trek ex 9

• RAPHA TRAIL GORE-TEX INFINIUM JACKET REVIEW – A HIGH QUALITY RAIN JACKET WITH ONE FLAW

ELITE WOMEN’S XCC HIGHLIGHTS FROM ARAXÁ, BRAZIL

ELITE MEN’S XCC WORLD CUP HIGHLIGHTS FROM ARAXÁ, BRAZIL

ELITE WOMEN’S XCO HIGHLIGHTS FROM ARAXÁ, BRAZIL

ELITE MEN’S XCO WORLD CUP HIGHLIGHTS, ARAXÁ, BRAZIL

• WORLD CUP RESULTS AND STANDINGS FROM ARAXÁ, BRAZIL

PHOTO GALLERY: THE BEST OF SEA OTTER CLASSIC 2024

• DOWNHILL WORLD CHAMP CHARLIE HATTON’S TIPS FOR RIDING IN MUD
• PREMIUM AND LIMITED: INTRODUCING THE NEW HUSQVARNA MOUNTAIN CROSS MC4 ROCKSTAR EDITION
• FIRST LOOK: TIME LAUNCHES NEW LINE OF MOUNTAIN BIKE PEDALS

Bike Test: Trek Fuel EX 9

When Trek set out to design the new Fuel EX, they up when the wheel moves deep into its travel. We’ve had wanted to set the bar for mountain bike versatility. The bike they came up with pulls from their extensive ride time and research with some of the best riders on the planet. The aluminum-framed version is not their top of the line (the carbon frame gets that title), but the EX9 sports all the high-end technologies. 

WHO IS IT MADE FOR? This bike can work for a huge range of riders, and that’s what being a true trailbike is all about. The Fuel EX9 sports just enough travel to feel aggressive, but not so much that it will hold you back on a long ride or a climb. This bike is all about versatility.

WHAT IS IT MADE FROM? The Alpha Platinum aluminum frame features just over 5.1 inches of rock-gobbling suspension that uses Trek’s proprietary ABP (Active Braking Pivot) design. This design uses a pivot at the dropout inline with the rear axle and a “floating” shock that attaches to the swingarm to keep the suspension active and neutral during braking and pedaling efforts. The frame also sports a tapered head tube, one-piece magnesium rocker, and integrated chainstay and downtube protection.

WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT? The shock’s DRCV (Dual Rate Control Valve) technology works by using an additional air chamber that’s only opened  up when the wheel moves deep into its travel. We’ve had great luck with this shock technology, but always said we’d like to see it in the fork to offer a more balanced feel. This is the first year Trek has done that. That little bit of extra air keeps the suspension from feeling like you’re getting cheated out of the last 20 percent of your travel from the air pressure “ramping up.” Bravo, Trek.

The Bontrager XR3 Team tires are a perfect fit for the EX. They roll fast and hook up very well in a wide variety of conditions. There was a day when Trek bikes were held back by mediocre, house-brand tire choices, but those days are gone.

HOW DOES IT PERFORM? Setup: Setting up the DRCV should be a hassle, but it’s not. The fork and shock have only one air chamber each to set, and Trek simplifies the process by including clip-on sag meters on both. We set both the fork and shock to 30-percent sag and hit the trails. The beauty of this system is that it can feel both efficient and bottomless with a single setup. The DRCV allows the suspension to move deep into its travel while still delivering a firm pedaling platform. With the Fuel EX, let the fork and shock work their magic.

The rebound damping circuit on the Fuel’s shock is very strong, and we found ourselves running the adjustment near full open. Smaller riders who need lower pressures may have difficulty finding a setting that doesn’t “pack up” on successive hits.

Pedaling: Trek’s DRCV shock and fork (made by Fox) also have Fox’s rider-selected CTD system (Climb, Trail, Descend modes). While the suspension action responds well to all three settings, we found ourselves leaving the suspension in the trail mode most of the time. This bike can do it all when the shock is set right in the middle.

Climbing: The aggressively steep seat tube angle puts the rider right over the pedals, which feels very efficient on long climbs. The plush suspension assists on rough, technical climbs (don’t use the too-firm climb mode in this situation) by allowing the rear wheel to follow the terrain and maintain traction. The 26-inch wheels allow for quick acceleration over obstacles in the climb, and changing lines is almost a subconscious effort.

Cornering: Rumors of the 26-inch-wheeled trailbike being killed off by the 29er and 27-incher are greatly exaggerated. The Fuel EX has something that the big-wheeled bikes can’t exactly match, and that’s maneuverability. The Fuel EX has a snappy and responsive feel in the corners, and the bike loves to be manhandled through switchbacks.

Descending: At the end of a descent, we like to see that we’ve used all the available travel. The DRCV delivers in spades. The front and rear suspension feel exceptionally balanced, allowing you to work the stroke of the shock and fork much more effectively. While the first half of the travel is designed to be efficient, the second half is designed to feel bottomless, and it just plain works. The 5 inches of travel are used so effectively; it feels like the Fuel has even more. 

TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS? The Fuel EX has routing for a RockShox Reverb Stealth seatpost with a remote actuation hose that routes through the frame and connects at the bottom of the seatpost rather than at the head. The EX9 doesn’t use that routing and instead comes with the standard Reverb seatpost (with its hose that connects to the seatpost head and routs externally). This spec doesn’t make sense to us. Instead, Trek should spec a less-expensive aluminum post, lower the bike price and let the rider upgrade to the Stealth seatpost if he desires. Using the standard Reverb feels like a compromise where nobody wins.

The rear brake hose clipped our heels when we were pedaling. To remedy this, we rerouted the hose on the inside of the seat stay, but this caused an unsightly rub mark in the paint. With a simple stick-on protector, both problems would have been solved. Add one before your first ride.

BUYING ADVICE The versatility of the Fuel EX9 can’t be understated. It’s not a cross-country racer, and it’s not a descending specialist; instead, it’s designed to ride everything well. The geometry feels like it has E.S.P. and knows your next move before you make it. The maneuverability and flickability built in mean you can make the move happen too.

The DRCV suspension is much more than just marketing jargon. This technology really works and makes the 5 inches of travel feel like more. Bikes like the Fuel EX9 are the reason that 26-inch wheels aren’t dead. They’re just plain fun to ride. If you’re looking for a lively partner that can do everything short of a downhill race, this bike is worth a look.

Corsair Bikes Stikes Gold: Jamie Goldman That Is

Some Riders Feel It is Still Overpriced

RAPHA TRAIL GORE-TEX INFINIUM JACKET REVIEW – A HIGH QUALITY RAIN JACKET WITH…

mountainbikeaction

- Since 1986 - Covering All Aspects of ⛰🚲 #MBAmagazine

We and our {{count}} partners use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your experience on our website. We may store and/or access information on a device and process personal data, such as your IP address and browsing data, for personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development. Additionally, we may utilize precise geolocation data and identification through device scanning.

Please note that your consent will be valid across all our subdomains. You can change or withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the “Consent Preferences” button at the bottom of your screen. We respect your choices and are committed to providing you with a transparent and secure browsing experience.

Privacy Overview

• Most purposes explained in this notice rely on the storage or accessing of information from your device when you use an app or visit a website. For example, a vendor or publisher might need to store a cookie on your device during your first visit on a website, to be able to recognise your device during your next visits (by accessing this cookie each time).
• A car manufacturer wants to promote its electric vehicles to environmentally conscious users living in the city after office hours. The advertising is presented on a page with related content (such as an article on climate change actions) after 6:30 p.m. to users whose non-precise location suggests that they are in an urban zone.
• A large producer of watercolour paints wants to carry out an online advertising campaign for its latest watercolour range, diversifying its audience to reach as many amateur and professional artists as possible and avoiding showing the ad next to mismatched content (for instance, articles about how to paint your house). The number of times that the ad has been presented to you is detected and limited, to avoid presenting it too often.
• If you read several articles about the best bike accessories to buy, this information could be used to create a profile about your interest in bike accessories. Such a profile may be used or improved later on, on the same or a different website or app to present you with advertising for a particular bike accessory brand. If you also look at a configurator for a vehicle on a luxury car manufacturer website, this information could be combined with your interest in bikes to refine your profile and make an assumption that you are interested in luxury cycling gear.
• An apparel company wishes to promote its new line of high-end baby clothes. It gets in touch with an agency that has a network of clients with high income customers (such as high-end supermarkets) and asks the agency to create profiles of young parents or couples who can be assumed to be wealthy and to have a new child, so that these can later be used to present advertising within partner apps based on those profiles.
• An online retailer wants to advertise a limited sale on running shoes. It wants to target advertising to users who previously looked at running shoes on its mobile app. Tracking technologies might be used to recognise that you have previously used the mobile app to consult running shoes, in order to present you with the corresponding advertisement on the app.
• A profile created for personalised advertising in relation to a person having searched for bike accessories on a website can be used to present the relevant advertisement for bike accessories on a mobile app of another organisation.
• You read several articles on how to build a treehouse on a social media platform. This information might be added to a profile to mark your interest in content related to outdoors as well as do-it-yourself guides (with the objective of allowing the personalisation of content, so that for example you are presented with more blog posts and articles on treehouses and wood cabins in the future).
• You have viewed three videos on space exploration across different TV apps. An unrelated news platform with which you have had no contact builds a profile based on that viewing behaviour, marking space exploration as a topic of possible interest for other videos.
• You read articles on vegetarian food on a social media platform and then use the cooking app of an unrelated company. The profile built about you on the social media platform will be used to present you vegetarian recipes on the welcome screen of the cooking app.
• You have viewed three videos about rowing across different websites. An unrelated video sharing platform will recommend five other videos on rowing that may be of interest to you when you use your TV app, based on a profile built about you when you visited those different websites to watch online videos.
• You have clicked on an advertisement about a “black Friday” discount by an online shop on the website of a publisher and purchased a product. Your click will be linked to this purchase. Your interaction and that of other users will be measured to know how many clicks on the ad led to a purchase.
• You are one of very few to have clicked on an advertisement about an “international appreciation day” discount by an online gift shop within the app of a publisher. The publisher wants to have reports to understand how often a specific ad placement within the app, and notably the “international appreciation day” ad, has been viewed or clicked by you and other users, in order to help the publisher and its partners (such as agencies) optimise ad placements.
• You have read a blog post about hiking on a mobile app of a publisher and followed a link to a recommended and related post. Your interactions will be recorded as showing that the initial hiking post was useful to you and that it was successful in interesting you in the related post. This will be measured to know whether to produce more posts on hiking in the future and where to place them on the home screen of the mobile app.
• You were presented a video on fashion trends, but you and several other users stopped watching after 30 seconds. This information is then used to evaluate the right length of future videos on fashion trends.
• The owner of an online bookstore wants commercial reporting showing the proportion of visitors who consulted and left its site without buying, or consulted and bought the last celebrity autobiography of the month, as well as the average age and the male/female distribution of each category. Data relating to your navigation on its site and to your personal characteristics is then used and combined with other such data to produce these statistics.
• An advertiser wants to better understand the type of audience interacting with its adverts. It calls upon a research institute to compare the characteristics of users who interacted with the ad with typical attributes of users of similar platforms, across different devices. This comparison reveals to the advertiser that its ad audience is mainly accessing the adverts through mobile devices and is likely in the 45-60 age range.
• A technology platform working with a social media provider notices a growth in mobile app users, and sees based on their profiles that many of them are connecting through mobile connections. It uses a new technology to deliver ads that are formatted for mobile devices and that are low-bandwidth, to improve their performance.
• An advertiser is looking for a way to display ads on a new type of consumer device. It collects information regarding the way users interact with this new kind of device to determine whether it can build a new mechanism for displaying advertising on this type of device.
• A travel magazine has published an article on its website about the new online courses proposed by a language school, to improve travelling experiences abroad. The school’s blog posts are inserted directly at the bottom of the page, and selected on the basis of your non-precise location (for instance, blog posts explaining the course curriculum for different languages than the language of the country you are situated in).
• A sports news mobile app has started a new section of articles covering the most recent football games. Each article includes videos hosted by a separate streaming platform showcasing the highlights of each match. If you fast-forward a video, this information may be used to select a shorter video to play next.
• An advertising intermediary delivers ads from various advertisers to its network of partnering websites. It notices a large increase in clicks on ads relating to one advertiser, and uses data regarding the source of the clicks to determine that 80% of the clicks come from bots rather than humans.
• Clicking on a link in an article might normally send you to another page or part of the article. To achieve this, 1°) your browser sends a request to a server linked to the website, 2°) the server answers back (“here is the article you asked for”), using technical information automatically included in the request sent by your device, to properly display the information / images that are part of the article you asked for. Technically, such exchange of information is necessary to deliver the content that appears on your screen.
• Bike Builds
• Cross Country Bikes
• Downhill Bikes
• Enduro Bikes
• Hardtail Bikes
• Trail Bikes

