You’d think that with all the modern technology we have these days, the mountain bike hardtail would be consigned to museums and nostalgic fireside tales. But no, if anything, top-tier brands are looking for ways to make performance hardtails more efficient and faster. Check out TREK’s new Procaliber.
We may not all realise it, but the hardtail is still an essential bike. It’s the purest form of mountain bike and it’s relative simplicity makes it attractive to a segment of the market. It’s light weight also makes it a pure speed machine that
TREK’s engineers have been busy looking for a new way to offer compliance to their carbon hardtail without adding weight. The result, the replacement of the Procaliber’s IsoSpeed with IsoBow.
IsoBow offers the same seated compliance as IsoSpeed, but is lighter and simpler, according to TREK. The seatstays extend well past the seattube and into the base of the toptube to offer one flex-tuned structure which partially absorbs trail or road surface chatter and reduces rider fatigue.
In terms of geometry updates, the new Procaliber sees the headtube angle relax further to 67 degrees from the previous 68.8 degrees; the seattube angle steepen slightly to 74.3 degrees from the previous 73.8 degrees; and the reach lengthen to 460mm (Large) from the previous 450mm.
According to TREK, these updates, combined with a 120mm fork (up from 100mm) and a new floating brake mount, translate to a better-handling, faster bike. Hard to disagree with that when you see how widely these updates have been implemented and appreciated in recent times.
Who is the ideal buyer for this bike in South Africa? Well, for starters, teenage XCO racers. Many of the schools series courses and even some of the provincial courses are low-risk and tame. A conditioned, skilled rider will thrive on a bike like the Procaliber, which prioritises light weight and speed over comfort.
And of course gravel racers who seek a good standard of efficiency, but want a bike that’s controllable on the fast descents and relatively comfortable. Typically not a podium chaser, but a rider that wants to finish without flirting with crash drama and bunch-riding anxiety.
There are three models of the new TREK Procaliber available in South Africa, the 9.6 is already here.
Procaliber 9.6: MSRP R55 000 – see it here.
Procaliber 8: MSRP R40 000
Procaliber 6: MSRP R30 000
