trek slash 9.9 review

Trek Slash Review | The all-new Slash is the iron fist in a velvet glove

The not-so-minor details.

Trek Slash 9.9 X01

Trek Bicycles Australia

https://www.trekbikes.com

$11,499 AUD

- Wickedly supple and sensitive suspension - Super stable in steep and rough terrain - The playful, agile attitude - Generous frame protection - Stealthy quiet on the trail

- Downtube storage could be more generous - We'd like to see a slightly steeper seat tube angle

Dan & Ben review the 2021 Trek Slash

Trek’s flagship enduro pinner, the Slash, is receiving a major and welcome overhaul for 2021. As the spiritual successor to the Remedy 29, the current Slash was released over four years ago. In that time the enduro racing scene has changed considerably. No longer are 29in wheels looked upon with concern and disdain. Nowadays, you’ll be hard-pressed to find an EWS team that isn’t rolling on 29in wheels. As the sport has professionalised, we’re seeing athletes train harder, race times get tighter, and courses that wouldn’t be out of place at a World Cup downhill race. Unlike DH racing though, enduro racers have to back up those race runs over multiple stages, often over multiple days, with hundreds and thousands of metres of climbing between the start and finish. Oh, and they’re regularly racing those trails blind too.

Watch our video review of the 2021 Trek Slash 9.9 here!

Trek Slash overview

Given the evolving demands of enduro racing, enduro bikes need to evolve too. Taking on board these changes, the new Trek Slash has had a 10mm lift in travel at both ends, and now features a 170mm fork matched to 160mm of rear wheel travel. Following requests from Trek’s EWS athletes, it also gets a bit slacker and longer as expected, which is to help it cope with the gnarlification of modern day enduro racing.

All of that is built around a brand new chassis that features in-built storage, a new Knock Block system, and a serious amount of battle armour. Along with the unique rear shock and adjustable geometry, Trek is making use of every tool in its disposal to produce what it says is the fastest and most technically proficient Slash yet.

For the past month we’ve been testing the top-end Slash 9.9 to see how all of those changes play out on the trail, and whether this newly refocussed enduro race bike is now more of a one-trick-pony. Before we get to our ride impressions though, let’s take a detailed look at what sets the Slash apart from its predecessors and its contemporaries.

There’s a new custom shock

At the heart of the new Slash is a unique rear shock that Trek has co-developed alongside the gurus at RockShox. This shock is currently exclusive to Trek for 2021, and it’ll come on all of the Slash models in Australia, bar the cheapest Slash 7.

On the outside, it doesn’t look dramatically different. It’s essentially a Super Deluxe Ultimate shock, which features adjustable air pressure, air volume, rebound and compression damping. On the inside you’ll find the Trek-designed Thru-Shaft damper, along with some magic sauce the two brands have cooked up together.

Why Thru-Shaft?

Thru-Shaft itself isn’t a new technology in itself. Trek first introduced the Thru-Shaft damper design back in 2017, where it debuted on high-end Fuel EX, Remedy and Slash models.

In essence, Thru-Shaft eliminates the traditional Internal Floating Piston (IFP) that is found inside most rear shocks. The IFP is a sealed piston that sits at the base of the shock underneath the oil chamber. The job of the IFP is to separate the damper fluid on one side, from a small nitrogen-charged chamber on the other side.

Why do we need an IFP in the first place? Firstly, that gas-charged chamber is necessary to accommodate fluid expansion as the oil heats up. Secondly, it’s there to handle the change in volume of the oil chamber as the shock is compressed. When the shock is compressed, the main damper shaft is introduced into the oil chamber, and the further it goes in, the more room it takes up. To compensate for that increase in volume, the IFP is able to slide and compress the nitrogen-charged chamber behind it. As the shock rebounds, the IFP then pushes back on the oil chamber.

But in Trek’s Thru-Shaft shocks, there is no IFP. Instead, the damper shaft runs all the way through the oil chamber. And during compression, the damper piston exits the shock completely – you can see the silver rod emerging from the base of the shock as it goes through the travel. Since the damper piston no longer impacts on the volume inside the oil chamber, there is no need for a traditional IFP.

And what about fluid expansion? That’s what the piggyback reservoir is for – it’s a big ol’ thermal compensator that handles the fluid expansion as the oil heats up in the shock.

But in Trek’s Thru-Shaft shocks, there is no IFP. Instead, the damper piston runs all the way through the oil chamber. And during compression, the damper piston exits the shock completely – you can see the silver rod emerging from the base of the shock as it goes through the travel.

The main driver for the Thru-Shaft design is all about reducing stiction and making the shock movement as slippery as possible. A normal IFP uses seals, and those seals need to slide smoothly up and down the the inside of the shock’s stanchion. Because of the high-pressure environment the IFP lives in, it’s likely to experience stick-slip during changes of direction. By removing the IFP entirely, the Thru-Shaft damper reduces stiction and this stick-slip effect, improving the damper’s sensitivity and its willingness to change direction quickly. On the trail, it simply results in a more responsive and buttery-feeling to the rear suspension – something we’ve noted on the Remedys and Fuel EXs we’ve tested in recent years, including our most recent long-term test bike .

RE:aktiv begone

While the Slash’s new shock carries over the Thru-Shaft concept, one of the big differences is that it no longer uses the RE:aktiv valve on the main damper piston. Instead you’ll find a standard shim valve on the main piston (which differs from an off-the-shelf RockShox shock), which Trek has moved to in favour of more gluey descending-oriented damping performance. While the RE:aktiv damper piston does provide excellent pedalling support, and will continue to be used on the Fuel EX, the new Slash is placing a greater priority on traction and high-speed control, and it’s claimed that a standard shim valve arrangement is the best solution for this application.

The second key difference with the custom Super Deluxe Ultimate shock is found in its damper adjustments. The rebound dial is much smaller and located on the side of the shock, and it now features numbers to assist with tuning. There’s a two-position lever that allows the rider to toggle between open and firm settings.

On top of the lever is a separate adjuster that allows you to tune the low-speed compression damping of the open mode. The blue cam gives you three compression settings: -1, 0 and +1. According to Trek and RockShox, this adjuster is all about fine-tuning the shock’s response to rider inputs, depending on the terrain at hand. So you can firm up the feel of the shock to provide more support for pedalling and riding smoother bikepark type trails, or soften it up for riding steep and rooty trails where you want maximum traction. Consider it as a wet/dry adjuster. Regardless of that setting though, it’s claimed that the shock’s high-speed compression circuit remains completely independent, and it’s in here where Trek and RockShox have been cooking up a little extra special sauce.

The third big difference is in the shock’s air can itself. RockShox states that stiction has been lowered for smoother performance, while the negative spring volume has been increased to create a more progressive spring curve. In fact, it’s claimed to be more progressive than the current MegNeg design, which basically eliminates any need for a MegNeg hop-up. There’s the option to tune with volume spacers too, which we’ll get onto in a bit.

Frame features

Aside from the custom shock, there are big changes afoot in the Slash chassis too. And when we say big we mean it literally – the Slash now takes a 34.9mm diameter seat post. This allows Trek to build a fatter, stronger and shorter seat tube, which provides greater compatibility with long-stroke dropper posts.

To go with it, Bontrager is rolling out a new 34.9mm Line Elite dropper post. The bigger diameter chassis promises increased strength and stiffness, and the post gets a whopping 200mm of travel on the longest option. Internally, the MaxFlow is said to provide faster compression and rebound for slicker performance.

No Super Boost needed

Looking at all the other key mounting points on the Slash frameset, it’s clear that Trek has made a concerted effort to stay away from anything too edgy standards-wise.

While some other brands have adopted the newer Super Boost 157x12mm hub standard for their long travel 29ers, Trek is sticking with the Boost 148x12mm standard that it invented and launched back in 2014. However, by employing the wider 55mm chainline that’s now on offer from both Shimano and SRAM (which pushes the chainring out a further 3mm over a traditional Boost drivetrain), Trek’s engineers say they’ve been able to get all the necessary clearances without having to resort to Super Boost. And they’ve done it too – there’s room for a 34T chainring and a 29×2.5in tyre, even with the Slash’s impressively short 435mm chainstays.

Common sense has prevailed elsewhere too. No longer will you find a press-fit bottom bracket cups. Instead, the Slash gets a 73mm threaded BB shell, which is surrounded by ISCG 05 chainguide tabs.

The dropouts utilise a SRAM UDH derailleur hanger on one side, and 180mm post-mount brake tabs on the other. For the true gravity enthusiasts, it’s worth noting that the Slash is cleared for use with up to a huge 220mm disc rotor. And while the rear shock is a custom jobby, the size isn’t – most aftermarket metric shocks will fit in its place, including coil shocks.

Secret storage

Brought over from the latest Fuel EX, the Slash now gets integrated downtube storage. What’s impressive is that you’ll get that sane downtube trap door on the alloy frames too. For the alloy Slash, the downtube is hydroformed with a depression around the storage door, before the door is then cut out of the tube. Apparently it’s a very difficult process to achieve on an alloy frame, which is probably why we haven’t seen it on any other brand.

The trapdoor itself is identical between the alloy and carbon frames, and it’s the same as what you’ll find on the Fuel EX. A discreet lever opens and secures the latch, and inside the cavity is a soft tool roll that’s designed to hold a spare tube, levers and CO2. The bottle cage is included with the bike, and Trek says every frame size, including the Small, will fit a bottle without drama.

A bonus of the trapdoor design is that it provides you access to the internal gear, dropper and brake lines. The cables and hoses are zip-tied to the underside of the door, which helps to minimise vibration and noise.

Knock Block 2.0

Trek has also updated its headset steering limiter system, called Knock Block 2.0. Addressing our criticism of the previous design, Trek has increased the available steering radius, so you now get 144° of rotation.

What’s interesting though, is that the Knock Block system isn’t actually necessary anymore. That’s because the downtube no longer uses the StraightShot profile of the old frame – it features curves at both ends, which means the fork crown no longer contacts the downtube during a full rotation.

We’re told that the designers decided to keep the Knock Block system as it doesn’t really impact the riding experience, and it helps to protect the brake lines, shift and dropper cables in the event of a bar-spinning crash. If it still bothers you though, the Knock Block can be removed entirely.

The Slash’s geometry was no doubt due for an update, and Trek has willingly obliged. However, while the designers wanted to address the needs of Trek’s EWS racers, they also wanted to retain the comfort, balance and agility that made the previous version such a popular and accessible bike.

As such, the head angle kicks back a degree, and the reach has grown by 15-40mm depending on the frame size. The seat tube angle (both actual and effective) has increased by two degrees, which helps to shift the pilot further forward on the bike, without pushing them so far forward as to put excessive weight onto the wrists and arms.

Trek is producing five frame sizes in the Slash, from Small through to X-large. All frame sizes are now built around the same stubby 35mm stem length, which aims to keep the front-end steering consistent regardless of rider height.

Also found on every frame is the familiar Mino Link, which is located in the upper seatstay pivot. The Slash comes set from the factory in the Low position, but flipping the link into the High position will lift the BB height by 7mm and steepen the head and seat angles by 0.5°. Here are lots of numbers for those who want them;

Trek Slash price & specs

If you’re digging the new Slash vibe, you’ll be pleased to know that stock is available as of right now through Trek’s dealer network. In Australia, we’ll see four models come to our shores – two with carbon frames, and two with alloy frames. Additionally, you’ll be able to get a standalone frameset too – Trek Australia will be offering a Slash frameset in both carbon and alloy variants.

Read on for a closer look at each of the four complete bike options, followed by our ride impressions from testing the top-end Slash 9.9 X01.

