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Submitted by
Gus
a Weekend Warrior
from Lansing, MI
Date Reviewed: October 9, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$369.00 | | Purchased At: | Velocipede Peddler | | Bottom Line: | I know many people think this is a cheap entry level mountain bike and I'm sure it is but compared to my last mountain bike (a Bridgestone MB-4) that I sold in 1993 (and have not ridden a bike since) this bike is incredible. Maybe I just haven't been spoiled yet.
On the other hand I don't really ride it that hard. It seems to handle trails pretty well and it is very good on roads. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeremy Cole
a Weekend Warrior
from Charlotte, NC
Date Reviewed: September 17, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | White Water Center | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Rack, Inc | | Strengths: | great price - great frame - solid brakes | | Weaknesses: | ghost shifts like crazy (even after tune ups and new chain), and the front suspension has very little travel...bottoms out constantly | | Bike Setup: | all stock...nothing has broken yet, so why fix it? | | Bottom Line: | I bought this bike a few years ago thinking that as components fell off I would replace them...haven't had to replace anything yet. Granted, I haven't really ridden it hard until the past two years, but so far this bike has really held up. I am 6' 2", 185 lbs...and haven't had any issues with the rims either.
I am getting ready to buy a full squish, and can't think of a reason to go with another brand - if the top end bikes that Trek makes holds up as good as this one I will be smiling for years to come. I doubt I will sell it once I get my new bike either...it is such a good stinking bike! I am sure that my son will love it as his first mtn. bike. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
shayn
a Cross Country Rider
from springfeild, oregon
Date Reviewed: June 21, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$420.00 | | Purchased At: | pauls cycle shop | | Strengths: | the feel of the bike is nice, very strong frame, i got hit by a car on the bike and the frame didnt suffer a scratch. | | Weaknesses: | too many things go wrong on the bike too quick, the gear system started to give me trouble within two months of owning it, tires went bald quick and the seat of the bike broke as well very quickly. the rims are weak! | | Bottom Line: | the bike is an ok bike for begining, very strong frame, just need to replace alot of stuff on the bike too soon. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Heath
a
from Titusville FL
Date Reviewed: April 18, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Santos trails. | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Strengths: | This is my first "real" mountain bike. I have had some Wal Mart bikes in the past. This bike was a GREAT value. I picked it up used (2004 model) for a mesily 100 bucks. The bike has a very strong frame and from the research I have done it seems to be pretty light for the money as well. I am still a bit of a noob but my skills have increased alot in the last few months and I am starting to fine things about this bike that (in the future) will limit me. I have replaced the stock handle bar and stem to save over 1 pound and clean up the bikes look. I also have a pair of Avid BB7 disc brakes for the front that are on the way. The stock V-brakes are strong enough although they got a bit wet on a ride not to long ago that resulted in some pretty weak stoping powr. I don't think anyone getting into serious mountain biking could go wrong with this bike. | | Weaknesses: | Well MY bike was not brand new when I bought it so its not fair to say for sure. but the shifters are kinds slow on downshifts and I have compressed the front all the way a few times. | | Similar Products Used: | Wal Mart crap...xr200 Mongoose. | | Bike Setup: | stock plus Yeti carbon riser bar and stem. | | Bottom Line: | Just like the most of the other reviews say. This is a awesome first serious mountain bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hugo Flores
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, California, USA
