Considering a new Fuel EX 9 - anyone riden one?

[RangaRMX]

So I'm getting sick of my bike, it's got more travel than I currently need. I'm also finding I'm riding a little less as I can't find places which I enjoy riding it as much as I used to. Realistically it's a bit bulky to take to a lot of my local spots.

For the record it's an 08 Norco Six1 which has DHX air and 66ATA forks, even though I can lower the forks and turn on propedal, I still don't find it enjoyable to ride most trails. I guess if I was using the bike on rougher, steeper and more technically challenging trails I'd be more satisfied with it, but lately I haven't had the chance to get to any.

I guess where I'm going is towards a shorter travel bike so I can ride the local trails more with more satisfaction, and make it a little easier in the process.
I've been looking over different models and I've come to the Trek Fuel EX 9.
It looks nice, the spec is nice, it sounds like it performs well, and for the price I could get it for it's quite good compared to what else is on offer too.

So what I'm asking is for any opinions from owners, or people who've had a bit of experience with the bike, the one I'll be getting is an 09, but if you have an earlier model I'd still like to hear from you.

• Are there any dramas which you think is worthy to mention?
• What's the ABP, and custom tuned suspension, really go like?
• What other bikes you would compare is closely to?

I've also been to a few other shops and have seen what they have on offer, I've been shown a few Stumpy's and a nice Enduro, but they didn't really float my boat, which is not to say they're not awesome bikes, but they didn't sound any better than the Trek to me.
Does anyone have any hands on experience and could say how do these bikes go compared to the Trek?
I wasn't really looking at the Enduro at all, but the guy there owns one and he's trying to tell me that they're just as capable, just as easy to pedal up, as the Trek even though they have more travel. I was skeptical on this one.


TLDR: Anyone who owns, or has extensively used, a Trek Fuel EX, I'm looking at getting the 2009 EX9.
I'm just wondering how you rate the bike and it's main strengths and weaknesses?

 

[Tomas]

Ive got an EX8 and rode an EX9 extensively before i bought mine.

So I'm getting sick of my bike, it's got more travel than I currently need. I'm also finding I'm riding a little less as I can't find places which I enjoy riding it as much as I used to. Realistically it's a bit bulky to take to a lot of my local spots.

For the record it's an 08 Norco Six1 which has DHX air and 66ATA forks, even though I can lower the forks and turn on propedal, I still don't find it enjoyable to ride most trails. I guess if I was using the bike on rougher, steeper and more technically challenging trails I'd be more satisfied with it, but lately I haven't had the chance to get to any.
The 6's have a pretty relaxed seating position and they're pretty hefty bikes.

I guess where I'm going is towards a shorter travel bike so I can ride the local trails more with more satisfaction, and make it a little easier in the process.
Thats exactly what a fuel is for.

I've been looking over different models and I've come to the Trek Fuel EX 9.
It looks nice, the spec is nice, it sounds like it performs well, and for the price I could get it for it's quite good compared to what else is on offer too.
The 9 is nice, but your certainly paying for the X0 on there. Im a shimano man myself, so went for the 8. The 9's always look better.

So what I'm asking is for any opinions from owners, or people who've had a bit of experience with the bike, the one I'll be getting is an 09, but if you have an earlier model I'd still like to hear from you.
Are there any dramas which you think is worthy to mention?
You cant use a park derailleur tip straightener on the frame.
Frame size is pretty 'compact', so generally you need to show a bit of seat tube

What's the ABP, and custom tuned suspension, really go like?
What other bikes you would compare is closely to?
It goes pretty good. Doesnt bottom out harsh like some XC bikes do. Seems to stay pretty active all the time. Most suspension setups these days pedal sweet, so no issues there.


I've also been to a few other shops and have seen what they have on offer, I've been shown a few Stumpy's and a nice Enduro, but they didn't really float my boat, which is not to say they're not awesome bikes, but they didn't sound any better than the Trek to me.
Does anyone have any hands on experience and could say how do these bikes go compared to the Trek?
I rode a new and an old stumpy pretty hard before i bought the trek, found them to be noticeably worse on decents.

I wasn't really looking at the Enduro at all, but the guy there owns one and he's trying to tell me that they're just as capable, just as easy to pedal up, as the Trek even though they have more travel. I was skeptical on this one.
He owns one, making his comparison to a Trek, which he hasnt just spent 5-6k on pretty invalid.

TLDR: Anyone who owns, or has extensively used, a Trek Fuel EX, I'm looking at getting the 2009 EX9.
I'm just wondering how you rate the bike and it's main strengths and weaknesses?

They decend awesome. I blow at climbing anyway so cant be all that objective about how they climb. I love them because they are just a proper 'trail' bike. Great on the jumps and on kickers. Super comfy so i can stay in the saddle on rough firetrails and stuff (because im a lazy bastard). They look mean as and have a lifetime warranty? Im kind of running out of things to say really. Go to a Trek Dealer, get a test bike and abuse it for the weekend.

