#FUSE BIKE VS STACHE 7 BIKE PATCH#
#FUSE BIKE VS STACHE 7 BIKE UPGRADE#

Even on the sharpest switchbacks, I never felt too long or gawky to clear corners. Likewise, thanks to that tight rear end, accelerations are quick and immediate, and handling is surprisingly deft.

Yes, the hubs are higher than on comparable bikes, but Trek engineered the fit so that you sit at the same level as on a normal 29er, so you really feel like youвЂ™re in the frame andВ not on top of it. The action is smooth, and the head seems to avoid the loosening and side-to-side play so common with other brands.Д®veryone likes to refer to 29+ bikes as the monster trucksВ of the mountain world, but the Stache doesnвЂ™t ride big or awkwardly.

#FUSE BIKE VS STACHE 7 BIKE UPGRADE#

One smart option for those on a budget might be to buy a cheaper overall build, then upgrade to the Line ProВ wheels, which retail for $1,200.ДЄll the other Line Pro bits (stem, bars, grips) are nice, too, but the new Drop LineВ dropper seatpost is the standout. The Stache is available in complete builds down to $2,100 and asВ a stand-alone framesetВ for $1,580. The carbon Line Pro 40 wheels are what transformВ this bike: the 41-millimeter internal width allows lower pressure and tons of footprint on the tire, but the wheels are still zippy and light, courtesy of the carbon layup. Trek gets a special shout-out for its increasingly broad and sophisticated line of Bontrager components. That said, the stock fork is plenty and more versatile. We also tried out a 140-millimeter fork, which some testers preferred for its handling on rowdy trails-an upgrade worth considering if you live somewhere like Sedona, Arizona. For an ultimate build, weвЂ™d probably leanВ toward 1Г—12 gearing, with a 50-tooth ring to ease the sting on steeps. And though the Stache is a hardtail, the combination of big wheels, slack head-tube angle (68.4 degrees), and 120-millimeterВ fork makes for a bike thatвЂ™s ready for the most raucous trails.ДЄt $4,700, this bike is not cheap, but all the bits and pieces areВ high-quality, including SRAM Guide RS brakes, a SRAM X1 drivetrain, and a 120-millimeter RockShox Pike fork.

The arrangement means that the Stache canвЂ™t accept a front derailleur, but thatвЂ™s less of an issue here, since the low overall weight means 11 or 12 gears is plenty. The raised drive-side chainstay, which allows for a short (420 millimeter) back end that both fits the big wheels and makes the bike snap forward when you stomp on it, looks classy here compared with some other brandsвЂ™ gawky renditions. Trek kept the geometry from last yearвЂ™s alloy Stache and upgraded to carbon. The Stache, with its big wheels, is a dirt-gripping, rock-shredding, fast-rolling hardtail machine with few peers. Historically, the drawbacks have been extra weight, additional rolling resistance, and a lack of maneuverability, though Trek has largely eliminated these issues through smart design and materials.

#FUSE BIKE VS STACHE 7 BIKE PATCH#

The tires also have the largest contact patch of anything short of a full fatty. Thanks to all that circumference, the wheels roll over objects with ease. Though thereвЂ™s variance depending on brands and specs, these tires measure an inch or more taller than even the burliest 29er setup, some two inches taller than most 27.5+ setups, and 2.5 inches taller than normal 27.5 setups. In case youвЂ™re still stymied by the nomenclature, 29+ puts three-inch-wide tires on 29-inch rims. AndВ after another half-year on the upgrade, itвЂ™s clear that the Stache stacks up to many full-suspension rides as well. I stand by my prediction that this bike will eventually make standard hardtails obsolete. ItвЂ™s a hardtail for the big-hit, high-speed, no-limits crew. The Verdict: Anyone who complains that 29+ is too big and unwieldy has never ridden the StacheВ 9.8. And while the drivetrain is fine for what it is, a 1Г—12 with a 50-tooth granny would make it even better. What We DonвЂ™t: The low-profile Chupacabra tires roll fast but donвЂ™t have enough bite to keep up with the bike. But now Trek has gone to a carbon frame and wheels and lopped off almost 2.5 pounds. What We Like: The only complaint we had with last yearвЂ™s alloy Stache 9 was its weight.

Fuse bike vs stache 7 bike