Trek Bikes
I rediscovered my bike after just a few weeks in lockdown. At first, I simply pedaled my low cost, steel-framed bike across the neighborhood. After just a few rides, It dawned on me that this was a mountain bike! So I took it to my closest path.
That first exhilarating experience is eternally etched into my reminiscence. The early morning solar breaking between the timber as deer darted away, the sound of tires on packed earth, and the silly grin on my face as I rode quick, flirting on the fringe of catastrophe—or at the very least ache—with my inexperience on trails. I used to be hooked to the purpose of using bike into the bottom, taking a perverse pleasure each time one thing broke and I upgraded it. I ultimately upgraded to a Trek Fuel EX 7, and I like it.
The Fuel EX is Trek’s full-suspension path mountain bike household supposed for varied terrains, from flowy to techie. Like each mannequin in Trek’s lineup, it is available in a wide variety of trim ranges, together with aluminum and carbon frames. (My EX 7 has an alloy body.)
Currently, the EXe model is barely accessible for the highest-specced 9.x bikes with carbon frames, however it’s hoped that there will likely be an aluminum body possibility within the close to future.
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Trek’s wealthy gearhead historical past displayed at its Corporate places of work in Waterloo, Wis.
Sheldon Waite -
Trek owns miles of enjoyable flowy trails that they use to check bikes and as a perk for workers to make use of.
Sheldon Waite
Getting my fingers on the Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS concerned a two-hour drive to Trek HQ in Waterloo, Wisconsin. There, I not solely had an opportunity to talk with members of the group that developed the Trek Fuel EXe, I additionally obtained to experience Trek’s non-public trails.
With the Fuel Exe, Trek is focusing on the single-track mountain biker who rides for enjoyable, health, and the outside expertise. To obtain the look, really feel, and even sound of a standard mountain bike, Trek partnered with German expertise firm TQ. TQ’s patented harmonic pin-ring drive can ship 50 Nm of torque in a tiny bundle that matches neatly behind the chainring.
The motor presents this torque at a low RPM because it achieves a big gear discount in a single step. Its motion is akin to a Wankel rotary engine. With the battery pack hiding within the down tube and minimalistic controls, your complete battery-motor combo provides simply 8.6 lbs to the load—an impressively low-weight addition in trade for some actual energy. My EX 7 weighs slightly below 32 lb; the EXe is available in at 38.5 lb. Pedal help tops out at 20 mph.
The digital options are well-integrated into the EXe. The show is easy and simple to learn at a fast look whereas on the path. Its handlebar controls are easy and intuitive whereas permitting for fast biking between the three help modes, Eco, Mid, and High.
Customization is finished via Trek’s new telephone app, which presents customization of the three e-bike modes by tailoring max energy, help stage, and pedal response. The app defaults for these modes shift every up via Eco, Mid, High. A few weeks into my time with the EXe, I tweaked the Mid settings to offer me all the ability with a mid-high help, however in a gradual and managed approach. With these settings, I discovered my experience expertise to imitate my analog bike very carefully—simply simpler.