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TREK FARLEY EX 9.8 TEST

Trek farley ex 9.8.

WHO IS IT MADE FOR?

The Farley EX is a four-season mountain bike built for ripping loose summer trails or diving head first into a winter snowstorm. It’s packed with high-performance suspension that lets the EX feel at home on gnarlier sections, and its larger-than-normal, 27.5-inch fat tires kept the Farley rolling fast on smooth and flowy trails. The EX has a long list of carbon parts to drool over, and its proprietary Trek technologies give it an edge over other bikes in its category.

WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?

Trek constructed the Farley EX 9.8 from OCLV (Optimum Compaction Low Void) carbon along with alloy chainstays, 197x12mm rear hub spacing and 120 millimeters of travel. The rear end of the Farley has all the high-tech features we’ve come to expect from a Trek full-suspension mountain bike, including ABP (Active Braking Pivots), Full Floater suspension, an EVO link (allowing for geometry adjustability), and, of course, the Formula 1-inspired RE:aktiv shock. Trek then incorporated its Control Freak internal cable routing, stout carbon guards and a pair of Trek Wampa carbon wheels. The Farley is topped off with a carbon handlebar, a titanium-railed saddle and an 11-speed drivetrain.

WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?

The Farley EX has plenty of standout features, such as its light-weight carbon frame and its tall, 27.5-inch fat tires, but its rear shock takes the prize for the most performance-enhancing feature. Trek’s RE:aktiv technology was designed in conjunction with Penske Racing—one of the leading developers of custom race car suspension. The result is a shock that makes the rear tire feel firmly planted to the ground over bumps while still being super efficient during climbs. Combine this shock with 3.8-inch-wide tires and you have a bike that truly feels glued to the ground.

HOW DOES IT PERFORM?

It took a bit of effort to get the Farley set up just right. We set both the shock and fork to 20-percent sag and started with the rebound knobs in a centered position. Next, we played with different tire pressures to get the best balance of traction and control. Adding too much air pressure caused our Farley to buck like a wild bull, while too little air pressure made the bike’s handling slow and unresponsive. The Farley came alive with a tire pressure of around 9 psi and quickly proved to our test riders that it is a very capable and nimble bike, considering its size.

Moving Out:

The Farley is a fat bike on the surface, but it’s a trailbike at heart. It features 750-millimeter bars and a 70-millimeter stem that complement the ride characteristics of its large air volume tires. The Farley also has a dropper post that all of our test riders welcomed with open arms. The suspension feels buttery smooth, and the 3.8-inch-wide tires soak up small bumps as if they weren’t there. The Farley can even be tossed around in a playful manner, making it an absolute blast to take down the trails.

Judging the Farley’s ability to climb solely on its looks is a bad idea. This bike combines lightweight carbon parts with ultra-efficient suspension and tops it off with huge amounts of traction. The end result is a fat bike that can charge up climbs and battle toe to toe with many trail bikes. We didn’t set any personal records aboard the Farley, yet we rode up sections with ease that we would normally struggle with. The Farley’s suspension worked flawlessly, providing a great pedaling platform, and the 30-tooth chainring gave our riders the ability to spin the pedals up any steep hill.

The Farley has a surprisingly agile feel for a fat-tire machine. Our testers found they could easily dive into corners thanks to its 68.8-degree head tube angle and fairly short 17.4-inch chainstays. The Farley’s ground-hugging tires held traction really well, and the dropper seatpost allowed riders to move their body weight around on the bike. The Farley does require a bit of body language to navigate tight sections of trail, but, compared to other fat-tire machines, this thing is a true ripper.

Descending:

The Farley EX mixes the plush suspension of a trailbike with large air volume tires, resulting in a bike that is capable of running over anything in its path. The bike rolled fast on flowy trails, thanks to 27.5-inch Bontrager Hodag tires, and its dropper seat post allowed our testers to toss the bike around with ease. The 750-millimeter handlebars seemed just right for this bike, and the RE:aktiv technology in the rear shock glued our rear tire to the ground. The Farley EX is a mean-looking machine with the performance to match.

Big tires call for big stopping power. Trek decided to use a pair of SRAM Guide RS brakes to help bring the Farley to a stop, and they offered more than enough power. Trek’s ABP (Active Braking Pivot) suspension design keeps the suspension working to further improve traction, even under hard braking efforts.

TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?

Out of the box, the Farley EX 9.8 is a dream bike covered head to toe in carbon goodies. We decided to set the wheels up tube- less to avoid pesky pinch flats, but that was the only upgrade this bike needed. An issue with the 27.5-inch fat wheels, however, is that it may be hard to find replacement tires anywhere other than a Trek dealer. We also think this bike might be more vulnerable to the elements and may require more maintenance when riding in snow or mud, since there are more moving parts than on the rigid version. That said, however, riders who want a fat bike for trail riding will find the Farley EX is one of the best tools for the job.

