Trek Fuel EX 8 29
2016
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Description
With the big-wheel mile crushing of an XC bike and the confidence of an aggressive trail bike, Trek's Fuel EX 8 29 trounces whatever trails you have in mind. This 29er boasts Trek's Alpha aluminum frame with G2 geometry. Stiffness means precise handling, so you're equipped with Trek's E2 head tube and a 142x12 rear through axle, plus Trek's ABP and Full Floater suspension to keep your rear suspension active and controlled even when you're braking. That suspension devours hits to the tune of 120mm of front and rear travel, controlled by Fox's technology and enhanced with Trek's Re:activ tech out back. The rest of the parts are just as dialed. This outstanding bike is built up with tubeless-ready Bontrager wheels and tires, sure-stopping Shimano discs, and a Shimano 2x10 drivetrain for crisp, quick shifts every time. The Fuel EX 8 29 is ready for whatever you have in mind.
Features & Info
Alpha Platinum Aluminum
Trek’s premium lightweight aluminum is continuously cold extruded and butted at multiple points for ultimate weight reduction and superior strength. Frames built with Trek’s Alpha Platinum aluminum are hydroformed to create the most sophisticated shapes for the lightest weight, and are finished using their smooth-weld process.
Trek’s Full Floater Shock Mount
Trek's Full Floater shock mount boasts two suspended points that allow the shock to "float" through its range of action for seemingly bottomless travel and excellent tracking over every type of terrain.
EVO Rocker Link
Trek's EVO rocker link is a one-piece, magnesium linkage that drastically increases rear-end stiffness and decreases total frame weight, too.
E2 Head Tube
Trek's E2 head tube is 1.5-inches in diameter at the bottom and 1 1/8-inches at the top. This maximizes front-end stiffness for awesome steering precision and control, while allowing the use of standard 1 1/8-inch stems and not adding much weight.
G2 geometry
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| Trek's G2 Geometry (version 2 of Gary Fisher's Genesis Geometry) delivers the ultimate ride for every trail. Genesis earned rave reviews for awesome handling on climbs and descents thanks to a long top tube paired with a short stem that moves the front wheel forward for top-notch confidence and control, while short chainstays add phenomenal traction. G2 Geometry takes these handling traits to the next level by boosting control on tight singletrack and technical climbs, too. This is accomplished by increasing the amount of fork offset (reducing trail), which makes G2 bikes steer more quickly, and by shortening the reach, which puts more weight on the front wheel for even better control and confidence. The two animations above showcase how G2 Geometry provides the perfect ride. |
Pedals sold separately
Consumer Reviews
Pros
- Versatile (23)
- Durable (22)
- Lightweight (16)
- Plush Downhill (2)
- Climbing (2)
- Everything (2)
Cons
- None (4)
- Nil
- cant think of any yet
- Crankset
- Uncomfortable saddle
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Mountain Biking (24)
- Cross country (3)
- Trail (2)
- Trail riding (2)
- Single track (2)
- Extreme Sports (2)
Aug 16, 2015
- Pros:
- Durable, Lightweight, Versatile
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- Mountain Biking
I have been working in bike shops sense I was 15 years old and ridding full suspension mountain bikes sense the age of 13, Now after a solid 15 years in the industry I have ridden everything under the sun, some great, some not so great. But this bike, especially at its price point, is in a class of its own. Absolutely the best bike of it's kind I have ever ridden. Climbing and sprinting it feels like a sub 100mm cross country race bike but in the nasty bits and the even more knar down hill sections of New England the suspension truly does feel bottomless and the plushness rivals that of 150-160mm travel enduro bikes. If you truly want a bike that can climb to the clouds and then shred to the lot and ride everything you find in between, get this. Get a lighter wheel set and you have a dope race rig too. For the money and the ride, this is a full, balls to the wall, bang for your buck! Summed up, 26" is dead, and if you like going fast on all but downhill runs, 29" is it. (if you don't believe the 29" hype yet, take it from one of the most old sole, old school, hold out bike shop employee mechanic lifers in New England, I have seen the light and all should see the awesomeness too.)
Jul 25, 2015
- Pros:
- Versatile, Climbing, Durable
- Cons:
- Front Suspension
- Best Uses:
- Cross country, Mountain Biking
I use this bike for xterra triathlons and xc races. I got an all mountain bike because I mainly road bike so I wanted a bike that was fun and playful. This bike is that! It took me a while to get the perfect setup but now I'm in love. It handles really well and is whippy around the corners. It is also jumpy and playful on the descents. The hightlight of this bike is the rear suspension. It is so smooth even on the toughest terrain. My only issue that I have had is the front suspension. I took a little more air out then what trek reccommended and now it's great! This bike is fun and climbs extremely well.
