Trek Top Fuel breaks cover

The all-new Trek Top Fuel eschews the fast and focused attributes of its forebear in favour of better comfort and bigger travel (Image credit: Trek)

The Trek Top Fuel has forged a reputation over the years for being a lightweight, super-fast, cross-country race weapon. For 2020 however, the Wisconsin-based firm has switched things up to make it more versatile and capable on all types of terrain.

Bontrager XR3 Team Issue tyres — All Trek Top Fuels come standard with Bontrager XR3 Team Issue 2.4-inch tyres (Image credit: Trek)

Unsurprisingly, this has resulted in a hike in suspension travel, which jumps from 100mm (all round) to 120mm in the front and 115mm in the rear. The frame is also longer and more relaxed with better clearance for wider tyres and longer dropper posts, while a fixed lower shock mount (as found on the Slash and Remedy) is said to improve frame stiffness and cable routing.

Trek Top Fuel's new fixed, lower shock mount — A fixed lower shock mount improves frame stiffness and neatens up the cable routing (Image credit: Trek)

A new addition to the Top Fuel is Trek's Active Braking Pivot (ABP) which keeps the suspension active under braking for better control in corners. It also benefits from a Mino Link geometry adjustment system (flip-chip), which lets you fine-tune the head- and seat tube angle as well as the bottom bracket height.

Trek Active Braking Pivot — The Active Braking Pivot (ABP) keeps the suspension active under braking for better all-round control (Image credit: Trek)

Other noteworthy features include Control Freak internal cable management that tidies up and stops cable rattle and rub - something that plagued its predecessor. As has become the norm on contemporary mountain bikes the Top Fuel is available in 1x drivetrain format only and can accommodate chainrings of up to 34T in size.

The addition of more travel, burlier 2.4-inch tyres and other trail-focused trinketry has ultimately affected the Top Fuel's kerb-weight, the lightest model of which tips the scales at a rather portly 11.8kg (Top Fuel 9.9 AXS).