BUYING ADVICE

Fat bikes have long been known for their ability to tackle trails covered in sand or snow, and although the Farley Ex would excel in those conditions, it seems this fat-tire machine was built to hang with the trailbike crowd. Trek designed the Farley EX with all the features we’ve come to expect from its trailbikes and high-end fat bike parts. The result is a bike that is truly fun to ride and much more capable than it appears. Riders seeking the utmost traction and a plush ride will thoroughly enjoy riding the Trek Farley EX.

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Trek Farley EX 9.8 review

One bike for all seasons is getting closer

Russell Eich / Immediate Media

Russell Eich

Impressive rear suspension, has a very mountain bike feeling, wheelies and manuals with ease

Bluto fork overworked, small tire knobs, busted rear rim

No longer just for snow and sand, fat bikes are going the way of regular mountain bikes and branching out within the genre. Trek's Farley EX 9.8 may stretch the boundaries the farthest; it's a full-suspension, carbon fat bike with 27.5 x 3.8in tires, and has the silhouette of a trail bike, the wheel size of an enduro bike and the suspension of an XC bike — so what does this make it?

• Salsa Bucksaw Carbon GX1 review
• Where are fat bikes headed?
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Trek Farley EX 9.8 highlights

• OCLV Mountain carbon frame, aluminum stays
• 120mm rear travel with ABP and Full Floater suspension
• Fox Float RE:aktiv rear shock
• RockShox Bluto RL, 120mm
• Bontrager Wampa Carbon 80 SL rims, tubeless ready
• 150x15 front, 197x12 rear hubs
• Bontrager Hodag 27.5x3.8in tires
• SRAM X01 rear derailleur, X1 shifter
• Race Face Next carbon cranks, 30t narrow/wide ring
• SRAM Guide hydraulic discs
• Weighs 14.06kg / 31lbs, size 19.5in tested

Trek Farley EX 9.8 on the dirt

Riding the Farley EX 9.8 on dirt required the prerequisite learning curve to get used to the massive tires. Even with a high (for a fat bike tire) 9psi up front and 11psi in the rear, the auto steer compared to a regular bike with 2.3in tires is extremely noticeable.

To get any bike to turn, you instinctively push the handlebar grip the opposite direction you want to go to get the bike to lean accordingly. If you don't believe me, ride your bike and push the right grip forward. Which way did the bike tip, then carve?

Now with that out of the way, because fat bike tires have such a huge contact patch, that little nudge to the opposite direction causes a much larger force of direction change. So initially the handling feels wobbly, unstable and kooky. It's akin to feeling like there's water in the wheels pulling you in ways you don't want.

Luckily, it doesn't take long to readjust your timing and inputs. Once my brain became acquainted with the handling, the Farley EX's ability shined through.

Of the three fully-suspended fatties ( Salsa Bucksaw , LaMere Dopamine ) I had in on test, the Farley EX 9.8 was the most mountain bike-like.

The larger 27.5in wheels, even when encased with narrower 3.8in tires, rolled well and seemed to skim over holes and dips

By sharing the same rear suspension technologies as other Trek's, the rear end performance was similar to the brand's other bikes, which is a good thing. The Full Floater and ABP designs devour bumps and rarely leave any room for want when it comes to tracking.

Pedaling performance is adequate, too. It's not a super snappy ride like a VPP or DW-link bike, but it makes up for it in traction and sucking up the hits.

The traditional mountain bike feeling should also be attributed to having the narrowest yet biggest diameter tires — 27.5 x 3.8in Bontrager Hodags. The rounded profile and small knobs rolled well, but when asked to bite on loose rocks and dirt they typically responded with a slide. Lowering pressures could have achieved more traction and increased contact, however the thin sidewalls needed all the air support they could get to avoid squirming and folding.

The minimal knobbies were also quite slippery on wet roots and rocks.

On a bummer note, I did manage to crack the rear Wampa carbon rim while chasing a very fast friend down a dry, rocky and somewhat technical trail. The wheel did not implode and I was able to limp back out. Trek was quick with a new wheel, too.

I admit it was pilot error to some extent, as I caught the edge of the rim on a jagged rock. Would it have happened to a regular mountain bike rim? That's hard to say for certain. I have contacted Trek and will update when I hear back.

Trek Farley EX 9.8 on the snow

As I wondered in my first look of the Farley EX 9.8 , the lack of tire girth did have a somewhat negative impact on snow riding ability.

Where I live, in the Colorado Rockies, the snow has very low moisture content. In layman's terms that means it's just fluffy powder, not heavy wet cement that sets up rock hard. This means that unless the trail gets snowshoed or packed in some other way, riding any fat bike is virtually impossible.

