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T R E K W O M E N ’ S R I D E G U I D E
C O N T E N T S
EDITORIALDesigned, edited, and written by Trek Bicycle
IMAGESCover / Ami Kochendorfer
Women’s Specific Design / John Laptad
The tastemaker’s notes / Marvin Zilm
Go west, young lady / Christopher Bacarella
Road bikes defined / Zack Jones, Ami Kochendorfer
Meet Katie Compton / Jamie Forrest, Mark Legg Compton
Project One / Christopher Bacarella
The women of winter / Christopher Bacarella
Meet Linsey Corbin / Nils Nilsen, Courtesy of Triathlete Magazine, Thierry Sourbier
Road gear / Todd Herbst
Fix a flat / Ami Kochendorfer
Ladies, take your seats / Christopher Bacarella
Mountain bikes defined / Matt Delorme, Sterling Lorence
Meet Emily Batty / Matt Delorme
Queens of the mountain / Christopher Bacarella, Logan Swayze
Mountain gear / Todd Herbst
Retirement, Enduro style / Christopher Bacarella
City bikes defined / John Laptad
City gear / Todd Herbst
Trek Breast Cancer Awareness Ride / Christopher Bacarella
FAQ / Christopher Bacarella
02 Women’s Specific Design
04 The tastemaker’s notes
08 We have secrets
10 Go west, young lady
14 Road bikes defined
18 Meet Katie Compton
20 Project One
22 The women of winter
28 Meet Linsey Corbin
32 Trek Travel
34 Road bike anatomy
36 Road gear
38 Fix a flat
40 Ladies, take your seats
44 Mountain bikes defined
46 Meet Emily Batty
50 Queens of the mountain
54 Mountain bike anatomy
56 Mountain gear
58 Retirement, Enduro style
62 City bikes defined
66 City gear
68 Trek Breast Cancer Awareness Ride
70 FAQ
L IT TLE BL ACK DRESS
F IT, R IDE , STYLEThe details make the difference
W O M E N ’ S S P E C I F I C D E S I G N
Trek was the first major bicycle company to develop a full
line of bikes designed specifically for women, and we’ve been
refining our WSD product line ever since.
Trek WSD details add up to a great-fitting, great-riding bike
for every woman, no matter who you are or how you ride.
Better fit, better ride, better style. That’s the WSD difference.
F I TOur WSD bikes are sized, engineered, and outfitted for a better fit, right from the
start. Some adjustments are small, some are significant. And they all add up to a big
difference in the quality and comfort of your ride.
R I D EWe tune our WSD frames, components, and suspension to suit a woman’s smaller
body mass, lower center of gravity, and riding style. You get better handling, a more
responsive feel, and the confidence to ride your best.
S T Y L EHas your bike been to Fashion Week? Ours have. Each year our women’s design
team hits the top European fashion shows. They translate the best of what they find
into gorgeous bike graphics that ride just ahead of the curve.
the
tastemaker’snotes
7
Every summer Stacey Martin, our women’s bike graphic designer,
makes a pilgrimage to Europe to see what’s next in the world
of fashion. She takes in apparel shows like Bread & Butter (high
fashion, emerging trends) and Bright (edgier fashion, for skate, ski,
snow, and surf), along with plenty of street viewing. She spends
a week immersing herself in the colors and patterns destined to
show up on the clothing racks and shoe shelves of the world’s
retailers, and then she brings it all back to put into her bikes.
“I ATTEND THESE EUROPEAN
FASHION SHOWS BECAUSE MOST
OF THE BRANDS TREND 1-2 YEARS
AHEAD OF EVERYBODY ELSE.”
“The cool thing is that there
is a lot more to bike graphics
than people realize. It’s not just
throwing color on a bike.”
T R E N D S P O T T I N G
8
“BREAD & BUTTER ALWAYS HAS THE MOST
INTERESTING PATTERN COMBINATIONS.
I TAKE THOUSANDS OF PHOTOS AND SORT
THROUGH THEM TO FIND THE TRENDS.”
“I love looking at booth design and
how product is displayed. It’s just as
important as the product itself.”
T H E TA S T E M A K E R
9
“Vendors think I work in the apparel industry and
freak out when I start taking pictures. But once
I tell them I’m a bike designer looking to fashion
for inspiration, the mood changes. People are
excited about fashion’s influence on bikes.”
“Fashion only goes so far. People have to wear it
to make it relevant. That’s why I hit the streets
to people watch. I love to see what they’re
wearing around town and on their bikes.”
“People use bikes and fashion to express
themselves and to connect with the world
around them. To me, that is true art.”
“This year there was a
lot of artwork done on
site, especially at Bright.
There’s this amazing
emphasis on artistry,
craftsmanship, process.”
T H E TA S T E M A K E R
11
W S D H I D D E N G R A P H I C S
Lush 29er Women’s full suspension mountain bikeLush 29er is built to rule the singletrack. No-compromise
performance and the exhilarating I’ve-got-this confidence of 29”
wheels make every trail more fun. Look closely at the bottom
bracket, and you’ll find a playful tribute to Lush’s intoxicating
ride: a little pink elephant accompanied by a stream of bubbles
follows your line every time you and your Lush 29er hit the trails.
Cali Women’s 29er hardtail mountain bikeNext up: a sweet hardtail trail bike named for the state where
mountain biking was born. Cali is light, fun, efficient... all the things
you need for a rollicking great ride, with the added speed and
confidence of 29” wheels. Cali is ready to rock wherever you roll,
in carbon or aluminum, with a full range of spec. The Cali secret
graphic takes its cue from 2Pac and Dr. Dre’s classic, because Cali,
like its namesake, most definitely knows how to party.
