Similar Products Used: I have had 2 of these bikes my other one was full xc pro,this one is xt.
Bike Setup: It is now a singlespeed easton carbon monkey bars 24 spoke wheels salsa quick releases carbon seat post.It is now a bit over 20 pounds it is awesome.
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Submitted by
cyclox
a Weekend Warrior
from kent, ohio, u.s.a.
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2010
Strengths: light, responsive
Weaknesses: no suspension
Bottom Line:
the only mtn. bike i've ever had. bought it in 1993 off a racer who was upgrading. The shock that came with it weighed 2X the weight of the frame (1st gen air/oil shock), so I ditched it and put on a Kinesis aluminium fork. Ridden it in MN, CA, NY and now OH. Eventually I'll get around to putting a modern suspension fork on it, but I'm having too much fun
Bike Setup: xt shifters, derailleurs, cranks. heavy, early 90's vintage bars, bar ends, seat post. LX hubs with crappy rims. avid brakes. Kinesis rigid fork
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Submitted by
Dugg
a Cross Country Rider
from North Carolina, USA
Date Reviewed: March 27, 2007
Strengths: Very light and responsive. Absorbs alot of impact on the trails.
Weaknesses: Eventually this thing is going to die with me on it. I weigh roughly 250 dressed out, these carbon tubes can't last forever.
Bottom Line:
I'm going to send this frame to TREK when I'm done with it, they can use it as a marketing campaign. I purchased the frame barely used in 2000 just to build a bike spec'd out like I wanted without paying too much. I originally built it with titanium rims, and carbon bars, this thing was superlight and fast. Someone fell into me passing on a trail and taco'd my rear wheel and in the ensuing fall I killed a Profile Carbon flatbar. So out came the Mavics. I have literally rode thousands of miles on this bike. Frame has held up extremely well under my Clydesdale weight of 250 pounds. Granted I steer clear from the freeride section at the local trails and I don't get much air on jumps, I do punish it on log hops, small jumps and few crashes over the years. There are no signs of cracks or separation from the carbon and aluminum joints. I have been wanting to replace the frame with something more up to date, but this thing is so lightweight it's silly. It is the mose responsive hardtail frame I have ridden. My local Trek dealer can't believe how it's held up under my weight and the fast singletrack punishment it has seen over the years. So as a true testament to Trek's quality and design, I've decided to ride her till she can't take it anymore. Let's see how long she'll last.
Similar Products Used: Past bikes; GT Pantera, Specialized Stumpjumper, Trek Fuel, Schwinn Homegrown, Klein Attitude
Bike Setup: Full XT group except for XTR rear and Race Face crankset. Mavic tubeless wheelset w/Michelin XC race tires, Chris King headset, SID Race Dual Air shock. Thompson seatpost, Specialized BG saddle, Easton Bars w/titec shorty carbon ends.
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Submitted by
Marquis
a Cross Country Rider
from Costa Mesa, CA
Date Reviewed: February 11, 2007
Strengths: Very smooth and precise, light if built right, unique.
Weaknesses: Things loosen up on the frame - nothing a little epoxy won't fix, though.
Bottom Line:
I bought the frame for 40 bucks, just because it was so 1st-Generation-Carbon funky and I had all the other parts laying around. What a cool bike it turned out to be! I built it with lots of light parts and it's light, fast, and fun. I had one problem initially, 1st generation carbon variety. The aluminum cable stops are riveted to the carbon top tube with a single rivet. Over time they worked themselves loose and pivoted a few mm in each direction, which is not real good for shifting and braking. I solved the problem with golf shaft epoxy, which is specifically designed for metal-to-carbon applications. Worked great. Bike looks like hell, all scuffed and scratched, but I'm not going to paint it. If you find one, buy it cheap and have fun.
Weaknesses: LX shifters, Judy shock, and the stock wheels didn't last long. After the first ride, I had to replace my rear wheel, and within 2 months, I had to replace my shifters. Once I upgraded to XT, all has been good.
Bottom Line:
I have had this bike since 1998, and it has been great. It is super light, and I have been hesitant to go to a full suspension. I have put thousands of miles on it,and it still rides strong. Now that my shock leaks pretty bad, it is time to either buy a new fork, or just suck it up and upgrade to a full suspension. I will keep this bike for a road/around town bike.
Weaknesses: -my clydesdale friend finds it too flexy -the original Tioga pedals nearly killed me on several occasions
Bottom Line:
I spent about a year's allowance on this bike when I was in highschool (1995). I consider it the best purchase I have ever made. I usually ride it at least once a week - it has been on a lot of crazy rides including 50 miles of pannier-loaded camping and a few muddy races. I still love the bike. I have upgraded it a bit, but I haven't had to replace any of the original drivetrain (LX/XT).
This frame has really crisp handling and it's an easy climber. Its flexier than the harsh aluminum frames my friends are all riding these days - which is a great thing in my opinion. I weigh 155 pounds, and I love the way this bike dampens bumps and how it smoothly handles shooting down a gully and flying up the other side. I love this kind of smooth ride - if this frame hadn't been around, I'd have had to get a heavier steel bike or saved even more allowance for titanium.
Trek shouldn't have stopped making this bike - it is one awesome hardtail and it nicely fills the niche for people who like a smooth ride but don't want the weight/rust of steel or the cost of Ti.
If you come across a deal on a used 8700, the carbon's not too scratched up, you aren't a heavy person, and you like a smooth-riding frame, BUY IT.
Bike Setup: manitou C '00; Fire XC pro; Selle Italia Flite; XT shifter/lever/vbrakes; shimano 5xx clipless pedals; stock shimano/mavic wheels and LX/XT drivetrain
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Submitted by
Jer Korz
a Weekend Warrior
from Toledo, Ohio
Date Reviewed: December 13, 1999
Strengths: Light Very quick Turns in quick Carbon fiber\Aluminum frame
Weaknesses: none so far
Bottom Line:
Very nice bike... never rode a bike that reacted so quickly. Mine weighs right around 24 lbs. I'll give it five of those flame things!
