Trek Rolls Out a New Farley Fat Bike

2023 Trek Farley Highlights

• Designed around 27.5×4.5″ tires
• Lightweight, low-offset carbon fork with 150x12mm thru-axle
• 197x12mm rear thru-axle
• Mounts for integrated racks, frame bags and fenders
• UDH derailleur hanger
• Price range:
• Availability: Mid-March through mid-2023 for select builds

The Farley was long overdue for an update, and Trek appears to have addressed many riders’ needs by bringing the geometry of the latest Farley in line with modern trail-oriented hardtails. The headtube slackens from 70° to 68.5°, and frame reach across the four-bike size range has been increased. A shorter. 42mm offset fork improves handling by reducing the sensation of auto-steering, which is common to many fat bikes.

It’s noteworthy that these frame revisions only apply to the three aluminum Farley’s being introduced for 2023. The Farley 9.6 and carbon frameset carry forward unchanged, save for the addition of the revised short-offset carbon fork.

It’s also worth noting that Trek has incorporated a range of thoughtful accessories into the latest iteration of the Farley. Riders can add integrated front and rear racks, fenders, as well as a strapless frame bag and panniers to make the Farley expedition-ready. What’s more, Trek offers an adventure-ready version in the new Farley 9 Winter Edition.

Trek Farley 9 Winter Edition: $3,999.99

• SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain
• SRAM Level Bronze 4-piston hydraulic disc brakes
• Tranz X dropper seatpost
• SUN Ringle Mulefut 80 SL, 32-hole cutout rims
• 27.5×4.50” Bontrager Gnarwhal Team Issue Tires, 120tpi
• Claimed weight: 40.35 lbs (with tubes)

Trek Farley 7: $2,999.99

• 80mm Manitou Mastodon 34 Comp suspension fork
• SRAM NX / GX drivetrain
• SRAM Level T hydraulic disc brakes
• Tranz X dropper seatpost
• SUN Ringle Mulefut 80 SL, 32-hole cutout rims
• 27.5×4.50” Bontrager Gnarwhal Team Issue Tires, 120tpi
• Claimed weight: 37.59 lbs (with tubes)

Trek Farley 5: $2,199.99

• microSHIFT Advent X SL-M9605, 1×10 speed drivetrain
• SRAM Level hydraulic disc brakes
• Tranz X dropper seatpost
• SUN Ringle Mulefut 80 SL, 32-hole cutout rims
• 27.5×4.50” Bontrager Gnarwhal Team Issue Tires, 120tpi
• Claimed weight: 35.72 lbs (with tubes)

2023 Farley AL Frameset: $1,499.99

• Alpha Platinum Aluminum Frame​
• Short-offset (42mm) OCLV carbon fork​
• FSA integrated headset​
• Tapered head tube​
• Top tube bag mounts, strapless full frame bag mounts, downtube fender mount, lower downtube accessory mount, seat stay rear rack mounts​
• Internal rear derailleur and dropper post routing​
• Threaded BB​
• UDH derailleur hanger​
• 197x12mm thru-axle​
• Claimed weight: 8.71 lbs​

We’re currently testing the Farley 9 Winter Edition. Thus far, the Farley has impressed us with its handling and smart-carry options. Winter shows no signs of relenting anytime soon in Colorado, so we’ll report back in a few weeks with our long-term impressions.

If you have any particular questions you would like us to address in the review, please leave them in the comments section below.

What’s new from the previous version?
New Farley emphasizes all-terrain, any-season exploration. Tube shaping and form language have been updated for a more modern look on alloy frames. There’s also a new carbon fork with a shorter offset for improved handling. It also has mounts for the 1120 front rack as well as lower leg mounts for additional carrying capacity. The frame has lots of new mounts, including:

• Top tube 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

Note – the carbon Farley 9.6 uses a carry-forward frame that does not have these additional mounting points on the frame, but it does have the new fork with front rack, fender, and fork leg mounts.

