trek soho s weight

Trek Soho S 2009 Technical specs and features

General specs of trek soho s bicycle, wheels and breaking system, frame and body specifications, gearing specs, trek soho s fork system data, other specs of trek soho s, trek soho s picture, soho s bike comparison.

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Trek Soho S bike review

Trek produced the Soho S bike in 2009 and can be classified as a Commuter bicycle, this exact model costs in american market arround $599.99. Soho S bike is available in many sizes such as 15 (inches), 17.5 (inches), 20 (inches) and 22.5 (inches). Trek Commuter Soho S can be found in a few colors, among these colors Matte Black . This bike is equiped with 700 x 28c Bontrager Race Lite tires while the rims are manufactured by Alloy. Trek equiped this exact model with Alloy Dual Pivot brakes, Tektro alloy levers braking system and Alloy hubs. To guarantee the comfiest ride Trek used Alpha Black Aluminum material for the frame. Bontrager SSR high strength material is used on the handlebar of this Soho S to ensure the perfect handling while the stems are made of Bontrager soho. For the smoothest biking experience Bontrager Satellite Nebula, 44 teeth is used on this bicycle .

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Specialized

The Trek Soho is a commuter/city bike with an aluminum Alpha / Trek Urban frame. The frame comes in colors like Matte  Ti, Slate  Blue and Rainy  Gray.

Originally released in 2006, there are 12 versions of this bike. Due to the frame materials and other factors, we estimate that this bike weighs around 30 pounds. The Soho is fully rigid.

The Soho comes with various commuter bike components, including an aluminum, riser, Bontrager Soho stem, a threadless, sealed, semi, Slimstak Slimstack headset and trigger, Shimano, SRAM Rapidfire shifters.

The Soho has 1,9,8 speeds and has internal rear cogs and a SRAM Shimano derailleur.

It comes with Bontrager tires (622mm x NaN) and aluminum, disc Bontrager rims.

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• General Urban
• Rider Notes

2006 Trek Soho

A 700c aluminum frame general urban bike with high-end components and mechanical disc brakes.

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A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

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Last updated 29 June Not listed for 2,571 days

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Trek Soho 4.0 commuter review

Urban commuter equally comfortable in tails or Chuck Taylors

Gary Boulanger

gary boulanger

The industrial design influences found on the US$1,100 Trek Soho 4.0 make it one of the more intriguing urban commuters, and with the wonderful Shimano Alfine internal 8-speed rear hub, the bar has been raised on what makes a solid commuter.

Trek has always done well with its hybrid line, but there's a finicky bunch amongst newer commuters, and sometimes a perceived 'frumpy' hybrid bike just doesn't deliver. Trek's engineers did their homework with the Soho 4.0, and the finished product is delightful to look at as well to ride.

Ride & handling: acceleration when it matters most

The semi-upright handlebar position works well in traffic and when transporting a backpack. Trek specced the Soho 4.0 geometry like a road bike, with nearly 73 parallel head and seat angles, which, coupled with a longer head tube and chubby 700 x 32c tyres, makes for a lively, nimble and enjoyable city bike.

The gentle swept-back Bontrager Satellite Plus arc bars make riding in traffic fun, providing confident steering while being easy on the wrists, unlike most straight bars.

But the strength of the 28.5lb Soho 4.0 (and there needs to be plenty at this price) lies in the bike's ability to stomp and accelerate instantly, keeping its pretty self and its driver out of harm's way. The Soho 4.0 proved itself worthy several times during our long term testing.

Frame: clean lines and smart add-ons

Don't let the satin platinum finish fool you - this is a mean street machine. Trek benefits from its engineering and research and development efforts on its high-end road and mountain racing bikes. Trickling down from those machines is the extensive use of lightweight hydroformed aluminium which adds subtle and sexy lines to the Soho 4.0. Those clean lines are nicely uninterrupted because Trek has chosen disc brakes rather than V or cantilever brakes.

Trek also wisely provides braze-ons galore for racks, mudguards and chainguard.

One of the coolest aspects of the Soho 4.0 frame is the integrated rubber bumper, designed to protect the tapered top tube from nicks, scratches and the like.

Equipment: Shimano Alfine reigns supreme

As we mentioned earlier, the drivetrain is based on Shimano's fine Alfine 8-speed internal hub gear. The whisper quiet and nearly effortless trigger shifting is a boon at stop lights and in situations where meddling too much with looking down and trying to commandeer a bike through busy traffic is a hazard.

Trek's house brand Bontrager provides much of the finer components on the Soho 4.0, namely its Nebula deep-section aluminium rims and puncture-resistant Satellite Nebula tyres. Taking a nod from the popular (and smart) trend for commuters, Bontrager includes a reflective sidewall strip on the tyres to make the Soho 4.0 more visible to traffic from the sides at night. The larger platform pedals provided ample room for street shoes, and never once felt cheap or flexy like most stock commuter pedals.

Gearing is provided by the Bontrager Nebula 44-tooth crankset and Shimano's 18-tooth rear cog, while slowing and stopping duties are provided by Shimano's M65 mechanical discs and Tektro two-finger alloy brake levers. Our tester's hands enjoyed the ergonomically-friendly shaped grips, a trend we hope to see on more bikes soon.

Verdict: spending more and getting every penny's worth

As the average bicycle purchase climbs higher with so many art house brands entering the fray, and with no end in sight for the crazy-spendy carbon racer bikes, it's pretty cool to see Trek putting its resources into a rather hip and smart urban commuter like the Soho 4.0.

As we experienced with the similarly smart Specialized Globe Centrum Sport last year, a good commuter needs more than one speed to be really effective on a daily basis.

The Trek Soho 4.0 adds credibility to the thinking that, as the price of gas in the US creeps way above US$4 a gallon, there's really no limit to what even urban commuters can and should spend for reliable transportation.

