You wanna trek and wander around the woods like a lost soul, or you’d instead jump on a Trek and ride around with your buddies?
I would choose the latter. Trek bikes are fantastic, based on my experience. I’ve tested most of their mountain bikes and only had a few issues with them.
Trek has the most extensive mountain bike catalog among all the top MTB Brands for 2022, with 14 MTBs on its list. Each of the 14 categories has different series.
If you are a Trek fan and looking to buy one or upgrade, you’ll love this. Here’s a candid Trek bike review.
Best Trek Mountain Bikes Reviewed
1. Trek 820
Specs
- Fork: 100 mm travel
- Wheel Size: 26”
- Frame Size: S, M, L, XL
- Frame Material: Custom Steel
- MTB Type: Hardtail
Not many bike manufacturers offer new bikes under $500, but Trek does. Rather than buying a used bike, you can get the Trek 820 for a slash of what it would cost you to buy another bike.
Trek believes that everyone should own a bike regardless of their financial muscle, and they have helped many aspiring riders get the fun between their legs.
The bike is made of steel and comes with SR Suntour forks, 100 mm travel. There’s a unisex model and a women-specific model.
With the rim brakes and Shimano Tourney components, as well as the grippy 26” tires, any beginner can utilize this bike to its full potential. This is an excellent bike for recreational rides, and it’s also a good commuter bike.
2. Trek Marlin
Specs
- Fork: 80 mm/ 100 mm travel
- Wheel Size: 27.5”/29”
- Frame Size: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
- Frame Material: Aluminum
- MTB Type: Hardtail
Another budget Trek MTB is the Trek Marlin. It consists of different series, the most expensive one being the Marlin 8, going for about $1200.
There are other more affordable bikes in the series, including women’s going for less. Marlin 4 is the most affordable bike in the series. These hardtail bikes are suitable for hobby cyclists and first-timers alike.
Another great budget bike is the Trek Marlin 6 which is best suited for beginner cross-country riders.
The Marlin comes with knobby tires and disk brakes for effective braking. If you are on a tighter budget and looking for a bike that will offer you the thrills or looking for a commuter bike that will take you around the suburb, Marlin is the right bike.
3. Trek X-Caliber
Specs
- Fork: 100 mm/ 120 mm travel
- Wheel Size: 27.5”/29”
- Frame Size: S, M, L, XL, XXL
- Frame Material: Aluminum
- MTB Type: Hardtail
X-Caliber has many similarities with the Trek Marlin, but when you put your bum on that saddle and start riding, you’ll notice the difference.
Trek X-Caliber is a quality bike but affordable. It’s Trek’s entry-level XC bike that’s good for beginners and those looking for an aluminum hardtail bike with top-quality components.
The bike is suitable for those riders with higher experience with trails and features a light 1x drivetrain. The bike comes in two sizes, 29er or 27.5er.
It’s one of the most versatile bikes in the market. X-Caliber 9 sits on top of the hierarchy of the X-Caliber series with the best components combo, as the X-Caliber 7 completes the order.
4. Trek Roscoe
Specs
- Fork: 100mm /120 mm travel
- Wheel Size: 27.5”+
- Frame Size: S, M, L, XL
- Frame Material: Aluminum
- MTB Type: Hardtail
Trek does have many hardtail options, and you are guaranteed to leave the store with a different Trek every time you want a different taste but limited to Trek options.
The Trek Roscoe is indeed the next bike to upgrade to if you want better traction. The plus-size wheels of this bike will offer that type of grip to make you more confident on the trails.
This is the right bike for you if you are on a budget but want a bike that can ride well on trails with loose surfaces. However, the Roscoe is not such a great climber as the X-Caliber. It’s neither a suitable bike for bumpy trails and technical trails.
5. Trek ProCaliber
Specs
- Fork: 100 mm/110 mm travel
- Wheel Size: 29”
- Frame Size: M, L, XL, XXL
- Frame Material: Aluminum/Carbon
- MTB Type: Hardtail
The Procaliber is Trek’s response to hardtail XC races. The frames of this model come with Trek’s IsoSpeed decoupler, a feature designed to make these bikes comfortable than traditional hardtails.
The bike comes in two frame options – aluminum or carbon. The Procaliber is always a race-ready bike that comes with 1x drivetrains.
This model is the high-end Trek bike in the hardtail section. The bike is suitable for riders who want to leave a mark in the XC scene and those who want to improve their skills while they have fun. However, if you are looking for a bike that you can ride on steep or bumpy trails, you better pick a full suspension.
