"That tiny harmonic pin ring drive unit is the golden goose of e-bike motors." Find out what Pinkbike had to say about the revolutionary motor at the heart of Fuel EXe.

"This is the first time an e-bike has made my Gear of the Year list [...] in addition to being silent, the HPR50 motor feels frictionless while pedaling. The assistance comes on with a subtlety that makes it feel like you are a younger, fitter version of yourself with a tailwind at your back."

"The low-key, silent assist is just enough, keeping it riding like a real mountain bike but making the climbs less miserable. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good high-power eMTB, but I loved this bike, too. The Trek Fuel EX’s handling is dialled, and this is merely an enhanced version of that. I tested the top model, but, fortunately, there are also mid-priced models that eschew some of the AirWiz(ardy) without giving up any of what makes this bike rad."

'Simply put, nothing comes close to the Fuel EXe when you paint the picture of the mountain bike experience as a whole.'

'The Trek Fuel EXe is the bike (e or otherwise) that plenty of people have been waiting to see… Removes the final few issues that the e-curious crowd had.'

'The Fuel EXe is such a harmonious package that I got comfortable with it very quickly, and it wasn’t much longer before I was in love with this bike... I legitimately forgot that I was on an e-bike at times… it’s the most natural-feeling motor I’ve yet ridden.'

'We have to call it as we see it and the Trek Fuel EXe just elevated the eMTB game.'

'The first impression was a unanimous "Wow". This is one of the few times that a bike exceeded expectations.'

'There are times when I am left amazed by something new and shiny, and that is the case with the Trek Fuel Exe... I might even go as far as to call it an engineering marvel.'

When it comes to being a better trail rider, practice makes perfect. Get seven tips from Pinkbike’s Christina Chappetta that will have you setting PRs and riding with more confidence in no time.

Follow along as Jason from Mahalo My Dude unboxes and builds a brand new Fuel EXe.