The lever is definitely heavier than my XTs on the Highlander... but I really don't mind it given how much power they have. I haven't had any hand fatigue yet, but I only have about 4 rides with them. Also really enjoyed your look into Lewis brakes, excited to hear how they actually perform on trail!
I have had a set of mavens for a month now. They have the wandering bite point issue. “Massaging the pistons” helps for a week tops and then they suck again. Not happy with them.
Ahh dude great review. I have never owned an e-bike but this is going to win so many awards. Do you have any idea when it will be available in south African
Since you're going to change tires - give the new Schwalbe Radial's a shot. I'd like to see a review. I ride north slope with a Timp and DHR/Assegai and when my DHR died, I put a Magic Mary on the rear and love it so much more. So some tire reviews might be a fun next content option.
The timp peak felt pretty good at north slope! I liked mine and had dual assegai. I've gotten a few recs to try the Schwalbe's. I've got a 29r magic marry in the closet that I might throw on the front when the assegai dies. Have you tried it in the front or only rear?
@@MTB_Corbin the Magic Mary on the rear only for now, still the assegai up front. For NS, especially if there’s some mud, the MM felt much better than the DHR and the assegai holds onto the mud too much, while magic mary seems good at ejecting it. When the maxxis dies I will try the new radial tires.
Your videos always look like dream trails just exactly the ones I like. Do you have to stop riding at some point during the year because of snow? I live in Utah and it already started to snow in the good trails and most likely they will be covered for the next 6 months....
The PNW is the greatest place to mountain bike in the whole state (IMO). The trails are incredible and there’s always a spot within an hour and a half that’s rideable all year. We do get snow on the higher elevation systems like Tiger Mountain and Raging River, but it’s not there long. I ride mostly at North Slope down in Olympia, WA and it barely sees snow. We do get a ton of dense mud though so there are times where I won’t ride and opt to build/maintain because the rain is intense
Good stuff. I was an early proponent of making the Slash+ as soon as the EXe came out but needed longer travel and a 38 fork. I'm ok with HP transmission design too. Luv the TQ concept. They make a huge TQ-120Nm of years past. Would luv to see a beefier PNW Slash+ version, like a middle powered TQ-75Nm for us peeps that ditched analog completely and went full powered (Rail👍), but now are too weak to go 50-60 Nms wanting a more agile, lighter rig.😁 I know, weird middle ground that I suggest, but super impressed with the stealthy, low profile design that Trek just has perfected! 💸
I like the idea of 70nm torque motor! The slash+ has been great but it is noticeably less powerful than my 85nm EP8 on the timp peak. Give it another two years and I bet technology will be there!
@@MTB_Corbin 💯 to that. Yes the DJI AMFlow has the full torque/juice and the lighter weight but not the geo/kinematics for enduro. But if Trek considered the compact ZF-90 motor for the Slash+PNW...they would absolutely crush it.👊
That bike does look pretty sweet! I’d def consider it if I were in the market. The high pivot does feel awesome and it hits the sweet spot for travel with a mullet setup.
Great review. I set up the settings on the motor on my Fuel EXe the same as you. Thinking of upgrading to this bike because the EXe isn't enough bike in some situations for me (mainly bike parks) + the EXe's range is lacking. Hopefully some better builds are released soon.
Yeah man the fuel exe is a great bike but it does leave some things to be desired. The slash is much more capable in literally every category I can think of. If you have the range extender for the fuel now then that same one will also work with the slash+!
Plenty of North Slope content on this channel! I got 6800ft. Parked at bottom of Bones and did the following: Mr. bones, Slick Jimmy, DNR, Scoby, Low Key.
Awesome video! I was curious to hear your thoughts on this bike. If I ever buy an ebike I think I'd prefer a "light weight"/lower power option like this. Also, North Slope trails are sick and it seems like a great place to put the bike to the test!
