trek fuel ex 5 xs

• Fuel EX 5 Gen 5

2023 Trek Fuel EX 5 Gen 5 Review

Are you looking for a high-performance mountain bike? The 2023 Trek Fuel EX 5 Gen 5 is the perfect choice. 

This latest mountain bike in the Fuel EX lineup has been refined to perfection and comes with tons of great features.

The Fuel EX series from Trek has long been an industry standard as one of the most trusted mountain bikes on the market.

The fifth generation of these bikes has taken this legacy to the next level with its combination of cutting-edge materials, impressive technology and innovative design that makes it look and ride better than ever before.

This review will explore all of the aspects behind what makes the 2023 Trek Fuel EX 5 Gen 5 stand out and help you decide whether it’s the right bike for you. We’ll go in-depth into everything from performance to price, and show you exactly why this model is one of the best choices on the market.

The Trek Fuel EX 5 Gen 5 is an unforgettable new mountain bike that was released in 2023 and has already become the talk of the town! 

This awesome bike features some of the most advanced MTB construction and components, providing a truly unique and thrilling experience for riders. 

Read on to learn more about why this bike has made such a huge impact on cyclists everywhere.

The 2023 Trek Fuel EX 5 Gen 5 is the pinnacle of mountain biking performance with features designed to give riders unprecedented freedom and control on the trail. 

It features an aluminum frame with light and stiff geometry, as well as a dropper seat post for tackling big climbs, mountain descents, and off-road adventures with ease.

The Fuel EX 5 also comes with a reliable 12-speed drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes that are ideal for navigating technical sections in any weather. This bike was built to tackle any terrain – from gravel roads to singletrack trails – allowing you to explore farther than ever before.

– Lightweight Alpha Platinum Aluminum frame

– RockShox Recon Silver front fork with 140 mm suspension travel delivers added control on descents

– X-Fusion Pro 2 rear shock with 210mm of travel to cushion those huge drops

– Shimano Deore 1×12 speed drivetrain offers gearing options for all terrains

– 30t chainring bolted to a Shimano crank and paired to a 10-51t cassette

– Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc brakes perfect for reliable stopping power in any conditions

– TranzX dropper post takes your ride’s capabilities up a notch so you can take on challenging terrain

– Alex MD35, tubeless compatible wheels wrapped in either Maxxis Rekon EXO or Bontrager XR4 Comp tires provide superior trail feedback

– Sizes XS and S ship with 27.5″ wheels while the Medium and larger sizes ship with 29″ wheels

Rides Like A Racehorse

The Trek Fuel EX 5 Gen 5 is designed with a lightweight aluminum frame and full suspension which make it capable of ripping over rough terrain. It also makes for snappy handling, so you can get around tight corners quickly thanks to its agile geometry.

Versatile Yet Refined

Despite its impressive performance, the Trek Fuel EX 5 Gen 5 remains very user-friendly and simple to use. Its Shimano 1×12 drivetrain may only contain 12 gears but still offers an unbeatable range of gearing options, allowing you take on any type of trail or climb imaginable. 

The long range Deore derailleur also offers crisp shifts with reliable accuracy even under pressure, while the hydraulic disc brakes offer accurate modulation control so you can slow down in style.

Smooth as Silk Suspension

Thanks to its full-suspension design, the Trek Fuel EX 5 Gen 5 gives you plenty of cushioning as well as unbeatable grip when riding over roots or rocks. 

Further refining things is a RockShox Recon Silver air fork up front along with X-Fusion Pro 2 rear shock, offering 140mm and 210mm of travel, respectively, for great off-road responsiveness yet enough composure for fast XC sensations too.

Final Thoughts

In short, it’s easy to see why so many experienced mountain bikers have given the 2023 Trek Fuel EX 5 Gen 5 rave reviews recently. 

It’s an insanely versatile ride that allows riders from all disciplines to enjoy blazing speeds combined with great control over varied trails and climbs. 

If you’re looking for a no compromise bike that will perform at an incredible level whatever trail conditions come your way – this is it!

Order online and have it shipped to your local dealer for final assembly!!

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• Rider Notes

2021 Trek Fuel EX 5

A 27.5″ / 29″ aluminum frame full suspension trail bike with upper mid-range components.

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A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

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Dec 2022 · Ian Collins

A couple months ago, I was on the hunt for a new mid-travel personal bike and found myself largely unconvinced by most of the offerings on the market. Then a new, highly adjustable and longer in the tooth Trek Fuel EX was announced. When I reached out to Trek to inquire about testing one they offered to send a frameset for me to build out. On paper given that it had my ideal geometry, loads of adjustments (including leverage rate!), internal storage and the options of  air or coil and mullet or straight 29″, this was the ultimate Swiss army

Read Review

Dec 2022 · Mike Levy

The downtube storage compartment is on the new bike, and while it seems like Trek has put all the things onto the latest Fuel EX, there's one that they didn't: Knock Block.

Wide range of effective geometry adjustments

Just as much fun on smooth trails as it is on scary trails

Great climber, efficient pedaling

One-piece handlebar might be too stiff for some riders

Paint chips easily

New geometry, more travel, and even better suspension improves Trek's mid-weight trail bike.

Sept 2022 · Tom Marvin

Does the benchmark trail bike retain its reputation as a solid choice?

Excellent suspension

Solid feel to the frame

Great geometry

Doesn’t feel as sprightly on climbs as some

Tyres give up corner traction too easily in loose or muddy conditions

May 2022 · Guy Kesteven

Trek’s alloy Fuel EX trail mountain bike lacks the latest features but is the overall package still a winner?

Tight, precise frame

Sorted all round handling

Very efficient suspension feel

Durable Shimano kit

Excellent sizing options

Heavy frame

No internal storage

Press fit bottom bracket

Top Fuel is more playful

Jun 2021 · Peter Walker

The Trek Fuel EX has proven itself as an excellent all-rounder in the past. This year, the American brand enters the race with the € 5,999 Trek Fuel EX 9.8 GX, which combines a high-end frame with a mid-level spec but still features Trek's Thru Shaft shock technology. So does it always have to be top-spec? How big is the difference in performance and how does the Fuel EX 9.8 GX fare against its more expensive peers?

Very comfortable uphill

Intuitive handling

High-quality frame with integrated storage compartment

Tires are very puncture prone and generate little traction

Brakes don't do the bike’s potential justice

Oct 2020 · Benjamin Topf

The Trek Fuel EX 9.9 is an absolute classic in the trail bike segment. Could it also be the perfect bike for the next bikepacking adventure with its modern geometry and spare parts compartment in the down tube? We put the Fuel EX to the test.

Maximum fun on the descents

Intuitive and good-natured handling

Storage compartment in the down tube for tools or snacks

Too sluggish on easy terrain

Too much bike for long straights

Jun 2020 · Spencer Johnson

As warmer temperatures hit the Pacific Northwest and the dirt starts to dry, I’m always eager to get out on some long rides with some big climbs. Naturally, when this Trek Fuel EX 9.9 showed up at the Freehub office, I knew it was time to put the nimble beast through its paces. I challenged myself to a 60-mile sufferfest on some of Bellingham, Washington’s toughest climbs and descents. It definitely didn’t let me down. Climbing on this bike was a joy. Trek equipped the 9.9 model with its proprietary RE:aktiv shock with a three-position damper, which I left wide open for the entire ride. The rear suspension had an overwhelmingly supportive feel while pedaling out of the saddle, yet as soon as I hit a bump it dived deeper into the travel, keeping the rear wheel firmly planted and providing excellent traction. The geometry is modern and balanced, with a long reach and a sensible 76-degree seat angle. On the descents, the bike inspired confidence, thanks to its long wheelbase and bottomless-feeling suspension. My confidence was further enhanced by the reliable stopping power of the Shimano XT brakes. As a 200-pound rider, I couldn’t have appreciated the ultra-powerful XT brakes and the 203-millimeter front rotor more—especially while bombing down some of Bellingham’s scariest double-black trails.

