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Trek’s Farley 7 Is an All-Season Fat Bike

A dropper post, suspension fork, and exceptional handling help this fat bike perform long after the snow melts.

The Takeaway: The Farley 7 is a fat bike built for all-season riding.

• Dropper post provides more control on downhills
• Suspension fork offers enhanced traction and control on hard surfaces
• Adjustable dropouts let the rider fine-tune the Farley's handling

Price: $2,600 Weight: 34.8 lb. (M)

When you hear the words “fat bike,” you likely picture a bundled-up rider atop massive tires traversing snow. But those fat tires, primarily designed to improve flotation over soft surfaces, can offer sure-footed traction on other types of surfaces, as well, and plow over and through obstacles that bog down many mountain bikes. Fat bikes are the ultimate no-road touring bikes. And though they may not be the first choice for shredding summer singletrack, with the right build and handling, they can be more than just a snow bike. Trek’s Farley 7 is the fat bike you don’t put away for the summer.

2020 Farley 7

The Farley Lineup

Trek’s Farley line currently consists of four complete bikes priced from $1,800 to $5,150. The line is split evenly between aluminum framed models (Farley 5 and Farley 7) and carbon (Farley 9.6 and Farley 9.8). You can also purchase the Farley as a frame only in either material—$1,000 for aluminum, $2,200 for carbon—both of which include a carbon rigid fork. For anyone who wants suspension at both ends, Trek also offers the 120mm-travel, carbon Farley EX frame, with a Fox Performance Float EVOL shock (front suspension is up to you). Geometry is almost the same in both materials (there are tiny differences), and all come in sizes small through extra large.

All Farley models roll on 27.5 wheels wrapped in 4.5-inch wide tires. Just like its dirt-focused cousins, a fat bike with larger wheels is faster because the wheels roll over things more smoothly, but bigger wheels are also heavier. Fat bikes on 26-inch wheels will be lighter and livelier, but the bigger-wheeled fat bikes will roll more efficiently.

The Farley 7 reviewed here is one of two models with a dropper post (the other is the $5,150 Farley 9.8) and the only model with a suspension fork—a Manitou Mastodon Comp with 80mm of travel, 34mm stanchions, and hydraulic lockout. Other specifications of note include tubeless-ready rims and tires, SRAM Eagle drivetrain with 11-50 cassette, and SRAM Level disc brakes.

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Fast 'n Floaty

The 27.5 x 4.5-inch tires roll fast and offer great flotation.

Suspension Fork

An 80mm-travel suspension fork provides more control on hard surfaces.

Adjustable Dropouts

Sliding dropouts let you tune the handling, or run the Farley as a singlespeed.

Double Ready

If the 1x12 drivetrain isn’t for you, you can add a front derailleur.

Add studs to the Farley’s tires for better grip on slippery, icy surfaces.

Built for More Than Snow

The Farley comes built to ride all year long. On the front is a Manitou Mastodon suspension fork with 80mm of travel. This may seem like an unnecessary feature when the bike has 4.5-inch wide tires. But as cushy as the tires are, they don’t behave the same way as a good suspension fork. A suspension fork’s action is more damped than the basketball-like bounce of big tires. This damped and controlled action provides better traction and stability, particularly on harder surfaces and at higher speeds. If you’re using a fat bike only for riding slow(ish) on soft snow or sand, a suspension fork probably isn’t necessary. But if you like riding a fat bike on harder surfaces like dirt-covered and rocky trails, a suspension fork can be a huge benefit.

The dropper post is another feature that gives the Farley 7 increased versatility. Like the suspension fork, if your fat bike adventures are limited to cruising groomed and packed snow-covered roads and trails, a dropper post won't make a major difference. It’s when riding becomes faster and more technical that getting the seat out of the way so you can lower your center of gravity makes the biggest difference.

As a final nod to multi-season use, the Farley has adjustable dropouts which provide 15mm of chainstay length adjustment. They can be used to fine-tune the bike’s handling—longer, more stability; shorter, snappier feel—or to tension the chain if you want to run the Farley as a singlespeed.

