trek slash 9 2021

Trek Slash Review | The all-new Slash is the iron fist in a velvet glove

The not-so-minor details.

Trek Slash 9.9 X01

Trek Bicycles Australia

https://www.trekbikes.com

$11,499 AUD

- Wickedly supple and sensitive suspension - Super stable in steep and rough terrain - The playful, agile attitude - Generous frame protection - Stealthy quiet on the trail

- Downtube storage could be more generous - We'd like to see a slightly steeper seat tube angle

Dan & Ben review the 2021 Trek Slash

Trek’s flagship enduro pinner, the Slash, is receiving a major and welcome overhaul for 2021. As the spiritual successor to the Remedy 29, the current Slash was released over four years ago. In that time the enduro racing scene has changed considerably. No longer are 29in wheels looked upon with concern and disdain. Nowadays, you’ll be hard-pressed to find an EWS team that isn’t rolling on 29in wheels. As the sport has professionalised, we’re seeing athletes train harder, race times get tighter, and courses that wouldn’t be out of place at a World Cup downhill race. Unlike DH racing though, enduro racers have to back up those race runs over multiple stages, often over multiple days, with hundreds and thousands of metres of climbing between the start and finish. Oh, and they’re regularly racing those trails blind too.

Watch our video review of the 2021 Trek Slash 9.9 here!

Trek Slash overview

Given the evolving demands of enduro racing, enduro bikes need to evolve too. Taking on board these changes, the new Trek Slash has had a 10mm lift in travel at both ends, and now features a 170mm fork matched to 160mm of rear wheel travel. Following requests from Trek’s EWS athletes, it also gets a bit slacker and longer as expected, which is to help it cope with the gnarlification of modern day enduro racing.

All of that is built around a brand new chassis that features in-built storage, a new Knock Block system, and a serious amount of battle armour. Along with the unique rear shock and adjustable geometry, Trek is making use of every tool in its disposal to produce what it says is the fastest and most technically proficient Slash yet.

For the past month we’ve been testing the top-end Slash 9.9 to see how all of those changes play out on the trail, and whether this newly refocussed enduro race bike is now more of a one-trick-pony. Before we get to our ride impressions though, let’s take a detailed look at what sets the Slash apart from its predecessors and its contemporaries.

There’s a new custom shock

At the heart of the new Slash is a unique rear shock that Trek has co-developed alongside the gurus at RockShox. This shock is currently exclusive to Trek for 2021, and it’ll come on all of the Slash models in Australia, bar the cheapest Slash 7.

On the outside, it doesn’t look dramatically different. It’s essentially a Super Deluxe Ultimate shock, which features adjustable air pressure, air volume, rebound and compression damping. On the inside you’ll find the Trek-designed Thru-Shaft damper, along with some magic sauce the two brands have cooked up together.

Why Thru-Shaft?

Thru-Shaft itself isn’t a new technology in itself. Trek first introduced the Thru-Shaft damper design back in 2017, where it debuted on high-end Fuel EX, Remedy and Slash models.

In essence, Thru-Shaft eliminates the traditional Internal Floating Piston (IFP) that is found inside most rear shocks. The IFP is a sealed piston that sits at the base of the shock underneath the oil chamber. The job of the IFP is to separate the damper fluid on one side, from a small nitrogen-charged chamber on the other side.

Why do we need an IFP in the first place? Firstly, that gas-charged chamber is necessary to accommodate fluid expansion as the oil heats up. Secondly, it’s there to handle the change in volume of the oil chamber as the shock is compressed. When the shock is compressed, the main damper shaft is introduced into the oil chamber, and the further it goes in, the more room it takes up. To compensate for that increase in volume, the IFP is able to slide and compress the nitrogen-charged chamber behind it. As the shock rebounds, the IFP then pushes back on the oil chamber.

But in Trek’s Thru-Shaft shocks, there is no IFP. Instead, the damper shaft runs all the way through the oil chamber. And during compression, the damper piston exits the shock completely – you can see the silver rod emerging from the base of the shock as it goes through the travel. Since the damper piston no longer impacts on the volume inside the oil chamber, there is no need for a traditional IFP.

And what about fluid expansion? That’s what the piggyback reservoir is for – it’s a big ol’ thermal compensator that handles the fluid expansion as the oil heats up in the shock.

But in Trek’s Thru-Shaft shocks, there is no IFP. Instead, the damper piston runs all the way through the oil chamber. And during compression, the damper piston exits the shock completely – you can see the silver rod emerging from the base of the shock as it goes through the travel.

The main driver for the Thru-Shaft design is all about reducing stiction and making the shock movement as slippery as possible. A normal IFP uses seals, and those seals need to slide smoothly up and down the the inside of the shock’s stanchion. Because of the high-pressure environment the IFP lives in, it’s likely to experience stick-slip during changes of direction. By removing the IFP entirely, the Thru-Shaft damper reduces stiction and this stick-slip effect, improving the damper’s sensitivity and its willingness to change direction quickly. On the trail, it simply results in a more responsive and buttery-feeling to the rear suspension – something we’ve noted on the Remedys and Fuel EXs we’ve tested in recent years, including our most recent long-term test bike .

RE:aktiv begone

While the Slash’s new shock carries over the Thru-Shaft concept, one of the big differences is that it no longer uses the RE:aktiv valve on the main damper piston. Instead you’ll find a standard shim valve on the main piston (which differs from an off-the-shelf RockShox shock), which Trek has moved to in favour of more gluey descending-oriented damping performance. While the RE:aktiv damper piston does provide excellent pedalling support, and will continue to be used on the Fuel EX, the new Slash is placing a greater priority on traction and high-speed control, and it’s claimed that a standard shim valve arrangement is the best solution for this application.

The second key difference with the custom Super Deluxe Ultimate shock is found in its damper adjustments. The rebound dial is much smaller and located on the side of the shock, and it now features numbers to assist with tuning. There’s a two-position lever that allows the rider to toggle between open and firm settings.

On top of the lever is a separate adjuster that allows you to tune the low-speed compression damping of the open mode. The blue cam gives you three compression settings: -1, 0 and +1. According to Trek and RockShox, this adjuster is all about fine-tuning the shock’s response to rider inputs, depending on the terrain at hand. So you can firm up the feel of the shock to provide more support for pedalling and riding smoother bikepark type trails, or soften it up for riding steep and rooty trails where you want maximum traction. Consider it as a wet/dry adjuster. Regardless of that setting though, it’s claimed that the shock’s high-speed compression circuit remains completely independent, and it’s in here where Trek and RockShox have been cooking up a little extra special sauce.

The third big difference is in the shock’s air can itself. RockShox states that stiction has been lowered for smoother performance, while the negative spring volume has been increased to create a more progressive spring curve. In fact, it’s claimed to be more progressive than the current MegNeg design, which basically eliminates any need for a MegNeg hop-up. There’s the option to tune with volume spacers too, which we’ll get onto in a bit.

Frame features

Aside from the custom shock, there are big changes afoot in the Slash chassis too. And when we say big we mean it literally – the Slash now takes a 34.9mm diameter seat post. This allows Trek to build a fatter, stronger and shorter seat tube, which provides greater compatibility with long-stroke dropper posts.

To go with it, Bontrager is rolling out a new 34.9mm Line Elite dropper post. The bigger diameter chassis promises increased strength and stiffness, and the post gets a whopping 200mm of travel on the longest option. Internally, the MaxFlow is said to provide faster compression and rebound for slicker performance.

No Super Boost needed

Looking at all the other key mounting points on the Slash frameset, it’s clear that Trek has made a concerted effort to stay away from anything too edgy standards-wise.

While some other brands have adopted the newer Super Boost 157x12mm hub standard for their long travel 29ers, Trek is sticking with the Boost 148x12mm standard that it invented and launched back in 2014. However, by employing the wider 55mm chainline that’s now on offer from both Shimano and SRAM (which pushes the chainring out a further 3mm over a traditional Boost drivetrain), Trek’s engineers say they’ve been able to get all the necessary clearances without having to resort to Super Boost. And they’ve done it too – there’s room for a 34T chainring and a 29×2.5in tyre, even with the Slash’s impressively short 435mm chainstays.

Common sense has prevailed elsewhere too. No longer will you find a press-fit bottom bracket cups. Instead, the Slash gets a 73mm threaded BB shell, which is surrounded by ISCG 05 chainguide tabs.

The dropouts utilise a SRAM UDH derailleur hanger on one side, and 180mm post-mount brake tabs on the other. For the true gravity enthusiasts, it’s worth noting that the Slash is cleared for use with up to a huge 220mm disc rotor. And while the rear shock is a custom jobby, the size isn’t – most aftermarket metric shocks will fit in its place, including coil shocks.

Secret storage

Brought over from the latest Fuel EX, the Slash now gets integrated downtube storage. What’s impressive is that you’ll get that sane downtube trap door on the alloy frames too. For the alloy Slash, the downtube is hydroformed with a depression around the storage door, before the door is then cut out of the tube. Apparently it’s a very difficult process to achieve on an alloy frame, which is probably why we haven’t seen it on any other brand.

The trapdoor itself is identical between the alloy and carbon frames, and it’s the same as what you’ll find on the Fuel EX. A discreet lever opens and secures the latch, and inside the cavity is a soft tool roll that’s designed to hold a spare tube, levers and CO2. The bottle cage is included with the bike, and Trek says every frame size, including the Small, will fit a bottle without drama.

A bonus of the trapdoor design is that it provides you access to the internal gear, dropper and brake lines. The cables and hoses are zip-tied to the underside of the door, which helps to minimise vibration and noise.

Knock Block 2.0

Trek has also updated its headset steering limiter system, called Knock Block 2.0. Addressing our criticism of the previous design, Trek has increased the available steering radius, so you now get 144° of rotation.

What’s interesting though, is that the Knock Block system isn’t actually necessary anymore. That’s because the downtube no longer uses the StraightShot profile of the old frame – it features curves at both ends, which means the fork crown no longer contacts the downtube during a full rotation.

We’re told that the designers decided to keep the Knock Block system as it doesn’t really impact the riding experience, and it helps to protect the brake lines, shift and dropper cables in the event of a bar-spinning crash. If it still bothers you though, the Knock Block can be removed entirely.

The Slash’s geometry was no doubt due for an update, and Trek has willingly obliged. However, while the designers wanted to address the needs of Trek’s EWS racers, they also wanted to retain the comfort, balance and agility that made the previous version such a popular and accessible bike.

As such, the head angle kicks back a degree, and the reach has grown by 15-40mm depending on the frame size. The seat tube angle (both actual and effective) has increased by two degrees, which helps to shift the pilot further forward on the bike, without pushing them so far forward as to put excessive weight onto the wrists and arms.

Trek is producing five frame sizes in the Slash, from Small through to X-large. All frame sizes are now built around the same stubby 35mm stem length, which aims to keep the front-end steering consistent regardless of rider height.

