The new Trek Slash 8 brings their long-travel enduro mountain bike platform, which was reintroduced in 2016 as a 29er carbon bike, to a lower price point with this new alloy model. The frame’s lines mimic the carbon versions surprisingly well, using hydroformed Alpha Platinum Aluminum. The Slash
The key feature is their ReAktiv shock, which uses a thru-shaft design from Rockshox to make everything more supple and sensitive. Rear travel is 150mm, mated to a 160mm fork.
That’s mated to their concentric ABP rear axle pivot, which isolates braking forces from the suspension’s movement.
A straight downtube keeps things simple and light, but relies on a frame protector to prevent the fork from knocking into and damaging the tube.
Cable and hose ports make entry and exit sections clean, but the dropper seatpost remote stays inside the whole time.
You’ll have your choice of two frame colors for the Slash 8, the subdued matte black shown in the detail shots, and this bright turquoise to yellow fade. The Slash 8 retails for $3,499 with Rockshox Yari RC and Deluxe RT3 suspension, Bontrager Line Comp wheels with matching tires, and a SRAM RX Eagle group with Descendant cranks.
There’s also a new top-of-line carbon Slash 9.9, offering a SRAM X01 Eagle group, Fox Factory suspension (also with the ReAktiv thru-shaft shock design), Bontrager Line Carbon wheels and Shimano Deore XT 4-piston brakes. Retail is $7,199. Between these two models are the Slash 9.8 and 9.7, plus carbon and alloy framesets.
