trek powerfly 9 review

David Harrison

Table of contents, trek powerfly fs 9 equipped gen 2 review (2023).

The Powerfly FS range is Trek’s answer to the daily use all-rounder. It’s designed to be a capable bike, which is comfortable on the urban routes, while also a fun ride on the trails. Getting that mix right is a real balancing act for a manufacturer because something has to give if it’s to be adept in both areas.

The Powerfly FS 9 Equipped Gen 2 is the second-highest-spec bike in Trek’s range, so how does it cope in the mountains? And are there any limitations? We’ve put hours into the pedals on this Trek Powerfly FS 9, to get all the answers for you.

Our Verdict

A reliable bike to take on the daily commutes, but vastly overpriced compared with the competition.

The battery and motor pairing are areas to celebrate, offering great range and a strong amount of power to cart the bike’s heavy bulk around.

However, the manoeuvrability is poor and the bike isn’t suited to challenging, off-road terrain.

It’s too cumbersome; it doesn’t offer great handling, and the tyres just don’t have enough bite.

But it’s the price we can’t get over. It’s far more expensive than some strong competitors in the market.

• Range reliability
• Powerful motor
• Manoeuvrability
• Poor on technical terrain

Trek Powerfly FS 9 Equipped Gen 2

Price: $8,330

Weight/frame.

The Powerfly FS 9 Equipped Gen 2 has a heavy aluminium frame, which brings the sturdiness you need on a daily commute. It moves quickly when it picks up momentum, which is ideal when you’re on concrete cycle lanes, but it does come at a big cost.

It weighs in at a very heavy 27.05kg , which means it isn’t well-suited on twisty sections or for more challenging trail riding. It’s adept on forest paths and wide single-tracks, but the minute you throw in some more challenging terrain, it starts to feel like you’re trying to manoeuvre a tank.

Just how fast does the Trek Powerfly go with that weight, though? It can get up to 26km/h comfortably with the assist on, but faster with momentum.

It comes in five frame sizes, from XS up to XL, and has a few extra commuter friendly features, such as decent mudguard so you can keep your commuting clothes clean if you have an off-road section to tackle.

Plus it comes with a kick-stand, which is handy if you need to leave it outside a shop, especially considering its weight.

The Powerfly FS 9 Equipped Gen 2 comes with a sizable 625Wh Bosch PowerTube battery . The PowerTube is a strong selection by the folk at Trek, and gives you a decent range.

We found that we could push out around 90km on one charge, with around 1,000m of climbing, and still had a little bit left in the tank to go on the following day.

These are good numbers for a bike designed for daily use – the last thing you want is constant range anxiety with a bike you need to use on a daily basis.

The Powerfly FS 9 Equipped Gen 2 comes paired with the excellent Bosch Performance Line CX motor . We’re big fans of the Performance Line CX, which can push out up to 85Nm of torque.

It’s one of the best motors out on the market right now, offering intelligent power delivery, reliability and a very powerful kick.

It works smartly with the Bosch PowerTube battery to release the power conservatively and it helps add to that reliability with the range estimation.

Considering the heavy overall weight of the bike, you need a solid motor accompaniment to drag you up challenging climbs and the Performance Line CX is certainly armed for the task at hand.

You could be mistaken for thinking the bike is much lighter by the way it makes easy work of big inclines, particularly on the concrete or hard-packed terrain; it feels heavier-footed on bobbly ground, though.

Motor Display

The Powerfly FS 9 Equipped Gen 2’s display is another fantastic Bosch product. Not only does the motor itself bring reliability, but the display adds to that, offering many different customisable view options, depending on the demands of the day’s ride.

You can switch between four modes of assistance easily using the handlebar-mounted smart controller: Eco , Tour , e-MTB and Turbo . This offers you more than enough options to take on the type of terrain and routes that you’re likely to want to do on the bike.

You can also link all your data to your smartphone, with handy tools such as mapping data, RPM output, along with all the battery information you need to make sure you don’t run out on a ride.

The Bosch Performance Line CX motor and its display are spot-on products.

The Powerfly FS 9 Equipped Gen 2 comes with 120mm travel at the front and 100mm at the rear . It’s set up with SR Suntour Zeron 35, air-sprung forks and RockShox SID Lux Select+ rear shocks .

We mentioned limitations earlier and this is certainly one to note. That suspension setup isn’t made for wild trail riding or even moderate trail riding, to be honest, and it soon comes unstuck on anything more complex than a wide single-track or forest road.

It doesn’t take lumps and bumps well and although it offers a small slice of cushioning, it really isn’t designed for the mountains.

ℹ️ If you’re wanting an off-road-focused bike, this really isn’t the one for you. This offers aspects which can cope in the countryside, but it’s also designed for paved streets. That compromise means that it loses out in certain areas. Suspension is one.

If you’re just looking for some forest tracks or country paths, then this offers an adequate amount of travel to cope with those demands and you switch from road to off-road terrain feeling pretty comfortable. Comfort is what the bike is designed for, but within the parameters we mentioned above.

Wheels/Tyres

The wheel size on the Powerfly FS 9 Equipped Gen 2 depends on the frame size you go for. The XS and S frame sizes come with 27.5in wheels , whilst the larger models come with 29in wheels – both a Bontrager alloy setup, with Bontrager LT4 Expert tyres .

The alloy wheels add to that stability you feel while riding the bike – they’re robust and give you a strong planted feel out on a ride. However, they are heavy and they contribute to the overall heavy bike weight.

The tyres offer you enough bite to cope with a slice of countryside, but also enough shedding ability so they can move quickly on the concrete, too – it’s another balancing act from Trek to be able to straddle both the off-road and on-road worlds, however, it comes at a cost.

ℹ️ The tyres don’t offer enough bite to be flying into technical corners or anything too steep, off-road. With the heavy weight of the bike, you could find yourself on the deck if you tried to push the bike in those settings.

The Powerfly FS 9 Equipped Gen 2 comes with Shimano XT M8120 4-piston brakes . They’re a powerful setup, and do offer a strong bite to contend with that weight and the chunky motor.

We felt like they adequately coped with the job in hand and never gave you any cause for concern – a relief considering the tyre issues

This Powerfly FS Equipped is fitted with a Shimano XT M8100 12-speed drivetrain . A very reliable partnering, a bit like the motor and battery – offering smooth shifting and an ease of use.

The price is upsetting considering the bike’s limitations in quite a few areas. However, a decent chunk of that price is going towards the Bosch motor and battery, which are both extremely reliable and very good products to have at your disposal.

That eases the pain to a degree, but we still think it’s vastly overpriced for what you’re getting.

Powerfly FS 9 Equipped Gen 2 Facts & Figures

Size configurations.

* All measurements provided in cm unless otherwise stated.

* Please note – spec applies to all sizes unless listed separately

How Does it Compare?

There aren’t a huge number of manufacturers targeting this area because of the compromises you have to make to try and make the bikes work well in both commuting and trail environments.