2021 Trek Slash 9.9 X01

• Frame | OCLV Mountain Carbon Fibre, ABP Suspension Design, 160mm Travel
• Fork | RockShox ZEB Ultimate, Charger 2.1 RC2 Damper, 44mm Offset, 170mm Travel
• Shock | RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate, Thru-Shaft 3-Position Damper, 230×62.5mm
• Wheels | Bontrager Line Elite 30, OCLV Carbon Rims, 30mm Inner Rim Width
• Tyres | Bontrager SE5 29×2.6in Front & SE4 2.4in Rear
• Drivetrain | SRAM X01 Eagle 1×12 w/X01 30T Carbon Crankset & 10-52T GX Eagle Cassette
• Brakes | SRAM Code RSC 4-Piston w/200mm Rotors
• Bar | Bontrager Line Pro, OCLV Carbon, 35mm Diameter, 27.5mm Rise, 820mm Wide
• Stem | Bontrager Line Pro, Knock Block, 35mm Length
• Seatpost | Bontrager Line Elite Dropper, 34.9mm Diameter, Travel: 100mm (S), 150mm (M/ML), 170mm (L), 200mm (XL)
• Available Sizes | S, M, ML, L, XL
• RRP | $11,499 AUD

2021 Trek Slash 9.8 XT

• Fork | RockShox ZEB Select+, Charger 2.1 RC Damper, 44mm Offset, 170mm Travel
• Drivetrain | Shimano Deore XT 1×12 w/XT 30T Crankset & 10-51T Cassette
• Brakes | Shimano Deore XT 4-Piston w/203mm Rotors
• RRP | $8,999 AUD

2021 Trek Slash 8

• Frame | Alpha Platinum Alloy, ABP Suspension Design, 160mm Travel
• Fork | RockShox Lyrik RC, Charger 2 Damper, 42mm Offset, 170mm Travel
• Wheels | Bontrager Line Comp 30, Alloy Rims, 30mm Inner Rim Width
• Tyres | Bontrager XR5 29×2.6in Front & XR4 2.4in Rear
• Drivetrain | SRAM GX Eagle 1×12 w/Descendent 6K Eagle 30T Crankset & 10-52T Cassette
• Brakes | SRAM Code R 4-Piston w/200mm Rotors
• Bar | Bontrager Line, Alloy, 35mm Diameter, 27.5mm Rise, 820mm Wide
• Stem | Bontrager Line, Knock Block, 35mm Length
• Seatpost | TranzX Dropper, 34.9mm Diameter, Travel: 100mm (S), 150mm (M/ML), 170mm (L), 200mm (XL)
• RRP | $6,299 AUD

2021 Trek Slash 7

• Fork | RockShox Yari RC, Motion Control RC Damper, 42mm Offset, 170mm Travel
• Shock | RockShox Deluxe Select+, 230×62.5mm
• Drivetrain | SRAM NX Eagle 1×12 w/Descendent 6K Eagle 30T Crankset & 11-50T Cassette
• Brakes | SRAM Guide T 4-Piston w/200mm Rotors
• RRP | $5,299 AUD

Testing the 2021 Trek Slash 9.9 X01

With its metallic orange paint job, the Slash 9.9 X01 bares a resemblance to the distinctive Tiger Mica colour of Holden’s VU Commodore SS ute. We’d say the finish is just a tad classier here though, and indeed the Slash impressed as soon as it was pulled out of the box. It wasn’t too much of a strain to do so either – this big travel 29er tips the scales at a respectable 14.56kg.

That’s with the tyres setup tubeless, and we’ve gotta give props to Trek for the fact that the bike arrives genuinely tubeless ready – TLR strips and valves are pre-installed, and two bottles of sealant are included. Just remove the valve cores, squirt in the sealant, inflate and away you go. Nice!

Being the poshest model that comes to Australia, the Slash 9.9 X01 comes decked out with plenty of high-end toys including the new RockShox ZEB Ultimate fork, SRAM X01 Eagle shifting, powerful Code RSC disc brakes, and a 170mm travel dropper post on our Large test bike. There’s plenty of carbon to be found too – the crank arms, handlebars and rims are all made of plastic-fantastic.

Speaking of, both the front triangle and back end are crafted from Trek’s OCLV Mountain carbon fibre, with a magnesium rocker link being the only main metal component of the frame. It leads to an impressively low weight – including the rear shock and hardware, Trek says you’re looking at just 3.12kg for a carbon Slash frame. It’s quite a bit lighter than the alloy version, which is claimed to weigh 4.32kg.

Fit & sizing

We chose a Large size Slash to suit our 181-183cm tall testers. Dan; an accomplished enduro racer who currently rides a Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Carbon in the S3 size. And Ben; a downhiller reborn as an XC/trail pinner who rides a Large-size Trek Top Fuel.

Two different perspectives from two different testers. Dan; an accomplished enduro racer who currently rides a Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Carbon in the S3 size, and Ben; a downhiller reborn as an XC/trail pinner who rides a Large-size Trek Top Fuel.

Both riders were quickly at home with the Slash and its healthy 486mm reach, despite the very short 35mm stem. However, the huge 820mm ape-hangers didn’t last long and were soon chopped down to a more tree-friendly 780mm.

The saddle was also slid as far forward on the rails as it could go. With the saddle height set at 770mm, the seat angle measures out pretty close to the claimed 75.7° (in the Low geometry position). Sliding the saddle forward for our long-legged testers helped steepen it closer to 78°.

There were few complaints in the fit department – the Bontrager Arvada saddle is excellent, and the lock-on grips are nice and tactile, without being offensively so. They do use dual locking clamps, and while the outer collar is smoothly tapered, you can still feel it underneath your gloves if you run your hands wide on the bars. That said, the metal ends have proven to be much more durable than single-locking grips that have rubber ends.

Setting up the Slash

Kudos to Trek for its brilliant suspension setup calculator, which provides a reliable baseline for getting the fork and shock setup for your weight. Combined with the anodised sag gradients on the ZEB fork and Super Deluxe shock, setting up the Slash is made that much easier. We followed the recommendations for our 80kg testers, and both the pressures and rebound settings were pretty much spot on. For reference, Trek recommends 30% sag on the shock and 15% for the fork when sitting stationary on the bike.

There is further tuneability to be had with volume spacers. The ZEB comes with a single Bottomless Token inside, and that suited us fine. The rear shock comes with zero tokens inside, and that also worked well. However, you can add one volume spacer to the shock’s negative spring to make it more linear. Conversely, you can add up to three volume spacers in the shock’s positive spring if you want more progression. That’s probably something only the heaviest of riders will investigate, since the Slash has quite a progressive spring rate to begin with – we never experienced a harsh bottom-out with the stock settings.

Does it get any smoother than this?

Easily the standout attribute of the new Slash is just how plush and controlled the suspension is. We were expecting that from the ZEB Ultimate, as we’ve already tested it separately . It’s a banging fork, with superb suppleness, huge torsional rigidity and steering accuracy that makes it an excellent match for the Slash’s capabilities. It’s the rear suspension that really blew us away though, with a level of off-the-top sensitivity that sees the shock ease into its travel the moment you push down on the saddle.

That activity plays out all the way through the travel too. Trek says the Thru-Shaft damper design eliminates the ‘nose’ of a standard IFP design, and we can believe them. So little force is required to get the shock moving, and it changes direction seamlessly, offering faster reactivity under both compression and extension. Whether it’s copping a square-edge rock at speed, cornering over off-camber washboard bumps on a fast fireroad descent, or skimming across more granular terrain on a loose traverse, the back end maintains a high level of contact with the terrain, boosting grip and confidence levels.

Previous Thru-Shaft shocks have proven to be slippery performers, but now that Trek has ditched the RE:aktiv valve in favour of a more conventional shim stack valve, it’s taken that damping performance to a new level. It’s bloody impressive stuff.

Thanks to the extremely active and supple suspension performance, the Slash is hugely stable in rough terrain. Sure the geometry is dialled, but it’s the suspension on this bike that really encourages you to push hard in technical terrain, knowing the bike will stay composed and stable. It’s a fine example of a bike that rides well beyond the numbers in a geometry chart.

It’s not just a monster truck

From first impressions, our testers initially thought the Slash would be more of a point-and-plow kind of bike. Sure, you can totally ride this way with confidence and let it steamroll down the trail. But where it surprised most was its inherently playful nature. The short chainstays definitely contribute in this regard, and while the shock is extremely sensitive, your feet don’t get lost in a gooey pile of over-damped syrup. That’s the new air spring at play, which delivers fantastically usable mid-stroke support. That responsive attitude encourages you to get creative, try different lines and gap sections of trail.

It’s also a really fun bike to slide around and let the rear hang out when things get loose, giving it a character that is often lost in long travel enduro race bikes. We found the Slash very composed in the air, with the generous travel and progressive end-stroke providing a cosseting return to earth. You can get away with a lot of mistakes while riding this bike, and have an absolute riot doing so.

But where it surprised most was its inherently playful nature. The short chainstays definitely contribute in this regard, and while the shock is extremely sensitive, your feet don’t get lost in a gooey pile of over-damped syrup. That’s the new air spring at play, which delivers fantastically usable mid-stroke support. That responsive attitude encourages you to get creative, try different lines and gap sections of trail.

Given how big and slack it is, we were also really impressed with the Slash’s climbing ability, particularly when things got rough and technical. The buttery shock performance keeps the rear tyre digging for traction, and the low-slung top tube gives you room to manoeuvre. Add in the low gearing from the 30T chainring and 52T sprocket out back, and there’s some serious grunt on offer for muscling your way up choppy ledges, roots and blown-out moto ruts.

The active suspension does mean you’re best to stay in a seated position on smoother climbs though. Stand up to mash the pedals, and Bob will join the party. There’s always the lockout lever, but our testers only ever used it on the road or the smoothest of fireroad climbs – it’s too firm for actual trail riding, and it’s low down enough that it’s a pain to regularly switch back and fourth between smooth and rough sections.

You can tighten things up by flipping the low-speed compression dial into the firmer +1 position though. And because the shock is so supple, it’s possible to run slightly higher pressures to lift the ride height, without sacrificing that much small-bump sensitivity. Flipping the Mino Link into the High position will also help with climbing performance by steepening the effective seat tube angle, while getting you a bit more pedal clearance too.

So stealthy, so quiet!

Modern bikes are getting very good at dampening out noise, but there’s always something that ruins the serenity. Rattly brake pads, a flappy cable, a creaky bearing. Not the Slash though – our test bike developed no play, and no noise all throughout the test period. Just blissful, quiet performance with the sound of tyres rumbling through the forest.

On that note, we love how well thought out the protection on this bike is. The gear cable is shielded underneath a thick chainstay guard, which is textured to dampen chain slap. There’s another strip of rubber on the inside of the drive-side seatstay to eliminate chain contact, and Trek has even put a metal plate below the disc calliper to prevent the rotor from scratching the paint. Brilliant!

This bike is seriously quiet, thanks to carefully managed cabling and a plethora of body armour designed to dampen chain slap and rock strikes.

Those who ride on trails with lots of loose rock will know the importance of downtube protection. It only takes one rock kicked up by the front wheel to lay a crack in a lovingly engineered carbon downtube – we know, it’s happened to us enough times on other bikes. On the Slash, the underside of the downtube is almost entirely covered by two thick, rubber-lined armour plates. As well as giving greater rock strike protection, the extended coverage is also useful for hoisting your bike over the back of a tailgate on shuttle day. The big plastic armour plates are screwed into the frame, so it’s possible to replace them, or remove them if you desperately want to show off more of the Commodore SS paint job.

As well as giving greater rock strike protection, the extended coverage is also useful for hoisting your bike over the back of a tailgate on shuttle day.

The MRP chainguide with its lower bash plate is another handy addition, and the scratches and dings it’s collected from many trail missions attest to its worth. As for the Knock Block? Our testers never noticed it was there, so we’d be happy to leave it in place. It does mean you could trim the cables and brake line to be quite short to neaten up the cockpit, without fear of them being ripped out in the event of a crash.

What could be improved?

Despite Trek’s talk of keeping things balanced and approachable on the Slash, we do think the designers could have gone a lick steeper on the seat tube angle. We’re also not talking about going vertical – an extra degree would do nicely. The Slash is slightly steeper than the Fuel EX (75.6° vs 75°), but because the Slash has more travel and a more active suspension design, the dynamic seat angle is more affected on the climbs as the shock sinks into its travel.

Yes, a steeper seat angle pushes more weight onto your hands. And yes, it’s generally less comfortable for rolling along on more intermediate terrain. But a bike of this travel is generally going to be ridden on bigger and steeper terrain, where horizontal bimbling is less of a consideration.

That being said, the Bontrager Arvada saddle has a usefully long clamping area on its rails, and our testers were able to get into a comfortable position with the saddle slammed all the way forward. The top tube length is quite long on this bike, so the cockpit never felt too cramped even with the saddle in that position.

