![]() ![]() The larger wheels are definitely noticeable and something I was very aware of every time I got on the bike. No pedal strokes needed, the bike just picked up steam and charged down the trail like I was trying to scare myself! Every time I hopped back on the Session 29 and let off the brakes I was instantly back up to speed, like I’d never stopped. During my sighting laps I’d inspect lines, erosion changes, etc. Bachelor that is a steep fall line and navigates everything from lava rock to flat, loose turns, massive ruts and very aggressive roots. I took two practice runs down a newer trail at Mt. Specifically, how fast it gets up to speed. While the suspension performance is a highlight of the Session 9.9 29, the thing that blew me away is the out and out speed of the bike. The trade off for regularly using all the travel is insane traction and confidence, well above what many other bikes have offered me. ![]() I’m sure this softer set up is also why I was reaching bottom out on all my race-paced test runs, but this isn’t a bad thing according to some schools of thought. The softer spring rate kept me on the ground when I wanted, but added compression prevented me from blowing through travel when I didn’t. I don’t live for the jump lines, instead preferring the natural steeps and chunky stuff with natural gaps. I actually found that running a little bit more sag was preferred for my riding style and terrain. I’m not always a fan of the Fox 40, as it can ride a bit stiff and beat up my hands, but this fork feels buttery smooth and the rear shock is the same. As my speed increased with familiarization to the bike, I added about five more PSI and 2-3 clicks of compression depending on the track. That first ride was the beginning of what I hope is a long relationship (Wink wink, Trek can I keep it?) I only spent about two runs tweaking suspensin and quickly settled in on my tune. I had no understeer, the bike stood up a bit taller, was a little bit shorter and put me right where I wanted to be – in a position to command the bike. What I felt on that first ride was pure magic. I put the Mino Link in the High mode! Since I wasn’t dropping into Val Di Sole, I figured I had the ability to navigate the terrain I was about to ride with a head angle more nimble than 62.1 degrees. Before hopping on the chairlift for my first ride, I got sacrilegious. It was a well-worn demo bike and I knew the understeer and suspension issues I experienced were tunable. It was slack, low and certainly better than some of the other bikes I rode that week, but I wanted more. So how does it ride with those big wheels and shorter travel? Like a daggum rocket ship! I rode a demo bike briefly in Whistler Bike Park. If possible, I’d love to see this bike with 195mm or even 200mm of travel. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like more though. I reached full travel every run during my testing, but never felt harsh hits or that I was out of travel. It did not feel harsh by any means, it just had a firmer feel that I attributed to more progression in the tune. ![]() What I mean by that is, the bike rode differently than the 27.5 and 26-inch Sessions when it came to landing drops or larger jumps. The shortened travel wasn’t something I completely noticed during my test rides, but in hindsight it made sense. I want to be open minded and let the bike speak to me during the test period without my brain telling me what I should be feeling based on a chart. Clearly I can’t be totally unaware of what some bikes offer, but I try to avoid the spec sheet until after my testing, or sometimes mid-test if something doesn’t feel right. As mentioned above, I don’t look at the details of a bike before riding it. I was both surprised and reaffirmed when I learned the Session 9.9 29er has 190mm of travel. ![]()
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