I own a 2021 Slash 9.9 X01 and I have a couple of things to add. The rear suspension is on the more linear side. I am running the super deluxe with out any spacers and I am bottoming out too often. So for anyone interested coil isnt really an option. However the suspension is the perfect mix between plush and playful! I have ridden a Giant reign, YT Capra (2017) and a specialized enduro and this is by far the most fun bike I have ridden. Uphill wise it does the job (Seat tube angle could be a degree steeper), but it doesnt limit the bikes capabilities in any way. For anyone thinking of getting this bike JUST DO IT! U wont be dissapointed!
Its actually quite a progressive suspension design, you could add a volume spacer to the positive air chamber to ramp it upp more towards the end stroke.
Thanks for taking time to comment. I’m still loving the slash. I recently got some clipless Crank Brothers Mallet E pedals and this thing climbs even better with those.
The new XT cassette has great chain ramping, I don't think you should just have poor foresight in shifting before you're busting the knees but it's purpose is allowing better even torque though the gears instead of the ubrupt or sudden interruption. Nice one with the dropper lever , and don't forget to play with some tokens before switching shocks
I liked the size large for jumps, but lately I’ve been riding a size XL enduro bike with a 500 reach and that feels a lot more stable on steep runs and at high speeds.
Great video!! Sold my Scott Genius and thought I wouldn’t find another big compartment long reach bike again having sat in a Pivot, Santa Cruz, Yeti and Scott. The geometry on the Slash for me at 6’1” 225 is perfect. I am likely getting the carbon version slash 9.8XT. I ride mostly enduro, downhill stuff so the front fork worries me it’s the Rock Shox Zeb supposed to be alright tho we’ll see. Thanks again I’ll check out the channel.
I’ve heard nothing but good things about the ZEB and the 9.8. I’m a fox 38 guy myself, so that’s why I chose the 9.7 and upgrades the fork to a 38 performance elite. I’ve never rode a ZEB, but a lot of people like it. I’m sure you’ll be happy with that.
@@rubendl1621 Large. The cockpit is very spacious and reach is wide. For me it’s the perfect amount of room to maneuver and manipulate the bike without feeling I’m too cramped or hanging over the bars if you know what I mean. I probably can get away with the XL too but the L what I went with.
A 38mm fork is overkill for most riders IMO. Unless you racing EWS or are a really large (heavy) person. The 36mm are more than capable of tackling anything you can throw at them including bike park stuff. Just dial up the compression damping a little for big jumps etc. It's more about the quality of the airspring and damper than the stanchion width I believe. For instance, my RockShox Yari (35mm) didn't feel anywhere near as nice as my RockShox Lyrik (also 35mm). The Lyric has a better airspring and the Charger damper, which makes all the difference to the ride feel and lack of brake dive etc.
Don’t disagree with what you said. I rode my YT Capra last year with a 38 on it and fell in love with that fork for bike parks and gnarly trail riding. But I probably could be happy with a 36 as well.
Hey mate, im a similar height and i cant decided between XL and L, when i ride the L if feel like im trying to push myself back further. I have a XL fuel and its like turning a bus on a trail, so i was hoping to shorten up the bike by trying the large.
That’s always a tricky decision. Large Slash has a 1264 wheelbase & 486 reach. While the XL has 1305 wheelbase and 516 reach, so definitely not going to be as agile. But the Large won’t be as stable at high speeds, especially if your already feeling like you need to push back when descending. I like the large because I’m always trying to jump if everything and flick my bike around. Sounds like you might be happier with the XL since you already rode the large and don’t like how that feels, but it’s definitely not an easy decision.
Going to look at a Slash 9.8 XT in XL tomorrow, I'm 6'2.5" and I hope the XL doesn't feel too big. My current full squish is a large Santa Cruz Hightower LT that sports a hilariously tiny 443mm reach which leaves me feeling cramped up. I also have a hardtail that's a large with a 465mm reach which feels okay but I could definitely go longer.
I am 188cm and went also to L size -21 9.8XT. XL Slash is just huge. I changed 35mm stem to 50mm and dropper post from the original 170mm to OneUp 210mm. It is perfect now.
You mentioned that you had a fuel EX, can you give your thoughts on differences. I’m currently riding 2017 Fuel Ex 9.8 and thinking of going to slash 9.8. How was your transition from trail to enduro?
I started riding more aggressive trails, and bike parks with big jumps and drops. The Slash is a bike that can handle all that. However, I think the if I upgraded the fork on my Fuel EX to a 150mm Fox 36 it would be a great “all mountain” bike. My transition from trail bike to enduro bike has been amazing. I love the way my Slash feels downhill so much that I’m willing to sacrifice a little uphill pedaling performance. But it still pedals uphill really good.
So what would I be missing out on going with the cheaper slash 8? You think I could still bomb the downhill like the 9.7? Genuinely curious if I need to get the top notch rig inorder to hang.. hang time that is... I'm guessing it aluminum vs carbon..
The Slash 8 will shred just as good as the 9.7 Slash. In fact, I think the Slash 8 has some better components on it even though I had problems with the brakes on the Slash 8 I had before. I don’t think I can really tell that much of a difference between the carbon and aluminum frame. It’s mostly the bike components that make a difference. The Fox 38 fork I got made the biggest difference on my 9.7
What are some of the differences between the Slash 8 you had and this Carbon Slash? Does your new bike ride significantly better than the Slash 8? Thanks,
I wouldn’t say this new bike rides much better that the 8. I can’t really tell much difference in the feeling of the frame. The rear shocks also feel about the same. I liked the Lyrik fork (slash 8) better than the fox rhythm 36, that’s why I’m going to upgrade my fork to a Fox 38. I like the Shimano drivetrain better. I’m not sure how I feel about the brakes yet. But I had issues with the Code R brakes on the 8. All in all, I’m really happy with the 9.7 and I wouldn’t want the 8 again. But I don’t think it’s much better than the Slash 8.
@@RydenDirty go to do you bro! I’ve never tried the ZEB, but loved my fox 38 for bike park laps. Made my enduro feel like a mini DH bike. I have a buddy with the same slash that’s got a Rockshox build, so it will be cool to ride them back ti back
I think I’d have to compare this to the new Capra to be fair. This 2022 Slash has all the updated geometry, so my old Capra just can’t compete. But I am planning to go to bike demos and start comparing the Slash vs other bikes, so I’ll try to find a new Capra to demo.
I think you asked the difference since adding the Fox 38. I noticed a huge difference. It turned the Slash into a mini downhill bike, which is what I want.
@@toniseguinicolau925 I show the weight difference in the video below. Fox 36 Rhythm vs Fox 38 Performance Elite Fork ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8L8zug8BQ2w.html
The comment about the OEM shock isnt quite true, Thats 100% trek saving every penny they can, My new Trance x 27.5 has the float x and it has the compression dial, ive also seen several others come with it too.
Thanks for clearing that up. I was pretty bummed when I first saw that the shock didn’t have a compression dial, but I did end up needing it anyway. Hopefully I’ll still feel that way as I ride this bike more.
@@JaredHoff but anyways, I have the 2014 slash 8 and it has the stock fox talas 34 evolution ctd (white) and they still feel great. And i have a 1x10 Shimano xt Deore clutched and its great on the climbs and the decents too!
Yes, 160 rear and 170 fork. I’m keeping the fork for now to do some back-to-back testing this bike park season (38 vs. 36). But I’ll let you know if I decide to sell it 👍🏻
