Trek Crockett 7 Disc Review

Are you dreaming of the cyclocross podium at the weekend, yet also looking for a loyal companion for mid-week gravel and trail rides? With its Trek Crockett 7 Disc the Trek team delivers a bike with an aluminium frame and pro cyclocross racing geometry. Priced at € 3,299 the Crockett wants to be an affordable yet eclectic bike for pretty much every terrain. Does the concept really work?

Here you’ll find our current group test on the best gravel bike.

Trek Crockett 7 — **Trek** Crockett 7 Disc | 8.51 kg | € 3,299

Out of the box the Trek gleams an intense blue and catches the eye with classic shapes and a lot of clever features. Compared to last year’s aluminium racer, the new version comes with internal cable routing and an increased fork rake for more composed handling. For the joy of purists Trek opted to include horizontal dropouts, which allow for a quick single speed conversion. The Crockett 7 Disc comes with a SRAM Force 1×11 drivetrain; the 11–32 cassette makes sense for racing but requires a massive set of quads on gravel tours and climbs.

The thin 32 mm wide Bontrager cross tires were amongst the narrowest we’ve encountered in this group test. This made us rather sceptical at first, but in the end we were pleasantly surprised: the tires actually offer huge amounts of grip on gravel, road, and trail. Rolling surprisingly well even on tarmac, the reduced volume of the tires only becomes evident when things get really rough. Therefore, a good choice of lines is important in order to avoid nasty impacts to the rims. With that in mind, this sporty racer cuts through the terrain safely and with precision. When riding on loose gravel or forest terrain we just couldn’t stop grinning; the bike’s accurate response and its speedy disposition give you a massive high. The 8.51 kg weight for a 56 cm frame size is alright too.

As soon as you ride the Trek Crockett you can feel its racing DNA, the aluminium frame is very direct. Despite the in-house built carbon seatpost and handlebar absorbing the hardest impacts and bumps, the bike never strikes as a master of comfort. But then it’s also noted that the Crockett wasn’t built for long distances, but rather for speed addicts who love fast and fun after work laps or the occasional cross race on the weekend. True to the motto “make the most of it”.

The internal cable routing doesn’t reflect the otherwise harmonious finish of the bike. Huge cable arches vanish into the down tube in an almost right-angled fashion, and knee contact is nearly unavoidable when riding out of the saddle. Also the big loop under the bottom bracket and a fragile-looking cable routing to the rear end of the bike don’t match the sort of quality we’d expect at this price. The same applies to the chunky welding.

The Trek Crockett 7 Disc in detail

Drivetrain SRAM Force 1
Wheelset Bontrager Paradigm Comp TR Disc
Brakes SRAM Force HRD
Tires Bontrager CX3 Team Issue
Weight 8.51 kg
Price € 3,299

Geometry of the Trek Crockett 7 Disc

Conclusion

The Trek Crockett 7 Disc feels like the right choice for the experienced rider and those looking for a sporty and reliable bike for gravel riding and the occasional cross race. The people at Trek maintained their promise and created a gravel bike with cyclocross DNA which begs for speed and is a reliably specced riding buddy. FYI: If you like riding single speed, the Crockett gives you that option too.

Tops

– Superb grip on gravel, road, and trail
– Begs for speed and offers racing fun on all surfaces
– Single speed option with chain tensioner
– Nicely integrated chain catcher

Flops

– The gearing is too race-oriented with its 1x drivetrain and a 11–32 cassette
– The internal cable routing on the down tube doesn’t look great and catches when riding out of the saddle
– Cable routing under the bottom bracket is also untidy

More info at: trekbikes.com