2021 Trek Top Fuel 9.7 Test Ride and Review
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Well, this time we are searching for trail bikes. I take out the 2021 Trek Top fuel 9.7 for a ride on my local trails. All in all I did like this bike alot, but the stock build was not really what I'm looking for right now as a light fast trail bike or "downcountry" bike. The stock set up reminds me alot of a Yeti SB-100 or SB-115. While the trek suspension is more active and more forgiving than the Yeti in the initial stroke it handles drops quite well for a little bike. Alot of people complain about Yeti's spec and tire choices of their stock bikes, speccing a 100/115mm bike with minions. But, I have to say unless I'm racing I prefer a meetier tire especially for our new england tech and leaves etc. Not to ruin the suprise of the video but in the end, I ended up ordering a Top Fuel frame, and I'm confident with my few changes with a longer fork, shorter stem, wider bars, and beefier tires the top fuel is gonna be an absolute trail shredder. Check back in in the spring for a bike build, and longer term review!
Check out the top fuel 9.7 here: bit.ly/3a8UXZy
Any purchases made from Trek through this link directly helps support this channel! Thank you! bit.ly/3a9DCiR
My gear I use on every ride:
My favorite pack for under 2 hour rides: bit.ly/3a6Gz3M
My favorite trail shoe: bit.ly/3tWMSPw
With custom insole: bit.ly/2ZbM7Uh
#2021trektopfuel #topfuel #trekbikes #downcountry
i have the 2020 top fuel 9.8 and find its prob the most versatile bike to own and live with
I ended up ordering a frame. Even though I wasn't stoked on how it was set up stock I think it was because it was too big, I had some dropper problems which were fixed immediately when I got back to the shop (lever issue). I think this bike is gonna be a sick trail ripper set up the way want. 130 fork, short stem, wide bars, beefier tires, it's gonna be an absolute trail slayer!
Just got one for the Boise foothills, LOVE it
I think that a lot of people here, (I live in Northeast MA) think they need way, way more bike than the really do. I've riding a Fuel Ex for the last 6 years and when I bought it, it was between that or the Superfly FS which is REALLY XC so I went with the EX which served me well. Now though, realizing I am not doing big drops or jumps and seeing how slack the geometry is on the Top Fuel I think it's more appropriate for what I do. I see guys around here riding bikes with 6 inches of rear travel and I wonder what they're doing lugging all that bike around.
Ya I agree. Less is more sometimes ... but if I could only have one bike it would be a 6" travel bike. Then I would be forced to ride it even locally which is what akot of people do
@@Projectnortheast I agree with you, 6 inches of travel is great for all around and that's why I bought the Fuel EX. At the time I was coming off a hardtail. The EX has been great and I love it but next year, once this stupid pandemic is over and you can ACTUALLY find a bike I'm going to go with the Top Fuel because it's more specific for me. When I bought the EX, bikes like the Top Fuel didn't exist. It was either trail or XC.
@@sevenrats ya its a new breed of bike that your seeing. Still xcish efficiency wise but geo is such you can get a little rowdy with it. Top fuels may be in stock in some places as well. I know my supporting shop had some atleast
I have a Devinci Django and a Troy. The Troy is more capable on most trails in NH but really doesn’t give up much anywhere to the Django. Most of my fastest times are on the Troy. Putting consistent power down on rough trails seems to be the difference. Can’t imagine a 100mm bike being better either. I think if we had smoother trails maybe would be a bigger difference?
I've ridden all over SNH and all my fastest times are on a lightweight trailbike. Like my old Ripley, sb100, or stumpy. A place like fork rock or something like that a slightly bigger bike is actually faster sometimes through the tech. But I've found a lightweight trail bike is always faster
@@Projectnortheast I think I’d have to go to more significant weight difference. My bikes are only about 1.5 lbs difference and the wheels very similar 30mm.
@@tinshield ya weight has something to do with it but its more efficiency. My 2 bikes are works apart. 33lb enduro with 170mm travel and a 27lb stumpy with 120mm travel. Im usually always faster unless its at highland or like fort rock on the stumpy as its 6lbs lighter and just pedals so much faster and has the geo of an enduro bike of 2 years ago
@@Projectnortheast makes sense. My Troy is under 30. Set up for trail riding. If it were 33 lbs would see a big difference compared to my Django.
Great review. I picked up this bike is August and it's been tons of fun learning on. Definitely looking for a more down-country feel; put larger rotors and a more aggressive tire. Not crazy about the cockpit. Would a shorter stem make it feel more comfortable down-hill or is it more due to the rise of the bars? I'm happy with the width.
