Submitted by
dbcdfw
a Cross Country Rider
from Plano Tx Date Reviewed: September 7, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Boulder
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At:
Richardson Bikemart
Strengths:
Fast, nimble, responsive
Similar Products Used:
G. Fisher Rig
Bike Setup:
Candy peddles
Bottom Line:
Fantastic bike. Read tons of comments, anyone that has ridden this bike know it is light and agile. Been riding Fisher Rig for 3 years, love Single Speeds makes riding fun again but the 69er is faster out of the pocket, climbs like a rocket. Not a Trek fan but this bike has it all. Great if it is your first Single Speed even better if you are a 29er fan and looking for something a bit faster. Get on one before you believe all the forums boards, I have to believe they just cant write the check.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
zyzbot
a Cross Country Rider
from Tennessee Date Reviewed: June 29, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Raccoon Mountain
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
It did climb pretty well. I was afraid that the front wheel might get light during climbs but that never happened.
Weaknesses:
The handling felt sluggish and odd as compared to the 29ers I demoed on the same day. I rode this bike right after testing a GF Superfly and a GF HiFi 29er and this bike felt very slow by comparison. I mean really slow acceleration. I know that quicker acceleration is one of the benefits touted for 69ers but I did not feel that at all.
Similar Products Used:
None. First time on a 69er.
Bike Setup:
Stock demo bike
Bottom Line:
Definitely isn't for me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Kayzar
a Cross Country Rider
from Milwaukee, WI USA Date Reviewed: May 5, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Southern Kettles
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
Wheel and Sprocket
Strengths:
the RIDE! plush fork, awesome geometry, pretty much ride ready out of the box. Total head-turner everywhere I go.
Weaknesses:
4 foot wide bars, heavy, expensive. So "custom" that it's hard to upgrade (wheelset, stem, etc.). 1 cage mount set so high up on the downtube that it's hard to get a bottle out.
Similar Products Used:
First single speed - ridden MTB's for 20+ years.
Bike Setup:
SPDs, cut down stock bars, will be replacing heavy stock parts with much lighter stuff this year.
Bottom Line:
I put my Fisher in mothballs, this is the only mountain bike I ride now. Flows like water on singletrack - racing it in the WORS series in 2009. Components are pretty weighty for a singlespeed that costs this much. Upgrading wheels/seat/post and that should cut out some serious wieght.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
direneed
a Racer
from Austin, TX Date Reviewed: April 4, 2009
Favorite Trail:
BCGB
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1600.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
Nice kit with choice wheels and fork. The Race X Lite Wheels are way underrated IMO and a killer value. Light and strong. Overall bike is light.
Weaknesses:
tires maybe, Juicy 7s are mediocre but acceptable, hard for me to find any other weakness
Bike Setup:
Carbon flat bars, King hubs on Stan's Flow rims, some Hope X2s on the way, Bontrager carbon post. Carbon flat bars. Have the race bike weighing in around 23 lbs, probably could drop some more with lighter wheels. Have ENOs and a Ti BB coming soon, too.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike kind of on a whim last year and posted a review shortly after. This bike turned me into a dedicated XC singlespeed racer. I never had any aspirations of racing before, but when I moved to this bike from a FS geared bike, it made me remember how simple riding can be and significantly improved my skills. I've raced it about 7-8 times and still love the bike. I actually had the fork blow out during a race and needed a fork to race the following weekend. There was no way to get the Maverick rebuilt in time, but instead of getting a new Fox F29 (and new wheel and stem), I found another 69er and since it was an '07 model got to deal a little on it. So now I have 2 of them and a full extra King/Stan's wheelset, so it will take some serious mechanical problems to keep me from racing on any given weekend. I think for the price it's a huge value. The wheels are really strong, never had to have them trued in a yr of riding and probably over 2000 miles. Just wanted to update my previous review and say that I am still enamored with this bike. You can find these used on Ebay and CL and usually for a killer price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom the bomb
a Weekend Warrior
from Alta loma, ca. Date Reviewed: February 15, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Mt. Lowe
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
incycle
Strengths:
Super stiff. Once made tubeless, super grippy , never dropped a chain. feels like I will never go otbs. Great do it all ride can stand and climb with confidence.
Weaknesses:
Bont tires are fragile but very light and hook up well. About 3 lbs heavier than I would like. Just noticed a crack fork seal and a little leakage. A bit spendy for a ss. But it looks like a mil bucks. 4 chillis
.
Similar Products Used:
1st single speed . This bike looked so good I had to buy it.
Bike Setup:
Stock purchase w wtb seat and susp seatpost.
