trek remedy 8 or slash 8

Review: The 2019 Trek Remedy 8 is a solid climber and supple descender

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Earlier this summer I spent an evening comparing a bunch of MTB brands’ entry-level trail bikes. A lot of these bikes sit a little over the $3000 USD mark, but at that price you won’t quite get a ‘total package’ bike. When I came across the Trek Remedy 8, I found what I was after – A build spec that didn’t cry out for upgrades.

Now the price tag on the Remedy 8 takes a step up from ‘entry-level’, but I thought those extra dollars were well accounted for. With a 12-speed Sram GX Eagle drivetrain and a Rockshox Lyric RC fork, this bike comes ready to rock. After testing the Remedy 8 for the last few months, I’d say my impressions held true – I don’t think you can spend much less on a bike that won’t leave you wanting.

If you’re in the market for a mid-spec bike that offers great value and uncompromised on-trail performance, Trek’s redesigned 2019 Remedy 8 is definitely a contender in this class.

What’s changed for 2019:

The most significant change is the new Remedy’s fixed lower shock mount.  Trek decided to do away with their Full-Floating suspension design, as they’ve determined a fixed mount offers advantages with longer travel bikes. A solid mount helps increase frame stiffness, reduces weight, and allows for shorter chainstays. They also say since air shocks are getting better at small bump compliance (which the full-floating design aimed to enhance), fixing the shock mount doesn’t sacrifice on-trail performance.

As for geometry, Trek didn’t make sweeping changes to the 2019 Remedy. The seat tube is now a bit steeper than before, and offers more insertion clearance to accommodate dropper posts. The new frame also provides more tire clearance, and can now run up to 27.5 x 2.8” treads.

The Remedy 8’s frame is built from Trek’s Alpha Platinum aluminum, and incorporates their beefy straight-shot down tube design and Knock Block headset. Between the shapely top tube, seat mast and the ground-out welds on the seat mast gusset, the frame could be mistaken for carbon at first glance. That is, until you notice the heavy-duty welds at all the other junctions.

The rear end provides 150mm of travel, which is controlled by a RE:activ tuned Rockshox Deluxe RT3 DebonAir rear shock. The Remedy includes Trek’s Mino Link flip chip, which alters the head tube angle by 0.5 degrees and the BB height by 7mm. I felt the bike’s lower/slacker mode was most suitable for my local trails, so I tested it in that setting for the majority of the time.

Ride Impressions:

One thing that might sound odd at first is the Remedy’s seat tube angle of 68° degrees. However, it’s important to remember this is the figure for the actual seat tube angle. Since the seat mast has quite a kink in the middle, the effective seat tube angle is actually a much steeper 74.7/74.2° in High/Low positions. The seat doesn’t wind up too far behind the bottom bracket, and I was still sitting in an aggressive position for pushing the pedals.

The Remedy’s 65.5 °  steering angle wasn’t too slack for climbing, and gives the bike stable handling on fast downhill sections.  The bottom bracket sits at 13.74″, which was high enough that I wasn’t smashing rocks with my pedals but still provides a low-feeling center of gravity.

Being a smaller guy, I like lightweight bikes. Even with its aluminum frame the Remedy 8 weighs in at 32lbs with pedals (which backs up Trek’s claim of 31lbs without).

In its stiffest setting the Rockshox Deluxe RT3 rear shock is very firm. While it will use about half its travel when prompted, it typically rides high and stiff making for a firm ride on bumpy trails. In the stiffest setting I found the rear end would clunk when meeting larger rocks or roots, or when it hit the ground after bouncing over an obstacle. Small bump compliance was good, so I’d recommend using the stiffest mode for logging roads or smoother surfaces.

My local trail’s climbs are mostly singletrack (above photo aside!), so almost all my climbing was done in the middle setting. This mode definitely offers the best balance of pedal support and comfort. I didn’t lose much pedalling efficiency in this setting, but the shock handled bumps much better. Some big bumps can still feel a bit harsh in this mode, so I’d say the Remedy’s uphill ride isn’t as plush as other suspension designs I’ve ridden (FSR and four-bar particularly) but the pedalling efficiency is noticeably better. I found the Remedy also pedalled quite well under standing sprints, only giving up a bit of additional bob.

After reading all about Trek’s RE:activ shock tune, I wondered if these harder uphill impacts were a by-product of the shock’s regressive damping curve . Ideally the shock is supposed to isolate pedaling inputs by resisting compressions at lower speeds, but I wonder if some larger bumps were mimicking that low-speed compression and producing more resistance than desired. Ultimately it was only occasional impacts that produced this clunky feel, which is a small price to pay for the bike’s excellent pedalling abilities.

On really technical climbs leaving the shock wide open will provide great traction and comfort, but there is some loss of efficiency. The bike will give up a little bob and sag rearwards into its travel, so I’d stick with the shock’s middle setting for anything but the roughest trails.

I also noticed the Remedy skips over chattery sections very well, and as claimed the ABP suspension remains highly active while braking. The wide-open shock willfully wallows into its travel, which leans the bike into a more aggressive downhill stance and makes it easy to get behind the saddle. While it softens trail inputs extremely well, the shock still provides enough mid-stroke support to pump you through rollers or berms, and resists bottoming out until you give it a good hard smack.

Another thing I noticed right away is the Remedy’s frame is very stiff. That big, straight down tube gives the bike carbon-like stiffness, which helps you plow straight and true through rough patches of trail. On the flipside, the well-rounded Remedy is still a snappy jumper that pops off roots and rocks easily.

