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Trek Scratch 9 Freeride Full Suspension

4.88/5 (8 Reviews)

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MSRP : $5769.99


Product Description

  • Frame: Alpha Red Aluminum w/Aluminum Armor, ABP, Full Floater, alloy EVO Link, E2 tapered head tube, oversized pivot bearings, ISCG03 mounts, 142x12mm or 135x12mm rear axle adaptors, replaceable derailleur hanger, adjustable geometry, 170mm travel
  • Front Suspension: Fox 36 Van FIT RC 2 w/coil spring, rebound, alloy E2 tapered steerer, 20QR, 180mm travel
  • Rear Suspension: Fox DHX RC-4, custom "freeride tuned" w/externally adjustable velocity sensitive damping, bottom out force adjust and bottom out progressiveness, external rebound; 8.5x2.5"
  • Wheels: Bontrager Cousin Earl Elite Disc wheel system, 32 hole, 20mm front hub, 142x12mm rear hub, tubeless ready
  • Shifters: SRAM X.0, 9 speed
  • Cassette: SRAM PG-970 11-34, 9 speed


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Reviews 1 - 8 (8 Reviews Total)

User Reviews

Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Dave

Date Reviewed: May 19, 2013

Strengths:    Really fun bike to do it all. I ride it 15 miles xc and keep up, then bring it to the park and downhill all day.

Weaknesses:    Expensive. On the heavy side, chainstay broke once but I think the new ones are much better.

Bottom Line:   
Great bike. Have had it for 3 years now and love it more every time I ride it.
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Allan Ptacnik a Racer

Date Reviewed: December 14, 2012

Strengths:    I sold my Foes DHS Mono to buy this bike and this is a faster more agile and responsive bike, it fits my DH/FR fast and playfull style as it feels like nothing landing from 10 footers and catching air on this baby is easy as a pie.

Weaknesses:    I paid 2700 for this bike brand new with 5 year waranty, paying full price wouldnt be as cool.

Bottom Line:   
so far the bike handles like a well educated beast, in deed it is a smart bike, so custommisable to any settings you need, it does take some uphill, I do XC too and since I got my Scratch I dont get my XC bike out any more, ofcourse not all have the ability and strength to do, the bike weights 34 punds with stock parts

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Calaveras Lake

Duration Product Used:   20 miles

Price Paid:    $2700.00

Purchased At:   Treksuperstore San D

Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Mitch

Date Reviewed: July 18, 2012

Strengths:    Slays all DH / Free ride tracks because of the awesome head angle

Weaknesses:    is a slug going up hill. Even tho mine has all carbon xo and vivid air, talas forks and all the rest making it light, its still an fr bike

Bottom Line:   
would reccommend to any freeriders, but those looking for something in between dh and xc this isnt your bike.

Mad bike, love it to bits. and do commute 10k to work, but feels like my tr450, just a tad bit lighter and i sit higher
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by methcohna a Downhiller from England

Date Reviewed: August 1, 2011

Strengths:    Suspension design, frame stiffness, pedalling efficiency, 180mm forks, tyres.

Weaknesses:    Worst seat ever, MRP chain guide poor quality, tubeless not quite ready wheels.

Bottom Line:   
Firstly I'll say that I have found a full on DH rig too much for most of the UK DH trails. I bought this bike for FR, natural big mountain descents and DH.

Whats good:
This bike took a few runs to get used to as the cockpit is a lot smaller than what I was used to (changed to a 65mm stem just for a tad more room), but when you get it right and you will, this is the most fun bike I've ridden. I think the Fox 36 180mm fork feels better than the 2008 Fox 40 I owned, plus its lighter. It just tracks beautifully, has masses of adjustment and begs for big hits! The DHX RC4 its just as impressive! This bike can shred as fast as the full 8 inchers but is way more fun & chuck-able. Brakes are immensely powerful and have great modulation, lots of control without locking up.

As for pedalling it pedals great, however with the single ring at the front and the added weight, you have to be strong and fit to ride it. But there is no noticeable pedal bob when in the seat. I would recommend a dual ring setup if you are going to be doing lots of climbing.

Sram X0 is as smooth as always with a great quality feel when shifting.

And not so good: The most uncomfortable seat I have ever sat on, might as well screw a bit of 2x4" to your post! The MRP chain guide is poor quality, the lower guide broke on a rock impact (debatable as to whether others would have smashed off) The upper guide cracked with no impact so its obviously naff! The "tubeless ready wheels" are not quite ready and you have to buy rim strips and valves to get you going. I had to change the springs front and back to suit my weight.

