Strengths: Frame is super light and stiff, climbs great, responsive
Weaknesses: None I can see in the frame anyway
Bottom Line:
I love this bike!!! I bought the frame off a friend last year who was going to sell the whole bike. I took all the parts off my 99 Trek 8500 and stuck em on this thing. Since then I've replaced the Judy fork with a manitou mars, built new wheels, replace the cranks, bars, and post, and I've got the weight down to 22 pounds of pure speed! Now, off my soapbox. I would reccomend buying this bike if you can find one. The 97 parts are probably old and crappy, but if anything just buy it for the frame. Don't worry about what morons tell you about OCLV being at risk for breakage, they only say that because they're aluminum lovers. I've had no trouble with this frame after racing it all last season, and it was also ridden very hard by the previous owner.
Very comfortalbe bike for long distance rides. On hard trails, very forgiving, flows over the trail like oil, does not bock like an aluminium frame. With 240 pound driver's weight, the frame is really enduring, and surprisingly, not too flexy at all. The parts are custom, of course, since I built it up myself. No complaints from that side. The ideal CC-Hardtail.
Similar Products Used: Hot Chili Zymotic, Cycle Craft CPS5
Bike Setup: Manitou SX Carbon, tune wheels, Grip Shift Attack/Shimano XTR, Moots seat post, Richey Z-max WCS
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
treebark
a Racer
from over thar arkansas
Date Reviewed: January 14, 2000
Strengths: U name it.
Weaknesses: Paint job.
Bottom Line:
Cant say enough about this bike. Ive raced this bike hard since early 97. Ive jumped it, crashed it over bluffs, if i had a penny for each time its smacked the ground i could buy a full XTR trainy. It really takes the bumps. I race in the Ozark area, talk about rough trails! I tried riding an alum and it like to beat me to death. Carbon rulz. The Lx bb went out on me after 6mo, white marks appear after scratches, is the only thing i can come up w/. Ive had people try to buy my bike and i refuse, i love it. Just bought a 9.9 pro. After reading all the posts, yes i too am concerned about breakage and dealership issues. However, the bike has given me over 3yrs of life, how can i complain if it breaks tommorrow? Im inspecting weekly. 5 chillis baby! Team OXB
Similar Products Used: Is there any other bike than Trek?
Bike Setup: Full XT, Judy SL, WTB head, Monkey lite.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Walt Wehner
a cross-country rider
from LA, NM
Date Reviewed: December 22, 1998
Bottom Line:
Bought the 9700 on sale for $800 5 months ago, and I love it! I upgraded the fork to a SID, and replaced the 535 pedals, but I did that because I'm a gearhead loser. The bike worked fine with the stock parts. I think a better crankset is warranted on a frame of this quality/pice, though. Broke several teeth of the STX crankset already jumping logs. I'll replace the entire drivetrain, and the wheels, as well as most everything else, but the frame kicks butt.Around 1500 miles thus far, and no significant frame damage or problems.
What a piece of junk. I feel that this bike totally sucks. Why? A bad parts spec, flexy brakes, swaying BB, and THE ABSOULUTE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE THA I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED!! I got dicked around for four months went through countless e-mails and phone calls and then got a bunch of crap about how and other framesets aren't even comparable to it. CRAP,CRAP,CRAP. The bike fell over at 0 mph (literally) onto a stump and cracked the seatstay. I race for RockShox Devo and my local shop, and I know what forces can destroy a bike and what forces a bike can handle. Trek just gives out easy answers and never solves the real problem, their engineering. Buy a GT or a C-dale.-Phil Team RockShox Devo/ Old Town Bicycle, Gig Harbor, WA -ClifBar- -Marzocchi forks- -Magura brakes-
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Richards
a cross-country rider
from Brick NJ
Date Reviewed: July 14, 1998
Bottom Line:
My 1996 9700 is an excellent bike. I bomb around on it hard an it still doesn't break. For example, I broke two sets of wheels, broke my handle bars and not to mension myself. And the frame still looks and feels brand new. Rite now i have all XT, manitou mach 5 piece of sh_t shox, and srinergy rocx-xe wheels. i race norba sport and lose4 every race cause my bike bike weighs 27.5 pounds. But thats my fault.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mike cary
a cross-country rider
from Virginia
Date Reviewed: May 31, 1998
Bottom Line:
Well I loved my 1996 Trek up until the 15th of April when the chainstay broke due to chain suck up to then if anyone had asked me I'd tell them to buy on in an instant now after 6 weeks and numerous call by the shop I bought the bike at I'm still waiting to get it back, as of the 27 of may trek had still repaired the frame even though they said they would two weeks earlier. So no matter what happens I wouldnot suggest for anyone to buy any products from Trek I know I won't be.
