[Closed] Trek Fuel EX 29er - any reason why not?

I know three people with EX 29ers two carbon ones and an alloy one. All of them really rate the bike and whilst one has had to replace the frame under warranty ( carbon one, bearing seats in swingarm) it was dealt with very quickly under the circumstances

They're bloody expensive, is my only reason (then again, isn't everything?)

<[i]wanders off, mumbling about fields, leaving your doors unlocked and half the globe being a lovely brexit-pink[/i]>

I've been on one for about a year now. It's my everything other than HT bike. I trail ride on mine, race a bit of DH on it, race Enduro etc. I've gone out and done EWS's on it - it's a great bike.

In the low setting with a 140mm fork it's a bit out on the official geometry. It's significantly lower than advertised & also slacker (which suits me down to the ground).

Mine is a team bike so didn't really get any choice on spec but it's basically a carbon 9.9 EX, with a 140 fork & some tougher wheels.

It's great though - I was struggling to pick between this and the Slash, but I'm glad I went with the Fuel. It's a really bloody good bike. Can't believe I'm saying that about a Trek!

We've got a demo one with GX eagle on it, absolutely flies, even makes my riding look good. Surprisingly light too. 30mm rims make the 2.4 tyres huge & the grip is phenomenal

HobNob - would 150mm up front work?

Wife's got one, was a custom-build job from the shop at Kirroughtree and she absolutely loves it.

140mm Rev's up front, SLX groupset and a KS Lev dropper post - all in stealthy black.

It's a proper nice bike, it really is.

Yeah I've seen a couple with a 150 fork on at races - I've got a 150 air shaft for mine to put in it when I get the chance.

Think I’ll grt a demo ride lined up. Have read a few places that they’re not a great climber. Neither am I to be fair but I thought it would be good on the up as well as the down?

any reason why not?

Because a G13 is better 😉 😀

Re Climbing - Slack ish seat angle isn't it? I don't understand why, for these bikes aimed predominantly at going down, a steep seatpost angle isn't the norm as per the Nicolai/Mojo stuff. It makes a noticeable difference when climbing and I can't see any downside bar finding a balance as to how long you want the front centre to be.

I took one out for a full day demo, the 9.8 I think. I agree with everything above, they're great bikes. Very stiff frame (the carbon one) which handles beautifully. Efficient pedaller too. It's just a quick bike everywhere. I went with the Slash in the end because I'm heavy, a tad clumsy and like mowing through stuff faster than my skills warrant. If I had unlimited funds and space then I'd have one of each. Only downside is, as mentioned, silly slack seat tube angle. Baffling decision that one.

Effective SA is 74.7 so not particularly silly.

Gotama +1

Effective STA is about the normal as mentioned. I would suggest it climbs noticably better than the Slash by comparison & better than all the 160mm bikes i've had before (which is to be expected, it is a 26-28lb 130mm trail bike after all.

I'd probably have a good look at the new Smuggler as well - I considered one before this. G13 I tried & didn't like, plus I couldn't run a bottle & it has the looks only a mother could love.

There is a decent amount of choice out there for aggy short travel trail bikes now 🙂

Hob Nob - what was it about the G13 you didn’t like that you did about the Trek? Both on my shortlist so be good to get feedback from someone who’s ridden both.

I've ridden a few of the different Geometron (and other super long) bikes & never really got on with them to be fair - so it's personal thing.

I don't like short bikes, I just don't also like mega long & slack stuff. They force you to ride in a way that in order to make the bike work properly you have to be super aggressive over the front of the bike, otherwise they just feel weird & it introduces some odd handling traits. It also felt like a big lump compared to the Fuel (which is a light build to be fair).

The Fuel, is I guess at the bigger end of whats normal these days, reasonably slack and very low. I live in the South of England so found more, just a handful on the type of trails I ride 95% of the time. It's probably about perfect for my needs - going further just seemed to be harder work (I appreciate the G13 is a step or two more!).

As I mentioned before, I still race a bit of DH and Enduro on it, it spent a week in Finale earlier this month. These are the areas I felt it would be more of a compromise, but in reality I don't seem to go any slower than my old 160mm bike. Now, it just doesn't feel as lifeless to ride everywhere else.

There are rumours of a new Stumpy and Camber arriving early next year.

why not the remedy over the fuel?

29

My 2016 one is great - initially I wasn't that impressed but changing the 120mm floats for a 130mm Pike transformed the bike

I love mine, it's the carbon 9.8 (2017)
I was fully into the "no need for big wheels" camp for years.
My last new mountain bike was a 2005 Stumpy FSR.

The Fuel EX is a great all rounder, I've done trails, Enduro etc on it and it just works.
Not done all day rides on it yet but it would be perfectly capable.

