| |
Submitted by
Jon C
a Cross Country Rider
from Acworth Georgia
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Soap Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$3500.00 | | Purchased At: | E bay | | Strengths: | Lite, agile, soaks up the trail, looks are important! | | Weaknesses: | Nothing so far | | Similar Products Used: | GT Zaksar LE, Trek 9.9, Giant XTC | | Bike Setup: | 9.8 Frame, Full XTR w/ XTR 975 Disc Brakes, XTR Rapidfire Chris King Headset, Sid Race Carbon world Cup. | | Bottom Line: | I built this bike up to be the best of the best to ride. I agree with a lot of the MTBR review guys. This bike does need to be upgraded from stock to make it worth while. This is my third 9.8 I built up but this is the first time I used full xtr. This is by far one of the fastest bikes I have ever built up. If you ever ride a carbon bike you will never go back to aluminum. That is why I never went back to the Zaskar LE frame. This is the best bike in my opinion that Trek ever put out on the market plus you get the life time warranty of the frame. You can't beat that! If you really want this bike though just look for a frame on e bay. I have seen a 9.8 frame go for 180 bucks which insane. Good luck | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Daniel Scott
a Racer
from Guelph
Date Reviewed: January 4, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | GORBA (for this bike anyways) | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2500.00 | | Purchased At: | Speed River Bicycle | | Strengths: | I bought this bike used from my LBS shop last spring and road it for my first season of XC racing. It was awesome. Pros: Light. I've built the bike at 21.6 lbs. and it feels super nimble. I'm only 5'5" and the medium (17") fits me very well. I own both a hard tail and two full suspension bikes and there is something about climbing on this hardtail that is unlike any thing else I've tried; it's fun as can be! | | Weaknesses: | I've had some creaking problems crop up once or twice for a week or so during my last season but then they go away. My LBS told me that they would gladly send it to Trek to be fixed as it has a Lifetime Warranty on it. Other than that, it does not bode well on super bumpy courses but that has more to do w/ the fact that its a hardtail than the setup of the bike. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 4500 (2000), Rocky Mountain Fusion (2000) | | Bike Setup: | Trek 9.8 Elite (2003) w/ XTR Goup, Bontrage Race Lite XXX Rims w/ DT Hugii Hubs, Maxxis High Roller 1.9" Tires, Rock Shox SID World Cup fork w/ remote lockout, Race Face Next Flat Handlebar, ODI Rogue Grips, Thomson Elite Seatpost, Specialized Rival Seat, Crank Bros. Candy C Pedals | | Bottom Line: | If you are looking for a very light, well spec'ed hardtail for racing w/ a good warranty to back it up then I'd recommend the Trek. They are becoming increasingly more expensive but I've been told that is due to Trek's desire to get people riding their Fuel line-up instead. I'm going to continue to enjoy this bike for seasons to come!! | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Seadawg
a Racer
from Winston Salem, NC, Good ole usa
Date Reviewed: October 11, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Winston Lake, Hobby Park | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1900.00 | | Purchased At: | Ken's Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Light weight, agile, climbing stiffness, feels like a full suspension coming down hill. The product was a bargain considering some of the costs. | | Weaknesses: | My big fat but is riding this. LOL. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 8500, Specialized Epic, Trek 9800 carbon fiber, GT RTS2, GT Avalanche, and Bianchi mountain bike | | Bike Setup: | The 2005 will be setup with XT components. | | Bottom Line: | I have enjoyed Trek products. They seemed to be an industry leader. Ken's Bike shop in Winston Salem provides superior service with a superior product. Thanks. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
loid christmas
a Racer
from wisconsin
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | kill me thrill me in BC | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | BCF | | Strengths: | Best climbing mountain bike in the world, absorbs bumbs very well, and is fairly light | | Weaknesses: | The frame wears out, The wheel base is increadibly long so its hard to go through tight single trak | | Similar Products Used: | trek 9.9, trek 9800 | | Bike Setup: | stock 9.9 set up in 2000 except now with 9.8 frame and egg beater pedals | | Bottom Line: | HC technoligy hasn't been figured out yet. caron starts to flex more and more when you use it, just like a hockey stick the more it flexes the faster it wears out and is easier and easier to flex. My 9.9 frame wore out to the point were my chain rings rubed hard core on both sides of the fornt derailler. It also made weird creaking noises. However when the head tube's carbon started chiping off, and peaces from inside the frame started falling out is when I got it warenteed. I have also had problems with there rolf