Thanks Mitch! I think the next couple years are going to be amazing with ebike upgrades. We just saw the DJI motor come out and will probably see more innovations: less weight, more power, more battery. That's the name of the game lol
For sure! I've really been enjoying it, but I'm not sure if I would have "buyers remorse" if I paid $12k. I do like how it's similar to the analog version, makes it easy to switch from acoustic to electric without changing a ton of feel! Buuut I love my highlander 150 too much to change lol
Congrats on new bike day! I'm still getting the vivid dialed in. I was bottoming it out a ton at first and don't like just increasing air pressure. I added a few clicks of hydraulic bottom out and turned the HS compression up. Feels better but suspension is a very personal feel... hard to give tips on setup when riding styles, tracks, weights, etc could be different
I have the same thoughts regarding tires. On my fuel EXe it feels like they barely have any grip on damp hard pack corners and I've already caught the sidewalls sliding out and just not allowing any confidence in grip. Still thinking you're going to do an assagai up front or potentially the high roller 3?
The pricing for spec is brutal, I started an ebike fund this year and I have to admit that the slash + is on the shortlist, but the Canadian dollar conversion makes the 9.9 laughably expensive and, as you say, the 9.7 has a garbage spec for money. Hopefully by the time I have enough in the pot to pull the trigger there will be some other compelling (and more affordable) long travel, lightweight options.
Oof yeah cost is the biggest barrier. I get all the R&D that goes into but still the prices are substantial when there are other options that fulfill similar things at a much less price point
Im a bias ibis oso owner. It has gone on sale in the us for as low as 5.5k. At that price it is a steal. I think it's fair at 8k. Hope you can find a deal whatever route you choose.
That bike seems SUPER QUIET which is such an important quality. Even on all of the rough terrain all im hearing is tires to dirt/rocks...amazing. The range on thay bike seems really good too. I have a 2023 SC Bullit R with the EP801 and 630WH and i cant touch your elevation gain. Im 6'2" 212lbs. What tire pressure do you run?
it's so much quieter than my full power bike I'm selling. Granted I did get a new motor because of a rattle in the old one, but still the Slash+ doesn't feel like an ebike in everyway that matters. I change up the pressure depending on the terrain but mostly keep it around 21-23 front and 24-27 rear
@MTB_Corbin how much do you weigh? Also do you focus on the recommended 80-90rpm cadence for optimal range on the emtb? It's crazy how much elevation you got. I also typically run mine at 27nm for range so I'm still working a bit.
@@DerekC_MTB I'm 160ish with gear. Since this was the first ride, I pretty much ran the whole thing in the lowest setting for most of the day. Felt comparable to a 3k ft day on my acoustic bike
@MTB_Corbin I guess with gear I'm more around 218lbs or so. That makes me feel a bit better. Didn't think you were that light. Thanks for the replies! Hope to see you out there sometime.
I got a 500 mile review up! th-cam.com/video/OHBYopMQrRA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=jG5yoD1b2liodNF0 Also had a good amount of creaking so here's a vid after the LBS fixed it lol th-cam.com/video/p3h9y-2vYwA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=qPCYV7BaqjIL0jQn TLDR: the Timp Peak is sick. It's a super solid full powered bike.
@@JensEser if thats true im startingn to work for trek. 😂 but srsly thats good cut. Thought i was very happy getting my gen 4 rail 9.8 for 6500 dollar. Good deal for me and this bike is absolutely nuts. I love my slash but the bosch power is outrageous
Getting into the comments before the fight breaks out about how to pronounce "Bontrager". Great video, absolutely no way i can afford any configuration of this new!
It's definitely smaller. Timp peak weighed 55lbs vs 46 for the slash+ haha. That's a significant difference. Granted the TP has an 85nm torque motor while Slash+ has 50. They feel very different to ride
@@MTB_Corbin ahh, ok yeah 10lbs is big difference....but as far as travel and maneuverability...seems same on paper. It's too bad that the Dji Amflow isn't available in the USA...that bike looks sick.
Travel is the same but it's also significantly easier to move around. I've got 4 rides on it since posting the video and seriously feels like a traditional bike compared to the timp peak. I might make a full on comparison video but don't want to ride the TP again since it's all sparkly ready to sell haha
The reach is too short on that bike. Designers keep making frames slack head tubes with steep seat post but don't stretch the reach numbers out to allow to ride "inside" the bike.
I'm still too new to really understand a ton of geo differences (only been mountain biking for a little over two years so only used to slack HTs). I can say at 5'10 and trying a ton of bikes the past two years, this actually felt a lot better than I was expecting it to.
