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First Look: The Trek Slash Goes Carbon for 2015, Plus Actual Weights

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2015 Trek Slash Carbon_0

The Slash has been in the Trek lineup for many years and throughout that period the platform has seen significant changes in order to keep current with trends. At times its tilted towards the trail spectrum, or been a mini-DH bruiser, but last year it was redesigned for the Enduro race circuit.

Originally only available as an aluminum model, after a year of EWS podiums, Trek has finally launched a carbon version. Head past the break for glamour shots and actual weights. 2015 Trek Slash Carbon_3

Trek relies heavily on input from its team of athletes for bicycle development. With team rider Tracey Mosley current battling it out for the Overall Women’s EWS title and Rene Wildhaber sitting in 4th before the Crankworx stop, the company fields one of the top teams in the emerging sport.

After speaking with their riders, it was evident that Rene in particular wanted a longer TT, a lower BB, and ultra reliable setup. So well before the new frames were developed, he was actually swapping in shocks and forks of different lengths to get the geometry he wanted. Based on those experiments and further testing, the Slash was designed around a shorter stem, and is now longer, lower, and slacker than the previous 26″ model.

2015 Trek Slash Carbon_2

It sports clean cable routing with options for a variety of different current and emerging internal and external standards.

2015 Trek Slash Carbon_4

For models with 1x drivetrains, a Trek badged direct mount cover helps the finished bike look complete.

2015 Trek Slash Carbon_1

The top of the range model features a full XTR drivetrain and is finished with Bontrager components, but it can be fully customized using the company’s Project One service.

Update: As of now, the only Project One MTB offerings are the: Fuel EX 29, Superfly SL, and Superfly FS SL. 

2015 Trek Slash Carbon_6

For this year, Trek has completely moved away with it’s proprietary DCRV forks and shocks on this model.

Trek Air Spring Curve

Originally Trek worked hand in hand with suspension manufacturers because they felt that was needed in order to achieve their desired level of performance, but as technology has advanced, it’s no longer necessary.

For example, they’ve been able to partner with Rockshox to tune the Monarch Debonair shock to closely mirror the air spring curve of their own DRCV. With the added benefit that the Debonair has a larger air can and more oil flow, which can better keep up with the demands of longer Enduro stages.

2015 Trek Slash Carbon_8

Like almost all of the frames in Trek’s full suspension mountain bike line up, the bike utilizes a Mino Link to easily alter the bike’s geometry. The system allows you to adjust the bike’s head tube angle and BB by pivoting hardware on the linkage.

2015 Trek Slash Carbon_9

Another nice feature is the moulded plastic rubber. Covering every high risk surface from the down tube to the stays, this protective hardware helps prevent scratches and dents.

2015 Trek Slash Carbon_11

The Slash 9.9 with a 36 fork, full XTR build, and dropper, hit the scale at 12.17 kg. For those Americans like myself who have no idea what that means, it’s 26.8 lbs.

2015 Trek Slash Carbon_10

The Slash 9.8 with a Pike fork and Sram X01 Kit was not far behind at 12.71 kg (or you know, 28 lbs).

Trek 2015 Slash Pricing

For the 2015 model year, there will be two aluminum and two carbon offerings.

2015 Trek Slash Carbon Weight Savings

Rene Wildhaber saw his best Enduro World Series result aboard the new Slash Carbon with a 3rd place finish in Winter Park, Colorado, and had this to say about his new bike, “We’ve been building to this bike for years now. Each refinement of the Trek bike has been getting closer to the perfect enduro bike. Last year’s geometry refinements to the alloy Slash were perfect. Now the bike has shed a ton of weight so it’s equally capable and race-able.”

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Mirwin
Mirwin
9 years ago

They give youse guys a hard time with the lb’s but in reality all countries have adopted the metric system, including the U.S. Becoming metric is not a one-time event that has either happened or not. It is a process that happens over time. Every country is somewhere in this process of going metric, some much further along than others.

kg’s to lb’s: For a close guess-timate, double the kg’s and add one or two. Simple.

123456
123456
9 years ago

Any pics of the rocker link and upper mounting hardware for the shock? Wonder if this is something we could buy to retrofit a real shock on to our current 2014 Slash frames.

Fred
Fred
9 years ago

Smart people use the metric system.

pk subban
pk subban
9 years ago

Smart people can use both and don’t have the need to troll…

Stamps Transou
Stamps Transou
9 years ago

Project One Slash…Trek forgot to tell their dealers that one…

Sure your info is correct on that BR?

Really?
Really?
9 years ago

If the Slash is available via ProjectOne, then that’s news. You sure about that?

christopher
christopher
9 years ago

@123456 The alloy rocker on the Slash 6, 7, & 8 is the same design as the carbon 9.8 and 9.9 and can accommodate the larger air can of the Debonair. You will need different mounting hardware to make the switch, something your local Trek dealer can help you acquire. Enjoy!

