Over the years, one thing has remained constant in the world of mountain bikes – Trek’s Fuel EX has always been a benchmark trail bike that others are judged against. So, does this latest iteration uphold this reputation? With 140mm of rear-wheel travel and a burly 150mm fork, stout tyres and geometry that’s entirely contemporary, plus tons of customisation of both frame shape and ride feel, on paper, it seems like a thoroughly modern trail bike.
THE FRAME
While the larger frames are designed around 29in wheels, a smaller rear wheel can be fitted for a ‘mullet’ set-up. The extra-small Fuel EX is 650b-only and the small can be purchased with either size wheels. Cables are internally routed, with sleeves to guide them through the carbon frame, which has a threaded bottom bracket (BB) shell, ISCG-05 mounts for a chain guide and near full-length down tube protection.
The Fuel EX has a modern shape and the geometry is highly configurable. Trek’s ‘Mino Link’ on the rocker gives ‘low’ and ‘high’ options, the former lowering the BB by 8mm and knocking half a degree off the head and seat tube angles. This is combined with an adjustable headset, which offers a further three head angle settings – steep, neutral or slack. At its slackest, the head tube sits at 63.5 degrees.
There’s adjustability in the ABP (Active Braking Pivot) linkage, too, where two lower shock
