Trek Remedy 9

Trek’s ‘technical trail’ (all-mountain by any other name) Remedy has been out for about four years now, and has undergone a gradual process of evolution over that time. For 2012 it sees probably the biggest change to date, with plenty of tweaks to the frame and geometry, as well as a new fork designed in collaboration with Fox. The previous Remedy garnered almost universal praise, so you’d expect Trek to be cautious about messing with such a proven recipe. No need to worry; whatever mountain biking illness afflicts you, the 2012 Remedy will almost certainly cure it!

For 2012 Trek will only be bringing three versions of the Remedy into Australia; the carbon-fibre framed Remedy 9.8, kitted with Shimano XT brakes and drivetrain plus an XTR Shadow Plus rear mech (and topped off with a Rockshox Reverb Stealth seatpost) at $5,999; our $4,299 aluminium Remedy 9, which loses the dropper post but is otherwise mostly the same in regards to the component spec; and the $3,299 Remedy 8, which drops theFITcartridge on the fork, has a simpler RP2 rear shock, and runs a predominantly SLX drivetrain with heavier wheels and a 135x5mm rear axle. The geometry and frame features are shared across the range, so you’d expect a lot of similarities in performance traits between the three. These prices clearly show that Trek is working to make their pricing competitive with the other major brands inAustralia. Our 18.5-inch test bike weighed 12.9kg without pedals, with a frame and shock weight of 2,960g; not bad at all for a full alloy bike with 150mm of travel at both ends.

Shape of Springs to Come

Trek’s Dual Rate Control Valve (DRCV) rear shock is not new, and has featured widely across their previous Fuel EX and Remedy ranges. For those who haven’t come across it yet, this slightly odd-looking shock has a smaller secondary air chamber which sits atop the main air can; at around 30% travel an internal pushrod opens this extra air chamber to increase the shock’s air volume. The underlying theory is sound, and simple; the initially small air chamber keeps the bike from feeling mushy and provides more sprightly pedalling performance, but when you go deeper into the travel the larger air volume provided by the additional chamber makes the suspension more linear and plush. The transition between these two modes is utterly seamless, and the shock works exactly as claimed; pedalling is generally taut and controlled, and yet you’ll still use full travel on big hits without smacking the bottom-out bumper.

Whilst the Remedy 8 uses the familiar Fox RP2 with DRCV, the Remedy 9 and 9.8 get a DRCV-equipped RP3 shock; that’s not a typo, but another very neat feature from Trek and Fox. It uses a three-position Pro Pedal lever, with the three positions corresponding to a fully-open damper setting for descending, a light Pro Pedal setting for general riding and technical climbs, and a firm Pro Pedal setting for long, smooth sections of trail and fire roads. Apparently some of the Trek riders have been asking Fox for this configuration for some years now, and it’s great that they’ve finally listened; it’s far easier to flick this three-position switch on the fly than it is to fiddle with the dial on an RP23 shock. Interestingly, Fox used to employ this three-position configuration in their top end aftermarket shocks before they decided that the RP23 format was the way to go. I found it very easy to use and very effective; love it, love it, love it!

But the bouncy fun doesn’t stop there, oh no! For 2012 the entire Remedy family gets DRCV technology in the fork as well, which solves the problem inherent in most air-sprung Fox forks; excessive end-stroke progression. In the past if you ran your fork firm enough to stop it diving under brakes it’d never use full travel, but if you ran it soft enough to use all the travel it’d dive like a startled penguin and bob like a crazed pecking chicken. It’s no surprise that the DRCV technology that works so well on the rear shock also performs on the fork, although it did seem to take a little longer to break in than a standard fork, and on our test bike felt ever so slightly less supple. That being said, it regularly gave up full travel, didn’t bottom out harshly and was composed under pedalling and braking loads. The second air chamber is cleverly hidden inside the stanchion, so there’s no external visual strangeness to give away the more complex internals of the fork, either. It’s gratifying to see bike and suspension manufacturers working together to push the development of new ideas, which can surely only be beneficial to us as riders.