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• WHEELS & TIRES
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Trek Soho Commuter Bike

• Frame: Alpha Black Aluminum
• Fork: Bontrager Edge, aluminum w/lowrider mounts
• Shifters: Shimano Alfine, 8 speed
• Cassette: C-Drive 24T alloy belt sprocket
• Pedals: Soho, alloy body w/alloy cage
• Seat Post: Bontrager Satellite Nebula
• USER REVIEWS

Low maintenance belt drive. Low maintenance internal gears. All weather disc brakes.

Heavy!!! Subpar brakes. Slippery pedals.

I have the 2011 version which is basically the same as the 2013 version except for the older generation Gates pulleys. I had find Trek Soho Dlx disappointing. Due to the weight, it's slow to start from a stop. I feel the weight going up steep hills. The disc brake is better than rim brakes in the rain but it's not as effective as other disc brakes. The pedals are small and slippery when wet. The frame is very stiff as a prerequisite to having belt drive. It's a jarring ride over potholes. The bike took so much fun out of riding for it's practicality that I had given up on it. Then I came across the Gates website and thought I can change the front pulley to better handle the hills. I went with CenterTrack Front Pulley 46 tooth to replace the original 55 tooth. It made a big difference in the hills while still fast enough on the flats. I only changed the front pulley and belt. The CenterTrack belt works with the older rear pulley without any problems. The change in gear ratio along with newer version of disc brake pads have given new life to the bike. I've also changed the pedal, removed the chain guard, changed to lighter fenders and put Ergon grips on. With all the changes the bike is a pretty pleasant ride now. The belt drive requires zero maintenance and no messy lubricant. The internal gears also has been zero maintenance over the past 4 years. Trek Soho Dlx is a unique bike. It's not a bike to fall in love with due to the ride characteristic. But with the modifications, it's become quite likable with the inherent strengths.

I originally wrote a massive review but I found it was the same review I found everywhere. Yes, this bike is fantastic. It is robust and utilitarian in design. I think the geometry is simple and beautiful. The Belt drive is awesome. The 8 speed internal is very responsive. The bike is wicked quiet and overall wicked awesome. I love it. I strongly recommend it. I own 3 bikes and it is my favorite. I chose this bike based on a decision to commute all year round. The belt drive and internal gear proved to be low maintenance which is why I chose it. Be aware that this is a commuter bike, this means you sit more upright for improved visibility both for yourself and for others. As a result, you are not the fastest bike on the road.

I'll start small and then get into the bigger issues. - Could have been even cleaner if the cables were internal. - Coffee cup that it comes with is silly and so cheap that it would be better if it didn't exist. Also the cage is not very impressive. - Rubber flap at the end of the fenders are poorly installed. I caught it with my foot and tore one of the 2 mounting points off when turning at slow speed. My solution was to rip it off and crazy glue it to the outside of the fender rather than the inside. - Pedals are not grippy at all. Every street shoe I tried slipped all over the place. It would be a good idea to swap these out. My solution was to put zip ties with small amounts sticking out like spikes. - Poorly balanced where majority of the weight is in the rear. It's also quite a bit heavier than my other bikes. I've found that I yearned for an even higher gear for climbs more often than I ever used the lowest. I'm happy my regular route isn't one with large hills. It is difficult to hop obstacles on this bike and hitting an object is likely to end in a flat tire. I blew a tire going from path to grass at speed. - As a commuter bike I would have liked to see a factory installed quality kick stand. - I'm not sure if there’s a break-in period but I found that the tension on the belt wouldn't stay optimal. Although in the later months this stopped being a problem all on its own. I advise you learn how to adjust this yourself instead of going into a shop every time it drifts. - Handle grips are subpar. I really like palm rests and this bike is equipped with them. However you can't torque them down so they spin around and I constantly have to readjust them. Get rid of them and put traditional grips or proper ones like Ergon GS1. ran out of space. see Review summary.

The rear brake is a Shimano roller. This by far my biggest (read: only real) complaint. During the summer, I found I just had to get used to it. I like disc brakes and this in comparison was really spongy. I didn't like it but it wasn't a deal breaker, I think they put it on because you have better control of the bike while trying to stop. When winter showed up (note: you're gonna need a different pair of tires) this brake has become a massive frustration. It seizes up at a temperature of -2 degrees Celsius. Either the brake lever doesn’t budge or it will but the brake won't release and the lever moves freely. Whichever failure occurs, it’s terrible, the latter being worse. Less than 5 minutes of being in a warm environment and performance springs back to normal. I brought it into the shop thinking maybe some water found its way into the weather sealed mechanism. They did a full clean and checked over everything. Next ride, same problem. I called the shop and also contacted Shimano directly. No great tips. The shop had the bike for a week and I know they were talking to Shimano. Next ride, same problem. For winter riding this brake is DREADFUL. Currently I have not solved this problem. I've disconnect the rear as trying it as left me worse off more often than not. My next step is to remove it and put a disc brake installed but I'm not sure what that cost will be. Online reviews suggest that this is not a common problem and Shimano was a little surprised to hear it as well. All that being said, I've disappointedly driven my vehicle more often that I’ve cycled to work. Overall this bike is fantastic and I recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to put a lot of time maintaining their bike. I bought my 2011 in 2014. It was "used" but had less than 50 km on it. The first thing I did was take it in for a tune up. The shop looked through it and told me to save my money as it was in no need for a tune. I then rode it like a bandit all summer. This bike is Fantastic.

Soho Deluxe (2012): Absolutely magisterial ride quality, solid and stable. Turnkey drive train with adequate gearing for hilly city. Thoughtful extras. Anti-theft black paint. Rubber trim to protect top tube. Decent tires.

Weight. Cost. Handlebar too wide and modern mustache style is ill chosen. Rear end not easy to service. Saddle more suited to a woman giving birth.

Buy it and ride every day to recoup your investment.

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Gary Fisher commuter.

Thanks to the belt drive the bike is quiet and stays clean. The brakes work well even when wet. Then internal hub is sealed well and again stays clean. The rubber top tube bumper is great. The Rainy Day Gray Color is beautiful.

If you get a flat on the road you are somewhere between terribly put out, and screwed. The lack of ability to repair a flat on the side of the road is almost a deal breaker as much as I love the bike.

