I'd like to say HI

[bikechiq]

I'm in colorado, thinking of buynig my first mountain bike, and i want to go electric.

I dont know anything about mountain bikes or electric bikes but I've been looking at a Trek 9.7. What do you guys think?

 

[Philly G]

Hi, welcome to the forum! I've been riding my Trek Rail 7 for 4 months and I absolutely love it. Sizing and geometry feels right for me and it's fun to ride. Bang for buck it's hard to beat, at least here in New Zealand, where Trek and Giant seem to be the best value bikes, just aggressive marketing I suppose. Not wanting to scare you off, but no bike is perfect, and the Trek Rail does have a known issue with the battery falling out on some bikes. For me, the ease of removing the battery is a huge plus, makes it easier to transport the bike, wrestle it in the work stand, (the battery weighs 4kg) and charge the battery off the bike. The battery issue is easily remedied by following this procedure:

Trek RIB Battery Alignment Procedure

Trek RIB Battery Alignment Procedure

www.emtbforums.com

I highly recommend checking this, or getting your bike shop to do it, before your first ride.
Otherwise I think it's an awesome bike, but to be fair, they're all pretty good. Personally, I think the Bosch motor (which Trek uses) is the best available at the moment, but really you're going to have fun and enjoy your riding experience no matter what bike/motor you get.
Note that all manufacturers offer bikes at similar price points, and all that differs the more your spend is higher spec components and carbon frame instead of alloy. Hope this helps.

 

[bikechiq]

Does the Rail 7 have better components than the 9.7? I'm looking at the differences between these two

 

[Philly G]

Does the Rail 7 have better components than the 9.7? I'm looking at the differences between these two

The main (only?) difference is that the 9.7 has a carbon frame (a bit lighter). The brakes, suspension fork and shock are identical.
I actually think the 7 has a better drivetrain (derailleur and cassette). The 7 has Shimano 12 speed which is really nice, the 9.7 has Sram's cheapest (and heaviest) NX drivetrain.
Also, the Sram NX cassette runs on the old Shimano HG freehub body, (the drum that carries the cassette) which means you need to swap this out in order to upgrade to either one of Sram's more premium drivetrains, which use XD freehub body; or Shimano 12 speed, which uses Microspline. The Microspline is a big improvement over the old HG, because the splines that carry the cassette are much closer together, which means it's stronger. Better for E-MTB , with all the extra torque from the motor going through the system.
Trek have made a saving by using Sram NX so they can offer the carbon frame of the 9.7 at a value price point; that bike is not a huge amount much more than the alloy 7. Unless I really wanted the lighter weight of the carbon frame, I would get the 7, and if I did get the 9.7, I would probably wait till the Sram NX drivetrain wore out, then swap to Shimano 12 speed.

 

[bikechiq]

The main (only?) difference is that the 9.7 has a carbon frame (a bit lighter). The brakes, suspension fork and shock are identical.
I actually think the 7 has a better drivetrain (derailleur and cassette). The 7 has Shimano 12 speed which is really nice, the 9.7 has Sram's cheapest (and heaviest) NX drivetrain.
Also, the Sram NX cassette runs on the old Shimano HG freehub body, (the drum that carries the cassette) which means you need to swap this out in order to upgrade to either one of Sram's more premium drivetrains, which use XD freehub body; or Shimano 12 speed, which uses Microspline. The Microspline is a big improvement over the old HG, because the splines that carry the cassette are much closer together, which means it's stronger. Better for E-MTB , with all the extra torque from the motor going through the system.
Trek have made a saving by using Sram NX so they can offer the carbon frame of the 9.7 at a value price point; that bike is not a huge amount much more than the alloy 7. Unless I really wanted the lighter weight of the carbon frame, I would get the 7, and if I did get the 9.7, I would probably wait till the Sram NX drivetrain wore out, then swap to Shimano 12 speed.

How long does an aluminum frame last?

Are the wheels on the Rail 7 a quick release?

 

[CodyDog]

Welcome to the forums. I spend about 5 months out of the year riding in Colorado (Salida). I'm not that familiar with the Trek 9.7,looks like nice bike. I ride a 2021 Turbo Levo Comp and very happy with it.

 

[bikechiq]

Welcome to the forums. I spend about 5 months out of the year riding in Colorado (Salida). I'm not that familiar with the Trek 9.7,looks like nice bike. I ride a 2021 Turbo Levo Comp and very happy with it.

THow long does the mountain biking season last for in Denver? do people ride all winter long ?

 

[CodyDog]

THow long does the mountain biking season last for in Denver? do people ride all winter long ?

