TESTED: Trek Stache

Words: Adam Macbeth   Photos: Tim Bardsley-Smith

In truth the 29+ category predates the rise of other Plus bikes by some years, first being brought to life by Surly in 2012 with their Krampus. The options have remained slim since then however, mostly due to the lack of suspension fork options, and 29+ has been the domain of the bikepacker who had very little need for a light, nimble bike as long as it could roll through hell and back. 

With their Stache models, Trek aim to redefine the 29+ genre with a range of bikes that are super comfortable and roll extremely well – but handle like a trail bike should and don’t weigh a tonne. We got our hands on the mid-spec alloy Stache 7 and got busy finding out how they went.

Initial Impressions

The Stache is an interesting looking beast. The 29×3.0” rubber is the first thing that will grab the attention of riders and passers-by alike, but there are some very interesting details in this thing that you may not have ever seen before in a bike. 

One problem that Plus bikes, and mountain bikes in general, have struggled with is the question: “How do we keep the rear end super short, but still have room for tyre, frame and chain ring all in that compact little zone around the drive side bottom bracket?” The removal of allowances for front derailleurs on many bikes over the last couple of seasons has helped – but clearances always walk a fine line with Plus bikes. Trek’s approach is not exactly new. Cast your mind back (if you remember such things) to the 1990s and the myriad of elevated-chainstay bikes available. Some, like the Santa Cruz Heckler, are still around today. 

The Stache features Trek’s patented Mid-stay. An elevated drive side chainstay that allows for maximum frame stiffness and strength, while allowing just about the shortest rear end we’ve ever seen on a test bike, regardless of wheelsize, at 420mm. Adjustable dropouts allow for single speed setup or if you just wanted to play with chainstay length you could get this thing as short as 410mm before the tyre got a bit close to the seat tube. 

Being an industry super-power Trek were also able to get suspension manufacturers on board for the Stache project and the 7 features the new Manitou Magnum 34 with 130mm of travel and more than enough clearance for the 3.0 rubber, even if you get them caked in mud. It had been many years since I had ridden a Manitou fork and the last time left me pretty underwhelmed, so I was curious to see how far they’d come. They do feature a new take on the thru-axle which initially I found extremely annoying as I could never seem to get the wheel in or out in under two minutes, but once you get your head around it, it’s actually pretty simple and fast.

Spec wise the Stache seemed super solid out of the box. The drivetrain is SRAM’s GX 11-speed which has already proven itself to be reliable, but the new Level T brakes were a first for me having only ridden the higher end Levels so far this year. Bontrager hubs laced to Sun Ringle 50mm Duroc rims get everything rolling and the Bontrager Chupacabra 3.0” tyres set up tubeless on them quite easily. It’s worth noting that the out of the box weight of my 18.5” Stache was 14.1kg, but I managed to pull 700g out of that simply by going tubeless! Those 29+ tubes ain’t light, get ‘em out of there! A full Bontrager alloy cockpit takes care of the steering and their Evoke 2 saddle provides the seating.  

On The Trail

Two words – super smooth. You could easily make that three words by adding a popular curse word as an adjective in the middle and you probably still wouldn’t do the Stache justice. There’s no denying that the 29+ wheel size is by far the most comfortable ride of all the wheel size options – and trail momentum is not affected at all by obstacles, especially when teamed up with the 68.4 degree headangle and 130mm fork up front. Braking bumps, shallow rock gardens, roots and corrugations are all taken care of with very minimal strain on the rider and almost no loss of rolling speed whatsoever. But don’t write the Stache off as a big steamroller, because it’s a lot more fun and agile than that. 

Whereas the 29+ options of the past had the smoothness, insane grip and the comfort of the Stache, Trek really have changed the game in the genre by incorporating it all into a very agile, playful package based around modern trail geometry. Short, stiff stays mean that the Stache accelerates quickly out of turns, a feeling enhanced by the MOUNTAIN of grip on offer from the 3.0” rubber. The all-round comfort combined with the roomy top tube and short, wide cockpit make it feel a lot more like a mid travel, full suspension bike than a hardtail and the Stache handled a lot of rough, technical singletrack better than any hardtail I’ve ridden. It is in dire need of a dropper post though to really make the most of its abilty to float off drops and corner at speed. 

A lot of this test saw the Stache used for light-load bikepacking and in this environment – with terrain that varied from tarmac to insanely rutted 4WD trail, from singletrack to beach miles and gravel roads – the Stache always felt like the right tool for the job. As a trail bike for the rider looking at something bikepacking friendly it has to be pretty hard to beat industry-wide. From a purely trail-riding point of view, though, I did find that I occasionally got stark reminders that I was in fact riding a hardtail. The 130mm Manitou fork (which actually feels great) can occasionally lead you into a false sense of security if you’re not careful. The front end of the Stache is capable of dealing with some absolutely heinous trail conditions to the point that you’d be forgiven for starting to feel like you were on a full blown enduro bike. The rear end though, has no travel. I did find myself often getting over confident and coming into sections with way more speed than I was ever going to be able to safely ride on a hardtail, resulting in some less than stylish evacuation manoeuvres. 

Our Take

As an all-rounder, the Stache 7 is pretty awesome and is definitely worth considering if your budget is in the early three grand range – even if you were previously only looking at full suspension bikes. The more advanced rider MAY find themselves a bit under-gunned when the going gets fast and rough, but the versatility of the Stache will appeal to many and it’s just a lot of fun. Good job Trek.