From race day to all day, you need a trail bike that's light and agile, yet commanding and capable. The Fuel EX is the do-it-all trail machine you can count on time and again.
Frame: Alpha Platinum Aluminum w/ABP Convert, Full Floater, E2 tapered head tube, internal front derailleur cable routing, magnesium EVO Link, replaceable derailleur hanger, 120mm travel
Strengths: The DRCV Technology is great, I have been using all of my suspension in the rear without feeling any bottoming out. With the DRCV up front I have not had any washout or felt like it held me back. If anything its gave me more confidence over all. The Shimano Brakes have not made a peep, no squealing what so ever and I've put over a hundred miles on the bike with no real cleaning other than a good wipe down.
Weaknesses: The inner tubes have been my worst enemy. The factory ones are race thin, if your counting grams these are great. As a trail bike these tubes won't last long( in my experience ). EVO link pivot point is in line with seat post hole, it limits how far the seat can be put down. The only thing you can do is cut the post.( minor issue ) While this is not a major issue we are in the 21st century, this should be an easy design workaround. The tires have decent traction, but do roll over a bit at 30 psi.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike, I plan to keep it around for a long time. Trek has my attention and I am waiting to see what improvements they come out with next year. Its hard to think that any serious improvements could be made to such a well rounded bike.
Strengths: This bike is by far the best bike i have ever had!!! Many people complain about the tires but if you put the psi to about 25-30 psi it handles pretty well on wet and dry terrain.Its suspension and forks make the ride exstremly nice. This bike might be a tad heavy but its SUPER smooth through all of the trails i have ridden it through.
Weaknesses: The only think that catches my attention is that there is a strange and some what loud ticking noise coming from the front end. I havent been able to find out what is exsactly causing it.
Bottom Line:
Over all this is by far the best bike i have ever had or ridden for that matter, this bike is so smooth on the trails. The Full supension is truly a smooth ride. The shifting is so fast and quiet, also i can hardley feel it.. The breaks are super responsive but a tad bit noisey at times. The weight is a little heavy side. The only weakness is a strange ticking noise in the front end, i have not been able to pin point where it is comming from. One of the thinks i like most about this bike is how well it handles because of the full suspension and just how well this bike is balenced. I highley recommend this bike for mid ranged to exstreme riders.
Weaknesses: Front hub has a strange clicking noise, I've not had the bike long enough to pin point the issue. Many complain about the tires but I've found if I reduce the psi to 28-30 then they handle well in wet and dry conditions.
My fork blew a seal after one ride however my LBS fit a brand new fork and returned my bike within 5 days, no issues since.
Bottom Line:
I traded in my Jamis HT 29er for the EX8. I've been blown away by the EX 8 so far. It spins up to speed very quickly and the drive train engages quickly. This has helped in many situations but is most noticeable in technical rocky sections. . The suspension has smoothed out the trail and it's great to carry so much speed through rocky sections. I've not timed my loops but it seems like i'm generally carrying way more speed through out. I've been impressed by the brakes (SLX 666) as i can slow into the turns and feather if need be instead of breaking and holding on with my lower spec Shimano's. The weightless feeling on drop off's put a huge smile on my face, in fact i find my self laughing while riding this bike often. I was very surprised at how well the bike climbed compared to my HT 29er. It actually seems quicker on the climbs. With the shock locked out the bike feels very similar to my old HT. I have not gotten use to the extra travel (120mm vs 80mm) when loading the front to lift and clear logs or tougher technical sections. This bike is much more responsive in tight technical and switchbacks are now a breeze. I can definitively recommend this bike, it will keep me involved in this sport for a number of years, my lower back is very thankful i moved to full suspension. I was able to trade my old bike in and got a great deal on this brand new 2012.
Bike Setup: I switched to ODI grips and WTB SST saddle. My lbs switched out the Dusters and gave me a set of Rythem Comp's.
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Submitted by
endo_2011
a Weekend Warrior
from Lewis Center Oh USA
Date Reviewed: February 19, 2012
Strengths: Suspension is awesome on this bike; it supports my 215 lbs with ease! Although it is not the lightest bike out there, it works for me. The lighter weight, the pro pedal suspension and an awesome drive train enables me to climb like crazy, which is something I usually struggle at. The AVID 5 brakes work better than anticipated based upon other reviews
Weaknesses: Bontrager stock tires are awful; already replaced and went tubeless with Bontrager Team xr4's. Bike also had serious squeal with front brakes for first 30-40 miles; however seems to have worked itself out.
Bottom Line:
Bike is awesome and I couldn't be happier. It looks awesome, it's light, it climbs great, the brakes get the job done, and it hammers through the single track! What else could I ask for?