The Gary Fisher stacheThe final stop on our hidden graphics preview started life as
a mustache—specifically, the world-class stache of mountain
biking legend Gary Fisher. The Fisher stache appears on all
our Gary Fisher Collection men’s bikes, accompanied by the
aphorism All work and no play is no fun at all. Words to live by...
But a mustache on a women’s bike? Stacey tweaked the stache-y
swoops to represent a full head of girlie hair, and applied the
sentiment to Lush and Cali.
There are more mountain bike hidden graphics throughout the
line, and don’t even get us started on road and city. We’ll leave
those for you to discover.
Don’t let the bicycle’s simple silhouette fool you.
A Trek bike is a meticulously designed, engineered,
and crafted collection of details, years in the
making and built on decades of experience. On
each and every bike, we push the limits, explore
the possibilities, reexamine the ride.
Our Women’s Collection is no exception—in fact, our Women’s
Specific Design (WSD) bikes require an extra measure of
refinement to perfectly tune the details to suit women riders.
They’re the same details that matter to all riders, dialed
specifically for women: performance, comfort, safety, fit,
function. And, of course, design.
We take our aesthetics seriously. Our women’s bike graphic
designer, Stacey Martin, makes an annual pilgrimage to Europe’s
biggest trend shows to get the jump on emerging fashion trends.
Fashion should be fun, too, so Stacey rewards the observant
rider with something special: tiny, ultra-cool details that capture
the essence of the ride, discreetly tucked away on the frame.
They’re a little secret between you and your bike.
We won’t give them all away, because finding them is half the fun.
But there are a few secrets we just can’t keep.
Tiny details tucked away on our women’s frames reward a closer look
WE HAVE SECRETS
“Routine makes me anxious. And nothing about this job is routine.”E R I N SM IT H , T R E K D E M O R E P
13
You drive a herd across endless stretches of dusty
western landscape, traversing a vast territory
with only your dog for company. You’re ruled
by the rhythm of the seasons, fueled by strong
coffee and the love of the ride, happy to
be living the solitary life of a... Trek demo driver?
OK, the cowboy metaphor may be a bit of a stretch, but the job of
a Trek Factory Demo Rep has a lot more in common with riding
the range than with your average desk job. We spent time with
one of Trek’s full-time demo drivers to find out what the demo life
is all about.
First, a little background. Each Trek demo driver (currently there
are seven—four women and three men) is responsible for a
full bicycle fleet, carried in a specially tricked-out trailer, which
makes appearances at races and retailer events throughout the
driver’s territory. The point of a demo is to give interested folks
a great experience riding a new bike, so demo setup and bike
maintenance are of paramount importance. Even more important:
making sure everyone is having a great time.
And therein lies the paradox of demo driving: it’s a solo gig, so
drivers must be self sufficient and fond of long stretches of
solitude—but they also need to be great with crowds and happy
to help riders of all experience levels sling a leg over the bike.
Long-time Durango, Colorado resident Erin Smith is just the right
blend of people person and rugged individualist. And she has
another quality that makes for an excellent demo driver: “Routine
makes me anxious. And nothing about this job is routine.”
Take, for example, the question of where to sleep. “It totally
depends on the day,” Erin explains. “Sometimes bed means a
sleeping bag in my truck. Or I’ll crash on somebody’s couch, if
they offer it up. Sometimes I’ll grab a hotel room. I never really
worry about it... I like the adventure of not knowing where
I’m going to spend the night.” Erin’s territory covers Western
Wyoming, Western Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Southern
California, so her overnight stays range from urban parking lot
to desolate desert roadside. Such varied accommodations don’t
bother her a bit.
“I’ve been pretty lucky as far as scary situations are concerned.
Once, when I was in a hotel room overnight, a bum stole my
sleeping bag, my shower towel, and my tennis shoes. Crazy—I
had some pretty expensive bike gear in the back of my truck, but
all he wanted was my bedroll.” She shrugs. “He must’ve needed it
more than I did.”
Erin racks up the miles pulling a 27-foot trailer behind her Ford
F-250 SuperDuty truck. Keeping her company in the cab is her
best friend and copilot, black Labrador Noya, along with a steady
diet of electronica, podcasts, and double-shot Americanos. At
each demo, she unloads the bikes, sets up and runs the demo,
and loads everything back on the truck. And through it all, she
maintains her fleet of 50 bikes in perfect working order. “I’ve
never seen anybody wrench a bike on the fly so fast and so
perfectly,” says a friend in the business. “Plus, that girl can shred.
She’s an amazing rider.”
Happily for Erin, her territory includes some of the hottest
mountain biking destinations in the country, and the demo
schedule gives her the opportunity to ride them. When she’s not
working an event, you can find her at Jimmy’s Mom on Teton
Pass, or Captain Ahab in Moab, or Trestle in Winter Park, making
incredibly technical rides look easy.
It’s a benefit that’s not lost on her. “There isn’t another job out
there that I’ve found that would allow me to work for an amazing
company like Trek, travel to unbelievable places, and meet some
of the coolest people around. And a lot of times this happens all
in one day!”
The next day, she’s on the road, heading for her next adventure.
And there’s nowhere else she’d rather be.
To find a demo event near you, visit trekbikes.com.
Go west, young lady
L I V I N G T H E D E M O L I F E
14
and a back yard...
L I V I N G T H E D E M O L I F E
Just a girl and her truck
and a bike
15
... and a dog.
ROAD
Power. Passion. Performance. These light, swift bikes have what it takes to keep you out front.
C O M M O N C H A R A C T E R I S T I C SLight frames, drop bars, skinny tires, clipless pedals. Higher-end
bikes will have carbon or high-tech aluminum frames. Triathlon bikes
have super-aerodynamic frames and low aero handlebars.
