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Trek Bruiser 1 Freeride Hardtail


  • Average Rating: 3.66/5
  • MSRP: $ 370.00
  • # of Reviews: 50

Product Description

  • Frame: Alpha Aluminum
  • Front Suspension: InSync Edge, 120mm
  • Wheels: Alloy disc hubs; WTB Dual Duty rims
  • Crankset: SR 42/34/24
  • Rear Derailleur: Shimano Acera


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Reviews 1 - 15 (50 Reviews Total) | Next 15

User Reviews

Overall Rating:2
Value Rating:2
Submitted by Geoffrey a Downhiller from R.S.M.

Date Reviewed: July 10, 2010

Strengths:    Forks, handlebars, crank

Weaknesses:    Derailleur, derailleur hanger, brakes, rims

Bottom Line:   
Don't buy it unless you want to buy a lot of parts for it. I put White Brothers X-c3 shocks on it and the work great! I also converted mine to a single speed with a 32 tooth cog in the front and a 16 in the back. new brake levers, petals (Crank Brothers Eggbeater C Mountain Pedals), Tioga Blue Dragon tires(soon to be White Tigers), got custom spokes and a carbon fiber T.H.E. fender. i=I think it was worth the money!

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Mustard

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $250.00

Purchased At:   Freind

Bike Setup:   Single speed


Overall Rating:1
Value Rating:1
Submitted by Leo a Downhiller from Glenwood Springs CO USA

Date Reviewed: January 28, 2008

Strengths:    Strengths? what a joke.

Weaknesses:    fork, frame, drivetrain, fork, brakes, grips, fork, wheels, cranks, fork. Pretty much anything stock.

Bottom Line:   
After 2 months of light trail riding the fork had frozen and rebound was done manually by stepping on the tire and yanking on the bars. The metal in the crank was so soft that the bottom bracket had rubbed a hole in it causing the crank to work lose even when bolted on as tight as possible. Finally the tires got a big "S" bend in them causing the tire casing to rub the paint right off the craptastic frame. I ended up putting about 1,000 additional dollars into this frame and it still sucked.

Get a Kona or anything else it would be hard to do worse than this bike.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $450.00

Purchased At:   BSR

Similar Products Used:   To say it is similar to any other bike in the world would be an insult to that manufacturer.

Bike Setup:   Marzocchi Bomber (a better fork) , Avid Mech Disc(better brakes)


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by dylan chester a Downhiller from aus

Date Reviewed: September 3, 2007

Strengths:    frame but thats all i can say because its the only thing stock on mine

Weaknesses:    back disc some times rubs

Bottom Line:   
this bike is ****ing awsome i highly recomend buying one but DONT!!! leave it stock what ever you do i recomed doing what i did to a bruiser and use it for downhill

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   boyne downhill trail

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $80.00

Purchased At:   friend

Similar Products Used:   GT chucker(GAY!!!) norco wolverine

Bike Setup:   nothing on this bike is stock i got fatty rise bars, earl headset, tora rock shox, jayco double wall disc rims, mechanical disck bakes, and ive also made it single speed


Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:4
Submitted by da shizit a from edmonton

Date Reviewed: August 24, 2007

Strengths:    -good frame
-strong rims
-beefy tires
-apearance


Weaknesses:    -forks SUCK
-crank bends easy
-grips wear down fast
-forks
-forks


Bottom Line:   
A pretty good bike for beginners, can withstand a fair amount of jumps and drops. Forks like to crap out alot and crank cant withstand much force.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   any

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Price Paid:    $500.00

Purchased At:   bike shop

Bike Setup:   Holy roller rubber, 6' front and back avid mechanical discs


Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Cj Smith a Downhiller from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Date Reviewed: August 15, 2007

Strengths:    Strong frame, Good tires, Very strong stem and bars, Fairly good rims, and many other little things.

Weaknesses:    Fork, and Deraileurs.

Bottom Line:   
It's a good bike. Low price. With a few new parts it can be an amazing bike. I still ride mine after over 3 years and still love it.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Local Secret

Duration Product Used:   More than 3 years

Price Paid:    $500.00

Purchased At:   Remy Sport

Similar Products Used:   Gary Fisher Opie, GT Chucker 2.0, Giant STP 2, Rocky Mountain Flow, Fuji Panic, etc.

