Why would you even bother with the 7 when you can have a sweet FS ride for a couple hundred bucks more. The Statche 5 is $2k CDN, for that money (and I’ve said this before) you could get a nice fat bike and put a plus wheel set on it (it would also be a lot easier to get hubs for a fattie as well) and although the Trek Stache 7 would be tempting for someone who mostly fun rides trail singletrack it’s price tag at $3,200 CDN is just not going to compete with the likes of Devinci whom I have heard is pricing their new Hendrix 27.5+ Full suspension ride at $3,400 CDN. When they say its for the multi bike owner looking for a unique trail hardtail they’re not kidding. This could just be me, but I also smacked my heal on the chainstay enough times for it to be noticeable. I also felt the handlebar was too wide (which I’ve never said before). There is nothing, frame and fork are completely smooth. Where it fails is a complete lack of rack mounts, so that eliminates commuting and bike packing. With a shock on the front this bike would slay single track and mountain trail, and if you’ve read any of the reviews by the big bike mags that seems to be a consensus all around. The Bontrager Chupacabra tires were smooth rolling on hardpack and didn’t have bad vibration on paved roads. The big wheels, lightish weight and short wheel base make it great at clearing obstacles and pushing into corners. The Statche 5 was nimble on a local single track, comfortable to spend a decent amount of time in the saddle and a wheelie machine. This bike breaks my heart not because it stinks but because it rides so well but is not made for any of the things I would have in mind for it (to be fair the Trek rep said this bike is for people with multiple higher end rides that’s looking for a fun, unique hardtail for trail). After I got my hands on the bike I was very happy with how little it weighed (with pedals I’d confidently say 26-27lbs) and I found the reach very comfortable for such a big tired bike. I have been looking at the Stache 5 from the point of view that it would make a kickass commuter (If you’ve read past posts you know my daily ride is dying from a cracked frame) and a possible bike packing rig. It also sports the boost 148/110mm hubs of which I’m not a fan of the new sizing but that is a different post entirely. Other than the 29+ wheel set the thing that really sets the Stache apart is it’s incredibly short chainstay at just 420mm. The 5 has a steeper head tube angle at 70.3 degrees than its front shock brothers (they run at 68.4 degrees). I test rode a 17.5 frame size/18.5 bike (you’ll see when you see the sticker on the seat tube). The bike sizing has an actual and “trek” sizing. I had put out feelers a month or two ago about test riding a Stache 5 and pretty much gave up after my third contact said they are only bringing in the 7 and 9 this year, so I was pleasantly surprised when I got a call this weekend to take one out for an afternoon ride.
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