Team Trek Factory Racing descended on Stellenbosch in full force with four riders taking part in the World Cup. Anton Cooper and Sergio Mantecón representing the team in the men’s race while Emily Batty and Evie Richards raced in the women’s ranks.
Most mountain bike fans will know Emily Batty from her exploits on the World Cup circuit over a number of years as well as seeing her race in the World Cups and World Championships in Pietermaritzburg. Evie Richards is a rider to watch in the future having won her second Under 23 Cyclocross World Championship in February and is looking to transfer that form to mountain bike in the World Cup series.
Emily Batty’s Procaliber with 27.5″ wheels.
Both Emily Batty and Evie Richards elected to race their full suspension Trek Top Fuels in the Stellenbosch World Cup. Unfortunately, we were unable to cover those bikes but we did get some time with their alternative hardtail race bike, the Trek Procaliber.
We sat down with the team after the race to chat through their World Cup experience and, in particular, their equipment choices on race day (full interviews to follow). Emily Batty ultimately opted for the Trek Top Fuel citing better pedalling efficiency on the bumpy sections of the course as a key factor. She typically makes the call on which bike to race the day before, at the same time finalising tyre choices and chainring size based on the course conditions. Anton Cooper opted to race on the Trek Procaliber, the team’s hardtail race bike, and generally his preferred choice having grown up racing hardtails. The Procaliber uses what Trek call an IsoSpeed decoupler which allows the seat post to flex more freely, smoothing out bumps and vibrations for the rider.
Trek Factory Racing signed SRAM as a sponsor for 2018 replacing Shimano and Fox. Emily’s gearing is full SRAM XX1 Eagle with a 34 tooth chainring. The SRAM and gold theme continues to the braking with Level Ultimate stoppers. She uses Shimano XTR pedals to push the cranks.
The cockpit makes use of a Bontrager XXX carbon handlebar and aluminium stem. Foam ESI Grips are used to soften the contact point on the handlebars.
Evie rides on a set of Bontrager Kovee XXX 29 Boost TLR with carbon rims and DT Swiss hubs. Her tyres are Bontrager’s fast rolling XR1 Team Issues. Emily’s 27.5 wheels are clearly from Bontrager but there was no obvious sign of which model (anyone with an encyclopedic knowledge of Bontrager wheels willing to help us out?). Emily’s tyres are from a non-sponsor and have been blacked out.
Evie Richards’s Trek Procaliber with 29″ wheels.
The obvious difference to Evie’s bike from Emily’s is the wheelsize, 29er vs 650b. She also uses a RockShox Reverb dropper post where Emily favours a rigid carbon seat post from Bontrager. Evie rides a XX1 crankset with a Quarq spider and 34 tooth chainring (like Emily) and MRP chainguide for added chain drop protection.
Evie uses a Bontrager Kovee Pro saddle where Emily favours a Bontrager Montrose Pro on her Procaliber.
Specification list:
- FrameTrek Procaliber
- ForkRockShox SID
- WheelsetEmily: Bontrager 27.5″ / Evie: Bontrager Kovee XXX 29″
- TyresEmily: Maxxis Ikon / Evie: Bontrager XR1 Team Issue
- HandlebarBontrager XXX
- GripsESI Grips
- StemBontrager
- HeadsetCane Creek
- SeatpostEmily: Bontrager XXX / Evie: RockShox Reverb
- SaddleEmily: Bontrager Montrose Pro / Evie: Bontrager Kovee Pro
- BrakesSRAM Level Ultimate
- Brake RotorsSRAM CentreLine X
- ShiftersSRAM XX1 Eagle
- Rear DerailleurSRAM XX1 Eagle
- CassetteSRAM XX1 Eagle 10-50
- CranksEmily: SRAM XX1 Eagle / Evie: SRAM XX1 with Quarq spider
- ChainringSRAM XX1 Eagle 34T
- ChainSRAM XX1 Eagle
- PedalsShimano XTR
- Bottle CagesBontrager RXL
