Fuel EXe Trek Fuel EXe Megathread!

[Cell4soul]

Love this bike more every time I ride it. Such smooth power delivery and the motor is still silent.

 

[Swingset]

If you're an experienced home mechanic, try greasing and tightening down by feel. Needs to be pretty darn tight.

Love the bike. Only thing I am maybe unimpressed with is the bearing/linkage and shock mount, and maybe the paint quality.

What tool tightens the lock ring?

 

[levity]

What tool tightens the lock ring?

any 20-spline bottom bracket type tool will work
Park Tool BBT-22 is a good one
I use the same old tool I used for Race Face cinch lock rings -

Be sure to check yours!!!
the locking on my 9.7 was coming loose, estimate ~10Nm
mrs levity's was very loose, less than I'd tighten stem bolts
and be sure to snug up the crank retainer bolt, 30+ Nm
all good now

 

[levity]

I feel compelled to follow up with a couple of ride pics

 

[CJaMTB]

I really want one of those in the Dnister Black, just have to work out how to tell my Wife that I'm getting another eMTB!?!

 

[DancingWithMyself]

What tool tightens the lock ring?

Don't forget that you will need a crank extractor to get to the lockring. Park CCP-44 (or the one without the handle). Then you can tighten with a BBT-22.

 

[BBFII]

Don't forget that you will need a crank extractor to get to the lockring. Park CCP-44 (or the one without the handle). Then you can tighten with a BBT-22.

I believe all the EXe-ISIS cranks have extractors built in. So you should only need a big hex key and a torque wrench. (be sure its a torque wrench that also works in LEFT HAND threads)

 

[levity]

I believe all the EXe-ISIS cranks have extractors built in. So you should only need a big hex key and a torque wrench. (be sure its a torque wrench that also works in LEFT HAND threads)

Nope. At least the 9.7 doesn’t.
You’ll need a crank extractor like the one @DancingWithMyself mentioned above.
Still, it’s an easy 10 min job.

 

[izzymtb]

Is the CCP-44 Crank Extractor similar to these attached photos just without the handle?

 

[JT7]

What would be your ideal choice of suspension for the EXe?

160 /150 would have been the sweet spot IMO

 

[Mteam]

So I have a 9.5 in black turning up next week, and the intention is to swap out some of the lower end components with better stuff that I have lying around/fitted to other bikes.

The bike comes with a rockshox gold 35rl fork that has an axle to crown length of 567mm for the 150mm travel fork.

I have the option of fitting either a fox 36 ebike factory 160mm fork that has a 567mm axle to crown, or a fox 38 factory 170mm fork that has a 577mm axle to crown length. I'm tempted to just go with the 170mm 38, but I wonder whether its overkill and I should just put the 36 160mm fork on it and save a bit of weight.

 

[George_KSL]

I would go the 38. 36-Ebike (unless there is some newer one) is 200 grams heavier than regular 36 because of thicker chassis and also features Fox34 air-spring. "E-Bike" tune damper is just lighter stack, can be changed in matter of minutes during service.
Fox 38 has bit of lower ride height so the dynamic geometry might not even be different between 160 36 and 170 38. I honestly wouldn't sweat it. Both ZEB and Ohlins ride a bit higher for same sag (not to be confused with mid-support, which 38 has strongest, it's just how it initially eases into its first third of travel. Zeb stays higher, but then dives through mid travel faster for example, I personally like that, but others don't, preference thing).
You can always get 160mm air spring for 38 later.

 

[Moe Ped]

So I have a 9.5 in black turning up next week, and the intention is to swap out some of the lower end components with better stuff that I have lying around/fitted to other bikes.

The bike comes with a rockshox gold 35rl fork that has an axle to crown length of 567mm for the 150mm travel fork.

I have the option of fitting either a fox 36 ebike factory 160mm fork that has a 567mm axle to crown, or a fox 38 factory 170mm fork that has a 577mm axle to crown length. I'm tempted to just go with the 170mm 38, but I wonder whether its overkill and I should just put the 36 160mm fork on it and save a bit of weight.