I tried EX in 650b version last year and also the 29'r I preferred the 650b of that vintage but the '17 version of the 29'r is fantastic.

Get one on demo if you can, the '18 models must be out by now

Thanks all - definitely need a demo then I think.....

Just bought an EX 8 Plus, apparently it will run 29ers as well so may be worth a look if you already have wheels spare. Only got it at weekend but had a quick blast yesterday and it was bloody brilliant. Lots of grip going up and fun coming down. Need to play with my tyre pressures etc still but well worth a look

I went with the Plus version... then stuck some 29er wheels in. It is fantastic - soooo fast down, and only slow up because of me 😉

I couldn't justify the cost difference between the EX8 and EX9.8 in the end, so stuck with the alloy version.

What difference did you notice with the 29er wheels then Capt.? Having a lot of fun on the plus tyres but got a flat on 1st ride with a failing valve stem ( hadn't been organised enough to buy any spare tubes yet). May consider some 29ers at some stage.

It was more for tyre choice in the clag that I put the 29ers in... and I have barely ridden it with the plus wheels since. I have been waiting to get some better plus tyres to give a better comparison 😉

I also didn't ride over summer.

What size 29er tyres have you been able to fit in? Happy to play around with mine for now but would like the versatility of having both!

Got a Hans Dampf rear and Magic Mary front at the moment, with plenty of room still evident.

The stock plus tyres just didn't fill me with much confidence!

I've got Nobby Nic's on mine. Seemed ok around the wee bit of hardback and large areas of mud until the back slowly deflated itself. Will play around with pressures. Started at 16 and seemed grand.

bruk - Member

Just bought an EX 8 Plus, apparently it will run 29ers as well

Aye, it's literally the same frame. Clever stuff, it means people can get Plus tyres for the novelty then swap to 29er when they realise they don't really work.

WINKY FACE but not really.

I think if my Remedy 29 was to break or go missing I'd order an Ex tomorrow. I'd want a Slash but they're both really my Remedy's offspring and I reckon the Ex is just the more sensible bike, they are awesome wee things. And actually I probably would buy the Plus version, and build myself some nicer 29er wheels and keep the Plus ones as spares for the variety/novelty.

I really don’t see myself using the plus tyre option so the 29er would be the one for me as it’s ready to go out of the box so to speak.

Alloy or carbon is the other decision I suppose!

Whats the sizing like on these, I'm 178cm so bang on the money for the 18.5 and 19.5? there are a couple of good deals on the 2017 models in 18.5

Also 178cm and ride a size 19.5 (virtual) , had it for about 9 months.

Have a 31/32" inseam and can run a 150cm dropper with about 15mm of seat post showing ... wish it was a tiny bit longer so I could run a shorter stem but it's not a short bike .

Great all rounder for 60+ mile XC rides or thrashing at the bike park ... still haven't tried the plus wheels what came with it as put 29er wheel set straight on.

You get 140mm travel forks on the plus version which slackens it out a bit more if run with 29er wheels. BB is pretty low but not experienced too many problems with peddle strikes that I read about on another forum .

I have a 2017 EX 9.7 great bike think it works much better all round than the old EX 26"ers I have had you can push it hard over the jumps and D/H runs in the Forest Of Dean or have a more of a pootle over ground like the Purbecks or Ridgeway excellent bike think the Fox set up works much better than my rockshoxs on the Remedy Hay Ho.

I have a 2017 Ex 9.8. Its bloody great. I run it in both 650b+ and 29er, depeniding on what i fancy that particular day. I use it for everything...enduro, XC, trail centres, all that jazz, and it never lets me down.

9.8 too (29er). Love it. After I vowed to never buy a trek again but caved in. Most capable bike I’ve owned in over 25 years of MTBIng

The Fuel EX 8 29er is on my list to demo too, the trek has a great frame with loads of little touches as well as the reactive shock, but part of me wants a Vitus Escarpe 29er VRX, the 2018 spec looks bloody impressive, the only thing that lets it down is a not quite so quality frame, there's nothing else I'd change.

I'm getting back into MTB after a 15 year hiatus and I think FS will be the way I'll go as I'm mid 30's, not 19 anymore and it could be the lack of saddle time but hardtails become painful and tiring after a couple of hours, when you're trying to pedal along a rooty, bumpy section and have to sit down because your legs are done in, but when you do the bumps are digging the saddle into your arse over every root... 🙁

Need to get some demos done, but I think I need the added comfort of a full suss 🙄

this is the one we've been playing on
[img] [/img]

I hired a Fuel Ex 8 (27.5 plus) exactly a week ago just to try something different for a change. I've now gone and bought one within a week ... (waiting for it to arrive now)

It felt really confidence inspiring during the hire, is totally solid and seems fairly priced for the gear you get on it. It was the most fun I've had out on the bike for ages. I managed to pick up last years model for £2k (which is the same bike that I tried).