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Morley | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | Craigslist.com | | Strengths: | The frame is strong and solid. Shifts well even under heavy shock. | | Weaknesses: | Brakes are poor especialy when they get wet. Pedals are terrible. Clamps are not user friendly. | | Similar Products Used: | Various | | Bike Setup: | Mostly stock. Better brake pads and pedals. | | Bottom Line: | Great bike for a begginer who will surely punish the bike repeatedly with falls and banging the crank onto rocks. It is a bit heavy but at this price (even full retail) it is a great choice. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Erik
a
from Texas
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Bicycles Plus | | Strengths: | Frame is super strong. Chain works well. Crankset didn't wear away quickly. | | Weaknesses: | Shifters, cables. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 800, Bruiser 3 | | Bottom Line: | Awesome bike. Lasted 3 years with no major problems. Easy to work with. I can do 3 foot jumps and will not have a problem with it. Goes fast, and parts last. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Sterling Heights, MI, USA
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$340.00 | | Purchased At: | American Cycle... | | Strengths: | Frame is strong and buke looks good. | | Weaknesses: | Front forks are crap. Chrome came off in a month. Shifting doesn't always take when going into big front gear. | | Bike Setup: | Changed seat, added lights. | | Bottom Line: | Great entry bike except front fork, and some shifting issues. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex Ekkel
a Cross Country Rider
from Vroomshoop ( Ov) NL
Date Reviewed: April 30, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Whatever | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | budget Bikes (klos tweewielers | | Strengths: | Frame is excelent !! ( Allpha SL)(2005) Color, Orange metalic/charcoal
Great for any upgrade you want after some time... Frame is one of the best! | | Weaknesses: | Not found any yet. the seddle is very personal and different,for any person, also on a 5 or 6 hundred dollar bike! | | Similar Products Used: | None, just some old atb bikes, dot worth mentioning. | | Bike Setup: | Stock, just mounted some Bontranger bullhorns on the crowbar steer. | | Bottom Line: | This is my first NEW ATB. For this amount of money, it's very good, shifting these Alivio gears is like you drive a big V 8 chevvy automatic!! Great! of course, if you want a more profesional bike, buy a Trek 8500 or 9.8 Elite!
A'm verry happy with it and looking forward to ride across,
Holland's most ATB routes. ( sorry if some words may contain any spelling errors, i'm Dutch you know......) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Caleb
a Cross Country Rider
from Kempton
Date Reviewed: November 27, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Ithaca, NY trails | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$375.00 | | Purchased At: | Spokes Bike Shop | | Strengths: | +Very Cheap
+Good starter bike
+Relatively light | | Weaknesses: | -Shocks suck
-Shifting is somewhat random in terms of if the bike will acutally shift when you tell it to.
-Not the best for jumping, etc.
-Put new pedals on! Plastic? I don't think that's OK with me! | | Similar Products Used: | any othe hardtails in it's class i'd imagine. | | Bike Setup: | stock (plus climbing bars and new pedals) | | Bottom Line: | I bought this bike in 2002. I've had it ever since. Only now am I getting rid of it to upgrade to an '05 Cannondale Jekyll. I took it to Ithaca, NY, and hit some serious trails up there. Had a few all-day rides, and this bike held up pretty well. It was wet and muddy, and the bike got COVERED in mud and pine needels and gravel and dirt. Right up until the very end of the ride did the gears jam up, but any bike would have done the same. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Max
a Cross Country Rider
from Berlin, Germany
Date Reviewed: November 24, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | Ring-Center FahrradShop in Berlin | | Strengths: | the only thing i can mention now is a blue colour that attracted me | | Weaknesses: | - tooooooo heavy (plus i had a bigger frame than i needed 21.5" instead of 20) and thus slow start, etc...
