Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Rockford, IL
Date Reviewed: September 5, 2006
Strengths: Light frame that is very responsive to pedal strokes. Good transfer of power.
Weaknesses: After years of use, I'm starting to get some unexplained creaking which I assume means I need a new bottom bracket. I've tried to tighten and grease all the other points. I can't comment on the components since I only bought the frame and transferred Shimano and Manitou components.
Bottom Line:
After years of riding this frame the only improvement I can justify is a thud-buster long travel. While it's a nice lite frame, the jarring on the back can fatigue you pretty quick.
Similar Products Used: Trek 8000 bonded aluminum frame, Trek 930.
Bike Setup: 21" with Manitou Ti shock that has worked flawlessly for 7 years with a 225 pd rider. XTR rapid rise Rear-D, LX cranks, XT Mavic rims, XTR brakes, Kore post and Carbon Performance seat, Kenda 1.95 for X-country, Continental Comp Pro 1, 2.125 for rocky terrain.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from NH/Ithaca
Date Reviewed: December 8, 2003
Strengths: Rolf Wheels, and some of the other components were decent It was light I got a good deal
Weaknesses: Frame not manufactured correctly Bontrager crankset Bontrager stem poor chain line not steel
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike because I wanted a real mountain bike for racing. I was impressed with how light it was and how well it handled compared to the crap I was riding.
On the trail it was twitchy, squirrely, and sometimes just scary.
I rode this bike for a year and a half until a mysterious cracking noise appearing while riding. I took it to the shop I bought it from to get it checked out, no cracks in the frame, but lo and behold, the seat tube was manufactured out of round!
The 8500 is Trek's top line aluminum hard tail and the seat tube is out of round?
That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Trek warrantied the frame and I sold the replacement on ebay. Some of the components live on on different bikes.
Other problems with the bike:
Chain line. The chain line was horrible. I couldn't back pedal without dropping the chain.
The Bontrager crank was just a joke. The rings got trashed if they just looked at a rock.
The Bontrager stem didn't hold the steerer tube tight; it required tightening before, during, and after every ride. Eventually the bolt just stripped the threads.
The aluminum frame also beat the heck out of me on epic rides. Now I ride steel.
I will say that the Rolf Wheels are awesome. I still use them on my Rockhound and haven't had any problems. I even bought a second pair!
I'm not such a fan of Trek bikes anymore. When I bought the bike (my first SERIOUS mtn bike) I said it would be the last mountain bike I bought for a long time. A season and a half later I was shopping for a new frame.
Maybe if I did short track racing, and/or had a budget to replace frames every season I would get another Trek, but for hardtails there are so many better builders.
Now I ride nice neutral handling steel hardtail and I'm a happy man.
Bike Setup: stock for the most part: XT mostly, Thomson Post and Stem
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Submitted by
George
a Weekend Warrior
from Queens, NY
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2003
Strengths: Lightweight, Components, Great Climber Just so much fun to ride. I know a lot of people complained about the Seat but after Riding it for 2 yrs I i find it quite comfortable.
Weaknesses: Tires really arent the greatest. I found on several occasions the tires loose grip on turns and almost loose the bike from under myself.
Bottom Line:
I have been on this Bike for 2+ years now and I love it. The rides are taking a toll on my back so I am looking to upgrade to a dual suspension bike (Santa Cruz Blur). However, this bike is not going anywhere it is a great light weight bike that will definitely stick with me for the days when I ride smooth road or horse trials with my Girlfriend. I read in one of the reviews above someone complained about a creaking sound from the drive train. I had the same problem. All you need to do is make sure the Cranks are tight. I had the bike shop look at my bike and when they tighted the cranks the sound went away. It's been 2yrs and I have not trued the wheels or cleaned this bike more than once. Rides like it just came out of the showroom. It is a great handling bike which is very responsive. As most of you know from reading the other reviews it climbs great. Just to prove how light this bike is, when ever I ride with my girlfriend and we need to carry our bikes she carries my bike and I carry hers. Anyone looking for a lightweight XC race bike this is the one. Now get out and ride!!!!
This bike has been used every week off road for the last year and been given some major abuse. I have had no trouble with anything except I blew the rear hub last week and the bike shop replaced it free of charge. It's seen me through some serious off road trails throughout Asia with NO PROBLEMS.
Everything is still in perfect working order, which is amazing, as the bike has only been cleaned once!!! :)
I'm amazed that the forks have held out, as all the reviews on the SID XC are terrible. I'm 6'1" tall and 80kg+ so expected some trouble and have had none.
This bike is still available in the shops at a very good price. If you are looking for a good quality hard tail that represents exceptional value for money, you can’t go wrong buying this bike.