The bike is as quiet as a church mouse. Elegant lines. The rubber bumpers on the top tube are a huge plus, and attractive. The Gates Carbon Belt stays tight, and does not attract dirt the way a chain does. The Shimano Nexus internal 8 speed hub is wonderful and provides a wide range of gears even in hilly areas around town. The only complaint I have is repairing a flat, especially in the rear is a major pain and not something to do on the side of the road.

All major mechanisms enclosed. Hub gear, roller brakes. No difference in braking performance in pouring rain. The ability to come to a rapid halt, then select a gear suitable to set off again in is great for traffic situations. Quite comfortable for a 2 hour longer ride as well. Comes with substantial mudguards. Attachment points for pannier rack.

None so far. Assumption is that will require very little maintenance because of enclosed components. Real test will be level of reliability through British Winter. I doubt I will be using the coffee cup much.

Price was £450, not $. List price £700 GBP. Got the 2009 Soho S with carbon fibre belt drive via cyclescheme, hence price difference. Main purpose is daily 8.5 mile round trip commute to work. Initial impression very positive, gear shift positive, brakes effective, very little noise, belt drive much quieter than a chain, effortless steering. Sufficient gear ratios for all road situations. Durham (UK) is moderately hilly, and bike is fine for sustained climbs. 1st gear low enough for any hill, 8th quite high enough. Very much prefers a good quality road surface, though it's easy to zip around potholes, raised ironwork etc. Hopefully a reliable commuting machine with no chain to accumulate vast amounts of muck. Cleaning a chain outside in winter is no joke. Perhaps not so good for off road use, though should cope with cycle paths OK.

Previous bike Dawes Kalahari 2007 hybrid.

It's a sturdy workhorse. The rubber top-tube insert is a nice touch for leaning the bike against posts, etc. The internal hub is definitely the way to go if you don't have a lot of hills to contend with.

Not a good value. For an around-town errand bike, it's stripped down - no lights, or internal light wiring, no racks, no stock fenders, no kickstand. I added all of these to make it a totally functional around town bike,day or night, and it added hundreds of dollars to the bottom line. The coffee mug that comes with the bike is completely silly. Bianchi and Specialized offer complete setups for less money. The front disk brake needs constant adjustment.

Bought the Soho 4 for an around town commuter & errand bike. I thought for a relatively flat area I would not need the gearing of a triple crank and the mess of a deraileur, so I went with the internal hub. It's heavy, but when the panniers are filled with 20 lbs. of groceries, who cares? Great bike for around town. Very comfortable.

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Specialized Globe San Fran 3 vs. Trek Soho

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This is going to be my first post but I've been around this msg board reading most of the posts for a while. Great board guys! I'm in the market looking for a hybrid / commuter bike. I have nailed down to either the Specialized Globe San Fran 3 ( http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?sid=09SanFrancisco&eid=178 ) and the Trek Soho (2009) ( http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/urban/soho/soho/ ). I've taken a ride on both (the Specialized San Fran 3 wasn't available but I did ride on the 2008 version which is called the Centrum? and looks like both have the same spec). Personally I felt that the Centrum (San Francisco 3 I supposed also) feels better, more control and lighter. It also comes w/ Hydraulic disc which is alot more responsive than the ones on the Soho (Hydraulic vs cable? despite both are disc brakes). Seat wise both are on the firm side so I guess I would need to change to a softer / plusher one. Both are priced close together (around 900-1000) and seems to me the Soho has slightly more gadgets / equipment attached while the Centrum has the hydraulic brakes. Both comes with Shimano Alfine SG-S500, IG-8 speed, Centerlock disc mount which is nice. The Soho comes w/ a belt while the Centrum is the traditional chain type. I heard that the 2010 models will be released soon. Anyone know when the 2010 models will come out though? I dont' want to buy a bike and a month later new model comes out. As w/ the paint color I'm fine w/ both (despite the 2008 Specialized centrum comes w/ a matte grey / black while the 2009 San Francisco 3 comes w/ a glossy blue). If I end up buying the San Francisco 3, I'll get a rear rack and flares / flaps on the wheels to keep the water from bouncing up (which is standard on the Soho - flaps). And also what size bike should I get? I am about 5'9" weight 200. The Centrum I rode on was at 17.5" and it seems a bit small for me (the sales guy said the same too) while the Soho I rode on was also a 17.5 but felt bigger than the Centrum and it seemed the right size though. The Specialized San Francisco 3 does come in 19" but I am not sure if I can have the shop order a 19" just to let me try w/out making any commitment. How should I approach this? Appreciate any input / assistance. thx David  

Check out the Soho S, singlespeed and stealthy black.  

I tried one in single speed but prefer to have one that has 8 speed / some speed gears. Single speed bike just not fit my needs for now. thx...  

I just ordered the SFIII. I haven't ridden it yet. I road the SFI and loved it. my SF III comes in on Friday, I can't wait. Where are you from James?  

I see your from SF. I ordered a 19 inch and I'm 5'10 200+ pounds. My inseam is short though at around 29-30 inches. James you should jump on this, If I would have know the centrum was the same or even seen this ad I would have jumped on it. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bik/1259531774.html  