MAXXIS DISSECTOR TIRE REVIEW – THE DUST GRIPPER

ROCKSHOX HITS BOULDER CITY–APRIL 14

ENDURA MT500 WATERPROOF JACKET II REVIEW

GATES OFFERS 100,000 EUROS TO FIRST ELITE RIDER TO WIN A DOWNHILL WORLD CUP ON A…

THE LAST TIME THE USA TOOK THE TOP THREE PLACES IN AN ELITE MEN’S WORLD CUP…

ASK MBA: WHY DO MY BIKE’S DISC BRAKE PADS KEEP RUBBING?

ASK MBA: WHY AM I HAVING TROUBLE ALIGNING SHIMANO MICROSPLINE COGS?

ASK MBA: HOW DO I PICK THE RIGHT LENGTH DROPPER SEATPOST?

ASK MBA: SHOULD I BUY A CARBON OR ALUMINUM FRAME?

THE INS AND OUTS OF FRAME PROTECTION – THE BEST WAYS TO KEEP YOUR FRAME LOOKING…

HOW TO SERVICE A PRESS-FIT BOTTOM BRACKET

ASK MBA: SHOULD YOU REPLACE THE ROTOR ALONG WITH YOUR BRAKE PADS?

ASK MBA: HOW DO I DIAL IN MY FOX 34 FORK?

MATHIEU VAN DER POEL TELLS US ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS MOUNTAIN BIKE, MBA SEPTEMBER 202O

BIKE CHECK: LARS FORSTER’S THÖMUS LIGHTRIDER WORLDCUP

The Greatest Riders in Mountain Bike History (Updated)

BIKE CHECK: ISABELLA NAUGHTON’S LIV ENDURO RACE MACHINE

• Mountain Bike Action
• Digital Mountain Bike Action
• Back Issues
• NICA Team of the Month
• B’s Buzz

DESTINATION: SPIDER MOUNTAIN TEXAS – COME FOR THE BBQ, STAY FOR THE RIDING!

DESTINATION SLOVENIA – RIDING BENEATH THE EARTH

CANADA’S UNTAMED PARADISE – RIDING IN THE SOUTH CHILCOTIN MOUNTAINS

TEN REASONS TO RIDE SANTA FE NEW MEXICO

CAPE EPIC STAGE 4 RESULTS AND FULL STAGE VIDEO

CAPE EPIC STAGE 3 RESULTS AND FULL STAGE VIDEO

DURANGO DERBY ANNOUNCES $10k PRO CASH PURSE

READER SENDS: THIS MONTH’S BEST READER-SUBMITTED PHOTOS

READER SENDS – THIS MONTH’S BEST READER SUBMITTED PHOTOS

READER SENDS – THIS MONTH’S BEST READER SUBMITTED PHOTOS

• Anneke’s Blog
• Down The Trail

2023 Trek Fuel EX 9.9 XX1 AXS review: A widely capable trail bike with a high-end build

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

I’ll admit, climbing is not my favourite part of a ride, but when you get a bike that climbs like Trek’s new Fuel EX, cranking uphill gets a lot more enjoyable! The 2023 Fuel EX will serve as Trek’s mid-travel do-everything trail bike, and it offers a near perfect ‘quiver-killer’ package with its aggressive climbing ability, slack steering angle and 140/150mm travel. Add adjustable geometry and shock progressivity to that, and you’ve got one versatile trail machine.

I picked up the Fuel EX 9.9 XX1 AXS during Crankworx Whistler, giving me a few weeks to get a handful of rides on it. Right away I can say the bike climbs like a hyperactive goat, but my area demands a bike that can descend well too. The Fuel EXs steering angle is slack enough for any trail, so the bike only finds its limit on really rough terrain that challenges its 140mms of rear travel.

2023 Trek Fuel EX – basic specs:

In this article we’ll discuss how the new Fuel EX rides. Here’s few basic specs, but check out my launch post for all the details on the new Fuel EX’s features, geometry and build kit options.

The Fuel EX frames are offered in both aluminum or carbon, with 140mm rear travel and a 150mm fork (except the entry level EX 5 which carries over the outgoing frame with 130mm travel). Most sizes ride on 29” wheels, but the XS frames run 27.5” only and the smalls offer the option of 27.5” or 29”. The 29ers can be converted to mullet setups, but Trek recommends adding a 160mm fork.

Between Trek’s Mino Link chip and optional angle adjust headset cups for the Fuel EX, there’s plenty of variation in frame geometry depending on settings. Some angles and measurements change with frame size as well, particularly the rear end lengths which are now size-specific.

To summarize it quickly, the Fuel EX’s head tube angle can range from 63.5° to 66° with the optional cups in play. Without the cups, the Mino Link gives you the choice of 64.5 or 65°. Seat masts are pretty steep at 76 to 78.9° across all sizes/settings.

Trek stretched out some pretty lengthy reaches on the Fuel EXs; The M/L bike I’m testing measures 470mm. Out back, Trek leaned towards the middle with their new size-specific chainstay lengths. The M/L frame I rode has 440mm stays, which are not short but not long either.

The top-of-the-line Fuel EX 9.9 XX1 AX S weighs 32.76lbs (with pedals).

Ride Impressions: Suspension

I am quite familiar with Trek’s suspension, as I’ve owned a Remedy for the last few years. I wasn’t surprised to find the Fuel EX climbs even better, and offers about 95% of the Remedy’s downhill prowess.

Trek’s ABP linkage is a very supportive climber, especially with the rear shock in its firm position. With the shock’s help, the rear end firms up enough that the rear wheel starts floating over pockets between roots and rocks, rather than diving into them. You’ll still use about 50% of the rear travel on singletrack trails in firm mode, so I still find traction is ample and the ride remains fairly comfortable.

What’s great is how the Fuel EX is a solid climber without any help from the shock too. Climbing technical singletrack in open mode, I only dipped into 2-3mms more travel than climbing in firm mode. The ride does get a bit more forgiving and slightly more grippy in open mode (without losing much efficiency), so it’s a practical option for rougher ascents.

Somehow, despite how supportive the Fuel EX’s ABP linkage is going uphill, it’s a whole different beast going down. It’s as if the linkage is speed-sensitive, as it responds very well to all kinds of high-speed impacts and has an impressive ability to round off sharp hits. Whether it’s small chatter or a full-on rock garden, the Fuel EX smooths out the trail very nicely. The rear wheel always feels well planted, and the linkage gives the bike a plowy feel through rough terrain. I do find Trek’s bikes aren’t super poppy on jumps, but they do have ample mid-stroke support to pump well through rollers and berms.

I have some delightfully rough trails in my area of B.C. and I did find moments where more than 140mm travel would have been ideal! That said, I don’t think you could do much better with 140mms of suspension than the Fuel EX has. While it’s really the slack steering that allows this bike to tackle pretty serious terrain, the adjustable shock rate also raises this bike’s tolerance for fast, rough riding.

I had no trouble getting full travel from the bike in its more linear LESS mode, and being a lightweight rider this is the mode I’d keep the bike in. It was perfectly dialed – I was enjoying full travel on descents but not frequently thrashing the bike with harsh bottom-outs.

When I flipped the chip into MORE mode, it did make a noticeable difference to the ride, but didn’t have much effect on how much travel I was using. I expected the bike to feel stiffer than preferred and that I’d need a good hard hit to bottom out the bike with the added progression. Instead I wound up using all the bike’s travel on any typical descent, although there was a palpable difference in how the bike felt. I could tell the linkage was resisting hard, fast impacts more than before, so I’d bet fans of coil shocks, or heavier and more aggressive riders would appreciate the difference the chip makes. In my case, it just made the ride a bit firmer than it needed to be. If I was a competitive racer I’d probably prefer MORE mode, but I ride recreationally so I keep things on the soft side!