A wonderful, wonderful bike. I did allot of research regarding which bike to buy after running my GT into the ground, and have been unable to find anything that comes remotely close on value for money. This bike is super light weight and taking on any hill is a pleasure. Coming downhill is a little scary due to the light weight design and you need to concentrate and adopt the correct position at all times. The seat is a little uncomfortable but i am going to give it a longer try out before deciding to change. The tyres aren't the best but again i'm going to try them out for a while till i get the bike totally set up correctly. The SID XC are difficult to set up right so will be buying a pump on my next trip to the bike shop.
I 100% recommend this bike to anyone who is looking for a light weight cross country MTB with top spec components (make sure you upgrade in the shop at time of purchase) and hasn't got $$$$$$ to spend. This is true value for money.
Favorite Trail: From now on, any with big hills :)
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1388.00
Purchased At: Treknology, Holland Village
Similar Products Used: GT, Santa Cruze
Bike Setup: upgraded rear cluster from LX to XT, upgraded V Breaks to XT, upgraded peddals to Shimano clip ins (the nice man at the bike shop only charged me an extra US$28 to do this :)
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Submitted by
Joe Grant
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 13, 2002
Strengths: Good component set for the money: -Light frame -Light Rolf Wheelset -SID -XT/XTR comp's
Weaknesses: A few: -Frame sizes: I fit perfectly into a 18.5" frame, but sizes jump from 17.5" to 19.5". I ended up taking the larger, which isn't too bad. -Brakes: They blow. Either get disks when you buy it or upgrade to a decent set of V's -SID: not very stiff -Crappy tires -Some weird, quiet, clicking noise in the drivetrain (?)
Bottom Line:
This is a good bang for your buck. With a few simple upgrades, the 8500 can be perfect. As for off the shelf, the bike is a race-worthy XC machine.
I give it 5 chili's for value, but 4 for overall due to the few sub-standard comp's
Similar Products Used: -Used to ride a CrMo frame... what a difference in weight! -Tried Trek 8000, but is much heavier
Bike Setup: Swapped the pedals out right away. Going to upgrade tires and brakes this year, probably to XT's or SRAM. Added some barends, but that's personal preference.
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Submitted by
jim coyne
a Cross Country Rider
from fairfax, ca usofa
Date Reviewed: December 11, 2001
Strengths: tight ride right out of the gate. great mix of xtr/xt with adequate brakes/bb/cranks/stem/seat/seat post/cassette/chain. rockshox xc has nice attributes and the al frame climbs like a pro.
Weaknesses: the rolf dolomite wheels are going south after 3000 miles and the low end bb is about shot. semi semi-slick tires died fast but what the hell. to keep the price low the adequate products listed above are understandable but should be swapped out after they start to go, which will be sooner than you'd like.
Bottom Line:
maintain your ride and you'll realize the benefits of simplicity and that xtr rear changer. love a bike like this and it'll love you back.
The 8500 is a great all around bike. The bike is light enough to blaze up nasty hills, and the frame is stiff enough to take some big hits from all types of obstacles. Add a few extra bucks and get all XTR and some better trailblazing tires for a perfect bike that will blow all your friends off the trail and leave 'em eating your dust.
This is a great bike for XC riding for a reasonable price. Components are good. The geometry makes it great for some serious climbing. It's light and stiff. This bike will make you want to get out and ride!
Weaknesses: stock tires are racing slicks. will post if any additional.
Bottom Line:
raced fisher for the last three years, and swore by them until this bike. this bike just wants to go!!!! handles like a dream downhill and corners like a champ and climbs as equally well. raced (sport) it in white haven pa. second time on it. started dead last (35th) and finished 8th. climbed like a champ and handled great in the technical rocky sections....tracked wonderfully. discs are a must! i didn't feel as strected out as i did on the fisher.it is unbelievable how comfortable this bike is. it is a small (15.5)...i have read stem length is to short but not for me......i am 5' 6".....just right. if you want to a race bike for a great price. i think this a great buy. very happy. both flamin' chilis get a 5!!!!!
Similar Products Used: Balance AL-750, Be-One Hyper Four (big mistake!!)
Bike Setup: original with Magura HS 33, Michelin Wildgrippers and Time Atac carbon
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Submitted by
Gordo
a Cross Country Rider
from Canberra, ACT, Australia
Date Reviewed: July 15, 2001
Strengths: Light weight Gusseting on head tube and drive side chain stay geometry handling replaceable der hanger
Weaknesses: So pretty it's hard to get dirty !
Bottom Line:
What a bike ! For a 21.5" frame (in sexy red/silver/black)it weighs (11kg/23pd complete, 1.8kg frame-only) and handles like it's tiny. Nice geometry - big front triangle for stretching out and uphill work and small rear tri for quick takeoffs. Finish of frame is excellent (gusseting and welds are impressive). Rearend shock absorbion is surprisingly good. Very little fork flex and nice precise steering.
