End of May, first World Cup race of the season, muddy weather in Albstadt: the previously unknown Australian Daniel McConnell is the first to cross the finish line on his Trek Superfly. Our professional testers were taken by surprise by the reasonably priced Superfly 9.8 with the same force as the 28-year-old surprised the world elite. "Very smooth and stable" and "the best-natured bike in the test", noted Florian Vogel and Robert Mennen on their evaluation sheets. In fact, the pleasing geometry and good-natured handling tempt you to really turn on the throttle downhill - you feel extremely safe. Florian Vogel finally put it in a nutshell: "The Superfly just runs. It encourages you to take the momentum with you, not to kick it off explosively." Admittedly, the manoeuvrability falls somewhat by the wayside, but that's something you're happy to sacrifice in favour of the sure-footed handling. The Superfly's comfortable ride is not only due to the slim seatpost. The voluminous Bontrager tyres and the thick silicone grips also keep small bumps away from your hands and bottom. Heavy riders pay for the SL version's weight bonus of 320 grams with borderline stiffness. In the end, 600 grams are offset by an additional cost of 1800 euros: This difference is only minimally noticeable when climbing, especially as the wheels only account for 300 grams. If you then count the larger brake discs and the firmer SID fork with remote control as an advantage for the budget racer, it can feel like a surprise winner. Like Daniel McConnell in Albstadt.
Conclusion Only one point separates the two bikes, despite a difference of 1800 euros. The extremely good-natured Superfly 9.8 comes menacingly close to its Mager version, and not just in the rating system. Our professional testers also confirm that the feel-good racer has what it takes to keep pace with the SL version. The superior handling scores points with both as soon as the track gets tricky.
Trek Superfly 9.8 SL
PLUS Good-natured handling, extremely smooth running, lightweight frame, good silicone grips
MINUS Less stiff, heavy wheels in comparison
Trek Superfly 9.8
PLUS Seven frame sizes, good-natured feel-good handling, extremely smooth running, sensible equipment
MINUS High total weight
