TREK FUEL EXe 9.8 XT – PRODUCT FEATURE

 

Today our regular Fast Bike feature takes a detailed look at the game-changing TREK Fuel EXe 9.8 XT e-mountain bike; why game-changing? Because when it launched back in July 2022 it went a significant way to re-defining the whole e-MTB genre! OK, so maybe TREK aren’t alone in pursuing the Holy Grail of the e-mountain bike, which is the ‘powerful, efficient AND light’ promise, but it could be argued that TREK have fast-tracked themselves to the top of the tree when it comes to this new approach to e-mountain bike design.

Maybe ‘re-defining the whole e-MTB genre’ is slightly over-egging it; to be fair to TREK and the other brands producing similar lightweight e-mountain bikes like the Fuel EXe this new generation of e-MTB’s have been designed to sit alongside the more typical ‘full-fat’ e-bike that we’re all used to rather than replace them completely. And while they’re significantly lighter than a typical e-mtb they are less powerful and feature batteries with less range, but we’re learning that in certain circumstances this can be a good thing, let me explain…

Influential bike brand TREK are rethinking e-mountain bikes; the Fuel EXe symbolises a whole new approach to lightweight e-mtb design.

 

Until recently the e-MTB story has been all about increasingly powerful motors, longer-range batteries and brands typically topping out their e-MTB range with models spec’d with large 250Wh motors and a 750Wh battery. Now though TREK are leading the way by re-thinking their e-MTB range, exploring who is using their current offering and identifying an extra cohort of riders looking for something a little different, leading to the development of this whole new sub-genre of e-mountain bike.

The Fuel EXe caters to riders looking for the extra assistance of an e-mountain bike but with a more authentic ‘acoustic’ mountain bike ride feel.

 

The Fuel EXe has been designed specifically to suit that new type of rider coming over to e-mountain bikes; riders looking for an e-MTB which handles more like their trusty acoustic bike and who want a more natural-feeling form of pedal-assistance which won’t dominate their riding experience but will give them just the right amount of help to be able to climb and cover ground faster and more efficiently. The Fuel EXe’s lighter overall weight really comes into play when you start throwing the bike downhill and off step-downs and the like; there’s less of a ‘dead weight’ feel and it’s just a lot more agile than some of the big, heavy e-mountain bikes we’ve been riding for the past few years.

The lightweight TREK Fuel EXe feels more playful and agile on the downhills than a typical e-mountain bike.

 

If until this point you’re unfamiliar with the new TREK Fuel EXe range of bikes you’d be excused for glancing at James Vincent’s fantastic photos and just assuming that it’s simply a modern ‘acoustic’ or ‘manual’ trail bike with plenty of plush suspension travel and sorted progressive geometry, the Fuel EXe really is a great-looking trail bike that just happens to have a discretely located e-bike motor and battery. We’ll get into the specifics in a moment, but before we do it’s worth pointing out that as well as this Fuel EXe 9.8 XT bike TREK have another five bikes within the EXe sub-range, reflecting their ability as the world’s most powerful bike brand to make this sort of important investment while also giving a strong indication of their belief in this new form of e-mountain bike.

The Fuel EXe 9.8 GX AXS model is part of a six-bike sub-range of bikes, reflecting TREK’s commitment to this new design approach.

 

At the heart of the TREK Fuel EXe 9.8 XT’s new lightweight pedal-assist system is a compact motor from German robotics manufacturer TQ, developed in a  unique partnership with TREK. The HPR 50 motor, no bigger than a tin of beans is considerably lighter, more compact and quieter than current e-MTB motors; using their patented pin ring transmission which eliminates the need for the sort of gears and belts seen in other e-MTB motors, the HPR 50 motor is super-stealthy both in terms of its looks and lack of audible noise when riding. That small motor has another advantage too; by being so compact it doesn’t interfere with the Fuel EXe’s frame geometry or plush suspension configuration, meaning that Trek had to make little or no compromises to the overall design, leaving us with a bike that is incredibly similar to its acoustic non-e cousin. And it not only looks almost identical to a ‘manual’ TREK it handles like one too, with less overall weight at the bottom bracket and downtube the bike handles much more like your acoustic bike, particularly when you are throwing it around on downhill trails.

At the heart of the Fuel EXe’s drive system is a super-compact, lightweight TQ HPR 50 motor.

 

There’s a popular conspiracy theory within the bike trade that over the past few years bike brands consciously increased the diameter of the down tubes of their non-e-mountain bikes in an effort to normalise the appearance of the larger-diameter e-bike down tubes necessitated by the need to stow a large-capacity battery in them. There may be some truth in this, but regardless in this instance the custom 360Wh internal battery is so sleek and compact that it sits within a down tube boasting dimensions which wouldn’t be out of place on a conventional, non-motored mountain bike.