- poor brakes. Just block and doesn't braaaaaake
- low level of drivetrain
- inconvenient combo-blocks
- .... | | Similar Products Used: | Diamondback Vectra Comp 2001 | | Bike Setup: | InSync Fork, C050 front and Alivio rear der., etc. | | Bottom Line: | For 500 euros that I paid for this bike (about $550 that time) it worths nothing. Just brand. The poorest price-quality ratio I've ever faced with. I would never buy this bike unless it costs $200 and no more. And of course it could be a matter of choice only for a beginning beginner | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a Cross Country Rider
from Phelan, Ca, USA
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Blue Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Victor Valley Bicycles | | Strengths: | Frame is a good quality product | | Weaknesses: | Forks, uugghh they are almost like having rigid forks, maybe not even that good. Component group does the job, for now. Need to upgrade to LX minimum | | Similar Products Used: | Nothing, Just dept store garbage | | Bike Setup: | Stock, just had Manitou Skareb Elites and a Cane Creek S2 Head set added | | Bottom Line: | Decent bike for the money, if your some bozo that thought you could get an XTR pacaged bike for 3 bills take it back because your obviously too stupid to own it. For the rest of you, the bike is great value for the money. The Frame is a great foundation to start building your dream bike from and one day when you have all the components you want you can go down and buy a new frame. Other then that it is great for begining and to learn on. You can figure what you hate and what you would like to upgrade to. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Oakville ON Canada
Date Reviewed: March 15, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Hardwood Hills or Kelso | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Cyclepath | | Strengths: | The frame is really light and good bike to get into trail riding. | | Weaknesses: | The front shocks RST Capa's really suck. Their way too stiff for hitting the trails ocasionally. I've replaced them with Marzocchi EXRs which seem to do the trick. All for the parts on the bike are allright, the seat can get very uncomforatable for long rides so I also replaced it. | | Bike Setup: | Trek 4300 frame, Marzocchi EXR shocks, specialized racing seat, put on some welgo clipless pedals, and replaced the whole wheel setup completely. the rest is still stock. | | Bottom Line: | The frame is fantastic. Its light and hasnt shown any signs of stress other than a few scratches but thats about it. Unless you just stick to the street the shocks have gota go. Those RST's really didnt work for me at all. Some of the components on the bike could use updating. They are a little cheep, but they do the job nonetheless. this bike is great and if i got to choose again id definatly choose the trek 4300.
o yea, one more thing, dont underestimate the trek frames. for a light beginner xc frame they have some of the best around. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon Myers
a Weekend Warrior
from Lexington, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: March 1, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Wherever. | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | christmas gift | | Strengths: | Good frame, nice seat, pimpin blue/aluminium color combo, good bike for getting into MTBing | | Weaknesses: | Derailer seems kinda so-so, bottom bracket has a crapload of play after 2 years of riding. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Stock at the moment, looking to upgrade to disc brakes and better derailers. | | Bottom Line: | Great value, some weak spots but it has a good solid frame so you don't have to buy a whole new bike later on when you want to upgrade.
I rate it five capsules of capsaicin for value, and 4 overall. Hey, it's a $300 bike, it can't be PERFECT... but it's pretty dang nice. :D | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon
a Weekend Warrior
from Gillette, WY
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$330.00 | | Purchased At: | Spoke and Edge Sports | | Strengths: | This bike is great to get into the sport. It focuses on a key that is often overlooked in this price class - the frame. | | Weaknesses: | over time, the RST Capa fork, derailleurs, and the wheels. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 820 | | Bike Setup: | titec handle bars and bar ends, Kore stem, Koski saddle and 'post, cage platform pedals, lizard skins everywhere applicable, and stock elsewhere. I just bought a Manitou Black fork, so that will be the first major improvement. | | Bottom Line: | I started seriously mountain biking on this. First on little cross country singletracks and two tracks, and lately on some pretty exciting singletrack.
Most of the people I know, or at least most that I ride with, get alot better right away. You're better off buying a nice bike in the first place if you don't want the hassle of building a bike. I'm a college student, so I'm pretty well strapped for cash. I have to do it the hard way. I have one more major upgrade to do after the fork is installed. That's the wheelset. I'm going to get a deore/sun rhyno lite wheelset. $100... that may sound like a lot, considering it was a $300 bike. The majority of that price is for the frame. The bike doesn't come with all kinds trick stuff, just the essentials. You work it from there. My one regret is that I didn't buy the 4500. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robby
a Cross Country Rider
from Park City, UT, USA
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Team Big Bear | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | High Gear Cyclery | | Strengths: | I liked the shifters. | | Weaknesses: | Everything else. The worst thing on it is the fork. turning the little knob at the top is supposed to adjust the travel, but you can barely tell a difference. When it's as soft as it can be, the only time it compresses is when your going off a drop-off. | | Bottom Line: | Don't buy it unless you're just going to be riding around the neighborhood. It's terrible for trails. I can't stand it and can't wait to get a new bike. It's not even worth $400. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tig
a Weekend Warrior
from Yorkshire,UK
Date Reviewed: June 22, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | anywhere | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$330.00 | | Purchased At: | All terrain Cycles,Cross Hills | | Strengths: | The Frame is strong coz I came off on a main road at about 40mph when some wanker of a lorry driver spilt veggy oil all over the road, frame didnt bend or break (most of the impact was taken buy my head and legs,thank god I was wearing my helmet, the ONLY drawback with having clip-in pedals is you stay with your bike when it all happens fast and goes pear shaped)
Looks OK for a low end bike.