Components:

Sram’s GX Eagle drivetrain performed without fault for my entire test. I’m stoked that mid-range drivetrains are as good as they’ve become, offering pretty crisp shifting and perfect chain retention thus far. With a 10-50t cassette and a 32t front ring, gear range was never a problem.

There are some house-brand Bontrager parts on the Remedy 8 including the handlebars and stem, the saddle, the 125mm Line dropper post, the Line Comp 30 wheelset and the XR4 Team Issue 2.6” tires. The Line post never gave me any mechanical issues, and I found the 125mm drop was sufficient for a medium-sized rider like myself. The Arvada saddle wasn’t my favorite but was fairly comfortable, so I never swapped it out.

The wheels feature 29mm internal width rims to spread out the 2.6” tires nicely, and they’ve taken no notable damage during my testing. I noticed the Bontrager tires roll very smoothly and quite fast for a fairly luggy MTB tread. They provide pretty solid grip overall, but not quite as much as the Maxxis Minions I got to try on this bike too.

Despite the Sram Guide R brakes having four pistons and 200/180mm rotors to grab, I was surprised to find them not biting as strongly as expected on some high-speed trails. 90% of the time they were perfectly fine, but when the trail goes from ‘high speed straight’ to ‘180 degree corner’ you’ll have to give these levers a good squeeze. ( Editor’s note: We’ve had varied performance out of the SRAM Guide brakes, but there are two things that have drastically improved any set with issues. First, make sure the compression nut at the lever is tight. We just had a set on a stock bike from the factory that were loose enough it was letting air in during the bleed. Second, once those compression nuts are tightened properly, give the brakes a proper full bleed. )

Trek’s 2019 Remedy 8 is a bike that I’d guess will either tempt a lot of buyers out of the entry level price range, or appeal to aluminum fans who are looking for a non-carbon bike with a solid component spec. I was very happy with the Remedy’s two-sided personality – It clenches its teeth when you’re cranking up the trail, yet devours big hits when it’s time to scream downhill. The Remedy 8 is available in Matte Trek Black or Miami Blue, and retails for $3999 USD.

trekbikes.com

Steve Fisher is a staff contributor for Bikerumor. Steve has been writing about trail, enduro and downhill mountain biking (plus a few commuter bikes) for seven years. Prior to that, Steve wrote for Whistler Traveller Magazine and Mountain Life Magazine. Steve is based in Pemberton, British Columbia, an area that offers plenty of challenging world-class singletrack and makes for great photos!

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It looks like the surprisingly slack ST result is more based on poor spec communication from TREK. On some of their other bikes they include an Effective ST Angle (see the Remedy 9.7 27.5 for example), from the BB to the saddle which is more relevant to positionals and handling, where on this bike they only show the angle that the seat post actually sits at. Effective ST Angle looks more like 74-76 degrees just by putting a protractor on the screen.

Correct- on any frame with a curved/offset seatpost, you can only have a defined STA at any given saddle height. The taller you are, the slacker it is. The listed STA is the angle of the upper portion of the tube relative to flat ground, but the seat tube starts out nearly vertical/forward. I have a 2019 fuel ex with about the same STA and the first time I hopped on it felt like a tri bike it was so steep

Effective vs actual seat tube angle…

I had a 2019 Remedy 8 as a loaner/demo. Coming from an older Remedy, the Lyric is an excellent upgrade to the suspension. But that Knock Block is a deal-breaker for me. I was blocked out of my very first turn on the bike during setup in my driveway. That’s a turn I easily accomplish on other bikes and not as tight as some of my most fun trail maneuvers or even a good, long trackstand. There’s no use for a bike that I can’t point where I need it to go.

Get someone who has a background in bike journalism to explain the difference between actual set angle and effective seat angle to you.

Great review, thanks!

Hello readers; Regarding the seat tube angle… I must admit, when I re-read my text is sounded like I had given no consideration to the difference between actual and effective seat tube angles, which on this bike was probably worth mentioning. Trek’s website doesn’t list an effective STA, only the actual (and only in the mino link’s High position). My concern was people seeing that number and coming away thinking that the seat tube is super slack on this bike, so I felt the need to mention that it really isn’t. I’ve made an edit to the article which should clear this issue up. I will also get in touch with Trek and see if they can provide me with an effective seat tube angle for the new Remedy, and hopefully I’ll add that in soon. I’m actually glad these comments popped up, they made me realise I could have explained that much better. Happy trails!

Please bring the Remedy 29 back !

No need. This 27.5 Remedy absolutely shreds and climbs briliantly. I happily keep up with mates on more XC style 29ers on the ups and fly on the downs. I was all set to get a 29er but got a great deal on a 2019 Remedy 8 and couldn’t be happier. So playful and fun….absolutely stoked!

Hi Max, What size did you get? I am 182 cms and thinking the 19.5 but I have read reviews that they feel small.

I’ve put a FOX DPS shock to 2018 Remedy’s, and I realized how big piece of crap is that Deluxe RT3 with Re:activ valve. Now the suspension works as it should be!

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Trek Slash 8 review

Trek's Slash 8 wins our coveted 2021 Enduro Bike of the Year award

Andy Lloyd / Immediate Media

Robin Weaver

Easy to ride, very natural feeling geometry; great kit for the cash; easy to throw about yet still calm and stable when it needs to be; seriously impressive suspension

Tyres aren’t the best in damp mud

The Trek Slash 8 is our Enduro Bike of the Year for 2021 . After pitting it against seven of the best out there, all at a similar price, it was the Slash 8 that impressed us most in the end.