wheels. before the chewamigan last year I went to spin my wheel to see if the brake was rubbing and found my wheel would only spin a few times around because there was somthing screwed up the berings. I had to use an 11 year old wheel. after the race I took it to the Trek tech. He blamed the problem on me. at first I listened to what he had to say but when i relized he was talking out of his butt I got a little mad and started yelling about how rolf wheels are terible. He then said that I was the first person that had problems with the wheels, then some of the trek riders took his side. During my argument at least five people came up claiming to have problems with there rolf wheels. I also talked to a person that works at a bike shop and told me all about the propblems of rolf wheels. I went back to the trek teck and he wisperd to me that they do have problems and that I would get new wheels. I never did. I wrote a 7 page report on the poor design of my rolf wheels. So if u are at a race and u see a trek tech name Ken don't trust him. I am however happy that trek replaced my frame and believe it is the best frame in the world as long as it lasts. Thank God for warintees. If you only want a frame that last four years this is the bike for you, if you want your frame to last longer and don't trust trek. Don't get this bike. Even with my ordeal with the trek tech, I can't let one person give the company a bad name. I do trust there warenty department | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
greco jason
a Weekend Warrior
from burbank ca usa
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | the happy trail, towards a girl | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$2300.00 | | Purchased At: | pasadena cyclery | | Strengths: | the looks, its cool!!! | | Weaknesses: | the price $$$$$$ | | Similar Products Used: | nothing compares to it | | Bike Setup: | cook bros cranks, stock most of it. | | Bottom Line: | This is an awesome frame. Like others say, buy the frame and build the ultimate bike. The stock components are weak, but the manufacturers have to do that to keep the price down. Tubeless tires suck, try getting a thorn in one on a ride, i could not patch it. It was a long walk home. Damn those tires!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Craig MacIntosh
a Racer
from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Is there any that aren't? | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | warranty (Local cyclepath) | | Strengths: | Responsiveness, cushy, light weight, carboness, looks, technology - all the changes made to the oclv frames have made an already great frame absolutely unbeatable. | | Weaknesses: | looks - I'm not crazy about the big honken Trek stickers, or the decal striping. not pleased it's heavier than the fisher or trek 9900 (been spoiled, ah well...) | | Similar Products Used: | '84 specialized stumpjumper (steel), '86 ritchey montare (steel), '88 bianchi supergriz (steel), '89 kuwahara team (steel), '91 klein attitude (aluminum), '93 specialized s-works steel, '94 mongoose team sx carbon, '96 Norco team steel, '98 Fisher oclv carbon, | | Bike Setup: | cup of syncros, pint of raceface, pound of xtr, pinch of sachs/sram, dash of mavic - stirred with white bros and hammered to glaze | | Bottom Line: | Love this frame! I had the Fisher oclv (procaliber) that I could have kept forever. Sadly a spill took my forks out and after chopping the steerer on my new ones, installing them, and looking closely I noticed a newly developing crack behind the headtube at the top and down tube junction. Dealing with the local cyclepath dealer and trek was a no-pain process. I expected some troubles considering I had a fisher and now wanted a trek (I did not want aluminum). the dist. for fisher took in my frame, trek sent me a '04 9.8 one month later - simple as that (except of course, now the steerer on my new forks is too short...but nothing a simple swap from a syncros to raceface deus stem didn't solve - big diff in stack height)
Without running at the mouth any further - top-notch professional quality frame from an awesome bicycle company. Service and products like this - I'm definitely a Trek rider for life... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Anna the Biker Grrrl
a Cross Country Rider
from Transylvania
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Too many to mention | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Well, I have to agree with all the other reviews: it IS light, it DOES soak up bumps, plus it LOOKS really kool. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. | | Similar Products Used: | This is the 1st carbon frame for me. | | Bike Setup: | 9.8 frame,Skareb Super,New XTR cranks & front der.,X.O rear der. and shifters,Ritchey WCS handlebar and stem,Bontrager Race seatpost,Selle SLR etc. | | Bottom Line: | If possible,get the frame ONLY and build it up for yourself (the factory setup doesn't do it justice).OCLV rocks.This frame kicks butt ! It's everything a cross country rider/racer can wish for. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeremey Rodriguez
a Racer
