Table of Contents

Trek E-Caliber 9.6 Review: Elevate Your Riding Experience

Trek E-Caliber 9.6 Review

Table of Contents

There’s a massive choice for downhill, enduro, and general trail electric mountain biking.
But where XC riders are often overlooked, there are 100s of different bikes fighting for attention in those areas.
A good XC bike requires speed, good handling, and light overall weight-not always easy to achieve with an e-MTB.

Trek stepped up to the plate in recent years with its E-Caliber range. The 9.6 Gen 2 is the second incarnation of their lowest-spec XC bike, with the original no longer for sale on their website.

The Trek E-Caliber 9.6 has dropped considerably in price over the past few months, which is a reason to take note.

Is this the one to make some music? Or is this a flop?

Do click to saddle up, for it’s time to ride off into the distance getting to grips with our Trek E-Caliber 9.6 Review.

Trek E-Caliber 9.6 Gen 2 Review

4/5
Trek E-Caliber 9.6

Price: $3,999

Peaks:👍

Troughs:👎

Weight/Frame

In our introduction, we referred to the necessity of having weight down; the company did a perfect job with Trek E-Caliber 9.6. We are talking about 18.48kg (medium size, as we happened to test). That is very light for an e-MTB.

It’s partially due to the company’s OCLV carbon frame – an ultra-strong, ultra-light carbon compound that balances out strength with weight.

You get four frame sizes: small, medium, large and extra-large, all offering similar geometry.

The geometry design of this bike puts a lot on the speed and ease in handling, so it very well-balanced but it also feels very playful.
You have several adjustable elements that elevate the riding experience, with a dropper post introduced (unlike the previous incarnations of this bike).

The bike feels pacey, and the aerodynamic qualities mean the bike moves seriously quickly. The handling is ultra-responsive too and, at times, you forget you’re on an e-MTB.

The perfect frame composition for a spritely XC bike and it feels beautiful to handle. A good start to this Trek E-Caliber review.

Trek E-Caliber 9.6

Battery

The Trek E-Caliber comes with a 250Wh Fauza Evation battery.

The overall weight compromise always comes from somewhere, and one of the places is from the weight of the battery.

Trek did this on purpose, obviously for weight reasons, but also to try and make the bike feel as natural as possible out on the trail and as close to a normal MTB as possible.

It’s been designed to give the mountain biking experience, not to create a powerhouse machine. You can expect a top range of around 50km on one charge, it isn’t mind-blowing, but the trade-off with low weight is worth it. Plus, you have to remember that XC rides tend to be short and fast. Rather than long-distance all-dayers. One feature is you could remove the battery and save the last bit of weight, and the bike rode like a normal mountain bike – brilliant, almost more than one bike. You can take out the battery and it weighs in only at 15.5kg, very seriously light.
Trek E-Caliber 9.6

Motor

The Trek E-Caliber 9.6 Gen 2 comes with the Fauza Evation Trail motor, producing up to 58Nm of torque.

The same thought process went into the selection of the motor pairing, which was to provide a natural feeling e-MTB experience.
The power delivery is fantastic, working intuitively with your pedal strokes so they kick in smoothly and die off when you need them to.

That gives you a fantastic level of control over the bike and you feel very much in charge of its movements.

The motor has 3 modes of assist – Breeze, River and Rocket – they are the equivalent of an Eco, Trail and Boost respectively.

Rocket mode can be pretty damn powerful, particularly with how light the bike is, so you actually don’t need to use it much.

Despite having only 58Nm of torque overall, the bike copes surprisingly well with the climbs, thanks to its light, sporty layout and suspension pairing – which we’ll come to shortly.

Like the battery, you can also clip out the motor.

Trek E-Caliber 9.6

ℹ️ Be cautious with your assistance use on hazardous technical sections – the bike’s heavyweight, combined with its immense power, could lead to a nasty accident if you aren’t careful or don’t have the strength to cope with it.

Motor Display

The amount of battery like you have left is shown on the controller as 5 LED lights-this is our absolute pet hate in the world of e-MTB displays.

