Submitted by
ware bear
a Weekend Warrior
from Bath, Somerset Date Reviewed: October 23, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$850.00
Purchased At:
Evans
Strengths:
The Frame and wheelset are Shuppuerb on the stock 200!!! light strong frame, Visually Impressive, Great Geometry, Delicious in red! Ridden for 3 years with no upgrades and loved it's versitility, Recently upgraded to a freeride/all mountain setup and got blown away all over again!! This thing corners like nothing else i have ever ridden. U point it in and it nail them every time. I don't know what magic happens in the rear suspension whilst cornering but it sticks so hard to the ground and it's predictable.
Weaknesses:
I broke the swingarm after light jumping sesh. + The shock blew up!!! This was due to the valve of the cane creek air shock contacting the frame when under load! This problem is exlusive to the 14" frame size and can be solved by putting the shock upside down! Trek Replaced the swingarm as part of the warranty. But I had to pay for the reapairs to my air shock!!
Similar Products Used:
GT rts3 (old skool bouncer) Cannondale M500
Bike Setup:
Marzochhi Jnr t's, Halo combat's, Diatech Anchor disc's, World force riser's, DMR V8's, Tioga 2.3 DH's
Bottom Line:
Even after breaking the original swingarm and the shock in the first few months of riding,this bike has got better and better. With the addition of the long travel forks, discs and fat tires it has gone from being a comfortable xc\all day bike to a smooth freerider with no effort at all. This again highlights why the VRX is so good, THE FRAME!! Lightweight, Great Geometery and Sexy as! Buy one while you can and look after it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
frazer wain
a Cross Country Rider
from UK (Leicester) Date Reviewed: January 17, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Karrimor Trail Wales
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Local Trek Specialist
Strengths:
The frame design is a classic piece of engineering magic and I like to think historical in some ways due to the amount of low budget bike maker who followed suit in early 2000. It's made from high grade aerospace materials and the craftsmanship is second to none. The design isn't flawless but I've never managed to bend it which underline the fact that this chunk of ali is bomb proof.
Weaknesses:
The lower end of the frame between the swinging arm and crank isn't wide enough to cope with forces of the rider. The section being quite slim allows the frame to bend and twist as the rides weigh is transferred from to saddle, which is slung way out there over the rear tire. Sounds bad, but it really isn't. I actually belive this contributes to the bike phenominal handling on down hill cornering, it almost guides you round the bends and the Cane Creek shock is just right to deal with this, due to its slow rebound characteristics. Forget the components, you're not spending your money on those when you bought a VRX. Trek's budget was obsorbed on the frame that's why it was discontinued after the accountant looked at the books.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale Jekyl, Specialise Rockhopper, various hardtails
Bike Setup:
All major components upgraded over time. Hope XC hubs on Mavics with Hope M4 discs, XT drive kit throughout, riser bars. Still have the original Judy XC's never serviced and still going strong (lush)
Bottom Line:
I've looked at trading this baby in many many time but nothing I've ridden feels the same. I first realised what this frame was all about when I was riding up a old pack trail on the Penines in Derbyshire. Imaging an old cobbled street, inclined and too bumpy to ride on a hardtail. It was was actually like riding down a flat freely laid highway! I was amazed. It looks stunning, maybe a bit dated now but that doesn't mean newer designs are more efficient. No matter how you design a frame you can't eliminate bob completely without lock-out. This frame is as near as it gets, infact the bob effect is what helps it gluide up rough, slightly inclined trails. It looks like a down hill preditor and many people have tuned them for free ride. But this babe is bread from cross country long days out. It obsorbs the trail and never leaves you feeling fatigued even after the hardest days ride. On the down hills it always wants more, certainly more than I can give it. I always seem to run out of stamina and balls. A quick breather and I can't wait to get back on again. If you've got one don't sell it, upgrade to the best kit you can afford and keep riding it. It's the mountain bike equivelant to the chopper and will be a classic one. If your in the UK key your eyes open cos they're rare, in fact I've never seen anyone else with one its so unique.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mac Harris
a Weekend Warrior
from corvallis, OR Date Reviewed: December 26, 2004
Favorite Trail:
white rabbit
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At:
the cycle gallery
Strengths:
Bike has a nice neutral feel, looks cool (especially in red)
Weaknesses:
I have had more problems with this bike than I can count. I have always been hard on my toys, but I cannot ride this thing without breaking stuff, and I'm only riding street, small parks, and trails, no big hits! I don't even crash much and I have destroyed my derailer, bent my frame, stripped out my crank (on the frame), toasted 2 other cranks, my forks no longer adjust (they did for about a month) and blown the cane creek shock. This is the first bike I spent any real amount of money on, and I can barley even afford to ride it. I don't know if I got a lemon or what but this thing is a piece of sh#@!!