However, Canyon has tried to step-up to the mark with its Pathlite: ON 5 SUV , so how does it stack up to our Powerfly FS 9 Equipped Gen 2.

It comes with exactly the same battery and motor pairing, the 625Wh Bosch PowerTube battery and the Performance Line CX motor.

It also comes in slightly under the weight of our Trek, but only marginally at 26.86kg, due to its aluminium frame.

It has 100mm of travel at either end with a similar Suntour forks set-up and comes with 27.5 inch wheels, with Maxxis Crossmark II tyres, which offer a decent bite.

It’s a very similar bike to our Trek, which has the same sort of limitations – good on hard-packed and simple trails, but comes unstuck on anything more technical.

That said, Canyon has managed to keep the price down at $3,605 – nearly $5,000 cheaper than our Trek Powerfly FS 9 Equipped.

It really makes you wonder how Trek are trying to justify that huge difference, considering that the bikes really are very similar.

Final Thoughts

It’s a very overpriced bike, but it does the job it intends to – helping to bridge the gap between the daily commute, with a bit of trail riding.

It certainly has limitations, though.

It isn’t meant for any real degree of serious trail riding and it would come seriously unstuck on anything technical or particularly challenging.

However, it offers a comfortable ride experience for the daily commutes, on simple single-tracks and on forest roads.

It has a top battery and motor pairing, which bring great reliability, a chunky amount of range and a powerful kick to heave its heavy weight around.

We’re pained by the price, though. We just can’t understand the justification for the high price, particularly when you compare it to some competitors operating in this same sphere of the e-MTB world.

There are definitely pros and cons with this one, but it does the job the bike is designed for – reliability being a key theme. If that’s what you’re looking for, then get out there and give it a whirl.

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Trek Powerfly 9 LT (2019) first ride review

• Alan Muldoon
• October 3, 2018

Beefed up the parts to deal with the beatings that e-bikes get

Product Overview

Trek powerfly 9 lt.

• Suspension, brakes and tyres are all on point. New battery layout is neat and easy to use.
• Could have more generous reach measurements and shorter stems on all sizes.

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:.

Up hill or down, ebikes take an absolute beating, so the new Trek Powerfly 9 has a beefed up the parts package to handle the additional abuse.

>>> The best electric mountain bikes

Trek Powerfly 9 LT need to know

• Integrated side-loading battery pack offers a sleek functional design
• Trek’s ABP suspension pumps put 150mm travel, coupled with a 160mm Fox 36 fork
• Bosch Performance CX motor and 500Wh battery packs on all models
• Two new carbon version shares the same geometry and sizing as the alloy Powerfly LTs

Forget torque, watts and even mismatched wheel sizes … integration is the real buzzword in ebike tech right now. And unless you go it alone with a custom motor like Rocky Mountain, something very few brands are prepared to risk, integration is currently about concealing the power-source.

150mm travel offers adequate cushioning while crushing the descents

Now in its third generation the new Trek Powerfly LT 9 has one of the neatest battery concealing solutions we’ve seen to date. Not only is its drive-side loading internal battery a breeze to use, it means the down tube on the latest Powerfly LT doesn’t need to be disproportionally large to contain the battery, like say, the Shimano equipped BMC Trailfox AMP .

Bosch PowerTube battery can be charged on or off the bike

Dubbed RIB, short for removable integrated battery, and with the protective cover positioned to one side the battery collects way less dirt too, so you’ll get way less grief for plugging the battery in next to the kettle for a quick charge. It even has a handy integrated carry handle for lugging it around. Best of all, RIB leaves plenty of space for a bottle cage, something that wasn’t possible with the battery position on the previous Powerfly LT.

Purion display is Bosch’s most compact

In keeping with the pack-less riding experience, tabs under the top tube also let you attach a custom Wolf Tooth B-Rad storage strap so you can have a tube and CO2 canister with you at all times.

Other than the new downtube that houses the RIB battery, and the addition of the storage tabs under the top tube, the 2019 Powerfly LT 9 shares the same travel, geometry and attitude as the bike that won our e-bike test last year. Numbers that include a slack 66deg head angle (high setting) for increased steering stability and a generous size range that stretches from 15.5in all the way to 21.5in. Times are changing fast in the world of e-bikes though, and the reach numbers on the Trek look dated next to the Vitus E-Sommet that won our recent Enduro E-bike test.

The Powerfly LT 9 also has relatively long chain stays, 474mm to be precise. And while these aren’t really on trend and may even upset the balance of the bike on the smaller frame sizes, they are a godsend for taller riders on the 19.5in and 21.5in bikes as they help load the front end on flat corners to stop it lifting on the steepest climbs.

And boy did we ride some steep climbs on the launch of the Powerfly LT 9 in Bad Ragaz, Switzerland, terrain that an elite level XC racer on a sub 20lb hardtail would struggle to conquer. On the Powerfly LT 9 however we winched our way up huge mountains with the assistance of the Bosch CX motor driving the new SRAM NX Eagle 11-50t cassette. Stay seated and the Trek offers seamless power delivery, especially in E-MTB mode that automatically toggles between Turbo, Sport and Tour modes to match your effort. Out of the saddle however the Trek has more pedal induced bob than e-bikes like the Vitus and Canyon equipped with full size chainrings rather than a tiny 15t driver cog.

It was on the descents however that the Powerfly LT 9 showed its true colours. Planted and sure footed, it gives you the confidence to release your grip on the powerful 4-pistion Shimano XT brakes and push the reinforced 2.8in Bontrager XR4 tyres to their very limit. With gravity working its magic the new Trek Powerfly LT 9 is an absolute riot, but at £5,200 it’s an expensive way to get your kicks when the Vitus costs £3,599.99

Trek Powerfly FS 9 Equipped Review

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• A premium "do anything" full suspension electric bike that's equipped to handle pavement, trails, light mountain terrain, rain, shine, day, or night conditions. Available in five frame sizes for optimal fit, the XS and S come with 27.5" wheels and the M, L, and XL come with 29" wheels. Sold through one of North America's largest network of dealers. Trek and Bosch provide excellent support and warranty.
• Custom made extra-wide plastic fenders are durable and quiet, very capable in off-road conditions. A sleek and sturdy rear rack provides 25kg (55lbs) of cargo capacity with pannier hangers on both sides and a removable top platform for trunk bags. Puncture resistant tires also feature unique black reflective stripes that combine safety with aesthetics.
• Downtube-integrated battery pack and mid-drive motor keep weight low and center. Trek designed a "RIB" battery casing includes a handle for safe removal and transport. The battery doesn't rattle, and it can be charged on or off the bike with the fast 4 amp charger. Peformance Line CX motor is the most powerful from Bosch, but lightweight with a magnesium casing.
• Highly adjustable air suspension front and rear with 120mm and 100mm travel respectively. Boost hub spacing and thru-axles increase wheel strength. Extra large 203mm hydraulic disc brakes with heat sinks and alloy cores deliver incredible stopping power. The biggest trade-offs here include the high price, smartphone display (that some may not like), louder motor operation, and increased weight (due to the high capacity battery and accessories).

