Trek calls it their back-country battle axe: Slash is a no-holds barred enduro sled built to rip, rally, and rail through the gnarliest trails on the planet. With 170 mm of front and rear travel, mixed wheel size and new high-pivot design, the Slash not only descends like a beast, but it’s also ready to billy-goat up punchy climbs with square-edge slabs that send your friends on hike-a-bike missions. Crush laps that enduro bikes of yesteryear only dreamed of.

Charge through the chunder, hurtle over wheel-roasting roots and blast through boulder fields with drops so deep you’ll question your sanity – but never your bike’s capability.

Higher pivot, more momentum

Bikes with main pivots closer to the crank have a mostly vertical axle path that allows the rear wheel to move up to get out of the way of obstacles. That works, but can cause a few hang-ups, especially in gnarlier terrain. Moving the main pivot higher allows for a rearward axle path, so your back wheel can move in the same direction as the force from impacts. On the trail, this means more momentum in the rough and fewer hang-ups on square-edged hits.

Because rearward axle paths increase the distance between cranks and cogs, the chain pulls back on the pedals. That causes pedal kickback that’s harsh on your legs, and the chain tension can counteract your suspension movement. While the rearward axle path increases the distance between rear axle and chain ring, it doesn’t increase the distance between the axle and that high main pivot, so, by routing the chain around this idler pulley, we eliminate the pedal kickback effect.

Mixed wheel size

The Slash ships with a 27.5˝ rear wheel for getting extra spicy on the steeps and a 29˝ front wheel for barrelling over the big stuff. Swap the lower shock mount to run a full 29er if you’re after full speed or keep it MX for getting way back without buzzing the rear wheel on near-vertical descents. 

The Slash pedals better than other high-pivot bikes thanks to an idler pulley layout that’s optimised for efficiency. Plus, that rearward axle path gives the Slash mind-blowing traction for scrambling up tricky climbs without getting caught on roots and rough edges. You get less wasted energy and more fuel left in the tank for the descents.

The main ingredient in Slash’s pedalling alchemy is its anti-squat curve. Anti-squat is affected by a few variables, but one of the biggest factors is main pivot position. The size and placement of the upper idler gives us another way to tune the anti-squat curve. Between the upper and lower idler layout and size, the Slash delivers a super-efficient and super-consistent feeling anti-squat curve that makes this bike pedal more like the short-travel Top Fuel than the previous generation Slash.

Upper idler

Lower idler

The Slash Geometry

1. Super slack head tube
Sitting at a relaxed 63.5-degrees, the Slash’s head tube keeps your front wheel far ahead for serious stability on the steepest, gnarliest trails.

2. Steep seat tube angle

Perched at 77-degrees, the Slash keeps you in the perfect position for putting down power on long slogs up fire roads and punchy, slabby climbs.

3. That just-right reach

460 mm of reach keeps the cockpit long and stable for control and stability through everything.

4. Size-specific chainstays

Get the same trail-taming feel no matter your height thanks to size-specific chainstays that keep handling consistent.

On guard

It’s the small things that make the Slash so special. Trek spent hours analysing high-speed camera footage to figure out just how to shape a guard to minimise chain movement, so you get a quieter, more protected ride.

For full details of the Slash range, head over to the Trek website to shop the wide range of Enduro-ready rides.

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