Trek debuted the new Session 27.5 and its bigger-wheeled sibling at the beginning of the 2017 World Cup race season, and it's now available for public consumption. The general frame profile remains the same – yes, it still 'looks like a Session' – but the geometry has been tweaked, and the Full Floater shock configuration is now a thing of the past. The changes aren't massive, but they do help to ensure that the Session maintains its place as a high caliber race machine, one that can handle everything from elite level racing to general bike park usage.
The price of the Session has also changed, and where last year's Session 9.9 checked in at an eye-watering $10,000, the new model, with a similar parts spec, comes in at $8,000 USD. That sizeable price reduction was made possible by Trek's decision to move production of the Session overseas – it had previously been made in their Waterloo, Wisconsin facility.
Trek Session Details• Intended use: downhill
• Travel: 210mm
• Wheel size: 27.5"
• Full carbon frame, magnesium rocker link
• 63° head angle (low setting)
• 446mm chainstays
• 12 x 157mm rear spacing
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL
• Weight: 32.75 pounds / 14.86 kg (size L)
• Price: $8,000 USD
•
www.trekbikes.com Trek only offer two complete versions of the Session – the high end, full carbon version reviewed here, and the more budget-oriented aluminum Session 8 that retails for $3,799. The 9.9 still isn't what anyone would call inexpensive, but keep in mind that it's set up with nearly the same parts that the Trek Factory Racing team use on the World Cup circuit.
According to Trek, they found that their DH bike customers tend to fall into two main categories – racers looking for the best of the best, or park riders in search a more wallet-friendly ride. For everyone else, there's always the option of going the frame only route, and building up a dream bike with exactly the parts you want. That's also the only way to obtain a Session 29 – there currently aren't any complete big-wheeled DH bikes in Trek's catalog.
Frame DetailsThe Session 9.9 is exceptionally light – our size large review bike weighed only 32.75 pounds – but Trek took measures to make sure that the frame remained stiff enough to handle all the punishment that a World Cup DH course can dish up, with large, squared-off carbon tubing, and an impressive looking head tube junction. According to Trek, the new frame is 11% stiffer overall, with the bottom bracket seeing a 19% jump in stiffness, and the head tube stiffness increasing by 10%.
That search for stiffness and weight savings is also the reason the Session doesn't use the Full Floater rear suspension design, where the shock was attached to the rocker link and the swingarm, found on the previous version – the shock is now fixed to the down tube.
Other frame details include integrated fork bump stops, full internal cable routing, ISCG tabs, and a threaded bottom bracket shell. There are also downtube and chainstay protectors in place to keep the carbon frame safe from rock smacks and chain slap.
GeometryAs is the case with many of Trek's full suspension bikes, the Session's geometry can be altered via a small chip on the seatstays. The low position gives the bike a 63-degree head angle and a 349mm bottom bracket height, while the high position delivers a 63.5-degree head angle and a 356mm bottom bracket height. Looking for something even slacker? It's possible to install offset headset cups that allow for the head angle to be altered by a degree in either direction.
Compared to the previous iteration, the new Session's reach has grown by approximately 20mm, and it now measures 445mm for a size large. That's still not super long, but there is an XL size in the lineup with a 475mm reach for riders looking for more length.
SuspensionThe Session relies on Trek's ABP (Active Braking Pivot), where the rear pivot is situated so that it rotates around the rear axle. A Fox Float X2 takes care of the bike's 210mm of rear travel, although the frame is progressive enough that a coil-sprung shock would work as well.