Video Review

Introduction

Body position:, suggested use:, electric bike class:, learn more about ebike classes, availability:, model year:, bicycle details, total weight:, battery weight:, motor weight:, frame material:, frame sizes:, geometry measurements:, frame types:, frame colors:, frame fork details:, frame rear details:, attachment points:, gearing details:, shifter details:, brake details:, seat post length:, seat post diameter:, tire brand:, wheel sizes:, tire details:, tube details:, accessories:, electronic details, motor brand:, motor type:, learn more about ebike motors, motor nominal output:, motor torque:, battery brand:, battery voltage:, battery amp hours:, battery watt hours:, battery chemistry:, charge time:, estimated min range:, estimated max range:, display type:, display accessories:, drive mode:, written review.

To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I sometimes charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This in-depth review was not sponsored by Trek. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of Trek products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below, and the Trek electric bike forums .

Observations:

• Trek is one of the “Big Three” North American bicycle manufacturers, along with Giant and Specialized. Trek launched in 1975, making hand-brazed steel frames. Since then, they have grown into a global powerhouse in the cycling industry with distributors in 90 different countries and hundreds of dealers that assemble and support the products.
• There are five frame sizes and one premium colorway for the Powerfly FS 9 Equipped. It comes with full suspension, medium tread trail ready tires, reflective tire stripes, wide extra-thick fenders, high powered integrated lights, and a custom rack to make it “equipped” to handle all sorts of terrain and tasks.
• You might notice the Bontrager name on some of the components in this review. Bontrager is Trek’s in-house component brand, and is therefore common on many of Trek’s electric bicycles. Basically, Bontrager is the same company as Trek but they focus on accessories like rims, racks, bags, and lights.
• This is one of the only full suspension electric bikes with fenders and racks that I’ve ever seen. Most of the time these “SUV” type of ebikes are built around a hardtail. One notable exception is the Riese & Müller Delite , which weighs about 3lbs more and costs $2k+ more (depending on the configuration), but has a suspended rear rack.
• The Powerfly series is available in five sizes, including the FS 9 Equipped. This improves rider fit and ergonomics… but they went one step further here. The Extra Small and Small frame sizes come with 27.5″ wheels while the Medium, Large, and Extra Large come with taller 29″ wheels that elevate the bike and lower the attack angle for a slightly smoother ride.
• Despite having taller wheels for the M, L, and XL frames, the bike is still very approachable because of the sloped top tube angle. Trek has blended frame strength with functionality really well here, and it will pay off for riders who might have limited flexibility due to long pants and jackets, or those with a loaded rear rack. It’s a thoughtful design that is only made possible with custom frame building and premium materials (trek uses premium hydroformed aluminum alloy for their frames and routes all cables internally).
• Trek has created a proprietary rear suspension design called ABP (active brake pivot) that isolates suspension and braking so you won’t lose travel or lock up due to the force of the motor on the chain (going through the rear cassette) or sag and lock up as you activate the powerful hydraulic brakes. This is an important consideration because the rear portion of the frame can flex and twist under heavy load. Learn more about ABP here .
• The braking system on this ebike is extremely powerful. Hydraulic disc brakes with large 203mm rotors front and rear. The carbon steel rotors are fixed to aluminum alloy cores that dissipate heat more quickly, and the calipers use four pistons (quad piston braking) that have heat sinks fixed to the caliper housing to further dissipate heat. It’s an incredible setup that provides huge mechanical advantage over the larger heavier wheels, can deal with active suspension travel, and support the heavier 60lb bike plus larger riders and cargo on the 55lb rated rear rack. Small two-finger levers is all you need to brake (like a mountain bike) and both offer tool-free adjustable reach.
• The drivetrain is incredible… You get an upgraded Shimano Deore XT trigger set with two-way high lever (so you don’t have to sacrifice your braking fingers when shifting gears, you can use your thumb for both high and low levers). The 36 tooth chainring is narrow wide to reduce chain drops and the cassette offers massive 510-degrees of gear ratio. The cassette has 12 speeds that range from 10 to 51 tooth so you can tackle almost any terrain comfortably. Note that the Shimano Deore XT derailleur features a one-way clutch that reduces chain bounce and slap when engaged.
• To protect the beautiful paint job, Trek included an extra long rubberized slap guard. They also squeezed in a bottle cage mounting point on the downtube, a nice adjustable-length kickstand, and include a custom pair of wide plastic platform pedals so you don’t have to buy them separately.
• Great kickstand position, it’s far back, clear of the left crank arm so you won’t get heel strikes when pedaling. It’s also positioned directly below the rack to support heavier loads and offers some length adjustment (which requires a hex tool).
• Great suspension all around, the air fork offers 120mm of travel with compression and rebound adjust. Notice the black coating on the stanchions that reduces stiction and looks cool with the all-black paint job here. Wider 35mm stanchions provide strength and compliment the wider Boost hub spacing that improves spoke bracing angle. The lowers for the SR Suntour Zeron fork are made from magnesium (like the Bosch motor) so they are strong but lighter than aluminum alloy. The rear shock is also air, rated to 100mm, and offers the same compression and rebound adjust.
• Note that the rear wheel speed sensor is tucked in near the hub vs. the older plastic sensor and spoke magnet that was tacked onto the frame. This new design is more hidden and much tougher, it won’t get bumped out of place or covered with mud as easily. I also appreciate that the shifter wires and other cables on the bike are internally routed for improved aesthetic and reduced snag potential.
• High attention to ergonomics. The saddle felt great and is positioned on a 100mm or 150mm travel dropper post (also black coated to match the bike). Locking ergonomic grips, the lower standover frame, and the larger pedals complete the build.
• The custom fenders peformed decently, though not offering as much coverage as the super long ones on something like the Specialized Vado model s, they were quiet, stayed out of the way, and felt secure when riding off-road.
• The rear rack is pretty unique; it’s designed in two parts and the top is MIK accessory compatible. The lower portion helps to secure the rear fender and provides a mounting point for the rear light. I believe that you can attach panniers to the cross bar near the top, but it doesn’t offer blockers that keep bags from sliding forward and back, and the ends of the bar tip down, so your bag could get crooked. The top platform can be removed, but if kept on the bike provides 25kg (55lbs) of capacity that would work well with trunk bags and possibly some child seats (though Trek may not guarantee or recommend that).
• Premium lights positioned very well! The headlight is mounted to a proprietary Blendr attachment that integrates with the handlebar clamp. It stays out of the way and doesn’t block the large display panel/phone holder but still keeps your light high up vs. low on the suspension fork arch like many others. The headlight points where you steer and has a sturdy metal casing. it’s super bright, offering 235 lumens and can be tilted up or down. The rear light is visible from many angles and is positioned further back from the cargo rack so it won’t get blocked by any bags (top or side). Trek has this ABC’s of safety awareness , and you can see how the lights, silver logo on the downtube, and beautiful black reflective tire stripes follow to this.
• The bike comes with a very high capacity and durable battery pack from Bosch called the PowerTube 625. This thing provides excellent range, uses premium lithium-ion cells, and is warranted and supported by a big network of dealers and one of the best recognized technology companies in the space (Bosch). Trek designed a special casing for the battery that offers side-mount and a flip-up handle for safe and easy transport called RIB.
