Weaknesses: A little on the heavy side (but what do you expect from steel fame?), shifts can be rough and slow, brakes tend to stick on one side
Bottom Line:
A friend gave this to me because he joined the military and wasn't going to use it anymore. It performs well from my experiences. The gripshifts haven't failed me yet and I shift quite a lot. The metal brake handles suit me quite well but the brakes will often stick on one side and release only on the other. The rims were bent when I got it but luckely I got some for free. I would recommend this bike for people who ride on all-around terrain (paved and off-road mixture) but I don't know about serious trail riding as I havn't gotten a chance to do that.
Weaknesses: The chain comes off all the time and it´s too heavy.
Bottom Line:
This bike is for strong men that don´t have anything better to do with their time than to put the chain back on the bike. Every time I hit the curb, the chain falls off. Every time I go up a hill, the chain falls off. And sometimes, even when I change gears the chain comes off!
Weaknesses: Low end drivetrain (Altus rear and crappy Tourney crank), Gripshift doesn't work too well and doesn't always shift when I want it to...maybe why I was given the bike in the first place.
Bottom Line:
Good value for the money, but not what you would want if you plan to put serious miles on your bike. The low-end Shimano drivetrain might last 2,000 miles, if that.
Similar Products Used: My Gary Fisher Aquila, Bridgestone MB-5, Bridgestone MB-6, Nishiki Blazer (I'm a bike freak)
Bike Setup: Pretty much stock except I added bar ends. I still don't even know when I'll ride this bike, I have too many.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Adam Stacey
a Downhiller
from Mobile,Al
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2003
Strengths: very tough frame, cables are strong good low gear ratio, great pickup,Shimano parts
Weaknesses: plastic grip shifts frequently cracking and being replaced, rims bend easily, heavy frame, oddball handlebars, no shocks
Bottom Line:
The bike can and has beat every Schwinn I have raced, it has a 56" frame which gives me an advantage for more tork to the crank however, when going downhill expect a bumpy ride and a bent rim as the bike has no shock absorbtion whatsoever. It is a good bike for training to race offroad as it has a 26" wheelbase allowing more maneuver ability and can literally cut a line through the dirt. I would prescribe this bike to anyone who is beginning to race off-road or just ride the trail.
Similar Products Used: Huffy,Schwinn,Gt,Pinnacle,Specialized,Trek
Bike Setup: All stock with new grip shifter
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Fred
a Weekend Warrior
from Reading PA USA
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2002
Strengths: Overall value for entry-level riders; small fram models good for kids.
Weaknesses: Considering the $, not many weaknesses on 2001 model
Bottom Line:
I purchased this bike for my 10 year-old son after eventually trying 3 WalMart bikes (lat one had aluminum frame), each having a problem and each more expensive than the previous model... I should have known better. This 2001 800 Sport with a XS 13" frame was quite an upgrade, my son immediately noticing the quality difference. It shifts well, rides smoothly, brakes well and is comfortable for my son. Other reviwers here note that it's heavy, but it's still lighter than the WalMart bikes and isn't really that heavy, especially with the XS frame. Beside, steel is preferred over aluminum for ride quality, especially on bikes without shocks. No, this isn't a bike for hard core enthusiasts but it IS much better than the WalMart and department store bikes. It's great for kids and the entry-level casual rider for which it's intended. My son loves riding it and can now keep up with his dad. He has no problem with shifting although I did spend some time adjusting the derailers for best performance. If you don't know how to adjust, make sure your bike shop has 'em adjusted properly for you. By the way, the 800 Sport costs less than the kids models with 24" wheels I investigated (Fuji, Trek, Giant). Is there a better new bike at this price point? I haven't yet found one unless you can find a great used bike that fits you.
Strengths: Great brand & durability at an affordable price. Comfortable seat. Good looks.
Weaknesses: Heavy bike, no shocks
Bottom Line:
I've had a great time on this bike! I purchased this bike because I wanted to try mountain biking, but wasn't sure whether it would suit me. I love it, and this bike is ok for the tougher rides. Not great, but doable. Hills are tough because the bike is so heavy, and rough terrain is tough without shocks, but this is still a durable bike. I'm very happy with Trek, and I am already dreaming about "upgrading" to a front suspension Trek model. But if you ride easier trails or aren't sure how much you'll ride, the Trek 800 Sport is an affordable option. Would definitely recommend this bike over a cheaper brand-- it will just have cheaper components that will leave you stranded in the woods!
Weaknesses: Heavy, cheap components, shifter and chain slips a lot, no shocks
Bottom Line:
I ride this bike 5-10 miles a day, mostly on local roads. It works great on back roads, trails, crushed gravel and so on -- what I'd call "light off-road riding." If you want to get into full-fledged downhill mountain biking, don't even look at this bike -- it has no shocks. Likewise, if you know you want to ride exclusively on the road, there are better choices out there. But if you are looking for something that is fairly inexpensive, sturdy, and versatile, then this bike might be worth considering. I add pressure to the tires to make it run quicker on pavement, since I ride mostly on the road. I've added a Specialized v-shaped seat, which helps a lot on the longer rides. This bike sure is heavy, pedalling up those hills... But if you're doing it for the workout, that's a good thing, remember?
