Strengths: Light enough, responsive, long top tube, simple suspension, just enough travel for cross country riding. I have the STP300 "nude" 3D red carbon finish-It's wicked, and rare. I ride road and CX most the time, and I want an MTB that feels like those other bikes, not a monster truck. I have a long torso, so the long TT is a plus for me, but should be good for others too because you can run a shorter stem-which will increase steering accuracy/stiffness/response. The soft-tail is a frame concept that gets you seat post suspension comfort, without a varying seat height.
Weaknesses: Horrible bottom bracket/chain line design. This is really Shimano's/Bontrager's fault. The 73mm shell and E-Type FD require a too wide BB axle, resulting in poor chain line-so, you end up with increased chain suck and chain drops.
Bottom Line:
Do one of two things: ditch the E-type BB for a clamp-on FD, and use a narrower spindle regular BB, or-go nuts like I did and remove material from the drive side of the BB shell, slap on the E-Type FD, and use a regular narrow spindle BB. I used a Dremel tool and a BB facing tool to accomplish this. The E-Type FD is a bit stiffer, and its mounting plate provides some frame protection against chain drop/suck. Now I have the ultimate: a narrow spindle, better chainline AND the E-type FD. If Shimano only produced a narrow spindle 73mm shell E-Type BB, I wouldn't have had to makee custom mods. Is this poor frame design, or poor component design? You pick. If you don't mind only being able to use 5 or 6 rear cogs with each front chainwheel, then ignore everything I suggest re chainline. If you want to maximize gear range use, make the modifications.
Similar Products Used: My other ride is a YBB Moots
Bike Setup: Single Speed, V-brakes-would like to convert to disc-can I?, Mavic-CrossMax wheels-simple.
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Submitted by
andrew b.
a Cross Country Rider
from lawrence, ks
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2006
Strengths: Light but offers some rear wheel travel to keep you stuck to the trail. Carbon feels great, the bike rides like it's alive! Feels as crisp as a hard tail, but with better rear end control.
Weaknesses: Very few. Hard to find an STP. Sometimes scuffs on the carbon can look bad, but won't hurt the frame as long as you put chain protector on when you notice it starting to scuff.
Bottom Line:
It's a badass bike, if you build it right it can be as light as 24-25 lbs. Mine is 28 right now, but I'm pretty sure most of the weight is in the heavy fork and wheel/tire setup. Nevertheless, it rides fantastic and feels even lighter than it is b/c it's so nimble. If you find one of these bikes go for it since there's not much being made that's comparable. Maybe the cannondale scalple or a moots yb.
Similar Products Used: No bike this good, but have ridden a 1997 Spec. hard rock and had a 2005 trek 4300 that got stolen a month after I got it, so I built this badass bike.
Bike Setup: STP 200 frame, LX rear derailleur, shifters and crankset, XT front derailleur and hubs, avid levers and BB-7 front disc, sun rhynolite rims, marzocchi EXR pro 110mm spring fork, sette apx carbon post, bontrager race lite saddle.
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Submitted by
Jeff Sherrod
a Racer
from Salt Lake City, UT. USA
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2005
Strengths: The handling, and climbing abilities. I love the soft tail on hard pack and wash boards.
Weaknesses: It’s a small one I can do with out. No disc brake use for rear wheel.
Bottom Line:
The best soft tail I have had the pleasure of riding. The carbon makes for a great ride and the soft tail makes no funky noises like some of those other soft tails out there, and it’s light. Now Trek geometry doesn’t always work for every one but it fits my body just perfect. I’ve tried Litespeed and Cannondale’s soft tail versions and I stuck with the TREK! It make a great single speed!
Weaknesses: Hmm. The original crank is not as exyct as it could be.
Bottom Line:
THIS is one Bike I ever sought for. OK, fullies are plusher. But I am a 70kg/140lbs rider and I want a bike that ist light, lean and mean as my own self. I ride this bike downtown to work, I ride this bike with my wife drafting behind me on the road, I ride it for training, for 80-120k day races. On single trails on fireroads. Never felt better on a bike. The big extra: It is so light and stiff, you can jump on uphills. If this baby would ever be stolen, I'd hire a contract killer. And I am a peaceful person. Really!
Weaknesses: - the STP doesn't get built anymore since 2003 - rear shock is specially made for the STP, so if it is damaged, you have to hope that Trek has someone for you.
Bottom Line:
I own this softtail now for about 3 years and I still see no reason, why to change this baby with another bike. You can accelerate this softail like a hardtail, but the small rear travel is enough, that you can maintain speed in rough passages and don't get shot out of the saddle. I'm riding that bike in 60 and 120 km races and it's really perfect for this purpose.
GEOMETRY: The STP is not really comfortable because there is a dawn long top tube, so you sit a bit stretched. The steering tube is short and the distance between saddle and handle bar quite high, so much of your body weight is at the front of the bike. But that's all for one purpose: to be the fastest in climbing and on fast trails. The bike is VERY fast in cornering and don't get's nervous in high speeds. The disadvanatage of the frame geometry is, that the bike is hard to control in steep descents and technical passages.
