Review: Trek Top Fuel 9.8

I got one of Trek's demo bikes back in July, and absolutely love it!

Check out the review here: http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/kelly-magelkys-trek-racing-co-op-trek-top-fuel-9-8

By:

James Huang

Kelly Magelky (Trek Co-op Racing) took his Trek Top Fuel 9.8 to an impressive second-place finish in this year's 24 Hours of Moab.

Consider the following numbers: 386km (240mi) and 6,630m (21,760ft). That's how far Trek Racing Co-Op team rider Kelly Magelky rode and how much climbing he did during this past weekend's 24 Hours of Moab, which also served double duty as the 24-Hour US National title race. Though Magelky ultimately wasn't able to catch eventual winner Josh Tostado (Bach Builders), he did push Tostado to his physical – and mental – limits, finishing barely one lap behind and with the confidence moving forward that he can one day win.

Like most elite 24-hour solo riders, Magelky's bike is a decidedly standard machine with none of the fancy ultralight bits typically found on dedicated short-course cross country bikes – durability and reliability are more important over the long haul here, not shaving a few grams. In fact, everyday riders will be comforted to see that the bike is a nearly 100 percent stock Trek Top Fuel 9.8, not the top-end 9.9 SSL.

Though the 9.8 shares all of the 9.9's features and suspension technology – including 100mm of travel, the one-piece magnesium Evo upper link, Active Braking Pivot rear end and carefully tuned Full Floater dynamic shock mounts – the OCLV Black carbon fiber blend (instead of the 9.9's Red series mix) and workhorse Shimano Deore XT componentry (instead of the 9.9's XTR and custom FSA two-ring carbon crankset) obviously add some weight.

Substitutions and upgrades from stock are also few and far between, including a matching Deore XT cassette and Shimano chain, ESI Racer's Edge silicone foam rubber grips, and a faster-rolling Bontrager Revolt Super X rear tire. Magelky has even retained the bigger – and heavier – 180mm-diameter front rotor in spite of his wispy 65.7kg (145lb) weight, if only because he couldn't be bothered to make the switch.

Total weight is a reasonable – but far from superlight – 11.44kg (25.1lb) complete with his requisite spare tube, CO2 canister, rear light, and bottle cages.

But don't think the extra weight slowed him down much: Magelky's 1:03 first lap was the fourth-fastest of all participants – multi-person pro teams included (Tostado was just four hundredths behind) – and the conservative parts pick netted a mechanical-free run throughout the race. And don't forget that that first lap also included Moab's traditional Lemans-style start.

So no, kids, while super tricked out bikes are undoubtedly nice to have, they're clearly not an absolute necessity to go fast.