How it Rides

True to the Farley 7’s multi-season build, testers rode it on dirt, sand, mud, and snow. Early on, one tester got rowdy on a rocky trail and dented the rim. We were able to pound out much of the dent, and the tubeless seal held for the remainder of the test period.

One of the first things that jumped out at testers was the riding position. With a few exceptions, the fat-bike category has yet to embrace the longer/slacker trend, and that's certainly the case with the Farley. A size medium’s reach is just 410mm—that’s several centimeters shorter than a modern trail bike in the same size. I’m on record as saying that longer and slacker isn’t always better, and I still believe that.

However, if you’re used to a modern mountain bike, the Farley will feel short when you first get on it. But that feeling fades the longer you spend time on the Farley, and some riders did comment that the shorter position helped offset some of a fat bike’s inherent sluggishness.

Still, at almost 35 pounds (set up tubeless), the Farley 7 is heavy, even for a fat bike—something all testers noticed. “Switching directions quickly, through switchbacks for example, is seriously tough. After long descents, I found my upper body and arms were on fire from having to muscle the bike around,” read one tester’s notes.

But if you’re able to get over the weight, the Farley 7 is a nice-riding, all-season fat bike. Though heavy, it’s geared low enough that it climbs reasonably well. And it corners very well on many surfaces as well. In higher-traction situations, the Farley’s bar wants to keep turning once a turn is initiated. All fat bikes do this to some degree, but on the Farley it was less pronounced than most and it required less-aggressive counter steering. This made the Farley’s handling more stable and predictable, which in turn made it easier to ride. Contributing to the good-handling vibes were the Farley’s Bontrager Gnarwhal tires, which got praise from testers for their superb cornering and braking traction in all conditions. Testers also called them out for excellent flotation in soft snow.

Though testers were pretty “meh” on the benefit of a suspension fork for soft snow, they all agreed that it became a huge bonus when riding on firmer ground. The Manitou Mastodon performed well too, and proved reliable and consistent across a wide range of temperatures.

The TranzX dropper post worked well throughout testing also. Most testers found it more beneficial when riding on firmer ground and faster trails. However, some testers did note its benefits for riding in deep snow: “If you come off in those conditions, it’s very difficult to get back on, as your feet sink into the unpacked powder off the sides of the trail. This positions your feet lower than the tires and the packed singletrack, so it’s really hard to get your butt back on the saddle. [If] you have a dropper, problem solved.”

Overall, testers found the Farley 7 was a good fat bike for snow riding. But in these conditions, the bike didn’t stand apart from many other good fat bikes. It is the Farley’s performance away from the snow, as well as its overall versatility, that testers really appreciated. The Farley 7 is better in more conditions, handles better at more speeds, and is more capable than the typical fat bike. It’s a fat bike you’ll continue to ride long after the snow melts.

A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling , Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race. 

.css-1t6om3g:before{width:1.75rem;height:1.75rem;margin:0 0.625rem -0.125rem 0;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-background-size:1.25rem;background-size:1.25rem;background-color:#F8D811;color:#000;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-position:center;background-position:center;}.loaded .css-1t6om3g:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/bicycling/static/images/chevron-design-element.c42d609.svg);} Bike Reviews

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2023 Trek Farley 9.6 Review

Are you looking for a high-performing fat bike that can provide you with a great riding experience?

Trek’s Farley 9.6 is one of the most popular fat bikes on the market. It offers an all-around great ride, thanks to its reliable frame, top-notch components, and versatile geometry.

This year’s model was updated with several new features, making it one of the best fat bikes available.

If you are looking for a comfortable and durable fat bike, the Trek Farley 9.6 is worth your consideration – but how well does it really compare to other models on the market?

In this review we will take an in-depth look at all aspects of this bike to help you decide if it is right for you.

