Original Stache prototypes and the final production model.

Original Stache prototypes and the final production model (click to enlarge).​

In any given year, there are only a handful (or fewer) of new cycling products that truly catch my attention. While on the search for something unique at the Sea Otter Classic, I walked by a bike lying on the ground that immediately drew my eyes because of its elevated drive side chainstay. Thinking maybe it was a vintage Alpinestars, I did a double take and found myself staring at a Trek, but not a vintage one. It was a 2015 Trek Stache.

showcases the playfulness of their Stache 9 in this video. Riders have great traction and maneuverability at around 14 psi of tire pressure.

The elevated drive side chainstay was just the beginning of what made the fully redesigned Stache by far the most interesting bike I saw at Sea Otter (which has essentially become a trade show for the cycling industry).

The next observation was its three-inch wide Bontrager Chupacabra tires mounted on 50mm wide rims, making this rig a "mid-fat trail hardtail," according to Trek. Then I noticed Trek's new Stranglehold horizontal sliding dropouts. I stopped staring and marched straight over to the Trek booth to find out what the deal was with this curious contraption.

The Stache is built with Trek's top-of-the-line alpha platinum aluminum hydroformed tubeset, an extremely short and adjustable chainstay length of 405-420mm (shorter than most 26-inch hardtails), a slack 68.4-degree head tube angle, the ability to run 27.5+, 29+ or traditional 29-inch wheels, and thanks to the Stranglehold sliding dropouts, the option of setting the bike up as a 1x or singlespeed drivetrain.

The elevated drive-side midstay allows the rear wheel to be tucked in nice and tight.

The elevated drive-side midstay allows the rear wheel to be tucked in nice and tight (click to enlarge).​

According to Trek, the elevated drive-side "midstay" is essential in sucking the rear wheel in, the only drawback being that this design only allows for a single front chainring. But considering Stache can be built-up in the 25-pound range, 1x should suffice for most riders.

Without the new Boost 148 standard, the Stache wouldn't have the ability for crank and rear wheel to overlap for short chainstays.

Without the new Boost 148 standard, the Stache wouldn't have the ability for crank and rear wheel to overlap for short chainstays (click to enlarge).​

The Stache is also the first bike to feature the new Boost 148/110 hub spacing standard. Now before people get all worked up and angry about this seemingly unnecessary new "standard", consider this: Without Boost, the Stache would not be possible. Because the Stache's chainstays are so short and the tires are so big, the rear tire and front chainring actually overlap each other. And without the 3mm offset Boost crankset, a traditional crankset would hit the tire. And thanks to Boost, the Q-factor and bottom bracket shell width on Stache is the same as a traditional mountain bike, as opposed to the more awkward 100mm-wide crank spindle of most fat bikes.

Why should you even care about any of this? Because after going for a "Free Stache Ride" (especially relevant to those Super Troopers fans), I can say with all confidence that this bike absolutely hauls the mail. The Stache is one of the most fun and fastest rides I've ever had on a hardtail mountain bike, especially in 29+ guise.

Continue to page 2 for first ride impressions and a photo gallery »

Stache eats trails like a mid-travel full suspension bike. Photo by Sterling Lorence

Stache eats trails like a mid-travel full suspension bike (click to enlarge). Photo by Sterling Lorence​

The Ride

Those who know me know I don't fly the fat bike banner. But let's make one thing perfectly clear: The Trek Stache is not a fat bike. Not even close. This bike is a legitimate trail hardtail that has unbelievable amounts of traction without suffering from the slow, lazy and lethargic feel of a traditional fat bike. My initial impression was that the Stache was going to be most enjoyable in 27.5+ guise considering that wheel size is the same outer diameter as a traditional 29-inch wheel with a 2.2-inch tire.

Even in 27.5+ mode, the Stache easily negotiated sandy downhills with absolute confidence and control.

Even in 27.5+ mode, the Stache easily negotiated sandy downhills with absolute confidence and control (click to enlarge).​

Equipped with a KS Lev dropper post and a 140mm travel Manitou Magnum 34 fork, I took the 27.5+ Stache 9 for a ride and was reasonably impressed. On the sandy, loose downhills around Fort Ord, the Stache floated over the top effortlessly, and in hard-packed corners, it had confidence-inspiring amounts of traction. But the heavy Vee Rubber 27.5+ tires with inner tubes weighed the bike down, and under heavy cornering, I experienced the dreaded basketball bounciness that makes fat bikes so disagreeable to me.