Also found on every frame is the familiar Mino Link, which is located in the upper seatstay pivot. The Slash comes set from the factory in the Low position, but flipping the link into the High position will lift the BB height by 7mm and steepen the head and seat angles by 0.5°. Here are lots of numbers for those who want them;

Trek Slash price & specs

If you’re digging the new Slash vibe, you’ll be pleased to know that stock is available as of right now through Trek’s dealer network. In Australia, we’ll see four models come to our shores – two with carbon frames, and two with alloy frames. Additionally, you’ll be able to get a standalone frameset too – Trek Australia will be offering a Slash frameset in both carbon and alloy variants.

Read on for a closer look at each of the four complete bike options, followed by our ride impressions from testing the top-end Slash 9.9 X01.

2021 Trek Slash 9.9 X01

• Frame | OCLV Mountain Carbon Fibre, ABP Suspension Design, 160mm Travel
• Fork | RockShox ZEB Ultimate, Charger 2.1 RC2 Damper, 44mm Offset, 170mm Travel
• Shock | RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate, Thru-Shaft 3-Position Damper, 230×62.5mm
• Wheels | Bontrager Line Elite 30, OCLV Carbon Rims, 30mm Inner Rim Width
• Tyres | Bontrager SE5 29×2.6in Front & SE4 2.4in Rear
• Drivetrain | SRAM X01 Eagle 1×12 w/X01 30T Carbon Crankset & 10-52T GX Eagle Cassette
• Brakes | SRAM Code RSC 4-Piston w/200mm Rotors
• Bar | Bontrager Line Pro, OCLV Carbon, 35mm Diameter, 27.5mm Rise, 820mm Wide
• Stem | Bontrager Line Pro, Knock Block, 35mm Length
• Seatpost | Bontrager Line Elite Dropper, 34.9mm Diameter, Travel: 100mm (S), 150mm (M/ML), 170mm (L), 200mm (XL)
• Available Sizes | S, M, ML, L, XL
• RRP | $11,499 AUD

2021 Trek Slash 9.8 XT

• Fork | RockShox ZEB Select+, Charger 2.1 RC Damper, 44mm Offset, 170mm Travel
• Drivetrain | Shimano Deore XT 1×12 w/XT 30T Crankset & 10-51T Cassette
• Brakes | Shimano Deore XT 4-Piston w/203mm Rotors
• RRP | $8,999 AUD

2021 Trek Slash 8

• Frame | Alpha Platinum Alloy, ABP Suspension Design, 160mm Travel
• Fork | RockShox Lyrik RC, Charger 2 Damper, 42mm Offset, 170mm Travel
• Wheels | Bontrager Line Comp 30, Alloy Rims, 30mm Inner Rim Width
• Tyres | Bontrager XR5 29×2.6in Front & XR4 2.4in Rear
• Drivetrain | SRAM GX Eagle 1×12 w/Descendent 6K Eagle 30T Crankset & 10-52T Cassette
• Brakes | SRAM Code R 4-Piston w/200mm Rotors
• Bar | Bontrager Line, Alloy, 35mm Diameter, 27.5mm Rise, 820mm Wide
• Stem | Bontrager Line, Knock Block, 35mm Length
• Seatpost | TranzX Dropper, 34.9mm Diameter, Travel: 100mm (S), 150mm (M/ML), 170mm (L), 200mm (XL)
• RRP | $6,299 AUD

2021 Trek Slash 7

• Fork | RockShox Yari RC, Motion Control RC Damper, 42mm Offset, 170mm Travel
• Shock | RockShox Deluxe Select+, 230×62.5mm
• Drivetrain | SRAM NX Eagle 1×12 w/Descendent 6K Eagle 30T Crankset & 11-50T Cassette
• Brakes | SRAM Guide T 4-Piston w/200mm Rotors
• RRP | $5,299 AUD

Testing the 2021 Trek Slash 9.9 X01

With its metallic orange paint job, the Slash 9.9 X01 bares a resemblance to the distinctive Tiger Mica colour of Holden’s VU Commodore SS ute. We’d say the finish is just a tad classier here though, and indeed the Slash impressed as soon as it was pulled out of the box. It wasn’t too much of a strain to do so either – this big travel 29er tips the scales at a respectable 14.56kg.

That’s with the tyres setup tubeless, and we’ve gotta give props to Trek for the fact that the bike arrives genuinely tubeless ready – TLR strips and valves are pre-installed, and two bottles of sealant are included. Just remove the valve cores, squirt in the sealant, inflate and away you go. Nice!

Being the poshest model that comes to Australia, the Slash 9.9 X01 comes decked out with plenty of high-end toys including the new RockShox ZEB Ultimate fork, SRAM X01 Eagle shifting, powerful Code RSC disc brakes, and a 170mm travel dropper post on our Large test bike. There’s plenty of carbon to be found too – the crank arms, handlebars and rims are all made of plastic-fantastic.

Speaking of, both the front triangle and back end are crafted from Trek’s OCLV Mountain carbon fibre, with a magnesium rocker link being the only main metal component of the frame. It leads to an impressively low weight – including the rear shock and hardware, Trek says you’re looking at just 3.12kg for a carbon Slash frame. It’s quite a bit lighter than the alloy version, which is claimed to weigh 4.32kg.

Fit & sizing

We chose a Large size Slash to suit our 181-183cm tall testers. Dan; an accomplished enduro racer who currently rides a Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Carbon in the S3 size. And Ben; a downhiller reborn as an XC/trail pinner who rides a Large-size Trek Top Fuel.

Two different perspectives from two different testers. Dan; an accomplished enduro racer who currently rides a Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Carbon in the S3 size, and Ben; a downhiller reborn as an XC/trail pinner who rides a Large-size Trek Top Fuel.

Both riders were quickly at home with the Slash and its healthy 486mm reach, despite the very short 35mm stem. However, the huge 820mm ape-hangers didn’t last long and were soon chopped down to a more tree-friendly 780mm.

The saddle was also slid as far forward on the rails as it could go. With the saddle height set at 770mm, the seat angle measures out pretty close to the claimed 75.7° (in the Low geometry position). Sliding the saddle forward for our long-legged testers helped steepen it closer to 78°.

There were few complaints in the fit department – the Bontrager Arvada saddle is excellent, and the lock-on grips are nice and tactile, without being offensively so. They do use dual locking clamps, and while the outer collar is smoothly tapered, you can still feel it underneath your gloves if you run your hands wide on the bars. That said, the metal ends have proven to be much more durable than single-locking grips that have rubber ends.

Setting up the Slash

Kudos to Trek for its brilliant suspension setup calculator, which provides a reliable baseline for getting the fork and shock setup for your weight. Combined with the anodised sag gradients on the ZEB fork and Super Deluxe shock, setting up the Slash is made that much easier. We followed the recommendations for our 80kg testers, and both the pressures and rebound settings were pretty much spot on. For reference, Trek recommends 30% sag on the shock and 15% for the fork when sitting stationary on the bike.

There is further tuneability to be had with volume spacers. The ZEB comes with a single Bottomless Token inside, and that suited us fine. The rear shock comes with zero tokens inside, and that also worked well. However, you can add one volume spacer to the shock’s negative spring to make it more linear. Conversely, you can add up to three volume spacers in the shock’s positive spring if you want more progression. That’s probably something only the heaviest of riders will investigate, since the Slash has quite a progressive spring rate to begin with – we never experienced a harsh bottom-out with the stock settings.

Does it get any smoother than this?

Easily the standout attribute of the new Slash is just how plush and controlled the suspension is. We were expecting that from the ZEB Ultimate, as we’ve already tested it separately . It’s a banging fork, with superb suppleness, huge torsional rigidity and steering accuracy that makes it an excellent match for the Slash’s capabilities. It’s the rear suspension that really blew us away though, with a level of off-the-top sensitivity that sees the shock ease into its travel the moment you push down on the saddle.

That activity plays out all the way through the travel too. Trek says the Thru-Shaft damper design eliminates the ‘nose’ of a standard IFP design, and we can believe them. So little force is required to get the shock moving, and it changes direction seamlessly, offering faster reactivity under both compression and extension. Whether it’s copping a square-edge rock at speed, cornering over off-camber washboard bumps on a fast fireroad descent, or skimming across more granular terrain on a loose traverse, the back end maintains a high level of contact with the terrain, boosting grip and confidence levels.

Previous Thru-Shaft shocks have proven to be slippery performers, but now that Trek has ditched the RE:aktiv valve in favour of a more conventional shim stack valve, it’s taken that damping performance to a new level. It’s bloody impressive stuff.

Thanks to the extremely active and supple suspension performance, the Slash is hugely stable in rough terrain. Sure the geometry is dialled, but it’s the suspension on this bike that really encourages you to push hard in technical terrain, knowing the bike will stay composed and stable. It’s a fine example of a bike that rides well beyond the numbers in a geometry chart.

It’s not just a monster truck

From first impressions, our testers initially thought the Slash would be more of a point-and-plow kind of bike. Sure, you can totally ride this way with confidence and let it steamroll down the trail. But where it surprised most was its inherently playful nature. The short chainstays definitely contribute in this regard, and while the shock is extremely sensitive, your feet don’t get lost in a gooey pile of over-damped syrup. That’s the new air spring at play, which delivers fantastically usable mid-stroke support. That responsive attitude encourages you to get creative, try different lines and gap sections of trail.

It’s also a really fun bike to slide around and let the rear hang out when things get loose, giving it a character that is often lost in long travel enduro race bikes. We found the Slash very composed in the air, with the generous travel and progressive end-stroke providing a cosseting return to earth. You can get away with a lot of mistakes while riding this bike, and have an absolute riot doing so.

But where it surprised most was its inherently playful nature. The short chainstays definitely contribute in this regard, and while the shock is extremely sensitive, your feet don’t get lost in a gooey pile of over-damped syrup. That’s the new air spring at play, which delivers fantastically usable mid-stroke support. That responsive attitude encourages you to get creative, try different lines and gap sections of trail.

Given how big and slack it is, we were also really impressed with the Slash’s climbing ability, particularly when things got rough and technical. The buttery shock performance keeps the rear tyre digging for traction, and the low-slung top tube gives you room to manoeuvre. Add in the low gearing from the 30T chainring and 52T sprocket out back, and there’s some serious grunt on offer for muscling your way up choppy ledges, roots and blown-out moto ruts.

The active suspension does mean you’re best to stay in a seated position on smoother climbs though. Stand up to mash the pedals, and Bob will join the party. There’s always the lockout lever, but our testers only ever used it on the road or the smoothest of fireroad climbs – it’s too firm for actual trail riding, and it’s low down enough that it’s a pain to regularly switch back and fourth between smooth and rough sections.

You can tighten things up by flipping the low-speed compression dial into the firmer +1 position though. And because the shock is so supple, it’s possible to run slightly higher pressures to lift the ride height, without sacrificing that much small-bump sensitivity. Flipping the Mino Link into the High position will also help with climbing performance by steepening the effective seat tube angle, while getting you a bit more pedal clearance too.