Meeting the criteria to win this category is no easy feat and the bikes at the pointy end of this test ticked just about every box going.

For a start, while an enduro bike might be designed to go downhill fast, it still needs to get to the top of the hill as efficiently as possible. It’s then got to handle all manner of trails thrown at it with composure and control, but still remain fun and playful throughout.

It took some serious time and effort back-to-back testing all eight of these bikes, which ranged in price from £3,450 to £4,198, riding them on a wide variety of trails and pummelling them relentlessly over rock and root until we found a winner.

Once the dust had settled, it was the Trek Slash 8 that had managed to edge its way into the lead. Its ability to tackle the wildest terrain without flinching yet all the while retaining that reactive, lively feel really won us over.

The Trek Slash has seen more than its fair share of glory over the years and was one of the first long travel 29ers to be properly proven on the world stage. Much of that success was thanks to the highly decorated Tracy Moseley, who always championed the big wheels and rode them to victory year after year.

More recently, the Slash has been making headlines with the likes of Katy Winton, Pedro Burns and Florian Nicolai piloting it.

Last year, the Slash received its first update in some time, all in a bid to properly freshen things up and bring some of that winning magic back into the mix.

The changes the US brand made to the 2021 Slash are substantial and are detailed here , but just how do they translate to the trail?

Trek Slash 8 frame and suspension details

Travel has been upped to 160mm at the rear and is now paired with a longer travel 170mm travel fork up front. It continues to be delivered via Trek’s Active Braking Pivot (ABP) suspension system which places the chainstay pivot concentric to the rear axle.

This design, in Trek’s words, enables it to “tune how the suspension reacts to acceleration and braking forces independently”. And while this might look unchanged, Trek has moved the main pivot up slightly in a bid to increase anti-squat and make the Slash pedal more efficiently.

Controlling that 160mm of travel is the proprietary RockShox Super Deluxe Thru Shaft shock. This design features a shock shaft that goes through the damper body and exits out of the bottom of the shock when compressed.

This means that the shaft doesn’t displace any extra oil as it enters the damper and therefore does away with the need for a dynamic IFP (internal floating piston – which is what compensates for oil displaced by the shock shaft) – something that Trek attributes additional complexity and lag as the shock transitions between the compression and rebound phase, thanks to the reduction in friction.

The theory, at least, should make the back end of the Slash feel seamlessly smooth and incredibly active. It’s also worth noting that the Slash will work with a standard shock as well.

Where the Slash differs from almost all other aluminium frames (and the majority of carbon ones, too), is its internal frame storage. Slide the lever below the bottle cage downward, lift the cage and hatch door up and off the down tube and you’ll find a handy opening, much like the S.W.A.T storage found on some Specialized carbon frames.

You’ll be able to squirrel away a tube and tools in here, rather than carry them on your person. Trek includes a tool roll to help prevent things rattling once stashed inside, too.

While the down tube shape has changed slightly with the latest iteration of the Slash and now offers enough room for the fork crown to clear it, thanks to the subtle curve just behind the head tube junction, Trek has stuck with its steering limiting Knock Block system.

Knock Block stops the bar from turning past a certain angle, preventing the controls on the bar from potentially impacting the top tube and breaking, or, as with the old Slash, the fork crown hitting the down tube.

The latest Knock Block 2.0 used here offers a much greater steering angle before it stops the bar from turning (72 degrees rather than 58 degrees), but if that’s still not enough for you, it can be removed.

Finally, Trek has moved to a wider diameter seatpost, opting to go with the less-common 34.9mm rather than the more popular 30.9mm or 31.6mm alternatives.

While you’ll find fewer aftermarket alternatives should you wish to upgrade your dropper post, it’s worth noting the benefits that this broader diameter brings. The main one is more space internally for the dropper post mechanism, which should make the post more reliable and stiffer.

Trek Slash 8 geometry

The Slash has been, like most other enduro-style bikes in need of a makeover, stretched out, slackened and steepened in all the relevant areas. My medium frame offers a very reasonable 450mm reach, which is a massive jump of 25mm in the low setting over the 2020 model.

Trek has relaxed the head angle for improved high-speed stability and paired it with a 42mm offset fork in a bid to create the ultimate composure through rough turns. I measured the head angle at 64.1 degrees, which is now pretty much standard for bikes like this.

The seat angle has been steepened by a staggering 2 degrees in a bid to improve climbing efficiency, putting the rider’s hips more directly over the bottom bracket.

With my saddle set at just under 700mm (measured from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the saddle), the effective seat tube angle of the Slash 8 measured just over 76 degrees in the low setting.

The two geometry settings (low and high) are accessed via the Mino Link ovalised chips that sit inside the EVO rocker link on the seatstay pivot. Switching between the two settings alters the head and seat angles by 0.5 degrees and the bottom bracket height by a substantial 8mm.

In the low setting, I measured the bottom bracket at 344mm off the floor with a drop of 29mm, which certainly isn’t bad for a bike with this much travel.

Effective chainstay length has increased by just 2mm (now up to 437mm) compared with the 2020 model, and this remains constant across all frame sizes.

Trek Slash 8 geometry (low setting)

Trek slash 8 specifications.

The Slash 8 is a serious looker with some great kit bolted to it. Ask anyone at the trail head how much they think it’s worth and chances are they’ll give you a price far higher than its true value.

Let’s start with the suspension. The proprietary RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate Thru Shaft rear shock – which, by the way, is impressive to see on a bike at this price – is paired with a Lyrik Select fork that pumps out 170mm of travel.

