LOOKS LIKE A (NEW) SESSION

Trek join the big-wheeled trend with their new 29er DH bike

Although Santa Cruz were the only team racing on 29in wheels in Lourdes, Trek revealed their new Session downhill bike away from the hustle and bustle of the race arena. Alongside an updated longer/lower/slacker 650b bike, the big news was the introduction of a 29er Session. Unlike Santa Cruz’s 29er, which combines a 650b front end with a modified swingarm and linkage, it’s been designed from the ground up around big wheels, and will be available to buy (as a frame and fork kit only) later this year.

The new 650b Session has a roughly 20mm longer reach in each size, compared to the old model. Frame stiffness is claimed to have been increased, and the suspension has been updated to use a trunnion-mounted and metric-sized Fox Float X2 shock. Trek have also ditched their floating shock mount, saying that the resulting leverage curve is optimised for the new shock. The 29er version has all of the above but is even longer in the wheelbase and even slacker too, with a head angle of just over 62 degrees. Look out for Gee Atherton riding one at round two in Fort William.