Trek Factory Demo, 29+, and More
âTis a beautiful, busy, and pollen-filled Wednesday here in Richmond/Henrico/Midlothian, so letâs be brief so we can all go ride bikes!
The Trek factory demo was all kinds of fun! While it looks like thereâs nothing happening in this picture, notice the lack of bikes on the rack closest to the camera. There were tons of people tearing up the trails at Pocahontas on some rad bikes! If you werenât there, just stare at these photos and imagine:
After the demo, Jeff, our demo driver, was nice enough to let me ride the trails on a Fuel EX 9.8 29er. (For reference, thatâs the neon green bike in the photos above.) Anyone whoâs ridden trails with me knows that Iâm typically astride a steel 80s-vintage 26er made by a company that shall not be namedâŠ.
so as you can see, the fuel was quite the upgrade. It was a lot of firsts: carbon frame, full suspension, Re:aktiv technology, 29" wheels, G2 geometry, tubeless tires, reeeeally nice disc brakes, etc. It was a bit of an adjustment, in part because I typically run my brakes moto-style (aka backwards), and in part because Iâm used to taking the brunt of every impact with my aging joints.
After that, it was amazing.
Not only could I plow through rock gardens and over logs with nary a second thought, I also found I could lean like crazy in the corners, and the bike just wouldnât break free. While the squish of running the Fox shocks in Trail mode was a little much for my riding style, popping the levers over to Climb mode front and rear felt perfect: a lively, efficient ride with just enough give in the bumpy stuff. I donât think Iâll jump on the full suspension bandwagon just yet, but if I just happened to find a Fuel EX 29er hanging on my wall, I certainly wouldnât complain.
As much fun as I was having on the Fuel, the real scoop was a funky bike that Jeff and Brad were hiding in the trailer. I had to be pretty sneaky to snap this one:
The reason Bradâs rocking a huge smile is that huge tire under him! The bike astride which Brad is tearing through the woods is none other than the new Stache 9, and if the page isnât up on Trekâs website yet, it will be shortly. Not quite a fatbike, this guy is a 29+. In other words, itâs slimmer and faster than a fatbike, but itâs fatter that a regular 29er with the ability to run a super-low tire pressure. And itâs no slowpoke: as testament to its trail-slashing abilities, Jeff warmed it up by catching some serious air. (Sorry, I wasnât quick enough with the pics there. Youâll just have to trust me.)
This bike is introducing a lot of firsts and unique technologies. If itâs not already up on trekbikes.com, Iâm sure it will be shortly, and in some pretty rad colors to boot.
Finally, if youâre anything like me, Spring is a mixed blessing. I woke up this morning with my eyes swollen and itchy from all the pollen, and I briefly considered popping a Benadryl and climbing back into bed. But Iâve got to tell you, dear readers, riding helps. I donât know if some kind of allergen overload therapy or just the fact that Iâm moving and sweating, but I feel a whole lot better when I ride to work in the Springtime, even if I get a little itchy. So until next time, reach for the Allegra and keep spinning!