trek stache specs

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Trek Stache 9 29+

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Colour / Black with neon yellow

Size / 15.5", 17.5", 18.5", 19.5", 21.5"

At a glance

Where to buy.

Specifications

• Fork Manitou Magnum 34 Pro, air spring, E2 tapered steerer, Boost110, G2 Geometry with 51mm offset, 110mm
• Hubs DT Swiss 350 centerlock disc, Boost110 F / Boost148 R
• Wheels SUNringlé Mulefut 50mm 32-hole with cutouts
• Wheel Size 29"
• Tires Bontrager Chupacabra, Tubeless Ready, aramid bead, 29x3.0"
• Chain 42cm, No, SRAM 30T X-Sync, SRAM PC 1130
• Crank SRAM X1 1400
• Bottom Bracket 32.9cm,
• Rear Derailleur SRAM X1 11-speed
• Shifters SRAM X1, 11 speed
• Brakeset Shimano Deore XT, Shimano Deore XT
• Handlebar Bontrager Rhythm Pro, OCLV Carbon, 31.8mm, 15mm rise
• Saddle Bontrager Evoke RXL, hollow Ti rails
• Seatpost KS eThirty Integra, remote lever, 2-bolt head, 31.6mm, zero offset, internal routing, 31.6, , 31.6,
• Stem Bontrager Rhythm Pro, 31.8mm, 7 degree
• Grips Bontrager Race Lite, lock-on
• Headset FSA IS-2, E2, sealed alloy cartridge

Q: How much is a 2016 Trek Stache 9 29+?

A 2016 Trek Stache 9 29+ is typically priced around $3,699 USD when new. Be sure to shop around for the best price, and also look to the used market for a great deal.

Q: Where to buy a 2016 Trek Stache 9 29+?

The 2016 Trek Stache 9 29+ may be purchased directly from Trek .

Q: What size wheels does the 2016 Trek Stache 9 29+ have?

The 2016 Trek Stache 9 29+ has 29" wheels.

Q: What size 2016 Trek Stache 9 29+ should I get?

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Tested: Trek Stache 7

The not-so-minor details.

Trek Stache 7

Trek Bicycles Australia www.trekbikes.com

AUD3,299.00

29+ tyres give insane amounts of traction and control. Geometry matches the intentions of the bike perfectly. More fun than you can poke a stick at.

Expensive for a hardtail with mid-range spec. $170 replacement tyres.

What the hell is 29+?

When Trek decided to create a bike in the ‘plus hardtail’ category, they developed the Stache from the ground up using 29″ diameter wheels, instead of jumping on the existing 27.5+ wheel (27.5″ diameter with 2.8-3″ tyres) size bandwagon.

Not sure what we are talking about? Here, have a read of this if you’d like to know what a plus-size bike is all about.

Essentially, Trek developed the Stache around 29+ wheels due to the increased contact patch of the tyre when compared to 27.5+, but it wasn’t going to be so simple. 29+ wheels are huge, too big to fit into a normal shaped frame, hence the wildly asymmetrical rear end of the bike and its elevated chainstay arrangement. There have only ever been one other 29+ bike make its way to the masses, we reviewed the Surly Krampus a few years ago , while we loved its endless traction it was hard work to manoeuvre through any form of a tight corner and was a boat to try and rip through singletrack.

With the elevated chain stay design and a boost spacing hub, Trek can tuck the chainstays to a length adjustable between 405-420mm (the bike ships with the length at 420mm) in the world of 29ers that is incredibly short!

An increased contact patch is beneficial in two main ways. Firstly, with a bigger contact patch you’ve got more grip on the ground in virtually any condition than a goanna scaling a tree. The second advantage of 29+ tyres is the small bump sensitivity that can be achieved by running the voluminous tyres at lower pressures. While the Stache is never going to feel like a dual suspension bike in choppy terrain, setting up the monstrous Chupacabra tyres tubeless and with the pressures low the bike has excellent small bump compliance.

We were lucky to  chat with Trek’s Travis Brown where we discussed the Stache, and he summed up the decision to go with 29+ wheels by saying ‘if you’re the type of rider willing to take a small weight penalty for a lot of extra control and traction, and the ability to run low pressures, we came out with the 29+ to be superior.’

29+ wheels with 3” tyres must be heavy right?

At first glance, you would presume that the Bontrager Chupacabra tyres would weigh significantly more than regular tyres, however, one of the key aims of the Stache project (which was entitled ‘project weird’) was to create a lightweight 29×3.00 tyre.