Last updated 15 August Not listed for 613 days

FIRST RIDE REVIEW

The new trek fuel ex review.

Photos & Words by Dario DiGiulio

As mountain biking has evolved into what it is today, the trails we ride on have slowly but surely raised the bar of what modern bikes have to keep up with. Sure, some tracks have been sanitized over time, but there’s no question that the pointy end of the sport has kept pushing forward. As a result, trail bikes have had to pick up the pace to match the expectations of the average rider, leading to more capable and confident rigs with every new model. Stepping up to the plate, we have the evolved version of the Trek Fuel EX, Trek’s mainstay trail bike. This time it’s really meant to do it all, riding anywhere and doing anything. Being this adaptable can be a tricky task though, so has Trek painted themselves into a corner?

The new Trek Fuel EX breaks just about every mold that the prior generations had fit into, with a full-on redesign for the new model. The name of the game here is adaptability, whether in the geometry, the suspension kinematics, or even what size wheels you’ll run. Thanks to their Mino Link flip chip and two sets of press-in headset cups, you can shift the character of this bike drastically to suit your terrain and preference. As a result, it’s a bit hard to parse out the specific geometry of the bike (however Trek’s site features a geometry tool to let you do so), so I’ll just speak to it in its most neutral form, which is where many will likely settle. There are a whopping 8 size variations to this bike from XS to XXL, so it’s worth digging through the geometry tables to see which might suit you best. They’re all sporting 140mm of rear travel with a 150mm fork, upping the numbers on the prior generation by 10mm.

I’ve been testing the large frame, which puts the reach and stack at around 485mm and 621mm, which are in line with the majority of the industry right now. In keeping with the new Trek Fuel EX’s theme of being adaptable and capable. In its neutral-low setting, the bike comes with a 64.5-degree head tube angle and the effective seat tube angle sits at 77.2-degrees. Chainstays shift with the frame size, and on a large come in at 440mm. Thanks to the Mino Link flip chip, you can adjust bottom bracket height by 8mm up from the slammed 38mm drop in stock configuration, with a 0.6° steeper head tube and seat tube angle. The more significant head tube adjustment comes from the independent press-in headset cups that Trek supplies, which can steepen or slacken things by a full degree, giving a very wide range of handling characteristics. The last frame toggle is the progression flip chip, offering a simple more or less option to tailor the suspension feel and offer uncompromised coil shock compatibility.

As is trend right now, you can set the Fuel Ex up as a mullet, simply by popping a 27.5” wheel in the rear, swapping the Mino Link to high mode, and bumping up fork travel to 160mm. The bike comes stock as a 29er front and rear (or 27.5″ in XS and Small), so you’ll have to make this change on your own accord.

A notable thing lacking from the newest Fuel EX its the Knock Block – you’ll find no such thing on this frame. X-up fans take note, as this is a big move for the engineers in Waterloo, Wisconsin, and was necessary to achieve the headset adjustment range they wanted. Trek has also moved away from the RE:aktiv damper shock, now simply relying on an off-the-shelf model. Still included in the frames are the handy-dandy stash box in the down tube, with what I think might be the best weather sealing of any of the options on the market at this point, and a neat BITS tool roll.

Build kits come in as many flavors as the sizes, and the range of options is quite extensive, beginning at a respectable $3,699. I’ve been on the highest end build, the 9.9 AXS especial, coming in at a healthy $10,749. From Bontrager Line 30 carbon wheels, to the RSL one-piece carbon cockpit, to the XX1 drivetrain, just about everything is as nice as it gets, as you’d hope for this kind of money.

At my height of 6’3”, the geo combination of the Neutral-Low-More flip chip configuration on the large size makes for a really comfortable fit,  one that feels stable enough at speed while still remaining lively for your average trail. I started my time testing the bright yellow Trek up in Whistler, riding some gnarly rocky pedal-access trails around the Valley. This was a great context for deciding where I stood on the less or more progression debate, and I settled on the latter end of the spectrum. Increased bottom-out resistance and a more supple top of travel were worth a slightly punchier suspension feel, and I stand by that choice for most of the riding I have around me. On my home trails in Bellingham, the Fuel has been a choice companion for fast and fun rides in our local trail systems, where technical and engaging climbs lead to fast, rooty, and jump-filled descents. My general synopsis is that this is a bike that loves to ride fast, both up and down.

The climbing characteristics are comfortable and neutral, without wallowing too much or lacking grip in trickier terrain. Like many of the take-aways of the bike as it comes stock, things are extra-medium, in the best way. Compared to the new Hightower, the bike has slightly less support, but is significantly better in rough terrain and successive hits. Compared to the Stumpjumper EVO, the Fuel EX is definitely more of a trail bike, less of the all-mountain enduro-lite ride that the Specialized offers. All three bikes serve as a nice gradient from the lighter and sportier end of the trail spectrum to the burlier and more capable side of the category. Sitting pretty right in the middle is the Fuel EX, but I’m sure one could tweak it to either of the other extremes, given how much variability is baked into this frame.

Build kit notes are mostly positive, which you’d hope to see from the highest end build. My main gripe is with the Bontrager SE5 tires, which are some the least confidence-inspiring I’ve ridden in recent memory. The casing and tread pattern are fine, but the compound doesn’t seem to want to hook up anywhere, whether it’s dry loose terrain, rock slabs, and especially wet roots. This would be an immediate swap in my book, and I’d just keep the stock tires to run in the rear when conditions are dry and beat at the peak of summer.

The removable shuttle pad doesn’t seem to want to stay close to the frame, and bows out slightly when attached, giving the downtime a funny bulged look to it. One other frame annoyance has been a recurring suspension knock, despite chasing through every bolt in the linkage with a torque wrench. I still have yet to find the culprit, but luckily it’s not very noticeable when riding.

As a system, I’ve been more than impressed by Trek’s work on the new Fuel EX. Not only does it feel quick and confidant in the stock configuration, it also offers a whole host of layout options to better cater the bike to your preferences.

THE WOLF’S FIRST IMPRESSION

To close out our review of the new Trek Fuel Ex, it’s clear that Trek’s engineers and designers set out to design a bike that caters to that wide center of the market – the trail bike – where most riders spend their time, and where a bike can take many forms. In that goal, they found success. Sure some riders may feel the new Fuel EX has departed from what they were used to and liked about the bike, but many other riders will likely welcome the advancements in capability and confidence on the trail. The Fuel EX is a highly adaptable bike that feels comfortable in a really wide variety of terrain but doesn’t confuse itself for anything more or less. Bike riders, rejoice.

