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Soooo,anyone been on the new Trek Slash yet ?

tuumbaq

Monkey
Jul 5, 2006
725
0
Squamish BC
I was hoping to see a few reviews from interbike but havent seen any so far.

I realized this thing isnt even in shops yet but I have to pull the trigger soon if I wish to get a good deal.

I'd be buying the frame only but Im a little concern with the DRCV shock.From what I can tell, if I dont like it, there are no replacement options due to the proprietary rocker link, which kinda stinks.

Has anyone here had a chance to test ride one yet ?Is it truly a great downhiller trail bike ?
 

lachy_mtb

Monkey
May 25, 2008
124
0
We were meant to be able to ride one at Trek world Australia, but it got sold before anyone could ride it, was pretty annoyed at that. Keen to hear any reviews though.
 

tuumbaq

Monkey
Jul 5, 2006
725
0
Squamish BC
thanks for the link davec113...I would still love to hear more about the bike...Quite surprised there isnt more hype around that bike, it look so promising ON PAPER...
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
it look so promising ON PAPER...
really? I'd say it looks like all the other modern AM bikes, and trek just finally got on board with proper geometry. There is nothing groundbreaking about the geo or travel, and there are plenty of other options to choose from. Plus, knowing trek, the chainstays will probably break. The only bike I know of that they don't regularly break on are sessions, and I've heard of breaks even on that.

No hate for trek, I have a session that I love, and if I can afford it when it breaks, I'll buy a new one, and I'm excited they finally offered a bike that can compete with the enduro and nomads of the world, but they're 3-4 years late to the game.
 

tuumbaq

Monkey
Jul 5, 2006
725
0
Squamish BC
really? I'd say it looks like all the other modern AM bikes, and trek just finally got on board with proper geometry. There is nothing groundbreaking about the geo or travel, and there are plenty of other options to choose from. Plus, knowing trek, the chainstays will probably break. The only bike I know of that they don't regularly break on are sessions, and I've heard of breaks even on that.

No hate for trek, I have a session that I love, and if I can afford it when it breaks, I'll buy a new one, and I'm excited they finally offered a bike that can compete with the enduro and nomads of the world, but they're 3-4 years late to the game.
well here's my own opinion on that.I have yet to find a burly 6X6 bike that comes with a 142x12 rear axle, adjustable geo, internal cable routing , angleset and least but not last a CUSTOM VALVED rear AIR shock.

Although Ive considered it for a while (and owned 2 of them in the past ) the Nomad does not have a 142x12 axle and its less than stellar with an air shock...Stil a great bike nonetheless.

The Enduro has probably the worst tuned rear shock in the history of man kind...Im sure some may like it but I dont.It seems UBER soft , wallowy, it dives in its travel super quick and gives an overall lazy feel...Not a fan of 4 bars to start with and would never want to pay for that bike.

I was thinking of going with a Mojo HD for a while and had the chance to test one . . .it's far too XC oriented for me.

Tracer 2 is a good one, doesnt have a custom valved shock but I could get it with a DB, wich is probably better than the custom DCRV.It has an 142x12 as well...but ive seen with my own eyes like a lot of problematic Instenses in the past and It worries me.

I know there is about a million other options I can seem to think of any with the same complete package like the Slash( for me anyway ) ...

Ive had 9 Treks in my house over the past 4 years and none of them had broken chainstays...Im aware they can break ( just like any other bikes out there) but it doesnt worry me one bit if Im the original owner.

Care to tell me what bikes Im missing ?
 
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davec113

Monkey
May 24, 2009
419
0
IMO, the '08-'09 Remedys were a modern AM bike, then in '10 they were made more xc-ish and the Scratch was a much bigger bike than the older Remedys, more a freeride bike. So, I agree there has been a gap in their lineup that the Slash fills. As far as chainstays, the '08-9 Remedys probably broke because the sus bottoms way too easily if you don't shim the shock, use a lv air can or a coil shock. Mine hasn't broke, yet... A fried broke the Session's chainstay, but he's a very fast pro rider and has broke every bike he's owned. The Session lasted much longer than most under his abuse. My Session has been great and is the best bike I've ever rode.

There are so many good bikes in this category these days... the Nomad with PUSH link and a Vivid Air would be worth checking out too. My friend broke the chainstay on his Tracer and it took Intense a long time to replace it. The Tracer2's new rear end looks a lot better but it's not a light frame anymore compared to the competition, the T2 is 1 lb heavier than the original.
 
I haven't gotten to ride one, but at Trek World we were told that the DRCV on the Slash ramps up way better when compared to years past. I don't know how much I buy into that without actually being on the bike as the fox shocks just seem to bottom way to easy, but the bike seems to have enough going for it that I was willing to take the chance. Ordered one last week, ETA is 11/21. You can get other shocks to fit, it just isn't as easy a swap as it is on most bikes.