The result of the project was the Bontrager Chupacabra, a 3” tyre that weighs just 860 grams! Despite the light weight, the Chupacabra is tubeless ready, and the sidewall protection was high. We know this because with a 3” tyre you’ll be scraping the sidewalls of the tyre against lots of stuff on the trail, but despite this, the Chupacabra remained intact throughout the review.

The tread pattern of the Chupacabra sits somewhere between a Bontrager XR2 and XR3 which we found struck an excellent balance between rolling efficiency, sidewall stability and traction.

The only negatives we have with Chupacabra tyre is that once you really get to know how the Stache handles, a beefier front tyre to allow the rear to break traction into a slide or drift before the front tyre does might let us ride more aggressively, as we found that when the bike is tipped over and losing traction (far later than any other bike we’ve ever ridden), both the tyres slid together, a sensation that unnerved us somewhat.

Another point to mention is that there is no alternative to the Chupacabra than from Bontrager, and a replacement is going to set you back a mega $169 each!

You can run 27.5+ or 29” wheels instead of the 29+ due to the Stranglehold dropouts, should you be considering changing wheels?

No! At least not to begin with. Throughout testing, what we continually discussed was just how well the 29+ wheels worked with the short rear end, as well as the bike’s stubby cockpit. Being able to throw the bike around easily in combination with the insane traction and rollover of the 29+ wheels was a great match.

As we’ve discussed, the contact patch and subsequent traction afforded by the 29+ tyres is crazy. What we found with the bike’s tight geometry was that despite the massive wheels, if you tip the Stache over enough it’ll negotiate pretty much any corner- as long as the pilot holds their nerve!

Is it easy to jump the big hoops?

It’s different. Getting the Stache off the ground to manoeuvre between lines isn’t really the Stache’s forte, it prefers to barge through trails rather than creep delicately. Whilst subtle line changes of the aerial variety are off the menu, when you need to get airborne, other than having to work the bike initially to get in the air, once it’s up there the short rear end is easy to work into a landing, and the big rubber feels very cushy if you go further than intended.

Many of the trails near Flow HQ feature jumps and drops that often result in the bike landing pretty much pancake flat, and the with low tyre pressures (we settled on as low as 13psi in the front and 15psi in the rear for a 78kg rider), the Stache doesn’t feel like a conventional hardtail when it’s time to come down.

When do you get reminded that you’re still riding a hardtail?

While the Stache happily ploughs through most terrain, when the going gets really rough, or you’re coming into a square edge hit, the ability to plough through or jump the obstacle as you might on a dual suspension bike is not really an option. We found ourselves coming into sections like these too fast at times considering the low pressures you run on the Stache, which make a square edge or very rocky terrain the perfect place for a puncture – and a potential $169 visit to the bike shop!

What’s the spec like?

Despite having truly enjoyed riding the Stache, the spec is somewhat underwhelming considering the $3299 price tag.

Firstly, it’s understandable in a way that this bike is dearer than it should be because this is a one of a kind bike and the frame is quite involved. If you read our interview with Travis Brown , you’ll see the time and resources not only Trek and Bontrager, but companies such as SUN Ringle and Manitou invested to make this bike a possibility.

That being said, the battleground of mountain bike sales is a vicious one, and there are many bikes around the $3000 price point with very nice specs indeed; dropper posts, quality suspension front and rear and high-end drivetrains.

For $3299 with the Stache, you get a Sram GX groupset (with X1 cranks), Sram’s Level Trail brakes and relatively unheard of SUNringle Duroc rims, which create an excellent profile for the Chupacabra, but are on the soft side for a bike with hard-riding intentions like the Stache.

None of these products are bad- in fact, it’s unbelievable how good 11-speed drivetrains of all levels are these days – our SRAM GX/X1 bundle was flawless, and the Level brakes were excellent for general trail riding, although they were untested this time around on particularly long descents.

Bontrager products have always been a favourite at Flow for their efficiency, robustness and understated graphics, and the Bontrager products on the Stache such as the stem, handlebar and saddle were no different.

Two parts we weren’t fussed on however were the push-on grips, which we would change to a set of lock-ons immediately, and the non-dropper seatpost.