 

[jeeper]

the trek fuel ex9

I bought the fuel ex9 about 7-8 months ago. I upgraded from a Giant VT2 and there is no comparison (not that I would even try to). The Fuel Ex9 does exactly what says it will do. It handles everything really well. I initially had my heart set on a cannondale Rize and actually test rode one, I really enjoyed the bike but the customer service I recieved from the shop wasn't real flash. On the way back to the car I passed a Trek dealer and went in to have a look. One thing led to another and I was test riding the Fuel EX9. I walked away with that bike. The Cannondale shop customer service did me a huge favour.
The things I liked the most are the way this thing goes up hills. At first I was leaving the rear shock pro pedal on because I thought it would help going up hills, one day (after a massive decent) I acidentally left the pro pedal off and the bike climbed as if it was stuck to the ground I then lowered the Talas to see if it made a difference and it did this thing is the best climber I have ever ridden.
With the help of the ABP this bike is also an extremly capable on the decents as well. Other bikes rear ends tend to get a bit flighty when on a fast decent on the brakes, this bike once again feels like it is stuck to the ground.
I would say test ride it first but be prepared to buy it if you do.
The spec is awsome (I was always a shimano man) but I love the way everything on this bike just works.
Trek have done a lot to get themselves back to the top of the list and they have done a fantastic job.

Cheers

 

[RangaRMX]

Cheers for the responses, exactly what I was after.
So far I've only read positive things about it, and I'm definitely going to see if I can get a test ride on one.

One thing though, and I might start a new thread if I get no replies here, does anyone know if the forks on the EX9, or any Fox QR forks for that matter, can have the lowers swapped from the conventional QR and have ones with 15mm QR dropouts?
Just contemplating my options, whether or not to get a lower level bike and upgrade the forks later, or just get the EX9 and upgrade the lowers if I want.

 

[jeeper]

Cheers for the responses, exactly what I was after.
So far I've only read positive things about it, and I'm definitely going to see if I can get a test ride on one.

One thing though, and I might start a new thread if I get no replies here, does anyone know if the forks on the EX9, or any Fox QR forks for that matter, can have the lowers swapped from the conventional QR and have ones with 15mm QR dropouts?
Just contemplating my options, whether or not to get a lower level bike and upgrade the forks later, or just get the EX9 and upgrade the lowers if I want.

I don't think so you either have the quick release or 15mm through axle. Mine came with the quick release but apparentley this years model has the 15mm through axel of which I have read only good things (wish mine had the through axel). It would be great if you can have the lowers swapped though and a price? Anyone?

 

[rayza]

i cant remeber if it was on this forum, or mtbr.com, but i have definately read a thread on someone changing the lowers on their fox forks from QR to 15mm TA. it CAN be done, at what cost, i dont know.

 

[RangaRMX]

I don't think so you either have the quick release or 15mm through axle. Mine came with the quick release but apparentley this years model has the 15mm through axel of which I have read only good things (wish mine had the through axel). It would be great if you can have the lowers swapped though and a price? Anyone?

Nope, they all come with QR this year, hence my asking. Cheers anyway.

i cant remeber if it was on this forum, or mtbr.com, but i have definately read a thread on someone changing the lowers on their fox forks from QR to 15mm TA. it CAN be done, at what cost, i dont know.

Well by the looks of it they should realistically be able to be swapped, the dropouts are the same distance apart and I can't see why they'd make different shaped lowers just so QR and 15mm forks can be different

I'm assuming it'd be similar to swapping lowers on Pikes and Argyles, same shaped lowers but different load tolerances. In this case though the improvement would be more than just a little bit of strength which is why I'm considering it.

Reckon DW would know if this was doable and roughly how much? I'm guessing the cost of lowers + a bit of labor should do it..

 

[Bacca]

I ride an Iron Horse MkIII with a 2008 Q/R 32 Float that gets bombed through some rough stuff and whilst I'm sure you could notice less flex with the 15mm I definitely won't consider swapping mine over.

 

[Tomas]

Nope, they all come with QR this year, hence my asking. Cheers anyway.



Well by the looks of it they should realistically be able to be swapped, the dropouts are the same distance apart and I can't see why they'd make different shaped lowers just so QR and 15mm forks can be different

I'm assuming it'd be similar to swapping lowers on Pikes and Argyles, same shaped lowers but different load tolerances. In this case though the improvement would be more than just a little bit of strength which is why I'm considering it.

Reckon DW would know if this was doable and roughly how much? I'm guessing the cost of lowers + a bit of labor should do it..

+hub? I'm pretty sure they're dt swiss hubs, so probably convertable.

 

[RangaRMX]

I ride an Iron Horse MkIII with a 2008 Q/R 32 Float that gets bombed through some rough stuff and whilst I'm sure you could notice less flex with the 15mm I definitely won't consider swapping mine over.

Yeah, I'm not absolutely going to do it, I'm just more contemplating what options I may have later on down the track. Plus the closest I can compare the newer Fox forks to is my 2005 Vanilla RL which is 100mm and is a tad flexy. BUT I never noticed that until I got another bike with 20mm forks..so odds are I wont notice it on the Trek anyway as the forks are 4 years newer..

+hub? I'm pretty sure they're dt swiss hubs, so probably convertable.

Yeah, I already factored that in, I saw an XT or SLX 15mm hub advertised somewhere, I know it was one, just can't remember if it was XT or SLX