• You get the faster four amp charger with this ebike, so filling the high capacity battery pack won’t take as long. This charger is fairly compact and only weighs 1.7lbs. It’s one of my favorites because the plug design is unique (won’t get mixed up with other electronics) and very tough (won’t bend or break as easily if stepped on or pulled out at an angle).
• The locking core for the battery pack is made by ABUS and Trek spent extra money to get the keyset that can be matched to aftermarket locks (u-locks and folding locks). This is a great opportunity because it reduces clutter and saves you time as the owner/user.
• The included display is an acquired taste, but done very well. It’s basically a phone clamp with a small grayscale LCD built into the base that can be used if a phone is not available. The LCD provides assist level, speed, trip stats, and detailed battery capacity feedback. The power button for the display is on the right side, kind of small and hidden to deter tampering. I appreciate that the phone mount offers adjustable angle, a 1 amp Micro USB charging port (and includes Micro-USB, USB C, and Lightning mini cables for your smartphone), and that there’s a stand-alone button pad near the left grip, so you don’t have to touch the phone or reach for the display while riding.
• For those who aren’t a big fan of the Bosch smartphonehub smartphone holder display, or just want a color system instead, the bike is compatible with the Bosch Kiox or Nyon displays that are sold and installed separately. Both of these can interface with your smartphone for route planning and fitness feedback with a heart rate monitor.
• Trek opted for one of the most premium motors on offer from Bosch. This is the 4th generation high powered Performance Line CX, which now offers up to 85 newton meters of torque. It’s rated at 250 watts nominal but I feel confident that it’s peaking in the high 600 watts. The new casing for this motor is smaller, looks cooler, and weighs a lot less (6.39lbs vs. 8.8lbs) in part because it’s made from magnesium. There is no reduction gearing drag like some of the early generations of motors, so you can easily top and maintain the maximum 32km (20mph) top speed that the motor supports.
• The motor controller measures rear wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque over 1,000 times per second, and offers shift detection to reduce chain mashing and breaks. It’s dynamic, natural feeling, and very quick to start and stop.
• Neither wheel is setup with quick release, you’ll 6mm hex key wrench to get both wheels off… but Trek actually includes one that snaps into the rear bolt! It’s a clever way to disguise the tool and save weight vs. integrated quick release systems… and it gives you the ability to remove the tool and create more secure parking if you wish.
• I want to reiterate that both wheels use sturdy thru-axles (15mm front, 12mm rear) and wider Boost hub spacing. The stem is tapered 1.5″ to 1.25″ like that further increases strength and durability.
• Great rims and tire design, I think this is one area where Trek saved weight on the bike and improved durability. Notice the width of the Bontrager rims at 30mm and how they have 28 spokes vs. 32 or 36 because of the premium materials and Boost hub spacing. These are higher quality double-wall rims that support the slightly wider 2.4″ wide custom ebike rated Bontrager LT4 Expert tires. The tires feature a puncture resistant casing that you can learn more about here .
• I love that this ebike has a versatile rear rack, that you can remove the top platform for a sleeker look if you wish. However, the pannier hanger rails angle down at each end which means your bags could slide down and kind of tip. There were no anchors to keep them from sliding and no bungee loop at the base of this rack. The top platform is MIK compatible, but I’m not sure if it’s rated to handle child seats? Also, the rear rack is not suspended, it will go up and down with the wheel and fender. This unsprung weight increases work for the rear shock and slows it down. The front wheel also has the additional unsprung weight of the large plastic fender, but at least the light isn’t mounted on the lowers like a lot of comparable products.
• Some people in the bicycle industry are referring to this model as an SUV (sport utility vehicle) which makes sense given the versatility of the tires, suspension, fenders, and rack. Just like an SUV automobile, the price point is quite high at $6k USD. Trek has other cheaper full suspension Powerfly models (the FS 4 and FS 5), but neither of them have the fenders and racks like this one.
• I love the custom Trek designed Removable Integrated Battery RIB casing because of the built-in handle and right-side removability from the frame, but I dislike that it adds over one pound of weight to the battery, that the shield is color-matched to the bike (making it less attractive to swap between other Trek models if you own multiple bikes), that the locking core is positioned on the left side of the frame vs. the right, and that the key must be used to mount the battery vs. simply pushing hard on the case to click it into the frame.
• Despite being lighter and more compact than the third generation of Bosch Motors, the 4th generation still produces noticeable sound during operation. This is especially true in higher levels of assist and at higher pedal cadence rates as shown in the video review above.
• The Bosch Performance Line motors have a wider q-factor than competing mid-drive units from Shimano, Yamaha, and Brose. The width is 175mm and that spaces the crank arms out a bit further… which is not that big of a deal for an ebike with Boost hub spacing, but worth mentioning because a standard analog bicycle q-factor is 145mm to 157mm on road, city, and gravel bikes.
• The location of the battery charging port is very low on the left side of the seat tube, pretty close to the left crank arm. When plugged in, the charging cable actually blocks the rotation path of the left crank, so be careful not to bump the pedals, or consider charging the battery off of the bike. It would be easier and safer to have the charging port up high on the right side of the bike. At least Trek made a nice spring-loaded charge port cover :)
• It appears that the units (miles vs. kilometers) on the smartphone hub cannot be changed without syncing to the smartphone app. I called Bosch to ask about this, and was surprised that there wasn’t a way to adjust this on the standard LCD display without a phone. In general, the readouts are pretty limited without using a phone, but that can be a very large highly reflective surface and your phone can overheat when being used like this on hot days. I’m kind of mixed on the smartphone hub in general, but at least it can be swapped out for the Bosch Kiox or Nyon displays.
• The headlight is sturdy, bright, and positioned very well high up at the stem clamp vs. the suspension arch, but it doesn’t have side windows like some of the other lights these days. None of the Supernova lights do, and I feel like this is one way they could improve their design to help increase your visual footprint at night, especially in traffic.
• This is a minor thing, but the chainring doesn’t cycle backwards when you backpedal, this changes how drivetrain service is done… you basically need a bike maintenance stand or a friend to lift the bike and pedal to clean and lubricate the chain (absolutely make sure the bike is powered off when doing this!). One positive note here is that Bosch has setup the bottom bracket with some resistance so the cranks won’t spin as freely backwards, which could lead to more shin scrapes and shin bumps otherwise
• The bike only comes in one color scheme, dark metallic gray and glossy black with a HUGE Trek logo in silver. Overall, it looks cool and is very refined (no ridges where the paint colors meet), but the branding is pretty large and loud and there are no brighter color options or a step-thru version of the bike for people with shorter inseams.
• This isn’t a big complaint, but an observation about the bike length. I test rode the medium frame and measured the length at 77″ which is quite a bit longer than the standard 72″ ebikes I usually test and measure. Perhaps it’s the motor positioning, high capacity battery pack (requiring a longer downtube), and big 29″ wheels. I’m just highlighting it because the bike may stick out at bike racks or not fit in some storage areas.

