Trek Fuel EX 8 or 9.8

hellmansam

hellmansam

Likes Bikes and Dirt
First world probs...As a BUPA customer there's a 15% discount on Trek bikes.
The choices are
Fuel EX 8 $3600
" " 9.7 $4000
" " 9.8 $5100

The 9.8 maxes my budget so no upgrading anything for a while, but I don't see much need given the specs. Might want a shorter stem, different seat, or dropper post but I can live with the OEM stuff in the short term.
It seems to me (without putting in much time pricing stuff) that it would be difficult to get the same bang for bucks using the $1500 difference to upgrade bits of the 8 to be on par with the 9.8 (while disregarding the difference in frames) I don't know enought about what prices I could get for the take-off bits I would want to change like the forks and wheels.
No doubt there's a fair bit of experience among you lot, thoughts please :)
 
hellmansam

hellmansam

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Tubbsy said:
Ditch BUPA, and with the smaller gap payments at the dentist using another health fund you'll get a big saving on any brand of bike...
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mmm have considered doing just that. However it's a long term answer for another day ! I have the $$ now and need to move on this before the Mrs tries to hijack my bike fund..
 
Warp

Warp

Likes Dirt
Nextie rims laced to DT 350's will cost you around ~1K-1.2K if you want to upgrade to carbon wheels.
The 9.7 has NX drivetrain.... the cassette weighs a good 200grs more than GX, so you want to upgrade that one soon... but you need an XD driver because NX is Shimano compatible, not XD compatible.

I was in a similar boat than you... I decided with the lower spec and spend more on some parts I wanted to change (drivetrain and wheels mainly). The rest I can live with.

The 9.8 is a good deal if you don't want to upgrade a thing for a while.
 
The Reverend

The Reverend

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I'd go 9.8 as unless you're looking to get an end of year deal you're unlikely to get that deal off Trek.
It does depend on how much you value carbon wheels. They're nice but one tends to stress over them more than alloy wheels.

And yes, ditch Bupa once it's done...
Paid them obscene sums of money for years for what turned out to be middling cover...
 
hellmansam

hellmansam

Likes Bikes and Dirt
The Reverend said:
It does depend on how much you value carbon wheels. They're nice but one tends to stress over them more than alloy wheels.
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I was a bit apprehensive about buying the used Roval Control set on my current HT, I'm almost at the weight limit for them but once I got used to the new lively response of the bike I forgot to worry...the little jumps I do don't bother them, any fears I had about them being delicate are gone. There's a video of Danny Macaskill testing some carbon rims to destruction - that swayed me to give them a go.
 
S

SlowManiac

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Does the 9.8 come with the Bontrager carbon wheels? I've had major durability issues with mine ... Trek warranty is pretty bullet proof I have to admit, just wish their wheels were too! They are very nice wheels.
I've got the 9.7 been super happy with it, even the NX gear has been fine.
 
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The Reverend

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Yep. 9.8 means carbon wheels. They're the 54 POE rather than the 108 POE versions but still good. And as much as I like straight pull spokes, not having them on these wheels is a good thing as on the Line Pro wheels they're bladed and a PITA to tighten I find...
 
S

SlowManiac

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Ah I've got a 2018 bike with the Line Pro. Not sure if the rims are any different (had issues with rims cracking)
 
hellmansam

hellmansam

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Been out for a ride on a demo Fuel EX 7 this morning. It's due back tomorrow so I'll get another ride in tomorrow morning. All good, has me questioning my perceived 'need' for the higher end version. Took a mate along and we switched between my Merida HT and the Trek, he preferred my bike, he doesn't ride much and felt the lighter bike was easier to get up the hills on. I think he's hooked :cool: he enjoyed the ride, was never far behind me and didn't fall off once. I took a stationary topple when I forgot to make use of the dropper post, stalling halfway over a harmless looking rock obstacle somebody has cobbled together o_O

Ultra Lord said:
Dude, get the more exxy one. People should always get the best spec their budget allows
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Yes :D yes they should
 
John U

John U

MTB Precision
I bought the 9.8 a couple of years back. I like quality stuff in my bikes. I didn’t feel the need to change anything on the 9.8 apart from the grips.
 
The Reverend

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
SlowManiac said:
Ah I've got a 2018 bike with the Line Pro. Not sure if the rims are any different (had issues with rims cracking)
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I bought some Line Pro 30's for my Remedy 9.8. the rear cracked and they just replaced the whole wheel. I always use inserts just to be safe now.

Absolutely no problems with them since that in over a year.
 
Minlak

Minlak

custom titis
If these are the 2019 version you are looking at the 9.8 has better forks and that’s a huge upgrade on the lesser bikes. Not to mention the overall better running gear on it.
 
P

puffmoike

Likes Dirt
Ultra Lord said:
Dude, get the more exxy one. People should always get the best spec their budget allows.
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Unless you’re somebody who has your eye on some very specific components and values having a unique bike I think the mantra should be ‘get the best spec you’ll be happy with keeping stock for at least 12 months’.

That might be an EX8. It’s a great bike, and the law of diminishing returns definitely applies to anything above it. But I can’t see the financial sense in buying it and then immediately swapping parts out (subject to my initial disclaimer).

The 9.8 has (mostly) carbon frame, Thru-shaft shock, better fork, carbon rims, GX Eagle and carbon bars. Good luck upgrading an EX8 to get close to that spec for anything like the same coin.

In 2017 I demoed an EX9 (aluminium frame with 9.8-level spec) and ended up buying a 9.8. I reckon I probably would have been almost as happy with an EX8, but my mate who I ride with most of the time was getting the 9.8 (so I knew I’d be envious on the trails), I loved the all-black murdered out look of the 2017 9.8, and I could get it with a Reverb dropper at no extra charge (whereas the Bontrager dropper had already earned a poor reputation for reliability, which has since borne out with 3/3 friends who own Treks). All I’ve changed in two years are tyres and grips.
 
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