While this might not be the top-tier, all singing, all dancing Lyrik, it still gets the Charger 2.1 RC damper, which allows you to finely tune both the low-speed compression and rebound damping.

A SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain offers a decently wide spread of gears, thanks to that 10-52t cassette.

Again, it’s impressive to see a drivetrain like this on a bike at this price. That said, Trek has saved a little cash by opting to use the cheaper X1 cranks with a stamped steel chainring, rather than the sleeker finished GX equivalents.

Stopping duties are taken care of by a powerful set of SRAM Code R brakes that clamp around 200mm (front)/180mm (rear) rotors. At the lever, there’s tool-free reach adjust which is handy for dialling in lever set up.

The rest of the kit on the Slash 8 comes courtesy of Trek’s in-house components brand Bontrager: bar, stem, grips, dropper post and the rather firm Arvada saddle.

Bontrager also takes care of the wheels, Line Comp 30s, as well as the tyres, speccing XR5 Team Issues upfront and the lower profile and narrower XR4 Team issue at the rear.

All in, my medium Slash 8 weighed 15.25kg.

Trek Slash 8 ride impressions

Set up on the Slash was relatively straight forward; I set the sag at the rear to 30 per cent and didn’t add any more pressure to the shock during testing.

I did find I needed to toggle the low-speed compression dial into the ‘ ’ setting on the shock to get the support I was after through high-load turns and up take-offs.

Setting the rebound took a bit of playing around with, too, but in the end, I settled on four clicks from fully closed, which left it feeling fast and active but still controlled when returning from deep in the travel.

I stuck with the single volume spacer in the Lyrik fork and added 14 clicks of low-speed compression from fully closed with 70psi in the spring. This coupled with 12 clicks of rebound damping left the fork feeling active and supple yet still composed enough when the hits came thick and fast.

I tested the Slash 8 on a mix of steep, natural trails littered with roots and rocks, but all of them were generally quite slow due to their technical nature. So I spent a decent chunk of time getting some high-speed bikepark laps under my belt, subjecting the Slash 8 to fast, flowy trails, high-load turns, jumps and long stretches of jagged rocks, just to see how well it held up when the pace really picked up.

Big thanks to Bikepark Wales for letting us come and use the facilities to test despite being closed.

Trek Slash 8 climbing performance

The Slash felt incredibly easy-going when pointed uphill, especially considering the travel on tap and its outright intentions. This is mainly due to the easy-rolling tyres and just how stable the back end of the bike is when seated and spinning a gear.

At no point did I reach down for the shock's lever to firm things up because I never felt the need to. Instead, the Slash managed to sit relatively high in its travel and remain stable, with little in the way of suspension bob while the power was being applied.

Because the shock wasn’t sinking too deeply into its travel, the Slash managed to maintain its reasonably steep seat angle, which puts you in a nicely efficient, but most importantly, comfortable position for climbing. Even on steeper pitches where I was really mashing the pedals, I never once felt the need to firm the shock up.

While the 610mm effective top tube isn’t massive, it is longer (not by much) than a number of its contemporaries. While I wasn’t overly bothered by this on shorter climbs, I really started to appreciate the space this created when seated on much longer climbs up the hill.

I also appreciated the big 52t cog on the SRAM GX Eagle cassette which, after spending a long day riding lap after lap, I spent more than my fair share of time using to help preserve energy when I was really feeling fatigued but couldn’t face getting off and walking.

Trek Slash 8 descending performance

Thanks to the frame's well-considered proportions, the Slash offers up a well-centred, confident ride position, and it doesn’t take long to adapt to.

When pointed down steeper, more natural trails, I was instantly impressed by how well balanced the bike felt front to rear and how active the back end of the bike remained while it worked tirelessly trying to eke out every ounce of traction available.

And this was despite the lack of bite from the XR4 rear tyre, which doesn’t offer quite the same in terms of corner traction or braking grip compared to the likes of a Maxxis DHR II, for example.

The front tyre was a little better, but when properly leaned over in a soft, muddy turn, the shoulder tread doesn’t dig in quite as well as others, which can make for some dicey moments when the tyres do break traction.

Thankfully things remain quite predictable, so you know when you’ve reached their limit. Still, there’s no knocking their rapid rolling speed on smoother, harder packed terrain.

It was when riding a dedicated jump trail that I started playing around with the low-speed compression settings on the shock. In the default ‘zero’ setting, I was finding that I wasn’t getting as much support in the mid-stroke as I’d have liked when loading the bike from turn to turn or pumping up take-offs.

Switching the low-speed dial to the ‘ ’ position helped to cure this and while Trek says this setting is designed for this exact type of riding, I never found any drawbacks when riding other types of terrain while in it.

Throw the Slash 8 back into the technical stuff and its confident manner really starts to come to the fore as speeds pick up. Stove it head-on into a boulder field and the way this bike deals with the chaos is seriously impressive.

The Slash’s super-supple suspension recovers so rapidly hit after hit, it manages to track the trail with pin-point accuracy and without sinking too low into its travel or sacrificing any of that much-loved liveliness or pop.

The support through the suspension coupled with the taut feel through the frame ensures that you can really feel a difference in speed as you pump every bump or undulation.

That reactiveness also means that getting back up to speed after tackling a slower section or awkward obstacle doesn’t feel anywhere near as laboured as it can on some super-plush big travel rigs.

Slam on the impressively punchy Code R brakes, spot your line and commit, and the Slash will soak up whatever mess lies beneath the tyres and fire you out the other side faster than you thought possible.