from Kenosha, WI
Date Reviewed: January 20, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Any trail I am riding | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | Grassroots deal | | Strengths: | Light, stiff, soaks up all the hits,and climbs like a goat. | | Weaknesses: | I don't understand? | | Similar Products Used: | Fisher | | Bike Setup: | 9.8 frame, SunRingle' RPMlite wheelset, Maxxis Tires, Sram 2X9 drivetrain, with SunRingle' bar, stem, and post. Weight is just over 21lbs depending on what tires I have on. | | Bottom Line: | I raced the 2002 9.8 frame for 2 seasons problem free and then found a crack in the seat stay last december. Turned it into the shop and had a new 2004 frame in five days. Pretty good customer service from my shop manager and from Trek. The new frame rides as well as the old and I expect to get a bunch more seasons out of this one. If you want a hardtail that soaks up hits like a softtail this is the frame to get. plus after replacing most of the stock parts you can come up with a pretty light racing bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
endodepa
a Cross Country Rider
from SLC,UT,USA
Date Reviewed: December 4, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Very light and resposive frame. Climbs like a animal | | Weaknesses: | My frame has major cracks around the bottom bracket sleeve. Other cracks at the carbon joints but Trek says they are common. That is no big deal. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 8500, Marin Bear Valley | | Bike Setup: | XTR, Race Face North Shore, Thomson stem and seat post, Rolf Propel, Black Elite Air. | | Bottom Line: | I am rating my 2000 9.8 on the newer bike section just so other can know that the frame is very strong but can have problems. I took my frame into the local dealer just yesterday. I have had to deal with Trek's warranty department a couple of times. My frame came cracked brand new out of the box. I had to wait 3 months to get it back. Instead of them just sending a new frame they fix the old one and sent it back. I hope that there warranty department has gotten better and will take care of this problem. I have read several post that claim that Trek is very bad at handling warrany issues. That was my experience the first time we will see what they do this time. I hope they will take care of because there are way too many good bike companies out there to be errogant and not stand behind you "lifetime warranty". We will see. I will post later once I find out how Trek treats this problem. But for now it will get a low rating only because of the warranty problems from the past. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric R.
a Cross Country Rider
from Decatur, Il. U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: November 22, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Local trails | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | L.B.S. | | Strengths: | Light, strong, cool color scheme, doesnt flex when hammered like aluminum hardtails. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Diamondback V10, Gary Fisher h.t., | | Bike Setup: | Speed Dream Wheels (sweeet!), Sram XO, Thompson, Race Face cranks, Ti b.b. | | Bottom Line: | This frame is a warrenty replacement for the aluminum frame I broke (had to fork up extra loot), so its built up as a frame set. I'm an agressive rider and have pushed this frame to its limits and it begs for more! Does not flex when hammering climbs yet smooth like a soft tail on small bumps. accelerates like a striped bass and carves single track. Best frame I've ever ridden. Kudos to Treks warrenty dept. for excellent service. I will always ride Trek bikes! Buy This Bike if your a hard tail retro grouch like me! I never touch my X.C. full susp. bike anymore after riding this one. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike
a Cross Country Rider
from brewster, ny
Date Reviewed: November 10, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | The frame, wheelset, fork, handling at any speed. climbs like a champ. light. | | Weaknesses: | sid sometimes a little whimpy, crank must go. (the 2001 had a bontrager p.o.s. the '04 has the new xt...) | | Similar Products Used: | trek 6700, moots rigor mortis, demoed | | Bike Setup: | 2001 frame, 2001 sid sl, easton ct2 bars, sette stem, rolf dolomite wheels, xtr levers and breaks, xt rear dr. lx front dr. sram 9.0 cassete, crap bontrager crank (not for long) | | Bottom Line: | i picked up a leftover 2001, the frame is unchanged, the 2001 sid is light but sometimes flexy, this bike climbs, accelerates, and descends even faster than my 6700, in fact it makes riding my old bike seem sluggish. i absolutely love the frame. it takes the edge of of pretty much anything, i like the rolf wheels that came on the bike too, they seems light and strong. words cannot desribe the all around feel of this bike, its truely amazing. the '04 still seems like a really solid bike even with the price hike, give this bike a chance, its worth it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Sonoma, CA