The frame for the 2012 Remedy range gets a thorough re-work as well, from the head tube all the way to the rear dropouts. Over the last year or so we’ve seen top tubes on 150mm bikes getting longer and longer; the Remedy’s hasn’t stretched as far as some other brands, so whilst it’s comfortably long, the riding position is slightly more upright and keeps your body weight centred; this helps to make the bike feel more nimble and ‘flickable’.

Variable & Versatile

In stock form, the head angle has been slackened to a very stable 67-degrees, however Trek have also added their geometry adjusting ‘Mino Links’ to the seat stay/rocker link junction. With a 5mm allen key and about two spare minutes, you can raise the bottom bracket by 6mm and steepen the head angle to 67.5-degrees should you prefer a slightly faster steering ride or a shade more pedal clearance. Trek isn’t the only company to utilise this type of system, but it’s very easy to use and has virtually no weight or stiffness penalty, so why wouldn’t they offer riders the ability to fine-tune their Remedy’s geometry to their own personal tastes? Taking ‘customisation’ a step further there are three middle sizes (17.5, 18.5, and 19.5-inch) in the five size range, so average height riders are better able to pick exactly the right size rather than being stuck in-between; sorry to those who are either particularly short or tall.

The 2012 Remedy has stiffness in spades, helped no doubt by some very wide tube junctions in the front triangle, asymmetric chainstays, a serious cross brace at the seat stays (which still leaves masses of tyre clearance), and Trek’s Active Braking Pivot (ABP) concentric pivot rear end. One of the other inherent advantages of theABPdesign is that the two sides of the rear triangle are ‘tied’ very tightly together at the pivot location, so lateral flex is virtually eradicated. Even in the 135x5mm version ofABP(as used on the cheaper Remedy 8), the stiffness is noticeably better than most open dropout designs. However the Remedy 9 and 9.8 come with the 142x12mm version ofABP, so you’d probably have more luck finding a Thylacine than finding flex at the Remedy’s rear axle. You can also buy a conversion kit to swap between the 135x5mm and 142x12mm versions ofABPshould you have other wheelsets that aren’t compatible—thanks, but we’ll stick to the 12mm version if that’s okay.

As the name suggests, the specific layout of the rear linkage also allows the suspension to feel neutral under brakes, allowing you to ride hotter into turns and throw out the anchors later, confident that you won’t be skipping over the bumps like little red riding hood on the way to grandma’s. Whilst it’s true that most modern dual suspension bikes behave relatively well under brakes, the Remedy does at least live up to its acronym.

One of the things earlier model Remedy owners requested was tabs to fit a 1X or 2X chain guide, and for 2012 their wishes have been answered, with all models in the range equipped with ISCG-05 mounts. The front derailleur cable is routed internally, although the other cables are external with full length outer casing. There is also provision to run the Reverb Stealth seatpost on all Remedy models with the cable running along the down tube and entering the seat tube at the back, just above the bottom bracket. This means no more daggy loops of cable hanging down, scrubbing on the frame or rear tyre when you drop the seat height. However, removing the seatpost will be a right pain in the butt should you need to do so for cleaning or transport.

The overall spec on the Remedy 9 is very well chosen; the Shimano XT drivetrain and brakes worked flawlessly throughout our two-month test period, despite a few rides where a dinghy and oars may have been more appropriate than a bike. The XTR Shadow Plus derailleur with its rattle-stopping clutch mechanism really does quieten chain slap substantially, and quiet bikes always feel smoother and faster. Some riders may question the use of a 3x10 drivetrain, but you can always replace the outer ring with a bashguard should you desire, and the Remedy’s relatively low weight may well see it covering some serious distance as a general trail bike. The Bontrager cockpit components are all completely serviceable items and appropriately sized, although the grips are a bit thin and hard. Saddles are always a personal preference, but the Evoke saddle is available in a range of widths to suit different bodies, so if you’re getting a Remedy ask your Trek dealer to fit you for the correct size before you pass judgement.

Time for a bit of a moan; the rhythm wheels are badged as ‘tubeless ready’, but the rim strips required to seal them for tubeless operation have to be purchased separately, so in fact they’re no more tubeless ready than any other wheelset on the market, and less-so than some. The newly designed XR4 tyres have plenty of volume and they grip well as long as you drive them into corners, but they’re also not the tubeless ready version, so if you want to ditch the tubes you’re up for new tyres as well as the rim strips. Bit of a shame, really, to have sorted the details in so many other areas, but overlooked them at the crucial point where the bike and ground come together. It’s also a shame that there isn’t an ‘upgrade option’ for the Reverb seatpost on the Remedy 8 and 9, as unleashing the full potential of any Remedy model will be difficult with a saddle all up in your business.