TREK FUEL EX 7

Price: $3,699.99

Frame: Alpha Platinum Aluminum, internal storage | 140mm Fork: RockShox 35 Gold RL | 150mm Shock: Fox Performance Float EVOL

Drivetrain: Shimano SLX/XT Brakes: Shimano MT420 4-piston

Wheelset: Bontrager Line Comp 30, Rapid Drive 108

TREK FUEL EX 8

Price: $4,299

Frame: Alpha Platinum Aluminum, internal storage | 140mm Fork: Fox Rhythm 36 | 150mm Shock: Fox Performance Float X

Drivetrain: Shimano XT M8100 Brakes: Shimano Deore M6120

TREK FUEL EX 9.7

Price: $6,249.99

Frame: OLCV Mountain Carbon, internal storage | 140mm Fork: Fox Rhythm 36 | 150mm Shock: Fox Performance Float X

Drivetrain: Shimano SLX/XT Brakes: Shimano Deore M6120

TREK FUEL EX 9.8

GX AXS Price: $7,699.99 XT Price: $6,749.99

Frame: OLCV Mountain Carbon, internal storage | 140mm Fork: Fox Performance 36 | 150mm Shock: Fox Performance Float X

Wheelset: Bontrager Line Elite 30, OCLV Carbon, Rapid Drive 108

GX AXS BUILD Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle AXS Brakes: SRAM CODE R

XT BUILD Drivetrain: Shimano XT M8100 Brakes: Shimano XT M8120

TREK FUEL EX 9.9

XX1 AXS Price: $10,749.99 XTR Price: $9,749.99

Frame: OLCV Mountain Carbon, internal storage | 140mm Fork: Fox Factory 36 | 150mm Shock: Fox Factory Float X

Wheelset: Bontrager Line Pro 30, OCLV Carbon, Rapid Drive 108

XX1 AXS BUILD Drivetrain: SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS Brakes: SRAM CODE RSC

XT BUILD Drivetrain: Shimano XTR M9100 Brakes: Shimano XTR M9120

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2023 Trek Fuel EX 5 Gen 5 Bike

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• 2023 Trek Fuel EX

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2023 Trek Fuel EX

Wheel Size: XS: 27.5’’; Small: 27.5’’ and 29’’ options; M through XXL: 29’’; all 29’’ frames also mullet compatible with a 160mm-travel fork

Travel: 140 mm rear / 150 mm front

Material: Aluminum and carbon fiber versions available

Sizes Offered: XS–XXL

• Aluminum frame w/ Fox Float X Performance: $2,600
• Carbon frame w/ Fox Float X Factory: $3,900
• Complete bikes $3,700 to $10,750

Blister’s Measured Weight: 33.1 lb / 15.0 kg (Fuel EX 9.8 XT, size Large)

Reviewer: 6′, 170 lb / 183 cm, 77.1 kg

Test Location: Western Washington

Test Duration: 4 months

Trek’s Fuel EX has long been a popular all-round Trail bike, but the new version looks like a major departure from the bike it replaced, with more suspension travel, dramatically longer / slacker geometry, a ton of new adjustability, and a substantial cosmetic overhaul to go with it. There’s a lot to cover here, so let’s get right into it:

The sixth-generation Fuel EX includes loads of updates, starting with the wild amount of adjustability on offer. The prior-generation bike had a flip chip to toggle between two geometry settings, which the new bike retains, but it adds an optional offset headset that changes the headtube angle by +/- 1.0°, as well as a second flip chip that varies the amount of progression from the rear suspension — more on all that in a minute.

The overall aesthetic design of the frame has also been overhauled to match the new Fuel EXe lightweight e-bike, but Trek’s longstanding ABP suspension design carries over (now producing 140 mm of rear wheel travel, up by 10 mm from the outgoing bike), as does the option for aluminum and carbon frame construction. No matter which frame material you opt for, you get a storage compartment in the downtube, internal cable routing across the board, ample rubber guards on the seatstay, chainstay, and downtube, and a threaded bottom bracket shell. ISCG-05 tabs are also featured, and tire clearance is stated at 2.5’’. Trek’s sometimes-irritating Knock Block headset is nowhere to be found on the new Fuel EX. All sizes can fit a water bottle inside the front triangle, though the size of the bottle is limited on the smaller frame sizes.

The Fuel EX now has a second flip chip that toggles between two different levels of rear suspension progression, which Trek amusingly simply labels “Less” and “More.” It’s essentially the same system that they introduced on the Session last year. In the “More” progression setting, the leverage curve goes from about 2.9:1 to 2.3:1 in a nearly straight line (~21% total progression); the “Less” setting drops the starting leverage ratio to about 2.75:1 (for ~16% overall progression), and the curve flattens off somewhat near bottom-out.

Fit & Geometry

Again, there’s a lot going on here — the new Fuel EX has a huge amount of geometry adjustability between the geometry flip chip (Trek calls it a “Mino Link”), optional offset headset (sold separately), and the option to run the bike with a 27.5’’ rear wheel for a mullet setup (on frame versions designed around a 29’’ front wheel). We’ll get to the full geometry charts in a minute, but to break down the highlights:

• Trek offers the Fuel EX in a whopping seven sizes (XS through XXL, with an “ML” size snuck in the middle). The XS frame is 27.5’’ only, the size Small comes in options for 27.5’’ or 29’’ wheels (each of which gets a dedicated frame — no converting back and forth), and sizes Medium and up are 29ers. All the 29er frames can be run as a mullet with the flip chip in the “High” position (and Trek recommends bumping up to a 160mm-travel fork to raise the bottom bracket a little).
• The headtube angle is 64.5° in what is probably the default position for most people (headset in the neutral position, flip chip in low, which is how Trek will ship the Fuel EX) but you can set it anywhere from 63.5° to 66° depending on how you mix and match the settings with the stock wheel size.
• Going to a mullet configuration on the 29er frames slackens things out to 63.9° in the neutral headset position; you can vary that by one degree in either direction with the offset headset.
• Reach ranges from 400 to 545 mm; all sizes get a 70.8° actual seat tube angle, with the effective measurement starting at over 78° on the smaller sizes and dropping off to 76° by the XXL.
• Chainstay length is 435 mm on the XS through M frames (irrespective of wheel size), 440 mm on the ML and L, and 445 mm on the XL and XXL.

Got all that? The geo chart for the “default” option (stock wheel size, headset in “neutral”, Mino Link in “low”) is below, and you can check out all the other configurations on Trek’s website.

Trek offers the Fuel EX in seven complete builds, and as a frame-only in both aluminum and carbon fiber — a welcome and increasingly-rare option these days. As per usual for Trek, all builds with a non-decimal number feature aluminum frames, while the “9.X” builds are carbon fiber.

[Trek is also continuing to offer the Fuel EX 5 with the prior-generation frame as the most entry-level offering in the range but here we’re covering the builds that are offered on the new sixth-generation frame.]

• Fork: RockShox 35 Gold RL
• Shock: Fox Float DPS Performance
• Drivetrain: Shimano SLX shifter, XT derailleur, Deore cassette
• Crank: Shimano Deore
• Brakes: Shimano MT4100 4-piston
• Wheels: Bontrager Line Comp 30
• Dropper Post: TransX
• Fork: Fox 36 Rhythm
• Shock: Fox Float X Performance
• Drivetrain: Shimano XT
• Brakes: Shimano M6100 lever / M6120 4-piston caliper
• Drivetrain: Shimano SLX w/ XT rear derailleur
• Brakes: Shimano M6120 4-piston
• Fork: Fox 36 Performance
• Crank: Shimano XT
• Brakes: Shimano XT 4-piston
• Wheels: Bontrager Line Elite 30 Carbon
• Dropper Post: Bontrager Line Elite
• Drivetrain: SRAM GX AXS
• Crank: SRAM GX
• Brakes: SRAM Code R
• Fork: Fox 36 Factory
• Shock: Fox Float X Factory
• Drivetrain: Shimano XTR
• Crank: e*thirteen TRS Carbon
• Brakes: Shimano XTR 4-piston
• Wheels: Bontrager Line Pro 30 Carbon
• Drivetrain: SRAM XX1 AXS
• Crank: SRAM XX1
• Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
• Dropper Post: RockShox Reverb AXS

Some Questions / Things We’re Curious About

(1) The old Fuel EX was looking a bit dated, geometry-wise, but that’s not the case with the new one, at all. So how does it stack up to a lot of the other good mid-travel Trail bikes we’ve been on recently, including the Santa Cruz Hightower, Guerrilla Gravity Smash, and Commencal Meta TR?

