# Pivot Shuttle SL vs. Trek Fuel EXe



## jabrabu (Aug 2, 2010)

I'm interested in one of these new mid-power lightweight e-mtbs, and the Pivot Shuttle SL and Trek Fuel EXe are at the top of my list. I haven't ridden either one, so I've been doing a comparison based on specs. For reference, my current trail bike is a Pivot Trail 429.

Travel - the Pivot has 132mm travel vs. the Trek's 140mm. This is only 8mm difference, but for the type of riding I'd do on this bike I think 140-150mm is the sweet spot. My trail bike is 120mm and I definitely want more travel on an ebike. So the Trek has the advantage here.

Power and battery capacity - The Pivot has the advantage here. It has 60nm torque vs. the Trek's 50nm, and it has a 430 Wh battery vs. the Trek's 360 Wh.

Removable battery - The Trek's battery is easily removable, and the Pivot's battery is not meant to be removed. I like the option to remove the battery. I might want to remove it for a lift-assisted bike park day, and there could be certain epic rides where might want to have a spare battery.

Motor sound - The ride reports on the Trek is that the TQ motor is nearly silent. I've heard the Fazua motors are also very quiet, but I don't know how they compare.

Geometry - Geometries are very similar, and I think either one would be fine for me. The Pivot's chainstays are a little shorter, which I prefer, but it has a very long reach. My medium Trail 429 has a 460mm reach, which is already a bit stretched out for me (I put a shorter stem on it). The Shuttle SL has an even longer 469mm reach, which might be a little too long, but I don't think I want to go down to a size small. The Trek has a reach of 455mm, which I think will fit me better.

Display and controls - I give the edge to the Trek. The top tube display gives more info, and the controller design looks like it would be easier to use.

Looks - Both are stealthy and don't look like e-bikes. This is especially true of the Pivot, which really looks just like a Trail 429 or Switchblade until you look really closely. I like both the yellow and the blue colors on the Trek, and I think the Pivot colors are both pretty ugly.

Value - The Trek looks like a better value, but there aren't identical builds to compare. Looking at the Trek 9.8 XT and the Pivot Pro X01, the Pivot costs $800 more. It comes with Fox Factory suspension and Fox Transfer dropper vs. the Trek's Rockshox Select+ suspension and Bontrager dropper, so I like the Pivot's suspension and dropper spec better. But the Trek comes with carbon rims and carbon cranks. I have the similar Pro X01 build on my Trail 429, and I have 12-speed XT on my hardtail. Both work great, and each has its pros and cons. I prefer the features and ergonomics of the Shimano shifter and the better gear steps on the cassette, and the Shimano seems to shift slightly better under load. But the X01 stuff works really great too. They are both spec'd with XT brakes, which is great. (My Trail 429 came with SRAM G2 brakes, and I prefer Shimano brakes.)

Superboost - The Pivot uses Superboost 157 rear hub spacing. This was a bit of turn-off when I bought my Trail 429 since I already had some nice carbon Boost 148 wheels, but now I have an alloy and a carbon set of wheels for the Pivot, so it's not as big a deal anymore.

I think it will come down to which one I can get the best deal on, and maybe availability. I'm a NICA coach, and Trek gives a NICA discount on e-bikes for Level 3 coaches. They only list the Rail and e-Caliber, but hopefully the discount applies to the new Fuel EXe as well.

Any other opinions on these? Have any of you ridden them?


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## NDnavy21 (Jun 18, 2019)

I am having the same debate myself....

Further complicating my decision is the pending release of the Transition relay this Spring. Depending on the availability of the two bikes, you might have a 3rd option by the time you buy. 

I think from a suspension standpoint I'd prefer to be "over-biked" on an E-bike. I really like the feature of a removable battery, which should allow access to USFS trails. (ride up fireroad/trail that allows cars/OHV, and down bike-only trails)


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## Flyer (Jan 25, 2004)

Since I am not a big fan of Trek MTBs, I'd lean towards the Pivot. For all the climbing I do, the DW Link will probably be a better choice and I suspect it will be a stiffer frame and rear triangle juncture too (which I much prefer) but I'll wait till I read some more extensive reviews. 

