Trek's Procaliber 9.5 Is a Carbon Hardtail Mountain Goat With a Mouthwatering Price Tag

Like most other people, I grew up riding a bicycle, and as the years went by and I grew, the bikes I rode grew along with me. But, one thing that never changed was my love of a solid rear triangle or hardtail, so to speak. As time went on, I also understood the importance of a suspension fork in unleashing me upon new explorable terrains, which is where I've stayed for years.

But I'm not alone. Countless cyclists still love and ride hardtail MTBs and even use them to take home the gold. Well, that's the sort of bicycle Trek has for us this time around; a podium-placing cross-country MTB completed out of the ever-modern carbon fiber. Best of all, you're being asked to drop no more than 2,300 USD (2,094 EUR at current exchange rates) on this trinket. Let's see what else Trek's version of the trusty hardtail can do.

There's no need to mention that carbon fiber frame again, but I should tell you that it's built using Treks proprietary OCLV carbon fiber and layering techniques. Let's not forget about internal cable routing on this frame. Coupled with a cycling history dating back to 1975, you're looking at a budget-friendly bike with some serious racing history.

As I began this article, I may have given you the impression that technology hasn't changed much for stiff-rear bikes, which couldn't be further from the truth. One feature that you'll find on this bike is a little system known as IsoSpeed. If you're unaware of this component, direct your attention to the gallery, where you'll see an image of the top tube as it joins the seat tube. Here, you'll notice a malleable structure that seems to break these two tubes apart; that's IsoSpeed.

As you're riding along, IsoSpeed offers a reduction in some of the vibrations felt by the rider. Best of all, without affecting their ability to transfer energy into the ground, as commonly occurs on a full-suspension bike. Sure, the system won't make child's play of drops and other significant terrain changes, but you shouldn't be feeling rocks or roots the same, that's for sure.

Since MTBs are often exposed to some situations not typically encountered in day-to-day riding, the Procaliber also includes frame armor under the downtube and along the chainstay. However, if you do happen to lose control on a turn and can no longer be responsible for what happens to the bike and where it ends up, Trek's Knock Block feature is added.

This system protects your frame by preventing the fork from over-spinning and smashing into your down tube. Just another safety precaution against the pitfalls of carbon fiber bikes. Speaking of the fork, you'll find a RockShox Judy SL with 100 mm (3.9 in) of travel, taking care of your bigger bumps.

Finally, we reach the more budget aspects of this machine, and it all begins with the drivetrain. Personally, I was and wasn't surprised to find a 12-speed Shimano Deore drivetrain on the 9.5. I was surprised because I felt that Trek could have chosen a drivetrain from a higher shelf, and not surprised because, let's be honest, the bike is already filled with goodies. At the end of the day, you can drop whatever drivetrain you want and still have a solid MTB under 4,000 USD (3,641 USD).

By now, you've also learned that Trek likes to do things with their own hands. This means that all secondary components like the handlebar, seat post, rims, stem, and grips, are all Bontrager. Only the brakes are once again from Shimano.

With the way things seem to be going, it won't be long until bikes like the Procaliber 9.5 are as affordable as those we grew up with. Heck, I can't wait for a machine like this to be a flat 1,000 USD. What about you? How much would you spend on a bike with the gear and tech you've just read about?