Fit-wise, the first thing I noticed about the Fuel EX is its generous reach. At 470mm on the M/L frame, it’s about the longest bike I’ve ridden yet. This nearly straightens my arms, so I don’t think I’d want to go any longer, but it did feel roomy and comfortable on the trails. Of course the steep 77.5 degree seat mast leans you over that lengthy front end, so you wind up well centered between the wheels.

I liked the 440mm chainstay length on the M/L Fuel EX. It’s not so long that the bike feels like an enduro sled, but it is long enough to provide a stable ride and great climbing traction on steep uphill sections.

I am also a fan of slack steering angles. I didn’t have the optional headset cups for the Fuel EX so I couldn’t go to 63.5°, but my demo bike was set up at 64.5°. That’s a great number for rowdy trails, and definitely allows this mid-travel bike to take on enduro-level terrain. I have not found running a slack steering angle causes any real penalty on climbs, so I’m happy with a slack trail bike.

The Fuel EX comes with the Mino link in Low position, which is definitely the preferred setting for my local terrain. The BB does ride pretty low in this position at 335mm, but I must be getting used to low BB’s because I didn’t have any problem with pedal strikes on this bike.

Standover height on the Fuel EX is not particularly low, but not problematic for me. If I wound up near the head tube I could damage some sensitive bits, but in front of the saddle there’s ample clearance for standing comfortably.

On-Bike Tools and Storage:

In recent years, Trek has jumped on board with on-bike storage and tools. The Fuel EX, in either aluminum or carbon, offers a frame storage compartment in the down tube. The included Bontrager BITS tool roll is designed to hold a tube, co2 canisters, an inflator head and tire levers.

The high-end Fuel EX 9.9s also come with tools in the steerer tube. The Bontrager tool offers a chainbreaker, and a removable multi-tool with seven allen keys, a torx and a flathead screwdriver bit.

Components:

The Fuel EX 9.9 XX1 AXS boasts a pretty top-of-the-line build kit, and gave me my first experience with SRAM’s AXS electronic drivetrain. I really like the feel and ergonomics of SRAM’s dropper post and shifter remotes, as the light push-button action is undeniably easier than throwing paddles on a traditional cable shifter. Performance-wise, the AXS drivetrain was great but not perfect – about once on every ride I’d get a bit of a hesitation when shifting (not always the same gear), and once the derailleur harshly jumped back into a gear after I rode a rough downhill section. Otherwise, the shifting was quick and precise, so for my short test I didn’t attempt to reconfigure the shifting. I had no real mechanical issues with any of the AXS components on my rides.

Aside from the XX1 AXS drivetrain I’d say it’s the one-piece handlebar/stem that gives the top-tier Fuel EX a really high performance look. The Bontrager RSL bar/stem offers a 27.5mm rise, 820mm stock width, and a 45mm stem length with zero rise.

SRAM’s Code RSC brakes offered ample power for any descent, but I was a bit surprised to feel how much squeeze they required to get full braking force. Of course, their modulation is great but compared to the TRP DH-R EVO’s I’ve been riding the Code RSC’s required more effort to almost lock up a wheel.

When I picked up the Fuel EX Trek’s people had it all set up for me, and I didn’t have to touch any adjustments on the fork or rear shock throughout my testing. Not surprisingly, the top-notch Fox Factory 36 EVOL fork with its Grip 2 damper left me nothing to complain about, as did the Fox Factory Float X rear shock.

Bontrager’s Line Pro 30 carbon wheelset offered that pleasant, slightly damped feeling carbon rims can provide, and survived my testing with no damage to speak of. The Bontrager SE5 Team Issue tires don’t match Maxxis’ Minions or Assegais in terms of overall grip, but they’re still fairly good for traction and they’re a fast rolling tire. To make sure you can get those wheels moving over anything, the Fuel EX 9.9 XX1 AXS comes with a small 30t front chainring and a 10-52t rear cassette.

I had no comfort issues with the Bontrager Arvada saddle, and no other mechanical concerns with any other components.

I’ve described how well the Trek is set up for all-around trail riding, but one thing I really appreciate is the relatively low weight of the Fuel EX 9.9 XX1 AXS. I’m a small guy, so I find lighter bikes a pleasure to climb, as they’re easy to heave up over bumps and power up steep sections. I’d bet Trek could have gone even lighter, but probably not with all the functionality plus the bells and whistles this bike includes.

The Fuel EX 9.9 XX1 AXS retails for $10,749.99 .

Want more tech info on the new Trek Fuel EX? Check out our in-depth post here . 

trekbikes.com

Steve Fisher is a staff contributor for Bikerumor. Steve has been writing about trail, enduro and downhill mountain biking (plus a few commuter bikes) for seven years. Prior to that, Steve wrote for Whistler Traveller Magazine and Mountain Life Magazine. Steve is based in Pemberton, British Columbia, an area that offers plenty of challenging world-class singletrack and makes for great photos!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

I rode a lower end version of this bike ( 9.7?) earlier this year in Moab, and I was equally impressed. I called it a hero bike because I rode like I’ve never ridden before – my grey haired friends amazed to see me going off 5+ foot drops and riding past them when they got off to walk ( both up and down!).

The yellow is absolutely terrible. It looks like a GT. Seems like a great bike nothing but positive things to say. Good job Trek

I hope this signals a reduction the “TREK” logo size across their bike line-up. Some of the high end trek road bike have embarrassingly large logos.

32+ lbs for the very top spec seems a little heavy? Otherwise it sounds like a great trail bike.

The Fuel EX 8 (aluminium frame) has put on 1.8 kg, which seems crazy.

Nice review, Steve. While you’re at one end of the travel needs spectrum, I’m at the other, trying to figure out whether I really need a bike with this much travel.

Love the yellow. So tired of Boring Black…..

Looks like Trek outsourced frame design to Astro. A definite step backwards in aesthetics. Hopefully the bike rides much better than how awful it looks.

I am definitely out of touch with today’s standards of what’s light and what climbs well

Have Trek given up on the through shaft damper? I have an 2018 Fuel Ex which I love, wondering if it’s now obsolete.

I hope they have

I noticed that they shortened the crank arms on the larger sizes to 170mm

Follow Us On

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.

• MAGAZINE OFFERS
• BIKE INSURANCE
• Best Products
• Maintenance
• Accessories
• Long-Term Reviews
• BikeRadar Podcast
• First Look Friday
• Bike of the Week
• Tech Features
• Routes and Rides
• Bike Galleries
• BikeRadar Bargains
• Buyer's Guides
• Fitness & Training
• Sizing & Fit
• Mountain Biking UK
• Cycling Plus

Trek Fuel EX 9.0 review

Trek's 9.0 really fuelled our fire this year

Russell Burton

Guy Kesteven

With our sister magazine What Mountain Bike running their Bike of the Year awards in one months time here's what has been floating the boat of our testers in 2007. Guy Kesteven gives us the lowdown on why he's been spending so much time on the carbon Trek EX 9.0.

Having a first date with a bike on a three-hour descent of high alpine Colorado singletrack is always a good start. A happy honeymoon with Trek's new carbon fibre bride has continued as a very happy marriage back home, too.

For a start, its 9.5 brother was noticeably faster than other 5in bikes we race tested at last year's Bontrager 24/12 event. It weaved through the trees and kicked out of corners in a way that left the other bikes seeming somehow lumpy and sluggish. Lean back and let it soak up the hits and it was far more capable than most race bikes.

Since then our 9.0 long-termer has been in a constant state of flux, as its latest test kit outfit has either stuck or twisted. Again, it has the combination of lightweight speed gain and infectious agility, but no nervousness or need to back off in the rocks mean it's proved to be the best kit breaker we've had in recent memory. It's split cranks, crumpled several lightweight wheelsets, mangled seat posts and split more inner tubes than we can remember. It blew up one set of forks so well that oil was dripping off the bottom bracket shell the morning after.

Yet even in the depths of winter, when its sarcophagus of hardened mud earned it the 'Fossil Fuel' tag, it hasn't complained or rattled loose once. It's just limped home with its crippled componentry and an innocent: "Don't blame me, I was just riding along," expression on its handlebars.

2008 EX bikes will get a tighter rocker link and radial rear axle pivot for good measure, too.

>Occasionally, the faux bar rear end will get hung up or kicked sky high by a square-edged hit that a true linkage bike would handle better. And sometimes its sinewy flex and XC length gets a little out of shape when cross-threading ruts or ricocheting off rocks. Each time, though, it'll immediately make amends by ripping the next climb to shreds or cutting a swashbuckling swathe through the next singletrack chicane like Zorro. In short, whenever the shit has hit the fan, the Trek has come out smelling of roses, and 2008 EX bikes will get a tighter rocker link and radial rear axle pivot for good measure, too.

As for kit changes, it's been a constant tightrope walk between saving weight and survival. Using a short 80mm stem on the large frame was essential after riding the superbly sorted, synapse-fast singletrack development bike of Trek brand manager Joe V.

After trying every imaginable fork to find optimum ride height and handling, I've ended up back with the original custom 90/110/130mm Fox Talas because at least it gives me various options. I'm still getting used to a recent XTR refit after very happy times on SRAM/Avid, though. I love the Dual Control shifting for cashing in on the bike's phenomenal launch speed, but the brakes have taken some balancing up. Wheels have been a real problem too, with most lightweight sets getting screwed within a couple of rides of fitting, and the new Hope straight pulls proving the best stiff/strong/light match so far.

The spec and price (£1600) shown is for the frame only. The bike pictured is an EX 9.0 but only the EX 9.5 is available as a frame only option - decals being the only difference over the 9.0 pictured. Guy has just stripped the standard EX 9.0 and built his own bike around the frame - it's ok for some >For 2008 the new Full Floater EX 9.5 will cost £1800 for the frame only option. Check out the Trek Fuel EX site for further details on the new bikes. >

Share this article

• Terms & Conditions
• Subscribe to our magazines
• Manage preferences

FIRST RIDE REVIEW

The new trek fuel ex review.

