![]() The 30T chainring was also swapped out for a 28T, given the load carried, the distance covered, and Colorado’s unforgiving topography. It features a revised geometry for 2017 with even shorter chainstays than before, thanks to both Boost spacing and its now classic elevated driveside chainstay.The stock bike is built with 29+ tires and a carbon wheelset, but you can also fit 27.5+ and 29er tires the Stranglehold adjustable thru axle allows chainstay length to be adjusted.įor the Colorado Trail, Zach swapped out the Bontrager Drop Line 125 for a rigid carbon one, in the interests of reliability and so a standard seat pack could be used. The 9.8 is Trek’s top level Stache and comes with all the carbon trimmings. It makes a great template for what to carry on the Colorado Trail, a balance that reflects his desire to enjoy its incredible, technical trails to the maximum, while still carrying everything required for a complete, relaxing, backcountry experience. Having recently moved from a full suspension rig to a more bikepacking-friendly hardtail, his choice of bike is a clue to his racing background – a full carbon, lightweight setup – and his considered gearlist is well honed from years of backpacking. His cadence never fluctuates and fitness and his bike handling skills never fail to humble and inspire me – he regularly cleans sections of trails that I didn’t imagine could be ridden, with or without bikepacking gear. When it comes to mountain biking, Zach is a precision instrument. In fact, Zach grew up backpacking with his family since the tender age of three! These days, Zach gravites towards the adventurous side of mountain biking, where he puts his skillset as both an incredibly strong rider and his mountain experience to great use along the way, he also spent a couple of years fighting wildfires with the Hotshots, so is no stranger to minimal camping and spending time in remote areas. Over the years, he’s represented the Rockshox Devo Team and been a member of the US National MTB team, racing internationally. In a former life, Zach was a pro mtb racer based in Durango. If I had a place in my "garage" and time to maintain it, I'd totaly buy the Stache instead of any other 29" HT out there.Jackson-born Zach Shriver is a firefighter who works in Los Alamos, Santa Fe. It's been a true pleasure to test ride it. One of the most fun bikes I have ever ridden. Just remember to put a sub 50mm stem on it, to make it feel more humane. It's a true explorers bike, long mile hauler, and since 29+ tyres are only slightly larger in radius than regular ones, you can easily put regular 29" wheels and tyres and enjoy a cool 29" HT in the summer time. It does suck on gravel corners at speed and in berms but it's not that bad. What else? I could manual it and bunny hop it, it's not much harder to do than on a regular 29er while wheelies are simply EPIC. Then the cushioning gives it a very "noble" way of riding a singletrack, things are smooth but not stupid smooth. Then it allows you to climb stupid sht, at least as long as you keep it rolling, those tyres are fkng heavy and will punish you for stalling. I rode a trail that is barely rideable in the summer on the whole length, where Stache just kept going. It rides well through loads of soft crap, which is especially in the early spring. It allows you to stay in the saddle where even 10k S-Works Anything would tell you to carry it. It has tons of grip but a svelte 29er like Epic would still kick it's arse on a wet climb. ![]() Let's cut the bullcrap it is not faster in any single "ordinary" instance of riding a bike. From Plus sympathetic I went to full on PLUS supporter. I rode the aluminium version of this bike.
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