17
P E R F O R M A N C E R A C E
Conquer the highest climbs, attack off the front, fly down the
steepest descents, all on the fastest, lightest machines on the
road. Our performance race bikes combine innovative materials
and construction with top-of-the-line components to deliver
performance across the board.
MADONE, 1 SERIES
E N D U R A N C E R A C E Turn rough roads and gravel into miles of pleasure as you drop the
hammer on your best ride ever. Whether you’re taking on your
first or fiftieth solo century ride, there’s no better way to salute a
long day in the saddle than on a Trek endurance race bike.
DOMANE, LEXA
T R I A T H L O NTrek tri bikes aren’t just highly refined, absurdly aerodynamic
machines that cheat the wind, transfer all your power to the
road, and carry what you need to stay on course. They’re also
your ticket to the final leg of the race. Every detail of every Trek
Speed Concept is designed to absolutely kill your bike split and
leave you with enough energy left to crush the run.
SPEED CONCEPT
F I T N E S SThis is our most popular bike category, with good reason.
Fitness bikes are the ultimate multi-talented ride. Workout
machine, capable commuter, suburban warrior... they do it all.
They’re the surest answer to the question, “What kind of bike
should I get?”
FX, CROSSRIP
C Y C L O C R O S SIf mud, sand, and pain are your style, then Cyclocross is your
sport. Trek CX bikes give you every possible advantage in a full
lineup of badass rides built to win in the worst conditions. We
can’t promise you a victory, but we guarantee these Cyclocross
bikes will wring out your best race performance yet.
CRONUS CS, CROCKETT, CROSSRIP, BOONE
T O U R I N G
There’s no better way to see the world than from the saddle
of a touring bike. A dedicated tourer is comfortable, reliable,
capable, and always ready for the next adventure. In other
words, the perfect traveling companion.
520
W H I C H R OA D B I K E?
Trek is the #1 performance bike brand. Our R&D
department is the best in the world, and they’re
committed to making every one of our road
bikes, from hand-built carbon race machines to
refined aluminum models, the absolute best in
its class. Here’s the information you need to start
the journey of finding your perfect ride.
2 0
G R E AT AT H L E T E S R I D E T R E K
K AT I E F ’ N CO M P TO N
“ I L I K E S U F F E R I N G A N D
P U S H I N G M Y S E L F
A S H A R D A S I C A N T I L L
M Y B O DY C R A C K S . ”
21
Cyclocross racers pedal and carry their bikes
through a cross-country course of mud, obstacles,
steep slopes, and crazy hairpins. It’s not for the
faint of heart... which makes it a perfect fit for
Trek team rider Katie Compton.
BORN: DECEMBER 3, 1978
HEIGHT: 5’6”
HOMETOWN: NEWARK, DE
TEAM: TREK CYCLOCROSS COLLECTIVE
What’s your favorite part of a CX race?The chaos right after you clip in at the start to the first turn or
technical section. A race is never won in the first turn, but lots of
races are lost there.
Does your dog, Pixie, go with you on the race circuit?She’s a cool dog, but she barks whenever the bikes move, which
doesn’t really go over well with other racers. She stays with
friends when we’re on the road.
You’re a role model and idol for women in this sport. What do you think about that?I think that’s pretty awesome. I do my best to be personable and
positive and encouraging to women and kids and anyone who’s
interested in the sport. Bike racing and riding has done so much for
me and brought me so much joy that I think everyone should get to
experience that in some way.
Cyclocross is a cold-weather sport. How do you feel about that?I’m thick skinned and perform better in colder temps. There’s no such
thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices.
When was the first time you crashed on a bike?When I was about 5 I ran into my brother’s back wheel going down a
hill and fell on my face. I was always following my brother around and
trying to keep up with him. I credit my brother for making me tough.
Favorite music while training?I usually listen to podcasts when training, and sometimes music
for intervals. I go for anything fast with a good beat: Snoop Dogg,
Michael Jackson, Eminem, Foster the People, Arctic Monkeys, stuff
like that.
Final question: Why do you ride?I think I have a healthy addiction to riding. I love the way it makes me
feel. I like being healthy and fit. I like suffering and pushing myself as
hard as I can till my body cracks. The days when I can suffer AND go
fast, those are the best.
meetK ATIE COMPTON
LOVE IS PATIENT, LOVE IS KIND
Select the model, fit, styling,
and components you desire, and
we’ll create your one true love.
CUSTOMIZE YOUR TREK
2 5
In Wisconsin, April doesn’t mean the end of winter.
Not this year, anyway. So when the invitation arrived to ride in the
Rapha Women’s Prestige in April, our intrepid women’s development
team was, well, trepid. The stats were daunting: 123 miles. 12,000+
feet of climbing. 120 days since we’d seen dry pavement.
Rapha Women’s Prestige
The women of winter
2 6
The invitation-only Prestige isn’t your typical bike race. It
starts and ends at the Rapha Cycle Club in San Francisco (On
the wall of the club hangs a quote: “Courage. We all suffer.
Keep going.”) The unsanctioned race charts a brutal course
through traffic, tourists, gravel, and the Bay Area hills.
Once we’d accepted the invite as the only group east of
the Rockies to participate, our team crammed in what little
saddle time the even-worse-than-usual Wisconsin winter
allowed. (And some it really didn’t allow.) We boarded our
flight wondering what, exactly, we thought we were doing...
except we knew what: we were proving to ourselves that we
were physically and mentally tough enough regardless of
the circumstances.
The morning of the race dawned sunny and windy. We were
to roll out at 7:50, the 10th of 20 teams to depart. The gut-
rolling nerves we felt as we waited to ride fell away with the
first few pedal strokes. Right, this was why we were here:
the road ahead. The 2013 Rapha Prestige.