6. Trek Farley
Specs
- Fork: 80 mm travel/ rigid
- Wheel Size: 27.5” fat tire
- Frame Size: S, M, L, XL.
- Frame Material: Aluminum/Carbon
- MTB Type: Hardtail
If you are looking for a fat bike, then Trek Farley is the right bike for you. Farley is the only fat bike collection Trek makes, and it has thousands of fans who love riding on the beach and in the desert.
The bike either comes with a carbon or aluminum frame.
Only one of the three Farley models comes with suspension forks. The rest have rigid forks.
All the models come with mud-ready 1x drivetrains to allow you to enjoy more. The bike is best ridden in mud, on rocks, during snow, or other extreme conditions.
7. Trek Stache and Full Stache
Specs
- Fork: 120 mm/ 130 mm travel
- Shock: 120 mm travel
- Wheel Size: 29”
- Frame Size: M, L, XL, XXL
- Frame Material: Aluminum/Carbon
- MTB Type: Hardtail/Full-suspension
What an excellent way of ending the hardtail list and jumping right into the full-suspension category? Though the Trek Stache and Full Stache were discontinued, you can find them in some stores or buy the used ones.
The Stache is a hardtail bike with 29”+ wheels for better traction. The bike is great for a trail enthusiast who wants to ride on the terrain in their area.
The Stache’s big brother is the Full Stache. It’s a full suspension alloy bike with 130mm of front travel and 120mm in the rear.
There was only one model available, but I can’t seem to find it on their website. Trek must have discontinued the Stache model. It was the bridge between hardtail and full-suspension bike.
8. Trek Supercaliber
Specs
- Fork: 100 mm travel
- Shock: 60 mm travel
- Wheel Size: 29”
- Frame Size: M, L, XL, XXL
- Frame Material: Carbon
- MTB Type: Full Suspension
The Suupercaliber was Trek’s attempt to build a full-sus bike that had the attributes of a hardtail.
They intended to create an XC bike that was stiff and low in weight with better traction and comfort. The result was a cross-breed of a hardtail and full-suspension, and with the 60mm rear travel, the bike indeed joined both worlds.
According to Trek, the technology used to build the Supercaliber made the bike everything it wanted it to be. The IsoStrut shock is the name of the unique shock tech.
The bike fits two water bottle holders in the triangle and comes with a set of carbon wheels. The Supercaliber is a good climber but not good in descents.
9. Trek Session
Specs
- Fork: 190 mm/200 mm travel
- Shock: 190 mm/200 mm travel
- Wheel Size: 27.5”/29”
- Frame Size: S, M, L, XL
- Frame Material: Aluminum/Carbon
- MTB Type: Full suspension
For the downhill fanatics, Trek has the perfect ride for you, the Trek Session. It’s one of the most popular racing DH bikes but available for any rider who adores the experience.
If you intend to be the best DH racer in your town, the first step is to get yourself a bike that will help you win a race.
You can get an aluminum Session or a slightly expensive carbon option. The bike comes either with 27.5 inch or 29-inch wheels, so choose your poison wisely.
The model you chose will feature high-end SRAM or Shimano components.
10. Trek Slash
Specs
- Fork: 160 mm travel
- Shock: 150 mm travel
- Wheel Size: 29”
- Frame Size: M, L, XL
- Frame Material: Carbon/Aluminum
- MTB Type: Full suspension
The Trek Slash is one of the most attractive Enduro bikes out there, and it has been among the favorites for quite some time.
The bike can slash the trail such that other riders won’t have anywhere to pass, literally. There are seven models of Trek Slash available from different price points.
The bikes are available for pro riders to beginners who want to experience the thrill of enduro riding.
It’s such a great bike on descends, reasonably fast, and comfortable on technical terrain like an Enduro bike should. The 29er size wheels give you more advantage as you roll downhill like a pro.
11. Trek Remedy
Specs
- Fork: 160 mm travel
- Shock: 150 mm travel
- Wheel Size: 27.5”
- Frame Size: M, L, XL
- Frame Material: Aluminum/Carbon
- MTB Type: Full suspension
If you are looking for a Trek Slash alternative with 27.5-inch wheels and a Trek badge on the frame, then look nowhere else except where the Remedy is hanged or standing.
Rather than build a bike with adjustable geometry capable of downscaling to 27.5” wheels, they created a separate Enduro bike, the Remedy for 27.5” lovers.
