Trek EX8 or Scott Genius 50?????

JAGGY

Hello

I've narrowed my search down for a new bike to either a 09 Trek EX8 or a Scott Genius 50 after test riding a whole host of 09 bikes.

I loved the 100mm and lock out option on the Scott and the 150mm travel but the Trek just seemed to be better equipped and cheaper and seemed to cope with everything i threw the Scott at despite having 30mm less travel.

Please help.

Opinions good and bad please?

Cheers.

llamafarmer

You seem to have answered your own question mate

M6TTF

i've got an 08 fuel ex 7 (wanted the 8 but there were none left in 19.5) and I love it - climbs well, isn't heavy and descends well too. love the look of the scott, but the shock placement puts me off, especially with the wet gloopy trails that never dry out at the moment!

JAGGY

Yeah your right about answering my own question but i just wanted some opinions from owners etc.

Cheers

JAGGY

THe LBS have stressed that the rear shock on the Scott is reliable. But like yourself it looks very vunerable where it is.

Cheers

lock1981

i thought the same thing, looks very vunrablehanging there. i asked about ex8 and the bloke in the shop pointed out the scott, said they've been very popular, but i think your right about the trek well priced, considering it myself now merlins price has increased!

Riche1

I had an '09 EX 8, now I have a Kona. If you see what i'm getting at.

DC01

I have a 08 EX8. Loved every miute of it. Done everything i ever asked of it. Would reccomend it to anyone looking for a bike in this category. But i do think trek have lost the plot a bit with some of there 09 colours. personal choice.

JAGGY

Thanks for the comments.

DC01. How do you rate the quality of the finish etc. Also has the back end started creaking?

Cheers

JAGGY

Riche1

What made you change bike?

DC01

I have tke black/silver one. Finsh is good and comes up like new once cleaned. Couple of things though. Only use a sponge when cleaning frame. Anything thing to firm can dull the paint, but it does polish up. Watch for cable rub on the seat post. Mine did creak. Found that the cable guides on the seat stay were a dirt trap and the rear shifter cable would move in the guide causing creak. Also, there is a known fault on the seat stay of these bikes. It cracks just above rear caliper mount. Only the early 2008 bikes affected. 09 models have a modified seat stay. My bike has not creaked since modified seat stay was fitted. So weather the erly versions were to weak and flex in the seat stay was adding to creak i dont know, but Trek warranty is second to none in my opinion. Dont know off hand of any issues with the 09 bikes. except colour . would still recomend this bike without hesitation.

pilsburypie

I have a fuel ex 8. would recommend it whole heartedly. I've not ridden any other full sussers though to base that on, but have nothing but praise for it.....

Riche1

JAGGY wrote:

Riche1

What made you change bike?

Wheel's were flimsy+cheap looking.
Paint rubbed off within a week (seat tube area)
Bars were too narrow.
Real ball ache having to completely remove the rear skewer every time you take the rear wheel out.
Tyres only suitable for dry conditions.
Chain snapped in the first 10 miles (but was far too long to begin with).
Couldn't get on with the Candy C things.

Spent a small fortune replacing new parts to get it right. Live and learn.

pilsburypie

Riche1 wrote:

JAGGY wrote:

Riche1

What made you change bike?

Wheel's were flimsy+cheap looking.
Paint rubbed off within a week (seat tube area)
Bars were too narrow.
Real ball ache having to completely remove the rear skewer every time you take the rear wheel out.
Tyres only suitable for dry conditions.
Chain snapped in the first 10 miles (but was far too long to begin with).
Couldn't get on with the Candy C things.

Spent a small fortune replacing new parts to get it right. Live and learn.

Sorry to hear you didn't like the bike. Many others really rate the Trek. Did you not have a look at the bike in the flesh before buying? If you did you'd have noticed you didn't like the look of the wheels and that the bars were too narrow for you.

I thought the wheels are pretty good - tubeless ready which I have taken full advantage of....

With the tyres, you are perfectly able to change them to suit specific conditions. I changed mine to mud-x as it is really shitty at the moment. Come summer I will change to a faster rolling tyre.

The clipless pedals are not some peoples cup of tea. Not mine either so I got some decent flats for £25 and fit the candy's to my "road-ish" bike. They are good clipless pedals if that's your thing.

The paint rubbing off I'd agree with, but that happened to my other bike too. Riding around in mud with your cables rubbing back and forth is an ideal situation to sand paper off paint - helicopter tape?

The chain breaking - an unfortunate occurrence - get a SRAM with powerlink. Not the fault of the bike.

Taking a skewer out as opposed to just releasing a clamp? 5 more seconds?

Seems like the Trek was not your bike, but the gripes you mention seem very personal to you. I for one love mine and would gladly recommend it to anyone.

GET THE TREK!! 8)

Riche1

I got it about a month or so before it came out, it looked well specced, cheap and I liked the colour so bought it.

I also swapped the tyres for Mud-X at great expense, really good tyre.

Followed by 65 quid on a set of XTR pedals.

£150 on a set of wheels etc etc.

