2017 Trek Fuel EX 29 vs 2017 Giant Anthem 2

ellemenophee

ellemenophee

Likes Bikes
I was looking at the Trek Fuel EX 9.8 29 just today as an looooong overdue upgrade to my dinosaur bike & as a cross training tool.
If you have Bupa health insurance & you are purchasing from an authorised Trek dealer you will get 15 % discount on the Trek range of bikes.
Car breakdown services like RAA in SA offer 10 % on Trek & parts, just like being a loyal customer to your LBS for bringing your smiling face along to purchases you would get similar or if you are a very regular customer , faster or prettier than i -12 %.
It is worth checking your cover for RACV ( Vic) or NRMA (NSW) & your own private health cover as it may help tip the scales favourably.
For me it was $930 off the ticket.
Cheers
 
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swaz

swaz

Likes Bikes and Dirt
notime said:
Last Friday I picked up a new Fuel Ex 9.9, I took is straight out and raced the National XCO rounds 1 and 2 at Orange.

I also was very keen on the alloy 2016 after some very good demo rides at Thredbo, Jindy and on a few home trails. I didn't like the yellow colour and at the end of the day Trek didn't have any XL's anyway so held out for the 17 models.

I ended up on the 9.9 to get a respectable weight so it wasn't a chore peddling on long rides and climbs, XX1 Eagle also helps. My XL bike out of the box with Fat Paws, cage, pedals and frame tape came in at 11.8kg. That's with the 2.4 tyres so if I really wanted to put it more into XC trim I could drop it with tyre options and getting rid of the dropper.

For a 130mm trail orientated bike its a big change from the hardtails I normally ride. Basically it's early days but it's bloody awesome, it really climbs well and this was my only major concern. Once I got the pressure and rebound correct the bike feels beautiful, I'm not even close to getting to the bikes cornering and downhill potential but long technical rocky climbs it just excels.

The only advice I can give is doing proper demo's. Take a shock pump and the time to setup the bike properly, my decision was based on a lot of demo rides on both the 16 and 17 alloy versions and other bikes in it's class that I was interested in.

A mate has the new Anthem, Fox 34's, XT group and the carbon wheels. He also rode XC nats on it, launched some big doubles on the play track before the 1st days racing and rode the pants off it both days. From what he is doing with it, the bike is incredibly capable and if it wasn't that I like the 29er wheels under my big frame I would have considered one as well.
Click to expand...
Did he get the alloy one with carbon wheels?
 
S

schred

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Sorry. Will run mostly stock, just diff cockpit (saddle, bars, grips, stem) & tyres. Was going to swap out the wheels but will try them out (fairly narrow carbon jobbies). Bike was 4500.

There was also a medium advanced sx in the shop, which was unusual as you can't get them in Aus. Turns out it was a left over from the global launch that the shop bought. Was tempted but just felt too close to the trance it is replacing.

Trails are mostly single track and flowy machine made, a bit of adventure at mt joyce but one offs. This is def a deliberate travel limiting exercise based on how smooth the trails are that I ride.
 
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