Trek used to make XC-jeycore-tastic bikes, now they seem to be at the other end of the spectrum ...

I also managed to get a demo the other day. The bike wasn't quite set up as I would choose - front end was much lower than I'd normally run (combination of shorter fork and low rise bar) and the groupset/tyres/fork were all different to my current bike and the model of EX I am more interested in so was a bit of a flawed demo TBH. However seemed a good bike, wasn't bad at climbing as some have suggested and I think with some of my own preferred kit choices it would be a really good all rounder.

I've a 2017 9.7. Swapped to a 140mm Pike. And upgraded wheels and a few other bits.

Great all round bike. Raced in and around Scotland, ridden in Finale and handles everything with ease.
It's fast up down and everywhere in between.

Moved it to the steep/high setting and swapped to a 120mm fork and light tyres and took it to a week long stage race without any issues.

With a bigger fork it's definitely low though!

Friend runs his with a 150mm lyrik.

simply_oli-y would you say that with the 140 or 150mm forks it is actually quite a bit slacker than 'advertised' as per comments made elsewhere?

I am thinking 150mm would be what I would put on there.

I was pretty much set on one, but decided against after a demo.
[url= http://unduro.co.uk/mtb/wheelbase-big-demo-day-trek-fuel-ex-mondraker-dune-nukeproof-mega-290-and-trek-slash-29/ ]Write-up here[/url]

I preferred the Slash actually - but bought a used Enduro 29 instead and modified that to a similar geometry.

As you know I also built up a bargain Mega 290 later - which is a bit longer in the front and way longer at the back. Love them both but if I was just having one bike I'd possibly want something with chainstays around the 440mm mark as a compromise.

HTH

Yeah chakaping we seem to be going through similar bikes at different rates!

Edit - had a wee read of the write up and I think, a bit like I was the demo bike wasn't quite right for you which is always a shame but often the case.

Are you still on the 290 now?

Yes only just getting the 290 dialled in. It's very much an enduro bike, wouldn't want one as my only FS but the E29 complements it very well as that's really a long-legged trail bike and much more playful.

FWIW I think the Fuel EX might have been just the ticket if I still lived down south and mainly rode woodsy singletrack.

Bit of a tangent but did you consider the Cotic RocketMAX? That's probably the "one bike" I'd have, if my legs weren't so stumpy.

I notice the change of 10mm from 130 - 140 forks (went from fox to Pike)

Probably now sits around 66.5 or slightly less. with 150mm it will be sub 66.

You have to also remember 66 on a 29er feels different than 66 on a 650b/26 bike.

Not sure on size you need, but if your near the tweed valley and an XL is right then your welcome to a shot on it.

I do want XL and I occasionally am in the Tweed Valley so I might take you up on that. What height are you if you don't mind me asking?

I've been solely on 29ers for a few years now so theres no adjustment needed from 26/27.5 wheels but I'd like the HA to be around 66*.

I'm 6'1 with a gorrila like ape index.

Same as me then just about!

Anyone had any issues with the knock block when running non bontrager stems?

I'll more than likely be pestering you for setup advice Oli - I got the 27.5 wheels + alloy frame though

Oli - did you try both the 19.5 and the 21.5 (XL)? I was set on the 19.5 (after a short not particularly useful ride on roads), but am similar proportions to you: just under 6'1, but with long legs (35" IS)/arms (+6cm Ape Index) and a short torso. You have me thinking that I might be better off on an 21.5 frame.

Grateful for any thoughts.

No didn’t try a 19.5.

My ape index is approx plus 15cm. So a somewhat comical length

And I like a long tt/bike anyway.

What is it like for XC riding? Could you use the Fuel EX as an all rounder XC trail bike and do the odd XC race on it? Cheers

I'm sure you probably could if you wanted to.

It's probably a bit of a tank in those terms however.

I still see it as an aggy, short travel trail bike, much like the Smuggler - it's a bit of a weird bike in that sense for Trek.

RevMatt it’s pretty good. I dropped my forks to 120mm, moved the switch link to the high setting and put some light tyres on, then used it in a 6 day xc stage race.

That changed it to around 68.5ha which is similar to the new spark.
Was fine. It’s never going to contend a proper lightweight xc bike (if your racing at the sharp end) but for one bike, if you had a good spec and a set of light wheels and tyres and a light fork to fit, you could get it down to fairly competitive.
Though the frame is 0.5kg heavier than the top fuel.

I’m getting rid of my ff29 hardtail and keeping this as 1bike with alternate tyres and a short fork (currently just change air shaft on the pike)