Trek’s Farley 9.6 fat bike is designed for comfort, stability and durability on any terrain.

It features a lightweight carbon frame with internal derailleur & dropper post routing, 197x12mm adjustable horizontal sliding dropouts, double-wall rims and upgraded components.

We’ll be diving deep into the details of this bike in this review to provide you with an accurate picture of what it has to offer.

Take your fat biking and bikepacking adventures up a notch and immerse yourself in the experience aboard the 2023 Trek Farley 9.6.

With its lightweight carbon frame, wide-tire clearance, and adjustable dropouts, you can count on an unbeatable ride quality as you blaze through even the toughest terrains.

Load up your gear with ease – the frame has lots of mounts that give you loads of options for customizing how you carry your stuff.

– Lightweight OCLV Mountain Carbon frame

– 197x12mm adjustable horizontal sliding dropouts

– Farley carbon fork with crown rack mounts, lower leg cage mounts, and 150x15mm thru axle

– Sram GX Eagle 12 speed drivetrain

– Sram Level TL hydraulic disc brakes provide superior stopping power

– SUNRingle Mulefut 80 SL wheelset for lightweight performance

– Tubeless ready with Bontrager Barbegazi Team Issue tires

– Multiple mounting points on frame for accessories such as racks, fenders and bottles

The Trek Farley 9.6 frame is made from lightweight, durable OCLV Mountain Carbon. With generous standover height, even taller riders can fit comfortably on the bike without worry of toe overlap issues while pedaling or cornering fast.

This also provides riders with a sense of security when descending steep sections of trail or navigating difficult obstacles like tree roots or rock gardens.

Fork and Drivetrain

The Farley 9.6 includes a Farley carbon fork for optimal control over rough terrain. It combines well with the 1×12 Sram Eagle drivetrain to give you plenty of gearing options whether climbing hills or flying down descents.

The 10-52t cassette paired with a 30t chainring provide a good range for both technical climbing and flat trail cruising without sacrificing chain retention reliability via Sram GX Eagle derailleur.

Wheelset & Tires

The Farley 9.6 comes standard with SUNRingle Mulefut 80 SL rims mated to 27.5×4.50″ Bontrager Barbegazi Team Issue, Tubeless Ready tires providing an excellent balance between riding comfort, grip, traction and cushioning across any type of surface.

The tires feature large lugs throughout the tread pattern providing great all-round performance in both dry conditions as well as wet mud and snow conditions where most other heavier biking setups can often get bogged down easily. 

Bottom Line

Trek’s Farley 9.6 is an excellent choice for those looking for a reliable fat bike setup that can handle anything from weekend singletrack trips up to tackling long days out in the mountains packed full off steep ascents and carrying heavy loads down rocky trails thanks to its proven performance.

Order online and have it shipped to your local dealer for final assembly!!

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2023 Trek Farley Alloy is Renewed for Expedition-Readiness

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Trek has renewed its Farley Fat Bike with an all-new aluminum frame and carbon fork, both of which are better-prepared to carry your necessaries on long-haul bikepacking trips. Mounts galore and custom-designed front and rear racks, dry bag holders, and bolt-on front fenders, combined with its 27.5″ x 4.5″ tires and make it a worthy-companion for over-night missions in deepest winter.

2023 Trek Farley

Trek has given its aluminum fat bike, the Farley, a new aluminum frame for 2023. It sees a slacker geometry, a shorter offset carbon fork for improved handling, and more bosses to carry even more gear and equipment. The fork has mounts for Trek’s 1120 front rack as well as lower leg mounts for additional carrying capacity. The frame has lots of new mounts, including:

• Top tube mounts – for a bag/box
• Inside of the front triangle – for custom strapless frame bag or bottle cages
• Downtube mounts – for accessory cages or fender with multiple positioning options
• Updated rear rack mounts with more secure attachment

The new iteration goes without the sliding-dropouts of old that allowed for rear-center length adjustment, replaced by a fixed rear-center length of 450mm (5mm shorter than previously) with a SRAM UDH at the dropouts. The frame is optimized around 27.5″ x 4.5″ tires on 100mm rims (or 26″ x 5.0″). Trek tell us they believe the Fat Bike industry has settled on this tire size, so the adjustability is now no longer necessary. During the warmer months of the year, massive tires may not be warranted; in that regard, it is possible to run 29″ x 3.0″ tires, though this requires a custom wheel with a 197mm rear hub width.

