Submitted by
linda
a Cross Country Rider
from west milford, nj usa
Date Reviewed: July 4, 2008
Weaknesses: Interesting reading the review about the broken frame. This happened to my son after his SECOND sanctioned bike race and the trek dealers are giving him a really hard time about replacing the frame...inisting it couldn't POSSIBLY have happened in a race...ARE THEY KIDDING? This was a sanctioned, organized race with over 50 participants!Let us know if others are encountering problems with the Trek "lifetime" warranties. Thanks
Bottom Line:
Trek should honor their "Lifetime warranty" without the need for "witnesses", depositions, and the like....next time we will choose a reputable company that stands behind its product!
Strengths: Light for what it can do, great Geo! (can someone please tell me what its geo is?) strong, reliable
Weaknesses: crap paint and stickers. Rear carbon stays should have a "trust me" sticker on them to avoid the initial uncertainty.
Bottom Line:
This bike has served me incredibly well over the last 2.5 years. I dont believe in 'do-everything' bikes, but this one rattles my beliefs. I have won XC ravces on it and placed reasonably in DH races. I have taken it on tour for 3 months of constant riding in NZ. It has never let me down even though I have negalected it maintenance wise. It is starting to show its age however with a new main pivot needed.
Strengths: Great bike, lots of rear travel, has taken 10 foot drops to flat with no problem.
Weaknesses: Psylo is a piece of junk, way too flexy. i put a sherman slider on and it is a great downhill bike now. I raced collegiate nationals at sugar and loved this bike.
Bottom Line:
a great 5 in all mountain bike once you drop the psylo.
Similar Products Used: stumpjumper ht, sette reken, enduro ht, and specialized epic
Bike Setup: sherman slider, sun doublewide with saint hubs, chris king headset, xt cranks, and big platforms.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Troy
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2005
Strengths: strong frame, perfect suspension, overall good components, xt crank is bulletproof!
Weaknesses: shifters
Bottom Line:
This bike is amazing, i am a bmx/dirtbike rider who discovered mtbs and i beat the crap out or this bike offroad and riding urban. considering how tough it is the weight is not an issue. It takes everything i dish out and still works like new. It has very smooth suspension with good bottoming resistance and climbs better than most cross country full suspension bikes i have ridden. I feel unstopable on it and really feel connected. anyone who has a need to do some big gaps and wall rides on their way to the trail this is the bike for you. my only complaint is the new shimano dual control shifters, i hate them. the xt brakes really work nice though. If i could i would buy this bike over and over. chances are i wont need to for a very long time..
Submitted by
Neal Fix
a
from Penticton, British Columbia, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2005
Strengths: Lock out on Psylo front fork, Excellent climber, Excellent single track decender.
Weaknesses: Not great for drops more than two feet. After the tires wore out and were replaced I wish I would have done that right away. ie poor tires come on bike. The same can be said of the original brake pads on the XT discs. Once the first set were replaced with XT metal pads they last at least twice as long as the original pads. The seat post tends to slide down. The frame creaks unless a couple of tablespoons of oil are poured inside the frame. Lots of chain slap. Original chain wears out quickly. Grips are only fair.
Bottom Line:
I am 49 years old, 230 pounds and ride 10 to 15 hours per week, six months per year. I would buy this bike again in a second. It is very smooth. The bottom bracket hits more than I would like and the stand over is lacking because of the straight top tube but for all of the small things I complain about the big things (angles and suspension)are perfect for an all mountain bike. It both climbs and descends well. I take it to ski hills with armour and don't feel to outgunned. I took it to Moab last year for a month and felt like this bike was designed to give the best ride for a variety of trails there. It is a bike for people who can only manage having one bike. It does everything well but no one thing as good as role specific bikes. I had a high end Trek Fuel prior to this and it was like skiing on old straight GS race skis; it was like really fast but not much fun. The Liquid is like shaped skis; really fun to ride in aggresive terrain.
Similar Products Used: Rocky Mountain Slayer 50 and 70, Heckler, Orange Five HC
Bike Setup: Original Factory Spec but with V12s
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Robert Moritz
a Cross Country Rider
from Poland
Date Reviewed: August 22, 2005
Strengths: well equipped, some good components, works well as a set
Weaknesses: weight (31 pounds), fork difficult to setup
Bottom Line:
At the beginning I couldn't setup Fox Talas Fork properly, it was either not responsive or bottoming out all the time. I fouund out later that for me ( 190 pounds) all it takes is to set damping controls to softest posiible, while having proper air presure. All was OK (besides weight which was a problem when hiking:-)) until frame started to sqeak. I found out problem was that bearings of main pivot of rear triangle came loose, whic resulted in sideways play at the rear wheel of 1/2 inch! I sent frame back to dealer, who is not returning my calls now for almost a month. Well, let's see what is lifetime at Trek!