The Stache is pleading like a child at a candy store for a dropper. If there were ever a bike that would truly benefit from a dropper, it would be the Stache. Further to this, the rigid seatpost doesn’t actually move that far within the frame, as the seat tube is flattened and curved to accommodate the 29+ wheels, so dropping the seat at the top of a descent still doesn’t get the seat as low as you would with a dropper.

Okay, so what about the model above, or below in the range?

We believe this is a situation where the model below, or above are worthy of consideration for potential buyers.

The Stache 5  retails for $2399, and features the same frame, wheels and tyres as the 7. Regarding the drivetrain, it’s a 1×10 system, however, the 11-36 spread isn’t too bad regarding range. The another significant downgrade is going from the Manitou Magnum with 34mm stanchions to the Manitou Machete with thinner 32mm stanchions.

While these are downgrades, in the fork department plus bikes tend to mask inefficiencies in dampening, as the small bump sensitivity from the tyres allows the rider to run more pressure if the fork is very linear. This was the case with the Manitou Magnum. Despite feeling linear in comparison to a comparable Fox or RockShox product, the Magnum performed well on the Stache, as we ran it slightly firmer and faster than we would on a regular bike, allowing the tyres to give small bump sensitivity, and saving the travel for bigger hits.

For the $900 saving the Stache 5 offers, and the fact that the $2399 price point is somewhere where the Stache competes with entry level dual suspension bikes that perhaps come with entry-level suspension components, the 3” tyres would potentially work more efficiently at dampening the terrain, as well as giving the rider more traction and control.

Another option we would consider is spending $1200 more and purchasing the Stache 9.6 . The Stache 9.6 comes with all the upgrades we wanted! A dropper post for starters, as well as a RockShox Yari fork, and a gorgeous carbon frame. We featured the Stache 9.6 in our Trek World wrap up from earlier this year, so go and have a look!

Is the Stache an alternative to a $3000 duallie?

The concept around this bike and the way it behaves on the trail is remarkable. Consider this: you’re coming hot into a corner, tagging the inside a bit more than you should be. Where you would normally be about to lose the rear (and possibly the front too) and you get pretty ragged, with the Stache you keep those feet up, pull as tight as you want, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to stay glued to the ground.

Here’s another one: it’s been a long day out on the bike, and you’re coming up the final loose, rock-strewn climb. You want to get out of the saddle and power those last few pedal strokes, but you’re losing traction. You end up admitting defeat, hopping off and walking the rest of the hill. Aboard the Stache, unless you’re putting out the horsepower of Nino Schurter, those tyres are staying right where you want them, in or out of the saddle.

So is this bike better than a $3000 duallie? It’s hard to say because it’s just so god damn different!

Alright, let’s cut to the chase, who is this bike for?

The Stache is for a rider who appreciates traction, braking control and simplicity. You’re unlikely to get record times on your local XC loop, but the Stache can tackle much, much more than the humble hardtail of yesteryear, and you’ll amaze your mates with the new line options it opens up.

The Stache reminded us that sometimes riding isn’t about who has the most dialled, out and out speed machine, that sometimes popping a manual or a wheelie, or taking a silly line through a corner is what brings the biggest grins.

As Travis Brown told us when we were asking him how the bike rode, until you ride a Stache, you just simply won’t understand what these quirky little things are all about!

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​ www.trekbikes.com

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Trek Stache 5 review

An unconventional 29er for the trails

Russell Burton

Guy Kesteven

Amazing small bump, rough surface rolling speed and crazy traction from the rubber dinghy sized tyres. Surprisingly agile handling and no suspension set-up, maintenance or extra weight to worry about

Expensive frame, rolling stock and carbon fork mean average, not advantageous, components. Once bigger blows start it bouncing it’s hard to stop and it’s as pressure sensitive and as likely to puncture as other plus bikes

When it came to supplying a bike for testing, the Trek demo cupboard was almost bare apart from the uniquely freaky Stache 5. We’d heard consistently great things about this monster wheel machine all year though, so we were keen to find out if this radical head turner was a genuine opinion changer on the trail.

• Trek Stache 9 - long-term review
• Highlights from the 2017 Trek mountain bike range
• Best 29er trail bikes

It’s immediately obvious that the Stache 5 is far from conventional, even in today’s broad reaching MTB landscape. 3in wide Bontrager Chupacabra 29er plus tyres sit on windowed, 50mm wide Mulefüt rims. The result is a similar ground smoothing low pressure footprint to a 27.5in plus-tyre, but amplified in terms of bump shrinking speed sustained by the shallower contact angle of the 29in diameter.