Bike Setup:
Bone stock, except for free ride pedals, and nice handlebars.
Bottom Line:
Despite regular maintence and relatively low key riding terrain, this bike doesn't hold up to anything!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bacca bacca
a Weekend Warrior
from London, UK Date Reviewed: November 10, 2004
Favorite Trail:
any descent
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
evans
Strengths:
Trek quality, lifetime warranty, simple design, very strong frame, not too heavy, nice looks (I think !), good paint finish on main frame
Weaknesses:
none to worry about - seat slightly uncomfortable, decals on swing arm came off
Similar Products Used:
rode various other bikes but this is my first serious mountain bike
Bike Setup:
Mavic 519 freeride rims, Marzocchi Z1 (130 mm) wedge freeride forks, panaracer fire XC-pro (2.1) tyres, Hope M4 disc brakes front and rear, blackspire chain rings, Shimano XT rear cassette and XT bottom bracket, shimano clipless peddles
Bottom Line:
I have owned this bike for over 5 years now and I am still as pleased with it as I was the day I bought it. The frame is very strong and takes everything. I have never stripped the bike down, and it has never had a major service - just keep it clean, oil it and thats it - it will keep on going. I want to get into some more heavy duty freeride (hence the set up), but this bike can still handle everything I can. I have never been worried about the bike failing. I was a bit annoyed when this frame was discontinued after such a short production run, but it has proved Trek wrong, and just makes this thing more rare ! I do not like the new rocker-type Session 7 design of Trek's new freeride bike and prefer this more simple design. If you get a chance to buy one - DO IT ! the frame is amazing (light and strong) and better components can be added if you wish. I have never had a real problem with bobbing of the suspension, just don't jump up and down on it as you climb hills - simple as that. Get the 1999 VRX, it has a coil shock and 3 suspension settings (rather than 2 on the VRX 2000 air shock model).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tony
a Racer
from deep river CT USA Date Reviewed: July 26, 2004
Favorite Trail:
pine ledge / land trust
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
saybrook cycles
Strengths:
nice swing arm and multi position rear suspention mount, icon bars and seat post
Weaknesses:
shocks all around suck, brakes are garbage, seat breaks, crank creaks after about 3 months of hard riding, pedals come apart and bend, hard to find a rear disc brake to mount up
maxxis mobsters, deore xt disc compatable hub, white brothers DC118DH fork, kiori brakes to make room for the 2.35 mobsters both front and rear, deore mega 9 shifters, avid brake levers,profile design grips, icon deisel bar, specialized 6" 2 degree neck, 2003 fox float vanilla rear shock, icon seat post(likes to get striped but i like it), specialized body geom seat,deore xt front derailer, deore xt mega 9 compat rear derailer, deore xt mega 9 cassette, deore xt crankset, DC platform pedals and soon to have a rear hayes hydrolic disc thanks to my pal at clark cycles in essex CT
Bottom Line:
bottem line is if you see the frame and like to biuld your own bike go for it its a GREAT frame and i like it, ive taken a 12 fter and kept on crankin im 170lbs and 5'11 i race PRO AM and im notorious for destroying bikes and the VRX has taken everything i put in its path and spit it right back out great bike for everyone from beginners to PRO AM, from trail riding to agressive XC/DH tracks
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zazzle Swagneer
a Downhiller
from Ottawa Date Reviewed: September 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Fortune Trails &, Kanata Lakes
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Purchased At:
Dukes in T.O.