Is the 2023 Trek Farley geometry different from the previous version?
Geometry updates include:

• Steeper seat tube angle (~1-degree)
• Slacker head tube angle (~½ degree)
• Shorter fork offset (from 51mm to 42mm)
• Longer reach (~2cm)

Geometry on the Farley 9.6 is the same as previous, except the fork offset and wheelbase are slightly shorter, and the fork trail measurement is slightly longer.

Does the Farley still have horizontal sliding dropouts?

The carry-forward carbon frame does still have the horizontal sliding dropout. New alloy frames do not have a sliding dropout, as fat bike tire standards have leveled out in recent years, with most riders preferring to run 27.5 x 4.5 tires, negating the need for a sliding dropout to accommodate new tire sizes. Also, with the new frame, we were able to shorten the stays an additional 5mm to 450mm for more nimble, but still balanced handling.

Why didn’t the carbon Farley get these updates?
Carbon Farley is still the benchmark for light and fast fat bike performance. The alloy frame had more room for improvement, so there is where we focused our resources.

What is the maximum tire size?

27.5×4.5” on 100mm rims or 26×5.0”

Due to the wide variety of tires available, and variations in manufacturing tolerances, we recommend checking any aftermarket set up for proper ISO tire clearance, which is 6mm between the tire and frame at the maximum listed tire pressure.

Is it compatible with other wheel/tire sizes?
It is possible to run 29×3.0 wheels/tires, though this requires a custom wheel with a 197mm rear hub width.

What is the brake mount? What is the max rotor size?
Front and rear are post mount for 160mm rotors. Max rotor size is 210mm front, 180mm rear.

What type of bottom bracket does the Farley use?
The new alloy frame uses a 100mm threaded BB. The carry-forward carbon frame uses 121mm Press Fit

Is it compatible with cranks with 30mm spindles?
Yes, with the correct bottom bracket.

What is the maximum chainring size?
Maximum is 32 teeth

Are these bikes tubeless compatible? What additional parts are required?
Yes, they all come with Sun Ringle TLR rims and Bontrager TLR Tires. They are best setup using Sun Ringle 78mm wide Tubeless tape (Trek PN 546198) along with Sun Ringle Tubeless Valves (Trek PN 546195) and finally Bontrager Tire Sealant (Trek PN 582229 for the larger bottle)

What is the maximum fork axle-to-crown and/or travel?
Max ATC for alloy frames is 513mm, commonly 100mm travel. This includes the 80mm Manitou Mastodon EXT. The Carbon Farley is only compatible with the 80mm or 100mm RockShox Bluto. Other forks will either interfere with the downtube or exceed the maximum approved axle-to-crown length.

Does the Farley have ISCG mounts?
It does not.

Is the Farley compatible with 2x drivetrains?
No.

What chain line does the Farley use? Is it still a Boost ring flipped outboard?
It uses a 76.5mm chain line. Various crank manufacturers achieve this in different ways.

Does the new Farley have internal dropper post routing?
Yes, it has full-length internal dropper routing.

Does it use a specific derailleur hanger?
Farley uses a UDH (universal derailleur hanger).

Do you sell touch-up paint?
You can find touch-up paint for many Trek colorways on Trekbikes.com.

What are the part numbers for the new custom accessories?

There are 4 sizes of the new Adventure Boss Full Frame Bag to correspond with the 4 Farley frame sizes. These mount to Farley alloy frames with easy-to-use thumb screws, or they can be used with many other frames using the included straps.

