The Slash is no whippy, mid travel trail bike, but it’s still not hard to get the front wheel up. Out back, the chainstays are not too short or too long at 437mm. The front end is long enough to put me in a well-balanced position, but not so long that I’m leaning over the bike like an XC racer or sacrificing a comfortable bend in my elbows. At 5’9” I always ride Medium frames, and after riding reaches varying from 440-475mm I think 450mm is pretty ideal. The Slash’s new reach of 450mm suits me well. The 2021 Slash definitely has that ‘big enduro’ character when it’s on the trail, yet Trek hasn’t gone crazy with any of their geometry or measurements. One coincidence popped up that makes this review particularly fun for me: Trek told me before the pandemic hit they had planned to host the Slash’s launch event right where I live in Pemberton, B.C! It’s unfortunate the event didn’t go off, but I guess you Bikerumor readers get to hear how the bike handles the exact terrain Trek wanted to demonstrate the new Slash on! Like many areas of B.C., this is long travel territory and the Slash is certainly a suitable rig. This article covers my ride impressions of the bike, but check out my launch article to see what’s changed on the 2021 Slash, and to get a peek at the whole model lineup. This isn’t the top-end model but it’s close, offering a carbon frame, RockShox’s new Zeb fork, Bontrager carbon wheels, and a SRAM X01 drivetrain. I got the chance to hop on a Slash 9.9 X01. Now offering 160/170mm travel, a custom tuned rear shock, a revised linkage and updated geometry, the 2021 Slash is ready to tackle the rowdiest trails you can ride. It’s hardly a secret now, but long travel 29ers are the bee’s knees for thrashing rough trails! Trek’s Slash has lived in this category for a while now, but for 2021 it’s grown into a bigger beast.
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