The 2006 Trek Fuel EX 9

Official Trek Links 

Official Trek Website

Product information for all Trek products from trikes to the bike that Lance Armstrong rode to his 7th victory in the 2005 tour de France.

Fuel EX9

This page is where the EX9 sits waiting...

Q&A: Richard Burke, Chairman, Trek Bicycle

Interview with Richard Burke, Chairman, Trek Bicycle from Inc.com.

Trek Bikes UK - 2007 Fuel EX 9

The 2007 Fuel EX 9, on the Trek UK website. MSRP 1800 GBP, appx. 3,400 USD. More travel, up to 120 mm front, and 5.5 inchs rear. Also new, using FOX suspension instead of Rock Shox.

Trek 2007 Preview

The Trek Bikes 2007 Line-up, all on one page.

Trek EX 9 and Components Reviews 

MTBikeAZ.com

Google Earth Mapping the MTB Trails in Arizona, on a Trek Fuel EX9. Sweet.

MTBR.com Review of the EX9

mtb Review offers product reviews by riders who own the bikes. This set of reviews include a few for the 2006 model but more for teh 2005. As the year progresses more will show up for the 2006.

The Biking Hub: SRAM X0 rear derailleur review

Excellent review of the SRAM XO. I've had mine for only a month, but it is true to the review.

Stock Parts and Componets REVIEWS 

Detailed Reviews of all the stock components on the 2006 EX9

Frame

ZR 9000 Alloy with OCLV Carbon rear stays.

Front Suspension: RockShox Reba Race

RockShox Reba Team w/Motion Control, rebound, compression, floodgate, Poploc, 100mm

I love this front shock. Not one problem with it in over a year. Plenty of adjustability with the Floodgate. Too bad the rear shock floodgate has never worked because I'd love to use the on-the-fly lockout to stiffen up the suspension for big drops.

Rear Shock: RockShox MC3R

After one year I've had to replace the rear shock three times. I'm on my fouth shock and still, the motion control/floodgate does not function properly.

SRAM has been very good at replacing the shock each time, but come on...four shocks? I still haven't resolved the latest defective shock. It works fine without engaging the floodgate, and I'd rather ride than have my bike in the shop.

Rear Derailleur: SRAM X.0

Got to be some of the smoothest shifting available. After 1 year and nearly 400 miles, I've only had to adjust the deraillure twice. Easy as pie adjustments from the trigger itself.

I really like the X.0, but XTR is so sweet too. They are both so expensive that if ever I was to break it though, I'd have to downgrade to X.9 or XT.

Shifters: SRAM X.9 Trigger Shifter

SRAM X.9 Trigger Shifter. After 10 years with rapid fire, this takes a few rides to get used to. Love the trigger shifting, th elast time I demoed a bike with XTR I had to think twice when shifting. Never had any problems with the X.9.

Brakeset: Hayes HFX-9 Carbon

Hydraulic disc, 6" rotors

I gotta say I do like the hydraulic brakes, coming off a a pair of V-brakes the hydro discs are a completely new game in stopping power.

The carbon levers are what sold me on these brakes. The feel of carbon on my fingertips is just plain awesome.

The Hayes HFX-9 Carbons have been good to me but not great. I've never been able to dial in the rear brake just right. The rear brake still shutters on steep downs when I apply just a little pressure. I haven't been able to get enough modulation out of them either.

These brakes pale in comparison to Shimano XTR Hydraulic discs. I wish I had a pair of those to sweeten my ride.

I think when I upgrade I'll get a pair of Avid Juicy 7s. I hear great things about the adjustability of the Avid line-up.

Wheels: Bontrager Race Lite DC TL

26" wheels, OSB, tubeless ready.

Going tubeless was the best thing I ever did. I just wish I'd done it sooner on this bike. I rode the first few weeks with tubes...ended up getting a slow leak, a slow leak that caught up to me on a sweet jump on the Estrella technical loop. A rocky landing caused a pinch flat that bent the rim in just a pinch.

The good thing is that the rim has held up for the past year and still keeps a great seal on my tire bead.

Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT

Been riding with an XT Front Derailleur for 5 years. Never a problem. You can't go wrong with an XT front derailleur It's as simple as that. Cost effective, sturdy, and keeps on shifting year after year.

Crank: Bontrager Race Lite

44/32/22

This is a really solid crank. Never a problem. Stays tight and solid throughout the ride. I've dulled nearly all the teeth on the big chain ring climbing over rocks but shifting is still smooth.

Seatpost: Bontrager Race X Lite ACC

ACC Carbon Fiber seatpost.

I like the carbon seatpost. I do widh it were set back 20mm. No grease, easy to adjust and stays tight with some modification.

I had to jerry rig the clamp so it could tighten just a bit more than the max. I put a presta valve lock down between the nut and the endcap to act as a spacer, giving me just a few milimeters of additional tightening power. Works like a charm.

Handlebars: Bontrager Race X Lite OS Carbon Riser

40mm rise, 31.8mm

Stem: Bontrager Race Lite OS

7 degree, 31.8mm

I like the stem. The geometry works well with me. No problems.

Headset: Cane Creek S-3

w/cartridge bearings, sealed

Great headset. No problems.

Pedals: Shimano 520, clipless

Nice Pedals. Did not loosen them to my comfort level before first ride and crashed when I couldn't pop out. No blame on the pedals. It was all me.

Cassette: SRAM PG970

11-34, 9 speed

A cassette's a cassette, right? Wrong. The first thing I notices about the SRAM PG970 was the freewheel engagement. It's There's quite bit of play before the gears engage after cruising the freewheel.

It took some getting used to, but now I hardly notice the lag.

Tires: Bontrager Jones ACX TR

Tubeless ready, 26x2.2"

These are decent tires fro running with tubes, but if you want to go tubeless for real, you'll need some reall tires. I ride the MAXXIS UST Tubeless Larsen TT on the rear.

On the front I still ride the stock Jones ACX. Not nearly as durable as the Larsen TT, but hey it still has tread and still holds air even with all the cactus spikes that have run through it.

I run both tires on 3 oz of Bontrager Super Juice. Never had a flat on the trail and I've ridden right over cactus.

Saddle: Bontrager Race Lite Lux

There is no description for the Race Lite Lux. The closest thing is the Race Lite.

This seat is not good at all. If I had teh money I'd a replaced it by now. First off, the wedge cut out of the back does nothign for me but catch my bike shorts when I lean back on steep technical downs. I start to lean forward and my shorts are stuck on the seat. I've nearly crashed so many times. I had to duct tape the wedge so I can feel confident riding.

Second, one of the rails snapped on a ride after about 7 months. I've managed to adjust the broken rail and clamp it down just right to get a few more miles out of it, but it's fadign fast.

Bontrager customer service told me to take it in to a shop to get it warrantied. I'll have to do that.