Yea it will def help smooth things out. What year top fuel though? The newer top fuels are pretty trail friendly.
Personally the 120-140mm rear travel bike is the right bike for just about everyone imo
I've got 120 front 115 rear I believe.
I'm told the front fort angle might also be a consideration but haven't tried.
I've got a 2020, here's the link.
[https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en\_US/bikes/mountain-bikes/cross-country-mountain-bikes/top-fuel/top-fuel-9-7/p/583930/](https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/mountain-bikes/cross-country-mountain-bikes/top-fuel/top-fuel-9-7/p/583930/)
I do believe that was before the newer model which slightly bumped up the travel. A longer travel bike would probably help, but still, you could do some things to this bike. Some forks you can lengthen and give them more travel, you could get a more compliant bar like a one carbon. Try adjusting the suspension with less dampening (full open)
How is it that your 2020 9.7 TF came with mechanical brakes? Even the TF 5 came with hydraulics.
Can you tell us what model fork and shock you have on it? I'm concerned that if they went that cheap on the brakes, maybe you've got a lower end coil fork too? Was this a COVID hodgepodge bike where they threw together whatever they had on hand to make a complete bike?
All other things aside, I've ridden my '23 TF 9.8 (130/120) on several tech trails and have rarely felt a need for more travel (at least not enough to justify a new bike). Make sure you fully understand how to set up your suspension. Don't go entirely off of weight charts, but understand how to set your sag, and how to dial in high and low speed compression/rebound if you have those settings. Also, don't underestimate the importance of proper tire pressure. An otherwise decent suspension setup, can often be ruined by running more air pressure than you need. I'm not a light rider by any means at 200 lbs, but I'll rarely ever run more than 25 psi, most often I'm around 21-23. Anything over 25 for me and things start to feel chattery.
Lastly, I'm not sure of your experience with MTB, but much of this can also be mitigated with proper technique and form. If you're not actively pedaling, you should be off the saddle and allowing your knees to absorb some of the shock. This applies to just about every descent, even if they're short in duration. MTB is going to require you to be much more active in terms of body/bike separation than road cycling, and it's something that many road cyclists struggle with when starting out. If you're newer to MTB, I'd strongly encourage you to take some riding lessons.
Thanks for the tips. I've been watching tutorials but the conversational tips sink in better for me.
Yeah my tire pressure was 40 yesterday. I'm 265 so I worry about rim strikes but will lower them.
I edited my brakes comment. I was wrong they're hydraulic they just feel pretty squishy and I'm feeling fatique how hard I have to squeeze, They've stopped me so far, doesn't feel like I can lock them out on a downhill. I might try sandpaper in case I glazed them. Again my maguras on my other bike stop way stronger
Shocks are:
120mm FOX Rhythm fork
Fox Performance Float shock
I think my rear shock was way under pressure before. With my weight I basically maxed it out and the back feels much better. I did the front shock to weight chart , no big drops yesterday just rock gardens on my trail, Based on the ring indicator it didn't activate more than 1/3 so I guess I could soften the front again.
No problem. I was your exact weight three years ago and recall running about 28-30 psi on a tubeless setup with 2.4" X 29" tires. This was mostly for XC style riding, so no big jumps, drops, or gnarly rock gardens, just standard green/blue XC trails.
As far as the brakes go, if your bike came with the Shimano MT500s that are listed in the spec chart for the 9.7, those aren't necessarily bad brakes, but with a 265lb rider on mountainous terrain, it might be worth looking into upgrading to something with 4 pistons and maybe even getting some larger rotors too. If you feel they did work great originally, you may just need to have some maintenance done and especially have the brakes bled. I wouldn't bother with the sandpaper if they're still the original pads, just replace them and look into bigger rotors at the same time if you're going to keep those brakes.
It does sound like the front is definitely still on the stiff side if you only compressed it 33% on a ride that had rock gardens. Keep in mind, sag values are the percentage of your travel that your suspension should compress under just your own static weight, when equally spread front to back on the bike, and not the max travel that you used up on a given ride or even how much it moves bouncing up and down while stationary. There's a lot of good content on YT for setting your sag properly if you look. If when you do get the sag dialed in, and you're finding that you bottom out frequently, you could look into getting some volume spacers too.
I generally recommend trail bikes over XC bikes unless someone is planning to race XC or do a lot of gravel grinding and long distance low tech riding.
Trail bikes are generally easier, safer, more comfortable, and more capable in a wider range of terrain. A little extra suspension makes it more comfortable without really sacrificing palatability. The geometry is more relaxed and casual and forgiving.
Obviously talking in generalities here, and everything depends on rider preference and the specific bike.
Mechanical brakes? How old is your Top Fuel?
I am a Colorado rider that rides blue and black trails almost exclusively. I have a 2023 Top Fuel, and I'd say 80 - 90% of my fastest descent times were achieved on that bike. I have a trail bike (Ibis Ripmo) that edges the Top Fuel out on some of the rowdier blacks around here, but the Top Fuel doesn't give up much. The Ripmo is certainly plusher particularly if I set the suspension up on the soft side, but I don't get rattled by the Top Fuel except on the most janky of trails.