• S – 5288902
• M – 5288903
• L – 5288904
• XL – 5288905
• Aftermarket rigid carbon fork with mounts – 5311796
• Aftermarket black front Farley rack – W545223
• Aftermarket black rear Farley rack – W5288432
• Aftermarket Farley downtube fender – W5289946

2023 Trek Farley Highlights

• Designed around 27.5×4.5″ tires
• Lightweight, low-offset carbon fork with 150x12mm thru-axle
• 197x12mm rear thru-axle
• Mounts for integrated racks, frame bags and fenders
• UDH derailleur hanger
• Price range:
• Availability: Mid-March through mid-2023 for select builds

The Farley was long overdue for an update, and Trek appears to have addressed many riders’ needs by bringing the geometry of the latest Farley in line with modern trail-oriented hardtails. The headtube slackens from 70° to 68.5°, and frame reach across the four-bike size range has been increased. A shorter. 42mm offset fork improves handling by reducing the sensation of auto-steering, which is common to many fat bikes.

It’s noteworthy that these frame revisions only apply to the three aluminum Farley’s being introduced for 2023. The Farley 9.6 and carbon frameset carry forward unchanged, save for the addition of the revised short-offset carbon fork.

It’s also worth noting that Trek has incorporated a range of thoughtful accessories into the latest iteration of the Farley. Riders can add integrated front and rear racks, fenders, as well as a strapless frame bag and panniers to make the Farley expedition-ready. What’s more, Trek offers an adventure-ready version in the new Farley 9 Winter Edition.

Trek Farley 9 Winter Edition: $3,999.99

• SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain
• SRAM Level Bronze 4-piston hydraulic disc brakes
• Tranz X dropper seatpost
• SUN Ringle Mulefut 80 SL, 32-hole cutout rims
• 27.5×4.50” Bontrager Gnarwhal Team Issue Tires, 120tpi
• Claimed weight: 40.35 lbs (with tubes)

Trek Farley 7: $2,999.99

• 80mm Manitou Mastodon 34 Comp suspension fork
• SRAM NX / GX drivetrain
• SRAM Level T hydraulic disc brakes
• Tranz X dropper seatpost
• SUN Ringle Mulefut 80 SL, 32-hole cutout rims
• 27.5×4.50” Bontrager Gnarwhal Team Issue Tires, 120tpi
• Claimed weight: 37.59 lbs (with tubes)

Trek Farley 5: $2,199.99

• microSHIFT Advent X SL-M9605, 1×10 speed drivetrain
• SRAM Level hydraulic disc brakes
• Tranz X dropper seatpost
• SUN Ringle Mulefut 80 SL, 32-hole cutout rims
• 27.5×4.50” Bontrager Gnarwhal Team Issue Tires, 120tpi
• Claimed weight: 35.72 lbs (with tubes)

2023 Farley AL Frameset: $1,499.99

• Alpha Platinum Aluminum Frame​
• Short-offset (42mm) OCLV carbon fork​
• FSA integrated headset​
• Tapered head tube​
• Top tube bag mounts, strapless full frame bag mounts, downtube fender mount, lower downtube accessory mount, seat stay rear rack mounts​
• Internal rear derailleur and dropper post routing​
• Threaded BB​
• UDH derailleur hanger​
• 197x12mm thru-axle​
• Claimed weight: 8.71 lbs​

We’re currently testing the Farley 9 Winter Edition. Thus far, the Farley has impressed us with its handling and smart-carry options. Winter shows no signs of relenting anytime soon in Colorado, so we’ll report back in a few weeks with our long-term impressions.

If you have any particular questions you would like us to address in the review, please leave them in the comments section below.

What’s new from the previous version?
New Farley emphasizes all-terrain, any-season exploration. Tube shaping and form language have been updated for a more modern look on alloy frames. There’s also a new carbon fork with a shorter offset for improved handling. It also has mounts for the 1120 front rack as well as lower leg mounts for additional carrying capacity. The frame has lots of new mounts, including:

• Top tube 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

Note – the carbon Farley 9.6 uses a carry-forward frame that does not have these additional mounting points on the frame, but it does have the new fork with front rack, fender, and fork leg mounts.