(2) And how does the wild adjustability of the new Fuel EX pan out on trail? Does it feel like a coherent total package across the range of options, or does it start to get a little quirky at the fringes?

FULL REVIEW

Trek has historically been a little on the conservative side when it comes to the geometry and design of their Trail bikes, so when the new sixth-generation Fuel EX launched last year, it came as a surprise — a 140mm-travel Trail bike that could go as slack as a 63.5° headtube angle, with wild new design language, and a ton of adjustability. Now having spent much of the winter and early spring on the new Fuel EX, it’s indeed quite adaptable and well-rounded — and a bike that we think could work really, really well for a lot of folks.

Fit & Sizing

Trek offers the Fuel EX in seven sizes — XS through XXL, plus an “ML” in the middle — but despite the huge size range and relatively tight steps between sizes (particularly around the middle of the range), Trek’s recommended sizing puts me (6’ / 183 cm tall) squarely on a Large frame, with no overlap onto the ML or XL sizes. And at least for my preferences and proportions, that was definitely the right call. I had an easy time getting comfortable on the Large Fuel EX — and with reach, stack, and effective top tube numbers that are all in my typically preferred range, that wasn’t a surprise.

Interestingly, Trek also lists a recommended inseam range on their sizing chart, and despite being at the bottom end of the range (at 33’’) for the Large frame, I had way more than enough room to swap in a 200 mm dropper post in place of the 170 mm one that came stock. Trek does put a 200 mm post on the XL and XXL frames, and I’m sympathetic to the idea that it’s arguably better to err on the side of shorter (so that you don’t have folks who need to swap the post to be able to ride their desired frame size — it’s easier to live with a shorter-than-ideal one than one that’s too tall, for sure). But I wanted a 200 mm post, and I bet a lot of folks on the Large frame will feel similarly.

The Fuel EX’s massive geometry adjustability is much more focused on handling and ride characteristics than fit, and my overall take on fit and sizing didn’t really change much across the range of options (which I’ll cover in a lot more detail below). There are, of course, changes to the reach, stack, and effective top tube as you tweak things via the Fuel EX’s built-in geo adjustments, but they weren’t dramatic enough to change my assessment of the overall fit. The one slight caveat there is the stack height — the Fuel EX’s is a little on the shorter side, and the high flip chip and/or slacker headset settings both reduce it a little more. It wasn’t so short as to cause me real problems getting the fit sorted out, but I did need to swap in a higher-rise bar to help out, particularly in those lower-stack-height configurations to get things high enough — but as I’ll explain below, I wasn’t a fan of the stock bar and stem anyway, rise considerations notwithstanding.

A lot of Trek’s Trail / Enduro bikes in recent years — including the prior-generation Fuel EX — have skewed more toward the compliant, grippy end of the spectrum at the expense of some efficiency and snappiness under power. The new Fuel EX flips that around. It’s quite an efficient, quick-feeling bike under power, but does a notably good job of keeping a solid chunk of the ultra-planted, grippy nature of the earlier iteration — and again, that’s despite the new Fuel EX gaining 10 mm of travel at both ends.

That’s not to say that the Fuel EX is way off the end of the spectrum in terms of efficiency or anything like that, but I’d put it a solid notch above average for a 140mm-Travel trail bike, and it pulls that off while still being entirely respectable when it comes to grip and compliance under power. It’s a really nice recipe for a well-rounded, versatile bike, and while folks who specifically loved the ultra-plush feeling ride of the earlier Fuel EX might feel like the new one has lost a little bit of the magic, I think the new Fuel EX’s suspension performance under power feels more coherent for the bike’s intended use and is going to work better for more people.

In terms of low-speed handling and technical climbing prowess, the Fuel EX’s wildly adjustable geometry makes it a lot harder to give a concise single answer as to how it performs. I’m mostly going to focus on the neutral headset setting since that’s how the bike ships, and I think it’s how most folks are going to run the Fuel EX (and for what it’s worth, it’s also how I preferred to run things), but I’ll touch on the geometry settings and how they change things in more detail below.

Anyway, around the middle of the range of geometry settings, the Fuel EX’s low-speed handling feels quite intuitive and easy but biased a little more toward offering a big sweet spot that makes it easy to keep both wheels planted and gripping, at the expense of a bit of agility at really low speeds, especially as compared to the prior-generation Fuel EX. The new one is still a pretty good technical climber and feels a lot easier to just sit on and grind without having to work to keep the front wheel planted on really steep climbs, but also isn’t quite as easy to snake through really tight spots. Running the steeper, higher geometry settings speeds up the low-speed handling and adds to pedal clearance in really chunky sections but, of course, comes with tradeoffs in higher-speed descending performance. Again, more on the various geometry settings below.

But overall, I think the Fuel EX is an excellent climber for a 140mm-travel Trail bike. The pedaling position is well sorted, striking a nice balance between a steep-ish seat tube without going so far down that road as to feel awkward pedaling around on flat ground. The suspension feels efficient first and foremost but still offers good traction for that level of efficiency and pep under power, and its handling at lower speeds is predictable and intuitive. It’s quite good, especially if you’re inclined to favor a slightly more efficient pedaling platform over the most compliant and grippy suspension performance under power, but the Fuel EX is overall well-rounded and should suit a lot of people nicely.

On the way back down, the Fuel EX is, again, a really well-rounded, versatile bike that feels at home on a fairly wide spectrum of trails. Its massive adjustability (more on that later) doesn’t hurt either, but I don’t think that most folks are going to be toggling between different settings all that often — rather, I think they’re more likely to find a preferred combination and stick with it.

But especially in the middle part of the settings range (as I’ll explain more below, I found the low flip chip / neutral headset setting to be my personal favorite), the Fuel EX strikes a nice middle ground where it’s solidly stable at speed for a 140mm-travel Trail bike but doesn’t feel like it gives up a huge amount of agility to get there. It’s not the absolute quickest handling ~140mm-travel bike in very tight, super low-speed spots, but can still navigate them just fine, and once you’re moving just a little bit, the Fuel EX’s handling feels super intuitive. Its sweet spot in terms of preferred body positioning is notably wide, especially for what is not a wildly long bike overall, and the Fuel EX hits what I think is a really nice blend of being simultaneously moderately stable while also being reasonably quick handling when you need it to be.

And especially in the lower geometry flip chip setting, the Fuel EX corners really, really well. It offers a combination of having a big sweet spot and a lot of room to move around on the bike — in a way that I tend to associate with longer, more stable Enduro bikes — but does so without being as much work to muscle around as those sorts of bikes; this serves the Fuel EX especially well there. It’s not the absolute easiest bike when it comes to slashing the rear end around and oversteering all over the place, but it’ll do that with a little input, and really shines if you’re more inclined to load up the bike through the pedals and carve your way through corners.

The Fuel EX also feels notably plush and cushy in terms of its suspension performance. As I’ll get into more in the section on the build, below, I think a lot of that is down to the rear shock tune as opposed to anything inherent to the frame itself, but the Fuel EX offers a ton of rear-wheel grip over smaller chatter and doesn’t need to be going very fast or hitting stuff hard for its suspension to open up and feel very forgiving and comfortable. The flip side of that is that I did feel like the stock suspension was a bit quick to blow through the middle part of its travel when speeds picked up, especially in choppy, high-speed sections with a lot of sharp mid-sized hits. I’ll grant that this mostly showed up when I was riding the Fuel EX on trails that most folks break out a bigger Enduro bike for, and that I tend to favor firmer compression tunes and more support over the absolute maximum grip and compliance. So I think a lot of folks will be fine with (or specifically psyched about) the lighter compression damping. But it does feel notably light, especially at higher shaft speeds.