Photos & Words by Dario DiGiulio

As mountain biking has evolved into what it is today, the trails we ride on have slowly but surely raised the bar of what modern bikes have to keep up with. Sure, some tracks have been sanitized over time, but there’s no question that the pointy end of the sport has kept pushing forward. As a result, trail bikes have had to pick up the pace to match the expectations of the average rider, leading to more capable and confident rigs with every new model. Stepping up to the plate, we have the evolved version of the Trek Fuel EX, Trek’s mainstay trail bike. This time it’s really meant to do it all, riding anywhere and doing anything. Being this adaptable can be a tricky task though, so has Trek painted themselves into a corner?

The new Trek Fuel EX breaks just about every mold that the prior generations had fit into, with a full-on redesign for the new model. The name of the game here is adaptability, whether in the geometry, the suspension kinematics, or even what size wheels you’ll run. Thanks to their Mino Link flip chip and two sets of press-in headset cups, you can shift the character of this bike drastically to suit your terrain and preference. As a result, it’s a bit hard to parse out the specific geometry of the bike (however Trek’s site features a geometry tool to let you do so), so I’ll just speak to it in its most neutral form, which is where many will likely settle. There are a whopping 8 size variations to this bike from XS to XXL, so it’s worth digging through the geometry tables to see which might suit you best. They’re all sporting 140mm of rear travel with a 150mm fork, upping the numbers on the prior generation by 10mm.

I’ve been testing the large frame, which puts the reach and stack at around 485mm and 621mm, which are in line with the majority of the industry right now. In keeping with the new Trek Fuel EX’s theme of being adaptable and capable. In its neutral-low setting, the bike comes with a 64.5-degree head tube angle and the effective seat tube angle sits at 77.2-degrees. Chainstays shift with the frame size, and on a large come in at 440mm. Thanks to the Mino Link flip chip, you can adjust bottom bracket height by 8mm up from the slammed 38mm drop in stock configuration, with a 0.6° steeper head tube and seat tube angle. The more significant head tube adjustment comes from the independent press-in headset cups that Trek supplies, which can steepen or slacken things by a full degree, giving a very wide range of handling characteristics. The last frame toggle is the progression flip chip, offering a simple more or less option to tailor the suspension feel and offer uncompromised coil shock compatibility.

As is trend right now, you can set the Fuel Ex up as a mullet, simply by popping a 27.5” wheel in the rear, swapping the Mino Link to high mode, and bumping up fork travel to 160mm. The bike comes stock as a 29er front and rear (or 27.5″ in XS and Small), so you’ll have to make this change on your own accord.

A notable thing lacking from the newest Fuel EX its the Knock Block – you’ll find no such thing on this frame. X-up fans take note, as this is a big move for the engineers in Waterloo, Wisconsin, and was necessary to achieve the headset adjustment range they wanted. Trek has also moved away from the RE:aktiv damper shock, now simply relying on an off-the-shelf model. Still included in the frames are the handy-dandy stash box in the down tube, with what I think might be the best weather sealing of any of the options on the market at this point, and a neat BITS tool roll.

Build kits come in as many flavors as the sizes, and the range of options is quite extensive, beginning at a respectable $3,699. I’ve been on the highest end build, the 9.9 AXS especial, coming in at a healthy $10,749. From Bontrager Line 30 carbon wheels, to the RSL one-piece carbon cockpit, to the XX1 drivetrain, just about everything is as nice as it gets, as you’d hope for this kind of money.

At my height of 6’3”, the geo combination of the Neutral-Low-More flip chip configuration on the large size makes for a really comfortable fit,  one that feels stable enough at speed while still remaining lively for your average trail. I started my time testing the bright yellow Trek up in Whistler, riding some gnarly rocky pedal-access trails around the Valley. This was a great context for deciding where I stood on the less or more progression debate, and I settled on the latter end of the spectrum. Increased bottom-out resistance and a more supple top of travel were worth a slightly punchier suspension feel, and I stand by that choice for most of the riding I have around me. On my home trails in Bellingham, the Fuel has been a choice companion for fast and fun rides in our local trail systems, where technical and engaging climbs lead to fast, rooty, and jump-filled descents. My general synopsis is that this is a bike that loves to ride fast, both up and down.

The climbing characteristics are comfortable and neutral, without wallowing too much or lacking grip in trickier terrain. Like many of the take-aways of the bike as it comes stock, things are extra-medium, in the best way. Compared to the new Hightower, the bike has slightly less support, but is significantly better in rough terrain and successive hits. Compared to the Stumpjumper EVO, the Fuel EX is definitely more of a trail bike, less of the all-mountain enduro-lite ride that the Specialized offers. All three bikes serve as a nice gradient from the lighter and sportier end of the trail spectrum to the burlier and more capable side of the category. Sitting pretty right in the middle is the Fuel EX, but I’m sure one could tweak it to either of the other extremes, given how much variability is baked into this frame.

Build kit notes are mostly positive, which you’d hope to see from the highest end build. My main gripe is with the Bontrager SE5 tires, which are some the least confidence-inspiring I’ve ridden in recent memory. The casing and tread pattern are fine, but the compound doesn’t seem to want to hook up anywhere, whether it’s dry loose terrain, rock slabs, and especially wet roots. This would be an immediate swap in my book, and I’d just keep the stock tires to run in the rear when conditions are dry and beat at the peak of summer.

The removable shuttle pad doesn’t seem to want to stay close to the frame, and bows out slightly when attached, giving the downtime a funny bulged look to it. One other frame annoyance has been a recurring suspension knock, despite chasing through every bolt in the linkage with a torque wrench. I still have yet to find the culprit, but luckily it’s not very noticeable when riding.

As a system, I’ve been more than impressed by Trek’s work on the new Fuel EX. Not only does it feel quick and confidant in the stock configuration, it also offers a whole host of layout options to better cater the bike to your preferences.

THE WOLF’S FIRST IMPRESSION

To close out our review of the new Trek Fuel Ex, it’s clear that Trek’s engineers and designers set out to design a bike that caters to that wide center of the market – the trail bike – where most riders spend their time, and where a bike can take many forms. In that goal, they found success. Sure some riders may feel the new Fuel EX has departed from what they were used to and liked about the bike, but many other riders will likely welcome the advancements in capability and confidence on the trail. The Fuel EX is a highly adaptable bike that feels comfortable in a really wide variety of terrain but doesn’t confuse itself for anything more or less. Bike riders, rejoice.

TREK FUEL EX 7

Price: $3,699.99

Frame: Alpha Platinum Aluminum, internal storage | 140mm Fork: RockShox 35 Gold RL | 150mm Shock: Fox Performance Float EVOL

Drivetrain: Shimano SLX/XT Brakes: Shimano MT420 4-piston

Wheelset: Bontrager Line Comp 30, Rapid Drive 108

TREK FUEL EX 8

Price: $4,299

Frame: Alpha Platinum Aluminum, internal storage | 140mm Fork: Fox Rhythm 36 | 150mm Shock: Fox Performance Float X

Drivetrain: Shimano XT M8100 Brakes: Shimano Deore M6120

TREK FUEL EX 9.7

Price: $6,249.99

Frame: OLCV Mountain Carbon, internal storage | 140mm Fork: Fox Rhythm 36 | 150mm Shock: Fox Performance Float X

Drivetrain: Shimano SLX/XT Brakes: Shimano Deore M6120

TREK FUEL EX 9.8

GX AXS Price: $7,699.99 XT Price: $6,749.99

Frame: OLCV Mountain Carbon, internal storage | 140mm Fork: Fox Performance 36 | 150mm Shock: Fox Performance Float X

Wheelset: Bontrager Line Elite 30, OCLV Carbon, Rapid Drive 108

GX AXS BUILD Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle AXS Brakes: SRAM CODE R

XT BUILD Drivetrain: Shimano XT M8100 Brakes: Shimano XT M8120

TREK FUEL EX 9.9

XX1 AXS Price: $10,749.99 XTR Price: $9,749.99

Frame: OLCV Mountain Carbon, internal storage | 140mm Fork: Fox Factory 36 | 150mm Shock: Fox Factory Float X

Wheelset: Bontrager Line Pro 30, OCLV Carbon, Rapid Drive 108

XX1 AXS BUILD Drivetrain: SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS Brakes: SRAM CODE RSC

XT BUILD Drivetrain: Shimano XTR M9100 Brakes: Shimano XTR M9120

LEAVE A COMMENT, WIN FREE SWAG!

Want to win some free schwag? Leave a comment and vote up the most thoughtful comments and each month we’ll pick a winner. The person with the smartest and most helpful replies will earn some sweet new gear. Join the Pack and get the latest news and read the latest reviews on the top  mountain  and  electric mountain bikes .

The Trek Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type – In our big 2024 trail bike group test

The latest rendition of a true classic. With the Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type, the American manufacturer introduces the latest generation of their trail veteran, which is intended to cover an even wider range of ​​applications, and can be perfectly adapted to your needs with many adjustment options. How does the concept work in practice?

The Trek Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type was conceived as a potent trail bike with a top-tier spec. It generates more travel than its predecessor, combining 150/140 mm at the front and rear, respectively. Retailing at € 9,499, the Fuel EX tips the scales at 14.9 kg and looks a lot like its electric counterpart, the Fuel EXe , which has already proven what it’s capable of in our light eMTB comparison test. The analogue Fuel EX model is available in seven sizes and offers countless adjustment options, both for the geometry and kinematics, making it an incredibly versatile bike.

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best trail bike 2024 – 15 of the most exciting trail bikes in our 2024 comparison test

The 2023 Trek Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type in detail

With its unmistakable frame silhouette and vertically-mounted shock, the Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type is distinctly recognisable as a Trek. The proprietary Active Braking Pivot rear suspension positions the rear axle inside the rear pivot bearing, which is meant to reduce the impact of braking on suspension performance. As usual, the cables are routed internally, running through the frame inside a sleeve, which makes it easier to work on the bike and replace the cables. The cables aren’t clamped at the ports, but don’t rattle on the trail. However, the brake line of the rear SRAM CODE Stealth brake slams against the handlebars and can’t be secured to the one-piece handlebar. A generously sized TPU ⁠plate on the down tube protects the frame against impacts and is complemented by an extensive chainstay protector. That said, when landing big drops and ploughing through rough trail sections, you can still hear the chain slapping against the frame. Of course, there’s also a storage compartment in the down tube – Trek were amongst the pioneers of on-bike stowage systems! The closure system is easy to use and seals tightly. The storage compartment comes standard with a small pouch where you can securely store all your trail essentials . Trek also hide a Bontrager multi-tool inside the steerer tube, which includes all of the basic tools for essential trailside repairs. Unfortunately, the tool makes a faint rattling noise on the trail, and while it’s not too bad, you still know that it’s there.

