tape in sight.

Takeaway: Trek’s latest edition of the Top Fuel moves from being a big cross country racer and becomes a short travel trail bike. With new longer and slacker geometry, plus 5mm of extra travel, it aims to give riders the efficiency they want for long days while still enabling them to ride more technical trails with confidence.

• Fully guided internal routing in the front triangle plus a 73mm BSA threaded bottom bracket simplifies maintenance for both professional and home mechanics.
• The new Top Fuel has clearance for 2.5” tires; which makes perfect sense as even XC racers are now running 2.4” tires as standard.
• The downtube storage compartment is now featured on all Top Fuel models, including the alloy versions. It’s a great feature that often gets nixed on lower priced frame models.

Price: $11,500 Weight: 26.8lbs (size XL) Style: Full suspension 120mm trail bike Frame: OCLV Mountain Carbon, internal storage, tapered head tube, Knock Block 2.0, internal guided routing, downtube guard, magnesium rocker link, Mino Link, ABP, Boost148, 120mm travel Wheel Size: 29” Fork: RockShox SID Ultimate, DebonAir spring, Charger Race Day damper, tapered steerer, 44mm offset, Boost110, 15mm Maxle Stealth, 120mm travel Rear Shock: RockShox Deluxe Ultimate RCT, 185mm x 50mm Drivetrain: SRAM Eagle AXS, wireless, 12-speed Cranks: SRAM XX1 Eagle, DUB, 55mm chainline, 175mm length Chainring: 30 tooth Cassette: SRAM Eagle XG-1299, 10-52T, 12-speed Brakes: SRAM G2 Ultimate hydraulic disc, carbon levers Front Wheel: Bontrager Line Pro 30, OCLV Mountain Carbon, Tubeless Ready, 6-bolt, Boost110, 15mm thru axle Rear Wheel: Bontrager Line Pro 30, OCLV Mountain Carbon, Tubeless Ready, Rapid Drive 108, 6-bolt, SRAM XD driver, Boost148, 12mm thru-axle Tires: Bontrager XR4 Team Issue, Tubeless Ready, Inner Strength sidewalls, aramid bead, 120tpi, 29.x2.40'' Saddle: Bontrager Arvada, austenite rails, 138mm width Seatpost: RockShox Reverb AXS, 170mm travel, wireless, 34.9mm, 480mm length Handlebar / Stem: Bontrager RSL Integrated handlebar/stem, OCLV Carbon, 27.5mm handlebar rise, 820mm width, 0 degree stem rise, 45mm stem length

While XC race bikes were becoming longer travel, yet another new category of mountain bikes started to gain traction with riders: down-country. This new breed of bikes combines elements of longer travel all-mountain and trail bikes (such as slack geometry, more powerful brakes, and heavier casing tires) with shorter travel and lighter-weight frames. Essentially, burly XC bikes that you can ride all day, are efficient climbers, and very capable at descending. This is the approach Trek took with the latest Top Fuel.

The new Top Fuel strikes a similar silhouette to the older model, with a vertically mounted shock layout and Trek’s Active Braking Pivot suspension system; which now delivers an extra 5mm of travel in the rear to match the 120mm travel fork. The Top Fuel’s geometry is in line with other bikes in the emerging down-country category, with the headtube angle becoming 1.5 degrees slacker and reach increasing by 10mm as compared to the previous generation of the bike. The Top Fuel now also has clearance for 2.5 inch tires, for those who want to push traction to the limit.

The new Top Fuel edges ever closer into the territory of its longer travel sibling, the Fuel EX. The updated geometry of the Top Fuel actually makes the Fuel EX look a bit dated in comparison. The two bikes have identical headtube angles, with the Top Fuel having a longer reach and a steeper seat angle as well. You can even fit a 130mm fork on the Top Fuel, which would make it slacker than the Fuel Ex. Basically, the Top Fuel is no longer a race oriented bike. It has now morphed into an efficient trail bike for riders that still want solid pedaling performance to get up the climbs, but who want additional speed, confidence, and control on the descents.

Builds & Pricing

There are a total of nine different Top Fuel builds offered by Trek, plus carbon and alloy framesets. The Top Fuel is also available through Trek’s Project One program, allowing riders to customize everything from components to paint.

We got to test the Top Fuel 9.9 XX1 AXS build, which at $11,050 is (depending on your perspective) either a reasonable price for a modern high end bicycle or completely bonkers. With bikes such as Specialized S-Works Epic EVO coming in at a cool $13,000, and the Scott Spark 900 Ultimate EVO AXS at $14,000, the Top Fuel 9.9 almost seems price conscious.

The cheapest Top Fuel model, the alloy framed Top Fuel 5, features a RockShox Recon fork, X-Fusion X-Pro2 shock, and a Shimano Deore drivetrain at $2,630. The Top Fuel 7 has a Recon Gold fork with a mix of Shimano SLX and XT parts, plus Bontrager Line Comp wheels for $3,530. The Top Fuel 8 is the priciest alloy build at $3,830, with a RockShox SID fork and Deluxe Ultimate shock plus more powerful Shimano M6120 four-piston brakes.

The Top Fuel 9.7 is the most affordable of the carbon builds at $4,230. It uses Fox Rhythm 34 fork with a Float DPS shock and is finished with a mix of Shimano SLX and XT, plus Bontrager Line wheels. The Top Fuel 9.8 has three different versions based on your component preferences. You can go mechanical with SRAM GX or Shimano XT for $7,050 or upgrade to GX AXS for $7,550. All three use RockShox SID Select+ forks and Deluxe Ultimate RCT shocks, along with Bontrager Line Elite 30 wheels. Moving to the top of the price range, for $9,550Trek offers the Top Fuel 9.9 XTR build for Shimano and Fox lovers. It uses Fox Factory level suspension, a full mechanical XTR drivetrain, and Bontrager Line Pro 30 wheels. Riders preferring Rockshox Ultimate level suspension and electronic XX1 AXS shifting will need to spend $11,050 to get the most expensive Top Fuel model, the 9.9 XX1 AXS.