The $800 price difference doesn't matter much to me since I always go for the bike that feels better and rides better. The suspension difference is interesting and they may feel very different out on the trail, and that may be the deciding factor for many. If the Pivot is way too firm feeling, that may even push me towards the Trek, but that remains to be seen. Both are very interesting bikes and I could go with either, at this point. I'm really looking forward to some of the more detailed reviews. For now, the Levo SL is my secondary bike so I do not ride it all or most the time. The next one will also be a secondary bike (for now) so it has to be significantly better riding that my Levo SL.


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## NDnavy21 (Jun 18, 2019)

I forgot to mention the Levo SL as well.....isn't that due for an update any day now?


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## DMFT (Dec 31, 2003)

-I'm not sure of the TREK's release date but I know the Pivot will not be on showroom floors until the 1st of September. That means the only people with any experience riding one are the journalists.


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## Flyer (Jan 25, 2004)

I have heard this many times and that it was delayed to September. I heard that it would be more like the SJ EVO. That would be interesting too. It will likely be in that 150ish mm range so the most plush, I suspect.


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## JStrube (Aug 25, 2011)

I'm definitely going to compare these 2. Not sure when demo bikes will be out there. I am planning to wait until Sea Otter in April, so hopefully, these are out and about by then. Deinitely following for ride reports though! Someone will find them before I do.


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## madamfunk (Jun 27, 2011)

Have you considered the Orbea Rise?


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## jabrabu (Aug 2, 2010)

madamfunk said:


> Have you considered the Orbea Rise?


I've considered it, and I'm sure it's a nice riding bike, but I'm more interested in the lighter and smaller TQ or Fazua motors instead of a de-tuned EP8.


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

jabrabu said:


> I'm interested in one of these new mid-power lightweight e-mtbs, and the Pivot Shuttle SL and Trek Fuel EXe are at the top of my list. I haven't ridden either one, so I've been doing a comparison based on specs. For reference, my current trail bike is a Pivot Trail 429.
> 
> Travel - the Pivot has 132mm travel vs. the Trek's 140mm. This is only 8mm difference, but for the type of riding I'd do on this bike I think 140-150mm is the sweet spot. My trail bike is 120mm and I definitely want more travel on an ebike. So the Trek has the advantage here.
> 
> ...


You'll get no facts in this as the Pivot does not exist yet and the EXe is barely available (though one has been seen on the trails near Madison, WI - though that is close to Trek's headquarters).

I would ask your timeline for a purchase and if you have looked into the Orbea RiSE? The RiSE (I have a H15) is good though I will concede that the EP8 rattle is a little annoying. 

My gut feel is that EXe will feel more like a normal bike and the RiSE closer to full fat (but can easily be turned to be more "normal"). The Shuttle SL and the new Transition are probably somewhere in-between.


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## celler (Oct 14, 2012)

I recently visited a Trek owned shop during a road trip in Idaho and asked if they did service on the electric motors. They said yes and I asked them if all Trek owned shops did the same. They said yes. This would be a good advantage to the Trek as most LBS are limited in their knowledge of the ebike motors. I would check into this.


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## Jack7782 (Jan 1, 2009)

jabrabu said:


> I've considered it, and I'm sure it's a nice riding bike, but I'm more interested in the lighter and smaller TQ or Fazua motors instead of a de-tuned EP8.


At least the 'de-tuned' EP8 - is a Shimano/Bosch/Yamaha system, which may be the best route for your first Emtb (think re-sale)


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

Three really good options coming out. I think the Transition Relay (?) has the 60nm Fazua motor. I love how small those are and dead silent. 
Treks 50nm TQ motor also gets really high marks from reviewers. 



