Trek Fuel EX 9.8 XT Di2 Gen 7 2026 — Review

Additionally, the headset in the new Zero-Stack standard allows the installation of angle-adjustable headset cups, so the front end can be ridden one degree steeper or slacker depending on personal preference, without affecting bottom bracket height. Unlike recently, you are no longer limited to Trek's proprietary solutions here and can, for example, also bring color into the aftermarket game.
The classic MinoLink, as it was known before, is, however, history.

Technical specifications

Furthermore, the new edition has once again been optimized for modern trail use — and not only through more travel and a revised down tube and a beefy chainstay protector, or the proven Active Braking Pivot, which prevents the suspension from stiffening when braking.
The seat tube has been shortened again, but more importantly straightened, allowing long-travel dropper posts to be used. This also creates more space in the front triangle for, for example, a large water bottle or accessories like a mini pump or tool, for which there are also mounting points on the top tube.
There is, in any case, a dedicated, now even larger storage compartment in the down tube for such equipment. Both the aluminum and carbon frames are equipped with this storage compartment along with two (!) soft tool bags for the noiseless stowing of the items.

The reach has grown by around 10 mm — in size L to, for example, 482 mm. With longer head tubes the stack is also higher in the larger sizes, which helps prevent the sensation of flipping over on steep downhills. The chainstays, meanwhile, have grown too and range between 437 and 452 mm.
Speaking of sizes: Trek has slimmed down its fine seven-part size progression — presumably for cost reasons. XS and M/L are now omitted. While fans of the 18" intermediate size are still well served thanks to low standover heights and short seat tubes, people under 155 cm in height will now definitely have to look for a different bike.

Geometry

The concept of allowing different travel and rear-wheel sizes is basically very smart; however, you still can't buy every combination off the shelf. The LX version with 160 mm of travel (with a longer shock stroke) and the EX with 145 mm at the rear are only available with a 29" rear wheel. The MX variant with 150 mm is only offered with 27.5".All variants can later be converted between 29" and 27.5" using the lower shock mount, although you have to observe certain combinations of linkages and wheel sizes. If you use an MX rocker link with a longer 65 mm shock stroke (Fox air models can be internally converted), the travel changes to 163 mm. The different rocker links for EX, MX and LX are available separately.

There is one further exception, and it concerns our review bike of all things: the Fuel EX in size S actually has an MX rocker link with 150 mm of travel and a 27.5" rear wheel for a better fit (a conversion to 29" is possible).
So, because it combines the rear suspension of an MX with the geometry of an EX and is therefore the only model in the entire Fuel line to deviate from the norm, we discuss the exception below. But rider heights and review availability aren't something you can just pick …

As always, Trek's colorway is really nice to look at. The carbon model here, with its Gloss Dark Carmine/Matte Trek Black finish, comes across as almost understated. Considerably more lively and (still) beautiful are the two other OCLV options in Gloss Chameleon Green/Matte Black and Purple Phaze/Amethyst Marble.
Generally a bit more restrained, yet nonetheless super-stylish, are the three color variants of the aluminum counterpart in shades of red, gray and green.

The review bike is equipped, in addition to Fox suspension (Factory 36 Float EVOL/Factory Float X) and Maxxis Minion tires with EXO+ casing and Grip (front) / Terra (rear) compound, with an electronic Shimano XT groupset and a four-piston brake from the same maker, whose rotors are 203 and 180 mm.
For in-house components, Trek uses Bontrager wheels (Bontrager Line Comp 30), the dropper post (Bontrager Line Dropper), as well as the saddle (Verse Pro) and stem (Bontrager Elite).

The seventh generation of the Trek Fuel is not a lightweight trail bike - at least not with the equipment package of our 9.8 Di2 model.
Fat tires and sturdy wheels push the weight of our small review bike with a 27.5" rear wheel (instead of the 29er of the other sizes, which would be even heavier) up to 14.75 kg. With pedals you crack the 15-kg mark. Oof!
In combination with the softest tire compound at the front, the EX's acceleration potential is therefore naturally limited.

The weight becomes noticeable on long climbs and especially in steeper sections, of course; so you shouldn't expect record times uphill.
In these situations you can't help but feel more like you're on an enduro than a trail bike. Especially on paved sections it feels as if you're pedaling through a stream of honey. A condition that, fortunately, is not as noticeable off-road.
If climbing ability is particularly important to you or you want to spare yourself a few beads of sweat on the way to a remote summit, switching to lighter tires with lower rolling resistance can certainly get a lot out of the EX - but you'll then almost certainly have to accept compromises on the descent.

By contrast, there is a refined suspension setup that makes suspension bobbing while climbing practically imperceptible at moderate speeds. Only when you pedal hard does the suspension bob along slightly, but even that isn't really bothersome. A reach to the easily accessible platform lever on the shock optionally brings total calm to the suspension.
If you simply let the shock work open while climbing, you're rewarded with top-level sensitivity. The pedaling flow is still not negatively affected. Even larger obstacles can be rolled over undisturbed under chain tension.

The smallest frame size has, at 78.7 degrees, by far the steepest effective seat angle—and we appreciate this highly efficient pedaling position.
Personally, we'd also like to see a similar angle for the larger frame sizes. But because the actual seat angle is identical across all sizes, the effective angle gradually flattens out—on the XXL it drops to a not-quite up-to-date 76.4 degrees.

Due to the very short chainstays of the size-S and M frames, these variants rear up earlier than the best-in-class in very punchy steep sections. With larger frame sizes and their longer chainstays, the front wheel should stay on the ground longer.
Across all model sizes, 170 mm cranks are fitted. However, especially on the smaller frames we would have hoped for shorter crankarms. Once you get used to the increased ground clearance, it's hard to warm to longer cranks again. Aside from that, there are now more than enough studies showing that even for taller riders no functional advantages are to be found in longer cranks.