QUALITY: After over 10000km of hard riding I belive, this frame lasts forever. The flexing part is not getting softer over the years, as you may think. And the great advantage of this frame is: There are no links at all, which have to be taken care of. My rear shock (It's a SID Race) is damaged (the neagtive chamber looses air), but I think that's okay after it lasted so long. But this part is hard to come by because this shock is specially made for THIS and ONLY for this bike.
PARTS: About the parts I don't want to write, because you can look in the specific sections.
Another thing about the frame is, that sensible seatposts (like my carbon seatpost) are in "good hands" by the frame because the seat tube is covered with fibreglass, which doesn't cause any scratches or corrosion to your seatpost so you haven't to greese your seatpost.
I would buy that bike again. I'm a bit sad because this bike doesn't get built anymore by Trek. It's really a superb race bike and every ride is an orgy of adrenaline and endorphine: a ride on a cannon ball.
So in spite of the few weaknesses I told you above, I give this bike five points.
Bike Setup: STP200 frame (it's the same as the STP400 with another color), SID SL 2002, XT 2004 cranks, time atac padels, use carbon seatpost...
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Submitted by
Stephan
a Cross Country Rider
from Saipan
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2004
Strengths: Its nimble all right, but.....
Weaknesses: read carefully about chainsuck. A normal amount of chainsuck very quickly wears through the carbon and renders the frame useless. An expensive problem especially when trek refuses to honor its supposedly lifetime warranty. My firens has the same bike for the same amount of time and lucky for him he knew someone at the factory who fixed it for a fee, but they don't support this discontinued model anymore and they don't honor their warranty. Beware.
Bottom Line:
Other things wore out too fast, but that could be because I live on a salty island. Those expensive shocks corroded and started to leak. The bottom bracket and rear hub also wore out quickly.
Buy only if its pristine and you can see it and you don't mind throwing away money on a frame that could dissolve before your eyes. ie you're a racer who gets new bikes every year.
WOW. I have beaten on this bike for 5 years now and it keeps coming back. I am on my second drivetrain, fork, well everything but the frame. It is a fast-light XC racer. The 1.25" of rear wheel travel isn't alot but it is enough for racing. It gives you that extra little bit of control that you need to really rail. The only thing that I have ridden that is close to it is the C'Dale scalpel. If anything ever happens to it I will be on a C'Dale. If you can still find one and are looking for a fast XC racer pick it up.
Bike Setup: X.0/X.9/XTR, Avid Brakes, Fox RTL80, Easton HB/SP/Stemm, RaceFace Deus Cranks, Rolf Propell Wheels
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Submitted by
Dark Star Rider
a Racer
from Vamsterdam, B.C. (True Free North)
Date Reviewed: March 21, 2004
Strengths: Every little thing it does is magic, every little thing just turns me on (Sting wrote a song for this F.R.O. XC-R)! Not enough hours in my life to list them all-
Weaknesses: What a silly little question for a Ride like THIS-
Bottom Line:
I really can't put into words what this STP 400 is capable of ... it is simply too Talented to do so. These bikes are true F.R.O. XC-Rs that are so capable that only the rider's skill is the limiting factor. Thay out perform every XC-R configuration on the planet and weigh in at an UltraLite advantage. The only bike that has both active and passive suspension values going for it, while transfering 100% of crank energy directly to the ground. I can ride ANY terrain on one and bomb DH stuff as it it were pavement frequencies ... these bikes are FREAKY BAD. I have been on them since 1999 and refuse to give them up for anything that has yet to come down the road; although I have owned many a "wannabes" since I got started with these STPs and all were an UTTER Failure in comparison ... Totally. That is with the exception of the Nicholas Vouilloz designed LaPierre, which is UTTERLY Amazing as a 3.5" FS XC-R to light FR rig which acts like what a 3.5" travel STP would (most likely) be like in performance overall. I have saved my (special) 2002 Chris King/RaceLite STP 400 for sentimental values because it is the only STP ever to come this way and that is, in itself, quite extraordinary; beyond the intrinsically extraordinary performance values of this bike and STPs in general. There simply isn't a finer developed -F.R.O.- XC-R made. The LaPierre is the only FS XC-R that even comes remotely close to these bikes and if the course conditions are not too extreme in frequencies, the STP is the "secret weapon" I unleash with Hell's FURY and not a "worry" in sight for anything else out there ... except for other STPs; doh! If you can get one that hasn't been improperly cared for, one properly appreciated, GET IT and you will always have it there after. Fast as lightening, agile as thought, and lazer sharp in responsiveness and "way too sexy for it's clothes". THESE XC-Rs ARE ALL BUSINESS ... Bottom Line. (Did I mention how SEXY they are ... hee-hee!) LIFE Is GOOD ... on a mountain bike!!! PS: I run down Roadies on my STPs; suckem' right up and just play with them and they just want to go home and beat themselves afterwards ... doh! (I would have paid TWICE what these rigs go for; they are so WORTH it!!!) Get One if you can ... you will see the REAL Magic then-
Favorite Trail: All of them and then some secret ones
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$4900.00
Purchased At: My little secret place where "magic" happens
Similar Products Used: Way too many to list ... but recently the 2002 Fuel 100 with a 2003 SID UltraLite(RC), 2003 SID TEAM and Easton Carbon goodies and XTR M-960 group (which was an utter disappoinment / total waste of money and time; a "rubber" bike it flexed SO BAD)and now the 2004 LaPierre TEAM Issued X-Control which is UNBELIEVABLE as it rides and handles like the STP with 3.5" of rear suspension (no joke!!!)
