The new Trek Top Fuel mixes uphill efficiency with downhill performance

The Trek Top Fuel was once considered the goto XC bike, but times have changed and the Top Fuel now blurs the line between XC and trail.

We know that you don’t like the term ‘Downcountry’ but it’s hard to ignore especially when Trek are so determined to use this new genre when describing the new Trek Top Fuel. With 120mm of travel front and rear, the Top Fuel certainly looks more XC than Trail, but with a sorted geometry, Trek is promising exceptional performance as gravity takes over.

Available in 7 sizes from XS to XXL and reach numbers increasing from 400mm to 520mm the new Top Fuel certainly starts as it means to go on. A size large bike gets an impressive 480mm reach combined with a 66-degree head angle and 76-degree seat tube angle, which sounds like a fun 120mm travel bike in our book.

Of course, geometry is only part of the equation, and Trek has spent significant time getting the kinematics just right too. The whole point of a downcountry bike (sorry) is that it climbs as well as an XC bike with efficient on trail manners, and that’s what Trek has ensured with the new Top Fuel

Want your Top Fuel to go downhill even faster? Well, Trek has included a flip-chip for geometry adjustments and the frame is compatible with a 130mm fork too.

Other frame features that make the new Top Fuel a worthy trail choice are the oversized 34.9mm seat tube which is compatible with long travel dropper posts, a 73mm threaded BB, and in-frame storage just like the Trek Slash. All models run on 29in wheels too, except for the XS size which has 27.5in wheels.

For more details visit the Trek website.

Andi Sykes

Andi is a gadget guru and mountain biker who has lived and ridden bikes in China and Spain before settling down in the Peak District to become Singletrack's social media expert. He is definitely more big travel fun than XC sufferer but his bike collection does include some rare hardtails - He's a collector and curator as well as a rider. Theory and practice in perfect balance with his inner chi, or something. As well as living life based on what he last read in a fortune cookie Andi likes nothing better than riding big travel bikes.