At 5'11 a 475 reach, even on a slacked out enduro rig, is my preferred reach, I'll ride anything from 465 to 485, but I'd rather go smaller than bigger. I think this is way more of a preference thing than an absolute.
@@MTB_Corbin you went for size L, right? - You kind of in the middle of two sizes as you mentioned. What’s your inseam? Are you still happy with your size L, or after having done a few rides would you maybe change it to size M if you still could? Pro & cons?
@@JensEser Yeah I got the large. I think my inseam is 31/32ish. The large fits extremely well given I’m in the middle of the two sizes. Feels better than my Large timp peak did! A friend of mine at trek got a chance to ride it before the release and he’s the exact same size as me and similar riding level. He tried the large and medium and told me the “medium felt like a [curse word] toy” haha sooo I trusted him and am happy I did.
@ yeah okay, im guessing fire roads then aswell? Because i was looking at the tq system and didnt like it because i live in the mountains and its not really good for climbing mountains and especially not technical ascents, well for an ebike. Although the weight and look is top notch
I was bummed too… but I’ve gotten a lot more time on the slash+ since the video dropped and I can confidently say the large feels great. I’m 5’10 for reference
@@MTB_Corbin I'm 5.9 I was happy Trek had finally made an interesting bike with a light motor but a big battery. especially for the magnificent perfect size that trek has always made.....the M/L. except for this bike
With respect to hand fatigue, you can also argue being on a heavier bike will of course be more fatiguing and therefore place more importance on lever pull weight. And though this is of course not data driven in any way, then say your "handicap" further nullifies his thoughts. (and I use null pretty loosely here since we're all just trying to enjoy what we love and it's really not that big a deal)
True and honestly I'm not sure I'm good enough to care about the nuances as much as I'd like to admit. The XTs on the highlander feel great and have a quicker bite; however, the Mavens are more powerful and I've spent most of my biking career on the Code RSCs so my riding really progressed with the ability to modulate with Srams feel... Time will tell where my preference goes for them since my two main bikes (highlander 150 with XTs and Slash+ with Mavens) have pretty different brakes. At least they both now use mineral oil to bleed lol
haha I'm a matte color and dark aesthetic kind of guy! The pennyflake looked nice but idk I just gravitate towards darker color schemes, the stealth look! Also the 9.7 has good components, but not enough to justify the price of the bike.
@@MTB_Corbin Yeah bro, and while you're at it. Get rid of your suspension and drive train.. Ohh and dropper post. Can't have "mechanicals" out on the trails now could we.. Lmao.
Good job on the video, I've been wanting to check out the new Slash+!
Thanks man! I've been enjoying it a ton recently.
Great review, and those trails look soooo good 🤤🤤🤤
Thank you! North Slope is the best 👍🏼
haha, agree to disagree then. 😆I just wish they had a lighter lever action so that they could be my blanket recommendation to everyone!
The lever is definitely heavier than my XTs on the Highlander... but I really don't mind it given how much power they have. I haven't had any hand fatigue yet, but I only have about 4 rides with them. Also really enjoyed your look into Lewis brakes, excited to hear how they actually perform on trail!
I have had a set of mavens for a month now. They have the wandering bite point issue. “Massaging the pistons” helps for a week tops and then they suck again. Not happy with them.
Ahh dude great review. I have never owned an e-bike but this is going to win so many awards. Do you have any idea when it will be available in south African
Thank you! I’m not sure about availability
Since you're going to change tires - give the new Schwalbe Radial's a shot. I'd like to see a review. I ride north slope with a Timp and DHR/Assegai and when my DHR died, I put a Magic Mary on the rear and love it so much more. So some tire reviews might be a fun next content option.
The timp peak felt pretty good at north slope! I liked mine and had dual assegai. I've gotten a few recs to try the Schwalbe's. I've got a 29r magic marry in the closet that I might throw on the front when the assegai dies. Have you tried it in the front or only rear?
@@MTB_Corbin the Magic Mary on the rear only for now, still the assegai up front. For NS, especially if there’s some mud, the MM felt much better than the DHR and the assegai holds onto the mud too much, while magic mary seems good at ejecting it. When the maxxis dies I will try the new radial tires.
oof yeah the cap forest mud is a monster to deal with lol
Your videos always look like dream trails just exactly the ones I like. Do you have to stop riding at some point during the year because of snow? I live in Utah and it already started to snow in the good trails and most likely they will be covered for the next 6 months....
