PRESS RELEASE
Introducing The All-New 2023 Trek Fuel EX
Trek launched the all-new Fuel EX today, bringing more capability and adjustability to the trail bike category. Rolling into its new generation, Fuel EX is ready for bigger terrain and faster speeds with longer travel and slacker geometry that make quick work of drops, rocks, and roots.
Bumping up the travel, Trek equips new Fuel EX with 140mm of rear suspension paired with a 150mm fork. The additional travel is complemented by a slacker 64.5-degree head tube angle and a steeper 77.2-degree seat tube angle that keep the ride feeling balanced, confident, and capable whether pointing it down rowdy trails or heading up punchy climbs.
Because no two riders are the same, Fuel EX offers new adjustability options. Optional angle-adjust headset cups (sold separately) can be installed to make the 64.5-degree head tube angle a degree steeper or slacker without impacting the bottom bracket height. Mino Link returns to offer an additional ½ degree of head tube angle adjustment.
Fuel EX also features adjustable leverage rate with a chip on the lower shock mount. Riders can choose between the Less progressive setting for a plusher feel that’s ideal for chunky terrain, or flip to the More progressive for added bottom-out resistance, hitting big features, or running a coil shock.
Fuel EX’s new frame design gives riders more aftermarket upgrade options. It offers broader shock compatibility, including coil shocks, and a larger 34.9mm seat tube for bigger, more reliable dropper posts. It’s also mullet-ready for riders who want to ride the line between nimble 27.5˝ and faster 29˝ wheels.
Trickling-down tech that was previously reserved for the carbon model only, Fuel EX Alloy frames now also feature in-frame storage in the down tube, along with a Bontrager BITS bag for keeping ride essentials organized and easy to access.
All frames come with internal cable routing tunnels to keep cables quiet and maintenance a breeze while a two-piece bolt-on frame guard for protects against knocks and scratches.
Accommodating a huge range of riders, Fuel EX is available from XS to XXL sizes. Every size features size-appropriate wheels, with 27.5˝ coming stock on XS, and 29˝ coming stock on sizes M – XXL. Size S riders will be pleased to find the option to choose between 27.5˝ or 29˝ hoops. In addition to size-appropriate wheels, Fuel EX is equipped with size-specific chainstays that provide more-nimble handling for smaller riders and improve front wheel traction on climbs for taller riders.
With longer travel, more capable geometry, and slick adjustability features, new Fuel EX is up to get down on any trail, any time. These new models will start arriving at Trek retailers in September.
Geometry
For more on the Trek Fuel EX, head to Trekbikes.com.
Comments
Pete Roggeman
2 years, 6 months ago
There's still a Top Fuel, which is the XC bike, but the Fuel EX has always been a trail bike. I wouldn't even call it down country (partly because I don't think anything is DC), at 140mm it's solidly in trail bike territory. Pretty sweet that it can run a coil and mullet, though.
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Lu Kz
2 years, 6 months ago
I don't think the top fuel is down country either, 120/120 a trail bike makes.
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Bruce Mackay
2 years, 6 months ago
Sorry, this should have gone under Lynx's last comment.
I'm a larger guy (191cm, ape index 0) and really like that Banshee lists 3 saddle heights for ESTA. I'm bang on 800mm (direct BB to seat) on my flats. Totally agree however about the "total setback" this is why the actual steep seat tubes climb steeps needing less body English, your forward of the picvot point of the rear axle. These rando selected measurements also are very misleading.
We just bought my wife a Sight and despite a longer HTT and reach (measured from saddle level with bars is standard) she felt the bike fit very close to her 2018 Mojo, maybe even a touch smaller. I don't care if an XL bike has "long reach" if the HTT is to short it won't fit. If it's HTT "grows" a lot with saddle height, it's climbing position will suffer due to that "set back" getting near the rear hub and the position of the pedals moving into beach cruiser territory. This is probly why I've never loved a Trek. But this new gen may change that....
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Merwinn
2 years, 6 months ago
Remember when the Fuel was an XC bike? Now it's a 140, down-country, mullet that can run a coil. Time flies.
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Lynx .
2 years, 6 months ago
Yup, sure do, my friend got one the second year. Agree with Pete, wouldn't call something with 140mm travel Down-anything. Loving that orangey yellow colour, looks about the same as when Surly released the new Monkey, but could never find that colour in stock, only the Barney purple.
Looks fun, EXCEPT when I see the ESTA, then I just cringe and ask WHY, WHY, WHY, is this bike not meant to be pedaled on all sorts of trails, not just up to go down? :facepalm:
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Tjaard Breeuwer
2 years, 6 months ago
About the seat tube angle:
Remember claimed effecive seat tube angles are rarely true.
Wait till someone actually measures their effective STA at the actual height, and then we can see.
The smaller sizes are quite steep, but at those lengths, sliding the saddle forward has a big effect in actual position.
Also, steep seat angles can work ok’ish on flatter trails as long as the bars are high and close enough.
Come to think of it, it is pretty strange that we talk about (efffective) seat tube angle. What we care about is absolute set back, not angle.
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Lynx .
2 years, 6 months ago
Yeah, I know that taking most manufacturers ESTA seriously is normally a joke, but it seems here that trek measured each one at a relative height for the size (would have been good if they noted it), because with a bent ST, the angle would slacken as the seatpost is extended, which would happen as sizes increase.
My bars are normally about 1" lower than my saddle because I have long arms, if not I feel like the bike is squatting down with me. I've tried even 74.5* real STA and by the end of an almost consistent slight (about 1,000ft) climb over 10 miles, my knees were feeling it, luckily Banshee have the adjustable drop outs and mine were set in the high position, so just lost a degree going to the lowest setting and was fine for the rest of the ride.
For me, with my size 13/48 shoes, I like a plumb line dropped from the back of my saddle to intersect the chainstays about 14-14.25" back from the BB and my BB to top of saddle measurement is 32.25"/820mm, with either 175mm or 180mm cranks, hence the variation is length depending on bike and crank length.
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