Similar Products Used: None really, former bike was Giant Yukon full suspension.
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Submitted by
stygz1
a Weekend Warrior
from Bonaire, GA
Date Reviewed: February 18, 2012
Strengths: Well equiped slx drive terrain. Reasonably light. Very versital well handling bike
Weaknesses: Would have prefered SLX brakes instead of Avid elixer 5 on my 2011 model
Bottom Line:
Bought the bike as a 2011 left over. I really like the black finish. It seems to be very durable so far. Shimano SLX group has been great. Bike handles very well. Trek makes it easy to set up the suspension with using the online calculator as a base setting. The included Shock meters make it easier than using a tape measure. The elixer brakes work just fine but I did demo a bike with SLX and I really liked them. Not a dealer breaker though. Climbs will and really likes fast twisty singletrack. Tires were Jones XR. They are OK tires but most everyone changes to something more tailored to themselves. My handle bars were the Bontrager big sweep. Bike was supposed to come with a small riser bar so I switched it to the Race Lite riser. Test rode a cannondale and Specialized and found the Trek to be a better value.
Submitted by
Bblevins
a Weekend Warrior
from Lyman, sc, USA
Date Reviewed: December 12, 2011
Strengths: Every component on this bike seems to work great. Suspension must be designed by Cadillac , very smooth and hooks up well...
Weaknesses: Drivetrain can be noisy at times but is something all bikes have to deal with. Chaffing with the cables and the frame could be an easy fix from Trek...
Bottom Line:
One really awesome bike....Great buy and highly recommended.....
Strengths: Value per dollar. Suspension is damn near perfect, especially rear. Brakes work even better than I thought they would. Looks awesome. Lighter than my hardtail.
Weaknesses: XR3 Tires aren't the best griping but roll really well. Just got some xr4's to replace them. SLX 3X10 drivetrain noisy. Fugly stock saddle.
Bike Setup: stock with Wellgo mg-1's, xr4 tires, rocket v saddle, crosstrails
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Submitted by
SoFlaBiker
a Weekend Warrior
from Boynton Beach, Florida
Date Reviewed: December 1, 2011
Strengths: Great frame, geometry, handles great
Weaknesses: Tires are my only complaint. Will probably upgrade to Kenda or WTB.
Bottom Line:
This is an upgrade from the Gary Fisher hardtail I purchased 3yrs ago. Back them I was just starting out in mountain biking and had no idea what I was embarking on ! Thankfully I learned alot on that old hardtail, it taught me to become a better rider and I am thankful for it so I gave the frame to my nephew and with my sister's boyfriend we will rebuild it and introduce a young rider to the great world of mountain biking! Back on the subject of the Trek Fuel EX 8 2011 model, its "Freaken Awesome"! I have demo'd full suspension bikes from Trek and Giant both are great bikes but the Trek just fit my style of riding better, which is a little on the aggressive side. I picked up the bike on Tuesday and went on Wed after I got my pedals, shoes & helmet I ordered on line. I was hesitant to push the bike in the beginning but after and hour of riding I became more comfortable and started pushing myself on the bike and it handled great ! This is a perfect bike for anyone wanting to step up from a hardtail, components can be upgraded in time so the bike wont be outdated after a year of riding it. No regrets at all with my purchase.
Bike Setup: Stock for now until I decide what I want to adjust or change, shimano M520 MTB SPD pedals on it .
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Submitted by
gerardo
a Cross Country Rider
from El Salvador
Date Reviewed: November 27, 2011
Strengths: Great suspension, relaible , it gives you confidence. A well balanced bike. Beautiful trail bike and all around bike..
Weaknesses: heavy ex 8 28.7 pounds
Bottom Line:
This is a good trailbike . I had the genius 20 150 travel and this baby feels sweeter with half the value and almost the same weight (2 pounds more), It even climbs better.
I´m used to lighter bikes (xc) and prefer to used this one than the rest.
I bought this one just to try it out and I´m extremly pleased. In looking foward to get the top end carbon . Hope the ride is as sweet as this one and the climb faster.
Get it you´ll love it.
Similar Products Used: scott spark 20, scott genius 20, anthem x sl1 . gaint nrs air, and alot of hardtails mostly carbon.
Bike Setup: stock
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Submitted by
TWOWHEELS2011
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: October 30, 2011
Strengths: Sturdy frames that come in plenty of sizes, high end fox suspension, sturdy components and light weight and fast.
Weaknesses: Stock tires; and brakes are noisy sometimes, rotars warp esily and the seat rips easily.
Bottom Line:
This is for the 2011 model.