DO Go get one if : you're a pro XC racer, a frequent XC rider or like to hang exotically-welded frames from your ceiling. DON'T go get one if : You want a bomb-proof slalom bike
Value gets a big '5' as it was received under warranty from Trek for a cracked Y-11 (thanks Trek Aus !) and was built by Mal-Adjusted (top job ! Thanks Rohan). Only had it 2 weeks and loved every ride so far. Can't wait for my first XC race of the season.
Even comes with free Volkswagen advertising (I'm just waiting for their cheque in the mail...)
Similar Products Used: Scott Sawtooth, Cannondale C300, Avanti Hurricane, Trek ZX 7000
Bike Setup: RS SID XC, XT gruppo, XTR V brakes, Mavic f rim Velocity Mtn Goat r rim, IRC XC tyres, Aheadset, Ritchey stem, Ti XC bar, Onza bar ends and Ourys (of course !)
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Submitted by
Daniel Kennedy
a Cross Country Rider
from Clarksville,TN 37042
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2001
Strengths: The whole bike was excellent from the start. I cant say enough about the rolf urraco disc rims. I have launch off of 5 foot drops and had no problems yet. Most people like to complain about the stem of their bike but if the got the right sixe bike then then wouldnt have that issue. I have the 15.5 inch I am only 5'4" and the stem lentgh is no prob.
Weaknesses: I had to go and change a few things I did not like the flex that I got from the cranks so I changed them. The seat was a little uncomfortable. And most of all I had to get rid of the flat handle bars.
Bottom Line:
If your looking for a bike to get you around, get something cheaper, If your looking for a bike to take your anywhere get on and hold on
Similar Products Used: Most other top end mountain bikes, Includeing cannandale,kona, and santa cruz.
Bike Setup: came with xtr rear, bantranger stem, rolf urranco disc rims, xt disc brakes, bontrager tires, I added xt crankset, easton ct2 monkey lite carbon riser bar, thompson elite seat post, selle italia flite gel titanium seat, and a chris king head set.
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Submitted by
David Munden
a Racer
from Ottawa,Ontario Canada!
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2001
Strengths: Dual Piston Discs were slow to break-in, but worth the wait! Incredible breaking power. Light. Stiff. Bontrager cranks MUCH better than I would have ever imagined!
Weaknesses: Purchased a 17.5" frame and found the stem to be too short. (100mm???) a 120mm fit like a glove. Pedals---not too bad, but a set of 858's would have been sweet!Rear block.....LX.....c'mon, next time XT please.
Bottom Line:
This bike is SICK! Stiff as hell frame that is equally responsive. If you are a x/c racer that needs 100% handling...this is the bike for you. Excellent dollar value, and a cool Volkswagen logo to boot! Wasn't much of a fan of the colour, but that doesn't play into the bikes performance. And PERFORM it DOES!!! Rich posers need not apply.
Favorite Trail: Foreplay,Multiple Orgasam-Gatineau Park
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$2200.00
Purchased At: AWARD CYCLE!
Similar Products Used: Schwinn Moab M1 Disc,Schwinn Factory Homegrown XTR
Bike Setup: Pulled the seatpost for a USE XCR suspension post,bought some meaty michelin HOT X/C's for the wet up here and changed the stem to a raceface 120mm 5deg rise.
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Submitted by
Matthew Anderson
a Cross Country Rider
from Bluefield, VA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2001
Strengths: Quick, lively feel. It was ready to roll with only minor adjustments (seatpost, computer). Very lightweight. Frame is not overly harsh(Impt.- I weigh 215.)Great shifting. Great paint job. Good mix of components. I have the Avid brakes, these things will stop on a dime and give you back change. Climbs like a rocket. I heard bad things about the pedals, but when I began to use them, they were awesome, as I'm used to clipless pedals from the 105 group (circa 1993). Descends amazingly. Just purely amazing.
Weaknesses: The Rolf Wheelset. For a guy my size, the wheels flexed to the point that the brakes were rubbing the rims, even with the brakes adjusted to the point where the lever bottomed out. The tires just didn't feel sticky enough to me. I have 'em stored for future use, though. The Sid XC wasn't and still hasn't been adjusted too well for my size. I seems to bounce just a bit too much, or maybe even flex. Most of that is a bike shop problem, though. The stem seems a little long, and I am probably going to get a shorter one. One little item.... the crimps came off of my cables in about a week, and being the distance I am from the shop, I fixed it on my own with some solder and a makeshift crimp.
Bottom Line:
By the way, I posted a review on the 2000 model, so I just figured I would do it here now that this site is up and running. I just can't say enough for this bike. The wheel thing was just a personal opinion, as they would definitely work for someone smaller. The initial price was high, but I think that it will pay off in the end. You always get what you pay for. The bike suits my riding style, and it will get you anywhere you want to go. I would definitely recommend this bike to someone, especially if they are in the market for a superlight, tough riding machine.