The Farley Alloy frame also sees other geometry updates. The head angle is 0.5° slacker at 68.5°, the seat tube is 1° steeper at 74°, and the reach is around 20mm longer – now 461mm on the Large. The new carbon fork sees a shorter offset of 42mm (down from 51mm).

Some other important frame details:

• Post Mount Front & Rear for 160mm (Max Front is 210mm, Max Rear is 180mm
• 100mm Threaded BB
• Maximum Chainring Size is 32t
• Maximum A2C is 513mm (equivalent to 100mm travel 27.5″ fork)
• No ISCG Mounts
• Internal Routing for Dropper Seat Post

The 2023 Trek Farley Carbon frame remains unchanged in every way, but the Carbon 9.6 model is updated with the new shorter offset carbon fork.

Pricing & Availability

There are three complete builds of the 2023 Trek Farley Alloy to choose from with pricing starting at $2,199.99 USD for the Farley 5. Bikes will be available by the middle of March, by which time more information on these new Fat Bikes will be available on the Trek website.

trekbikes.com

Jessie-May Morgan is the UK & Ireland Tech Editor of Bikerumor. She has been writing about Mountain Bike Riding and Racing, and all its weird and wonderful technology for 4 years. Prior to that, she was an Intern at the Mountain Bike Center of Scotland, and a Mountain Bike Coach and Leader in the Tweed Valley.

Based in Innerleithen, Scotland, Jessie-May can often be seen riding the Glentress Trail Center, and its neighboring Enduro and Downhill Tracks. She regularly competes in Enduro at a national level, and has recently competed on the World Stage at a handful of Enduro World Series events.

For Bikerumor, Jessie-May is testing the latest mountain bikes, equipment and kit, letting readers know what’s hot and what’s not.

For context, she weighs 60kg and stands at 5ft 4″ tall (163cm).

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• Rider Notes

2024 Trek Farley 5

A 27.5″ aluminum frame rigid fat bike with upper mid-range components. Compare the full range

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Oct 2023 · Jeremy Benson

The Trek Farley 5 is one of the least expensive models in this review and a great value for a capable fat bike. Price aside, this bike has a solid...

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Trek Farley 9.6

Farley 9.6 is a carbon fat bike built for speed on any surface. The lightweight carbon frame, rigid carbon fork, and top-notch 1x drivetrain make it great for mountain bikers who prioritize performance in a fat bike. If you're ready to go hard through every season and love fat biking in every form, this whip's for you. It's right for you if... You don't just want to ride through the winter—you want to ride fast. You love every aspect of fat biking, and are looking for a faster ride with better performance to take on bigger adventures, epic races, and more fun. The tech you get A lightweight OCLV Mountain Carbon frame with horizontal sliding dropouts, a Bontrager Haru rigid carbon fork, a wide-range SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain with an extra low climbing gear, a dropper post for getting down, and SUNringlé Mulefüt wheels paired with a 108T Rapid Drive hub for instant engagement, and wide, ultra-grippy Bontrager Barbegazi TLR tires. The final word Speed in every season. Farley 9.6 is light, fast, and built to rip. It's the ideal winter shred sled for fat bike adventurers, racers looking to train outside year-round, and anyone who values the performance advantage of carbon. Why you'll love it - A lightweight carbon frame and fork mean this bike won't be bogged down by foul weather, deep snow, or gnarly terrain - The stability and traction of super wide tires make you a more confident rider on any trail - Horizontal sliding dropouts lets you fine-tune your geometry—run it long for stability, or shorter for more nimbler handling - The dropper post lets you lower your saddle on the fly so it's out of the way on descents - It's a four-season freedom machine that lets you ride outside all year long

Due to supply-chain issues, Specs are subject to change without notice.

