Trek Remedy 9.8 29 (2015)

Trek's penultimate big travel 29er impresses

Pros

* Crammed with tech
* Proven suspension design
* Top wheels

Cons

* It's expensive, but you get what you pay for!

Review

The Remedy. Sometimes I wonder if bike manufacturers yearn for simpler days when a mountain bike was a 26" and a road bike 700c. It has been some years since the 29er arrived on the scene and, truth be told, combining big travel into a frame with big wheels didn't always work early on. Just look at us now. The Trek Remedy hits the trail with 140mm travel making the "mountain bikers mountain bike" one serious piece of big wheeled kit.

The frame uses some age-old technology, like G2 geometry from the days of a man named Fisher, and Trek's ABP, which allows the suspension to remain active even under braking through rough trails - definitely a good thing on a bike perfectly suited to carving up an Enduro race track. New tech includes "Boost 148", which uses wider hub spacing on the brilliant SRAM wheels to add stiffness and allow for wider rims widths and tires. This is perfectly suited to a bike with a lot of travel and 29" hoops.

I also like the blend of parts. SRAM 1x11 just works and is specifically designed to align with the wider hub. Mix this with Shimano XT brakes and it is truly the best of all worlds. There is a model above this called the 9.9 which apparently weighs under 12kg, so even though this is a less expensive and therefore heavier bike, there ain't much in it (and remember this is a 140mm travel beast).

The Remedy 9.8 is a pricey bike for sure, but what you get for your money actually makes it a value buy. Few companies have really got everything dialed when it comes to 29" wheels and long travel, with many opting for the more manageable 27.5 design. The Remedy is a remarkable bike and is recommended if you love trail riding, all-day anywhere adventures, or fancy a high speed hit out on the local enduro circuit.