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## JillRide45 (Dec 11, 2015)

celler said:


> I recently visited a Trek owned shop during a road trip in Idaho and asked if they did service on the electric motors. They said yes and I asked them if all Trek owned shops did the same. They said yes. This would be a good advantage to the Trek as most LBS are limited in their knowledge of the ebike motors. I would check into this.


Exactly why I went with Trek. Trek says bring it to the shop for any motor or battery problem. Pivot said any motor or battery problem contact Fazua. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## mlx john (Mar 22, 2010)

Doesn't look like the TQ-HPR50 motor is exclusive to Trek. Not from what I've seen anyway. 

That motor is intriguing. Looking forward to seeing it on other bikes in the future.


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## Ripbird (Jun 25, 2020)

There has been a lot of bugs to be worked out with the Trek so far. More info for you guys. There’s a few out on my local trails in SoCal and more info on Facebook from owners.





Fuel EXe - Official Trek Fuel EXe Megathread!


Yup my LBS have said Trek have not really been open to what is going on with the bike and have said they want to take the components apart from the bike. However I have told them I am very reluctant given that I have only used it a couple of times and also with the money spent etc. I have...




www.emtbforums.com


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## jabrabu (Aug 2, 2010)

If I get the Trek, I'd probably go with the 9.8 XT build. It's interesting that the yellow color costs $500 more than the other colors. I do like the yellow a lot, but I also like the blue so I don't think I'd pay the extra for the yellow color. I would have expected the metallic blue to actually be a more expensive paint compared to a satin yellow.

It's also interesting that on the 9.8 XT the Mulsanne Blue is one of the cheaper colors, but on the 9.7 it is one of the more expensive colors. On the 9.9, both the yellow and blue are the same price. It's confusing.


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## edbraunbeck (Apr 28, 2007)

I'm also looking at these two and then wonder if the full-power Specialized Levo is a better choice.


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## Flyer (Jan 25, 2004)

edbraunbeck said:


> I'm also looking at these two and then wonder if the full-power Specialized Levo is a better choice.


That you have to decide for yourself. I do not need the full power (I owned one for two years) and I can't stand how heavy/clumsy they are, so I'd only get a light one around 40 lbs and a lighter motor/batt. I do not ride the e-MTB as a primary bike though. It is my recovery type of bike or long-fun-ride bike and I want the handling to be somewhat close to my regular bike.


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## edbraunbeck (Apr 28, 2007)

Flyer said:


> That you have to decide for yourself. I do not need the full power (I owned one for two years) and I can't stand how heavy/clumsy they are, so I'd only get a light one around 40 lbs and a lighter motor/batt. I do not ride the e-MTB as a primary bike though. It is my recovery type of bike or long-fun-ride bike and I want the handling to be somewhat close to my regular bike.


That's my plan too for riding it on recovery days and new long trail days. I need to ride a few different power levels and weights to get a better perspective.


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## Flyer (Jan 25, 2004)

Of all the full-powered ones, the Pivot Shuttle was the most nimble and best pedaling. It was also the lightest. I could not live with the others but several have changed in the past 2-3 years. One other thing- if the motor or battery ever dies, can you pedal out several miles and a thousand ft of climbing? With the Levo SL, I can.


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## scottie mac (Nov 3, 2011)

I totally agree with Flyer. Full fats have their place. I currently own a Trek Rail and it's pretty nimble for a 50lbs bike, but when it comes to trail riding and flickability, the lightweight bikes are tough to beat. I had a Levo SL (sold to a roadie friend) and I still have access to it from time to time. I rode it the other day and was amazed how much more lively the bike is in the twisty stuff. I'm supposed to be getting one of the new Pivot SL's as soon as they are available. On paper at least, it's the perfect bike for me. More trail oriented, at or slightly under 40lbs and 60nm is more than enough power for me. I rarely, if ever, turbo out my Rail. 