Specifications
Specifications
|
Price
|
$8000 |
|
Travel |
210 |
|
Rear Shock |
Fox Factory Float X2 |
|
Fork |
Fox Factory 40 FIT RC2 |
|
Cassette |
Shimano Ultegra, 11-25, 10 speed |
|
Crankarms |
Shimano Saint |
|
Chainguide |
MRP G4 |
|
Chain |
Shimano XTR |
|
Rear Derailleur |
Shimano Saint |
|
Shifter Pods |
Shimano Saint, 11-spd |
|
Handlebar |
Bontrager Line Pro, OCLV Carbon, 820mm |
|
Stem |
Bontrager Line Pro Direct Mount, 50mm |
|
Grips |
Bontrager Rhythm lock-on |
|
Brakes |
Shimano Saint |
|
Wheelset |
DT Swiss FR1950 Gravity Classic |
|
Tires |
Bontrager G4 Team Issue, 27.5x2.35˝ |
|
Seat |
Bontrager Evoke 3, ti rails |
|
SetupThe Whistler Bike Park is an ideal testing ground for a DH bike – fast lifts and a wide variety of terrain make it easy to quickly dial in a bike's suspension settings with minimal fuss, so that's where I headed for my initial rides on the Session.
The Fox Float X2 shock comes with four volume-reducing bands installed, but I still found myself looking for a little more end-stroke ramp up. Even with 30% sag it still felt like the shock was going through its travel too easily, so I added one more spacer, bringing the total up to five, the maximum number allowed. That did the trick, creating the extra support I wanted for pushing into the lip of jumps, and for taking the sting off accidental hucks to flat.
At 160 pounds, my settings were as follows (the numbers indicate clicks from fully closed): Pressure: 190psi. HSR: 10; LSR, 13; HSC:14; LSC:15. Those setting left me with plenty of room for adjustment in either direction, which is always a good sign. Up front, I ran 66 psi with two volume spacers installed in the Fox 40.
Handling I started the test period with the bike in the High geometry setting – that's how the bike arrived – but I soon switched it to the low setting and never looked back. After all, it's rare that I find myself thinking “If only this bike had a steeper head angle and a higher bottom bracket,” especially with a DH rig. As far as the fit goes, at 5'11” I was comfortable on the size large, but if this were my personal bike I'd likely go with a size XL, especially if I was planning on doing any races. That extra length provides even more stability, which in turn makes it easier to feel confident opening it all the way up on rough straightaways.
The Session fits right into what I'd call the 'Goldilocks' category – its geometry number don't really push the envelope too far in any direction, but they do add up to very balanced ride, one that feels 'just right' in the vast majority of situations. It's an extremely easy bike to get along with, and it only took a few laps before I felt like I was up to speed.
It's hard to pick one ride characteristic of the Session that really stands out from the others, but that's more of a testament to just how well rounded this bike truly is. No matter if I was hitting big jump lines or rolling into steep trails choked with slippery roots and rocks, the Session kept its composure. Compared to the Pivot Phoenix that I'd been on earlier in the season, the Session wasn't nearly as demanding of a bike – I could ease off the pace a little bit and still have just as much fun.
| It's an extremely easy bike to get along with, and it only took a few laps before I felt like I was up to speed. |
One of my favorite laps at Whistler for bike testing includes the lower portion of In Deep. It's not the steepest trail, but it's full of off-camber sections, with tall roots spider-webbing in every direction that makes it ideal for seeing how well a bike maintains its pace. The Session passed with flying colors – the light weight meant that it took minimal effort to pop up and over particularly awkward sections, and there was plenty of stability to keep pushing through the roughest parts. It doesn't deliver the feeling that there's an invisible hand propelling you forward when the trail is really chewed up, à la the Commencal Supreme DH, but the Session performed very well even in the most blown up sections of trail, although a coil shock would likely unlock an even plusher ride.
I don't subscribe to the theory that a stiffer frame is always better – just like with carbon wheels, at a certain point the ride quality begins to suffer. The good news is that Trek haven't reached that point yet, and while the Session's frame is certainly very stiff, it never felt jarring or overly harsh. In keeping with the whole 'Goldilocks' theme, the Session straddles the line between being lively and playful like an Intense M16 or being more of a glued-to-the-ground plow bike like the Scott Gambler. Of course, how a bike feels can be altered to some degree with the shock settings, but the overall sensation that the Session delivers is very neutral, with handling that quickly becomes second nature.