The spec of the 2023 Trek Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type

The Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type might not be the flagship model in the Fuel EX range, but it has a top spec. The FOX Factory suspension consists of a 36 mm GRIP2 fork and standard FLOAT X shock, which supercedes Trek’s proprietary Thru Shaft shock found on older previous models. The cables are routed internally, and run through the frame inside guide sleeves, which makes it easier to service the bike and replace the cables. The wireless, 170 mm RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post ensures lightning fast, butter smooth action. The American component colossus also supplies the CODE Silver Stealth brakes with tool-free bite point and lever reach adjustments. The levers also feature SRAM’s proprietary SwingLink technology, which was designed to minimise deadband and optimise modulation, thus reducing arm pump. The brakes are effectively identical to the Ultimate flagship model except for the carbon levers, and paired with a 200 mm rotor at the front and 180 mm disc at the rear. We would recommend upgrading to a 200 rotor at the rear to improve braking performance and modulation. The SRAM X0 Transmission rear derailleur is attached directly to the frame, forgoing both a mech hanger and the limit screws. Trek’s in-house, one-piece Bontrager RSL one-piece carbon cockpit consists of a 50 mm stem and 820 mm handlebars. These are far too wide, so we recommend cutting them to size. Moreover, the one-piece design doesn’t allow for fine tuning, except for the stack height, which can be adjusted with conventional round spacers – the cockpit on the SCOTT doesn’t even allow you to do that, with its proprietary spacers. The Fuel EX rolls on a Bontrager Line Pro 30 wheelset and Bontrager SE5 Team Issue tires front and rear, which are a perfect match for the bike’s intended use, providing predictable, controlled handling and adequate puncture protection.

How would you like it? The Trek is available in countless frame sizes and offers many adjustment options.

Trek Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type

Specifications.

Fork FOX 36 Factory GRIP2 150 mm Rear Shock FOX FLOAT X Factory 140 mm Seatpost RockShox Reverb AXS 170 mm Brakes SRAM CODE Silver Stealth 200/180 mm Drivetrain SRAM X0 Transmission 1x12 Stem Bontrager RSL 50 mm Handlebar Bontrager RSL Onepiece Carbon 820 mm Wheelset Bontrager Line Pro 30 Carbon 29" Tires Bontrager SE5 Team Issue/Bontrager SE5 Team Issue 2.5"/2.5"

Technical Data

Size XS S M ML L XL XXL Weight 14.9 kg

Specific Features

Tool in headset storage compartment Flip-Chip

Tuning tips: Shorten the carbon handlebars, though this will result in a stiffer cockpit | Upgrade to a bigger 200 mm rotor at the rear

The geometry of the 2023 Trek Fuel EX

The Trek Fuel EX is available in a whopping seven, sizes XS to XXL, which includes an intermediate ML size. Reach values change in smaller intervals between sizes M, ML and L, which makes it easier to choose your frame size if you’re sitting on the fence. The smallest XS frame rolls on 27.5″ wheels and with size S you can choose between 27.5″ and 29″, while all other frames come standard with 29” wheels. The Fuel EX also features three different geometry adjustments: the Mino Link, which is essentially a flip chip in the seat stay, lets you switch between a high and a low setting. Another flip chip in the lower shock mount changes the rear suspension’s progression, making it compatible with a coil shock. Moreover, you can change the head tube angle between three different settings using different headset cups that can be purchased separately. If you fancy a mullet bike, the Fuel EX is a great option, as it can be converted to a mixed-wheel setup using a 160 mm fork and the low geometry setting. We mainly rode the bike in the low setting, with progressive rear suspension. Chainstay length is a moderate 440 mm in size L and grows with the frame size, with four different lengths serving the 7 different frame sizes.

The 2023 Trek Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type on the trail

When riding uphill, the Trek Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type places you in a comfortable, upright pedalling position, with the weight evenly distributed between the front and rear. However, on steep climbs, the front end becomes a little light, forcing you to actively weight the front wheel to keep it tracking. The suspension bobs noticeably, and as a result, climbs are more of a means to an end for the Trek, which doesn’t feel as lively as some of its competitors. On long, monotonous climbs, we recommend reaching for the climb switch to kill the pogo stick effect and get to the trailhead more efficiently.

On the trail, the Fuel EX impresses with predictable, balanced handling and strikes an excellent balance between agility and composure.

When gravity takes over, the Trek Fuel EX makes you feel at ease from the get-go, responding to steering inputs eagerly without feeling too nervous. The suspension is one of the Fuel EX’s true strengths, working discreetly in the background while simultaneously doing exactly what you want it to, without any unpleasant surprises. Even in the progressive setting with an air shock, the suspension responds sensitively and generates good traction, while at the same time providing plenty of support in the mid-stroke, allowing you to generate speed by pumping through flow trails and providing enough reserves to bail you out of botched landings without bottoming out. All in all, the Trek is very composed, providing a similar degree of stability as the Santa Cruz and Cannondale – though struggling to keep up with them in terms of agility. This becomes evident particularly in tight corners, where the Trek feels a little cumbersome – shortening the handlebars would help significantly here. Nevertheless, the Fuel EX is a strong all-rounder that performs well on a variety of trails and strikes a great balance between agility and composure.

Who should take a closer look at the 2023 Trek Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type?

The intuitive handling and excellent rear suspension make the Trek Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type suitable for a wide range of trails and riders. With its many geometry and kinematics adjustments, it’s also a good choice for those riders who love to play around with different setups to find their sweet spot. It’s easy and intuitive to ride, and delivers outstanding trail performance, whether you’re a beginner or seasoned trail veteran. The harmonious overall package is rounded off with clever frame details, like the well-designed storage compartment and integrated minitool.

CHARACTERISTICS

Value for money, intended use, cross country.

Our conclusions about about the 2023 Trek Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type

A perfect fit! With the Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type, Trek have created a bike for all tastes with clever frame features and countless adjustment options. It’s a strong all-rounder with easy, intuitive handling that strikes an excellent balance between agility and composure. The suspension works discreetly in the background but is sensibly tuned, showing no real weaknesses. Together with the consistently high-quality spec, this makes the Fuel EX a faithful companion for all kinds of trails.

• Excellent balance between agility and composure
• Suspension works discreetly in the background but delivers a tremendous performance
• Clever frame details

• Handling slightly cumbersome
• Handlebars too wide

You can find out more about at trekbikes.com

The test field

All bikes in test: Cannondale Habit LT 1 (Click for review) | Cube ONE55 C:62 SLT 29 (Click for review) | Ghost RIOT Trail Full Party (Click for review) | Merida ONE-FORTY 10K (Click for review) | Mondraker Neat RR SL (Click for review) | Nicolai Saturn 14 Swift HRZ (Click for review) | Orbea Occam LT M10 (Click for review) | Santa Cruz Heckler SL XX AXS RSV (Click for review) | Santa Cruz Hightower X0 AXS RSV (Click for review) | Scor 2030 X01 (Click for review) | SCOTT Genius ST 900 Tuned (Click for review) | Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo SL (Click for review) | Trek Fuel EX 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type | Yeti SB140 LR T3 X0 (Click for review) | YT JEFFSY CORE 5 CF (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 ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more .

Words: Simon Kohler Photos: Peter Walker

You may also like

Hayes Dominion T4 – in our big 2024 MTB brake comparison test

Formula Cura 4 – in our big 2024 MTB brake comparison test

The best MTB disc brakes – 14 MTB brakes in comparison

TRP Trail EVO – In our big 2024 MTB brake comparison test

TRP DH-R EVO – In our big 2024 MTB brake comparison test

Trickstuff MAXIMA – In our big 2024 MTB brake comparison test

About the author.

Simon Kohler

​​Simon loves speed. He has many years of racing experience as a longboard downhill skater, blasting down alpine passes on his board. In the meantime, he’s swapped four wheels for two, charging down trails and bike park lines aboard his mountain bike instead. He’s savoured some of Europe’s finest trails on various road trips through the Alps. Having lived in Austria for some time, he knows the local Austrian bike parks like the back of his hand. He’s a tech nerd through and through, using the skills and know-how from his engineering degree and his attention to detail to put the latest bikes and components through their paces for our reviews. As an early riser and self-declared muesli connoisseur, he lives his life powered by oats and the strength of his legs.

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Kishida cracks jokes and invokes ‘Star Trek’ as he and Biden toast US-Japan alliance at state dinner

President Joe Biden listens as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks ahead of a toast during a State Dinner at the White House, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Joe Biden makes a toast with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a State Dinner at the White House, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Joe Biden, center right, and first lady Jill Biden, right, welcome Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, center left, and his wife Yuko Kishida for a State Dinner at the White House, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Kristi Yamaguchi, right, and Yukiko Saegusa arrive at the Booksellers area of the White House for the State Dinner hosted by President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden for Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and wife Kishida Yuko, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, arrive at the Booksellers area of the White House for the State Dinner hosted by President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden for Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and wife Kishida Yuko, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden pose for a photo with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife Yuko Kishida by the Grand Staircase in the Cross Hall of the White House during a State Dinner at the White House, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Evan Ryan, Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary, arrive at the Booksellers area of the White House for the State Dinner hosted by President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden for Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and wife Kishida Yuko, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Robert De Niro and Tiffany Chen arrive at the Booksellers area of the White House for the State Dinner hosted by President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden for Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and wife Kishida Yuko, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Tables are decorated during a press preview at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, for the State Dinner for Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

FILE - This April 2, 2012 file photo shows singer Paul Simon performing at Avery Fisher Hall in New York, April 2, 2012. Simon will sing for guests at Wednesday’s White House state dinner for Japan. The White House says he’s one of first lady Jill Biden’s favorite musicians. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, File)

Former President Bill Clinton listens to toast by President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a State Dinner at the White House, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida exchanged warm toasts to each other and the close alliance between their nations as top figures from business, sports and politics looked on during Wednesday night’s state dinner.

Top figures from business, sports and politics turned up for a lavish state dinner honoring Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The White House on Wednesday served up a maximum dose of pomp to honor the close U.S. ally.

After a day of wide-ranging talks and a joint news conference, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcomed Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and wife Yuko Kishida back to the White House Wednesday evening for a lavish state dinner.

