Total Weight:
52.3 lbs (23.72 kg)
Battery Weight:
5.7 lbs (2.58 kg)
Motor Weight:
8.8 lbs (3.99 kg)
Frame Material:
Aluminum Alloy
Frame Sizes:
17.72 in (45 cm)19.69 in (50.01 cm)21.65 in (54.99 cm)23.62 in (59.99 cm)Geometry Measurements:
Medium 50 cm: 21.75" Reach, 30.5" Stand Over Height, 24.5" Width, 72" Length
Frame Types:
High-Step
Frame Colors:
Viper Red with Black Accents
Frame Fork Details:
Rigid Carbon, 100 mm / 15 mm Thru Axle with Quick Release Maxle
Frame Rear Details:
135 mm x 9 mm Skewer with Allen Key
Attachment Points:
Rear Rack Bosses, Fender Bosses, Bottle Cage Bosses
Gearing Details:
11
Speed 1x11 Shimano Deore SLX Shadow Plus Derailleur with One-Way Clutch, Shimano SLX CS-M7000 Cassette 11-42TShifter Details:
Shimano SLX SL-M7000-R Rapid Fire Triggers on Right
Cranks:
Miranda Delta Alloy, 170 mm Length, 20T Chainring with Miranda Alloy Guard, ISIS Splined Bottom Bracket
Pedals:
Wellgo Alloy M-21 Platform
Headset:
FSA IS-2/42E/ACB, E2, Integrated, 36 mm Inner / 45 mm Outer Chamfer, Black
Stem:
Bontrager Elite Stem, 90 mm Reach, 7 Degree Rise, 31.8 mm Clamp Diameter, Custom Faceplate for Supernova Light, One 20 mm Spacer, One 10 mm Spacer
Handlebar:
Bontrager Lowriser, 620mm Length, 31.8 mm Clamp Diameter, 15 mm Rise, Black
Brake Details:
Shimano Deore M615 Hydraulic Disc with 180 mm Rotors, Resin Brake Pads, Shimano 3-Finger Adjustable Reach Levers
Grips:
Bontrager Satellite Elite, lock-On, Ergonomic
Saddle:
Bontrager Nebula H1
Seat Post:
Bontrager Alloy, 8 mm Offset
Seat Post Length:
330 mm
Seat Post Diameter:
31.6 mm
Rims:
Alex Volar, Alloy, Double Wall, 32 Hole, Reinforcement Eyelets, Formula Sealed Bearing Hubs
Spokes:
Stainless Steel, 14G, Black with Nipples
Tire Brand:
Schwalbe Super Moto-X, 27.5" x 2.4" (62-584)
Wheel Sizes:
27.5 in (69.85cm)Tire Details:
GreenGuard Puncture Protection, 30 to 55 PSI
Tube Details:
Presta Valve
Accessories:
Top and Bottom Extra-Long 217 mm Rubber Slap Guards, Alloy "Motor Armor" Skid Plate, Integrated Supernova M99 Pure+ Headlight (1,000 Lumen, Light Sensor Mode Control), Integrated Supernova E3 3-LED Backlight, Racktime Tubular Alloy Fenders with Plastic Ends, Racktime One Piece Rear Rack, Widek Decibel L-XXL Flick Bell, Alloy Derailleur Guard, Atran Rex-DV Kickstand (18 mm Chainstay Mount)
Other:
Locking Removable Battery Pack, 1.7 lb 4 Amp Charger, Maximum Total Weight Limit 300 lbs (136 kg), Model 1367000-2017, Shimano CN-HG601 Chain, Abus Downtube Frame Lock
Tommi Stough
7 years agoVery impressive riding assisted biking machine. Love the looks and the road-race style, the brakes, etc. Even though this is a review of a pretty high-end bike that is supposed to warrant the costs, I’m wondering, as a high-end buyer, even in the short time that I’ve owned an e-bike, if the prices of these things might be getting out of hand. This bike is much more expensive than mine and, like I said, even though I’m impressed with it, why why why… where does the price come from? Oh wait. I bet we all own iPhones, too.
Here’s a review of my über-expensive bike that’s actually cheaper than this one. Rant and ride-safe on.
