Overall, it’s a simply designed frame that is responsive to acceleration, although several testers felt that it wasn’t as quick and flickable as they’d expected. Whereas many 29ers, especially those with a 68-degree head tube, may steer sluggishly, the Stache is snappy and playful. Without completely geeking out, G2 geometry means the crown of the fork is set forward 51 millimeters from the head tube of the bike, which makes the fork angle more steeply (without totally messing up the seating position) and puts your hands farther forward than they otherwise would be to enable quick steering and agility.
The latter not only adds strength out back for rougher riding, but ensures wheel compatibility with other bikes in your stable, as these dimensions are all but standard on bikes these days.Īs with most Trek 29ers, the Stache features G2 geometry, which may sound like just a hot-button marketing phrase, but actually really works. It’s a compact but comfortable cockpit, with a press-fit bottom bracket and, happily, 142-by-12-inch rear axle configuration. The Stache comes only in Trek’s hydroformed Alpha Platinum aluminum, which is the highest-caliber grade the company produces. And after more than six months of beating it up, we’re glad we did.
We heard so many people raving about it that we felt compelled to test it.
#2014 trek stache 8 weight pro#
It’s an aluminum hardtail with a 120-millimeter fork that, thanks to the snappy, green, color-matched parts, became affectionately known as The Hulk Bike (versus the Captain America GT Zaskar 9r Pro LE). Trek released the Stache in 2013 against that backdrop, and the bike has become something of a cult hit. In some places, the big-bike, jump-oriented crowd has thrown dropper seatposts on these hardtails and torn up five-foot drops, doing stunts on this slacker variety-because under such rigorous riding, full-suspension durability can inhibit performance.
#2014 trek stache 8 weight plus#
And the lightest, fastest option was always a bike without rear suspension (although bikes like the new Specialized Epic, which is less than a pound heavier than the comparable hardtail, is blurring that logic), so hardtails have generally tended toward steep head tube angles and 100-millimeter forks.Ī longer-travel hardtail may sound like an oxymoron, but a growing number of manufacturers have rolled out bicycles with 120-, even 140-milimeter forks, no suspension in back-based on the premise that rear suspension is just overkill.Įven in locales with rougher terrain, a hardtail’s lack of creaking pivots and other moving parts, plus its relatively low cost, may outweigh the performance positives of full-suspension. The lack of 15mm bolt through did mean that we got deflected off line when pushing very hard through rutted sections but it was rare and the front end generally tracked superbly well though the tyres are not designed for wet slippery winter conditions and let go easily.Ĭlimbing is not hard work on the Trek, the rear end can be firmed up with the pro pedal but it was rarely used and the central position on the bike meant it was easy to move our weight forward and aft as required.Race bikes have dominated the hardtail category for years. Up front the Fox F-Series 32 is a good balance for the smooth shock out back and the bike was balanced and poised. Small bumps and stuttery sections were smoothed out and once into the mid and end sections of the stroke there was no yaw or wallow, just a deep controlled plushness… very impressive. That DRCV really does work and the back end was tight and controlled and never bulked at anything. That long top tube and reasonably long wheel base means that the bike is stable and predictable, that is not to say that it isn’t fun, it carries speed well and it was easy to get into a fast flowing rhythm, a shorter stem would be better to quicken up the steering a touch but that is easily sorted. Once on the bike it immediately feels comfortable and stable, the roomy cockpit is laid out just right and we soon found ourselves riding without really thinking about the bike as it just felt right.
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