The frame is excellent and the wheels and tyres are very suitable. serious riders would upgrade wheels.

Brake fluid leaks from the reserviour near the levers. Brakes squeal when wet and don't dry out until washed with detergent. The chain need adjustment after every second ride.

I am very disappointed with my purchase of this bike. Trek have really let me down with the components on the Rig. I'm sick of hearing my friends tell me my wheels/brakes squeak. The rear wheel adjustment is not simple and does not stay true for very long. And this bike is a single speed!

Fork is great, Geometry is great. Fast bike.

Dropouts are a major design flaw and safety issue. The dropout hardware is weak and bends easily. The headset is pure junk. Trek should be ashamed.

I bought my Rig used for $500 so I really can't complain. The original owner rode the bike about 100 miles before giving up on it. I knew about the issues but I figured for $500 I couldn't go wrong. First off let me say that I have fixed all the issues and I really do love this bike. It is super fast and handles great but getting it to be a great bike was a major pain.

First what everyone says about the dropouts is true. The stock scewers will not seat all the way into them because the come into contact with the frame. Trek is well aware of this issue. The trek rep told me to order the replacement dropout with the derailler hanger. It is threaded and bolts on more securely. I purchased the part and it worked. I also replaced all the rear dropout hardware, bolts etc. with grade 8 hardware. The stronger bolts will not bend or break. These solutions worked. The wheel does not move at all anymore.

I also replaced the crappy headset with a cane Creek sealed bearing unit. This made a huge difference in the steering feel. Much more solid feeling. Removing the stock headset was a nightmare, because of the shape of the headtube and the fact that the headset is rounded where the headset removal tool comes in to contact with it. It is impossible to remove the headset with a standard tool. Even the Trek dealer mechanic couldn't get it out.

If I had paid retail for this bike I would be seriously angry. That being said if you are a decent mechanic and you can get one used cheap from somebody who can'f fix theirs go for it.

All I can say to Trek is please stop taking cost cutting shortcuts on the most important parts of the bike! They cut corners to be able to put a Fox fork on a bike at a $1600 price point. The frame and components can only be as good as the parts that hold them together. If you use crappy headsets, bottom brackets and bolts you end up with a crappy bike.

Similar Products Used:

Voodoo Wanga, Cannondale 1fg

Fox fork. Price point

Everything but the fork.

Rode for 1.5 seasons and finally gave up on the rear dropouts. I bought a Lynskey Ridgeline SL frame and moved everything from the rig to it. All you will need to do the same are two BB spacers because the Lynskey shell is narrower (68mm vs 73mm). I bought a spare BB to have on hand and the spacers came with it. The Lynskey is MUCH better. The Rig wheels are trash. The rear broke spokes constantly, so I replaced the rim and spokes. Then the front started breaking spokes. Spokes broke at nipples in rear and at hub in front as I recall. I gave up on the wheels and bought Hadley hubs and Stans Arch EX rims - MUCH better. The Rig is a starting point, but expect to be disappointed and replace parts? Anybody want 3/4 of an XL Rig? It is hanging in my garage.

Similar Products Used:

Stump jumper FSR, Lynskey Ridgeline SL

Fork, thats it

Chain tensioner {like everyone else said} what were they thinking

I've head a bunck of rigs, they're basic single speed. The bracket is junk

frame geometry and handling. gree with many here that this bike is a lot of fun to ride, it corners well and very easy to get both wheels in the air. I like the F 29 fork, too, maybe it's the bigger wheels but feels like more than 100 mm travel. frame geo., handling and fork I give this bike an "A"

All the contact point components should thrown away and the crankset is loud, squeaky and has way too much play. BUT the biggest weakness is the effin' sliding dropouts that slide all the effin' time, causing the rear wheel to move. It's a disgrace and Trek ought to take it off the market, they totally effect this up.