The fact that it has fairly neutral feel doesn't mean that the Session delivers a boring ride -- far from it. Its intuitive handling meant that I could focus on more important things, like going faster, and taking the optional lines that required full commitment to make it to the bottom unscathed. I'd rather concentrate on my riding and the trail ahead rather than the bike I'm aboard, and with the Session it was extremely easy to do just that.
Component Check• Fox Float X2: The Float X2 lost its rebound damping on my fifth ride, which meant that I had to send it back to get it swapped out for a version that didn't feel like a pogo stick. The replacement was trouble free, and I didn't run into any further issues for the remainder of the test period.
• Fox Factory 40 FIT RC2: While I ran into issues with the Float X2, the 40 was flawless, with a rock solid chassis and an excellent blend of support and suppleness; even after being coated in dust and mud that slippery smoothness is still present.
• DT Swiss 1950 wheels: These wheels have had a hard life, and the rear has a few sizable dents in it as a result. The dents aren't large enough to affect the interface between the tire's bead and the rim – it's still possible to run a tubeless setup without any issues. The good news is that if the rim did to be replaced the wheelset uses DT's 240 hubs, which have an excellent track record when it comes to long term reliability.
• Shimano Saint brakes: The Saint brakes delivered plenty of power, and for the most part I didn't need to give them a second thought. However, there were a few instances where the bite point seemed to change, typically during longer, sustained sections of hard braking. The fact that they use mineral oil and are easy to bleed is a plus, but I still would have liked a little more consistency when it comes to the feel at the lever.
Bontrager G4 tires: The G4 tires were ridden through everything from moon dust to mud, with very predictable cornering grip and wet weather traction. The Session's frame has plenty of room to run something wider than 2.4”, but I wouldn't rush to take these off – their performance makes them worth riding until the knobs have worn down to rounded, chewed off little nubbins.
Pinkbike's Take | The Session 9.9 sets a shining example of how a modern downhill bike should perform, and its build kit leaves little to be desired. Whether you harbor dreams of World Cup glory, or don't plan on ever leaving the bike park, the Session is an adaptable machine that can easily be set up to work well for a wide range of riding styles. — Mike Kazimer |
About the ReviewerStats: Age: 35 • Height: 5'11" • Inseam: 33" • Weight: 160lb • Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Twenty-two years deep into a mountain biking addiction that began as a way to escape the suburban sprawl of Connecticut, Mike Kazimer is most at home deep the woods, carving his way down steep, technical trails. The decade he spent as a bike mechanic helped create a solid technical background to draw from when reviewing products, and his current location in the Pacific Northwest allows for easy access to the wettest, muddiest conditions imaginable.
The weight is more impressive when you realize it’s with proper 1300g tires and 2000g wheelset .
I’d have zero problems riding a 34lbs 29er version
So needless to say theres a bunch of Red Sessions at Angel Fire
www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/Haibike-xDuro-DownHill-10-2018?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsa7A98vN1wIVTrXtCh1A2AbbEAQYBSABEgJTtfD_BwE
Wait a year and we'll see that thing all over PB for cheap, from people that realize they bought way over their heads and abilities.
There's been some really shitty warranty issues here in Canada with YT
Have you been to the store in squamish it's a total joke
I know the guy who runs YT Canada going on 20 years now
Not the first bone brand he's had issues with in Canada
I know my shit dude
Thank you, good sir, for not disappointing.
Comencial is down the street with a amazing shop and there always there to help you out
.
no dude red seal certification ( journeyman ) is recognized in every province .
it a a national program , ran by the government through the ITA
I challenged my red seal in carpentry
so all I know is want I was told in bc
I think most recognize journeyman and red seal as the same thing
What I would like to see is for someone like Pinkbike get hold of a Shimano rep who really knows what's going on to do a show and tell...
I have to say the last set of XTR's I had were a let down. Gutted to be honest.
Older XT's were ace, as were SLX (probably the best of the bunch).
But now I'm on Hope V4's there is no turning back.
Deores have plastic plungers IIRC, so wearing gets minimized, but they tend to bend and lock inside the MC.
