Trek Fuel or Trek Superfly

CraftyCharlatan

Hi all,

New here, and probably a year into mtb (trek 4500d) and looking to upgrade very soon. I think I'm either going to go with a Trek Superfly elite 100 AL (2013) or a 2014 Trek Fuel EX 7. does anyone have any experience of these bikes/or any advice? My budget is £1500 (or thereabouts), full suspension, 29er is a must and as light as possible.

Many thanks.

BloggingFit

Sounds like you're after something light and more focused in which case the Superfly would fit the bill.

Personally I see short travel 29er FS bikes a bit pointless as the the bigger wheel format rolls better through terrain compared to the smaller wheel formats. It seems more a token gesture and an aggressive 29er hardtail would be lighter and quicker overall. You'll find the Stache within budget as a good alternative.

The Fuel is a different animal with more travel available. It'll be heavier but more of an all rounder and more capable and would be my choice between the two unless getting from A to B as quickly as possible is the only aim.

njee20

Having gone from a 26" short travel FS bike (Top Fuel) to a 29er hardtail (Superfly) I personally find a 29er hardtail more akin to a 26" FS bike than a 26" hardtail, if that makes sense. If you really want lightweight then I'd consider HT.

johnmcl7

I had a Trek 4900 and was initially wanting a lightweight hardtail to upgrade then after doing some demo rides decided I wanted a full suspension ride and was split between the Superfly and the Fuel. I went with the Fuel (2014 Fuel Ex 8) as I found the slightly longer travel on the suspension felt better at speed downhill but didn't add that much to the weight of the bike.

I've had the bike nearly a year and I've been very pleased with it, one of my main concerns going with a full suspension bike was that it would be a slog on the uphills but I don't find it takes any more effort than the Trek 4900 (admittedly it's not a particularly light hardtail). I find the stability on downhills makes that a lot more enjoyable and I've been surprised at how much faster it is through rough terrain as I can keep peddling hard while the suspension works to absorb the bumps.

There is no real answer to the question though as it's whatever suits you the best, I'd try and find a good demo ride day so you can have a proper go on a few bikes and see what suits you best. I spent months reading forums and specs trying to decide on a bike then firmly decided on something different after going on a demo ride day.

John