Review: Trek Boone 9 Disc

Trek has gone and stirred things up in the realm of cyclocross with its premium line of carbon-fibre frame ’cross bikes.The Boone 9 Disc is the main offender. On paper, it may lull racers into a thinking that ’cross racing is now going to be easy. Technological advancements – such as Ultegra electronic shifting, hydraulic disc brakes, a super light frame and Trek’s IsoSpeed decoupler – seem as if they would take the edge off of a ’cross race. But, once the gun goes off, your lungs and legs will still scream. But, this is a fabulous bike to race and train on, or to just ride around. Cyclocross legend Sven Nys says it’s perfect.

The frame geometry, dialed in with input from Trek rider Katie Compton, had little to no negative attributes. Just apply some power and hang on. The bottom bracket is one of the lowest I have ridden, which made for a stable feel. I needed less energy to get back on the saddle after a dismount.

The saddle was my biggest issue: I found it far too soft. Besides, I’m not interested in a plush seat. I wanted to feel how the IsoSpeed system helped rider comfort. After swapping the Bontrager Evoke 3 out for my firmer, personal favourite, I can say the stock saddle had nothing to do with the bike’s bump-diffusing ability. A proper remount doesn’t require a soft saddle, so ditch the couch cushion and practise getting back on smoothly. The shallow-drop handlebar was comfortable, but its 85-mm reach may be long for some riders.

The bike is equipped with 160-mm rotors front and rear, which a lighter rider may want to swap out for the 140-mm size to gain more modulation, at least on the rear end. The Hed wheels – which have easy-access grease ports in the hubs – accelerated well. Their width helps make the 32-mm tires feel larger, keep pinch flats at bay and lessen deflection when changing lines on uneven surfaces.

The frame has a slightly strange look, but every line and curve is based on functionality above esthetics.

The frame has a slightly strange look, but every line and curve is based on functionality above esthetics. For example, the down tube joins the 90-mm wide bottom bracket shell completely flush on the non-drive side to maximize power transfer and reduce mud accumulation.

The complete bike sells for $7,000. You can also get the Boone frameset for $2,499 and have a lot of fun building up a machine exactly the way you like it.