Trek Supercaliber SL 9.7 Gen 2 Review — The Climbing Machine

During the bike boom of 2020, I was happily ripping up the local singletrack and setting PR’s aboard the first-generation Trek Supercaliber. Now, four years later, I’m getting re-acquainted with the all-new Gen 2 Trek Supercaliber SL 9.7 and again ripping up the local trails aboard one of the fastest cross-country bike designs available.

2024 Trek Supercaliber SL 9.7 Gen 2 Features/Spec:

• SL OCLV Mountain Carbon, IsoStrut, UDH, 80mm travel
• 110mm RockShox Reba RL with Solo Air spring
• RockShox Twistloc Ultimate for remote lockout of fork/shock
• Trek IsoStrut suspension with RockShox SIDLuxe shock
• Bontrager Kovee Comp 25 alloy wheelest
• SRAM GX Eagle AXS Transmission groupset
• Bontrager Line Dropper Post (170mm on size large)
• Weight: 27.1 lbs (large, actual)
• MSRP: $5699.99

Setup and parts spec

The Gen 2 Trek Supercaliber is available in two flavors of carbon: SL and SLR. The SLR uses their SLR OCLV Carbon layup for the lightest and most responsive platform. SL OCLV Carbon is used on the 9.7 and 9.6 models to make getting into a Supercaliber Gen 2 a little easier on the wallet. At $5699, as tested, the 9.7 isn’t cheap, but it has a lot of value dangling on the all-new foundation.

True to the first-generation Supercaliber, the latest version features pilotless stays with an IsoStrut suspension design and integrated rear shock. It’s now custom-made for Trek by RockShox (SIDLuxe) and has an air spring with rebound and lockout adjustments. Travel remains minimal at 80mm (increased from 60mm) and the whole unit is actually a structural part of the frame. The whole design is built to resist twisting while optimizing power transfer and traction. For 2024, the Supercaliber is also slacker and has a longer reach for more stability on the most challenging cross country courses.

Again, the version I’ve been riding this summer is the Supercaliber SL 9.7 and it features a full SRAM GX AXS Transmission, RockShox Reba RL 110mm fork and Bontrager Kovee Comp 25 alloy wheels. It’s also great to have the Bontrager Line Pro Carbon 750mm width riser bars on there and a set of the all-new Bontrager Sainte-Anne RSL XR 2.4″ tires for added versatility. I think the silver color looks awesome and the whole package is perfect for aspiring cross-country racers on a budget.

I appreciate the separate bar/stem combo and the long rails of the Bontrager Verse Elite saddle that allow extensive fore/aft adjustments. Speaking of adjustments, it didn’t take long to set up the cockpit for my proper fit and get out on the trails — thanks to the separate bar/stem.

Oh how it climbs!

Where the Supercaliber wins hearts and races is on the climbs. There’s no hiding the fact that everything about this bike is made for efficient and fast climbing. Standing and sprinting results in instant forward motion and immediate power. Honestly, it is an incredible climber on all types of climbs.

Aside from my usual singletrack, I was able to take the Supercaliber on one of the most epic trails in the area — The Wasatch Crest. A shuttle takes riders to the top of Guardsman Pass at over 9700 ft. From there, the Wasatch Crest trail into Millcreek Canyon is mostly down, but still features almost 1700 ft. of climbing. The most infamous climb is a fire road dubbed “Puke Hill.” Aboard the Supercaliber, I felt confident I would climb the 300 ft section of +12% grade with a solid time. While it’s nothing compared to Keegan Swenson’s 3:33, I feel good about my 6:58 time that puts me in the top 8% of all riders.

Absolutely, it’s both the bike and the rider who make a difference on climbs, but the efficiency of the Supercaliber can be felt with every pedal stroke. When needed, I can use Twistloc to further optimize both traction and responsiveness. Strategic use of the lockout is key. I don’t recommend just locking it out on climbs — that’s actually inefficient and uncomfortable. I do recommend using it strategically — when you just need a little more efficiency or traction. In general, I’m not a fan of lockouts because suspension designs are well-optimized these days, but I must say that Twistloc makes me smile every time I engage it on a steep ascent.

I have found it to be a beautiful thing to consistently catch every rider, who may descend better than me, once the trail tips back upward. It was almost uncanny to see my friends with a little more travel (Transition Spur and Cervelo ZFS-5), gain time on the downhills only to be caught in a hurry on every climb.

