New Trek Stache 29+

thing is I am a fair bit heavier than you blokes, when riding it out of the saddle, the rear tyre was rubbing on the chainstay every rotation.
nice bike, but like I said, not for me.

Hmm… you are big, but there’s a lot of bigger ‘Clydes’ over there in the US who report no issues

So, what size wheels/tyres, what length CS?

*defense mode*

@clobber – they are Yari’s. Currently 120mm, going to extend them to 140mm I think.. good fork, stiff, well damped, not light 😉

29+ Was a Manitou Trk special based on the std Manitou 29er fork. Very light, very adjustable, bit too complex for me 😉

the model i tested was the 29+ with manitou forks, they too were pretty flexy fore and aft. the pikes that were on my enduro felt like a proper strong tough for in comparison.

^ Oh that explains it then

The rigid 5 isn’t flexy

I had a Stache 5, wasn’t a fan of the plus tyres, so added a suspension fork and normal tyres.
Can’t get pic’s to work
It rode a treat but my head was turned by the Cromag Rootdown BA, so I sold the Trek frame and forks on, only to find Shorelines were not bringing the Rootdown in 😥
Luckily a Stache 7 frame showed up on ebay, so we’re back in business!
Still can’t get pic’s to work!
It’s a nice bike, poppy and fun whilst in the woods and really not bad at the boring flat bits to get there either. I might try plus tyres again at some point as I think it was the Chupacabras specifically rather than plus in general that I didn’t like, not sure what it would bring that could take me away from a 2.5″ Minion though.

not sure what it would bring that could take me away from a 2.5″ Minion though.

How about a 29×3 Minion…???[/url]

Yeah, I’ve seen them, interesting but the 2.5″ weighs in about 1kg which I think is about my limit for tyre weight. If the 3″ has Exo sidewalls which I think it needs to keep the casing stiff, then it’s surely gonna weigh a ton?

but think of the grip…!

True! Would probably allow horizontal cornering 😀 Just brings back memories of Nokian Gazzalodi’s (I’ve got one in the garage!), horrid things!

Right mine’s finished! From the standard ‘9’, now running Scraper 27.5 Rims with a Bridger and a Rekon, wider bars, shorter stem, XT rather than SRAM cassette (but still sram shifters/mech) and a Yari fork just extended to 140mm. I absolutely love it.

Enlongened Chubby! by Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr

Enlongened Chubby! by Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr

Just taken a stache 5 2016 out for first ride, stock, still with inner tubes, at 12psi and 85kg my weight… I find I am constantly fighting the steering; is this normal or do I need to change pressure / ditch tubes? The only other times I have felt this on other bikes is on a full suss with either front / rear shock at wrong pressure and the geometry way out or a fork that was too long / wrong offset???! have ridden fully rigid bikes before, this is replacing a kona unit which is dialled and runs on rails. this is my first bike with g2 geo. otherwise its great, did my first mini jump and still grinning from ear to ear, as was after first descent where instead of avoiding the sand pits I just blasted over them, even on a corner while modulating brakes. 🙂 😉 😉

Seem pretty capable bikes! (Cam McCaul content)

I’m 71kg and also running 12psi, I’d say you’re running too low.

I was initially underwhelmed with my stock 5

It’s now ‘the one’ 😉

What size is your 5? I’m 89Kg’s and run 10 front (Maxxis Chronicle) and 11 rear (27.5 Bridger on Scraper)

went for 18.5 virtual, will try a bit more pressure today, swaped the stem round put bar in right position and tightened skewers (no my lbs did not…) lets see. Am not underwhelmed, but do not like a bike I cannot sit up no hands on in principle, a good bike should be balanced imo

Agreed – I needed to make some adjustments to get balanced – layback post, shorter (went to 60) stem, wider, higher bars (Stooge Moto 800 wide with rise and backsweep) to give a more upright position

Other thing I run B+ rear with CS’s slammed at 16″ which makes the bike turn quicker/faster/easier as well as lowering the rear/BB a tad

Mine’s 21.5 and is super fast (and ‘light’) when in the flow

Keep tweaking

I keep looking at the 5 if anyone spots one sub £1k and in small give me the heads up, looks perfect for my winter bike!

lesuire lakes has them £1040, but only smaller sizes cannot remember how much in head for the hills in Dorking, evans has them £1100 in all sizes.

next task: tubeless wondering whether to tape direct or over rim tape

Just picked up a 2016 Stache 5, sick of reading this bloody thread and I have caved in.

I’ve ordered some Sun 48mm tape from CRC (tape has mixed reviews), and I think I have some valves lying around. I understand you tape over the rim strips, cborrman.

