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2017 Trek Slash goes 29er only, rounds out their enduro lineup

2017 Trek Slash RSL 29er enduro mountain bike
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2017 Trek Slash RSL 29er enduro mountain bike

OK, so far Trek’s put their longer travel “trail” bikes into very specific wheel size categories for 2017. We saw the Fuel EX go to mostly 29ers with the capability to run 27.5+ also, the Remedy move strictly to 27.5″, and now the Slash goes 29er only. Both the Slash and Remedy work with 150mm rear wheel travel, but they now go about it in different ways.

The Remedy keeps Trek’s very plush Full Floater design, which puts the lower shock mount on the chainstays in front of a main pivot. The result is an incredibly supple rear suspension regardless of travel, something we’ve especially liked on the shorter travel Top Fuel in the past. The new Slash, however, switches back to a fixed lower shock mount. And it’s made for big wheels…

2017 Trek Slash RSL 29er enduro mountain bike

All 2017 Slash models use 29” wheels with Boost110 & Boost148 hub spacing, and they’re launching with carbon frames only in October. Rear travel drops 10mm to 150mm since it’s getting bigger wheels than before, paired with adjustable travel forks that start at 160mm and drop down to 130mm for climbing.

Like the Fuel EX & Remedy, Slash gets a Straight Shot downtube with their Knock Block headset to keep the handlebar from swinging around and smacking the frame.

2017 Trek Slash RSL 29er enduro mountain bike
All photos courtesy Trek Bikes (some by Sterling Lawrence).

Control Freak cable routing runs everything through the front triangle to keep it clean.

2017 Trek Slash RSL 29er enduro mountain bike

In order to fit the larger wheels, long travel and be able to bring it all to bear in a size small frame, Trek had to ditch the Full Floater system. Fortunately, they do say that suspension technology has gotten much better since the years when FF was introduced, so you’re not losing performance. The bike is designed around the new Metric shock designs, too, which usually allow for a little more stroke and/or air volume. Putting the lower shock mount on the frame gave them more room for a more capable shock, too.

It does keep their ABP concentric rear axle pivot at the back, and it gets their Mino Link to let you adjust the geometry. The high (steeper) position sets the head angle at 65.6º, and the low brings it down half a degree to 65.1º. Bottom bracket and seat angle also drop a bit in the low setting, but the bike will ship with it in the high setting.

The move to Boost spacing opened up the rear end enough to accommodate massive 29 x 2.6 tires, but they do not recommend trying to run it as a 27.5+ bike…it’s designed specifically to run as a 29er.

2017 Trek Slash RSL 29er enduro mountain bike

Two versions will be offered. In red is the Race Shop Limited (RSL) and gets additional suspension adjustments, a Rapid Drive rear hub, and the new SRAM X01 Eagle 1×12 drivetrain.

2017 Trek Slash 9-8 29er enduro mountain bike

The Slash 9.8 comes in black (this one’s a rendering, just ignore that front derailleur mount…the bikes are designed for 1x chainsets only) and gets SRAM X1, Rockshox Lyrik RC fork and Super Deluxe RC3 shock, Bontrager Line Comp wheels and 29×2.4 Bontrager tires.

A frameset is also available and includes Fox Factory Float X2 shock, Knock Block headset, and Line Pro 35mm stem. Sizes are 15.5, 17.5, 19.5, and 21.5. All three are available in October.

TrekBikes.com

 

 

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Haromania
Haromania
7 years ago

While I don’t agree that a 29 X 2.6 is “massive”, it’s better than nothing. At this point, if I can’t squeeze a 2.8 at least, and preferably a 3.0, it won’t work for me but I realize others feel differently. I’d gladly trade off a little travel for bigger shoes and I wonder how others feel on that subject? Looks like a sweet bike though. Trek is freaking killing it right now.

myke2241
myke2241
7 years ago
Reply to  Haromania

It’s how the bike feels. Tire size is down the list and dependent on application.

Personally I think this tire size tread is getting lame. It’s almost like tire size is the industry duct tape

just_lookin
just_lookin
7 years ago

Haromania- For me, any of the 29+ are outlier tires. You run into many significant compromises (weight, flex, frame travel, CS length). Not that certain folks won’t like them, but for all intents and purposes, anything above 29×2.5 I consider massive. They’re like Fatbikes -good at what they are for, but not an average bike. I wouldn’t recommend them as a do-it-all or single bike to people unless they had very specific requirements. It’s all relative, though.

