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Today’s Deals2023 Trek
Top Fuel AL Frameset
A 29″ aluminum frame full suspension trail frameset.
Manufacturer Price
$2,399| Weight | 8.2 lbs (frame) |
|---|---|
| Frame | Aluminum |
| Suspension | Full, 120mm rear |
| Shock | Fox Float DPS Performance |
| Wheels | 29″ |
Dec 2024 · Mike Kazimer
We tested almost every single configuration of the new Top Fuel to figure out which one works the best.
Great mix of pedaling and descending capabilities
Wide range of effective adjustments
Clean looking frame with all the modern amenities
Not as light as you'd expect considering the price
Underpowered brakes
Nov 2024 · Spencer Astra
We’re getting deeper into autumn in the Pacific Northwest. This shift leads to slick trails and cooler temperatures. The new Trek Top Fuel seems to be the perfect companion to scoot around the mountain and dodge puddles. This bike immediately caught my attention, delivering an unexpectedly fun and efficient experience in a sleek, trail-friendly package. With a lightweight, carbon frame and components tuned for speed and control, the Top Fuel has quickly become a bike I look forward to riding.
Oct 2024
3 months aboard the 9.8 GX AXS version of Trek's XC-plus, trail-lite, most of the bell curve-targeted Top Fuel
Excellent pedaling and climbing efficiency
Cohesive and balanced design
Quiet and composed ride
Great handling and stability at speed
High-quality frame and fit/finish
Adjustable geometry via flip-chip
Saddle (Trek Verse Comp) uncomfortable for reviewer
Dropper post (Bontrager Line) had fore/aft play
Brakes (SRAM Level Bronze) lacked bite on long descents
Integrated bar/stem (RSL) stiff, causing hand fatigue
Heavy wheelset (~2000g) on a $7000 carbon bike
Overall bike weight ~30lbs
Oct 2024 · Jeff Barber
The Trek Top Fuel is a short-travel mountain bike that tries to do a lot of things, though I found it's really an XC bike at heart.
Efficient pedaling, as long as the climbing is shock set to firm
A joy on descents
Bontrager components are surprisingly solid
Not as comfortable or playful as other downcountry bikes
Fit might be tricky for some riders
Can’t get away with leaving the shock open for the whole ride
Aug 2024 · Guy Kesteven
Testing Trek's new alloy Top Fuel at one of the UK's toughest enduro races showed that awesome control and all-round balance can trump high cost and weight. Even more potential is hiding with just a simple tweak too
Excellent keen yet confident handling balance
Significantly lighter frame with more user friendly details
Suspension goes from great to exceptional with some simple shock surgery
Solid spec underlines increased tough trail performance
Trek have a great customer service and MTB advocacy/payback reputation
Heavier and more expensive than some carbon competitors
Short on rear travel as supplied
Fork is outclassed if you extend rear travel
Brakes are adequate at best
Jul 2024 · Jordan Villella
The Trek Top Fuel has seen a fair amount of change over the years, from race-only XC, to fun fast trail monster meet the Trek Top Fuel Gen 4
Jul 2023 · Alan Muldoon
Think Top Fuel, and the image of a XC race bike instantly springs to mind. But like a faded polaroid tucked into the corner for a dusty picture frame, it’s not an accurate representation of the current design. With the Fuel EX increasing in travel, the Top Fuel has been swept along in its backdraft and seen in high definition, it’s now a capable 29er trail bike with modern sizing and 120mm travel. Trek offers the new Top Fuel in carbon and alloy options, where the Top Fuel 8 tested here is the high-end alloy build. Regardless of frame material all Top Fuels come with integrated downtube storage. And while the quick release hatch under the bottle cage isn’t big enough to cram a three course lunch into the frame, there’s enough space for a tube, multi-tool, a few snacks and a lightweight jacket. Frame Trek always offers a comprehensive size range; and with frame options from S to XXL, with a tweener M/L option too, the Top Fuel 8 is no exception. It also has geometry adjustment, but rather than having Trek’s signature Mino Link on the seat stay pivot, the Top Fuel has a flip chip at the lower shock mount. In the low setting this gives a relatively tall 340mm BB height for a 120mm bike, which is probably the only carryover from its race-bike roots – designed to let you keep the cranks spinning, and the speed high at all times. Best down-country mountain-bike: short travel full-suspension The rest of the Top Fuel’s vital stats are on the money though, where a slack 65.6º head angle and steep 77.2º effective seat tube angle make it easy to hammer up the climbs and shred the descents. It’s built solid too, the complete bike tipping the scales at 14.89kg. It also comes with a combined rider and bike weight limit of 136kg (300lb) so it’s clearly no wet noodle. Yes, it’s not the lightest for a 120mm bike, and not far off what you’d expect for a 150mm bike, but that’s the price you pay for integrated storage, as the alloy down tube needs reinforcing when you cut a hole in it. Thankfully, the Top Fuel 8 rides light, as there’s less travel to pull through to get the bike off the ground, so it offers a different ride experience to modern long-travel trail bikes which tend to have one eye on enduro racing. Suspension There are no sag gradients on the 130mm travel RockShox Pike fork, which we assume is down to cost saving, but set-up is still really straightforward with a tape measure to hand. And while the Pike has a reputation for having a sporty, firmer tune, the basic RC version on the Trek felt smooth and composed in all situations. Yes, the RC damper has a very wide range of rebound adjustment, but there’s only a small range that’s actually usable, but it is enough to get the rebound just so; and that’s all …Continue reading »
Poppy, playful and efficient. Available in six frame sizes. Internal down tube storage. Mino Link flip chip allows geometry tweaks.
Needs a 180mm rear rotor. Accurate rear shock set up is crucial. A solid build so not the lightest in its class.
| Frame | Aluminum frame Tire Clearance: 2.5" Color: Mulsanne Blue |
|---|---|
| Shock | Fox Performance Float DPS, 3-position damper, 185mm x 50mm Travel: 120mm |
| Headset | Knock Block 2.0 Integrated, 72-degree radius (includes infinite-radius chip), sealed cartridge bearing, 1-1/8'' top, 1.5'' bottom |
| Stem | Bontrager Elite, 35mm, 0 degree, 45mm length |
| Tires | Frame: 29x2.50" |
|---|
First added July 1
Last updated June 27
Not listed for 1,067 days