Strengths:
Great bikes all around, this was really relaible bike, much more so tham the experience my freidns had with thier Trek Fuels. This year after 4 years of learning how to do x-country jumps, drops and endo abuse I uypgraded alot of parts and the thing is a total demon with not alot of $. It's much lighter than most of the new freeride bikes out there, but with that means it is not capable of full speed downhilling such as a VPS would be able to handle.
Weaknesses:
Nothing, but if you have more $ there are always better bikes
Similar Products Used:
I never wife swap
Bike Setup:
Rock Shock Psylo Fork Original Fox Vanilla (squeaks a bit though) New Swingarm bushings XTR Rear XT front Wellgo BMX Platform Pedals Hayes Disc Rear (had to get the mount custom machined) Hayes Knockoff Brand Disc Front Fire XC Pro Kevlar Tires Rhino Lite Rear Rim Ditch Witch Front Rim
Bottom Line:
Love it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jonathan L
a
from Sudbury, ON. Canada Date Reviewed: August 22, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Laurentien
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Light enough for a full suspension... no longer an outdated frame because of new suspension technology. Awesome control going down.. a little heavy going up but I can keep up with the pack on light bikes
Weaknesses:
don't know if it's just me but a bearing system at the pivot location would provide a much stiffer ride... Need a special adapter for hayes disc.. fixed the problem though.
Similar Products Used:
Giant AC3; Kona, Norco, Specialized, Gary Fisher... tried a lot.
Bike Setup:
Psylo, XT everything (derailleurs, shifters, hubs) Mavic wheels, Fox Vanilla (changing to a Manitou with SPV)Custom weld for internation standard disc, Magura hydro brakes,
Bottom Line:
Pedals better than most bikes on the market now, change the rear shock and it'll be hard to find a bike capable of doing everything this thing does. Change the travel from 4"-5.25" makes it an all round trail bike (blackdiamond) Frame geometry is out of this world. Bottom line, right parts spec and this bike rules... real head turner... I haven't seen another one like it in Northern Ontario.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marco Beutelrock
a Weekend Warrior
from Sweden Date Reviewed: June 22, 2003
Favorite Trail:
the city !
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
Cykelspecialisten
Strengths:
I bought it just so i could upgrade it in the future... and now its done.. the Frame really takes it all ! i have been using it for hard freeride and its just keeps going on and on...
Weaknesses:
Factory setup is ok for a beginner but if you planning on go for some freeride/urban you should upgrade the fork and wheels first of all.
Similar Products Used:
GT, Gary fischer bikes, Cannondale Raven and Kona Stinky -02
Bike Setup:
Marzocchi Dirt jumper 2 -03, Sun Rhyno lite wheels built with DT black spokes and DMR revolver front and XT disc black rear, RaceFace diablo steam, RaceFace Freeride BB, DMR bashguard, FSA Xtrem Arms, DMR flatties, XTR rear mech rapid rise, LX shifters, Hayes HFX 8" front and rear. Custom painted: darkgrey with black flames in the front.
Bottom Line:
I strongly recommend you to buy one of this bike if you are in to some free-riding in the woods and for urban riding... 200,300 or 500 no matter i got the 200 it´s all the same, this frame kick **. i never hade any problems with this frame and every time im out riding i cant stop thinking that i bought the best bike (after upgrades) and that it´s 3 years old and still produces so well...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken Hill
a
from Juneau, AK Date Reviewed: October 13, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Northstar-at-Tahoe
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Great foundation to build on. Color you can live with.
Weaknesses:
Who was the genius that decided how to mount the front derailleur? No more lunch in the paint booth!
Similar Products Used:
I also have a 9900 that I scavanged parts from to make the bike lighter and smoother.
Bike Setup:
Judy SL LT, WTB Momentum HS, WTB pedals. Race Face stem and bars. XT drive train.