While this doesn’t quite fit cleanly into the “Climbing” or “Descending” categories, the Fuel EX really shines in rolling, varied terrain with a bunch of grade reversals and short ups and downs. I’d attribute this to its combination of (1) good pedaling efficiency for those punchy climbs, (2) well-balanced handling with a huge sweet spot in terms of body positioning that helps avoid getting caught out when the bike hangs up in an awkward spot, and (3) notably good traction and suspension compliance at lower speeds, when you’re not able really load up the bike to generate that grip. And while there are a lot of bikes out there that I’d say similar things about — the Santa Cruz Tallboy comes to mind — what sets the Fuel EX apart is that it’s more stable and capable when you point it down a longer, steeper descent than most of the (generally more compact, shorter-travel) bikes that I’d put in a similar camp on the rolling, punchy trails.

Adjustability

The large amount of geometry adjustability on the Fuel EX is an interesting part of the story of the bike. In short, I think Trek has done a good job of offering a host of adjustments that make substantial differences to how the bike rides, without making the range of settings so broad as to make it easy to wind up in a weird combination that rides poorly.

The two flip chips (a.k.a. “Mino Links” in Trek’s parlance) do about what you’d expect. The low setting makes the Fuel EX feel a little more stable at speed and a little slower handling in tight spots, but the bigger difference is that it puts the rider noticeably lower in the bike — eight millimeters of bottom bracket height is quite a bit — and results in feeling more “in” the bike, particularly in higher-speed corners, at the expense of some pedal clearance and some ease of initiating corners by leaning the bike over with more modest input. The “More” progression setting on the Mino Link (which, again, is separate from the geometry-adjusting one) makes the suspension ramp up a little more aggressively and feel more supportive deep in the travel than the “Less” progressive setting, but that difference is comparatively modest.

I also experimented with the optional offset angle-adjusting headset (which is sold separately for folks who want it) and those results were similarly as expected — slackening the headtube made the Fuel EX more stable at the expense of some nimbleness at lower speeds and also required a slightly more forward weight bias to keep the front wheel gripping properly; going steeper makes the low-speed handling quicker but diminishes the Fuel EX’s stability and composure when you start going faster.

I think Trek has done a nice job of working out adjustment ranges that make a real difference in how the bike rides without going so off the deep end as to introduce particularly quirky behavior at the ends of the spectrum, but I had the hardest time with the steeper headset setting, because the chainstays started to feel a bit long relative to the front-center of the bike. In that configuration, the Fuel EX both preferred a more centered, upright body position to not get too far out over the front end and felt like its sweet spot got substantially smaller. Folks who specifically want a very quick-handling ~140mm-travel Trail bike might still find something to like here, but I think the vast majority of people for whom the Fuel EX is a generally good fit are going to be best suited by the stock neutral headset position. And indeed, for the bike’s intended use, the neutral headset, low / more progressive Mino Link arrangement was my preference most of the time.

Though I don’t think all that many people really need to worry about it, I’m still a fan of the fact that Trek offers a clean, easy-to-use offset headset for the bike for the tinkerers out there. The lower cup does require a headset press to install, so it’s not a super quick-and-easy change that many people are going to want to do often, but it’s not hard to do a couple of times to experiment, and the drop-in top cup never gave me any issues with creaking or anything else.

I also tried a mullet configuration on the Fuel EX briefly, but only in the neutral headset position and with the fork still at the stock 150 mm of travel, rather than the 160 mm configuration that Trek recommends. As per usual for bikes that can toggle back and forth, the mixed-wheel layout made the Fuel EX feel a bit quicker handling (particularly in mid-speed corners), a little less stable in a straight line, and made the rear end feel shorter and easier to slash around. None of those differences were huge, and I personally got along better with the full 29’’ setup (as tends to be my preference) but the Fuel EX feels like a very viable mullet candidate for folks who are inclined to go that route.

The Build & Frame

I reviewed the Fuel EX in the mid-range 9.8 XT build, and for the most part, it’s pretty nice. The Shimano XT drivetrain and brakes are great, and this pair of brakes didn’t give me much trouble with wandering bite point, as is often an issue on Shimano’s brakes in general. Carbon wheels are a rarity at this price point ($6,250), and the Fox 36 / Float X suspension combo is solid, too.

But at least for my preferences, I found the compression tune on the rear shock to feel pretty light, particularly in terms of higher-speed damping. The stock shock feels quite plush and cushy when you start hitting things harder, but gives up more support and composure than I would have preferred, particularly in high-speed, choppy sections of trail. I spoke with Trek about my thoughts re: shock tune, and their response was that they tuned their shocks to work as well as possible for as big a swath of the riding public as they could manage, but that there are inevitably tradeoffs in trying to cater to riders across a range of weights and ability levels — and they’re certainly right about all of that. My take is simply that the Fuel EX’s shock tune feels oriented more toward the lighter-damped, more plush end of the range, and that’s absolutely going to be the right call for at least some folks. Heavier / more aggressive riders, or those who just know that they tend to like firmer compression damping might just need to plan on a shock upgrade or re-valve to get the damper support that they want out of the Fuel EX, and I’m personally in that camp.

I also was emphatically not a fan of the one-piece Bontrager RSL bar and stem combo. It (arguably) looks cool and is very, very light, but the one-piece design means that there’s no way to adjust the handlebar roll and thus the effective sweep, and I found the angles of the stock setup to be quite uncomfortable. Granted, bar roll / sweep is a thing that I think I’m probably unusually picky about, but it really didn’t work for me. Happily, swapping in a conventional bar and stem is easy (and is something that I wind up doing on a lot of review bikes — like I said, I’m picky), but the one-piece design limits adjustability and I think is going to cause more folks problems there than conventional designs.

The in-frame storage on the Fuel EX generally works fine, but the opening isn’t all that big and it’s a bit hard to stuff larger stuff (e.g., a light jacket) in there. It also gave me what has to be the funniest noise issue I’ve ever encountered on a review bike. The Fuel EX that I tested had been ridden prior to getting sent our way, and when I started spending time on it, there was a muffled but noticeable rattle coming from somewhere around the downtube or bottom bracket area. As it turns out, it was a dried-out and quite-hard strawberry gummy that was rattling around in the bottom bracket shell after escaping whatever some previous rider had it stored in.

I don’t think there’s a big moral to the story here, other than to keep whatever you put in your downtube storage in some sort of pouch, whether it’s the included one or a different option of your choosing. In this case, it was mostly just amusing. The only real (but very minor) build quality note I’ve got is that the upper downtube protector started to sag a bit after a little while and looked a little ragged, but that’s hardly the end of the world.

I don’t mean for that to sound like a lot of complaining — overall, I think the build on the Fuel EX 9.8 XT is quite sensible, and generally a solid value for the money. Commenting on the couple of things where I saw room for improvement just feels a lot more noteworthy than rehashing that, yes, the Shimano XT drivetrain still works really well, etc. And while the Fuel EX 9.8 XT that I rode is a pretty good value for money, I think the 9.7 build might actually be the best bang-for-buck option in the line. On the 9.7, you get the same carbon frame, functionally very similar suspension (the Fox 36 Rhythm uses the older-generation chassis and is a little heavier than the newer 36 Performance on the 9.8 XT, but shares the same basic spring and damper design), and a slightly heavier but still strong-performing Shimano Deore / SLX / XT blend drivetrain. The loss of the carbon wheels is the biggest difference between the two at the end of the day, but for $1,550 in savings at retail price, I can live with that.

