Trek Farley EX full suspension fat bike
Fat bikes aren’t just for snow anymore (click to enlarge).
While fat bikes may have been originally developed for winter shenanigans, riders all over have taken to using them year round. One reason why is the introduction of capable front suspension, which has greatly increased the versatility of these bikes.
The $3,499 Farley EX 8 is one of Trek’s new full suspension fat bike models (click to enlarge).
Trek’s latest, the Farley EX, is a full suspension fat bike that hopes to push the versatility and range of this genre even further. It has 120mm of front and rear travel and rolls on 27.5” wheels.
Trek determined via testing that transitioning from 26” to 27.5” fat bike tires offered several key advantages (click to enlarge).
By moving from the traditional 26” platform to 27.5”, Trek hopes to capitalize on the advantages offered by larger wheels – such as improved lateral stability and better cornering traction. If you’re not sold on the wheel size, the Farley EX is also compatible with 26” wheels sporting up to 4” rubber.
The Farley EX has room for up to a 4” tire, but comes stock with 3.8” rubber (click to enlarge).
Considering Trek’s claims that the new Farley EX was designed to be ridden year round, we asked their engineering staff it would also be possible to run 29” wheels during the summer months. They claim there’s plenty of clearance for a 2.4” tire, but you’ll need to lace a custom wheelset to make it happen (150×15 front/197×12 rear).
The top tier Farley EX 8.8 has a carbon front triangle and a mix of high end components (click to enlarge).
The Farley EX is available for pre-order now and will ship at two different price points this August. At the more expensive end is the Farley EX 8.8, which has a carbon front triangle, RockShox Bluto RL, Fox Evol shock with RE:aktiv damper, 27.5 carbon Wampa wheels, a SRAM X01/X1 1×11 drivetrain, and Bontrager’s new Drop Line dropper seatpost. Retail is very attractive $5,499.
The Farley EX retails for two thousand dollars less than its carbon counterpart, but utilizes the same caliber of suspension components (click to enlarge).
The more affordable Farley EX 8 uses an alloy frame, but comes in at $3,499 by using alloy wheels from SunRingle, a SRAM GX 1×11 drivetrain, and KS eThirty Integra dropper seatpost. There are currently no plans to offer a frame only option.
The ultralight Farley 9.9 is race-ready out of the box (click to enlarge).
Farley Hardtail
In addition to the full suspension models, Trek also introduced a new race-ready version of their popular Farley hardtail. This version is called the Farley 9.9 and comes equipped with SRAM’s new 1×12 Eagle drivetrain and carbon HED Big Half Deal Wheels. The entire package weighs 22 lbs and will retail for $7,500.
For more information visit www.trekbikes.com.
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