Fuel EXe so who's ordered the Trek Fuel EXe?

[Smeer]

I rode the Rise for 1 year and never used trail. I’ve been on the EXe for about 3 months. I have tried different settings on the EXe. Using a combination of eco quite a bit, I only do about 20 miles on the EXe with 15% or so battery left. With the Rise I did 28 miles ever using trail. This is real world testing. Rob had a similar experience between the Shuttle SL and the EXe. The Shuttle had significantly more range.
of that, my battery is down

With that in mind - would you still recommend the EXe? How do you like it compared to the Rise?

 

[Smeer]

Hi - I have just ordered a 9.7 in Galactic Grey to Black Fade - am going to cover with ride wrap. Looking for recommendations for gloss or matte wrap? The pictures of the 9.7 colour on the Trek Website look matte - can anyone with a 9.7 in that colour confirm?

Its glossy! Saw it in person today.

 

[Cell4soul]

With that in mind - would you still recommend the EXe? How do you like it compared to the Rise?

Yes, I would recommend the EXe. For 95% of my rides, 20 miles and 2,500’ elevation is enough. That is about 2 hours moving time and I only stop to gather myself for a descent or to take in the scenery.

If I wanted to go for a big day, the 540 wh Rise battery would be perfect. My guess is it would do 4,500‘ and 35 miles.

 

[JeffEEEB]

I was down in Florida and a Trek dealer has a few EXE's in stock so I was able to get out and ride one. For reference I have a 2021 Trek Rail. My first impression is that it felt like a "tease" of an ebike. (I turned up all the settings in the app to full power). Especially when you compare it to the power of the Bosch motor it was an immediate "no thanks I'll pass" from me. The weight difference means nothing if the motor isn't powerful enough to do what I'm used to on an ebike. It gives you "a little extra help". Of course this is my opinion and for someone who really haters a 53 pound ebike I could see them getting this but you will get dropped in a heart beat if you're riding with full ebikers on any long climb.

 

[Swingset]

All the traits I love about my EXe.

 

[CJaMTB]

I was down in Florida and a Trek dealer has a few EXE's in stock so I was able to get out and ride one. For reference I have a 2021 Trek Rail. My first impression is that it felt like a "tease" of an ebike. (I turned up all the settings in the app to full power). Especially when you compare it to the power of the Bosch motor it was an immediate "no thanks I'll pass" from me. The weight difference means nothing if the motor isn't powerful enough to do what I'm used to on an ebike. It gives you "a little extra help". Of course this is my opinion and for someone who really haters a 53 pound ebike I could see them getting this but you will get dropped in a heart beat if you're riding with full ebikers on any long climb.

I'd rather have a bike that flies everywhere else, than one that flies uphill.

 

[Smeer]

Yes, I would recommend the EXe. For 95% of my rides, 20 miles and 2,500’ elevation is enough. That is about 2 hours moving time and I only stop to gather myself for a descent or to take in the scenery.

If I wanted to go for a big day, the 540 wh Rise battery would be perfect. My guess is it would do 4,500‘ and 35 miles.

Do you notice a big difference in range eith the Rise you had? I am slightly nervious about the reange for the EXe, but I get to test one this weekend on my usual trail loop, so I can hopefully get a better feel for it!

 

[Mteam]

Do you notice a big difference in range eith the Rise you had? I am slightly nervious about the reange for the EXe, but I get to test one this weekend on my usual trail loop, so I can hopefully get a better feel for it!

Turn down eco mode, by default it's set higher than the same mode on the rise

 

[JeffEEEB]

I'd rather have a bike that flies everywhere else, than one that flies uphill.

Ya this is really a personal choice and I don't want to put anyone down for getting this bike, I just want to give my two cents and if someone can't test ride one give them a viewpoint that may fit mine. If I had never ridden an ebike I would probably still be wowed by the EXE. I fly just fine on my non emtb, get a great workout etc etc. But If I want to 'ebike', I want to 'ebike!'. I full power ebike is a LOT more than just flying back up to the top.... having the juice to hit jumps that are poorly made for speed, having the ability to push through grassy areas and hit jumps in urban areas, having the juice... I guess you get my point. By the way, my Trek Rail cleared everything on Cease and Desist in Bentonville just fine. Jumping is about the rider not the bike as Sam Pilgrim shows.

