Trek X-Caliber 8 is Fun But is it Worth One BIG Drawback

[@MethodOverRide]

I bought this today based on your reviews. Absolutely love it! Picked up a ml for a deal at my local store.

[@StrGzr101]

I've had the 2019 X-Caliber 7 for five years, set up for urban. I commute in Florida, averaging 100-125 miles per month. I'm looking at this 8 now, and pretty much letting it sink in that I want one. And YOU just gave it a nudge. I absolutely love my bike, but I'm ready to upgrade. You won't be sorry.

[@MethodOverRide]

​@StrGzr101 how do you have your current bike set up?

[@StrGzr101]

@MethodOverRide Schwalbe Marathon 29" MTB tires. Fast and quiet for street, and still grippy off-road. I use innertubes. 42mm mirrors under both hand grips. Ergonomic grips with bar-ends. I upgraded my cassette and chain, but you won't have to. Yours is better, anyway.

[@virginiascurti5036]

I love the trails in your area would love to have them this open and flowy.

[@rubeng3091]

Hey Matty….This is my type of ride! I am near 60 and don’t shred etc… Have a Marlin 8 and thought I needed to upgrade to a Roscoe 7, 8 or 9 but I think I am ok with what I have 😎

[@johnnyrocket1320]

I've had QR bikes since the 80's and I never had a problem with a quality bike QR. MATTY PLEASE TRAIN FOR AND DO AN XC RACE . 🏁

[@trippy325]

Same.

[@cccycling5835]

I’m a roadie so most of my offroad riding is by gravel bike or light trail MTB. Smooth flowy singletrack just like that. I don’t like technical or downhill as much, but sometimes I’ll hit a feature or a jump or two, but just the scenery and riding dirt is enough for me. I ride for distance and adventure: my first MTB ride ever was 55 miles, 35 of which was purely offroad singletrack. That roadie cardio helps a lot.

[@guitarlessonsnow3431]

Personally, I don’t think lack of thru axles is a huge deal, UNLESS you plan on upgrading wheels. Then it could be problematic and limit selection for pre built wheels.

[@Srdeo33]

i think most wheels that are worth upgrading to have better branded hubs that have adaptors for 148TA to 141QR. (Spank, hope, dt swiss etc)

[@guitarlessonsnow3431]

@@Srdeo33 good point, although there is extra expense involved and it’s a bit of a hassle. I like my wheels to fit out of the box, but that’s just me!

[@shwndh]

That's the problem. The rear hub WILL have to be replaced at some point. It's not very good. Hope and DT Swiss are the main choices. My wife's got really crunchy and the engagement was already horrible. It just wasn't worth it to keep messing with it. I relaced a new hub with 72 POE and it's a much better ride.

[@trippy325]

And most don't upgrade the wheels or in this case... miss the point that this bike was meant to get into xc at a lower price.

[@seniorAlfredo]

Im not sure about you but it literally takes 1 second with or without thru axles to change my wheels

[@Elucidus]

The 9 is the same frame as the 8 - still QR, no thru axle. I ended up going with a Roscoe, but kinda regret it cuz I'm more of a fitness rider and don't really need the extra technical capability the Roscoe provides. And yes, I know that the Roscoe will give me better fitness.- but everyone else I ride with is on XC. I just... got suckered in by that Mulsanne Blue paint and a rear thru axle!

[@rayw5289]

My preferred mountin bike ride is 15 to 20 miles long with 2000 to 2500 feet of climbing. So I am a bit XC and bit All trail guy. I would like to hit this trail in the video. It looks great. Really appreciate your channel.

[@davidblackman3127]

Looks like a fun bike. I'll bet uf you wanted to take it on rougher trails upgrading the fork from 100mm to 120mm is all you would need to do. And it would still be lighter and faster than a Roscoe

[@kneejo-tube]

I got the 2022 model. I moved the break levers 30 mm inwards, so I can actually grip with my thumb underneath and do one finger braking.

[@StrGzr101]

Thanks, boss. I think I'm about ready for an upgrade from my 2019 X-Caliber 7.

