Trek Mountain Bike Technology

Trek’s mountain bike line is filled with technological features to help you go fast and stay in control and comfort out on the trail. Understanding the different technology options and understanding how they change your ride while out on the trails is an important step when purchasing a mountain bike.

ABP – Active Braking Pivot

ABP or Active Braking Pivot technology is found on all of Trek’s full suspension mountain bikes. For years, full suspension bikes have been hindered by braking forces affecting the suspension. When the brakes are engaged, the suspension stiffens and the bike often loses traction. ABP is Trek’s way around this problem and uses a specific rear pivot placement that separates the rear brake calliper from the frame and suspension. Out on the trail this means your suspension keeps working while you brake, which creates a more controlled ride.

RE:activ

Trek works in close collaboration with automotive suspension company Penske to create the RE:activ suspension damping system. Designed based on technology from Formula 1, the RE:activ system is tuned to provide ‘regressive damping’, which creates a stiff and stable pedalling platform while still allowing a reactive suspension system when the trail gets rough.

Full Floater

Trek’s Full Floater suspension system is found on all Trek’s full suspension mountain bikes and is designed to create a ‘floating’ rear suspension. Using two suspended pivots, the Full Floater equipped rear suspension is suspended, which greatly improves pedalling efficiency and gives you the impression of a bottomless feeling to your suspension.

IsoSpeed

The IsoSpeed system has been developed and refined by Trek to provide their endurance road and mountain bike hardtails with a more compliant rear end. Utilising a pivot system that ‘decouples’ the seat tube from the top tube, the IsoSpeed system allows the seat tube to ‘flex’ with the road or trail bumps. Increasing compliance and comfort while still maintaining the stiffness of a traditional hardtail. The IsoSpeed system is found on the Procaliber range of hardtails.

Popular Mountain Bike Models

Trek offers a deep range of mountain bikes, from the entry-level Marlin hardtail through to World Championship winning replica models. Looking to the premium options, there are typically both aluminium and carbon-fibre framed options. This are designated by the numbers, with single-digit numbers meaning an aluminium frame (e.g: Trek Fuel EX 9), and double digit numbers with a decimal place separating them referring to the carbon-fibre versions (e.g: Trek Fuel EX 9.8).

Cross country

• Top Fuel dual suspension, Procaliber and Superfly hardtails

• Typically has 90–100mm of suspension travel

• Wheel size – 29er (27.5 in the small sizes)

• Suited to XC/marathon racing and trails

Trail

• Fuel EX and Remedy dual suspension, Stache hardtail

• Typically has 120–150mm of suspension travel

• Wheel size – 650B/27.5in and 29er

• Suited to trail riding with technical trails, jumps/drops and rocks, uphill climbing

Enduro

• Slash and Remedy dual suspension

• Typically has 150–170mm of suspension travel

• Wheel size – 650B/27.5in and 29er

• Suited to enduro racing and all-mountain riding with technical trails, large jumps/drops and rocks, some uphill climbing

Downhill

• Session – 9.9 and 8.8

• Typically has 200mm of suspension travel

• Wheel size – 650B/27.5in

• Suited to downhill specific trails with very large jumps/drops and rocks, no uphill climbing