Bottom Line:
Nice bike, but the next change would probably be a better rear shock. The bike handles nicely, but it is a bit on the heavy side. This may be because it is the first full suspension bike I have owned, and I came off of a 9900 prior to this bike. It's unfortunate that this bike has been discontinued, and that more companies don't make a bike that fits smaller people. I am 5'4" in my shoes, and I barely clear the top tube.
Overall a nice starter suspension bike. Affordable and comfy enough to get your teen or significant other into riding. It's also nice that you are dealing with a company that will be around for the life of the bike, and that they stand behind their product.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jack Pirk
a Downhiller
from Middlebury VT USA Date Reviewed: September 8, 2002
Favorite Trail:
i dont know
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$850.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
rear suspension, frame, mostly good
Weaknesses:
a bit heavy but works fine, saddle, water bottle, thats about it
Similar Products Used:
other stuff
Bike Setup:
mostly stock but with bombers (shox are a definate upgrade must) and some other small stuff like tires.
Bottom Line:
i love this bike, you will too. save some money, buy it, upgrade a bit (shox etc) and you will be golden while cruzin down those trails
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Max
a Cross Country Rider
from Pocatello, ID Date Reviewed: May 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Third Fork
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Warranty from 9500
Strengths:
Bulletproof! I have beat this frame to hell, but it keeps performing.
Weaknesses:
A little pogo during the climb, but with increased PSI in the Cane Creek AD5 it is minimal.
This bike takes a beating. A little sluggish on the uphill, but has great handling through the rough stuff. Takes big hits, but is a little slow on the rebound. I wish that Trek would have continued this line, it is great. A great XC bike. Not a downhilling bike, although I have heard of people lengthing the rear travel and setting it up as a sweet free ride bike. Since I built mine, I did not experience the need to upgrade. Great value. The guys at Trek are awesome, I blew up a 9500 hybrid, and they warrantied it no problem. I am glad that I chose this frame from their line up.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
nick slim
a Weekend Warrior
from britain Date Reviewed: April 10, 2002
Favorite Trail:
FODCA trail
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At:
mail order
Strengths:
Bomb proof frame -but still xc weight - great feel on downhills
Weaknesses:
poor kit level - saddle from hell - anything but xc setting on the rear shock results in the hardest uphill struggle.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR - GT Idrive 3.0 - Trek fuel
Bike Setup:
standard but saddle and forks replace to flite titanium and rockshock judy's.
Bottom Line:
Fantastic bargain price - frame is upgradable for years - maybe a better rear shock would prevent the bob uphil - but quite simply for the average two hour general weekend ride this is a star.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Francis
a Weekend Warrior
from Japan Date Reviewed: April 8, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Mountains around Mitake san
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
The Frame is bombproof
Weaknesses:
Original bike from TREK
Bike Setup:
FSA after burner cranks, XTBB, MAVIC rims, JUDY XC's, XT disc on the front and Magura HS33's on rear, Squale tires, Tioga CNCed platform pedals,Raceface short stem, custom made delrin bushes, Black spire chain rings, WTB headset
Bottom Line:
Great frame to build upon. Too bad TREK didn't continue this line. It is a great frame and they (TREK) should have speced it with better parts...no biggie though. The frame can really handle lots of abuse. It makes the new FUEL models look like woosy frames
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Winters
a Weekend Warrior
from Ft Worth Tx Date Reviewed: April 6, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Joe Pool Lake
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
Bicycles Inc Ft Worth
Strengths:
Killer RED frame, great value/price, decent travel (for my style)
Upgraded components: Easton stem, titec Hellbent riser bar, Avid Speed Dial 7 brake levers and calipers (those ROCK!)Selle Italia Gel seat, Ritchey Comp V-2 clip(less) pedals, Specialized grips, Specialized computer
Bottom Line:
If you are looking for a great beginner/intermediate setup that you can gradually spend some money on, this is the ride. It is hard to find one for sale, but it is worth it to wait it out. I have had mine for 1 year now and have steadily done upgrades. Nothing major yet. I do intend to replace the front shock with a SID soon, just waiting for a good deal. Got the AVID SD7 brakes from pricepoint.com for 65$, for the SET! That is the best upgrade I have done yet. I like not sitting over the front wheel like the Rockhopper, and this affords more reach. I did not like the flat bar, I have longer legs so my seat sits higher and therefore I had to stoop over. The titec riser helps tremendously, and the paint matched! Overall, I wish this bike would return to their lineup in an upgraded fashion from Trek, and allow more people to experience this great ride....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Harms
a
from Riverton,IL, US Date Reviewed: March 4, 2002
Favorite Trail:
The Chub in St. Louie
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$950.00
Purchased At:
Touring Cyclist
Strengths:
Great Free-ride bike.