Ripping the descents — with care

Absolutely, the slacker head angle and a touch more suspension travel do make a difference on the Supercaliber Gen 2. There’s no question it feels more adept at chunky trails and drops, but it’s pretty easy to get in over your head on really technical sections. At least, that’s where the technical prowess of the rider (ahem, myself) is challenged more-so than it would be with a little more travel (like the Yeti SB120).

On my local descents, things don’t get too rowdy — just a few rock gardens. But, on the Wasatch Crest Trail, I got into much bigger rocks and terrain that reminded me that this bike only has 80mm of rear travel. And, that the RockShox Reba RL isn’t the most plush or forgiving fork on the market.

What I loved about descending on the Supercaliber Gen 2 was how fun it is to rip down flowy trails at speed. The handling is “pinpoint magic” where the bike just goes right where you want it to and the wheels just follow through. Popping in and out of corners is a dream and showcases the overall efficiency of the suspension. Sometimes I do wonder if the suspension is doing anything and all it takes is one look down and you’ll see that it is indeed taking the edge off. With about 30% sag and the rebound set in the middle, I wasn’t able to find the ideal performance for rough trail chatter. I felt like it was best to either pick my line carefully or fly along at the highest speeds on the tops of the chatter because anything in-between was rough.

When it comes to rough trails and terrain, my body and the bike both have limits. Certainly, this is a cross-country race machine, full stop. With that, I know it is optimized for all-out 1-2 hour sessions. It goes without saying that all-day epic rides with gnarly terrain would be best-conquered with the new Trek Top Fuel Gen 4. This particularly true for my 49-yr-old self who appreciates a little more suspension.

Kit and bits that shine

Thankfully, all models now come with a dropper post and I used it a lot (not surprise there). The Bontrager Line Dropper performs awesome and I appreciate the 170mm range that’s included with the size large I’ve got. The saddle drops well out of the way and allows me to angulate the bike to the extreme and confidently rely on the tenacious grip offered by the Bontrager Sainte-Anne RSL XR 2.40’s. Speaking of those tires… they offer excellent traction on all terrain and corner really well.

After spending time on the SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission last year, I was anxious to get aboard the SRAM GX Eagle Transmission on the Supercaliber SL 9.7 Gen 2. The shift pods are the same and I was able to finally get used to the design, but I still miss the rocker-style shifter (which can be purchased separately), primarily because you can shift with the back of your thumb while descending.  Outside of that, the GX Eagle Transmission has been outstanding in every way. Yes, it is a teeny tiny bit slower than I would expect, but it makes up for that with crisp, accurate and smooth shifting. Where it absolutely shines is if you get caught in the wrong gear on a sudden uptick, it shifts without complaint under extreme load to get you out of it without losing momentum.

The Bontrager Line Elite Saddle remains one of my favorites and the Bontrager Line Pro 750 carbon bars are excellent as well. They provide a great body position, leverage and chatter reduction. While the braking performance has been excellent — with great lever feel from the SRAM Level Bronze stoppers, I do wish it could fit a 180mm rear rotor for added power.

I haven’t had any fuss from the Bontrager Kovee Comp 25 wheelset, but they are narrow. I did swap them out for a few rides in favor of the Forge+Bond 25 XC and appreciated the drop in weight, but still wished for a little more inner rim width. The wheels remain true and rim walls are ding-free so far. I have also found the Trek Suspension Calculator to be an outstanding tool to get going on the Supercaliber (see above). It provides pressure, rebound and tire pressure recommendations in a few short clicks. I used that as a starting point and refined from there.

As mentioned, I became a fan of the Twistloc Ultimate for strategic use, but I still don’t love the lack of grip choices that are compatible with it. I found I had to go with padded gloves on this bike for better comfort instead of my usual unpadded gloves.

On paper, this particular spec isn’t the lightest of the bunch, but it is an excellent value. That said, a 27 lb. XC race bike is a little heavy. I’d love this bike to be closer to 25 lbs. Getting to that weight would require ditching the GX Transmission and going with carbon wheels. I guess I’ll take a little extra weight for the drivetrain performance and the more acceptable price point.

Fit: I’m 5’11” and 175 lbs. riding the size large frame. I typically set the tire pressure to 24/26 front and rear and was within a few PSI of the recommended spring settings (usually a few PSI lower than recommended).

Buy Now: Available from TrekBikes.com (or your local dealer)