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$2300.00 | | Strengths: | Light, strong frame. Absolutely flies when you mash the pedals. Nimble on the single-track, carbon frame rides smooth like my Trek 5200 on the road. Very comfortable for a big rider- I'm 6'4" 230 lbs. I haven't put it through a heavy workout, but the carbon is pretty much bullet-proof. | | Weaknesses: | Components are good but average for a high-end bike like this. People are complaining about the price hike on an '04 9.8 considering the change from XT and XTR to full XT on the new models. My bike guy says that new XT is better than full XTR- they've reconfigured the XT so its not really comparable to the old stuff. | | Similar Products Used: | Fisher Suger 2 | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | Great bike- even if you are a weekend warrior and you think you might want start carving out some bigger and badder rides, this bike will grow along with your abilities. Unless you decide to start making 10-foot drops, you won't ask too much from this bike. Perfect option if you don't want full suspension. Awesome bike if you do a lot of road riding to get to your mountain rides. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Racer
from FIB
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: | Light
Carved through Single Track | | Weaknesses: | See bottom line | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 8000 and trying to make decision between HT and FS | | Bike Setup: | Stock except for Sram shifters and rear der
Sun Ringle (?) Rims King Hubs,Maxxis minitaurs 380 | | Bottom Line: | Really impressed with bike and set-up. It just carved through the single track, seemed to absorb some of the jolting when compared to aluminum. Did I say light! If I get a new rig and stay true with hard tails, this 50+ year old body will choose this FRAME.
Looking at Traks 2004's it is mind numbing that the bike has gone way up in price, yet the componetry has gone down. As a previous writer stated, get the frame and build it up with the componentry you want | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug Helling
a Weekend Warrior
from Ankeny, Iowa, USA
Date Reviewed: August 22, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Sycamore | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2250.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Country, Ankeny | | Strengths: | Power transfer, stiffness, weight. | | Weaknesses: | It is a little dicey on soft sand, I get thrown around a little more than my previous heavier bike. Pricey, but worth it. It could use more XTR considering the price. I'm positive that the Trek factory is experiencing a substantial profit margin on these. | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | I am not a hard core racer like many of the other reviews. I just like to go out and have fun. If you are thinking about a bike and have the budget, this is your bike. It climbs like a billygoat and is a lot faster than my old bike with the same amount of effort. I never new what they meant about power transfer until I purchased this bike. When I push it goes and it goes fast. That is why I can easily get it up hills that my old bike made me struggle on. This bike rocks and it has a great warrantee to back it. It is a little pricey for all XT with one XTR component. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Earl
a Cross Country Rider
from Texas
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | The carbon frame is stiff, light, and responsive and yet it soaks up vibrations to provide a fast and comfy ride. It also looks great. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Various aluminum hardtails. | | Bike Setup: | Marzochhi Marathon SL fork, Mavic Crossmax XL, Chris King headset, Thomson stem, Easton ec70 flat bars and ec70 post, Avid SDti brakes | | Bottom Line: | I bought the 9.8 frameset and built the bike with the components I really wanted rather than buying the complete bike with parts I didn't want. The bike looks sweet and rides great. It puts my old Specialized RockHopper to shame. Every aspect of my riding has improved since getting on this bike. I was amazed at how the carbon frame takes the harshness out of the ride. Life is too short to ride aluminum. Long live hardtails!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rex
a Cross Country Rider
from WA
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Suntop; Tiger Mt | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | I really enjoy this bike and it is as many of the other reviewers have noted: light, forgiving, corners well, made in the USA, torsionally stiff, nice geometry, and looks good. There is something to be said for a light bike (seemingly easier to flick around and change direction at speed, corner, climb, jump stuff) and this frame delivers with no problems.
I used to have a Trek 9800 (which was the previous generation carbon frame and was awesome) but it was cracked in a transportation mishap 8( , so I sent the frame to Trek and for a relatively small fee, they upgraded me to the top of the line 9.9 (same as 9.8) frame (this was a couple of years ago). So kudos to their service guys.