To be honest the paint rub thing is what peeved me the most, a week! Right through to the metal! Had to spend yet more money on some patches leaving my nice shiny bike looking like a world war 2 soldier straight from the trenches. A week! lol.

As for the chain it was a good job it snapped right at the end of the run or I would have been screwed, cheap crap chain. £1700 bike?


Just because I couldn't get on with it doesn't mean it's not a great bike i'm sure they'll sell a container full of them, it is afterall great value and I had alot of good rides on mine but I wont miss it.

Have a look at last years four supreme there's some great deals on those out here.

M6TTF

ive ridden mtb's for 20 years and I've yet to own one that doesn'r have the dreaded cable rub!! i always buy a pack of the clear tape bike guard stuff and get it on from day one.

the trek does suffer from a lot of cable rub, mainly as the cable runs are all way too long -gonna chop my down when I get around to it but mine is all covered anyway.

bells0

Another 09 Ex8 owner here - and very happy with it too.

Copter taped my baby up as soon as i got it. Headtube and round the seat tube. Can't see the tape unless you look very closely.

I think the wheels are pretty good too. Converted mine to tubeless for £20 [rim tape, sealent and valves]. They are just as light as the mavic or hope wheels everyone loves.

Got the lbs to swap over the tyres to Mud-x's as a condition of me buying it, so £0.

Climbs well, decends well, and in the Rootbeer colour - looks the dog's danglies!! [yup, it's a marmite colour ]

JAGGY

Gents

Thanks for the positive replys.

I copter taped my current Marin in 2004 and it has not been scuffed etc by cables.

I'm defo swayed more to the Trek now.

Gonna hit my LBS with a discount demand as the missus wants a Scott Contessa from the same shop. Already thought of hitting them with a tyre change. I've got Mud-X's so i'm thinking of Mountain Kings 2.4 for the summer.

Do you think they would take off the brakes and discount me that aswell as i'll be fitting my Formula K24's.

Cheers

JAGGY

Gents

Thanks for the positive replys.

I copter taped my current Marin in 2004 and it has not been scuffed etc by cables.

I'm defo swayed more to the Trek now.

Gonna hit my LBS with a discount demand. As the missus wants a Scott Contessa from the same shop. Already thought of hitting them with a tyre change. I've got Mud-X's so i'm thinking of Mountain Kings 2.4 for the summer.

Surely the must do a decent discount for two bikes?

Do you think they would take off the brakes and discount me that aswell as i'll be fitting my Formula K24's.

Cheers

M6TTF

I'd whack them on eBay, you'll probably do better

MrFannay

I'd recommend a Raleigh Grifter with slick tyres Mr Jaggmeister, only way I'm gonna get past ya at Glentress in April.....eat more pies!!!!!!

PS....my Trek HT is ace so if it was me , the EX8 matey

Ian D

ratty2k

I had the previous model of Scott MC genius bikes. (MC 20 carbon jobbie) Very nice bike, BUT the geometry felt all wrong, while the bike felt great handling wise I always felt perched right on top of it and also felt right over the bars- not good feeling on descents... After a while (and a BIG crash) I got rid of it for a Trek Liquid frame with all the bits swapped over- miles better even though it was heavier.
Have also heard of issues (from an ex dealer) with the Scott rear shock unit- not sure but think there are issues with repair on them if they go wrong, better off with non- propriety components. So again Trek wins....
# Says the man riding a Giant Reign.....

timwills

Got the Trek EX8 2008 last Oct.
No creaking.

Cable-rub on every bike surely? Tape fixed that.

Had to fit Mud-X tyres but then it is winter.

Is it fair to expect a LBS to sell you the bike with tyres for that season?

No complaints.
Get one!

JAGGY

Great bike choice MrFannay

Shouldn't you be working?

Get past me @ Glentress? Easy mate after a raging hangover!

Reality is tho mate that Don will turn up to Glentress on a grifter!!!

Defo going to purchase when i get home next week. My mind is made up.

Trek Fuel EX8 09 here we come.

Thanks to everyone for all the advice.

Jaggs

wings988

Can't comment on the Scott other than repeating the others concerns about rear shock position and crud catching. I just got a 2009 Trek Fuel Ex8 and having only ridden it once have been highly impressed with it, great level of components fitted and the suspensions works very well. It was only £1445 (bought on 14th Feb '09) too so alot cheaper than the not disocunted Scott (I've not seen them discounted anyway).

bells0

Wow - great price @ £1445!! Got mine through ride to work [£1k + £640 own cash]

xcracer

wings988 wrote:

Can't comment on the Scott other than repeating the others concerns about rear shock position and crud catching. I just got a 2009 Trek Fuel Ex8 and having only ridden it once have been highly impressed with it, great level of components fitted and the suspensions works very well. It was only £1445 (bought on 14th Feb '09) too so alot cheaper than the not disocunted Scott (I've not seen them discounted anyway).

Where did you get that price?

How do people rate the Ex 8 downhill? I hear it feels a longer travel bike than it is.