Powerful US bike with TQ motor and 580 Wh battery: Trek Slash+

After Trek relaunched its Enduro “Slash” last year, the electric version of the US bike is now following: the “Trek Slash+”. We take a closer look at the light e-enduro.

Short & sweet: Trek Slash+

• new Enduro E-MTB from Trek
• High Pivot, travel: 170/170 mm
• equipped with TQ-HPR-50 engine
• The new, large 580 Wh battery is particularly special
• Geometry identical to Bio-Slash
• two models in two colours from 7999 euros
• Top model costs 11,999 euros

Trek was 2022 TQ's Launch Partnerwhen the brand from Wörthsee introduced the new compact HPR50 motor. The Americans brought the Fuel EX-e, the Bavarians their light single-axle motor with 50 Newton meters of torque. With 150/140 mm suspension travel, the Fuel EX-e classified itself as an E-All-Mountain (here is the current test), and uses 29-inch wheels at the front and rear.

Things are different with the new Slash+, the recently shown E-Enduro. Like the non-electrified Enduro bike, the “Plus-Slash” relies on 170 mm stroke at the front and rear. The wheels come in Mixed setup: 29 inches at the front in combination with a 27.5″ rear wheel. In size S a small wheel is installed at the front.

Trek is also participating in the Slash+ TQ Power into the race, but the small compact will not be powered by a 360 Wh battery as before, but by a large 580(!) Wh battery fed. This is brand new and was presented at Eurobike 2024. 216 Wh per kg: The asymmetrically designed Battery weighs only 2680 gonly 850 g more than the smaller battery, and thus offers an unbeatable ratio of battery capacity to weight. The peripherals, consisting of a small handlebar remote (left) and a display embedded in the top tube, remain the same. With a kind of spacer, you can also put the smaller battery in the down tube if you want. Would you like 160 Wh extra juice? The TQ Range Extender can be plugged in optionally.

The carbon frame was developed from scratch, but visually fits well into the Trek line-up. Trek relies on the popular High pivot design with pulleys, which changes the wheel travel curve and reduces pedal kickback – as was already successfully implemented on the Slash. The frame protection has also been adapted for better protection and even quieter riding. Trek offers the carbon frame in four sizes from S to XL.

By interchangeable headset cups you can adjust the steering angle, among other things. The following values ​​refer to the “normal” headset shell installed at the factory, i.e. the middle geometry setting. A steeper or flatter (62.6° steering angle) setting is also possible with a small modification. The geometry is almost identical to the Bio-Slash (current test), which we got to know as a modern bike that sits extremely firmly on the trail. The Reach measures in frame size M 449mmin size L it is 479 mm, in size XL 519 mm. Steering angle? 63.4° in all sizes. Seat angle on the L-Bike? 77.2 degrees. The Measuring chainstays 434 mm in sizes M and L and 439 mm in XL. This results in a moderately long 1268 mm wheelbase in size L, which promises a compromise between smoothness and agility.

In Germany, there will initially only be two models of the Slash+. Both come with identical carbon frames and the same TQ setup. The entry-level model is the Slash+ 9.7 for 7999 Euro There is a Fox 38 Rhythm, Fox Float X Performance shock absorber and Bontrager wheels and parts. Shifting is done with a mix of Shimano XT and SLX, braking with Deore stoppers from the Japanese.

Nobler, faster and potentially lighter is the Slash+ top model 9.9for the Trek juicy 11,999 euros demanded. But there are also all kinds of high-quality parts, including carbon wheels and the electronic dropper post Reverb AXS from Rock Shox. Trek also relies on Sram and its subsidiary brand Rock Shox for the model. The Americans have installed the X0 transmission, Sram Maven brakes and a Rock Shox Ultimate chassis consisting of the recently revised Zeb and the Vivid air shock. Both equipment variants are available in two color variants – one plain and one colorful.

Weights: Trek Slash+

Trek is silent about the weight of the two models in the press release sent to us. We will provide this information as soon as possible. The Fuel-EX-e top model weighed just under 19 kilos. The Slash+, with more suspension travel, a larger, slightly heavier battery and parts that are more suitable for downhill riding and therefore heavier, is estimated to weigh around 20 kg, depending on the equipment.

Conclusion: Hot or not?

Assessment by our test editor Lukas Ittenbach:

“With the Slash and Fuel EX-e, Trek already had two hot irons in the fire, each of which had already convinced me in two equipment variants. The fusion of these two bikes – an electrified Slash or a Fuel EX-e with a lot of travel – should be a really exciting bike! Powerful, long-range and high-quality workmanship – these are the attributes I expect from the new Slash+. It's cool that Trek is once again TQ's launch partner and is bringing out a bike with the new, much larger 580 Wh battery so quickly. I'm excited about the first test of the new US bike – we'll report back!”