Strengths: Lightweight aluminum frame, good wheels, good shifters
Weaknesses: front deraileur, seat, handlebars
Bottom Line:
I have had this bike for less than a week, but i have not been able to put it down since. I have been riding for about 3 hours per day. The bike was in perfect condition when I got it, but since then, the front deraileur has gone wacky and the brakes are out of adjustment. The seat sucks, it is like sitting on a hood ornament, whats up with the horrible seats on mountain bikes? Maybe these are easy things to fix on the fly, but having no previous experience with mountain bikes I'm not sure how to fix these problems. Nontheless, the bike has held up great against my nearly 200 lb frame, even during a face plant at the bottom of a hill - right over the handlebars.
Strengths: Frame, Cranks set, and LX/XT Drivetrain Avid Brakes
Weaknesses: Fork
Bottom Line:
Great Ride. I got hit buy a car riding mine. The car ran over the front wheel. Bent the handlebar, stem, both wheels and curled the non drive crank arm around the BB (lucky I didn't have my cleats on) Frame was not damaged at all (I don't know how) I got a date with the girl driving the car but no cash for repairs. Striped the frame powdercoated it and built it back up the RIGHT way. Now it is 23.6 lb of greased lightning.
Similar Products Used: Trek 6500, Santa Cruz Chameleon, Bianchi Tycoon
Bike Setup: Mars Fork, 04 XT Crankset, Rolf Dolomite Wheelset, Thomson stuff, CT-2 bar, XT intigrated shifters, Original Avid brakes, XT/XTR drivetrain
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: February 29, 2004
Strengths: Light, Good wheels, Solid Fork
Weaknesses: Cheap Seat, Bad Large Chainring, Heavy Fork, Screwy Geometry, Bad sizing, cheap saddle, cheap headset.
Bottom Line:
This bike is crafted rather badly. The geometry is not neutral and is really good only for racing. The design is not as refined as even cannondale's caad 2 design. I rode a caad 3 for 11,000 miles which included 4 seasons of racing and only then did it begin to crack, and it weighs less than the trek 8000 frame, which in many cases don't go past 4000-5000 miles. The frame rides rough, the chainstays are too long in addition to the longish top tube which makes the bike handle slowly and doesn't respond well to lifting of the front wheel. This bike is difficult to manuver because you're forced to be spread over it. This bike is not very versitile. The seattube is built in two pieces, which made for an incurable seat post creak that no amount of grease would cure. they later solved this by simply removing the internal reducer, then requiring a larger diameter size in model years after '99. Trek used to make wonderful steel frames, but this one is a total loser, There are too many bad things I have to say about this bike, its not even fun to ride. If there was a way to rip people off with cheap aluminum and call it performance, Trek did it with this one.
Similar Products Used: Cannondale CAAD3 (97) ,GT Tequesta, Trek 800 sport, Barracuda A2E, Santa Cruz Bullit, Soul Craft, Airborne Ti, much much more
Bike Setup: lx/xt drivetrain with stock cranks and custom built wheels bontrager valiant with revolution spokes/hugi hubs
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Michael in AZ
a Weekend Warrior
from Chandler, AZ
Date Reviewed: October 27, 2002
Strengths: Value - A solid all-around a package at a good price
Weaknesses: Brakes - I replaced them with XTRs Fork - Seems to have pooped out even though I've had it rebuilt 2x.
Bottom Line:
This bike is the shiznit. I bought this bike in 11/98 and I am still using all the stock parts except those listed above, I'm still running the stock chain. All the mods I made were within the first 6 months and the only things I need to replace were the grips and tires. I think a lot of these reviews are made by p*****s. I bomb some wicked trails here, and I do a little urban assault (3 - 3.5 foot drops) on the side. This bike has stood up to everything I have thrown at it. The Icon components aren't the greatest, but for this price who can complain. I am 6', 165-170 lbs and my brother is 6', 180 lbs. We both ride the exact same bike and haven't had any problems. Maintenance (what's that) is not one of my strong points so the bike has seen little of it. For what this bike was intended for (and a little more) it's BULLETPROOF! For everyone complaining, either pay a lot more for a less than comparable bike, or SHUT UP AND RIDE! Cheers...
Weaknesses: it attracts chainsuck big time ( in wet-muddy european conditions )
Bottom Line:
A super hardtail that can take a beating. In cold conditions the manitou started to freeze and no'one succeeded in fixing the problem so I changed it for a sid race fork. The BB and other rotating shimano parts are no match for the belgian weather, so I had to exchange em for better stuff (= more expensive ), for instance the first BB was totaly worn after only 400 miles (=1 month back then ). Same for the bontrager 44T chainring and the shimano chain. Never knew about chainsuck until I had my first ride on this bike. Sollution : put race-face BB and rings and crancks on it. However then the next problem arrises : race-face chainrings are hard and shimano chains (at least back in 99, dont know about now'adays) are like butter. I pulled appart 4 shimano chains in less then 100 miles , this made me decide to find better ones, first I tried Sram (= good) and then I ended up with connex (= even better) Finaly : I still own this bike but the frame is totaly at its end ( squicks all the time ) nevertheless it took quite a beating during 2 year of racing it.
