{"id":52954,"date":"2023-08-10T17:00:41","date_gmt":"2023-08-10T15:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=742638"},"modified":"2023-08-10T17:35:41","modified_gmt":"2023-08-10T15:35:41","slug":"new-trek-supercaliber-responds-to-increased-demands-of-xc-racing-with-aggressive-geometry-and-longer-travel","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/new-trek-supercaliber-responds-to-increased-demands-of-xc-racing-with-aggressive-geometry-and-longer-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"New Trek Supercaliber responds to increased demands of XC racing with aggressive geometry and longer travel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trek unveils second-generation Supercaliber with new RockShox IsoStrut shock and lower weight <\/p>

By Luke Marshall\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 10 August 2023 at 15:00 PM<\/p>

\n\n

Trek has unveiled its redesigned speedy cross-country race machine, the Supercaliber, featuring more travel, and slacker and longer geometry, alongside a lighter weight.<\/p>\n

Cross-country bikes<\/a> have seen rapid progress in their capabilities over recent years as more technical courses and burlier features push the boundaries of XC racing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In an attempt to keep up with the pace of change and meet its riders\u2019 requests, Trek has overhauled the Supercaliber.<\/p>\n

While following the same frame and suspension layout, the Supercaliber Gen 2 gets a new IsoStrut rear shock<\/a> from RockShox, with updated suspension kinematics designed to improve pedalling performance.<\/p>\n

Seven models of the new Supercaliber are being released, with prices starting at \u00a33,780\/$4,199.99\/\u20ac3,999 (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 \u00a310,800\/$11,699.99\/\u20ac11,499\/AU$18,999.99.<\/p>\n

A frameset is also available, but details on its price have yet to be released.<\/p>\n

More bounce for your buck<\/h2>\n
\"Trek<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The new Supercaliber gets more travel front and rear, with a 110mm fork and 80mm rear-wheel travel.<\/span><\/figcaption> Cam Mackenzie<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

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<\/a> on the Supercaliber Gen 2.<\/p>\n

Feedback from Trek\u2019s athletes highlighted they wanted more downhill capability and traction on rough, rooty climbs, while still maintaining as much pedalling efficiency as possible.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s the possibility to run a 100mm or 120mm-travel fork to fine-tune geometry preferences, but more details will be provided later.<\/p>\n

Trek hasn\u2019t just added more travel, though. It has reworked the frame\u2019s flexstay kinematics in an attempt to improve the overall suspension performance.<\/p>\n

\"Trek<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The frame kinematics and flexstays have been reworked to deliver improved descending and pedalling capabilities.<\/span><\/figcaption> Trek Bikes<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

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\u2019s ride should be smoother than its predecessor.<\/p>\n

The progressivity of the suspension is also said to have been increased through the frame\u2019s kinematics and the shock tune to help improve bottom-out resistance for hitting bigger features at higher speeds.<\/p>\n

Trek has also says it has increased the frame\u2019s anti-squat to help maintain the bike\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Strutting around<\/h2>\n
\"Trek<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Trek collaborated with RockShox to build the new SIDLuxe IsoStrut shock.<\/span><\/figcaption> Zac Mackenzie<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

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\u2019s travel. It\u2019s also 5mm longer from eye-to-eye, so it isn\u2019t cross-compatible with the old model.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"Trek<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The wider 38mm RockShox SIDLuxe IsoStrut shock is designed to provide more lateral stiffness to the frame.<\/span><\/figcaption> Zac Mackenzie<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The damper integrates SIDLuxe shock components, and the air spring can be tuned with volume spacers to tweak progression.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, Trek says it has improved serviceability with the new SIDLuxe IsoStrut, and it doesn\u2019t need any custom tool for installation and servicing.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

A new shape<\/h2>\n
\"Trek<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The Supercaliber\u2019s updated shape is designed to deliver better downhill performance for the increasingly technical demands of cross-country racing.<\/span><\/figcaption> Zac Mackenzie<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Trek Supercaliber Gen 2 geometry<\/h2>\n
<\/colgroup>
Stock 110mm fork<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Size<\/b><\/td>Small<\/td>Medium<\/td>Medium\/Large<\/td>Large<\/td>Extra-large<\/td> <\/tr>
Seat tube length<\/b> (mm)<\/td>395<\/td>420<\/td>440<\/td>460<\/td>525<\/td> <\/tr>
Reach <\/b>(mm)<\/td>410<\/td>435<\/td>450<\/td>465<\/td>500<\/td> <\/tr>
Stack<\/b> (mm)<\/td>589.8<\/td>589.8<\/td>589.8<\/td>599<\/td>622<\/td> <\/tr>
Effective seat tube angle<\/b> (degrees)<\/td>74.5<\/td>74.5<\/td>74.5<\/td>74.5<\/td>74.5<\/td> <\/tr>
Effective top tube <\/b>(mm)<\/td>570.8<\/td>591.6<\/td>604.7<\/td>622.4<\/td>663.5<\/td> <\/tr>
Head tube angle<\/b> (degrees)<\/td>67.5<\/td>67.5<\/td>67.5<\/td>67.5<\/td>67.5<\/td> <\/tr>
Chainstay<\/b> (mm)<\/td>435<\/td>435<\/td>435<\/td>435<\/td>435<\/td> <\/tr>
Wheelbase<\/b> (mm)<\/td>1113.3<\/td>1138.3<\/td>1153.3<\/td>1172.1<\/td>1216.7<\/td> <\/tr>
Standover<\/b> (mm)<\/td>760<\/td>772<\/td>772<\/td>772<\/td>772<\/td> <\/tr>
Bottom bracket height<\/b> (mm)<\/td>327<\/td>327<\/td>327<\/td>327<\/td>327<\/td> <\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>