trek x caliber 9 2015 specs

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• Rider Notes

2015 Trek X-Caliber 9

A 27.5″ / 29″ aluminum frame crosscountry bike with high-end components. Compare the full range

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A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

X-Caliber 9

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Add custom gearing

Dec 2014 · David Rome

With ride handling that defies its price point, the X-Caliber remains a top pick for anyone seeking a proper starter mountain bike

Read Review

Jun 2014 · Alan Muldoon

Read the full review of the Trek X-Caliber 7.

Top quality frame and good range of sizes

Saddle won't go low enough

Last updated June 29 Not listed for 2,501 days

Trek X-Caliber 9 2015 Technical specs and features

General specs of trek x-caliber 9 bicycle, wheels and breaking system, frame and body specifications, gearing specs, trek x-caliber 9 fork system data, other specs of trek x-caliber 9, trek x-caliber 9 picture, x-caliber 9 bike comparison.

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Trek X-Caliber 9 bike review

Trek produced the X-Caliber 9 bike in 2015 and can be classified as a Mountain bike bicycle, this exact model costs in american market arround $1,339.99 USD. X-Caliber 9 bike is available in many sizes such as 13.5 (inches), 15.5 (inches), 17.5 (inches), 18.5 (inches), 19.5 (inches), 21.5 (inches) and 23 (inches). Trek Mountain bike X-Caliber 9 can be found in a few colors, among these colors Nysa Blue and Rhymes with Orange . This bike is equiped with Bontrager XR1 tires while the rims are manufactured by Bontrager Mustang Elite Tubeless Ready 28-hole. Trek equiped this exact model with Shimano M447 hydraulic disc braking system and Bontrager sealed cartridge bearing, Bontrager sealed cartridge bearing hubs. To guarantee the comfiest ride Trek used Aluminum material for the frame. Bontrager Low Riser, 31.8mm, 5mm rise high strength material is used on the handlebar of this X-Caliber 9 to ensure the perfect handling while the stems are made of Bontrager Race Lite, 31.8mm, 7 degree. For the smoothest biking experience Race Face Ride, 36/22 is used on this bicycle linked to KMC X10 chain that is easily replaceable as stated by Trek , the whole system is connected to a high reliability Shimano Deore, 10 speed gear shift levers.

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The X-Caliber range is Trek's entry to their proper cross-country hardtail offerings, designed to tackle proper off-road riding rather than being a multi-sport machine. All share the same aluminium frame and that's a very good thing as it's really well made for the money, with a lot of thought having been put into the double butted, mechanically formed tubing.

At the rear, the wishbone seat stays aren't braced before they attach to the seat tube, giving masses of mud clearance and also allowing a touch more compliance in the back end. Along with a slender 27.2mm seat post, that means the X-Caliber is no harsh, back-jarring machine over the bumps and with an integrated headset, it's a tidy looking frame too.

Size specific wheels

A really neat feature of the X-Caliber range is while there are seven different frame sizes on offer, the smallest two bike frames using 27.5” wheels rather than the big 29” hoops that the rest of the range uses. That means that handling should be balanced to suit rider height, with frame angles tweaked to suit as well. The big wheeled bikes also use a special Trek-developed fork offset designed to work better with the 29” wheel size.

The X-Caliber 9 is the most expensive bike in the range and gets a very respectable kit list for the money, though as Trek still sell bikes through traditional bike shops it can't quite touch the value for money that direct-sales brands offer. That said, it does mean you'll be able to get face to face advice and try before you buy, which can be worth a lot more than a few extra trinkets on the bike.

Up front there's a RockShox Rekon Silver RL offering 100mm of travel, or 80mm on the smallest frame size bikes. It's air sprung, so it's a simple task to get it set correctly for your body weight and you get adjustable rebound damping along with a lockout that'll stop everything bouncing up and down on smooth sections. It's a surprisingly well controlled fork off road, with the damper doing a sterling job of keeping control despite the relatively short overall travel. It still uses normal open dropouts rather than a stiffer, more secure through axle design. Along with the relatively long and skinny legs, that does mean there's some flex in the fork and steering precision isn't great once the going gets seriously tasty.

Dated cockpit and angles

More importantly, the X-Caliber's dynamic ability is let down by geometry and a cockpit that has its basis in very traditional views of how a cross-country machine should handle. The 69.6º head angle is pretty steep and certainly means the bike is very responsive to your input, but along with the long 110mm stem it rapidly becomes a twitchy handful for all but the most quick witted of riders when you choose to point it downhill on all but the mildest of gradients. While the respectably long reach means you should have plenty of space to move your body about and maintain a stable position on descents, that big stem forces your body weight so far forwards that technical trails have you worrying about going over the bars or letting the front wheel tuck under on tight, steep corners. If you're a head down, pedal and suffer racer than might be acceptable, but for the less experienced or more aggressively minded rider it's an unrewarding experience.