I weigh ~160 and dont seem to have any cracking/fatigue issues and I have ridden down many rooty/rocky trails usually pretty damn fast, and so, fairly jarring. But I never really do any massive drops/jumps since I know the frame could be fragile when stressed in some directions (the nature of carbon fiber), so if that is your thing, just be aware that carbon is not as uniform as metal.
| | Weaknesses: | Honestly I dont really have any other than maybe too much paint and stickers. I took most of the stickers off and would really like to have just a bare carbon look with a bit of clearcoat (more like the nude 9800).
Since the frame is a replacement for a 9800, I only have the frame and none of the Bontrager equipment, so I cant comment on the sturdiness of that (but I would have probably wanted to ditch most of the stock 9.8 components for seemingly better and lighter stuff anyway). | | Similar Products Used: | I have ridden other Al, Cro-moly and Ti frames and I still like carbon the most (or at least the geometry from Trek in their carbon frames just 'fits' me somehow). The Trek 9800 I had was a great frame, but this 9.9 is a bit better, stiffer, but maybe slighly heavier. | | Bike Setup: | Trek 9.9 frame (replacement for a 9800 frame); AMP Research F3 carbon fork; AMP front disk; 1st gen XTR; Easton carbon handlebar, carbon seatpost; my beloved 1st gen Vetta TT Trishock seat; Mavic rims; Conti tires | | Bottom Line: | If you want a great ride and aerospace, Formula 1 technology in your bike, this would be it. I enjoy it every time I go on the trail.
I would like to personally thank Trek for engineering this bad boy and for their great service...thanks guys. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Racer
from Roswell, Ga
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Tsali; Almond, North Carolina | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | BikeTown USA | | Strengths: | It's all about the FRAME! This frame is one of the lightest production mountain bike frames that are produced, making it the ideal starting point to build up a high-end hardtail. I bought the complete bike from my sponsor-shop at team discount, but I ended up replacing a lot of parts not because they were bad, but because of weight savings or personal preference. Unbeleivable frame: stiffness yet compliance. It descends like a softtail but climbs like a hardtail. The carbon actually soaks up the small vibrations in the trail. Don't get me wrong, it's not like a Trek Fuel or Ellsworth Truth, but this bike has a 3 pound frame and for it to have that much small-bump compliance is amazing. Great fork (Rock Shox SID Team), Fairly good component choices. I am 17 and 140 pounds so I can run 25-30 psi in the tubeless tires on muddy races which is a definite plus. I ride vertical walls of mud that other people take one look at and walk up. On hardpack though, I run 40 psi front & rear for less rolling resistance. I wanted disc brakes, so I had to get new wheels, which is not a problem because I gave my perfectly good Bontrager Race Lite Tubeless wheels to my younger brother who is now happily racing with them. | | Weaknesses: | All Bontrager parts suck except the wheels. The Bontarger Race cranks are pathetic. At every single race I used those cranks, I would have chainsuck and loose time. In races where fractions of seconds are the difference between podium and mid-field, this was unacceptable. However, my shop gave me the new 2003 Shimano Deore XT Hollowtech cranks as a replacement free of charge. The stem is flexy, and the seatpost is rediculously long, so I chaged those out for Thomson (also one of my sponsors). The saddle is heavy and bulky; not something that belongs on a race machine. Changed out for a Selle Italia Flite Ti. | | Similar Products Used: | 2002 Trek STP 400, 2002 Trek Elite 9.8, 2003 Specialized S-Works Hardtail, 2002 Kestrel CSX, 2001 Schwinn Homegrown Factory Pro, 2003 Giant XTC SE1, 2003 Litespeed Tanasi XTR, my friend's heavily modified 2001 GT Zaskar Race | | Bike Setup: | 19.5" 2003 Trek Elite 9.8 OCLV HC frame, Rock Shox SID Team Fork set-up for 80 mm. travel, Mavic X3.1 rims laced with DB spokes to Shimano XT Disc hubs, Avid Mechanical disc brakes f&r(160 mm. rotors), Avid Flak Jacket Teflon-Coated Cables, Thomson Elite Seatpost & Stem, Selle Italia Flite Ti Saddle, Michelin Comp S UST Tubeless Tires, Mix of mostly XTR and some XT Drivetrain, Time ATAC Pedals | | Bottom Line: | If you are looking to build-up your dream hardtail, this is the frame. It is lighter and cheaper than any Litespeed (which at