US President Joe Biden and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida enjoyed a dinner out in Washington DC on Tuesday evening.

• Copy Link copied

WASHINGTON (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida cracked jokes and invoked a touchstone of American culture as he quoted from “Star Trek” at Wednesday’s state dinner , telling guests at the White House that he hoped the “unshakable relationship” between his country and the U.S. would “boldly go where no one had gone before.”

“I would like to propose a toast to our voyage to the frontier of the Japan-U.S. relationship with this word: boldly go,” Kishida said, quoting the iconic opening monologue of the original “Star Trek” series.

Kishida, who spoke in English, and President Joe Biden exchanged warm toasts to each other and the decades-long, alliance between their nations as top figures from business, sports and politics — including an ex-president — looked on. The two leaders, who expressed a genuine friendship, pledged to continue to knit together their countries’ interests in the face of global challenges.

Biden , 81, said he and Kishida, 66, came of age as their countries forged a strong bond in the decades after they were pitted against each other in World War II.

“We both remember the choices that were made to forge a friendship,” Biden said. “We both remember the hard work, what it has done to find healing.”

“Tonight,” Biden continued, “We pledge to keep going.”

As the White House served up a maximum dose of pomp to honor its close U.S. ally, notable guests included Bill and Hillary Clinton, who were on familiar turf for the event. The former president declared it “feels great” to be back before casting an appreciative eye at a portrait of his wife from her first lady days that was on display nearby.

Guests in bright spring colors and lots of shimmery gowns chatted politics and talked shop as they strolled in — that meant eclipse chatter from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson (“fabulous” view in Ohio!) and an assessment of Biden’s electoral prospects in Wisconsin from Gov. Tony Evers (looking good!).

But on a day when the inflation news from Washington was less than encouraging, Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell shot past reporters without stopping to chat. Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, in a purple gown, said she didn’t expect to be out campaigning for Biden but nonetheless seemed bullish on his reelection. Actor Robert De Niro supplied the night’s Hollywood quotient and seemed to channel one of his tough-talking characters when he was asked for his thoughts about the 2024 election.

“What do you think?” he retorted.

On a warm spring evening, the Bidens came stepped onto the North Portico to welcome Kishida and his wife, Yuko, who stood out in a flowing royal blue gown on the red carpet.

Inside, Jill Biden , wearing a beaded sapphire gown, had transformed the State Floor of the White House into what she called a “vibrant spring garden” for the evening. The floor of the famous Cross Hall was decorated with images giving the nearly 230 guests the feel of walking over a koi pond, a nod to fish that symbolize “friendship, peace, luck and perseverance,” the first lady said at a media preview Tuesday.

Guests at the head table with the Bidens and Kishidas included the Clintons, De Niro and Japanese pop duo Yoasobi.

Kishida, in his toast at the dinner, enthused over the splendor.

“First and foremost, to be honest my breath is taken and I’m speechless in front of such a huge number of prominent American and Japanese guests,” he said.

A state dinner is a tool of U.S. diplomacy, an honor doled out sparingly and only to America’s closest allies. In the case of Japan, the president has granted that honor for just the fifth time to an ally that he sees as a cornerstone of his policy toward the Indo-Pacific region.

Kishida is on an official visit to the United States this week. The state dinner is Biden’s first this year.

The guests included plenty of Biden family members, including granddaughter Naomi and her husband, Peter Neal. Business moguls also were in force, including JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Labor luminaries United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain and United Steelworkers President David McCall were also in attenddance. Both unions have endorsed Biden for reelection.

Dry-aged rib eye steak, cherry blossoms and the music of Paul Simon were also part of the evening. Simon opened his after-dinner performance by playing guitar and singing two of his major hits, “Graceland” and “Slip Slidin’ Away.”

Guests dined on a meal that was designed to highlight the “bounty of spring” in Japan and the United States: a first course of house-cured salmon that was inspired by a California roll and an entree of rib eye with shishito pepper butter, fava beans, mushrooms and onions. Dessert was salted caramel pistachio cake with a matcha ganache and cherry ice cream.

Some of Jill Biden’s favorite flowers, including sweet peas, roses and peonies, were arranged alongside imported cherry blossoms to decorate a mix of round and rectangular dinner tables in the East Room in shades of pink. A few floral centerpieces topped out at 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall.

Tables were set with a mix of place settings representing the administrations of Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and George W. Bush. Glass and silk butterflies danced over the tables.

Simon is one of Jill Biden’s favorite artists, the White House said, adding that she chose him as a special tribute to Kishida because the prime minister also admires his music.

Simon’s career spans six decades, including performing as part of a duo with his childhood friend Art Garfunkel. The 82-year-old New Jersey native has earned numerous accolades, including multiple Grammys and a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Kishida is the fifth world leader Biden has honored with a state dinner following counterparts from France , South Korea , India and Australia .

• Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS

We'll take care of you. Period.

It's our mission to provide you with world-class hospitality every time you visit us online or in-store. We're always here to help you. It's the Trek way.

Free shipping and professional assembly

All bikes ordered online ship for free to your local Trek shop for professional assembly. Participating retailers will even deliver your new ride to your doorstep!

30 Day Unconditional Guarantee

If for any reason you aren't 100% happy with your trekbikes.com purchase, you can return it in like new condition within 30 days - no questions asked.

TIME Best Inventions of 2023

"Fuel EXe's natural-feeling assist and stealthy good looks earned it a coveted spot on TIME's Best Inventions of 2023 list." From TIME. © 2023 TIME USA LLC All rights reserved. Used under license.

TQ HPR-50 is Pinkbike's Innovation of the Year

"That tiny harmonic pin ring drive unit is the golden goose of e-bike motors." Find out what Pinkbike had to say about the revolutionary motor at the heart of Fuel EXe.

Best All-Around

"Overall, the Trek Fuel EXe is a bike that ranked consistently well across the board when it came to performance on the trail. It does everything pretty darn well and would be a great jack of all trades lightweight eBike for those looking to have a mid-power eMTB for trail shredding fun."

2022 Gear of the Year

"This is the first time an e-bike has made my Gear of the Year list [...] in addition to being silent, the HPR50 motor feels frictionless while pedaling. The assistance comes on with a subtlety that makes it feel like you are a younger, fitter version of yourself with a tailwind at your back."

Editor's Choice

"The low-key, silent assist is just enough, keeping it riding like a real mountain bike but making the climbs less sucky. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good high-power eMTB, but I loved this bike, too. Trek’s Fuel EX’s handling is dialed, and this is merely an enhanced version of that. I tested the top model, but, fortunately, there are also mid-priced models that eschew some of the AirWiz(ardy) without giving up any of what makes this bike rad."

"Nothing comes close"

"Simply put, nothing comes close to the Fuel EXe when you paint the picture of the mountain bike experience as a whole."

"Probably going to be the most significant bike launched this decade"

"The Trek Fuel EXe is the bike (e or otherwise) that plenty of people have been waiting to see… Removes the final few issues that the e-curious crowd had."

"One of the best mountain bikes - powered or unpowered - I’ve recently ridden."

"The Fuel EXe is such a harmonious package that I got comfortable with it very quickly, and it wasn’t much longer before I was in love with this bike...I legitimately forgot that I was on an e-bike at times…it’s the most natural feeling motor I’ve yet ridden."

"We have to call it as we see it and the Trek Fuel EXe just elevated the eMTB game."

"The first impression was a unanimous 'Wow.' This is one of the few times that a bike exceeded expectations."

"Nothing less than a great leap forward for eMTBs"

"There are times when I am left amazed by something new and shiny, and that is the case with the Trek Fuel Exe...I might even go as far as to call it an engineering marvel."

More options

Strange Glow Over Moscow Skies Triggers Panic as Explosions Reported

B right flashes lit up the night sky in southern Moscow in the early hours of Thursday morning, new footage appears to show, following reports of an explosion at an electrical substation on the outskirts of the city.

Video snippets circulating on Russian-language Telegram channels show a series of flashes on the horizon of a cloudy night sky, momentarily turning the sky a number of different colors. In a clip shared by Russian outlet MSK1.ru, smoke can be seen rising from a building during the flashes lighting up the scene.

Newsweek was unable to independently verify the details of the video clips, including when and where it was filmed. The Russian Ministry of Emergency situations has been contacted via email.

Several Russian Telegram accounts said early on Thursday that residents of southern Moscow reported an explosion and a fire breaking out at an electrical substation in the Leninsky district, southeast of central Moscow.

Local authorities in the Leninsky district told Russian outlet RBC that the explosion had happened in the village of Molokovo. "All vital facilities are operating as normal," Leninsky district officials told the outlet.

The incident at the substation in Molokovo took place just before 2 a.m. local time, MSK1.ru reported.

Messages published by the ASTRA Telegram account, run by independent Russian journalists, appear to show residents close to the substation panicking as they question the bright flashes in the sky. One local resident describes seeing the bright light before losing access to electricity, with another calling the incident a "nightmare."

More than 10 villages and towns in the southeast of Moscow lost access to electricity, the ASTRA Telegram account also reported. The town of Lytkarino to the southeast of Moscow, lost electricity, wrote the eastern European-based independent outlet, Meduza.

Outages were reported in the southern Domodedovo area of the city, according to another Russian outlet, as well as power failures in western Moscow. Electricity was then restored to the areas, the Strana.ua outlet reported.

The cause of the reported explosion is not known. A Telegram account aggregating news for the Lytkarino area described the incident as "an ordinary accident at a substation."

The MSK1.ru outlet quoted a local resident who speculated that a drone may have been responsible for the explosion, but no other Russian source reported this as a possible cause.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Moscow with long-range aerial drones in recent months, including a dramatic wave of strikes in late May.

On Sunday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the region's air defense systems had intercepted an aerial drone over the city of Elektrostal, to the east of Moscow. No damage or casualties were reported, he said.

The previous day, Russian air defenses detected and shot down another drone flying over the Bogorodsky district, northeast of central Moscow, Sobyanin said.

There is currently no evidence that an aerial drone was responsible for the reported overnight explosion at the electrical substation in southern Moscow.

