Trek Fuel EX 9.9 Build Thread

[Gullholm]

Hi guys,
been lurking on here every now and then for years and I've always enjoyed the build threads so thought I might do one myself this time around (and hopefully I put it in the right place).
Only ever built one somewhat weightweenie XC (29" Scale SL at 7,97kg, now sitting at 8,2kg) but I've built some pretty light downhill bikes , including a 12,65kg Trek Session 9.9. If anyone is curious about builds like that of course I could post some pics here of them too.

This time however the plan is to build a fast, light and fun trail/xc bike. It'll probably never be raced, just used for training and fun. The terrain I mostly ride is quite easy going and I'll probably weigh around 75kg in the summer so I expect to get away with using light parts and still be able to rip it pretty good without any worries. Have a plan in the back of my head to maybe get some cheap burly extra wheels for it later on and use it for much harder riding, which would also require a slightly beefier handlebar.

Planned spec-list is:
Frame: Trek Fuel EX9.9 18,5" 120mm
Fork: RS1 120mm
Stem: Extralite HyperStem
Handlebar: Tune Turnestange
Grips: Bontrager XXX Foam
Seatpost: RockShox Reverb Stealth
Seat: Tune or MCFK
Shifting: XX1
Cassette and chain: XX1
Cranks: XX1
Chainring: Carbon-Ti X-Monosync 36T
Pedals: Got light Ritcheys that I'll use to start with but will probably end up using XTR
Brakes: XTR Race
Rotors: Old but light floating Formula 180mm front and rear
Hubs: Extralite HyperBoost R and HyperWiz
Spokes: Aerolite or maybe Sapim
Rims: DT Swiss XRC950T
Tires: Dugast Fast Bird Flying Doctor 52mm

Might change some things like maybe getting a cheaper stem etc and also some things due to availability. For example the HyperWiz hub should be released like in a month but you never know.
Of course I'll keep you posted with weights of the parts (and frame weight) and maybe some fine tuning too.

[Gullholm]

First out: Drivetrain.
I'll be using an XX1 group I had on an old bike, but since the Fuel EX is a Boost frame I had to get a new chainring that puts the chainline 3mm outwards. Problem is that at the moment there's not much to choose from except for Sram rings. After some searching and thinking I realized that a regular Carbon-Ti chainring should actually work, due to it being flat and relying on spacers, so I made a gamble and got one. Still haven't tried it yet but it SHOULD work haha...
I never liked the design of XX1 with the shiny thick clearcoat and decals, so pulled out some sandpaper and got to work.
Rear derailleur will probably be left as stock.

[TheRookie]

Good luck with the chainring, the 'narrow, narrow, narrow, wide' format (rather than the usual 'narrow, wide, narrow, wide) has caused a few people problems with derailing the chain and they have sent them back.

Have a look at the Kalloy Uno 7 stem, I have one (70mm) on mine, 94g for £16/$24 off ebay, I then added a Ti bolt kit (also off evil bay) for £10/$16 to bring it down to 88g.

[Gullholm]

Yeah I actually saw that thread about it just yesterday and thought "oh crap". Some optimistic engineering one might say. Found it at a sale so just bought one without searching for reviews or such, expecting it to be N/W equally on both sides of course. Guess I'll just have to try it in the spring and otherwise hope for good customer support from Carbon-Ti.

Thanks for the suggestion! My initial back-up plan was to get another Procraft ST1 but the Kalloy actually looks to be the same stem at a cheaper price so.

[LeDuke]

As an owner of XRC 950Ts myself, I'd have to question their use for this bike. Great wheels, but with a 52mm Dugast, you are either going to kill tires left and right, break rims, or not use this bike for its intended purpose.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[Gullholm]

As an owner of XRC 950Ts myself, I'd have to question their use for this bike. Great wheels, but with a 52mm Dugast, you are either going to kill tires left and right, break rims, or not use this bike for its intended purpose.

Thanks for your concern but but I'm not too worried about the rims. I'd say the frame is a very versatile one, light enough for xc but also capable of harder riding than most people use 120mm 29" rigs for. So it's intended purpose can be very different depending on the build.
Maybe I should've been more specific stating that this build, obviously, is more xc-oriented. The terrain I ride 95% of the time is sand/hardpack without too many rocks and when there are any they're mostly round. Been using the XRC950Ts for two years, one year with 52mm Dugast, on this terrain on a hardtail but simply wanted something a bit more fun than a purebred fullsuspension xc race bike but still quick and fast. The rims weigh 321g and 329g (with a tiny bit of glue) so not too crazy considering it's tubular rims.

Like I mentioned I'll probably get a stronger extra wheelset. Been riding downhill for twelve years or so and still live 20min away from a bikepark so with different wheels/bars/pedals the bike will get a few laps there too!

[SportingGoods]

Similarly I'd question the RS1 fork on a trail bike. Either it's not a good match or we don't have the same concept of "trail".
Honestly, this bike looks to me like a Full Sus XC bike. Actually, set as a double chainring it would be a perfect XC marathon.

EDIT: I guess my post crossed the previous one. It makes sense now. Bike naming convention is ... difficult. The same words don't have the same meaning depending on which side of the ocean you sit! And as I live up in the mountain (Alps), my reference for a "trail" bike is pretty tough (it's really just a light Enduro).

[LAN]

I am waiting on the same frame in the same size.

Did you weight the frame?