The PNW is the greatest place to mountain bike in the whole state (IMO). The trails are incredible and there’s always a spot within an hour and a half that’s rideable all year. We do get snow on the higher elevation systems like Tiger Mountain and Raging River, but it’s not there long. I ride mostly at North Slope down in Olympia, WA and it barely sees snow. We do get a ton of dense mud though so there are times where I won’t ride and opt to build/maintain because the rain is intense
Good stuff. I was an early proponent of making the Slash+ as soon as the EXe came out but needed longer travel and a 38 fork. I'm ok with HP transmission design too. Luv the TQ concept. They make a huge TQ-120Nm of years past. Would luv to see a beefier PNW Slash+ version, like a middle powered TQ-75Nm for us peeps that ditched analog completely and went full powered (Rail👍), but now are too weak to go 50-60 Nms wanting a more agile, lighter rig.😁 I know, weird middle ground that I suggest, but super impressed with the stealthy, low profile design that Trek just has perfected! 💸
I like the idea of 70nm torque motor! The slash+ has been great but it is noticeably less powerful than my 85nm EP8 on the timp peak. Give it another two years and I bet technology will be there!
@@MTB_Corbin 💯 to that. Yes the DJI AMFlow has the full torque/juice and the lighter weight but not the geo/kinematics for enduro. But if Trek considered the compact ZF-90 motor for the Slash+PNW...they would absolutely crush it.👊
That bike does look pretty sweet! I’d def consider it if I were in the market. The high pivot does feel awesome and it hits the sweet spot for travel with a mullet setup.
It's definitely coming alive the more time I have on it! Wouldn't keep up with your levo though haha
When you swap the tires, try the new high roller 3 in the front. I swapped my assegai for one, and it's way better in 80% of conditions!
Where are you buying your maxxis tires from? I’m having a hard time finding em
Good tip! currently got an (oldish) assegai I had on an unused wheelset and threw on a Conti Kryptotal in the rear to try
@@JaredHerdlevar I bought mine from the lost co
Great review. I set up the settings on the motor on my Fuel EXe the same as you. Thinking of upgrading to this bike because the EXe isn't enough bike in some situations for me (mainly bike parks) + the EXe's range is lacking. Hopefully some better builds are released soon.
Yeah man the fuel exe is a great bike but it does leave some things to be desired. The slash is much more capable in literally every category I can think of. If you have the range extender for the fuel now then that same one will also work with the slash+!
love to see more footage of the north slope system! :) how many laps were you able to get out of the range?
Plenty of North Slope content on this channel! I got 6800ft. Parked at bottom of Bones and did the following: Mr. bones, Slick Jimmy, DNR, Scoby, Low Key.
Awesome video! I was curious to hear your thoughts on this bike. If I ever buy an ebike I think I'd prefer a "light weight"/lower power option like this. Also, North Slope trails are sick and it seems like a great place to put the bike to the test!
Thanks Mitch! I think the next couple years are going to be amazing with ebike upgrades. We just saw the DJI motor come out and will probably see more innovations: less weight, more power, more battery. That's the name of the game lol
Slick Jimmy is so fun...even scarier in the wet lol
Haha 100% accurate
This bike is definitely on my radar after trying the analog version! The cost is definitely keeping me from going for it
For sure! I've really been enjoying it, but I'm not sure if I would have "buyers remorse" if I paid $12k. I do like how it's similar to the analog version, makes it easy to switch from acoustic to electric without changing a ton of feel! Buuut I love my highlander 150 too much to change lol
Just scooped the same bike in orange. Curious how you set up the vivid. I find it very firm so far and want to get it a little more comfortable.
Congrats on new bike day! I'm still getting the vivid dialed in. I was bottoming it out a ton at first and don't like just increasing air pressure. I added a few clicks of hydraulic bottom out and turned the HS compression up. Feels better but suspension is a very personal feel... hard to give tips on setup when riding styles, tracks, weights, etc could be different
Acoustic bike? I didn't know there were bikes powered by musical instruments. Great video though 👍
Haha thanks for watching!