If it weren't for it slipping out of gear and the chain occasionally popping off, I'd give this bike a higher overall rating. No matter how many times I get it adjusted, this is still a problem. Very annoying.
Submitted by
Vatid Charoensiri
a Weekend Warrior
from Bangkok,Thailand
Date Reviewed: October 19, 2001
Strengths: good brand name Very strong, may be lasted for 20 year beautiful, good construction
Weaknesses: too heavy
Bottom Line:
I really like this bike because it was my first imported bike. I used to have 2 steel-frame bikes but Trek provides better riding feeling. I bought it in 1998 when there were few models similarly. Fortunately, the seller offered me very good price which close to his cost. I did not change anything and used it for 1.5 years. After that, I bought a used-alu frame so I changed the frame. I am 42 years old therefore this bike seems a bit heavy to me. Anyway I gave the frame for my lovely son. At present, I ride 2 bikes to go to my office which is about 2 km. The other one is Bridgestone MR 370 made in 1992. I searched from internet and got a lot of infomation.Any how, I couldn't find info.for this model. I think all frame was made of CR-MO. This bike is a bit small for me but I use it a lot. Trek 800 sport is a good choice for beginner or riders who mostly ride on flat terrain. Meanwhile, there are 2-3 local brand produced alu. frame bike at the same price with shock absorber. If I want to buy a bike now, I shall buy other local brand that is more money efficiency.But I still like trek. Is it mean long distance travel ? People who ride Trek probably as tough as Lance Amstrong.
Submitted by
Dylan
a Weekend Warrior
from South Africa
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2001
Strengths: Good Value for money. Excellent bearings
Weaknesses: A little too heavy
Bottom Line:
This bike has taken me through the easy and hard trails where it has performed reasonably. It is my first true mountain bike, and being and entry level rider, it has been brilliant. For riding around the city it is more than adequate. If you're looking for a bike to do the occasional off-road trail and to otherwise use daily and you want something that you can rely on. Then this is the bike for you.
This is the perfect beginner bike and i would recommend it to anyone who dosnt have any experience and wants to learn the basic skills of riding. If you are looking for a high quality bike that is easily upgradeable do not,i repeat, do not buy this bike. You will be completely dissappointed when you are attempting to ride up a moderately steep hill and then out of nowhere your chain just falls off. I got the 1997 model of this bike, but as far as i can tell there have been absolutely no changes. its definately a resionable price for an entry level bike but after riding it for so long i can not give it a good review because i have spent so much reparing stupid things like crappy plastic pedals, garbage derailers, garbage wheels and tires and brakes that dont work.
Favorite Trail: Trails that are in the woods in my neighborhood.
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$250.00
Similar Products Used: K-mart special when i was 10.
Bike Setup: upgraded to shimano acera derailers after the old cheap ones became completely destroyed after 2 weeks of off road riding. Needed to replace the brakes, wheels, tires and pedals.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Terry McMullen
a Weekend Warrior
from Madison, Mississippi
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2001
Strengths: Better components than discount bikes. Stays together, good service from dealers
Weaknesses: Considering the initial price of the Bike it has no weaknesses.
Bottom Line:
I have ridden this bike for the last 2 years and have put over 2,000 miles on it. I am 50 years old therefore I do some light trail riding, which has resulted in some bumps and scrapes on myself and the bike. Most of my riding is 20-30 mile road trips. I have had the normal derailer adjustment problems and an occasional thrown chain, but the bike has performed great. The bar extensions help a great deal climbing hills, changing from offroad tires to semi street treads with higher psi has improved road trips. I moving up to another bike in the near future it will be a Trek. The 800 Sport is great for anyone just getting into biking and don't want to throw money away on the discount house bikes.
Bike Setup: Added Specialized seat, bar extensions, bike computer.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Brendan Murphy
a Weekend Warrior
from Chattanooga, TN, USA
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2001
Strengths: GripShift twist action shifting is easy to use, tells you what gear you are in; nice colors; comfortable; great value.
Weaknesses: None.
Bottom Line:
This bike is very versatile. It is great for everything from mild-to-moderate off-roading to 20-mile road rides. If you want a mountain bike's capabilities for when you need it, but also do plenty of road / path riding, this is a good bike for you.
Weaknesses: Heavy, no shocks. The front derailleur won't go into the lowest gear. The rear derailleur won't go past fifth gear. The rear derailleur makes random and unprovoked shifts whenever it damn well feels like it. Grip Shift sucks.
Bottom Line:
I wouldn't reccomend it because of the shifting problems, and it's just not that impressive in general.
Submitted by
John Lockjaw
a Weekend Warrior
from Blacksburg, Va. USA
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2001
Strengths: Good durability, nice seat, durable frame, nice brakes
Weaknesses: Very Heavy, no shocks
Bottom Line:
Nice bike, very durable, but heavy and without the shocks the rocky trails can give the bike a heavy beating. Overall, a good bike for beginners, and a great price for what you are getting. If youi are a begginer, I would recomend buying it- it is really worth the money, but it doesnt have much fancy stuff on it. Overall, a good bike for what you are paying for.
