Trek Crockett 9 Disc

Although it has been superseded by the Boone as Trek's top-of-the-range cyclo-crosser, the Crockett boasts plenty of racing pedigree itself, having been raced to World Cup wins for many years by none other than US national champion Katie Compton.

Naturally, having been developed with the racetrack in mind, the Crockett feels taut and direct, but it's also a bike capable of handling more adventurous riding, where the terrain provides the main challenge rather than the lactic acid coming out of your eyeballs.

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Frame and fork

The whole Crockett range is based on the same frame, constructed from what Trek calls 'Alpha Aluminium' alloy. Up front, you've got a beefy 'E2' (aka 1 1/8-1 1/2in tapered) head tube, which houses a full carbon fork in the case of the top-end Crockett 9 tested. A suitably oversize down tube connects this beefy front end to an 86.5mm wide press-fit bottom bracket, which, over the month-long test period, has remained mercifully creak free. The wide top tube is flattened on the underside for improved comfort or, more realistically, lessened discomfort, and flows into a pair of slightly bowed seatstays. These are joined by a seatstay bridge despite the disc brakes, but mud clearance around the rear end is still pretty good and certainly on par with most other CX bikes.

Geometry-wise, things are fairly standard as well. A reach of 391mm for the 58cm size tested won't cause any surprises, but the 597mm stack results in a front end that is a touch taller than what you might expect from a pure racer. Nevertheless, I found this added front end height to be a positive when tackling steep and technical descents, when you could opt for the added security of being in the drops without feeling like you were going to somersault over the handlebar.

The longer-than-usual 1028mm wheelbase also helps keep things rubber side down when things get rough, but despite this increased stability on the faster downhills, the 66mm of trail – how far behind the steering axis the tyre's contact patch is – still managed to keep the handling snappy at lower speeds, enabling the Crockett to get round greasy u-turns with ease.

Looking at the Crockett from a distance, there's nothing that really jumps out at you as being unique or different. Look a little closer, though, and you'll see that it benefits from some small but clever touches that can also be found on many of Trek's other bikes.

For example, you've got some nifty threaded mudguard mounts that can take proper metal-stayed guards with the addition of an adapter, but are nearly invisible the rest of the time. The Crockett's internal cable routing is designed to provide the straightest cable runs possible for improved shift performance, and replacing cables isn't the hassle it can be with other internal systems. Funnily enough, the Crockett includes routing for five cables/hydraulic lines, though I never really figured out why. The integrated chain catcher is another neat feature that doesn't scream 'look at me' but is very functional and could potentially save you a race.

Equipment

Disc brakes on cyclo-cross bikes are hardly anything new in 2015, but this is the first year we've really seen hydraulic brakes available on bikes that most of us can actually afford. The Crockett 9 comes equipped with Shimano's excellent RS685 brakes on 160mm rotors, which provide truly game changing levels of power and modulation compared with cable-actuated discs and cantilevers. It takes a little while to get used to the feel (those used to Shimano's mountain bike offerings will feel right at home), but after a couple of rides you soon find yourself adapting to being able to brake later and with more confidence.

Speccing disc brakes is one thing, but designing the frame and fork to be able to handle the different forces is quite another. This is where the Crockett's stout front end and oversized fork really come into their own – there's no hint of twist or juddering when braking hard over rough ground.

Trek has used a 15mm thru-axle for the front end, which no doubt stiffens things up considerably while also ensuring that the brake pads remain correctly aligned when removing and replacing the front wheel.

Disappointingly, a standard 135 x 9mm quick release is still used for the back end, when most of the industry seems to be moving in the direction of 12mm thru-axles and 142mm hub spacing. Granted, the increase in stiffness from a thru-axle is less noticeable on the rear wheel, but in terms of future-proofing and retaining compatibility with other wheelsets, it's a missed opportunity.

The Shimano Ultegra STI levers are slightly taller in order to house the master hydraulic cylinder, but they are still slimmer than the old 10-speed variety, and I find the extra on top actually provides a little added security when you hit some rough stuff while on the hoods.

The rest of the drivetrain is handled by Ultegra, save 105 substitutions for the chain and cassette, and an FSA Energy chainset with CX-specific 46/36t rings. There's really not much more to say about Ultegra – it simply works, combining a near effortless shifting feel with great accuracy. Given the asking price, though, you'd really expect a full Ultegra groupset for your money.

As usual on a Trek, the finishing kit is provided by Bontrager. As the 9 sits at the top of the Crockett range, it features some slightly snazzier and up-market items. The carbon seatpost looks great and the saddle clamp is very easy to use and adjust to achieve the correct angle and setback. The Race Lite bar is compact in shape, providing a nice flat transition between the shifter hood and bar, and also benefits from foam Iso-zone inserts on the tops, which add some vibration damping.

Rounding out the spec is a set of Bontrager Affinity Comp tubeless-ready wheels, shod with 32mm Bontrager CX3 Team Issue tyres (very similar in tread pattern and depth to Schwalbe's popular Racing Ralph). The Comps are a little on the heavy side and do negatively affect the Crockett's ability to accelerate out of low-speed corners, the sort usually littering a cyclo-cross course. Sure, any serious racer will be buying a set of race-day-specific wheels, but given the Crockett 9's asking price some racier wheels such as the next level up Elites would have been welcome.

The wheels can be converted to tubeless using a specific rim strip and valve. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to test out the tubeless capabilities during the test period, but previous experience with Bontrager mountain bike tubeless wheels have shown it to be a system that works and can be easily set up.

The ride

Out on the trails, the Crockett feels surefooted, inspiring confidence that it can handle anything you could throw at it. Undoubtedly, a lot of credit for this has to go to the brakes, which can really transform a CX bike from something capable of handling grassy fields into a machine you could take down your local mountain bike trail. Powerful brakes require a strong frame to handle the forces and the Crockett is more than up to the challenge – the front end is particularly impressive in its ability to hold a line no matter how hard you push it on rough terrain.

>> Check out our guide to buying a cyclo-cross bike here

The direct handling is great on the race course too, providing plenty of feedback on the conditions under tyre so you can make those micro-adjusts needed to stay rubber side down and moving forward. The stiffness comes at a price, though, as despite the Isospeed fork – designed to provide some degree of comfort up front – it doesn't really bear out in practice. If more cushioning is required, you'll need to let a few psi out of your tyres.

The stiff frame might lead you to assume the Crockett will jump forwards at any hint of power through the pedals, but unfortunately the somewhat porky 9.2kg mass dampens its enthusiasm to do so. The extra weight can be felt not only when accelerating from low-speed corners, but also when lifting and shouldering the bike on stairs and run-ups. To some extent, this is an inevitable consequence of disc brakes, which are heavier in themselves and also require a beefier frame, but the Affinity Comp wheels must also take a share of the blame.

There's no doubt the Crockett 9 is still well capable of mixing it between the tape, but the eagerness and nimbleness of racier – and more expensive, probably – bikes just isn't there.

Summary

Although the Crockett 9 doesn't look the most exciting on the outside, it's capable of tackling terrain that will have adrenaline pumping through your ears. The combination of Shimano's excellent hydraulic brakes and a frame that simply will not bend results in a bike with point-and-shoot handling that's only limited by the human on board.

However, at £2200 it's at the top end of what you can expect to pay for an aluminium-framed bike these days, especially considering that there are areas, such as the wheels, where the spec could be improved.

Verdict

A hugely fun bike to thrash about on in the woods, but it doesn't offer the greatest value in the current marketplace