The takeaway point? The seat angle ain’t a dealbreaker – there’s adjustment there, so use it if you want to get your hips further the cranks. And if you really want to prioritise climbing performance, then you can always flip the Mino Link into the High geometry position.

The Slash is the third Trek we’ve tested with downtube storage, and thankfully this one didn’t have the rattling issues of the last bike . It’s fundamentally a great idea, and the included tool roll is a nice touch – just make sure you use a lightweight inner tube, as a standard tube won’t leave you any room to fit tyre levers or CO2.

On that note, the width of the trapdoor is quite a bit narrower than a Specialized SWAT door (40mm vs 52mm). That 12mm difference makes it quite a bit trickier to fit bulkier items and XL burritos, so it takes a bit more thought and creativity for packing your haul.

While we’re throwing ideas into the wishing well, it’d be great to see the Slash 9.9 come with Bontrager’s new BITS tool system inside the fork steerer tube. That way you could more easily ditch the backpack, knowing that you’ve got all the basic tools and spares with you, hidden in the bike.

Component highs & lows

Overall the Slash 9.9 X01 has impressed us with a great overall package. The suspension, brakes, drivetrain, wheel and tyre combo all support its nature of being a hard-charging bike.

The rear shock is super impressive, being really smooth and supple with no discernible stiction. This translates to amazing small bump response. Coupled with the equally smooth new RockShox ZEB, once set up the bike feels stupendously plush and balanced. When air-sprung forks and shocks are this good, we’re not sure why you would choose heavier, and less adjustable coil suspension.

The Bontrager Line Elite 30 wheels were also a standout. These have recently been redesigned with a new carbon rim profile that’s said to be almost twice as strong as its predecessor. And we’re happy to report that they’ve withstood many jarring interactions with square edge rocks, and are still in one piece. Weighing in at 2,071g, they’re a couple hundred grams more than the Line Pro 30 wheels we have on test separately , but they do get more readily available J-bend spokes, and they still feature the super buzzy Rapid Drive 108 hubs. They also get that 2-year crash replacement deal , if you do manage to toast a rim.

The Bontrager Line Elite 30 wheels are a standout, and the SE5/SE4 tyre combo have been equally impressive, with great grip and decent rolling resistance.

The Bontrager SE5/SE4 tyre combo was equally impressive, with great grip and decent rolling resistance. The rear tyre does look a bit minimal and comes in quite light on the scales at just 919g (the front tyre is 1,059g), but it held up really well in some chunky terrain, suffering a single tiny cut in the sidewall that was easily sealed with a plug. If this were our bike, we’d be putting an insert into the rear tyre anyway.

The Line Elite dropper post seems marginally quicker in action compared to Bontrager’s previous droppers, but it’s still a ways off the light and smooth action of a Fox Transfer or BikeYoke Divine. The lever shape is good though, and overall it’s performed without hassle. We’ll be interested to see how it fares after a full season of abuse.

Flow’s Verdict

The new Trek Slash is one mighty impressive bike. It packs a load of punch, with the big chassis, newly slackened geometry and burly parts spec working up a thirst for high-speed drama. Its punch is delivered inside a velvety smooth glove though, thanks to the outrageously plush suspension that brings comfort, poise and control to the most chundery of trails. Paired to the superb ZEB up front, this bike just oozes confidence.

As descending really steep and gnarly shit has become the raison d’être for the modern enduro bike though, we were worried that Trek would turn the Slash into a pro-only machine. Our doubts proved unfounded though, and that is indeed the biggest surprise of this bike.

Yes it’s a 29er with 170/160mm of travel and a 64° head angle, and it’ll absolutely steamroll the trail if you let it. But it isn’t a tank. It’s comfortable, reasonably efficient, and it actually climbs technical stuff well. We’d have no qualms taking it on bigger all-day missions.

It’s also playful, chuckable and willing to get airborne. And it’s this all-round competence makes the Slash much more versatile than we expected. We had a blast riding this bike, even when the many of our rides might not have warranted such a big travel bike. But when there are so few downsides, we kept asking ourselves; why wouldn’t you want that extra travel?

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Trek Slash 9.9 X01: first ride review

• Alan Muldoon
• September 3, 2020

New Trek Slash is manageable and maneuverable, without forcing you to tip-toe down the toughest trails

Product Overview

Trek slash 9.9 x01.

• Fast and easy to ride. Revised geometry and sizing bring it bang up-to-date. Suspension set-up is straightforward and the drain port in the bottom of the down tube should stop the water pooling below the shock.
• All of the cables need shortening to stop them rattling. Trek’s MinoLink is a non-feature as we never clipped a pedal even in the low setting.

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:.

First ride review of 2021 Trek Slash 9.9. Trek’s 29in enduro trail blazer returns with more travel and a progressive makeover.

>>> Best enduro mountain bikes: 150 to 170mm travel full suspension bikes

Trek Slash 9.9 need to know

• Trek ups the travel on the Slash 29 by 10mm – it 
now gets a 170mm-travel suspension fork with 160mm out back
• The sizing and geometry both move forward, making the frame longer and slacker than before
• Storage has been added to the down tube, and it isn’t exclusive to the carbon models
• Carbon frame with magnesium rocker link and a 34.9mm seat tube diameter for increased dropper post insertion
• New Knock Block design increases the steering angle from 58º to 72º
• Trek offers a five-model range, starting at £2,650 for the alloy Slash 7

The new Slash offers a razor-sharp ride and point and shoot thrills

Back in 2016, when Trek first launched the Slash 29, you could count the number of long-travel big wheelers on 
one hand. Fast forward to today, and the race to be first at any EWS is consistently contested by the likes of Sam Hill and Richie Rude, both riding 29ers. So 29in wheels dominate racing at the highest level, but what has Trek done to guarantee that the latest Slash 29 is every bit as cutting edge as the original? What it hasn’t done is burn the house to the ground and start over. At first glance, the new bike looks a lot like the old one, but even after one ride, it’s clear that it’s a very different proposition. Yes, the OCLV Mountain carbon frame casts a similar shadow, but everything about this bike is different, from the sizing to the travel; even the Knock Block headset has been updated.

ABP suspension design with tweaked kinematics uses custom Thrushaft shock

Let’s start with travel. The old Slash 29 was a 150mm bike with a 160mm fork. The new version gets 10mm more travel at both ends. I measured vertical rear-wheel travel at 157mm so it can definitely be classed as a 160mm bike. The geometry is not quite as accurate though, as I measured the head angle on the new Slash at 63° in the low setting. That’s one-degree slacker than claimed. Not that I’m complaining, because the steering response feels neutral, and at no point did the bike feel too slack. In fact, I was taken aback when I measured the geometry for the first time and discovered that it was much slacker than it felt. The reach on the size large measured a generous, but not overly long, 475mm, but to get a better picture of the sizing we need to take a closer look at the wheelbase. With 1,273mm spanning the contact patches, the new Slash delivers a footprint that’s every bit as big and as stable as the S4 Specialized Enduro.

Down tube storage compartment specced throughout the range

Trek’s signature ABP suspension has also been tweaked. The progression rate and anti-squat have both increased and the Slash now gets a custom Thrushaft RockShox SuperDeluxe shock, with a choice of three compression settings in the open position and an easy-to-reach lockout. The idea being that you can tune the amount of low-speed support you need to match the terrain. In reality, the difference between the three settings is subtle, so I think most riders will leave it in the middle position and be done with it. In playing with the compression settings I did discover that the bypass for the lockout is really effective though, and you can still ride hard even if, like me, you sometimes forget to open up the shock for the descents .

Knock Block steering range has increased to 72°

One pet peeve with the old Slash was the slack 64.6° seat tube angle. Climb anything remotely steep and your weight ended up too rearward, loading the suspension and resulting in increased pedal strikes. To address this, Trek has steepened up the actual seat angle by one degree (actual measured geometry from both bikes). It doesn’t sound like a big change, but it is enough to give an effective seat angle of 75.5°, more than steep enough to winch up anything that I wouldn’t consider getting off to push up. Trek has also boosted the climbing prowess of the Slash by reworking the chainstay to accommodate a smaller 28t chainring. The bike ships stock with a 30t ring, and if you’re looking for more top-end speed, the biggest chainring the frame will accommodate is a 34t. With the expanded 10-52t range of the latest Eagle cassette however, I can’t see many riders needing a 28t ring on the Slash 9.9 X01. Still, it’s good to have it in your back pocket for big days in big mountains if the chairlift isn’t running.

10-52t Eagle cassette offers wide spread of gears

Other tweaks to the latest Slash see Trek dispense with the Straight Shot down tube and increase the range of the Knock Block steering lock from 58° to 72°, so you can now turn on a dime. The updated frame layout also gives you the option to remove the Knock Block entirely, but if you’re racing I still think it’s a worthwhile safety mechanism, as it should stop cables getting ripped out in a crash.

160mm-travel RockShox SuperDeluxe shock with three compression settings

One of my favourite updates to the Trek Slash 9.9 is the addition of down tube storage, first introduced on the Trek Fuel EX . Best of all, it’s also on the aluminium models further down the Slash range. In an interesting move, Trek has shunned the tube-within-tube design for its internal cable routing, the door in the down tube making it pretty easy to run the cables though the frame and out to the stays. I’m not sure it’s a good move though, as there’s quite a bit of cable rattle. Stuffing an inner tube and some snacks into the down tube quietened it down a bit, but all of the cables on our test bike were really long, and constantly rattled against each other. Fingers crossed, shortening the cables will be enough to improve the acoustics on this otherwise silent ride.

How it rides

I’m always suspicious of any enduro bike that pedals as well as the new Trek Slash 9.9. Sure, they tend to feel amazing when pootling along on your local trails, then you take it somewhere fast, rough and demanding, only to discover the shortcomings in the suspension within the first few turns. Thankfully, the new Trek Slash isn’t one such bike.

Yes, you can still be as precise as a fine-tipped pen when you need to be on a specific line, but the Trek Slash 9.9 also allows you to paint in broad brush strokes, so you can ride with reckless abandon and let your creative juices flow on any canvas. It’s what makes the Slash such an easy bike to ride, and to ride fast. It also makes it very versatile. While bikes like the Specialized Enduro Elite feel a lot like downhill rigs, the Slash is more manageable and maneuverable, without forcing you to tip-toe down the toughest trails. Both bikes share similar geometry, but Trek’s shorter reach actually gives you more wiggle room, not less. And if that sounds counterintuitive, it is. I think it’s because really long front ends tend to pull you into a more fixed riding position, but with the 475mm reach on the size large Slash you can move your weight around more freely simply by bending or extending your arms. This also makes it easier to load the front tyre on flatter trails. Yes, it’s about choosing your battles, so what the Trek loses in raw, straight-line speed it more than makes up for in agility, while still managing to advance the new Slash 29 on all other fronts.

Could the BB height on the Slash 29 be a hair lower? Sure it could, as I never so much as kissed a pedal on the ground, even with 175mm crankarms and the MinoLink in the low geometry setting. Did it slow the Slash 29 down any? Not one jot.

The New Trek Slash 9.9 Plows As Expected, But Pedals and Pops Too!

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I’m lucky to live in an area with delightfully steep and rough terrain. Because of that, long-travel bikes like Trek’s Slash are right up my alley. The 2024 Slash’s generation 6 frame is ready to get rowdy with a new high-pivot suspension linkage and 170mm travel. The bike simply plows through rough terrain, but remains impressively capable of getting itself back uphill for more laps.

The short story is I have nothing negative to say about Trek’s transition to the high-pivot suspension linkage. The new Slash is buttery smooth, yet offers a surprisingly poppy ride and still climbs as aggressively as their ABP bikes. The Slash is not the lightest bike, but that’s kinda fair since it’s such a beast.

2024 Trek Slash: Key Specs

For full details on the new Slash lineup, check out my launch article from September.  Before we get into the ride review, here are a few key specs and features of the 2024 Slash.

Most models of the Slash, including the 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type model I tested, come with full carbon frames. There are two aluminum complete models and an alloy frameset in the lineup. Of course, the biggest update for the Slash is the high-pivot linkage. The Slash now offers 170mm rear travel and all models come with 170mm forks.