SM


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## eDirt (2 mo ago)

I currently ride a Giant Trance with 80nM torque that I rarely go above assist 3 out of 5 on. I've been considering one of these lighter bikes and finally got a chance to try both the Trek Fuel exe and the Pivot Shuttle SL a couple weeks ago. Both rides were taken in the neighborhoods around the bike shops where I could get the feel of the motor assist on some long hills. 

I found the Fuel felt comfortable and fun to ride on all assist levels, even turned off wasn't bad. I didn't feel like I NEEDED more power to get up the hills and it felt much more nimble than my Trance which is around 14 pounds heavier. The noise level was imperceptible to me.

Even though the Shuttle has a slightly more powerful motor on paper when I rode that I felt like it didn't quite have enough oomph for me, and I found myself more consistently putting it in assist 3 and wishing it had more. Even using the turbo mode felt like I wanted more and I found myself hitting it again to keep it going after the 15 seconds was up. The toggle control felt clumsy to me as well. The noise level of the motor wasn't bad but I could hear it. The really distracting sound to me came from the hub when coasting which was more high pitched than the typical hub noises from every other bike I've ridden.

So, for me I've ruled out the Pivot, and also the Turbo Levo SL I tried a year ago that felt too weak. The Trek has impressed me enough that I'm still strongly considering it and plan to give it another look when I get a chance.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

eDirt said:


> I currently ride a Giant Trance with 80nM torque that I rarely go above assist 3 out of 5 on. I've been considering one of these lighter bikes and finally got a chance to try both the Trek Fuel exe and the Pivot Shuttle SL a couple weeks ago. Both rides were taken in the neighborhoods around the bike shops where I could get the feel of the motor assist on some long hills.
> 
> I found the Fuel felt comfortable and fun to ride on all assist levels, even turned off wasn't bad. I didn't feel like I NEEDED more power to get up the hills and it felt much more nimble than my Trance which is around 14 pounds heavier. The noise level was imperceptible to me.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comparison. Good info. I wonder why the Pivot felt down on power despite the (claimed?) higher torque spec?


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## edbraunbeck (Apr 28, 2007)

KRob said:


> Thanks for the comparison. Good info. I wonder why the Pivot felt down on power despite the (claimed?) higher torque spec?


I demoed the Trek in the parking lot and ended up buying the Pivot Shuttle SL. Without riding them back to back, I could not comment on the power difference. My Shuttle has about 150 miles and power-wise it's more than enough. River mode (blue) is where I spend a lot of my time. Rocket mode is fun on wide-open trails for getting from point A to B as fast as possible.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

edbraunbeck said:


> I demoed the Trek in the parking lot and ended up buying the Pivot Shuttle SL. Without riding them back to back, I could not comment on the power difference. My Shuttle has about 150 miles and power-wise it's more than enough. River mode (blue) is where I spend a lot of my time. Rocket mode is fun on wide-open trails for getting from point A to B as fast as possible.


Good to know. Any other comments on the overall Pivot Shuttle SL experience so far? Rocket mode is also good for those super steep, you'd-be-pushing-without-an-ebike short climbing sections.


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## edbraunbeck (Apr 28, 2007)

KRob said:


> Good to know. Any other comments on the overall Pivot Shuttle SL experience so far? Rocket mode is also good for those super steep, you'd-be-pushing-without-an-ebike short climbing sections.


It truly rides like a cross between the Trail 429 and Switchblade. The motor and overall bike are very quiet. 

Yesterday, I declined a steep section of the trail and turned around, and went back up for fun.  River mode was perfectly fine!


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## Ripbird (Jun 25, 2020)

edbraunbeck said:


> It truly rides like a cross between the Trail 429 and Switchblade. The motor and overall bike are very quiet.
> 
> Yesterday, I declined a steep section of the trail and turned around, and went back up for fun.  River mode was perfectly fine!