So stealthy, so quiet!

Modern bikes are getting very good at dampening out noise, but there’s always something that ruins the serenity. Rattly brake pads, a flappy cable, a creaky bearing. Not the Slash though – our test bike developed no play, and no noise all throughout the test period. Just blissful, quiet performance with the sound of tyres rumbling through the forest.

On that note, we love how well thought out the protection on this bike is. The gear cable is shielded underneath a thick chainstay guard, which is textured to dampen chain slap. There’s another strip of rubber on the inside of the drive-side seatstay to eliminate chain contact, and Trek has even put a metal plate below the disc calliper to prevent the rotor from scratching the paint. Brilliant!

This bike is seriously quiet, thanks to carefully managed cabling and a plethora of body armour designed to dampen chain slap and rock strikes.

Those who ride on trails with lots of loose rock will know the importance of downtube protection. It only takes one rock kicked up by the front wheel to lay a crack in a lovingly engineered carbon downtube – we know, it’s happened to us enough times on other bikes. On the Slash, the underside of the downtube is almost entirely covered by two thick, rubber-lined armour plates. As well as giving greater rock strike protection, the extended coverage is also useful for hoisting your bike over the back of a tailgate on shuttle day. The big plastic armour plates are screwed into the frame, so it’s possible to replace them, or remove them if you desperately want to show off more of the Commodore SS paint job.

As well as giving greater rock strike protection, the extended coverage is also useful for hoisting your bike over the back of a tailgate on shuttle day.

The MRP chainguide with its lower bash plate is another handy addition, and the scratches and dings it’s collected from many trail missions attest to its worth. As for the Knock Block? Our testers never noticed it was there, so we’d be happy to leave it in place. It does mean you could trim the cables and brake line to be quite short to neaten up the cockpit, without fear of them being ripped out in the event of a crash.

What could be improved?

Despite Trek’s talk of keeping things balanced and approachable on the Slash, we do think the designers could have gone a lick steeper on the seat tube angle. We’re also not talking about going vertical – an extra degree would do nicely. The Slash is slightly steeper than the Fuel EX (75.6° vs 75°), but because the Slash has more travel and a more active suspension design, the dynamic seat angle is more affected on the climbs as the shock sinks into its travel.

Yes, a steeper seat angle pushes more weight onto your hands. And yes, it’s generally less comfortable for rolling along on more intermediate terrain. But a bike of this travel is generally going to be ridden on bigger and steeper terrain, where horizontal bimbling is less of a consideration.

That being said, the Bontrager Arvada saddle has a usefully long clamping area on its rails, and our testers were able to get into a comfortable position with the saddle slammed all the way forward. The top tube length is quite long on this bike, so the cockpit never felt too cramped even with the saddle in that position.

The takeaway point? The seat angle ain’t a dealbreaker – there’s adjustment there, so use it if you want to get your hips further the cranks. And if you really want to prioritise climbing performance, then you can always flip the Mino Link into the High geometry position.

The Slash is the third Trek we’ve tested with downtube storage, and thankfully this one didn’t have the rattling issues of the last bike . It’s fundamentally a great idea, and the included tool roll is a nice touch – just make sure you use a lightweight inner tube, as a standard tube won’t leave you any room to fit tyre levers or CO2.

On that note, the width of the trapdoor is quite a bit narrower than a Specialized SWAT door (40mm vs 52mm). That 12mm difference makes it quite a bit trickier to fit bulkier items and XL burritos, so it takes a bit more thought and creativity for packing your haul.

While we’re throwing ideas into the wishing well, it’d be great to see the Slash 9.9 come with Bontrager’s new BITS tool system inside the fork steerer tube. That way you could more easily ditch the backpack, knowing that you’ve got all the basic tools and spares with you, hidden in the bike.

Component highs & lows

Overall the Slash 9.9 X01 has impressed us with a great overall package. The suspension, brakes, drivetrain, wheel and tyre combo all support its nature of being a hard-charging bike.

The rear shock is super impressive, being really smooth and supple with no discernible stiction. This translates to amazing small bump response. Coupled with the equally smooth new RockShox ZEB, once set up the bike feels stupendously plush and balanced. When air-sprung forks and shocks are this good, we’re not sure why you would choose heavier, and less adjustable coil suspension.

The Bontrager Line Elite 30 wheels were also a standout. These have recently been redesigned with a new carbon rim profile that’s said to be almost twice as strong as its predecessor. And we’re happy to report that they’ve withstood many jarring interactions with square edge rocks, and are still in one piece. Weighing in at 2,071g, they’re a couple hundred grams more than the Line Pro 30 wheels we have on test separately , but they do get more readily available J-bend spokes, and they still feature the super buzzy Rapid Drive 108 hubs. They also get that 2-year crash replacement deal , if you do manage to toast a rim.

The Bontrager Line Elite 30 wheels are a standout, and the SE5/SE4 tyre combo have been equally impressive, with great grip and decent rolling resistance.

The Bontrager SE5/SE4 tyre combo was equally impressive, with great grip and decent rolling resistance. The rear tyre does look a bit minimal and comes in quite light on the scales at just 919g (the front tyre is 1,059g), but it held up really well in some chunky terrain, suffering a single tiny cut in the sidewall that was easily sealed with a plug. If this were our bike, we’d be putting an insert into the rear tyre anyway.

The Line Elite dropper post seems marginally quicker in action compared to Bontrager’s previous droppers, but it’s still a ways off the light and smooth action of a Fox Transfer or BikeYoke Divine. The lever shape is good though, and overall it’s performed without hassle. We’ll be interested to see how it fares after a full season of abuse.

Flow’s Verdict

The new Trek Slash is one mighty impressive bike. It packs a load of punch, with the big chassis, newly slackened geometry and burly parts spec working up a thirst for high-speed drama. Its punch is delivered inside a velvety smooth glove though, thanks to the outrageously plush suspension that brings comfort, poise and control to the most chundery of trails. Paired to the superb ZEB up front, this bike just oozes confidence.

As descending really steep and gnarly shit has become the raison d’être for the modern enduro bike though, we were worried that Trek would turn the Slash into a pro-only machine. Our doubts proved unfounded though, and that is indeed the biggest surprise of this bike.

Yes it’s a 29er with 170/160mm of travel and a 64° head angle, and it’ll absolutely steamroll the trail if you let it. But it isn’t a tank. It’s comfortable, reasonably efficient, and it actually climbs technical stuff well. We’d have no qualms taking it on bigger all-day missions.

It’s also playful, chuckable and willing to get airborne. And it’s this all-round competence makes the Slash much more versatile than we expected. We had a blast riding this bike, even when the many of our rides might not have warranted such a big travel bike. But when there are so few downsides, we kept asking ourselves; why wouldn’t you want that extra travel?

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Field Test: 2021 Trek Slash - Ready to Race

Cool Features

Trek Slash 9.9 X01 on test – How will the icon fare in the fight against the clock?

Apart from the name and the similar design of the frame, the new 2021 Trek Slash doesn’t have much in common with its predecessor. It’s longer, slacker and plusher. But is it also faster? We were very excited to be given the exclusive opportunity to test the bike on our race stage before its release.

In our introduction of the fastest enduro race bike on test you can’t just find our most interesting findings and our overall conclusion, but a good view on all bikes tested.

The brand new 2021 Trek Slash was developed in close collaboration with Trek’s enduro racing team and other athletes. This quickly becomes clear when you look at the geometry and the suspension. However, those athletes obviously weren’t as involved in choosing the components: the Slash comes fitted with a small 180 mm brake rotor at the rear and rolls on Bontrager trail tires, which lack the grip and puncture protection needed for enduro racing. For our test, we replaced them with a set of grippy Schwalbe tires fitted to aluminium DT Swiss wheels that we swapped for the stock carbon option.

We also shortened the overly wide handlebars on the stock build from 820 mm to 780 mm. That aside, there’s not much to fault on the rest of the build. The massive RockShox ZEB suspension fork offers 170 mm travel, while on the back, the Thru Shaft Super Deluxe, uses a design developed by Trek in cooperation with RockShox and promises to respond extra sensitively. The SRAM CODE RSC brakes are there to keep your speed in check. The cockpit and seat post are supplied by Bontrager.

Trek SLASH 9.9 2021

Specifications.

Fork RockShox ZEB Ultimate 170 mm Rear Shock RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate 160 mm Seatpost Bontrager Line Elite Dropper mm 170 Brakes SRAM CODE RSC 200/180 mm Drivetrain SRAM X01 30 (10-50) Stem Bontrager Line Pro 40 mm Handlebar Bontrager Line Pro, OCLV Carbon 780 (820) mm Wheelset Bontrager Line Elite 30 OCLV Carbon Tires Bontrager SE5/SE4 2.6"/2.4"

Technical Data

Size S M ML L XL Weight 14.7 kg Wheelsize 29"

Longer, slacker, steeper – the geometry of the 2021 Trek Slash

While the previous Trek Slash had started to seem more like a long-travel trail bike in recent years, the new Slash has been brought back to full enduro. Trek have given the size large a long reach of 486 mm. The chainstays are kept short at 437 mm and the 64.1° head angle is plenty slack. In theory, you could adjust the geometry using the Minolink flip chip but since the bottom bracket isn’t that low, even in the slack position (29 mm bottom bracket drop), we didn’t make use of this option.

The steeper the better! With its geometry, the Slash performs best on steep descents.

Super plush – the 2021 Trek Slash on the trail

The new Trek Slash scores right from the start with its super plush and capable suspension. The rear end sensitively irons out bumps and thus delivers tons of traction. However, despite having set up the sag correctly, the suspension tends to wallow. In combination with the long front triangle and the relatively short rear end, this places you far back on the bike and you have to actively shift your weight forward when cornering. The bike does a great job of instilling you with confidence on steep terrain. When it comes to carrying as much speed as possible through a corner, its length is more of a hindrance. With all your weight at the back, the front wheel is light and therefore lacks precision, meaning you’re less likely to hit all your lines accurately.

Does it always have to be longer? Not with the Slash. If in doubt, we recommend the smaller size.

At high speed, the Slash is a force to be reckoned with thanks to its plush suspension and composed handling. Even so, there’s enough mid-stroke support to allow you to generate speed over rollers or get airborne. If you find yourself between two frame sizes, we recommend choosing the smaller frame size of the new Slash. All the better that Trek have decided to offer an intermediate M/L size with a reach of 469 mm. Paired with the super capable suspension, you’ll get a more agile but still sufficiently composed bike.

How does the Trek Slash 2021 compare to the competition?

Trek Slash or Specialized Enduro – it’s been an ongoing debate ever since Trek presented their first 29er enduro bike. At the models in this test, both brands still show room for improvement in terms of the componentry. In terms of handling, the Enduro is slightly more composed and easier to ride in general, while the Trek is more agile in tight sections. However, neither of them proved to be fast on our race track. They’ll do best in the bike park.