Comfortably riding position. | | Weaknesses: | Pedals-changed for Time ATAC within a week (Brilliant)
Acera mechs are not very good after a few months use and need constant adjustment,changed after 6 months to Deore. | | Similar Products Used: | 1980s Raleigh Burner!!!! | | Bike Setup: | All Deore running gear,Time ATAC,Smart lights,Continental Contact tyres for road. | | Bottom Line: | Its my first MTB and ive had it for over a year now and use it six days a week commuting to and from work (10 miles) and its done me fine.
The back end is a real pain in the a**e on rough terrain but thats only to be expected from what is a cheapish hardtail,I'll be getting a full-susser soon for off-road but I'll probably keep this bike for going to work. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a Weekend Warrior
from Leavenworth, Kansas, USA
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$310.00 | | Purchased At: | Tailwind Cyclists | | Strengths: | Frame and durability of most components. Seat is surprisingly comfortable. | | Weaknesses: | Front derailer is weak and needs frequent adjustment. Pedals are very cheap and start falling apart after a few off-road rides. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | I have ridden daily to work for over a year and ride the local single track trails about once a week. I am a medium weight rider (about 160 lbs) and have not had any problems with the wheels or front shock even though I have done a lot of curbs commuting and the trails here are fairly rocky. Fun bike to ride and I would definately puchase again. A real value. Great commuting bike for the person who also wants to ride single track. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon
a
from Gillette
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$330.00 | | Purchased At: | Spoke and Edge | | Strengths: | The frame,sizing, value for your money, looks. | | Weaknesses: | some not-so-great parts, but not unexpected for a $300 bike. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 820 | | Bike Setup: | Kore light 3 stem, titec handlebar and barends, koski 'post and saddle, system 1 pedals & toeclips, Specialized tires | | Bottom Line: | Okay, for the money this is a great bike. Yes it is an entry level mountain bike, but you can always upgrade as you go along.
Here is what I like about the bike first of all:
Rapidfire Shifters - not a big fan of gripshift.
The Frame - same as upperlevel bikes, it is also lifetime garaunteed.
What you get for the money... hard to beat
What I've replaced:
The stem - weird short riser stem. Uncomfortable for me.
The H-bar - riser stems aren't comfortable for me either.
The seat - hard, and scuffs like none other.
Tires - had them from previous bike, hardpack specific.
seatpost - just aesthetics...
Barends - they really help out on climbs.
I'll end up putting on a new fork, and derailleurs too, but not until they break. I'm going to get a new wheelset too. This one isn't bad... but it comes out of true pretty easily. This way I can just swap wheelsets as necessary.
