When it came to choosing a suitable bike for the impending Absa Cape Epic (just 16 days away at the time of writing) I first looked at photos and video footage of previous events and chatted to several riders who took part last year, to get an idea of what type of bike I should ride. I came to the conclusion that an uber light short-travel full-susser was the way forward.
So, a shortlist of desirable bikes was quickly drawn up. Carbon seemed more than a luxury in the pursuit of lightness, 100mm travel both ends seemed enough (hardtails were soon thrown off the list in the pursuit of comfort) and a smattering of weight saving components the icing on the cake.
After mulling over the many options, my gaze became fixed upon Trek’s Top Fuel. Phone calls were made. Emails bounced back and forth. And last Friday, a visit to Trek at their UK headquarters in Milton Keynes resulted in the acquisition of a very shiny Top Fuel 9.9 SSL. Talk about hitting the jackpot.
What makes the Top Fuel suitable for the Cape Epic, you might well ask? Quite a lot, it has to be said. Introduced in 2009, this second-generation Top Fuel is radical to look at. Trek’s OCLV process is put to good use to create a frame weighing just 2027g (4.47lb). Weight has been saved across the frame by using carbon manufacturing processes seen on its road cousin the Madone, with net-moulded headtube and 90mm wide bottom bracket doing away with the usual aluminium inserts seen on carbon frames.
All that means, with the race-day ready package the 9.9 SSL is built up with, a sub-22lb complete weight. That’s impressive given the off-the-shelf build, but lighter is are possible. We hear that Lance Armstrong’s Top Fuel weighed just 19lbs when he raced the Leadville 100!
The back-end features all of the current Trek gizmos; ABP dropout, Full Floater design, one-piece magnesium EVO link, oversized bearings, replaceable derailleur hanger and a Fox RP23 shock driven from both ends. Travel is bang on 100mm and is paired with a Fox 32 fork up front, with a nifty handlebar mounted remote lockout lever. And there’s the huge diameter down tube for stiffness and an eyebrow-raising extended ‘No-Cut’ seatmast that almost appears to float off the back of the front triangle. There’s a lot to like.
Hanging off the frame is a package any racer would be drooling over. There’s SRAM XX and Bontrager XXX Lite wheels with tubeless ready carbon rims and a finishing kit that picks the very nicest parts from the Bontrager stable. The only departure is a Race Face Next SL low-riser handlebar.
Now I’ve got the bike, there really is no turning back; the challenge of the event is starting to sink in. More than anything however, I can’t wait to get out there and race this bike. It looks fast standing still, and should hopefully be a real blast to race on. I’ll be making a few changes to the setup and position, and will report back with a first ride soon.
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