Working a little on paper and natively in 3D CAD (Solidworks, if you care), Ted created created something with 420mm chainstays and a steep seat tube which he thought “worked." He sent those initial plans over to Jarod Brown for internal prototype. Short chainstays hadn’t yet become the fashion, and many 29ers still suffered from a tractor-y, disconnected feel and XC tunnel vision. Ted’s initial goal for project weird was to craft an ultra-short chainstay 29er trail bike. (If you want to jump right to the ride report, go ahead, but this is wicked interesting) Ted Alsop, Trek’s lead engineer on the Stache, was kind enough to lay out the bike's development cycle for TGR. They held out well during the course of the ride.The Stache began as Trek’s ‘Project Weird’ R&D test-bed in early 2012 and evolved, via confluence of design, process, fortuitous events and serendipity, into the category-killing winner it is today. For this trip, Zach kept to the stock tires as they’re grippy and fast rolling. At the other end of the scale, spinning out in the high gears was rarely an issue. In hindsight, Zach says he’d definitely have preferred a 26T chainring to help tackle some of the trail’s steeper climbs, as well as allowing for some respite during the inevitable afternoon fatigue. The 30T chainring was also swapped out for a 28T, given the load carried, the distance covered, and Colorado’s unforgiving topography. It features a revised geometry for 2017 with even shorter chainstays than before, thanks to both Boost spacing and its now classic elevated driveside chainstay.The stock bike is built with 29+ tires and a carbon wheelset, but you can also fit 27.5+ and 29er tires the Stranglehold adjustable thru axle allows chainstay length to be adjusted.įor the Colorado Trail, Zach swapped out the Bontrager Drop Line 125 for a rigid carbon one, in the interests of reliability and so a standard seat pack could be used. The 9.8 is Trek’s top level Stache and comes with all the carbon trimmings. It makes a great template for what to carry on the Colorado Trail, a balance that reflects his desire to enjoy its incredible, technical trails to the maximum, while still carrying everything required for a complete, relaxing, backcountry experience. Having recently moved from a full suspension rig to a more bikepacking-friendly hardtail, his choice of bike is a clue to his racing background – a full carbon, lightweight setup – and his considered gearlist is well honed from years of backpacking. His cadence never fluctuates and fitness and his bike handling skills never fail to humble and inspire me – he regularly cleans sections of trails that I didn’t imagine could be ridden, with or without bikepacking gear. When it comes to mountain biking, Zach is a precision instrument. In fact, Zach grew up backpacking with his family since the tender age of three! These days, Zach gravites towards the adventurous side of mountain biking, where he puts his skillset as both an incredibly strong rider and his mountain experience to great use along the way, he also spent a couple of years fighting wildfires with the Hotshots, so is no stranger to minimal camping and spending time in remote areas. Over the years, he’s represented the Rockshox Devo Team and been a member of the US National MTB team, racing internationally. In a former life, Zach was a pro mtb racer based in Durango. Jackson-born Zach Shriver is a firefighter who works in Los Alamos, Santa Fe.
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