I’m going to take it out in the woods tonight after dark, so nobody will laugh at me. I’m 5’10 and went 18.5/17.5, car park test says it feels as short as in like it to feel, might want a layback post (don’t think I’ll be sticking a dropper on it)…

And even more importantly, just found the Palmdale lock-on come in new Minty Green 🙂

http://www.jungleproducts.co.uk/shop/product/palmdale-grip/540/

I have bought clear gorilla tape for £5 something in hardware store… am very, very tempted to tape direct so I can see status of sealant inside 🙂

next upgrades are:

carbon thomson flat bar
specialized -12′ or -16′ stem to get front end down
XO crank with oval absolute black rings so can change between 28t and 32t without removing crank…
either a one-up 42t or convert to 11 speed with a new rear wheel (original will keep for single speed), me thinks will go with one up for now

Why do you want the front end down?

I had a play in the woods last night, probably the most I’ve liked a new bike ever.

It’s definitely short, but the front end comes up so easily: it feels very light and really playful. I’m sure it’s slower, but the tyres don’t feel remotely draggy. Coming in this morning, came up a climb at the end of Heaton Park where traction on a normal bike is limited. My only concern on the Stache was snapping the chain, just grip, grip, grip…

Stuck a layback Thomson on just now, prefer the extra room. See the new carbon frames are longer for the same given size. Already see a carbon frame and suspension forks 12 months from now as my main bike, will keep the 5 as a winter bike.

Just a lot of fun. Don’t think the other bikes will be out much for a while.

@bonesetter I am not quite a eurowhippet but do prefer a lower front end with all 29ers, and the stache is a good few cm higher than the kona unit 29er its replacing. will not quite extend to reverse bull bars tho 🙂

+1 on the traction, I had a 2009 then 2011 stumpy FSR for the traction with the brain shock / fork – this just does it better with plain ole tyres and “No Shox” lol.

Grip in the dry is obscene.
I never thought I’d ever be able to get up this climb and only know of one person who’s cleaned it (it carrys on after this a bit slacker then kicks you again at the top) but a few months ago it dawned on me that I might be able to do it on the Stache.
Yes I’m probably stronger than I’ve ever been but I wouldn’t be contemplating it on my standard 29er hardtail.

Little Roseberry by Tom Levell[/url], on Flickr

Currently I’ve ridden every bit but not in one go. The last try was 10m shy of the slacker bit where I could get a rest before tackling the top section which I can do on other bikes.

Winter will either be on the normal bike or maybe get a normal boost rear wheel to fit a normal winter tyre to.

that’ll be those “goat suckers” 😀

Super pic tom

Just ordered the Stache 7, ive been thinking it over and over, going between a Fuse or Stache 7 £1350 at evans its a bit of a bargain and I can always get smaller wheels 650b, unlike the fuse I can’t run them bigger.

Went for the small frame, hoping its not too small, but looking at measurements its bigger than my full sus. Will post a pic when I get it!

Does anyone know if the raceface aefect crank has a 30mm or 24mm spindle on stache 5?

It’s a 24mm.

thanks Daffy

10 months now with my stache 5 and novelty has not worn off. Other bikes gathering dust and spiders.

Like someone above I found the front end too high with stock setup. Right between frame sizes so I sized up and now run a 50 mm 6 degree stem inverted and one spacer. Took a while to find a fit I was happy with mind you!

Done about 2500 miles on mine now and on the third bottom bracket (pf92) but easy to replace.

You got to watch the rear wheel flex though under load… Chainline in the highest couple of gears is not ideal which causes rear end to flex. Was getting a little bit of rub on one of the stays so dished the wheel a tad over to compensate.

glad you also felt high, I am using the specialized comp stem which comes with various shims so I can play with stem think I am at -16 to start with 😉

interesting re flex, is that with stock 36t or are you using something bigger like a 42t conversion cog?

No stock. Problem is not in the low gears, only the high (11 and 13 tooth sprockets on rear). Look down at the rear tyre and then stomp on pedals….. You will see the flex (ridden 3 staches and they all do it).

I am a stomper not a spinner so I notice it more.

The chainline at the extreme end of the rear cassette is pretty bad due to the boost hub. Not really an issue and all frames flex to some extent. Just in my case the rear wheel dish was biases towards one stay so needed to re dish just to the right of centre. No more rubbing (and bike now tracks straight with no hands on the bar).

anyone fitted a 42t on the rear yet?

I gave in an ordered a 2017 Stache 5 last night. Should hopefully be at the shop by the weekend according to Trek 🙂

Running a carbon Lefty on my 5 at the moment. Pics to follow.

Aweosme! Chunky can’t wait to see that! Bet it rides brilliantly. What lefty / hub you go for…. Need details 🙂