Forum menu
2017 feul ex or later.
have you?
what from?
like it?
notice the drop in travel?
downsides?
no
n/a
n/a (couldn't even get a test ride organised when I was interested)
n/a
how close did you ever feel you were to breaking/overpowering the older bigger bike ?
miles off, i'm small and light and not a radge.
but it's gets me through some pretty chunky stuff pretty nicely. i guees i'd trade a bit of that tho for better climbing, lighter weight, lower standover (my current is a 26er fram running 27.5+ wheels, and with 150mm rear travel. the cross bar is more road bike height...)
I did a full day demo on one a couple of years ago. Lovely bikes. I had a Giant Reign at the time and, yes, the drop in travel was noticeable. Ultimately, I went for the Slash instead.
For 70% of the riding I do the Fuel EX would be the "better" bike. It's light, climbs very well and feels really agile. Still very capable on steep, techy trails. For me, as a heavy rider who loves steep/rough/fast, the Slash was the way to go but I'd love to have a Fuel EX as well.
Downsides - The seat angle is way too slack, particularly for a tall guy like me (the Slash is the same). The Knock-block system is a bit rubbish (mine broke within a few months). The RE:activ shocks have reputation for terrible reliability - I was lucky and got a bike with a standard shock.
Can't assist in the drop of travel question but...
2018 Fuel EX8 29er
Size 18.5
Previous Bike
2016 Fuel EX9 27.5
Size 19.5
Love it!
Very capable, good up and good down. It's taken some abuse and a bit of lack of TLC and its not let me down. I have upgraded the stem/bars/pedals/brakes and thats about it. My RE:activ shock has been spot on and the Fox Rhythm 34 Float is pretty decent.
Downsides:
Suspension mounts started creaking like a bitch, but this has now been sorted.
Questionable Dropper post and was only 125mm due to the bend in the seat tube. However, the oneup 150mm fitted like a charm.
2017 feul ex or later.
have you?
what from?
like it?
notice the drop in travel?
downsides?
Yes. '17 & '19 9.9 EX frame, built in various guises, mostly with a 150mm fork, have run a coil shock, and generally a standard (no spacered) 55mm stroke shock so making it ~137mm travel.
From a '17 Reign Team Advanced.
Liked for the most part, yes. The Slash was a no go as the sizing is weird. Tried one extensively, but really struggled to get on with it. Found the Fuel was probably as fast in 95% of situations in reality. Other thing to considered the Fuel is considerably slacker and lower than the actual numbers.
Did notice the drop in travel, but coming from a 650b bike it carried speed very well, so maybe masked it to an extent. I tended to shy away from bigger stuff, just because it was a 'really' light frame and I didn't want to nail myself doing something stupid. I did still hit the Chatel river gap on it though (lovely big smooth landing to be fair).
Downsides: I cracked my '17 frame but Trek were great in getting a replacement '19 frame out super fast. My main gripe with the bike is the effective STA angle on paper is reasonable, but the actual STA is pretty slack, which is amplified as i'm reasonably tall. The shock even on the 9.9 is rubbish.
I still have it, but not being ridden really now, i'm on a long term loan of an SB130 which although heavier, is a much better bike for me. The new 2020 Fuel is due to drop imminently, and given the evolution of the Top Fuel, i'm expecting it to get a bit bigger, longer & have a more sensible STA. I expect the Slash will become a bigger bike now too.
I also have a bigger, long travel 29er which has become my race bike for the most part so anything shorter travel will have an easier life now 🙂
Have you considered a Remedy? I have the 650b Remedy 8 and it does pretty much everything I chuck it through from XC grinds and Boltby Bashes to BPW and Revo. Love it!
thanks folks. sounds all good. tho i may not 'smash' (as if i samsh down anything!) down some bits as quick/comfortably, it'll be optimum for 80% of my local trails, and be perfectly alright for the rest.
i'd be looking at frame only probably, as i'm a serial tinkerer/skinflint bike updater.
ready, i have thought about the 2016 remedy 29, as they are apparently pretty similar, with 140 instead of 130mm travel. but seems too similar to my YTwicked - would be just a teeny bit more bike than i need. and i want to go as light/pedalable as possible without sacraficing too much capability. fuel ex seems optimum. plenty of other newer things such as SB130s, but out of my price range.
ok, now i just need to sell a fat bike to fund the new frame! anyone want a calibre dune with a bluto? : )
shame yours is a 19" hob nob or i could offer to take it off you!