The first ten miles were a bob-and-weave through San
Francisco traffic as we figured out how to use our race-
issued GPS. We found our way to the Golden Gate Bridge,
and braved what turned out to be a surprisingly dicey
stretch as scenery-struck tourists wandered unpredictably
into the bike lane. We had a few close calls, but no
pedestrians were harmed in the making of this story.
Lying in wait on the other side of the bridge: the toughest,
worst, best ride of our lives.
Ten miles into the Rapha Women’s Prestige, just over the
Golden Gate Bridge, the going gets rough: a ten-mile run up
Mt. Tamalpais, the last four on gravel fire road, with 2,572
feet of climbing. We felt every inch. Our reward: spectacular
views of the coast below, and the satisfaction of having
knocked off nearly a quarter of the day’s climbing.
After Mt Tam (where, by the way, a crazy guy named
Gary Fisher started bombing bikes down fire roads back
in the 70s, making Mt Tam the unofficial birthplace of the
mountain bike), the road leveled out for a bit. Nothing but
gorgeous scenery and an ugly headwind for the next
20 miles.
At mile 40, we learned we’d barely missed our cutoff time.
We’d known this might happen, after precious little winter
training. Still, it stung. We were given a new route, 20 miles
shorter. We all wanted to run the full race... but a little soul
searching told us that one or two of us might not make
the full distance. Risk leaving part of the team behind? No
way. We’d take the shorter route and cross the finish line
together, race results be damned.
Miles 40–80 were a sore, sunburned, scenic blur. In the
town of Fairfax, we faced another route decision. Opt
for a gentle 20-mile roll back to Rapha, as many teams
did? Or include a painful, triumphant climb up the rollers
affectionately known as the Seven B*tches? Um, yeah: pain
and triumph.
Some of those final grades were so steep a full pedal stroke
was almost impossible. We cramped. We cried. We urged
each other on. And we made it. We savored the view from the
top, then cruised back to the Cycle Club to be greeted with
cheers and hugs, beers and brats. Balm for the Wisconsin
soul, and a fabulous end to a ride we’ll never forget.
T H E WO M E N O F W I N T E R
“Courage. We all suffer. Keep going.”ON THE WALL OF THE RAPHA CYCLE CLUB HANGS A QUOTE:
T H E WO M E N O F W I N T E R
meetL INSEY CORBIN
An Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4 mile swim,
112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run. Maintaining
peak performance in all three disciplines requires
an almost fanatical commitment to training...
and it’s all in a day’s work for professional
triathlete Linsey Corbin.
BORN: FEBRUARY 16, 1981
HEIGHT: 5’8”
HOMETOWN: BEND, OR
IRONMAN CHAMPION
Linsey by the numbers 15 number of Ironmans completed
0 number of times I’ve given up
1 my desired finish
100 percent of races I finish in a cowboy hat
92 percent of races I finish in the top 10
7 number of days a week I am happy to be a pro triathlete
3,500 elevation in feet of Missoula, MT
3 number of mountain passes I’ll climb in a single Montana ride
0 number of stop signs I will encounter on the same ride
7 average minutes per mile for my Ironman marathon
8 number of toenails lost in my first Ironman
10 pounds lost during 2006 Ironman Hawaii competition
4 number of breaks in my clavicle at the 2006
Ironman World Championship
23 position I finished in that race
9,000 calories consumed during an Ironman
6 number of meals I eat a day
20 number of years I went without eating steak. I’m back!
Photo: Nils Nilsen / Courtesy of Triathlete Magazine
What’s your favorite part of a triathlon?The training. I like the quest of setting out a goal and putting
in the daily work. Over time you can see yourself improving
as you get closer and closer to the main event. I always have
referred to race day as the “icing on the cake” where you get
to put all your training to good use and test your limits.
What is the hardest part about training for a triathlon?Training nearly year round, it’s inevitable to reach some road
blocks, either physically or mentally. You have to draw upon
many resources to maintain a positive outlook, focus on things
you can control, and stay in the moment. This sounds easy on
paper, but can be the most challenging part of our sport.
Is nutrition a big part of your training?It’s huge! Eating makes up half of my job as a pro triathlete.
Grocery shopping is practically a science, finding the right
nutrient-rich foods. Luckily, I love to cook. I even post
recipes for healthy dishes on my blog, linseycorbin.com.
How do you fuel up for such a long race?Race day starts with about a 1,500 calorie breakfast before
sunrise. During the race, 9+ hours, I aim to consume
approximately 400 calories per hour. On race day I will burn
about 9,000 calories. There’s no way you can consume that
much fuel and keep up.
Favorite music while training?I like variety, particularly when riding the trainer for an
indoor session. My recent favorite is Alt-J.
Final question: why do you ride?I have a passion for the freedom & enjoyment you feel when
going someplace on two wheels. It sounds simple, and it
is! The bicycle has been around a long time as a mode of
transportation, and that’s for a good reason.
“ON RACE DAY I WILL BURN
ABOUT 9,000 CALORIES”
31
G R E AT AT H L E T E S R I D E T R E K
REST DAY
LINSEY CORBIN, PRO TRIATHLETE
THE WORLD CALLSwill you answer?
Sipping wine on the Mediterranean coast. Lounging in Europe’s finest hotels,
and climbing the most stunning mountain passes you could imagine.
Trek Travel vacations are custom built for lovers of luxury, disciples of cycling,
and families who want to see the world like they’ve never seen it before.
ROAD ANATOMY
Saddle
Top tube
Seat clamp
Seatmast
Seat tube
Seatstay
Cassette
Front derailleur
Chainstay
Rear derailleur
Chainring
Crank arm
MADONE 7.9 WSD
Stem
Brake lever / shifters
Head tube
Down tube
Fork
Hub
Spokes
Rim
3 8
O N T H E R OA D
FOR THE GUTS AND THE GLORY
Bontrager makes it easy to look your best and be prepared for the worst.