Submitted by
Busy Dude
a Weekend Warrior
from Victoria, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2002
Strengths: Light Frame. Bontrager parts. Great race bike but that's it.
Weaknesses: Frame broke at chain stay near bottom bracket. Apparently this isn't an uncommon problem with this model. On my tenth ride with a new frame I got under warrantee it broke again! The stock tires are crap; they lack sidewall rigidity. What's with the crank that has a big chain ring permanently attached to it? I am now forced to ride that worn ring unless I buy a new crank. I don't plan to buy a TREK again.
Bottom Line:
The only thing that impressed me about this bike was TREK's fast and hassle free response to replacing the frame under warrantee. Perhaps this was a poor choice for the trails I ride but friends ride the same trails with the same setup without problems.
Strengths: Tremendous overall quality/price ratio package.
Weaknesses: Bontrager stock seat...a killer. Invest in something decent.
Bottom Line:
A good investment that will take the abuse. Definitely would buy again and recommend to those who want to have fun riding. With normal wear and tear on components, frame definitely worthy of upgrading with higher quality/range components.
Submitted by
clint hosman
a Cross Country Rider
from mesa, az usa
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2001
Strengths: strong frame.
Weaknesses: icon everything, it hasnt broke but it looks cheesie.
Bottom Line:
for a intree level bike it smokes, ive burned guys on a lot nicer rides.ive had no problums whatsoever with it in the whole two years of rideing it.id recomend this bike whos wanting to get into the sport.
Bike Setup: everything is the same aside from ariser bar.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
jonathan h
a Cross Country Rider
from tpa. fla. usa
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2001
Strengths: stiff,fast,reliable,great dea
Weaknesses: icon,icon,icon,not the best name for a temporary part group
Bottom Line:
Purchased this bike on 2-10-99. This bike took some getting used to. after a year of hard riding, i had replaced: a bent stem, seatpost and handlebar (all icon), and numerous cassettes, chains and the rear hub. To be expected for a clydesdale but expensive none the less. The bike, overall, is wonderful. It inspires the rider to improve and allows one to do so. The creaking frame is, in fact usually an under-lubed seatpost support( inside the frame). All of the whining owners of this bike, need to learn how to change their own tubes, lube their own chains, and appreciate the fact that they are able to ride in places that their huffy could'nt go. I will continue to ride it and if the frame does break, TREK WILL replace it. Have a little faith and appreciate.
Similar Products Used: specialized m2, gt zaskar.......
Bike Setup: mavic 517,xthubs, thompson seatpost and stem, xt cranks, xtfront derailleur, oury grips, monkeylite bar, un-72....
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Richard Chen
a Racer
from Huntington Beach, CA
Date Reviewed: March 29, 2001
Strengths: Great Frame, well balanced.
Weaknesses: Icon parts aren't that good. The front chainrings and chain wore out after a season and a half of racing, which in turn ate up the rest of my derailleurs.
Bottom Line:
I go to school here on the East Coast and I have been racing for two seasons in the ECCC with this bike. I am a heavy rider (180lbs) and with all the abuse I put it through, it has held up incredibly well. Overall, I have put in $200 in maintenance of the drivetrain, but that is understandable due to the strain I put on the bike. This is one incredibly built machine and is definitely worth the money.
Similar Products Used: 1994 GT Tequesta (my old old bike back in the days).
Bike Setup: All the parts are original except for the drivetrain which wore out. I replaced the icon crankset with an XT crankset w/ rings, replaced the chain with the SACHS chain, and replaced the front deraileur with an XT, and had to buy a new rear derailleur.
**Just an update** I've had the bike for little over 2 years now and all I have to complain about is the LX gear on te bike. I replaced both the freehub and the BB, but that's undersandable due to the cheapness of LX :o) Overall I love this bike, I've never ridden a better XCer.
Just an update. I've had the bike for little over 2 years now and all I have to complain about is the LX gear on te bike. I replaces both the freehub and the BB, but that's undersandable due to the cheapness of LX :o) Overall I love this bike, I've never ridden a better XCer.
Similar Products Used: Trek, Klein, Thin Blue Line (wicked), Rocky Mountain...ect..
Bike Setup: full Race Face, XT . . . .
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Lloyd!
a Cross Country Rider
from Idaho
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2001
Strengths: Actually, I'm just reviewing the 1999 SLR frame, which Trek sent to me to replace my cracked 1998 frame. It's a good, decently designed, lightweight frame.
Weaknesses: None so far
Bottom Line:
A good, lightweight but sturdy frame. Trek fixed the 1998 version of the SLR frame by welding a gusset on the driveside where the chainstay meets the BB. My 1998 SLR frame cracked at that very point, but Trek seemed to fix the problem in 1999. 4 flamin' roaches.
Hi,
I have a Trek 8000 SLR (year 1999 -2000) with the 22mm direct Hayes disk brake mount (on the chainstay) , but all brakes are IS mount these days. I've looked long and hard Read More »