It’s easy to hold onto that speed too, even when things get really ugly. Here, the calm exuded by the Slash is simply incredible. While the wheels frantically bash through bump after bump beneath you, it feels as if the chassis barely flinches, isolating the rider from the worst of the feedback and remaining steadfast with no awkward pitching back or forth.

It’s this illusion of tranquillity that the Slash manages to conjure up to give you what feels like extra time to make these split-second decisions.

The Slash’s ability to hoover up the chunder with relative ease makes riding faster a whole lot easier. And that’s the whole point of these bikes, right?

Trek Slash 8 bottom line

It took some back-to-back testing to really highlight just how impressive the Slash can be when tackling the rowdiest of terrain, but thanks to its impressive climbing manners, tidy frame details, good geometry and superb suspension, the new Trek Slash 8 has truly won me over.

While others like the Whyte G-180 might feel closer to a downhill bike in many ways, the Trek’s composure in the rough coupled with the fact that it still feels that bit more agile, poppy and playful is what helps to make this bike truly shine.

Yes, some better tyres would really help improve its performance when it comes to tackling steep, natural, muddy trails (and after switching tyres I can confirm this is the case) but factoring in the extra rubber cost at the point of purchase certainly isn’t a dealbreaker.

Overall, the Slash 8 impressed time and time again on a multitude of terrain and I was constantly in awe of the speed this thing carries through the nastiest of terrain.

A massive thank-you to BikePark Wales for granting us access to its trails despite the bike park being closed to the public.

Cheers also to Fox clothing for sorting the kit for the photo and video shoots and Garmin for sorting us out with bike computers to log the many miles of testing.

And not forgetting Muc-Off , for its help keeping the bikes washed and lubed throughout testing.

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• This topic has 13 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 3 years ago by salad_dodger .
• Trek Slash vs Trek Remedy

Which you chose for general trail riding, big mountain days out in the Alps with the occasional bike park? Anyone own the 2021 versions?

Either! I rode a Slash this last year or so and its a great bike for all of what you describe. Its got bigger wheels and more travel so can cooe with anything. A mate has a Remedy and it seems just as capable and a little more nimble.

A mate has the new Slash on order from day 1 and it hasn’t been delivered yet. Looks to have a better seat angle and whether it needed more travel to be Super Enduro is debatable.

The Slash is going to be better suited to Alps riding and bike parks. Depends how technical your trail riding is as to whether it’ll be too much bike.

I’m very interested in the Slash myself but having spoken to Trek there’s zero chance of a demo bike for the foreseeable which I find pretty poor. Don’t fancy throwing £5k at something I haven’t ridden.

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I got to ride this round a carpark yesterday back to back with a Remedy. The Slash felt more suited to me but I wasn’t sure if it is a full day in the hills kind of bike. I would be looking at getting the Slash 8 – https://www.trekbikes.com/at/de_AT/bikes/mountainbikes/trail-mountainbikes/slash/slash-8/p/32993/?colorCode=tealdark_bluedark

I’d have been very tempted with the slash, if it weren’t for seatpost insertion… the massive kink in the seattube meant I couldn’t put a proper long dropper in it. So I stuck with my old #enduroized Remedy.

Take the Slash any day have a 20 Slash 8 have owned Remedys in the past great bikes not as good as Slash I think.

Anyone stuck a 29er on the front of a Remedy?

I have spent the last two days looking for a 2021 in xl in the UK .. the above image is making me moist

The 2021 Slash 8 has caught my eye, looks just right for riding in the Lakes. Bird Aeris AM9 is another contended.

I’m hoping the secondhand market picks up before I stump up the money for a brand new bike…

Demoed the 2020 slash at the start of the year. Nice bike, very capable and stable, but just felt a bit lifeless compared to the remedy. If you want to plough through rock gardens at speed the slash would be great. I prefer a bike that feels like it wants to be popped off every little lip and thrown round switchbacks, and the remedy is great for that for the sacrifice of a hair of speed through the rough stuff.

Ive had a 2015 , 2018 remedy and currently have a 2020 Slash. They are all great tbh but the Slash just feels way better than the remedy . My local trails are the tweed valley and on those trails where you get a traverse (Hush Hush , repeat offender ,NYNY) between the corners the bike just feels way faster . Both bikes have the same fork , brakes and drivetrain , I also put DHF and DHRII on both . The remedy does corner better but on drops the slash feels more stable . Id say go with the slash as can see it also holding its value better as more and more people shift to 29ers. The only bike I have been on that felt quicker in a straight line was a Commencal AM29 but the weight is noticeable. If I had the money the new carbon slash would be a definate.

Slash, Remedy is a great bike and I’ve rented one at BPW a couple of times but I suspect they will update the platform shortly. There are some good deals on the 2020 Slash in the Trek bike shop in Bristol but the 2021 looks the business. The 8 looks great, I would be tempted to go for 9.7 though.

I love my 2020 Slash 8. The only issue I’ve got (which is one of the reasons I’m selling the frame later this month) is that the seat tube is too tall for me.

I’m on an XL frame, but even at 6’2″ I’ve only got a 33″ inseam. A 150mm dropper just fits with clipless pedals (can use flats at a stretch).

Shame as I’ve had quite a few bikes in a short space of time and this has been one of the best. Pedals like a trail bike and descends like an enduro. Geo/reach may look short on paper, but I found it was a really good balance.

For a bigger alloy bike, it’s not really a porker either!

Sunset MTB have some great deals on 2020 9.8 – £3.5k.

The topic ‘Trek Slash vs Trek Remedy’ is closed to new replies.

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2020 Remedy 8 or Slash 8?