Great bike! With so many frame sizes it is easy to find the one that fits properly. The DRCV shock is awsome and abp is great. The fox forks are incredible, on the trail I ride it isn't uncommon for me to come down a steep hill and hit a rock garden, the forks on my other bikes can't hold up to it and I end up almost crashing, but with the fox forks the bike just keeps rolling.
With propedal on there is no pedal bob and it is great for getting some extra speed.
Components are great. When I took my wolverine on the same trail the rear derailleur kept breaking and the rear wheel broke and I've gone through a couple of chains on it. With the Trek everything works as it should and I have no issues (except a broken chain and a flat, but hey). It climbs like a mountain goat. There is no hill this sucker can't go up. Even when the front wheel comes up I can usually keep climbing once it settles back down. It shifts well and I have never had any problems with the chain dropping. With the 3 x 10 this bike is fast and stock with some pedals it is about 30lbs, maybe just under (I can't remember). The brakes are mega powerful and they work so well, I've almost sent myself over the handlebars a few times underestamating their power.
The stock tires suck!!! When the trail was even slightly damp I would be sliding all over the place, front and back tires, plus the rear wheel would spin on rocks while trying to climb. I got a flat going over a rock that wasn't even sharp and I had about 50psi in it(or there abouts). Swap that tire to a cheapy Kenda tire and no more flats. Chain also broke for no good reason, but it's been fixed and so far so good.
When the bike is new the brakes are noisy, but usually it gets worked out, however, when the brakes are wet they get noisy, no working this out. Brake rotars warp really easy, both my rotars are warped already.
Got it home from the store after buying it, took it out of the truck and noticed the seat was allready torn. Not a big deal as I wasn't going to use the stock seat, but seriously, it shouldn't rip that fast!
If you want to get into some serious mountain biking, but you don't want to hack off and arm and a leg to get a good bike, this is the bike for you. I consider it more of a burlier xc bike than a toned down dh bike so if you want to hit some small jumps, bomb down hill and fly uphill this bike is the right tool for the job.
Overall this is a fantastic bike. The only things that need to be changed from stock are the tires (and you can probably get away with only the rear tire). It is light, fast and responsive! It is a great confidence booster. Clipless pedals go a long way on this bike, it'll go through anything, but not if your feet arn't on your pedals. I think an adjustable seat post would make it perfect, but I suppose that depends more on the trail you ride.
Similar Products Used: Giant rincon; Norco Wolverine.
and countless other hardtail bikes
Bike Setup: Stock with clipless pedals and a cheap kenda rear tire.
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Submitted by
Cas
a Weekend Warrior
from Brisbane, QLD, Aus
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2011
Strengths: Excelent suspension, handles well, stiff frame, NOT FLIMSY as i thought it would be, DRCV is insane, ABP is excelent
Weaknesses: Rear Brake makes a little sound, well worth putting up with tho
Bottom Line:
Very good bike, worth every penny. Inflate rear suspenion about 20PSI above recomended pressure if your trailing it rough, SUPER STRONG BRAKES< ONE FINGER ONLY!!!!
Similar Products Used: Avanti Escape 2007, (Hardtails)
Bike Setup: Stock with Cleats and Clipless Pedals.
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Submitted by
SlackRider
a Cross Country Rider
from SF Bay Area
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2011
Strengths: Fantastic suspension. Active Braking Pivot is brilliant. 3x10 drivetrain makes -very- steep hills manageable. Climbs beautifully - as well as a hard tail, minimal pedal bob - with pro-pedal switched on for rear suspension. Excellent handling/maneuvering on the front end.
Weaknesses: Chain prone to dropping when downshifting on front gears, when rear is set to biggest chain wheel. Stock Bontrager tires slide around on anything but firm & dry terrain. Yeah the stock saddle is rough but I don't care much; I got used to it.
Bottom Line:
I graduated to this after a couple thousand off road miles on a Trek 4300 hardtail. I ride a mix of cross country to moderately, occasionally very, technical single track. The downhill capability of the Fuel EX8 blew me away from day 1 -- and once I figured out how to set my body to climb on it, it's gone up 8-10% grades beautifully. I get no pedal bob or sag while sitting with the front suspension locked out & propedal on, and essentially no bob while standing.
The ABP on the rear suspension is a huge feature. Asking myself if I want full engagement of my rear shock, or full power in my rear brake, is not a choice I want to make on sharp turns with sheer sandstone steps in front of me. With the ABP there are no compromises. It handles tough downhill to me indistinguishably from a Pivot Mach 5, and costs about half as much.
The other thing that continues to impress me after a couple months is the precision of maneuverability on the front. The phrase "point and shoot" is kind of just a marketing slogan, but I am very confident this thing will go where I want it to on tight turns. It's light up there, but the tapered head tube gives me a lot of confidence in its stability.
