Bike Check: Christina Chappetta's Trek Fuel EXe
As a huge fan of a gruelling sufferfest, a proper slog up a forest service road to the alpine, and good old-fashioned bike park laps, Christina didn't jump on the eMTB train right away. And while she's definitely not throwing in the towel on her trusty Top Fuel, Slash, and Session just yet, she has made some room in the stable for a bike that provides her with some additional power.
Since Christina received the Trek Fuel EXe earlier this summer, she's spent some serious time in the saddle on it on big, steep Whistler climbs under the midday sun, the janky Whistler trails that are less ridden due to their distance off the beaten path, and just cruising to the lake for an afternoon dip. We take look at how Christina has set up her small Trek Fuel EXe.
Christina Chappetta // Pinkbike Presenter
Age: 33
Hometown:Whistler, Canada
Height: 162cm / 5'4"
Weight: 58kg / 128 lb
Instagram: @cchappetta1
Age: 33
Hometown:Whistler, Canada
Height: 162cm / 5'4"
Weight: 58kg / 128 lb
Instagram: @cchappetta1
Trek Fuel EXe
Frame:Trek Fuel EXe
Size:Small
Shock:RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate, AirWiz, 140mm travel
Fork:RockShox Lyrik Ultimate, AirWiz, 150mm travel
Tyres:Schwalbe Big Betty Front and Nobby Nic Rear
Wheels:Zipp 3Zero Moto 29'r
Chainring:SRAM XX1 32T
Pedals:Time Speciale 12
Cassette:SRAM XX1 10-52
Derailleur:SRAM XX1 AXS
Shifter:SRAM XX1 AXS
Brakes:SRAM Code RSC
Rotors:200mm
Handlebar: OneUp Components 35mm rise
Stem:OneUp Components 50mm
Grips:OneUp Components
Frame:Trek Fuel EXe
Size:Small
Shock:RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate, AirWiz, 140mm travel
Fork:RockShox Lyrik Ultimate, AirWiz, 150mm travel
Tyres:Schwalbe Big Betty Front and Nobby Nic Rear
Wheels:Zipp 3Zero Moto 29'r
Chainring:SRAM XX1 32T
Pedals:Time Speciale 12
Cassette:SRAM XX1 10-52
Derailleur:SRAM XX1 AXS
Shifter:SRAM XX1 AXS
Brakes:SRAM Code RSC
Rotors:200mm
Handlebar: OneUp Components 35mm rise
Stem:OneUp Components 50mm
Grips:OneUp Components
 | As someone who had never properly thrown a leg over an eMTB and seen their capabilities first hand, I was a little hesitant to take on the Fuel EXe, but after our first ride that took me on over 1200m of climbing in one battery charge, it was clear my hands would be calling it quits long before my legs would, and I'm not upset about that at all! |
Christina runs a very similar cockpit setup on the Fuel EXe as her other bikes. She has paired the 750mm wide OneUp Components handlebar with a 35mm rise to OneUp's 50mm stem. She's got a 10mm spacer below the stem to keep the front end where she likes it.
Another familiar feature with the cockpit is the OneUp EDC tool and all the fixings to fix a puncture, broken chain or any sneaky loose bolts.
The TQ motor and LED display tell Christina the most important details, like estimated battery life in each of the 3 modes, speed, and cadence. Pretty vital information when considering whether to do another lap or not!
Christina settled on the Big Betty up front in 2.4" width and a Super Trail casing. She runs it tubeless with 20 psi.
Christina has been running the speedy Nobby Nic in the rear in a 2.35" width. It's also got a Super Trail casing, is set up tubeless, and she runs it at 21 psi. The tires are mounted on Zipp 3Zero Moto carbon wheels.
The RockShox Lyrik Ultimate is doing the heavy lifting up front. Christina set it up with the help of AirWiz and runs 65 psi with 10 clicks of rebound, 1 LSC, and 2 HSC. As for the rear, Christina runs a RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate with 125 psi 10 clicks of rebound, and 2 LSC.
Christina runs 200mm rotors front and rear with SRAM Code RSC brakes. The size small frame fits a 150mm drop OneUp Components dropper post which is topped with the Fizik Terra Alpaca X5 saddle.
Letting her go on a recent photoshoot in Squamish, BC.
Making the suspension work.
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Maybe Christina just loves Treks.
Industry affiliation: none.
I'm an employee at pinkbike, the industry's most important website, the industry's biggest media company, and I have no industry affiliation.
Right, got it.
I understand what they are trying to disclose, and the striving for transparency, but it really was not seeing the forest for the trees.
Thats not by any definition scrawny.
At 6'1 and 84kg I'm just inside healthy weight, and trying (not hard) to lose some more, to make myslef better at my chosen hobby.
I was more complaining about the view that someone of normal build and healthy bmi being ridiculed as scrawny and also implying that they are a long way from the average rider.
I guess referring to the two mikes, Matt and Alicia from the group tests who are all about the same size.
We're actually in agreement.
However, sick bike! If I was in the market for an ebike this one would probably be it
Climbing and range / pedalling support is just what you'd need.
Try to get a ride on one if you can.
And no, I don't work for Trek.
Christina does a good job though and makes me want one ...
Yes, you can vary and interconnect routes and, basically, cover more ground exploring the mountains... buuut, when you point it down the hill, there is a perceivable difference.
this is the reason I won't commit to an ebike now and probably not in the next couple of years. I am just waiting for them to get better. (trying to explain the difference it is like driving a C-class Mercedes... in isolation, a great, trully great car. If you step out of one and get into something like an S-Class.. well, still great but not THAT great; this is how I can compare/relate them.
Comparing my current bike with all the ebikes I tested, on mountain trails, dh tracks and in trips on footh paths over the mountains, the ride quality difference is obviously there. So, I'll wait and test every new ebike I can, hoping that one day they will make them better. Then, I will get one as, when you're not fully immersed in that special sensation of riding(full speed, full focus or in something like a local enduro race) and just getting out for a little bit of fun at no more than 60% effort and speed, then the ebikes are perfect even in the way they are now. It is what it is.
Historically though, looking back to the 90's when my DH and "freeride" bikes were routinely 50lbs or more and we shuttled everything, my opinion on a bikes with more heft is tilted. Same reason I still love to throw a hardtail down tech trails a few times a season, reminds me of my trials days.
Now that might be an interesting read…….
Downtube should fit atleast a sixpack of Heineken + 1 can of Monster energy drink.