No, it’s not about racing, it’s about efficiency. Just as supposedly cheap bikes with good components can get a bad rating if they don’t deliver on the trail.
What good are the best components if the bike doesn’t perform well on the trail? Expensive bikes with a lower-end spec can offer very good value for money – provided they excel where it matters. We are more concerned with how a bike performs on the trail and how the bike benefits the rider. We don’t calculate value for money in an excel spreadsheet or based on how high-end a bike is specced. How much pop does it have, does it suck up the rider’s input or is it supportive, and how agile and direct is the bike? ↩ This aspect mainly comes down to the suspension. The rating includes the fork and the rear suspension. How sensitive is the suspension over small bumps? Can it absorb hard impacts and does it soak up repeated hits? Plush suspension not only provides comfort and makes a bike more capable, but it also generates traction. However, experienced riders can have a lot of fun even with unbalanced bikes. If a bike is unbalanced, the rider has to work hard to weight the front wheel to generate enough grip. Balanced bikes require little physical effort from the rider and are very predictable. This is all about how balanced the bike is and particularly about how well it corners. Is the bike stable at high speeds? Is it easy to stay in control in demanding terrain? How composed is it on rough trails? Stability is a combination of balanced geometry, good suspension and the right spec. How does the bike ride and descend? How spritely is the bike, how agile is it through corners, how much fun is it in tight sections and how quickly can it change direction? ↩ Along with the suspension, the riding position and the weight of the bike all play a crucial role. It refers to both simple and technical climbs. This scale indicates how efficiently the bike climbs. The flyweight build kit inevitably increases its cost, but has some definite advantages on the trail. It is more than capable of delivering KOM’s both up- and downhill. With a suspension system that always uses just the right amount of travel without feeling wallowy or lazy and a very balanced geometry, the Trek Top Fuel is a hard-edged but versatile machine. However, if you enjoy the simple pleasure of crushing climbs and making the most of every descent, the Trek Top Fuel is your passport to a world of fun. If your rides consist of all-day mountain missions, the Trek Top Fuel is not the most comfortable cruiser and prefers confident riding and a firm hand at the controls. On dry hardpack the small knobs of the Bontrager XR3 Team Issue tires roll incredibly fast but they’re not a versatile option quickly losing grip in the wet. Even when straying onto very technical trails, the Trek offers superb support, remaining firm without ever feeling harsh. Nimble and lively, the Trek’s suspension delivers just enough travel to keep you comfortable without using a single millimeter too many. The steering is impeccable precise, allowing you to knife though corners and skip over roots and rocks. Adjustable geometry lets you bias the bike towards up- or downhills but we ran the bike predominantly in the low flip chip position, enjoying the more composed handling. What came as more of a surprise was the Trek’s potency on the descents. Handlebar Bontrager Line Pro, OCLV Carbon, 35mm Shock Fox Factory Float DPS damper, TwistLoc remote 115 Helmet Troy Lee Designs A2 | Glasses Oakley Race Jacket PRIZM | Jersey Troy Lee Designs Checkers SS | Shorts Troy Lee Designs Ruckus The Trek Top Fuel 9.9 in detailįork Fox Factory Float EVOL 34 Step-Cast TwistLoc remote 120 mm However the tangle of cables at the front is less appealing.
We love how the Trek Top Fuel darts through corners.
Finished off with a carbon cockpit, this is a dream build, but is such a low weight too much of a compromise? However, as expected the small 160 mm rotor lacks bite and control. Premium weight savings continue with SRAM’s featherweight Level Ultimate brakes with 180/160 mm rotors.
#TREK OCLV CARBON 120 REVIEW FULL#
With a Fox 34 Factory SC EVOL fork and Factory DPS shock, 29” Bontrager Kovee Pro 30 carbon wheels and a full SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain, there is nothing left to be desired. The top of the line, 9.9 spec tested is dripping with super bling components too. Trek’s signature Full Floater suspension has gone, replaced with a fixed lower shock mount to improve frame stiffness and increase clearance to fit a 29×2.4” tire. Combined with the longer reach, the new Top Fuel 9.8 is a very different beast. Compared to the old model the differences in geometry are startling, with a whopping 2.5° shaved off the head angle and a 1° increase in seat tube angle. At € 8,999 it’s also by far the most expensive. With 120/115 mm of travel and a full carbon frame, the 11.5 kg Trek Top Fuel 9.9 is the lightest bike in this group test.