Here are a handful of our favorites to complete your ride.
Upgrade your ride with essential gear at bontrager.com
FL AT? F IXED.
Our simple
how-to video at
trekbikes.com/fixflat
will show you how to
get back on two wheels
in no time flat.
Download the video
now and carry it on
your phone for when
you need it.
LADIES , TAKE YOUR SEATS
“It’s Chameleon Butt vs. Princess and the Pea, and
it’s important to consider both when designing a saddle.”
JENN CAMPBELL, DESIGN ENGINEER
4 4
It’s impossible to get comfortable when your
seat’s not comfortable. “Seat,” of course, can
mean many different things. Chair, bench,
Barcalounger, bike saddle. Also: butt—and
when we’re talking about bike saddles, all the
delicate bits in that general vicinity.
It’s a complicated business, keeping your butt and other bits
comfortable on a bike. But it’s central to your enjoyment and
performance as you ride, so Trek has a dedicated team of
engineers focused solely on researching, designing, and
building the world’s best saddles specifically for women.
It’s personalThe first step in any design process is understanding the
specific needs and motivations of the rider. Our Bontrager
saddle team has interviewed and studied hundreds of women
riders across all categories and disciplines to get the full picture
of how women ride and what they need in a saddle.
“We’ve covered the full range of women on bikes, from
recreational and fitness riders to elite athletes,” explains Kyle
Russ, Biomechanical Engineer for all Bontrager saddles. “We talk
to them, ride with them, measure their sit bone widths, and spend
time in the lab with them to collect pressure mapping data.”
Summary of the findings: “Women and men are built differently
and ride differently.” Not exactly a Nobel Prize-worthy revelation...
but once you get down to the details, things get interesting.
“We’re able to make precise correlations between saddle
curvature and comfort based on a woman’s size, shape, and
riding posture,” says Russ. “That’s why our Size Specific
Curvature saddles fit so well.” Design Engineer Jenn Campbell
elaborates: “For saddle design, the most important factor is
that, on average, a woman’s ischial tuberosities—sit bones—
are 12mm wider than a man’s. That means women generally
require wider saddles when compared to men. A woman’s pubic
arch also tends to be wider and shallower than a man’s, which
generally requires a wider saddle nose.”
Pelvic? Pubic? Tuberosities? Sounds personal. Campbell
concedes, “We’re asking our test riders to discuss some of their
most sensitive and personal areas with a total stranger. We
don’t take that lightly, but we also don’t dance around the issue.
In order to make the best-fitting saddles, we need to ask the
awkward questions.” That includes recording rider comfort on
saddle prototypes that vary in structure by mere millimeters.
Details, detailsDoes a millimeter here or there really make a difference? “Yes!”
Russ is emphatic. “A millimeter can mean the difference between a
saddle that constantly reminds you that it’s there, and one that’s so
comfortable that you forget about it completely.” Then again, some
4 5
L A D I E S , TA K E YO U R S E AT S
“We’ve done the hard science, and
we have a wealth of data to back up
our engineering and design.”
K Y L E R U S S , B I O M E C H A N I C A L E N G I N E E R
women are comfortable on just about any saddle. “We’ve got
a name for that,” says Campbell. “Chameleon Butt. That’s the
unofficial term, of course.”
The official term adopted from British cycling is “macro-
absorber.“ The saddle team has identified two main
categories of riders: macro-absorbers, who are comfortable
within a wide range of variables, and micro-adjusters, who
notice even minute changes in saddle and bike fit. “It’s
Chameleon Butt vs. Princess and the Pea, and it’s important
to consider both when designing a saddle. In a way, the
micro-adjuster is easier to fit,” says Campbell. “A macro-
absorber may end up with a saddle that’s comfortable but
doesn’t give her the best performance. That’s why a proper
fitting at the bike shop is important.”
The bottom line“We’ve done the hard science, and we have a wealth of data
to back up our engineering and design,” sums up Russ. “But
that’s just a means to an end. What really matters is giving
women better performance and a more enjoyable ride.”
Industrial designer Bryan Hain agrees. “The fit, form, and
function of the design are as important to me as they are to
the rider. The best thing I can do is to let the rider forget her
saddle is even there and just enjoy the ride.”
And to that we say: Ride on.
MOUNTAIN
Conquer any trail, from tame to treacherous, on the world’s finest off-road bikes.
C O M M O N C H A R A C T E R I S T I C SSuspension forks on hardtail bikes, suspension forks + rear shocks
on full suspension models; flat handlebars for precise steering; wide,
knobby tires for traction. Higher-end models have carbon frames, but
light, tough aluminum is the most common frame material.
47
Trek is the world leader in mountain bike
technology. No surprise that our mountain bikes
are the most technologically advanced on the
market. Each platform leads its class, and every
model is loaded with features and details that
will make any ride, on any trail, better.
D U A L S P O R T
If you can have just one bike, make it a dual sport. These
smooth-riding, adventure-loving bikes are fast on the road,
capable and confident when the road turns rough, and ready
to roll from road to trail if that’s where the day takes you.
NEKO, DS SERIES
S P O R TThere’s a whole world off the beaten path. Explore it on a
Trek sport hardtail mountain bike. These bikes are built to
withstand the elements and do your bidding, whether that’s
riding off curbs, venturing onto your first singletrack, or
completing your first race. Whatever your intention, sport
hardtails hold the key to a world of off-road adventure.
