Bike
MTB
Take a look at Kade Edwards's 2022 Trek Session race bike
Kade Edwards's rig turns heads for all the right reasons. Get the lowdown on his Trek Factory Racing aluminum steed for the 2022 World Cup downhill season.
Part of this story
Kade Edwards has the potential to be a gravity mountain biking great. When not lining up in the start hut at the UCI World Cup, the 22-year-old British rider is just as likely to be sending big airs at the bike park, pulling whips and throwing down an impressive selection of tricks. With his whole career ahead of him, the best is still to come.
Kade showing his skills at Fort William, pulling a no hander during his run
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
A member of the Trek Factory Racing team since 2017, Edwards has ridden a Trek Session throughout his time on the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup circuit – winning the 2018 Junior World Championships aboard one before making his step up to the elite class.
Trek has continued with the high pivot design introduced in 2021
© Bartek Wolinski
For the 2022 season, he’s aboard the high pivot Trek Session, which the American brand revealed to the world last year. The updated chassis design was claimed to provide more traction and speed, as well as improved stability and control – something Edwards showed off with his third-place ride at Red Bull Hardline 2021.
The Session is the bike with the most World Cup wins in downhill history
© Bartek Wolinski
The biggest change from last year’s race rig is the switch to a mullet set-up, with Edwards joining Loïc Bruni and Laurie Greenland in running a 29" wheel at the front and 27.5" at the rear.
The shift doesn't seem to have affected his development in the rounds of the 2022 season so far, as Edwards secured 13th in Lourdes and 17th in Leogang.
Check out more bikes from the UCI Downhill MTB World Cup
Kade Edwards’ Trek Session in detail
- Frame: Trek Session, aluminium
- Fork: Rockshox Boxxer Blackbox
- Damper: Rockshox Airshock Blackbox
- Bottom bracket: SRAM DUB, 83mm, GXP, threaded
- Chain: SRAM XX1
- Crank: SRAM X01 DH, DUB, 34T alloy ring, 165mm length
- Cassette: SRAM Minibloc, 7-speed, 10-24t
- Rear derailleur: SRAM X01, 7-speed shortcage
- Gear shift: SRAM X01, 7-speed
- Wheels: Bontrager Line DH 30 Aluminium
- Tyres: Bontrager G5 Team, 29-inch
- Brakes: SRAM Code, with a 220mm rotor
- Handlebar: Title AH1 35, 25mm rise
- Saddle: Title JSI
- Grips: Odi Longneck (flangeless)
- Pedals: Crankbrothers Mallet DH (not pictured)
- Chain guard: MRP G4 Mini
The bike up close
He runs push-on grips – a throwback to his days riding BMX
© Bartek Wolinski
The rear shock's flip chip is set to 25 percent
© Bartek Wolinski
Cushcore inserts help to minimise the risk of flats and tyre burps
© Bartek Wolinski
The high pivot is here to stay at Trek
© Bartek Wolinski
Brett Rheeder's Title takes care of saddle, post and clamp
© Bartek Wolinski
His stem was raised at Fort William for a higher ride height
© Bartek Wolinski
The eye-catching paint job was done in-house at Trek
© Bartek Wolinski
Just look at how trippy the detailing is
© Bartek Wolinski
Suspension was made stiffer front and rear for Fort William
© Bartek Wolinski
Crankbrothers Mallet DH are easily the most popular pedals in the pits
© Bartek Wolinski
Part of this story