[@DreadRaybo]

I think you will notice a through axle on the front more than the back. I know with my XC bike I can feel a lot more flex (side to side) in the front with it's QR than I do with my trail HT and it's through axle. If you had to have a QR on one of your wheels, I think I would choose the rear one. Through axles on both is best though.

[@israelcuevas3244]

Where its this trail exactly?. Im from P.R and i used to visit the states frecuently and by change if im near one i ride it..

[@trippy325]

Asking if $1499 is too much for a bike is a catchy question. Everybody would prefer a lower price. But the way manufacturing costs are now... it's actually not a bad deal. It allows you to get into the sport on a solid and safe bike. I'm still riding the heck out of my 2019 Roscoe and learning new skills all the time. I will worry about upgrading my ride when I feel I can "outride" it. And I definitely can't. 😁 Nothing worse than being that rider on a super expensive bike that can't ride worth a damn.😂

[@ylana4444]

Yea… 100 dollar clothes, 5 cents game. LOL!

[@troyballard8607]

What it do Matty? First off, I want to say that it is so good to see someone who looks like me making this type of content. Secondly, I'm 58 and took up the sport a few months ago, bought a 2023 Roscoe 8 last week and would love/wish there were those types of trails near me to help hone my skills.

[@MattyActive]

Thank you man for watching I really appreciate it. That’s super cool that you got a Roscoe 8, it’s a beast! You are gonna like that roscoe so much you won’t have any choice but to get better no matter where you ride.

[@troyballard8607]

@@MattyActive Thank you for the words of encouragement, I'm looking forward to getting better and rip'n through the trails

[@michaels8607]

I love to ride LONG distances,so I plan on being on the bike from 5-12 hours,on varied terrain. That's why I was looking at the Giant Trance 3 at first until I went to see some Treks..

[@mattj6676]

Sometimes it's nice to go out and just get some fresh air and exercise without risk of breaking your neck, XC trails can be nice. But you are pedaling pretty much the whole time!

[@thesilversender]

At this price point I feel that a Thru-Axle is a must have. For bikes that are sub below $1K it doesn't bother me.

[@X41N3]

I feel the same..I have to check my qr every other day because they always get loose and you never know when. It's dangerous on jumps/stairs

[@hippiebits2071]

That seems reasonable enough.

[@daveg7894]

I like this video. Chill vibe, chill trail. Nice bike, not cheap, but not completely unobtainable for a lower income rider. I have a marlin 7 gen 3, but I would prefer this. Thay being said, I'll happily ride my marlin for a few years before switching over to anything else.

[@losanti555]

Love my Xcali 8. My first real xc mountain bike and its been great.

[@brianallison3110]

coming from south Texas, I really enjoy XC trails and love my '17 x-caliber 9

[@chrisjones7281]

The only real advantage of the Thru Axle is the quick release wont come loose and the wheel fall off. The main thing now is it is the current standard so like everyone says, it will be harder to upgrade hubs or wheels. As far as riding you won't be able to tell. I went from the Marlin to the Ragley big Al. Same parts except I swapped the hub for the Thru Axle hub. I noticed no difference in stiffness even though it was also boost. SO I might not buy a bike/frame with a QR rear end, not because of performance but because of support of parts.

[@Elucidus]

I find that thru-axles are easier to swap in and out, especially on the rear. Once it's in, it's in. No "oops, I didn't quite set the wheel correctly".

[@Durwood71]

Quick release will only come loose if you didn't tighten it sufficiently.

[@gregstudeny1680]

I like this kind of chill ride using my roscoe 7

[@cameronmcclure313]

Interested in a roscoe would love some videos on the 8 and 7 because they seem to be solid value for the build kit. Keep up the great content 🙏

[@glengrigsby4858]

I just recently got a 2023 Roscoe 7. I decided on the 7 because I prefer the Shimano drive train ecosystem over Sram. Also, I liked the lower price point as I figure out how much I enjoy Mountain Biking

[@slappopotamus1001]

I have had Roscoe 8 for about a month now. I am 5'7" with 29" inseam so i went with a Small frame. I spent many years on a BMX bike, albeit 20 years ago. This is my first mountain bike. I chose it because it felt like a BMX bike but with huge wheels (29"). I friggin love it! As I improve my fitness, I've been finding progressively more difficult down hill runs and its been a lot of fun. I dont find any problems climbing stuff, nor do i wish it was a drastically different bike when i ride "rail trails" with my buddy and his kids. I've even taken it off some small/medium jumps and it felt great. Roscoe is an amazing all around bike in my opinion. It's like the swiss army knife of bikes.