SKYE, X-CALIBER 29, 3 SERIES, 820
C R O S S C O U N T R YOur tech-loaded XC mountain bikes are the lightest, smartest
bikes on the trail. They give you the ultimate performance
edge, so you can go as fast as your legs and heart will allow,
and have a great time doing it. Just point these race-ready
rockets in the right direction and go.
LUSH 29, CALI, SUPERFLY FS, SUPERFLY, X-CALIBER 29
S I N G L E T R A C K T R A I LTrek singletrack trail bikes are your do-more ride. They’re
versatile, light, and exceedingly capable, climbing as well
as they descend, conquering trails from the Dolomites to
Durango. They’re the right bike for anything from a quick
stint in the park to a brutal day of racing. No other bikes
offer this level of no-compromise performance, any-
situation versatility.
LUSH 29, FUEL EX, STACHE, FARLEY
T E C H N I C A L T R A I L & E N D U R OTrek technical trail/enduro mountain bikes are up for
whatever you are. They live for sharp turns, drops, and
rugged terrain, and don’t sweat it when the trail pitches
up. They’ll let you go all day, get to places others can only
dream of, and get back in record time. So go ahead, throw
yourself into any challenge. We promise your bike will not
hold you back.
REMEDY, SLASH
G R A V I T YTrek’s World Cup-winning gravity bikes are loaded with
Trek-exclusive technologies, from incredibly advanced
suspension techs to frame refinements that make these the
lightest, toughest bikes on the mountain. Go big, race hard.
Embrace gravity.
SESSION, SLASH, TICKET
W H I C H M O U N TA I N B I K E?
4 8
G R E AT AT H L E T E S R I D E T R E K
Cross country mountain bike
racing is all about dirt, rocks,
trees, twists and turns, and pure,
muscle-screaming speed. It’s the
perfect sport for tough guys and
tough ladies... like Emily Batty,
a petite Canadian known for
racing—and winning—in makeup
and pearls.
BORN: JUNE 16, 1988
HEIGHT: 5’3”
HOMETOWN: BROOKLIN,
ONTARIO, CANADA
TEAM: TREK FACTORY RACING
4 9
Why MTB?It’s a challenging sport that offers freedom. Wherever you want to
ride, you can go. And I love learning, improving, progressing.
What’s with the pearls?Haha, everyone asks that. I’ve worn the
necklace since I was 11, when I found it in
my mom’s jewelry drawer. I’ve broken it
twice while riding, but I haven’t lost any
beads. I also wear my mom’s high-school
graduation ring. She gave it to me when I
was 13 when I promised to stop biting my
nails. It worked! People ask me about the
makeup, too. I like makeup, so why not?
What’s the funniest thing that’s been yelled at you during a race?Definitely “Marry me, Emily Batty!” At CX World Champs in
Kentucky last winter one guy hung from a tree beside the course
waving a “Marry Me Emily” sign. Big points for effort.
What’s the dumbest thing you’ve done during a race?It wasn’t exactly dumb, but when I broke my wheel in half during the
Offenburg World Cup, I took it off, pitched it to the fans, and ran to
the tech zone without the wheel. I couldn’t ride it, so it was just
added weight, but it probably did look a little dumb running 2.5 km
without a front wheel.
How do you feel about women in the sport?Very passionate! All sports, all women, all ages, I think it’s amazing.
I’m very happy that women’s participation in sport is growing
worldwide, especially in cycling.
Favorite music while riding?Remix dance, pop/top 40, anything catchy. My iTunes bill is ridiculous.
Final question: why do you ride? I love that feeling on a bike is when everything is flowing so perfectly,
you’re so in tune with your bike and tires, on or off the ground, and
you’re not scared of falling because in that moment you’re so confident
in your abilities and pushing the limits. That’s the best feeling.
meetEMILY BATTY
SHOW STOPPER
EMILY BATTY, TREK FACTORY RACING
5 3
Mountain biking got off to a thrill-seeking start back in the
1970s, when a few adventurous Marin County, California free
spirits started bombing old bikes with big tires down fire roads
for kicks. The sport was a boys’ club in its early years... but as
mountain biking moved into the mainstream, more and more
women took to the trails. These days, competitive mountain
biking is a veritable chick fest compared to road racing.
It’s not just female racers who’ve found their footing in the
dirt. Women make up a growing percentage of recreational
mountain bikers, and they’re served by an ever-expanding
selection of skills camps and clinics to help them become more
comfortable and confident on the trail. Among the oldest and
most respected camps is the Trek Dirt Series.
Owner and director Candace Shadley launched the Dirt Series
back in 2001 near her home in Whistler, British Columbia.
Shadley was an expert windsurfer and formidable powder skier
when she first tried her hand at mountain biking. With an athletic
resume like that, she must’ve been a natural, right? Not exactly.
“It wasn’t the greatest experience,” she recalls. “My boyfriend
had offered to teach me, which I now know isn’t the ideal way
to learn, and although he was an excellent rider and tried to be
really patient, more than once I ended up crying on the trail.”
Despite her rocky start, Shadley eventually fell in love with the
sport, and vowed to find a better way for women to learn to ride.
And so Dirt Series was born. In Shadley’s first year she hosted
three camps for a total of 100 women. Today, she runs 19 unique
camp experiences each year in the US and Canada, serving over
1,000 women riders annually.
“When we first started the Dirt Series back in 2001, our goal was
to get more women on mountain bikes, and to get those who
were already on them enjoying the sport more than ever before,”
Shadley says. “That’s still what drives me today. I love teaching
people new skills, seeing their confidence soar, and setting them
up for a fantastic time on the trails.”
These days the camps are a family affair, with Shadley’s father
keeping the books and her mother offering logistical support.