My deores on the other hand, exactly what I want. Never touched in two years, nice solid feel. Just bang on. Only coolness stops me swspping them onto my big bike.
Soooo good!
Had two sets of M8000, one good, one bad.
All my previous gens were good.
I am frustrated with Shimano, they do seem to have lost some of their high end feel, to the pressures of SRAM no doubt. Not content with making their own shitty products now SRAM are forcing everyone else to do the same. I’m only half joking.
Good job Hope are still in business! :-)
I’ve now switched to SRAM and both pairs of Guide RSC’s have been flawless for two years now with just pad changes.
Some general experience on Saints, XTs and XTRs, which I ride for several years now. I find there's two main inconsistencies with the previous, widely-spread generation, which can be easily kept at bay. (I will not refer to the problems of the 8000/9000 generation, WAKI, there is a constructional problem with piston bind imo, but the following may still help some of those as well)
1. The wandering bite point is due to too much air (low oil levels) in the reservoir. When that air is gulped up into the line during riding the bite point instantly changes, but comes back after one pump. A well-maintained brake sees that problem solved with a quick bleed.
2. Brake levers losing oil (seen as sticky dirt close to lever pivot). This is a harder one to gauge. But in my experience, I was able to keep them flawless by paying attention to neither pressure wash or brake-clean them. The O-rings are sensitive in there, so baby them as much as you can. Pressure washing is never good for any seal and brake cleaner is like acid for o-rings (decays rubber).
Issue 2 then circles back to inconsistency 1: When you have flawless O-rings so they don't lose oil, the wandering bite point issue occurs rarely and a quick bleed stops it.
You need to baby the O-rings from day one, but don't be fooled by my long rant: it's not so difficult, just keep an eye out during cleaning and maintenance. Dirt is less of an issue I find.
With these inconsistencies at bay, Shimano brakes offer great performance (Saints absolutely, XT/XTR undersized for steepest alpine territory, but great elsewhere).
For me, performance is only outdone recently by combining Shimano levers with Magura MT5/7 calipers (again, baby the levers' O-rings): great ergonomics and great modulation and stopping power. Did I already say it? you'd have to baby the brake lever O-rings though ;-)
Hope this helps somebody, brake nerd out.
Poor machining tolerances at the MC and calipers are too painfully usual with Shimano nowadays. Then you have brakes which would transpire oil and stain the pads overnight or change their bite point middle run for no good cause other than the above listed ones. And again no finned pads or sandwiched rotor could fix them, because the product is flawed ever since it left the production line.
Imagine the same happening to automobile brakes. Would you buy a Toyota knowing their brakes would fail randomly, and knowing it's a well documented issue, both by consumers AND the specialized media? We as bikers are too damn used to suck this kind of stuff up and just keep riding, or just pass the issue to the next fool willing to buy our failing stuff.
My experience was the same initially. Buying something else was no option back then (Avid?!?), so I was motivated to figure Shimanos out. In my world, I DID figure them out. Get the poor factory bleed out of the way, and then it's simple fast bleeds all the way. all I'm saying.
The manufacturing defect is only with the 7000/8000/9000 generation calipers. My 9020 xtr levers work just fine with the magura calipers.
PS if by some bad chance you slightly f*cked up your orings early in the brake's life, you may never be able to achieve what I'm talking about. Had that with my first Saints
I'm thinking hope or Magura next. Shimano look nice but don't work nice.
Older sets of Shimano brakes I have. Owned (deore,XT, SLX) with the 'ugly lever' design have always been spot on- no issues at all.
My last few sets of Shimano brakes (XT and now ZEE) have had loads of problems
Twice i have had a lever stick on me (cannot release it without dismantling the thing ) luckily both warrantied easily.
But particularly the rear zee is so so inconsistent. I'm always bleeding it, looking for leaks , checking hoses but still temperamental.
I now just reside myself to a full brake bleed and clean up every month or so. Doesn't take long and vastly improves things- till the next time a lever sticks on me....
I can only add (...) I don't know how (...)
At under 15kg, it pedals pretty good, but was held down by its slack STA.