Weaknesses:
Original component package sucked as much as any low end package would. In fact that's why I bought the VRX-200. With the intention of upgrading about everything.
Similar Products Used:
Gary fisher, canondale, etc.
Bike Setup:
Custom Built wheels(nuke proof super-fly's w/mavix 517cd),9 spd Grip-shift 9.0 sl shifters/r-derailleur and brake levers,XTR f-derailleur,Raceface (cranks,rings,and ti bottom bracket),time carbon/ti clipless peddles, selle italia flite gel saddle, noleen crosslink forks, easton monkey lite bars,etc.
Bottom Line:
I have put a lot of miles w/ mild abuse on this bike and it has been awesome. A lot of DumbA$$ people ripped on this bike when it debuted because they thought it was a downhill bike. Silly consumers! And Trek discontinued them after a 2yr. production. Silly Trek. All I can say is, "I'M GLAD I GOT MINE!!!". This bike was designed for free-riding and is perfect in that realm once you attach all your trusted and/or favorite components.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ron
a Weekend Warrior
from Round Rock Date Reviewed: January 28, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Zilker Park Greenbelt
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$345.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Frame design, full suspension, started as a frame only, and built it up to my specs...
Weaknesses:
No where to mount a pump, or water bottle.
Similar Products Used:
Trek Fuel 90, Specialized FSR,Cannodale super v 500
Bike Setup:
Rock Shox judy xc long travel front fork, advid f/r disc brakes, xtr f/r deraileurs, xt 9spd. cassete, and chain, easton carbon fiber handle bars, mavic disc wheels, rapid fire shifters, bontrager 9spd. cranks.
Bottom Line:
I took a long consideration in buying this frame, I was ready to buy one of the Cannodale super v's, or an Specialized fsr, but none of the bikes had none of the parts that I wanted, to do so increased the price dramatically!!! After reading some of the reviews of the bike, most of the complaints are about the components on the bike, so I decided to build my own! This bike is great on the trails, even going up hills was not as bad as I thought it would be. I still like my hardtail, but this bike is awesome!! You just have to upgrade it with better components. I'll be keeping this bike for awhile!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gav
a Downhiller
from Bangor, Northern Ireland Date Reviewed: January 20, 2002
Favorite Trail:
The Tower
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$904.00
Purchased At:
Life Cycles
Strengths:
-kewl color(other riders think it looks amazin -nice ride, nice and smooth -great price now -rear shock good for price -alrite standard equipment to start with
Weaknesses:
I bust the swing arm jumpin of a 5ft thing, but only oneside of it broke, so i think it was a deffect in it. Stem to long, wheels pretty crap, fork sucks majorly!
Similar Products Used:
Marin B17, Specialized FSR, Giant Box 1 and 2
Bike Setup:
Azonic single wall DH riser bars, Outland DH stem, Mavic D521 rims and front deore hub, Tioga 2.1 DH tyres, cut seat post so its nice and short, DMR V8s, Hope bar bungs(lush bike candy!)
