Fuel EXe TREK's new lightweight trail ebike

[Ou812]

Im in Scotland and was in my dealer yesterday having a chat.... They've been allocated a bunch from Trek. Expected end of August into September

Which dealer? The closest Trek shop to me is Nevis Cycles, I was in Fort William yesterday and totally forgot to stop by there. It’s looking like I may be having to go to the US for a family emergency though so I may be able to check one out before then.

 

[b45her]

Hi team,

I have just purchased the trek exe 9.8xt and I am in a bit of a dilemma. My battery is going to 50% in less than an hour on the max mode on 200% assist. My wife and I are so used to the rail only using up one to two bars when we do our normal rides i.e. 2-3 hours , so just worried about the battery situation. Also it feels comparable to eco mode on the Bosch system... I am just hoping trek does an update to increase the nm to 60nm as I am really feeling the difference between the rail and the fuel exe. For reference , I am 188cm and 83kg.

Thats a little concerning but not unexpected if the motor turns as slow as they say, my rise with the same size battery and a far more powerful motor can comfortably do around 15 miles and 3500ft vertical all in maxxed out boost.

 

[BBFII]

Wondering what size and cost of the range extender or two against possibly a second battery

TQ HPR Range Extender Battery - Trek Bikes

Enhance your cycling experience with TQ HPR Range Extender Battery. Shop now!

www.trekbikes.com

 

[Chicane]

Talk about Trek missing the boat on the GX model pricing at $11,000. Buy the XT model for 9,000+ 600 GX AXS+ 450 X01 cassette and chain=$10,150. Save around $800 or so and have better/lighter cassette, chain and XT 8120 brakes over Guide RSC brakes. You can also run the XT cassette/ chain combo with the AXS and save even more money. All the other components are the same. Not to mention that the GX upgrade kit is everywhere for purchase. Hmm, no brainer here.

 

[mak]

This quote from a PinkBike editor nicely voices my concerns about Light class eBikes in general:

This is where there is a temporary problem that cannot be undone by any amount of engineering: you won’t be able to keep up with a full-powered E-bike on lengthy, steep climbs. Ok, so set the assist to Boost. That might keep you in touch for a few minutes, but you’ll be working like a dog. At best, you’re still only getting 50 Nm of torque. Plus, you’ll absolutely rinse the battery dry in about thirty minutes. If you’re conservative, you could run it in Eco mode and chill with your friends on non-assist bikes, but there are still three basic divisions of bikes, so you’ll have to find riding mates with similar style bikes or deal with the moaning of, “Oh. You brought the e-bike today,” or, “You should have bought the full meal deal!” That doesn’t make or break this bike. It simply puts it in a separate category, which is gaining some serious traction.

Beginning to think that maybe there is a more middle option that will develop more along the Rise line.

Its a quandary for people thinking about making the move, I love the look of these bikes but there on the expensive side.
I cant help but think for where i live and ride it would be ideal, after 2000 miles on my full fat bosch system i guess 3% of that was in turbo.

I mostly slog it out in eco and use trail when I'm struggling , I find trail mode a power house from eco.

Saying that, the odd holiday and rare adventure to places new I'm glad of the full fat.

Unless someone lends me one of these for a day I don't think I can commit and that's never going to happen, saying that I can probably see me buying one when there in stock

 

[St4nley]

TQ HPR Range Extender Battery - Trek Bikes

Enhance your cycling experience with TQ HPR Range Extender Battery. Shop now!

www.trekbikes.com

WOW, makes spesh range extender look a bargain at £299 British pounds for my Sl

 

[JP-NZ]

Its a quandary for people thinking about making the move, I love the look of these bikes but there on the expensive side.
I cant help but think for where i live and ride it would be ideal, after 2000 miles on my full fat bosch system i guess 3% of that was in turbo.

I mostly slog it out in eco and use trail when I'm struggling , I find trail mode a power house from eco.

Saying that, the odd holiday and rare adventure to places new I'm glad of the full fat.

Unless someone lends me one of these for a day I don't think I can commit and that's never going to happen, saying that I can probably see me buying one when there in stock

Would really depend on your length of ride IMO, if your doing rides circa 800m elevation and 2-3 hours then this would work. Anything over that and its full fat.