Rock it, River, pebble, stone is way to confusing and unnecessary on Pivot’s part. How about staying uniform Eco, Trail, Boost then we’ll all know what mode you’re speaking about without opening the manual that we don’t have. I’m not knocking you or anyone else, I just see no reason for bike manufacturers need to rewrite something that doesn’t need to be rewritten. Keep the reviews coming, because they are far and few on the Pivot.


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## edbraunbeck (Apr 28, 2007)

Ripbird said:


> Rock it, River, pebble, stone is way to confusing and unnecessary on Pivot’s part. How about staying uniform Eco, Trail, Boost then we’ll all know what mode you’re speaking about without opening the manual that we don’t have. I’m not knocking you or anyone else, I just see no reason for bike manufacturers need to rewrite something that doesn’t need to be rewritten. Keep the reviews coming, because they are far and few on the Pivot.


Right on! Otherwise, I'm proposing wind, water & fire.


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## Flyer (Jan 25, 2004)

Wind, River, and Storm!


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## Suns_PSD (Dec 13, 2013)

I don't get a 132mm travel e-bike unless you are someone that is missing a leg or something and just wants to ride lighter trails but will never be able to really pedal easy trails.

I know some people shred big terrain on a small bike, but that's not the right tool for big terrain.

For an average to above average MTBer, the point of these mid power e-bikes is to have a super shreddy big bike for serious chunk but feel like you are riding a XC race bike when climbing back up.


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## jabrabu (Aug 2, 2010)

My regular trail bike is a Pivot Trail 429. I like it a lot, and the Shuttle SL looks very appealing to me. However, I ended up getting the Fuel EXe. I think the design of the control and display is better, and the motor is quieter. The Pivot has a bit more power and bigger battery, but the Trek has plenty of assist for me and the overall range is pretty similar between the two. I also felt that I wanted at least 140mm travel, although there isn't that much difference between 132mm and 140mm. The medium Trek also fits me perfectly, where the Pivot's reach is a little too long.

The Trek also looks like a better deal for the price. The 9.8XT has a full XT drivetrain and brakes (no substituting an SLX cassette and chain like a lot of brands do), plus it comes with carbon rims and carbon cranks, for $8700. It looks like the Pivot Ride build is now $9K, and that is all SLX except for an XT derailleur, and it has alloy bars, rims, and cranks. I was also able to get a 25% discount on the Trek as a NICA Level 3 coach, so that made it an easy choice for me.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

jabrabu said:


> My regular trail bike is a Pivot Trail 429. I like it a lot, and the Shuttle SL looks very appealing to me. However, I ended up getting the Fuel EXe. I think the design of the control and display is better, and the motor is quieter. The Pivot has a bit more power and bigger battery, but the Trek has plenty of assist for me and the overall range is pretty similar between the two. I also felt that I wanted at least 140mm travel, although there isn't that much difference between 132mm and 140mm. The medium Trek also fits me perfectly, where the Pivot's reach is a little too long.
> 
> The Trek also looks like a better deal for the price. The 9.8XT has a full XT drivetrain and brakes (no substituting an SLX cassette and chain like a lot of brands do), plus it comes with carbon rims and carbon cranks, for $8700. It looks like the Pivot Ride build is now $9K, and that is all SLX except for an XT derailleur, and it has alloy bars, rims, and cranks. I was also able to get a 25% discount on the Trek as a NICA Level 3 coach, so that made it an easy choice for me.


That choice makes sense, and is the way I'd be leaning as well, if I were in the market for this genre of eBike. Have you posted your ride impressions somewhere? Love to hear what you think.


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## jabrabu (Aug 2, 2010)

KRob said:


> That choice makes sense, and is the way I'd be leaning as well, if I were in the market for this genre of eBike. Have you posted your ride impressions somewhere? Love to hear what you think.


In the Trek forum there is a thread for the Fuel EXe with some ride impressions. My initial impressions are in post #88 there. Overall I'm enjoying the bike a lot.