Haromania
Haromania
7 years ago
Reply to  just_lookin

That’s why they make something for everyone. I’ll never even consider another bike that won’t take 2.8 at the very least, and for me I consider it the perfect do everything size. But I realize we’re all different. I also ride fat bikes almost exclusively, year round, for me their the most fun with your clothes on I’ve ever found 🙂

ascarlarkinyar
7 years ago

Another fail. Moving the shock mount to the front triangle also moves the design and efficiency back 10 years ago.

myke2241
myke2241
7 years ago
Reply to  ascarlarkinyar

Don’t salt your food before you eat it dude. Go test ride it and get back to us!

JNH
JNH
7 years ago
Reply to  ascarlarkinyar

Serious question now, why? All the lower swing arm shock mount does is move down with the shock, simulating a longer stroke shock for a given length of travel. This bike already has a long stroke shock, so what does it lose with a fixed lower mount? Other than an option to slightly tweak the leverage curve.

dirtybird
dirtybird
7 years ago
Reply to  JNH

agreed. if 99% of the population can’t tell the difference between the feel of a “full floater” and a “non-full floater,” there isn’t one. i bet it rides vrrry well.

Flatbiller
Flatbiller
7 years ago
Reply to  dirtybird

Ha, spot on comment!

I like the guys who can somehow tell that one crank is stiffer than the next, amazingly able to isolate it from the rest of the bike flexing under load (i.e., maybe the tires are flexing before carbon crank arms are??????!!!!).

xc-fr
xc-fr
7 years ago

29er: yesssssss
without full-floater: faaaaiiiil

Trek, please mix the Remedy & Slash: 29er, 150mm, full-floater
aah wait, some years ago there was a similar bike: the old 29er remedy *lol*

badbikemechanicx
badbikemechanicx
7 years ago

For all the West Coast boys say goodbye to your small wheels. The industry won and 29ers are going to be the standard going forward.

Jeb
Jeb
7 years ago

These comments remind me of a situation a few years back. Out trail riding with a group, and some random guys from out of town. Found out one of the guys was a pretty influential writer/blogger of the mountain bike variety. Here was a guy who had very strong opinions on bikes and equipment who influenced many peoples buying decisions and he SUCKED. It was hilarious. Watching him flail thinking “dude wouldn’t know the difference between a 73 or 63 degree head angle he was so bad”.

typer2
typer2
7 years ago

The gearing set up on the black frame is dialed! Is that a 50 or 52?

Johnson Postman
Johnson Postman
7 years ago

Straight Shot, Knock Block, Control Freak, Mino Link. . .these things don’t need trademarks or brand names, but dang if I ain’t jealous of whoever got paid to sit and think up the names.

Zach
Zach
7 years ago

I feel like most I’ve talked to are missing the point of this bike. It isn’t a local Tues-Night-Taco-Ride bike. It isn’t for tooling around the flowy smooth trails in FL. It isn’t a trail bike with the occasional XC race in mind. This is purpose built for EWS style racing. Pure and simple.

Full Floater is awesome and it works great, but when you have a large volume shock with a longer stroke and 2016 damping tech, you won’t notice. This bike doesn’t care how “massive” you think tires should be. 29+, 27.5, B+, 26++, fast fat, full fat….I’m sure they are a lot of fun, but this is a 29er specific race bike meant to point down the slope and rip.

I love my 140/140 Remedy 29, but this is not the same bike. This is a Slash 29er by geometry and it is meant to win very specific races. This Remedy looks awesome, but I don’t see myself needing it as I don’t race #enduro. Nonetheless, Trek has been killing it lately with their MTBs. Well done, guys.

Matteo
Matteo
7 years ago
Reply to  Zach

What are the disadvantages of using this as your only bike? Particularly in the rocky northeast. Is it just too inefficient/ slow? (except when pointing it downhill)

Zach
Zach
7 years ago
Reply to  Matteo

I think it would be an awesome bike in that area of the country. It just depends on what you’re wanting to get out of your bike.

We have some super rocky trails in Kansas City, but not a ton of sustained descending. Lots of short, punchy climbing and plenty of rough, rocky singletrack. Perfect for 120-140 bikes.

Jonas
Jonas
7 years ago

Whether the shock is attached to the front triangle or the swingarm makes zero difference in efficiency. It just maked adifference for the shock leverage, attached to the swingarm the leverage ratio gets higher, not necessarily what you want on a long travel bike.

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