Bike Setup:   Trek Bruiser, Drop Off Triple's, Hayes MX-2, Many other upgrades.


Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Taylor a from California

Date Reviewed: July 24, 2007

Strengths:    Strong frame ,bontrager big earl tires, good at climbing and jumping, very stable bike

Weaknesses:    Weak crank always strips out, stiff spinner edge fork, pretty heavy, v-brake, cheap shifters

Bottom Line:   
Pretty good bike, strong, great for jumping.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Price Paid:    $370.00

Purchased At:   Freewheeler

Similar Products Used:   ironhorse warrior sc, haro v4, jamis dakar xc comp, Kona shred, intense uzzi

Bike Setup:   spinner edge fork, bontrager, v-brake


Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Taylor a from California

Date Reviewed: July 24, 2007

Strengths:    Strong frame ,bontrager big earl tires, good at climbing and jumping, very stable bike

Weaknesses:    Weak crank always strips out, stiff spinner edge fork, pretty heavy, v-brake, cheap shifters

Bottom Line:   
Pretty good bike, strong, great for jumping.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Price Paid:    $370.00

Purchased At:   Freewheeler

Similar Products Used:   ironhorse warrior sc, haro v4, jamis dakar xc comp, Kona shred, intense uzzi

Bike Setup:   spinner edge fork, bontrager, v-brake


Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:4
Submitted by jack a from massaschusetts

Date Reviewed: May 6, 2007

Strengths:    everything almost

Weaknesses:    the forks barley absorb anything
the cranks creek and lossen every ride
putting new cranks and forks on tho


Bottom Line:   
its a good bike but u have to put some money into it

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   orchards

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $450.00

Purchased At:   northampton bike

Similar Products Used:   trek 4300 kona downhill stinky


Bike Setup:   rear disc no front brakes dk bmx pedals


Overall Rating:2
Value Rating:1
Submitted by George a Downhiller from Canada

Date Reviewed: December 14, 2006

Strengths:    good frame, good disc brake(front only)alright forks

Weaknesses:    shifters broke while shifting
derailuers always skipped
rear v-brake sucked
crank arm always came loose and wobbled no matter what
seat clamp broke
rims dented


Bottom Line:   
don't buy this bike. I'm not even a hardcore rider and almost everything broke off it. I did not do stupid stuff either, just light trail and jumps. Bottomline:buy this bike if you wanna take it to the shop after every ride!

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $600.00

Bike Setup:   stock


Overall Rating:2
Value Rating:3
Submitted by josh a from notl, ontario, canada

Date Reviewed: October 29, 2006

Strengths:    Frame, bars i guess, seat post(seat), rims, grips

Weaknesses:    pretty much all components. Changed the forks to manitou black elite once the stock ones stopped working completely, changed brakes to avid juicy 3's, crankset, switched shifters to shimano x7,

Bottom Line:   
its a good thing they dont make this bike anymore. it BLEW!!! i was always running into probelms and having to put money into it. if i would have known this, i would have just put out a little more money into a better bike. the frame is alright and thats about it. other possitives mentioned are alright. i guess im just being nice. u get wut u pay for

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Price Paid:    $350.00

Purchased At:   Bike Fit

Similar Products Used:   trek bruiser 2, giant STP

Bike Setup:   manitou black elite, avid juicy 3, holzfeller crankset, shimano x7 shifters, freeride tubes


Overall Rating:1
Value Rating:1
Submitted by gshs agaa a from new york

Date Reviewed: August 30, 2006

Strengths:    stem and grips

Weaknesses:    everything fork bottomed out of of a 2 foot jump and the cap on top shot off. handle bars are to short to freeride with needs longer bars derailers are bad rims are week

Bottom Line:   
this is like a ford explorer it is made to look it can do big things but it can't good it your going to ride around town mabye a 3 foot drop every now and then

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $400.00

Purchased At:   Berts Bikes

Similar Products Used:   Fisher bitter now



Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Jeffrey Niederle a from Portland OR USA

Date Reviewed: August 25, 2006

Strengths:    Strong Frame. Ok stem, seat post, seat, OK Wheels ( mine where nicer then listed but stock.)