Differences from the standard bike

• aluminium DT Swiss wheels
• Schwalbe Super Gravity tires

With its capable suspension and longer geometry, the new Trek Slash is ready for the world’s roughest trails. It instils you with confidence and generates maximum traction on steep terrain – assuming you’ve upgraded the tires. On our race stage, the bike would have been able to perform better if we had had a smaller size, allowing us to carry more speed through corners. Therefore, be careful when choosing the frame size!

• plush suspension offering lots of traction
• practical storage compartment in the frame
• very composed and confidence-inspiring on steep slopes

• requires an active riding style
• standard spec isn't race-ready
• lack of compression adjustments on the rear

Mehr Informationen findet ihr auf trekbikes.com

The testfield

A lot more mtbs, our findings and the trends for the upcoming saison can be found in our introduction of the fastest enduro race bike on test .

All bikes in test: Canyon Strive CFR Jack Moir Edition (Click for review) | Commencal META AM 29 (Click for review) | GT Force Carbon Pro Martin Maes Edition (Click for review) | Lapierre Spicy Team (Click for review) | Nukeproof Mega 290c RS Team Edition (Click for review) | Raaw Madonna V2 FOX Factory Custom (Click for review) | Specialized S-Works Enduro Team Edition (Click for review) | Trek SLASH 9.9 2021 | Yeti SB150 Team (Click for review) | YT CAPRA Elite 29 (Click for review)

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more .

Words & Photos:

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• Rider Notes

2021 Trek Slash 9.7

A 29″ carbon frame full suspension enduro bike with high-end components.

Manufacturer Price

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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.

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

Jul 2021 · Pinkbike Originals

We caught up with Jamie Edmondson to get the details on his new Trek Slash.

Read Review

Apr 2021 · Robin Weaver

The Slash 8 strikes the perfect balance between a fun and lively feel, and ultimate chaos-calming composure

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

Mar 2021 · Lydia Tanner

The Trek Slash has been 29-inch-only since 2016, and the 2021 version is evidence of its head start in the big-wheel enduro category.

Superb high-speed stability

Great traction in variable terrain

Supple and generous-feeling suspension

Less maneuverable at slow speeds

A lot of bike to get back up the hill

Riding a bike like the Slash over the winter on the North Shore is a rough test scenario, but Trek's newest long travel trail bike has proven up to the task...

Feb 2021 · McCoy

One Killer Enduro Machine

Feb 2021 · Guy Kesteven

We took the Trek Slash 9.9 X01 to our toughest local trails to see how its new shape and unique shock translate to the real world

Phenomenal rear suspension

Awesome aggro geometry

Precision accuracy

High control cockpit

Internal storage

Efficient pedaling

Threaded BB

Optional steering lock

More confident with switched tires

ZEB fork requires some patience

Deserves better wheels

Short dropper on small sizes

Seriously grounded rather than playful

Starting with a new Trek Slash 8 frameset, fellow Flow Frother Ben has chosen a rather eclectic build kit to complete his unique enduro bike. Read on for a closer look at the parts he's chosen, and a detailed explanation of what's worked well, and what hasn't worked so well.

Dec 2020 · Mike Wirth

The new Trek Slash 9.9 X01 sees many updates making it an even more capable all-mountain, enduro mountain bike. See how it performed.

Last updated April 12 Not listed for 738 days

2021 Trek Slash 9.9 X01 Bike (discontinued)

• Write Review

Look here Trek Slash, it's not me, it's you. I just don't have a place in my life for a 160/170mm-travel 29er. Who does? A 469mm reach on an M/L size? That's a bit much for my 5'9" frame, and how is that really a size? Wait, you're saying there's more to you than reach and travel numbers? Ok, I'll listen. After all, a mind is like a parachute. Steeper seat angle, slacker head angle, integrated tools, and storage, I like all these features. Do go on...

• OCLV Carbon frame (alloy options available)
• 29-inch wheels only
• 160mm (6.2-inches) of rear wheel travel // 170mm (6.7-inches) fork travel
• ABP suspension design
• Removable Knock Block provides 72-degrees of turning in either direction
• Internal cable routing
• Proprietary RockShox Super Deluxe - 3-position compression
• Integrated tool storage in head tube
• In-frame storage system
• 34.9 Seat tube
• BSA 73mm threaded bottom bracket with ISCG mounts
• Boost 148 rear spacing with 12mm through axle
• Measured weight (size M/L, no pedals): 32 pounds 5 ounces (14.65 kg)
• MSRP $7,999 USD

The all-new Trek Slash has been leaked on the Vital forums for some time and received a few lackluster replies from our community. The Meh-sayer crowd may want to take a second look. Our first glance at the Slash's stats had Vital testers feeling like this big-rig may need a spinner knob on the handlebars to handle switchbacks and only the biggest of descents would be worth riding. After all, isn't under-biking all the craze these days? With so many good bikes out there that can do so much, what's the point of the Trek Slash outside the EWS tape? This is where things took a hard left turn, the new Slash isn't a good bike. It's a great bike.

The new Trek slash access all of the current trends in an aggressive design and even pushes things with five size offerings. Within the standard Small to Large range is an ML size for riders on the cusp of the medium and large or those who just want a longer bike. With the Slash being ridden by multiple testers, this is where we landed. By the numbers, here's the breakdown of our M/L Slash: seat angle: 75.6, head angle: 64.1, reach: 469mm, chainstay: 435mm, seat tube length: 435mm. A 35mm stem and 150mm Bontrager dropper rounded out the fit department. As suspected, in every respect, the Trek goes longer, lower, and slacker where it matters.

Seat Angle Update

On paper, the Slash's seat angle is not on par with other enduro bikes today. In practice, we did not notice the seat angle or even feel hindered by it. On perhaps only the most questionably steep portions of the trail, did we feel the need to get over the front of the seat to keep the front end in check. Riders with longer legs may find themselves sliding the seat forward on the rails to push their weight forward.

APPROXIMATE actual seat tube angle values with 150mm Bontrager Line Dropper at different insertion depths

In testing the latest Remedy and Rail , Vital testers have had a tumultuous relationship with the ReActive Thrushaft system spec'd. Quite honestly, in both cases, a production shock would have been preferred. The Slash does still have a Thrushaft but gone is the ReActive valving and the curiously small piggyback is now full-sized. The shock itself is still custom and exclusive to the Slash, featuring a numeric compression adjustment and relocated climb switch.

The compression adjuster has three settings: +, 0, and -. The + setting increases damping and is designed for smoother trails. The - setting is for steeper, rougher terrain while the 0 setting is a more neutral compression setting. We set the dial for 0 with 30% sag.

Only slightly less-leaked than the Slash was the RockShox ZEB, which graces this bike with its muscly presence. Setup was just under 70-pounds for our 170-pound testers. High-speed compression was wide open with 6-clicks of low speed.

A quick trim of the bars and we were off to the trails!

On The Trail

The Slash was shuttled to Trail 4, the same rowdy descent used in our e-bike tests, for a proper flogging. Next was the bike park for laps on laps. In both scenarios, both testers immediately loved the Slash. For such a large bike, it was fast on its feet and eager to maneuver and pop down the trail. Throwing the Slash into corners is great fun, just lean harder and it seemingly never loses composure. Smaller tables and jumps are easily popped with much better feedback than any bike this size should deliver.

At the end of the test, the Slash had us reassessing what a long-travel 29er should be.

What's The Bottom Line?

Alright, Trek Slash, where does this leave us? You aren't perfect but your flaws are fleeting and easily remedied. When it comes down to what matters, the bones that make you what you are, therein lies the magic. The details are sound, the climbs easily tackled and at the bottom of the hill it is all smiles. At the end of the test, the Slash had us reassessing what a long-travel 29er should be. As we said, the Trek Slash isn't a good bike, it's a great bike.

Visit trekbikes.com for more details.

Vital MTB Rating

• Climbing : 4 stars - Excellent
• Descending : 5 stars - Spectacular
• Fun Factor : 5 stars - Spectacular
• Value : 3 stars - Good
• Overall Impression : 4.5 stars - Outstanding

About the Tester

Brad Howell - Age: 41 // Years Riding: 26 // Height: 5'9" (1.75m) // Weight: 170-pounds (77.1kg)

Brad started mountain biking when a 2.25-inch tire was large, and despite having threads, bottom brackets sucked. Riding in the woods with friends eventually lead way to racing, trying to send it at the local gravel pits, and working in bike shops as a wrench to fix those bikes. Fortunate enough to have dug at six Rampages and become friends with some of the sport’s biggest talents, Brad has a broad perspective of what bikes can do and what it means to be a good rider. For several years Brad worked in the bike industry and got to see the man behind the curtain. These days, though, he just likes riding his bike in the woods with friends.

Video and Photos by gordo

35 comments

Post a reply to: we ride the not-so-secret 2021 trek slash (and love it), specifications, sizes and geometry.

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2021 Trek Slash is a completely different beast

Redesigned enduro racer gets more capable and more convenient

As one of the first enduro-focused 29ers, Trek's Slash was starting to show its age. It has enjoyed racing success under Katy Winton, Pedro Burns and Florian Nicolai, but its geometry was getting left behind by rivals such as the new Specialized Enduro .

So, as you might expect, the all-new Slash is far more up to date. It's designed to thrive on the ever more demanding terrain seen at enduro races, with more suspension travel and longer, lower, slacker geometry.

It's also got a steeper seat tube angle and a lighter frame, so it should climb better too. What's more, it's gone one up on Specialized by offering internal down tube storage in both the aluminium and carbon frames, along with a few features unique to Trek.

We've already seen the new bike racing at the first round of the EWS in Zermatt, Switzerland, and now we can share all the details.

2021 Trek Slash geometry

Perhaps the most important update is to the Slash's shape.

It still uses Trek's Mino Link system, which can raise or lower the bottom bracket by 7mm while altering the head and seat angles by half a degree, and because we usually rode the old bike in its low setting, we'll compare the new geometry in that configuration.

The head angle is now 1-degree slacker, at 64.1 degrees in the low setting; the reach has increased by 15mm to 40mm size-by-size (the largest frame now has a whopping 515mm reach); the wheelbase has grown by 25mm to 50mm depending on size. Pretty much all of this growth comes from the front-centre because the rear-centre has only increased by 2mm, to 437mm.

Meanwhile, the bottom bracket drop has increased by 8mm, and now sits at 345mm in the low setting. That's quite low for a bike with this much travel.

One particular criticism of the old Slash was the slack seat tube angle, which made it tricky to tackle steep climbs. And while the travel-adjustable fork on some models helped a little, it was almost an admission of the problem. Well, it's now 2 degrees steeper, measuring 75.6 degrees in low and 76.1 degrees in high.

This is still a bit slacker than some of its rivals, but definitely a step in the right direction.

• What’s the future of MTB geometry?

To complement the longer reach numbers, Trek is speccing very short 35mm stems across all sizes, along with (now almost ubiquitous) short offset forks.