[@kaizasoze3954]

@@slappopotamus1001 the only thing putting me off the roscoe is their weight x caliber, pro caliber are like up to 3 kg lighter

[@johnnydoe66]

Trek gave me a 2021 X Caliber 8 frame as a warranty exchange for my 2020 Roscoe 8 when I found a crack along the weld at the seat stay and seat tube. They're identical in geo, but built for a different type of riding. As far as no thru-axle, it was a bad decision for Trek to not go with a modern trend. Personally, after nearly 33 yrs of mtn biking, I have never had a QR fail.

[@ylana4444]

Got this bike….and this is my vibe!

[@glengrigsby4858]

The 9 also has the non-boost 141 x 5 QR

[@ifitrollsrideit530]

141 QR is still boost. You just take 148 Thru-axle hub and up QR end caps on it.

[@mrvwbug4423]

That wasn't a controlled burn. That burn was the Calwood fire from a couple years ago, burned basically all of Heil Ranch

[@MattyActive]

Oh wow!

[@dirtyforksmtb]

Caliber is basically in existence to use up old Roscoe frames I think. That’s why you still see the darn 141 spacing. Definitely outdated spacing.

[@waynebritten]

Hey Matty Would you go for a marlin 8 gen 3 or a x cabiler 8 for a xc bike and maybe for racing?

[@keithbell8960]

Love your videos. Different style that the same ole stuff out there

[@nancytriggiani9565]

I ride a Trek Fuel EX 8 29er, which is perfect for the super rocky, gnarly terrain in the northeast where I live. I want to get another bike for a mix of very light trails and pavement for training rides when I can't make it to the mountains. I am considering the X Caliber 8 and would like to know how fast it is on pavement and climbs. In one of your videos, you tested the Roscoe on pavement and hit 33 mph on the downhill, so I'd also like your thoughts on how the Roscoe and X Caliber compare on pavement. I would imagine that due to the tires and geometry that the X Cal would be a lot faster, is that correct? I was also wondering if I should consider the Dual Sport. Thanks!

[@G14tube]

Would like to see a comparison with the Roscoe and X caliber. I am kind of stuck on which to go with. Maybe a back to back comparison? Take the Roscoe on the same trail?

[@ShutUpSceneKid69]

They would perform similarly. Though the roscoe might have a little extra travel on the front and knobbier tires since its more of a trail bike than it is an XC bike.

[@marcusmcfall8167]

You should go ride both. Honestly these KZbin videos can only give you so much information before you need to go out and get your hands on the bikes themselves

[@mtbstylus]

So the xcaliber frame is the same frame as the old roscoes before they updated the roscoe

[@Biking_with_Akiva]

Another great episode, I’m just getting into XC riding myself did some laps this weekend and had a blast. The only thing I notice and missed was a dropper post the XC rig I was on didn’t have one with the seat in the way made the downhill section a little spicy but added to the adventure.. Matty you mentioned it had a QR in the rear Did you notice a difference in the ride with the QR over a thru axle?

[@MattyActive]

I did a little bit but not a ton

[@kwaktak]

I like that trail. Do you still have your Marlin 6? I bet a Marlin 6, 7 or 8 would do great on that trail as well.

[@MattyActive]

I don’t have the Marlin 6 anymore. I’m switching it out for another bike that should be here this week!

[@johnnyrocket1320]

Time to try a Trek Supercaliber

[@ifitrollsrideit530]

You've said it in a couple of videos but Thru Axle is NOT stiffer than QR, that's just bullshit. A Thru Axle isn't an axle and it doesn't take any weight or hits from the trail. It just pulls the forks closed onto the hub. The actual axle is part of the hub and it's the same size on both the QR and the thru axle hubs. Have a look for signs of wear on the paint of your thru axle if you don't believe me.

