2023 Trek Fuel EXe 9.7 Owner Full Review with Riding Footage

[@nathanielgarcia8109]

Hey Brotha, thanks for your testimony and review of your Trek. I have 400 miles on my 2022 Trek Rail 9.7 and I love it. Ride on man!

[@derekh9307]

any issues yet?

[@peterwilliamson4296]

Loved the talk, scenery and virtual ride.

[@k______________________]

Hey, great review! I think I asked you about the L/XL sizes and after watching this I'm definitely ordering one. A small caveat tho: there are only the yellow ones available and they're a "bit" more expensive but like you I'm 40, I want to get in shape, and I only live once, haha. Definitely enjoyed watching an honest owner review for once!

[@mtbmike9870]

Thank you… haven’t seen a single yellow one around me on the locator… so it will be interesting to see if that’s a normal offering. The orange looks sick though.

[@shawnmabey9806]

@@mtbmike9870 How tall are you? I ask as I have a 2022 Rail 9.7 and I am 6'1", and chose an XL frame but still wonder if I should have gone with a large. I came from an XL RM Instinct, but RM's fit small. Also, TBH I'm and totally jealous of this bike. In the spring when I bought my bike I had a strong feeling that Trek might release exactly this bike, and it's brilliant!, but thought it wouldn't come out till next spring. Had I known, I would have waited and bought the 9.7 Exe . The 9.7 is the sweetest value in the line .It certainly was for the Rail as well.

[@mtbhub2090]

Outstanding video! I would love to see you compare a full power ebike to the exe in a back to back trail run.

[@mtbmike9870]

Great idea, if I can find a place that rents the Trek Rail near me I may do just that! Thanks.

[@robinrai4973]

You're great to listen to! Lovely review

[@mtbmike9870]

Thanks.

[@skinny8019]

thx for this...nice riding videos too...just the normal sound...no music...the bike motor is dead silent!? i dont hear it...amazing....looks like my idea of an e-bike that is more for xc is coming to light.

[@mtbmike9870]

I would definitely say the bike is a it overkill for XC , I’d put it into the all mountain category.

[@skinny8019]

@@mtbmike9870 thx...i figured...waiting for the lighter versions to come out...hoping you having a great time with it....cant wait for more ride videos.

[@danielboesch9057]

@@skinny8019 the Pivot Shuttle SL looks to be an interesting bike. A bit less rear travel (130). Then there is a Swiss Bike brand Thomus. They just launched the 33 pound eLightrider which looks cool. Less powerful and with a smaller battery but more XC like. Since I am from Switzerland I looked at that before ordering the EXe. No dealer yet in the US but they told me that they will open their first dealership in California this month. I am in MO so didn’t help me much.

[@skinny8019]

@@danielboesch9057 thx for sharing.

[@LastAphelion]

@@danielboesch9057 I would have bee interested more in the Shuttle SL but that price for a non removeable battery is yikes. That kills the ability to take an extra battery with you on long excursions

[@danielboesch9057]

Thanks for the review on this bike. Your comment about the handle bar makes a good point. That integrated carbon unit on higher end models while it looks good, has two draw backs in my mind. It is less flexible as the stem can’t be swapped out without the bar and the carbon bar is also very wide with 820mm vs the 780 mm that the version on the 9.7 has. I ordered the 9.8XT but will likely have to cut the bar down to 780.

[@mtbmike9870]

The XL frame also comes with a wide bar but I like it

[@panagiotisandrikopoulos6268]

Which will make it even stiffer tho. Just swap them

[@SoundsandSightsVideos]

New Subscriber to hopefully get you one closer to that magical 1000 subscribers. Fellow veteran. I’m a new trail Ebike rider coming from A LOT of road biking years and miles. Keep making videos 😬🤗🎉

[@britishbassbikes]

So… you’re basically riding a flat fire road? How is this putting the bike through it’s paces at all?

[@heyg7819]

Great review from a normal dude. This is my next bike in the next year or two. Seen several reviews, and most from those given the bike to ride. Why XT.... because it rocks! Upgraded my 23 EX 9.7 to XT from Deore, and it's night and day. XT cranks alone are a 1/2lbs different.

[@ryanericksen1223]

Thanks for your opinion on this bike.