Bottom Line:
Bike is good for the price. Really nice ride and most people who ride think the same. Looks great in that blue color. Put nice mavic rims and bike tyres on it and it looks better. I put high rise(2.5 inch) Azonic bars on it with a short and well strong Outland stem and it not only looks great, but it really improves the overall handling of the bike. Cut the seat post, its way to long, and looks better right down. Its a good bike, but needs some parts upgrading. Fork is so crap, to short travel compared to the rear. The rear shock is a bit soft for me, needs stiffer spring. The wheels aren't great as they are XC ones, but alright to start with. Brakes are crap, get better ones and it'll be a kick ass bike!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Craig
a Cross Country Rider
from Wyoming, Ontario Canada Date Reviewed: January 12, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
The Bicycle Shop
Strengths:
Great shock system, great for cross country riding and downhilling
Weaknesses:
Definitely NOT a bike meant to tow a BOB trailer, also from what I read shouldnt be ridden off cliffs
Similar Products Used:
Trek 8900
Bike Setup:
Jett XC front, Fox Vanilla Coil rear, LX rear derailler, Alivio cranks, Bontrager wheelset, Icon flat bar instead of risers and Icon barends
Bottom Line:
Since I got 500 bucks Canadian knocked off the price I can't complain, no chain breakages, no problems, rear swingarm sways REAL bad when trailered with the BOB, like all TREK bikes built American tough like a Ford
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bryan San Marcos
a Weekend Warrior
from Buda, TX USA Date Reviewed: September 8, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Emma Long Motocross Park
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
Freewheeling
Strengths:
-Value -Good for light freeriding (flat or down)
Weaknesses:
-Climbing -Drivetrain
Similar Products Used:
Specialized hardtail
Bike Setup:
Judy Race, XTR Front, XT Rear
Bottom Line:
The VRX is alright for smoothing out the bumps. It is also good for descending but not vigorous downhill and especially not climbing. The swingarm affects the drivetrain so much that I have yet to climb a technical uphill section without the chain skipping or breaking. It was good for me at first, but now I look forward to trying a four bar linkage type frame.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave Hernandez
a Weekend Warrior
from Camillus, NY, USA Date Reviewed: August 10, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Backwoods of Split Rock
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$800.00
Purchased At:
The Bikery
Strengths:
This bike rules! The rear suspension feels much more than 5". The bike feels super-light even though it's about 32 pounds. Climbs like a jet and descends like a beast. Great acceleration (I always pull to the lead at the start of races)
Weaknesses:
The brakes are weak. The tires need to be upgraded to wider ones. The front suspension should be seriously upgraded to something with more travel (like a Psylo XC). I broke the swingarm doing 'tornados'.
Similar Products Used:
Trek Bruiser 2
Bike Setup:
w/ Psylo XC - Kenda 2.35" tires
Bottom Line:
This bike is awesome. It's held up to my punishment for over 2 years now. Great bike for cheap. Excellent for XC racing and Freeriding. I've done 5 ft drops to flat all the time and the bike shows little defeat.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pedro
a Weekend Warrior
from Toledo, Spain (Europe) Date Reviewed: July 21, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Sierra Nevada, Granada (Spain)
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1370.00
Purchased At:
Bicimania, Madrid (Spain)
Strengths:
Good frame, rear supension, Fox Vanilla
Weaknesses:
Jett XC LT fork, tires for freeriding.
Similar Products Used:
GT XCR 3000, Specialized FSR, Kona Stinky
Bike Setup:
Stem, pedals, Marzocchi Z3 Flight 100 ('00) fork
Bottom Line:
Value for money, very very good frame.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Merlin
a Racer
from South Africa Date Reviewed: July 2, 2001
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1050.00
Strengths:
Great ride, Handling, Looks, Tires.
Weaknesses:
Componentry, Fork, Saddle.
Similar Products Used:
Wheeler, Diamondback, etc.
Bike Setup:
Stock. Slambar, Bar-ends, Clipless pedals.
