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2012 Trek Slash 8 For 2011 the Trek Scratch Air proved to be one of the most popular bikes in the All Mountain cateogry with over 6" of plush ABP suspension in a surprisingly easy to pedal air sprung package, becoming a solid favourite among the staff @ My Mountain. As the release of the 2012 range neared, we began asking ourselves; "How are Trek going to improve on this model?!" Our best guess was the possible integration of the successful DRCV suspension, though the real answer turned out to be a little more involved than that as we witnessed the release of the brand new Slash - a completely new AM platform built from the ground up. Created from Trek's experience with the DRCV suspension on the Remedy and the geometry and linkage arrangement on the Session, the Slash is an evolution of the Scratch frame into a lighter, stiffer and more trail friendly package that still retains the DH capability that made the Scratch so popular in Australia as a mini-DH weapon. Travel sits at 160mm front & rear and is based around the Dual Rate Control Valve (DRCV for short) suspension system that was co-engineered by Treks suspension department in California and Fox Racing Shox. In a nutshell, the dual air chamber design allows for a lightweight air shock to behave more like a coil - a perfect characteristic on a 6.3" travel bike. The end result is a taut and efficient feel in the first stage of suspension travel, coil-like plushness in the mid stroke with a stable and controlled end stroke to avoid harsh bottom out. Combined with the ABP/Full Floater rear suspension design, the Slash maintains monster traction in slippery off road conditions and a level of plushness that you would normally associate with a full blown DH bike, all in a lightweight package that can be pedalled around all day. For 2012 the DRCV suspension extends to Fox Forks on a number of Trek mountain bikes, with the Slash featuring a Talas 36 R fork with 160-120mm of adjustable travel and a lightweight air spring. Having the DRCV fork allows for a balanced feel that matches the RP2 Fox shock out back and is a big part of why the Slash rides so well. Carrying over from the Scratch Air is the adjustable Mino Link in the suspension rocker arm that allows the user to select between 2 different head angles for the bike, so you can slacken out the geometry for more high-speed stability. For the geek-freaks, the Slash frame is also Angleset compatible if you really want to go nuts with adjustability. Bolt-thru axles front & rear are standard on the Slash, with the ABP convert out back allowing you to change the dropouts back to 135mm if you have a different rear wheel you would prefer to use, though the stiff Bontrager Rhythm hoops with their 28mm wide rims are a great lightweight AM wheelset that provide a stable profile for the 2.35" Bontrager XR4 Expert tyres. Probably our favourite feature however, is the use of the RockShox Reverb "Stealth" seatpost on the Slash 8 that drops the saddle height by up to 5 inches at the flick of a lever on the handlebar. The "Stealth" part refers to the internal cable routing that funnels the hydraulic line from the bottom of the seatpost through the frame - no more messy cables flopping about under the saddle when you lower the post! Pretty much a must-have for a long travel bike like the Slash, the Reverb gives near-instantaneous adjustability of the saddle height so you can slam it down for more clearance on the descents then flick it back up for the climbs, all without having to get off the bike.
Our favourite features of the Slash 8
The Mino Link is an adjustment link located on the EVO Link that lets you dial in the geometry and handling you want. By flipping the Mino Link, riders can choose between slack or slacker geometry, without negatively affecting suspension performance.
The Full Floater suspension design attaches the shock to two moving linkage points instead of the traditional one moving, one fixed. This standard way of thinking limits the suspensions tenability and can sometimes result in a harsh ride at certain points in the travel. Allowing the shock to “float” between two moving linkages gives the shock an increased ability to respond to bumps across a wide variety of terrain. It will feel like you have more travel, but you don’t...it's smarter travel.
A 15mm front thru axle makes steering more precise for more feedback and control. The quick release feature allows for easy wheel removal for quick on-trail repairs. Thru-axle stiff, QR quick Trek’s robust, confidence-inspiring 142mm hub + 12mm thru-axle system is about 35% stiffer than an open dropout design and is easier to install than a conventional 135x5mm system thanks to the tabbed guide in the frame's dropout. And it’s versatile as well. For those riders who still want to use their 135mm thru-axle wheels, Trek include hardware adapters for an easy interchange if you still want to use your older 135mm wheels. Put both these systems together and you get a stiffer, more responsive ride and overall a better wheel system.
Most full suspension air-shock bikes use a small-volume canister because it doesn't move up and down excessively when you pedal. But it doesn't have the best big-hit control. To compensate, some companies use a less-efficient larger-volume shock or try to strike a balance with manual controls or with fussy, overly complex shock systems. So to gain control, you either lose efficiency, or you lose simplicity. DRCV seamlessly adjusts its air volume based on the size bump you encounter. You get supple feel on the small bumps, seamless control over midsize bumps and harsh hits, with less rear-wheel hang-up. Seemingly bottomless travel on the rough stuff. Big hits seem to disappear. All this, with the pedalling efficiency of a small-volume shock. Sag + small bumps DRCV is supple and controlled like any other Fox RP2 or RP23 rear shock at sag and over small bumps. Midsize bumps This is where DRCV shines. At 50% of compression, the shock opens up more air volume. Where other shocks wallow and stick, DRCV offers seamless control through the nastiest terrain you can find. Finish Throughout the final stages of compression, DRCV behaves like a larger- volume air shock.
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