When Trek released its groundbreaking new Fuel EXe, a lightweight take on electric mountain biking, the new frame shape left many riders wondering if a similar change was in store for the standard version Fuel EX, too. Turns out, Trek has much more in store for the trail bike than just changing tube shapes.
Dive into the raft of substantial changes to the new Trek Fuel EX below, including our first ride impressions of this new take on a trail bike from Madison, Wisconsin.
Trek Fuel EX v6: What’s new?
What changes for the latest iteration of the Fuel EX? Well, everything but the basic idea. There’s more travel, more adjustability, a new frame design that blurs between Slash and Top Fuel, a storage compartment, more sizes and, now, size-specific chainstays. Even the branding is new with more modern, minimalist logos following the EXe’s exmple.
So, what is the basic idea behind the Fuel EX? Simple. Trek wants it to be a bike for every rider. “All conditions, all riders” is the tag line. That includes experienced riders and riders that just got into the sport during the pandemic, anywhere around the world. Which is, well, a rather ambitious goal. But Trek has a few tricks up its sleeve to get to that ideal trail bike that will work on any trail, in any country.
More travel
Trek opted to level up the Fuel EX to match its electric compatriot. Both bikes now run 140mm of rear-wheel travel with 150-mm forks. That pushes the EX slightly further into trail-bike territory and slightly further away from the cross country roots of the Top Fuel.The new frame shape gives riders room to run air or coil shocks, including aftermarket shocks from most brands.
The new Fuel EX frame also uses a shorter seat mast, for better standover, but allows for more seat post insertion than prior models. That leaves room to run longer dropper posts. Trek’s also expanded the seat tube to fit 34.9-mm posts so riders can run new longer 200 or 220-mm travel posts without losing stiffness or durability.
To match the new travel numbers, Trek takes the Fuel EX further down the longer, lower, slacker, and steeper train. Reach grows by 20mm per size. That’s balanced out by a steeper seat tube angle which keeps the cockpit similar to past models while seated.
The storage compartment is now on both frame materials
Including, for 2023, the alloy models
And still on the carbon fibre frame
Frame updates: Chainstays, storage and sizes
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