Useful Resources:

• Official Trek webpage for Powerfly FS 9 EQ Equipped .
• Trek ebike shop directory to find a Trek dealer near you for fitting and test rides.
• Official site for Supernova Mini 2 headlight and Supernova E3 Tail Light 2 rear light .
• Official site for SR Suntour Zeron 35 suspension fork and SRAM RockShox SIDLuxe Select+ rear suspension shock .

Review Updated On

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Comments (14) YouTube Comments

Very nice review. As a short rider I am thrilled that they are offering an XS, and that they have reduced the wheel size for the XS and S. I recently bought a Levo XS, which comes with the 29 inch wheels. It would be a better overall fit if they used smaller tires. It’s nice to see a “do everything bike”. But the overall weight of this bike is to high for me. Thanks for the review.

Hey, you’re welcome Synde. It’s nice to read thoughtful feedback from someone who has tried a couple of bikes and actually benefits from the different geometry decisions that these companies are making. Yeah, the weight is a deal killer for many people. My Mom was really focused on this when we bought her bike, and she’s happy that she got a carbon fiber frame because she can lift it onto her bike rack more easily :)

Can you take off the fenders and rear rack for offroad riding? Is this just a few screws, or more work?

Hi Julian! Yes, I am almost certain that you can easily remove the fenders and rack. The one caveat is that you probably have to remove both simultaneously. I think that they rely on each other for structural support.

David Bannister

Great review as always. I have a Trek Verve + 3 low step that I find I am riding more off road than on. I have added ShockStop stem and seat post, removed the chain guard, put Marathon GT 365 tires on, and generally made it more trail friendly while being still a good commuter bike.

I am interested in the Powerfly FS 4 version of this bike in the XS frame as the low stand-over and dropper seat post are appealing… more flexibility, climbing ability and shock absorbing when I get off road. Keeping the Verve, I wouldn’t need the lights, fenders, cargo capacity, etc. At 65, my bones could sometimes use the extra suspension.

Looked at it today at my local Trek dealer, and it is a beautiful bike. Noisier than mine and with less range, but I seldom push that limit anyway. Seriously tempted… how to convince my other half?

Hey, I feel ya… these products can get pretty expensive ;) the thing is, they keep you fit and healthy (which extends your bodies age/range) and are social. I tend to be willing to spend more on life enhancing things like this, and my girlfriend is supportive because she wants me to last. Hope this helps, David :D

Thanks Court… my wife is definitely supportive of my riding (at least at the single bike level) because the health and weight loss benefits have been obvious in six months. I have put 5400 km on the Verve since beginning of July… almost enough to equal Halifax to Vancouver.

Very good and thorough review. I’m 47 and currently commuting on the Dual Sport 4. My daily ride to/from is about 10 miles, but I’m moving and my new commute will be 20 miles to/from.

I want an e-bike, and I really like Trek due to serviceability and quality, but I am torn between getting this Powerfly 9 FS Equipped and the Allant 7S. I am also considering the RAIL series bikes with a detachable rear rack. Price is not a concern and I do have a few MTB trails I can ride. What would you recommend? Do you have any reviews of rear detachable racks?

Hi MAC! The Rail models look pretty sweet. No, I don’t have a review of the rack… but I do trust Trek with their bikes and accessories (often labeled Bontrager). For me personally (as a 37 year old with back, neck, and knee sensitivity), I almost always go for comfort. Full suspension feels great, but limits your rack options unless you get a seatpost clamp rack (which can get bumped out of place). The next best option would be a lightweight hardtail with a good rear rack and a suspension seat post :)

Great looking trek bike and was tempted to get but i think the Bosch cobi smart hub for your phone could be a potential problem if you have got a expensive smart phone which isn’t waterproof as you would need to by a waterproof case to put your phone in to protect it from the rain etc but you would also have to be careful the phone might fall out of the holder if this fails at any point and potentially damaging your phone i would swap it over for the Bosch intuvia ,kiox, nyon rather than the cobi as fitted i am now looking at a Trek Rail 9.8 ,9.9 mtb great reviews as always much appreciated.

Hi Richard, yeah… I agree with you here. In addition to water damage and drops, there is also the heat and UV damage of direct sunlight on smartphone screens. I believe that this can be hard on them. I would probably lean towards the Kiox or Intuvia myself :)

thisbikeguy

I just got word, the updated version of this comes with a Kiox 300 and will be available in a few months :)

Awesome! Thanks for the update :D

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Trek Powerfly FS 9 Equipped

With the Powerfly FS 9 Equipped, Trek want to unite supposed opposites and send standard bike categories into a well-deserved retirement. With its great all-round qualities, the Powerfly FS 9 Equipped has already secured victory in last year’s trekking ebike group test. But what does Trek’s ebike do better than other e-trekking bikes?

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: 9 fully equipped ebikes for trekking and adventure in our test

The € 7,299 Trek Powerfly FS 9 unites supposed opposites and covers a wide range of applications. It’s equally suitable for commuting as for touring, both on and off road. Trek’s full-suspension ebike boasts a stylish aluminium frame, sporty silhouette and high-quality workmanship, all topped off with a flashy paint finish. The powerful Bosch Performance Line CX motor packs a punch in all situations, making it easy to negotiate steep ramps. This draws its power from a 625 Wh battery, which can be removed from the side of the down tube and carried to a charging point using a practical handle.

With the Powerfly FS, you can replace the linear Tour support mode with the progressive eMTB Lite mode, which is optimised to provide increased range but still churns out plenty of power when needed. In times when almost everyone has a smartphone on them at all times, the Bosch SmartphoneHub allows you to use yours as a display for your Powerfly FS. This enables many clever functions such as a navigation, music player and call management, which can be controlled remotely via a bar-mounted remote.

While the pannier rack with 25 kg load rating and practical MIK adapter makes it easy to attach panniers to your Trek Powerfly FS 9, the low(ish) permissible total weight of 136 kg calls for prudence when packing. A Supernova MINI2 headlight and E3 tail light ensure excellent visibility. Not as excellent is the rest of the everyday equipment, including the short plastic mudguards and flimsy kickstand. The Trek delivers plenty of riding fun and intuitive handling on long tours and yet is easy to maneuver even in more demanding riding situations. The 2.4″ Bontrager LT4 Expert tires ensure good traction and comfort both on hardpack and loose terrain but tend to clog up easily in muddy conditions. Bigger impacts are taken care of by the sporty and efficient suspension, which controls 120/100 mm travel at the front and rear, respectively.