That's a real shame as the rest of the bike works cohesively, with the twin ring drivetrain, ten speed drivetrain snicking smoothly across gears, even under power. Ideally, there would be a clutch equipped mech to prevent chain derailment, but as long as you keep the pedal to the metal it works very effectively under power and the Shimano Deore shifters shift with a smoothness that's barely imperceptible from their much higher end offerings, albeit at a mild weight penalty. Shimano also provide great stopping power in the form of the M365 hydraulic brakes. Yes, the lever is quite long and clunky compared to more fancy items in Shimano's repertoire but they do the job of hauling you up in all conditions with aplomb, even with dinky 160mm rotors. At 13.2kg for the 19.5" frame it's a decent weight too.

Wheely good wheelset

Apart from the great big stem, Trek's house brand Bontrager has provided some excellent finishing kit, with special mention going to the wheelset. Despite the low spoke count, it's stiff and accurate, offering an easy upgrade in the form of tubeless ready rims. Talking of upgrades, if you ride anywhere with mud, you'll be wanting to see the back of the skinny Bontrager XR2 rubber sharpish. It's mega fast rolling thanks to low profile tread but the lack of width means you need to overpressure it to prevent pinch punctures, with a resulting lack of comfort despite the fact the big hoops help smooth out trail chatter. That low profile tread verges on the lethal when the going gets sloppy too. 

All in all, the X-Caliber 9 has a lot of potential. If you're willing to make it – and yourself – work very hard, then it'll reward with a responsive, sharp and precise ride character that won't beat you up like cheap aluminium frames often can. On flat, flowing singletrack, it's precise and lively, while covering ground will come with ease. It's a real shame as it could do all this and much more if Trek had calmed down those race roots, relaxed the geometry and butched up the cockpit. With a mild tweak, this could be a seriously rapid hardtail; not just up up and along, but also down. 

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About the bike

Tell us what the bike is for, and who it's aimed at. what do the manufacturers say about it how does that compare to your own : , state the frame material and method of construction. list the components used to build up the bike.: .

Frame uses Alpha Gold Aluminium w/semi-integrated head tube, mechanically formed and butted tubing, race geometry, internal front derailleur routing, rack and mudguard mounts, G2 Geometry on 29ers. Smart Wheel Size gives 27.5" wheels on smallest sized bikes and 29" wheels on larger frames.

RockShox Recon Silver RL Solo Air sprung fork with lockout and 100mm of travel

Shimano Deore 10spd drivetrain and shifters with XT rear mech. RaceFace Ride crankset with 36/22T rings.

Bontrager Mustang Elite Tubeless Ready 28-hole wheelset with Bontrager XR2 tyres.

Bontrager bar, stem, saddle and seatpost.

Shimano M365 hydraulic disc brakes, 160mm rotors.

Frame & Fork

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Jon Woodhouse

Jon was previously the editor here at off.road.cc. Whether it's big days out on the gravel bike or hurtling down technical singletracks, if it's got two wheels and can be ridden on dirt, then he's into it. He's previously been technical editor at BikeRadar.com, editor at What Mountain Bike Magazine and also web editor at Singletrackworld.co.uk. Yes, he's been around the houses.

Could we stop repeating the nonsense that thru-axels are stiffer than quick release please? They're not in the load path.  All they do is pull the fork close onto the hub.

I own a 2014 Trek XCal 9.  It is awesome on flowy single track, although burlier tires and better pedals are essential immediate upgrades on anything other than hardpack dirt.  Stock tires are horrible on rocks and roots. STEM and BARS- Agree with author about Stem- I replaced mine with a 15 mm stem and wider Renthal Fatbar handlebars.  I couldnt be more pleased with the change.  I take it up in the mountains on some steep long rocky decents that I absolutely bomb with this bike.  With the shorter stem and wider bars it's pretty sensative to steering input that on first couple rides I worried I had made it too twitchy, but once I got used to it I loved it- allows you to get those big 29er wheels around some tight turns and handles the left-right-left-right stuff great.  And while the wider bars make your steering input more immediate, I feel like they give me more control than narrower bars to get the correct amount of input once I start turning without oversteering.  Also, because I have pretty wide shoulders and thus a wider grip, they are so much more comfortable, especially when I'm bombing a rocky downhill.  BRAKES- Looking at getting better brakes- they are fine for the flowy cc stuff, but on my steep mountain downhills I need something better (I am 220 pounds (99.79 kilos) so that might have something to do with it too).  Geometry may seem a bit steep by today's standards but as of just 2-3 years ago, at under 70 degree Headtube Angle, it was pretty slack for a cc bike.  With the shorter stem I've had no problem getting my weight back for tackling the downhills (although I'm also 46 so while I go all out I'm not going for jumps or dropoffs over about 3 feet (1 meter)).  I feel like with these changes the bike does actually make a pretty good all around machine- especially if your local stuff is more flowy cc type trails and the long gnarly downhill stuff is more once in while have to drive to.  If the gnarly downhill stuff is more what you routinely ride, then I would look into one of the more slack hardtails that have more recently begun to appear on the market.  But with some tweaks to the XCal it can be a "do most" machine, with really the  only thing I wouldn't do with it being ski resorts.  And for pedalling efficancy and uphills you'll love it.  

