However, Trek has added Integrated Carbon Armour. This construction is intended to increase the carbon’s strength and impact resistance. While there is plenty new with the latest Slash, Trek has kept its OCLV Mountain (Optimum Compaction Low Void) carbon fibre. The Slash’s new chainstay protector is designed to reduce lateral and vertical chain movement to minimise noise. While these seem very short, remember the rear-centre length will grow 11mm at sag, but these should still give the bike agile handling. These range from 429mm (S and M) to 434mm (M/L and L) and 439mm (XL). Trek has built in proportional chainstay lengths as frame sizes increase. If you fit a 29in wheel, or change the headset cups, the geometry will change too. It’s interesting to see Trek has made the Slash slacker, but not longer. The reach numbers are as you would expect from a bike with these attributes. To accommodate longer droppers, the seat tubes are shorter, starting at 390mm on the size S and topping out at 470mm on the XL. The straighter seat tube means the size-S bike can fit a 170mm dropper post, while M bikes and above can fit a 200mm or longer dropper, to really get the saddle out of the way in the descents.

There is also a steeper effective seat tube, of around 77 degrees, to help set riders centrally when climbing.

Trek has made the Slash slacker, but not longer.

Instal the new Image Tuner Pro 9.8