Trek Fuel+ LX 9.8

The Trek Fuel+ LX 9.8 is the long-travel, full-29-inch version of Trek's mid-power electric mountain bike platform. It is aimed at confident intermediate to expert riders who want more composure on steep, rough descents, yet still prefer measured assistance and familiar mountain-bike handling over the hard-driving character of many full-power e-MTBs. Every current build pairs an OCLV Mountain Carbon frame with Fox Factory suspension, while Eagle 90, XT and XT Di2 give you three genuinely different ways to shift.

Current UK offers and prices

The current UK range starts at an original RRP of £7,800 for the Eagle 90 and mechanical XT builds, while the XT Di2 build has an original RRP of £8,250. Current offers sit alongside this guide, but the useful comparison is not simply the price: identify the listed drivetrain, brakes and rear freehub before deciding which bike is in front of you.

Eagle 90 uses SRAM's cable-operated T-Type system, 200 mm rotors and an XD freehub. Both Shimano versions use Micro Spline rear freehubs and 203 mm rotors, with the choice between conventional XT cable shifting and XT Di2 electronic shifting. Pedals are sold separately on every version, so allow for them in the ready-to-ride budget.

The latest Fuel+ LX 9.8

The current UK model is the Fuel+ LX 9.8 Gen 2. Some retailer listings use 2026 and others 2027, but those labels do not mark different generations of this bike. Gen 2 is the useful identifier, with LX denoting the platform's longest-travel, full-29-inch setup. It sits alongside the shorter-travel EX and mixed-wheel MX configurations, rather than being a separate annual refresh of an older LX model.

The Gen 2 chassis can support those alternative Fuel+ configurations, but changing from LX to EX or MX takes the appropriate rocker link, lower shock mount, shock, fork setup and wheel combination. It is a proper workshop conversion, not a rear-wheel swap undertaken on a whim.

Long-travel support with measured assistance

At the heart of the LX is a carbon full-suspension frame with 160 mm of rear travel, a 170 mm Fox Factory 38 GRIP X2 fork and a Fox DHX2 coil shock. That is a serious package for repeated technical descents and rough natural trails, where the extra suspension margin can make a long day feel less punishing. The full 29-inch wheel format, slack 63.4° or 63.5° head angle and size-tuned rear-centre lengths point towards calm, committed steering at speed rather than quick-fire agility on mellow loops.

A coil shock rewards proper setup. Each frame size receives a different stock spring, but rider weight, kit and preferred sag may still call for another spring and careful damping adjustment. Get that right and the suspension should stay sensitive and supportive through repeated hits. Get it wrong and the bike will not show its best side, especially when climbing or loading the wheels through turns.

The TQ HPR60 motor supplies 60 Nm of torque and 250 W continuous rated power, backed by a removable 580 Wh battery. It is intended to add a quiet, natural-feeling push rather than dominate the ride, so you still have a hand in how the bike climbs. There is no single honest mileage prediction because assistance mode, climbing, rider weight, temperature, tyres and trail conditions all change consumption. A compatible 160 Wh range extender is available separately for longer outings, with its mount and connection cable also required.

Published complete-bike weights are 20.88 kg for the Eagle 90 in size M and 20.68 kg for the XT Di2 in size M, both stated with tubeless sealant and no inner tubes. The XT build does not have a published claimed weight. These are manageable figures for a long-travel e-MTB, but still substantial when lifting onto a vehicle rack, carrying up steps or storing the bike. The removable battery can help with charging and transport, while any rack still needs a suitable load rating.

Eagle 90, XT or XT Di2?

Eagle 90 is the choice for riders who want robust, cable-operated SRAM shifting. Its Eagle 90 T-Type derailleur uses replaceable links, skid plates and cage assemblies, which is a welcome repairability angle for anyone likely to clip rocks. The 10-52T cassette gives it the widest stated gear range of the three, and its 200 mm SRAM Maven Bronze brakes suit the bike's descending brief.

XT keeps things mechanical but changes the feel and standards. It uses cable-operated Shimano XT shifting, a 10-51T cassette, Shimano XT four-piston brakes and 203 mm rotors. Choose it if Shimano's conventional shift action is your preference and you would rather keep the drivetrain free of electronic operation. At the same original RRP as Eagle 90, this is primarily a controls, maintenance and freehub-standard decision.

XT Di2 brings an electronic Shimano XT Di2 rear derailleur and wireless shifter, while retaining the same core carbon chassis, motor, battery and suspension package as the other current builds. Its higher original RRP pays for electronic shifting rather than more travel or battery capacity. It makes sense for riders who specifically value that operation; it is not automatically the better-value option for everyone.

Switching between the SRAM and Shimano families later is possible, but it involves the appropriate freehub body or rear wheel plus a complete compatible cassette, chain, shifter and rear derailleur. Picking the shift system you already enjoy using is normally the cleaner route from day one.

Living with it through a British winter

This is a premium e-MTB with moving pivots, a coil shock, a high-performance fork and a powerful drivetrain, so a little regular care pays off. After wet or gritty rides, clean the drivetrain, linkage area and frame guards, then lubricate the chain correctly. Avoid pressure washing around bearings and electrical connections. Mechanical Eagle 90 and XT builds also benefit from routine shift-cable care, while XT Di2 and the TQ system bring authorised-dealer software support into normal ownership.

Keep an eye on tubeless sealant, tyre condition, pivot play and suspension setup, especially after a run of muddy rides. The battery removes for convenient indoor charging, and the optional extender need only come along when the planned ride warrants it. Frame-bag space and provision for a compatible extender add useful all-day flexibility, but neither accessories nor pedals arrive as part of the standard bike.

How Gen 2 differs from the Fuel EXe Gen 1

The Fuel+ Gen 2 platform moves well beyond the earlier Fuel EXe Gen 1. That predecessor used a 50 Nm TQ HPR50 motor, a 360 Wh battery and 140 mm rear with 150 mm front travel in its standard form. Gen 2 brings the 60 Nm HPR60, a 580 Wh battery and a colour display on 9.8 builds, alongside a wider choice of configurations. The LX is therefore a new 160/170 mm long-travel interpretation of the platform, not merely a previous Fuel EXe with a component update.