What in the name of earth is wrong with a percentage figure? The lights essentially account for 20% of the charge, which creates a degree of unnecessary range anxiety – not ideal.

However, this depends on you buying a mount for your phone, and having it out on show as you ride, which during an accident could lead to damage.

It would therefore be our preference to have a display mounted on the bike, rather than a smartphone.

Trek E-Caliber 9.6

Suspension

It has 120mm at the front and 60mm at the rear. It’s not much travel, but that is the kind of set-up to get you moving on the XC trails. There is a very minimal amount of travel at the back end so you have loads of traction and can pick up speed easily. It does not feel spongey so it is economical effort-wise on the flats and climbs. Meanwhile, you have a bit of leeway at the front end to absorb some respectable thumps and bumps you probably will encounter on a cross-country route.
Trek E-Caliber 9.6
Trek E-Caliber 9.6

The bicycle is fitted with RockShox 35 Gold RLs at the front, and Trek IsoStrut Fox Performance shocks.

We are pretty impressed with the fork pairing. It does the trick nicely for an XC bike, enough travel and length in the fork to dampen a lot of turbulence on the trail.

If you are looking for a bike that can conquer adventurous terrain with big drops and impacts, this one is not for you. It’s meant for pacey XC riding, and the suspension set-up has all the right qualities for such riding.

Wheels/Tires

Trek E-Caliber 9.6
Trek E-Caliber 9.6

The Trek E-Caliber 9.6 is offered with 29-inch Bontrager Switch wheels and the Bontrager XR3 Team Issue tyres.

It really is a pretty good tyre for building up some traction when you’re on some varied terrain, and feels fairly comfortable to ride, is a reasonably slim tread and you don’t feel it’s too much in your way with the rolling resistance, and sheds very nicely.

It lacks playfulness of a mullet set-up but wouldn’t perform well on the flats if it were this way.
It’s just a good set-up for an XC bike.

Brakes

Trek E-Caliber 9.6

The Trek E-Caliber 9.6 has Shimano 4-piston MT420 brakes.

It does a fine job for low weight and not too many horsepower on the motor. No thrills but tick all the right boxes.

Drivetrain

The Trek E-Caliber 9.6 features a 12-speed Shimano Deore M6100 drivetrain.

It’s a very reliable drivetrain set-up, offering ultra-responsive shifting and reliability – precisely what you need over many hours in the saddle.

Price - $3,999

It’s just been knocked down a good bit in price lately on the Trek e-mountain bikes website.

It had previously been $6,649, so it’s about half price, which is a great deal.

The top-of-the-range bike is $14,000, but most of the main components on this bike are the same as the top-spec bike – frame, battery, motor etc.

It’s a great option for the people who want to ride in XC and is a total bargain at this price.

The E-Caliber is the leading XC range of e-MTBs and this bike offers slices of that ingenuity for a knockdown price.

We are seriously impressed with this electric Trek mountain bike.

Trek E-Caliber 9.6 Gen 2 Facts & figures

Trek E-Caliber 9.6
SIZERIDER HEIGHTINSEAM
S155 – 165 cm

5’1″ – 5’5″
74 – 78 cm

29″ – 31″
M165 – 176 cm

5’5″ – 5’9″
79 – 83 cm

31″ – 33″
L177 – 188 cm

5’10” – 6’2″
84 – 89 cm

33″ – 35″
XL188 – 195 cm

6’2″ – 6’5″
89 – 91 cm

35″ – 36″

Accessories to Enhance Your Riding Experience

To get the most out of your Trek E-Caliber 9.6, consider adding some essential accessories that can enhance your comfort, safety, and convenience while riding:

1. Helmets and Protective Gear

  • Helmet: A high-quality, well-fitting helmet is crucial for safety. Look for models that offer good ventilation and are lightweight.
  • Gloves: Padded gloves can improve grip and comfort on longer rides.
  • Knee and Elbow Pads: These can provide additional protection during more aggressive trail riding.