Specifications

Motor Bosch Performance Line CX 85 Nm Battery Bosch PowerTube 625 Wh Display Bosch SmartphoneHub Fork SR Suntour Zeron 35 120 mm Rear Shock RockShox SID Lux Select+ 100 mm Seatpost Bontrager Line 150 mm Brakes Shimano XT M8120 203/203 mm Drivetrain Shimano XT 12 Stem Bontrager Elite 60 mm Handlebar Bontrager 750 mm Wheelset Bontrager Line Comp 29" Tires Bontrager LT4 Expert 2.4"

Technical Data

Size XS - XL Weight 27.10 kg Perm. total weight 136 kg Max. payload (rider/equipment) 108 kg Trailer approval no Kickstand mount yes

The geometry of the Trek Powerfly FS 9 Equipped

Tuning Tip: upgrade to longer mudguards

The Trek Powerfly FS 9 Equipped unites supposed opposites and covers a wide range of applications, impressing with its intuitive handling and excellent suspension tune. The everyday equipment sensibly complements its range of applications while the Bosch SmartphoneHub offers several clever features. If you’re looking for a good all-rounder for urban commutes and weekend tours that also keeps going when the tarmac ends, the Powerfly FS 9 Equipped is an excellent choice.

• wide range of applications
• sporty and stylish look
• intuitive handling
• Bosch SmartphoneHub ensures good connectivity

You can find more about at trekbikes.com

The test field

All bikes in test: Canyon Pathlite:ON 8 SUV ST (Click for review) | Centurion Numinis R2700i (Click for review) | FOCUS Thron² 6.8 EQP (Click for review) | Moustache Weekend 27 FS Dual EQ (Click for review) | Nicolai GT1 Explorer Kit (Click for review) | Riese & Müller Load 60 (Click for review) | SCOTT AXIS (Click for review) | Simplon Stomp Pmax EQ (Click for review) | Trek Powerfly (Click for review)

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of E-MOUNTAINBIKE, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality cycling journalism. Click here to learn more .

Words: Mike Hunger Photos: Robin Schmitt, Rudolf Fischer

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About the author.

Mike Hunger

From slopestyle and landscape photography to enduro and action shots. Mike enjoys trying new things and loves action. He also loves craftsmanship, regularly going on road trips with his VW Syncro van, which he restored and converted himself. Of course, his bike and his camera are always with him so that he can ride the finest trails from Italy to the Alps and capture the most beautiful moments. Thanks to his training as an industrial mechanic, his experience in cycling and his photographic skills, he can apply his know-how perfectly as a bike journalist, testing the latest bikes and components and documenting his findings. As a photography nerd, he also captures the reviews with his camera and ensures that the magazine features only the best images.

Tested: Trek Powerfly LT9

The not-so-minor details.

Trek Powerfly LT 9

https://www.trekbikes.com/au/en_AU/

An incredible technical climber. Built tough! Smooth power delivery. Excellent Bosch eMTB motor mode.

Slow speed manoeuvrability isn't great. Quite heavy.

This isn’t the first time you’ve ridden this bike, right?

Correct. We attended the launch of this bike last year , but we always prefer to test bikes on home soil in Australian conditions. We went deep on the tech details, so make sure you take a look at our First Impressions piece and video here for all the nitty gritty.

In a nutshell then?

The Powerfly LT is the longest-travel eMTB in Trek’s lineup. It’s built tough, with an alloy frame (you can also get it in carbon with the 9.7 and 9.8 models), it has 150mm of rear travel with 160mm up front. It runs a Bosch Performance CX motor, powered by a 500w/h battery that can be easily removed from its down tube home.

We’ve ridden this model quite a lot actually. It joined us in the Victorian High Country on a 10-day photo shoot late in 2018, and more recently we took this bike to Orange for a couple of days of adventures . We’ve certainly come to understand what this bike is all about, and it really does have some very clear strong suits. So rather than delving into every technical detail, we’ll stick to the areas that standout.

This bike’s potency on technical climbs will have you biting off the kind of terrain where such a low gear is warranted.

The best climber in the business?

Like an unsupervised toddler, this bike will climb just about anything. We can’t think of another eMTB that will scale seemingly impossible terrain with so much aplomb. Contributing to the bike’s climbing prowess is the long rear end, which at 475mm is the longest we’ve ever ridden. Why so long? Such a long rear-centre means the front wheel doesn’t want to lift even on the steepest climbs, so you can just keep churning away at the pedals, letting the big 2.8″ Bontrager rubber do its traction making magic. You might look at the 50-tooth cog out back on this bike and wonder where on earth you’ll ever need it, but this bike’s potency on technical climbs will have you biting off the kind of terrain where such a low gear is warranted. Another key factor is the Bosch motor, which does a superb job of smooth power delivery, which leads us to our next point….

We found it incredibly useful, especially when climbing on loose terrain, where you need to carefully regulate the amount of power going to your rear wheel in order to keep traction.

That adaptive motor is bliss.

We’re well accustomed now to the performance of Bosch CX motors like the one providing the pedal-assistance here. What makes this motor standout is the clever eMTB mode. This setting is adaptive, meaning that it alters the amount of power output constantly in response to your speed, pedalling force and cadence. We found it incredibly useful, especially when climbing on loose terrain, where you need to carefully regulate the amount of power going to your rear wheel in order to keep traction. It also shone on those steep, tight switchback climbs, where you need the power to come on gently to stop the bike from surging away from you mid-corner. Then, when you want full power, you just jump on the pedals hard and the motor responds with all the grunt you need.

Ultimately we just left the bike in eMTB mode 90% of the time, not worrying about the mode shifter at all. Speaking of which, we’d love to see the Purion display moved or downsized – it’s very vulnerable up there on the top of the bars and ours got scratch up in a crash.

In slower situaitons there’s no hiding the weight of the bike, nor the impact of the long stays on its handling.

How does it handle away from the climbs?

Some eMTBs are getting pretty close to the feel and handling of a conventional mountain bike, but the Trek isn’t one of them. This bike is steam roller, and at its happiest once it’s up to speed barrelling through the rough. In slower situaitons there’s no hiding the weight of the bike, nor the impact of the long stays on its handling. All up, we think this is a bike that’s better suited to taller and stronger riders – in bigger frame sizes, the length of the rear end won’t be so pronounced, as the rear centre measurement will be more in proportion with the overall wheelbase.

Is it a negative? That depends on your riding style and preference. It’ll barrel over anything you care to point it at, scramble up the most horrendous slopes and its stability is unquestionable. But bunny hopping it, jumping it and generally riding it like your conventional mountain bike isn’t where it shines.  

We preferred it firm.

We spent a fair bit of time tweaking the Powerfly’s suspension, and ultimately settled on a firmer setup, both in terms of air pressure and compression settings. We also ran the rebound speed on the faster side. It was all about keeping the bike riding higher in its travel, which helped restore a bit of liveliness to the ride and improved manoeuvrability. If we went for a softer more forgiving setup we found the ride got a little wallowy.