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• X-Caliber 9

Trek X-Caliber 9

X-Caliber 9 is the top-end model in the X-Caliber family. It's a fully race-ready cross country mountain bike built with parts designed to compete. A RockShox Recon fork, a 1x12 Shimano XT/SLX drivetrain, and a wide-range cassette make it a great choice for fast singletrack riders who want a great bike that's ready to race right out of the box. It's right for you if... You measure your rides in speed and distance, and want a fast XC bike that will help you cover more trail in less time. You race, or you could see yourself getting into racing, so you want a hardtail with competition-level parts that can give you an advantage on the trail. The tech you get A lightweight aluminum frame, a RockShox Recon Gold 100mm suspension air fork, a Shimano XT/SLX 1x12 drivetrain with a wide range of gears for easier climbing. Plus, tubeless ready wheels with wider Boost141 hubs for increased wheel strength and better tire clearance, and a dropper post for getting low on descents. The final word X-Caliber 9 is a speedy, nimble, and efficient XC hardtail that's perfect for riders with a racing pedigree and anyone who dreams of covering epic distances out on the trail. Why you'll love it - It's a great bike for someone who's just getting into serious racing: you get high-end XC parts on an awesome frame with enough cash left over for entry fees - There's nothing as sweet as a silent ride: the clutch rear derailleur prevents chain slap, even in the rough - The frame is fully compatible with higher-end parts, like race wheels, if you ever find the need to upgrade - The 1x drivetrain delivers a wide range of gearing with the simplicity of a single shifter Wheel size: - Size Small: 27.5-inch - Sizes Medium – XX-Large: 29-inch

Due to supply-chain issues, Specs are subject to change without notice.

* Subject to change without notice.

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Trek X-Caliber 9

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Size / 15.5", 17.5", 18.5", 19.5", 21.5", 23"

Weight / 12.61

At a glance

Where to buy.

Specifications

• Frame Alpha Gold Aluminum, E2 tapered head tube, internal derailleur & dropper post routing, rack & kickstand mount, Boost141, G2 Geometry
• Fork RockShox Recon Silver RL, RockShox Recon RL, Solo Air, rebound, remote lockout, E2 tapered steerer, G2 Geometry w/51mm offset on 29ers, Boost110, 100mm travel (13.5: 80mm travel)
• Hubs Bontrager sealed bearing, Boost141
• Wheels Bontrager Duster Elite Tubeless Ready 28-hole, tubeless strips and valves sold separately
• Wheel Size 29" 27.5"
• Tires Bontrager XR2 Team Issue, Tubeless Ready, 120 tpi, aramid bead, 29x2.20˝ (13.5 & 15.5: 27.5x2.20˝)
• Chain KMC , KMC X11-1
• Crank Shimano XT, Shimano Deore XT, 36/26
• Bottom Bracket Sealed cartridge
• Front Derailleur Shimano SLX, Shimano SLX M7020
• Rear Derailleur Shimano XT, Shimano Deore XT M8000, Shadow Plus
• Shifters Shimano SLX, Shimano SLX M7000, 11 speed
• Brakeset Shimano , Shimano M425 hydraulic disc
• Handlebar Bontrager alloy, 31.8mm, 5mm rise, 720mm width
• Saddle Bontrager Evoke 2, chromoly rails
• Seatpost Bontrager alloy, 2-bolt head, 31.6mm, 8mm offset
• Stem Bontrager Elite, 31.8mm, 7 degree
• Grips Bontrager Race Lite, lock-on
• Headset Semi-integrated, cartridge, 1-1/8˝ top, 1.5˝ bottom

Q: How much is a 2018 Trek X-Caliber 9?

A 2018 Trek X-Caliber 9 is typically priced around $1,579 USD when new. Be sure to shop around for the best price, and also look to the used market for a great deal.

Q: Where to buy a 2018 Trek X-Caliber 9?

The 2018 Trek X-Caliber 9 may be purchased directly from Trek .

Q: How much does a 2018 Trek X-Caliber 9 weigh?

A 2018 Trek X-Caliber 9 weights 12.61.

Q: What size wheels does the 2018 Trek X-Caliber 9 have?

The 2018 Trek X-Caliber 9 has 29" and 27.5" wheels.

Q: What size 2018 Trek X-Caliber 9 should I get?

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