Strengths: Good mix of components. The new Shimano XT Dual Control Levers are acceptable (coming from SRAM 9.0 twist shifters). Shimano XT brakes are solid and responsive (I can use one finger!). Lock out is an excellent feature. Bike is good all around if you are not planning on XC racing.
Weaknesses: Stocked shock (RockShox Psylo Race) spring too stiff; some problems with "auto-shifting."
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike in Florida - yes, Florida! (There is actually some sweet mountain biking there, but that's another review.) Got a good deal on a closeout. I was concerned initially about the weight of the bike, however I have found that this bike is a great all around bike, even for XC. It is fun on the roots, rocks, downhills. It climbs very well. I tend to lock out the rear on longer climbs. The only time I wouldn't recommend this bike is if you are planning on serious XC racing. The shifting could be better. I get a lot of what I call "auto-shifting" where the chain dances around the cassette a bit without me wanting it to. (Never ever had this problem with my SRAM system!) The main/major complaint I have is the stocked fork. It comes with a RockShox Psylo Race fork. This in and of itself is not the issue. I weigh between 138-140 pounds. The fork comes stocked with the medium (or "red") spring. On RockShox's web site, this spring is rated for someone who weighs 140-160 pounds. The front shock is way too stiff for me. I have tried adjusting rebound and travel, but still experience too much stiffness. I feel that since my bike is a 17 inch frame that they (Trek or RockShox) should have assumed a smaller rider and hence a lighter rider and stocked the smaller frames with the softer spring. I'm considering switching to the soft (or "yellow") spring at some point which is rated for <140 pounds. Overall this is a bike that performs as it is intended.
Strengths: I came from an 8 year old Specialized hard tail. No comparison to a hard tail bike and still much better than the Turner 5 spot, etc listed below. Over 40 and no longer have back pain. Was the slowest downhiller in the group, now one of the fastest. The bike rides over anything you can throw at it on Porcupine Rim, Amasa Back in MOAB and Calgary Trails, Jul Pass or Powderface. The bike is very balanced. The Front Fox Shox is absolutely amazing, not premature diving in the big holes, nicely brings you out and keeps you going (on the bike). My old bike was 23 lbs and this bike at 30lbs, climbs just a good. I use the Fox front fork adjustment on steep uphills, easy to set while riding.
Weaknesses: I've had trouble adjusting rear derailure (shimano xtr), skipping while climbing in 2nd or 3rd free hub ring. Some creaking and not sure where its coming from. The rear shock setting doesn't work the greatest as it lowers the bottom bracket to much and you get some bottoming on the downhill. Top tube a little high.
Bottom Line:
Unless the SPV type technology gets much better I'd higly recommend this bike for all mountain riding. Not to plush, rides any where. If you can get the Liquid 30 at a good price jump at it. Great for the all mountain minded individual who most likly to keep their hucking to less than 3 feet. Great bike for the Calgary Rockies or MOAB.
Similar Products Used: 2004 Liquid 25, 2005 Turner 5 Spot, Specialized 2005 FSR and Specialized 2005 Enduro. (all tested at the Moab Fat Tire Festival on slick rock). Also tried older Specialized Enduro Comp.
Bike Setup: Stock Liquid 30, time pedals. XTR rear derailure, XT front Derailure. Hays mag with 6" rotors. Upgrade front to 8" rotor, for casual use. Changed out the stock stem to a 110mm, 15deg stem. Changed bar to a carbon Easton Monkey. Tires Nokian NBX. Bontrager crank and arms, bontrager seat post, bontrager seat, bontrager race lite rims.
Strengths: Brakes/shifters, light feel(for 31 lbs), great frame, climbing is a breeze, down hill is much more fun with this bike
Weaknesses: tires, seat post slipping
Bottom Line:
This bike is amazing, I researched (and saved $) for about a year and finally chose the liquid 30. The components are great. The hydrolic brakes...wow, there is no comparing. The bike is a little heavy, but you can not feel the difference in climbing with bikes 5 lbs lighter. Downhill is solid and smooth thanks to Rock Shox and Fox. The tires do suck, I'm changing those soon. Seat post does slip a lot, (any remedies??) Overall, I am very satisfied.
Similar Products Used: Trek Fuel 100, Specialized enduro, Specialized xc,
Bike Setup: stock accept for pedals
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Justin Allen
a Weekend Warrior
from West Covina, CA
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2004
Strengths: Just getting on the bike you feel really, really comfortable. It's not an intimidating bike at all. The whole frame geometry change is amazing. It makes such a huge difference on the climb and on the descent. Lockouts in the front and rear are nice for those flat sprint sections. STI levers have made this bike a standout. It's just a lot more fluid to shift with the brake levers, vice the trigger shifters, eventhough I've grown up with the triggers.
