Trek unveils second-generation Supercaliber with new RockShox IsoStrut shock and lower weight
Trek has unveiled its redesigned speedy cross-country race machine, the Supercaliber, featuring more travel, and slacker and longer geometry, alongside a lighter weight.
Cross-country bikes have seen rapid progress in their capabilities over recent years as more technical courses and burlier features push the boundaries of XC racing.
In an attempt to keep up with the pace of change and meet its riders’ requests, Trek has overhauled the Supercaliber.
While following the same frame and suspension layout, the Supercaliber Gen 2 gets a new IsoStrut rear shock from RockShox, with updated suspension kinematics designed to improve pedalling performance.
Seven models of the new Supercaliber are being released, with prices starting at £3,780/$4,199.99/€3,999 (not available in Australia) for the base model Trek Supercaliber SL 9.6. The top-spec Trek Supercaliber SLR 9.9 XX is priced at a hefty £10,800/$11,699.99/€11,499/AU$18,999.99.
A frameset is also available, but details on its price have yet to be released.
More bounce for your buck
To help tackle the demands of XC courses getting rougher and technical descents littered with bigger features, Trek has pumped up the front and rear suspension travel on the Supercaliber Gen 2.
Feedback from Trek’s athletes highlighted they wanted more downhill capability and traction on rough, rooty climbs, while still maintaining as much pedalling efficiency as possible.
To achieve this, a 33 per cent increase at the rear end bumps the travel from 60mm to 80mm. The frame is designed around a 110mm-travel fork, compared to the 100mm travel used previously.
There’s the possibility to run a 100mm or 120mm-travel fork to fine-tune geometry preferences, but more details will be provided later.
Trek hasn’t just added more travel, though. It has reworked the frame’s flexstay kinematics in an attempt to improve the overall suspension performance.
The frame now has a higher leverage ratio. This gives the rear wheel more leverage over the IsoStrut shock, which is intended to improve small-bump sensitivity. Trek claims the Supercaliber’s ride should be smoother than its predecessor.
The progressivity of the suspension is also said to have been increased through the frame’s kinematics and the shock tune to help improve bottom-out resistance for hitting bigger features at higher speeds.
Trek has also says it has increased the frame’s anti-squat to help maintain the bike’s pedalling efficiency. This means riders and racers should be able to run the larger chainrings that Trek is seeing become more popular as tracks get faster.
Strutting around
Trek worked alongside RockShox to produce a new SIDLuxe IsoStrut shock and the new frame kinematics. This features a longer 40mm shock stroke to up the Supercaliber Gen 2’s travel. It’s also 5mm longer from eye-to-eye, so it isn’t cross-compatible with the old model.
The new bike uses a wider 38mm-diameter shock. Trek says this helps improve lateral frame stiffness for more direct handling and improved pedalling efficiency. It also meant the shock could run a wider piston for more oil flow, to give better and more consistent damper performance.
The damper integrates SIDLuxe shock components, and the air spring can be tuned with volume spacers to tweak progression.
What’s more, Trek says it has improved serviceability with the new SIDLuxe IsoStrut, and it doesn’t need any custom tool for installation and servicing.
Because this is a RockShox product, the shock has laser-etched sag markings. Trek recommends 25 per cent sag for the new Supercaliber, but says you can run anything between 20 and 30 per cent depending on how you want the bike to feel on the trail, or what kind of trail you are riding.
A new shape
Trek was keen to preserve the rider position on the bike as much as possible, while improving performance at speed and handling on the trails.
The main changes were slackening the head tube angle by 1.5 degrees, to now sit at 67.5 degrees with a 110mm-travel fork.
Trek has also stretched the reach by 10mm to help keep similar effective top tube lengths when combined with the new head tube angles. These changes are aimed at improving downhill performance and stability on the trails.
The rear stays have also been lengthened, by 5mm to 435mm. This is intended to help keep the rider sitting centrally on the bike for better rear-wheel traction on climbs and to prevent the front wheel from lifting on steep pitches.