Internal storage in alloy frames as well as carbon

While Trek certainly wasn't the first to think of turning the down tube into a handy storage area, it's brought the idea (which we're big fans of) to more people.

We first saw Trek do it with the Fuel EX trail bike and Domane road bike . In the case of the Slash, both the carbon and alloy frames have the handy compartment for snacks, pumps, tools and the like, while Specialized only offers down tube storage on its pricier carbon frames.

With the cheapest Slash coming in at £2,650, Trek's internal storage is available at a lower price point.

Trek Slash suspension

Trek has boosted the suspension travel by 10mm at each end – it now serves up 160mm in the rear and 170mm up front.

The Slash still uses Trek's ABP (active braking point) suspension system, which works a bit like a Horst-link design, but the chainstay pivot is placed further back and is concentric with the rear axle.

Unlike a single-pivot layout, the brakes are not directly connected to the rear swingarm; this causes the suspension to sit higher in its travel under braking, where the suspension is softer.

While the layout looks similar to the old, the main pivot has been raised slightly to give the bike a bit more anti-squat, so it should pedal more efficiently.

• Click here for more on suspension designs and the differences between them

Some Slash models use Trek's Thru-shaft shock technology, with a Thru-shaft version of the RockShox Super Deluxe shock. Thru-shaft shocks have a damper shaft that goes all the way through the damper body and out the other side. This means the shaft doesn't displace any extra oil as it enters the damper.

This allows Trek to dispense with the dynamic internal floating piston (IFP), which compensates for the oil displaced by the shaft in most shocks. Trek claims this reduces friction so the shock changes direction faster and tracks the ground better.

However, it's worth remembering that IFP friction is only a small component of the total friction in a shock, particularly an air shock. Also, the Thru-shaft design requires a second shaft seal where the shaft exits the damper, which inevitably adds some friction back in.

Trek insists the removal of the IFP more than makes up for this, but we'd say that any reductions in friction resulting from Thru-shaft are unlikely to be game-changing.

The Slash is compatible with some non-proprietary shocks (in fact, two of the less expensive models come with regular, non-Thru-shaft shocks). However, the standard RockShox Super Deluxe won't fit because the lockout lever hits the frame.

The proprietary RockShox shock has a few interesting features besides the Thru-shaft damper. There's a lockout lever for climbing, plus a three-position dial to adjust the low-speed compression damping in the open mode. The rebound dial sits behind this and is numbered to make it easy to tell which rebound setting you're in without counting clicks.

The shock also has a larger negative spring volume than the standard DebonAir can. This means it should be softer at the start of the stroke, but firmer after sag. Apparently this change was inspired by the RockShox MegNeg air can , but it's not quite as extreme.

Interestingly, Trek has moved away from its RE:activ regressive damping technology, first used in 2014, in favour of shimmed valves. This change is apparently because modern enduro racing demands sensitivity over pedalling efficiency.

Knock Block 2.0 is better, and it's optional

Knock Block is Trek's system for stopping the bars turning past a certain angle. This has two advantages: first, it prevents the brake levers hitting the top tube or the cables pulling out if the bars spin in a crash. Second, it allows Trek to design straighter (and therefore lighter) down tubes because they no longer need to curve upwards to avoid the path of the fork crown when spun round.

The Knock Block 2.0 in the new Slash is only there for the first reason, because the curved down tube on the new Slash clears the fork crown. The new Knock Block allows a greater steering angle than before – the bars can turn by 72 degrees, up from 58 degrees. This should allow for tighter turns, but we rarely found the steering lock of the old system to be a problem on the trail .

It's also removable, so if your stunt repertoire is broader than ours you can still turn the bars as much as your cables will allow.

Big seat tube for big dropper posts

Fans of standard conformity will be disappointed by the 34.9mm diameter as well as the proprietary shock. The stouter seat tube standard is not unique to Trek, but it is less common than 30.9 and 31.6mm diameters. The idea is to increase space for dropper post internals and boost reliability and stiffness.

The seat tube insertion length has been increased too, allowing the use of longer travel dropper posts. Complete bikes are equipped with droppers from 150mm to 200mm (Medium and Medium/Large sizes get 150mm posts, Large frames get 170mm, XL frames get 200mm).

It's a little heavier, but still light

Trek claims the 2021 carbon frameset weighs just 2,450g without the shock. It credits this low weight (for an enduro frame) to Trek's OCLV carbon layup and the fact that the ABP suspension layout has a pivot concentric with the rear axle rather than on the chainstay, which apparently makes for a lighter overall structure.

However, with the shock and hardware the carbon frame weighs 3,180g – the previous frame was slightly lighter at 3,060g. (These are claimed weights in both cases). Trek puts that slight increase in weight down to the bigger shock, down tube storage and 34.9mm seat tube.

2021 Trek Slash models

Trek slash 7.

• Frame : Alpha Platinum Aluminium
• Fork : RockShox Yari RC
• Shock : RockShox Deluxe Select
• Drivetrain : SRAM NX Eagle, 11-50t
• Brakes : SRAM Guide T
• Price : £2,650 / €3,499 / $2,999

Trek Slash 8

• Fork : RockShox Lyrik RC
• Shock : RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate, Thru shaft three-position damper
• Drivetrain : SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed, 10-52t
• Brakes : SRAM Code R
• Price : £3,100 / €3,999 / $3,499

Trek Slash 9.7

• Frame : OCLV Mountain Carbon main frame and stays
• Fork : Fox Rhythm 36
• Shock : Fox DPX2, EVOL air spring, DPS damper
• Drivetrain : SRAM NX/GX Eagle, 12-speed, 10-52t
• Price : £5,250 / €4,799 / $5,999

Trek Slash 9.8 XT

• Fork : RockShox ZEB Select
• Drivetrain : Shimano XT M8100, 12-speed, 10-51t
• Brakes : Shimano SLX M7120
• Price : £5,250 / €5,999 / $5,999

Trek Slash 9.8 GX

• Brakes : SRAM G2 RSC
• Price : £5,800 / € 5,999 / $6,599

Trek Slash 9.9 XO1

• Fork : RockShox ZEB Ultimate
• Drivetrain : SRAM X01 Eagle, 12-speed, 10-52t
• Brakes : SRAM Code RSC
• Price : £7,500 / €7,999 / $8,499

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Trek Slash 9.9 XO1

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Weight / M - 14.12 kg / 31.14 lbs (with TLR sealant, no tubes)

At a glance

Where to buy.

Specifications

• Frame OCLV Mountain Carbon main frame & stays, internal storage, tapered head tube, Knock Block 2.0, Control Freak internal routing, Carbon Armor, shuttle guard, threaded BB, ISCG 05, 34.9mm seat tube, magnesium rocker link, Mino Link, ABP, Boost148, 160mm travel
• Fork RockShox ZEB Ultimate, DebonAir spring, Charger 2.1 RC2 damper, tapered steerer, 44mm offset, Boost110, 15mm Maxle Stealth, 170mm travel
• Shock NEW RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate, DebonAir spring, Thru Shaft 3-position damper, 230x62.5mm
• Wheels Front: NEW Bontrager Line Elite 30, OCLV Mountain Carbon, Tubeless Ready, 6-bolt, Boost110, 15mm thru axle Rear: NEW Bontrager Line Elite 30, OCLV Mountain Carbon, Tubeless Ready, Rapid Drive 108, 6-bolt, SRAM XD driver, Boost148, 12mm thru axle
• Wheel Size 29"
• Tires Size: S , M , ML , L , XL Bontrager SE4 Team Issue, Tubeless Ready, Core Strength sidewall, aramid bead, 60 tpi, 29x2.40'' Size: S , M , ML , L , XL Bontrager SE5 Team Issue, Tubeless Ready, Core Strength sidewall, aramid bead, 60 tpi, 29x2.60''
• Chain SRAM GX Eagle, 12 speed
• Crank Size: S SRAM X01 Eagle, DUB, 30T alloy ring, Boost (55mm chainline), 170mm length Size: M , ML , L , XL SRAM X01 Eagle, DUB, 30T alloy ring, Boost (55mm chainline), 175mm length
• Shifters SRAM X01 Eagle, 12 speed
• Brakeset Size: S , M , ML , L , XL Size: S , M , ML , L , XL
• Saddle Bontrager Arvada, austenite rails, 138mm width
• Seatpost Size: S Size: M , ML
• Stem Bontrager Line Pro, 35mm, Knock Block, Blendr compatible, 0 degree, 35mm length
• Grips Bontrager XR Trail Pro, alloy lock-on
• Headset Knock Block 2.0 Integrated, 67-degree radius (includes infinite-radius chip), sealed cartridge bearing, 1-1/8'' top, 1.5'' bottom

Q: Where to buy a 2021 Trek Slash 9.9 XO1?

The 2021 Trek Slash 9.9 XO1 may be purchased directly from Trek .

Q: How much does a 2021 Trek Slash 9.9 XO1 weigh?

A 2021 Trek Slash 9.9 XO1 weights M - 14.12 kg / 31.14 lbs (with TLR sealant, no tubes).

Q: What size wheels does the 2021 Trek Slash 9.9 XO1 have?

The 2021 Trek Slash 9.9 XO1 has 29" wheels.

Q: What size 2021 Trek Slash 9.9 XO1 should I get?

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[Tested] 2021 Trek Slash 9.9 XO1

It’s been quite some time since Trek last updated the Slash – four plus years ago to be a little more precise. Since the last iteration was released, there have been enormous changes in the trends popular amongst bikes in the Enduro category. Perhaps the biggest refinements have been to geometry, and unsurprisingly the new Slash has undergone major tweaks in that arena. With that said, the bike also sees a plethora of other updates such as the inclusion of downtube storage, a radically different rear shock, a 10mm front/rear travel bump and a host of other subtle and not-so-subtle changes. For the last few weeks I’ve been getting to spend a great deal of time on the new bike at Silver Mountain in Idaho. Rough and ragged with descents nearing 4,000 vertical feet per lap, Silver has made the perfect testing ground for the hungry new Slash. Read on to see how it’s been working out…

• 29″ wheels only
• Boost front and rear hub spacing
• Metric shock sizing with trunnion upper mount
• 170mm front travel / 160mm rear travel
• ABP (active braking pivot) suspension layout
• Mino-Link flip chip for adjustable geometry
• SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger
• Internally routed cables / hoses
• Knock Block 2.0 with increased turning radius
• Downtube storage
• Full downtube protection
• 32 pounds (tubeless, no pedals)
• $ 7,999.99 USD

Starting with suspension, up front we see the all new RockShox Zeb with 170mm travel and a 44mm offset crown. With burly 38mm stanchions, the fork feels nearly as stiff as a BoXXer double crown fork. Like most RockShox offerings, it has externally adjustable high and low speed compression with a single rebound adjuster via its Charger 2.1 cartridge. An all new industrial design, the option of an integrated fender and a bottom out indicator are a couple of other new features.