Weaknesses: Lots of chain slap eat up the paint on the chainstay. Interestingly enough it eats the paint of the top AND bottom of the chainstay. The remote lockout on the fork tends to get stuck a bit. As long as you keep the cable lubed enough it's pretty good. Stock tires are about the WORST tires to ride in soft, loose dirt in.
Bottom Line:
This bike is so versatile. You can set it up for so many different scenarios. Sure, 30 lbs is a little bit more than what the average rider wants in a mountain bike, but you can't even feel the weight on the climb. If you're like me and don't want to buy a cross country bike and a separate downhill bike...this bike is the way to go! This bike isn't for beginners because the STI shifters and shock setups can get a little interesting if you don't know what you are doing.
Bike Setup: Stock with some ODI lock-on grips and some Shimano SPD M-646 pedals.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Robert Loehr
a Cross Country Rider
from Pittsburgh, PA 15229 ~ USA
Date Reviewed: June 24, 2004
Strengths: Strong Frame, Does not feel heavy on the uphills!. I feel one with the bike most times !. Tire Pressure needs to be low with stock tires. Replaced front chainring with MRP single chain guide and Bash gaurd 32 teeth ring~ still able to climb most hills very well !.
Weaknesses: Brakes seem to wear out very often, but I do ride alot so ...?. Creaking noises ever since bike was new, needs to be lubed like crazy !. Hate the stock grips, replaced with Intense Lock-on grips!. Love the stock seat and purchased another for my other cyclocross bike.
Bottom Line:
Awsome bike and feels like I am one with the machine. Could be a bit lighter, but I still can out climb some folks who spend a bunch of $$$ on the SantaCruz BLUR. Great for jumps and log crossings !. Not a racing bike !. If you want a bike that does it all this bike will do it !. Its Like its advertised "all mountian" just a little of everything from XC trail riding and Logs and Jumps, maybe light downhill???.
Similar Products Used: Gt-XCR2000 iDrive,, Gt-Ruckus 2.0 iDrive,, Trek 8500.
Bike Setup: I have not changed anything except for the aftermarket MRP Bashring and Chain Guide. Most of the Stock goods are just fine !. Still running the stock tires after a year.5.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Shawn
a Weekend Warrior
from Reno, Nv
Date Reviewed: June 16, 2004
Strengths: 5 inches front/back travel, looks neat. Great component group.
Bottom Line:
This bike is great. I am 6'3" and weigh about 210. I feel great about riding this bike. The suspension is sweet once you set it up for your weight/style of riding. I love the suspension. This bike will have me back in cycle shape before no time. I love to ride this bike. I had some chain trouble and some deraileur troubles at first, but the guys at Sierra cyclesmith were all over it. I got a new rear deraileur for free. Now the only thing slowing me down is me. Anyone could buy this bike and ride it with confidence. I ride mostly what would be considered cross country with a few hits of around 4 ft max, when I get brave. I would definitely buy this bike again.
Weaknesses: -It comes with really wimpy tires that arent suited for my riding style/terrain.
Bottom Line:
Great bike for XC/freeride. The downhills are so much fun with this bike. I carve down that mountain like a knife through butter. Im 15 years old, and I go biking with my father who has a klein Palimino and he just cant catch up with me on the downhills (but he gets me on the uphills). I am 6'4 220 lbs and this bike still preforms very well despite my abnormal size for my age. The shocks absorb everything. I woudlnt suggest a begginer get this bike because it is to exspensive for a begginer and maybe even to heavy. Ive been riding with my dad for about 2 1/2 years now and biking, school and girls is all thats on my mind right now :).
Weaknesses: -Only one color choice (black) -pedals that come with it -NOTHING ELSE
Bottom Line:
This is an awsome bike for the money. I mean on the trails that I go on the bike really preforms well. I go on rock/sandy fire roads which requires full suspension or you will have to say siyonara to your balls. THis bike climbs very well even though it ways 31 pounds. If you like showing off how lite your bike is, this isnt the bike for you. The rear shock works like a dream. The adjustments are smooth and trouble free. Same goes for the front shock. THis bike has been through 2 months of some seroius abuse but it is holding up reall well. This bike is a great buy for people who like climbing hills and coming down at high speeds.
Recently my Liquid 30 bit the dust. it broke right in half a complete break right above the bottom bracket and another on the top bar right below the seat post down tube.
i am tr Read More »
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Recently my Liquid 30 bit the dust. it broke right in half a complete break right above the bott Read More »
I am upgrading the fork on my ride and have my old 07 66 I was thinking of putting on my son's bike. Can the frame take the load from the change in head angle? It is about a 1.5 Read More »
So I got a rear shock that I've meaning to replace on my 2003 Trek Liquid 30, but I'm having quite the time figuring out the exact size of rear shock I need?
Does anyone know or Read More »