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Trek Farley 9.6

Farley 9.6 is a carbon fat bike built for speed on any surface. The lightweight carbon frame, rigid carbon fork, and top-notch 1x drivetrain make it great for mountain bikers who prioritize performance in a fat bike. If you're ready to go hard through every season and love fat biking in every form, this whip's for you. It's right for you if... You don't just want to ride through the winter—you want to ride fast. You love every aspect of fat biking, and are looking for a faster ride with better performance to take on bigger adventures, epic races, and more fun. The tech you get A lightweight OCLV Mountain Carbon frame with horizontal sliding dropouts, a Bontrager Haru rigid carbon fork, a wide-range SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain with an extra low climbing gear, a dropper post for getting down, and SUNringlé Mulefüt wheels paired with a 108T Rapid Drive hub for instant engagement, and wide, ultra-grippy Bontrager Barbegazi TLR tires. The final word Speed in every season. Farley 9.6 is light, fast, and built to rip. It's the ideal winter shred sled for fat bike adventurers, racers looking to train outside year-round, and anyone who values the performance advantage of carbon. Why you'll love it - A lightweight carbon frame and fork mean this bike won't be bogged down by foul weather, deep snow, or gnarly terrain - The stability and traction of super wide tires make you a more confident rider on any trail - Horizontal sliding dropouts lets you fine-tune your geometry—run it long for stability, or shorter for more nimbler handling - The dropper post lets you lower your saddle on the fly so it's out of the way on descents - It's a four-season freedom machine that lets you ride outside all year long

Due to supply-chain issues, Specs are subject to change without notice.

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Trek Farley 9.6

Farley 9.6 is a carbon fat bike built for speed. The lightweight OCLV Mountain Carbon frame, rigid carbon fork, and a 1x12 SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain make it great for mountain bikers who prioritize performance in a fat bike. If you're ready to go hard through every season and love fat biking in every form- racing, adventure, fun - Farley 9.6 is the high-performance ride for you. It's right for you if... You don't just want to ride trails through the winter - you want to ride fast. You already know you love every aspect of fat biking, and are looking for a faster ride with better performance to take on bigger adventures. The tech you get A lightweight OCLV Mountain Carbon frame with Stranglehold dropouts, a Bontrager Haru rigid carbon fork, a wide-range 1x12 SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain, and extra-wide SUNringle Mulefut wheels paired with 27.5x4.5 Bontrager Barbegazi TLR tires. The final word Speed in every season. Farley 9.6 is light, fast, and built to rip. It's the ideal winter shred sled for fat bike adventurers, racers looking to train outside year-round, and anyone who values the performance advantage of carbon. Why you'll love it 1 - The faster you ride a fat bike, the more fun it gets—and this bike is a lot of fun 2 - It's a four-season freedom machine that lets you ride outside all year long 3 - The 27.5x4.5 tires deliver more speed and traction than their 26-inch counterparts

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Which Suspension fork for Trek Farley 9.8?

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I have a Trek Farley 9.8 and want to put a suspension fork on it. I know there is a lot of information about it in the Trek Farley 2016 thread but was wondering if there are any updated options for a suspension fork? I have ordered a 29 inch wheelset with 45mm internal width rims to run 3.0 tires in addition to the 4.5 inch 27.5 Barbegazis that came with it. If the only good option is still the Rockshox Bluto, should I get 100 or 120 travel? Thanks!  

My farley 9 came with 100 stock. They should have the same geo  

You should look at the manatou mastadon. The Farley rigid fork is corrected for a 100mm fork but I'm going to get a 120mm when I get mine. Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk  

I don't think the Bluto will work with the Barbs.  