Trek has revised the bottom bracket height due to the increase in travel. This now sits 7mm higher with a 46mm bottom bracket drop. Trek claims an added benefit is a reduction in pedal strikes in technical terrain.
Trek Supercaliber Gen 2 geometry
| Stock 110mm fork | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | Small | Medium | Medium/Large | Large | Extra-large |
| Seat tube length (mm) | 395 | 420 | 440 | 460 | 525 |
| Reach (mm) | 410 | 435 | 450 | 465 | 500 |
| Stack (mm) | 589.8 | 589.8 | 589.8 | 599 | 622 |
| Effective seat tube angle (degrees) | 74.5 | 74.5 | 74.5 | 74.5 | 74.5 |
| Effective top tube (mm) | 570.8 | 591.6 | 604.7 | 622.4 | 663.5 |
| Head tube angle (degrees) | 67.5 | 67.5 | 67.5 | 67.5 | 67.5 |
| Chainstay (mm) | 435 | 435 | 435 | 435 | 435 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 1113.3 | 1138.3 | 1153.3 | 1172.1 | 1216.7 |
| Standover (mm) | 760 | 772 | 772 | 772 | 772 |
| Bottom bracket height (mm) | 327 | 327 | 327 | 327 | 327 |
| 120mm fork | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | Small | Medium | Medium/large | Large | Extra-large |
| Reach (mm) | 405.1 | 430.2 | 445.3 | 460.3 | 495.3 |
| Stack (mm) | 593.2 | 593.3 | 593.4 | 602.7 | 625.9 |
| Effective seat tube angle (degrees) | 74 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 74.1 |
| Effective top tube (mm) | 572.5 | 593.3 | 606.3 | 624 | 665.2 |
| Head tube angle (degrees) | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 1117.1 | 1142.1 | 1157.1 | 1175.9 | 1220.5 |
| Bottom bracket height (mm) | 330.1 | 330 | 330 | 329.9 | 329.8 |
| 100mm fork | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | Small | Medium | Medium/large | Large | Extra-large |
| Reach (mm) | 414.9 | 439.8 | 454.7 | 469.7 | 504.7 |
| Stack (mm) | 586.4 | 586.2 | 586.2 | 595.3 | 618.3 |
| Effective seat tube angle (degrees) | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| Effective top tube (mm) | 569.1 | 590 | 603 | 620 | 661 |
| Head tube angle (degrees) | 68 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 68 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 1109.5 | 1134.5 | 1149.5 | 1168.3 | 1212.9 |
| Bottom bracket height (mm) | 322.9 | 323 | 323 | 323.1 | 323.2 |
The new Supercaliber is designed to be compatible with a 100mm or 120mm-travel fork.
The 120mm fork is intended to give a slightly better downhill performance by slackening the head tube angle about half a degree and shortening the reach by 5mm.
A 100mm-travel fork will have the opposite effect and give more responsive and sharper handling. It steepens the head tube angle to 68 degrees and adds 5mm to the reach.
Because weight still matters
However, Trek says it wanted to do more than just making a bike that’s more capable on the descents with improved pedalling efficiency. It set out to build a bike that’s faster everywhere, which also meant producing a lighter bike.
Because Trek had taken the frame back to the drawing board to improve the kinematics and geometry, it also looked at each tube profile and dimension to optimise the strength-to-weight ratio.
Using optimisation software, Trek’s engineering, design and analysis teams looked for the most efficient tube profiles before even considering carbon layups.
By revising every tube profile, Trek claims to have improved torsional rigidity and seatstay flex to improve suspension performance, while maintaining the robustness of the whole chassis.
As for the carbon fibre the frames are made from, Trek settled on two different layups. This result is the Supercaliber SLR and Supercaliber SL bikes.
The primary difference in the material is fibre aerial weight (FAW), modulus, and the amount of material. The SLR has lower FAW, higher-modulus material, and less of it (fewer plies).