If you can wait until November for the bike to get out I'm sure you'll get lots of feedback. My guess is that there will be some bikes out before then as Trek has tried with new bikes to under promise and over deliver when it comes to availability on new models as it pertains to their ordering system.
 

jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
7,596
5,894
in a single wide, cooking meth...
The Commencal Meta or Meta SX may also interest you, as they do have a 142 mm hub spacing, internal cable routing, air shock, and you can use an angleset if so desired. Same goes for the Yeti SB-66, which is what I have pants moving excitement for at the moment.
 

tuumbaq

Monkey
Jul 5, 2006
725
0
Squamish BC
The Commencal Meta or Meta SX may also interest you, as they do have a 142 mm hub spacing, internal cable routing, air shock, and you can use an angleset if so desired. Same goes for the Yeti SB-66, which is what I have pants moving excitement for at the moment.
I should have mentioned , Im looking for a frameset ... I thought about the Yeti but I never had a chance to ride one myself...I dont think the Commencal is available as a frame only.

I have my mind pretty much set on the Trek, I love the way their bike rides but Ive had less than a great experience with the DRCV..I came across this review this morning :

http://www.mtb-forum.it/test-trek-slash-9/

Kinda hard to really figure out what they say using the google translator (anyone on here speaks Italian?) but from what I understand I dont think they liked the shock and it seems to suffer from the same problem to the other DRCV shock ... not a good start for me.
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
Two of my coworkers rode the Slash at Interbike. The word is sick. Jesse said it descended really well and had a great suspension feel.
 

vertr

Chimp
Sep 18, 2011
1
0
I demo'd the Slash 9 at a trek demo at Duthie a few weeks ago.

For what it's worth, it rides like a leggy all mountain bike. The geo felt great, it really rails corners and it has good pop off lips. It weighs and rides lightly, and it was definitely a smile-inducing bike. Having demo'd scratches, I don't feel like the bike is hugely different from those however.

Take a review like this as you do most reviews... bikes are so subjective etc.

If you have any specific questions, let me know.
 
i agree that there is alot of choice if one is in the market for a more DH oriented AM/enduro rig. this is a good thing. i went with the Trek because:

1)i really liked the small compliance and braking characteristics of the ABP
2)the geometry
3)i wanted to support my local shop (which is a Trek/Specialized dealer)

the Meta AM and Nomad carbon were also very high on my list.
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
well here's my own opinion on that.I have yet to find a burly 6X6 bike that comes with a 142x12 rear axle, adjustable geo, internal cable routing , angleset and least but not last a CUSTOM VALVED rear AIR shock.

The Enduro has probably the worst tuned rear shock in the history of man kind...Im sure some may like it but I dont.It seems UBER soft , wallowy, it dives in its travel super quick and gives an overall lazy feel...Not a fan of 4 bars to start with and would never want to pay for that bike.

I was thinking of going with a Mojo HD for a while and had the chance to test one . . .it's far too XC oriented for me.

Tracer 2 is a good one, doesnt have a custom valved shock but I could get it with a DB, wich is probably better than the custom DCRV.It has an 142x12 as well...but ive seen with my own eyes like a lot of problematic Instenses in the past and It worries me.

I know there is about a million other options I can seem to think of any with the same complete package like the Slash( for me anyway ) ...

Ive had 9 Treks in my house over the past 4 years and none of them had broken chainstays...Im aware they can break ( just like any other bikes out there) but it doesnt worry me one bit if Im the original owner.

Care to tell me what bikes Im missing ?
You're really going to compare the DRCV to the suspension stocked on specialized bikes? REALLY? the 08/09 remedy was one of the most baddass bikes ever built. The 10-11-12 is a stupid trail bike with too much travel. They also took a bike that bottomed out too easily, and made it bottom out even MORE easily. I've ridden both the remedy and enduro (both 2011) pretty extensively, and of the two, the enduro is a million times better at the gravity thing. The slash copied the geometry.

Anyway, haven't ridden the mojo HD, there is always the tracer, and you're going to complain about problematic intenses? I mean, trek is good about warranty, but thats because they have to be. I've seen 4 broken chainstays, 2 broken main frames on the remedy, and a full catastrophic fail on a set of scratch chain/seat stays. on an 8 month old bike. Pretty much the only trek mountain bikes meant to be ridden aggressively that leave our shop, come back broken (save my, and my buddies session). Trek has gone hard core for the "super light" thing, and as such their bikes break left and right. You can pretty much count on them breaking, and they don't even offer lifetime warranties anymore.

The whole point of the DRCV is to make it so that the shock is more linear. Why do you need to put one on a bike, and then 'custom tune' it to make it ramp up more? Why not just use a regular shock?

Anyway, you asked what other bikes you were missing, so I threw together a list that it took me 5 minutes of searching to make:

Tracer (slightly less travel, but same intended use I think)
Carbine
Nomad (send your shock to push, buy the link, I guarantee it will ride better then the DRCV, and probably cost less too)
Enduro (say what you will, I know you have a lot of hate for spec, but for everybody else in the world thats ridden it, its pretty rad)
Stumpy evo
Banshee ruin (probably best to run with angleset)
Commencial meta 6
orange 5
Devinci dixon (even has split pivot, your favorite)

I'm also willing to bet I could find more, those are just off the top of my head.

