First Look: New Trek Top Fuel | A highly-versatile 120mm machine
Today Trek dropped their fourth generation Top Fuel. It’s lighter, has more features and versatility than ever before.
In it’s stock setup, the new Top Fuel has 120mm rear and 130mm front travel, which is unchanged from the previous model. To improve ride quality, Trek says they took a few construction tricks from their latest Supercaliber (reviewed here) and tweaked the new Top Fuel’s tube shapes into smaller profiles. This saves weight and reduces chassis stiffness, making a bike that’s easy to ride. I am told, both the aluminum and carbon frames are around 220grams lighter than the previous model.
Looking at the geometry, Trek hasn’t made any radical changes. The head angle is 65.5° which is only 0.5° slacker. The seat tube angle is unchanged at 76°. However, the chainstays are now size-specific – so frame sizes S and M have a 435mm stay, frame sizes ML and L have a 440mm stay and the XL has a 445mm stay. The idea here is to position the rider in a slightly more central position, creating better weight distribution and handling, when climbing or descending. It’s something that a few other brands do, and it works well.
A key to the expanded versatility of the Gen 4 Top Fuel, is the new 4-position flip chip at the lower shock mount. This ‘Mino Link’ as Trek calls it, enables riders to adjust geometry and the leverage rate of the suspension, independently. The BB can be high or low and the head-angle can be steep or slack. It also gives riders the choice of running 14% or 19% progression setting on the shock. XC riders will likely be better off in the less progressive setting and trail chargers would probably be better off running more progression, ie: 19%.
There’s a couple more tricks up the Top Fuel’s sleeve. Whilst all models are sold with a 130mm fork, for those who want more ‘XC’ out of the bike it is compatible with a 120mm fork. Trek says this is an option their pro riders may explore for some of the gnarlier World Cup XC tracks. Alternatively, riders who want more Downcountry performance, can fit a 140mm fork. Mixed wheel-sizing can be done on all frame sizes, barring the size small. Incidentally, in a MX setup with a 140mm fork, the bike will have a very capable, 64.6° head angle. The bike also accommodates a longer stroke shock, so increasing rear travel to 130mm is a real option too.
Lastly, two smaller changes that might interest you. Trek has dropped the steering limiter (aka Knock Block) as the new bike is designed with sufficient crown clearance. They’ve also redesigned the frame storage giving it a bigger door, tighter seal with concealed cabling.
I’m told local availability is very soon and there’ll be six models to choose from. The aluminum models are Top Fuel 5 and Top Fuel 8 that will retail at R55k and R75k respectively. Carbon models start at R125k. Learn more //