So all up?  

This is a bike that has some pronounced strong suits; it’s tough as nails, it will leave you laughing as you clean the most absurdly steep climbs, the Bosch motor is excellent, it hammers in a straight line, plus it’s actually pretty good value too. And we’ve read many a review on the net praising this bike for these qualities. But in order to achieve its uphill performance and stability, it handles quite differently to a conventional mountain bike and sacrifices some playfulness, and that won’t appeal to every rider. We’d like to see this bike shortened up a little out back, to help bring it more of the qualities which we admire so much in the Trek Slash, Remedy and Fuel series.

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Trek Powerfly

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Summary of Reviews

We have read all expert and user reviews on the Trek Powerfly . In summary, this is what cyclists think.

15 reasons to buy

• Owners reported an impressive range of up to 80mi and 7000ft of elevation.
• A 71yo owner easily handled a daily climb of 500ft, on a 25% grade driveway.
• A desert resident said the Powerfly rode easily, through soft sand.
• Tektro hydraulic brakes were deemed responsive and “pulled hard”.
• The 5’s fit and finish was described as “beautiful and rugged”.
• ‘Touring’ mode was great on roads, while ‘eMTB’ mode was excellent in the woods.
• A removable battery made it easy to mount the powerfly on vehicle racks.
• Powerfly drivetrains pedaled smoothly on the flats, despite the bike’s weight.
• The Bosch Performance CX motor exhibited plenty of torque on climbs.
• One owner cooed over the Powerfly 4’s metallic red paintwork.
• The Powerfly 7’s TransX dropper-post made mounting and dismounting easy.
• Overweight riders found the Powerfly’s carrying capacity to be more than ample.
• One reviewer found that the Powerfly 4’s 100mm of fork-travel covered needs.
• Shifting, range and gear spacing were lauded on the Powerfly 5’s drivetrain.
• Some reviewers felt that the weight of the bike aided stability.

7 reasons not to buy

• The Powerfly was heavy, and onerous to pedal up hills without assistance.
• Some owners would have liked to be able to easily add a second battery.
• The Powerfly’s high-level component spec made it a pricey option.
• Some owners felt that the Powerfly’s paintwork was easily chipped.
• One daily user reported delayed engagement of the power assist in snowy areas.
• Schwalbe Smart Sam tires punctured easily, on the ‘Sport 4 Equipped’.
• Some owners sought a way to lock the motor without removing the battery.

Bottom line

Expert reviews, trek powerfly 5.

The Trek battery holds a good charge… I reckon there’s enough power to last 60 to 80 miles if you’re careful.

Trek Powerfly 4 on Exmoor Review

…outstanding fun with steep descents and river crossings followed by challenging climbs which the Powerfly managed with such ease! …I was surprised at the sub-20-mile range I achieved on this test-ride…

User Ratings

Your rating, best electric bikes.

Bike Comparison

Forum discussions.

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Trek Powerfly FS 9 Plus first ride review

Revamped full sus e-MTB is an adventure ready monster truck

Dan Milner / Trek Bikes

Jon Woodhouse

Well detailed frame with bosch motor and monster trucking plus tyres

EX1 transmission can feel a bit gappy, more aggressive rubber would be welcome

The all-new Powerfly FS 9 shares a lot in common with the EX trail bike, but the addition of a Bosch pedal-assist motor turns it into quite a different proposition. It’s not quite perfect but the combination of a well thought out chassis and chubby rubber mean it’s capable of some quite amazing feats.

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Trek Powerfly FS 9 Plus highlights

• 130mm front and rear travel
• Adjustable geometry
• Boost axle spacing
• 250W Bosch pedal-assist motor
• SRAM EX e-MTB-specific groupset

The bike gets 130mm of travel at either end, using Trek’s ABP design, which uses a concentric pivot at the dropout to help isolate brake forces from bump forces. On an e-bike, where the extra weight means being able to stop in good order is even more critical than usual, this is a very welcome feature. The Mino Link geometry adjusting chips in the seatstays are also present and correct, allowing a 5mm bottom bracket drop and 0.5deg off the head angle from the ‘High’ position figures of 338mm and 67.4deg respectively.

As you’d expect from the people that invented it, you get Boost axle spacing at either end to help stiffen up the 40mm wide 27.5 rims shod in 2.8in rubber. A new feature to the bike is the Knock Block, which uses a system of keyed stem spacers and a special headset cap to limit steering lock and prevent the bars from hitting the top tube.

Trek is keen to push the adventuring potential of this bike and the ride showed that – to attempt it unassisted would require a very long day out and a lot of fitness

The system also means that Trek could use a straighter and therefore lighter down tube without fear of the fork crown contacting it. The FS doesn’t get the clever RE:Aktiv shock technology that the 150mm travel Powerfly LT gets, but it still has a bang-up-to-date metric-sized RockShox Deluxe RT3 shock with a trunnion mount.

The pulsing heart of the bike is a Bosch Performance CX pedal-assist motor pumping out up to 250W of extra go paired to a 500Wh battery that’s mounted conventionally on the down tube. Trek has added a custom bash plate to help protect the motor from damage, a feature first seen on the old Powerfly FS. It retains the integrated bottle opener too, so whether you’re going for mid ride picnic or post ride beer, you’ll not be left wanting on that count.

On this range-topping model, you get the new Intuvia Performance controller, which does away with the bulky stem-mounted display of the plain Intuvia unit and instead gives you a bar remote with small LCD display. It’s much less vulnerable to damage and the buttons have also been redesigned to make them less likely to be accidentally triggered when riding.

Cycling through different display modes requires you to press and hold the power mode button, which can lead to you dropping into a lower setting until you get the knack of it, but once you’ve twigged it’s simple enough to move between range remaining, trip distance and total distant. Speed is permanently displayed and it’ll flash up which assistance mode you’re in as and when you change between them.

Testing times

Our test loop on this bike consisted of a 42km trip in the Swiss Alps around Flims, taking in a fairly substantial 2,200m of climbing. Trek is keen to push the adventuring potential of this bike and the ride certainly showed that. To attempt it un-assisted would require a very long day out and a lot of fitness.

The route took in some climbs that would have been simply soul destroying, but that the Powerfly breezed up. As a range extender this bike – and e-MTBs in general – can open up a lot of riding to a lot of people.

It also softens the mental blow of having to do on-road descending or unrewarding sections of trail to create a circular loop. I’ve no doubt that if it’d ridden up all the climbs under my own steam, I’d have spat the dummy on certain parts of the loop. However, as I’d not had to truly earn all the height, it was much easier to be more laissez faire with losing altitude.

These benefits make it ideal for exploring new mountain terrain, where taking a wrong turn or an unknown path might turn into quite the ordeal on a normal bike but is simply an easily corrected error or entertaining diversion when there’s a motor to help you back up.

