Trek have unveiled their first full line of carbon cyclo-cross bikes, as used by world champion, Sven Nys, and UC World Cup holder, Katie Compton, at the Grand Prix Sven Nys on New Year’s Day.
The Boone is the product of significant research and development with leading ‘cross riders, Trek claim, including Nys and Compton.
Featuring Trek’s IsoSpeed decoupler, debuted on their Domane road bike, the company believes it has created “a match made in cyclo-cross heaven” – a bold claim.
By isolating the top-tube from the seat-tube, Trek claim their decoupler device doubles the vertical compliance of the frame without any negative effect on power transfer, with the ‘cross adaptation designed to leave more room for shouldering the bike. The mechanism (and cable routings) carry weather seals.
Two significant features from the upper echelons of the Domane road range are offered with the Boone: the full carbon, IsoSpeed fork, which has a forward facing dropout intended to increase compliance and ‘optimise’ the wheelbase, and the 3S chain keeper, a small, plastic device mounted at the base of the seat-tube to prevent an unshipped chain from becoming wedged between chainset and frame.
The geometry of Boone and Domane is largely similar, with the notable exception of the bottom bracket and wheelbase: some 10mm higher and 12mm longer on the Boone in its 56cm incarnation, offering greater clearance of ground obstacles and enhanced stability.
Trek’s US website shows five complete bikes and two framesets. The range-topping Boone 9 Disc is built around Trek’s 600 OCLV carbon chassis and equipped with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 6870 groupset, including the group’s cross-specific 46-36 chainset, and the non-series STI levers, which contain the mineral fluid reservoir for the hydraulic brakes. The R785 hydraulic disc brakes are equipped with 160mm rotors. It carries a US dollar price of $6,299.99.
The same 600 OCLV fabric is used for the chassis of the cantilever-equipped Boone 9. A mechanical Shimano Ultegra 6800 groupset replaces the electronic group present on the Boone 9 Disc, and Shimano’s R785 hydraulic disc brakes are substituted for TRP RevoX Alloy cantilevers. Trek’s website states a recommended selling price of $4199.99.
The third machine on Trek’s American website is the Boone 7, again fashioned from Trek’s 600 series OCLV carbon. Shifting comes from SRAM’s 10-speed Rival group, with an FSA Energy chainset completing the drivetrain. Brakes come from Avid: the SRAM subsidiary’s Shorty 6 cantilever. The Boone 7 is priced at $3,359.99.
The mechanical disc-equipped Boone 5 is the first of the range to feature on Trek’s US and UK websites, carrying a price tag of $3049.99 and £2400 respectively. This time, shifting comes courtesy of Shimano’s 105 component group, with FSA’s Energy chainset again completing the drivetrain. Braking is from Avid: the American firm’s BB5 mechanical disc brake with 160mm rotors.
Two framesets are shown on the US website: the Boone Disc chassis equipped with disc mounts, priced at $2299.99, and the Boone, which features cantilever bosses and carries the same price tag. It is the cantilever-ready frameset that features on the UK website, priced at £1750.
See the gallery below for detailed images of each.