Related Articles

• Russian Soldier Bashes Drone With Shovel After Detonation Failure: Video
• Russia Headed for Disappointment in Battles Along Dnieper River: UK
• Ukraine's Military Receives Good News From Multiple NATO Allies

Start your unlimited Newsweek trial

• Rocky Mountain
• Specialized
• YT Industries
• Allied Cycle Works
• Black Market
• DALLINGRIDGE
• Diamondback
• Early Rider
• EVO Bicycles
• Growler Bikes
• Guerrilla Gravity
• iGO Electric
• Intense 951
• Juiced Bikes
• View all brands
• Production Privee
• Rad Power Bikes
• Rambo Bikes
• Riese & Müller
• Soul Fast E Bikes
• Spark Cycleworks
• State Bicycle Co.
• Structure Cycleworks
• Surface 604
• Van Nicholas
• Vintage Electric
• We Are One Composites

• Cross Country

• All Mountain

Trek Fuel EX 9.8 29

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Colour / Volt/Solid Charcoal, Matte Gravel/Quicksilver, Radioactive Orange/Trek Black, Gloss Purple Phaze/Matte Trek Black, Viper Red/Trek White

Size / 15.5, 17.5, 18.5, 19.5, 21.5

Weight / 28 lb 0 oz (12,701 g)

At a glance

ABP (Active Braking Pivot), Knock Block steerer stop, Integrated frame protection, Internal cable routing, Price varies by colorway

Where To Buy

Specifications

• Frame OCLV Mountain Carbon main frame and seatstay, alloy chainstay
• Fork FOX Performance 34 Float, GRIP 3-position damper, 51mm offset, boost 110, 130mm
• Shock FOX Performance Float EVOL, RE:aktiv with Thru Shaft, 210mm x 52.5mm
• Hubs Rapid Drive, boost 110mm front, boost 148mm rear
• Wheels Bontrager Line Carbon 30, tubeless ready, tubeless strips included, valves sold separately
• Wheel Size 29"
• Spokes DT Swiss Aerolite14/17G spokes with Alpina alloy locking nipples
• Tires Bontrager XR4 Team Issue, Inner Strength sidewalls, 120 tpi, aramid bead, 29 x 2.40
• Chain 432mm, None included, 32 tooth direct mount, SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
• Crank Truvativ Descendant 7k Eagle DUB
• Bottom Bracket 30mm drop, SRAM DUB press fit, 92mm
• Rear Derailleur SRAM GX Eagle, roller bearing clutch
• Shifters SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
• Brakeset Shimano SLX M7000 hydraulic disc, Shimano SLX
• Handlebar Bontrager Line Pro, OCLV Carbon, 35mm, 15mm rise, 750mm width
• Saddle Bontrager Arvada, austenite rails
• Seatpost Bontrager Line, internal routing, 100mm (15.5), 125mm (17.5 and 18.5), 150mm (19.5 and 21.5), 31.6mm, Standard single bolt, 31.6mm, Standard single bolt
• Stem Bontrager Line Pro, Knock Block, 35mm clamp, 0 degree
• Grips Bontrager XR Trail Elite, alloy lock-on
• Headset Knock Block Integrated, sealed cartridge bearing

Q: Where to buy a 2019 Trek Fuel EX 9.8 29?

The 2019 Trek Fuel EX 9.8 29 may be purchased directly from Trek .

Q: How much does a 2019 Trek Fuel EX 9.8 29 weigh?

A 2019 Trek Fuel EX 9.8 29 weights 28 lb 0 oz (12,701 g).

Q: What size wheels does the 2019 Trek Fuel EX 9.8 29 have?

The 2019 Trek Fuel EX 9.8 29 has 29" wheels.

Q: What size 2019 Trek Fuel EX 9.8 29 should I get?

No comments on this bike yet. Why not be the first?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Want more MTB in your mailbox?

The latest on mountain bikes delivered straight to your mailbox.

More Bikes in Range View All

Trek Fuel EX 7

Trek Fuel EX 5

Trek Fuel EX 9.8 GX AXS

More trail bikes view all.

Rocky Mountain Altitude 750 Rally Edition

Norco Shinobi 2

KTM Macina Chacana 293

UK price: 4299 GBP, Straight-Line-Link (SLL) suspension, Internal cable routing, Light Link frame port near head tube for connection of lights

Deals View All

View all deals, recent posts view all.

Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge Review

It's 2020 people. The squeeze and bounce test doesn't cut it anymore (and this is…

Comparing Mountain Bikes

Mountain Bikes are complicated machines. They have parts from hundreds of different manufacturers, come in…

Undomestic Mountain Bikes: Here’s what we know

Update March 2020: Undomestic has announced that they are manufacturing frames "at this moment" and…

Send Feedback

Have a suggestion? Looking for a bike that's not on MTB Database? Or perhaps you've spotted an error?

We'd love to hear from you. Let us know with the form below.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience possible. Learn more.

About MTB Database

Explore, search and compare thousands of the world’s best mountain bikes here on Mountain Bike Database.

Compare prices, components, suspension, reviews, images and more on current and past MTB’s. You can even share reviews, comments and questions on mountain bikes. View and compare a huge selection of bikes from brands such as Trek , Specialized , Giant , Santa Cruz , Norco and more .

We strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information for mountain bikes on MTB Database. If you’ve spotted any issues, please let us know . We also include helpful tools, such as our frame size calculator, to assist you in choosing the right mountain bike. Bear in mind that these tools serve as a guide and simply provide a general indication. Refer to information provided by your bike manufacturer for the most applicable information for your bike.

Bikes By Brand

Bikes by year, bikes by riding style, bikes by wheel size, popular bikes.

• 2022 Specialized Epic EVO Comp
• 2022 Trek Marlin 6
• 2022 Specialized Enduro Comp
• 2022 Specialized S-Works Epic EVO
• 2022 Specialized Epic EVO Expert
• 2022 Giant Fathom 29 1
• 2022 Trek Marlin 7

Latest Bikes

• 2023 Commencal SUPREME DH V5 SIGNATURE 70'S
• 2023 Orange Phase 29 Factory
• 2022 Commencal META SX V4 TEAM Frame
• 2023 Commencal SUPREME DH V5 SIGNATURE LTD
• 2023 Commencal META SX V4 - Frame
• 2023 Riese & Müller Swing4 vario
• 2023 Riese & Müller Swing4 silent

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Credit card rates
• Balance transfer credit cards
• Business credit cards
• Cash back credit cards
• Rewards credit cards
• Travel credit cards
• Checking accounts
• Online checking accounts
• High-yield savings accounts
• Money market accounts
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Car insurance
• Home buying
• Options pit
• Investment ideas
• Research reports
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Australia and Papua New Guinea leaders trek toward WWII South Pacific battleground

Papua new guinea australia.

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia and Papua New Guinea’s prime ministers on Tuesday began trekking into the South Pacific island nation’s mountainous interior to commemorate a pivotal World War II campaign and to underscore their current security alliance , which faces challenges from China's growing regional influence.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese received an elaborate traditional welcome when he arrived by helicopter at Kokoda Village with his Papua New Guinean counterpart James Marape .

The pair will walk 15 kilometers (9 miles) over two days along the rugged Kokoda Track where the Japanese army’s advance toward what is now the national capital, Port Moresby, was halted in 1942 in the wilds of the Owen Stanley Range.

“In forging a relationship of brothers and sisters, together as one we will go forward,” Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corp. as the pair set off from the village in tropical heat and humidity.

“We’re walking step by step, symbolizing our two nations walking together,” Albanese added.

Marape said their “shared journey today should send the world a message” that Papua New Guinea wants peaceful coexistence.

Australia and its nearest neighbor, Papua New Guinea , forged closer defense ties in December when Albanese and Marape signed a wide-ranging agreement in the Australian capital, Canberra.

The signing was delayed by six months after a security pact between Papua New Guinea and the United States sparked riots in the South Pacific nation over concerns that Papuan sovereignty was being undermined.

Marape said in December that his government’s security agreements with the U.S. and Australia did not mean he was siding with those allies in their strategic competition with China.

Albanese said Marape had assured him during at state dinner in Port Moresby on Monday night that Australia remained its “referred security partner.”

“This is a relationship that has never been closer, as symbolized by the fact that we’ll be walking side-by-side down the Kokoda Track,” Albanese told ABC in Port Moresby on Tuesday before flying to Kokoda Village.

Joe Biden had planned to become the first sitting U.S. president to visit Papua New Guinea in May last year, in a sign of the region’s growing strategic importance in the power struggle between the U.S. and China. But Biden canceled the visit to deal with a debt crisis in the U.S. Congress.

On top of disappointing Marape last year, Biden offended the prime minister last week by implying that the president’s army aviator uncle, Second Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., had been eaten by “cannibals” after his plane crashed in Papua New Guinea during World War II.

Marape released a statement on Sunday saying that his “people daily live with the fear” of unexploded bombs left behind by a war that they had been “needlessly dragged into.”

Marape and Albanese will trek to a war memorial in the town of Isurava, the site of a bloody battle where U.S. and Australian troops fought the Japanese in August 1942.

Both leaders will commemorate Anzac Day at Isurava on Thursday, April 25 — the date in 1915 when the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed on Turkey in an ill-fated campaign that provided the soldiers’ first combat of World War I.

Recommended Stories

Ray-ban meta smart glasses do the ai thing without a projector or subscription.

The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have adopted multimodal AI features. This allows the glasses to describe the world around you and translate languages.

2024 NBA Playoffs schedule: How to watch tonight's games

It's time for the 2024 NBA playoffs. Here's how to follow all the action on the court.

Selena Gomez is all about the 10-in-1 Always Pan, and it's on rare sale before Mother's Day

'Makes me feel like a chef': Here's your chance to score this nonstick multitasker from Our Place at a discount.

The NFL Draft's 'secret round'

Numbers from the last 20 years indicate players still on the board after the draft’s third round might be better off going undrafted entirely than getting picked in the late rounds.

Segway electric scooters are a fun, gas-free alternative to driving — and they're up to 47% off at Amazon

Embrace your inner child — or pick one up for an actual kiddo. Prices start at just $133.

GM CFO on electric vehicle demand: It will be choppy

GM CFO says the demand for EVs in America will be up and down.

Bump raises $3M seed to help creators manage finances

James Jones’ father was an engineer. “I also often had creators complain about the lack of ownership over their creative assets and how painful it was to get loans, mortgages, or generally create generational wealth opportunities for themselves and their families,” Jones told TechCrunch. Jones said the pandemic brought forth a new set of challenges for creators: So many of them were at home trying to figure out how they would earn money and what to do next.

