Submitted by
Jamfjr
a Cross Country Rider
from Cincinnqti, Ohio, US
Date Reviewed: September 29, 2011
Strengths: Tight sense of control. A lot of confidence when on technical singletrack.
Weaknesses: Older, so on the heavier side...
Bottom Line:
Friend gave me this bike (he bought it new in 1999). I put on some new wheels & tires and tuned it up. It is a sweet ride and can take a beating. It's a little heavy, but that makes me feel more confident during hard downhill riding. Both ends of the suspension still work really well.
Submitted by
casey lambert
a Downhiller
from merritt island, fl, usa
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2004
Strengths: i loved everything about the bike.
Weaknesses: trek wont back their lifetime warranty on my broken frame.
Bottom Line:
i loved this bike to death. i am still trying to find a replacement for it. if any one knows where i can find a swingarm for one, please let me know. sk8ercasey84@yahoo.com
Submitted by
Jay Rothberg
a Cross Country Rider
from Holland, PA
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2003
Strengths: I didn't die on it, but it did get a lot of looks and compliments on its radical appearance...
Weaknesses: Swingarm and weight. Very few Disk brakes match the setup.
Bottom Line:
Trek missed the mark with this one. My problems started immediately with a bent crankset on my first run at Blue Marsh, Pa. Limped the bike home and upgraded to all Shim Lx stuff. Later a Hayes disk in rear. The weight was a negative in climbing and the geometry made racking (Rhode Gear Tailrack) a nightmare. Later, after MAYBE 1000 miles (doubt it) the swingarm became loose in a range-of-motion aspect and a lateral aspect (Pivot wore out and the frame around it loosened if you can believe it). All around poor performance. The judy forks never quit and never wore but were heavy. I moved on as soon as I could afford to. The Frame remains in my garage (stripped) as a monument to impulsiveness.
Similar Products Used: Spec. Rock Hopper, GT Timberline, Ells Truth, Christini (Sigh), a number of others less memorable.
Bike Setup: VRX 300 with Judy Forks and Shim XT or less, Icon crankset
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
josh
a Cross Country Rider
from houston, tx, usa
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2003
Strengths: good componets, realtivley stiff frame
Weaknesses: not good for jumps, as soon as i got it i replaced the front fork with a 2001 psylo fork, weight. seatpost strips out, also replaced stem and handle bars when i bought it. e-type front shifter, cannot get to shift right
Bottom Line:
good cross country bike, have taken it to alke tahoe and done downhill and held up good. good overall bike, i bout it after it had been sitting in a bike shop for two years as a parts bike, got a good deal.
Bike Setup: vrx with psylo front fork,xt brakes, specialized bg seat, bontager seatpost, platform pedals
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Submitted by
Jake Pirkkanen
a Weekend Warrior
from salisbury VT
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2002
Strengths: rear suspension, weight
Bottom Line:
i really like this bike, its great for trail riding, it takes most of the bumps through the suspension. if you upgrade the front shocks you will be set with a great durable bike.
Bike Setup: stock with bombers, new pedals and getting easton bar
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
jon
a Weekend Warrior
from wau wi usa
Date Reviewed: September 1, 2002
Strengths: The bike is a pretty good bike for the price you pay. Rear suspension configuration is really nice havne't really had too much problems with it. Just the feel of the bike is nice wheather your going from some sick downhilling to some trail riding it can handle it. I like the fork it has but it could be beefier. The fork is nice and stiff. The bike can climb hills which is a plus.
Weaknesses: The biggestest weakness about the bike would have to be the frame. My swingarm waas twisted so the wheel was tilted slightly to the right side. The swingarm has too many stress points on it and isn't reinforced enough. I've have broken a swingarm. The swingarm broke at teh pivoit point and had a super huge crack going down the whole swingarm. The rims on the bike are a weakness. I bent the rims. The icon crank that came with the bike broke which was a pretty weak crank. Im already on my third crank and second wheelst. It can't really hold up to some things.
Bottom Line:
The bike is a pretty good bike for all purpose use. I really like the bike because you can use it from downhill-freeride-cross country. The bike can hold up to drops, jumps. It even held up to a 15 footer and numerous stair sets. The only thing i would recommend for the bike is a new wheelset, brakes, fork.
Bike Setup: sun rhyno lite rims w/ xt disc hubs, avid mechanical disc brakes, sun zuzu pedals, xt bottom bracket, new swingarm linkage, pivot points, fender
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
eric shawn
a Weekend Warrior
from scotland
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2002
Strengths: its a bike
Weaknesses: its a really crap bike. a bit too beefy for xc, knocks the sh!t out of you on a dh, crappy shock, bottoms out like mad. gay paintwork on swingarm chips off in big pieces.
