The Trek may not be able to match the other bikes here for value for money, but you can buy it from a bricks-and-mortar shop and it rides well both uphill and down. Although it squats a little under power, the low-speed compression lever on the proprietary RE:aktiv rear firms things up nicely when you do need to slog to the top. Start heading back down, and Trek’s ‘ABP’ concentric dropout pivot and ‘Full Floater’ shock linkage give the suspension an incredibly active and supple feel. It makes good use of its 150mm of travel, maintaining impressive levels of traction and keeping the rear tyre – which doesn’t have a particularly deep tread – planted on the trail.
There’s enough support from the suspension when you start to really push things too. Coupled with the solid chassis, this means the bike feels accurate and fast when you’re throwing it between linked turns at pace. In nadgery, tight situations, the Remedy’s agile handling and relaxed angles (even in the ‘high’ geometry setting) make it a serious contender. If you do prefer things lower and slacker, there’s the option to rake out the head angle and drop the BB via the ‘Mino Link’ chips at the top of the seatstays.
While Trek have done well with the overall spec, the Remedy 9 felt a little outclassed by the other bikes here, at times, on the high-speed trails of Punta Ala. The Race Shop Limited bikes all get travel-adjust forks with 10mm more travel (160mm) than the standard Remedy – in this case, a RockShox Lyrik Dual Position Air. We can’t help thinking that the standard (Solo Air) Lyrik, as found on the Canyon, Radon and YT, would have been a better fit. You’ll need to add volume spacers and a little extra air pressure to get the support needed to keep the front end of the bike propped up on really rough trails, and this will have an effect on the suspension balance. At least the high-volume tyres and broad rims help with traction and smoothing out smaller trail chatter.
While we were in Italy, the Remedy 9 became another bike to suffer from post-Brexit price rises, with $300 added to its original $4500 RRP.
Trek have done a sterling job with just about every element of this bike and its engaging ride makes even the dullest trails fun, though we’d prefer a Solo Air fork
SPEC
Frame ‘Alpha Platinum’ aluminium, 150mm travel
Fork RockShox Lyrik RC Dual Position Air, 130-160mm travel
Shock RockShox Deluxe RT3 RE:aktiv
Drivetrain SRAM X1 (1x11)
Wheelset Bontrager Line Comp 30 Boost wheels, Bontrager SE4 Team Issue 27.5x2.4in tyres
Brakes SRAM Guide RS, 180mm
Bar/stem Bontrager Line 35, 780mm/ Bontrager Line Knock Block 35, 50mm
Seatpost/saddle Bontrager Drop Line 125mm dropper/ Bontrager Evoke 2
Weight 14.1kg (17.5in)
Price $4800