My bottom line? I should have spent the extra $70 and gotten the 4500. No, the colors weren't as cool, but you get better components, and a better fork. You end up paying more in the long run to upgrade in this case. sure you lose the pride in upgrading, but you can enjoy the benefits longer. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Monty
a Weekend Warrior
from Chico
Date Reviewed: March 17, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Upper Bidwell | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$260.00 | | Purchased At: | Folsom Bikes | | Strengths: | MOAB bomb proof frame. Super strong and not much vibration for aluminum, very heavy though. Cheap. Nice paint. | | Weaknesses: | Components are garbage. Shimano Acera is one step up from the Huffy specials. Plastic pedals are crap. Knockoff stem and handlebars are junk. | | Similar Products Used: | KHS Alite 1000, Specialized Stumpjumper. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Stumpjumper - 02 xc shocks, lx, and firex. | | Bottom Line: | Better off buying a Giant or KHS. The Giant will have a similiar frame with better components comprabably priced, same goes for KHS.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Russell Ruggiero
a Weekend Warrior
from West Windsor, NJ, USA
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | R&D | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$330.00 | | Purchased At: | Jay's Cycle | | Strengths: | Frame | | Weaknesses: | Cheap Shimano Components | | Similar Products Used: | 4900 and 4500 | | Bike Setup: | Stem: ICON Onyx
HB: ICON Onyx
Grips: Lizard Skins
FD: LX
RD: XT
Pedals: System 3
Wheels: Superstock
Tires: Specialized Team Master SL
Seatpost: Bontrager Selct
Seat: OASIS | | Bottom Line: |
Dear
Reader
I own the following Trek products:
STP 200
4900
4500
4300
Both of my son's love to ride, and Trek was my first choice. The 4300 offers a great value for the money, but you should replace the following components when purchasing the 4300:
FD: Deore or Deore LX
RD: Deore or Deore LX
The 4300, 4500, and 4900 all share the same excellent Trek Alpha frame. This bike belongs to my older son, who was able to take it down to 28.75 pounds. The next step is to purchase a Shimano Deore crank-set with a set of M515 pedals, which should bring the 4300's weight down to 28.375 pounds. A very solid product offering by Trek.
Sincerely
Russ
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dexmax
a Weekend Warrior
from Dumaguete, Philippines
Date Reviewed: January 9, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Strengths: | The frame is good. Very stable ride. I can sustain pounding. I enjoyed using this product. I would recommend this product to the weekender. Its a fairly good bike. | | Weaknesses: | Components(derailers, rims, seat post, brakes) are not so good. Seats are a bit hard. plastic pedals are a "no" for me. For hard-core cyclists, I think this product won't do.. | | Similar Products Used: | Similar to my Trek 4900 | | Bike Setup: | I had to strip off almost everything. I replaced the chainwheel with a 52T-42T SVX, the bottom bracket with a sealed type shimano, replaced rims with columbus and hubs with a shimano deore. I also replaced the fork with a alloy columbus (non-suspension) fork. Replaced the Seat with a Vetta Gel Seat, replaced the headset with one from Cane Creek and used a specialized stem. After all my revisions, I finally decided to replace the tires with a 1.38x26. Now, the 4300 is mountainbike no more, but a mere roadbike with 26" rims.... I had also to replace the seat post with a GTS M5. I replaced the rear derailer with a Shimano 105, the front with a Deore LX, replaced the brakes with a Shimano Deore LX, shifters/levers with a Shimano Deore XT. I also added a Trek CycloComputer. | | Bottom Line: | The frame is good. But components are not so good. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon Ludwick
a Weekend Warrior
from Fairmont, IL, USA
Date Reviewed: December 1, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | PontoonBeach | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$330.00 | | Purchased At: | south county cyclery | | Strengths: | Strong Frame! I got the 16.5 size, The Shifters are kickass when matched with the right Derailers. . . I thought the RST Capa fork was good. I like the separate right and left adjusters on the top of the forks! The wheels have stayed tru even after a year | | Weaknesses: | Derailers both front and rear a cheap, too much adjusting, the teeth on the front spockets wear too fast. . Chain falls off and would get jammed between the front sprockets and the frame. I scratched the hell out of the frame when this happened. . Not no more!!
RST capa Forks not enough travel. . .thats it! All in All good fork. . But don't compare Marzocchi
Oh and that old hard seat. man that was the frist thing to go. I got a Serfas gell seat on now
Plastic Peddals. . I no like | | Similar Products Used: | My friends 2003 4300. . They still have the same derailers. . Different and better RST Fork than a 2002 his headset seem to get loose all the time. . | | Bike Setup: | 2003 Marzocchi EXR, Deore LX crankset, Deore front and rear derailers, new seat and MOSH peddals. . everything else still the same | | Bottom Line: | I would buy this bike again because its a great good looking bike. Man it stood out from all the other colors that TREK made this year. . My buddy has a 2003 with bright orange frame that looks cool. . The derailers on both of the years should be the frist thing you upgrade on these bikes. . next to hard ass seat. . The 2003 also has Better medal peddal than the plastic ones that came on my bike.