 

[JeffEEEB]

Ya this is really a personal choice and I don't want to put anyone down for getting this bike, I just want to give my two cents and if someone can't test ride one give them a viewpoint that may fit mine. If I had never ridden an ebike I would probably still be wowed by the EXE. I fly just fine on my non emtb, get a great workout etc etc. But If I want to 'ebike', I want to 'ebike!'. I full power ebike is a LOT more than just flying back up to the top.... having the juice to hit jumps that are poorly made for speed, having the ability to push through grassy areas and hit jumps in urban areas, having the juice... I guess you get my point. By the way, my Trek Rail cleared everything on Cease and Desist in Bentonville just fine. Jumping is about the rider not the bike as Sam Pilgrim shows.

This video and the comments section gives some great feedback for the pros and cons.

 

[Piccirilli]

I posted on the mega thread but posting here in case someone can answer....
I am getting ready to purchase a Fuel EXe and need some help here regarding the 9.8 version. Does the rear Rockshox Super Delux Select have similar internal spacers that can be removed like on the Fox Performance Float X, to extend the travel to 62.5mm? And can the Rockshox Lyric Select + Fork be upgraded to 160mm Travel like on the Fox Rythm 36? This is a definite deal breaker for me.
Also, I'm wondering if the Rockshox suspension on the 9.8 is any real improvement over the Fox spec'd suspension on the 9.7. Can anyone comment on this?

 

[Swingset]

There may be a reason why the RS stuff is not as adjustable as the Fox in terms of travel. It may be to do with a hydraulic stop on the rear. I have stroked my 9.7 Fox stuff to 65mm (152mm) in the rear and 160mm in front. Both with good results. I started a suspension only thread so it may be good to park your results there.

 

[The Reverend]

The 9.8 Lyrik Select Plus fork can be extended to 160mm but you'll need the airshaft for this. They were limited in availability for a while after sale but should be accessible now.

With the RS Super Deluxe Select shock I couldn't tell you if there are removable spacers to extend travel. I will say that its performance is beyond its pay grade. I find it to be a very smooth shock out of the box, and I'm also running Factory X2 shock and Kitsuma coil on other bikes.

It delivers its 140mm very well, but I can see why you might want a touch more travel at the rear.

I've been tempted to get a 65mm stroke shock for 153mm travel but it feels risky. Not sure I'd notice the 6mm travel difference from a 62.5mm stroke shock.

 

[The Reverend]

There may be a reason why the RS stuff is not as adjustable as the Fox in terms of travel. It may be to do with a hydraulic stop on the rear. I have stroked my 9.7 Fox stuff to 65mm (152mm) in the rear and 160mm in front. Both with good results. I started a suspension only thread so it may be good to park your results there.

Interesting to hear you've gone the extra 5mm stroke at the rear.

What size frame is this on as I hear clearance is frame size dependent?

Is the difference notable, and any downsides? No risk of overextending the linkage?

 

[Swingset]

Size large. Cycled the stroke with no pressure and don't see any overly tight clearances. I am not a jumper- so there is that. In general just more stroke to stay away from the extreme ends of travel. So cushier. Maybe nearing the inevitable Slash EXe?

 

[The Reverend]

Size large. Cycled the stroke with no pressure and don't see any overly tight clearances. I am not a jumper- so there is that. In general just more stroke to stay away from the extreme ends of travel. So cushier. Maybe nearing the inevitable Slash EXe?

Very interesting, mine is XL, and I'd run it in high if I went this route.

I do jump from time to time on mine (and I weigh over 105kgs) so would like to avoid overstressing anything on the bike.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Piccirilli]

There may be a reason why the RS stuff is not as adjustable as the Fox in terms of travel. It may be to do with a hydraulic stop on the rear. I have stroked my 9.7 Fox stuff to 65mm (152mm) in the rear and 160mm in front. Both with good results. I started a suspension only thread so it may be good to park your results there.

How did you stroke your fox float X to 65mm? Did you do something more than take out the volume spacers?

 

[Swingset]

Take the air can off. Inside you will find bright orange 2.5mm "C" shaped shims screwed in with M3 flat head screws. You can remove either 2.5mm or 5mm of shims to allow the shock to go from 160 to 162.5 or 165. You will need to get shorter 3mm screws depending on the travel you choose.

There is a vid on YT if you search a bit.