[@nomaddict5279]

Great video! Super helpful!

[@tomcagle5324]

Well done! It was a virtual test ride on the trail...just not the bike dealer parking lot😁. And a review from an "average Joe", not Trek sponsored pros. Overall, stealth is key in looks and noise, while shaving off a whopping 8-10 lbs.... outstanding Trek! But for me to ditch my full powered Rail, I want a little more travel and battery range like the forthcoming Transition Relay 160 rear, 60 Nm motor, and 430 Wh. A more "enduro-trail" oriented, mid-power class is what Trek is missing. Let's call it a "Rail-light" version? BUT rumor has it that Trek may take the next logical step with TQ on their Slash. Go TQ 60, 450 Wh, and 160 for 2024 Trek Slash Ex-e? I'd almost take out a second mortgage to finance it...almost!💸🤯 Mainly, STEALTH and a sub-40 lb E-rig is the future, garnering more trail access as the ultimate goal here...at least until USNFS/USDA gives Class 1 access.💪 Again, good review. Much appreciated!👍

[@mtbmike9870]

Thanks man - it’s all I could have dreamed of so far!

[@LastAphelion]

Similar thinking here, I'm looking forward to the Relay and here's hoping that the Fazua 60 motor ends up being a good buy. I want the promised perks of the Fazua 60 but on a full size though, IE zero drag when off or over the motor speed limit and pedalable as a normal bike with a dead motor or when I want full effort exercise. But if the Fazua ends up having enough power and range to not be a bad trade off for being a mid-size then I might have to consider it.

[@ZillaYT]

I got my eye on the 9.8 AXS since I like the wireless shifting. I put it on my SC Hightower and shifting is almost instantaneous. Or I may just wait until Trek sells a frameset.

[@mtbmike9870]

I doubt they will sell it as a frame set, but I think they will offer project one custom builds.

[@kingrat738]

Thanks for the review. Thinking of pulling the trigger on a 9.7 myself. What's your weight and what sort of range do you get?

[@rickyosorio1308]

Awesome looking bike and review! Is there any rattle from the tq motor when rolling over rocks, etc..?

[@mtbmike9870]

No rattle from the motor but I have heard a clicking sometimes but I’ve been told that can be fixed with torquing down the e13 cranks…

[@msjj000]

BTW what don’t you like about the rockshocks? I keep trying fox and never enjoy the feel, hard to setup for heavier riders (for me at least)

[@tylersharon5344]

I have been looking at the Fuel Exe 9.8 XT. Plan to do similar with swapping brakes to Code RSC and adding a GX AXS derailleur. Just the review I needed that cut out all the paid reviewer bs. How do you like the Trek exclusive dropper post they spec on the bike? I am kinda skeptical of it.

[@paulturner7829]

Hi Mike excited about my 9.7 too . I managed to get a superb deal with mine because there was a massive delay and constantly being pushed back delivery date for the 9.5 I had originally ordered. I'm based in Ireland so muddy territory but it ploughs through no bother. What camera are using on the bike ride footage please.

[@stevechase6140]

Was hoping you would talk about the battery life you experienced. Your thoughts please

[@mtbmike9870]

I have ridden it many times, and I have never dropped below 51% (that one was a 2 hour riding session starting off with 87% battery) now its been very hot this summer, so my rides are shorter ones in the evening, or long ones in the mountains using lifts - so take that into account. The full power range estimate is about 28 miles.

[@stevechase6140]

Thanks for the feedback. Any experience yet with feet of elevation gain? My rides are usually only a few hours so this should work well. I used to own the Trek Rail but sold it because of the weight and never used all the battery life. Took me 3 rides before I needed to recharge. Carrying all the extra weight didn’t make sense for me or my riding style, I like to play not just smash it!

[@stevechase6140]

I should mention there is no lift service where I live and the longest ride I’ve been on was 25 miles with over 3,000 ft of climbing

[@mtbmike9870]

@@stevechase6140 unfortunately I will not be using it on long sustained climbs till the weather cools down, this week it’s 105-108 in so cal! So far I’m expecting it to do well for my uses in local trails… when it cools down in later September I plan on making another review video dedicated to sustained climbs and battery life.

[@Spence743]

Great video, lots of detail.