Amazon launches a new grocery delivery subscription in the US

Amazon said today that it has launched a new unlimited grocery delivery subscription for Prime members and customers with an EBT card (Electronic Benefit Transfer) in the U.S. if you're living in one of the 3,500 eligible cities and towns. The company started testing grocery delivery in three locations last year: Denver, Colorado; Sacramento, California; and Columbus, Ohio. The subscription costs $9.99 per month for Amazon Prime users and $4.99 per month for registered EBT card holders.

iKamper releases next generation Skycamp DLX and DLX Mini roof top tents

These tents promise enhanced usability with features like built-in LED lighting and self-inflating mattresses, setting a new standard for luxury and convenience in outdoor accommodations.

As social media creators push overconsumption, some question whether 'eco' influencing is possible

Is it possible to be a successful social media influencer without promoting overconsumption to followers? According to experts, it’s not that simple.

Newsletter service Ghost will support the fediverse protocol ActivityPub

Newsletter platform Ghost is the latest service to pledge support for ActivityPub, the open source protocol powering the fediverse.

Anthony Davis fed up with not winning Defensive Player of the Year: 'The league doesn't like me'

Does Davis have a DPOY case? The Lakers' star definitely thinks so.

2024 NFL Draft: Dream fantasy football landing spots for top rookies

With the 2024 NFL Draft nearly here, fantasy football analyst Matt Harmon plays matchmaker for the top prospects at each position.

What the NAR settlement means for home buyers and sellers

Learn how the new rules ushered in by the $418 million National Association of Realtors settlement could change the process of buying and selling a home.

Pass or Fail: Broncos release 'Mile High Collection,' first new uniforms in over 25 years

The Broncos may have committed the greatest fashion faux pas there is: being boring.

The latest on bird flu: What to know about how it's spread, vaccine plans and more

Everything need to know about the spread of avian influenza, aka bird flu, in the U.S.

Embracer Group is splitting up its messy gaming empire into three different companies

Embracer Group has announced plans to split into three separate, publicly listed entities, following an epic losing streak.

The aviation industry is looking for its own Tesla

To date, a handful of startups have made strides toward the electrification of air travel. And their initiatives are attracting investments from manufacturing, airline, and auto giants.

TLcom Capital closes second fund at $154M to back early-stage startups across Africa

Venture capital activity in Africa has shown resilience over the past six months, with major firms on the continent closing their funds despite the ongoing funding winter. In the latest development, TLcom Capital, an African VC firm with offices in Lagos and Nairobi and a focus on early-stage startups, has concluded fundraising for its second fund, TIDE Africa Fund II, totaling $154 million. The final close positions the firm as Africa’s largest investor across seed and Series A, the firm said.

With Kawhi Leonard out, James Harden steps into an old, familiar role

If Harden can sustain his success, it could give the Clippers a more formidable attack when Leonard returns.

Screen Rant

Every quark star trek: ds9 love interest ranked.

Rule of Acquisition #94 states that "Females and finances don't mix", but Quark's romances in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine cast doubt on Ferengi wisdom.

The greatest love of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Quark (Armin Shimerman) may have been gold pressed latinum, but the Ferengi bartender did have a handful of genuine romantic connections across DS9 's seven seasons. Quark was instrumental in changing how the Ferengi were presented following their fumbled introduction as Star Trek: The Next Generation villains . Through Quark, his brother Rom (Max Grodenchik) and his nephew Nog (Aron Eisenberg), the Ferengi characters in Deep Space Nine were multi-layered members of an alien species and not two-dimensional stock bad guys.

Star Trek: The Next Generation 's Ferengi were sleazy misogynists who saw women as objects , but that wasn't the case for characters like Rom in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Quark's brother Rom fell in love with Leeta (Chase Masterson), and the two went on to have a hugely positive impact on Ferengi culture. While Quark certainly wasn't above objectifying women like his TNG counterparts, he was also capable of falling in love. While Quark's romances wouldn't necessarily go down in the history of DS9 's greatest love stories , they did occasionally allow the Ferengi to become a romantic hero.

Quark's 10 Best Star Trek Episodes

5 grilka (mary kay adams), quark's "glorious" klingon ex-wife..

In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3, episode 3, "House of Quark", the Ferengi was married off to Grilka (Mary Kay Adams), a fierce Klingon woman whose husband, Kozak (John Lendale Bennett), Quark had apparently "killed". Of course, Quark had done nothing of the sort, he'd stood and watched the drunken Kozak fall on to his own knife. However, Kozak's death allowed Grilka to orchestrate a bid to take control of her own House, something that was forbidden in Klingon society. Grilka therefore married Quark, with the intention of using him as a proxy in affairs relating to her House.

"The House of Quark" was the first of Robert O'Reilly's eight appearances as Chancellor Gowron in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

Once Quark had helped his Klingon wife retain control of the House of Grilka, he requested a divorce as theirs had been a marriage of convenience. However, in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 5, episode 3, "Looking For par'Mach in All the Wrong Places", Quark found himself attracted to his ex-wife . To win back his ex-wife, Quark sought the help of Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn), who also showed an interest in the "glorious" Grilka. Quark took a crash course in Klingon courtship rituals and even won a duel with Thopok (Phil Morris) for the hand of Grilka, albeit temporarily.

4 Pel (Hélène Udy)

Quark's new best friend was a female ferengi in disguise..

​​​​​​Quark fell in love with Pel (Hélène Udy) in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episode 7, "Rules of Acquistion", a relationship that challenged his prejudice. Ferengi society barred women from participating in business deals, and forced them to stay at home, where they would fulfill their husband's needs. Ferengi women like Quark's mother Ishka (Cecily Adams) and Pel started to lead the charge to change these outdated rules. Disguised as a male Ferengi, Pel quickly became close to Quark and ended up partnering with him on a business deal in the Gamma Quadrant with associates of DS9 's Dominion villains .

"Rules of Acquisition" was the first episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine to mention the Dominion, who would become the show's main villains from season 3 onward.

Quark was outraged when he discovered the truth, but his blackmailing of Grand Nagus Zek (Wallace Shawn) to protect Pel demonstrated his genuine love for her. Their last tender kiss, and Quark's genuine sadness at Pel's parting was proof that she had left a lasting impact on the Ferengi. However, Quark still largely objected to Ferengi women conducting business transactions, which led to tensions with his mother and his brother in the season 3 episode, "Family Business". Still, Quark's romance with Pel was the first indicator that Quark was a more progressive Ferengi than many had first believed .

Riker Almost Had A Ferengi Girlfriend in Star Trek: TNG

3 professor natima lang (mary crosby), ingrid bergman to quark's humphrey bogart..

The Cardassian political ethics professor Natima Lang (Mary Crosby) was Quark's great love , but their romance was very rocky indeed. Natima and Quark met during the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor , where she saved Quark's life after he was accused of selling food to Bajoran laborers. Natima was touched by Quark's uniquely Ferengi approach to philanthropy and the two embarked on a one-month love affair that ended when Quark used Natima's position to steal money from Cardassian Central Command. Quark was heartbroken, and spent the rest of his life regretting his betrayal of Natima.

In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episode 18, "Profit and Loss", Natima and Quark were reunited against a backdrop of political unrest on Cardassia. Sheltering two wanted criminals, Natima was to be arrested by the Cardassians, and sentenced to death for being a political dissident. To make up for his betrayal and prove his love for Natima, Quark did everything in his power, from bribing Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois) to pleading with would-be-assassin Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson) to spare Natima and the students' lives. Quark and Natima's romantic reunion was brief, but she promised to return once her mission to reform Cardassia was complete .

"Profit and Loss" was initially titled "Here's Lookin' at You..." in reference to the 1942 Michael Curtiz movie Casablanca , starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.

2 Lt. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell)

"i hope jadzia appreciates all this…".

Arguably, Lt. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) was Quark's greatest love, but it was unrequited. Quark's attraction to Jadzia seemed much deeper than the ogling and objectifying relationship he had with Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor). Of all the characters in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , it was Jadzia who truly understood Quark and treated him as a friend and equal . When Pel left the station, Jadzia consoled Quark, and the two regularly played tongo together after hours in Quark's Bar. Jadzia even forgave Quark's unforgivable crime when he inadvertently facilitated the theft of the Dax symbiont in "Invasive Procedures".

The 1992 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Writers' Bible described Quark as being " consumed with passion for Dax. "

One thing Jadzia struggled to forgive was when Quark got into the arms dealing business in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 5, episode 18, "Business as Usual" . Indeed, Jadzia's anger at Quark is one of the motivating factors for his change of heart in the episode, so important is her opinion of him. When Jadzia was killed by Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo), Quark was heartbroken and joined Worf's mission to get his wife's spirit into Sto-vo-kor, Klingon heaven. It was an uncharacteristically brave thing for Quark to do, a testament to his devotion to Jadzia.

Star Trek: Discovery Is A Sad Reminder DS9’s Dax Is Long Dead

1 the rules of acquisition, rule of acquisition #229: latinum lasts longer than lust..

Ultimately, Quark's greatest love in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is profit and gold pressed latinum . That's nothing to be ashamed of, it's in his nature as a Ferengi. However, it is interesting that the influence of Jadzia, Natima, and Pel have all impacted Quark's adherence to his beloved Rules of Acquisition. " Females and finances don't mix " is Rule of Acquisition #94, but that directly contradicts Pel's astute business acumen that was superior even to Quark's. " Never place friendship above profit " is Rule of Acquisition #21, but Quark regularly placed his friendship and infatuation with Jadzia above his thirst for profit.

The Rules of Acquisition were invented by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's executive producer and writer, Ira Steven Behr.

Rule of Acquisition #9 states that " Opportunity plus instinct equals profit " which effectively describes Quark's doomed romance with Natima during the Occupation. However, despite living up to Rule of Acquistion #9, Quark felt guilt over how he betrayed Natima. So, while Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's beloved bartender rigidly lived by the Rules of Acquisition, these important women in his life did make him take a more flexible approach to the tenets of Ferengi society. It's like Rom's own personal Rule of Acquisition; " Money is money, but females are better. " Sadly for Quark, however, he's still waiting on his Leeta.

All episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

*Availability in US

Not available

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.