Trek Slash vs Trek Rail 9.8 XT: E-bike VS Mountain Bike

[@jeanmarc_in_Hudson]

Riding the eeb uphill 👍 I can get the heart rate in the right training zone on technical uphill challenges, whereas on the muscular bike, I was redlining the HR too much. The ride dynamics of regular mtb don’t make sense to me anymore, 70% suffering for 30% downhill reward. That’s just me. But I get the idea of pure mtb, no motor… Heck, I’ve been doing it for years. Thanks for the nice video! 👍

[@JaredHoff]

Thank you for the awesome comment! The e-bike was so much fun uphill 👍🏻 I’m hoping to do some more e-bike vs. regular bike in the future.

[@HomieJeans]

70% suffering for 30% fun...you just hit the nail on the head!!

[@mewmeow2892]

*Great **Latest.Bike** with amazing quality and speed…I’m in love with it and strongly recommend it. It looks a bit pricey but absolutely worth it.*

[@JaredHoff]

Definitely pricey! But so much fun. I’m headed out this weekend on another Rail test ride. This time I’m going to do a full review, and maybe even a range test 🤔

[@jasonenglisch2547]

I just bought a Trek Slash 8, and haven't had a chance to get it out on the trails yet. My first bike in 2.5 years, and I am even more excited watching your videos. Thanks from up in BC!

[@JaredHoff]

You’ll love the Slash. Such a great bike. Stoked for you 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Hi-gp6jt]

I have the exact situation getting to ride tomorrow all day will b sick

[@JaredHoff]

@@Hi-gp6jt awesome! Riding ebikes is a blast 💥 I still don’t have one of my own, but one day I will.

[@Hi-gp6jt]

@@JaredHoff never had the chance to ride one, although still in 3000$ debt with my parents from the slash 8. So might b a bit before I’m able to have one

[@JaredHoff]

@@Hi-gp6jt I can’t afford one yet either, but I definitely want one someday. I’m thinking it might be better to wait a few years anyway 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@jongusta]

Rail owner for past +1.5 years from +20 years of riding aggressive trail bikes prior. Eeb’s the ticket is want max amount of DH in a given time and makes climbs much more enjoyable/tolerable of course. Rail does come with some limitations vs regular bike. Due to much added weight, my Rail weighs 52 lbs vs my Hightower at 32 lbs, the Rail wears down parts at much faster rate due to higher loads and demand, such as lower bearings, shocks, forks, wheels, tires, drivetrain. Due to much added weight, my motor mounting bolts always come loose lr shear off completely and I wore out the stanchions of coil shock and blew damper of Zeb in one season of riding. Many, many worn and badly torn tires, crack and badly bent rims. So full 2-ply casing for me with CushCore and DH rated rims. On Hightower can get away with much less. So for ultimate fun and max DH, Eebs the way to go. For simplicity, less overall maintenance costs and headaches, regular bikes have it beat. Eebs will continue to get better and more reliable/efficient over time of course, but not fully there yet

[@JaredHoff]

Great comment! 👍🏻

[@moosicman101]

you are a great presenter with thoughtful and original comments! thanks for the video - please make more comparison videos. im lucky to have the trouble of deciding between getting another levo while they're on sale or going with the fuel exe (9.5). my analog bike is currently collecting dust.

[@JaredHoff]

I haven’t been able to ride the Levo, but I would say get the one you can find for the best price. I’ve heard great things about both e-bikes. I just bought a Fuel EX so I would probably choose the EXe, but that’s because I know it would ride just like and electric version of my Fuel EX.

[@moosicman101]

@@JaredHoff i like the power of my gen2 levo but it feels too different and unwieldy compared to a lighter analog bike. the trek exe looks great with the motor integration but 6500 feels steep for base parts. orbea rise is doing it right but i’m not a fan of the shimano motor and 445mm chainstay. can’t afford a transition relay or pivot shuttle sl yet, so maybe the new lightweight giant trance (forgot what it’s called) will be the ticket. scott lumen and the new rotwild 375 also seem cool. great problems to have.