Comparisons

Here’s how the Fuel EX compares to several other bikes in its class. If you’re curious about other models, aren’t sure where to start in the first place, or have any other gear questions, you can Become a Blister Member , send us a message via the Member Clubhouse , and we’ll help you out one-on-one.

Trek Fuel EX Gen 5

I don’t have a ton of time on the prior-generation Fuel EX (which is still available from Trek, at least for the time being) but I’ve ridden one enough to know that the new sixth-generation version is pretty different. The new Fuel EX is much more stable and composed at speed, less nimble at low speeds in tight spots, and despite gaining 10 mm of suspension travel at both ends, probably pedals more efficiently. The new one is significantly “more” bike in most respects apart from pedaling efficiency.

Santa Cruz Hightower

This is one of the better comparisons here, but there are still some real differences. In the more middle-of-the-range geometry settings, the Fuel EX is a touch more stable at speed but a little less agile than the Hightower. The Fuel EX also pedals more efficiently but doesn’t offer quite as much traction under power.

But none of those differences are great enough to make them unreasonable bikes to cross-shop against each other or make it super cut-and-dried as to who should be on which bike, and they generally feel targeted at similar types of riding and use cases — just with slightly different characteristics. It’s also worth noting that their sizing breaks are a bit different, and there are likely going to be folks who simply fit one better than the other since, for example, the Large Fuel EX fits a little bigger than the Large Hightower.

Santa Cruz Bronson

Pretty different. The Fuel EX pedals a lot more efficiently than the Bronson but feels significantly less plush and cushy on the way back down. The gap in stability between the two isn’t as large as the differences in suspension performance might suggest, though the Bronson is still more bike on that front, too. And even with the Fuel EX set up as a mullet, the Bronson feels more oriented toward a riding style that favors slashing the rear end around and riding with more weight over the front end to facilitate that.

Transition Smuggler

This one’s interesting — the Smuggler and Fuel EX fit and handle pretty similarly, but feel quite different in terms of their suspension performance. The Smuggler feels much more supportive and lively whereas the Fuel EX is more plush and cushy, at the expense of some composure in really fast, rough sections (which, again, I think has more to do with the shock tune than anything to do with the frame itself). Despite the Fuel EX’s extra suspension travel, the two are pretty close in terms of pedaling performance and efficiency, though the Fuel EX definitely has an edge in terms of traction and grip under power.

Pretty different. These two are actually pretty close in terms of where they land on the super-quick handling to super-stable spectrum but differ substantially in a lot of other ways. The Ripmo has more suspension travel, and definitely feels like it — it’s more composed when plowing into rough sections of trail at speed, in particular. But its suspension also feels firmer and more supportive, as compared to the more plush and cushy Fuel EX. The Rimpo also has more of a notable preference for being ridden with a forward stance with some significant weight over the bars, whereas the Fuel EX feels happier being ridden more centered / neutrally, and has a bigger sweet spot in terms of body positioning — though I think some of that is driven by the fact that the Large Fuel EX fits just a bit bigger than the Large Ripmo we reviewed; the Fuel EX fits me better, personally, but that’s going to vary rider to rider.

Overall, the Ripmo feels like a bit more game-on, hard-charging bike whereas the Fuel EX is happier taking things easier, while still having a solid top end when you decide to open it up. In terms of pedaling efficiency, they’re not too far off from each other but I’d give a slight edge to the Fuel EX.

We Are One Arrival 152

Similar story to the Ripmo, but to a greater extent. The Arrival is a much more game-on, descending-focused bike than the Fuel EX and takes more speed and aggression to come alive, but rewards that sort of approach with an impressively stable, composed ride for a bike that’s pretty quick handling (again, when you’re on it and riding hard). The Arrival is also much more supportive and lively in its suspension performance, but less plush and cushy than the Fuel EX.

Orbea Occam LT

Also pretty different. Despite having 10 mm more rear wheel travel, the Occam LT pedals even better than the Fuel EX and feels especially sharp-handling and quick, whereas the Fuel EX is a little more stable at speed, especially in rougher terrain, but not as agile. The Fuel EX is also much more plush and forgiving in terms of its suspension performance at lower speeds but is far less nimble and pop-y than the Occam LT.

In terms of its handling and ride character, the Occam LT feels like a shorter-travel bike than it actually is, just one that’s got the extra compliance of a 150mm-travel bike when you really need it. The Fuel EX feels like “more” bike despite having a touch less suspension travel.

Orbea Rallon

The Rallon, on the other hand, is way more bike than the Fuel EX — more stable, more composed in rough sections, not as quick handling, and so on. It’s one of the most versatile, most efficient-pedaling Enduro bikes we’ve ever tested, but it still is a modern Enduro bike. The Rallon is impressively close to the Fuel EX in terms of pedaling efficiency, given that it’s got 20 mm of extra travel at each end, but the Fuel EX still wins out there. The two aren’t too far off from each other in terms of small-bump sensitivity, either, but the Fuel EX feels more plush and eager to use a lot of its travel at lower speeds and with mellower riding, whereas the Rallon is a lot more composed and supportive when you start hitting stuff harder.

The Fuel EX and Rallon do remind me of each other somewhat in terms of the way they fit and in the cornering styles they excel at most strongly — both are especially good when loading the bike up through the pedals, getting both wheels to grip hard, and carve through mid-speed, well-supported corners in particular — but the Rallon is much more bike in most respects.

Who’s It For?

The new Fuel EX is an excellent all-rounder Trail bike, especially for people who favor a slightly softer, more supple suspension setup but still want a bike that pedals quite efficiently. It’s very versatile in terms its preferred riding style(s), has a big sweet spot in terms of body positioning and approach, and offers a really nice blend of solid stability and reasonably quick handling, plus a whole lot of adjustability to dial it in to your liking. Heavier and/or more aggressive riders might find the stock suspension tune to be somewhat lightly damped for their preferences — and I’d count myself among those people — but if you’d prefer a more plush, cushy ride, or are willing to put some work into getting the suspension tuned, there’s a lot to like here.

Bottom Line

The new Fuel EX is an especially well-rounded and versatile Trail bike that we can see working for a lot of different riders — especially since it has such a broad range of frame adjustments on offer. Riders who tend to favor firmer, more supportive compression tunes are likely to find the stock setup to be a bit lightly damped, but plenty of other folks are likely to appreciate the plush, smooth ride. And though I didn’t have the opportunity to test this hypothesis, I don’t think there’s anything inherent to the frame design that would stop folks who want a firmer compression tune from getting there via aftermarket tuning or a shock swap.

I want to be careful not to make too big a deal out of the shock tune — it wasn’t quite what I wanted, but I also definitely tend to prefer firmer, more supportive compression damping and I think that the stock setup will work great for a ton of people. And I really, really like the Fuel EX otherwise — it’s an impressively versatile bike that I was able to have a great time riding on a ton of different sorts of trails and one that I would be happy to take most places in the world as my one bike and not feel like I was missing out. And it’s one that I’ve already recommended to a bunch of Blister Members who’ve reached out looking for an all-rounder one-bike quiver, because the Fuel EX is a really good one.

2 comments on “2023 Trek Fuel EX”

Great review, did you manage to get the 200mm dropper in all the way? I am thinking of getting a 200 on my size large.

Yeah, pretty easily. I run a ~780 mm seat height (center of BB to top of the seat, on 170 mm cranks).

Trek has a good seatpost insertion guide in the service manual on their site. It is worth noting that the aluminum frames have a little less insertion than the carbon ones — 265 mm vs. 281 mm for the size Large of both.

