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Trek's 2022 Procaliber 9.7 Is a Carbon Hardtail MTB With a Bag Full of Impressive Tricks

“I’m telling you, it doesn’t feel like a hardtail at all!” “Man, you’re just jamming my chain. I mean, come on, why the heck would you spend $4,330 on a bicycle?” “Honestly, until you ride one, you just won’t know.”
2022 Procaliber 9.7 11 photos
Photo: Trek Bicycle Corporation
2022 Procaliber 9.72022 Procaliber 9.72022 Procaliber 9.7 Brakes2022 Procaliber 9.7 Frame2022 Procaliber 9.7 Knock Block2022 Procaliber 9.7 Crank2022 Procaliber 9.7 Drivetrain2022 Procaliber 9.7 IsoSpeed2022 Procaliber 9.72022 Procaliber 9.7
There are a couple of things you probably made out from the discussion the characters above were having: that we’ll be talking about a hardtail mountain bike and that it costs 4,330 USD (3,942 EUR at current exchange rates). As for the purpose of this article, it’s to explore precisely what makes the 2022 Procaliber 9.7 cross-country MTB what it is.

By now, you’ve learned that I’m a fan of hardtail MTBs, but when Trek’s Procaliber rolled across my computer monitor, I knew something was up and had to explore. Upon said exploration, I realized it might interest you to understand what sort of bicycle Trek can build these days.

What do we know about hardtails? Well, the main feature is that this frame style has no rear suspension but can include impressive forks to help riders tackle seemingly impossible terrains. Ok, so the frame is important; let’s keep going.

One reason why Trek is asking you to drop this sort of cash on this bike it’s because this manufacturer is using their peak OCLV Mountain Carbon. This is a proprietary blend of carbon fiber and molding techniques. With the frame and all other components, the 9.7 weighs 23.07 lbs (10.46 kg).

2022 Procaliber 9\.7 IsoSpeed
Photo: Trek Bicycle Corporation
But the fact that this machine is completed from carbon fiber isn’t all you’re paying for; a plethora of features are also included to ensure that you receive a solid ride. One way Trek is doing this is by including a feature known as IsoSpeed. Just so you understand a bit about what I’m going to mention, I walked into a bike shop one day, asked them if they had any bikes with IsoSpeed, and they looked at me like I was from another planet.

This little feature is borrowed from some of Trek’s road and triathlon machines and reduces vibrations experienced by riders on bikes with rigid rear triangles. I’ve added an image to the gallery showing you the system, where the top tube meets the seat tube. That little piece of malleable material allows the frame to move just enough to reduce small bumps without affecting the rider’s ability to transfer power into the ground.

Making sure that your frame has as long of a life as possible, two more things you need to know about is the frame armor, mounted underneath the downtube, and Knock Block, which is a system that prevents your fork from hitting your frame in the eventuality you take a tumble. This also helps keep you from buying new hydraulic brake lines and shifting cables in case they’re ripped out. Speaking of the fork, a RockShox Reba SL with 100 mm (3.9 in) of travel and remote lockout should be more than enough for a fun ride.

2022 Procaliber 9\.7 Knock Block
Photo: Trek Bicycle Corporation
Overall, Sram is the team called upon to help your legs carry you across the finish line. A 12-speed setup is tuned to the sounds of a Sram GX Eagle derailleur moving a GX chain on an XG-1275 cassette with 10-52T. However, brakes are covered by Shimano with MT500 calipers and MT501 levers working their magic on 180 mm (7.1 in) and 160 mm (6.3) rotors. As for all the secondary gear that Trek throws onto the 9.7, it’s all from in-house Bontrager, as is customary.

Since it may be a bit difficult to know how this bike may fit under you, I will point out a few details regarding the frame’s geometry. Considering the medium-sized frame, you’ll find a seat tube angle set at 72.8 degrees, a head tube at 68.8 degrees, and a reach of 42 cm (16.5 in). The wheelbase is set at 110.3 cm (43.4 in) and stand-over at 75.5 cm (29.7 in).

At the end of the day, Trek’s Procaliber 9.7 looks like the sort of bike meant for just that, pros. If you were to ride it to the grocery store in the wrong neighborhood, you better make sure you lock it upright.

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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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