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Bike Perfect

Lifestyle

Paul Brett

Trek's best-selling hardtail MTB gets new carbon models, plus technology that makes it lighter and improves bump absorption

Trek Bontrager Shimano RockShox SRAM Deore United States

Trek Procaliber 9.5 side on in Purple Flip colorway.

Trek has released the Gen 3 Procaliber. The latest version of Trek's best hardtail mountain bike features three carbon models with updates that include increased fork travel, wider tire clearance, lighter weight, and updated geometry. The highlight according to Trek is the new IsoBow technology which replaces the IsoSpeed decoupling technology seen in previous models.

IsoBow is said to continue Trek's focus on compliance and is claimed to give equivalent seated compliance to the previous IsoSpeed speed system. Rather than decouple the top tube and seat tube, Trek reduces the weight by utilizing the flex of carbon fiber which is said smooth out trail imperfections.

Trek also says this is achieved by constructing the bike with lengthened seat stays that extend past the seat tube and the new Procaliber, to put it bluntly, now has a massive-looking hole where the seat stays join the top tube. This new design is claimed to allow for more seat stay flex to soak up vibrations and also means the frame now weighs a claimed 150g less than the Gen 2.

IsoBow technology aims to deliver even compliance and weight reduction (Image credit: Trek)

Trek claims the Procaliber is a hardtail cross-country bike designed to cater to a wide range of riders, from novices to elite racers. However, in line with the many rival brand's top-level XC hardtails, the Gen 3 Procaliber places "greater emphasis on lightweight design over comfort" when compared to the best full-suspension mountain bikes.

The new models do see an increase in front fork travel from 100mm to 120mm which is pretty much in keeping with the majority of cross-country hardtails and RockShox provides the forks in their various guises depending on the model chosen.

The Trek Procaliber Gen 3 has three new carbon models (Image credit: Trek)

Trek also says the emphasis is on better handling over stability and aims to give a rider increased speed and confidence. Trek says this is achieved mostly in the geometry changes made between the Gen 2 and Gen 3 bikes. The modernized geometry features a slacker 67-degree head angle compared to the 68.8-degree angle and the seat tube angle steepened to 74.3 degrees from 73.8 degrees aimed to give riders a more efficient pedaling position. The Reach has increased with a 10mm growth to 460mm in a size large.

Elsewhere the new Procaliber models now have a floating brake rotor mount similar to Trek’s full-suspension Trek Supercaliber, and the mount is said to isolate braking forces from the seat stay flex to increase comfort and provide more consistent braking. Procaliber also gets more tire clearance – up to 2.4-inch to accommodate the best XC mountain bike tires.

The Procaliber is aimed at a wide range of riders, from novices to elite racers (Image credit: Trek)

Pricing and specification

Trek has launched the Gen 3 with three carbon options to choose from which are the 9.5, 9.6, 9.7 AXS and frameset. It's worth noting this is for the UK and EU only with North American Trek riders only getting the choice of the Procaliber 9.5 and a frameset. Prices range from £4,250 to £1,950 for complete bikes and in the US the available model complete bike is $2,499 with the frameset priced at $1,999 / £1,400.

The new Procaliber alloy version will replace the outgoing X-Caliber and also gets many of the changes found on the carbon bike but as an aluminum framed bike, it doesn't benefit from IsoBow but gets the 120mm suspension forks and geometry tweaks with exact specs and pricing yet to be confirmed.

Further information can be found at Trek.com or in the YouTube video below.