Another interesting change for the new Slash is that they all come stock with a mixed-wheel setup (except small frames, which run dual 27.5” wheels). Frame sizes medium and up can run a 29” rear wheel, but you must buy the geo-correcting shock mounts from Trek. You’ll also have to remove the rear fender, as it doesn’t leave enough clearance for the 29” rear wheel.

The Slash boasts very slack and adjustable head tube angles, which can be altered by adding Trek’s angle adjust headset cups. Trek also incorporated their leverage rate chip into the shock mounts, offering ‘less’ and ‘more’ progressive settings. The Slash does not have Trek’s mino link anymore, as the other adjustments offer plenty of opportunity for fine tuning. Trek also decided to do away with their Knock Block headset.

A nice finishing touch for the carbon-framed Slash is Trek’s new ‘Carbon Armor’ frame protection. Before they’re painted, Trek wraps the frames with an impact-resistant film.

The Slash 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type (size M/L) weighs 35.76 lbs with pedals. Considering this is a beastly 170mm travel bike, and has extra hardware for its high pivot linkage, I guess I couldn’t hope for much better. I have to say though, with a full carbon frame, carbon rims and a lightweight carbon bar/stem combo, I was a bit surprised to see this high-end model come in over 35lbs.

Geometry/Fit:

At 5’10” and riding a M/L frame, I’m very happy with the Slash’s geometry. For this article, I’ll discuss the geo of my test bike, which has neutral headset cups and its stock mixed-wheel setup. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a compatible 29” rear wheel on hand to test.

So you know, the geometry remains very similar if you install a 29” rear wheel. Aside from the chainstay length growing by 6mm, there are very minor differences in certain angles and measurements. Check out Trek’s website to see all the different geo charts.

My test bike’s head tube angle is 63.3°, and I loved it. The slack steering angle tackles steep and rough terrain like a champ, but as I’ve found with slacker long-travel bikes it doesn’t hamper climbing ability by much. I’m not sure if I would go any slacker for trail riding, but if I set up a Slash for bike park shredding I’d be tempted to try the slacker headset cups. At 63.3° the Slash offers a ton of stability and feels great on steep downhills, yet the bike still doesn’t feel overly long or clumsy on tight switchbacks.

Helping get you uphill is a steep effective seat mast angle of 77.3°. With a lengthy reach of 468.1mm, that steep seat tube leans you into a well-balanced position over the bike. This is one of the longer bikes I’ve ridden, but I never felt like my arms were overextended.

With Trek’s size-specific chainstays, the M/L mixed-wheel Slash’s rear end measures 434.2mm. This middle-of-the-road length, especially with the 27.5” rear wheel, keeps the Slash pleasantly agile. Overall the bike feels long and very stable at speed, but the rear end simply whips around corners. I should note this is the first MX bike I’ve ridden, and I quickly understood why people like them. I’ve never been amazing at cornering, but I felt like I suddenly got better when I hopped on this bike!

Looking at the numbers, the Slash isn’t the lowest bike out there. The standover height is not particularly low at 766mm, and neither is the BB height of 351mm. Up front the stack height is 632.1mm. I don’t remember banging pedals or the 165mm cranks very much, so the BB height allows decent clearance on the trail. It’s higher than some competitors, but the Slash’s long wheelbase and slack steering still provide a very stable ride.

On my first ride with the Slash, I did notice the slightly sluggish roll of the 27.5” rear wheel. I had been riding niners for a few weeks before the Slash arrived, and I have to admit I felt the difference right away.

That said, I quickly forgot about the smaller rear wheel and adapted to the Slash’s ride. While I’ll never say it’s the best climber I’ve ridden, it does very well for how burly a bike it is. Shedding some weight and running 29” wheels would make it climb better, but that’s not what the Slash is all about. Trek describes this bike as ‘70% downhill, 30% uphill’ but I’d say it climbs a little better than that suggests. 

I’ve always found Trek’s ABP linkage to climb aggressively and powerfully, and the new high-pivot version doesn’t behave too differently. Trek tuned the new Slash’s anti-squat to be pretty close to their Top Fuel XC/trail bike, so your pedalling inputs won’t force you deep into the Slash’s lengthy travel.

Climbing singletrack with the shock in firm, I’d get about 50% travel. In open mode, the shock would dip a bit further but top out around 60-65%. I’ll take the slightly rougher ride and increased pedal support from the shock’s firm mode, because in either setting I had solid traction on any singletrack climb. In firm mode the Slash doesn’t erase small bumps; you still feel the trail below you with the shock resisting those low-speed impacts.

In open mode, the shock helps soften those small bumps and offers a more comfortable ride. Fortunately, there is little sacrifice in pedalling efficiency when the shock is left open, so riders looking for maximum traction can opt to climb this long-travel machine wide open with practically no penalty.  

With the rear shock left wide open, I tried some hard pedaling and sprinting on paved roads to see what the Slash’s high-pivot linkage would do. Sitting down and mashing the pedals as best I could, I could not get the bike beyond 40% travel (from 30% sag). Even standing up and sprinting, I only made it a bit further than 40%. It’s clear that Trek’s linkage handles pedaling forces very well. The bike was in its ‘more’ progressive position for this test, but I don’t think it would behave much differently in the ‘less’ setting so early in the travel.

It’s always nice when a bike has no unusual setup requirements. With the Slash, I pumped the shock up to body weight in psi, set rebound/compression to my usual ranges, and the bike was dialed. Right away I was getting full travel from the rear shock (with the leverage chip in ‘less’ position), which is sometimes an issue for my 145lbs self.

Descending:

I’ve always found Trek’s MTBs to be great at gobbling up bumps, but the high-pivot Slash is even better. I noticed it does particularly well at eating up mid-sized bumps, happily plowing through roots and rocks. The rearward axle path does a great job of numbing bigger hits and keeping the Slash feeling planted on rough trails. I found the bike cushions landings very well, especially on little jumps that send you right onto a rocky or rooty patch. 

It’s hard to pinpoint a weak spot in the Slash’s suspension. At higher speeds, the bike smooths out small bump chatter very well, and as noted above it rounds off medium and big hits nicely.

Furthermore, with all that squish when you want it, the Slash actually seems to pop off jumps a bit better than the 2019 Remedy I owned for several years. It also springs out of corners surprisingly well, as I’ve traditionally found Treks to be a better example of plowy than lively and poppy. It seems the big Slash has maintained an impressive degree of mid-stroke support.

Just looking at this frame, you’d probably expect it to be stiff and you’d be correct. Just like the previous generation Slash and Fuel EX I rode, I found the 2024 Slash’s frame offers a solid, commanding feel as you charge down rough trails.

For most of my rides, I had the leverage chip in its ‘less’ setting, but I flipped it to ‘more’ for my last few test laps. Interestingly, the ‘more’ setting doesn’t seem to increase bottom-out resistance by much; I hit full travel on a typical trail loop in the first ride in this setting.

What I found is the rear wheel does feel like it’s resisting bigger, sharper hits more. Under my lightweight self, the Slash felt a bit less plowy and the back wheel would bounce a bit more facing sharp impacts. The only time I got a good ‘thunk’ out of this bike’s rear end was while riding in the ‘more’ position. For me, there’s no question I’d keep the Slash in its ‘less’ setting. The biggest joy of this bike is how capably it sucks up rough terrain, and I’ll take all the squish it has to offer.

The Slash’s 27.5” rear wheel offers good clearance. I rode the steepest trail in my local network and didn’t hit my ass on the tire once (and I have on my personal 29er)! As mentioned above, the mullet setup also has an immediately noticeable benefit in the corners. After you initiate a turn, you then feel the back end hook in and bring you around quicker than a 29er would.

Chain Drop?

Some of you may have seen reports of the new Slash dropping chains. Apparently, some of the bikes were sent out with the lower chain guides incorrectly installed, and some riders had issues with chain drop. After many rides on my test bike, I got the notice from Trek and found out it was indeed not to spec… however I never dropped a chain.

By the time I got the info on how to correct the situation, winter had set in and my testing was pretty much done. I rode the bike two or three more times without even adjusting the chain guide, and still never once lost my chain.

To fix this issue Trek is making sure all Slashes will now be shipped out with the correct setup. They’ve also notified dealers on how to fix the issue, and as an extra precaution, they’re supplying upper idler pulleys with longer teeth to dealers at no charge. As of early 2024, anyone with a new Slash can go to their local shop and have the revised idler installed.

If you’re wondering about potentially increased drag with the high-pivot chain line, I can’t say I noticed anything measurable. Of course, this is a brand new bike; over time the upper pulley might produce extra drag if the bearing wears out, but with all new components the Slash pedalled like any other MTB.

Components:

A RockShox Zeb fork was the obvious choice for the burly new Slash. The 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type bike I rode gets the Ultimate model with a DebonAir spring and Charger 3 RC2 damper. The fork is stiff, offers great initial sensitivity, and sucks up bigger hits in class-leading fashion.

Out back, RockShox’s Vivid Ultimate rear shock performed great with very little fidgeting. The stock tune feels pretty linear which works well for a smaller guy like me, allowing full squish on nearly any descent. The shock’s firm mode resists low-speed impacts nicely, but doesn’t ride like you’re at near-lockout firmness.   

Overall I had great performance from the SRAM X0 Eagle AXS T-Type drivetrain and dropper post. However, the dropper post suddenly stopped working in the middle of my third ride. Once I got home I simply paired up the post and control pod, and since then everything has worked perfectly. 

The 30t chainring and 10-52t cassette provide a vast gear range for trail riding, and shifting performance was basically flawless throughout my test. I unfortunately gave the T-Type X0 derailleur’s cage a good smash and a nasty bend, but didn’t notice right away because gear shifting was still fine! The derailleur will skip lightly when backpedaling but it still doesn’t derail at all, which is impressive.

Bontrager’s Line Pro 30 carbon wheels held up great through my test, showing no signs of damage or warpage. The Slash’s wheels come tubeless with a Bontrager SE6 Team Issue 29×2.5” front tire and a Team Issue SE5 27.5×2.5” rear tire. These tires offer a well-rounded tread that rolls fairly fast and provides good grip on all surfaces. 

Bontrager’s RSL carbon bar/stem combo is hard not to enjoy looking at! The rise is 27.5mm, stem length is 35mm, and the bars come stock at 820mm wide . The 7° backsweep and 6° upsweep is a bit more up and less back than most bars I’ve ridden, but I found them comfortable. I would have liked to ride the full width, but my bars had been cut to 795mm. I rode these bars uncut on the previous generation Slash and was surprised how much I liked them.

SRAM’s Code Silver 4-piston brakes with 200mm rotors had no shortage of power, reeling in this big bike with great modulation and more than ample bite force.

The 170mm dropper post on the M/L frame gets low and out of the way. I didn’t have any problems riding with the Bontrager Arvada saddle, but I find it a bit hard and not the most comfortable. 

The Slash’s rear fender seems to work fairly well. After a wet, snowy ride I still had mud spray all the way up the back of my jacket, but less than what I expected. I also noticed the back of the dropper post and under the saddle weren’t that dirty.

Trek’s Carbon Armor seems to help resist frame damage well. After close inspection, I could only find a few very minor knicks or scratches on the Slash. The down tube, BB shell and all the areas prone to rock strikes from the rear wheel remain basically unscathed. 

Frame Storage:

Trek’s in-frame storage was revised for the Slash, offering a larger door and an updated latch. The storage compartment is easy to open and close, and the included Bontrager BITS tool roll has spots for a CO2 canister, an inflator head, a multi-tool, and a tube (although it’ll have to be a thin one). Trek added ‘chunnels’ inside the Slash’s frame to keep your tool roll/cargo from snagging on your cables. They seemed to work well, I had no issues with anything snagging inside the frame.

Bontrager’s BITS steerer tube multi-tool is also included on all Slash 9.9 models – a nice finishing touch for these top-tier builds! 

The 2024 Trek Slash 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type retails for $9399. Frame color options are Daintree, Lichen Green (as tested), or Argent Drizzle.

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!

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Trek Slash 9.9 X01 Enduro MTB review

We took the trek slash 9.9 x01 to our toughest local trails to see how its new shape and unique shock translate to the real world.