Jul 11, 2015
- Pros:
- Versatile, Durable
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- Mountain Biking, Extreme Sports
Very nice bike
Only bike to own
May 07, 2015
- Pros:
- Lightweight, Versatile, Everything, Durable
- Cons:
- Uncomfortable saddle, Frame Fit Small
- Best Uses:
- Commuting/City, Mountain Biking, Trail
Great bike. Fun and comfortable ride. I live in Appalachian mountains and this bike handled everything I've thrown at it so far. Obviously not s down hill bike but I enjoy climbing as well as down hill so I wanted a very capable climber and it definitely is. I plan to upgrade to tubeless, shorter stem, carbon bars and in distant future the wheels. Although all that is good on the bike stock.
I did have to buy a size bigger frame than normal. I am 5'10.5" 180lbs longer torso and bought a large 19.5/18.5. I usually ride medium 18.5. But the 19.5 virtual felt much more comfortable.
Apr 27, 2015
- Pros:
- Versatile, Durable, Lightweight
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- Extreme Sports, Mountain Biking
This bike is amazing.
Apr 17, 2015
- Pros:
- Comfortable, Colours, Durable, Lightweight, Ctd, Awesome, Versatile, Grippy
- Cons:
- None
- Best Uses:
- Enduro, Cross country, Trail riding, Mountain Biking
I have the 2014 model of this bike and have had it for about half a year and absolutely love it!!!! I usually ride it on fast flowey man made trails and it handles the berms and jumps beautifully. I also do some downhill riding (which I probably shouldn't be doing considering it's a 120mm 29er) which has some more roots bigger jumps and drops, which it still handles considerable well :)
I would say the only downside for my kind of technical riding is I would have loved to get a 27.5 simply because it would up the amount of travel.
Love this bike and hopefully I will for a long time in the future!
Mar 22, 2015
- Pros:
- Lightweight, Durable, Versatile
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- Rough Trail, Mountain Biking
I use this bike for Florida XC trails. I chose this because we also travel to North Carolina and am looking forward to riding in the mountains up there. The durability and versatility of this bike really offer a lot of confidence when starting off on poorly described trails; no matter what I encounter, I'm pretty sure this bike will be up to the task! Offers a comfortable yet fast, sporty ride even over very rooty terrain. Extremely well designed, constructed and fit.
Mar 17, 2015
- Pros:
- Lightweight, Value, Ride quality, Durable, Versatile, Stock Specs
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- All Mtn, Trail, Mountain Biking, Cc Trail
Had my eye on the Fuel since they came out, was finally able to treat myself to a new EX 8 29er last month. I've only got about 20 miles on it across 3 separate rides, but the suspension is settling in nicely, the brakes are worn in, and the it's as tight and quiet as one can wish for. So far I can say the rear really does track and break as advertised, and the CTD settings on fork and shock play a big part in handling and are easy enough to adjust on the fly. The stem on mine is a bit short and the bars a bit wide, but nothing I can't swap out at the LBS for little to nothing. Can't recommend a better bike for the price, go take a test ride!
Nov 09, 2014
- Pros:
- Everything
- Cons:
- None
- Best Uses:
I got this bike August 1st on sale for 2,200. It is simply amazing.The suspension is so smooth when you hit the trails. Or you can lock the suspension for riding on the street. With its 30 gears you won't have any problem finding one that fits whatsoever your riding over. I'm surprised how easy it was to get to a top speed of 29mph on a flat street ( no hills).Fun versatile and a great deal.
Nov 06, 2014
- Pros:
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
my first ever squishy (full suspension) bike. the fuel is a blast to ride, just the right amount of travel for my home trails without feeling burly and slacked out like a big travel bike. the stock wheels on the Ex 8 are nothing to write home about but they're solid - in any case that's where i'd upgrade first. the tires do come tubeless ready though, which is pretty great. go tubeless, you won't regret it. slap on a dropper post and maybe new wheels and the fuel ex 8 is everything you could ask for in a trail bike for all but the burliest riding.
Sep 04, 2014
- Pros:
- Versatile, Lightweight, Durable
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- Mountain Biking
I had a older MTB and riding with my buddy's with newer equipment, I knew I needed a new bike. Demo rode a bunch of different brands. Hands down for the price and the equipment I got with the Trek fuel. I have up my game on the bike. Its a blast to ride! Love it!
Aug 30, 2014
- Pros:
- Durable
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- Mountain Biking
Splurged and took the plunge and sent a lot more than I wanted to. But WOW is it worth it. Bike rides great. Suspension is incredible. Glad I spent the little extra to go up to the EX 8 for the upgraded specs. The brakes are super nice with one finger pull. The CTD of the shocks is a great advancement. It shifts really nice and trouble free. I thought the bars were a bit wide for me, but that's a preference. Everything has been working perfect and am really enjoying riding this bike. Having just had ACL replacement, it's nice to have the full suspension and stay in the seat more. A remote shock adjust would be a great addition to this bike, along with a dropper post.
Aug 21, 2014
- Pros:
- Lightweight, Fast, Smooth, Durable, Versatile
- Cons:
- Crankset
- Best Uses:
- Mountain Biking
this bike is everything i wanted and more!