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Coming from a 2018 Fuel ex, want something more capable for Trail and Enduro riding, I also like to ride up hills to ride down. The Remedy is cheaper and has a much better fork, but size M/L feels too short (I'm 5 8"). The Slash is a 29er (I like 29ers) and feels slightly less short. I could also swap out the Yari and put a Pike on I have (though Pike is 51mm offset). Which bike should I choose and why? Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk  

Sounds like you've ridden both, neither is jumping out at you as a better fit for your riding? I ride a Remedy because it has to do DJ, XC, enduro and DH duties depending on the day. I also don't race. I think the Slash is the superior race enduro bike, while the Remedy is a bit more of an all-rounder.  

If you want a more playful bike, buy a Remedy. If you want a focused bike, buy a Slash. That's the simple way to put it. The Remedy is great if you want something to throw down hills and work on getting airborn. The geo and wheel size/width help with it taking abuse and having fun. The Slash is great if you want the speed of a 29er wheel (XC riding for example) but a geo that allows the bike to perform for enduro while still retaining the trail bike feeling.  

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2023 Trek Remedy 8 Review

Are you in the market for a mountain bike that can conquer challenging trails effortlessly? The 2023 Trek Remedy 8 is the perfect choice!

This mountain bike is lightweight, robust, and has top-end components that will make your next ride an extreme experience.

Whether you’re riding moderate trails or taking on steep climbs with ease, this bike does it all. In this review, we take a look at all the features of the 2023 Trek Remedy 8, including its design, weight, gearing options, brakes and suspension.

We also give our verdict on whether this bike is worth its hefty price tag. So let’s get started and see what makes the 2023 Trek Remedy 8 so special.

This 2023 Trek Remedy 8 review provides an overview of one of Trek’s top-of-the-line mountain bikes. Read on to learn more about this full suspension trail machine and find out if it’s right for your needs.

Trek has been producing some of the best mountain bikes on the market since 1976 and they continue to stay at the forefront of innovation with their latest models like the 2023 Trek Remedy 8.

This is a full suspension trail bike designed for aggressive riding and pushing boundaries.

It features a slack head angle, long wheelbase, wide rims, and powerful brakes that are ideal for hitting your favorite trails with confidence.

The 2023 Trek Remedy 8 Review is a full suspension all-mountain bike built for long days of punishing singletrack.

With a lightweight aluminum frame featuring an advanced suspension design, Boost spacing and innovative RockShox Lyrik Select+ front shock, the Remedy 8 gives you superior control and grip on any kind of terrain.

You’ll always have the power to push the limits, with 27.5″ wheels rolling over rocks and roots, Shimano XT drivetrain powering you up descents and climbs, and Shimano 4 piston hydraulic disc brakes providing reliable stopping power.

– Alpha Platinum Aluminum frame featuring advanced full suspension design

– RockShox Lyrik Select+, DebonAir spring shock provides smooth and reliable trail performance with plush 160mm of travel

– RockShox Super Deluxe Select+, with 230×57.5mm of travel

– Shimano XT 12 speed drive train gives you optimal power transfer

– Shimano 4 piston Hydraulic Disc Brakes provide reliable stopping power in all conditions

– 27.5” Aluminum Bontrager Line Comp 30 Tubeless Ready Wheels roll sturdy, smooth over obstacles

– Bontrager Drop Line dropper post quickly adjusts your seat for those descents 

The frame of the 2023 Trek Remedy 8 is made with Trek’s Alpha Platinum Aluminum.

This combination makes it both stiff yet light, giving you maximum stiffness and power when you’re ripping up hills or through switchbacks but still providing good compliance when you hit rough terrain or jump off something big.

The frame also features a tapered head tube, Knock Block, Control Freak internal routing, downtube guard, and 150mm of travel.

The Remedy 8 comes equipped with 160mm RockShox Lyrik Select+ forks and Super Deluxe Select+ rear shock.

These provide smooth performance over all sorts of terrain, making it much easier to control your speed along uneven surfaces or over jumps/drops.

The drivetrain consists of Shimano XT 12-speed components with hydraulic disc brakes featuring a 10-51t cassette paired to a 30t chainring.

This gives you plenty of gearing options while also allowing you to slow down quickly even on rough downhill sections.

On top of that, the lightweight design ensures snappy accelerations and easy shifting even when under loads from steep climbs or heavy drops.

Wheels & Tires

The 2023 Trek Remedy 8 has 27.5″ Bontrager Line Comp 30 wheels wrapped in Bontrager XR5 Team Issue 2.5″ tires.

These give great traction on both loose soil/dusty conditions as well as harder pack trails where cornering is key!

Plus with Boost spacing, you get increased strength which helps when negotiating high drops and corners taken at speed while still reducing weight overall compared to standard mountain bikes set ups.

Fans looking to reach their ultimate potential on the trails will love what they get out of this powerful rig from Trek!

Loaded with high quality components like RockShox Lyrik Select+ forks, Shimano XT 12-speed drivetrain, generous sizing across sizes S – XL framesets; it’s easy to see why some call it one of the best trail bikes available in 2023!

With its value for money price tag too; there’s no doubt about it – this bike should be on yours shortlist if you want serious bang for buck!

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

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Star Trek: Voyager's Robert Picardo Was Against One Of The Doctor's Biggest Changes

In the pilot episode of "Star Trek: Voyager" — called "Caretaker" (January 16, 1995) — the chief medical officer on board the U.S.S. Voyager was killed in an alien-inflicted cataclysm that swept the clear across the galaxy in a matter of moments. With the ship damaged and the medical staff wiped out, the Voyager crew had to rely on a temporary Emergency Medical Hologram to serve as the ship's main doctor. 

