[chapman505]

Wondering what the consensus is amoung the Trek tribe. I know the claimed benefits of increased frame stiffness and weight savings.

Does anyone else think the limitations on steering in tight switchbacks is an issue? Where I ride we have enough tight switchbacks that I'd take the added ounces to not have to deal with knock block.

Anyone else have an opinion they'd care to share?

 

[tabbibus]

No problems with switchbacks. Main disadvantage that I've found is that I want to change to a shorter stem and it's been a pain in the butt

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[driver bob]

Yay for me, never noticed it when riding.

 

[zgxtreme]

I’ve never noticed in the year I’ve been on my EX9 so I suppose that’s a yay.

 

[bbunnys]

Never been an issue riding. But dont like the way it sits when transporting on my ute tailgate pad.
Cant turn bars far enough to sit quite correct.

 

[JonJones]

I've noticed it on some switchbacks and corners. The bike is awesome so I can forgive it this. Thankfully I've not had to change stems so that is a consideration...

Wouldn't let it stop me but certainly wouldn't just buy a Trek for straight shot alone..

 

[Tomac18]

I can turn through any switchback no problem.

 

[Haymarket]

No problem whatsoever. I ride plenty of super toght swichbacks and it doesn’t limit anything.

 

[kosmo]

I occasionally softly bump up against it on switchbacks, but no big deal.

Annoying for transport on tailgates and in the back of my car.

For me, I just wonder why? My 2018 FEX is probably stiffer than my 2016 was, but the 2016 was stiff enough, and noticeably lighter.

 

[Haymarket]

My 2018 FEX is probably stiffer than my 2016 was, but the 2016 was stiff enough, and noticeably lighter.

I guess that goes to the fact that one man's "stiff enough" is another man's "wet noodle"....

 

[Lone Rager]

Hate it. The claim is a stiffer frame at lighter weight. (Note that the top tube is now has a kink in it.) I'll take the same stiffness with the small weight penalty of the traditional bent downtube to not have the added complexity and limit on turning the bar. A number of riders I know have already bashed the knockblock to the point of not working properly, or at all. It doesn't take much. I think it's kinda ridiculous.

 

[HPIguy]

You can get a special washer from Trek to run a regular stem on the Knock Block bikes. Honestly though, it should just come with any bike that has this feature. ^^I'm with Lone Ranger, it's a solution looking for a problem IMO.

 

[kosmo]

I guess that goes to the fact that one man's "stiff enough" is another man's "wet noodle"....

Or some are more susceptible to marketing than others.....

 

[mrbadwrench]

Or some are more susceptible to marketing than others.....

This. No person is riding a bike in 2018 thinkings its not stiff enough.

 

[JBarn]

No issues whatsoever riding. Mine is a replacement frame so I had to but a new handlebar to use the stem to use the Knock Block....

I'm not sure if thinner spacer are available yet to fine tune the height of my handlebars.

 

[TheDwayyo]

I don't get the people saying they feel it in switchbacks... When I first heard that complaint I tried a few track stands on pavement and tried to turn tight enough to bump it while barely moving. I couldn't. The bike falls over before you hit it. That doesn't mean it's impossible to bump in a switchback, since you're at speed then, but it does mean that if you are bumping it it's more your technique than an issue with the bike. Where I ride is all tight switchbacks and I have no issues.

I have bumped it a few times in the air doing bar turns. It's kinda cool; I don't consider a good bar turn anymore unless I do and you can even push the back end out a bit by doing it... Cheater whips!

Whether or not it was needed is another question, but I'd venture to guess that the incredibly sophisticated R&D done at Trek knows better than some keyboard engineers... Just a guess though.

 

[TheDwayyo]

This. No person is riding a bike in 2018 thinkings its not stiff enough.

No person riding rowdy trails would be unhappy if their bike got stiffer either. My Remedy is confident, but I wouldn't be mad if Trek figured out how to make it even more confident.

 

[solarplex]

Wish they put this on the TF. I want to slam my stem but i dont want my levers slamming into my frame in a crash.

 

[Finch Platte]

I'd cut a piece of the frame out where it hits.

Problem solved.

 

[veloborealis]

You can get a special washer from Trek to run a regular stem on the Knock Block bikes. Honestly though, it should just come with any bike that has this feature. ^^I'm with Lone Ranger, it's a solution looking for a problem IMO.

This^ I really like my FEX, but this is a gimmicky feature. My vote is... Knock Block, meh.