Trek has managed to keep the Stache 5 feeling genuinely agile in terms of steering

Once you’ve got these rubber dinghies rotating, the smoothing effect on rolling, rocky or rooty trails is genuinely amazing. You’ll only miss not having any suspension when you start hitting bigger blocks and drops and the tyres start bottoming out and bouncing. As long as you get the tyre pressure right they’ve got the same traction levels as a slug on a wet window too.

By using a radical curved tube, asymmetric raised chainstay frame, Trek has managed to keep the Stache 5 feeling genuinely agile in terms of steering. The carbon rigid fork keeps weight down to an effervescent 12.18kg that’s easy to pop and hop over potential trouble and amplifies its feeling of float even further.

With the frame-only option costing £700, single ring component spec is okay rather than outstanding. It’s equally tyre pressure dependent and potentially puncture prone as other plus rides too, although the ‘Stranglehold’ dropouts make it compatible with conventional 29er or 27.5in plus wheels too.

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• Rider Notes

2016 Trek Stache 7

A 29″ aluminum frame crosscountry bike with high-end components. Compare the full range

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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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Do you have this bike? Help other riders make a decision about which size will work for them by sharing your own size and fit notes. Report your fit

Aug 2017 · Barney Marsh

Trek has committed hard to the 29+ wheelsize with the Stache 9.8 - a carbon fibre trail hardtail built around 29x3.0in tyres and a 120mm travel fork

Read Review

Jul 2017 · Cass Gilbert

We take a look at Zach Shriver's Trek Stache bikepacking rig, and hear about exactly what he carried on the Colorado Trail.

While it's clear the Stache wasn't designed for the nastiest, steepest terrain, for trails where it shines it lights up like a near-sighted goalie...

Trek has doubled down on its plus-size hardtail for 2017 with the Trek Stache 9.8.

Mar 2017 · Christoph Bayer

The Trek Stache 9.8 doesn't fit into established categories. With its huge 29" plus size wheels it attracts all the attention, but how does it ride?

As we’ve learned over the past few weeks, however, first impressions aren’t everything, but we certainly have done a lot of laughing whilst riding this thing, it’s a whole lot of fun! Ahead of our review, here is a little preview of this very unique bike. Oh, and does anyone know what a Chupacabra actually …

Huge amounts of traction from the 29+ tyres.

Stranglehold dropout allows for 29+, 29" or 27.5+ wheels.

Geometry is fun and lively.

Manitou fork axle is very fiddly.

No dropper post.

Call it what you want — tweeners, plus size, midfat, skinny fat — plus size bikes are here and the industry is latching on, for better or for worse. By mid-summer 2016, you can expect to see a 27.5+ bike in the wheelhouse of every major bike brand. However, 29.5+ is far less common, with Trek Bikes being one of the only major brands to adopt these extra tall, extra wide crawlers.

Nov 2015 · Danny Milner

First they got bigger, now they’re getting wider — who says you can’t reinvent the wheel? The new Trek Stache 9 29+ hardtail rolls on 3in rubber

Makes you grin like an idiot every ride

Tyres get destroyed in rocky terrain and it's bloody expensive

Last updated June 29 Not listed for 2,477 days

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Six-Month Review: Trek Stache 9.8

This is the world’s best hardtail mountain bike—hands down

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

What We Like: The only complaint we had with last year’s alloy Stache 9 was its weight. But now Trek has gone to a carbon frame and wheels and lopped off almost 2.5 pounds. Plus there’s added compliance.

What We Don’t: The low-profile Chupacabra tires roll fast but don’t have enough bite to keep up with the bike. And while the drivetrain is fine for what it is, a 1×12 with a 50-tooth granny would make it even better.

The Verdict: Anyone who complains that 29+ is too big and unwieldy has never ridden the Stache 9.8 . It’s a hardtail for the big-hit, high-speed, no-limits crew. I stand by my prediction that this bike will eventually make standard hardtails obsolete. And after another half-year on the upgrade, it’s clear that the Stache stacks up to many full-suspension rides as well. In short, it’s big fun.

In case you’re still stymied by the nomenclature, 29+ puts three-inch-wide tires on 29-inch rims. Though there’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. Thanks to all that circumference, the wheels roll over objects with ease. The tires also have the largest contact patch of anything short of a full fatty. 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. The Stache, with its big wheels, is a dirt-gripping, rock-shredding, fast-rolling hardtail machine with few peers.