Bottom Line:
For the price, you can't beat the frame - It is strong, fairly light, and top-notch in the Style department. The componentry will take a fair beating, but for this price, I'd expect something slightly better. No complaints in the tire department. Brakes could be better. As for the water bottle mounts, at this price, should be using a CamelBack system. The fork is a piece of Crap, like all Rock-Shox products. If you have the dough, upgrade it. I had to fix the fork 4 times in 18 months at my own cost. Back to the Bike... It is worth buying. I have come across rave and puke reviews ie: You either hate it or love it - No inbetween. I have had it for 2 years, almost and I plan to keep it, after all, it is now out of production, and so, worth more. I recommend this bike to the guy who likes to do everything, at a price that Joe Public can afford.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mutt
a Downhiller
from Bangor, Northern Ireland Date Reviewed: May 29, 2001
Favorite Trail:
the tower
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$904.00
Purchased At:
Life Cycles
Strengths:
Cool colour, Fox shock, really nice ride in the saddle, good for jumping and downhill
Weaknesses:
too long stem,too long seat post, cranks are pants.
put a short stem and it jumps well, new cranks need as the orginals bust after a while, new forks also as the Jets are really bad, a nice set of Jr T's would go nice with the colour, but i got my bike for £550, reduced form £1000 which is just amazing value
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Konrad Gierczak
a Weekend Warrior
from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: February 10, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Hommer
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Purchased At:
Ziggy's Cycle
Strengths:
Greatprice, killer paint job, smooth like a baby's bottom. This bike is the best cornering bike I have ever ridden. Ok parts for the price
Weaknesses:
The fork is a piece of monkey A$$. It bobs a little to much, all you have to do is tighten the spring or purchase a stiffer spring.
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Joshua
Bike Setup:
X country, xc rear shock, less rise stem.
Bottom Line:
This Full suspension bike is the best in it's class, no problems with as long as I had it. Killer Blue paint job. If there's someone how is looking for a bike that doest it all, this is the one. Three different rear shock settings for personal choice. All you really need to get is a new fork and brakes, after that your turning heads left and right. It's to bad that Trek has taken it off the production line, people are really going to miss this beast. I love this bike and I am never ever going to give it away for another. THIS BIKE KICKS A$$, yAH.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Francis
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney Australia Date Reviewed: January 31, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Been riding it 7 days a week MTBing 2 of those days for almost 1 year. it's still as good as the day i bought it.
Weaknesses:
Cheap low end chain and rear cluster replaced after 1300km of dirt (should have lasted longer) Original brakes were crap and replaced. Restricted to Hayes disk brakes on the rear, so locks out other brands in the Shimano style mount
Bike Setup:
Time clipless pedals, WTB headset, Magura hydraulic rim brakes, WTB Raptor on the front and Hutchinson Squale on the back, WTB seat
Bottom Line:
Upgrade the head set, drive chain. and rear shock and make some reinforced teflon bushes for the linkage and this bike rocks. Weight is not an issue, it makes you go faster down hill.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sparky Spark
a Cross Country Rider
from Outerspace Date Reviewed: January 31, 2001
Favorite Trail:
1000ft Vertical Drop
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$750.00
Purchased At:
Bike Shop
Strengths:
* Turned collectors item this year thanks to Trek. * Makes other riders jelous * Saved tons of cash * upgradable * Walks over all terrain like a tank. * Walks over other riders when they fall with ease.
Weaknesses:
* Limited production(rare) * Not in production. Hard to find. * Get into fist fights because of jelous riders.
Similar Products Used:
plenty
Bike Setup:
XT setup, judy xc, clipless
Bottom Line:
Well, I'm back again after a long year of putting this bike through Hell. Everything has held up. Trek has stopped production on the VRX which makes this bike a collectors item now. So, find one and you'll have the caddy of mountain bikes. Don't worry what other riders say...they're just mad. When they fall in front of you yell "Make like a ramp!" cause the VRX is gonna stomp you. The bottom line is the components are great fof the price and its a great design that handles big down hills very smooth. The suspension handles 5" of travel in the rear which makes dropping in feel like landing in sand. This is a budget bike that can be made into a awsome machine with very little effort. Ride on!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Al Truman
a Weekend Warrior
from Ontario,Canada Date Reviewed: January 22, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Everywhere
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
Source for Dorks
Strengths:
Frame,overall feel. Huge riding compartment. If your just a weekend warrior or are sick of being abused by a alu hardtail buy this bike.
