Rail (750Wh) Pulled the trigger..9.8 XT Gen 4

MOTO13

Active member
Sep 16, 2020
330
368
Elkhorn, Wi
Sold my 9.7 Rail last year to my buddy. Always loved the Rail. So I ordered a 9.8 xt. If you've never ridden a Rail, I highly recommend to. Awesome bike. Hopefully get to ride it soon. Trails are muddy here in SE Wisconsin, so trails are closed. I hate muddy riding anyway. Pnw grips and pedals. Should be fun.

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MOTO13

Active member
Sep 16, 2020
330
368
Elkhorn, Wi
When I got my first Rail...9.7, it just rode exactly like I expected an emtb should ride. Kinda motoish if that makes sense. I look for that in a bike. Personally, I like really good suspension. The 9.7 was ok, just not great suspension wise. The 9.8 is definitely a step up. If trek would make a 180 fr/rr dual crowned enduro with a good coil shock...they'd kill it. And the Bosch motor is simply butter. And....would it kill Trek to put a Shimano styled display on the bike? Yes...Bosch is a great motor. Put a small Shimano type display on the handlebar. It would cost them what???...a $15 full color display?? Sure wb nice. Better than the ZERO display on this bike.
 
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JP-NZ

E*POWAH Elite
Feb 17, 2022
1,163
885
Christchurch - New Zealand
When I got my first Rail...9.7, it just rode exactly like I expected an emtb should ride. Kinda motoish if that makes sense. I look for that in a bike. Personally, I like really good suspension. The 9.7 was ok, just not great suspension wise. The 9.8 is definitely a step up. If trek would make a 180 fr/rr dual crowned enduro with a good coil shock...they'd kill it. And the Bosch motor is simply butter. And....would it kill Trek to put a Shimano styled display on the bike? Yes...Bosch is a great motor. Put a small Shimano type display on the handlebar. It would cost them what???...a $15 full color display?? Sure wb nice. Better than the ZERO display on this bike.
It is a bit strange when the gen 3 like mine had the Kiox 300 display.
 

NPMMTB

New Member
Mar 12, 2024
9
4
Fife
Sold my 9.7 Rail last year to my buddy. Always loved the Rail. So I ordered a 9.8 xt. If you've never ridden a Rail, I highly recommend to. Awesome bike. Hopefully get to ride it soon. Trails are muddy here in SE Wisconsin, so trails are closed. I hate muddy riding anyway. Pnw grips and pedals. Should be fun.

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Muddy riding is all we get in Scotland 😂
 

RacerX

New Member
Nov 19, 2023
30
30
Austin Texas
Sold my 9.7 Rail last year to my buddy. Always loved the Rail. So I ordered a 9.8 xt. If you've never ridden a Rail, I highly recommend to. Awesome bike. Hopefully get to ride it soon. Trails are muddy here in SE Wisconsin, so trails are closed. I hate muddy riding anyway. Pnw grips and pedals. Should be fun.

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Are all those bikes yours? Holy cow!!!
 

MOTO13

Active member
Sep 16, 2020
330
368
Elkhorn, Wi
Yeah...the Niner isn't pictured I guess. It's at the LBS getting a new display and tuning the deraileur thingamajig dealio. SB back this week. She hates going to the doctor. I'll have to take a family pic of all the bikes...lol.
 

ThrottleAbuse

New Member
Nov 7, 2023
18
7
USA
The Rail is a great bike. My Gen1 got stolen. I got a Gen3 as a replacement. I hope I like the ride even though its a slightly longer wheelbase.
 

MOTO13

Active member
Sep 16, 2020
330
368
Elkhorn, Wi
Yeah...I haven't ridden mine except around my yard and street to set up the controls etc and bed in the brakes. Seems like a really comfy bike for the 6 minutes I've ridden it.
 

ThrottleAbuse

New Member
Nov 7, 2023
18
7
USA
Yeah...I haven't ridden mine except around my yard and street to set up the controls etc and bed in the brakes. Seems like a really comfy bike for the 6 minutes I've ridden it.
Ha. I have had mine 2 months and havent even sat on it. Its winter and the snowboarding has been good. Should get to ride it in the next couple weeks. I hope the longer reach doesnt suck.
 

MOTO13

Active member
Sep 16, 2020
330
368
Elkhorn, Wi
Well, my G1 9.7 was a medium and so is my G4 9.8. Supposedly they tweaked the frames on the G3/4 9.8/9.9's. I couldn't notice any real difference. It does seem like the crank length MIGHT be a tad longer on the 9.8???
 

Reximus

Member
Jun 2, 2023
12
9
Surrey hills
That looks so nice ... been so close to pulling the trigger on a 9.8 gx axs in red ... a bit more money would get me the levo though... Both look great in red - do you think that levo spec is worth the extra ?


 

ThrottleAbuse

New Member
Nov 7, 2023
18
7
USA
The Levo is XO1 mechanical so it is a higher spec but its mechanical. AXS is so much better. Well and its a Levo so that parts sucks. Trek rules and specialized drools.
 

MOTO13

Active member
Sep 16, 2020
330
368
Elkhorn, Wi
My buddy rides a carbon Levo (1999/2000 model). Not sure what spec, but I've ridden it a few times when we'd swap bikes for a bit on the trail. Every time I rode his Levo, I was more than happy to get my bike back. Just my opinion, but I like every bike I have better than the Levo. I wasn't impressed with the motor or feel of the bike. It rode really front heavy to me. Just a really wonky feel.
 

JP-NZ

E*POWAH Elite
Feb 17, 2022
1,163
885
Christchurch - New Zealand
Well, my G1 9.7 was a medium and so is my G4 9.8. Supposedly they tweaked the frames on the G3/4 9.8/9.9's. I couldn't notice any real difference. It does seem like the crank length MIGHT be a tad longer on the 9.8???
The main differences are geo. Reach is 5-8mm longer, wheelbase is about 15mm longer, head angle is a little slacker and seat tube angle is about 2 deg more upright. You'll get used to it pretty quick
 

ThrottleAbuse

New Member
Nov 7, 2023
18
7
USA
Reach on a large in low position went from 465mm to 487mm which is a 22mm longer reach. That will be noticable for me especially when going back and forth to my Remedy at 461mm. Wheelbase went from 1243mm to 1278mm so a 35mm increase. That may or may not be noticeable. I am guess it wont turn as well as the older shorter one but there is more to that than just wheelbase.
 

MOTO13

Active member
Sep 16, 2020
330
368
Elkhorn, Wi
Honestly, those are pretty big number changes on a bike that is the same size, just different gens. The Medium, as little as I have ridden mine at least, feels a bit physically larger...but just a small amount. Nothing like needing to adjust size for.
 

JP-NZ

E*POWAH Elite
Feb 17, 2022
1,163
885
Christchurch - New Zealand
Honestly, those are pretty big number changes on a bike that is the same size, just different gens. The Medium, as little as I have ridden mine at least, feels a bit physically larger...but just a small amount. Nothing like needing to adjust size for.
As I posted the jump from Gen1&2 to Gen 3&4 on mediums were minor, its much more pronounced on the larger sizes.
 

ThrottleAbuse

New Member
Nov 7, 2023
18
7
USA
As I posted the jump from Gen1&2 to Gen 3&4 on mediums were minor, its much more pronounced on the larger sizes.
Wow thats crazy the mediums didnt change much in size but the L and XL did. I thought they all went bigger for the bigger battery.
 

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