Trek is introducing 27.5 x 2.8" tyres into the Fuel full suspension range
The new Fuel EX 27.5 Plus ‘Midfat’ version takes the Fuel EX, fattens up the rubber and turns up the Fuel’s descending potential.
Trek has had Fuel full suspension bike in its line-up for years. It’s always been the ‘normal’ slightly-XC bias trail bike.
The wheels come with 40mm wide rims shod in Bontrager Chupacapra 27.5 x 2.8″ tyres. The travel has also been upped 10mm – there’s a 140mm fork up front paired with a 130mm of travel at the rear.
To further increase the bike’s technical trail riding prowess the head angle has been slackened to 66.6 degrees (in its slackest setting), compare that to previous Fuel EX models with 68 degree head angles.
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Yep, the geometry is adjustable (66.6 or 67.2 head angles). Flip the Mino Link in the rocker and the bike switches between steeper and slacker stances.
The Fuel EX 27.5 Plus sports all the mod cons; it’s Boost and it sports a metric rear shock (210 x 52.5mm).
To deal with the increased rufty tufty riding that the Fuel EX 27.5 Plus is intended to hurled through, the designers have made some significant changes to the frame tubes. The top tube bears a noticeable hump and the down tube is a lot straighter than previous Fuels. This is to stiffen everything up chassis-wise.
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The straighter down tube presented an issue with fork crown clearance so Trek has introduced something called ‘Knock Block’. Essentially a steering limiter built into the headset.
The reach of the bike has also been upped to compete with the modern push towards lengthier cockpits.
It will be possible to run 29er wheels in a Fuel EX 27.5 Plus frame but it will raise the BB a bit. And there are no plans to offer the ‘MidFat’ in 29-ready form. Trek already have a 29er Fuel EX for that.
There will be aluminium and carbon Fuel EX 27.5 Plus models available. The carbon sizing will run from 15.5″ to 21.5″, the aluminium sizing will run from 15.5″ to 23″.
No confirmed word on pricing as yet. We’ll update this page as and when we get info.