BikePerfect Verdict

Ragingly fast and precise enduro race bike with all-day efficiency and a ton of practical details for those who can afford and appreciate it

Phenomenal rear suspension

Awesome aggro geometry

Precision accuracy

High control cockpit

Internal storage

Efficient pedaling

Threaded BB

Optional steering lock

More confident with switched tires

ZEB fork requires some patience

Deserves better wheels

Short dropper on small sizes

Seriously grounded rather than playful

Why trust BikePerfect Our cycling experts have decades of testing experience. We'll always share our unbiased opinions on bikes and gear. Find out more about how we test.

The Trek Slash 9.9 X01 is the brand's flat-out fast long-travel 29er set to do battle against the best enduro mountain bikes . The 2021 model gets a new frame, new geometry, new features and RockShox's take on Trek's proprietary Thru Shaft shock technology. The result is a seriously accurate, phenomenally controlled, track or trail dominating high-velocity weapon that’s still pedal efficient and loaded with practical details for big days out. You’ll need to be regularly hitting big stuff at full gas to get the most from it though, and we’d switch the tires round, too.

Design and geometry

The Trek Slash 9.9 X01's layout is the same as it's always been. Massive shallow S-shaped downtube, stout and oversized ‘brow’ 8 headtube, steep top tube and a thick square section seat tube with forwarding kink to mount the short rocker link that drives the shock down towards the BB. The linkage attaches to the long braced seat stays via Trek’s much-copied ‘Mino’ link that can be flipped to change angles by 0.5 degrees and BB height by 7mm. The stays meet at an ABP (Active Braking Pivot) concentric with the rear axle and then the deep chainstays kick back up to the main pivot just higher than the top and fractionally behind the center of the 30T chainring.

For this year though, that chainset mounts via a threaded rather than press-fit bottom bracket. The massive downtube now has a hatch under the full-size bottle cage to access internal storage (pouch included). The seat tube is 34.9mm in diameter for the stiffest possible dropper shaft and there’s an extra replaceable guard under the downtube to protect the OCLV Carbon if you’re shuttling over the tailgate of a pickup. The internal control routing is muffled with internal clips and bolted entry inserts. The neck of the downtube is no longer dead straight either, so there’s enough clearance for a fork to spin right around. That means the ‘Knock Block’ limiter key in the top tube works with headset spacers that have 72-degrees of rotation on either side of straight (rather than the previous 58-degrees) or you can just remove the key entirely for a free spin.

The other angles of the bike have been altered too, bringing it back in line with the c urrent crop of enduro bikes. Depending on where you have the Mino Link chipset the head angle is now 64.1-degrees or 64.6-degrees and the effective seat angle is 75.6-degrees or 76.1-degrees. Reach has been extended significantly on all sizes with the large size now stretching to 486 or 491mm with a 450mm seat tube. Travel also goes up by 10mm to 160mm at the rear with a 170mm fork. These features and geometry changes also appear on the alloy framed bikes, including the storage which, according to Trek’s designers, was one of the hardest parts of the whole frame development process. Working around the packaging demands of the unique shock was another headache, but the end result is you can fit any damper you want into the Slash frame and the kinematic works with coil too.

• Best enduro mountain bike
• Best trail bike

Components and build

The 9.9 is the top Slash available in the UK and comes with the choice of two of the best MTB groupsets , a Shimano XTR spec or the SRAM X01 version we tested. As you’d hope that gets you an almost complete set of X01 gearing (the chain is GX) complete with carbon armed chainset, 30T ring and an MRP chain guard/guide as standard. Brakes are powerful and widely adjustable SRAM Code RSC with a 200mm rotor up front, but a mid-sized 180mm rear. The tires reverse that control balance with a 29 x 2.4in lower tread SE4 tire on the front and a blockier 29 x 2.6in SE5 on the rear, both featuring reinforced Core Strength carcasses. You get Bontrager’s affordable Line Elite 30 carbon rim wheels as standard which aren’t as light as the best mountain bike wheels (just under 1,900g a pair) but the OCLV lay up is seriously tough. They come set up tubeless as standard too so you don’t have to fight with the tight fit. Bontrager supply the keyed stem for the Knock Block steering lock, the extra-wide 820mm carbon bar and the short-as-possible 35mm stem. The oversized 34.9mm shaft dropper post ranges from 100 to 200mm stroke depending on frame size. All 9.9 bikes get 170mm of travel from the huge 38mm stanchion RockShox ZEB fork, with 160mm of rear suspension controlled by a custom Super Deluxe Push shock. There are two lower-priced carbon models - 9.8 and 9.7 - which get a Thru Shaft shock, as well as two alloy models with conventional shocks starting with the Slash 7 at $3,499.99/£2,950. 

Ride, handling, and performance 

The Slash has always been one of the stiffest-feeling enduro bikes around. While the downtube has now been lifted and curved at the head end and cut open for the storage hatch, the OCLV Mountain Carbon chassis still has an immediate rock-solid feel. While it doesn’t get the lifetime ‘no questions asked’ warranty of similarly stiff but heavier frames like the Santa Cruz Megatower and Yeti SB-150, you do get reduced price replacement under Trek’s Carbon Care program.

The big 820mm bars add extra power steering leverage and the 38mm stanchions on the ZEB fork are unerringly rigid under braking or turning. That does count against them at first, as it takes a while for the seals to ease up and smooth out. While the smaller volume tire means it cuts rather than drifts in slop, the shallower tread and correspondingly lower grip of the 2.4in SE4 front tire was a limiting factor of just how hard we could push the Slash at first. However the fix is easy: we switched the chunkier, hard railing SE5 rear tire onto the front and put the SE4 on the back. This improved our confidence noticeably, particularly for UK winter conditions.

• Best mountain bike wheels
• Best mountain bike tires

To put tire performance into perspective we are also talking about an enduro bike that already sneers at normally challenging terrain with such arrogant contempt it requires a significant reset of your expectations. While it will roll efficiently over tamer terrain and lamer line choices, it’s when you give it the space and speed to really open up that the Slash shifts from sorted to superlative.

The slacker, longer, lower geometry, with deliberately slightly lengthened chainstays, is locked in with outstanding axle-to-axle stiffness laying down a super stable stance. It’s the Thru Shaft shock that really capitalizes on the trail-crushing potential of the chassis, though. By pushing the shaft right through the body it avoids the sprung resistance and stiction of a conventional oil volume compensating internal floating piston, so it feels more reactive, accurate and - for want of a better word - relaxed when you’re at the ragged edge. The combination of carefully curated shock rate and the naturally neutral wheel behavior of the ABP pivot means it never feels lost, slow or wallowing despite the 160mm stroke. The progression from supple, traction-hungry, chatter-erasing initial stroke (helped by the bigger 2.6in rear tire) to shoe-sole flexing, berm-blowing mid-stroke support and slap, and spike-free handling of the biggest drops, is utterly consistent and precisely communicative too. While the default center position of the low-speed compression adjustment is a great balance for all-round riding a simple pull and click to more or less damping makes an immediate and appreciative difference. Perfect for dialing in exactly the shock feel you want for each section of the trail without having to disturb the baseline settings. Initial setup is also easy thanks to Trek’s online setup calculator and the use of a numbered rebound adjuster rather than a manual count dial.

The only downside to the impressive back end, is that the multi-adjustable and normally awesome feeling ZEB Ultimate fork regularly felt shaded by the chassis control when the Slash was getting into its stride. Wonderfully feedback-rich brakes, high strength carbon rims (that survived plenty of rim hits when we got a temporary slow flat, sturdy tires (which stayed on when we had that flat), plenty of seat post drop (on the L and XL at least) and the extra peace of mind from the frame armor, chainring protector and chain retainer mean no worries about the rest of the spec either.

While attacking the most aggressive lines and straight-lining the most brutal terrain at race velocities is where the Trek is designed to fully flex its performance, it won’t sulk too badly if you’re not an Enduro World Series-caliber pilot on an appropriately terrifying track. What the Bontrager SE4 tire lacks in glory grip, it gains in easy and efficient rolling and when we switched the rubber round the Slash can properly hustle. The super fast pick up of the rear hub and the permanently poised suspension help offset the chunky weight of the Line Elite wheels too. Add the efficiency amplifying stiffness of the frame and our testers were consistently surprised how well the Slash pedaled even on prolonged climbs or road/fire road transition sections and we rarely used the ‘locked’ position on the shock. Excellent rear wheel traction and communication means you’ll rarely dab a foot on the way back up even the most technical trails either, although we did nudge the saddle forward on the rails to balance the throwback of the post in the steeply sloped upper seat tube. Inevitably the big wheels, super stable handling and 14.6kg weight mean it can become a wrestling match compared to a lighter, shorter and/or 27.5in wheeled bike if you let speed drop too low or lose focus and swap the racing line for a swamp.

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Most bikes in the Enduro category claim to be race machines but few - if any - communicate their extreme course-crushing performance with as much clarity and authority as Trek’s new Slash. Evolved, stability-boosting geometry, superbly sorted suspension baseline with dialed on-the-fly fine tweaking and excellent pedaling response, make it one of the most speed-hungry, high-velocity bikes we’ve ever ridden. It’s tough and seismically assured enough to hit up the bike park but loaded with the practical details and pedaling efficiency to make it a big day happy, no limits trail bike too. As sturdy as they are, sub £800 ‘budget’ carbon wheels don’t sit right on an over 8K bike, it definitely deserves a grippier front tire and even the mighty ZEB fork can feel shaded by the unique Thru Shaft back end and carbon chassis. 

Test conditions

• Temperature: 0-7 degrees, rain, sleet, ice, occasional weak, watery sun
• Surface: Wet, muddy, rooty, rocky, natural and bike park
• Routes: Natural wild trails, old school DH and red and black, rocky bike park 

Tech Specs: Trek Slash 9.9 X01

• Price: $8,499.99 / £8,250.00
• Head angle: 64 degrees
• Frame material: OCLV Mountain Carbon
• Sizes: S-XL (L tested)
• Weight: 14.6kg
• Wheel size: 29-inch
• Suspension: RockShox ZEB Ultimate 170 mm travel, RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate 160 mm travel
• Components: SRAM X01 Eagle 10-50T 12-speed gearing, shifter and 30T chainset, GX Eagle chain. MRP Chain guide and guard SRAM Code RSC brakes with 200mm front and 180mm rear rotors. Bontrager SE4 Team Issue 29 x 2.4in front and Bontrager SE5 Team Issue 29 x 2.6in rear tires on Bontrager Line Elite 30, OCLV Mountain Carbon wheels. Bontrager Line Pro, OCLV Carbon 820mm carbon bar and Bontrager Line Pro, Knock Block 35mm stem, Bontrager Line Elite Dropper 170 mm travel dropper post, Bontrager Arvada Austenite railed saddle.

Guy has been working on Bike Perfect since we launched in 2019. Hatched in Yorkshire he's been hardened by riding round it in all weathers since he was a kid. He spent a few years working in bike shops and warehouses before starting writing and testing for bike mags in 1996. Since then he’s written several million words about several thousand test bikes and a ridiculous amount of riding gear. To make sure he rarely sleeps and to fund his custom tandem habit, he’s also penned a handful of bike-related books and talks to a GoPro for YouTube, too.

Current rides: Cervelo ZFS-5, Forbidden Druid V2, Specialized Chisel, custom Nicolai enduro tandem, Landescape/Swallow custom gravel tandem

Height: 180cm

Weight: 69kg

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Trek Slash 9.9 29 RSL - Review

Cool Features

• Rider Notes

2019 Trek Slash 9.9

A 29″ carbon frame full suspension enduro bike with ultra high-end components. Compare the full range

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Based on frame geometry and build specs.

A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

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Dec 2020 · Mike Wirth

The new Trek Slash 9.9 X01 sees many updates making it an even more capable all-mountain, enduro mountain bike. See how it performed.

Read Review

Dec 2020 · Mike Kazimer

The Slash received multiple updates for 2021, but it's still an enduro race machine at heart.

Light and stiff frame – encourages you to go fast

Great shock tune

In-frame storage

Wide range of available frame size options

Seat tube angle could still be a bit steeper

Shorter cranks and an even longer dropper post would have been nice to see

Sep 2020 · Alan Muldoon

First ride review of 2021 Trek Slash 9.9. Trek’s 29in enduro trail blazer returns with more travel and a progressive makeover.

