Field Test: 2021 Trek Slash - Ready to Race

The shock was developed specifically for Trek, but it does share some similarities with the current inline Deluxe shock, like the ability to select from three low-speed compression settings, along with an extra-firm locked out position. A turn of the dial can firm up the shock for smoother, flowier trails, or turning it the other way can be useful for slippery conditions when traction is a high priority. There's also a numbered rebound knob, one of those “Why hasn't everyone been doing this?” features that should help speed up setup.

Trek debuted their in-frame snack storage on the Fuel EX last year, and that's now been carried over to the Slash. Flipping a lever underneath the water bottle cage unlatches a panel that covers the downtube, where a tube and snacks can easily be stored. Perhaps best of all, the feature is also found on the aluminum Slash frames.

Along with the snack compartment, the Slash has a threaded bottom bracket, a 34.9mm seatpost diameter, and Knock Block 2.0. For those that aren't familiar, the Knock Block system uses a a small stop chip in the headtube and a special headset top cap and stem spacers to prevent the handlbar from being turned too far in either direction. The previous version only allowed 58-degrees of rotation in either direction, while the new one allows 72-degrees of rotation. Even better, the feature can be completely removed, since the downtube now has a slight curve in it that allows the forks crown to pass underneath without any issues.

The Slash's head tube angle has been slackened by 1-degree, and now sits at 64.1-degrees in the low geometry setting. It's possible to steepen that to 64.6-degrees via the flip chips in the seatstays, but I have a feeling most riders will stick to the slacker setting. Along with the slacker head angle, the bike's reach has grown by 20-30mm per size – the reach on a size large now measures 486mm. Speaking of sizes, there's now an ML option in the mix, which means there's a total of five sizes – S, M, ML, L, and XL.

The seat angle has been steepened to 75.6-degrees. That's slightly slacker than what we're seeing from other companies, especially when combined with the bike's relatively slack actual seat tube angle. The chainstay length remains the same across the board for all sizes, at 437mm in the low setting.

The Slash 9.9 X01 version reviewed here retails for $8,000 USD. Parts kit highlights include a RockShox Zeb Ultimate fork, SRAM X01 12-speed drivetrain, Code RSC brakes, and Bontrager Line Elite carbon wheels. That's a lot of money, but you can get an alloy version starting at $3,500 for the aluminum Slash 7.

The total weight is 32.5 lb with our Maxxis Assegai / DHR II control tires installed, making it the second lightest bike out of the 5 on hand for this test.





Climbing

Trek bumped up the anti-squat on the Trek, and for the most part I was happy leaving the shock alone while climbing, especially when it was in the middle or firmer compression setting of the 'open' position.

As it is, the Slash is a good climber, but you can notice that front center length when things get really tight; at times I felt I was a little further back than I wanted. Otherwise, the reasonable weight and good traction from the Super Deluxe shock make it relatively easy to get the climbing out of the way before the fun really begins. Sure, you won't mistake it for an extra-nimble trail bike, but doesn't turn into a cumbersome sled on mellower terrain.

In regards to sizing, the Slash has the longest top tube length out of all five bikes being reviewed, at 649mm. Yes, it also has the longest reach to go along at that, but if you look at the Norco Shore, that bike has a 480mm reach and 617mm top tube length - the seat tube angle makes a big difference in how well the longer front center is hidden while climbing. Now, I was able to achieve a pretty comfortable climbing position by sliding the seat forward in the rails, but I wouldn't have complained if the seat tube angle was a couple degrees steeper. Interestingly, that’s pretty much what I said about the Specialized Enduro last year, and the two have similar reach and top tube lengths.





Descending

I spent a lot of time on the previous Slash, and one thing's for certain – it hasn't lost anything when it comes to speed and precision. Out of all the bikes, this one felt the fastest, even if that wasn't totally reflected in the timed laps. I like bikes that make you want to go fast, the kind where it doesn't feel like there's a speed limit, and this is one of them.


That's sort of the theme with this bike – it's stiff and fast, but it's also really great at jumping and slapping through corners. Overall, the Slash would make a great race bike, or an all-rounder for someone who's focused on rowdier trails and is looking for a precise speed machine.

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Reviews and Tech Videos Field Test Enduro Bikes Trek Trek Slash