Bottom Line:
This bike has no flex anywhere!!!! I had to put a sus seatpost on it to save my back. I love to stand and climb and this bike loves to go. Going down is very confidence inspiring, like the guys at incycle said its a ss dh rig! Handles the tricky stuff really well. Just need the legs to go with the rig.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Miller
a Cross Country Rider
from Ocala, Fl ,USA Date Reviewed: May 12, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Santos Bellview Fl
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1950.00
Purchased At:
Trek Dealer Gville Fl.
Strengths:
It is a joy to ride have loved ss and tried 29 and 26 this bike fits my style.
Weaknesses:
After 4 months Bontrager seat rail broke replacement broke on first ride. This past week end fork seak blew out local dealer is still waiting on Mavericks response as far as repairs. At this point do not have a warm and fuzzy feeling about Trek and their component suppliers since my other bike bought at the same time in 09/07 as an ebay special and used about the same amount of trail riding time ( about seven hours a week) has yet to let me down.
Similar Products Used:
Fisher Rig ( creaking ebb never fixed), Kona Unit 2-9, Fetish Obsession SS
Bike Setup:
Stock changed out frt chain ring to a Salsa 34t, added egg beaters clipless pedals and tubeless tires.
Bottom Line:
Let me see how both Trek and Maverick respond to the most recent problem. I ss because I do not have a lot of time to play with fine tuning etc. Basic upkeep yes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix, Arizona Date Reviewed: April 6, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Red Mountain
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
MTBR Classifieds
Strengths:
appearance, geometry, wheels, super solid feel
Weaknesses:
does not come standard with tubeless wheels, my full suspension weighs around 27 lbs and I thought this should be less than the 25 lbs that it is.
Similar Products Used:
Trek Top Fuel 69er full suspension
Bike Setup:
Ergon grips and bar ends, XTR pedals
Bottom Line:
I bought a Full Suspension Trek 69er 6 months ago. It ate up my favorite trail so much I wanted more of a challenge so I popped for this puppy. It rides like a dream, it feels as solid as a rock and yet weighs in around 25 lbs with pedals, bar ends and bell (for letting people know that I am coming through). The color is great and the different size wheels and front forks make this bike a lean and mean looker on and off the trail. I bought a suspension seat post but I do not think I am going to use it as the ride is not as rough as anticipated. I am waiting for the rim strips to convert the wheels to tubeless. My friend and I swapped bikes for a moment on the trail, he was quickly converted and is planning on buying one soon. I previously posted a review about my Trek top fuel 69er with full suspension - the different size wheels are too good to be true. Not sure why MTBR posts the MSRP as $1500 - new they are around $2500, I was stoked to find a practically unused one on this website. My wife thinks I am nuts but when she sees the smile on my face when I come home from a ride, she knows the bike is worth it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adz Rohowicz
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia Mate! Date Reviewed: February 25, 2008
Favorite Trail:
The Pink Ravine
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Where do I start... The Mav front end, the frame, the Juicy 7's, the weight...
Weaknesses:
Could do with a few more teeth.
Bike Setup:
Stocko with Wellgo MG-52's and Oury grips.
Bottom Line:
This thing is sick! Point, shoot & hang on! Tight on turns and goes over anything. The 2:1 ratio is good for climbing steep turf, but not so much for travelling at speed on flats, or trying to gain some flying downhill. I'll take her to the dentist when the tooth fairy hooks me up with some coin, as there's not much left after I brought her home... But what can I say... She's worth it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James Hill
a Weekend Warrior
from Austin Date Reviewed: February 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Barton Creek Greenbelt
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2200.00
Purchased At:
LBS Trek Dealer
Strengths:
Fork is super sweet and very plush. I love the easy and practical pseudo-lockout feature. The Juicy 7s are very nice brakes. The Bontrager components seem nice.
Weaknesses:
Price, for an Aluminum SS hardtail is pretty steep, but most realize that the fork makes up almost half the bike price. Single-speed is not for everyone or every trail. Other than that, you'll either like this design or not.
Similar Products Used:
Demoed a Fisher Hi-Fi 29er on the Greenbelt and thought the 29er concept was perfect for that type terrain. My main ride the last 3 yrs had been a Blur LT.