I have the same thoughts regarding tires. On my fuel EXe it feels like they barely have any grip on damp hard pack corners and I've already caught the sidewalls sliding out and just not allowing any confidence in grip.
Still thinking you're going to do an assagai up front or potentially the high roller 3?
Have you swapped your tires? I put on a used assegai for the front and kryptotal for the rear. Might try a Magic Mary up front though!
The pricing for spec is brutal, I started an ebike fund this year and I have to admit that the slash + is on the shortlist, but the Canadian dollar conversion makes the 9.9 laughably expensive and, as you say, the 9.7 has a garbage spec for money. Hopefully by the time I have enough in the pot to pull the trigger there will be some other compelling (and more affordable) long travel, lightweight options.
Oof yeah cost is the biggest barrier. I get all the R&D that goes into but still the prices are substantial when there are other options that fulfill similar things at a much less price point
Im a bias ibis oso owner. It has gone on sale in the us for as low as 5.5k. At that price it is a steal. I think it's fair at 8k. Hope you can find a deal whatever route you choose.
great video, what camera are you using?
thanks! here's my camera setup th-cam.com/video/Kd9BV-j4xbs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=knuZ2i4t3TG6trJM
That bike seems SUPER QUIET which is such an important quality. Even on all of the rough terrain all im hearing is tires to dirt/rocks...amazing.
The range on thay bike seems really good too. I have a 2023 SC Bullit R with the EP801 and 630WH and i cant touch your elevation gain. Im 6'2" 212lbs. What tire pressure do you run?
it's so much quieter than my full power bike I'm selling. Granted I did get a new motor because of a rattle in the old one, but still the Slash+ doesn't feel like an ebike in everyway that matters. I change up the pressure depending on the terrain but mostly keep it around 21-23 front and 24-27 rear
@MTB_Corbin how much do you weigh? Also do you focus on the recommended 80-90rpm cadence for optimal range on the emtb? It's crazy how much elevation you got. I also typically run mine at 27nm for range so I'm still working a bit.
@@DerekC_MTB I'm 160ish with gear. Since this was the first ride, I pretty much ran the whole thing in the lowest setting for most of the day. Felt comparable to a 3k ft day on my acoustic bike
@MTB_Corbin I guess with gear I'm more around 218lbs or so. That makes me feel a bit better. Didn't think you were that light. Thanks for the replies! Hope to see you out there sometime.
Was the extra weight your only gripe with the timp peak? Asking because considering buying one
I got a 500 mile review up! th-cam.com/video/OHBYopMQrRA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=jG5yoD1b2liodNF0
Also had a good amount of creaking so here's a vid after the LBS fixed it lol th-cam.com/video/p3h9y-2vYwA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=qPCYV7BaqjIL0jQn
TLDR: the Timp Peak is sick. It's a super solid full powered bike.
how much employee discount?
Enough to make it possible for me to buy it haha
To my knowledge 40% off. - Correct?
@@JensEser if thats true im startingn to work for trek. 😂 but srsly thats good cut. Thought i was very happy getting my gen 4 rail 9.8 for 6500 dollar. Good deal for me and this bike is absolutely nuts. I love my slash but the bosch power is outrageous
@@Stockfish1511 It is true, and you can by three bikes per year. But you're not allowed to sell or trade them or so.
so Transition Relay wasn’t such a bad idea after all ?😉
hahaha I guess so! My favorite quote from Brandon Sanderson: "Sometimes a hypocrite is just a man in the process of changing"
hope you enjoy your Slash as much as I love my Relay ! 😊
thank you! how many miles you got on the relay?
1200 and absolutely zero issues so far 🤞 motor is perfect and dead silent !
Getting into the comments before the fight breaks out about how to pronounce "Bontrager". Great video, absolutely no way i can afford any configuration of this new!
🤣that's like me trying to pronounce Schwalbe
hahaha gotta give the people something to comment about ;)
where are you riding at????
North Slope at Capitol state forest near Olympia, WA 👍🏼
Ok ok, but how was the pizza??
It's really hard to beat a Pilsner and Pizza post ride lol
This the real question
how do you figure that the slash isn't a big bike, lol...pretty much same as the Timp peak.