 

[JP-NZ]

haha yes will post some pics next time. I found mine from a New Zealand dealer called evo cycles! Here's a pic of us at the store. Apparently the first to get the trek exe in NZ. I would say the geometry is definitely better than the orbea rise and the specialised levo sl and I could not hear anything on the trails. I am now just waiting for the range extender to be released here as I am worried about running out of batt before my wife.

Thats awesome! I saw them in my local evo yesterday as well, just wish my rail would hurry up. Let us know some more thoughts once you get some decent rides on it

 

[Gw0175]

Which dealer? The closest Trek shop to me is Nevis Cycles, I was in Fort William yesterday and totally forgot to stop by there. It’s looking like I may be having to go to the US for a family emergency though so I may be able to check one out before then.

Fife Cycles / Fife Cycle centre

Good bunch of guys! If you're after one of the project one frames (yellow one) then the wait time is pretty insane

 

[jwrx]

Hi team,

I have just purchased the trek exe 9.8xt and I am in a bit of a dilemma. My battery is going to 50% in less than an hour on the max mode on 200% assist. My wife and I are so used to the rail only using up one to two bars when we do our normal rides i.e. 2-3 hours , so just worried about the battery situation. Also it feels comparable to eco mode on the Bosch system... I am just hoping trek does an update to increase the nm to 60nm as I am really feeling the difference between the rail and the fuel exe. For reference , I am 188cm and 83kg.

Lightweight ebikes arnt meant to be ridden the same way as FF ebikes. (owned 2 levos, currently on a SL). You will get used to the smaller battery and high power draw after a few rides.

Try not to leave it in turbo and riding at max power at all the uphills. After 2 years with my SL, i actually turn off the assist completely part of the ride, and only use it when im starting to feel tired...i can end a 3 hour ride with 70% left.

If you want to blast around at full power non stop, should have gotten a full power Rail or Levo

 

[jwrx]

Tempted But I will wait for new Levo SL I hope they will speed up release and then will decide. For now my Levo SL rides awesome Expect noise ;(

Was also waiting for a new SL to replace my 2020 SL. but def putting down a booking for a P1 Fuel EXe. The geo of the SL is abit outdated and too 'XC'

 

[urastus]

Its a quandary for people thinking about making the move, I love the look of these bikes but there on the expensive side.
I cant help but think for where i live and ride it would be ideal, after 2000 miles on my full fat bosch system i guess 3% of that was in turbo.

I mostly slog it out in eco and use trail when I'm struggling , I find trail mode a power house from eco.

Saying that, the odd holiday and rare adventure to places new I'm glad of the full fat.

Unless someone lends me one of these for a day I don't think I can commit and that's never going to happen, saying that I can probably see me buying one when there in stock

I'm pretty much the same as you. The trek looks good, but I always look for an alloy frame. I'll hang on to my money

 

[Ribinrobin]

Lightweight ebikes arnt meant to be ridden the same way as FF ebikes. (owned 2 levos, currently on a SL). You will get used to the smaller battery and high power draw after a few rides.

Try not to leave it in turbo and riding at max power at all the uphills. After 2 years with my SL, i actually turn off the assist completely part of the ride, and only use it when im starting to feel tired...i can end a 3 hour ride with 70% left.

If you want to blast around at full power non stop, should have gotten a full power Rail or Levo

This! You see so many SL bikes come up for sales because owners expect the same thing as a FF. These bikes take time to adapt and are for a very certain rider, those of us who love the feel of normal mtb but want to get more out of our runs. If you buy a SL Chuck it in turbo or derestrict (ep8) to 85nm you probably bought the wrong bike.

ride my KSL in 10% on microtune for most my ride then swap to trail for fast runs. These bikes have so much to offer if you “get” the concept.

 

[R120]

Really a “SL” EMTB is at its best a bike that rides and handles like a regular MTB with a bit of assistance as and when you need it.

if you are coming from a normal bike they feel like they have a lot of assistance, whereas if you are coming straight off a full fat EMTB and try and ride them the same way they feel underpowerd

I don’t have any long term experience on a SL but have ridden a fair few and what I have found is that if you ride them like a normal bike, especially in terms of changing gears and gear choice, they perform really well, but if you are lazy and rely on the motor to do the work for you then they don’t.

 

[stygz1]

Talk about Trek missing the boat on the GX model pricing at $11,000. Buy the XT model for 9,000+ 600 GX AXS+ 450 X01 cassette and chain=$10,150. Save around $800 or so and have better/lighter cassette, chain and XT 8120 brakes over Guide RSC brakes. You can also run the XT cassette/ chain combo with the AXS and save even more money. All the other components are the same. Not to mention that the GX upgrade kit is everywhere for purchase. Hmm, no brainer here.