I feel like I'm hatin on trek, and I shouldn't be, because I am actually looking forward to the slash, but its hardly groundbreaking in any way, shape, or form.
 

tuumbaq

Monkey
Jul 5, 2006
725
0
Squamish BC
You're really going to compare the DRCV to the suspension stocked on specialized bikes? REALLY? the 08/09 remedy was one of the most baddass bikes ever built. The 10-11-12 is a stupid trail bike with too much travel. They also took a bike that bottomed out too easily, and made it bottom out even MORE easily. I've ridden both the remedy and enduro (both 2011) pretty extensively, and of the two, the enduro is a million times better at the gravity thing. The slash copied the geometry.

Anyway, haven't ridden the mojo HD, there is always the tracer, and you're going to complain about problematic intenses? I mean, trek is good about warranty, but thats because they have to be. I've seen 4 broken chainstays, 2 broken main frames on the remedy, and a full catastrophic fail on a set of scratch chain/seat stays. on an 8 month old bike. Pretty much the only trek mountain bikes meant to be ridden aggressively that leave our shop, come back broken (save my, and my buddies session). Trek has gone hard core for the "super light" thing, and as such their bikes break left and right. You can pretty much count on them breaking, and they don't even offer lifetime warranties anymore.

The whole point of the DRCV is to make it so that the shock is more linear. Why do you need to put one on a bike, and then 'custom tune' it to make it ramp up more? Why not just use a regular shock?

Anyway, you asked what other bikes you were missing, so I threw together a list that it took me 5 minutes of searching to make:

Tracer (slightly less travel, but same intended use I think)
Carbine
Nomad (send your shock to push, buy the link, I guarantee it will ride better then the DRCV, and probably cost less too)
Enduro (say what you will, I know you have a lot of hate for spec, but for everybody else in the world thats ridden it, its pretty rad)
Stumpy evo
Banshee ruin (probably best to run with angleset)
Commencial meta 6
orange 5
Devinci dixon (even has split pivot, your favorite)

I'm also willing to bet I could find more, those are just off the top of my head.

I feel like I'm hatin on trek, and I shouldn't be, because I am actually looking forward to the slash, but its hardly groundbreaking in any way, shape, or form.
Damn brother, where the hell did you come from with you anger ?

Did you even READ MY POST ?None of the bike you've mentioned has the "whole package" like the Slash( for me anyways )Axle, valving, frameset travel, geo . . .

Im coming off a 2009 REMEDY and waited 3 years before selling it because of that gay XC oriented current crops of Remedy.Im sure the Enduro can be an amazing bike for a lot of people but the tune IS soft no matter what you pretend. Ive tried at least half a dozen of those and they were all the same...Not sure its it has more to do with the tune or the suspension design itself but I personally dont like the way it rides...

I didnt start this thread for people like you to tell me whats good/bad/ right or wrong but somehow I feel like Im arguing with a few guys on here about the bike.Thanks for your post but at this point, I dont really care.MAybe I should have made it more clear : THANK YOU ALL FOR TRYING TO HELP BUT ALL I WHISH TO KNOW IS HOW THE SLASH RIDES BEFORE I ORDER A FRAME....end of the story

There's a trillion threads about trails bikes and trust me , I am well aware of all my options.The Trek FOR ME is the most viable at this point, no point debating that .


vertr : thanks for info, Im not sure if I like the sound of that though, never been a fan of the Scratch myself but still...thanks anyway

chillindrdude : have you tried the bike yet ? I saw one in the flesh but the thing was slapped to a wall and couldnt even sit on it...Not that it would have been super relevant to just sit and pedal around but still, could have been nice.

A lot of bike looks good on paper but somewhat feels strange to me in the reality...All I wish to do here is to replace my 2009 Remedy with something BETTER and improved...The Sratch feels steep and high and the current Remedy plain sucks :thumb:Im hoping this little green fella does more than just filling the gap between the 2
 

JCL

Monkey
Aug 31, 2008
696
0
The reason you find the Enduro initially overly active is the lack of friction. In-line swing arm and no DU. You can get a shock revalved for $50

Good luck with the Slash. Everyone I know with a Scratch/Remedy has changed the shock to a stock RP23.
 

davec113

Monkey
May 24, 2009
419
0
I am not a huge fan of linear suspensions, but it seems like most trail bikes are moving in that direction. That is one of the major reasons I'd seriously consider the Nomad with PUSH link... I didn't get an answer from push on the NomadC/link/rc4 thread on whether the link makes the sus more progressive, but I'd guess it does, as they call it a mini-dh link. With a progressive sus and a coil shock, a vpp bike is going to have a significant advantage on pedaling effeciency vs. a single pivot. I think a Slash with a coil shock or Vivid Air would be a great bike, but I also think the sus and pedaling characteristics of the Nomad with PUSH link has the potential to be even better.
 

jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
7,596
5,894
in a single wide, cooking meth...
^^

I could be dead wrong about this, but I was under the impression that the PUSH link made the Nomad *more* linear as the stock VPP2 linkage results in a bike that does not excel in DH'ish chunder. Again, those are just broad generalizations, and hopefully Darren can fully explain the differences.