We could dedicate an entire story to the new rear shock but we’ll try to keep it brief. Gone is Re:Aktiv, a technology co-developed with Penske to improve pedaling performance. Thru-Shaft still remains, and this new version of the shock is based around a RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate. Okay, so – Thru-Shaft offsets shaft displacement by having the shock’s shaft literally exit through the bottom of the shock as it cycles through its travel. This means that the shock’s reservoir and thus its internal floating piston are now mainly concerned with temperature management as opposed to also dealing with shaft displacement. In lieu of Re:Aktiv, is a standard shimmed damper (Hallelujah!) which now has a simple 3-position adjuster to help tune out pedal input. It’s not really an open / trail / lock style setup, but rather three broad settings of low speed compression. This adjuster controls the extent to which a shim blocks an orifice that manages low speed compression on both the compression and the rebound side, and thus helps mitigate pedal bob cause by both compression and extension. More on the rear shock under “Setup”…

A handful of features, both new and old. Clockwise from top left: KnockBlock 2.0 features a warmly welcomed increase 14º in steering radius, from 58º to 72º. It also no longer needs the frame bumper of old on the downtube. Much like the new Fuel EX, Trek has included downtube storage via a trap door under the bottle cage, which is a life saver all around. Like most Treks, the new Slash features Mino link, a flip chip that offers a .5º variance in head tube angle and a +/- 7mm adjustment to bottom bracket height. Lastly, Trek have also jumped on the bandwagon of stashing a multi tool in the steerer tube. Compared to the Specialized SWAT CC that this is seemingly modeled after, it does offer an expanded range in tools and an improved chain tool, although it is a pain to install and remove the unit as a whole.

SRAM’s reknowned X01 Eagle 12 speed group is standard fare, albeit now with an expanded range due to a bump from 50T to 52T in the largest gear. Up front a 30T is spec’d to motor you up the big climbs on long days, and an MRP chainguide protects your investment. One thing we found odd is the choice of 175mm length cranks – on a bike this aggressive, we would have expected and very much preferred shorter 170mm cranks. Aside from that, much like we’ve come to expect over the last couple of years, the Eagle group has offered phenomenal shift quality and a huge range.

Up front, it’s mainly in house spec, starting with Bontrager lock on grips which were swapped for our trusty Sensus Meaty Paws. The handlebar itself is a crazy wide 820mm Bontrager Line Pro carbon fiber bar. It has a 35mm clamp and a 27.5mm rise. I trimmed the bar to 800mm, which was easy due to its guide marks. Lastly, the Bontrager Line Pro stem meshes nicely with the Knock Block system, although that does leave you relegated to 10mm bar height adjustments. Feeling like my hands were resting a bit too far behind the front tire’s contact patch, I switched the stock 35mm length stem for a 45mm and felt at ease right away.

The latest version of Bontrager’s in-house dropper post has been exceeding expectations. Its action is smooth and it is stiff and supportive, due to the oversized 34.9mm diameter. As far as the lever goes, at first it seemed odd that it is placed so close to the handlebar, but I eventually took to it and realized that it helps you keep a better grasp on the grip when actuating it. The Arvada saddle had a good silhouette and just the right amount of padding, although it doesn’t seem to be all that rugged. All in all though, no complaints.

As one of the more high end models, we were happy to see Bontrager’s Line Elite 30 wheels spec’d on this model of the Slash. The 29mm inner diameter carbon fiber rims have seen an updated profile that is a bit shallower to help take the edge off and give them a smoother ride quality without compromising stiffness. Thicker rim walls provide better impact resistance while the 108 point engagement provides fast power transfer. As far as tires go, the SE5 / SE4 combination are decent tires, but I don’t feel they are up to the task that the bike is clearly capable of, on the whole. The bulk of my testing was spent on Schwalbes with thicker casings and a burlier tread pattern. Speaking of tread pattern, it’s been some years since we’ve seen anything new from Bontrager and in my opinion, they are past due…

Last, but certainly not least, SRAM Code RSC brakes are tasked with slowing things down. These are my brake of choice on my personal bikes and I can’t say enough good things about them. The 200mm front and 180mm rear combo bolts up nicely with no adapters and gets the job done. Hard chargers who frequent steep terrain and/or long descents may want to swap up to a 200mm rear, but in stock form they should be just right for most riders.

While the new Slash sees a slew of new developments, the geometry updates are substantial to say the least. First off, the size range gets expanded from four up to five size offerings. The chainstay length hasn’t changed much, but the head angle has slackened one full degree and the BB dropped by a few millimeters. Speaking of angles, both the virtual and effective seat tube angles have been made steeper by a two full degrees for improved climbing. Lastly, reach numbers grew by roughly 25-30mm depending on the given size. All in all, the new Slash is a much more up to date bike with aggressive, but not ground breaking, numbers all around.

Starting with suspension, I began at my usual 20% sag up front and 30% sag out back, and to be quite honest I never once looked back because I was never compelled to. Straight out of the box, the suspension curve and progression rate was dead on, so aside from playing with rebound and the compression settings a tad, I never felt the need to add or remove volume reducers at any point. Keeping  that in mind, this new version of the RockShox Super Deluxe with Thru-Shaft allows for one further element of adjustment – you can run zero or one negative air spring reducer, should you choose. This will essentially affect your off the top feel, being softer or firmer, respectively. Speaking of air springs, the new air can features a negative air spring volume that lands roughly between the standard Super Deluxe air can and a MegNeg – at least according to Chris Mandell at RockShox. On top of that, t he all new shock has some very interesting features – some of which could provide a glint into future products from RockShox. T he rebound dial is now numbered, and for what it’s worth I found myself right in the middle at the number 5 setting, which is spot on for a 180 pound rider. As far as cockpit goes, it was easy to get all dialed in with a longer 175mm travel dropper seatpost on my size Large, but I did wish I could have raised the handlebar a bit higher. Trek ships the bike with two 10mm spacers that are integral to Knock Block. For the taller, lankier riders out there it would be nice to see the steerer tube cut a little longer so that 3 spacers could fit. This means that I’ll need a taller bar or stem if I want to go any higher – a small matter, but worth mentioning.

On the trail

When testing a new bike, my initial saddle time is almost always spent on a climb as most of my time on the bike is pedal powered. With the Slash however, I was fortunate to squeeze in a great deal of descending (roughly 75,000 feet of vertical) in very short order, thanks to the fact that I now live just 40 minutes from Silver Mountain. Dropping into the upper trails you’re greeted by loads of super sharp rocks that are both loosely strewn about and firmly embedded into the dirt. As the trails dip down into the woods, as you’ll see in the video below, there are loads of roots, braking bumps and bomb holes. So while the area I tested in is plenty rough, it isn’t all that steep – not Santa Cruz loamer steep anyway. Silver’s borderline excessive mid-grade bench cuts and off cambers will make a full DH bike feel difficult to muscle around at times, but duty wise, the Slash turned out to be just right for this type of riding. So, how did it go?

Well, straight away, up front I was very impressed by the Zeb and this was actually my first time aboard one. It felt very familiar as its Charger 2.1 damper makes the action feel a lot like a Lyrik or a Pike. The air spring’s lower operating pressures, which I was able to run in the 60 PSI range as opposed to the 90 PSI range, improved sensitivity. Perhaps that could also be attributed to its burly chassis, which definitely wowed me in terms of stiffness and steering precision. Getting to the frame itself, out back I’ve got to admit – I was never really a big fan of Re:Aktiv and I’m happy to see it gone. Its hydraulics interfered a bit too much as it tried to create the perfect bike that climbed like a hardtail without needing to lean on a lockout. To me, it always seemed gimmicky and inhibited the flat out performance as the pedal platform never quite “got out of the way” enough in the rough stuff. This is absolutely NOT the case with the new rear shock, which has totally won me over.

Now, before I continue heaping on praise of the rear shock, it’s worth pointing out that on the kinematic side, Trek’s engineers have also done their homework and done it well. I’ve always felt that ABP has been one of the most compliant feeling layouts on the market, especially under heavy braking, and on the kinematic end it shines brightest in successive mid sized events such as babyheads, chunder, roots, braking bumps, etc. This bike carries on that tradition and does it better than ever before. With past Trek models that used Re:Aktiv, after just one ride, I often found myself pondering if it would fit a coil rear shock, hoping to get more compliance out of the actual shock itself. With the new Slash I never once felt the need for a coil, even on the aforementioned brutal 4,000 foot descents. So, this new RockShox Super Deluxe with Thru-Shaft sure seems like a whole new air shock altogether from RockShox. Regardless, the action was excellent with bountiful traction, plenty of control, just the right air spring curve and a nice range of usable adjustment both on the hydraulic and pneumatic side.

It’s worth discussing the new Low Speed Compression switch (in blue) for a moment. When doing park laps, I left it in the most open of the 3 positions and got all the traction I could ever ask for. Initially I started out doing laps in the middle setting and every so often I got the odd, perceptible spike now and again when transitioning from smooth sections to a first initial impact. I personally found that although the variance between the 3 settings is nowhere near as extreme as an “Open, Trail, Lock” style lockout, I preferred to use this lever in the same fashion. When descending for long periods of time, I left it fully open. When grinding up long climbs I left it in the *almost firmest setting – which by the way feels pretty compliant but pedals very efficiently. Note the shock has a totally firm lockout via the two-position black lever, I tested it out but never used really it – surely riders will appreciate it on fire roads though. Anyhow – on variable trails I just left it in the middle position. Lastly, I liked that the adjuster sits at 45º on the shock body, which makes it easy to reach while riding. Left handed riders will like it even more based on its position.

Okay, so the suspension flat out rules. What about geometry, handling, features and all the other important stuff? Beginning with the former, I actually started out and hardly strayed from the higher / steeper geometry option due to the longer 175mm cranks. While I can’t fault the ride quality in this setting, I could certainly see myself and others taking advantage of the lower / slacker option on steeper and faster terrain, so it is great having the option, but I would personally prefer to go down that road with shorter cranks. On the whole, the Slash has made leaps and bounds and landed right about where a modern Enduro bike should be, geometry wise. The front:rear center length ratio is just right, making it well balanced front to back. The bike is easy enough to manual and get around tight corners, but doesn’t give up much in terms of stability. The head angle is just right – a bit more nimble and sprightly in the high position. In low/slack it is detuned and desensitized to speed a bit more, but does flop a touch more on the climbs, which is to be expected.

If I had one complaint it was that, although Trek steepened the seat angle by 2º, in my opinion they could have taken that further still, to make for a bike that puts your body in an even better position to grind out climbs all day, regardless of the fact that you’re basically on a downhill bike. A ~75.75º (average) effective seat angle is nothing to scoff at, but I’d love to see it more like 77º. Then again, I’ve got long limbs and a short torso, and riders with opposite and/or more average proportions won’t be as phased, because they won’t require such a tall seat height and thus will sit further forward.