jamesstock said: This is going to be my first post but I've been around this msg board reading most of the posts for a while. Great board guys! I'm in the market looking for a hybrid / commuter bike. I have nailed down to either the Specialized Globe San Fran 3 ( http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?sid=09SanFrancisco&eid=178 ) and the Trek Soho (2009) ( http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/urban/soho/soho/ ). I've taken a ride on both (the Specialized San Fran 3 wasn't available but I did ride on the 2008 version which is called the Centrum? and looks like both have the same spec). Personally I felt that the Centrum (San Francisco 3 I supposed also) feels better, more control and lighter. It also comes w/ Hydraulic disc which is alot more responsive than the ones on the Soho (Hydraulic vs cable? despite both are disc brakes). Seat wise both are on the firm side so I guess I would need to change to a softer / plusher one. Both are priced close together (around 900-1000) and seems to me the Soho has slightly more gadgets / equipment attached while the Centrum has the hydraulic brakes. Both comes with Shimano Alfine SG-S500, IG-8 speed, Centerlock disc mount which is nice. The Soho comes w/ a belt while the Centrum is the traditional chain type. I heard that the 2010 models will be released soon. Anyone know when the 2010 models will come out though? I dont' want to buy a bike and a month later new model comes out. As w/ the paint color I'm fine w/ both (despite the 2008 Specialized centrum comes w/ a matte grey / black while the 2009 San Francisco 3 comes w/ a glossy blue). If I end up buying the San Francisco 3, I'll get a rear rack and flares / flaps on the wheels to keep the water from bouncing up (which is standard on the Soho - flaps). And also what size bike should I get? I am about 5'9" weight 200. The Centrum I rode on was at 17.5" and it seems a bit small for me (the sales guy said the same too) while the Soho I rode on was also a 17.5 but felt bigger than the Centrum and it seemed the right size though. The Specialized San Francisco 3 does come in 19" but I am not sure if I can have the shop order a 19" just to let me try w/out making any commitment. How should I approach this? Appreciate any input / assistance. thx David Click to expand...

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• Trek Soho S 2008
• General Urban

Bike summary

Bike components.

Alpha Black Aluminum

Suspension Fork

Cro-Moly w/lowrider mounts

Rear Derailleur

Front derailleur, shift levers.

Shimano 17T freewheel/16T cog

Bontrager Nebula 44T w/chainguard

Nylon body w/alloy cage

Alloy flip flop high flange hubs; alloy rims

Bontrager Race Lite, puncture resistant, 700x28c; 60 tpi

Alloy dual pivot w/Tektro alloy levers

Bontrager Soho, 15 degree

Bontrager Crowbar Sport, 25mm rise

Aheadset Slimstak w/semi-cartridge bearings, sealed

Bontrager Select City

Bontrager Satellite Nebula

Bike geometry

Model overview.

Soho S belongs to the Trek Soho model. Trek released 16 bikes variations of this model so far. Check out the entire range from 2008 of this model, by clicking this link .

Take safety seriously when you ride your bike, and always wear your helmet. Moreover, don’t ride on the sidewalk. This is actually against the law in some states and can be dangerous for both you and pedestrians.

Average price for General Urban bikes

If you want to purchase a solid General Urban bike, it is important to know that the average cost is 499 $ . However, even if your budget is less than the average, you might still be able to get a top-quality General Urban bike. To sum up, when you purchase your bike, make sure to check if it has reviews, and also do some components research.

Soho S components

Fork material.

The fork on this bike is made out of steel, so, it can add some extra weight to your bike. However, steel is a pretty tough and durable material.

Wheels size

As for the wheels, Trek Soho S 2008, has a 700c aluminum model. There is no doubt, that 700c wheels are very popular on all road bike models. However, these wheels don’t perform so well when passing over obstacles.

When you want to stop the bike in time, the brakes are vital. The Soho S has Rim brakes. Slightly lighter than hydraulic brakes, rim brakes are a budget choice. However, they have problems in wet conditions.

Trek Soho models from 2013

Trek soho models from 2012, trek soho models from 2011, trek soho models from 2010, trek soho models from 2009, trek soho models from 2008, trek soho models from 2007, trek soho models from 2006.

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Trek’s Fourth Generation Top Fuel Is the Pinnacle of Fast Trail Balance.

A mountain bike that does it all; yet may leave some riders asking for a bit more.

Builds, Prices, Claimed Weights

Ride impressions, notes from the field.

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Price as tested: $8,500 (X0 AXS) Weight as tested: 29.0 lb. (size ML) Sizes offered:  S, M, ML, L, XL Model price range:  $2,700 to $10,500 Frame only:  Aluminum - $2,450, Carbon - $3,900 Fork travel:  130mm Frame travel:  120mm Recommended shock sag: 20-30% Frame tire clearance :  2.5” for 29” & 27.5 ” Bottom Bracket:  BSA threaded Seatpost:  34.9mm Shock Dimensions:  185x50mm (stock), 185x55mm (optional), trunnion Piggyback shock compatible:  Yes Coil shock compatible:  Yes Derailleur Hanger:  SRAM UDH Warranty: Lifetime frame warranty, two-year warranty on paint and bearings.  Crash replacement: Trek’s Carbon Care policy offers a “significant discount to replace a damaged carbon fiber frame, fork, or part.”

The Top Fuel was Trek’s premier full-suspension XC race bike several years ago. But starting in 2019, Trek began to transform the Top Fuel into a lightweight trail bike, bumping up the travel and relaxing the geometry but keeping some XC-like features like a remote lockout.

The third generation Top Fuel was launched in 2021 with more travel—120mm rear travel and a 120mm fork—even more relaxed geometry, in-frame storage, and Trek eliminated the remote lockouts. But 2021 was also when some brands began to debut XC race bikes with 120mm travel and slacker geometry in response to rowdier courses. ( Scott’s Spark is a good example of this trend, as is the recently launched Specialized Epic 8 ).

Trek, however, went a different direction and positioned its 120mm bike as a light trail bike and debuted a new, shorter-travel full suspension Supercaliber for XC racing . And the third-generation Top Fuel quickly found itself in a sort of no-bike land. It was intended, designed, and equipped as not an XC race bike while XC race bikes from competitors arrived with travel and geometry similar to the Top Fuel.

In our 2021 review of the Top Fuel , my colleague Dan Chabanov, in addition to dinging the bike for being a bit heavy (compared to XC race bikes like the Spark), said, “Trek does say that the Top Fuel is compatible with a 130mm fork, and I can’t help but think the new Top Fuel would have made a lot more sense with the increased travel straight from the factory.”

Trek agreed, apparently, and after one model year, Trek began shipping the Top Fuel with a 130mm fork. This pushed it more into the trail bike category and helped place daylight between it and the new-school XC race bikes.

For the fourth-generation Top Fuel, Trek maintains the fast trail target. Trek retains the Top Fuel’s 120mm rear/130mm front travel while building in refinements to make the bike more dialed and broadly versatile.