[HaakonJohansen]

Those cranks look sick! So much better without the logos. But I'm wondering, is it safe sanding carbon parts? I've ordered my first carbon parts just recently, and know very little about the material. I'm looking for a way to remove the logos on my new Race Face Next SL cranks, without avoiding warranty. Is there any way to do this? If not, I'll just let them be there of course.

[Gullholm]

Similarly I'd question the RS1 fork on a trail bike. Either it's not a good match or we don't have the same concept of "trail".
Honestly, this bike looks to me like a Full Sus XC bike. Actually, set as a double chainring it would be a perfect XC marathon.

EDIT: I guess my post crossed the previous one. It makes sense now. Bike naming convention is ... difficult. The same words don't have the same meaning depending on which side of the ocean you sit! And as I live up in the mountain (Alps), my reference for a "trail" bike is pretty tough (it's really just a light Enduro).

No worries man! I live in the middle of Sweden, just pine forests and what they call mountains here are just hills haha. So I fully understand what you mean.
Deciding on which fork to use actually wasn't easy though. Of course I was looking at the Fox 34 the bike comes stock with but I've had some bad experience with Fox some years ago (I know that doesn't mean the new ones are bad, but still) and it felt slightly overkill for the riding this bike was mostly gonna see. Öhlins just released their new fork in 120mm but then there's the issue with having to send it away for service, and also slightly overkill.
Pike felt like too much and I don't feel the SID's damping is good enough and it doesn't inspire that much confidence. So RS1 it is, wish it had some form of compression adjustment though apart from the Xloc. Have you got any riding time on one? Curious about the Accelerator damper.

I am waiting on the same frame in the same size.

Did you weight the frame?

I'll try to get the weight tomorrow for you. I've just weighed the rear axle (92g) and stock seatpost clamp (27), so that's two easy places to shave a bit of extra weight. Carbon-Ti got a rear axle now for Boost ABP bikes at 36g if you don't mind not having a QR.

Those cranks look sick! So much better without the logos. But I'm wondering, is it safe sanding carbon parts? I've ordered my first carbon parts just recently, and know very little about the material. I'm looking for a way to remove the logos on my new Race Face Next SL cranks, without avoiding warranty. Is there any way to do this? If not, I'll just let them be there of course.

Thanks! Yeah kinda wish I did this sooner. As far as I know you always void the warranty when doing things like this, these cranks are two years old though so wasn't much to worry about. The clearcoat basically just works as scratch protection and sometimes as UV-protection. So it's pretty safe as long as you do it carefully. For example the carbon rims and many other parts on the Koenigsegg hypercars are just waxed, not clearcoated.

[HaakonJohansen]

Thanks! Yeah kinda wish I did this sooner. As far as I know you always void the warranty when doing things like this, these cranks are two years old though so wasn't much to worry about. The clearcoat basically just works as scratch protection and sometimes as UV-protection. So it's pretty safe as long as you do it carefully. For example the carbon rims and many other parts on the Koenigsegg hypercars are just waxed, not clearcoated.

I was more thinking about sanding the carbon itself. Also, aren't Koenigsegg using dry carbon? In that case they won't need the clear coat for UV protection because of the way each fiber is treated individually (I don't know if it's actually dry carbon they use though, but it would make sense). But like I said, I'm mostly thinking about sanding on the carbon surface itself, and what effect this could have on the strength. I'm not saying it's bound to cause problems, I'm just asking as I really don't know much about carbon and how fragile it is.

[Gullholm]

Just sanding the surface to remove a decal I'd say is almost always perfectly fine, especially on something as thick as a crank. Just think about how much wear and scratches a lot of cranks gets from normal use or cables rubbing on frames when people don't pay attention for example. Just use a fine sandpaper and take some time with it.
However you still got the problem that you're 99,9% sure to void any warranty. Luckily the Next SL cranks look awesome with decals too though if you ask me haha, much nicer than XX1. Did you get regular ones with white decals or stealth black?

[DanW]

Easy solution for the cranks are black crankskins. Full black crank with added heel rub protection. Job done.

Can't say I'd be getting an RS-1 either. Nothing about a heavy fork with a pretty uncommon hub and a reputation for being a noodle in torsion and a pain with the wheel out screams "buy me"

[LeDuke]

Easy solution for the cranks are black crankskins. Full black crank with added heel rub protection. Job done.

Can't say I'd be getting an RS-1 either. Nothing about a heavy fork with a pretty uncommon hub and a reputation for being a noodle in torsion and a pain with the wheel out screams "buy me"

Some people love them, some hate them. Seems to be a very polarizing fork. Moreso than the Lefty, even, if that's possible.

If I was dropping that much coin on a fork, it would be a DT Swiss OPM ODL Race (LTD) 120mm.

[TheRookie]

A friend (who is a much better rider than me) has an RSi, he loves the longitudinal stiffness, but it is definitely torsionally less rigid than a SID or Reba. Also a 'mudguard' is much harder to add (he usually has one of those tiny plastic ones that is just under the arch on the lowers) and he ended up using a neoprene one stretched across the uppers and set so the tyre just touched it at full bump, it was just enough to prevent the worst of the stuff flicking up in front and back into his face. Additionally you are currently stuck with the fairly heavy SRAM front hub and less choice of axle.

First time you ride with an RSi will feel strange as you are subconsciously used to seeing the arch rising and falling in your peripheral vision and you loose that visual cue.

I think I'm trying to say that the RSi is not a bad fork, it just has different strengths and weaknesses to a conventional one, my son has a double arch Magura and I really like that (but he lives at home and has the disposable income - so I have a SID.).