Bottom Line:
dont buy it. i will laugh at you if you buy this bike. im gonna try and sell mine soon. ill be lucky to get 50 bucks for it. why can i select ZERO chillis??
Bike Setup: forks, wheels, brakes, and other parts
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
paul newbold
a Weekend Warrior
from sheffield, UK
Date Reviewed: May 1, 2002
Strengths: Very tough bike for the price, especially the frame (nice welds). Great downhill.
Weaknesses: bushes wear quickly and screw the rest of the power train if not replaced fast. Swinging arm decals fell off within a month (who cares!). Overweight, can be heavy going uphill.
Bottom Line:
A good bike - I've done 1-1.5 thousand miles in 2 years+ of very mixed riding and only now is major stuff starting to wear; it needed new chain, chainsets, rear cassette and derraileur, and bushes, and the wheels are on their way out to. However, no major mechanical failures, only wear and tear (and I've riden on gritstone trails in the Peak District which are v abrasive).
I'd get a lighter bike if my budget ran to it but my cycling partners have bikes 300% more expensive that are maybe 30% 'better' (mostly uphill).
Favorite Trail: Hound Kirk 'Road'(!), nr Fox House pub
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At: evan's cycles
Bike Setup: standard mostly
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Jim Hesketh
a
from Merritt Island, FL USA
Date Reviewed: January 12, 2002
Strengths: Everything.
Weaknesses: Nothing
Bottom Line:
I originally wrote a review three years ago when I first bought this bike. Obviously I've made some upgrades from the original equipment, but I have put this bike through hell and back, and it has NEVER let me down. I know there are a lot of great bikes out there, but if Trek was still building these VRX's like they did in 99, it would be the bike to have.
Downhills, tight singletrack, urban assault, launching off 5' loading docks, this bike does it all. If you can find one BUY IT. I'll keep this frame around for a long time, just add new parts when they wear out, or when I feel the need to buy the latest and greatest shocks!
Similar Products Used: NO other Full suspension to compare it to.
Bike Setup: 99 Trek VRX 300 w/2001 Rock Shox Psylo, Xt,LX Drivetrain including bb and crank. XT cassette, sun rhino lite rims, continental tires, kore stem and skewers, titec hellbent handlebars, arch rival 50 brakes, and more.
Strengths: Superior handling, responsiveness to big bumps, smooth travel, no pedal feedback, must I continue...
Weaknesses: Keep the seatpost short or out of the way of the linkage plate-one hit will break it. Other than that, none.
Bottom Line:
Since my last review, I have added a few more components to the bike to make it a beautiful downhill machine. It's scary fast on downhills and sucks up bumps amazingly. Looking back, it would've been better to buy the frame on its own and build it up, but then I wouldn't have appreciated the upgrades as much.
On another note, I feel that Trek didn't exploit these bikes to the full. Whilst the '99 bikes were great, the 2000 VRX's had crappy X-country components on them whilst still having a heavy-ish frame. Trek then surpassed themselves by not manufacturing the VRX's at all in their 2001 range, making it crap. However, their new DH bike, the Diesel, should make up for this.
Similar Products Used: Cheap crappy rigid bike, various hardtails and this bike in its original form
Bike Setup: Hope front bulb with 20mm axle on 521 rims (deore hub rear) Marzocchi Super T 6 inch travel downhill forks (ex team DRB), Tioga factory 2.1 tyres, thick downhill tubes, hope C2 pro front brake, XTR V-brake rear, AC chain device, wellgo flat pedals, Azonix bars, XT right hand shifter.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Justin
a Weekend Warrior
from Brisbane
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2001
Strengths: Strong frame, great for all day freeriding and downhilling. The Fox Vanilla R rear shock takes in the hard hits on the landings. Adjustable geometry allows rider to change the bike's setup on the go. Bike's design is for the serious freerider or the weekend downhiller. Takes huge drops and jumps smootly without a hitch. Fast on downhill sections, and climbs like a goat up the hill (which I was amazed about myself, since this is a dual suspension bike. Faster than my previous Hardtail Cannondale's!). Corners smoothly, and no annoying rear end flex from the swingarm. This is one of the best Downhill/All day Freeride bikes ever made at a very good price. I'll never look back into getting a Cannondale or GT or Specialised or Kona for a freeride bike again~! Also, the bike doesn't burn a huge hole in your pocket like the Cannondale bikes!