My first 29er and first SS. I loved the simplicity and the ride--and then the rear wheel started moving on every effin' ride. the simple bike required more adjustments and time not riding than any geared bike I have ridden. I put XT skewers on and that helped for a while, could 6-8 rides without the wheel slipping, but now it's back to every single effin' ride. What an epic fail for Trek, they hit on so many aspects of this bike but they screwed the pooch so badly with the dropouts that you don't want to ride a bike that you otherwise love. I am selling this bike just because of the effin drop outs, sick of effin with it. Huge negative rec. on this bike until trek steps up and offers owners replacement dropouts that work or they start over with a new design. more power to the guy who drilled his own solution --Trek should be embarrassed by that, get your stuff together and effin' fix the problem. the Rig's drop outs suck!

Great handling,reasonable cost, great fork.

Drop outs. Adjustment hassles. Wheel can and will come out.

I read the reviews of the previous model with adjustments at bottom bracket and ordered a leftover 2011. I then read the Trek model reviews, but it was too late. I love the way it rides but today after a couple months of riding the wheel came out. I believe the skewer must not have been square when tightened the night before. This has been adressed on numerous reviews. I flipped the bike over on the trail and reinstalled the wheel, at wich time in seemed to center better. This should never be an issue on any bike. I'lll be some what nervous from now on. I can't recommend this bike but would consider other Gary Fisher designed frame.

Similar Products Used:

Raleigh xxiv

ride quality , fox fork, awesome geometry.

those stupid sliding dropouts. and built in wheel ejection system to keep you on your toes (or head).

It's what I describe as a love / hate relationship. I love riding the bike , it handles like a big bmx bike , you really throw it at corners and it puts a grin on your face, it eats hills for breakfast and jumps like a kangaroo. .... then theres the hate ....it has been hard work and lots of grief (and blood) to keep it's chain tight and back wheel on. I reckon the designers got distracted by some hot office babe in a short skirt and left the dropouts for the janitor to finish .
Would I recommend you buy it? ...no , unless you buy it for the parts and transfer them to a frame with a well designed dropout/ chain tensioning system.

Plain simple great value for money from the Big brands as far as a SS goes

Chain adjustment is a hassle and I recon a design weakness. But this can be fixed.

I loved it so much, also bought a Superfly Frameset SS....awesome bike.
I recon all the chain tension loss problems are the wheel/axle moving in the drop outs. After adjusting, one simple ride and its loose. Loosen the QR press on seat and do up QR....tension sweet.
So Trek aside. I drilled a 2.5mm hole up from the lower part of the drop out. Tapped it to take a 3mm grub screw. After inserting wheel with no chain tension, ensuring its all the way in, I simply turn in the grub screws up onto the axle and then adjust chain, Never had it slip a mm.......done the same on my Superfly SS. SORTED.

Geometry
Handling

Brakes
Dropouts
Wheel ejection

Got what I thought was a great deal on the 2011 model in the beginning of 2012. I was able to deal with the loosening sliders, but the rear wheel ejection design flaw is a deal breaker. Supposed to bring it back to the LBS this week so they can " try" a DT Swiss ratcheting skew, but I'm not sure my knee can take them experimenting with parts to hope the rear wheel will stay in. The most upsetting thing about this, besides not being able to ride at all while I heal from the last failure, is that I love riding this bike. The thing handles like it's on rails and is fun to ride, but it is so difficult to get the rear brake to stay aligned, and the creaking dropouts, and the wheel to stay in all due to the design flaw of the dropouts that it's not worth the fight.

Similar Products Used:

Spec Rockhopper

amazing bike in very technical conditions and in twisty singletrack

dropouts not staying in place and causing chain tensioning to loosen. And bottom bracket constantly being destroyed from muddy/wet conditions.

i had the previous rig frame and was warrentied with the 2012 frame. 2012 is much stiffer. I love this ss to death. I ride some of the narliest singletrack around and this thing goes through it all. Unbelievable handling it singletrack and technical conditions. The G2 geometry is fantastic. I can ride almost evrything with bike. i ride with a lot of SS riders and i haven't seen anyone able to ride all i can with this bike. I have been racing it lately in the endurance races and it is fantastic. But there is some issues with the is design. The dropouts continuosly move for some reason which many are experiencing and chain keeps loosening up. Also the Bottom bracket tends to get water and mud trapped in there and causes the BB to fail often. But other than these flaws it is an amazing bike.

Similar Products Used:

previous rig(2009)