The bulk of the bike adds to its feeling of stability and the fat tyres really help too

In common with all pedal-assist bikes, it’s not a completely effortless experience however. In order to nurse the battery round a route that did very little in the way of contouring, I rode most of it in the Eco or Tour modes and got a fair old workout in the process.

With the odd burst of Sport mode to get me up super steep and technical sections, I finished the ride with a couple of bars of battery left, though heavier riders and those that were more aggressive with their assistance settings cut it much finer on their reserves.

I’m 5ft 8in / 173cm tall and chose the 19.5in frame size – equivalent to a Large – as I prefer a longer bike. With a 473mm reach, it was decently spacious and the relaxed head angle relative to the travel was welcome on steeper terrain.

The bulk of the bike also adds to this feeling of stability and the fat tyres really help too. Getting tyre pressures right on a plus bike is always critical, with a very narrow window to hit the balance of squirm versus grip. Add in a load of extra weight and some pretty rough trails and this is even more critical.

Though the tubeless ready Chupacabra 2.8in tyres used Bontrager’s reinforced Inner Peace sidewall, with a long ride and limited access to spares, I rode them at a higher than ideal pressure to ensure a puncture free day, which meant the bike's full monster truck ability was slightly muted.

With more time to get the pressure dialled, I’ve no doubt that a compromise could be found, though the tyre’s low-profile shoulder tread would still be a limiting factor when it comes to how hard you could carve a corner. Given that rolling resistance isn’t as much of a factor on an e-bike, I’d rather see much more aggressive tyres and accept that I might get a few kilometres less range.

That said, the Powerfly FS is a much more capable descender than the travel figures suggest, with the Pike fork up front staying solid under hard braking and both ends of the bike shrugging off some fairly wild terrain. The Avid Guide brakes gave plenty of bite, with a 200mm rotor up front and a 180mm one out back.

At a relatively lightweight 62kg I did manage to get enough heat into them on one flat-out descent to make the lever start to fade and heavier riders ended up with rotors that were quite literally smoking hot, though this was through fairly extreme use.

One area where I wasn’t totally convinced was the SRAM EX1 drivetrain, which was developed in conjunction with Bosch to work with its motors. It’s an eight speed transmission, with an 11-48t gear range on a cassette that fits onto a conventional, non XD freehub.

It does shift much more cleanly under the extra load of an e-bike than other drivetrains I’ve tried, but there where quite a few occasions where the cadence that I wanted to turn left me hunting between gears in the middle of the block. The range on offer is very welcome however, and it’s absolutely ridiculous what the bike will haul you up, as long as you keep the faith – and the pedals turning.

The shifter does only allow you to drop one gear at a time, so until I’d wrapped my head around this and got back into the habit of clicking down multiple times, I did find myself stalled out when I’d failed to anticipate upcoming changes in gradient.

In totality, the Powerfly FS is very impressive and definitely builds on the old bike, undoubtedly thanks to the fact that it’s been developed in parallel with Trek’s new mountain bike range rather than as a distinct model line. As a tool to get out and explore new terrain as well as a toy to keep you entertained, it’s mighty impressive, with well mannered handling and a nicely featured frame.

I’d prefer beefier, more aggressive tyres to really maximise the downhill confidence as the extra weight isn’t really an issue on a bike like this. In a similar vein, I’d also been keep to reserve full judgement until I’ve ridden its longer travel brother to see whether there are any real drawbacks to bringing a cannon to a knife fight.

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Trek Powerfly LT 9.7

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Weight / M - 23.18 kg / 51.1 lbs (with tubes)

At a glance

Powerfly LT 9.7 is an OCLV Mountain Carbon electric mountain bike with long-travel suspension and a high-end parts spec. This high-performance e-MTB is built to take you into the wild unknown to rip up and down whatever mountains you’ll find. Plus, Trek’s Removable Integrated Battery (RIB) system gives you better balance and protection on the trail, great looks, and exceptional ease of use.

Where To Buy

"Trek electric bikes are some of my favorites"

"It's nice to have a dropper post, fully-adjustable suspension, and a frame that is well-balanced. The drive system is positioned well and performs incredibly. Trek really dialed in their rear suspension and ABP reduces skipping so the rear wheel track the ground. The removable battery pack with a handle makes this an easy bike to lift, transport, service on the trail, and park securely."

"An absolute riot"

"On terrain that an elite-level XC racer would struggle to conquer, the Powerfly winched up huge mountains with seamless power delivery, especially in eMTB mode that automatically matches your effort. Planted and sure-footed on the descents, it gives you the confidence to release your grip on the powerful brakes and push the tires to the limit."

"Easily one of our top choices"

"The eMTB mode is a fantastic alternative to the manually adjusted power settings found on most other e-bikes. The beauty is that eMTB mode works so well, you can forget about it entirely and focus on the ride instead. Having e-bike specific forks and four piston brakes for example is something that seems obvious, but surprisingly few companies actually make happen."

Specifications

• Frame OCLV Mountain Carbon main frame, alloy stays, Removable Integrated Battery (RIB), tapered head tube, Control Freak internal routing, magnesium rocker link, Motor Armor, Mino Link, ABP, Boost148, 12mm thru axle, 150mm travel
• Fork RockShox Yari RL, DebonAir spring, Motion Control RL damper, tapered steerer, 51mm offset, Boost110, 15mm Maxle Lite, 160mm travel
• Chain SRAM NX Eagle, 12 speed
• Crank Race Face Aeffect, 15T, 165mm length
• Rear Derailleur SRAM NX Eagle
• Shifters SRAM NX Eagle single-click, 12 speed
• Brakeset Size: S, M, M/L, L, XL Shimano hydraulic disc, MT501 lever, MT520 caliper Size: S, M, M/L, L, XL Shimano MT520 4-piston hydraulic disc
• Handlebar Bontrager Rhythm Comp, alloy, 31.8mm, 15mm rise, 780mm width
• Saddle Bontrager Arvada, steel rails, 138mm width
• Seatpost Size: S TranzX JD-YSP18, 100mm travel, internal routing, 31.6mm, 361mm length Size: M, M/L TranzX JD-YSP18, 120mm travel, internal routing, 31.6mm, 403mm length
• Stem Size: S, M, M/L Size: L, XL

Q: How much is a 2020 Trek Powerfly LT 9.7?

A 2020 Trek Powerfly LT 9.7 is typically priced around $6,000 USD when new. Be sure to shop around for the best price, and also look to the used market for a great deal.

Q: Where to buy a 2020 Trek Powerfly LT 9.7?

The 2020 Trek Powerfly LT 9.7 may be purchased directly from Trek .

Q: How much does a 2020 Trek Powerfly LT 9.7 weigh?

A 2020 Trek Powerfly LT 9.7 weights M - 23.18 kg / 51.1 lbs (with tubes).

Q: What size 2020 Trek Powerfly LT 9.7 should I get?

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