The Stache with the Chupacabra 29+ tires was the favorite setup thanks to incredible rolling speed and traction.

The Stache with the Chupacabra 29+ tires was the favorite setup thanks to incredible rolling speed and traction (click to enlarge).​

I swapped the 27.5+ Stache out for a 29+ Stache equipped with a 110mm travel Manitou Magnum Pro fork and Chupacabra 3-inch tires set up tubeless and went for another ride. At a mere 850 grams and with a supple tire casing, the Chupacabras are as light as most traditional 2.3-inch tires without sacrificing much in rolling speed. This difference combined with the added ride quality of tubeless dramatically improved the performance of Stache 29+.

From the first couple pedal strokes, thanks to its larger and lighter wheels, the Stache 29+ got up to speed and never slowed down. The trails around Sea Otter get hammered by thousands of riders, resulting in endless brake bumps and tire-eating ruts that have to be carefully negotiated on a traditional hardtail. But the Stache 29+ was like driving a Trophy Truck, allowing me to bomb through the trail chatter. The short chainstays and tight wheelbase made the Stache turn into corners with enthusiastic precision. After the bottom of the first downhill, my mouth hurt from smiling so hard.

When designers can dial in wheelbase and geometry like Trek has with the Stache, there's no good reason to run 27.5+ when you can run 29+ without suffering any loss in cornering quickness and climbing comfort. Although the Stache can be run with both wheel sizes, my recommendation is 29+ all the way. There's no reason not to. The improvement in rolling speed, bump absorption, cornering traction and overall ride quality is significant, making the Stache the most capable-feeling hardtail I've ever ridden. Close your eyes and you'd swear you're on a short-travel full-suspension bike; only the Stache will slay loose corners that a traditional short-travel bike would give out on.

Stache 7 and 9 models come with a specially designed Manitou Magnum plus-size fork running Boost 110 hub spacing.

Stache 7 and 9 models come with a specially designed Manitou Magnum plus-size fork running Boost 110 hub spacing (click to enlarge).​

I wouldn't call the Stache 29+ (or any 29+ bike) a game changer; at least not yet. I don't see people selling their mid-travel full-suspension rigs or lightweight cross-country rigs in trade for this bike. However, there's a growing flock of riders who've traded their racing numbers for huge backcountry exploration, and often find themselves in primitive, nasty terrain wanting the operational simplicity of a hardtail with the comfort of a full suspension bike. I can't think of a more capable, and - most importantly - fun bike for the job of backcountry exploration than the Stache 29+.

It brings together the best aspects of a full suspension bike, a hardtail and a fat bike into one extremely functional machine that can swallow terrain whole while allowing its rider to cover huge mileage. If the trend of riding continues in the direction backcountry exploration, then bikes like the Stache might well be game changers.

The Commute Crew is already planning our next seven-day ride in late September, called The CommUtah. We'll be riding more than 400 miles of trail from Salt Lake City to Moab across alpine singletrack, rocky fire roads and sand-filled washes. I think I've found the bikes that we'll be riding. Check back in a few months after we get some big test miles on the Stache. If it lives up to my initial impressions, big miles will be accompanied by big smiles.

Model Lineup

  • Stache 5: rigid carbon fork, steeper 70.3-degree headtube angle, Shimano Deore drivetrain/hydraulic disc brakes, Miami Green color. MSRP $1,759
  • Stache 7: Manitou Magnum 34 Comp, SRAM GX1 drivetrain, DB 5 hydraulic disc brakes, Purple Lotus color. MSRP $2,519
  • Stache 9: Manitou Magnum 34 Pro, SRAM X1 drivetrain, Shimano Deore XT hydraulic disc brakes, KS eThirty Integra dropper post, DT Swiss 350 hubs, Matte Trek Black color. MSRP $3,879
  • Stache frame only: (Matte Trek Black color) MSRP $939
  • Sizes: 15.5, 17.5, 18.5, 19.5, 21.5
For more information visit www.trekbikes.com.