I tried the stock Bonty tires for a month and they are a no-go, rear wheel slid around in sand, felt like I would lose it a few times (never did though). Put on some bigger, grippier maxxis tires and problem solved.
Big thing to watch out for -- when climbing steeply, it's not uncommon to drop the chain when I downshift on the front gears, when the rear gears are on the biggest wheels. The workaround is to downshift upfront first, then downshift in the back. Not elegant, but tolerable. Asked my LBS guy, great guy who takes good care of my bike, about this. He owns the same model except upgraded to shimano XTR. I asked if upgrading the derailleurs or drivetrain would help and he thought not -- he has the same issue and thought it was that the lowest rear gears were so big (handy for tough climbs) that there was extreme tension upfront, just a bit too much for it to handle sometimes.
On the issue of components -- people definitely key on the shimano SLX setup as a problem for quality per dollar in the Fuel EX8, as that is not a high end component set. With the above exception I have found them very reliable and able to handle fast shifting under high tension. And like I said, LBS guy declined to push big upgrades on me here...indicating that the SLX vs. XT or XTR or whatever is not the issue. Yeah, I'd lose a quarter pound in weight with that upgrade, but not gain much performance. At present that's not worth a few hundred $$ to me. Maybe one day. Right now, the components do not limit me at all.
On the weight in general -- it's pretty much a push on this (aluminum) model. Not much lighter than my entry level hard tail, but the rear suspension equipment & expanded gearing add a fair bit. That's acceptable given the riding I want to do.
I've heard this described as a good bike for getting into serious riding. For me, $2k+ is a big investment in a bike, and I ride 2k miles a year off road. This one has been well worth it - it lets me master trails I tiptoed over on my 4300, and lets me take trails & conditions I wouldn't even try on that one.
Submitted by
Spencerstutzman
a Downhiller
from Eastlake, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2011
Strengths: Great suspension, smooth, excellent deraileur
Weaknesses: Weak frame/rear triange. Cracked the rear triangle after i jumped it 4 to 5 feet. Only has a two year warranty
Bottom Line:
Great bike, but don't be surprised if you're frame or rear triangle cracks. I'm currently buying a rear triangle from someone who cased the front triangle. Other than that, the bike is liquid smooth and lightning fast.
Similar Products Used: GT LTS-5, Schwinn, Iron Horse, Trek
Bike Setup: raceface headset, easton stem and seatpost, eggbeater pedals
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Submitted by
critterstalker
a Weekend Warrior
from Mcdonough, Ga ,USA
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2011
Strengths: Well balanced when set up properly , stiff frame , great suspension , good components , comfortable , awesome front end feedback ,stable on climbs , all around responsive !!
Weaknesses: noisy , but well worth dealing with
Bottom Line:
I spent several months shopping for a FS bike . It's a big investment for me . We shopped Specialized , Giant , Gt and others at out LBS. In the end customer service and Reviews swayed me to the Trek . From the first trail ride I was in impressed , this bike makes me want to ride harder and farther. It eats up singletrack and has me climbing rock gardens with no hesitation. not one single problem with it as it came . I even take it to the local BMX track and ride , hitting a few small jumps. With my lower back issues FS was a must , I don't regret it at all . This bike is Great! Ohhh and the pro pedal option is great for the hills.
Submitted by
Nick
a Downhiller
from Wellington, NZ
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2011
Strengths: Pedaling platform efficiency, heavy corner handling, setup flexibility. General hooligan nature when pushed.
Weaknesses: The rubbish blue color haha
Bottom Line:
The thing so far has been a very impressive all round trail beast. My build is a bit beefier than the average as I am a downhill/BMX rider and have a tendency to treat the gear a bit harder than the average trail rider. I took a stock EX5 frame with mag rockers and RP2 and built it around my preferred parts. I know the wheels very stiff ride quality will accentuate but also harm the point and shoot nature of the frame by making it tramline at times but after one ride on some flappy stock rubbish I had to change them. The result is a tight handling 29lb bike which feels very solid. It climbs amazingly with the forks at 95mm or 140mm which is a testament to the geometry being super flexible. Descending is a hoot, I'm used to having 7" to 9" travel in the rear so this frame being short travel but holding a bottomless feel is phenomenal. It rips the roughest trail, holds its line, tears jumps and drops like a demon and even gets playful when the berm isn't enough and you want to flick it up the bank to wallride it. I can ride all day and still want more, throw it down rough stuff without worrying about it bending, cruise flowy stuff and hammer xc trails. So far I'm Uber impressed. We will need to see how it takes the abuse long term, but with a lifetime warrantee on the mainframe I don't care. I'll just ride the new one too if it breaks rather than replace it. Build it light or a bit heavier for some playful hooliganism. Well worth the time and cash. :)