[@BH-cy9tb]

I have a trek rail 5 highly modified and ride with my friends that have regular bikes and I just slow it down a little. But watching you huff and puff your way up those rocky climbs makes me glad I have a trek rail. On an ebike makes climbing as much fun as descending. Cool video.👍

[@JaredHoff]

Thank you! It was so much fun riding the Rail uphill. It was definitely a lot harder on my Slash 😂

[@TomKennedyUSA]

I love hitting uphill berms on my Trek Rail 5, so much fun.

[@JaredHoff]

For sure. The rail is a ton of fun to ride!

[@Roaming50]

I rented a 2021 Rail 7 in Bentonville for a day (after three solid days on my analog bike) to take a rest, and I have to say it was the most fun I have had on a bike for a long time. Uphill flow!!! Now I'm very interested in the new Rail 9.8 XT...

[@JaredHoff]

For sure! I really disappointed that they only gave the 9.8 and above new geometry. It felt almost the same as a trek Slash except for the weight.

[@SuperShreddies]

Just the video I wanted to see this year. Thank you. Super happy with my 9.7 as well. The rail would be so sick to have as a second bike. I just couldn’t live with myself if I ONLY had the Ebike to clean trails and climbs with. I would have to come back on my regular bike and prove to myself that I can “actually climb it” unassisted hahaha just who I am.

[@JaredHoff]

I totally agree with you. It was fun riding the Rail, but I definitely still need to ride my Slash. Wish I could afford both 👍🏻

[@papalazarou7880]

Had my Rail 9 GX 2022 a couple of months now and I wouldn’t go back to a normal bike that’s for sure. Love it so much! I used to hate riding up steep hills but now it’s actually fun! Edit: I still ride with my mates who haven’t got ebikes and just ride in Eco mode. Still easier than normal. Downhill trail centres are a bit of a nightmare if they don’t let you ride up. The bike is well heavy! 🇬🇧🇺🇸

[@JaredHoff]

I get where you’re coming from. That Rail was so much fun riding uphill. As soon as I can afford an e-bike, I’m getting one ☝🏻

[@RydenDirty]

Dude that jump line looks so dope. I would like an ebike for climbing long trails but I feel like it would be as playful and light like a regular bike

[@JaredHoff]

For sure! I was surprised how much fun the E-bike was powering uphill, but my Slash was so much more fun on the way downhill.

[@egbah428]

Just did a 23 mile ride with a friend on an ebike. He didn't even break a sweat. I had a go on some of the technical climbs and it was ace. I can do them on my slash but there no fun and I have to rest. As for going down hill ebiks certainly shift and are a different kind of fun. Jumping too, feels a bit strange at first especially when trying a 25 ft jump but with a bit of practice they start to feel natural. I'm deffo getting a rail for longer rides and will keep my slash for uplift days

[@JaredHoff]

If could afford to have both a Slash and Rail, I 💯 would. I’m also really interested in the new Fuel EXE. I think it might be the perfect balance between uphill fun and downhill/jumps fun.

[@jonathan.lastra]

Awesome stuff Jared! Great review and editing! Let’s do it again for some black technical descents!

[@JaredHoff]

Definitely! Thanks for giving me a chance to see what the new 2022 Trek Rail 9.8 XT was all about. That’s an awesome e-bike 🤙🏻

[@billyfarwig7387]

got a rail 9.7 last fall, best $$ I ever spent. Nuthin like grabbing a handful of brake on uphill switchbacks. Feels just like my Slash on the way down. The only downside so far is goin thru brake pads a lot faster. Keeping my Slash for those no e bike trails.

[@JaredHoff]

Awesome! Stoked for you! The Rail is tons of fun to ride.

[@richardseller3733]

Towee best thing for mtb and emtb riding together. Can easily use on almost all climbing trail other than super tight switch backs or that technical section you showed. Great video guys!!

[@JaredHoff]

Thank you! This video was super fun to make. I’m hoping to make more videos like this in the future. Maybe do an impossible climb challenge that’s actually hard on an e-bike.

[@richardseller3733]

@@JaredHoff look forward to it.

[@nunomvm1]

Have a trek slash 9.8 2020 and i just love this bike, but know already that will came the day that i want to changr for an ebike and it will be a rail for sure. The dream would be to keep my slash.