These bad points are quite annoying when you have paid top dollar for the bike, I think the LBS's should offer you spring weights, and if things say there ready then that means ready!

Bottom line:
Mega chuffed with the bike overall and now I have got rid of the initial niggles its endless fun! I have a Remedy 9 as well and between the two bikes I can ride anything!

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Inners

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $5736.00

Purchased At:   All Terrain Cycles

Similar Products Used:   Trek Remedy 9

Bike Setup:   Stock, with new seat and KS i900 seat post, sunline v-one 65mm stem.
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by jpv6578 a Downhiller from Georgia

Date Reviewed: October 22, 2010

Strengths:    170mm travel and climbs, high quality pivots and other hardware, Fox DHX RC4, ABP

Weaknesses:    160mm travel fork, joplin seatpost, bontrager tires

Bottom Line:   
This is the type of bike the industry has been waiting for. A bike with plenty of travel that will climb. I can take this bike downhill one day, then keep up with the xc guys the next. Everything is ridable on this bike. I haven't met a climb too steep or a decent too technical. I think the new Fox Talas 180 will make this true all-mountain machine.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Bear Creek

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $5900.00

Purchased At:   Free-flite Bicycles

Similar Products Used:   spec. big hit, spec. enduro, trek remedy, fisher roscoe, ellsworth epiphany

Bike Setup:   stock scratch 9 build with higher rise bars and time pedals
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by katoom250 a Downhiller from Colorado US

Date Reviewed: October 11, 2010

Strengths:    Stiff, good spec, abp works, versatile

Weaknesses:    Square edge bumps suck, wheel path does not allow this bike to hold speed.

Bottom Line:   
This bike has been great in almost every situation except holding speed on square edge hits. The new valving in the 2011 bikes may help out with the square edge compliance. Just hit the mushroom drop at moab, felt perfect. Climbs well, and descends even better. Extremely fun bike!

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   The whole Enchilada

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $3000.00

Similar Products Used:   Stinky, session 7, gemini, socom, slope style, nomad, bionicon.

Bike Setup:   factory build
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by steve09 a Weekend Warrior from bc canada

Date Reviewed: June 20, 2010

Strengths:    light weight, stiff, active suspension, no brake jack, full seat tube, versatile

Weaknesses:    cable routing, joplin seatpost. Works wonders for some but I cant stand the play

Bottom Line:   
The bike is easy to pedal up and a blast coming down. A bit pricy but it is worth it. It rides like a dream.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   the fun ones

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Purchased At:   south shore cycle

Similar Products Used:   transistion bottlerocket, sx trail, kona stinky

Bike Setup:   stock except for a different seatpost
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Jibro a Weekend Warrior from Phoenix, AZ

Date Reviewed: May 24, 2010

Strengths:    Pedals Well, Light Weight, Stiff Frame, Great Suspension, can be ridden in any terrain. Easy build once correct parts were found.

Weaknesses:    Cable Routing (Front derailleur cable runs under top tube), all else is solid. Spendy but worth it.

Bottom Line:   
This bike rocks! I have a Heckler that has 5.75 inches travel and a DHR that gets 8.5 inches of travel. I would ride the heckler for all day riding and break out the DHR for the shuttle and lift action. This bike pedals better than my heckler going up and plows like my DHR on the way down. Living in Phoenix, I ended up setting the suspension a bit far off from Trek's recommendations, also I felt the down tube needed some added protection from the rocky desert mountains. A call to Lizard Skins for a sheet of their carbon leather covered the underside of the down tube nicely. Both the shock and fork were easy to set up and adjust on the trail, every click of adjustment made a difference in trail feel. I might sell my other two bikes and keep this little gem as "The One". Time will tell.

Jump, Drop, Climb, DH the Scratch will do it all. (180mm Talas is friggin' awesome!...but that's another review)

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Holbert / Geronimo

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Price Paid:    $4750.00

Purchased At:   Landis Cycles (Frame

Similar Products Used:   Santa Cruz Heckler
Turner DHR

Bike Setup:   CUSTOM BUILD

180mm TALAS RC2 Fit 1.5 Taper
750mm Easton Havoc DH Bars w/ 30mm rise
50mm Thomson Stem
Cane Creek 110 Z3 Zero Stack Headset
Race Face Evolve DH Crankset
Deity Pedals
X-9 Components
Easton EC70 Seatpost
WTB Laser V Saddle
2.5 Intense DH EXdc Lite Tires
Hope Pro II Hubs on Mavic EX823 Rims
20mm Front / 142mm x 12mm Rear
Reviews 1 - 8 (8 Reviews Total)

Review Options:  Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating

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