Features and Details

The list of updates to the Top Fuel includes a significant frame-weight reduction. The aluminum and carbon frames are about 220 grams (almost a half-pound) lighter.

A weight reduction is always appreciated, and, built like for like, the new Gen 4 Top Fuel would be lighter than a Gen 3.

However, compared to the Gen 3 initially launched in 2021, Trek pushed the Top Fuel more into the trail category and added heavier components like longer travel, stiffer forks, and more aggressive tires. There’s also the added weight of SRAM’s Transmission compared to SRAM’s standard-mount-derailleur drivetrains.

As a result, even with the lighter frame, the Gen 4 Top Fuel’s overall bike weights are up compared to the Gen 3 Top Fuel that launched in 2021. According to Trek’s claimed weights, the lightest Gen 4 Top Fuel, the top-of-the-line 9.9 XX AXS model, weighs 28.3 pounds in a size medium: The Top Fuel we reviewed in 2021 in an extra-large weighed 26.8 pounds on our scale.

While it has gained weight due to its added capability, it is noteworthy that a Gen. 4 Top Fuel is three-plus pounds lighter than Trek’s longer-travel (140mm rear, 150mm front) Fuel EX . That alone should make it a more compelling trail bike option for many riders.

A striking detail buried in the tech information shared with the press was that the Trek product team made the new Top Fuel’s frame less stiff. Reducing stiffness from one generation to the next is not a typical move. However, it is possible to make a bike too stiff. And that has many drawbacks. In this case, Trek says that reducing stiffness makes the new frame “more balanced and forgiving” than the previous generation and helps reduce frame weight.

For many years, Trek’s mountain bikes have featured a geometry-adjusting flip chip called Mino Link, and some of its more recent mountain bikes have featured a flip chip that makes the suspension more or less progressive.

In the new Top Fuel, Trek combined the two flip chips into one four-position chip that alters geometry and progression (14 or 19 percent progression in this bike’s case). It is a feature likely to make its way into more Trek mountain bikes in the future.

On the theme of adjustments, Trek pitches several approved variations of the stock setup.

If 120mm rear travel isn’t enough for your needs, this Top Fuel will accept a 185x55mm shock (stock is 185x50mm), bumping wheel travel up 10mm to 130mm rear. To round out what would be a more gravity-oriented Top Fuel build, Trek officially sanctions the use of a 140mm travel fork and a 27.5-inch rear wheel for all sizes except the small. Small bikes run 27.5” wheels front and rear to give their riders “a more proportional fit and easier handling” and are not compatible with a 29-inch rear wheel.

But if you're more XC-oriented, the new Top Fuel is also officially approved for use with a 120mm travel fork. The brand says its top XC racers may use the Top Fuel with a 120mm fork and lightweight build instead of the shorter travel Supercaliber as courses and conditions merit.

Trek does not sell the Top Fuel as a complete bike in the 130/140mm gravity(ish) build or the 120/120mm XC build. Unfortunately, altering a stock 120mm rear, 130mm Top Fuel into either variant is not simple.

While the stock forks can be bumped up or down in travel with an air shaft, the swap requires tearing down and rebuilding the forks. In addition, the gravity build requires a new shock (the stock shock stroke cannot be increased), a new 27.5-inch rear wheel, and a new 27.5 tire. Based on my testing, a gravity-built Fuel EX will also need more powerful brakes. Riders who want the more XC-oriented Top Fuel will likely wish for lighter parts, particularly wheels and tires.

Because of these hurdles, I suspect that riders who definitively know they want either the XC or gravity-flavored Top Fuel are likely to buy a frame and build the bike from the ground up exactly how they want it. And here is a good place to mention that the Top Fuel is compatible with a wide range of shocks, including RockShox’s Flight Attendant, Fox’s Live Valve Neo automatic electronically controlled shocks, and even coil-over shocks.

But for all the riders who buy a complete Top Fuel, the option to morph it into a more XC or gravity-oriented bike is there, though it will be costly.

Rounding out the suspension updates, the new Top Fuel features a touch more anti-squat, which should make it feel slightly crisper when the rider pedals.

The in-frame storage gets a polish, with improved sealing, a larger opening in the down tube, and some refinements to the routing tubes so the storage bags slide in and out more easily.

Trek is also debuting improved bags for its in-frame storage. Previously, they had one neoprene bag for tube and tools. That one bag is replaced with two: One unpadded bag for a tube and one padded bag for tools (the padding reduces the chance of tools rattling against the frame). These new bags come with all 2025 Trek bikes with in-frame storage (carbon frames ship with both bags, aluminum frames only get the tool bag) and are also available for purchase.

And finally, Trek relegated the Gen 3 Top Fuel’s Knock Block steering stop system to the dustbin of history.

You’ll find frame geometry pasted here for your enjoyment. Trek sent me five different geometry tables, but I’m only pasting the one that details the complete bikes—120mm rear, 130mm front, flip chip in the low position, 29” x 29” wheels (size small has 27.5” x 27.5” wheels)— as they come out of the box.

Trek’s site will have all the variations, but essentially, changing the flip chip to the high position steepens the angles and raises the BB; swapping in a 140mm travel fork slackens the angles and raises the BB; and with a 27.5 rear wheel and 140mm fork, the bike has a 64.6-degree head angle, 342mm BB height, and effective seat tube angles that are about a degree slacker than the out-of-the-box geometry.

Adding a fifth frame size is the most significant geometry change from Gen 3 to Gen 4. Like some other Trek mountain bikes, the Top Fuel now has an ML frame size that fits between the medium and large.

Another notable change is the adoption of size-specific seat stay lengths. Sizes S and M have 435mm stays, ML and L run 440mm stays, and the XL gets 445mm stays (all sizes of the previous generation Top Fuel ran 435mm stays).

Many sizes get a seat tube angle adjustment: the small is half a degree steeper, the medium is 1.4 steeper, the large is 0.3 steeper, and the XL is 0.4 slacker.

Finally, the seat tubes are shorter—the XLs by a whopping 30mm—and there is more dropper post-insertion depth.