Now that is something I did not know! I was planning on using the 29 plus 3.0 tires during everything but snow riding. But I did want to be able to put the Barbegazis on in snow, and with the suspension fork. The 3 inch 29 plus tires I have my eye on is the Chupacabra by Trek. Anyone have any experience with the manitou masstodon fork and the Farley and the Barbegazis and also 29 plus tires?  

Tunalic is right. Go for the manitou mastodon ext  

You won't have any problems with the manitou. Here's a couple threads about the bluto. http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/27-5-x-4-5-barbegazi-bluto-1018408.html http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/26-bluto-my-27-5-farley-9-6-a-1044793.html  

Thank you very much for that info! Do you have the Mastodon on your Farley? Also if anyone here owns a Farley and the Manitou Mastodon and has used it with the Barbegazis and also with 29 plus 3 inch tires I would like to hear from you too. How well it works, what size Mastadon you got, etc.  

I been waiting and watching. I may get one after I get a 29+ wheelset built up. I believe someone said a few of the 2018 Farleys will come with the Mastodon. Since it such a new fork you may want to go thru that Mastodon thread.  

You need to verify that the Mastodon will fit the older frames, Trek may have modified the 2018 frame to clear the fork. Mastodon EXT fits 29+ no probelm, Bluto does not allow for gravel/mud clearance.  

My Farley 9.8 is a 2017 so it should work right? It looks like I need to get the Mastodon 120 EXT model to work with both the Barbegazis and 29 plus.  

The specs for the Mastodon says it has Brake 180mm Post Mount. My Farley 9.8 has 160mm rotors. Does that mean I will need to buy 180mm rotors, or is there a way to make it work with the existing 160mm?  

You have to buy a 180 rotor.  

theGliberal said: View attachment 1147171 Last year's 9.8. Needed 180mm rotors. Click to expand...

I've just fitted a Mastodon 120mm Pro EXT to my Farley 5, its an XL frame and it fits no problems, the clearance this for has is unbelievable, currently running 26 x 4.7 Barbegazi's and the Mastodon makes it look like a skinny xc tyre there is that much clearance all round! Only done a short trial ride but this think rocks like no other, had a Bluto and a Wren and it is leagues ahead of both of them, hate to use the cliché but it really is a game changer, this is what the Bluto should have been and the quality is superb. I'll post some pics shortly.  

I have a Farley 9.6 how does the geometry feel with 120mm on bike with 10mm of extra travel than recommended 100 ?  

Hi, I have a 2016 Trek Farley 9.6 and was told by Trek support that the Manitou Mastodon fork or not recommended for this bike because its crown race can touch the downtube of the frame. Has anyone installed the Mastodon on a 2016 Farley 9.6 and if so how any issue?  

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Farley lets you go further and farther than ever before — it’s your overnight adventure rig, your off-season ripper, and your snowy singletrack surfer. With tons of mounts for gear, an incredible carrying capacity, and loads of add-ons like frame bags and racks, Farley makes every dream expedition possible.

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Haul of the wild

Mounts all over the frame let you carry a wide variety of gear with endless customization options.

New carbon fork

A new, short offset carbon fork saves weight, improves handling, and has mounts for a custom rack or cargo cages.

Internal routing

Protects Farley’s components from the elements and keeps cables from interfering with accessories

Farley 9.6 utilizes a carry-forward OCLV Mountain Carbon frame with the new carbon fork that makes the rig light and fast — perfect for riders looking to race or just save weight.

Farley 9 comes fully kitted as a utilitarian earth roamer. It includes front and rear racks, a direct mount frame bag, a direct mount fender, and two dry bag holders for your rear rack.

Farley 7 comes with an 80mm Manitou Mastodon suspension fork to take the edge off rough terrain. The suspension fork also gives Farley a slacker head tube angle for more stable steering in steeper terrain.

Farley 5 gives you a blank slate. It has Farley-specific carbon fork and is compatible with all of the Farley accessories and more. It even comes with a dropper post.