2023 Fuel EXe Official Thread


I did some updates to personalize things to my preferences. . I replaced the Bontrager dropper lever with a Shimano lever. The Bontrager lever had 2 adapters and was in a strange location, and didn't feel great. I originally got a WolfTooth lever, which I have on my other bikes and like a lot...




www.mtbr.com


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

Suns_PSD said:


> I don't get a 132mm travel e-bike unless you are someone that is missing a leg or something and just wants to ride lighter trails but will never be able to really pedal easy trails.
> 
> I know some people shred big terrain on a small bike, but that's not the right tool for big terrain.
> 
> For an average to above average MTBer, the point of these mid power e-bikes is to have a super shreddy big bike for serious chunk but feel like you are riding a XC race bike when climbing back up.


I pedal all over Colorado on a 135mm for a decade (that was considered long for a29er when I bought it). Nothing wrong with 132 if the suspension is designed right. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## mtnbikerva1 (Feb 4, 2008)

Warranty issues and problems with the bike/manufacture and how we have to handle them is a big deal to me. Also how the manufacture handles customers and or bike shop issues or problems?
How easy and cost of replacement or upgrade parts?
My local Trek shop is run by aholes and idiots!


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## mtnbikerva1 (Feb 4, 2008)

The other big thing is build standards and quality control. My Trek had a few manufacturing problems some Trek HQ fixed.
My 2021/2 PIVOT Trail 429 seems to be much better in all areas, not a single dislike or failure. So far the Pivot seems to be in a different and higher quality tier than most as far as standards Pivot holds.


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## mtnbikerva1 (Feb 4, 2008)

Suspension wise my Trek 140mm of rear travel was harsher and I did not like the ride feel.
My 120mm rear travel Pivot feels far better in every way, and somehow feels like there is more than the 140 Trek.


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## mtnbikerva1 (Feb 4, 2008)

To be fair the Trek was a DPS shock and my Pivot Trail 429 enduro has a FOX Float X. So how much of the superior performance and feel is the shock and or frame quality, suspension design, geo, etc I am not 100% sure.


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## Flyer (Jan 25, 2004)

Now Scott has got into the light e-bike game with a 35 lb e-bike. That is 2 lbs more than my Ripmo!!


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## AF2NR (Jan 12, 2018)

That new Scott is interesting but damn how many things do you have to use your thumb for? I will say that the tolerances between those like Pivot and larger brands is the tolerance level allowed, and you also have to consider the entry point at equal builds. Yes you can get the xyz for $ but they are alloy, not a big deal for some, or super low level, see the "entry" Levo carbon for reference. In the end we are all in the same park just on different fields, at least at times.


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## jabrabu (Aug 2, 2010)

I like these new lighter e-bikes, and I'm really enjoying my Fuel EXe, but the new Orbea Wild looks really sweet -- full power, 750 WH battery, 160mm travel, and around 46 lbs.
The Fuel EXe has plenty of power for me (I almost never use the full boost mode), but I do sometimes wish for longer range.


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## BmanInTheD (Sep 19, 2014)

Pretty sure that Orbea Wild is 46 pounds for the 625 WH battery, which I can’t see why anyone would want over the 750 battery. IIRC that adds at least a couple more pounds.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

BmanInTheD said:


> Pretty sure that Orbea Wild is 46 pounds for the 625 WH battery, which I can’t see why anyone would want over the 750 battery. IIRC that adds at least a couple more pounds.


More range is always better if you're using a full power eBike to do long exploratory rides with loads of climbing.

If I could get the Orbea Wild with 750wH battery and still be at only 48 lbs, I'd count that as a win. I think my (wife's) Turbo Levo Comp with 700wH battery weighs in closer to 51 lbs..


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## Jack7782 (Jan 1, 2009)

KRob said:


> More range is always better if you're using a full power eBike to do long exploratory rides with loads of climbing.


The new Wild with the 625 (shorter) battery is beautiful to the eye. I wonder if the 750 (longer) battery would ruin the looks and geo? Maybe 625 WH and 46 lbs is the new sweet spot?