The SLR bikes are made from Trek’s lightest and most sophisticated carbon fibre. This frame is claimed to save around 200 to 250g over its predecessor, the original Supercaliber. It forgoes sleeved internal cable routing, but you get lightweight foam protection to help minimise cable noise.
The SL frames use the same shapes, tube profiles and geometry, and share the same rear triangle as the SLR. However, the front triangle is around 235g heavier due to the different carbon fibre used, putting it in line with the current Supercaliber.
It gets sleeved internally routed cables, which adds some weight but makes installing the rear brake hose, and gear and dropper cables easier, according to Trek.
Trek claims the lightest build, the Supercaliber SLR 9.9 XX AXS, weighs 9.45kg or 20.8lb.
The everyday essentials
While having the lightest bike with the most modern technology is excellent, it still needs to be practical.
The frames use standard 12x148mm Boost rear-hub spacing. A floating brake mount is aimed to improve suspension performance when braking. The frame is limited to a 160mm rear rotor and you can’t fit anything bigger or smaller.
The bike uses 29in front and rear tyres with a maximum clearance of 2.4in. However, the Supercaliber SLR 9.9 XX AXS gets RockShox’s SID SL fork with a maximum clearance of 2.35in.
The bikes fit SRAM’s latest T-Type Transmission, or use a SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger. The front triangle will fit two water bottles, and the bottom bracket continues to use a Press Fit 92 standard. The chainline is 55mm only, with recommended chainring sizes between 30t and 38t.
Trek Supercaliber Gen 2 models and specifications
Trek is rolling out seven Supercaliber models in its new line-up. Five use the brand’s top-spec SLR frame and two run the SL version. Each model comes with a 110mm-travel fork and 80mm rear travel from the RockShox SIDLuxe IsoStrut.
There is also a Supercaliber SLR frameset available.
Trek Supercaliber SL 9.6
- Frame: Supercaliber SL OCLV Mountain Carbon, IsoStrut, 80mm travel
- Fork: RockShox Recon Gold RL, 110mm travel
- Shock: Trek IsoStrut, RockShox SIDLuxe, 2-position remote damper
- Drivetrain: Shimano Deore M6100, Shimano SLX M7100 mech, Shimano M512 cranks w/32t chainring
- Brakes: Shimano MT501 lever, MT500 caliper, 160mm rotors
- Wheels: Bontrager Kovee Comp 23
- Tyres: Bontrager Sainte-Anne RSL XR 29×2.4in
- Bar, stem: Bontrager Rhythm Comp, Bontrager Elite
- Saddle and seatpost: TranzX JD-YSP18, Bontrager Verse Comp
- Price: £3,780/$4,199.99/€3,999
- Weight (claimed): 13.1kg
Trek Supercaliber SL 9.7 AXS
- Frame: Supercaliber SL OCLV Mountain Carbon, IsoStrut, 80mm travel
- Fork: RockShox Reba RL, 110mm travel
- Shock: Trek IsoStrut, RockShox SIDLuxe, 2-position remote damper
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle AXS T-Type
- Brakes: SRAM Lever Bronze 2-piston, 160mm rotors
- Wheels: Bontrager Kovee Comp 25
- Tyres: Bontrager Sainte-Anne RSL XR 29×2.4in
- Bar, stem: Bontrager Rhythm Comp, Bontrager Elite
- Saddle and seatpost: Bontrager Line Dropper, Bontrager Verse Elite