[@do-ineedtosay723]

An excellent review! Thanks for posting. Thank you for your military service to our country. *

[@AIMarketingFunnels]

I bought the 9.7 last month, then Trek put their carbon wheels on sales and I upgraded.

[@crystianleoreyes2577]

Not to sure if you mentioned this already but how's the range as far as like miles riding at full power and or miles riding at max power ?

[@silverfox0072]

First of all, great review! I am definitely excited to try out one of these eBikes one day but I’m not ready to drop $8500 on one. I’m interested to see a long term review on it like around 6 months out, so please continue to make these vlogs if you can! I subscribed to your channel in hopes that I’ll see more riding footage soon. I’d love to see it at the bike park and off a few jumps, even if it’s small. You mentioned you once were in the military so thank you for your service! Enjoy the bike!!!! 🤙🏼

[@mtbmike9870]

I will definitely do some riding footage montages, I can probably have one out in the next day or two of Sycamore Canyon in Riverside CA, I have about 1.5 hours of raw footage with this new go pro hero 10, unfortunately I also filmed the Big Bear snow summit bike park but there was an SD card issue so I need to go back up next weekend to film again. As for the long term review - definitely!

[@finroddd]

agree, 9.7 is the right model

[@jackbiernacki8603]

Is Fox so much better than the RockShox? I always looked at the two as equivalent. Riding Pike now, and my previous fork was Fox 32 2016. Pike 2021 is definitely an upgrade from my old Fox.

[@mtbmike9870]

I think it’s a matter of preference, for me it’s what I like and have a good track record with.

[@DM-hw4cr]

32 to 35mm stanchion. Apples to Oranges.

[@EdBraunbeck]

Suspension tuners definitely favor Fox.

[@TeamCykelhold]

Both are pretty good. Fox has more midstroke support and RS typically have better small bump sensitivity for your hands.

[@GeorgeGates]

So quiet ! What kind of range are you getting on the battery ?

[@mtbmike9870]

I am averaging .5 miles per percent, so 50 miles total theoretical range (I don’t ride that far on single rides). That’s using high power on brief climbs, and low about everywhere else with an occasional bump to the mid power level.

[@moosicman101]

post more reviews of your exe!

[@ChristianJamesPhoto]

about how much elevation can you climb on a single charge?

[@mtbmike9870]

I wish I had an answer for this… but I don’t. I’d say if you had it on full power and wanted power for the downhill (low with occasional mid level)… 20 miles up hill tops! I’d even say 15 if your really using the power and like a strong reserve

[@jimsteinway695]

Carbon wheels are great on a road bike. But easy to break on a mtb

[@steeltribe3967]

Thanks.

[@mike_smithbike]

Awesome looks good

[@chickenclips]

the 9.7 should have had the 9.5 frame

[@mtbmike9870]

Agreed!!!!

[@khatrigaming8527]

Bro what's the price of bike 🚲

[@mtbmike9870]

The bike has a retail of $7,599.00 in the U.S., and it came to $8,188 out the door with tax. I have sold off the SLX Brakes, Shifter, and Deore Cassette - replacing them with XT brand new take off's from eBay to make it a full XT build - my total investment is right at $8,500.00

[@hansmuster5291]

you sound like a more sophisticated version of donald trump 😅

[@TeamCykelhold]

I think most people want to know how it compares to other bikes (especially light ebikes) rather than spending 6½ minutes on the specs. This is not to be a jerk, it's just feedback to you to make better videos, and I might also be totally wrong.

[@mtbmike9870]

I get that the review is not for someone who has extensively researched the bike, and with only 70 miles on it at the time of the review I can only report out so much - plus I am a consumer, not a KZbinr. I do agree with you that comparing the rail and the EXe would be a great video… if I find a place that rents one I’d be glad to do an update video on that exact topic along with a bit of a longer term review.

[@Drogos79]

Lol....so u r out of shape and to get back in shape ...u bought e bike...ok dude... ok

[@555arcane]

Not a useful review. Fluff

[@mtbmike9870]

Sorry you feel that way, was there specific information you where looking for I left out?

[@nomaddict5279]

Not a useful comment. Very useful review. Good feedback from an average rider who isn’t sponsored. Good info on how much assist it provides in hills, why the 9.7 is a good model comparatively, actual ride footage with no annoying music.