one time I thought not possible) and looks better too. If you want an (almost) out-of-the-box xc racer, this is your bike. If you love to huck 5 foot stair drops and retaining walls, this is NOT your bike. I am tired of 280 pound guys giving bikes like this bad reviews because they ripped the dropouts off the bike on a 10 foot dropoff and then accuse Trek of being a crap company. I have been sponsored by them for some time and they have always taken care of me. This bike is THE hardtail to have. If you get this bike and you get your @$$ kicked at a race, it sure as hell isn't the bike's fault because I have been dominating on this bike since I got it. Before I got this bike, I was at the Trek place previewing and riding their 2003 bikes. I tired a prototype Fuel Carbon and swore I would never ride a hardtail again. That said, when it came time for me to order my new ride, my brother convinced me to get this, so I did, and I do not regret it. I now have a race-ready hardtail with disc brakes that is lighter than some peoples' road bikes. Please, if you're looking for a new hardtail, or even if you're looking for a full supsension bike, take a look at this bike. You get the best hardtail, bar none, and you're also buying a quality US-made product, not some Made In China sweatshop product.
***LANCE ARMSTRONG RULES ALL!*** | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Racer
from polk county florida
Date Reviewed: July 13, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Jimmy's | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | It looks very good and looks very fast | | Weaknesses: | breaks way too easy, no quality control on the frame, I had to put 2 adapters on and add alot of weight to put my disk brakes on their "universal disk brake mounts" that no brakes fit on | | Similar Products Used: | specilized sworks fs
cannondale jekyll 4000 sl | | Bike Setup: | full xtr, sid blackbox carbon, bontager seatpost and handle bars, thomson stem, hays mag disk brakes, mavic cross roc ust wheels | | Bottom Line: | trek is the wort company ive ever delt with and doenst know how to build a frame! i started with a 9.9 and the frame broke a week and half later when i was in the mountians now i have boken frames before but this was the first one i couldnt ride out and i had to walk 5 miles back trek then replaced it, 2 months later, with a 9.8 but i had no choice cuz i had a race the following weekend so i then had to drive all over the county to find the 2 adapters i needed for my hays brakes and then the bb wasnt faced which meens that the e-type front derailer on it wont work right and my shop didnt have the $1000 facing tool cuz the quality bikes they sell come prefaced so i then had to drive 2 hours away to a shop that had one that said they had never taken so much metel off a frame before to get it faced so its finaly together and trek wont replace it with the 9.9 since i already rode it and im selling it so i dont have to worry about it braking and not geting another one and im gonna get a 04 cannondale f4000 its lighter neways
worst bike ever had! and by far the worst company ive ever had to deal with!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike tucjer
a Cross Country Rider
from wooster, ohio
Date Reviewed: June 21, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | vultures knob | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | lightweight to the maximus, super stiff frame.great for climbing and decending | | Weaknesses: | that stock tires, threw some michelin wild grippers on and was ready to go. the stickers started to peel after about 2 months. not a big deal | | Similar Products Used: | non have come close | | Bike Setup: | all xtr, raceface isis crank, sid race carbon shock raceface stem, headset,handlebars and seatpost | | Bottom Line: | Great bike. The best hardtail ever? I'd have to say so. superlight and stiff, I'd say a must for any serious racer. I took a gamble getting it off ebay but i would easily have payed twice for this bike | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave T
a
from Salinas,Ca. U.S.A
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Bobcat Bicycles | | Strengths: | Lifetime Warranty, Made in the U.S, Light, Stiff, Stong, Somewhat vertically compliant. | | Weaknesses: | As a complete bike - Bontrager components.
As a frameset - ZERO. | | Similar Products Used: | Gary Fisher Carbon & Al. hardtails and a Fisher 29er. | | Bike Setup: | XL Frame, Complete 03' XTR Disc Group, Fox F80RLT, Thomson post, Easton carbon rise bar, Kenda rubber, WTB sadle.
