Trek is making big changes to the Procaliber XC race bike for 2021, with updated geometry, a singular focus on 29er wheels and carbon frames, and improvements to features like internal cable routing.
For starters, the 2021 Procaliber sees a more slack head tube angle by almost a full degree, to 68.8. Not surprisingly, the seat tube angle has been steepened by about the same amount, to 72.8°. Reach has been extended by almost a centimeter to 450mm on size large frames. It’s also interesting to note that Trek now says the bike can handle forks with up to 110mm of travel, up from 100mm on previous Procalibers.
This year Trek is rolling out 29er wheels on all sizes of the Procaliber, noting that mountain bike racers of all sizes tend to prefer the larger hoops. For now Trek is dropping the aluminum Procaliber, though they have added a less costly, 9.5 build on the 2021 carbon frame that is priced exactly the same as the previously available alloy build.
Trek says the weight of the Procaliber 9.6 build went up slightly for size medium bikes, from 24.36lbs. to 24.99lbs. The component mix has changed slightly which could account for the difference, or the fact that the 2020 build weight was for bikes with tubes while the heavier, 2021 weight is tubeless. However, one would think going tubeless would save weight rather than add to it. Things go in the right direction on the 9.7 build, dropping more than a full pound over last year’s model to an insanely light 23.05lbs. out of the box.
Like the 2020 Procaliber, the latest models feature the IsoSpeed decoupler to add some flex to the otherwise hardtail frame. Trek tweaked the Knock Block headset to give a few more degrees of rotation, and added internal cable and hose channels to simplify maintenance. All frame sizes feature two sets of water bottle mounts inside the front triangle.
Pricing for complete Procaliber builds range from $1,999 to $3,999. Bare frames are available for purchase, and buyers can choose from the basic carbon frame ($1,499) or the super light (SL) version ($2,699). The Procaliber SL frame uses a higher grade carbon fiber, shaving almost a pound and a half of weight compared to the regular version.
Prices for the 2021 models are roughly in line with 2020 models. The 9.6 build is priced $50 higher this year, while the 9.7 build adds $220USD. However, the good news is bare frame prices are down from last year.
Learn more at trekbikes.com.
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