With that in mind, the Farley EX does very well when the conditions allow. The larger 27.5in wheels, even when encased with narrower 3.8in tires, rolled well and seemed to skim over holes and dips better than a mega-wide 26in wheel and tire combo.

Air pressures were about the same, with roughly 4 to 5psi being the breaking point between getting the knobs to get some purchase and feeling like the tire was going to rip off the rim if I got even mildly sporty.

Outside of the wheels and tires, the rest of the Farley EX 9.8 proved to be up to the task of winter shredding.

Impressively, the Drop Line seatpost performed fault-free even when ridden in negative temperatures.

The all-seasons quiver killer?

Is the Farley EX 9.8 an all-seasons quiver killer? Can it do it all in all the seasons? Yes, sort of.

While it's the most genre-blurring fatty I've ridden, there's no getting around how fat bikes feel when ridden aggressively and the lack of suitable components at the current time.

When my legs were fresh and the trail short, the Farley EX 9.8 lent a sense of invincibility. Hopping between a regular trail bike and the Farley EX 9.8 highlighted how smooth it was and how line choice doesn't really matter on the big tire Trek.

But it also brought to light how heavy those same steam-rolling wheels are any time you try to slash a corner, boost a gap, accelerate from a slow down, or on long rides when it starts to feel like the discs are rubbing.

One surprising thing the Farley EX 9.8 excelled at was wheelies and manuals . I was a bit shocked at how stable the bike was and how easy it was to lean back into the balance point and hold it there.

Bottom line: the right choice if winter riding fun is your main thing

If you're the type of rider who likes a modern, playful mountain bike, yet puts winter and soft conditions riding high on the list, the Farley EX 9.8 should absolutely be on your radar.

Also, if you're looking for enhanced stability and the potential to roll over everything on the trail, the Farley EX 9.8 is worth a demo ride.

It's capable and fun in the summer and on dry trails, but with the extra wheel and tire weight as well as ponderous fat bike handling, it's still closer to a fat bike than it is to a true trail or all-mountain machine.

Trek Farley EX 9.8 pricing and availability

Trek makes two versions: the alloy Farley EX 8 model comes with a modest spec at £2,800 / $3,499 / AU$TBC, while the carbon 9.8 version slots in at £4,500 / $5,499 / AU$TBC.

They are available now from Trek dealers and at trekbikes.com

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Trek Farley Ex 9.8 2018

About the Trek Farley Ex 9.8 2018

The Trek Farley Ex 9.8 2018 is a Full suspension Fatbike Mountain Bike with a carbon frame. Equipped with a SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain of 12 gears (1x12). Its features include dropper seatpost, hydraulic disc brakes, and tubeless ready. The bike weighs approximately 15,88 kg.

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• Rider Notes

2016 Trek Farley 9.8

A 27.5″ carbon frame rigid fat bike with ultra high-end components. Compare the full range

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Mar 2017 · McCoy

Traction To The Max!

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Nov 2016 · Todd Aalgaard

The recall impacts 4,635 bikes worldwide, Trek says.

A problem with the bike's fork could lead to injury

Feb 2016 · James Huang

Can a fat bike be fast? If it's the Farley 9.8, then the answer is yes. Buy if you love riding fast in winter conditions and your trails are typically pretty well packed

Incredibly light, nimble and natural-feeling handling on snow, excellent tubeless carbon rims, remarkably fast, great tire clearance, relatively narrow pedal stance width, no suspension

Stock setup is poorly suited to deep or fresh snow, slow-engaging rear hub, severely limited 27.5in fat tire choices, optional ultra-fat 26in wheelset and tires will cost extra, narrow handlebars, expensive, no suspension

With an actual weight of 23.9 pounds (size medium) and a $4700 price tag, it’s clear Trek’s top-of-the-line Farley 9.8 fat bike is no lumbering giant. But is that thoroughbred pedigree enough to justify the price? - Mtbr.com

Check out our Trek Farley review to see how the Waterloo, Wisconsin brand's fatbike performed in the snow.

While Zach and Tim are seasoned fat bike riders, I was uninitiated. So, on a short trip to Ohio to do a little long term editorial planning, I borrowed a Trek Farley from the local shop and Zach planned a ride. Being a basically all-29er-all-the-time (with suspension) type mountain biker, this would be quite a …

Last updated June 29 Not listed for 2,494 days

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Trek Farley 9.8

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Size / 15.5", 17.5", 19.5", 21.5"

At a glance

Where to buy.