It's definitely smaller. Timp peak weighed 55lbs vs 46 for the slash+ haha. That's a significant difference. Granted the TP has an 85nm torque motor while Slash+ has 50. They feel very different to ride
@@MTB_Corbin ahh, ok yeah 10lbs is big difference....but as far as travel and maneuverability...seems same on paper. It's too bad that the Dji Amflow isn't available in the USA...that bike looks sick.
Travel is the same but it's also significantly easier to move around. I've got 4 rides on it since posting the video and seriously feels like a traditional bike compared to the timp peak. I might make a full on comparison video but don't want to ride the TP again since it's all sparkly ready to sell haha
@@50whatnomadtravelnursemtb5 It will be in the future. It's not out yet.
The reach is too short on that bike. Designers keep making frames slack head tubes with steep seat post but don't stretch the reach numbers out to allow to ride "inside" the bike.
I'm still too new to really understand a ton of geo differences (only been mountain biking for a little over two years so only used to slack HTs). I can say at 5'10 and trying a ton of bikes the past two years, this actually felt a lot better than I was expecting it to.
At 5'11 a 475 reach, even on a slacked out enduro rig, is my preferred reach, I'll ride anything from 465 to 485, but I'd rather go smaller than bigger. I think this is way more of a preference thing than an absolute.
@@MTB_Corbin you went for size L, right? - You kind of in the middle of two sizes as you mentioned. What’s your inseam? Are you still happy with your size L, or after having done a few rides would you maybe change it to size M if you still could? Pro & cons?
@@JensEser Yeah I got the large. I think my inseam is 31/32ish. The large fits extremely well given I’m in the middle of the two sizes. Feels better than my Large timp peak did! A friend of mine at trek got a chance to ride it before the release and he’s the exact same size as me and similar riding level. He tried the large and medium and told me the “medium felt like a [curse word] toy” haha sooo I trusted him and am happy I did.
Theres no way the tq does 2000m of vertical. 750wh batteries with a full fat dont do 1600m
Haha I got the strava and Trailforks ride log to verify. Lots of pedaling on the lowest assist mode though
@ yeah okay, im guessing fire roads then aswell? Because i was looking at the tq system and didnt like it because i live in the mountains and its not really good for climbing mountains and especially not technical ascents, well for an ebike. Although the weight and look is top notch
It's worth maybe half of that, but I'm sure they'll find some idiots to buy it at full price. Bike companies have huge mark-ups.
Yeah I wouldn’t have been able to afford it at full price lol
No M/L size?? 😢😢😢 Noooooooooooooooo
I was bummed too… but I’ve gotten a lot more time on the slash+ since the video dropped and I can confidently say the large feels great. I’m 5’10 for reference
@@MTB_Corbin I'm 5.9 I was happy Trek had finally made an interesting bike with a light motor but a big battery. especially for the magnificent perfect size that trek has always made.....the M/L. except for this bike
With respect to hand fatigue, you can also argue being on a heavier bike will of course be more fatiguing and therefore place more importance on lever pull weight. And though this is of course not data driven in any way, then say your "handicap" further nullifies his thoughts. (and I use null pretty loosely here since we're all just trying to enjoy what we love and it's really not that big a deal)
True and honestly I'm not sure I'm good enough to care about the nuances as much as I'd like to admit. The XTs on the highlander feel great and have a quicker bite; however, the Mavens are more powerful and I've spent most of my biking career on the Code RSCs so my riding really progressed with the ability to modulate with Srams feel... Time will tell where my preference goes for them since my two main bikes (highlander 150 with XTs and Slash+ with Mavens) have pretty different brakes. At least they both now use mineral oil to bleed lol
I never get lever fatigue thanks to my daily index finger workout regimen.
@@sasquatchmtb haha the dream
and you didn't get the cool color?! bro! and 9.7 is not good enough spec?! bro!
haha I'm a matte color and dark aesthetic kind of guy! The pennyflake looked nice but idk I just gravitate towards darker color schemes, the stealth look!
Also the 9.7 has good components, but not enough to justify the price of the bike.
I mean, most of these problems would be resolved if you rode a bike without a battery.
My deviate Highlander is that bike 🫡
@@MTB_Corbin Yeah bro, and while you're at it. Get rid of your suspension and drive train.. Ohh and dropper post. Can't have "mechanicals" out on the trails now could we.. Lmao.