I was contemplating a similar idea. I was going to sell all the XT parts for a GX AXS group, GX cassette, but Code RSC brakes and 200mm rotors. Nothing really wrong with XT stuff but I just prefer the SRAM brakes and shifting. I even considered putting the carbon Bontrager wheels on my Tallboy and reusing my custom build carbons on Hydra hubs for the EXe.

My real question is can this replace my 2021 Tallboy X01 build.... do I want two bikes and sell my Triumph Speed Triple motorcycle...

 

[Chicane]

I was contemplating a similar idea. I was going to sell all the XT parts for a GX AXS group, GX cassette, but Code RSC brakes and 200mm rotors. Nothing really wrong with XT stuff but I just prefer the SRAM brakes and shifting. I even considered putting the carbon Bontrager wheels on my Tallboy and reusing my custom build carbons on Hydra hubs for the EXe.

My real question is can this replace my 2021 Tallboy X01 build.... do I want two bikes and sell my Triumph Speed Triple motorcycle...

It’s good to keep the pedal bike around, as long as you can afford a 9 to 10k Carbon weight collecting dust in your garage. I’ve had the Rise for just over a year now and my 10k Ripley with XX1 AXS has only seen 4 rides. I usually only ride once a week do to various injuries, which is the reason I got a light weight Ebike in the first place. My rides are now always longer and riding by myself I can maintain a high 150 average HB on any given 20/3K ride. At 190lbs and XT 8120 brakes 203/180 rotors are just fine for me. I kept my XT drivetrain parts to throw on when I end up selling my Rise, since you can’t get much for them anyway.

 

[stygz1]

It’s good to keep the pedal bike around, as long as you can afford a 9 to 10k Carbon weight collecting dust in your garage. I’ve had the Rise for just over a year now and my 10k Ripley with XX1 AXS has only seen 4 rides. I usually only ride once a week do to various injuries, which is the reason I got a light weight Ebike in the first place. My rides are now always longer and riding by myself I can maintain a high 150 average HB on any given 20/3K ride. At 190lbs and XT 8120 brakes 203/180 rotors are just fine for me. I kept my XT drivetrain parts to throw on when I end up selling my Rise, since you can’t get much for them anyway.

Yes, I do need to figure a value on XT stuff.

 

[jbrown15]

Talk about Trek missing the boat on the GX model pricing at $11,000. Buy the XT model for 9,000+ 600 GX AXS+ 450 X01 cassette and chain=$10,150. Save around $800 or so and have better/lighter cassette, chain and XT 8120 brakes over Guide RSC brakes. You can also run the XT cassette/ chain combo with the AXS and save even more money. All the other components are the same. Not to mention that the GX upgrade kit is everywhere for purchase. Hmm, no brainer here.

You don't even have to do all of that, I ran a Shimano cassette and chain with my AXS X01 derailleur for months with no issues.

 

[Chicane]

You don't even have to do all of that, I ran a Shimano cassette and chain with my AXS X01 derailleur for months with no issues.

Yep. That’s what I said on my previous post #99.

 

[jwrx]

Really a “SL” EMTB is at its best a bike that rides and handles like a regular MTB with a bit of assistance as and when you need it.

if you are coming from a normal bike they feel like they have a lot of assistance, whereas if you are coming straight off a full fat EMTB and try and ride them the same way they feel underpowerd

I don’t have any long term experience on a SL but have ridden a fair few and what I have found is that if you ride them like a normal bike, especially in terms of changing gears and gear choice, they perform really well, but if you are lazy and rely on the motor to do the work for you then they don’t.

yea, on a FF, you can "cheat" if you hit hard technical climb sections, because u can climb in any gear, the power will carry you over. You cant do that in a SL, you will stall out just like a normal bike

It sounds like gatekeeping, but i feel beginner riders should never start the hobby in a full ebike. start with normal or lightweight

 

[jwrx]

You don't even have to do all of that, I ran a Shimano cassette and chain with my AXS X01 derailleur for months with no issues.

in my country, a SRAM XX1 cassette is 2.5x the cost of a XTR, so no one bothers running one. We all use shimano chain/cassette paired to AXS, works fine, have 2 bikes with that set up and both pass 1500km