Voilà
The main differences I see between pure DH bikes and mini DH bikes is the seated position, and suspension design
ABP design means there is little relative rotation between the brake caliper and disc as the bike moves through its suspension travel which means the wheel keeps rotating. But it’s the axle path that affects the dynamic geometry.
Everything you said is just totally wrong.
You might as well have said that ABP design means the inertial force of my involuntary hip thrusts aids the anti-squat caused by my left foot and the rotational mass of the moon at night time. Meaning the axle path is always properly lined up with true north throughout it's travel and ensures maximum traction when in mid air...
I'm sorry but that kind of misinformed twaddle is exactly what people like Mr Aston should be here to address, but he's either too clueless himself, or constantly makes excuses for poorly designed bikes for some other reason.
And what do you think you mean by "sit's down under braking"? You simply mean where the brake stops the suspension from actually working, the bike continues to pack down but won't rebound until you release the brake, meaning you basically have no rear suspension under braking. Bit harsh going into corners on a heavy bike with no rear suspension after you've just paid thousands for a 'quality' bike i reckon, but what do i know...
Even with the ABP having an single pivot style axle path, due to the placement of the caliper being on the floating seatstay (same as a Horst design, not directly fixed to the front triangle) it reduces that effect. If Trek placed the caliper on the chainstay then it would function exactly like any other single pivot design i.e Orange, Kona etc.
I wonder how many of these frames they sell given recent enduro bike competition - if it is 1000 worldwide then you save $2mil, or the wages of 40 staff (estimating a salary of $50k - I don't know how feasible that guess is)? I'd be interested to know whether the decision is driven by consumer direct brand competition, or low current sales of DH bikes...
@slimboyjim:
But, even if it were $50k, $2M doesn’t hire 40. It hires 20...easiest to estimate the per worker cost to your business as 2x their salary by the time you pay incidental costs, benefits and insurance. Also figure in one manager/supervisor per 5 engineers and your costs go up quickly.
The solution is paying the corporate heads less.
In the past 30 or so years these people have been raising their wages and bonuses to an absurd level. In some companieS, the "wages" of the big heads, is 10x how much the rest of the company is payed.
Meanwhile, the 99.9% of us, has been payed pretty much the same. In the past 30 years. Actually quite less, if you consider inflation.
The solution is not to buy from the biggest conpanies. Buy local.
Do you think they make half moulds of the frame parts and then bond them together? I hope not. I think they make them monocoque with a bladder inside to squeeze out in the frame.
What you describe would result in discontinous and overlapping fibers in the areas with the highest moments. I find it hard to believe that any carbon frame is made like that. You would also loose one of the major benefits of using pre-pregs.
@Connerv6: A shop is not a factory.
I work in a composites factory for a company that is the biggest in the world of its kind. Workers get paid $17/hr.
Engineers start hourly at $26/hr there.
Like the guys you work with, after 8 years I was done with it.
Cost of living is actually as high as anywhere out here in Denver. On the whole, Denver is really booming, so cost of living is super high. Even things like food and gas are way more expensive over hear (although I guess the refineries in NJ help keep gas prices down). Octane 85 gas is the "regular" out here and it costs the same as 87 back home for example. Whole foods can be cheaper than regular grocery stores, which is just pathetic. Boulder Colorado of all places has cheaper food than Denver, if you'd believe that.
I'd be pretty embarrassed to go back to this one place, but I had an opportunity to get 20/hr as an entry level engineer in my hometown, and now that I have composites experience, I think they'd be even happier to have me. There are some amazing things in terms of wilderness out here in Colorado but they built all the infrastructure and cities 3 hours east of it all, so you end up going through 2 tanks of gas out here per week if you wanna work and have fun. So that it is a trade off too. Riding everywhere back home in Vermont, but without enough people to ride with, or being too far from riding but with people all over the trails to ride with. (I mean, I literally had to build the trails myself in VT).
Take a short flight to Norway, Sweden or Switzerland and suddenly the pay doubles again and so does the rent.
