Trek Supercaliber 9.9 My SUPERCALIBER 9.9 came into my life during a crazy time!! After merely two rides on it, I had a road bike accident and had to stay off the bike for two months, to recover from a severe elbow injury. Initially I had to approach my riding VERY CAREFULLY. For quite a while I did not have the strength to lean on my right arm at all. Slowly but surely my strength increased and as I dared more, my SUPERCALIBER started showing off. Giving me the best "WELCOME BACK TO RIDING" I could ask for. Coming from a TREK TOP FUEL 9.9 (2019), I did not know what to expect from my new bike, I loved the Top Fuel and had a 100% podium record on it. First thing I noticed was that these two bikes had a completely different feel even if you just ride around your neighbourhood. 1. IT IS FAST! Notably faster! There is absolutely no loss of power when you step on the pedals, everything you put in gets rewarded. To take it a step further the dual lockout system makes this bike come to life! I just lock out my shocks on a smooth climb and WHALLAH, rocket mode "ON" ???? 2. IT HANDLES OBSTACLES LIKE A DUAL SUSPENSION. Because the SUPERCALIBER has less travel in the rear shock (coming from 100mm rear travel to the merely 60mm Isostrut system) , I was a bit sceptical when it came to obstacles. Would I be able to be confident over the rocks, drops and jumps and what it would feel like? What a revelation! When it comes to jumps, it floats like an airplane and landing it is really smooth. The slack head angle does an amazing job down drops, rocks and steep descents. Easy to steer and very reluctant to throw you over the bars if you keep to the rules of basic skills. 3. IT'S REALLY, REALLY LIGHT The weight of this bike is probably its biggest advantage. With race ready sealant in the wheels and pedals on, my bike weighed in on 9.4kg. In other words, it is a pleasure to climb to the top of the mountain. During testing it on various mountain passes, I've set PR's every time, even while I wasn't in top shape during my recovery period. In conclusion..... Every time I ride, I smile at the top and and the bottom of the mountain. The only down side of the SUPERCALIBER is that it is difficult to not talk about the riding pleasure during the ride and you can easily drive your mates crazy. Thus also the reason why I've decided to share my experience online. No one asked, and I'm not getting paid to say nice things. It's just my honest opinion. Suggestions--- A bicycle like the SUPERCALIBER is built for optimum speed and I would suggest that you make sure that your bike setup is done properly without compromising the way the bicycle is built. In my opinion the shock pressure and rebound should be precisely set according to factory suggestions in order to get the most out of it.... DON'T FORGET THAT TYRE PRESSURE PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN YOUR RIDING AND CORNERING EXPERIENCE. The SUPERCALIBER 9.9 is the perfect race bike for me, and if you keep to its design, you'll be going faster than ever before! Though it is a pricey bicycle, it's definitely a huge benefit as a race bike. If you're thinking of buying it for racing or enjoyment, your expectations will be met!!