-tbone
ReplyCourt Rye
7 years agoHi Tbone, I wonder about the high prices at times as well but have seen them dropping steadily. It’s promising to see big companies like Trek, Giant, and Specialized entering the space and with this kind of competition, the prices will surely become more and more competitive over time. I think one of the factors is just sales numbers, as more people get into ebikes, the volume will go up and the costs will come down even further. Thanks for sharing your review! Ride on :)
Replyroadrash
7 years agoJust picked up my bike today, the bosch motor does have a little bit of a whine to it, but so far i love it. I had a issue with the fork where it looked like it was damaged and attempted to be painted up by the factory, not impressed. Trek offered money or a replacement fork, i took the new carbon replacement fork. The bike was delivered with the headlight in the down lower position that Court said he thought it should be, glad cause that was going to be the first thing i asked them to change, but it showed up perfect.
ReplyCourt Rye
7 years agoAwesome, glad to hear the light was setup correctly and Trek took care of the fork. That’s a way better experience than getting something in a huge box with a scrape or something and having to deal on your own. I hope you like it! Please share your thoughts again someday after some time riding with it, I’d love to hear how it holds up and if the comfort works for you or if you upgrade anything
ReplyJames
7 years agoLove your reviews. I ended up getting the 9s version of this bike, in my opinion better looking in matt black, but the deal breaker is the fitted Nuvinci rear hub system, which is superb, the power transfer is seem-less and a thrill to ride. I live in New Zealand, so ended up getting the bike sent to me from the Netherlands after finding out about, and falling in love with this bike online. Trek has been amazing in product support even after bringing it in myself from overseas. Everyday I wake up, I can’t wait to get riding.
ReplyCourt Rye
7 years agoThat’s fantastic James, so glad the site helped you narrow down and yeah… the black looks sleek and NuVinci is the smoothest, most versatile drivetrain I know of. I hope it holds up well for you and you get many amazing days of fun riding. Report back anytime about how it’s doing! I think Trek really nailed it with their Super Commuter models this year :D
ReplyBay Area Commuter
7 years agoSome comments on this bikes range. I demoed it this weekend to simulate what my actual commute would look like, which is 35 miles over hilly Bay Area terrain. As a road bike rider i can usually expect to average close to 20 mph and my hope was to average with this bike closer to 25 and reduce my commute time. Unfortunately i got only about 30 miles out of the full charge in mostly Sport and Tour modes. After that i pedaled this 50+ lb beast the rest of the way without battery assist. The last 5 miles felt like the super commuter transformed into a banana seat Schwinn in all its heavy ugliness. Maybe a second battery would have helped me make my goal. But paying for another for an already expensive bike does not seem worth it to me. Certainly you can get more range from Eco and Tour modes but then you are as fast or slower than a traditional road bike.
ReplyCourt Rye
7 years agoGreat feedback, and very valid! There’s a huge range estimate in my reviews for this very reason… it depends on the terrain, speed, rider weight, wind etc. and additional batteries are VERY expensive. I still ride my non electric bike regularly because of how light and fun it is. I hope you find a solution or are able to return the Super Commuter, thanks for sharing your experience so constructively, I think it’s important for people to know the truth about range and get different perspectives.
ReplyKwil
6 years agoI was also concerned about Trek Super Commuter +8s range and whether or not I could cover my 33 mile hilly commute in Austin TX. I made it both ways with 2/5 bars left on the battery and averaged 22 mph using 80/20 Tour/Eco modes. Only used Sport and/or Turbo for a couple short steep hills. Tour felt like an enthused fan was pushing from behind. I think as my fitness increases I could cover both directions on one charge. As a comparison, I currently ride only 15-25 miles 0-3 times per week and average 17 mph on a conventional road bike. I am now optimistic that I can actually commute to work by bike again. Also, tried the Specialized Vado, but burned through more of the battery (1/6 bars left).
BobTheBikerNY
7 years agoCourt, Any authorized Bosch dealer can change how the light reacts when the bike is powered up. There are three settings in the Bosch diagnostic software for system powered lights: never on, always on, or switched. I’ve set mine to switched so I can turn it off on bike paths.