The 360Wh battery provides around 4 hours of ride time and there’s the option to run an additional (sold separately) 160Wh Range Extender which fits in the Fuel EXe’s bottle cage, giving a 40% increase in range. Another key advantage to this new system is charge time; with the internal battery being fully rechargeable within just two hours. While battery charging typically takes place with the battery still inside the frame of the bike, the battery can be removed fairly quickly and easily if you need to travel with your bike.

The sleek 360Wh internal battery provides around 4 hours of power.

 

The Fuel EXe 9.8 XT’s TQ HPR 50 motor features three different assist modes which are selected through a simple toggle button fitted to the left side of the handlebars. Keeping things simple and stripped back Trek have avoided he temptation to fit a large display unit to the bars or stem and instead have integrated a small LED display into the top tube of the carbon frame; this discrete display will help you keep track of battery range and track which mode you’re riding in. As well as the EXe 9.8 being lighter and agile than most e-mtbs, with a more authentic feel on the trails you can fine-tune it yourself to better-suit your riding style and/or the terrain you most typically ride; with Trek’s Central App on your Smartphone you’ll be able to customise motor tuning, activity tracking and real-time range calculations amongst other useful functions.

There’s a neat, compact and easy-to-read LED display set into the top tube just behind the head tube.

 

A simple control button on the left side of the handlebars lets you toggle through the three different drive modes.

 

The agile Fuel EXe 9.8 XT trail bike features a lightweight but durable OCLV Mountain Carbon frame with an alloy rocker link boasting 140mm of plush suspension travel which can be tuned to suit your riding style with the easily-adjustable Mino Link seen on so many of TREK’s other trail bikes. The chassis is built around a pair of fast-rolling 29” wheels with the Fuel EXe’s geometry fine-tuned to excel downhill AND uphill. It provides a stable, confidence-inspiring ride on steep, high-speed descents but also provides a super-efficient pedalling position when you’re headed back up your favourite trail, ably assisted by that compact TQ HPR 50 motor.

A RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ RT rear shock facilitates 140mm of rear suspension travel.

 

Suspension rebound can be quickly adjusted on the fly.

 

The sculpted alloy rocker link is laterally stiff and moves smoothly to activate the Rock Shox Super Deluxe Select+ RT.

 

The Mino Link allows you to tune geometry on the go. Chose between a slack 66-degree head tube angle, or a quicker-handling 66.5-degree head tube angle.

 

The Fuel EXe 9.8 XT’s rear suspension configuration is a well-proven design seen on some of TREK’s other popular trail bikes.

 

Fuel EXe Fast Facts

TQ Motor System

• TQ HPR50 motor uses harmonic drive transmission, reducing noise and taking up less space
• TQ App includes motor behaviour customisation, range estimations, general e-system information, tyre and suspension pressure set-up recommendations, service reminders, navigation and range features as well as activity tracking
• Pairs with most Bluetooth or ANT+cycling computers
• Three assist modes
• Tuneable assist behaviour via the TQ App – tune max power, assist factor and pedal response
• Includes walk assist

Battery

• Battery weight 1,835 grams
• Battery chargeable on or off the bike
• Two hour battery charge time

Range Extender

• Extender weight 900 grams
• 40% additional charge
• One hour extender charge time

Frame

• Compatible with one water bottle
• EXe’s come stock with 29” wheels, however you can run a 27.5” rear for mullet setup with Mino Link set in the high position

Parts Compatibility

• Maximum tyre size 29×2.5”
• Maximum fork length 160mm
• Dropper insertion S – 190mm, M – 225mm, L – 250mm
• Maximum chain ring size 34T
• Minimum chain ring size 30T
• 55mm chain line
• Standard ISIS crank interface for e-bikes
• e*Thirteen chain guard included
• Maximum disc rotor size 203mm
• Shimano e-Rotor compatible

 

Upfront on the TREK Fuel EXe 9.8 XT is a pair of RockShox Lyrik Select+ suspension forks boasting 150mm of travel to match that plush rear end and help you hit the most rocky and technical terrain possible with confidence and control. The forks which features RockShox’ DebonAir spring and Charger 2.1 RC damper have been tuned to meet the demands incurred from the extra forces of an e-bike in full flight.

The RockShox Lyrik Select+ suspension forks are ready to take on the toughest, most technical terrain.

 

There’s plenty of adjustability on the Lyrik, allowing you to fine-tune your ride.