[@abstraddic0442]

Beautiful trail .See any mountain lions or bears yet ? 👍

[@MattyActive]

Haha not yet

[@MrTacoJay]

Thinking of this or Roscoe 8.. Roscoe 8 is probably a bit bulky for my needs. Is this xcaliber 8 still a good buy, it’s on sale right now

[@katahdincloud9803]

How good is that “super quiet”?!!

[@Eurocoincollector-2020]

I have the same bike since 1 year ist so good but it costed me 2000$

[@eXaviar]

I use m gravel bike to do touring and xc riding 😅

[@retrorockit6008]

I don't think the through axle makes much difference an a hardtail. Especially a lightweight XC bike.

[@luispantaleonhart3233]

I have a 2023 XCaliber 8, Thru Axl is better but not a big deal.

[@JogieGlenMait16]

i have one and i say it as Excalibur to be extra dramatic. LOL

[@fanawane6650]

The trail is perfect!

[@denzcream]

Nice, what camera do you use?

[@MattyActive]

GoPro 8 black

[@andrewah15]

I’m wondering, what camera do you use? Can the camera be also mounted on a helmet?

[@MattyActive]

I use the GoPro hero 8 and yes it can be mounted on the helmet

[@andrewah15]

@@MattyActive Thanks for the info. Appreciated 👍🏾

[@joshuaallswang8016]

lol bikes have been fine for YEARS with quick release axles, theres even been studies that show that quick release axles might be even better with a stronger clamp down force then thru axles! Half the people who swear by thru axles and talk about Geometry, can barely ride a bike! There just Sheep following the crowd…Don’t worry about what people think, just do you and Ride!💯

[@donnovicki9771]

Agree 100% Joshua. People get hung up on the latest and greatest. Back when I started in the 80's there was no such thing as a thru axle and we got along fine.

[@MattyActive]

I totally agree. I’m Actually in the works talking to a company about letting me try out one of their full rigid bikes!

[@mrvwbug4423]

To counter, thru axle is more convenient in some ways. Can't misalign the wheel when putting it on, can't cock over the wheel if it gets slightly loose, no small parts to fall out and get lost (good luck finding a QR spring or nut if it falls into tall grass).

[@donnovicki9771]

@@mrvwbug4423 yes, very true.

[@joshuaallswang8016]

@@mrvwbug4423 yes there is some benefits to thru axle, but as long as a quick release is set up correctly, you shouldn’t have any problems. The point I’m making is not to worry about what others think and ride whatever makes you happy!

[@Jerry-r3b]

How does the x caliber 9 compare to the trek 1120 ?????????????? 😮

[@Jerry-r3b]

Try the x cal 9 next month. 😊

[@papiofisher]

Marlin 6 or x caliber ? similar xc bikes .

[@MattyActive]

Yes

[@ShutUpSceneKid69]

I have a thru axel on the back and quick release on the front, but prefer quick release for the maintenance aspects

[@crtgamer2355]

@ 9:07 What is that moving in the distance directly in front of you and moving to the left? Looks like another biker but I cant be sure.

[@MattyActive]

It's another biker lol

[@crtgamer2355]

@@MattyActive HAHA!! That freaked me out, since I had my fair share of weird experiences.

[@masterjack8222]

is having a thu axle that perceptible for the rider or is it placebo ?

[@MattyActive]

I think it helps for a better ride but most people riding this bike won’t be riding it hard enough for it to matter in my opinion. But it does make it harder to upgrade your wheels

[@piercewasmund2042]

I have had a rear QR rattle loose. Nothing dramatic. It just doesn't feel right... you stop and fix it.

[@vidspeed]

Can Marlin 6 handle this trail?

[@MattyActive]

For sure! Perfect trail for the Marlin 6

[@MM-qv5lf]

I wouldn't touch a bike that doesn't have thru axles anymore.

[@andrewsiasparks]

Not even jump or BMX?

[@MM-qv5lf]

@@andrewsiasparks I am talking strictly mountain bikes because that's what I ride.