Sea Otter 2015: Trek Fuel EX-Junior

Something that seems a constant with our bike industry pals that have children, is that they all end up building super-trick bikes for their kids, usually based around a small hardtail frame, with cast-off cool bits from mum and dad’s bikes or, if you’re John Tomac, or own Hope Technology or whatever, something one-off and super rare from one of your frame builder friends (or the 3d Printer). Meanwhile, our non-industry friends’ kids have rather more normal looking bikes.

It must be that many of Trek’s engineers have been having kids as it has come out with the Fuel EX Jr. – one of the coolest kids’ bikes you’re likely to see.

It features 26in wheels and all the cool bits and pieces from Trek’s bigger bikes, like the ABP back end, Full Floater suspension swingarm, a tapered head tube, hydraulic disc brakes and 90mm travel front and rear (with lockout).

The suspension has been made by X-Fusion, but designed with Trek’s in-house suspension expert, Jose Gonzales to work for much lighter riders than normal. (A regular air shock has too much inherent stiction to work well at lower pressures, so the X-Fusion rear shock features a smaller shaft than normal to work more actively under 40-80lbs riders.

There are 160mm cranks, a low BB and a shorter top tube to fit a 4ft 4in to 5ft tall rider. The frame is officially a 12.5in size. It’ll be available in June and will cost £1400.

More details here: http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/mountain/trail/fuel_ex_jr/