The Trek Stache 9.7 is a fast, light, and brutally unforgiving carbon fiber hardtail. The Stache is a perfect example of a bike that performs extremely well on a narrow range of terrain. Three professional mountain bike testers rode this hardtail for six weeks to determine the key ride characteristics and important subtleties. This 29+ bike runs enormous 29 x 3.0 tires, paired with a lightweight carbon frame and relatively short wheelbase. The result is a steamrolling, monster truck, that produces an exceptionally fast and surprisingly quick-handling ride on buff trails devoid of sharp corners. While it takes a moment and a bit of effort to get these mammoth wheels rolling, once you have momentum, it is stunningly quick on the uphill and the descent. Medium to sharp corners are problematic as are rougher or bony trails that translate too much of the trail surface to the rider. At $3799 the Stache is a nice value given the quality of the build and performance. That said, this bike is not a very good option as an only bike and some may find the Trek to be too expensive as a second bike.
Trek Stache 9.7 2019 Review
Cons: Poor performance on choppy terrain, brually stiff
Manufacturer: Trek
The Skinny
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Should I Buy This Bike?
The Stache 9.7 is a lightweight and speedy hardtail. This bike is very good when ridden on the right terrain. Riders who want a cross-country inspired bike to cruise fast and relatively smooth trails will love the Stache. This bike is an excellent option for those embarking on frequent long-distance rides. This fast-rolling and efficient bike is very effective at covering ground with minimal effort. It is important to note that riders who encounter significant amounts of euro corners or tight switchbacks will have a tough time with these monstrous wheels. They simply feel too bulky and cumbersome in tight spaces. In addition, if you plan on riding trails with any semblance of substantial rock gardens, you should look elsewhere. Seriously. The light and stiff frame with relatively upright, cross-country geometry, is brutal over rocks. For $3799, this bike boasts some nice components including a RockShox Pike and a GX Eagle drivetrain. Aluminum versions of this bike (with lesser components) start at $1889.
The Specialized Fuse is a better all-rounder than the Stache. The Fuse cannot come close to matching the pure rolling speed and efficiency of the Stache and it's a few pounds heavier. Still, the Specialized is a far more comfortable bike. Descending over chatter is substantially more pleasant compared to the Stache. The aluminum frame of the Specialized has a bit of forgiving flex built into the chainstays. This goes a long way in taking the edge off the brutal nature of a hardtail. If you are looking for a hardtail daily driver, we recommend the Fuse. We tested the $1600 Comp model, but models range from $1120 to $3200.
The Santa Cruz Chameleon is a supremely fun hardtail. The Chameleon certainly functions best as part of a quiver and does function as well as an only bike like the Fuse does. The Chameleon is extremely playful and is a far more fun than the Stache. That said, the Chameleon cannot come close to matching the speed, efficiency, and mile-eating demeanor of the Stache. This frolicsome bicycle is available in aluminum only and can be purchased with 27.5+ or 29-inch wheels. Build kits range from $1799 to $3199.
Frame Design
The Stache 9.7 has a carbon fiber frame. In the Trek lineup, when you see a 9. in front of the model, that indicates a carbon construction. This bike runs 29 x 3.0-inch tires with Boost spacing. If the rear triangle looks funky, Trek's Midstay incorporates an elevated chainstay on the drive side of the frame. This helps create space to fit these massive wheels.
We measured our 17.5-inch (roughly a medium) test bike. It has a 614mm effective top tube with a 421mm reach. The chainstays are 423mm and the wheelbase measures 1120mm. The relatively steep head tube angle comes out to 68.0-degrees while the seat tube angle is a slack-ish 73.7-degrees. Our Stache hit the scales at 26 lbs 12 oz without pedals and set up tubeless.
Design Highlights
-Can be run geared or singlespeed
-Designed around a 120mm fork
-29 x 3.0-inch tires
-Boost spacing
-Internal routing
-Available in carbon or aluminum frames
Downhill Performance
The Stache 9.7 is a tale of two bicycles when aimed downhill. In certain situations, it operates at blistering speeds and delivers a speedy and fun ride. In other situations, the ride is ultra-rough and bone-rattling. Handling is sharp so long as the trail doesn't get too bendy. The bike responds well to rider input but can be a handful in tight spaces. Given the massive wheels, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the Stache isn't especially playful.
Descending can be extremely fun on the carbon Stache. It can also be brutal at times. Get the monster truck wheels rolling down a buff and relatively smooth ribbon of dirt, and this bike is completely in its element. The Stache is stable, confident, and very fast when it's in its happy place. As they say, big wheels keep on rolling and the Trek embodies this when motoring down (smooth) hills. When you encounter rock gardens, this bike is far less pleasant. No matter how soft you are with your knees and elbows to try to compensate for the lack of suspension, it is rough. Very rough. The 120mm RockShox Pike on the front of this bike creates a reasonably confident front end, but it is still a rough ride. Short rock gardens that you can sneak and finesse your way through are fine. Navigating longer, sustained, chop hurts. You can feel your organs shaking and it can be hard to breathe.