- Price: £5,175/$5,699.99/€5,499/AU$8,999.99
- Weight (claimed): 11.8kg
Trek Supercaliber SLR 9.8 XT
- Frame: Supercaliber SLR OCLV Mountain Carbon, IsoStrut, 80mm travel
- Fork: Fox 34 Performance StepCast, 110mm travel
- Shock: Trek IsoStrut, RockShox SIDLuxe, 2-position remote damper
- Drivetrain: Shimano Deore XT M8100, e*thirteen TRS Race Carbon cranks, 34t chainring
- Brakes: Shimano Deore XT M8100, 160mm rotors
- Wheels: Bontrager Kovee Elite 30 Carbon
- Tyres: Bontrager Sainte-Anne RSL XR 29×2.4in
- Bar, stem: Bontrager RSL Integrated handlebar/stem
- Saddle and seatpost: Bontrager Line Dropper, Bontrager Aeolus Elite
- Price: £6,100/$6,999.99/€6,499/AU$11,599.99
- Weight (claimed): 10.95kg
Trek Supercaliber SLR 9.8 GX AXS
- Frame: Supercaliber SLR OCLV Mountain Carbon, IsoStrut, 80mm travel
- Fork: RockShox SID, 110mm travel
- Shock: Trek IsoStrut, RockShox SIDLuxe, 2-position remote damper
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle AXS T-Type
- Brakes: SRAM Level Bronze 4-piston, 160mm rotors
- Wheels: Bontrager Kovee Elite 30 Carbon
- Tyres: Bontrager Sainte-Anne RSL XR 29×2.4in
- Bar, stem: Bontrager RSL Integrated handlebar/stem
- Saddle and seatpost: Bontrager Line Dropper, Bontrager Verse Elite
- Price: £6,575/$7,349.99/€6,999/AU$11,999.99
- Weight (claimed): 11.28kg
Trek Supercaliber SLR 9.9 X0 AXS
- Frame: Supercaliber SLR OCLV Mountain Carbon, IsoStrut, 80mm travel
- Fork: RockShox SID Ultimate, 110mm travel
- Shock: Trek IsoStrut, RockShox SIDLuxe, 2-position remote damper
- Drivetrain: SRAM X0 Eagle AXS T-Type
- Brakes: SRAM Level Silver 4-piston, 160mm rotors
- Wheels: Bontrager Kovee Pro 30 Carbon
- Tyres: Bontrager Sainte-Anne RSL XR 29×2.4in
- Bar, stem: Bontrager RSL Integrated handlebar/stem
- Saddle and seatpost: RockShox Reverb AXS, Bontrager Aeolus Elite
- Price: £8,450/$8,999.99/€8,999/AU$16,499.99
- Weight (claimed): 11kg
Trek Supercaliber SLR 9.9 XTR
- Frame: Supercaliber SLR OCLV Mountain Carbon, IsoStrut, 80mm travel
- Fork: Fox 34 Factory StepCast, 110mm travel
- Shock: Trek IsoStrut, RockShox SIDLuxe, 2-position remote damper
- Drivetrain: Shimano XTR M9100, e*thirteen TRS Race Carbon cranks, 34t
- Brakes: Shimano XTR M9100, 160mm rotors
- Wheels: Bontrager Kovee RSL
- Tyres: Bontrager Sainte-Anne RSL XR 29×2.4in
- Bar, stem: Bontrager RSL Integrated handlebar/stem
- Saddle and seatpost: Fox Transfer SL, Bontrager Aeolus RSL
- Price: £10,350/$9,549.99/€10,999/AU$17,299.99
- Weight (claimed): 9.75kg
Trek Supercaliber SLR 9.9 XX AXS
- Frame: Supercaliber SLR OCLV Mountain Carbon, IsoStrut, 80mm travel
- Fork: RockShox SID Ultimate SL, 110mm travel
- Shock: Trek IsoStrut, RockShox SIDLuxe, 2-position remote damper
- Drivetrain: SRAM XX SL Eagle AXS T-Type
- Brakes: SRAM Level Ultimate 4-piston, 160mm rotors
- Wheels: Bontrager Kovee Pro 30 Carbon
- Tyres: Bontrager Sainte-Anne RSL XR 29×2.2in
- Bar, stem: Bontrager RSL Integrated handlebar/stem
- Saddle and seatpost: Fox Transfer SL, Bontrager Aeolus Elite
- Price: £10,800/$11,699.99/€11,499/AU$18,999.99
- Weight (claimed): 9.45kg