Trek's parts and accessories brand Bontrager has a new range of mountain bike components intended to cover everything from trail to gravity riding. Simply known as Line, this new family of items includes a dropper seatpost, platform pedals and wheelsets.
Bontrager Drop Line seatpost
Bontrager decided to bring things in-house, rather than spec other companies' droppers on many of Trek’s 2017 mountain bikes.
The Drop Line is infinitely adjustable within its range. It uses an air spring to control return speed and a hydraulic lock keeps the seatpost in place. The shift cable is secured to the end of the post and a setscrew at the lever holds the other end of the cable in place.
The Drop Line remote for 1x drivetrains
According to Bontrager, durability and all-weather performance, including the ability to withstand extreme cold, were key considerations when developing this post. Field serviceability is said to be easy as well, requiring only 2, 2.5 and 8mm hex wrenches.
Bontrager will offer the Drop Line in the 31.6mm diameter found on Trek’s mountain bikes. It will be available in 100, 125 and 150mm of drop. Pricing is set at $299. (UK and Australian pricing TBA.)
If you’re a frequent BikeRadar reader, you may remember a feature about the possibility of Bontrager developing a self-dropping seatpost.
The company holds a patent on this technology and according to a Trek spokesperson, there is room for more than one dropper seatpost within the Line family. So it’s entirely possible that a ‘Drop Line XXX’ seatpost with self-dropping functionality could become a reality.
Line Pro Pedals
The Line Pro pedals were developed with input from Trek's C3 freeride and slopestyle athletes
These new flats were developed with input from Trek’s C3 Project riders. The new pedals are have 6061 series alloy bodies with adjustable pins. The Line Pro Pedals spin on cartridge bearings and have a claimed weight of 420g. Pricing is set at $99. (UK and Australian pricing TBA.)
Line XXX wheelset
The Line XXX rims are 29mm wide internally and are made at Trek's headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin
Bontrager has used its carbon expertise to construct road rims at its headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin. So it’s a natural progression to construction high-end mountain bike wheelsets in-house as well.
The new Line XXX wheelset is intended for train / enduro use. The carbon rims have an internal width of 29mm and are 29mm tall. Bontrager found that taller carbon rims hindered ride quality. The Line XXX rims have a claimed weight of 435g for the 29er version.
The complete Line XXX wheelset is constructed around DR Swiss 240 hubs (boost spacing only) with fast-engaging 54t ratchet rings as standard.
The 29er wheelset has a claimed weight of 1,625g, while the 27.5in version has a claimed weight of 1,535g.
Price is set at $2,500. (UK and Australian pricing TBA.)
Kovee wheelset
Wider rims aren’t just for trail and enduro use. Trek tested wider rims under some of its top cross-country racers, including Olympic hopeful Emily Batty, and the results were clear: wider is faster.
Like the Line XXX, the new Kovee wheelset uses rims with an internal width of 29mm. It has a shallower rim profile, with a depth of 27mm, which is not only lighter but also more forgiving.
The Kovee rim has a claimed weight of 375g. The complete wheelset, which also spins on DT Swiss 240 hubs in a boost spacing, has a claimed weight of 1,390g.
Unlike the Line XXX, Bontrager only offers the Kovee in a 29er version, at least for now. Pricing is set at $2,500. (UK and Australian pricing TBA.)