Trek kept the geometry from last year’s alloy Stache and upgraded to carbon. 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 brands’ gawky renditions. The arrangement means that the Stache can’t accept a front derailleur, but that’s less of an issue here, since the low overall weight means 11 or 12 gears is plenty. And though the Stache is a hardtail, the combination of big wheels, slack head-tube angle (68.4 degrees), and 120-millimeter fork makes for a bike that’s ready for the most raucous trails.

The Components

At $4,700, this bike is not cheap, but all the bits and pieces are high-quality, including SRAM Guide RS brakes, a SRAM X1 drivetrain, and a 120-millimeter RockShox Pike fork. For an ultimate build, we’d probably lean toward 1×12 gearing, with a 50-tooth ring to ease the sting on steeps. 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. That said, the stock fork is plenty and more versatile.

Trek gets a special shout-out for its increasingly broad and sophisticated line of Bontrager components. The carbon Line Pro 40 wheels are what transform 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. The Stache is available in complete builds down to $2,100 and as a stand-alone frameset for $1,580. One smart option for those on a budget might be to buy a cheaper overall build, then upgrade to the Line Pro wheels, which retail for $1,200.

All the other Line Pro bits (stem, bars, grips) are nice, too, but the new Drop Line dropper seatpost is the standout. The action is smooth, and the head seems to avoid the loosening and side-to-side play so common with other brands.

Everyone likes to refer to 29+ bikes as the monster trucks of the mountain world, but the Stache doesn’t ride big or awkwardly. 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 you’re in the frame and not on top of it. Likewise, thanks to that tight rear end, accelerations are quick and immediate, and handling is surprisingly deft. Even on the sharpest switchbacks, I never felt too long or gawky to clear corners. There’s none of the pedal-strike issues you get with 27.5+, either.

As with all plus-size bikes, you do feel some extra heft in the wheels relative to a standard 29er or 27.5er. But in this case, it’s less about the weight (the full setup is about 70 grams per wheel heavier than comparable high-end 29ers we weighed) than the rolling resistance. Basically, you forgo a bit of efficiency for more traction. Which is to say that the Stache will never keep up with a flat-out race bike—but it’s not trying to be a XC machine. Rather, it’s a fun-hog that can go plenty fast.

Other than fitness racing, there’s basically nothing this bike can’t do. Freerider Cam McCaul proved it . The tires’ huge contact patch and the oversize, inertia-busting wheels combine to create a bike that holds speed and traction. Here in the desert Southwest, where the trails are loose and scrabbly, we were amazed at how hard we could push into turns and down drops without the bike ever letting go. It’s true that the Chupacabra tires are a bit underbuilt for truly rough and rocky terrain, but once we switched to meatier tread (Maxxis Rekon+), the Stache was virtually unstoppable. (We’ve also heard rumors that Trek is working on a burlier plus-size tread.) With the bigger rubber, we blasted down choppy chutes, smashed off head-high drops, and kept pace with every full-suspension trail bike in the test.

The Competition

Lots of brands have gotten into the plus-size hardtail market in the past year or two, though most have gone the easier route of 27.5+. Bikes in this category, like the Specialized Fuse and Jamis Dragonslayer , are great—with three-inch rubber adding confidence and comfort over skinnier-tired hardtails—but they can’t compete with the extra girth of 29+.

Before the whole 27.5+ craze, a few brands were making dedicated 29+ mountain bikes. The one that started it all, the Surly Krampus , as well as its offshoot, the E.C.R ., remain exceptional, affordable options, if a little dated by current standards. The Jones+  has proved to be an excellent touring and bikepacking machine, though the boutique price tag may deter some. Meanwhile, the Niner ROS 9+ and the Salsa Woodsmoke are probably the bikes most comparable to the Stache. Both are excellent and well worth a look. But Trek has invested a lot into the Stache, and I believe that the bike’s refinement and pricing options make it the most capable in its class—and perhaps one of the most proficient on the entire market.

Bottom Line

A couple of years ago, I was an hour from the end of the Leadville 100 when a guy with a barrel chest who probably outweighed me by 80 pounds passed me like I was standing still. At the finish he was chugging two beers, one of which he graciously set down to go fetch another for me. That guy is pretty much the incarnation of the Stache. It’s a big, brawny, fun-loving bike with speed and agility that belie its stature. It’s not for everyone. But you’d be hard-pressed to find a more entertaining trail bike.

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