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Trek Fuel EX 5

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Colour / Gloss Black

Size / 15.5, 17.5, 18.5, 19.5, 21.5"

At a glance

Where to buy.

Specifications

• Frame Alpha Red Aluminum w/ABP, Full Floater, alloy EVO Link, oversized pivot bearings, replaceable derailleur hanger, 120mm travel
• Wheels Formula alloy DC20 front hub, Shimano alloy M475 rear hub; Bontrager Ranger 32-hole rims
• Wheel Size 26"
• Tires Bontrager XR3, wire bead, 26x2.2"
• Crank SRAM S800 3.0, 44/32/22
• Front Derailleur Shimano Alivio
• Rear Derailleur SRAM X.5
• Shifters SRAM X.5, 9 speed
• Brakeset Avid Juicy 3 hydraulic disc brakes
• Handlebar Bontrager Low Riser, 31.8mm, 25mm rise, 9 degree sweep
• Saddle Bontrager Evoke 1
• Seatpost Bontrager , 31.6mm, 20mm offset
• Stem Bontrager SSR, 31.8mm
• Headset 1-1/8" threadless, semi-integrated, semi-cartridge bearings

Q: What size wheels does the 2011 Trek Fuel EX 5 have?

The 2011 Trek Fuel EX 5 has 26" wheels.

Q: What size 2011 Trek Fuel EX 5 should I get?

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TREK Fuel EX 5 Gen 5 Full Suspension Mountain Bike in Matte Dnister Black

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Season:2024

Code:33073MATBLK

It's right for you if...

You're ready to go full suspension, and you want a versatile trail bike at a great value. You want a ride that's sure-footed, capable and responsive, so you can stay in control no matter where you're riding.

The tech you get

A lightweight aluminium frame with a Knock Block steerer stop to protect against spinning bars. A 140 mm RockShox Recon Silver fork, 130 mm of rear travel with an X-Fusion Pro 2 shock, a durable 12-speed Shimano Deore drivetrain, dropper post and hydraulic disc brakes.

The final word

You get full suspension performance without the sticker shock. Fuel EX 5 has the same frame technology as our higher-end alloy Fuel EX models with parts chosen to keep the price tag low and stoke level high.

Rider Height

137.0 - 155.0 cm

4'5.9" - 5'1.0"

64.0 - 73.0 cm

25.2" - 28.7"

153.0 - 166.5 cm

5'0.2" - 5'5.6"

72.0 - 79.0 cm

28.3" - 31.1"

161.0 - 172.0 cm

5'3.4" - 5'7.7"

76.0 - 81.0 cm

29.9" - 31.9"

165.5 - 179.0 cm

5'5.2" - 5'10.5"

77.0 - 84.0 cm

30.3" - 33.1"

177.0 - 188.0 cm

5'9.7" - 6'2.0"

83.0 - 88.0 cm

32.7" - 34.6"

186.0 - 196.0 cm

6'1.2" - 6'5.2"

87.0 - 92.0 cm

34.3" - 36.2"

195.0 - 203.0 cm

6'4.8" - 6'7.9"

92.0 - 95.0 cm

36.2" - 37.4"

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Moscow Muled

Top 5 blueberry mule recipes.

Jun 25, 2020

In this post, we reveal the top recipes for the Blueberry Mule, which is a delicious, fruity twist on the classic Moscow Mule. Let's get started!

Introduction

The Blueberry Moscow Mule is a great take on the now-classic Moscow Mule. As a refreshing and fruity drink that has just the right amount of alcohol, it goes perfectly with warm days out on the porch, beachside happy hours, poolside with your significant other, or just lounging in the living room with a good book. And it's no small bonus that the Blueberry Moscow Mule is Instagram-worthy!

In this article you will learn:

• What are the health benefits of blueberries in your drink? 
• What’s in a Blueberry Moscow Mule?
• What is the Classic Blueberry Mule recipe? 

5 Variations of the Blueberry Moscow Mule Cocktail

The Health Benefits of Blueberries 

These little summer fruits are not only delicious ingredients that work with a wide range of dishes and drinks, but they also come packed with health benefits! 

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants which protect you from free radicals, which are those nasty molecules that cause cell damage and possibly cancer. This has been noted by three different published studies compiled by Joe Leech, MS. 

Blueberries also help maintain the bones of fruit-lovers. Megan Ware, RDN, LD writes: 

“Blueberries contain iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and vitamin K. Each of these is a component of bone. Adequate intake of these minerals and vitamins contributes to building and maintaining bone structure and strength.”

In addition, "one cup of blueberries delivers 14% of the recommended daily dose of fiber and nearly a quarter of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C," according to Chloe Thompson of WebMD . 

So, putting two and two together, you've got a great taste from an ingredient that can go with a wide variety of dishes and a load of health benefits; it's only a matter of time until you decide that having a Blueberry Mule can actually turn any happy hour into legit self-care hour--copper mugs and all! 

What Goes Into a Blueberry Moscow Mule?  

Now, in the infinity of the internet you'll find tons of Blueberry Moscow Mule recipes. Everyone's got their own take, and, as an aspiring home bartender, you'll want to explore a lot of these recipes on your own. That's why we've compiled a quick list of what we believe are the best Blueberry Moscow Mule recipes that you can try today. Let's start by breaking down the components of the classic Blueberry Mule.  

The Blueberries

Ah, the heart and soul of this cocktail. Blueberries add a very specific kind of sweetness to this drink. There's a sourness that comes right after the sweetness, but, strangely enough, it remains pleasant. An easy way to describe the taste would be that it's a very intense grape flavor. When making this cocktail, you will definitely want to get that beautiful blue-violet color. To achieve this without using food coloring or syrup, you'll need small ripe blueberries. 

The Garnish

Thin slices of lime or lemon are often used to garnish the drink along with whole fresh blueberries. According to simple color-theory, having yellow and blue-violet stick out of a copper mug is not only appealing, but visually complementary. 

The Ginger Beer

One of the key ingredients of this drink is ginger beer. However, never mix the ginger beer in a shaker along with the other ingredients as it ruins the carbonation of the beer. Instead, once the ginger beer is in the copper mug, stir with a spoon. Doing this will maintain the carbonation as long as possible. 

The Vodka, Possibly Blueberry  Flavored

Vodka and blueberries go together brilliantly: the strong smell of vodka is somehow masked by the sweetness of the entire drink, but none of the kick goes away. If you find, however, that the vodka taste is still unpleasant, you can try blueberry-flavored vodka for an even sweeter flavor. 

The Ginger Ale 

For those who prefer a sweeter and less carbonated beverage, you can use ginger ale as a substitute for ginger beer . Ginger beer, however, offers a stronger flavor than ginger beer.

So, now that we've got the basic ingredients on here--and hopefully in your kitchen, too--let's discuss the nitty-gritty of the recipes. 

The Classic Blueberry Moscow Mule

Much like the traditional Moscow Mule, this version of the Blueberry Mule is traditionally served in a copper mug filled with ice and garnished with mint leaves and lime. It has the added textures and flavors of blueberries and blueberry syrup. 

The ingredients needed for the blueberry ginger syrup include:

• 3/4 cup unsweetened ginger juice
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• 1/2 cup blueberries

The ingredients needed for the Blueberry Moscow Mule include: 

• 1- and 1/2-ounce vodka 
• 1/2-ounce blueberry ginger syrup 
• 1/2-ounce lime juice 
• 1 cup ginger beer

To create the blueberry ginger syrup:

• Place saucepan in medium heat and add the ginger juice, sugar, and blueberries.
• Once boiling, reduce heat and let simmer for an extra 20 minutes. 
• Strain the thick syrup into a sealable container. Store in the refrigerator.