Fast and easy to ride. Revised geometry and sizing bring it bang up-to-date. Suspension set-up is straightforward and the drain port in the bottom of the down tube should stop the water pooling below the shock.

All of the cables need shortening to stop them rattling. Trek’s MinoLink is a non-feature as we never clipped a pedal even in the low setting.

After making an unofficial appearance last weekend at the Enduro World Series event in Zermatt, Switzerland, the latest incarnation of the Trek Slash was officially unveiled Wednesday. On paper, the new 29er rock smasher looks to be more capable than its predecessor, boasting a bump in rear suspension travel from 150 mm rear/160 mm front to 160 mm/170 mm.

Trek is ready to unleash the new Slash, which gets more travel, a more practical frame design and a very special rear shock. We've been testing the 2021 Trek Slash 9.9 for the past month, and it turns out this ain't no one-trick pony. Read on for everything you need to know about the new Slash.

Wickedly supple and sensitive suspension

Super stable in steep and rough terrain

The playful, agile attitude

Generous frame protection

Stealthy quiet on the trail

Downtube storage could be more generous

We'd like to see a slightly steeper seat tube angle

Jun 2019 · Steve Solt

This 150/160mm aluminum 29er features trail handling and enduro travel.

May 2019 · McCoy

Economy-class enduro

The Slash 29 didn’t just turn heads, it blew minds, when it launched three years ago. And now it comes in an affordable, aluminum-frame option.

Last updated September 6 Not listed for 1,687 days

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Review: Trek Slash 9.9

• Full carbon frame
• Revised geometry
• 160mm rear / 170mm front travel
• Adjustable geometry
• 73mm threaded bottom bracket
• Internal frame storage (on all models)
• Price: $7,999
• Weight: 32.5 pounds w/o pedals
• Available now
• Visit www.trekbikes.com for more information

Attachments

sonofmickel

OMG! Threaded BB!! After market shocks!!! Ability to remove Knock Block!!!! When will the Fuel EX get these "features"?  

where is the XL??? bikes for tiny people  

Liam_Shield

32.5#? No, I mean 32.5# for a Carbon-framed, $8K bike? WTH?  

All Enduro bikes have been getting heavier and heavier over the last 3 years. No longer the perfect aggressive trail bike. I have a 2016 enduro-type bike of a different brand. 28.5 pounds (27/5) w/pedals. NEVER would I consider the newest model with the same name as its over 31 w/o pedals  

Hot take warning: To everyone that is saying they would never consider an Enduro bike that weighs 30-35lb because their 5 year old bike weighs less, these modern bikes are built for the people and trails that eat sub 30lb bikes alive on a regular basis. 5 year old Enduro bikes are more comparable to a modern 130-150 trail bike in the trails they are designed for except the modern trail bike will be easier on the up and faster on the down. As somebody who regularly destroys anything less than a dh wheel and tire I'm more than happy with my 35lb Enduro 29er.  

My current Enduro bike (2015 Nukeproof Mega AM) weighs in at 39lb with Michelin DH22 tyres, Hope DH brakes with 205mm rotors and no coil shock (CCDB Air) so if you've got a bike which tracks better, climbs better and is stiffer for 32.5lb then that wins with me. The problem is that most riders simply don't understand what these bikes are capable of, nor are they able to actually use them properly and so either punter around a forest and complain how heavy they are, or they say 'that's a ridiculous weight for the money' when in reality they're as good as what we were racing DH on ten years ago, if not better, yet you can go out and have 60km days of 2000m pedalled ascent/descent, all while hitting big tracks at speed. They're astounding bikes and have allowed us to build ever steeper and bigger tracks to make the most of these. If you don't want to ride around on a 30lb+ bike then your riding clearly isn't hard hitting enough to require one. But here's the thing; just because your riding doesn't require a big bike that doesn't mean that other people aren't using these bikes to their full potential, nor that the bikes are 'ridiculous'.  

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New 2024 Trek Slash 9.9 XO AXS first ride review – A new evolutionary stage of high pivot bikes?

The new 2024 Trek Slash is right on trend: high pivot rear suspension, mullet wheel set-up, generous amounts of travel and plenty of adjustment options. Furthermore, it combines both familiar and newly developed features that are meant to simplify your riding experience. After six weeks of testing on both sides of the pond, we were able to gather countless impressions, both good and not so good.

The Slash has been an integral part of Trek’s portfolio for over 10 years, and is now entering its 6th generation. The most significant innovation is the new rear suspension, which relies on a high pivot design and generates a very generous amount of travel, bringing the Slash in line with the latest generation of enduro bikes. Up until now, Trek have only used the high pivot system on their downhill bike, the Session, which nevertheless allowed them to gather lots of practical experience with the system and use their World Cup riders’ feedback to develop the new enduro rig. The new Slash generates 170 mm of travel both front and rear, and rolls out of the factory sporting a mullet. An interchangeable shock mount, however, allows you to convert it to a full 29er. As usual, Trek are releasing both an alloy and a carbon version of the new Slash, both of which are available in several different spec variants. We’ve already put the new Trek Slash 9.9 XO AXS 2024 through the wringer over a 6 month period, dipping its tires both into Canadian and European soil to gather some exciting insights.

The detail solutions of the new 2024 Trek Slash

The predecessor of the 2024 Trek Slash already came with a practical storage compartment integrated into the down tube, which Trek has updated for the latest Slash iteration. The opening is much bigger, making it easier to reach all the trail essentials you store inside it. Moreover, the edges of the compartment are still framed with a plastic liner, preventing you from cutting your fingers or damaging the contents when you pull them out of the compartment. The alloy frame has a storage compartment too and all models come standard with a small pouch for all your trail essentials, which can be easily pulled out of the frame using the bright red Cordura tab. The closure system relies on a simple lever that disappears under the bottle cage when engaged, and is easy to operate even while wearing gloves. The cables of the new Slash are routed internally and only reappear briefly at the transition from the main frame and swingarm. The cable ports are in a rather unusual position, sitting prominently on the front of the head tube – this look takes some getting used to! In combination with a wireless drivetrain, Trek close the cable ports with small rubber plugs.

There’s an additional tool mount underneath the top tube, which allows you to carry a spare inner tube or a tool strap, for example. In typical Trek fashion, the new Session comes standard with an integrated Bontrager BITS mini tool in the steerer tube, which includes all of the basic tools required for essential trailside repairs. That said, removing the tool from the steerer tube requires strong fingers and, as usual, the lever of the closing mechanism rattles on the trail. Trek also hide a 6 mm Allen key in the rear thru-axle.

For model year 2024, Trek provided the Slash with several protective features, all of which are meant to preserve the bike’s value. Amongst them is the generously sized integrated mudguard, which is bolted directly to the seat stay and is meant to protect the seat tube from stray rocks. Unfortunately, this has to be removed if you want to swap the 27.5” rear wheel for a bigger 29″ rear wheel. Furthermore, the down tube comes standard with a pair of dual-density TPU plates, which allow you to replace the inner section if it gets damaged. In addition, the frame comes with an additional protective layer under the final finish. Trek also redeveloped the chainstay protector from the ground up, raising both the inner and outer edges to prevent chain slap more effectively – and this really works, ensuring a quiet ride on the trail.

The high-pivot rear suspension of the new 2024 Trek Slash

While the new 2024 Trek Slash 2024 still relies on the same linkage-driven single pivot rear suspension, it combines it with a high pivot point design. This positions the main pivot point well above the chainring, allowing the rear wheel to swing up and backwards during an impact. This rearward axle path can help to make the suspension feel smoother over square-edged hits, ironing out roots and rocks more efficiently. However, the system also has its drawbacks: as the axle moves rearwards through the travel, the distance between the cassette and chainring grows, resulting in wheelbase and chainstay growth. This pulls the chain backwards, manifesting in high levels of pedal kickback and resulting in an imbalanced weight distribution of the rider on the bike throughout the travel. To counteract this, a chain idler pulley is fitted on the seat tube, which helps minimise pedal kickback and also gives high-pivot bikes their characteristic look. This also allows the engineers to fine tune the bike’s anti-squat and anti-rise levels independently simply by moving the position of the idler pulley. The unusually big 19T idler pulley is meant to mitigate the negative effect that the high pivot system has on pedalling efficiency, because the bigger pulley has a wider radius. Furthermore, Trek use a small chain guide to prevent the chain from falling off the idler.

The new 2024 Slash also features an additional pulley below the chainstay, which isn’t that common with high pivot bikes. This special pulley also includes an MRP bash guard and can be retrofitted to other high pivot bikes. Its job is to prevent the chain from stretching under the chainstay and thus to stop it from pulling on the rear derailleur. That said, even with the biggest XL frame, the chain runs at a sharp angle in the lowest gears, as the distance between the rear derailleur cage and the idler pulley is very small. While this didn’t cause us any problems on the trail, we’re not sure how good this is, both for pedalling efficiency and the chain’s service life. Speaking of the chain, with all frame sizes up to L, you’ll get away with a conventional 126-link chain. The new Slash in XL, however, requires 128 links, meaning that you need two chains.

The new 2024 Slash still relies on Trek’s proprietary Active Breaking Pivot or ABP technology, which can be found on most of their full suspension bikes and is designed to keep the rear suspension active even under heavy braking, helping to maintain traction.

The spec of our test bike – The Trek 2024 Slash 9.9 XO AXS

Our Trek Slash test bike comes equipped with Rockshox Ultimate suspension consisting of a 170 mm ZEB Charger 3.0 fork with independently adjustable low- and high-speed compression damping, and a brand- new Vivid Ultimate air shock , which offers externally adjustable compression and rebound settings as well as a climb switch. Unlike the Super Deluxe, the new Vivid relies on a high-volume air chamber and Rockshox’s new proprietary Touchdown damper. Unlike the rest of the Trek range, the Slash doesn’t use a Thru Shaft damper, which comes standard with most of their full-suspension bikes and is developed specifically for Trek.

As the name extension suggests, the 2024 Trek Slash 9.9 XO AXS employs a new electronic SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission drivetrain. The rear derailleur mounts directly to the thru-axle and worked flawlessly throughout our test. SRAM also supply the wireless, electronic Reverb AXS dropper post, but this only offers a meagre 170 mm of travel, which is far too little for a modern enduro bike. However, there isn’t a longer-travel version of the Reverb AXS dropper, so we recommend swapping the standard dropper for a cable-operated model if needed. Given the seat tube’s generous insertion depth, you could even push a 240 mm OneUp Components V2 dropper post all the way into the frame of a Slash in size L. Needless to say, the brand-new drivetrain is complemented with SRAM’s four-piston Code Stealth Silver brakes, which, just like the old RSC model, feature tool-free lever reach and bite point adjustments as well as SRAM’s proprietary SwingLink lever for optimal modulation. Compared to the Stealth Ultimate flagship model, the Silver variant only forgoes the carbon levers, tipping the scales at just 8 g more. Due to the new design, the brake lines run parallel and close to the handlebars, which ensures a cleaner look but can cause the cables to rattle – this can be easily fixed with a couple of additional clamps or zip ties ;) The brakes are paired with 200 mm rotors front and rear, which suit the Slash’s character and field of application rather well! For more oomph, you can can upgrade to 220 mm rotors both front and rear, because both the frame and fork are approved for it.

For the rest of the spec, Trek rely on their in-house component brand Bontrager, including a Bontrager Line Pro 30 carbon wheelset, which didn’t survive the testing sessions unscathed, with several spokes snapping after just 3 weeks of deployment. In addition, the rims are paired with flimsy, puncture-prone tires, which force you to run higher air pressure to avoid burping and snake bites. We recommend upgrading the standard Bontrager SE6 and SE5 tires for more robust tires before you start riding. In this test, we swapped to tires with a tougher DH casing after just a few laps. For the cockpit, Trek rely on an 820 mm Bontrager RSL one-piece handlebar/stem unit, which might look fancy but doesn’t allow for fine tuning except for the stem height, which can be changed using spacers. On top of that, the handlebars are very stiff and get even stiffer if you shorten them, like we did! With such a potent enduro bike, an adjustable cockpit makes more sense because it allows you to adapt the front end ergonomics to your anatomy. With the standard spec, our 2024 Trek Slash 9.9 XO AXS test bike in size L tips the scales at 15.7 kg.