[@JaredHoff]

For sure! That’s kind of why I made this video. I love my Slash, and always wondered how it would be compared to the rail when riding trails back-to-back.

[@Na2gumiBlogspot]

When you try an eb and you don't want to go back to analog. Having said this, I love analog bikes, is just that I love eb's more :D

[@JaredHoff]

I wish I could afford both 😢 lol 😂 one day I will get an E-Bike for sure.

[@yarno-MTB]

ive ridden both and i love both the rail is just funny as hell cus you dont have to do anything but its heavy af slash is lighter and you have to more or less work for your decent comparing a slash to a rail in my opinion more or less like remedy and slash rail is faster slash is more playfull then rail but anyway there both fun rail is more fun for the speed but i still like my slash

[@JaredHoff]

Totally agree! I was really surprised how much fun it was flying uphill on the Rail. Both of these are amazing bikes with slightly different riders in mind.

[@ariesmusicangel]

In considering the purchase of an e-bike (specifically the one in this video), one thing that concerns me is the life of the e-bike for the money. I worry about the battery or the motor going bad in 2-3 years, then stuck having to spend more money for those or getting a new bike. Any thoughts on those concerns? I kind of thought that could be considered a con but idk...

[@JaredHoff]

Definitely a concern. I don’t own an e-bike myself, but I’ve been lucky enough to ride a few while making these videos.

[@MTBSHOGUN]

Riding with eebbss buddies is cool it pushes me to pedal harder .

[@JaredHoff]

For sure 🤙🏻

[@4040mwilson]

I’m 5’9” with long arms (+4 ape index) and 30 inch inseam. Just sold my old geo rail 9.8 large. Bike always felt big but comfy, and the medium felt right sized but cramped. Was wondering what size that rail is, what size you guys are, and if the new geo feels even bigger? Thanks!

[@JaredHoff]

Sounds like you should get the size M/L. The geo on the 2022 trek rail is longer and slacker than the previous years (on 9.8 and up models). They basically made the geo match the newer Trek Slash, which is kind of what we talked about in this video. I’m 6’2” and like the size large because I like to be able to pop and flick my bike around easier. Based on Trek’s size charts, I could have got a size XL, but I’m very happy with the way the size Large felt.

[@4040mwilson]

@@JaredHoff right on, problem is rail doesn’t come in m/l lol. I’ll try out slash and decide. Thanks brother!

[@JaredHoff]

@@4040mwilson I’m hoping they are going to change that next year. I think we will start to see a lot of things trickle down on the Rail. Like new geometry on all models and all the sizes and everything.

[@bwdown]

Great video I have the exact same Rail 9.8XT on order. How tall are you both?

[@JaredHoff]

I’m 6’2” I believe Jonathan is around 6’ tall.

[@jonathan.lastra]

5’11

[@torabora851]

Thanks for the review, what height you are guys? Don't you feel the 490 reach is too long?

[@JaredHoff]

I’m 6’2” tall, and about 205 lbs. and I prefer a 485-490 ish reach, but I like a slightly smaller bike. I’ve found this reach is the perfect length. I think Jonathan is about 5’11”, so we are both within the Trek size Large recommend height but I could technically ride an XL if I wanted a big plow of a bike that isn’t as maneuverable (in my opinion).

[@jasonsneed3179]

Great video

[@JaredHoff]

Thank you 👍🏻

[@ebenlaubscher4153]

Good video.👌🏻

[@JaredHoff]

@@ebenlaubscher4153 thanks

[@johnco_9854]

I would love to get the Trek Trail e-bike but none of my friends want to get e-bikes. I am faster then them uphill than downhill. If I get one and they don’t then I’d lose the feeling of being better than them uphill. I need two sets of friends LOL!

[@JaredHoff]

LOL! It’s definitely a problem and something I talked a little bit about in this video. I definitely think it would be the most fun if you had friends with e-bikes as well.

[@ditomee1]

Hi im 5.8ft 176cm high what size rail you would recommend?

[@JaredHoff]

You’d probably like the size medium. I would also recommend going with a 9.8 or above. Also, I have a sneaky suspension that the next couple years we will see some big improvements in the e-bike category so I’m going to wait a couple years before I purchase one. But Jonathan’s Rail is awesome!

