Details have just reached us of the new Trek full-suspension cross country race bikes, the Top Fuel 9.9SSL, Top Fuel 9.8, Fuel EX 9.9 and EX9.

The Trek 2009 Top Fuel 9.9SSL

This dream machine features a full carbon frame and is dripping in exotica and many of the innovations which made it into other parts of the range last year. Apparantly this bike comes in at a mere 9.5kgs/21lbs without pedals, the new frame shedding almost a pound on the previous version. The frame features an integrated headset and press fit bottom bracket bearings which sit straight into the frame, yielding a frame weight of 2250 grams. The bottom bracket fitting is particularly unusual in that it comes from the road division and is 5mm narrower than the MTB standard. The top model is specced with a special 2 ring FSA carbon crankset but an adapter is available should you want three rings.

The carbon frame has allowed the frame designers to create some unusual shapes not availble to aluminium models. The kink in the downtube in particular and the seatpost which was origionally developed for the awesome Trek Madone. Unlike other carbon seatpost designs which require you to cut the seat post to the rider size, the seat collar actually does allow for some height change meaning that this bike should be more re-sale friendly too. Trek claim an 11% increase in stiffness from the integrated seat post.

The fork is a 1 1/8″ to 1 1/4″ tappered steerer which leads to a stiffer stearing rig. Mindful of the backlash which accompanied this development last year, Trek have done deals with multiple manufacturers, namely Rockshox and Fox, allowing riders some choice in the fork they run. If you really can’t stomach it there is an adapter available from Cane Creek to allow you to run a regular 1 1/8″ fork. This top model features a Rock shox SID with remote fork lockout. Cheaper aluminium models feature Fox forks. As befitting a flagship model the Top Fuel 9.9 features a feather-light Bontrager XXX wheelset, DT Swiss carbon shock, XTR componantry and the FSA carbon crankset. The ‘EVO’ magnesium rocker link is a lightweight solid link which allows for minimal flex and a stiff rear end at a mere 120 grams compared to last years 195grams.

The Top Fuel 9.8 features a cheaper spec but the same carbon frameset as its more expensive big brother.

Trek 2009 Top Fuel 9.8

Featuring the excellent Shimano XT groupset its a quality racer which while not as light as the 9.9 is no slouch. The new Rockshox SID adorns the front end with a Fox rear shock and Bontrager wheels and tyres rounding out a top package.

Another feature of these bikes is the Trek ABP (Active Breaking Pivot) which is a unique development in the suspension world. Apparantly a bunch of suspension designers were scratching their heads about how to develop a system which was not influenced by braking when a motorcross designer asked them why they didnt try this. Que Eurekas all round. The system places a pivot around the rear axel and also places two pivots on the down tube to completly float the rear triangle. This means that the suspension doesn’t lock out under breaking like most systems giving the rider better control. The Full Floater system allows for awesome small bump sensitivity without a compromise. We are big fans of this system, our only complaint being that it didn”t feature on the top XC race bikes in 2008, now solved for 2009.

Aluminium frames

Trek 2009 Fuel EX 9.9

Aluminium frames are considerably cheaper and feature a different shape ‘EVO’ link. No compromise on spec though with an XTR group-set on the tasty looking EX9.9 and the EX9 featuring an XT group.

Trek 2009 Fuel EX9

These two aluminium frames have a different geometry than their carbon brethren yielding a slightly less racy position but both feature the ABP.