The Trek Bikes 2015 launch is going down right now in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Spoke is there checking out the new product. The big news so far is the release of a new suspension damping platform dubbed Re:Aktiv, and the carbon Remedy 29er which we had a sneak peek of from Justin Leov a couple of weeks ago.
Trek have been working with Fox and Penske Racing Shocks for about five years developing the Re:Aktiv damping system. Penske have been a big player in the NASCAR, Indy and Formula 1 ranks for a long time, and this collaboration is their first entry into the mountain bike market.
Re:Aktiv damping is what Trek term “regressive” damping… most current damping circuits are either progressive or degressive, and need to be switched between modes to get the best damping for the trail conditions. Regressive damping means that the shock can be run firmer to deal with low-speed compression, and opens up for the bigger hits then returns to firm again instantly. The shock doesn’t necessitate the use of the ‘Descend’ mode as it can handle low and high speed compression in Trail mode. That’s a pretty rough description, and as soon as we get more details we’ll pass them on.
Trek have also introduced a new rear axle standard of 148mm! Called Boost 148, it’s a wider hub to get more stiffness for the 29 wheels.
The women’s-specific Lush SL goes to 27.5, and is also now in carbon.
The Fuel EX gets the carbon/medium wheel and Re:Aktiv treatment too.
Be good have shots of bikes non-drive side to see the linkages.
Finally! 148mm hub spacing. When 142 is too narrow and 150 too wide.The human race is damned.
The 150 DH hub standard flange spacing is 15 mm wider than 142, since it doesn’t include the 3.5 mm on each side that seats into the dropouts. 142 hub flange spacing is the same as 135. So this new 148 hub has 9 mm narrower flange spacing than the 150 standard, which is significant.
What I don’t get is that it isn’t the axle width, but the flange with that makes the difference. All aftermarket wheels will still need to support the various standards, so they won’t have the wider flanges and therefore won’t be ‘stiffer’. You may as well go straight to 150mm as there are already a lot of hubs out there…
F*ck! The useless148mm hubs.Don’t you remember the 150mm hubs?
Humm. Maybe pivot location and linkage ratio’s need a look at first rather than another floating valve damping system. A well tuned piggy back shock works way good in those frames.