Home / E-Bikes / Trek Fuel EXe 9.8 XT

Trek Fuel EXe 9.8 XT

Written by Robb Dorr

Co-founder, Cycling Enthusiast

Ratings

Power

 5/5

Range

 4.5/5

4.5

Comfort

 4.5/5

4.5

Durability

 4.5/5

4.5

Style

 4.5/5

4.5

More About the Trek Fuel EXe 9.8 XT

Year

2023

Type of Bike

All Terrain

Types of Riders

Adults, Men, Women

Images from manufacturer's website

30 mi

RANGE

20 mph

TOP SPEED

3 hrs

CHARGE TIME

40 lbs

WEIGHT

Mid-drive

MOTOR TYPE

The Trek Fuel EXe 9.8 XT is predominantly a trail-riding MTB with a little extra weight (just over 7 lbs) for a motor and battery. Many electric mountain bikes we cover here have big motors and big batteries — this is not one of those, even though it’s at the higher end of the price range of electric mountain bikes.

This monster of a trail-riding e-bike works well for expert downhill riders that need a little push back up the hill. You might be older or in training where you don’t wish to push your legs too hard except in competition.

Overview

The Fuel EXe 9.8 XT comes with a cutting-edge, harmonic pin ring transmission motor made by German robotics company TQ. The TQ harmonic pin ring motor is designed to be lightweight and unobtrusive. It is a full 4.5 lbs lighter than a Bosch Performance Line CX, at the expense of some torque — this has 50 Nm of torque compared to the Bosch85 Nm.

As for the battery? This is a relatively tiny 360Wh, signaling that this is a machine where the battery and motor will only be used occasionally in a day’s riding. While the 8-lb battery weight is noticeable, it’s nothing compared to the 625Wh lump on most other current big eTMBs.

As can be seen in the specs table above, this is otherwise an all-carbon, top-end competition mountain bike. From RockShocks forks to best-in-class Shimano XT brakes and drivetrain, this is a mountain bike first and foremost and an electric bike second of all.

Reasons to Buy

You’ll need to be an expert mountain bike rider to even think of finding nearly $10,000 for an e-bike of this type. The reason you’d buy it is if you need a little extra “go” up the hill between practice runs. Or, if you’re not into competition, because you can’t be bothered with sweating to get back up and just want to have fun on a thoroughbred downhill beast!

Another selling point is the ease of pedaling. Generally speaking, when e-bike motors are off, it can feel like pedaling through quicksand. The TQ design team recognized this, and with this motor, you’ll hardly notice it when the bike is in analogue mode.

Things to Consider

If you’re moving away from analog MTBs and into the world of electric bikes, you’ll definitely notice the extra weight and different balance. This weight is lower down (as with all good eMTBs) and is admittedly a lot less than an all-in electric mountain bike. Still, it’ll require some adjustment in your riding to account for the new center of gravity and bulk.

The only other drawback of this bike is the price. At nearly $9,200, the Trek Fuel EXe 9.8 XT can be cost-prohibitive for casual riders.

Specs

Battery

TQ, 360Wh

Frame

Carbon

Fork

RockShocks Lyric Select+, 150mm travel

Rear shock

RockShocks Super Deluxe Select+

Seat post

Bontrager Elite Line Dropper - travel varies according to bike size

Drivetrain

Shimano XT M8100 12-speed, 10-42t cassette

Brakes

Shimano XT M8120 4-piston hydraulic on 180mm rear and 203mm front rotors

Wheels

Bontrager Line Elite 30 carbon, with 29”x2.50” Bontrager SE5 Team Issue tires

Max capacity

300 lbs

The specs above come from the manufacturer and may vary from what you’ve experienced. Notice something that needs correcting? Let us know.

Ratings

Power

 5/5

Compare this to a full-bore eMTB, and the power from the 300-watt motor comes up short. For its intended use, however, the lightweight TQ-HPR50 pin-ring motor is near perfect. Just 8 lbs heavier than a carbon traditional MTB, this motor barely feels any different while riding it — except for the added momentum when you’re blasting downhill or uphill. It’s the lightest, quietest, and smallest system in its class, and it shows. With the relatively low sacrifice in the motor and battery weight, you have a balanced, fun half-step between a traditional MTB and a big truck of a full eMTB.

Range

 4.5/5

4.5

As with the motor, the battery is smaller than many cheaper and less well-equipped full eMTBs. However, the TQ 360Wh battery still offers up to 30 miles of range — impressive for an eMTB where you might be cruising around with a mix of throttle and pedal assist.

You’ll be riding this bike hard but mostly without power, perhaps only using the motor between downhill runs. This makes the range acceptable because it hits the design brief.

Comfort

 4.5/5

4.5

Built for kick-ass trail riding, this e-bike will take on the track surface’s minor bumps with its 29″ tires. Additionally, the RockShox suspension package with 140mm travel rear shock and 150mm a 150mm RockShox Lyrik Select+ front fork with DebonAir spring will handle big jumps without any issues.

The dropper post is different for all sized bikes in this range — from 100mm on size S to 200mm on XL. This means people of all sizes can find the most comfortable bike for their needs. The Bontrager Arvada saddle also keeps your bottom comfortable with a strategic cut-out.

Durability

 4.5/5

4.5

With lots of components to keep an eye on, this isn’t a low-maintenance machine. While the internal routing should mean the motor and battery will require minimal maintenance, you’ll need to inspect the 55mm chainline and 12-speed cassette regularly. Do get it serviced annually by an expert who knows the motor and power system.

Trek offers good warranty terms on all of its e-bikes. Third-party component providers like RockShox and Bontrager also offer good warranties. Looked after well, this is an e-bike that won’t let you down.

Style

 4.5/5

4.5

As eMTBs go, this is a nice-looking bike. The square tubing and twin frames make it look like it means serious business on the trail. We love the color schemes from the loud yellow to more muted gray and black or navy blue.

The 29er wheels and great overall proportions make it a machine that looks as great as it behaves when let loose on those trails!

About Our Editorial Team

Written by Robb Dorr

Co-founder, Cycling Enthusiast

Robb is a massive cycling enthusiast who has more than 20 years of non-motorized cycling experience. He started eBikes.org to lower the barrier of entry to cycling and reduce the intimidation people can experience when getting into the cycling world.

Meet Our Editorial Team