While Specialized tends to introduce its new bikes in high-end carbon versions, with lower-priced aluminum versions coming later , Trek, in its usual practice, is introducing its full line of Top Fuel models all at once.

The full range of seven models starts at $2,700 for the aluminum-framed Top Fuel 5 and ends at the $10k-plus 9.9 XX AXS with a carbon frame.

Regardless of price or frame material, all models have internal frame storage, fully guided hose-and-housing routing, a 12-speed drivetrain, tubeless-ready wheels and tires, lock-on grips, and a dropper post. All except the least expensive model have four-piston brakes (the Top Fuel 5 has two-piston hydraulic calipers).

Due to the late arrival of my test bike, I don’t yet have as much time on the new Top Fuel as I like before writing a review. But I’ve gotten in some good rides on some of my most familiar trails, so I feel I have a good sense of its performance and character. Even so, I will continue to ride it and update this review if my impressions change.

In the Notes From The Field section below, I’ve outlined my journey to a good fork setup, plus my feelings on the stock brakes. My impressions here are based on how the bike rides with the fork dialed in and a larger front rotor.

The 120 rear/130 front (ish) light trail category this Top Fuel resides in is lousy with amazing bikes. A quick list off the top of my head and in no particular order: Evil Following , Ibis Ripley, Pivot 429 Trail , Specialized Epic 8 Evo, Spot Ryve, Yeti SB120 , Giant Trance Advanced, and the Santa Cruz Tallboy.

That is some stiff competition, but I think Trek made a bike that competes well against this strong field.

The expectation for this style of bike is that it as fast on the climbs and flats as an XC bike and allows the rider to go full send on the descents like a trail bike. That is impossible. So, while everyone is seeking this holy grail of speed and capability in one, many bikes lean one way or the other. For example, the Epic Evo is more XC, while the Tallboy is more Trail.

The Top Fuel, however, feels more equalized. No, it doesn’t climb like an XC bike and descend like a trail bike—again, impossible—but it doesn’t seem to be lean one way or the other, like many of its competitors. It feels balanced: equal parts quick and capable.

That results in a handy bike, no matter the terrain or direction of the slope.

On smoother climbs, the suspension is quiet and efficient. There’s little unwanted motion, and upping the cadence is rewarded with eager thrusts. It is not as quick-feeling or firm at the pedals as some four-bar systems— dw-Link , most notably—but the Top Fuel is far from sluggish.

I will note that I ran the shock with 30 percent sag, the maximum Trek recommends. Traction is a challenge on many of my trails, so I usually prefer my suspension softer off the top. But the low end of the advisable sag range for this bike is 20 percent, and with less sag, the bike will feel more zippy.

But even with 30 percent sag, the rear end is supportive and holds the rider in a good position when the climb gets steeper. And when the climb gets chunky and technical, the rear end is sensitive and offers great traction.

On descents, the Top Fuel is composed and surprisingly confidence-inspiring, and I experienced little bucking or jarring deflections off my chosen line. Chunder, drops, jumps, gaps, and sketchy loose chutes: The Top Fuel telegraphed it was game for all of it. The rear suspension has a lovely tune that provides access to its full travel. It has plenty of bottom-out control and good sensitivity, too.

Nothing particularly stood out about the Top Fuel’s handling as I climbed and descended. It felt…normal, I guess? I wasn’t fighting the bike and didn’t feel I needed to adjust to work around any quirks.

It worked its way through my tightest, steepest climbing trails well. The Top Fuel handled downhill corners of all varieties intuitively. It flew true as an arrow on the fastest straightaways. I could change its direction at will and with little resistance. The bike felt like I could always position it exactly where I wanted and hit my lines accurately.

But for all of its impressively well-rounded performance, I didn’t sense an extra-strong “fun” vibe from the Top Fuel like I get from the Evil Following. In that way, Top Fuel perhaps lacks a little. It is so balanced that it is—while very far from boring—a rather staid bike.

I wonder if some of this is due to the bike’s weight. My ML size, XO AXS model weighs 29 pounds on my scale, which is only 1.2 pounds lighter than Specialized’s Stumpjumper 15 I recently reviewed. The SJ15 has more travel, more adjustments, a unique and fabulous rear shock, sticker tires, more powerful brakes, and is much better on descents and rough trails.

The Top Fuel does feel more lively, rolls faster, and is a bit quicker on climbs than the SJ. But some fast trail bikes like the Trek and the 29.4 lb. Yeti SB120 presents a conundrum because they’re not much lighter than bikes with the next jump up in travel.

To me, the deciding factor is feeling. Do you want a bike that feels snappier and climbs with a bit more pep, or do you emphasize descending speed and confidence? Personally, I prefer shorter-travel bikes. I like the snap and pep of less travel and to feel the trail under my tires. However, another large part of that preference is due to the shape of my trails. I can easily understand how a rider in a different locale would go for more travel.

Choices are good, but they can also be confusing. My best advice: if you're not sure what you want, borrow and demo as many different bikes and different travels as possible.

My time on the Top Fuel so far has left me with the impression that this Top Fuel is a superb bike that isn’t extraordinary. A bike I know will perform brilliantly on most trails, and I am happy to ride it, but it also leaves me wishing for something more from it, even though I can’t pinpoint what more I want.

Non-specific whinging aside, the fourth-generation Top Fuel is an excellent light trail bike that can compete with the best on the market.

Random observations and reports from my time testing the bike.

• I appreciate that Trek gave the Top Fuel internal storage AND a cargo mount under the top tube. Having both offers the rider more options for their preferred tube/tool/cargo setup. In my case, I put a (butyl) tube and flat repair kit with CO2 and Dynaplug Racer Pro inside the frame and used the cargo mount for an i nline OneUp EDC pump mount , which I fitted with the 70cc pump with an EDC tool inside.