They’re joined by 38 experienced women guides who share
Shadley’s reverent desire to get more women on the trail. “We
have instructors for every style of riding and every skill level,
from absolute beginners to big league riders, at each and every
camp. Downhill, cross-country, all-mountain, freeride... we’ve
got something for everyone.”
Queens of the mountain
T R E K D I R T S E R I E S M O U N TA I N B I K E CA M P S
5 4
Shadley structures the camps for all-day learning, with just the right
pacing to keep interest high and fatigue at bay. On day one of the
two-day camp, students are divided into small groups according
to skill and experience level. The first morning starts with small-
group sessions using features and obstacles to practice the moves
the women will need on the trail: braking, cornering, wheel lifts,
drops, jumps, and more. Instructors and classmates alike motivate
students to try things they might not have thought possible. “We
don’t want to push women too far out of their comfort zone,”
Shadley explains. “We want to expand their comfort zone.”
Wait, let’s run that again. Women can expand their skills without
getting out of their comfort zone? “Absolutely,” Shadley insists.
“It’s low risk, high reward.” A very different approach from the
traditional guy’s method of toughing it out—and much more
effective for most women. A single Trek Dirt Series weekend can
pack in more improvement than an entire season of DIY riding.
Comfort zones expanded, the women hit the trails after lunch to
put their skills to the test. A common refrain at the first break:
“I can’t believe I just did that!” It’s amazing what great teachers and
a supportive environment can do. As confidence climbs, so does
the class, as the instructors lead their groups to higher altitudes
and greater challenges.
It’s a full first day, leaving students with just enough in the tank for
an evening of drinks, snacks, clinics (bike maintenance, bike fitting),
and socializing. Day two builds on the previous day’s foundation,
5 5
with another morning of skill sessions. The cherry on top of a
spectacular weekend: the final afternoon ride, which ends the camp
on an incredible high as women at all levels ride their best ever.
Dirt Series instructors have coached over 10,000 women since their
very first camp. (Men can get in on the game, too, as Dirt Series
features a few co-ed camps each year.) “It’s a great start,” Shadley says,
“but there are so many more women we’d love to teach!” Sign us up.
Trek is proud to sponsor Dirt Series. For a list of locations and camp dates,
visit dirtseries.com.
“ WE DON ’ T WANT TO PUSH
WOMEN TOO FAR OUT OF
THEIR COMFORT ZONE , WE
WANT TO E XPAND THEIR
COMFORT ZONE .”
C a n da ce S ha dley, D i re c to r
Saddle
Seatpost
Top tube
Seat clamp
Rocker arm
Seat tube
Rear shock
Seatstay
Front derailleur
Chainstay
Cassette
Rear derailleur
Chainring
MOUNTAIN ANATOMY
LUSH SL 29 WSD
Stem
Brake lever / shifters
Head tube
Suspension fork
Down tube
Spokes
Rim
Discbrakes
Hub
The woods are alive with unexpected sights
and sounds. No matter what may cross
your path, we’ve got you covered.
Upgrade your ride with essential gear
at bontrager.com.
ON THE BEATEN PATH
61
No one to hold an umbrella at the start line. No fleet of
mechanics at the ready—bike prep and repair is strictly DIY.
No massage therapist in the entourage. No entourage at all,
in fact, unless you count the dogs. Just a laid-back, we-love-
to-ride vibe, and always one hell of an afterparty.
On a typical race weekend the benefits more than make up
for the lack of star-power amenities: a spectacular site to
park the RV, a nice level patch for the yoga mats to work
out the kinks, and the at-home ease that comes with taking
your house along with you. Best of all: post-race, post-party
beers in front of the Airstream, watching the sunset with
your best friend and partner in crime. On the Enduro circuit,
life is good.
For JHK and Heather, the racing offers more tangible
rewards, too. Wedged into the Airstream between the
Remedy 9.8s and the yoga mats is a collection of large
cardboard checks, each proclaiming race-day winnings for
Heather or JHK. The victories are sweet, but not as sweet as
doing what they love, together, just for the fun of it. Exactly
what retirement is all about.
For mountain bike racers Heather Irmiger
and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, retirement
means a cozy airstream trailer—and the
world’s fastest-growing race series.
Enduro is its own brand of trail riding, equal parts
competition and camaraderie. It’s a perfect retirement gig
for former cross-country MTB Olympians Jeremy Horgan-
Kobelski and Heather Irmiger, who appreciate Enduro’s
competitive/social balance. Throw in an Airstream and two
canine companions, and they’re ready to ride into the sunset.
RV-ing is the quintessential retired-couple cliché—but when
the couple in question decorates their RV walls with US
champion jerseys, you can bet they’ll put their own spin on it.
Husband-and-wife duo JHK and Heather are criss-crossing
the Rockies, dogs and Airstream in tow, competing in the
most prominent US Enduro race series: Big Mountain Enduro.
It’s a far cry from the pro XC scene the First Couple of
mountain bike racing competed in just a season ago.
U N C O N V E N T I O N A L R E T I R E M E N T
retirement,
Enduro style
6 2
H E AT H E R + J H K
C O M M O N C H A R A C T E R I S T I C SFlat handlebars and a heads-up riding position; a wide range of gearing
options; practical accessories like racks, fenders, and lights.
CITY
Bikes that let you live the two-wheeled life. Haul, commute, get fit, represent, have fun.
6 5
R E C R E A T I O NTrek recreation bikes are built for what bicycling is really
about: the joy of hopping on your bike and going, just for
the fun of it. The relaxed, stable riding position keeps
things easy, and plush saddles and generous gearing
encourage you to keep riding just a little longer. Saddle
up, roll out, and enjoy every minute of the ride.