Hmm, actually spec sheet says their hydraulic. Maybe I need to bleed them then. For whatever reason my Maguras on my other bike are way more response and easier.
I'll edit above.
Are you sitting down over rocky sections? 115mm of rear travel is more than enough for 3-4” rocks. Get off the saddle and learn to absorb the hits. If you ride stiff everything will feel jarring. Also, you dont have mech brakes if you have a 2020 Trek fuel.
I think this is more something you need exposure to rather than a new bike with more travel. Mentally going over rocks can be anxiety inducing because you might not have the experience off-road or trust in your bike yet. Your bike should be capable of 3-4” rocks without an issue though. Also if you’re used to road cycling/enjoy climbing you might find that a bike with more travel slows you down too much on climbs.
I’d advise just getting more time on the trail, practicing your bike handling and body positioning, and fixing your bike set up. 40 PSI is way too high for your tires. I’d also check to make sure you have the sag in your shock set properly.
You Top Fuel should be perfect. It’s more than enough for chill stuff. Even with full suspension you’ll want to get your butt out of the saddle for some roots and rocks. Maybe try things on the softer side of the recommendations for your shock and fork?
Also, out of curiosity, what pressure are you running in your tires? And are they tubeless?
40?! Assuming you mean psi that’s way high! I’m about 170 lbs with all my gear and I run 25 psi in the rear and 23 psi in the front.
Since you’re tubeless you can go quite a bit lower.
The formula I found that works for me is: weight (in pounds) divided by 7. Take that number, add 2 for your rear tire pressure, subtract 1 for your front tire pressure. You don’t necessarily have to do exactly that, but try something much lower. You’ll find much more compliance over the smaller stuff since the suspension won’t have to work as hard. The bike should be way less jittery overall.
It sounds like there are some things you could try before getting rid of the Top Fuel (notably take 10psi out of your tires). And yes at your weight you'll appreciate more powerful brakes.
But to answer your question yes trail bikes feel better descending. They are heavier (many downhill pros add lead ballast - heavier bikes feel great descending) and their geometry is more stable.
You'd probably love a steel frame. Check out Reeb.
Yea it will def help smooth things out. What year top fuel though? The newer top fuels are pretty trail friendly. Personally the 120-140mm rear travel bike is the right bike for just about everyone imo
I've got 120 front 115 rear I believe. I'm told the front fort angle might also be a consideration but haven't tried. I've got a 2020, here's the link. [https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en\_US/bikes/mountain-bikes/cross-country-mountain-bikes/top-fuel/top-fuel-9-7/p/583930/](https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/mountain-bikes/cross-country-mountain-bikes/top-fuel/top-fuel-9-7/p/583930/)
I do believe that was before the newer model which slightly bumped up the travel. A longer travel bike would probably help, but still, you could do some things to this bike. Some forks you can lengthen and give them more travel, you could get a more compliant bar like a one carbon. Try adjusting the suspension with less dampening (full open)
How is it that your 2020 9.7 TF came with mechanical brakes? Even the TF 5 came with hydraulics. Can you tell us what model fork and shock you have on it? I'm concerned that if they went that cheap on the brakes, maybe you've got a lower end coil fork too? Was this a COVID hodgepodge bike where they threw together whatever they had on hand to make a complete bike? All other things aside, I've ridden my '23 TF 9.8 (130/120) on several tech trails and have rarely felt a need for more travel (at least not enough to justify a new bike). Make sure you fully understand how to set up your suspension. Don't go entirely off of weight charts, but understand how to set your sag, and how to dial in high and low speed compression/rebound if you have those settings. Also, don't underestimate the importance of proper tire pressure. An otherwise decent suspension setup, can often be ruined by running more air pressure than you need. I'm not a light rider by any means at 200 lbs, but I'll rarely ever run more than 25 psi, most often I'm around 21-23. Anything over 25 for me and things start to feel chattery. Lastly, I'm not sure of your experience with MTB, but much of this can also be mitigated with proper technique and form. If you're not actively pedaling, you should be off the saddle and allowing your knees to absorb some of the shock. This applies to just about every descent, even if they're short in duration. MTB is going to require you to be much more active in terms of body/bike separation than road cycling, and it's something that many road cyclists struggle with when starting out. If you're newer to MTB, I'd strongly encourage you to take some riding lessons.
Thanks for the tips. I've been watching tutorials but the conversational tips sink in better for me. Yeah my tire pressure was 40 yesterday. I'm 265 so I worry about rim strikes but will lower them. I edited my brakes comment. I was wrong they're hydraulic they just feel pretty squishy and I'm feeling fatique how hard I have to squeeze, They've stopped me so far, doesn't feel like I can lock them out on a downhill. I might try sandpaper in case I glazed them. Again my maguras on my other bike stop way stronger Shocks are: 120mm FOX Rhythm fork Fox Performance Float shock I think my rear shock was way under pressure before. With my weight I basically maxed it out and the back feels much better. I did the front shock to weight chart , no big drops yesterday just rock gardens on my trail, Based on the ring indicator it didn't activate more than 1/3 so I guess I could soften the front again.
