Trek Fuel EX8 Review - BikeRadar

Trek’s new Fuel EX was a big hit as soon as it appeared last year. This year’s version is faster, smoother and has more appetite for the big stuff too, making it a stand-out success.

A totally sorted package in terms of handling, suspension performance, good looks and top value makes the Trek an instant hit. Experienced riders or suspension novices alike came back talking of cleaning climbs or descents they’d never managed before, and the Trek created memorably marvellous rides and consistently enthusiastic comments.

Ride & handling: Muscular all-rounder is pure trail gold

With a generous top tube and impressively tight frame feel giving accurate feedback from every direction, the Trek feels sorted straight away. The bigger shock volume and broadly based tyres give it a distinctly surefooted and confident trail connection, while the floating shock and fork work really well together.

It sucks up square edges noticeably better than single pivot bikes, handles serious steppy/rocky descents and 6ft drops without worry, yet still cruises smoothly over the small chattery stuff.

In the rare moments the useful traction-increasing pedal/trail communication becomes a distracting bob, a quick flick of the ProPedal lever on the Fox RP2 shock steadies it instantly.

While a wider bar would be even better, the basic handling is spot on for ripping up tight singletrack or surfing loose rock riverbeds way faster than seems wise.

In fact it’s this ability to transition straight from flat-out rock-scattering descent to cleaning low traction scrabble climbs that really sets the Trek apart. 

Without any lever switches, changes of pace or aggression, it sticks with the best descenders as easily as it reins in the best climbers. It doesn’t just let you get on with the ride either, it encourages you to push the pace and your limits at every opportunity.

Frame: Excellent floated suspension in a stiff, durable chassis

If you’ve seen the glossy ads you’ll know the Trek is a seriously good looker, but it’s even better in the flesh. A parade of hydraulically shaped pipework includes a neat geometric figure-of-eight head tube.

Then there’s a big conjoined weld between the triangular-to-hexagon then flipped triangle top tube and the triangle-to-broad-hexagonal down tube.

The radically asymmetric chainstays extend past the seat tube so that the shock can sit on their tips to create a fully floating system, with the axle-concentric ABP pivot at the far end.

Other practical pluses include a chunky rubber and neoprene chainguard, plenty of mudroom under the flat bridge and a unique three-‘keyhole’ quick-release seat clamp arrangement to spread stress.

While it’s not exactly a technological issue, the recent introduction of an 18.5in frame into the previous 17.5 to 19.5in sizing gap has made getting a perfect fit easier for loads more riders. It’s the only frame here in two colour options too – black/white or the striking root beer/white pictured.

The only thing we would say is that we think Trek is missing a trick by using an extra-long steel quick-release skewer rather than a screw-through axle at the back.

Equipment: Impressive kit selection but needs knobblier tyres for winter/wet work

Trek wisely put their faith in Fox for suspension duties. This time it’s a custom 130mm travel Float RL fork up front and a Float RP2 (rebound and on/off ProPedal compression damping) rear shock. This year the Fuel EXs also get a larger XV (Xtra Volume) air chamber on the shock.

More air space is injected via the broad 28mm Bontrager Rhythm wheels, which plump up the 2.2/2.25in tyres. Full tubeless readiness means you just need a squirt of Super Juice sealant to ditch vulnerable inner tubes altogether.

The slippery low profile tread meant we stuck a Bontrager Mud X tyre up front to get us through winter without continual crashing, and we’d advise a similar upgrade.

The Shimano XT/SLX transmission is super-efficient, and the cranks are the longest-lasting here in bearing, chainring and cosmetic terms. No complaints about the Avid Juicy brakes either, but they aren’t as powerful as the newer Elixir models.

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