22 Pounds on the nose. | | Bottom Line: | Nicest Hardtail I've ever ridden. It's hard to explain how this bike can be so stiff when climbing and supple enough to really smoke technical-downhill sections, unbelievable is probably the best description.
This is the ONLY hardtail to have in my humble opinion. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jordan Pryce Lewis
a Cross Country Rider
from Bishops Lydeard,Somerset,UK
Date Reviewed: June 10, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Quantocks | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Chain | | Strengths: | Brilliant ride!!You just don't get better!She wants to fly downhill and climbs like a mountain goat!Have never enjoyed my riding as much as I am enjoying it now.You will not regret buying this bike if you are a hardtail fan like me.Light as anything and strong as an ox.My riding has improved vastly, the hills that i was struggling with before now seem to be a breeze.Have never down the downhills as fast as i am doing them now.Like I have said if you are a hardtail fan you will love this bike. | | Weaknesses: | None as yet.Maybe replace the chainset as Bontrager chainsets don't seem to be the strongest in the world.Looking to replace with a XT chainset.
| | Similar Products Used: | Prevoius bike was a Trek 6700 | | Bike Setup: | Standard.Except for Michelin Wildgripper tyres and Selle San Marco saddle. | | Bottom Line: | BUY IT!!You won't regret it ever!the complete bikefor the hardtail fan. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kim
a Cross Country Rider
from Seoul, South Korea
Date Reviewed: June 7, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Namhansansong , Mt.Woomyon | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$3250.00 | | Purchased At: | Local Shop | | Strengths: | Everything. Overwhelming Performance.
Power Transfer, Climb Pose, Shock Absorb.. etc | | Weaknesses: | Bontrager Components isn't so good as bike.
Except bontrager? There is no weakness. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized S-Works M5, Litespeed Tanasi | | Bike Setup: | SID WorldCup, Full XTR, Crossmax SL UST, EC90 Handlebar, MG60 Stem, CT2 Seatpost, and etc. | | Bottom Line: | I have only one single word to say. JUST RIDE IT!
I guarantee that 9.8 will not make you be discouraged.
This is truly best bike around 2500$. even over 3000$. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Bradshaw
a Racer
from winchester california us
Date Reviewed: May 23, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Chino Hills state park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Purchased At: | Back Alley Mountain Bikes | | Strengths: | This bike is awesome! The power transfer is unbelievable, the frame weight unfathomable and on sketchy downhills the carbon takes the edge off those sharp bumps. This bike's frame sucks up the trail as well or even some cases better than ti and I think the power transfer is better than ti. Even better, its only half the price of a comparable litespeed!. | | Weaknesses: | The paintjob comes ofv the carbon in the slightest of crashes and carbon can break if not torqued right. . . | | Similar Products Used: | Aluminum hartails, Titanium hardtails. . . . . | | Bike Setup: | Sid team fork, avid ti, selle italia slr, race lite tubeless rims ect. . . . | | Bottom Line: | If you want the feel of titanium an dthe power transfer of aluminum along with a strong component list for the retail of $2500 this is a serious option. If you think the carbon is going to give you the same feel as a FS rig, forget about it, its not happening. The carbon just takes the edge off square edge bumps and gives the bike a great dampening quality which keeps you in the seat through the rough, its not going to give you anything more than that. . . but if your racing, what more do you need? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Usne
a Cross Country Rider
from Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 12, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | sutherland beach, banff and Jasper parks | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$2300.00 | | Purchased At: | Doug's Spoke 'n Sport | | Strengths: | Note that I paid $2300 Canadian in 1995! (Doug gave me great deal) I rode the then 9800 for years through Saskatchewan winters. The bike never gave me any serious problems and the factory components were smooth through 8 years of good riding. It was stolen a couple weeks ago and I'm thinking I'll be sticking to the carbon hardtail. They are FASTER than anything you've ridden, feel great on the trail and weigh nothing. It's great when people say, "this bike is worth how much!!!" after you tell them and then they pick it up and can't believe the mimimal mass. It also makes it easy for loading and unloading from a roof mounted rack. | | Weaknesses: | |
|
$ 2499.99