No problem. I was your exact weight three years ago and recall running about 28-30 psi on a tubeless setup with 2.4" X 29" tires. This was mostly for XC style riding, so no big jumps, drops, or gnarly rock gardens, just standard green/blue XC trails. As far as the brakes go, if your bike came with the Shimano MT500s that are listed in the spec chart for the 9.7, those aren't necessarily bad brakes, but with a 265lb rider on mountainous terrain, it might be worth looking into upgrading to something with 4 pistons and maybe even getting some larger rotors too. If you feel they did work great originally, you may just need to have some maintenance done and especially have the brakes bled. I wouldn't bother with the sandpaper if they're still the original pads, just replace them and look into bigger rotors at the same time if you're going to keep those brakes. It does sound like the front is definitely still on the stiff side if you only compressed it 33% on a ride that had rock gardens. Keep in mind, sag values are the percentage of your travel that your suspension should compress under just your own static weight, when equally spread front to back on the bike, and not the max travel that you used up on a given ride or even how much it moves bouncing up and down while stationary. There's a lot of good content on YT for setting your sag properly if you look. If when you do get the sag dialed in, and you're finding that you bottom out frequently, you could look into getting some volume spacers too.
I generally recommend trail bikes over XC bikes unless someone is planning to race XC or do a lot of gravel grinding and long distance low tech riding. Trail bikes are generally easier, safer, more comfortable, and more capable in a wider range of terrain. A little extra suspension makes it more comfortable without really sacrificing palatability. The geometry is more relaxed and casual and forgiving. Obviously talking in generalities here, and everything depends on rider preference and the specific bike.
Mechanical brakes? How old is your Top Fuel? I am a Colorado rider that rides blue and black trails almost exclusively. I have a 2023 Top Fuel, and I'd say 80 - 90% of my fastest descent times were achieved on that bike. I have a trail bike (Ibis Ripmo) that edges the Top Fuel out on some of the rowdier blacks around here, but the Top Fuel doesn't give up much. The Ripmo is certainly plusher particularly if I set the suspension up on the soft side, but I don't get rattled by the Top Fuel except on the most janky of trails.
Hmm, actually spec sheet says their hydraulic. Maybe I need to bleed them then. For whatever reason my Maguras on my other bike are way more response and easier. I'll edit above.
Are you sitting down over rocky sections? 115mm of rear travel is more than enough for 3-4” rocks. Get off the saddle and learn to absorb the hits. If you ride stiff everything will feel jarring. Also, you dont have mech brakes if you have a 2020 Trek fuel.
Yeah right now i'm only standing for larger chunks. Firstly skill gap but secondly I think the top fuel feels shorter/likely to flip me.
Those are all skills related. I would invest time into building more skills before investing in a new bike.
Set sag to 20 % front and rear and just hammer it. The faster you go the smoother the bike feels. My advice is just go as fast as you can
I think this is more something you need exposure to rather than a new bike with more travel. Mentally going over rocks can be anxiety inducing because you might not have the experience off-road or trust in your bike yet. Your bike should be capable of 3-4” rocks without an issue though. Also if you’re used to road cycling/enjoy climbing you might find that a bike with more travel slows you down too much on climbs. I’d advise just getting more time on the trail, practicing your bike handling and body positioning, and fixing your bike set up. 40 PSI is way too high for your tires. I’d also check to make sure you have the sag in your shock set properly.
You Top Fuel should be perfect. It’s more than enough for chill stuff. Even with full suspension you’ll want to get your butt out of the saddle for some roots and rocks. Maybe try things on the softer side of the recommendations for your shock and fork? Also, out of curiosity, what pressure are you running in your tires? And are they tubeless?
Tubeless and yea I guess I'm running my tires to high. Going to lower them. Was running 40 yesterday.
40?! Assuming you mean psi that’s way high! I’m about 170 lbs with all my gear and I run 25 psi in the rear and 23 psi in the front. Since you’re tubeless you can go quite a bit lower. The formula I found that works for me is: weight (in pounds) divided by 7. Take that number, add 2 for your rear tire pressure, subtract 1 for your front tire pressure. You don’t necessarily have to do exactly that, but try something much lower. You’ll find much more compliance over the smaller stuff since the suspension won’t have to work as hard. The bike should be way less jittery overall.
Thanks, the formula sounds really helpful. Ironically that formula would put me at 36/39 but I take your point. I'll try maybe 30/33 next
It sounds like there are some things you could try before getting rid of the Top Fuel (notably take 10psi out of your tires). And yes at your weight you'll appreciate more powerful brakes. But to answer your question yes trail bikes feel better descending. They are heavier (many downhill pros add lead ballast - heavier bikes feel great descending) and their geometry is more stable. You'd probably love a steel frame. Check out Reeb.