Weaknesses:    Pritty much every thing, But what do you expect for 250 for a free ride? fork was not 120mm bu 80. also it topped out every time after first ride. Cranks bent and the part that bolted to
bottom braket mashed and cranks would loosen. As I said, up grade later.


Bottom Line:   
This is a good freeride for a beginner, knowing that he or she is going to upgrade everthing later.But if you do ten foot drops, get somthing like a downhill or extreme freeride.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   name it

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $250.00

Purchased At:   Bike gallery

Similar Products Used:   P1 P2 Gary fisher g.e.d. (My freeride now)

Bike Setup:   Marzzochi MZ comp 100mm. Truvativ 5d W/ e thirteen bash. Hayes
MX2 dual 8 inch rotors. Deore derailures and shifters. Hussulfelt Bar. Easton vice stem. The rest is stock for now.


Overall Rating:2
Value Rating:3
Submitted by Brayden a from Fort macleod, Alberta, Country

Date Reviewed: August 18, 2006

Strengths:    It is a very solid bike and very light.

Weaknesses:    the seat is horrably discomfritable (i had that replaced) the forks worked for the first few weeks then crapped out (i am getting those replaced).

Bottom Line:   
If i were someone looking for a nice solid bike and had the money to get a new fork put on then this would be the bike for me.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $300.00

Purchased At:   Burt and macs

Similar Products Used:   i have ridden the trek jack 1 and it felt about ther same to ride accept with better forks.



Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by brandon scarfone a Downhiller from vermont

Date Reviewed: August 3, 2006

Strengths:    This bike is great for freeriding and dirt jumping at the beggining or intermediate level. I use it every day at the dirt jumping tracks and its a solid bike and nice fork.

Weaknesses:    The bike has little weaknesses although i just purchased it so for now i can just say nothing.

Bottom Line:   
If your like me and like thgenthrill of jumping and freeriding and maybe some downhill go for it its cheap and good looking. Ive benn freeriding for years with a pretty crappy bike but now ive stepped it upto the bruiser and its nice to have a bike that can keep up with me now.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   dirt jump

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Price Paid:    $300.00

Purchased At:   north star sports

Similar Products Used:   specialized hardrock although its a trail rider. I dont suggest it, my friend has one and he dont care for it.

Bike Setup:   get disc brakes its ready for them.


Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:4
Submitted by jason a Weekend Warrior from devon, albeta, c anada

Date Reviewed: August 3, 2006

Strengths:    definately frame and wheels

Weaknesses:    fork absolutely sucks, crank, components, brakes

Bottom Line:   
Basicaly bought the bike for its frame. Its perfect for my riding style and it takes a beating. Just slap on the rest as it brakes or when you have the money. Start with the fork cause it will turn it into a completely different bike from handling to jumping. Best 400 bucks I ever spent. Period. I'll give it a rating of 4 because for the price Trek could have put a functional fork and front derailleur.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   name it

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $400.00

Purchased At:   united cycle

Bike Setup:   fox vanilla fork, hone crankset, avid bb7 brakes and levers, shimano xt components.



Reviews 1 - 15 (50 Reviews Total) | Next 15

Review Options:  Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating

2005 Trek Bruiser 1? Good bike? Comparable to Giant STP3?

Okay i was pretty settled on the Hardrock sport, but then i came across this little number in the '05 previews at Trek's website. There seems to have not been bruisers in '04 but i   Read More »

gary fisher opie or trek bruiser 1

what bike should i buy im on a budget and am looking a freeride bike i have lowered it down to the fisher opie or trek bruiser 1. please let me know what bike you think is better.    Read More »

Opie or Bruiser 1

I'm trying to figure out which bike to buy, I want a strong bike that take rought stuff. and by that I mean go down long flights of stairs and also up and down curbs, and trails.    Read More »

Tire clearance on a trek bruiser 1

What do you think is the widest tire that could be fit on a bruiser 1 frame and stock fork? 2.5? 2.6??   Read More »

Can i use 170mm fork on Trek Bruiser 1 ?

or Specialized Hardrock .... both ~ 2007 model   Read More »

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