• This Top Fuel offered my first chance to ride the Trek’s updated tire offerings. And they’re pretty good. The Gunnison front and Montrose rear tires offered predictable traction and seemed less flat-prone than the brand’s previous attempts. My trails are littered with tire-eating square-edged rocks, and I heard the familiar sound of a rim out several times while testing the Top Fuel. And though that sound made me mentally scramble to remember where I stashed Dynaplug, the flats, so far, haven’t happened. However, the compound does seem a bit biased towards fast rolling and does feel slightly slippery and bouncy on rock slabs and the hardest hardpack. But they seemed like a solid choice for this style of bike, and I didn’t want to tear them off after the first ride and throw on some of my favored Maxxis or Vittoria treads.

• When I pulled this bike out of the box to build it, I discovered one of the SRAM AXS pods had a dead coin cell battery. I’ve had a run of bikes with AXS pods that required a new coin cell after one or two rides. I don’t know if SRAM has a bunch of old batteries or a run of bad ones, but it’s annoying to discover your brand-new and nearly five-figure bike immediately needs a new battery.

• The SRAM Level Silver four-piston brakes, with 180mm HS2 rotors front and rear, are barely powerful enough for this bike. I realize that weight is a big deal in this bike category and that I am biased toward powerful brakes. But on the steeper trails, this bike is otherwise capable of riding my hands were aching from pulling on the levers so hard. I bumped up to a 200mm front rotor, which helped a lot (and I may yet go up to a 200mm rear). But if you’re considering this bike’s compatibility with longer stroke shock, 140mm fork, and 27.5 in. rear wheel, the stock brakes won’t cut it. You’ll want stoppers like Codes, TRP’s DHR Evo, or the Hayes Dominion.

• I usually don’t detail my suspension settings because I believe suspension settings result from terrain, trail surface conditions, riding style, and personal preference, so unless you are me and riding my trails, how I tune my suspension is irrelevant to you. In this case, however, I will detail a few of my fork settings because it took me a while to dial in this fork properly. The RockShox Pike on this bike has the brand’s recently revised air spring—increased negative spring volume, which softens the initial travel—and the revised Charger 3.1 damper, which has a greater damping adjustment range. Trek also ships this fork with no bottomless air tokens in the air chamber. With recommended pressure and zero tokens, the fork was an overly soft and unsupportive mess. I eventually wound up with two tokens in the fork and 95 psi in the spring, 15 over RockShox’s recommended pressure for my weight. Once the spring felt right, I found I liked the low-speed compression at -2 and the high-speed compression set at +1. This allowed me to add or subtract compression damping as trail conditions demanded.

A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling , Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race. 

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‘I’m old! Why didn’t they give me these roles before I turned 40?’: Tom Hardy, Hollywood’s late bloomer

The brit stars in ‘the bikeriders,’ which seems destined to burnish both his reputation as a character actor and off-screen fame.

“No one cared who I was until I put on the mask.” The phrase was uttered by Bane, the character Tom Hardy (Hammersmith, England, 46) plays in The Dark Knight , but it could just as easily describe the actor himself. In at least three movies, Hardy’s face has been partially hidden: Mad Max: Fury Road , Dunkirk and the aforementioned third installment of the Batman trilogy , his long-running Hollywood gig. Sometimes, Hardy’s masks have been of his own making, crafted via extreme transformations that have put his health in danger. He’s hardly risk-averse: he played two brothers in Legend and was the only character in the well-received Locke .

The man is not one to shy from a contradiction: he jealously guards his private life, but still speaks openly about the addictions with which he’s lived for 13 years and his exuberant love for his children: “When I found out I was going to be a father, it cut out so much shit from my head.” A symbol of normative virility, one who says he feels “as masculine as an eggplant,” an actor who shuns Hollywood stardom, yet whose box-office hits earn millions. While we wait for the final chapter of his unexpectedly successful Venom trilogy, Hardy has released The Bikeriders , described by Variety as “The Godfather of biker movies,” in which he shares billing with Austin Butler and Jodie Comer.

He is aware that his fans adore his excesses. “People didn’t sit up and take any notice of me until I started putting on weight and kicking people and being aggressive,” he told Esquire . Conflict has been a constant in his story. He’s the son of novelist and screenwriter Edward “Chips” Hardy — co-creator of Taboo , the brutal HBO series on which Tom has both co-writing and leading man credits — and of the painter Elizabeth Anne Barret. The actor had a comfortable childhood. “I always felt a certain sense of shame over being privileged,” he says. At 11 years old, his ears perked up during a presentation delivered by a police officer to his class that warned of the dangers of sniffing glue. He hadn’t realized that it was so easy to find drugs. Not that he wants to glamorize addiction. He wasn’t a bad man, he says, just a bad drunk.

He was a scrawny kid who they called a “weasel,” who “alleycatted” about. At 13 he was already on the police’s radar, having been expelled from school for robbery, plus driving without a license and with a gun. He fell into addictions to alcohol and crack that lasted until he entered his twenties. After waking up in a puddle of blood and vomit in Soho in 2003, he went to rehab and hasn’t had a drink since. “Now I know my beast and I know how to manage it. It’s like living with a 400-pound orangutan that wants to kill me. It’s much more powerful than me, doesn’t speak the same language and it runs around the darkness of my soul. I would sell my mother for a rock of crack,” he told The Guardian of his problematic relationship with substances.

His family provided the support he needed to recover. “I wanted my dad to be proud of me, and I fell into acting because there wasn’t anything else I could do,” he says. While studying at Drama Centre London, alongside such budding stars as Michael Fassbender, he was chosen for a role in Band of Brothers , the World War II drama produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, followed by Black Hawk Down . After that Ridley Scott film came Star Trek: Nemesis , a mega-production that flopped, and Guy Ritchie’s RocknRolla , in which Hardy played a gay gangster . But it was another tough guy, this time inspired on a real-life figure, that brought him to prominence. Bronson, a disturbing and hyperviolent prison drama, demanded exhaustive preparation that included gaining 44 pounds. It was the first sign of how hard Hardy was willing to work to lend credibility to his characters.