 

[senergy]

Take the air can off. Inside you will find bright orange 2.5mm "C" shaped shims screwed in with M3 flat head screws. You can remove either 2.5mm or 5mm of shims to allow the shock to go from 160 to 162.5 or 165. You will need to get shorter 3mm screws depending on the travel you choose.

There is a vid on YT if you search a bit.

Here is a pic of my Large fully compressed after removing the 2x 2.5mm shims.

 

[souldriver]

I have same saddle, hate it! But it’s light. Went back to leather chromag

I needed some rides to learn to love it. And I changed the shock absorbers to "soft".

 

[ZillaG]

I took the plunge and got the 9.7 Pennyflake, and changed the shifter+der to SRAM GX AXS, leaving the rest the same. It's been a game changer so far on our small hills.

 

[The Reverend]

I take it this is in the low setting for the mino link? In high it should have even more clearance.

 

[rockymountaindude]

I had the Fuel EXE, and returned it.

Fuel EXe - Why I returned the Trek Fuel EXE

I bought the Fuel EXE a few weeks ago and it was sitting inside and I was worried that it wouldn't be enough bike for me. I'm in BC and I ride Mount Fromme, Mount Seymour, Squamish, Cypress (bring diapers) and Whistler. I have been using a Rocky Mountain PowerPlay with 108 nm of torque. Today, I...

www.emtbforums.com

 

[Cell4soul]

I had the Fuel EXE, and returned it.

Fuel EXe - Why I returned the Trek Fuel EXE

I bought the Fuel EXE a few weeks ago and it was sitting inside and I was worried that it wouldn't be enough bike for me. I'm in BC and I ride Mount Fromme, Mount Seymour, Squamish, Cypress (bring diapers) and Whistler. I have been using a Rocky Mountain PowerPlay with 108 nm of torque. Today, I...

www.emtbforums.com

What were your reasons for returning? I’ve love the bike, with the exception of the range, which isn’t bothering me too much.

 

[Stihldog]

What were your reasons for returning? I’ve love the bike, with the exception of the range, which isn’t bothering me too much.

I can understand why he returned it. The EXE is a great bike but, he’s mostly riding Squamish, Fromme, North Shore, Whistler etc.Those are big trails. Even in our circle of riders, at our age, the full fat keeps on giving …even on our little Burke Mountain.
EXE is a nice option though …but not for me either. (Yet)

 

[Emailsucks98]

he’s mostly riding Squamish, Fromme, North Shore, Whistler etc.Those are big trails. .

It’s true, they are. Yet, people ride them on hardtails. I ended up riding Fromme once with Chris Holm on his unicycle. He hit most everything!

I took issue with the FB post since it seemed to imply the EXe is not enough bike for those trails, I disagree. This bike can do a lot of things well (especially with Mullet wheels, sticky tires, suspension upgrades etc). If somone prefers more travel, or more power, that’s personal preference and it does come with a weight penalty. Any full fat with DD/DH casings is going to be 55lbs….different category of bike completely.

 

[Smeer]

It’s true, they are. Yet, people ride them on hardtails. I ended up riding Fromme once with Chris Holm on his unicycle. He hit most everything!

I took issue with the FB post since it seemed to imply the EXe is not enough bike for those trails, I disagree. This bike can do a lot of things well (especially with Mullet wheels, sticky tires, suspension upgrades etc). If somone prefers more travel, or more power, that’s personal preference and it does come with a weight penalty. Any full fat with DD/DH casings is going to be 55lbs….different category of bike completely.

Exactly! I have a Kona Honzo ESD hardtail, a dh and a Trek EXe, they all do fine on Fromme, Squamish, Eagle. I am not a jumper but more of a tech rider - but for me the heavy weight ebikes are just a different category; I’ll take lightweight and less travel. I can easily ride 4 hours on the EXe and get in multiple Fromme laps including the No Quarter climb. Am I as fast? Nah, not by far. Am I having a shittonne of fun? You bet!!

For mountains like cypress, you just take the dh and shuttle, right?!

It just seemed in the FB post the guy hated the bike and couldn’t understand any argument for anyone loving it, even when people do.

 

[rockymountaindude]

It’s true, they are. Yet, people ride them on hardtails. I ended up riding Fromme once with Chris Holm on his unicycle. He hit most everything!