For the first few seasons, the EMH (Robert Picardo) was snippy and impatient, having been programmed to respond only to emergencies. Using the EMH so frequently, however, caused it to develop a consciousness and a personality. Before long, the unnamed Doctor was seen as an official member of the crew. 

Because he was a hologram, the Doctor was typically confined to the sickbay, where his holographic emitters were equipped. He could also be transferred directly to the ship's holodeck occasionally, but the Doctor wasn't capable of visiting other parts of the ship, nor going on away missions.

That is, until the episode "Future's End, Part II" (November 13, 1996) in the show's third season. Thanks to a time machine and some wrangling of 29th-century technology, the Doctor was equipped with a mobile emitter, a small device he wore on his arm that would project his hologram and forcefields anywhere he wanted to go. The Doctor was, from that point on, wholly unbound. 

This, however, wasn't a wrinkle that Picardo approved of. In 2022, the actor spoke to StarTrek.com , and revealed that he preferred the Doctor's physical limitations. If he could walk anywhere, Picardo felt, nothing was making the character unique; he would essentially be just another human on a human-dominated starship. This might have been something the character wanted, but it wasn't something Picardo wanted. 

The doctor's limitations on Star Trek: Voyager

Picardo recalls talking to one of the show's head writers and co-creators Brannon Braga about the mobile emitted shortly before it was implemented on the show ... and that he didn't like it. The actor said: 

"I remember I was in Brannon Braga's office when he told me. He said, 'Your character is so popular, we need to be able to put you in more scripts, in more situations and settings. What do you think?' I said, 'I think it's a bad idea.'" 

What, Picardo thought, was the point of a holographic character if he was unbound by certain practical limitations? Picardo felt that the reason the Doctor was so popular was specifically because he wasn't able to leave sickbay or a holodeck . He was a medical doctor with no physical body, making him constantly resentful of the being he had been programmed to heal and protect. Picardo admitted, however, that Braga was ultimately wise to invent the mobile emitter. He said: 

"This was one time when I was clearly wrong and the producers were absolutely, 100% right. I conveyed to [Braga ...] that the character's differences define him and make him interesting to the audience. If I'm not limited to the Sickbay or the Holodeck, then I'll just be like anybody else. I'm glad they did it, as it gave me many more stories. But because the character had been kind of a break-out character ... whenever somebody plans to mess with a winning formula, I think anyone's reaction would be, 'Are we sure we want to do that?'"

The Doctor not only gained autonomy but also began to develop hobbies — he loved to sing — and a sense of social justice. The stories began to flow.

Hologram rights on Star Trek: Voyager

To that last point, the Doctor felt that the human-shaped holograms regularly used by Starfleet — they were employed in mines and other dangerous areas — were actually a new form of mechanized consciousness, and that they should have rights like flesh-and-blood citizens. Some late-series developments had the Doctor communicating with Starfleet on the matter, and winning his case. 

There was a massive shift for the Doctor at the beginning of the fourth season of "Star Trek: Voyager," however. Up until then, the Doctor had been mentored by the gentle and compassionate Kes (Jennifer Lien), a character who served as the show's conscience. Picardo loved his scenes with Lien, and felt that he and Kes had developed a great working relationship. When "Voyager" was flagging in the ratings, however, the producers cut Kes out of the show and replaced her with Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), a former Borg clearly hired to add a cheesecake element to the show ( Seven was dressed in a corset and skintight catsuit ). 

Picardo was concerned that the Doctor wouldn't be able to relate to Seven the way he did with Kes. He was encouraged by Braga to think of something he could form with the new character, and Picardo did have a solution: 

"I gave it some thought, and I read the first script or two that they had available before we started shooting that season. I went to Brannon and suggested that we take the relationship that The Doctor had with Kes and we turn it around. So The Doctor thinks that the best person to teach Seven of Nine how to become human again is him . In other words, he's a better teacher on how to be a human being than a real human being." 

It worked fine.

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Jordan Grimes

The california builder’s remedy: what it is and how it works.

• January 17, 2023
• Grow Smart Bay Area , Housing

If you follow California housing policy (or even just read the news!), it’s likely you may have recently heard about something called the Builder’s Remedy. But what actually is it?

While colloquially known as the Builder’s Remedy, the term is actually a provision of California State Housing Law , more technically known as Section 65589.5(d) of the Housing Accountability Act .

Originally added in 1990, the provision grants a streamlined process to developers in cities that do not have compliant housing elements—the State-mandated blueprint cities must produce to adequately plan for new housing growth. It allows builders to sidestep local zoning rules around things like height and density, letting them create projects that they otherwise could not do under normal circumstances. If cities do not have a certified Housing Element by January 31, 2023, developers will be able to bypass or build outside of existing zoning rules, as long as at least 20% of the units in the proposed housing project are provided at below market rates.

We commonly hear a range of questions about the Builder’s Remedy, so we clarify some of the uncertainties around this legal practice here!

Join us on January 31, at 12 p.m., for a discussion about the Builder’s Remedy with housing leaders from the Bay Area! Sign up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why has no one used the Builder’s Remedy before?

Many changes have been made to California Housing Law in the last several years, making certification much more difficult for cities to achieve, greatly increasing the potential of successfully utilizing this process. While the housing element process was once merely a planning exercise, it is now a serious tool to achieve California’s housing needs.

What specifically does it allow developers to do?