If you’d rather build your bike from the frame up, Trek offers alloy and carbon framesets. The Top Fuel AL frame sells for $2,320 with a Fox Float DPS shock. The carbon frame is priced at $3,720 and includes a Fox Factory Float DPS shock.

Geometry & Fit

The new Top Fuel has received the slacker and longer treatment, and as a result, the head tube angle is now a degree and a half slacker at 66º across the entire size range. Reach grows by 10mm while BB height and chainstay length remain the same from the previous generation.

Trek offers seven different sizes of the Top Fuel, including an M/L option for riders often caught between the medium and the large. With a stock stem length of 45mm on all sizes except an XS, our 6’3 tester felt cramped on the size XL and likely would have benefited from sizing up to an XXL. The issue was resolved with a longer stem, but the most expensive 9.9 builds of the Top Fuel Trek use its integrated Bontrager RSL handlebar and stem combo. It’s easy enough to swap out as it thankfully doesn’t run any lines internally, but it still means riders will need to supply both a bar and a stem to make fit adjustments. As always, it’s highly recommended that you get a test ride in at a shop before buying a new bike if possible.

Ride Impressions

The new Top Fuel is very much a short travel trail bike meant for ripping down burly trails. Thanks to a 40mm increase in wheelbase, a slacker head tube angle, and other geometry changes over its previous version, it feels much more planted and composed on rough and fast descents. It’s a bike that wants to hold a line and stay planted on the ground. This worked well in certain situations, like scrubbing speed on a rough bit of trail heading into a turn. Other times it made me have to fight the bike a bit to make quick line adjustments.

To highlight the new trail bike character of the Top Fuel, Trek has made some component choices to suit the bike's new intended purpose. Opting for four-piston SRAM G2 brakes, as well as grippier XR4 tires, for better control on steep descents. The frame is also beefed up with a larger downtube that now includes a storage compartment for snacks or, more likely, flat-fix tools. The seat tube also grows in diameter to increase stiffness and accommodate a larger diameter 34.9mm dropper post. The remote lockout is also gone from the handlebars – which, perhaps more than any other change, makes the Top Fuel's intent as a trail bike crystal clear.

Trek’s ABP suspension design has had many years of refinement and is a genuine four-bar platform, unlike many 120mm bikes that use a flex pivot. In contrast, all the pivot points on the Top Fuel use sealed bearings, resulting in a suspension setup that feels much more active. The design does a good job of isolating braking from the suspension, resulting in less skipping and bouncing when you’re hard on the brakes in a rough section of trail.

The downside of the Top Fuel’s trail bike transformation is that it’s now a bit heavy. Our premium 9.9 XX1 AXS XL sample came in at nearly 27 lbs. This isn’t wildly heavy for a trail bike, but typically you get a bit more suspension travel with that weight penalty. For reference, the Scott Spark I tested earlier this year has the same amount of suspension travel as the Top Fuel but is a full three pounds lighter. Trek does say that the Top Fuel is compatible with a 130mm fork, and I can’t help but think the new Top Fuel would have made a lot more sense with the increased travel straight from the factory.

After having multiple testers on the Top Fuel over the last few weeks, our consensus has been that the Top Fuel would thrive in a place that has a lot of machine built or well maintained, and steep trails. Trails where you can get the Top Fuel moving fast allow the progressive all-mountain geometry to shine and make the bike feel much more capable than its 120mm of travel would suggest.

The new Top Fuel is undoubtedly more capable than its previous version while maintaining much of its pedaling efficiency. Riders with more than a casual interest in racing should probably look at bikes such as the Scott Spark , Canyon Lux Trail , or Specialized Epic EVO . The Top Fuel is perhaps the ideal bike for riders who want a trail, or even all-mountain, bike geometry experience, but don't want the extra weight or need the extra bit of travel.

Trek Top Fuel 9.9 XX1 AXS

.css-1t6om3g:before{width:1.75rem;height:1.75rem;margin:0 0.625rem -0.125rem 0;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-background-size:1.25rem;background-size:1.25rem;background-color:#F8D811;color:#000;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-position:center;background-position:center;}.loaded .css-1t6om3g:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/bicycling/static/images/chevron-design-element.c42d609.svg);} Mountain Bike

2024‘s Best Mountain Bikes

The 10 Best Mountain Bikes You Can Buy Right Now

This Top-Rated Electric Mountain Bike Is 22% Off

The 7 Best Electric Mountain Bikes of 2024

Yeti ASR XC Mountain Bike Review

RockShox Debuts Flight Attendant for Cross Country

The Specialized Epic 8: XC Race for All Riders

Aventon Bets Big with Its New Ramblas E-Bike

SRAM Maven—A New Disc Brake for a New Era

Smoother and Faster: The New Pivot Switchblade

The Best Beginner Mountain Bikes

• Fuel EX 9.7

• Car Reviews

Street Legal Racing at Moscow Unlim 500+

The Moscow Unlim 500+ is a racing event involving street legal cars that compete against each-other on a mile long road strip. As you will see in the video below the ‘creme de la creme’ of Russian owned sports cars and tricked-out rides have shown up, including even a Koenigsegg CCX. Pretty much everyone that attended the Street Legal Racing at Moscow Unlim 500+ admitted that everything was well organised and compared to other events of this kind where its all show and no go, this time it was all about action. Watch the Street Legal Racing at Moscow Unlim 500+video after the jump.