Is fatter faster? Trek hopes so with updated aluminium trail hardtail packing 29x3in tyres

Just when you thought you had gotten your head around the different wheel sizes in mountain biking, along comes the industry with a fatter tyre version just to keep you on your toes. Trek has just unveiled the new Trek Stache 29+ hardtail, an update of its existing trail hardtail with fatter 3in tyres on 29in wheels.

The US company cites increased traction and a larger contact patch size as the key benefit to the 29+ standard. To accommodate the bigger tyre Trek has had to make changes to the frame, the main one being an elevated driveside chainstay to provide the necessary tyre and chainring clearance. Despite this change, Trek has managed to maintain the adjustable chainstay length (405 to 420mm) of the previous Stache frame, using a sliding dropout design. You can ditch the gears and run it singlespeed instead, if you prefer the simple life.

The new Stache is a 2016 model year bike so won’t likely be in the shops for a while yet, but when it does hit the shop floor, it’ll be available in two builds here in the UK, the Stache 7 (£1,900) and Stache 9 (£2,800). The top-end model gets a 110mm Manitou Magnum 34 fork and SRAM X1 groupset.

Both bikes share the same aluminium frame and another new key feature is the Boost 148 rear axle spacing, 148x12mm. It’s combined with a 110x15mm fork up front. The new Boost standard essentially increases the hub spacing and allows for stiffer wheelsets, a bonus on the larger 29in wheel size.

The new Stache frame will also feature E2 tapered head tubes, internal cable and dropper post routing and press-fit 92 bottom brackets. There’ll be five sizes across the range and for the first time Trek will offer a junior version of the Stache.

What Trek says: Stache is an all-new species of 29+ mountain bike performance. The wide 3″ tires grip relentlessly, amplifying all the benefits of 29ers, while remarkably short chainstays deliver a fun, lively ride.

Details:

• 110mm travel and 29+ wheels let you roll over anything
• Shorter chainstays give you a spirited, lively ride
• Boost148/110: wider = stiffer, for unprecedented 29er control
• Stranglehold dropout gives you options: 29+, 27.5″, or 29er

More at www.trekbikes.com