While there are many different facets to it, the Builder’s Remedy itself disallows a city without a compliant housing element from denying a housing project where at least 20% of the units included are provided at below-market rates, regardless of whether or not it complies with local zoning regulations.

When does a city officially become eligible for builder’s remedy projects?

For the 101 jurisdictions within the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), cities and counties without a compliant housing element certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development will, on February 1, 2023, become eligible for use of the builder’s remedy within their borders.

Does CEQA still apply?

Yes! Importantly, this legal provision does not negate CEQA, so projects must still undergo environmental review and study.

Are there any limitations to the Builder’s Remedy?

Yes! Projects must still comply with building codes and health and safety guidelines, as well as a city’s objective design guidelines. Moreover, as mentioned previously, the HAA does not negate CEQA, so an environmental review is still required. Lastly, Builder’s Remedy projects cannot be proposed on land zoned for resource preservation or agriculture.

How can community advocates use this provision to further SMART—Sustainable, Mixed, Affordable, Resilient, Transit-Oriented—policy goals?

Because the housing element process only occurs once every 8 years, advocates currently have a unique opportunity to pursue badly needed policy changes. The threat of the Builder’s Remedy looms large; through it, advocates can push for (and win!) land use policy changes like density increases and streamlining proposals that will make infill housing easier to build and help combat sprawl throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

Ultimately, we at Greenbelt view the Builder’s Remedy as a tool of last resort. Rather than falling out of compliance and forfeiting their ability to choose how and what gets built within their borders, we strongly encourage cities to instead opt to pursue strong, compliant housing elements that not only satisfy State requirements but create the kind of atmosphere where it is feasible to build the dense infill housing necessary to house our growing population in a sustainable and resilient way.

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• Slash 8 Gen 5

Based on frame geometry and build specs.

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.

(descending)

Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more.

San Jose spurns developers, sparking possible legal fight

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San Jose is throwing down the gauntlet to developers, pushing back on applications for housing projects that attempt to get around city development standards and goals.

The city last week rejected 14 different housing proposals filed in the latter half of 2023 by developers asserting rights to build what they want where they want, under a provision of state housing law known as the builder’s remedy. The city’s actions could set up a series of legal challenges.

“It’s highly aggressive, I think it’s a really aggressive reading of the law,” Bryan Wenter, a land use attorney who represents developers with several builder’s remedy projects in the city, told San José Spotlight. “I think it’s inviting litigation.”

San Jose last week finally gained state certification for its long-term housing plans, known as a housing element, one year late. Prior to the state’s approval, developers took advantage in 2023, using the builder’s remedy to submit a bevy of new or revised housing projects across the city that bypass local zoning and development standards.

However the city is drawing a line in the sand as of June 20, 2023, the date the San Jose City Council approved the city’s housing element. Last week, city planning officials sent rejection letters to a group of developers that submitted project applications after that date, telling them their builder’s remedy proposals won’t be considered.

“When we consider our housing element, we consider it to be in substantial compliance on June 20,” Chris Burton, San Jose’s director of planning, building, and code enforcement, told San José Spotlight. “We believe those applications came in after the city was in substantial compliance with housing element law, and all those applicants have now been notified that is our position.”

Contentious battle ahead

The city’s stance seems to fly in the face of letters and memos from California’s Department of Housing and Community Development.

In a letter last year to San Jose after its June housing element submission, the department said San Jose’s plan still didn’t “substantially comply” with state standards, forcing city officials to work with the state through late last month to craft a final housing element that passed muster on Jan. 29.

The department has also said previously cities and counties do not have the authority to determine when a housing element is in substantial compliance with state law, and must get approvals from the state.

In the city’s letters to developers, officials referenced a 2007 state appeals court case ruling stemming from Gilroy, in which judges said the state housing department’s determinations are only advisory.

“It would be a matter of the court to determine what substantial compliance means,” Burton said.

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For builder’s remedy projects submitted on or before June 20, 2023, Burton said the city will process those applications normally.

“We’ll work with those developers to hopefully find the best outcome for those sites, considering what the city had planned for those sites and considering what the developer is proposing,” Burton said.

Wenter said though San Jose fashions itself a pro-housing city, this choice to fight developers on remedy projects is an anti-housing stance.

He said San Jose is effectively giving “everybody the double middle finger and saying, ‘If you don’t like it, take us to court.’”

In numerous builder’s remedy applications in San Jose, developers propose dozens to hundreds of homes in areas where city officials don’t support adding housing .

But some of the greatest concerns for officials in San Jose are remedy projects demanding to significantly shrink previously approved projects, in the wake of high interest rates and construction costs as well as reduced demand for office space, such as at the San Jose Flea Market site. The developer there is proposing to cut 2,510 homes, bringing the total down to 940, in a city-designated “urban village” plan around the Berryessa BART station.

Erik Schoennauer, a land use consultant who represents the developer of the flea market site, said previously the city must honor the application for the proposal. After receiving the rejection letter from San Jose, he said nothing changes and his client will move forward with their application.

“The state has said cities cannot self-certify their housing element. The law says that as long as a city has a noncompliant housing element, builder’s remedy is applicable. These are the facts of the law,” Schoennauer told San José Spotlight. “The city can talk with any theory they want.”

He said it’s “unfortunate” steps are being taken to stop or slow down housing production.

Wenter said the choice of whether and how to pursue a legal fight against the city will be different for each project, developer and potential investors.

“The city is betting on the idea that some projects will go away, but not all of them,” Wenter said. “The argument they are making is aggressive. I think it’s incorrect, I think it should fail.”

Contact Joseph Geha at  [email protected]  or  @josephgeha16 on Twitter.

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