To create the Classic Blueberry Moscow Mule:

• In a copper mug, add the ginger beer, vodka, and lime juice.
• Pour some blueberry ginger syrup then stir. Add ice. 
• Garnish with fresh blueberries and lime wedges.

Kick your Blueberry Moscow Mule up a notch with new tricks on how to serve it and how to get the most out of the blueberry flavor. These exciting twists are also ideal for large servings.

Variation 1: The Soaked Blueberry Moscow Mule 

Another variation of the Blueberry Moscow Mule is to soak the blueberries in the vodka for a prolonged period. This version is best prepared for a large batch served in punch bowls, a pitcher, or a mason jar dispenser as seen below. Now, the great thing about this first variation is you can enjoy it two ways: you can either enjoy sipping on the blueberry vodka all on its own with the recipe below, or you can go full regalia and use it to make Blueberry Moscow Mules that have stronger hints of this delightful little fruit. 

Let’s start with the blueberry vodka. 

The ingredients include:

• 2 pounds fresh blueberries, washed 
• 1.75 ml bottle of vodka 

This blueberry vodka recipe is easier than pie! In a sealable container, drop in the washed blueberries and pour in vodka. Cover the mixture and let this sit in room temperature for one week. After a week, voila! You’ll have yourself an easy, fruity drink that needs only crushed ice and great company to enjoy it with. 

But that’s not why we’re here. Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of this Blueberry Moscow Mule recipe. Here’s what you’ll need: 

• Fresh mint leaves 
• 2-3 ounces blueberry vodka  
• Juice of 1 lime 
• crushed ice 
• 12-ounce can of ginger beer
• In your palm, smash the stem of the mint leaf with your thumb then clap both hands together. This releases the flavor of the mint leaf much better than muddling ever will. 
• In a copper mug, drop in the clapped mint leaves then fill with crushed ice. 
• Add 2-3 ounces of blueberry vodka
• Squeeze in a wedge of lime, then top off this delightful concoction with ginger beer. 
• Add crushed ice.

Optional: Strain pieces of the blueberry from the vodka and use as a garnish. 

Note: If you or your guests find the mixture too strong, simply add more ginger beer into their mug.

Variation 2: Frozen Blueberry Mule 

This recipe relies heavily on crushed ice and the blueberry syrup as a base. This Blueberry Moscow Mule is a beautiful alternative to frozen margaritas! This is one of those recipes that take some level of preparation, but a few of these and you and your friends will be belting your favorite songs without a care in the world in no time. 

Create the simple syrup using these ingredients:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• In a saucepan, add the sugar, water, and blueberries. 
• Place pan in medium flame until boiling.  
• Once boiling, lower the heat and let simmer for an additional 20 minutes. 
• Take the saucepan out of the flame, and, using a strainer, pour into a jar. Let the syrup cool down to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator. 

Now onto the Mule!

Ingredients needed include:

• 1 cup ginger beer 
• 4-ounce vodka 
• 2-ounce lime juice 
• 2-ounce blueberry syrup that you’ve got sitting in your fridge  
• Crushed ice 
• Mint leaves and blueberries for garnish
• Combine the ginger beer, vodka, lime juice, and blueberry syrup in a blender and blend accordingly. 
• Add crushed ice and blend again. 
• Pour into drink containers (copper mugs or margarita glasses) and garnish with fresh blueberries and mint leaves.
• Serve and sing your heart out!  

Variation 3: Blueberry Mule with Whiskey

This is an unorthodox variation of the Blueberry Mule . For this recipe, we’ll be using whiskey instead of the usual dash of vodka. This will add an unusual but ultimately delicious depth of smokey and sweet flavors to the mix. One great advantage of this variation is that it requires very little preparation, so it’s great for surprise guests or if you’ve just had a long, hard day and want to unwind with something other than a boring bottle of beer. 

The ingredients for this Blueberry Moscow Mule Recipe include:

• 1 lemon wedge 
• 2 tsp organic sugar 
• 15 fresh blueberries 
• 2-ounce whiskey 
• 1-2-ounce ginger beer
• In a shaker, muddle the lemon and blueberries in with the sugar. 
• Pour the whiskey in and shake.
• Fill a copper mug or a regular whiskey glass with crushed ice.
• Strain the blueberry with whiskey mixture into the glass.
• Top off with ginger beer.
• Garnish with lemon slices, blueberries, and mint leaves.  

Variation 4: Low Carb Keto Version

Watching out for your summer bod and enjoying a sweet drink every now and then shouldn’t have to be mutually exclusive activities. This Low Carb Keto Blueberry Mule sports only 72 calories and 2 grams net carbs, allowing you to both stick to your Keto diet and indulge in this sweet and (almost) sinful drink. 

This recipe requires a homemade blueberry juice for the base of this cocktail, and the ingredients needed include:

• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries 
• 1 tablespoon sugar substitute (Splenda, Equal, Stevia, or any granulated erythritol sweetener)
• 1/3 cup water
• In a blender, pour in the blueberries, sweetener, and water. Blend until smooth.
• Strain the juice as you pour into a jar.
• Store the blueberry juice in the refrigerator until use. 

To make the cocktail, prepare these ingredients:

• ½ ounce of the blueberry juice
• 1-ounce vodka
• ½ teaspoon lime juice
• 4-ounces diet ginger beer
• 1 teaspoon of sugar substitute (Splenda, Equal, Stevia, or any granulated Erythritol sweetener)
• ¼ teaspoon powdered cinnamon
• In a shaker, combine the blueberry juice, vodka, lime juice, and ice. Shake for 10 seconds. 
• Add the ginger beer in the shaker and stir with a spoon. 
• In a saucer, mix the cinnamon powder and sugar substitute
• Moisten the rim of the glass with the lime wedge and dip in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
• Add ice into a glass and pour the mixture in.
• Garnish with lime and fresh blueberries. 

Variation 5: Blueberry Lemon Ice Cubes 

This simple preparation of blueberry ice cubes is exactly what it sounds like: ice cubes that are designed to both keep your drink cold and infuse a stronger blueberry flavor as you nurse the drink in your hand. This variation works absolutely perfect with the Classic Blueberry Moscow Mule! 

Prepare the ice cubes using these ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of blueberries
• ½ fresh lemon
• ½ cup of white grape juice
• In a blender, squeeze out and pour in the lemon juice with the blueberries and grape juice. Blend until smooth. 
• Using a lidded ice tray, pour in the liquid.
• Place the tray in the fridge and wait a while. It’ll take more than a few hours to freeze, so it’s a good idea to prepare these ice cubes way ahead of time before entertaining any guests. 

Now, these ice cubes work best with the most basic of all Blueberry Moscow Mules! This is the stuff you will need per serving:  

• 5-7 blueberry ice cubes
• 2-ounces vodka
• 4-ounces ginger beer
• Fresh blueberries
• Mint leaves
• 2-3 slices of lemon
• Fill the copper mug with blueberry ice cubes.
• Pour in the ginger beer and vodka.
• Garnish with lemon slices, mint leaves, and fresh blueberries. 

Blueberries are not only packed with health benefits, but they are also a great core ingredient for your home’s happy hour! Try out these Blueberry Mule recipes for yourself and decide which one is your favorite. Better yet, come up with your own variations and share with us: we always love a good cocktail recipe. Let us know in the comments below! 

Did You Enjoy This Article?

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this article, you might also like the following articles:  Best 4 Peach Mule Recipes and  Top 7 Pineapple Mule Recipes

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