Aug 21, 2014
- Pros:
- Lightweight, Durable, Versatile
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- Mountain Biking
You name the trail this bike will handle it. You put A mountain in front of it, it will climb it. Love the rear suspension with the drcv. The active breaking when on a decent acts fluidly and keeps you in full control. I ride 3-4 times a week on single track stuff and this bike flat out performs.
Aug 07, 2014
- Pros:
- Versatile, Confident
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- Single track, Mountain Biking
My friends and I love going biking into trails used for xcountry and enduro as well; sometimes to get there, we've to pedal 2, 5 or even 10kms over paved or gravel roads. Some of our bikes were great climbing or great when descending, but not good at both... ´til I found the FUEL EX. 3 bikes in one, great climbing, fun and confident when downhilling, excellent at flat roads.
I had the chance to test a FUEL 9.9 2014 (but not the money for buying it), so I decided for the FUEL 8 and don't regret. Beside the weight, the handling and behavior is the same. THE BIKE.
Here you´ll find my history of how I met FUEL https://www.tumblr.com/blog/1gatoen2ruedas
Aug 02, 2014
- Pros:
- Durable, Lightweight, Versatile
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- Mountain Biking
Like any avid mountain biker, we are always in the market for the latest and greatest. If your anything like me you have beer money and champagne tast. So when I say I went to all the competitors and shopped the trek fuels compition i really broke down the components and technology in the bikes, trust me talked to shop gurus till they were blue in the face lol. I even test rode the Santa cruze tall boy to the specialized stunt jumper on demo trail rides. And the verdict is....... Wait for it wait for it......... The trek fuel killed it on the trails and blew the living doors off the competition. It is a true XC monster. It handles everything I can throw at it and some. It begs for you to push it faster and dive steeper into turns. Out of the box it's 28ibs. I ride with buddy's with 5000$ - 7000$ rigs. Guess what at the end of the day the bike does everything that the other rigs do at a faster pace and a all out billy goat on technical climbs. Cheers to beers and the women that put up with our addiction to the saddle
Jul 29, 2014
- Pros:
- Versatile, Lightweight, Value for money, Durable
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- Mountain Biking
I USE THIS BIKE TO RIDE EVERYDAY ON THE CYCLEWAYS AND BUSH. I ALSO USE IT TO RACE FROM 4HR TO 12 HOUR RACES.IT PERORMS BRILLIANTLY IN ALL CONDITIONS. THE CTD MODES ARE SUPERB.GREAT FOR CYCLEWAYS/ROAD.
FANTASTIC VALUE FOR MONEY.SUPER COMFORTABLE.
Jul 10, 2014
- Pros:
- Durable, Plush Downhill, Climbing, Versatile, Lightweight
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- Technical Trails, Trail riding, Mountain Biking, Bigger Hits
I ride road and rail trails with my wife typically, but I also work in Colorado and keep my Fuel there. I ride mountain trails from lift served terrain like Vail or Breckenridge or local locations like Palmer Park. This bike is awesome. Handles most everything, including dirt trails, rocks, jumps, drops (3 ft or so), uphills, downhills, etc. The suspension is great. downhill you can setup the suspension to take the hits, yet uphill stiffens out for efficient climbing. The 29" wheels make for a smoother ride and easier to overcome obstacles. When in very tight rocks or builders on steep slopes can be a little harder to turn than a 26" wheel, but wouldn't switch due to the advantages of 29" wheels in other situations. LOVE THIS BIKE. Cloud use a drop post but that's an add-on.
Jul 08, 2014
- Pros:
- Versatile, Lightweight, Durable
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- Mountain Biking
I ride around 90 km per week and is a strong, confortable and amazing bike
Jun 09, 2014
- Pros:
- Durable, Versatile
- Cons:
- Best Uses:
- Mountain Biking
I love this bike! I did a lot of research before purchasing this bike and for the price, this is the best Fuel EX for the money. Great components and the 29" wheels brings confidence. Highly recommended!..... I just wish it was a 1x or 2x10.
Specifications
- Frame
- Trek Alpha Platinum Series aluminum, G2 geometry
- Fork
- Fox Performance 32 Float, FIT4 3-position damper, E2 tapered steerer, G2 geometry w/51mm offset, 120mm-travel
- Rear Shock
- Fox Performance Series Float EVOL, RE:Aktiv
- Rims/Wheels
- Bontrager Duster Elite Tubeless-Ready, Boost110 front, Boost148 rear
- Hubs
- Bontrager
- Tires
- Bontrager XR3 Expert, tubeless-ready 29 x 2.3
- Crankset
- Shimano M627
- Chainrings
- 36/22
- Front Derailleur
- Shimano Deore
- Rear Derailleur
- Shimano Deore XT Shadow Plus
- Rear Cogs
- Shimano HG50, 10-speed: 11-36
- Shifters
- Shimano SLX
- Handlebars
- Bontrager Race Lite, 5mm rise
- Tape/Grips
- Bontrager Race Lite lock-on
- Stem
- Bontrager Elite
- Brakes
- Shimano Deore disc
- Saddle
- Bontrager Evoke 2
- Seatpost
- KS eThirty Integra dropper post