Specifications

• Frame OCLV Mountain Carbon, E2 tapered head tube, internal derailleur & dropper post routing, Carbon Armor, PF121, 197mm Stranglehold adjustable thru axle dropouts
• Fork Bontrager Haru Pro, OCLV Carbon lowers, E2 tapered carbon steerer, 100mm suspension corrected, 15x150mm
• Wheels Trek Wampa Carbon Tubeless Ready, 80mm rim, 150x15 front, 197x12 rear
• Wheel Size 27.5"
• Tires Bontrager Hodag, Tubeless Ready, 120tpi, aramid bead, 27.5x3.8"
• Crank Race Face , Race Face Next SL, 30T
• Bottom Bracket BB86/BB92, 121mm, press-fit
• Rear Derailleur SRAM X01, SRAM X01, Type 2
• Shifters SRAM X1, SRAM X1, 11 speed
• Brakeset SRAM Guide RS, SRAM Guide RS hydraulic disc
• Handlebar Bontrager Race X Lite, OCLV Carbon, 31.8mm, 15mm rise
• Saddle Bontrager Montrose Pro, carbon rails
• Seatpost Bontrager XXX, OCLV Carbon, 31.6mm, 5mm offset
• Stem Bontrager Race X Lite, 31.8mm, 7 degree
• Headset FSA IS-2 carbon, E2, sealed alloy cartridge

Q: Where to buy a 2016 Trek Farley 9.8?

The 2016 Trek Farley 9.8 may be purchased directly from Trek .

Q: What size wheels does the 2016 Trek Farley 9.8 have?

The 2016 Trek Farley 9.8 has 27.5" wheels.

Q: What size 2016 Trek Farley 9.8 should I get?

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Sea Otter: Trek’s New Full-Suspension Fattie And Bananas-Light Rigid Farley

First a programming note: TGR will be releasing its long-term review of the Farley 9.8 in a week or so. Spoiler: it's fabulous. 

And now: the fat bike juggernaut shows no sign of slowing down, and people are demanding them in more sizes, shapes and weights than ever. In my last conversation with Trek, they made sure to let me know it's their fastest growing category and that their retailers can't keep them in stock. AND, they are selling most of them for straight-up trail riding.

So now, the Farley EX brings 120mm of smooth, efficient front and rear suspension (if you've ridden Trek's RE:activ damper tuning you'll know what the deal is) together with extra-grippy and fast-rolling 27.5 x 3.8” tires. And options for 4.8" on some models.

Not much was off limits on the full rigid Farley 9.8 we had at TGR all winter, so we're super curious to see what this can do. Of couse, all these bikes have an eye toward reducing weight wherever they can - especially around the wheels.

We're all aware the EX is not the first full suspension fattie, but it is a significant evolution because it's geared towards high-performance trail riding first, and snow and sand riding second.  It's light, it's got wheels and suspension dialed.  And that together was a tough (if not impossible) ask in the past.

The Farley EX will be available in a lightweight Alpha Platinum Aluminum model and an even lighter OCLV MTB carbon model. They'll all be available around fall. The EX 8 will retail for around $3,499 and the EX 9.8 will sell for $5,499.

Last weekend, I raced the first XC event of the local Root66 series, and the fatbike categories were packed. So, for the purists who still want light hardtails and maximum efficiency (not to mention the plushness that a 9 psi high volume tire adds), there's Farley hardtail in regular flavors and a new flyweight 9.9 model with more carbon for more speed. It's freaking 22 pounds. Let that sink in. 22 POUNDS!  I've never had an XC race bike that light. 

I personally felt the rigid 9.8 was a fantastic trail bike. The new Farley's range from $1,700 all the way up to the 9.9's eye-popping $7,499. Yes, it's expensive (the 9.8 is in the mid $4k range and just under 25 pounds). But damn, after having ridden the 9.8 and been pretty amazed by it, if the 9.9 isn't the lust object of the moment, I don't know what is. These guys are great at pushing the capability envelope of any category they put their hands on.

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About The Author

stash member Gunnar Waldman

Editor-at-Large, IMBA instructor and east-coaster. Raced Trans-Savoie in France, SoCal Enduro and Endurance in Temecula and is psyched for all the great new races in the east. Article Ideas: [email protected]

August 18 th , 2016

“A full suspension fatbike that weighs just 25 pounds.”

Guys, where did you get this info? I have read elsewhere that it is 32lbs! Thanks :-)

Gunnar Waldman

The new full suspension Farley EX isn’t on the TREK site yet, weight on the highest spec is correct at 25lbs. The Farley 9.8 rigid for last season was also 25 lbs, but has dropped to 22 for the new highest spec. on that bike. Info came on the data sheet sent to us by Trek.

Thank you! Thats great news for me as have one coming soon

August 25 th , 2016

Gunnar, I had the 21.5” EX 9.8 weighed and it came in at 34lbs so I thing 25lbs is a bit of an under estimate in the specs Trek gave you :-(

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