Go Sick on the Remedy

On the trail, the RP3 shock works exactly as intended; stiff and efficient in the firm setting, supple, smooth and bob-free (at least when in the saddle) in the middle setting; and plush, plush, plush when fully open. In fact if you’re not a switch-flicker you could leave the shock in the middle or open position and just be done with it; both work very well. Yes, standing on the pedals with the shock fully open will produce a bit of bounce, but that’s the case with virtually any 140-150mm travel bike, and the Remedy is still better than many others. And yes, the light Pro Pedal setting isn’t quite as squishy-soft for descending as the full open position, but it’s far from harsh, and pedalling performance is definitely a little better. Being able to instantly switch between all three modes just makes it that much sweeter.

New suspension blah, new frame blah, new geometry blah blah; none of it means anything if a bike doesn’t make you want to get out and hit trails. The Remedy 9 does just that; it’s a bike that’s simply a blast to ride no matter what the ‘riding’ may entail for you. We’ve come across one or two all-mountain bikes that pedal slightly better with the shock fully open, but when it comes to feeling planted, stable and secure, this bike is up there with, or possibly, the best yet. We’d say it feels glued to the ground, except that would imply that it was somehow slow and unwilling to catch air, and neither of these is the case. If you want to launch, hop, or huck, the Remedy will respond with enthusiasm; at all other times it’ll keep you solidly connected to terra firma. Its ground-hugging descending prowess is equalled by its ability to climb like a goanna; even on some very steep and technical test-pieces it refused to wander or break traction, consistently clawing its way to the top as long as we kept the pedals spinning.

Some bikes feel instantly familiar and comfortable from the first time you swing a leg over; the Remedy is one of them. There’s no settling-in period, but instead you simply climb aboard and raise the bar on what you thought you could ride. All things considered it’s hard to imagine a rider and trail combination where the Remedy wouldn’t be an absolute blast—climbing, descending, cornering, rough, smooth or scary; it’s just plain and simple Fun (note the capitol ‘F’). It’s not a World Cup downhill bike, nor is it a featherweight XC whippet, but it’s got 90% of the capabilities of either of these types of bike, all rolled into one very nice little package. It may not be from a boutique brand, but the Remedy is such a capable bike that turning up at any trailhead with one is still going to have others drooling over your ride, especially if they’ve had the chance to take one for a spin. Looking for a quiver-killingMTBpanacea; go find yourself a Remedy.

Thumbs up

Dialled custom shock designs

All-round trail prowess

Plain fun to ride!

Thumbs down

Ideally a dropper post option would be nice

Tubeless ready wheels just not ‘ready’

Specifications

Frame: Alpha Platinum Aluminium

Shock: Fox Float RP3 DRCV Air (150mm travel)

Fork: Fox 32 FloatFITRLC, w/DRCV and Kashima 150mm

Headset: FSA NO.57E Tapered 1 1/8 – 1 1/2

Handlebars: Bontrager Race Lite low rise, 9-degree/720 mm

Stem: Bontrager Rhythm Pro

Shifters: Shimano XT

Front Derailleur: Shimano XT Direct Mount

Rear Derailleur: Shimano XTR Trail

Cassette: Shimano XT  11/36 10-speed

Chain: Shimano XT

Cranks: Shimano XT 24/32/42

Bottom Bracket: Shimano XT

Pedals: N/A

Brakes: Shimano XT

Wheels: Bontrager Rhythm Elite TLR

Tyres: Bontrager XR4 Team 2.35

Saddle: Bontrager Evoke 2

Seatpost: Bontrager Rhythm Elite ,31.6mm

Weight: 12.9kg without pedals (18.5-inch frame 2,960g)

Available Sizes: 15.5, 17.5, 18.5 (tested), 19.5, 21.5-inch

Price: $4,299

Distributor: Trek Bicycles Australia (02) 6173 2400 / www.trekbikes.com.au