Hardtails are back and better than ever! Don’t get me wrong, hardtails have never left, but for the last few years, they have been bland, jacks of ‘none’ and seen as bottom of the food chain beginner bicycles. This is no longer the case, as brands like Trek are building proper killer hardtail cross country race bikes and hard-charging trail bikes that are feature-packed and loaded with decent, if not top-tier, depending on what you spend, components.
With all the technological advancements in suspension, drivetrains and frames, some would argue that hardtails in theory should be seen as old tech and therefore be phased out. Whilst that statement has some sensible weight, there is another argument that fights the case of hardtails still having a place on our trails. We cannot overlook the advantages of a hardtail compared to its heavier and more expensive full ‘sus’ counterparts, especially with all the latest tech also being transferred into the hardtail class. These semi-rigid beasts are more efficient when it comes to pedalling, they offer great resistance to shock in rough sections, are cheaper to buy, cheaper to maintain and on shorter, more technical rides, they can definitely be a quicker bike in the right hands.
Trek has a vast number of hardtail mountain bikes to choose from, starting from the entry-level Marlin, X-Caliber, Procaliber, right up to the jumping jacks that are the Roscoe range. The Procaliber, however, stands out as being the best all-round package for the rider who wants to take their hardtail riding to the next level, whether it be short track to ultra-endurance, World Cuppers and even first timers, the Procaliber is an XC mountain bike built to deliver the ultimate hardtail performance no matter the rider or terrain.
With Trek Bikes SA putting together a great value proposition on their Procaliber 6 and ‘8‘, we took a pedal down to Trek Bicycle Wolwespruit to take a closer look. Right now, the Procaliber 6 and 8, Trek’s alloy range of the Procaliber, are on special offer; the ‘6’ is selling for R24,000, was R30,000 and the ‘8’ is selling for R28,500, was R40,000. The price knock has nothing to do with a lack of sales, but rather a clever tactic from Trek to get more riders eyeing and talking about the new Procaliber range.
So, what’s the difference between the two, and how much bang for your buck are you actually getting?
As mentioned, the Procaliber 6 and 8 are Trek’s alloy versions, this sees riders a good entry and midpoint to the Procaliber family, which gets you 29˝ wheels, a 120 mm RockShox fork, internal cable routing, 12-speed, Sainte-Anne tyres, Bontrager Line dropper and stiff thru-axles for hardtail efficiency, just to name a few.
How the naming slash numbering conventions work with Trek is, the higher the number in the range the higher the spec, so in this instance, the top of the range ‘Procal’ is the 9.6 and that gets you the carbon frame along with a whole platter of juicy parts, but for double the price of the Procaliber 8, which in the scheme of things isn’t a lot for a race bike, but we are after value and that’s where the 6 and 8 come back into the picture.
The Procal 6 comes in two colours, the stealthy Satin Black and the vibrant Viper Red. We see the 6 and 8 share the majority of their Bontrager parts like the dropper, bars, seat, stem, grips and tyres, and the geometry on both bikes is identical.
However, where the clever Procaliber 6 saves the normal rider who just wants a Procal to start with, is in the form of its drivetrain, brakes and suspension. We see a more basic solo air spring RockShox Judy Silver fork, Shimano MT200 hydraulic brake setup, a Shimano Deore M6100 cassette, chain and shifter and a Shimano MT512 crank.
Although more “entry level” in feel, quality and weight, these products have been proven to be able to take a beating and survive some hardcore riding conditions. The only real price to pay on the trail is the extra weight, which sees the Procaliber 6 weigh in just over a full kilogram more than the 8 at 13.56 kg (medium frame).
On the Procal 8, we see the single but very attractive Plasma Grey Pearl being the only colour option for now and a few quality upgrades for those looking to get a better feel out of their riding experience. We see better suspension quality from the RockShox Recon Gold RL fork, better braking performance and feel from the Shimano MT4100 lever and MT410 calliper, we also see a lighter and snappier drive train in the form of E*thirteen Helix crank, Shimano SLX M7100 shifters, cassette and chain.
Although the drivetrain is lighter and in a different class to the Procaliber 6, the gear ratio stays the same, running a 30T up front and a 10-51 12-speed at the rear. For the extra spend, you are getting a very decent upgrade if you are serious about your riding and if you are looking for that bit of extra feedback from your component.
At the end of the day, Trek is running a very impressive special on two very good entry points into the world of cross-country weekend fun or the start of your cross-country racing journey. Both bikes offer good quality, good performance, and, thanks to Trek SA, even better value than before.
So, if you are in the market for a dirt weapon that’s pocket-friendly, visit your local Trek Bicycle Store whilst stocks last.
