The Trek Slash has been a big player amongst the long travel trail and enduro crowd since it debuted back in 2011. It’s evolved considerably over time, being one of the few bikes on the market to have worn all three wheelsizes throughout its lifespan. We were impressed when we tested the latest version back in 2021, which we called the ‘iron fist in a velvet glove’. Indeed its ability to monster truck through the filthiest rock gardens while remaining smooth and poppy made it one of the more versatile enduro race bikes on the scene.
Since then Trek has since rolled out a number of key models, including the high pivot Session and the mega-adjustable Fuel EX. These bikes introduced some clever new tech, which has given Trek’s engineers plenty to draw from when putting together the recipe for the upcoming Slash. The result of that big melting pot is the 5th generation of the US brand’s big travel enduro bike; the 2024 Trek Slash.
An overview of the 2024 Trek Slash
The 2024 Trek Slash is now equipped with 170mm of travel front and rear. Complete bikes come set up in a mullet configuration with a 29in wheel up front and a 27.5in wheel out back. The exception is the Small frame size, which is purpose-built around 27.5in wheels at both ends.
On the M-XL frame sizes, it is possible to set up the Slash as a full 29er. There’s clearance for a 29in rear wheel, and thanks to an interchangeable shock mount, Trek says the geometry and suspension kinematics are maintained when switching between the two setups.
The shock mount can also be adjusted to tweak the rear suspension’s leverage rate. Set it up in the linear mode for use with air shocks, or put it in the progressive mode to better suit coil shocks.
Speaking of the rear shock, you’ll no longer find the custom Thru Shaft Super Deluxe on the back of the Slash. Trek has been making a conscious move away from proprietary tech on its full suspension bikes, and the Slash follows suit with most models equipped with an off-the-shelf RockShox Vivid Air shock.
A high pivot hero?
Like the latest Session, the new Trek Slash adopts a high pivot suspension design. The hype around high pivots may have died off a little over the past year, but there’s no denying the advantages they can bring to the trail when it comes to eating up square-edge impacts at speed.
The main pivot on the Slash is mounted partway up the seat tube where it’s accompanied by a big 19T idler pulley. The larger diameter is said to reduce drag, and it should offer improved wear life too. You’ll spot that the idler is offset from the main pivot, which is to modify the anti-squat characteristic. According to Trek the anti-squat level hovers around 100% nearly all the way through the travel.
There’s also a lower idler manufactured by MRP, which claims to reduce chain growth underneath the chainstay to prevent the chain from tugging on the derailleur cage. It provides considerably more chain wrap around the chainring, especially compared to a bike like the Norco Range.
Trek continues to build its four-bar suspension platform with the ABP pivot that is located concentrically to the rear axle. The goal here is to neutralise braking influence on the rear suspension, which can be a problem on high pivot bikes.
Trek Slash geometry & size chart
As with the latest Fuel EX, the 2024 Trek Slash adopts modular headset cups that allow you to tweak the head angle by up to a degree each way. The head angle sits at 63.5° out of the box, though it can be adjusted to be as slack as 62.5° or as steep as 64.5°.
We’re glad to see a steeper seat angle on the new Slash, which clocks in at around 77° depending on the frame size. The seat tube is also shorter and has less of a bend, which allows for a big improvement in insertion depth. Trek says a Medium frame will easily swallow a 200mm travel dropper post.
As with the latest Fuel EX, the Slash varies its rear centre length between sizes from 430-440mm. Trek achieves this by modifying the location of the BB shell on the mainframe, which means that the chainstays and seatstays are actually the same on all frame sizes.
Frame features galore
To suit its big-hitting intentions, the Trek Slash incorporates masses of frame protection with bolt-on plates underneath the downtube that includes a dedicated shuttle guard.
The carbon frames also feature ‘integrated carbon armour’, which is an additional layer that’s moulded into the laminate during construction.
Trek has also developed one of the chunkiest chainstay guards we’ve ever seen, with a heavily textured design that aims to mitigate chain-slap. Lurking between the seatstays is a neat bolt-on mudguard, though this does have to be removed if you wish to run a 29in rear wheel.
The Slash incorporates fully guided internal cable routing, and mechanics will be pleased to see regular ports on either side of the head tube. Downtube storage carries over from the old model, though the design has been updated with a new latch system, and it’s worth pointing out that all of the plastic components are made from 100% recycled plastic. Nice touch Trek!
2024 Trek Slash price & specs
There will be six models available in the 2024 Trek Slash lineup.
Prices will start at $6,999 AUD for the Trek Slash 8, which is the only alloy model coming into Australia. The rest of the range utilise the OCLV carbon frame, with prices topping out at an incredible $19,499 AUD for the Slash 9.9 XX1 AXS model. Sheesh!
