2012 Trek Superfly AL Elite 29er 
The new Superfly AL Elite (the bike formerly known as the the Paragon) is a race ready hardtail out of the box, and with its gloss white, red & black paintjob it certainly looks the part too. More and more riders are starting to make the switch to 29ers, and we've found that a lot of the folks that are jumping aboard the Superfly AL that are coming from 26" race bikes like the Giant Anthem, Scott Scale and Specialized Epic. The jump back to a hardtail may seem a little odd, but a lot of riders, and us included, are finding that even without rear suspension, the Trek 29er hardtails are actually more stable off road than a lot of the twitchy 26" race duallies on the market. If you find that your local trails don't necessarily require a full suspension bike, the lighter and more responsive Superfly AL can actually be a lot more fun to ride, whilst also being a bit easier on the wallet too. Though to think of the Superfly AL Elite as just a smooth-track XC race machine would be doing it a disservice however, as it is also an incredibly capable trail bike with its slack head angle, wide bars and high volume 2.2" wide tyres. Although the rear triangle is tuned for vibration compliance, the press-fit BB and E2 Tapered headtube maximise frame stiffness in the areas that you want to minimise deflection and are particularly noticeable when pushing the bike hard through bermed corners. This is a bike that will help you pick the best line, then hold it with you as things turn ugly.

Trek have been doing a lot of work with refining the Superfly AL, and compared to the 2011 Trek Paragon there have been a few minor upgrades to improve rider contact. The "just right" 9 degree swept handlebar, lock-on grips, comfy Evoke saddle and twin-bolt micro-adjust Rhythm seatpost leave little room for upgrades and provide the rider a comfortable platform to allow you to concentrate on the trail ahead as oppose to niggling contact points. The foolproof Tubeless Ready system is available with the Mustang 29er wheelset and is an excellent upgrade to reduce rotational weight and rolling resistance should you choose to go down that path. Fast accelerating 29-1 tyres are surprisingly grippy for their tread pattern, thought the 2.2" width aids in increasing the tyres contact patch with the trail and also serves to improve rider comfort.
With an adjustable air spring, the lightweight Fox Float 100 RL fork is able to be tuned to any rider weight so that you can acheive a supple feel without risk of bottoming out the suspension on bigger drops. The Fox fork on the AL Elite model also features a stiffer Tapered steerer tube, versus the smaller 1 1/8" steerer tube used on the cheaper model, and this actually reduces weight while decreasing front wheel deflection in rock gardens.
Throw in the 10 speed XT/SLX drivetrain, hollow Shimano cranks and the excellent SLX disc brakes, and you have a lighter, smoother, stronger and faster bike for burning up XC trails.
  

Our favourite features of the Superfly AL Elite

FCC MTB Oversized hub, flanges, and end caps create a flex-free 29" wheel capable of chewing through technical terrain. With a 29er wheel that has Wider and taller flanges with outboard J-bend spokes you get a stiffer wheel system.  FCC wheel system pushes the wheel flanges out and up, improving the bracing angle between flange and rim also adding strength and rigidity to the wheel.  A stiffer and stronger 29er wheel, that’s the result.

Slow-handling 29ers? The many advantages of bigger wheels can come with a price: sleepy handling. Gary Fisher solved that with G2 geometry. G2 Geometry is a system-wide solution to slow 29er handling. Trek have optimised frame geometry and fork geometry in tandem to create a bike that handles nimbly in tight, twisty singletrack without compromising high-speed stability. It's why the Fisher Collection 29ers handle better than any others and can be ridden the same way you would a 26” bike