Actually Salida is located about 140 miles southwest of Denver, located on the Arkansas River, in the mddle of the state which we are referred to as the "Heart of the Rockies". We are situated in a "Banana Belt" meaning we are in the valley (altitude 7,200 feet) surround by 14,000 peak mountains. This equates to a much milder climate than the nearby surrounding area year round. 15 minutes up the road can get over 450 inches of snow a year, we average 39 inches of snow a year with an average of 262 sunny days. With that being said, we get a great deal of people from Denver visiting our area to ride Mountain Bikes.

On a good year, we can basically ride year round, we have tons of local trails.

 

[Forever Wild]

The main (only?) difference is that the 9.7 has a carbon frame (a bit lighter). The brakes, suspension fork and shock are identical.
I actually think the 7 has a better drivetrain (derailleur and cassette). The 7 has Shimano 12 speed which is really nice, the 9.7 has Sram's cheapest (and heaviest) NX drivetrain.
Also, the Sram NX cassette runs on the old Shimano HG freehub body, (the drum that carries the cassette) which means you need to swap this out in order to upgrade to either one of Sram's more premium drivetrains, which use XD freehub body; or Shimano 12 speed, which uses Microspline. The Microspline is a big improvement over the old HG, because the splines that carry the cassette are much closer together, which means it's stronger. Better for E-MTB , with all the extra torque from the motor going through the system.
Trek have made a saving by using Sram NX so they can offer the carbon frame of the 9.7 at a value price point; that bike is not a huge amount much more than the alloy 7. Unless I really wanted the lighter weight of the carbon frame, I would get the 7, and if I did get the 9.7, I would probably wait till the Sram NX drivetrain wore out, then swap to Shimano 12 speed.

I have a trek 9.7 with a carbon frame and a specialized with an aluminum frame. The motor makes the small weight difference negligible. Don’t let the carbon frame away your decision.

 

[Philly G]

How long does an aluminum frame last?

Are the wheels on the Rail 7 a quick release?

Aluminum doesn't rust, but will eventually fatigue over a number of years. Perhaps 7-10, depending on how it's ridden, and who you ask. I'm probably opening a can of worms here. The advantage of carbon is that the frame can be made just as strong, but be lighter than, an aluminum frame. So the carbon Rail is around 1kg lighter than the alloy version. But as @Forever Wild says, you've got 4kg of battery and nearly 3kg of motor, so you might not notice the weight difference that much. A carbon frame will potentially outlast an alloy one. Because of it's ability to flex, it is more able to absorb forces that, overtime, might cause tiny stress fractures in alloy, due to it being a stiffer material. Because of this, carbon frames can also provide a more forgiving ride, by dampening trail chatter. There are pros and cons of each, a certain impact might break a carbon frame, but not an alloy, and vice versa. You might find this article of interest:

Carbon Vs. Aluminum Mountain Bike Frames: The Showdown

Is Carbon Worth the Upgrade? There are many options for upgrades, from less costly upgrades like a new handlebar or seat to more expensive upgrades such as...

www.outdoorgearlab.com

The wheels on all the Rails have bolt-through axles. The rear axle houses a magnetised allen wrench lever, which is used to undo the wheels.

 

[bikechiq]

Aluminum doesn't rust, but will eventually fatigue over a number of years. Perhaps 7-10, depending on how it's ridden, and who you ask.

Carbon Vs. Aluminum Mountain Bike Frames: The Showdown

Is Carbon Worth the Upgrade? There are many options for upgrades, from less costly upgrades like a new handlebar or seat to more expensive upgrades such as...

www.outdoorgearlab.com

The wheels on all the Rails have bolt-through axles. The rear axle houses a magnetised allen wrench lever, which is used to undo the wheels.

7-10 years on an aluminum frame does not sound like a great deal for a $6,000 bike. That article suggests that carbon doesnt fatigue... why dont people just get carbon if aluminum will only last 7-10 years if theyre spending so much on a bike?

 

[Philly G]

7-10 years on an aluminum frame does not sound like a great deal for a $6,000 bike. That article suggests that carbon doesnt fatigue... why dont people just get carbon if aluminum will only last 7-10 years if theyre spending so much on a bike?

I think it really depends how you ride it. For those that are always sending big jumps and drops, then that's a lot of repeated stress on the frame. But for riders that don't ride that hard, the frame will last many years longer. Given the right sort of impact, carbon will break, it's not invincible. Aluminium bikes are always cheaper, which makes them more attractive. Alloy can also be recycled, whereas carbon ends up in landfill. Perhaps there is a general perception that alloy is more durable and easier to care for than carbon. Carbon doesn't hold up well to crushing forces, for example, so you have to be very careful tightening things like seat clamps on carbon frames, and stem bolts on carbon handlebars; over tightening the bolts can damage the carbon.

 

[NotAveJoe]

It really does depend on use. I've been riding a Voodoo Erzulie hardtail MTB with an Al frame since 1993 and while I've replaced almost every part on it, the frame remains solid. I ride a lot of single track trails, don't do much jumping.