I took issue with the FB post since it seemed to imply the EXe is not enough bike for those trails, I disagree. This bike can do a lot of things well (especially with Mullet wheels, sticky tires, suspension upgrades etc). If somone prefers more travel, or more power, that’s personal preference and it does come with a weight penalty. Any full fat with DD/DH casings is going to be 55lbs….different category of bike completely.

Perhaps your challenge is that you don't seem to accept opinions that differ from yours at times, or acknowledge facts. The Internet is an open place, not subject to gatekeepers or thought police. I posted here and on Facebook because the Facebook group is closed. I want people to see what I'm posting because I love mountain biking and the people in it, and I want them to see the actual experience that people have with this bike and other topics in the hopes that it may help them make decisions.

The Fuel EXE is not enough bike for what I ride. That is a reality. Just like entry or mid-level hockey stakes are not enough for me either: I will blow the rivets on the blade housing in less than 10 skates and the boot won't generally be stiff enough.

Not only is trail difficulty a factor, it's the rider on them. I consider myself experienced and I ride pretty fast. I hit blacks and double blacks out here, including on Cypress. I've crashed multiple times and may eventually lose my life to this sport if I keep it up. My point is that I need a bike that is built tough with lots of travel and that has a lot of power to get me up very long and steep climbs. The Fuel EXE, as much as I wanted to jump into the SL category, will not work for me. And that's fine, because it does have a market and I think it's one of the best SL eBikes on the market. Save for not knowing its longevity yet.

There are objective things here. Amount of travel is objective when it comes to Enduro riding, which is what I do: at 150 mm travel vs. 170 mm, given the same rider experience on very rough stuff, you will not be able to go as fast and can increase your chances of crashing.

For the record, my PowerPlay weighs just under 50 lbs. with 108 nm torque.

 

[rockymountaindude]

Exactly! I have a Kona Honzo ESD hardtail, a dh and a Trek EXe, they all do fine on Fromme, Squamish, Eagle. I am not a jumper but more of a tech rider - but for me the heavy weight ebikes are just a different category; I’ll take lightweight and less travel. I can easily ride 4 hours on the EXe and get in multiple Fromme laps including the No Quarter climb. Am I as fast? Nah, not by far. Am I having a shittonne of fun? You bet!!

For mountains like cypress, you just take the dh and shuttle, right?!

It just seemed in the FB post the guy hated the bike and couldn’t understand any argument for anyone loving it, even when people do.

Talk about a strawman, here is my post on Facebook:

UPDATE FOR EVERYONE: I bought the Fuel EXE a few weeks ago and it was sitting inside and I was worried that it wouldn't be enough bike for me. I'm in BC and I ride Mount Fromme, Mount Seymour, Squamish and Whistler. I have been using a Rocky Mountain PowerPlay with 108 nm of torque. Today, I tested the Fuel EXE around my local area here where I live just in the parkade and up some slopes on pavement, etc. In the end, I decided to return the bike today. As nice as the bike is, it just does not look and feel robust enough for me and the rough terrain that is out here. It's hampered in the power department and its range is very limited. I also think it will be a bit fragile and a 140 mm rear suspension will just not be enough. My Rocky Mountain is built like a tank. My takeaway from this is that Trek has built a bike that will appeal to a slice of the market who don't want/need a full power eBike. And that's great. The bike feels like a regular bike and they've achieved their goals. They have given us a glimpse at the future. Probably in 5 years all eMountain Bikes with between 60-80 nm of torque will be as light and trim as this, all while sporting longer battery life and more shock travel.

 

[Emailsucks98]

Perhaps your challenge is that you don't seem to accept opinions that differ from yours at times, or acknowledge facts.

For the record, my PowerPlay weighs just under 50 lbs. with 108 nm torque.

It’s all good. I know it’s enough bike for me on many of those same trails. I get that it’s not the right bike for you, I have no problem with that. As you should be OK with other riders preferring the EXe, or a hardtail, over a Powerplay (or any bike really) on the sea-to-sky.

I can definitely say, if I was ~40lbs heavier, I would not be stoked with the range. I’m not gonna ask how much you weigh, point is what works for me might not work for you or others, even on the same trail. Not the bikes fault.

On another note, how’d you get below 50lbs? Rocky lists the Instinct Powerplay Carbon 70 at 50.8lbs - with Exo+ tires. I’d assume the Altitude is heavier.