No, the rear tire is a 26" version of the Maxxis DTH, which was firstly designed for BMX racing and then adapted for us mountainbikers. You can compare the tread if you want: www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=51853
Semenuk started riding Maxxis tires (instead of Bontragers) on his dirt jump bike this season, so what that Trek manager told you may be due to that. Also, do you think he/she would easily recognise that Brandon is rocking another brand's tires rather than their own components brand ones?
well to me they look like quite high spacers
and i would get not wanting to cut his steerer short if he wasn't a pro, i mean he is sponsored by rockshox.
i am not saying he must treat them like crap just because he gets them for free, but normally people don't cut their steerer's short to keep resale value, something i don't think he would be too worried about
low rise bars run wider sometimes. just look at some of the raceface bars coming in at 31 inches wide. so if he wants to run really wide bars he might have to put spacers in a run low rise bars and get 31 inches rather than a 3 inch rise with only 28 inches wide.
the guy runs 28'' bars... bit snappier for barspins and such, stack height im guessing is literally to keep his hardtail feeling exactly like his slope bike, no gyro... make up for height with spacers, so when he jumps on his slope bike it feels nearly identical, also probably why he has a higher seat then most riders, makes sense to me