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## BmanInTheD (Sep 19, 2014)

Jack7782 said:


> The new Wild with the 625 (shorter) battery is beautiful to the eye. I wonder if the 750 (longer) battery would ruin the looks and geo? Maybe 625 WH and 46 lbs is the new sweet spot?
> View attachment 2012377


The 750 battery doesn’t change anything except the range and the weight. I think the battery just goes farther up the down tube. I have a Rise-LTD and had to change evrything (added about 4-5 pounds) to make it what it should be. Came with a 34 fork, DPS shock, wispy little 25mm rims, 2-pot brakes. It was a joke at that spec.


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## FM (Apr 30, 2003)

jabrabu said:


> The Fuel EXe has plenty of power for me (I almost never use the full boost mode), but I do sometimes wish for longer range.


Well I have good news for you! Your fuel EXe with a full second battery is still a good bit lighter than that Orbea Wild.
Fuel with a second battery is 45lbs and 720wh combined. For me (190lbs), that'll get 7,000'+ vert using trail/boost modes. That's with the Zeb, mullet and DD Minions.
My mind was blown when i removed the TQ battery and threw it in my smaller Osprey hydration pack, just to see how it felt. The battery easily fits inside the pack, which uses a 2.5L bladder. The weight of the battery is equivalent to 1.8l of water, and the battery is also pretty compact. It seems like a no-brainer compared to the WB range extender, which is nearly the same cost, less power, and leaves you with no place to store water.

Don't get me wrong, the Wild looks awesome for a full-power Enduro eBike. Different category maybe.


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## rockdoganoff (Jun 5, 2014)

Had a year and a half on a levo SL then got a Trek EXE. My comparison:
Power - virtually the same but the trek is more natural in delivery, especially noticable when hitting the 20 mph cutoff. The trek not nearly as jarring as with the SL which I had remedied with a Levociraptor tuning chip. The range doesn't seem as good on the Trek though, maybe 20% less approx and the extender no where in sight yet.
Handling - the trek is hands down quicker, more nimble, probably due to the shorter chainstays but I'm not a geometry scientist. 
Noise - everything being said about the quiet Trek EXE tq motor is true. It's barely audible. The Spec? Whiny and loud enough for me to hear even with earbuds. I ride anywhere MTBs are allowed (within reason) so stealthyness is a plus. I don't know why Trek didn't provide the ability to turn off the display like Specialized does but bet that's forthcoming.
Ymmv, happy trails


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## jabrabu (Aug 2, 2010)

rockdoganoff said:


> Had a year and a half on a levo SL then got a Trek EXE. My comparison:
> Power - virtually the same but the trek is more natural in delivery, especially noticable when hitting the 20 mph cutoff. The trek not nearly as jarring as with the SL which I had remedied with a Levociraptor tuning chip. The range doesn't seem as good on the Trek though, maybe 20% less approx and the extender no where in sight yet.
> Handling - the trek is hands down quicker, more nimble, probably due to the shorter chainstays but I'm not a geometry scientist.
> Noise - everything being said about the quiet Trek EXE tq motor is true. It's barely audible. The Spec? Whiny and loud enough for me to hear even with earbuds. I ride anywhere MTBs are allowed (within reason) so stealthyness is a plus. I don't know why Trek didn't provide the ability to turn off the display like Specialized does but bet that's forthcoming.
> Ymmv, happy trails


I agree about the EXe handling. There is no front end wandering on steep climbs, but it's still very stable and confident on fast downhills. Cornering is great. It's just very balanced, and I don't have to think about pressuring the front tire like on some other modern geometry bikes. When I do push too hard in a corner, the rear tire tends to lose grip first, even with the same SE5 tires front and rear. The rear just drifts a little, which is easy to correct, and it raises confidence. The one tradeoff is that the bottom bracket is very low so I tend to get more pedal strikes on this bike, even with the 165mm cranks.


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