John
John
9 years ago

@Mirwin: I would’ve figured you “smart” metric guys would know the conversion from kg to lbs is to simply multiply kgs by two then add 10%. 😉

michiel
michiel
9 years ago

Or you just install a converter app!

CeeJay
CeeJay
9 years ago

That XTR drivetrain looks awesome!

Bubbrubb
Bubbrubb
9 years ago

@123456 you can install any rear shock on your ’14 frame as lkng as its the same eye-to-eye and stroke measurements. As some one already said, you will likely have to use new reducers in the new shock but maybe not. Also be sure the factory tune of the new shock matches the stock one. I have the original Trek Scratch (2010?) And I ditched the stock suspension after 2 seasons.

GrandesRoues
GrandesRoues
9 years ago

Please give us info on the carbon remedy 29er…

Seraph
Seraph
9 years ago

12.71 kg is actually 27.96 lbs.

Antipodean_G
9 years ago

So @$5,770 with XO it comes in at 12.71/28 lbs…. so it’s the same weight as my 140mm/5.5″ travel Al frame WITHOUT X0 level components that cost less.

Yea, carbon…. everything is wonderful…..

JBikes
JBikes
9 years ago

“Fred – 08/15/14 – 8:26pm
Smart people use the metric system.”

…and even smarter people realize all units are fully convertible. The smartest tend to know what the conversion factors are.

Endurobob
Endurobob
9 years ago

I love how the release of a sick new bike gets turned into a bitchfest about the metric system. Only on bikerumor comments.

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
9 years ago

Christ! What’s important is not kilograms or pounds but rather that the bike’s mass is 559.2 billion Planck masses.

Padrote
Padrote
9 years ago

you know what else smart people do? disregard weight as a signifant factor in determining how “good” a mountain bike is.

Jbob
Jbob
9 years ago

Any idea if they will make a 23″ version of this frame for us 200cm tall people? That is around 6’6″

Stamps Transou
Stamps Transou
9 years ago

@antipodean_g: not really an apples to apples comparison …two bikes…two different purposes.

warranty?
warranty?
9 years ago

1. Longer TT and lower BB? Like a Specialized? Nice!

2. Did the warranty still stay 3years (or 5years?) for the main frame like the alloy bike last year?

Action Jackson
Action Jackson
9 years ago

Wish I could get my 2013 Slash 9 26er closer to that weigh. It’s weight is 34lbs with a mini DH build with 2x drive-train Magic Mary and Razor gravity front and rear on Roval DH wheels and a Lyric up front. I just started hucking 30 footers on it and its fun, and it fly’s compared to my 44lbs DH bike.
This new carbon version slash will be insanely fun. I could’nt afford it though, or justify the cost to my Visa

Action Jackson
Action Jackson
9 years ago

I got my current Slash through my Trek warranty. It was a lifetime warranty on my 08 Remedy, which sold me on the bike in the first place. Trek defiantly came through for me when I needed it most.

Phil S.a. McKracjken
Phil S.a. McKracjken
9 years ago

“Bubbrubb – 08/16/14 – 12:28pm
@123456 you can install any rear shock on your ’14 frame as lkng as its the same eye-to-eye and stroke measurements. As some one already said, you will likely have to use new reducers in the new shock but maybe not. Also be sure the factory tune of the new shock matches the stock one.”
All you need to do is LOOK at the shock on any Trek with DRCV, and if you have any common sense, you’ll quickly realize this ISN’T true.
Trek uses proprietary mounting which bolts through the side of the DRCV unit.
Furthermore, because the DRCV unit sits on top of the shock, the shock body is VERY long relative to the stroke compared to off the shelf/most other shocks.
Because of this, even if you solve the mounting problem(s), when you find a shock of the proper length, you’re gonna have to shorten the stroke.
The easiest way to upgrade your shock on the Slash(assuming you have either a 7 or 8), is to simply purchase the shock for a 9 from your dealer.
I did so on my ’13 Slash 8, so I went from a ‘Performance’ to a ‘Factory’ Float.
You can obviously make the switch on the ’14 as well.
Having said all that, there ARE people who fabricated new mounts, and were able to get an off-the-shelf shock to work.
There was a guy in Euroland(England I believe) that did it on a Remedy IIRC, but I remember it being an older Remedy that was easier to make it work than it would be on a new(er) Slash/Remedy.
He did a write-up on the whole thing several years ago, but I believe you still might be able to find it via Google.

Rudi
Rudi
9 years ago

Funny, that was my remedy where you talked about 😉

Here is the link: http://www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=125217&pagenum=121

Search for it a bi from the top…
I build it with a BOS Kirk… Bos told me they never tuned a shock for a Trek before 😉
Still working like a dream …

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