 

[urastus]

it seems that many here consider emtb to be the same as mtb. I think this comes about if you don't actually consider your experience riding them and what has changed in your riding. I have acknowledged that they are different. I would never run the heavy tires and powerful brakes on non emtb - I'm a trail bike person, blues and blacks, climbing as much as descending. For emtb the style of riding is different - for me especially I'm climbing stuff that I would have carried my bike up in the past. I tend to sit more on technical climbs too, something I didn't do on my mtb. Crank length - pedal style has changed. Jumps and drops are different. I can't comment on the lightweight emtb bikes - perhaps they are more like mtb. None of this matters, of course, except when you try to apply the logic of one to the other (tire choice for example).

 

[Pdoz]

it seems that many here consider emtb to be the same as mtb. I think this comes about if you don't actually consider your experience riding them and what has changed in your riding. I have acknowledged that they are different. I would never run the heavy tires and powerful brakes on non emtb - I'm a trail bike person, blues and blacks, climbing as much as descending. For emtb the style of riding is different - for me especially I'm climbing stuff that I would have carried my bike up in the past. I tend to sit more on technical climbs too, something I didn't do on my mtb. Crank length - pedal style has changed. Jumps and drops are different. I can't comment on the lightweight emtb bikes - perhaps they are more like mtb. None of this matters, of course, except when you try to apply the logic of one to the other (tire choice for example).

Some of us have tasted the fat experience and don't necessarily like how our riding changed.

I was getting lazy - letting the Giants motor drive me up climbs rather than my technique. It took me a few weeks to learn to consistently clear my favorite climb on the SL but now I find it EASIER than on the Giant - more technique, less grunt. Much more rewarding.

I also missed the snappier feel on jumps / drops - I'm simply not good enough to confidently hit double blacks on a heavier bike, but it's FUN on the levo SL. Not as easy as on a regular enduro bike, but I'm old, fat, and fearfull so a levo sl would be wasted on me. These treks....VERY tempting.

 

[Pdoz]

Don't get him started on the carbon footprint and how the mtb climate is changing...

Or how BC ( before covid) and AD ( after delta) supply chains can be checked for wear

 

[Jujujuice]

Hi everyone,

after doing a couple of 20-25km rides on the mid power and eco mode and not comparing it to my rail, I am really starting to like it.

Battery has about 30-40% left after doing 20km steep uphills and descents. The bike is pretty fun and agile and I forget it has a motor. It is really easy to do jumps on etc. I am definitely impressed with it. I was initially thinking of buying the range extender however now that I am used to the eco and mid powered mode, I will not be. Also the fact that it will be $1500 NZD is enough to put me off buying the range extender... It was a hard decision to give up my rail but I definitely prefer riding the trek exe. Also, no one noticed it was an ebike. I have the 9.8xt in the deep smoke colour.

 

[ilostmypassword]

As long as it makes you smile I'm down on riding what ever bike tickles ya nuts

Let's be honest most bikes these days hardly get to see the action they are made for Seems resell value is the new RAD.

 

[JP-NZ]

Hi everyone,

after doing a couple of 20-25km rides on the mid power and eco mode and not comparing it to my rail, I am really starting to like it.

Battery has about 30-40% left after doing 20km steep uphills and descents. The bike is pretty fun and agile and I forget it has a motor. It is really easy to do jumps on etc. I am definitely impressed with it. I was initially thinking of buying the range extender however now that I am used to the eco and mid powered mode, I will not be. Also the fact that it will be $1500 NZD is enough to put me off buying the range extender... It was a hard decision to give up my rail but I definitely prefer riding the trek exe. Also, no one noticed it was an ebike. I have the 9.8xt in the deep smoke colour.

Good to hear! That range extender price is Ludicrous, the NZ RRP is $1,379 yet American RRP is only $599 ($960 NZD) and UK is £460 or $880 NZD!!

 

[Implor]

I got to test the bike 2min at Järvsö bikepark yesterday. Met a trek employee that had the yellow version and he was nice enough to let me try it by the lift. Can confirm the motor is absolute silent. Got a giant reign e+1 myself .

 

[GolfMaster52]

Girlfriend was both surprised and stoked when she got the call today that hers was in. She was thinking September or October.

 

[Aikone]

Love the Matte Pennyflake colour, reminds me of my old Trek 69er