VERVE HYBRID, SHIFT COMFORT, PURE, TANDEM,
KIDS’, PEDAL TRAILERS
F I T N E S SThis is our most popular bike category, with good
reason. Fitness bikes are the ultimate multi-talented
ride. Workout machine, capable commuter, suburban
warrior... they do it all well. They’re the surest answer to
the question, “What kind of bike should I get?”
FX, CROSSRIP
D U A L S P O R TIf you can have just one bike, make it a dual sport. These
smooth-riding, adventure-loving bikes are fast on the
road, capable and confident when the road turns rough,
and ready to roll from road to trail if that’s where the day
takes you.
DS SERIES, NEKO, CROSSRIP
U R B A N U T I L I T YOur urban utility bikes are built for the daily routine.
They make it easier to haul, easier to commute, easier
to mix it up, easier to do just about anything by bike.
They’re the best way to soak up the sights, sounds, and
vibe of the city. Wherever the urban landscape takes
you, there’s a Trek to get you there.
DISTRICT, CROSSRIP, EARL, ALLANT, POLICE,
TRANSPORT
Trek city bikes have an agenda: make the world a happier, healthier place by getting
more people on bikes more often. We make the best bikes for every purpose and
every rider: smart, fun, bikes that fit the way you work, play, and live.
W H I C H C I T Y B I K E?
THE WORLD IS A GYM
CIT Y STARLET
With our new Women’s Vella line from Bontrager, forget the farmer’s tan
and focus on what’s important: coffee, pastries, and ceramic cats.
6 9
I N T H E C I T Y
Upgrade your ride with essential gear at bontrager.com
$965,400 RAISED TO DATE
Join participating Trek retailers in early October to have fun, be healthy, and ride in a 10- or 25-mile casual, family-friendly Breast
Cancer Awareness Ride.
All registration fees are donated directly to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Visit bcrfcure.org
TREK BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
RIDE
72
Instead of your shifters pulling on cables
to mechanically move your derailleur and
chain, buttons in your shifter electronically
activate tiny motors in your derailleurs. It’s
all operated by a rechargable battery.
If you’re looking to do longer rides or gain
performance, learning to use clipless is
beneficial. There is a short learning curve,
so practice near a wall or in a doorway
before heading out on the road or path.
What is electronic shifting?
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I PUT AIR IN MY T IRES?
It’s good practice to check your air pressure before every ride, and
to inflate to the middle of the recommended range of pressure (this
varies based on the tire). You’ll find a PSI rating on the side label of
your tire. It may be a single “inflate to” number, or it may be a range.
Never exceed the maximum number. In fact, lighter riders need less
pressure, so most women find that lower PSI will improve traction
and provide a smooth ride.
SHOULD I USE CLIPLESS PEDALS?
I’M JUST GETTING INTO MOUNTAIN BIKING. DO I NEED A FULL SUSPENSION MOUNTAIN BIKE?
Full suspension bikes aren’t just for advanced
riders! If you’re new to mountain biking, or still
honing your skills, a quality full suspension bike can
help you master the trail faster and easier by giving
you more confidence and control. Remember that
not all full suspension bikes are created equally.
Only Trek can offer our industry-leading suspension
technologies like Active Braking Pivot, Full Floater,
and Dual Rate Control Valve shocks.
FAQ
73
A chamois (pronounced “shammy”)
is a pad built into cycling shorts
to reduce chafing and irritation.
Historically, riding shorts were made
of knit wool, with a leather patch
where the pad resides today.
Cheers to progress.
An anti-chafing cream that goes
between your skin and shorts.
Great for long rides and multiple
days in a row of riding.
No underwear. Absolutely nothing
in fact, unless a solid layer of
chamois butter suits you.
WHAT ’S A CHAMOIS?
WHAT ’S CHAMOIS BUT TER?
WHAT S HOULD I WEAR UNDER MY R ID ING S HORTS?
WHAT IS A DROPPER SEATPOST?A dropper seatpost on a mountain
bike allows you to adjust your
saddle height on the fly with a
handlebar-mounted remote.
You can lower the saddle on
technical descents to achieve a
lower center of gravity, so you can
confidently move your body around
more on the bike.
When maximum pedaling
efficiency is your priority, you can
raise the saddle to its full height,
giving you maximum leg extension.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CLEAN MY DRIVETRAIN/LUBE MY CHAIN?
Once a week is plenty often, unless
you find yourself on your bike in the
middle of a rainstorm. Keeping your
drivetrain clean and free of debris is
just as important as lubing the chain.
Rim diameters
650b (584mm)
26˝ (559mm)
29˝ (622mm)
There is a lot of debate within mountain biking
about 29er vs 650b (also known as 27.5) vs 26”
wheels. Bigger wheels are faster, because they
roll over obstacles and preserve momentum
better than smaller wheels. This is why you see
most XC pros on 29ers. So for a hardtail, like
our Cali and Skye, go with the biggest wheel
size that fits. Smaller riders challenged to fit
comfortably on a 29er, can go with the next
biggest wheel size.
For a full-suspension trail bike, such as our
Lush, it comes down to one thing: Choosing the
wheels size to match your riding style.
If you want a confidence-inspiring ride, and are
more likely to roll over an obstacle than jump it,
go with the added stability of 29ers.
If your riding is all about hopping over or
weaving through obstacles then 650b or 26” is
your wheel size. Regardless, of which wheel size
you choose, Trek delivers the best overall bike
package for any wheel size.
Which wheel size is best for me?
TREKBIKES.COMFIND YOUR TREK
S I N C E 19 7 6
W A T E R L O O W I S C O N S I N , U S A
PART # 509186
“This is what I want people to understand about Trek: It’s like a family.
The business is owned by the family, and people are treated like they’re part of the
family. We take care of people because that’s the kind of company we are.”
J O H N B U R K E
P R E S I D E N T , T R E K B I C Y C L E