The moral of the story is that this bike requires the right terrain to be fun. It shouldn't come as a huge surprise that a carbon fiber hardtail, shies away from rougher terrain. That said, we have ridden some hardtails like the Specialized Fuse, Kona Big Honzo Steel, Commencal Meta HT, and Whyte 901 that stand up much better to rough terrain.
Tire pressure is critical on the Stache. Too much air and you lose the damping benefit of the 3.0-inch tires. Too little air and cornering abilities get vague and washy. Our testers found the sweet spot to be in the range of 15-16 PSI.
The Stache's geometry delivers precise and sharp handling. The 68-degree head tube angle and short wheelbase allow this bicycle to steer quickly. The conservative geometry goes a long way to make this bike easy to ride. One thing to be careful of is the Bontrager XR2 tires, more on that in the discussion of the build kit section below, but the rubber does detract from confidence in corners. If the trail surface is a little loose or gravely, things can get sketchy. In addition, braking bite is heinous, as it takes about 50-feet to stop if you're going mach-chicken.
The 9.7 delivers an impressive build kit. The RockShox Pike is a nice specification. This stout fork has 35mm stanchions and the plush, yet, supportive Charger 2 damper is excellent. SRAM Guide R brakes offer enough power to shut the speed down. The Bontrager XR2 tires are a little sketchy. These tires have horrendous braking bite. If you're carrying a full head of steam, it takes a lot of space to come to a full stop. In addition, cornering abilities on gravely or loose trail surfaces are unreliable at best. There are essentially no shoulder knobs to rely on and they wash out quickly. Luckily, the sheer size of these tires dissuades you from leaning them over too far because it's so difficult.
Climbing Performance
The Stache is an excellent climber. This light bicycle flys up smooth climbs with incredible ease. The lightweight frame, giant wheels, and GX Eagle drivetrain work together to minimize the rider's energy. Chunky climbs can present a problem by delivering a harsh ride and also overwhelming the grip of the XR2 tires which struggle in situations when your standing and powering up loose climbs or rocks.
The Stache sets you up in a comfortable climbing position. The 421mm reach measurement is on the tighter side for a medium frame. The short reach puts you in an upright position. The 73.7-degree seat tube angle is pretty slack. When seated, the bottom bracket is slightly in front of the rider's hips. Still, this bike is so efficient, the slack seat tube angle doesn't seem to detract from performance. Not to be overlooked, the sub-27 pound weight of our test bike really translates to slick climbing.
Tire pressure plays a big role on the climb. Lower tire pressures will provide more grip and compensate for the questionable tire tread. Too low and you will start to feel a little bit of a bounce with every seated pedal stroke. Again, that 15-16 PSI tends to deliver the best balance.
Rollover ability is the name of the game with this bike. It does take a little longer than usual to get the Stache up to speed thanks to the giant 29 x 3.0-inch wheels. Once you have a head of steam, this bike simply mows down obstacles. It may not always be comfortable, but this bike cruises right up and over most rocks and roots. This is especially true on straighter sections of trails when the big wheels can run straight and fast.
Climbing up technical pitches can be uncomfortable. Trying to sit down and pedal through technical terrain is painful. With the 423mm chainstay tucking that rear axle right under your butt, you feel every single rock. It's best to stand up and grind it out while paying attention to not let the rear tire spin out under pedaling load.
Uphill handling is solid aboard the Stache 9.7. The short wheelbase paired with the steep-ish head tube angle creates a quick steering bike that can change lines in a hurry. If you find yourself on an undesirable line, you can quickly correct the mistake. The one quirk to the massive wheels is that they can be a little awkward to lift up and over a step or obstacle in the trail. Given the sheer mass, it takes some getting used to how to lift the front end of this bicycle.
The component grouping works well on the ascent. The SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain paired with the lightweight frame creates an easy, energy-saving, climb. It takes an amazingly little amount of energy to get up familiar climbs. The Bontrager XR2 is unreliable on mixed terrain. The lack of tread makes it roll fast but it doesn't hook up well under standing pedaling loads and has a tendency to spin out on loose or gravel soil types.
Photo Tour
Value
At $3799 the Stache 9.7 is a decent value. On one hand, it delivers high-end performance within its intended application while offering decent components. On the other hand, this bike is fairly one dimensional given its narrow range of trails on which it's fun.
Conclusion
The Trek Stache 9.7 rolls fast, climbs well, and racks up the miles amazingly quickly. Indeed, this is a very good bike on smooth, fast, and flowing terrain. As fun as this bike is on the right terrain, it is absolutely brutal on the wrong terrain: chatter and tight corners. Riders looking for a comfortable daily driver should look elsewhere. Riders looking for a simple and fast second bike might find their match with the Stache.
— Pat Donahue, Joshua Hutchens
