TECH CHECK

TREK SLASH+ EMTB

SL E-ENDURO BUMP EATER

Words by Drew Rohde | Video & Photos by Cole Gregg

We recently had the opportunity to ride the new Trek Slash+ and interview the team responsible for its creation. The Slash+ is an Enduro-ready eMTB with a high pivot suspension platform and a deathly silent TQ HPR50 drive unit. Closely following the 2023 accolades and awards of the non-e Slash, this TQ-powered 170mm SL eBike offers downhill-focused riders the ability to get even more laps with barely any compromise to the descending performance! If you’re in the market for a light assist eMTB that helps get you to the top of the gnarliest downhills, this is definitely a Tech Check feature worth taking a look at.

WHAT IS THE TREK SLASH+ AND WHO IS IT FOR?

Like the non-electrified Trek Slash, the new Trek Slash+ is an aggressive long-travel electric mountain bike, which prioritizes downhill performance and big-hit capabilities. Trek have designed the Slash+ to exclusively be ridden as a mullet (mixed wheel size) configuration, which is one of the major differences between the Slash+ and the Slash. The only caveat is the size Small Slash+, which runs on dual 27.5” wheels.

With 170mm of high pivot suspension travel front and rear, you can rightly assume that Trek Bicycles designers and product managers gave the Slash+ capable geometry for the most discerning and aggressive riders, with extensive adjustability to get it dialed in just right.

TREK SLASH+ ADJUSTABLE GEOMETRY

Another carry over from the crowd-pleasing Trek Slash is the ability to adjust the headset angle via optional headset cups – with one degree adjustability slacker or steeper – as well as an adjustable leverage rate chip. These will be welcome for riders who ride a wide variety of terrain and want to tailor the Slash+ to the ride ahead. Other riders will find a setting they like and stick with it, and that’s okay too.

Trek will be offering the Slash+ in four sizes, from Small to XL, spanning a range of Reach figures from 430mm to 518.9mm.

TREK SLASH+ BATTERY SIZE AND DRIVE UNIT POWER

The Slash+ comes with TQ’s new internal 580Wh battery, which is securely bolted inside the downtube of the bike. The frame will work with the smaller 360Wh battery found on the Trek Fuel EXe with the fitment of a spacer. This battery can be purchased separately for those who want to drop over a pound of weight for shorter rides. Conversely, if you’re looking for even more range, an optional 160Wh Range Extender can easily slide into the front triangle and plug into the charge port.

Like the Fuel EXe, the new 2024 Trek Slash+ uses TQ’s HPR50 drive unit. It produces 50Nm of torque and 300W peak power, which is delivered as close to silently as it comes.

TREK SLASH+ WEIGHT AND MODELS

Available in two spec options, the Trek Slash+ weighs in at roughly 44.9lbs for the 9.7 model, and 46lbs for the 9.9 model. Full spec breakdowns can be found in the official press release here.

Trek’s Slash+ 9.7 will retail for $7,999 while the Slash+ 9.9 MSRP is $11,999.

HOW DOES THE TREK SLASH+ RIDE?

As with all our Tech Checks, time aboard the product has been short so far. But we certainly spent enough time on this bike to get some first impressions to discuss. In short, the Trek Slash+ is everything we expected (and hoped) an electrified Slash would feel like. We would be happy to see it drop a little bit of weight to maximize efficiency and aid in playfulness, but we understand the need to build this bike burly. As we’ve been encouraged in our initial ride time on the Slash+, we have no doubt that it’s designed to be put to work on hard, abusive descents.

While some – including us – may criticize the 50Nm of torque compared to other mid-power motors pushing 60Nm and beyond, we’ve long been proponents of picking bikes that perform and ride better, rather than picking a bike with the most powerful motor. We liken it to a car with tons of horsepower that handles poorly, compared to a car with less horsepower that is superior in the corners. Sure if you want to drag race, the power matters most. But in our opinion, mountain bike trails are rarely straight (at least the good ones!), and having a bike that handles and performs better is the most important.

That said, we wouldn’t be upset if TQ somehow magically made this drive unit capable of putting out 60Nm of torque without impacting it’s silence and natural ride feel. We’re sure some will gloss over the bike based simply on the power figures, but this is likely to their own detriment, as our crew think this could be one of the best enduro eMTBs on the market so far.

No, it’s not perfect. It’s not the best value, and the tires certainly detract from its performance due to a lack of traction. But once you look beyond those issues and focus solely on how the bike rides, we can’t think of many bikes that ride this well out the box.

We look forward to spending more time on this eMTB; dialing it even more and putting some grippier tires on it to see where the capabilities can reach. It’s also set to take park in our upcoming SL eMTB Group Test, so be sure to keep your eyes out for that to see how it stacks up!

For more information, visit trekbikes.com