When you stand in front of the orange-grey Trek Rail, you need sunglasses to avoid being dazzled. The photos don't do justice to reality, it glows neon orange.
Compared to its predecessor - the Powerfly LT - the bike has become a lot longer, has a slacker head angle and has been upgraded to 29-inch wheels. The design has been optimized, but at first glance you won't notice any significant difference without a direct comparison.

Statement by: Veit Hammer, Communications Manager at Trek

Equipment

As you would expect from Trek, many of the add-on parts come from its own brand Bontrager. Their saddle offers surprisingly good support and is very comfortable. This is written by someone who usually only feels comfortable on SQlab saddles! The in-house SE5 Team Issue tires in the 29 x 2.6 inch size impress with very high grip and the best traction on all types of terrain. A Rock Shox Lyrik Select+ with 160 millimetres of travel is used at the front and a "Rock Shox Deluxe RT3" shock absorber at the rear. The latter provides 150 millimeters of travel and is equipped with RE:aktiv technology developed by Trek and Formula 1 experts. The Sram GX Eagle drivetrain and a 4-piston brake from Shimano's SLX groupset round off the package.

Motor / battery

Bosch Performance Line CX / Bosch PowerTube
Power: 250 watts
Torque: 75 Newton meters
Battery capacity: 625 watt hours

Processing & details

The tested version is a model with a special paint finish. In other words, it is not an off-the-shelf bike, but one from Trek's custom program "Project One", in which colors and add-on parts can be adapted to individual wishes. The Rail is the first Trek E-MTB ever to be realized with this project.

As you would expect from a bike in this price range, the finish of the carbon frame and the details are excellent. In addition to the very easy-to-remove battery, the Rail stands out with other clever details. The charging socket is located under a robust hinged cover. The geometry can be changed by 0.5 degrees using the Mino-Link flip chip, which lowers the bottom bracket by around 10 millimetres.
The thru-axle lever can be easily removed for a clean look. The ABP (Active Braking Pivot) is a classic on Trek Fullies and decouples the suspension from braking influences.

The bike was only tested in the low position of the Mino link

On the flat

The riding position is slightly more stretched than its predecessor. You pedal comfortably and sit well centered over the bike. You immediately notice that the bike is very agile despite the slack steering angle of 64.5 degrees and corners smoothly.

Up the mountain

The Powerfly LT was a good climber, the Rail is even better. You quickly realize that climbs are possible with this E-MTB that you've never considered before. You quickly scan the terrain for steep slopes and ramps: blocked rocks and steep is awesome. The suspension and geometry harmonize perfectly with the powerful Performance Line CX from Bosch

Downhill

At some point, the uphill flow is enjoyed and it's time to head downhill. Its predecessor was moderate fun for experienced bikers. If you ride up, you have to ride down, so it's chain right and off towards the valley. But whoops, what have the Trek engineers done there? The Rail should ride like it's on rails, but that's not what you want with it and it doesn't do that. The bike rocks
so much that you literally slam it from one berm into the next and take every possible opportunity to play with the terrain. It's agile like few e-MTBs with 29-inch wheels and the rear end practically sucks itself into the ground. You find yourself shooting downhill faster and harder. You're often a tad too fast, but fortunately the reliable SLX brakes take care of that. 200 mm discs at the front and rear are "no nonsense" here.

The fork can't quite keep up with the shock on medium hits. But that's complaining on a high level, as it copes well with a hard gait, as well as really hard impacts. The rear is in a class of its own. With 30 percent SAG, it rides rather softly and lacks a bit of counter-pressure on jumps. If you like it firmer or jumping a lot, simply add a little more air. No matter what you heat over and how high the jumps are, it swallows and stays on course.

The Rail responds quickly and directly to steering inputs and doesn't push as much as other E-MTBs in tight corners. This is due to the low weight of around 22.6 kilos and the geometry, which is second to none.

Conclusion

The Trek Rail 9.8 light rocket is fast and agile. The top suspension in combination with the sophisticated geometry and the very light weight make this E-MTB one of the best in its class. This also makes up for the fact that you get rather inexpensive add-on parts on such a high-priced bike.

Recommendation

The use of flat pedals makes sense on this bike, as it's often a case of "foot out, flat out" when you're hurtling around corners. As you will sooner or later be pushing the limits with the rail both uphill and downhill, protectors are a welcome companion. Beginners and experienced bikers alike will always have a grin on their face with this e-MTB and one or two skeptics will certainly convert to e-bikers. So organize a test bike and rail away ...

Specifications

Manufacturer/distributor

www.trek.com