Whenever you want not to slash other riders, you can always find the remedy of your Enduro addiction with a fast bike built for dynamic descents, drops, jumps, and capable of flying, and it’s not other than the Remedy.
12. Trek Top Fuel
Specs
- Fork: 120 mm travel
- Shock: 115 mm travel
- Wheel Size: 29”
- Frame Size: M, L, XL
- Frame Material: Carbon/Aluminum
- MTB Type: Full Suspension
Trek Top Fuel is the real XC and trail beast with a purpose every time it leaves your garage.
The Top Fuel is designed to offer the best downhill performance than the older models, and it’s also a great climber.
The current Top Fuel is lighter and also has room for wider tires to provide better traction.
The bike also has some great features, such as the flip-chip, which helps adjust the geometry. This is the appropriate bike for anyone looking for fun and comfort with a proper full suspension bike from Trek.
It’s also the right bike for the aspiring rider participating in technical rides on trails and bumpy sections. Being a trail or XC bike, the Top Fuel is not as good at descending, but it’s a great climber and excellent racer.
12. Trek Fuel EX
Specs
- Fork: 140 mm travel
- Shock: 130 mm travel
- Wheel Size: 29”/27.5”
- Frame Size: XS, S, M, L, XL
- Frame Material: Carbon/Aluminum
- MTB Type: Full suspension
Some say this the real trail slasher, while others call it Trek’s quiver killer. This bike will scare bunnies out of their holes and make the birds on trees uneasy.
The Trek Fuel is for the rich who are trying to figure out how to waste their money. Google the most expensive bikes globally, and the Trek Fuel EX will pop up amongst them.
The EX was built to perfection and still is one of the bikes you can buy just for fun. The bikes feature carbon or aluminum frames and top-end 1x drivetrains.
With a 140mm and 130mm suspension combo, the Trek Fuel will get you anywhere as long as the earth is the limit.
This bike is suitable for expert trail riders and those looking forward to becoming one. It’s the type of bike you only see in races, custom-built for every racer.
There’s no luck trying here. The Fuel EX will fuel you up towards the finish line.
Also Read: Cannondale Vs Trek
Warranty And After Sales
Trek is one of the bike companies with a full warranty. Trek and Bontrager bikes and accessories are covered with warranty policies that ensure you can buy their products confidently.
All Trek bikes are built to last and are tried and tested in the most brutal conditions. Besides the tests, the bikes come with a lifetime warranty.
To qualify for the warranty and Trek care, you must register your bike on Trek’s official website. The registration is simple, and it will also help to prove your bike’s ownership if it gets lost or stolen and found.
It’s where Trek will get your information from the registration. The company also sends technical updates to you via signup.
Trek Care gets you covered on every Trek bike you buy. The warranty and loyalty program is absolutely free for every Trek bicycle. The warranty covers your bikes against defects in either material or workmanship or both.
That’s a full guarantee that any issues with your bike, whether from Trek company or a certified retailer, will be taken care of.
Bontrager has a free crash replacement warranty for your helmet lasting a year from purchase. If your helmet is impacted as a result of a crash, Bontrager will replace it for free.
All you’ll have to do is provide your details, a description of what happened, and a copy of your receipt, and the company will send the helmet to you. The Bontrager carbon wheels come with a lifetime warranty against defects.
There’s also the Carbon Care program that is exclusive to Trek carbon bike owners. It provides discounts on parts replacement such as the frames, forks, and parts.
The same program offers a replacement for carbon wheels if they sustain damage within the first two of years purchase. All the warranties only apply to the first owners.
Trek also offers after-sales service. To engage customer care or report any issues concerning your bike, log into Trek’s website and share your issue. Your local Trek retailer will help with the services. While at it, provide your receipt for proof of ownership.
History of Trek
Trek bike company is based in Waterloo, Wisconsin, where it has been since its founding in 1976 by Bevill Hogg and Dick Burke.
The company has been in the bike business ever since. It started out by producing steel touring frames in the US. And while that’s not where Trek bikes are manufactured nowadays, their quality remains top-notch.
As the cycling industry evolved, Trek availed outstanding road and mountain bikes with alloy and carbon frames. Today they have some of the best mountain bikes on the market. They are also leading in designing female-friendly bikes since 2000.
When you order a bike from Trek, order another one for your lady as well. Riding with her is super awesome.
Wrapping Up
Not only does Trek have the largest catalog of bikes, but they also have one of the best customer care in cycling history.
Those are enough reasons to gift yourself or your loved ones a Trek. For any queries, please send us an email.
