The second-generation Trek Supercaliber has been around for a few years now, but it remains a supremely capable XC and marathon race bike that’s as happy on a long gravel road as it in on a technical downhill trail.

Voted Best all-round race bike in the 2026 Bike Buyer’s Guide

The IsoStrut suspension system pivots at the bottom bracket, and a RockShox-made shock replaces the Fox unit that came with the Gen 1 bike, delivering 80mm of damped rear travel – plus a few extra millimetres of flex-stay movement, depending on rider weight. In terms of ride feel, it’s less ‘damped hardtail’ and a lot more ‘full-suspension’. 

Much of the Supercaliber’s success has to do with its geometry. The 67.5° head angle isn’t super-slack, but it’s slack enough to offer lots of confidence on the downhills. And it’s steep enough for climbing efficiency and speed on jeep tracks and flat roads.

At the top end, the SLR-level carbon frame uses a special lay-up and no internal cable guides to save grams; a size large test bike tipped the scales at just under 10kg. But that model also costs north of R200k, which is a lot of money for a mountain bike. 

That’s what makes this model so appealing. It’s still pricey, but you get good value, with the latest SRAM T-Type GX AXS drivetrain and RockShox SID and SIDLuxe suspension. The wheels may be the bike’s only weak point – they’re alloy Bontrager Kovee Comp 25s, which are quite narrow, and not as light as they could be. They’re perfectly fine; but consider selling them, in time, and upgrading to a set of carbon hoops.

I tested this particular model on the seven-day go2berg stage race, and it was a dream. Long days on gravel roads flew by with the suspension locked out, and when the trail got rough and rocky, the bike handled it with aplomb. 

 

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The Supercaliber came into its own on the climbs – with the roomy reach, I could get out of the saddle and pedal standing without losing traction. Put simply, it just felt quick and efficient, no matter what the terrain. And it looked great in that lava-red paintjob, standing propped up outside my tent… 

Spending time on the Supercaliber changed my idea of what I want from a mountain bike. I used to think that I needed extra suspension travel and slack geometry to have fun on the descents, but this bike proved me wrong. It’s poised on the downhills, and so fast everywhere else – it makes me realise how much I’ve been missing slogging a longer-travel bike uphill and on the flats. 

R120 000 / trekbikes.com

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