Trek Rail 9.5 Review

Bosch is the major motor manufacturer in the EMTB world, alongside Shimano - and it's no surprise, as the Performance Line CX shows. The Bosch motor climbs steep ramps effortlessly. The very natural riding feeling combines the Bosch Performance Line CX with a dynamic power delivery. This great combination mixed with lots of power, is something only a few other motors at Bosch's level can achieve. Thanks to the good range, longer tours with the Rail 9.5 are no problem.

The Rock Shox chassis provides safety and traction, even when the trail gets rougher. However, it comes to its limit at high speed. If the trail gets rougher however, the comparatively weak chassis can quickly limit the downhill fun. The mid-range brakes from Shimano do their job but could be a bit firmer. The power of the four pistons setup is only average. The drivetrain and components have a subordinate but not to be neglected importance when it comes to EMTB. Even the bike brand product managers know this and don't aim too high with mostly average components. The moderate head tube angle provides a good compromise between stability and agility when going downhill. The reach is also right there in the middle ground.