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05/17/2008
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Riding the 2008 Trek Remedy in Copper Canyon Mexico
I'm happy to have seen the last of 60lb DH bikes. Aside from attaching
said sled to a chain and tossing it over the gunwales, there just
isn't much you can do with a bike like that. Under a particularly girthy
pilot they have their place I suppose but their application is fatally limited.
I get really excited about do it all bikes. It's
nice to have a quiver - fantastic in fact - but when that becomes essential
it's not great for the sport. And that explains why
I'm such a fan of six inch travel bikes. A cross country ride on a sub
35lb/16kg bike with nice light wheels and tires isn't just possible - it can
be a pleasure. Put on some fatter skins and you could ride the same bike
in the Whistler bike park. While not the perfect tool for either application
a versatile bike is second to none in my books - unless you happen to be a
racer. I'll take that back actually because for an event like Megavalanche
and some of the Euro enduro DH races 6" seems to be just the right amount
of travel.
Many in attendance in Creel thought the 8 (above) was the
prettiest Remedy. Photo
~ Sterling Lorence
Now that sixers are maturing some, manufacturers are having to make even
finer distinctions. The Scott Ransom Carbon and the Specialized Enduro
SL are pretty clearly tipped more toward the XC end of the All Mountain spectrum
while the Norco Six for 2008 and the Specialized SX Trail sit closer to
DH. Finding
the right balance involves taking a hard look at your priorities
and the trails you spend the most time on. For some, a little extra weight
and slack angles are worth the climbing penalty while others care more about
tearing their buddy's lungs out. In
their line Norco has split all mountain into three categories: All
Mountain Freeride Lite, All Mountain Long Travel and All Mountain XC. This
may seem like marketing hype but it reflects they way people actually ride
and it will surely help riders figure out which bike is for them.
The 2008 Trek Remedy 7. If that's bottom of the line
I'm all for it. Photo
~ Sterling Lorence
Now that my
affection for 150 mills is confirmed let's have a closer look at
the three Remedy models and examine what they purport to do. For
2008 there will be a Remedy 7, 8 and 9. The Fox 36 Float will only be
found on the 9, while the 8 is sprung by a Rock Shox Lyrik Two Step and the
7 gets a Lyrik Solo Air. See the image below for pricing and other spec
differences. Each Remedy is extremely well appointed and there isn't
a dog in the bunch. The 7 will save you around two grand over the 9 here
in North America but you'll still get a solid component mix. The wheels,
brakes, fork and shifters are the big changes as you go up the line as well
as the cranks between 7 and 8 - and there will be a weight bonus for dropping
that extra cash as well. Isn't
there always?
Even climbing was fun on the Remedy. We
only rode the Remedy 9. Photo
~ Sterling Lorence
There are a few things about the bike I didn't get to mention in my previous
article. One thing I appreciate is the uninterrupted seat tube. Because I am
long of leg and less lengthy of torso I tend to ride a smaller bike than most
people my height. A lengthy protrusion of post results, which means I am either
unable to lower my post or I'm bound to use a telescoping seat post on designs
that are interrupted. On the Remedy I had no trouble on either saddle extreme
with a conventional post - keeping things simple and saving some weight.
The Evo link is the heart of the new Remedy. While
slightly lighter than last year's two-piece rocker, Trek says the EVO
rocker, forged as one piece of Magnesium, is 50% stiffer than the previous
version. Photo ~ Sterling Lorence
Trek's Remedy reflects the company's
heritage and the bike leans more toward a climbing than descending
priority for this category of bike. This is also reflected in
the spec of the bikes and each of the three models are air sprung front and
rear. This
doesn't mean the bike won't be a competent descender and with any bike in this
category changing rubber could make a significant
difference. After I had been home long enough to do a few rides on bikes
I'm familiar with I began to realize that the Remedy is a bike that climbs
extremely well - even with the Fox ProPedal feature left wide open full time. Once
we get our mitts on one here on the North Shore we'll be able to give you a
much better idea of how the Remedy responds to the abundant local downhill
challenges. I've
heard one will be coming our way in January.
An exploded view of the ABP pivot mechanism.
I liked the geometry of the Remedy for the most part but some of the Euros thought
it was too long and that the bb was too high. I do think that this bike would
be a great candidate for at least two shock positions. Apparently the Remedy
has a 350mm BB height. I didn't bring along a tape measure (I bet Richard Cunningham
did) but it felt higher than that to me and in certain situations a lower, slacker
Remedy would just the ticket. While I'm no engineer it looks to me like it
could be done without throwing out the current design. A second shock position
allowing for a slacker head angle and lower bb would open the door for a fourth
spec option - let's call it the Shore package just for fun. I would replace
the Fox 36 Float RC2for the coil-sprung Fox 36 Van RC2. The weight difference
is 200 grams and to me the plushness and the consistent feedback a coil gives
you makes it worth skipping that extra piece of pizza so you can drop 200
grams off your own frame. Apparently the higher volume Fox DHX Air shock
will fit the Remedy. Again you'll sacrifice some grams but I bet you'll be faster
on the way down. Bontragers Big Earl 2.5 in the folding version? At under
800 grams they won't bog you down but they can take a hit as well. Besides wider
bars the rest of the spec would work just as well for a more aggressive application.
Maybe we'll see something like this in 2009.
Can you see a pivot? ABP looks nice and tidy but it
does protrude slightly more than a standard QR/dropout interface. The
bonus is that it provides better protection for your rear derailleur. Photo
~ Sterling Lorence
Dave Weagle's Split Pivot and Trek's ABP
There has been some controversy around Trek's ABP design. It works the same way
as Dave Weagle's patent pending Split
Pivot design. There are some veiled suggestions of improprieties on
both sides of this debate but I'll try to keep this to what I know. The facts
are that Dave met with Trek and he showed them his design - likely with the idea
that Trek would license it the way Ironhorse and others license
the DW link design. Trek says they already had working prototypes of their ABP
design when they spoke to Dave about Split Pivot. Dave
says Trek presented an offer to purchase the Split Pivot design but the two companies
were unable to come to an agreement. Both are now pressing forward with their
patents and for the most part taking the high road on the issue which is nice
to see. There is enough mud slinging in this world already. It'll be interesting
to see how this all plays out.
The light fading in the Valley of the Monks. Photo
~ Sterling Lorence
Overall I really enjoyed my riding time on the Remedy - and after every ride
I grew more attached. It was the perfect tool for the job in Copper Canyon. The
hydroformed tubeset and smooth lines also make it extremely easy on the eyes. Trek's
innovations in this bike, ABP, the E2 fork interface, Full Floater and the EVO
link all do their jobs admirably and contribute to a bike I began to enjoy more
and more. The
next time you hear from me about the Remedy I will have swapped out the bars
and the rubber and it'll have some Fromme laps chalked up.
Trek isn't shy about what ABP is supposed to do. Here's
the way Trek describes the degrees of movement of the Remedy, the Enduro
and the Nomad when compressed during a brake application. While I have
no reason to dispute these numbers they were provided by Trek and not measured
by us or a neutral third party.
I can't remember when there was this much excitement about a new design from
Trek. The new Session, a DH and freeride application that will also incorporate
ABP and Full Floater technology may just eclipse the Remedy buzz. As
soon as we know we'll give you the word.
What do you think about the Remedy now? Honour
us with your contribution here.
In Canada the pricing for the 2008 Trek
Remedy will be; Remedy 7 $3099.99 Remedy 8 $3999.99 Remedy
9 $5099.99 and frame only comes in at $1999.99.
It seems like our surging dollar has finally made a dent in bike pricing. Hurray!
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