ReplyCourt Rye
7 years agoNice, thanks for this feedback Bob! I have heard that depending on which country you’re in, dealers do have some control over how the lights work. Chris Nolte from Propel told me about this but I consider him to be a leader in the space of ebikes so I’m glad to hear that any authorized Bosch dealer should be equipped for it.
Replyeric w
7 years agothinking of updating my 2014 izip e3 peak mid drive which i really like for this bike but it seem my peak 28mph bike seems to have a lot more power than this bike. will this compare to the peak power wise?
ReplyCourt Rye
7 years agoHi Eric! I enjoyed our chat this evening and wanted to reply here as well. I think the Bosch motor is going to feel smoother and put less strain on the chain, sprockets, and derailleur than this TranzX drive, but it might not have that same powerful zip feeling. It relies on more sensors to provide a smoother acceleration and may only just get you to 28 mph while some of these other motors can get there faster and stay easier… but also take more battery power. I hope this helps, it’s great if you can try electric bikes back to back… I’d love to hear what you think if/when you are able to test the Super Commuter+ sometime again an feel like sharing :)
Replyeric w
7 years agoRegarding the trek super commuter 8, I bought the bike 5 days ago with 72 miles on it. Compared to my izip E3 peak it’s like a Ferrari versus a 1972 Ford Mustang. Twice the range and shifting is fantastic and on the flats it’s beyond fantastic on the hills that’s not so fantastic but adequate. 35 miles on it today and I’m in love with the bike. More of a workout on this vs. the peak and a lot more fun to ride. Thanks again for your help and keep up the good work with your reviews.
Eric
Mark H
7 years agoDo you think the lack of a rear thru axle is a big negative, this review is the only one I’ve found that mentions this?
ReplyCourt Rye
7 years agoNo, it’s probably fine given the on-road focus of the Super Commuter+ model. Thru-axles provide stiffness and strength, which is great for faster riding on heavier platforms… specifically for steering. The rear skewer is probably fine and won’t experience as much force. I trust Trek in general, just noticed the hardware upgrade in the front and not the back.
ReplyMike
7 years agoHey Court, Love your reviews! So thorough, we can ride vicariously through you! I’m riding a Japanese version with slightly different specs (battery, seat, motor class) from the Verve+ you reviewed. The Trek Verve+ (just released here, finally a nice Bosch Active Line Plus in Japan motor system). Just a quick correction, I believe the light (as described in the summary at the top) is 1000 lumens, not 1000 watts ;-)
Reply– Mike
Court Rye
7 years agoGood catch! Thanks for your compliments and help making this review more correct Mike. I will make the fix right now :D
ReplyKWIL
6 years agoI purchased a TREK SUPER COMMUTER 8S after test riding in May. Here are my initial thoughts:
JUST DO IT!
Replycourt
6 years agoWonderful! Reading through your comment put a bit smile on my face, thanks for sharing KWIL. I hope the Super Commuter continues to bring smiles and that your health and strength continue to grow :)
ReplyKwil
6 years agoFollow up thoughts now that I have ridden 2000 miles and in the winter months:
- Enjoying my SC8S and on pace for 6000+ miles this year.
- Upgraded several touch points, including:
- Added accessories, including:
- Range: Colder battery = less range. This is a limitation of how batteries operate. Especially, noticeable between 30-60F (AUS TX). Riding 70/30 Eco/Tour in the winter to make the 31 mile hilly commute, whereas, in the warmer weather I ride 80/20 Tour/Eco and summer can do 100% Tour. Longest ride in summer was 60 miles in Eco mode on hilly terrain.
- Roadies give me the look like “Oh, one of those guys,” but when we chat at lights and they hear about my commute, then they get it.
- I’ve seen a few signs banning electric scooters and ebikes in specific neighborhood paths so let’s be respectful and courteous out there.
Reply1. Time Attack pedals< br />2. WTB Pure saddle
3. Kinekt suspension seat post because the SC8 is a stiff frame and I ride a mix of less than ideal roads, gravel paths, and sidewalks during my commute.
1. Ortlieb back Roller Classic black panniers (for laptop, cycling layers, office clothing, lunch, charger, flat repair, etc.)
2. Cygolite Metro 700 and Hotshot 100 for flashing lights front and rear. The Metro can also shine further down the road when traveling high speed at night.