I think at 170 it’s a bit out of balance unless you increase the rear travel, here is mine with 170 we fitted a 160 air shaft yesterday which is much better.

 

[dannyb]

I am running a 2022 Fox 36 Performance Elite GRIP2 160mm w/PUSH ACS3 coil upgrade on my Exe 9.5 and all I can say is it's spectacular on this bike. Just a stunning setup, I wouldn't change a thing about it. I am shredding trails I previously had to get off and walk on my high end Stumpjumper. Small and mid bump sensitivity is smooth as butter yet still supple and lively somehow. I don't know how else to explain it. Flies and feels like an XC bike on the easy flowy stuff but then I purposely aim for bigger rocks on the trails now to awe at the way it just rolls over them yet still feels so very nimble and fast. Hard to explain as I never felt a suspension like it before. The ACS3 coil conversion is just another level from anything I tried before. Total fork weight is around 2280g so not too bad weight penalty over a normal 36.

Was considering a 38 factory originally but my LBS talked me out of it saying it would make the bike feel less nimble/agile.

 

[Emailsucks98]

Originally I had a test ride on a stock M and it felt too small (I’m 175cm) and too XC for my tastes, but my hunch that sizing up to a L with the smaller rear wheel and shorter stem might be perfect- and it is!

So here’s mine, a 9.8 xt, L, with the following upgrades;
NOBL TR37 wheelset, mullet, king hubs, Maxxis DHF front/DHR DD rear
OneUp carbon Bars
RaceFace Atlas 32mm stem and pedals
After these pics I put on a wolftooth remote and shrink-wrapped the cables
160mm airshaft going in Friday

First ride was 33km/1200m vert, all singletrack climbing to black and dbl-black descents. I was happy to keep it in Eco for most all of the climbing and was so impressed on the descents. I’m used to a 170mm Fox 38 with a DHX coil rear (160) - the stock 2023 Rockshox spec didn’t give up anything. Trek and Rockshow nailed the suspension.
As we all know, the motor is amazing.

Getting a magnet on the Centerlock King hubs has been a challenge. Work in progress.

 

[Mteam]

It looks like the wheelset that comes on the 9.5 model is (unsurprisingly) quite low end and only comes with a standard HG shimano freehub , does anyone know whether it is possible to buy either an sram XD freehub or shimano microspline freehub, so that a decent 12 speed cassette can be fitted?

 

[levity]

@Emailsucks98 - these XT rotors are nice and may work for ya

 

[DancingWithMyself]

Is the CCP-44 Crank Extractor similar to these attached photos just without the handle?

View attachment 99585 View attachment 99586

I'm not the best person to answer since the EXe is the first time I've ever owned a crankset that needed an extractor, but there is an extractor that is the same size just without the handle. However, there are other extractors with different ODs that fit different cranks. Just make sure you have or get one with the right OD that will fit the cranks on the EXe.

 

[TheRed]

I am running a 2022 Fox 36 Performance Elite GRIP2 160mm w/PUSH ACS3 coil upgrade on my Exe 9.5 and all I can say is it's spectacular on this bike. Just a stunning setup, I wouldn't change a thing about it. I am shredding trails I previously had to get off and walk on my high end Stumpjumper. Small and mid bump sensitivity is smooth as butter yet still supple and lively somehow. I don't know how else to explain it. Flies and feels like an XC bike on the easy flowy stuff but then I purposely aim for bigger rocks on the trails now to awe at the way it just rolls over them yet still feels so very nimble and fast. Hard to explain as I never felt a suspension like it before. The ACS3 coil conversion is just another level from anything I tried before. Total fork weight is around 2280g so not too bad weight penalty over a normal 36.

Was considering a 38 factory originally but my LBS talked me out of it saying it would make the bike feel less nimble/agile.

What rear shock?

 

[izzymtb]

Who ditched the integrated bar and stem that comes with the 9.8 and higher and why?
Thinking of getting one for my 9.7.