Had an older one and it handled 2 weeks in Whistler no problem, including 3 days in the bike park.
fair play. not sure i could handle that!
always good to be just a little out-biked : )
Have a 2017 9.7 EX which is 130mm front and back excellent bike which is my third one and as said above the new ones are about to appear and they will have more travel I think they are going to be 140mm and Remedy 160mm all 29ers.
i'll not be wanting a new one then. it's 130mm travel i want at the back.
why do they often sneak up the travel? not all brands do it but bigger ones seem to often.
i guess its like car models getting bigger and new ones sneaking in the bottom
I know everyone loves their own bike, but my 2017 Fuel EX is absolutely awesome.
I've never noticed a lack of travel despite it being only short travel, been fine on red uplift days at BPW, ragging around the local woods, all day rides @ Cannock etc, It really is a great all rounder. Moved down from a 29er to 27.5 as I wanted something more playful. I genuinely cant see me selling it until it breaks.
Yes, i recently sold my Spesh Enduro 29 to fund purchase of carbon EX frame. Built up using a mix of new and used parts and guess the spec is around that of an EX9.8 - main difference is that it has the fancy ‘thru shaft’ shock, and I’ve put a 140mm Pike on it, as that’s what 3 separate Trek bike shops recommended (& my fork was already at 140!).
FWIW, I also have a first generation Cotic RocketMAX that I’ve got set up with a ‘big’ fork and shock, for rocky rough steep stuff. I was after a bike with similar fit and confidence inspiring geometry as the Cotic, but in a much lighter, perky, shorter travel package - and preferably one where the rear suspension has the same sort of descending grip as Specialized FSR. The EX is the closest match I found.
I’ve just come back from a couple of weeks road trip to Lakes, Kirroughtree and SW Scotland and North York Moors. Very pleased with the bike - I’ve got reasonably heavy trail tyres on it, so wouldn’t say it’s XC fast uphill, and found I used the shocks trail setting more than on my other bikes (....apart from my weighty Cotic!). Having said that, the ReActiv shock is very good, and in trail centres, you can get away with just leaving it in that setting, as it seamlessly opens up on rough ground, and the extra support helps the bike pop off things. I find the geometry is very confidence inspiring downhill, especially on very steep technical stuff (much more so than the Enduro 29!) - and on more open flowy descents, the bike can really pick up some serious speed. The only time I’ve noticed some harshness is carrying speed from fast smooth trails into rougher rocky ground - but it’s no worse than other shorter travel 29ers I’ve owned or tried. Just a matter of remembering to look for the smoothest lines.
I’ve also heard the rumours of the 2020 model going to 140mm rear, so you might be as well looking for a discounted 2019 model. The Trek dealer in Pickering (North Yorkshire) offered me a very good deal on a 9.8 (if you’re after a full build).
HTH
Had a smuggler, replaced with a Scout 290 hardtail, bought a fuel ex and didn't really get on with it, back on a smuggler!
For me the fuel was ok but struggled with the sizing and getting the rear shock to be supple off the top, yet supportive.
First point on the sizing (i'm 6ft with long arms and legs), the slack seat angle pushed me too far over the back wheel well peddaling, even with the saddle slammed forward as far as it would go. Secondly the reach is on the short side for a 19.5 (20mm bar, 20mm spacers). Jumped on a 21.5 and had the same issue with the seat angle, reach was better when standing, but bars felt too far away sat down pedalling...
Never got the rear suspension to where I wanted it with the reactiv shock, if I wanted it supple off the top it wallowed mid stroke. If I wanted more support, it felt harsh. Borrowed a DB IL Coil, and it improved things, although was between spring weights. An air IL would of been good to try.
Hopefully for 2020 they sort the seat tube angle out.
Smuggler has less travel on paper, don't notice it at all on the trail. Lyrik up front, DB IL out back, so have plenty of scope for setting the bike up properly. Sizing is much better with the steep seat tube angle.