I just purchased my 9700 3 weeks ago (97 model) and am very happy with the bike. The carbon frame is great, I rode tons of bikes made of steel, aluminum, M2, etc, etc..and found that carbon is the best combination of stiffness and comfort. The bike accelerates madly, and handles downhills with surprising ease. Just praying the frame doesn't break on me, but I don't see that happening. The Indy SL works ok, and the other components are well chosen and reliable. The bike weighed in at 23.7 pounds. Anyway..awesome ride..5 flaming big ones!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lauren K
a cross-country rider
from JERSEY
Date Reviewed: March 4, 1998
Bottom Line:
great bike! I had another Trek (aluminum frame) which is now most likely being ridden around the Bronx (what a waste) by the punk who broke into my garage and stole it. The carbon frame is as light as my old one, but much smoother and forgiving. I don't get the thing with the gripshifters, but the guys at BICYCLE TECH, LINCOLN PARK NJ were most accomodating and switched them for me. No problems at all with this bike so far. (This one is NOT kept in my garage.)
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
randy carlisle
a weekend warrior
from mt airy, nc
Date Reviewed: December 16, 1997
Bottom Line:
Well, I finally cracked the frame. It rode like a full suspension bike. Bikeshop replaced frame with a new one they had not built up yet, without sending it back. Now I have the cool blue bike. No complaints. Can't figger out how lightweight pissants keep breaking them if I only broke one in a year at 275 lbs. And now have a lifetime warranty, which is retro to the older bikes.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shawn Pollock
a cross-country rider
from Rockford, IL
Date Reviewed: October 17, 1997
Bottom Line:
Well, the only cross-country bike I would give a perfect five is the Moots YBB (it is suppose to be a cc bike and not true full suspension/downhill bike), however I easily give the Trek OCLV 4 stars (****). Although, I give the Trek customer service/product support 1 star (*). It is a long story, but I truly do love the ride but the company sucks!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
fat boy
a weekend warrior
from somewhere in NC
Date Reviewed: September 8, 1997
Bottom Line:
Well, after getting this bike perfected as far as fork, brakes etc., the frame has cracked. The bike shop swears that it will be okay, but we shall see. With a little work, this can be a sweet bike. Of course, by now I could have bought a 9800 or 9900and had about the same thing. But this is the best bike I ever ridden. Couldn't ask for better bike and have had no problems with bike til now, except for a seatpost and front rim (my fault).
This is a great bike. The frame is excellent at absorbing the small frequency bumps yet it is still stiff. I have rode the frame for 2 years now aside for scratches in the paint, which leaves highly visible white scratches, the frame still seems strong. It handles great in tight single track and has awsome exceleration also it climbs like a dream. However the Mach 5 is cheese get either a Judy or a Bomber, Bomber being the preferred one. Another uprade would be the crank stx is cheese as I call it flex-tx, and if you put v-brakes on a brake boster on the rear is a good idea. Other than that it is a great bike.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David Waugh
a cross-country rider
from Brisbane, Australia
Date Reviewed: August 2, 1997
Bottom Line:
I upgraded from a 1995 Trek 990 a couple of weeks ago - got a good deal on a '96 9700. The frame has been great, a similar responsiveness to the steel but more confidence inspiring when the going gets technical. I really do think the OCLV does a good job of small bump shock absorbsion. Stock parts on the bike suck though - the BB died after the first week. These frame breaks worry me a bit... Is it really that bad? (and are Trek that difficult to deal with?)
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
randy carlisle
a cross-country rider
from mt airy , nc
Date Reviewed: June 20, 1997
Bottom Line:
pretty good bike. I weigh 280, yes 280, and haven't broken the frame in six months. I don't jump, though. Have had several crashes. Scratches easily. Best bike I've owned so far.