In terms of the overall handling, I can’t think of a single negative attribute. This is partially credited to the aforementioned geometry and suspension, but also a nod is very much due to the frame’s excellent layup and construction, which makes it just rigid enough without riding rough, and helps it boost when you need to get it off the ground. Despite being a long travel bike, Slash assertively walks the line between surefooted confidence and a sprightly, poppy demeanor. It’s easy to both hold the line and change the line in a millisecond. I went into this review thinking it would feel like a lot of bike, but it didn’t. At 32 pounds it’s actually pretty light weight when you consider just how much bike this is, and that it picks up roughly a pound from its full coverage chain guide – something that also earns the product managers the tip of a hat.

Regarding spec, for the most part I think Trek has done a stellar job at picking out a good mix here. The Zeb fork is a standout and both the Eagle drivetrain and Code brakes have earned high praise from us over the years, so I won’t drone on about them. Grips aside, the cockpit leaves little to complain about despite being fully in house parts from Bontrager. I quite liked the revised dropper post – it was smooth and less flexy on the climbs due to the oversized 34.9 diameter. The wheels have proven, like their slightly more expensive counterparts , to be really damn good. I had more than a handful of scary rock to rim impacts that had me pulling off trail to assess the damage, only to find none. Central to wheels, there was the issue of tires which I went over in “Details” – simply put, more aggressive riders will likely want to swap them out on short order.

As far as the noteworthy Trek/Slash specific features go, I will say that these days I’m much more of a fan of Knock Block than I once was. First and foremost, with the increased turning radius, now you straight up don’t even notice it. In fact if you do notice it while riding, it means you’re likely just about to hit the deck. And this is where it’s most beneficial. Since my first time riding Knock Block about 4-5 years ago, I have had one rather dramatic crash which resulted in a split brake line on a bike without Knock Block – the brake line split from the bars spinning too hard without a steering stop. On my very long walk home I spent a great deal of time talking to myself and thinking that maybe Knock Block isn’t that bad after all. In terms of the downtube storage, it’s obviously brilliant – in fact, it makes it very hard to go back to other systems where you’re relegated to stashing odds and ends on your bike.

So, aside from a couple of minor grievances – long cranks, flimsy tires, seat angle could be *slightly* steeper – the Slash is a super impressive machine. Every single attribute has been greatly improved over the past model. It’s very manageable for long days in the saddle with big climbs, but where it shines most is when things get rough…really rough. It absolutely gobbles up impacts of all speeds and sizes flawlessly. Both front and rear it was supple, sensitive and full of traction. It’s near impossible to get it to misbehave in the successive mid-sized hits, and on heavy impacts I used all the travel often and the o-rings just kissed the bottom out indicators – but I never felt one single harsh bottom out. It was the suspension performance above all that impressed me, and the handling came in at a close second. Sprinkle in smart features like downtube storage, Knock Block plus little things like the shuttle guard and you have a winner.

In my closing thoughts I always factor in value and yes, $7,999 is a lot of money for a bike, but it’s par for the course when it comes to flagship spec, and this specific model features a damn good parts pick, with carbon wheels and no major corners cut. If this model would leave your wallet too light, just know that there is a full range of new Slashes at a wide array of price points and aluminum frame options – consider the Slash 8, which packs an amazing punch at $4,000. Last but not least, props to Trek for including the downtube storage feature on those aforementioned metal models as well. All in all, the Slash is a bike park monster and would be an excellent candidate for a privateer racer as well. You’d be a fool not to consider one if you’re in the market for a new Enduro bike.

www.trekbikes.com

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Mayoral election in st. petersburg, florida (2021).

• Related content:
• St. Petersburg, Florida
• Florida elections, 2021
• Public policy in Florida
• Influencers in Florida
• Municipal governments
• Local courts
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Ken Welch defeated Robert Blackmon 60% to 40% to win the general election for mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida on November 2, 2021. Incumbent Mayor Rick Kriseman (D) did not run for re-election due to term limits. [1]

Welch served as a Pinellas County Commissioner from 2000 to 2020, and Blackmon had served on the St. Petersburg City Council since 2020. [2] [3] Though the race was officially nonpartisan, Welch was a registered Democrat and Blackmon was a registered Republican. [4] [5]

St. Petersburg was one of seventeen of the 100 largest cities to hold general elections for mayor on Nov. 2, 2021. Heading into the election, 63 of the 100 largest cities' mayors were Democrats, 26 were Republicans, 10 were either nonpartisan or independent, and one mayor's affiliation was unknown. Following the Nov. 2 election, no mayoral offices changed partisan control. To read more about mayoral elections in 2021, click here .

A central issue in the race was the redevelopment of Tropicana Field and the question of whether the location would continue to be the home stadium of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team. In an Oct. 11 debate , Welch said: "I absolutely think we can keep the Rays in St. Peterburg. Secondary, if we can't keep them certainly Tampa Bay is the next option." He went on to say that: "I have said that it [baseball] is secondary. [...] The priority is the jobs and equitable development and it has to be a fair deal to the City of St. Pete and the taxpayers." Blackmon said: "I still hold out hope that we can have the Rays have a stadium [in St. Petersburg]." He also said: "I need to look at the harsh realities that are constantly evolving on the site. That site is the future of economic development for our city. It is where we can put hotel space. It is where we can put office space." [6]

In an article about Welch’s campaign, the Tampa Bay Times quoted Cesar Fernandez, Kriseman’s 2013 campaign manager, as saying: “The advantage Ken Welch has is people love living in St. Pete. All of these things make it hard for a Blackmon to say, ‘We had it wrong. We need change.’” In an article about Blackmon’s campaign, the Times wrote: “Barry Edwards, a local political strategist informally advising the Blackmon campaign, said the path for a Republican is to run as a change agent and disruptor against a long-time elected official close to the current administration.” [4] [5]

Blackmon and Welch were the two top vote-getters in the August 24, 2021, primary with 28.6% and 39.1% of the vote, respectively. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, Blackmon and Welch advanced to the November 2 general election. Seven other candidates ran against Blackmon and Welch in the primary. Of these candidates, Darden Rice , who received 16.5% of the vote, was the only one to poll over 10%. Rice endorsed Welch in the general election. [7]

This was the first open race for mayor of St. Petersburg since 2009. [8] The last Republican to serve as mayor of St. Petersburg was Bill Foster from 2010 to 2014. [9] Kriseman defeated Foster in the 2013 mayoral election, and was subsequently re-elected in 2017.

Click on candidate names below to view their key messages :

• 1 Candidates and results
• 2 Candidate profiles
• 3 Campaign finance
• 4 Noteworthy endorsements
• 5.1.1 October
• 5.1.2 September
• 6.1 Robert Blackmon
• 6.2 Kenneth Welch
• 7.1 Tampa Bay Times and Spectrum Bay News 9 mayoral debate (October 19, 2021)
• 7.2 WFLA and Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce mayoral debate (October 11, 2021)
• 7.3 St. Petersburg Arts Alliance mayoral debate (October 5, 2021)
• 7.4 WEDU PBS candidate conversation (October 1, 2021)
• 8.1.1 Campaign website
• 8.2.1 Campaign website
• 9 Mayoral partisanship
• 10.1 Report a story for this election
• 10.2 Candidate survey
• 12.1 City government
• 12.2 Demographics
• 13 See also
• 14 External links
• 15 Footnotes

Candidates and results

General election, general election for mayor of st. petersburg.

Kenneth Welch defeated Robert G. Blackmon in the general election for Mayor of St. Petersburg on November 2, 2021.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for mayor of st. petersburg.

The following candidates ran in the primary for Mayor of St. Petersburg on August 24, 2021.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey , or Ballotpedia staff compiled a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. [10]

Incumbent: No

Political Office:  

• St. Petersburg City Council (Assumed office: 2020)

Biography:   Blackmon received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida State University in 2011. Prior to his political service, he worked as a founding partner for Blackmon Properties from 2011 to 2021 and as the owner and manager of some commercial and real estate properties in St. Petersburg.

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here .

Blackmon said his experience in real estate would help him increase economic development, preserve neighborhoods, and help small businesses create economically accessible housing. Regarding Tropicana Field, his campaign website says he will “ensure our small businesses and minority communities have a seat at the table” and “fight to get the best deal for the taxpayers.”

Blackmon said he was a political outsider, and that this would help him be transparent and accountable as mayor. Specifically, he said he would work to create a good relationship between the mayor’s office and other branches of state and local government, make public records accessible, and avoid partisanship.

Blackmon said he would work to prevent water pollution in the city, invest in environmental infrastructure, and preserve natural coastlines.

Show sources

Sources: Robert Blackmon's campaign website , "Issues," accessed September 15, 2021 ; The Weekly Challenger , "Candidate Robert Blackmon," July 9, 2021 ; Bay News 9 , "Interview: St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Robert Blackmon," September 14, 2021 ;  St. Petersburg , "District 1: Robert Blackmon," accessed September 15, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of St. Petersburg in 2021.

• Pinellas County Commission (2000-2020)

Biography:   Welch received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of South Florida in 1985 and a master’s in finance from the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Prior to his political service, he worked as an accountant for Progress Energy from 1987 to 2001, and as an associate vice president of business services at St. Petersburg College from 2006 to 2011.

Welch said he would support economic development, specifically surrounding Tropicana Field, while also combatting the displacement of residents and businesses. His campaign website says he believes “inclusive progress means that everyone in our community feels invested in our progress, not displaced by it.”

Welch said his experience in business administration and as a Pinellas County Commissioner had prepared him for the role of mayor. As commissioner, he said he worked to expand Pinellas County Small Business Enterprise program, helped increase alternatives to incarceration for minors, and fund economically accessible housing.

Welch said he would support public safety by ensuring competitive pay and benefits for police officers, supporting law enforcement accountability, and funding anti-violence programs and schools.

Sources: Ken Welch's campaign website , "Principled Progress," accessed September 15, 2021 ; Ken Welch's campaign website , "Accomplishments," accessed September 15, 2021 ; Tampa Bay Times , "In mayoral run, Ken Welch wants St. Petersburg to achieve ‘inclusive progress’," June 19, 2021 ; Bay News 9 , "Interview: St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Ken Welch," September 4, 2021 ;  LinkedIn , "Ken Welch," accessed September 15, 2021

Campaign finance

Noteworthy endorsements.

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here .

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.

Robert Blackmon

• Oct. 29, 2021 : The candidates filed campaign finance reports with the St. Petersburg City Clerk. As of Oct. 28, Blackmon had raised $307,990 and spent $291,526, and Welch had raised $503,336 and spent $462,588.
• Oct. 21, 2021 : The candidates filed campaign finance reports with the St. Petersburg City Clerk. As of Oct. 15, Blackmon had raised $272,000 and spent $256,953, and Welch had raised $468,122 and spent $440,057.
• Oct. 19, 2021 : The candidates participated in a debate hosted by the Tampa Bay Times and Spectrum Bay News 9 .
• Oct. 15, 2021 : The candidates filed campaign finance reports with the St. Petersburg City Clerk. As of Oct. 8, Blackmon had raised $248,940 and spent $207,358, and Welch had raised $444,611 and spent $419,742.
• Oct. 11, 2021 : The candidates participated in a debate hosted by WFLA and the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.
• Oct. 9, 2021 : The candidates filed campaign finance reports with the St. Petersburg City Clerk. As of Oct. 1, Blackmon had raised $221,375 and spent $190,018, and Welch had raised $432,715 and spent $384,275.
• Oct. 5, 2021 : The candidates participated in a debate hosted by the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance.
• Oct. 1, 2021 : Blackmon and Welch participated in a forum hosted by WEDU PBS.
• Sept. 30, 2021 : Welch was endorsed by St. Petersburg City Councilor Brandi Gabbard . [20]
• Sept. 22, 2021 : Welch was endorsed by state Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book (D). [14]

For older updates, click here .