He got his first big role in the United States in a somewhat atypical manner. When production began on Warrior , the story of two brothers who live in the shadow of an alcoholic father and wind up facing off in a brutal martial arts tournament, the studio asked director Gavin O’Connor to choose two promising, unknown actors to turn into movie stars. O’Connor’s intuition proved to be spot-on: his picks were Joel Edgerton and Hardy. The director gave Hardy a chance to read for the role and he showed up at O’Connor’s house one Sunday at midnight, saying that he was terrible at auditions, and wound up sticking around for five days.

Hardy got the part, but then, nearly bolted. “Gavin, I didn’t come from a working-class background, I’m not a fighter, I’m not American, I don’t know anything about wrestling,” O’Connor remembers him confessing . The director had to don his therapist hat to hang onto his star for what became an excellent movie that deserved more success than it achieved.

The Mad Max sequel came around in a slightly more conventional manner: George Miller had fallen in love with Hardy’s acting in Bronson . “I had the same feeling about Tom that I had when Mel Gibson first walked into the room: there was a kind of edgy charm, the charisma of animals. You don’t know what’s going on in their inner depths, and yet they’re enormously attractive,” Miller told Vulture . The head of casting at Warner Bros. at the time, Lora Kennedy, had the same perception: “Tom has this amazing duality as a man: He’s got this incredible physical presence that is so scary and mean and masculine, but then he’s supersoft and feminine and delicate at times, which is a unique combination for a guy who looks like that.”

In the end, the final decision was between Hardy and the controversial Armie Hammer. They read together, and at one point, Hardy spit on Hammer, according to Kyle Buchanan in Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road . That was the moment when Hammer told Miller that Hardy needed the role more than he did. Buchanan’s book also reveals an incident that was long an open industry secret: Hardy’s feud with Charlize Theron, the film’s female lead. The South African’s professionalism, her commitment to arriving on set every day with her lines perfectly memorized, clashed with Hardy’s erratic behavior. One day after being forced to wait for him for three hours, she exploded, calling him disrespectful. She shouted, “Fine the fucking cunt a hundred thousand dollars for every minute that he’s held up his crew!”

After that, Theron asked for on-set protection and was assigned a producer to accompany her and make sure there were no more conflicts. Time has smoothed out the pair’s rough edges and both have since blamed grueling shooting conditions for their spat. Hardy has also cited his inexperience at the time: “I was lost. In hindsight, I was in over my head in many ways. The pressure on both of us was overwhelming at times. ‘What she needed was a better, perhaps more experienced partner in me. That’s something that can’t be faked. I’d like to think that now that I’m older and uglier, I could rise to that occasion,” he says in the book.

It was not his only on-set conflict. According to director John Hillcoat, Hardy came to blows with Shia LaBeouf during the filming of Lawless . “There was definitely a fight between them. It escalated to the point where they had to both be restrained. But I was very pleased to hear it didn’t go that way because I would hate to see the outcome,” said Hillcoat. Hardy had another high-profile showdown with his director from The Revenant , Alejandro González Iñárritu, which was immortalized on a t-shirt that the actor had made. It was an extremely hard and complex shooting schedule, but had a happy ending: the actor got his first Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.

Awards don’t seem to be his primary motivation, however. When Hardy was nominated for a BAFTA award, he stayed home to spend time with his newborn baby. But he’s not ungrateful. “Don’t get me wrong, there is part of me that wants to win an Oscar and wants to be on the front cover of a magazine and all that kind of stuff, but there’s also a part of me that really doesn’t. I’m not the guy you need — I’m not a role model. Don’t look too deep, because after you scratch the surface, you are going to find out that I’m normal and I’ve got skeletons in my closet,” he confessed to Esquire .

His ability to disappear within characters was what captured the attention of Christopher Nolan , with whom Hardy has worked with on Inception , Dunkirk and The Dark Knight. For the latter, the actor played Bane, one of the most charismatic villains in the Batman saga, which presented a sizable challenge. Hardy had to gain 29 pounds in three months and undergo a brutal training program to get the wrecking-ball musculature that the character sports in the comic, and also learn to modulate his voice. His performance is so over-the-top that it could come across as parodic, but is still riveting, terrifying.

Physical work like that which Hardy often assumes can take its toll. He joked to this effect after the release of Venom : “Why do they keep giving me these parts now that I’m over 40? I’m old! They should have given them to me 10 years ago, damn!” Despite his complaints, he still has the conditioning of a professional athlete. He has a blue belt in jiu jitsu, a martial art that he fell in love with while filming Warrior , and in 2022, made the news by winning a gold medal at a championship in north London.

But don’t let Hardy’s affable behavior fool you. He’s extremely jealous of his privacy, especially when it comes to his children. He has three, one from a relationship with actress Rachel Speed and two with his wife, Charlotte Riley, who he met during the filming of Wuthering Heights and with whom he has also starred in Peaky Blinders. He volunteers with disadvantaged young people at the Prince’s Trust organization and has worked with canine adoption campaigns. Hardy is a big fan of pitbulls and his love story with his dog Woody, to whom he wrote a heartbreaking letter when the pup passed away, enamored his social media following.

In contrast with his peers like Cillian Murphy, he doesn’t ignore social networks, quite the contrary. When Buzzfeed published some of Hardy’s MySpace photos , in which he appears in — let’s say — singular poses, the actor said he was proud of the shots. “I’ve got no shame about my MySpace photos, especially the one of me in my underpants, which is a glorious photo of a man in his natural habitat. I might not be an Adonis, but I like to think of myself as an Adonis in that photo,” he told Sky News. “This is me, thank you.” No problem.

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Elektrostal, visit elektrostal, check elektrostal hotel availability, popular places to visit.

• Electrostal History and Art Museum

You can spend time exploring the galleries in Electrostal History and Art Museum in Elektrostal. Take in the museums while you're in the area.

• Cities near Elektrostal

• Places of interest
• Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center
• Central Museum of the Air Forces at Monino
• Peter the Great Military Academy
• Bykovo Manor
• Balashikha Arena
• Balashikha Museum of History and Local Lore
• Pekhorka Park
• Ramenskii History and Art Museum
• Orekhovo Zuevsky City Exhibition Hall
• Malenky Puppet Theater
• Noginsk Museum and Exhibition Center
• Saturn Stadium