 

This particular TREK Fuel EXe 9.8 XT comes with a quirky mix of SRAM and Shimano components as well as TREK’s own premium sub-brand Bontrager, with their bombproof but lightweight Line Elite 30 wheels constructed from OCLV Mountain Carbon making a welcome appearance. TREK’s own website lists Shimano XT hydraulic brakes and a Shimano XT cassette, however this particular Fuel EXe 9.8 that’s landed here at Wheelbase Lake District comes spec’d with SRAM Code R hydraulic brakes and an e-bike-specific E*thirteen Helix Plus 9-50T 12-Speed cassette. We’re guessing this just a reflection on where we’re are at the moment with regard to componentry supply within the bike industry. Scroll through the following detail shots of TREK Fuel EXe 9.8 XT to get a better idea of the finishing components and check out the full specification of this capable e-mountain bike at the bottom of our feature.

The Shimano XT 12-speed rear derailleur gives a positive gear selection every time you activate the light-action Shimano trigger shifter.

 

An e-bike-specific 12-Speed 9-50T E*thirteen Helix Plus will stand up well to the rigors of e-bike gear transmission.

 

This durable e-bike-specific cassette is built to last.

 

The Fuel EXe 9.8 XT’s drivetrain is completed with another e-bike-specific component – an E*thirteen E*spec chainset with a 32T chainring.

 

SRAM Code R brake levers feel good in the hand and provide instantaneous braking with minimal lever pull.

 

 

The powerful Code 4-piston brake calipers matched with large-diameter brake rotors will scrub off speed quickly and keep you in control.

 

Bontrager Line Elite 30 29er wheels constructed from OCLV Mountain Carbon manage to hit the sweet spot of being lightweight AND durable. 

 

TREK have spec’d the Fuel EXe with a pair of 2.50″ wide SE5 Team Issue tyres featuring Core Strength sidewall protection.

 

The carbon goodness just keeps coming with a Bontrager RSL integrated handlebar and stem on the Fuel EXe 9.8

 

Strong and incredibly light, TREK have called on decades of experience to craft these premium carbon handlebars.

 

The TREK Fuel EXe 9.8 XT represents a massive step forward in the evolution of the e-mountain bike.

 

TREK Fuel EXe 9.8 XT RRP £9,250.00

Full Specification:

• Motor: TQ-HPR50 50Nm, 250 Watt maximum continuous rated power, 300 watt peak power
• Battery: TQ 360Wh
• Computer: TQ LED display with Bluetooth & ANT+ connectivity
• Electronics: TQ 4A Charger
• Frame: OCLV Mountain Carbon, removable battery, internal routing, alloy rocker link, 34.9mm seattube, upper chain guide mount, 55mm chainline, Mino Link, ABP, Boost148, UDH, 140mm travel
• Fork: RockShox Lyrik Select+, DebonAir spring, Charger 2.1 RC damper, tapered steerer, 44mm offset, Boost110, 15mm Maxle Stealth, 150mm travel
• Rear Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ RT, 205mm x 60mm
• Front Wheel: Bontrager Line Elite 30, OCLV Mountain Carbon, Tubeless Ready, 6-bolt, Boost110, 15 mm thru axle
• Front Hub: Bontrager alloy, sealed bearing, alloy axle, 6-bolt, Boost110, 15 mm thru axle
• Rear Wheel: Bontrager Line Elite 30, OCLV Mountain Carbon, Tubeless Ready, Rapid Drive 108, 6-bolt, Shimano MicroSpline freehub, Boost 148, 12 mm thru axle
• Rear Skewer: Bontrager Switch thru-axle, removable lever
• Tyres: Bontrager SE5 Team Issue, Tubeless Ready, Core Strength sidewalls, aramid bead, 120 tpi, 29×2.50″
• Sealant: Bontrager TLR sealant, 180 ml/6 oz
• Rim Strips: Bontrager TLR
• Shifter: Shimano XT M8100, 12-speed
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT M8100, long cage
• Crank Arms: E*thirteen E*spec Plus, 165mm length
• Chainring: E*thirteen E*spec, 32T alloy ring, 55 mm chainline
• Cassette: E*thirteen Helix Plus 9-50T 12-Speed
• Chain: Shimano XT M8100, 12-speed
• Saddle: Bontrager Arvada, austenite rails, 138 mm width
• Handlebar/Stem: Bontrager RSL Integrated handlebar/stem, OCLV Carbon, 27.5 mm handlebar rise, 820 mm width, 0-degree stem rise
• Grips: Bontrager XR Trail Elite, nylon lock-on
• Brake Set: SRAM Code R
• Brake Rotor: SRAM HS2 200mm

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by James Vincent

 

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