Is the 2023 Trek Farley geometry different from the previous version?
Geometry updates include:

• Steeper seat tube angle (~1-degree)
• Slacker head tube angle (~½ degree)
• Shorter fork offset (from 51mm to 42mm)
• Longer reach (~2cm)

Geometry on the Farley 9.6 is the same as previous, except the fork offset and wheelbase are slightly shorter, and the fork trail measurement is slightly longer.

Does the Farley still have horizontal sliding dropouts?

The carry-forward carbon frame does still have the horizontal sliding dropout. New alloy frames do not have a sliding dropout, as fat bike tire standards have leveled out in recent years, with most riders preferring to run 27.5 x 4.5 tires, negating the need for a sliding dropout to accommodate new tire sizes. Also, with the new frame, we were able to shorten the stays an additional 5mm to 450mm for more nimble, but still balanced handling.

Why didn’t the carbon Farley get these updates?
Carbon Farley is still the benchmark for light and fast fat bike performance. The alloy frame had more room for improvement, so there is where we focused our resources.

What is the maximum tire size?

27.5×4.5” on 100mm rims or 26×5.0”

Due to the wide variety of tires available, and variations in manufacturing tolerances, we recommend checking any aftermarket set up for proper ISO tire clearance, which is 6mm between the tire and frame at the maximum listed tire pressure.

Is it compatible with other wheel/tire sizes?
It is possible to run 29×3.0 wheels/tires, though this requires a custom wheel with a 197mm rear hub width.

What is the brake mount? What is the max rotor size?
Front and rear are post mount for 160mm rotors. Max rotor size is 210mm front, 180mm rear.

What type of bottom bracket does the Farley use?
The new alloy frame uses a 100mm threaded BB. The carry-forward carbon frame uses 121mm Press Fit

Is it compatible with cranks with 30mm spindles?
Yes, with the correct bottom bracket.

What is the maximum chainring size?
Maximum is 32 teeth

Are these bikes tubeless compatible? What additional parts are required?
Yes, they all come with Sun Ringle TLR rims and Bontrager TLR Tires. They are best setup using Sun Ringle 78mm wide Tubeless tape (Trek PN 546198) along with Sun Ringle Tubeless Valves (Trek PN 546195) and finally Bontrager Tire Sealant (Trek PN 582229 for the larger bottle)

What is the maximum fork axle-to-crown and/or travel?
Max ATC for alloy frames is 513mm, commonly 100mm travel. This includes the 80mm Manitou Mastodon EXT. The Carbon Farley is only compatible with the 80mm or 100mm RockShox Bluto. Other forks will either interfere with the downtube or exceed the maximum approved axle-to-crown length.

Does the Farley have ISCG mounts?
It does not.

Is the Farley compatible with 2x drivetrains?
No.

What chain line does the Farley use? Is it still a Boost ring flipped outboard?
It uses a 76.5mm chain line. Various crank manufacturers achieve this in different ways.

Does the new Farley have internal dropper post routing?
Yes, it has full-length internal dropper routing.

Does it use a specific derailleur hanger?
Farley uses a UDH (universal derailleur hanger).

Do you sell touch-up paint?
You can find touch-up paint for many Trek colorways on Trekbikes.com.

What are the part numbers for the new custom accessories?

There are 4 sizes of the new Adventure Boss Full Frame Bag to correspond with the 4 Farley frame sizes. These mount to Farley alloy frames with easy-to-use thumb screws, or they can be used with many other frames using the included straps.

• S – 5288902
• M – 5288903
• L – 5288904
• XL – 5288905
• Aftermarket rigid carbon fork with mounts – 5311796
• Aftermarket black front Farley rack – W545223
• Aftermarket black rear Farley rack – W5288432
• Aftermarket Farley downtube fender – W5289946

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From original post:
Why didn’t the carbon Farley get these updates?
Carbon Farley is still the benchmark for light and fast fat bike performance. The alloy frame had more room for improvement, so there is where we focused our resources.