Trek Superfly 9.8 (2014)

29er race bike for the whippets

Pros

- Frame Quality
- Fisher geometry
- Quality groupset
- Forks

Cons

- Wheels more trail than race

Review

Trek and Gary Fisher have been around the mountain bike scene since the very beginning and the company has made it their passion to produce some of the most desired bikes on the market today. From their road bikes, through to canyon clearing downhill rigs and finally through to the XC mtb range. One of our favorite models is the Trek Superfly 9.8; a sublime racer designed by Fisher and realized by Trek.

With a perfect mix of race winning performance and affordable racing upgrades, the Superfly 9.8 has a lot to like. Patented Trek carbon makes up the entire frame, using the same OCLV grade as their elite road line-up. The frame has plenty of carbon armor to protect your bike from rocks, as well as another Trek first - a tapered headset. This means you get excellent lateral front-end stiffness and 26" inspired steering on a 29er bike.

The DT Swiss X1800 tubeless wheels on this bike are probably more trail orientated than xc race. Swapping out for a lighter set would transform the 9.8 into a true race weapon and would complement the superlight Bontrager XR1 Team Issue tires which are specifically designed for fast lap times.

A full collection of Bontrager parts sees you get top notch components direct from the Trek Factory. Bontrager seatpost, handlebars and stem will keep you perched, all Race X Lite level of quality (superlight, stiff and carbon, naturally).

Trek has fitted the bike with the class leading Shimano XT groupset. Regardless of riding conditions, this groupset will just keep on rolling. Shimano XT hydraulic disc brakes provide the stopping power, while the Shimano XT clutch rear derailleur keeps you shifting, hail or rain. You mightn't have heard of a clutch system on a rear derailleur... It's a little switch you can flick which reduces the amount of free vertical movement your derailleur has. This means the rear derailleur keeps its maximum size (or stretch) through all the gears, as opposed to getting smaller and more compact.

The benefits of a clutch rear derailleur lie in its performance in extremely rough terrain. Having a derailleur that is constantly stretched to its maximum means your chain is subsequently also under constant tension. No more dropped chains! Clever!

To really top this bike off, RockShox have fitted their RockShox SID RL fork with tapered steerer tube (to match the Trek tapered headset). The fork also features adjustable rebound, resistance and is fitted with a remote lockout - meaning you can lock your forks out from the handlebars as soon as you hit a climb. Lastly, the forks are fitted with Maxles, those burly thread-thru skewers instead of quick release. Again this improves bike handling and durability.

The Superfly 9.8 is a great race 29er and would suit any budding cross country rider or racer well. Use the stock wheels for training and grab a set of super light hoops to make the most of such an excellent frame and fork.