I rediscovered my bike after a couple of weeks in lockdown. At first, I simply pedaled my low-cost, steel-framed bike across the neighborhood. After a couple of rides, It dawned on me that this was a mountain bike! So I took it to my closest path.

That first exhilarating trip is endlessly etched into my reminiscence. The early morning solar breaking between the bushes as deer darted away, the sound of tires on packed earth, and the silly grin on my face as I rode quick, flirting on the fringe of catastrophe—or at the least ache—with my inexperience on trails. I used to be hooked to the purpose of driving bike into the bottom, taking a perverse pleasure each time one thing broke and I upgraded it. I ultimately upgraded to a Trek Gasoline EX 7, and I adore it.

The Gasoline EX is Trek’s full-suspension path mountain bike household supposed for numerous terrains, from flowy to techie. Like each mannequin in Trek’s lineup, it is available in a wide variety of trim ranges, together with aluminum and carbon frames. (My EX 7 has an alloy body.)

At the moment, the EXe model is just accessible for the highest-specced 9.x bikes with carbon frames, however it’s hoped that there will likely be an aluminum body choice within the close to future.

Getting my fingers on the Gasoline EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS concerned a two-hour drive to Trek HQ in Waterloo, Wisconsin. There, I not solely had an opportunity to talk with members of the group that developed the Trek Gasoline EXe, I additionally bought to trip Trek’s personal trails.

With the Gasoline Exe, Trek is concentrating on the single-track mountain biker who rides for enjoyable, health, and the outside expertise. To realize the look, really feel, and even sound of a conventional mountain bike, Trek partnered with German expertise firm TQ. TQ’s patented harmonic pin-ring drive can ship 50 Nm of torque in a tiny bundle that matches neatly behind the chainring.

The motor presents this torque at a low RPM because it achieves a big gear discount in a single step. Its motion is akin to a Wankel rotary engine. With the battery pack hiding within the down tube and minimalistic controls, your entire battery-motor combo provides simply 8.6 lbs to the burden—an impressively low-weight addition in change for some actual energy. My EX 7 weighs slightly below 32 lb; the EXe is available in at 38.5 lb. Pedal help tops out at 20 mph.

The digital options are well-integrated into the EXe. The show is straightforward and simple to learn at a fast look whereas on the path. Its handlebar controls are easy and intuitive whereas permitting for fast biking between the three help modes, Eco, Mid, and Excessive.

Customization is completed by way of Trek’s new cellphone app, which presents customization of the three e-bike modes by tailoring max energy, help degree, and pedal response. The app defaults for these modes shift every up by way of Eco, Mid, Excessive. A few weeks into my time with the EXe, I  tweaked the Mid settings to offer me all the facility with a mid-high help, however in a gradual and managed manner. With these settings, I discovered my trip expertise to imitate my analog bike very carefully—simply simpler.