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Trek Session 88 FR – Freeride Mountain Bike In for Review
For 2009, Trek Bikes completely redesigned their full suspension mountain bike lineup. With the introduction of the Active braking Pivot, EVO link, Full Floater linkage and E2 headtube, the new bikes out of the Trek Bikes stable bring more competition to the high end cross country, all mountain, freeride and downhill segments. On Thursday of last week, I came home to find a beautiful brown box on my doorstep. Within this large container is one of Trek’s completely designed rigs…the Session 88 FR. The Session 88 FR is one of two new bikes in the FR/DH market from Trek Bikes. The other version of the Session…the Session 88 DH…comes better equipped for full on DH race duty. This FR edition is ready for every big hit and trick booter you can throw its way.
The Trek Session 88 FR Specs
| Frameset | |
|---|---|
| Sizes | 15.5, 17.5, 19.5″ |
| Frame | Alpha Red Aluminum w/ABP, Full Floater, alloy EVO Link, E2 head tube, oversized bearings, 203mm travel |
| Front Suspension | RockShox Totem Coil w/E2 alloy steerer, rebound, high/low speed compression, Mission Control, 180mm |
| Rear Suspension | Fox DHX 5 Coil, custom “gravity tuned” w/external rebound, 15-click Pro Pedal, boost valve; 8.75×2.75″ |
| Wheels | |
| Wheels | Bontrager Big Earl wheel system, 20mm front, 12mm rear w/150mm spacing |
| Tires | Bontrager Big Earl w/Stability Control Casing, 26×2.5″; 60 tpi |
| Drivetrain | |
| Shifters | Shimano “New” Saint, Rapidfire Plus |
| Front Derailleur | MRP System 3 Chainguide w/Party Crasher bash guard |
| Rear Derailleur | Shimano “New” Saint “Shadow” SS |
| Crank | Shimano “New” Saint, 83mm bottom bracket, 36T |
| Cassette | SRAM PG970 11-32, 9 speed |
| Pedals | Bontrager Big Earl platform |
| Components | |
| Saddle | Bontrager Big Earl |
| Seat Post | Bontrager Big Earl |
| Handlebars | Bontrager Earl, 50mm rise, 31.8mm |
| Stem | Bontrager Big Earl, 10 degree, 31.8mm |
| Headset | Custom Cane Creek E2; 1 1/8″ top, 1.5″ bottom |
| Brakeset | Shimano “New”Saint w/Servo Wave; 203mm front rotor, 180mm rear rotor |
Initial Thoughts On The Trek Session 88 FR
Out of the box, the new Trek Session 88 FR is a beautiful bike. The subtle graphics combined with the high quality welds and tubing make for a bike that is very well put together. Just like any Trek frame, the Session 88 FR build kit comes in custom color coded for Trek’s needs. At an MSRP of 6,049.99, you would expect the industry has to offer in range of components. The Session comes kitted with the new Shimano Saint groupo and Bontrager Big Earl components. Round the kit out with a Fox Racing DHX 5.0 coil shock and a RockShox Totem coil fork and you are left with a 39.50 lbs (light for a FR bike) freeride rig that is ready for big hit madness.
Over the next 5 weeks, the Mountain Biking by 198 crew is going to put this new freeride sled from Trek Bikes through some serious abuse. It will see everything from freeride drops to downhill races in the quest to find the bikes limits. For those of you that are already on previous generation Session 77′s…we will be comparing the two back to back as well. It’s time to see if this full floater, active braking pivot with a solid EVO link is ready for the DH/FR crowd…and if all of the preliminary reports on these new sleds from Trek Bikes are true…this should be a fun test period…
In the meantime…here are more high quality pictures of the new Session 88 from Trek Bikes than you will see anywhere else on the web. Enjoy…
For more on the Trek Session 88 FR, visit TrekBikes.com
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- Trek Session 88 ABP Rear Axle
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- Trek Session 88 Saint and ABP
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- Trek Active Braking Pivot
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- Bontrager Big Earl Rim
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- Bontrager 20mm TA Front Hub
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- Bontrager Stem and Bars
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- Trek Session 88 FR EVO Link
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- Fox DHX 5.0
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- Shimano Saint Brake Lever and Shifter
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- Shimano Saint Cranks
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- Shimano Saint Rear Caliper
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- Trek Session 88 FR Logo
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- Trek Session 88 FR EVO Link
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- Trek Session 88 FR Linkage
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- Shimano Saint Caliper and RockShox Totem
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- Trek Session 88 FR EVO Link
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- Trek Session 88 FR
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- Trek Session 88 Freeride
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- Trek Session 88 Freeride
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- Trek Session 88 FR Frame
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- Trek Session 88 FR
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- Trek Session 88 FR Headtube
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- Trek Session 88 FR Logo
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- Trek Session 88 FR
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- Trek Session 88 FR Cockpit
Not enough Trek Session 88 media for you? Here’s a video on the Session 88 release straight from Trek…
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10:14 am
WOW!
11:28 am
It’s a nice looking bike with an interesting suspension design. However, (IMO) it’s a little too pricey. Trek surely could have done a little better on the MSRP to make it more competitve for thier dealers, especially with all the “house” brand components.
I’ll explain:
Using a on-line bike retailer’s site I spec’d a comparable free-ride bike for nearly the same amount at full retail pricing (I’m sure resourceful shoppers could do much better). The biggest difference is that I was able to spec high(er)-end components. My shopping cart total was $6222.64 and here is what that got me.
Santa Cruz Driver-8 frame (pick most any “boutique mfg frame to go here as most are in the same general price range. I selected the SC because it was new)
Rock-shox Vivid 5.1 coil rear shock
Marzocchi 66 RC3
Truvativ Hammerschmidt cranks!!!!
X-9 rear shifter
X-9 short rear derailleur
Sram 970 chain and cassette
Formula “the one” brakes 200/180
Oury lock-on grips
Syntace 31.8 bars and stem
CK 1.5 headset
Mavic EX823 UST rims
CK hubs
Thomson post
Maxxis 3C Highrollers
Speedplay Drillium platforms
WTB Rocket V pro saddle
SS
6:22 am
Top looking bike and a top review…
6:40 am
hot!!!
7:21 am
freeride and downhill segments. On Thursday of last week, I came home to find a beautiful brown box on my doorstep.