Weaknesses: None, unless you decided to race this bike xc. Then the weight issue will become a problem for you. Otherwise, this bike is one hell of a downhill beast and a hell of a nice freeride bike. Trek should have advertised this bike as a freeride/dh bike.
If you're a xc rider - opt for something such as a Trek "Fuel" series bike instead of this bike.
Bottom Line:
SWEETEST freeride bike I have ever ridden. This bike beats Cannondale's freeride bikes and also beats Kona's freeride bikes. Frame is light for a freeride/dh bike. Strong and stiff frame, without annoying bobs which are very evident on the Super V's. SMOOTH travel from front and rear suspensions. Superior handling from frame geometry and also it's adjustablility. If you can get one like mine, GET IT~! You will NOT be DISPPOINTED. This bike is better than ANY of the bikes I have ridden in my life mentioned in the above section. Perfect for the urban assualt or the weekend freeride madness in the mountains. Frame is awesome if you have to RIDE UP the mountain!
I recommend this frame to anyone who is a pure gravity and speed gromet like myself. You will NOT regret paying for it. If you're a heavier or serious downhiller, I recommend you also invest the extra money for a pair of long travel forks. For example: (Boxxer's, X-Vert Triple, Shiver(if you can afford it), or something like a Supernova...
If you're a light and small rider like myself, I doubt you would require the large triple clamp forks, but just a nice smooth and plush marzocchi will do the trick perfectly to make EVERY one of your rides, a pleasant memorable one.
Special thanks to Tony Carson (TC), for his help kind and friendly advice and building of this absolute beauty. Thanks Tony - you're a legend~!!!!!
Similar Products Used: Cannondale (F500,F700,F900sx,Super V 700 sx,Super V 2000,Raven 4000 SL), GT (Zaskar,Avanalche), Specialised Stumpjumper, Kona Stuff, Giant (ATX 1,ATX 2,Warp,ATX 980).
Bike Setup: Trek VRX 300 frame, Marzocchi Z2 Atom front shocks, Fox Vanilla R rear shock. XT rear de and LX front de. XTR brakes F/R. Sella Italia Flite Gel Ti, XT BB, LX rapidfire shifters, DX levers, Mavic 517 rims with Shimano LX hubs, IRC tires, Cateye speedo.
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Submitted by
James
a Weekend Warrior
from Cape Town, South Africa
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2001
Strengths: Link thingy, wicked colour, outrageous handling. I love the funky swing-arm design which should minimise the chain catching between swing-arm and the rear tyre.
Weaknesses: Creaking from everything!
Bottom Line:
Awesome bike. I shopped around, read gazillions of reviews on this site and decided that I needed a VRX. I was right! I've done some off-roading with it, played at the local BMX track (to the puzzlement of two 11 year old boys who were putting in some track time) and even done a 20km road ride, just because I could. So far I haven't been able to find anything that the bike can't do, and I don't think I ever will. Every time I go for a ride I come back with a bug-catching grin. These bikes are no longer being made; if you find one for sale second hand, buy it without a second thought.
Bike Setup: Standard but for the addition of a Rock Shox Judy XLC triple clamp front fork and mechanical disk brake on the front.
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Submitted by
Alan Stout
a Weekend Warrior
from Warwickshire
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2001
Strengths: Frame
Weaknesses: Decals,Brakes
Bottom Line:
This is my second review since February 2001 and as you can see I've upgraded my bike a little. The best upgrade is still the disc's if you need control get the hope's. I broke my seat post at the top where the knurled part is so I went for the Raceface post because of the looks of it.I'm 203 lbs which isn't that heavy i don't think but the trails I go on are very tough and the orginal Icon seat post couldn't take it.I'm slowly changing all the shimano stock stuff to xtr so at the year it should be quite finished.At the end of the day all bikes out there have there good and bad points so just get out there and ride. :)
Bike Setup: Hope C2's front and rear Pro Levers(Rear using a Haynes adaptor from Hope)Raceface air aloy bars,hope ti Skewers,xtr rear mech,Sid XC front forks,Mavic 317 wheels,Hope Sport Hubs front and Rear,Raceface XY Seat post,Selle Ti seat,LX shifters (haven't upgraded them yet)Shimano Crank Rings,Icon Head stem,x-lite stem stackers,
Trying to revive my Trek VRX 300 (sorry don't know if I should post here or VRC). I wanted to upgrade my suspension first(stock is Judy XC 80mm).
Does anyone know what is the Read More »