You shouldn’t feel embarrassed about taking a job. Jobs are that thing we do in order to do the things we actually want to do, and if it’s a place that knows you and wants you back, all the better. Might give you the inside track for growth into a higher and better paying position. Especially in a job market as saturated as yours.
Speak with your money. Stop buying.
Not to mention the now epidemic Guide failures.
My Fox 34 on my 1 week old bike has loose bushings. Guess I get to rebuild that fork immediately, and argue with Fox regarding warranty.
I rode a 2017 Session in XL and it felt like BMX sized.
I'm 6'2" so tallish, but hardly a giant and although I can't remember the specific reach number, I would have wanted it to be at least 3 sizes bigger. This looks on paper to be a little closer to that, but still not suitable for riders much over 6'
It's 'cheaper'... yeah right. Now it's 'only' $8000...
You never hear of brands like Patrol, which makes you wonder how many more of these obscure, but probably pretty decent brands are out there.
Bike and product reviews as well as racing news are definitely my main interest on Pinkbike. Great review on the Session by the way PB, looks like a proper weapon.
... Goes back to the PB comment section analyzing all the complaints about their frames being too expensive..
@mikekazimer could you tell the process of bike testing (you ask Trek for DH bike or they call you and say "We can send you a DH for test) ?
I review bikes for a magazine. I don't get to choose what spec level I get. Funnily enough the last bike I reviewed was a Trek (Slash), and they sent the 9.7 which is the base model.
SE5 = G4 pattern w/ thinner sidewalls
SE4 = XR4 pattern w/ thicker sidewalls
While the world appreciated the attempt at metric, this frame looks longer than 47.5mm, maybe 475mm?
Yup, I'm pedantic and bored.
And I find it strange that bike testers are only finally beginning to mention that Shimano’s brake bite point wanders all over the map.
I open pinkbike and its has been so enduro at the news.
Facebook have more Downhill at the moment
gonna have to look for a used one in small.
Stand back from the sport for a moment and then come back and boom, the 8k price tag hits you for a competition dh bike from trek.
Sorry to moan but you can buy the exact moto trial bike the worlds finest use for 2-3K cheaper than this, or a enduro moto or mx.
I guess what I am trying to say is where the f**k is the value in this? The warranty is pathetic, it has own brand components which trek take full advantage of on mark up, the sizes are silly (unless were still in the 90's). But this is our fault as others have already mentioned as we buy this crap so trek can do as they please.
One other thing is that for this price the big brands should have a warehouse full of demo bikes so should someone pay for one they can try out a few sizes before they take complete ownership. Even the reviewer in this bike had to go for an XL and he was 5'11'', so would he of gone for an XL from the go, probably not.
My cash will stay in the bank thanks
For that I want more carbon, I want some Titanium as well.
Saint cranks are great, however for a top of the line race bike I want carbon cranks.
Obviously trek don't rate carbon too highly on DH rigs. At 32lbs it's not suffering much of a weight penalty to be fair.
Also: Sweden is to death metal what Norway is to black metal :-)
youtu.be/QhXHINK7-o4
@cunning-linguist: Blooood pouring from my eyeeees! GhhrrrrrrOUUUU!!! The dead spirits surround MYYY heaaaad! Aaaaaaaaaarghhh! The Hollowness!!! of the decadence!!! Unholyness!!! of the CLEEEEERGAAEEEEEE!!!! AAAAA AAAAAA! Oooooo Sole miooooooooooo
Go search it and thank me later.
Knew I had a calling in life!!!
Insults by Neitzsche: your mother is so ugly, the void won't stare back at her.
Or my friend sending this to another friend and he was silly enough to check his messenger during a meeting:
pics.me.me/sprayed-febreez-in-my-bathroom-nowit-smells-ike-shitrus-~blane~-25989944.png
Mine are normally pretty vile TBH! Brutality for the win!
At least the V10 (which has an equivalent quality frame in terms of fit and finish) comes with Carbon cranks and drivetrain/brakes that have been updated since Obama ran for reelection.
Carbon cranks? No thanks.