2024 Trek Slash 9.9 XX AXS
- Frame | OCLV Mountain Carbon, ABP Suspension Design, 170mm Travel
- Fork | RockShox Zeb Ultimate Flight Attendant, Charger 2.1 RCT3 Damper, 44mm Offset, 170mm Travel
- Shock | RockShox Vivid Ultimate, 230x65mm
- Wheels | Bontrager Line Pro 30, OCLV Carbon Rims, 29mm Inner Width
- Tyres | Bontrager SE6 Team Issue 2.5in Front & SE5 Team Issue 2.5in Rear
- Drivetrain | SRAM XX Eagle AXS Transmission 1×12 w/34T Carbon Crankset & 10-52T Cassette
- Brakes | SRAM Code Ultimate 4-Piston
- Bar | Bontrager RSL Integrated, OCLV Carbon, 27.5mm Rise, 820mm Width
- Stem | Bontrager RSL Integrated, OCLV Carbon, 35mm Length
- Seatpost | RockShox Reverb AXS, 34.9mm Diameter
- Saddle | Bontrager Arvada, Austentite Rails
- RRP | $19,499 AUD
2024 Trek Slash 9.9 X0 AXS
- Frame | OCLV Mountain Carbon, ABP Suspension Design, 170mm Travel
- Fork | RockShox Zeb Ultimate, Charger 3 RC2 Damper, 44mm Offset, 170mm Travel
- Shock | RockShox Vivid Ultimate, 230x65mm
- Wheels | Bontrager Line Pro 30, OCLV Carbon Rims, 29mm Inner Width
- Tyres | Bontrager SE6 Team Issue 2.5in Front & SE5 Team Issue 2.5in Rear
- Drivetrain | SRAM X0 Eagle AXS Transmission 1×12 w/34T Alloy Crankset & 10-52T Cassette
- Brakes | SRAM Code Silver 4-Piston
- Bar | Bontrager RSL Integrated, OCLV Carbon, 27.5mm Rise, 820mm Width
- Stem | Bontrager RSL Integrated, OCLV Carbon, 35mm Length
- Seatpost | RockShox Reverb AXS, 34.9mm Diameter
- Saddle | Bontrager Arvada, Austentite Rails
- RRP | $17,499 AUD
2024 Trek Slash 9.9 XTR
- Frame | OCLV Mountain Carbon, ABP Suspension Design, 170mm Travel
- Fork | RockShox Zeb Ultimate, Charger 3 RC2 Damper, 44mm Offset, 170mm Travel
- Shock | RockShox Vivid Ultimate, 230x65mm
- Wheels | Bontrager Line Pro 30, OCLV Carbon Rims, 29mm Inner Width
- Tyres | Bontrager SE6 Team Issue 2.5in Front & SE5 Team Issue 2.5in Rear
- Drivetrain | Shimano XTR 1×12 w/34T Alloy Crankset & 10-51T Cassette
- Brakes | Shimano XTR 4-Piston
- Bar | Bontrager RSL Integrated, OCLV Carbon, 27.5mm Rise, 820mm Width
- Stem | Bontrager RSL Integrated, OCLV Carbon, 35mm Length
- Seatpost | Bontrager Line Elite, 34.9mm Diameter
- Saddle | Bontrager Arvada, Austentite Rails
- RRP | $15,499 AUD
2024 Trek Slash 9.8 XT
- Frame | OCLV Mountain Carbon, ABP Suspension Design, 170mm Travel
- Fork | RockShox Zeb Select+, Charger 3 RC2 Damper, 44mm Offset, 170mm Travel
- Shock | RockShox Vivid Select+, 230x65mm
- Wheels | Bontrager Line Elite 30, OCLV Carbon Rims, 29mm Inner Width
- Tyres | Bontrager SE6 Team Issue 2.5in Front & SE5 Team Issue 2.5in Rear
- Drivetrain | Shimano XT 1×12 w/34T Alloy Crankset & 10-51T Cassette
- Brakes | Shimano XT 4-Piston
- Bar | Bontrager Line Pro, OCLV Carbon, 27.5mm Rise, 820mm Width
- Stem | Bontrager Line Pro, 35mm Length
- Seatpost | Bontrager Line Elite, 34.9mm Diameter
- Saddle | Bontrager Arvada, Austentite Rails
- RRP | $11,599 AUD
2024 Trek Slash 9.8 GX AXS
- Frame | OCLV Mountain Carbon, ABP Suspension Design, 170mm Travel
- Fork | RockShox Zeb Select+, Charger 3 RC2 Damper, 44mm Offset, 170mm Travel
- Shock | RockShox Vivid Select+, 230x65mm
- Wheels | Bontrager Line Elite 30, OCLV Carbon Rims, 29mm Inner Width
- Tyres | Bontrager SE6 Team Issue 2.5in Front & SE5 Team Issue 2.5in Rear
- Drivetrain | SRAM GX Eagle AXS Transmission 1×12 w/34T Alloy Crankset & 10-52T Cassette
- Brakes | SRAM Code Bronze 4-Piston
- Bar | Bontrager Line Pro, OCLV Carbon, 27.5mm Rise, 820mm Width
- Stem | Bontrager Line Pro, 35mm Length
- Seatpost | Bontrager Line Elite, 34.9mm Diameter
- Saddle | Bontrager Arvada, Austentite Rails
- RRP | $10,499 AUD
2024 Trek Slash 8
- Frame | Alpha Platinum Alloy, ABP Suspension Design, 170mm Travel
- Fork | Fox 36 Rhythm, GRIP Damper, 44mm Offset, 170mm Travel
- Shock | Fox Float X Performance Series, 230x65mm
- Wheels | Bontrager Line Comp 30, Alloy Rims, 29mm Inner Width
- Tyres | Bontrager XR5 Team Issue 2.5in Front & Rear
- Drivetrain | Shimano XT 1×12 w/34T Deore Crankset & 10-51T XT Cassette
- Brakes | Shimano M6120 4-Piston
- Bar | Bontrager Line, Alloy, 27.5mm Rise, 820mm Width
- Stem | Bontrager Elite, 35mm Length
- Seatpost | Bontrager Line, 34.9mm Diameter
- Saddle | Bontrager Verse P3, Chromoly Rails
- RRP | $6,999 AUD