Court
6 years agoThanks for the feedback and details about what you’ve added to your Trek Super Commuter, Kwil :D
Dave
6 years agoGreat reviews! Very helpful. Just bought a Trek Super Commuter + 8s today – so we’ll see how it goes. The information here and commentary gave me the confidence to take the plunge. Appreciate the in depth information!
ReplyCourt
6 years agoWonderful! I hope the bike works out great for you, Dave. I welcome any future comments and updates as you get some time in the saddle and test in more environments :D
ReplyDave
6 years agoWow, great bike! Have put about 600 miles on it so far. Range in my experience is about 65 miles. Have ridden mostly on country roads, but have experimented on quite a few trails as well. This bike is a beast. Love it. For what it’s worth, I took the fenders off of mine as I like to mix it up.
Comfortable; really takes to the road. No issues. Was torn between this and one of the Powerfly models. For us, this was a great choice. Great for roads, rough roads, and trails. Have taken it on unimproved trails over rocks, stumps, etc. – and in the woods, the ride is a little rough, but take a little air out of the tires and the bike is pretty amazing.
For sure, it’s not a mountain bike, but for hitting the road, unimproved surfaces, curbs, pot holes roughing it up a bit; it’s amazing. It will get you where you need to go!
ReplyCourt
6 years agoAwesome! Sounds like you’ve had a few adventures with this thing, thanks for the range estimate Dave. Hope it holds up well and provides many more miles of fun rides :D
ReplyRobin
6 years agoPurchased this bike for an amazing closeout deal at a Trek store in Sacramento, California. In less than 2 weeks I’ve already put 300 miles on it, as my commute is 25+ miles round trip. I have basically not driven my car since purchasing this bike. I went in there with the intention of getting the Super Commuter 7, as I thought that’s all I could afford, but when they had my size (an XL) for such a great deal, I knew it was meant to be. I am so glad I got the faster model, as I regularly ride around 23-25mph, even just on Tour mode. My experience, on flat surfaces with a decent amount of pedaling effort, maintaining at least 70-90 pedal cadence, is that you can cruise at about 18-20 in Eco, 20-23 in Tour, 23-25 in Sport and 25-27 in Turbo. In my experience, it starts to cut out once you hit 27–I can’t cruise at 28–it feels like the brakes are being engaged (just a heavy bike as I also have panniers attached and full). I plan to talk to Trek about this–I expected it to cruise at least at 27.9 mph :). I have been charging it with 20%/80% rule, based on battery health research I’ve done. I use about 50-60% of the battery to do a fairly aggressive 12 mile commute mostly on Tour and Sport, plus the 4 mile round trip bike trailer towing I do with two toddlers before work. I purchased the smaller cheaper compact charger so I have one at the office, making it easier to manage the 20/80 charging (don’t let it get below about 20% and don’t charge it much past 80%). Also, this small charger would be good to bring along for a several day tour. I love towing the child trailer btw, and the kids love the speed!
The experience of riding this bike has been a revelation. It just feels like the ideal way to ride around town (pretty flat out here, but good bike lanes and respectful drivers for the most part). You definitely stick out a bit with the bright red, the speed, and the lighting/batteries, but I feel almost like a green trend setter, as I tell people this is my car. I wish more people would switch over to ebiking.
I appreciate your extensive reviews and write-ups–I learned a great deal from all your videos. I HIGHLY recommend this bike, especially with a 12 month 0% through Trek. I have a high-end mountain bike, road bike, and commuter (which I have no desire to ride anymore!) and I still consider the niney spent on this bike to be well worth it, considering the performance, the quality parts, and the beautiful design. I have yet to see anyone else in Sacramento with one, despite the 60+ miles of beautiful river trails out here.
ReplyCourt
6 years agoWonderful update! Thanks for sharing your experience with the Trek Super Commuter+ so far, Robin. Glad to hear the website helped, your feedback will probably help others, and that’s awesome! I agree that the high speed is worth it, especially for longer rides. These bikes seem to be very reliable, but yeah… all Bosch mid-motors seem to cut off around 27.5ish vs 28mph. I’ll be more clear about that in the future. It seems like ebikes are indeed catching on, and you are a green trendsetter out there on that awesome looking bike! Ride safe, chime in again anytime :)
ReplyBob
4 years agoI’d like details about the “smaller, lighter battery charger you purchased. Thanks!