Bike Setup:
19.5" Frame, Maverick, Bontrager parts, switched to some FSA carbon riser bars, but essentially bone-stock. Probably gonna put some fatter tires on it, though.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike mainly to replace a SS Fireman's cruiser. Thought this would be at least use useful as the Fireman's, plus able to blast down a MTB, which I couldn't on my Fireman's (I've seen lots of dudes on the Greenbelt on theirs, though). The front wheel trucks over obstacles as a 29er should, but the smaller rear wheel really rewards a particular riding style. Riding on the Greenbelt is a perfect fit for the bike, since it's very flat and full of rock gardens that toss a 26er around pretty badly. The 69er makes it really easy to let the front end soak up bumps almost at random while concentrating on whipping the back end around through your lines, kinda opposite of how I usually pick lines through rocky sections but it works. That is: being more particular where the back wheel was going rather than the front. I can see many making the argument that a 29er wheel out back would be even better and could be. However, I do like the smaller wheel for the many times I need to restart in the middle of a rock garden and it definitely helps for that. Though not nearly as comfy as the Blur LT for an all-day ride, I was way faster down the Greenbelt than I am on my Blur, again very flat trail. I've never ridden a full-susp 3x9 bike that didn't throw the chain at least some times in the most inappropriate sections, and have had some major wipeouts as a result. Having the SS 69er allowed me to climb over several sections that I never have on the Blur LT. I was a lot more confident cranking on the 69er than any other bike I've ridden as I never worried about the chain, another big reason this bike appealed to me. I could see this bike being very competitive on flat XC courses for the right rider's style.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul
a Cross Country Rider
from O'Fallon, MO Date Reviewed: January 24, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Berryman
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1700.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Stiff Maverick duc32 front end, attractive design, comfortable, simple. Low rolling resistance while still retaining acceleration (at least as much as your legs and gearing will allow!)
Weaknesses:
Maverick duc32 front end. First 15 miles resulted in a failed seal, collapsing fork. Maverick repaired and returned within a week or so. Next catastrophic failure happened roughly 150 miles later, resulting in left fork slider blowing completely out of stanchion. No stripped threads on slider, so internal stanchion threads must have been toast. Once again repaired by Maverick and, knock on wood, no problems since. Juicy seven brakes dissappointing, but I only have XTR 160 discs to compare to, so perhaps an unfair assessment.
Similar Products Used:
'94 Cadex cobbled together as single speed. '03 Trek Fuel 100
Bike Setup:
Replaced BB cranks to 170mm Saints with 34 x 17 carbon Titec bar ends (appropriate for short steep climbs)
Bottom Line:
Aside from the sour taste left from the poor reliability of the most expensive fork I've ever owned, the 69er is an incredibly fun bike. The accolades you hear about front end stiffness are true. The 69er really does allow you to crank over hard mid-corner without incident. The compliant front end, when it stays together, makes you forget you're on a hardtail when downhilling. Downside to owning this AND a twitchy XC FS bike is you forget how to ride a 26er with tight front geometry! The 69er is either more slack than I'm used to or this is the typical characteristic of 29" front ends. Either way, it's easy to adapt to. The rear chain slack adjuster is simple, beautifully designed, allowing the rear wheel to drop out easily, and the front end clamp design for the 24mm axle is a dream compared to the allen bolt insanity i see and read about. Can't believe this isn't industry standard! Price is keeping this beauty from flying from LSB's. $2400 sugg retail for a SS, despite wielding a unique upside down fork, is a hard pill for most people wanting to try SS's.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Noah
a Cross Country Rider
from hopkins Date Reviewed: November 3, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Mammoth
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2249.00
Purchased At:
Bike shop
Strengths:
Fast, stiff fork, Light, Smooth, Brown
Weaknesses:
Isis b.b., grips, comes as a 32x16, aluminum seatpost, really really expensive, everyone asks me about it
Similar Products Used:
marin team ti single speed
Bike Setup:
Upgraded to xt crankset, 17t surly cog, and bonti race x lite foam grips
Bottom Line:
I thought this bike was a gimmick, so I bought one. this bike is a blast to ride. It goes where you point it, the maverick front end is super stiff. I can lean this into corners harder than any bike I've had before. The 29er wheel up front rolls over anything and the 26 in back keeps the rear wheel in tight for better cornering. For some reason this is the only bike I can rear wheel hop on, and I can do it all day long on this thing now. It just feels balanced. I would recommend riding one first before making the commitment though. My second ride on this was an all day mountain bike epic, about 48 miles of singletrack and I couldn't have asked it to perform any better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brett
a Cross Country Rider
from San Clemente, CA, USA Date Reviewed: October 31, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Chaquito Trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1495.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Maverick Fork is best part about the bike. Stiff and responsive frame. I thought I was going to have to upgrade bontrager stuff, but it seems to be holding up. No problems yet. I have a tendency to kill and break frames, so we will see what happens. Tubeless rims are definately a strength.
Weaknesses:
-Only 1 water cage for a medium frame? -Isis BB -Doesn't give you a BJ while you ride it.
Similar Products Used:
Spot Brand Single Speed
Bike Setup:
Stock with Chris King headset and Surly Cog
Bottom Line:
This bike kicks butt, great job Travis, its about time that somebody did something right at Trek. I was never a Trek fan until I got my 69er, now I would recommend this bike to anyone. Great bike for single track, probably faster than my full suspension xc race bike. Very statisfied with this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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