[@mseekles1972]

Def a size M if your going with the new 2022 geo, the size L might be better for the old geo (2022 Rail 5 7 9 9.7)

[@SNS1212]

How tall are you and what size is your Slash?

[@JaredHoff]

6’2” on a size large. Although I easily could have went with and XL.

[@SNS1212]

@@JaredHoff thanks for the info, I’m the same height so I’m debating those exact sizes as well.

[@jerremyvinson6310]

Speed queen a pretty sweet trail.

[@JaredHoff]

Speed king is so much fun!

[@mtbwithtfb]

It is tough to convince your friends to get an ebike because their ego gets in the way. I tactfully convinced a couple of my friends that even though I still love riding my Specialized Enduro, my Levo allows me to ride much longer and explore more trails, which in turn allows me to have more fun. I have more fun climbing, especially steeper tech trails, and I have just as much fun, if not more, going downhill. I still have one more friend to convince and he's a tough nut to crack because he doesn't like spending money on himself.

[@JaredHoff]

Totally get that. The money is the hard part for me as well, and if I was going to get one I’d definitely want a lighter weight e-bike like a specialized 👍🏻

[@JaredHoff]

What do you think about the Levo SL? Is it a waste of time? Should one just go for the full power turbo levo? Asking for a friend 😂

[@mtbwithtfb]

@@JaredHoff I haven't ridden one but the reviews say it behaves more like an analog bike because it is 10 lbs lighter than the T/L. Motor and battery are half the size of the Turbo Levo so that means more rider input (as Specialized puts it...2X the rider input as opposed to 4X with the full power bike) and potentially less riding time than the Turbo Levo. I went for the full power b/c I got a great deal from my local shop and I'm 65 with a replaced hip and degenerating discs in my back and neck. Your young and are a better rider than I am so the SL would be a good fit for you.

[@JaredHoff]

@@mtbwithtfb thanks for the input. It’s always good to hear from a fellow rider. If I could afford another bike, I’d get one now. I love my Trek Slash, and I’d hate to get rid of it 😬 But man I like the specialize e-bikes

[@mtbwithtfb]

@@JaredHoff I almost got a Rail 7 (625 WH batt w/Bosch system) but ended up with the Levo comp alloy (700 wh Batt w/Brose system) because it had a slightly better drive train and 6 geometry settings. More bike than I need but like I said before, I got a great deal.

[@JohnChristopher-k7u]

A pinch flat! Were you guys riding tubeless?

[@JaredHoff]

@@JohnChristopher-k7u yes, but e-bikes are heavy and he pinched right through the tire like a snake bite

[@JohnChristopher-k7u]

@@JaredHoff You might then need consider installing an insert such as the Rimpac or Cushcore to stop these thing from happening in the future. I ride with self healing inner tubes and a Tannus Armour Insert, with good results, if this helps!

[@SuperPetVet]

How about a Trek Slash ebike conversion for an extra $1,000? Then you can have your two bikes for the price of one Rail.

[@JaredHoff]

Has anyone actually done an ebike conversion on a slash? 🤔 That’s a video idea 😂

[@SuperPetVet]

@@JaredHoff I just might do it myself. I have my eye on a Slash at my LBS. And at age 51, I loathe riding uphill. I just might buy the Slash and then, assuming it’s possible, convert it to an ebike before too long.

[@SuperPetVet]

@@JaredHoff I just might do it myself. I have my eye on a Slash at my LBS. And at age 51, I loathe riding uphill. I just might buy the Slash and then, assuming it’s possible, convert it to an ebike before too long.

[@JaredHoff]

@@SuperPetVet I’d love to see that 👍🏻

[@Lee-ic2yn]

​@@SuperPetVet let's see it man!!!??

[@vieuxacadian9455]

Cant argue with power assist . HOWEVER ,,, I'm not ready to get a slipped disc in My back and a double hernia picking that tank up and over the tailgate pad of My truck . I will stick with My 2021 9.8 Slash .

[@JaredHoff]

Bro! Totally feel you. Bike is so heavy picking it up over a tailgate. Slash is definitely way easier.

[@daymondmilam1373]

Not much difference

[@Lee-ic2yn]

A hernia? Picking a bike up?