Test: With just under 11.000 At €9.9, the Trek Rail XNUMX is one of the most expensive bikes in our test field. But in return, buyers get an e-MTB that deserves the "high-end" label in every respect: This applies to the sophisticated carbon frame with clever features like the side-mounted battery removal and the top tube-mounted Kiox display, as well as to the high-quality components in every respect. Highlights are certainly the SRAM AXS drivetrain with wireless Reverb seatpost and the in-house carbon wheels.
Trek Rail 9.9: The facts
Suspension travel: 160 / 160mm
wheel size: 29 inch
Drive: Bosch Performance CX
Display / control unit: Bosch Kiox
Battery capacity (test bike): 625Wh
Frame material: Carbon
Weight complete bike (size L without pedals): 21,87kg
Maximum weight allowed: 136kg
| Frame | Trek OCLV Mountain Carbon |
| Fork | Rockshox Lyric Ultimate RC2 |
| Drive | Bosch Performance CX |
| Battery | Bosch power tube 625Wh |
| Suspension shocks | Rockshox Deluxe RT3 |
| Wheels | Bontrager Carbon 30 |
| Tire VR | Bontrager SE5 Team Issue 2,6" |
| Tire HR | Bontrager SE5 Team Issue 2,6" |
| Derailleur | Sram X01 Eagle AXS |
| Shifter | Sram Eagle AXS |
| Crank | E*thirteen E*spec Race Carbon |
| Front derailleur | Without |
| Brake | Shimano XT M8120 |
| Brake discs | Shimano RT86 203mm |
| Seatpost | Rockshox Reverb AXS 170mm (L) |
| Saddle | Bontrager Arvada |
| Stem | Bontrager Line Pro |
| Handlebar | Bontrager Line Pro OCLV Carbon |
Sometimes you just get those bikes with the "wow factor." The Rail 9.9 from US manufacturer Trek was one of those bikes for us: Somehow simple and striking at the same time, with an incredibly clean look and an overall very high-quality appearance, it makes quite an impression even when stationary. Unfortunately, the price is also "wow." Just under 11.000 You'll have to put down €9.9 for this premium e-MTB. Let's get this straight: The Rail XNUMX repays this high purchase price with almost perfect performance and was one of the very few bikes in the test field where we couldn't identify any real weaknesses.
Similar e-mountain bikes on test
[blog posts_per_page=”3″ taxonomy=”post_tag” tax_term=”43559″ order=”desc” orderby=”rand”]Low weight and clever battery removal
With a light full carbon frame and high-quality components, Trek has managed to reduce the weight of its E-MTB top model in the size L we tested to well under 22kg. Other E-MTBs in this weight class often make compromises, for example when it comes to battery capacity - the Rail 9.9, on the other hand, has a fully grown power tube with 625Wh in the down tube. This brings us to one of the special features, the removal of the battery. The energy storage device is removed to the side together with the cover mounted on it. This works very well in practice, but has a small disadvantage: If you have a second battery in your backpack for longer tours, you have to unscrew the cover when changing it.
The battery powers a Bosch CX motor, which plays a key role in the very good riding characteristics of the Trek E-MTB on the flat and uphill. No less important for this, however, is the perfectly balanced seating position. You sit in the center of the bike, which is just as comfortable on demanding trails as it is on tricky climbing passages. The latter are also fun thanks to the wireless Sram AXS components: the levers for the seat post and rear derailleur, which initially took some getting used to, turn out to be real fun after a few meters of practice. During the climb, you can comfortably place your thumbs in the appropriate recess and operate the dropper support or change gear within fractions of a second with minimal effort.
Even more top E-MTB Fullys for 2021:
[blog specific=“142206″]Lively but smooth on the trail
The fact that the Rail also performs well on the downhill trail is not least due to the very well-functioning Rockshox suspension. This manages to tickle the maximum out of the 160mm or 150mm spring travel without the need for hours of adjustment orgies. The lively yet smooth-running handling harmonises excellently with the stiff carbon wheels on which Bontrager's own tires are mounted. If we were to look for the hair in the soup: It would probably be the tires, which cannot quite keep up with the top dogs from Schwalbe and Maxxis in terms of grip.
Last but not least, we noticed the successful cockpit. Due to the omission of cables for gears and dropper support, it is visually tidy anyway and also ergonomically a real benefit. We also liked the integration of the Kiox display into the top tube. Although it is no longer entirely in the field of vision, it is very well protected in the event of a fall.
The big Velomotion E-MTB test 2020: test fields, individual tests and background information
We set ourselves the daunting task of conscientiously and objectively testing 57 eMTBs. With our two large test fields "Highend" and "Bestseller" we had a huge range of different bikes.
Our test conclusion
[blog specific=”133623″ posts_per_page=”1″ ]
Our test candidates in the High-End category: BH AtomX Carbon Lynx 6 Pro-S | Bull's Sonic EVO EN 2 | Cannondale Moterra Neo 1 | Focus Jam² 9.9 Drifter | Giant Reign E+ 0 Pro | Greyp G6.2 | Haibike XDURO Nduro 10.0 | Husqvarna Mountain Cross 8 | KTM Macina Prowler Prestige | M1 Spitzing Evo Bobby Root | Norco Range VLT C2 | Nox Hybrid Enduro 7.1 | Orange Surge RS | Orbea Wild FS M10 | Santa Cruz Heckler CC X01 RSV | Scott Genius eRide 700 Tuned | Simplon Rapcon Pmax | Specialized Turbo Levo Expert Carbon | Storck e:drenalin GTS 500 | TrekRail 9.9 | YT Decoy Pro Race | YT Decoy Pro 29
You can also find this at the kiosk Velomotion E-MTB test yearbook 2020. There you will find all 57 individual tests of the bikes, exciting stories and advice on everything to do with e-mountain bikes on over 160 pages.
Here you can also order the E-MTB yearbook 2020 directly from us.
