And the bells were ringing out for Fuel EXe
You may ask yourself, ‘How can you make mountain biking more exciting?’. There's only one answer we can think of and it's with an E-Bike.
We recently tested the new Trek Fuel EXe to see what all the hype was about. And the only thing we could say out on the trails is, ‘Are you sure we brought the right bike?’
Make sure to read our article where we covered in detail all of the Fuel EXe’s new features. Here's a quick summary some new things on the bike:
We decided to take the bike out to Mullaghmeen Forest Park, which features lots of natural wood sections and long climbs. The ideal conditions to test out the Fuel EXe.
We quickly discovered that whether the bike makes you feel like a professional XC rider when climbing up a steep section of the track. Or proving to be extremely agile and responsive when descending through a fast technical section.
It is easy to forget you were riding an E-Bike. Which seems to be the exact thing that most mountain bikers would love to hear. As a mid-lightweight eMTB, the Fuel EXe really delivers on bringing you the best of both worlds.
Trek Central syncs up to your onboard display.
We set up the bike in the carpark before we headed out on the trails. We dialled in the optimal settings for the spin through the Trek Central App. The app allows you to limit the watts output, set the motor’s assistance level as well as the pedal response across the three battery modes.
All very useful features to help dial in your runs on the local trails. We should also point out that charging the bike proved to be a quick process. So even if you deplete it, you can get back to riding after 2.5 hrs.
The first test would be in the form of a short hillclimb.
Two things stood out to us straight away. One, the pedal assist was extremely smooth. There was no big power drop when you changed from mode to mode. Two, just how quiet the new TQ HPR motor is. The whole climb felt a lot more streamlined than a previous test ride of a Rail 7. It was great to see the watt’s output in realtime on the display which also helped to keep a steady cadence.
Arriving at the peak, the conditions were extremely peanut buttery. Using the Trek app we dialled in some more power for the descent. The extra power really helped to improve the handling and manoeuvring through these conditions. There wasn’t as much fight which helped save your energy for the climb at the bottom.
Drop, Tuck and Roll
The bike handled the features well, being very predictable through some of the technical rock gardens sections. Sending it off jumps, the weight distribution felt very normal and definitely didn’t under or over rotate the bike as you took on more air time. The tubeless tires really helped stick to the ground as some of the trails were fairly slick.
Climbing back up after the descent, the bike felt just as great as it had on the previous climb. Seeing as the bike was caked in mud, things usually don't always go for the best, we'd quickly find out this wouldn't be the case. The Shimano XT held its own with smooth gear changes.
The motor ran as smooth as it did on the first run. Even after a few more runs, all the components worked just as good as they did at the start. After 3hrs of riding around the battery was only on 50 percent charge. (This is all subjective to the settings you decide to dial in)
Steep and fast rock garden section provide no match for the Fuel Exe
It’s our new favourite eMTB.
As far as E-MTB goes, this was one of the best experiences of a bike ride for us in a long time. Helping you spin up climbs and handle every tricky feature on the descent, the Fuel EXe proved itself. The additional boosts while descending made for a smoother all round ride. If you’re looking to get into E-MTB, this bike should be on your wishlist. Make sure to check out the range above as they are available through HUMM finance or a Bike to Work scheme.