Thanks!
I've got about 100 miles on mine now with the short stem wide bars and 130mm fork and its absolutely a ripper now. A shorter stem would definitely help!
@@Projectnortheast what length is your stem?
@@MichelBalik I'm running a 32mm raceface turbine stem... which is about the shortest you can get
How does it handle drops / jumps? I recently upgraded from a Trek X-Caliber 8 hardtail to the Fuel EX7, however I think the Trek Top Fuel is more of what I need. I want more of a cross country bike, but one that can handle rougher terrain and maximum of 3-4ft jumps. Is the Trek Top Fuel the way to go? Thank you for these reviews. Tremendous help for a beginner riders like myself.
It handles small drops and jumps pretty well I think. I did a couple 3-4' drops in this video and it handled them quite well. I watched another review of someone that lives in Wyoming and was hitting huge jumps with his and he said its not really meant for that stuff but as long as he's smooth he feels it handles everything you throw at it. I'll be doing another in depth review of my top fuel custom build here once the snow melts and I can put it through its paces
I’m in the same position. Have an XC 8 and want something meant more for trails but I do take my bike on the road. Thinking Top Fuel 9.8 right now.
What is the guys channel that did the fuel ex
@livefreeandshred he ordered the fuel ex and I ordered the top fuel. I rode the ex and it was great if your into having 1 bike to do it all but I felt it was too close to the slash for me for my local trails
@@Projectnortheast thanks becuase I have a fuel ex of my own and I just wanted to see what he thinks of it
If I add a better suspension, tires, do you think It could handle bigger jumps?
I mean if your smooth yes... I hit decent size jumps with mine all the time... its definitely not a bike park bike though
How tall are you?
I'm just shy of 5' 10" since this review I've built up a custom Medium/large with slammed stem and 130 fork... its really really good!
I’m 5’11” putting me at the bottom of a large. Do you think the bike will feel too big?
@@jackwindy3248 I felt the large was very big, but thats also cuz it had a 70mm stem stock (I don't know why they still slap those long stems on) . I'm basically 5'10" with a 5'11" wingspan (long arms) and I think the M/L is perfect and I could definitely ride it if I were slightly taller as I'm running the shortest possible stem with 800mm bars
Reflectors huge dropper cable?
Yes all bikes come stock with reflectors and thats not the dropper cable it's the front fork lockout...
How would you compare this bike to a specialized epic evo?
I cant really speak too much about that having not ridden the Epic Evo. But from what I know of the epic of years past its not a forgiving bike. So if your aim was racing XC the epic may be better suited. But if your looking for a rocker of a trail bike that can hit jumps and drops etc. The top fuel would be my pick. I hope they get a little more aggressive with the geo in the future but overall I love it so far
I’m looking for a very efficient trail bike that I can race occasionally and do 20+ mile trail rides
@@jackwindy3248 honestly I think both fit that bill, but think the top fuel is going to be quite a bit more fun
I would also like to have a comparison I think the EPIC went from XC to trail with the EVO and the Fuel went opposite from Trail to XC with the top fuel, maybe the top fuel is a bit more toward trail compared to the evo...
70mm stem sheeesh lol
I feel like I need to do product development for Trek as they really missed the boat in their line up. I feel like the top fuel should be 2 different bikes... one with short stem wide bars and a long fork with beefy tires and the other set up like this one was. There is a wide gap between this bike and the fuel ex
@@Projectnortheast hm that's interesting. I wonder if they pushed the Fuel EX to be more aggressive and the Top Fuel didn't get the same level of attention. Good to know there's a gap there. Review was on point!
@@harryfettermedia thanks man ya I think they kinda missed the boat and would like trek to offer a "trail" version of this bike as its a very versatile frame. Would even like to see them do a 130/140 fork for us folks that don't wanna race but want a spritely "downcountry" bike. Kinda like the new giant trance or transition spur..
@@Projectnortheast I have a 2020 Top Fuel 9.9 and it has a 60mm stem. I noticed the 2021 9.9 has a 60mm as well while the 9.7 had a 70mm. Seems odd they wouldn't have spec'd the same on both the 9.9 and 9.7. The 60mm feels like a good match for the 750mm bars, especially when running the minno link in high position.
@@AIMarketingFunnels like I've told others I think this bike has identity issues lol. It wants to be a trail bike... but just needs a little help. I'll be building mine up soon but it will have 800 bars and a 35mm length stem and 130mm fork. I'm looking forward to riding it like that . I think its gonna be an absolute singketrack slayer and I'll do a review on it later