I'm totally happy with what I paid for it! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nathan Smith
a Cross Country Rider
from Saint Joseph, Mo, USA
Date Reviewed: November 17, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Ride Bikes | | Strengths: | The seat, and the frame | | Weaknesses: | RST suspention, unless you like your supention very weak, and the tires | | Similar Products Used: | walmart mongoose | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | This bike is great for beginers but can't handle alot of true mountain biking | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken
a Cross Country Rider
from Conshohocken, Pa, USA
Date Reviewed: November 2, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | 340 | | Strengths: | Great entry-level bike for only a little more than a department store bike's price. | | Weaknesses: | Entry-Level bike. The components, especially the Acera rear derailluer do not stand-up to hard riding. Paint is weak. A bit heavy. | | Bike Setup: | Upgrades include: Bontrager Superstock wheels, Panaracer TrailBlaster 2.1 tires, XT V-Brakes, LX rear derailluer, Ritchey Comp flat bars, Shimano 424 clipless pedals and WTB Rocket V Stealth saddle. | | Bottom Line: | This is my first real mountain bike and I love it. With the money I've spent on upgrades I could have bought a 6700 but I wanted to do the upgrades myself as a learning experience. I've been able to shave off about 6 lbs with the upgrades as well and can see another pound or so coming off when I complete the upgrades.
The best upgrade so far has been the wheels. It was a totally different bike with them. Get rid of the rear-der if you don't want to tune your bike every 30 or so miles.
If you want to get into the sport or just want a cheap, but good bike to knock around on, this is the one.
5 for value, 3 overall. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
flash
a Cross Country Rider
from chicago
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Mad River, Conn. | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Schwinn | | Strengths: | Frame and suprisingly the seat. | | Weaknesses: | Entire Drive train and shifters, pedals. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 6700 | | Bike Setup: | Stripped all but frame, seat, and head set. Judy Air TT fork, LX drive train and shifters, Richey handlebars and comp grips, Bonager seatpost and tires, Mavic rims, and clipless petals. | | Bottom Line: | Bought the bike in a pinch for the frame because I wrecked my GT. I rode it hard for about a month before stripping it out and upgrading. With the stock parts it was fairly heavy, and I had problems with the derailers and fork. The fork did not rebound well after taking a decent hit. It also seemed like it would bottom out and did not provide much travel. I prefer riding with a stiffer fork but this thing was nearly ridged. The bike also had numerous problems shifting when taking any kind of a drop, any sort of mud, and would gost shift. It is a bike that is best suited for recreation riders and newby's and is at an excellent price for an entry level bike. The frame is great on this thing though. It is very light and durable. Once I swapped everything out it was a completely different bike, basically the same as a 6700. It would be cheaper to pay for a higher end complete bike than upgrading but if you have the parts and the time you can really turn this into a sweet ride. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Lakewood, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: October 8, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Clearwater Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Village | | Strengths: | Frame, head set, Price | | Weaknesses: | Crank set, front derailer, rims, rear derailer, shock is to stiff and doesn't adjust much. | | Similar Products Used: | None. The last bike I had was a Univega in 1990. Things have changed allot since then. | | Bike Setup: | Upgraded: Pedals to clip less, saddle to body geometry saddle because the old saddle made me numb in a certain area, will be getting a new crank set and front derailer next month because I bent the original. Hoping to get an XT derailer in December. | | Bottom Line: | This is a good bike for the price. I bought it not expecting to get so into mountain biking. Living in CO can change your mind. If you are planning to ride hard, I would get the 4500 or higher because of the components. If you don't have the money right away or you are a beginner, this is a great entry-level bike to upgrade with your riding ability. I started riding in 1/02 and just now I am needing to upgrade. But now I have the cash. I am looking forward to being able to buy new wheels someday soon. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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