2. Bike Computer or GPS

  • A bike computer can help you track your speed, distance, and elevation gain. GPS devices or smartphone apps can also provide navigation assistance on unfamiliar trails.

3. Hydration Systems

  • Staying hydrated is essential, especially during long rides. Consider a hydration pack or water bottle cage that attaches to the frame for easy access.

4. Lighting

  • If you plan to ride in low-light conditions, investing in front and rear lights is essential for visibility and safety.

5. Fenders and Racks

  • Adding fenders can keep you clean and dry on muddy trails. A rear rack can also be helpful for carrying gear or commuting.

6. Pumps and Repair Kits

  • Always carry a portable pump and a basic repair kit with tire levers, a multi-tool, and patch kits to handle any roadside repairs.

7. Battery Charger

  • Consider getting an additional charger or a portable power bank to extend your riding range without worrying about battery life.

How Does it Compare?

Trek E-Caliber 9.6

There aren’t many players in the electric cross-country market.

Trek is very much at the forefront of a new movement to try and satisfy the XC riders out there, while many companies focus on downhill, enduro, and trail riding.

That makes comparison difficult, but we’ve opted to look at another super-light bike – the Specialized Turbo Levo SL Comp. This is more of an enduro bike, but it gives you an idea of another manufacturer targeting the super-light category, which in itself is relatively new to the e-MTB market.

The Turbo Levo SL Comp has a carbon frame, weighing 19.4kg – just short of our 18.48kg bike.

 

The Specialized comes with a custom 320Wh battery, a bit more juice than our 250Wh model, and you get a custom motor, which can kick out 35Nm of torque – much smaller than our 58Nm.

The Specialized is super playful though and far more aggressively set out. It’s designed for descending, technical terrain and some of the harder routes out there – not for the fast-paced XC routes like ours.

 


The Specialized has 150mm of travel at the front and the rear as a result, which really makes it a very different bike altogether, compared to our low level of travel.

In all honesty, the Specialized is much more capable to absorb impacts and big drops while our Trek is a much better speed and climb climber.

Super powerful SRAM brakes, a high-end SRAM drive train with 29-inch wheels can also be seen on Levo.

It’s another brilliant, light bike, but completely different from our Trek E-Caliber 9.6. The Turbo Levo SL Comp retails at a whopping $4,499, which is far too much for our ride.


Both are top-end bikes. It is quite simply a matter of choosing what type of riding you want to do: cross-country (Trek E-Caliber 9.6) or enduro (Specialized Turbo Levo SL Comp).

Final Thoughts

This Trek E-Caliber 9.6 is a fantastic e-cross-country bike and the company is exploring a relatively uncharted territory by venturing in this e-MTB space.

It is super light, sporty, fast paced, and has an excellent-sized motor to weight ratio. It does not feature the largest battery but rides very naturally, and you can clip it out wholly- two bikes in one.
Well, all said and done, everything works well, top to bottom except for that little glitch at the display, and fixable, too.

The price of the bike has also come down by half in recent months and that makes it a complete steal.

 

If you want to go XC riding, this delivers on many levels.

 

Better get out and give her a ride!

FAQs

The Trek E-Caliber 9.6 weighs approximately 50.5 pounds (22.9 kg). This weight includes the bike’s frame, battery, and components, making it relatively lightweight for an electric mountain bike.
The weight limit for the Trek E-Caliber is typically around 300 pounds (136 kg), including the rider and any additional gear. It’s always best to check with the manufacturer’s guidelines for the specific model to ensure safety and performance.
The Trek Rail 9.7 weighs about 54.5 pounds (24.7 kg). Similar to the E-Caliber, the Rail series focuses on providing a robust yet manageable weight for handling rugged terrain.
Most Trek e-bikes, including the E-Caliber, have a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph (32 km/h). This speed is governed by the electric motor’s specifications and is standard across many e-bike models to comply with regulations.
Yes, you can install a dropper post on a Trek ProCaliber. The bike is designed to accommodate various modifications, including dropper posts, which enhance the riding experience by allowing for quick seat height adjustments on the fly.