Trek Slash 9.9 X0 AXS 2024

Specifications.

Fork RockShox ZEB Ultimate 170 mm Rear Shock RockShox Vivid Ultimate 170 mm Seatpost RockShox Reverb AXS 170 mm Brakes SRAM CODE Silver 200/200 mm Drivetrain SRAM Eagle Transmission X0 1x12 Stem Bontrager RSL 35 mm Handlebar Bontrager RSL 820 mm Wheelset Bontrager Line Pro 30 29"/27.5" Tires Bontrager SE6 Team Issue/ Bontrager SE5 Team Issue 2.5"/2.4"

Technical Data

Size S M M/L L XL

Specific Features

storage compartment Flip Chip Toolmount

More spec variants of the 2024 Trek Slash

As already mentioned, the new 2024 Trek Slash is available both with an alloy and carbon frame. That said, none of the alloy versions comes with a high-end spec, meaning that you have to order the frame kit if you want to combine an aluminium frame with top-tier suspension, for example. Prices for complete builds range between € 4,499 and € 12,499, and the bikes should be already available from all official Trek dealers. The American manufacturer also lets you test ride their bikes in one of their “Test-a-Trek Centres”. Starting today, you can test the new Slash in Lenzerheide, Saalbach and Sölden.

The alloy version of the new Slash is available in two spec variants. The entry-level Slash 8 XT model comes equipped with a FOX 36 Rhythm fork and a hybrid Shimano XT/SLX drivetrain. Shimano also supply the four-piston Deore M6100 brakes. The Slash 9 GX relies on higher quality RockShox Select+ suspension and SRAM’s new electronic GX Transmission drivetrain, with matching SRAM Code Bronze four-piston brakes. The Slash 9.8 GX combines the same identical spec with a carbon frame.

The flagship Slash 9.9 XX model comes equipped with electronic RockShox Flight Attendant suspension, electronic SRAM XX Transmission drivetrain and wireless RockShox Reverb seatpost. The rest of the spec consists exclusively of top-tier components and plenty of carbon bling. However, all the fancy components come at a price – an eye watering € 12,499! However, Trek have released a total of 5 carbon variants, offering a suitable option for all sorts of wallets.

The geometry of the new 2024 Trek Slash

The new Trek Slash 2024 will be available in 5 sizes, S to XL, and there’s also an intermediate size called M/L. All models in size S feature a curved top tube and 27.5″ wheels front and rear. From size M onwards, the new Slash rolls on a mixed wheel setup with a 29″ wheel at the front and smaller 27.5″ wheel at the rear. However, from size M upwards you can also use a 29″ rear wheel using a different shock mount, but this has to be bought separately and isn’t included in the frameset. The optional shock mount comes with a flip chip that allows you to change the progression of the rear suspension from 20% to 25%, which is intended for coil shock conversions.

Trek deliver the new Slash with three different headset cups, which allow you to change the head angle by up to 1.5°. Of course, by altering the head angle you’ll also change the reach, bottom bracket height and stack height. The new Slash comes standard in the neutral setting. When swapping the cups, however, the lower one has to be installed with a bearing press, meaning that you can’t just quickly swap cups on the trailside. In the neutral setting, the Slash has a 63.3° head angle, which can be changed to either 62.6° or 64.1°. In addition, Trek forgo their usual Knock Block with the new Slash, which means that you don’t have a steering stop limiter.

The position of the bottom bracket allows engineers to achieve different chainstay lengths by using the same rear end, whereby sizes M/L and L share the same values. Simply put, all frame sizes share the same identical swingarm but rely on a slightly different bottom bracket position to allow for the size-specific effective chainstay length. The advantage of this system is that you can easily replace the rear end in case of damage.In size L, the Slash combines 488 mm reach with a short 435 mm seat tube, which offers a generous insertion depth for long-travel dropper posts. The seat tube is short across all sizes, ensuring sufficient freedom of movement on the trail.

The geometry of the new 2024 Trek Slash in the neutral setting

The new 2024 Trek Slash 9.9 XO AXS on the trail

For this review, we were able to ride the new Trek Slash 9.9 XO AXS 2024 in both size L and XL. We tested the bike over the course of several weeks, putting it through the wringer on the legendary trails of Whistler, Squamish and Della Creek, both on bike park trails and natural trails – and also managed to squeeze in a few laps with freeride legend Andrew Shandro. We also rode the new Slash (in size L) on our home trails around Stuttgart and on some techy Alpine gnar in Switzerland. Testing the new Slash in different frame sizes and countless locations gave us the opportunity to gather plenty of impressions.

Needless to say, an aggressive enduro bike won’t earn you any uphill KOMs, and yet the new 2024 Trek Slash 2024 gets you to the trailhead without too much effort. The rear suspension only bobs slightly and generates plenty of traction on technical climbs, meaning that you can easily make your way to the top of the mountain without reaching for the Vivid’s climb switch. On steeper climbs, the front wheel remains planted on the ground, ensuring excellent steering precision. While on the first test laps the bike was totally quiet, with the idler pulley working discreetly in the background, this changed after a few days, with an increasingly loud rattling noise accompanying us on every climb.

When gravity takes over, the first thing you’ll notice is the high front end and deeply integrated riding position. This inspires huge amounts of confidence, even on the gruellingly steep Canadian trails. The Slash makes you feel at ease from the get-go, encouraging you to keep your fingers off the brakes after just a few corners. If you do brake – which is inevitable from time to time – the rear suspension generates tons of traction without stiffening up excessively if you hit a large bump while decelerating. The wheelbase of the Slash grows noticeably less than with other high pivot bikes, remaining agile and playful even when fully compressed. Overall, the rear suspension provides plenty of support, allowing you to pop off ledges and kickers while at the same time offering enough reserves to cope with botched landings.

The new Slash has direct handling and reacts to steering input quickly and precisely. During this test, we swapped the original wheels and handlebars for alloy models, which helped mitigate the very direct ride feeling, ensuring more forgiving handling in slippery conditions. Even in open corners, the Trek sticks to the chosen line with great composure and doesn’t require you to actively weight the front wheel – and that’s despite the high front end! As a result, you’re always in a central riding position, which conveys huge amounts of confidence in all situations. Overall, the Trek makes you feel as if you had more travel on tap and at the same time is just as agile and playful as bikes with less travel. Trek also seem to have successfully addressed the typical drawbacks of high pivot bikes, like the sluggish handling and unbalanced suspension performance, which can result from the growing wheelbase.

Who should take a closer look at the new 2024 Trek Slash?

The new Trek Slash is aimed at trail rippers, enduro racers, park rats and anyone who likes to get rowdy on gnarly trails. Provided you perform a few basic upgrades, like more robust tires and a tuneable cockpit, the new Slash offers a pretty sweet overall package – we’re pretty chuffed with it ourselves. Even on slower, narrower trails, it’s refreshingly nimble, while the excellent suspension allows you to generate speed by pumping through flow trails, which isn’t always a given with high pivot bikes. In our humble opinion, the Trek Slash 2024 is the next evolutionary stage of high pivot bikes, bringing all the advantages of a high pivot suspension design while at the same time eliminating most of its drawbacks.

Our conclusions about the new 2024 Trek Slash

The new Trek Slash 2024 offers agile, balanced handling and combines it with all the positive traits of a high pivot suspension design, ensuring excellent composure and a plush ride. If you like to open the taps on gnarly enduro trails, we recommend upgrading a few components. This will allow you to boost the Slash’s trail performance enormously with relatively little effort and at a reasonable price. The new Slash slaps a huge smile on your face, whether you’re going for a quick post-work ride on your home trails, racing enduro in the Alps or lapping park tracks – and also makes a great companion for the occasional flowing trail.

• Integrated, confidence inspiring riding position
• Combines excellent composure and agility
• Potent suspension provides plenty of pop and reserves
• Practical features like the integrated storage compartment and mini-tool

• Spec has some blemishes
• Idler pulley grinds lightly when pedalling uphill

For more info, visit Trek’s website.

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: Peter Walker Photos: Sterling Lorence, Peter Walker

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About the author.

Peter Walker

As editor-in-chief, Peter is as much a man of action as he is of words. This expert, screw-driver-flexing two wheeled-whizz has many envy-inducing characteristics, including a background in motocross, several EWS race plates to his name, and more than 150 recorded days at Whistler Bike Park. However complex the bike and however steep the trail, he’s probably already nailed it, twice. Oh, and he can do it all on skinny tyres too. When it comes to guiding consumers, Peter cut his teeth at Vancouver’s oldest bike shop and now puts pen to paper on the daily translating this know-how into our editorial plan. When not tearing up Stuttgart’s local trails while testing bikes, he loves nothing more than loading up his self-renovated VW T5 and hitting the road. The fact that he’s a trained paramedic gives his colleagues reassurance out on the trails. So far we haven’t had to call him by his alias ‘Sani Peter’, so here’s hoping he keeps it right side up for the rest of his time here!

Trek Slash 9.9 XX AXS T-Type Gen 6 Review

Are you in the market for a new mountain bike? With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one for your needs.

If you’re considering the Trek Slash 9.9 XX AXS T-Type Gen 6, you’ve come to the right place for a comprehensive review.

Mountain biking has become increasingly popular in recent years, with riders seeking high-performance bikes that can handle any terrain.

The Trek Slash 9.9 XX AXS T-Type Gen 6 is a top-of-the-line option that promises to deliver an exceptional riding experience.

In this review, we will delve into the features and specifications of the Trek Slash 9.9 XX AXS T-Type Gen 6, exploring its performance, design, and overall value.

Whether you’re a seasoned rider or a beginner looking to invest in a quality mountain bike, this review will help you make an informed decision.

So, let’s dive in and see if the Trek Slash 9.9 XX AXS T-Type Gen 6 lives up to its hype.

– Advanced Frame: The Slash 9.9 features a lightweight and durable OCLV carbon frame that is designed to handle the toughest trails. The T-Type Gen 6 design provides enhanced stiffness and responsiveness for maximum control and agility.

– Smooth Shifting: Equipped with the SRAM XX Eagle AXS, T-Type drivetrain, this bike offers precise and reliable shifting with the push of a button. The wireless electronic shifting system ensures smooth and effortless gear changes, allowing you to focus on the trail ahead.

– Superior Suspension: The Slash 9.9 is equipped with a RockShox suspension system, including a Vivid Ultimate, 230mm x 65mm rear shock and a ZEB Ultimate 170mm fork. This combination provides 170mm of plush and responsive travel, absorbing bumps and drops with ease.

– Powerful Brakes: The bike features SRAM Code Ultimate 4-piston hydraulic disc brakes, delivering reliable stopping power in all conditions. With precise modulation and excellent heat management, you can confidently tackle steep descents and technical terrain.

– High-Performance Wheels: The Slash 9.9 rolls on Bontrager Line Pro 30 carbon wheels, offering a perfect balance of strength and lightweight performance. The 2.5in wide Bontrager SE5 Team Issue tires provide excellent traction and stability, allowing you to ride with confidence.

– Staggered wheel size: You’ll get a big 29″ front wheel for monster truckin’ over obstacles, and a smaller 27.5″ wheel in the back for some rowdy fun.

– Sleek Design: With its sleek and aggressive design, the Slash 9.9 stands out on the trails. The internal cable routing keeps the bike looking clean and provides improved aerodynamics.

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One of the standout features of this bike is its lightweight yet durable OCLV carbon frame.

The frame is designed to provide optimal stiffness and strength while keeping the weight to a minimum.

This ensures that riders can tackle even the most challenging terrains with ease and agility.

The high main pivot on Slash allows the axle to move backward when the suspension compresses, so the back wheel moves smoothly over bumps and stays out of the way.

Additionally, the frame geometry is optimized for stability and control, allowing riders to maintain their balance and maneuverability on technical trails.

Equipped with the latest XX Eagle AXS, T-Type electronic shifting system from SRAM, the Trek Slash 9.9 XX AXS T-Type Gen 6 offers seamless and precise gear changes.

The wireless shifting technology eliminates the need for cables, providing a clean and clutter-free setup.

Riders can effortlessly shift gears with just a click of a button, allowing for quick and smooth transitions between different terrains and riding conditions.

The suspension system on this bike is another highlight.