ReplyCourt
4 years agoHi Bob! Bosch sells a compact travel charger that puts out 2 amps and is 0.3lbs lighter. They include it with many of their more affordable drive systems (such as Active and Active Line Plus). I think you could ask the Trek dealer (or any Bosch dealer) to special order it for you :)
Klaus
6 years agoThank you for a very helpful review and video and to all you guys for sharing your experiences. I discovered this bike today and I am heading for a demo in Copenhagen monday morning.
ReplyCourt
6 years agoWonderful! I hope you enjoy it, Klaus. It has been one of my favorite models recently (Trek is doing a good job across the board). Have fun :)
ReplyPully
6 years agoAfter suffering the common ailments of a Specialzed Turbo, I upgraded to the SC8S. I’ve been riding mine now for a month and came upon this review after my purchase. Excellent review. I smiled as I read about the battery not clicking in smoothly, as I noticed this on my first effort installing the battery after charging.
Thank you Trek for spec’ing Shimano!!!, the clutch derailleur, excellent gearing selection, and the comfy grips. As many have mentioned, the headlight is simply amazing and deserves all the kudos it gets. With my old bike, I had to run two lights for the coverage of the M99.
You (Trek) missed on a couple of things though. The stock handlebars are very narrow, I changed them wider before my first real ride (the parking lot test ride convinced me of this). They should be wide with the option of the user modifying narrow as desired. For a bike this expensive, a carbon seatpost would not be an unreasonable ask. I changed this too.
It’s almost a shame how expensive this bike it. Because, if more people could afford it, then more people would reap the benefits. Yes, it’s that good.
ReplyCourt
6 years agoThanks for the feedback! I enjoyed reading your thoughts about the bike and ways that it could be improved. Hope it continues to work well for you :)
ReplyYoEddy
5 years agoHello, I am from Switzerland and considering to buy an TSC+8S. So please excuse my poor English. Has anyone of you experience with intruding water by rain into the battery socket. It looks like as it can easily enter in to the frame. I am looking for award to your answers.
YoEddy
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHi YoEddy! My experience with Bosch motor, battery, and display systems has been great. They are designed to be water resistant, but some bike frames may gather water and mud more than others. Trek is a leader in the space, with great dealer support, so my guess is that the bike will work well and be covered by warranty if you don’t submerge it or do anything outside of normal use… it should hold up :)
ReplyKen
5 years agoYoEddy,
This bike was made to handle rain. The fenders work better than any I previously experienced. Feet still get wet, but not much else. I have ridden in the rain including a heavy down pour and had no issues with water getting into the battery. I wouldn’t submerge it, but I am not afraid of ridding in the rain.
Ken
ReplyJohn C Osborne
5 years agoI’m really appreciating your thorough analysis of the pros and cons of the Trek Supercommuter… I am also considering the Specialized Turbo. Do you ever do comparisons between two models? Both have their pros and cons and I’m a little frozen in my final choice… Any advice? I’m 66 years old and plan on using this for longer rides for exercise and good health… Thanks for any advice you can offer.
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHi John! In situations like this, where both products are made by awesome companies and offer a similar experience… I will think about which brand has a dealer that’s closer or friendlier to work with and I might also consider the style. In my opinion, Trek is doing an awesome job right now and is one of my favorite companies in the ebike space.
Replybrian
4 years agoOn the inside of the rear rack near the bottom non drive side, it says max load 15kg (converts to 33lbs). From 2019 Super Commuter 8s+.
ReplyCourt
4 years agoSweet!! I must have missed that detail. Thank you so much for chiming in with the max weight and location of the indicator. That’s a great help Brian :)
ReplyAndrew Lawrence
2 years agoJust want to give a shout out to the quality of this bike. Have owned it for over 5 years now, and it performs like new and looks almost new. It was $5k five years ago. Thank you Trek for giving me what I paid for!
ReplyCourt
2 years agoThat is awesome! Thanks for taking a moment to pay it forward with your quick review. Both Trek and Bosch are some of my favorite, most trusted brands in the space right now because people like you (and shops) tell me that their products are reliable. I have noticed that both companies are responsive when I have questions too. Rock on!
Reply