Trek Top Fuel 9.8 GX AXS

The 2021 "Top Fuel 9.8 GX AXS" model from Trek is a high-quality mountain bike that stands out thanks to its advanced specifications and first-class materials. Priced at 7,299 EUR, it offers a wide range of technical features that will appeal to both ambitious amateur riders and professional mountain bikers.

The main frame and the bike’s seat stays are made from OCLV Mountain Carbon, ensuring low weight and high stability. The frame is fitted with a tapered head tube, the Knock Block system and internal Control Freak cable routing. It also features Carbon Armor protection and a magnesium lever. Thanks to the Mino Link system, the frame’s geometry can be adjusted, whilst the ABP (Active Braking Pivot) system ensures optimum suspension performance. The frame offers 115 mm of travel and is compatible with Boost148.

The bike’s maximum load capacity is 136 kg, whilst it weighs just 11 kg, making the Top Fuel 9.8 GX AXS one of the lighter models in its class.

The braking system consists of SRAM G2 RS hydraulic disc brakes at both the front and rear. The front and rear brake discs are SRAM Centerline with a 6-hole mounting pattern and rounded edges; the front disc has a diameter of 180 mm and the rear disc a diameter of 160 mm.

Shifting is handled by the SRAM GX Eagle AXS system with 12 speeds. The fork is a RockShox SID Select+ with DebonAir suspension and Charger 2 RL damping, offering 120 mm of travel. The crankset consists of an SRAM GX 7K Eagle with a 32-tooth aluminium chainring and a Boost crankarm length of 175 mm. The cassette is an SRAM Eagle XG-1275 with a 10–52-tooth range.

The cockpit features a Bontrager Line Pro handlebar made from OCLV carbon, 750 mm wide with a 15 mm rise, and Bontrager XR Trail Elite grips with nylon clamps. The stem is a Bontrager Kovee Pro, 70 mm long with a 13-degree angle, which is also compatible with the Knock Block system.

The wheelset consists of Bontrager Kovee Elite 30 rims made from OCLV Mountain Carbon, which are tubeless-ready and feature a 6-hole disc mount. The saddle is a Bontrager Montrose Elite with titanium rails and a width of 138 mm. The seatpost is a Bontrager Line Elite Dropper with a 170 mm drop and internal cable routing.

The bike’s geometry comprises a reach of 49 mm, a stack of 61 mm, a seat tube length of 52 mm and a top tube length of 65 mm. The head tube angle is 68 degrees, as is the seat tube angle. The head tube length is 11 mm, the chainstay length is 43 mm and the standover height is 77 mm. The wheelbase measures 121 mm in total.

In summary, the Trek Top Fuel 9.8 GX AXS offers an impressive combination of lightness, stability and high-end components, making it an excellent choice for discerning mountain bikers.