• Sept. 21, 2021 : Welch was endorsed by state Sen. Darryl Rouson (D). [18]
• Sept. 17, 2021 : The candidates filed campaign finance reports with the St. Petersburg City Clerk. As of Sept. 10, Blackmon had raised $178,085 and spent $146,786, and Welch had raised $347,054 and spent $265,439.
• Sept. 15, 2021 : Blackmon was endorsed by state House Speaker Chris Sprowls (R), state Rep. Nick DiCeglie (R), and state Rep. Jackie Toledo (R). [16]
• Sept. 14, 2021 : Welch was endorsed by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) and state Rep. Janet Cruz (D). [12]

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us .

Supporting Blackmon

Kenneth Welch

Supporting Welch

Debates and forums

Tampa bay times and spectrum bay news 9 mayoral debate (october 19, 2021), wfla and tampa bay chamber of commerce mayoral debate (october 11, 2021), st. petersburg arts alliance mayoral debate (october 5, 2021), wedu pbs candidate conversation (october 1, 2021), campaign themes, campaign website.

Blackmon’s campaign website stated the following:

Welch’s campaign website stated the following:

Mayoral partisanship

Mayoral elections were held in 28 of the 100 largest U.S. cities in 2021. Once mayors elected in 2021 assumed office, the mayors of 64 of the country's 100 largest cities were affiliated with the Democratic Party .

The following top-100 mayoral offices changed partisan control in 2021:

• Mayor John J. Lee of North Las Vegas, Nevada , announced that he was changing his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican on April 6, 2021. [25]
• David Bronson (R) was elected as mayor of Anchorage, Alaska , on May 11, 2021. He assumed office on July 1, 2021, replacing nonpartisan Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson .

What was at stake?

Report a story for this election.

Ballotpedia researches issues in local elections across the United States, but information availability is a challenge for us in many areas. Please contact us about the issues that impact your local election. Note that not all submissions may meet Ballotpedia's coverage requirements for inclusion.

Candidate survey

Past elections.

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2017.

About the city

St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County , Florida . As of 2020, its population was 258,308.

City government

The city of St. Petersburg uses a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body while the mayor serves as the city's chief executive. [26]

Demographics

The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau .

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• City of St. Petersburg
• ↑ Tampa Bay Times , "St. Petersburg’s election season begins. So who’s running?," January 22, 2021
• ↑ LinkedIn , "Ken Welch," accessed September 15, 2021
• ↑ St. Petersburg , "District 1: Robert Blackmon," accessed September 15, 2021
• ↑ 4.0 4.1 Tampa Bay Times , "How Robert Blackmon can win the St. Petersburg mayor’s race," September 14, 2021
• ↑ 5.0 5.1 Tampa Bay Times , "How Ken Welch can win the St. Petersburg mayor’s race," September 14, 2021
• ↑ WFLA on Facebook , "St. Pete mayoral debate between Ken Welch, Robert Blackmon," October 11, 2021
• ↑ 7.0 7.1 Florida Politics , "Darden Rice endorses Ken Welch to be St. Pete’s next Mayor," September 8, 2021
• ↑ Tampa Bay Times , "St. Petersburg mayor’s race: It’s now between Ken Welch and Robert Blackmon," August 24, 2021
• ↑ Florida Politics , "Former Mayor Bill Foster backs Ken Welch in St. Pete mayoral race," July 23, 2021
• ↑ In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
• ↑ Tampa Bay Times , "Who should be St. Petersburg’s next mayor? We have an answer," July 29, 2021
• ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Florida Politics , "Kathy Castor, Janet Cruz endorse Ken Welch," September 14, 2021
• ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 Ken Welch's 2021 campaign website , "Endorsements," accessed July 20, 2021
• ↑ 14.0 14.1 Florida Politics , "Darryl Rouson endorses Ken Welch for St. Pete Mayor," September 22, 2021
• ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Robert Blackmon's 2021 campaign website , "Endorsements," accessed July 20, 2021
• ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Florida Politics , "Chris Sprowls endorses Robert Blackmon for St. Pete Mayor," September 15, 2021
• ↑ Florida Politics , "Darryl Rouson endorses Ken Welch for St. Pete Mayor," September 21, 2021
• ↑ 18.0 18.1 Florida Politics , "Here are all the major endorsements in the 2021 St. Petersburg primary election so far," August 12, 2021
• ↑ Tampa Bay Times , "Kriseman endorses Ken Welch for St. Petersburg mayor," July 19, 2021
• ↑ 20.0 20.1 Florida Politics , "Ken Welch announces support from Brandi Gabbard, Progress Florida," September 30, 2021
• ↑ 22.0 22.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
• ↑ Robert Blackmon’s campaign website , “Issues,” accessed September 15, 2021
• ↑ Ken Welch’s campaign website , “Principled Progress,” accessed September 15, 2021
• ↑ Las Vegas Review-Journal , "North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee says he’s becoming a Republican," April 6, 2021
• ↑ City Charter of St. Petersburg , "Article III.3.1," accessed October 28, 2014
• Pages using DynamicPageList3 parser function
• Pages using DynamicPageList3 dplreplace parser function
• Municipal elections, 2021
• Mayoral elections in Florida, 2021
• United States mayoral elections, 2021
• Marquee, completed election, 2021

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Fireplaces and stoves became an integral part of St. Petersburg houses due to the cold and damp climate. Regardless of the place, be it a front door or a palace, the decoration of almost every one of them is an artistic work. In our material we have tried to show the most sophisticated and striking antiques.

Ancient fireplaces and stoves, which can be seen in St. Petersburg

House of the insurance company "Russia"

The building was erected in 1905–1907 by the architects A. A. Gimpel and V. V. Ilyashev. The first floor was taken as a retail space, in particular, before the revolution there was a music store “Ya. Becker. Pianos and grand pianos. ” On the second and third floors are located the offices of the insurance company, and above - residential apartments. A spectacular and textured look to the building was given by a combination of black, red and light grayish-pink stone. Experts note the unusual lining of the first floor, for which they used blocks of red gangut granite.

A large number of ceramic stoves made in factories in Russia, Germany and Finland, and multi-colored floors with various patterns have been preserved in the interiors of the house. According to the legend, the decorations in the parade based on different seasons were created with the personal participation of Nikolai Roerich himself - a Russian artist and mystic philosopher.

After the 1917 revolution, various state institutions, such as the LandRevebumtrest and Snabcontora, were placed in the building. At the moment there is a museum and exhibition center "Rosfoto".

m. Admiralteyskaya, Bolshaya Morskaya, 35

Palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich

Since 1920, the palace became known as the House of Scientists. Here it was possible to preserve in its original form all the interiors of the palace, the pomp of the decorations of the ceremonial halls, the majesty of the grand prince's cabinets.

One of the highlights of the place is the Moorish boudoir, where there is an exquisite fireplace with oriental ornaments and decorations. It is made of Italian marble designed by M. Mesmacher in the workshop of E. Ruggia and S. Maderni.

By the way, another fireplace can be found in the Oak Hall, whose interior has remained virtually unchanged. The walls of the dining room are covered with stucco, skillfully imitating oak carving, thanks to which the appearance of the hall reminds of the traditional national art of patterned decoration of village huts. A bright fireplace immediately attracts attention with its patterns and unusual decoration.

Dvortsovaya Emb., 26

Menshikov Palace

At the Menshikov Palace, which is everywhere decorated with Delft ceramics, you should pay special attention.

One of the stoves is in the bedroom of Varvara Mikhailovna Arsenieva, Alexander Menshikov's sister-in-law. The tiled stove has a tiered form, like most of the palace furnaces of the time. But the uniqueness is that each individual tile represents a whole picture, and the tiles are combined into a single composition with frames and rosettes formed by their corners.

Universitetskaya Emb., 15

St. Petersburg City Palace of Youth

In Anichkov Palace, in the former boudoir of Empress Maria Feodorovna, a painted tiled stove was preserved.

The lining of the furnace is reproduced according to the sketch of M. Mesmacher by his students. Based on the idea of ​​the author, the chimney is decorated with a large panel of tiles, and antique motifs dominate in the painting.

Nevsky, 39 / nab. Fontanka River, 37

Kelch Mansion (House Lawyer)

Here, the Renaissance, the Gothic and the Rococo have merged together, and the interior decoration is striking at first sight: Italian marble, refined stucco, carved wood, unique sculptures, bronze candelabra, unusual stained glass windows - and all this in Kelch mansion.

There is also a chic fireplace here: it is located in the White Hall, made of light gray Italian marble, created by Maria Lvovna Dillon - the first woman in Russia to graduate from the Academy of Fine Arts in the class of sculpture. The incomparable bas-relief of the fireplace “Awakening of Spring” emphasizes the sophistication of the whole composition.

Tchaikovsky Street, 28

Children's library of history and culture of St. Petersburg

The main pride of the House and the most famous majolica fireplace by the artist MA Vrubel - “Volga and Mikula Selyaninovich” - is located here.

The very first version of the fireplace in this story was made in the Abramtsevo workshop for the Paris exhibition in 1900 by M. A. Vrubel and P. K. Vaulin. Kamin received a gold medal at the exhibition. The very first copy, apparently, was sold, its traces are lost. And Muscovites from various museums and employees of the Museum-Reserve Abramtsevo , where there are collapsible panels on this subject, often come to the fireplace in the library. There is a panel in the Russian Museum. But the color scheme, with a general plot, is completely different. The fireplace in the house Bazhanov details in the plot most. You can distinguish numerous variations on the faces of the Sirin birds. They are all different. This is most likely one of the most recent works by Vaulin and it was not made in Abramtsevo, but here near Petersburg in his workshop around 1909.

Marata Street, 72

House of bourgeois society

In addition to palaces, you can find old fireplaces and stoves in exquisite ceramic finishes and in ordinary St. Petersburg ceremonies.

One of the finest copies of the stoves is located in the House of the bourgeois society, built on the Fontanka embankment in 1910 according to the design of the architect N.K. Pryanishnikov.

The front door is decorated with a tiled stove, the decoration is made of dark blue glazed ceramic tiles, and the facade is decorated with a decor in the form of embossed floral ornament.

Fontanka River Emb., 86–88

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