It features a RockShox ZEB Ultimate fork with 170mm of travel in the front and a 230mmx65mm RockShox Vivid Ultimate rear shock.

This combination provides excellent damping capabilities, ensuring a smooth and controlled ride over rough and uneven surfaces.

The suspension can also be easily adjusted to suit individual preferences and trail conditions, allowing riders to fine-tune their setup for optimal performance.

The Trek Slash 9.9 XX AXS T-Type Gen 6 comes equipped with high-quality components that are built to withstand the demands of aggressive mountain biking.

The SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain offers a wide range of gears from the 10-52t 12-speed cassette for tackling both steep climbs and fast descents.

The powerful SRAM Code Ultimate 4-piston hydraulic disc brakes provide reliable stopping power, ensuring riders can confidently navigate technical sections of the trail.

The bike also comes with Bontrager Line Pro 30 carbon wheels and a RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post, further enhancing its performance and versatility.

In terms of ride quality, the Slash 9.9 XX AXS T-Type Gen 6 delivers an exceptional experience.

The combination of the lightweight frame, advanced suspension system, and precise handling allows riders to tackle challenging trails with confidence and control.

The bike feels responsive and nimble, making it a joy to ride in various conditions.

Overall, the Trek Slash 9.9 XX AXS T-Type Gen 6 is a high-performance mountain bike that offers top-tier features and performance.

Whether you’re a seasoned rider looking for an upgrade or a beginner looking for a reliable and capable bike, the Trek Slash 9.9 XX AXS T-Type Gen 6 is definitely worth considering.

With its advanced technology and superior components, this bike is sure to elevate your mountain biking experience to new heights.

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Trek Slash 9.9 RSL Review

Words by Drew Rohde // Photos by Michael Darter & Dennis Yuroshek

When Waterloo, Wisconsin based Trek Bicycles revamped their mountain bike line for 2017 a lot of people took note. For several years Trek offered their three dual suspension bikes – the Fuel EX, Remedy and Slash in various wheel sizes. Trek’s current offering now aligns itself with current trends in the ever-changing (10mm at a time) landscape of mountain bikes. The Trek Slash, which was once considered more of a freerider’s bike is now squarely aimed at the enduro race crowd with its 29-inch wheels and 150mm of rear wheel travel and a 160mm fork. We tested the flagship 9.9 RSL (Race Shop Limited) build, which sports heavier duty tires and the most performance-minded build for discerning riders.

Over the last decade, Trek has quickly gone from being your dad’s bike brand to a company with an esteemed pedigree. Starting with Aaron Gwin’s World Cup domination aboard early Session frames to the Atherton’s current Session 9.9 dream machines. Tracey Moseley has amassed EWS victories and Trek also sponsors what is arguably the most impressive freeride roster, the C3 program.

The Slash’s geometry is adjustable via Trek’s Mino Link and is definitely worth praising as the bike feels very well balanced and stable regardless of the position we flipped the Mino Link to. In the high position the Slash has a very capable 65.6-degree head angle with a 64.8-degree seat tube angle and 13.86-inch BB height. The reach on our size large 19.5-inch frame was 18.07 inches with a 47.99-inch wheelbase and 17.04-inch chainstays.

The spec on the 9.9 RSL is a bit of a mixed bag. Fox Factory shocks handle the bumps but aren’t our favorite offerings from the brand. Trek chose to spec this enduro-ready racer with a Talas fork, which does not work as well as a Factory Float without travel adjust. The performance penalty for a non-essential feature is not worth it in our opinion. Out back a Float X2 shock also gave us a bit of trouble as we feel this damper lacks the ability to quickly open up on chattery, small to medium-sized obstacles based on our experience with several other bikes also spec’ing this shock. Trek’s tune further exacerbated the shock’s weakness as we ended up having to use the maximum number of volume reducers to find the sensitivity we wanted yet still had issues bottoming out too easily. We contacted Trek and requested a Rock Shox Super Deluxe to compare it to because we had one on a Trek Remedy and absolutely loved it! After back-to-back experimentation and one last phone call with Jose Gonzalez, Trek’s suspension guru, we gave the Fox another go. With the maximum number of volume spacers (5) installed and a change in air pressure, both front and back we found our happy place. That said, we worry about riders who are heavier and faster than our 170lb hacks as we still reached bottom several times on fast runs with 5 spacers installed. Depending on your weight, riding terrain and style, this may or may not be an issue for you.

SRAM’s Eagle drivetrain held up to a real beating on the Slash and never skipped a beat. It always shifted and pedaled like a dream. The SRAM brakes left a little to be desired in terms of lever feel and power but they got the job done. What didn’t get the job done however was the Bontrager dropper post. It gave up the ghost pretty quickly, which to be honest wasn’t a huge bummer as the 125mm of travel was really cramping our style on the steep descents of the PNW. The rest of the cockpit and wheels held up great and we’d have no problem recommending any of those parts for hard charging.

As we mentioned above the initial set up on the Slash had us a bit discouraged since the Rock Shox-equipped Remedy instantly blew our minds as one of the best bikes we’d ridden. Some diligence and that last motivational call to Jose paid off however as the bike blossomed into a fiery red butterfly. The capabilities of the Slash impressed all who rode it. While it may sound like we’re coming down a bit hard on the Slash, and perhaps we are, the reality is, hands down, the Slash is one of the best bikes we’ve ridden. As time progresses however, bikes continue to improve and brands always creep up the ranks. In order for reviews to rise with the tide of these awesome new bikes, we need to increase our pickiness. It’s time to really flush out the little stuff, since that’s kinda all we get to complain about now that nobody specs triple chainrings or 90mm stems and 720mm bars.

The Slash 9.9 got passed around like a joint at a Cypress Hill concert. In some instances we’d even hop off and hand it over mid-run. It was a pretty eye-opening experience to be ripping on a bike we got along with pretty well only to throw a leg over the Slash and feel like we just unlocked a super power. Speeds increased, cornering confidence went way up and traction gains only made us feel like pushing harder. Our testers enjoyed the Slash in fast terrain with lots of turns and chunder. It’s clear that this bike was designed to move.

the Slash had us a bit discouraged since the Rock Shox-equipped Remedy instantly blew our minds as one of the best bikes we’d ridden. Some diligence and that last motivational call to Jose paid off however as the bike blossomed into a fiery red butterfly.

The wolf’s last word.

The bike is flat-out fast! Whether we were screaming down 6-inch wide ridgelines or scratching down steep, rugged DH tracks, the Slash was all in. We’ve spent a good amount of time aboard all three of Trek’s offerings and surprisingly, the Slash feels less like a 29er than it’s shorter travel brother, the Fuel EX. On only the steepest of chutes did we bump our ass on the tire. The dreaded rear wheel hang up that some 29ers experience going off slow speed drops was never an issue on the Slash.

Of all places we rode the Slash, we noticed it excelled in the corners and at high speeds. The confidence to attack turns is pretty heroic. It’s hard to pick a weakness in terms of on-trail performance as it really didn’t do anything poorly, once we finally got the set up dialed that is. Our biggest issue was with the Fox spec and shock tune. The Talas fork doesn’t perform as well as it’s Float counterpart and the shock tune is lacking for aggressive or heavy riders. At roughly 170 pounds our testers relied on the maximum number of 5 volume reducers to offer the ramp up needed while trying to keep the air spring and compression sensitive enough for trail chatter. Despite our critiques above, the Slash 9.9 is one of our top three all mountain bike choices this year. We’ve spent several months aboard similar bikes in the category from the Rocky Mountain Slayer to the Norco Range and Trek slashes the competition in the all-mountain category with this machine. A little patience and experimenting will help you and the bike achieve a new level of riding.

Price: $7,999

Weight: 29.79 lbs

Sizes: S, M, L, XL

Website: trekbikes.com

CHASSIS Frame: OCLV carbon; 150mm Fork: Fox Factory 36 Talas; 160mm Shock: Fox Factory Float X2; 230 x 57.5

COCKPIT Brakes: SRAM Guide Ultimate Handlebar: Bontrager Line Pro; 780 Headset: FSA Knock Block Saddle: Bontrager Evok Ti Seatpost: Bontrager Drop Line; 125mm Shifter: SRAM X01 Eagle Stem: Bontrager Line Pro; 35mm

WHEELS Hubs: Bontrager Line Elite Rims: Bontrager Line Elite 30 Tires: Bontrager SE4 Team Issue; 29 x 2.4

DRIVETRAIN Bottom Bracket: SRAM PF92 Cassette: SRAM XG-1295; 10-50t Cranks: SRAM X01 Eagle; 32t Derailleur: SRAM X01 Eagle; 12s

Looks Comfort and Confidence Versatile

We don’t, bontrager post fox x2 shock and tune talas fork.

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Trek Slash 9.9

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Weight / M - 13.70 kg / 30.2 lbs (with tubes)

At a glance

Slash 9.9 is the fastest enduro mountain bike in the lineup, so it’s no surprise it’s the go-to ride for the pros of Trek Factory Racing Enduro. Carbon where it counts, FOX Factory fork, Trek’s exclusive RE:aktiv with Thru Shaft shock, fast-rolling carbon 29er wheels, and a SRAM X01 Eagle drivetrain make this top-of-the-line ride the undisputed king of enduro.

Where To Buy

"This bike rips"

"This bike ripped–like charged-over-everything-as-fast-as-you-want-without-picking-a-line kind of ripped. Yes, it's a lot of bike, but it's hard to find flaws in a bike that can do so much, so well. "

"The new standard"

"Slash is great everywhere and descends with almost the same confidence as a downhill rig. It's nearly perfect and might just be the new standard by which all others are measured. "

"An unflinching machine"

"Slash's blistering speed and downhill wizardry propelled it to the front of the pack. Slash epitomizes just how capable long-travel 29ers have become."

Specifications

• Frame OCLV Mountain Carbon main frame & 1x-specific stays, ABP, Boost148, Knock Block, EVO link, tapered head tube, Mino Link, Control Freak internal routing, Carbon Armor, ISCG 05, G2 Geometry, 150mm travel
• Fork Fox Factory 36 Float, GRIP2 damper, tapered steerer, Boost110, G2 Geometry w/51mm offset, 160mm travel
• Shock RockShox Deluxe RT3, RE:aktiv with Thru Shaft 3-position damper, tuned by Trek Suspension Lab, 230x57.5mm
• Wheel Size 29"
• Tires Bontrager SE4 Team Issue, Tubeless Ready, Core Strength sidewalls, aramid bead, 29x2.40˝
• Chain SRAM GX Eagle
• Crank SRAM X01 Eagle DUB, 32T Direct Mount
• Shifters SRAM X01 Eagle, 12 speed
• Brakeset Shimano Deore XT M8020 4-piston hydraulic disc
• Handlebar Bontrager Line Pro, OCLV Carbon, 35mm, 27.5mm rise, 780mm width
• Saddle Bontrager Arvada, austenite rails
• Seatpost Bontrager Line, internal routing, 31.6mm, 15.5: 100mm, 17.5 & 18.5: 125mm, 19.5 & 21.5: 150mm
• 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, 1-1/8˝ top, 1.5˝ bottom

Q: Where to buy a 2019 Trek Slash 9.9?

The 2019 Trek Slash 9.9 may be purchased directly from Trek .

Q: How much does a 2019 Trek Slash 9.9 weigh?

A 2019 Trek Slash 9.9 weights M - 13.70 kg / 30.2 lbs (with tubes).

Q: What size wheels does the 2019 Trek Slash 9.9 have?

The 2019 Trek Slash 9.9 has 29" wheels.

Q: What size 2019 Trek Slash 9.9 should I get?

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Winner - Mountain Bike category

"The combination of high-end performance with individuality and user-friendliness in the thought-through package delighted the entire jury."

"Feels exactly right"

"The Slash has a big-bike feel that makes it easier to charge into an unfamiliar trail, while retaining enough maneuverability to prevent it from feeling like overkill on mellower trails."

Enduro Bike of the Year

Once the dust had settled, it was the Slash that managed to edge its way into the lead. Its ability to tackle the wildest terrain without flinching yet all the while retaining that reactive, lively feel really won us over.

"A hell of a bike"

"Slash is great on rough, bermed corners and it has been an absolute monster riding steeps. This is an easy bike to ride and everything felt very natural from the first drop in and I haven't looked back since."

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