Bike Setup: This puppy came OEM Stock except for the 2003 King hubs with the ceramic RaceLite wheel combo (got the LAST medium made and TREK assembled the wheels this way and they are just remakably better than the Bonty hubs and RaceLite UST standard issue wheelsets ... see, good things happen to those who wait!).
Strengths: Bulletproof frame. I'm a 230 lb. Sport Clydesdale and I beat the hell out of this bike. I've been racing and hammering on it for two years--the frame is unbelievable. I used to DH race, faster than most fat-ass DHers. Fast, responsive yet flexible, long stem for downhill stability. Carves through switchbacks without effort. Glides over the bumps, rear shock is just enough to keep tire on the ground at high speeds (30+), takes edge off the back.
Weaknesses: Lousy components. Way too expensive! Needs more permanent frame protection around chain-suck area--chain oil corrodes the carbon. Trek currently just ties on a small metal plate, this is not sufficient. However, I'm addicted, hope it never goes out of style.
Bottom Line:
The perfect racing machine for any racing style or racer. If you can't afford it, save up, just a few bucks a day, you'll get it.
Bike Setup: Upgraded to XTR for the whole bike. Installed Marzocci shocks. Monkeylite bars. Trans Am titanium seat. Rolf just went out of business, upgraded to custom built Maviks.
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Submitted by
soulman
a Cross Country Rider
from ma. enzersdorf, austria, europe, planet earth
Weaknesses: waaay expensive (thanks god, so it can't ride everybody!)
Bottom Line:
this is the best bike i 've ever ridden. but i think this bike should be recommended experienced riders only. the reason why? this bike is a mustang and not a pony!
Strengths: Light, stiff yet forgiving (the shock), climbs incredibly well, very responsive
Weaknesses: Way tooo expensive!
Bottom Line:
This thing just flies! It is a mean lean racing machine that has a little padding, without sacrificing performance (once you get the rear shock dialed in). Perfect for the Multi day 100km stage races I compete in. It is way too expensive, but worth it if you want the best! I have no regrets! Luego!
Bike Setup: Custom built up from frame: Rolf Propel wheels, RS SID Ti fork, Full Extralite equiped, Raceface Next LP+ Ti BB, Shimano XTR drivetrain/shifters, Stan's notubes system, Gore shifter cables, Time pedals: total weight 21.5 lbs!
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Submitted by
Action Jackson
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Rosa Ca.
Date Reviewed: May 19, 2002
Strengths: Very fast feel to it.Goes where you want it to, Climbs like a rocket!The rear end tracks like you wouldn't belive, with any type of tire!I instantly became a faster rider.There is no bike out there that has anything on this bike!When you figure out the air pressure in the rear you will be a happy camper.
Weaknesses: I get a little bit of chain suck, even with new drive train.
Bottom Line:
If you want the fastest, lightest, soft tail on the market then buy it! You will be Happy!
Similar Products Used: I've been on many mountian and road bikes over the yrs. but nothing like this amazing rig.
Bike Setup: XTR drive train, Chris King hubs and headset, Monky Lite riser bar, C2 seat post, Frogs,WTB sst saddle, SID XC fork.
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Submitted by
Chris Ackerman
a Racer
from Midland, TX USA
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2002
Strengths: Incredible ride! Just got it built and took it urban - didn't feel the road once at any time. Took it on the race course - amazing. Climbs like a goat and carves up the singletrack like a hot knife through butter. Didn't feel fatigued at any time and the bike almost read my mind. Wherever I wanted to be, the bike responded and flew me there. Rides like magic.
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
If you want the speed and climbing agility of a hard-tail but want a little cushion (1" travel in rear) this is an outstanding bike. OCLV carbon sucks up the fine vibrations while the Rock Shox take care of the rest of the bumps on the ride. Trek customer service is great if you need anything. Buy it if you can - if you can't, save up!
Similar Products Used: None although after this ride I can't wait for my 5200 to come in.
Bike Setup: Full XTR, Avid single-digit Ti levers and brakes. Mavic Crossmax wheels w/ Pythons. Easton CT2 post, EC70 bar and MG60 stem. Egg beaters. Rock Shox Sid Race Ti.
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Submitted by
Peyton Bryant
a Racer
from Columbia, SC, USA
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2002
Strengths: Very light, great climber. It is also very comfortable with great suspension.
Bottom Line:
If you are a serious rider and want to race, this is a great bike to buy. Keeping it in good condition is a key factor in its performance.
