Down Country is on everyone's lips - and rightly so! This type of mountain bike should be able to climb like a thoroughbred race bike and descend like a real trail bike. Many manufacturers are therefore upgrading their existing XC full-suspension bikes and, in addition to a higher-travel suspension fork, are also adding chunky tyres and a Vario seatpost. The US giant Trek takes a different approach: the Top Fuel was already developed in the last model cycle specifically as a down-country bike developed. The latest expansion stage for 2022 has been optimised in almost all areas.
Top Fuel: extra rear suspension travel
As usual, the new Trek bike in S to XXL on 29-inch wheels, only the XS frame size relies on 27.5-inch wheels (only the 9.7 model is available as XS for 4999 euros). Both the carbon and aluminium frames have a luggage compartment in the down tube, in which you can store a tube, waistcoat or tools. Both versions are also available as a frameset with shock: the aluminium frame costs 2299 euros, the carbon frame 3999 euros. In addition, the further developed rear triangle now squeezes 120 millimetres of travel out of the shock (previously nominally 115 millimetres, 122 millimetres in the BIKE test). Depending on the model, these work together with 120 or 130 millimetres (model 9.9 XTR only) on the suspension fork.
Flatter, longer and Mino-Link for geometry adjustment
The geometry has been modernised in detail: At 66 degrees, the head angle on the new Top Fuel is 1.5 degrees slacker than its predecessor, while the seat angle is one degree steeper at 76 degrees. The reach has increased by an average of 10 millimetres for all sizes and, at 480 millimetres in L, is in the range of modern trail bikes. As usual with Trek, the geometry can be adjusted using the Mino-Link: The head and seat angles become half a degree steeper, the bottom bracket moves upwards by eight millimetres.
According to Trek, the new rear suspension has a higher anti-squat value and therefore does not have a lockout with handlebar remote control. Instead, the shock offers a platform function. You will soon be able to read in BIKE whether the calculation works out. The rear suspension of the predecessor pumped under load and required the use of the lockout for intermediate sprints.
Trek has also worked on a point of criticism from previous BIKE tests: The steering angle limiter ("Knock Block") now allows 72 degrees of steering angle - 14 degrees more than its predecessor. In addition, the suspension fork can rotate past under the down tube, meaning that the steering angle limiter can theoretically be dispensed with. However, depending on the brake and gear lever positions, this can cause damage to the top tube at full steering angle.
The Americans have also thought about ease of maintenance: the threaded BSA bearing is easier to replace than the press-fit bearing in the predecessor and is much less prone to creaking noises. The cables run through continuous cables in the frame, making cable changes much easier. The thicker seat post (34.9 millimetre diameter) is also said to be more robust.
Two points of criticism of the predecessor that we in our tests of the Top Fuel criticised, also apply at least in part to the new generation: The small 160 mm rear brake discs are already too much for light riders and are undersized in this category. In addition, the simpler components and the heavy aluminium frame of the cheaper models weigh down the bike. Climbing like on a race bike is only possible with a lot of pressure on the pedals.