 

[Zed]

To

It looks like the wheelset that comes on the 9.5 model is (unsurprisingly) quite low end and only comes with a standard HG shimano freehub , does anyone know whether it is possible to buy either an sram XD freehub or shimano microspline freehub, so that a decent 12 speed cassette can be fitted?

I’d probably look at a Garbaruk cassette or similar rather than spending on a hub/driver for a lower quality wheel. I think I’ve done it before to get 12 speed on HG.

I’ll probably go back to XT 11 speed though when mine wears, it just shifts perfectly and easier to get and keep tuned. I’ll do that with a Garbaruk it saves a chunk of weight and should last well on the EXe.

 

[Zed]

Who ditched the integrated bar and stem that comes with the 9.8 and higher and why?
Thinking of getting one for my 9.7.

I ditched mine, I needed the reach a bit shorter and the bar a bit higher. For now I’m using cheap 35mm stem an 40mm rise, will get something nice later when I’m sure on the rise I want.

Rides a lot better with that setup for me, much more manoeuvrable and comfortable getting into the air. I was too stretched out before…

 

[dannyb]

It looks like the wheelset that comes on the 9.5 model is (unsurprisingly) quite low end and only comes with a standard HG shimano freehub , does anyone know whether it is possible to buy either an sram XD freehub or shimano microspline freehub, so that a decent 12 speed cassette can be fitted?

The 9.5 is micro spline not HG. FWIW I just changed my 9.5 wheels to Line Pro 30s that were setup for microspline (off Pinkbike) and everything fit seamlessly.

 

[dannyb]

What rear shock?

Just the Deluxe Select Plus the 9.5 comes with - it's doing fine once dialed in. I'd like to get a PUSH Eleven.Six at some point though.

 

[Emailsucks98]

Who ditched the integrated bar and stem that comes with the 9.8 and higher and why?
Thinking of getting one for my 9.7.

I pulled mine, being in between sizes I wanted a shorter stem to make the L work for me.
The stock RSL bars came with a 45mm stem, I went to a 32mm Raceface.
Bars/Stem and carbon wheels are for sale on Pinkbike if you’re interested.

 

[Emailsucks98]

@Emailsucks98 - these XT rotors are nice and may work for ya

Thanks Levity, sadly those seem unattainable in the US, at least in a 203mm size. My shop says they don’t exist on Shimanos B2B page. I’m experimenting with a variety of hacks…

 

[Mteam]

The 9.5 is micro spline not HG. FWIW I just changed my 9.5 wheels to Line Pro 30s that were setup for microspline (off Pinkbike) and everything fit seamlessly.

Ah that's interesting, the specs imply its an HG cassette, I'll wait until it arrives and check it.

 

[Mteam]

To

I’d probably look at a Garbaruk cassette or similar rather than spending on a hub/driver for a lower quality wheel. I think I’ve done it before to get 12 speed on HG.

I’ll probably go back to XT 11 speed though when mine wears, it just shifts perfectly and easier to get and keep tuned. I’ll do that with a Garbaruk it saves a chunk of weight and should last well on the EXe.

That's a good point if it does come with HG hub

 

[TorAtle]

I had plans to upgrade my 9.5 with a Fox Factory 36, but changed my mind and bought a Marzocchi Bomber Z1 coil. Planning to check it out for this weekend

How do you get on with it? I like the sound of "minimal setup time, maximum grip and minimal maintenance"

Marzocchi Bomber Z1 Coil review – A wolf in sheep's clothing

While the once-mighty Marzocchi now sit at the budget end of the market, it seems nobody has told the Marzocchi Bomber Z1 Coil. Here’s the review.

enduro-mtb.com

 

[Smr238]

The chain guide is not tight\narrow enough. Try using thicker washers to space out from frame a little more and then some mastic tape inside of it on the outboard side. Will solve the dropped chain issue.

This is WAY easier to do if you do it at the same time you are loctiting and fishing the chainring\spider.

I think there is a bulleton on the guide. spacers installed incorrectly