Weaknesses:
Could be better components, but it is the low end model.Easily upgraded. No complaints about water bottles, Trek but water cage on seatpost.
Similar Products Used:
Speci FSR...not near a smooth ride. Gt i-drive...really heavy.
Bike Setup:
Stock for now...will upgrade cranks,stem,fr derailer.
Bottom Line:
For the price and my aching hartail a** this bike just floats and makes me grin. I've been riding for 30 years and this baby pampers my butt. I'm no racer so the weight aint a problem. I have a med frame and for my 5'11" 210 lb frame it was huge and very comfy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave Gillett
a Cross Country Rider
from Wiltshire, England Date Reviewed: January 13, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Cherhill Downs
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$10.00
Purchased At:
Bonthrone (London)
Strengths:
Go anywhere do anything ability Looks and price Price
Weaknesses:
Weight, way too heavy. Bobs like a nodding dog. Cheapie gear shifters. Very hard to adjust the front mech. Not very roof rack friendly (y'frame way too big)
Similar Products Used:
Carrera, Cannondale Sv, Raliegh & Gt Lts ds 2000
Bike Setup:
Club roost comp 2 bar, deore brake levers, lx rear brakes, titec saddle, wellgo (dmr style) flatties, tioga xc tyres, stx shifters in addition to the standard kit (lx rear mech).
Bottom Line:
This is a well impressive bike that turns heads. It's very quick on hardpack (providing you don't attack the trail).
Steering is quick and precise (thanks to the club roost bar).
I've had no problems what so ever with the bike which has been amused, it's done over 1000 miles and still has the original chainset (no slippage whatsoever), it just takes what you throw at it.
Becuase of the weight problem the bike's probably more suited to downhillers how also like to free ride.
Bottom line: If it were lighter it would be one of the best bikes to own.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zach Orsulak
a Racer
from Walnutport, Pa Date Reviewed: December 2, 2000
Favorite Trail:
American Standard, Bob's option
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$800.00
Purchased At:
Bike Line, Allentown
Strengths:
Sweet colors, strong frame, great frame setup, ok components.
Weaknesses:
Could be lighter, needs some new components, front suspension's not that great.
Similar Products Used:
Trek Y-3 & VRX400, Specialized FSR
Bike Setup:
Same as floor w/ some new stuff...clipless pedals, Rock Shox Sid fork,
Bottom Line:
Overall this is a sweet bike! Great for DH or some XC riding. Needs new front suspension but other than that is great. Handles nice and corners excellent. Great for most riders but is a bit heavy for XC racing. Excellent value and performance in all conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Francis
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney Australia Date Reviewed: November 27, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
This bike may look weird but the physics of the shape of the frame spells bombproof. Same frame as the more expensive VRX 300 400 etc
Weaknesses:
The rear plastic bushes are a pain to replace and they wear fairly quicky, though they (the bushes) aren't expensive to replace. Brakes could have been better or better crank set could have been used.
Bike Setup:
Radial spoked wheel on the front should be re-spoked, a crap spoking pattern.
Bottom Line:
Good value for money. Can handle tracks that I would have difficulty in walking down. Good paint job. Decals on the swing arms tend to come off easily.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lacis
a Weekend Warrior
from Centreville, VA Date Reviewed: November 16, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Everywere, but mud
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$790.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bikes
Strengths:
Price! Tough. Buit in US of A.
Weaknesses:
None. (Spend some dough to upgrade instead of whining)
Similar Products Used:
Too many to list.
Bike Setup:
Standard. Components replaced to: Race Face stem. LX brakes and crankset. Michelin, less nobby tires. Bottle cage with bracket on the seat post.
Bottom Line:
Good bike. Road tested bikes in every bike store in the area. VRX replaced my handbuilt hardtail GT. After over fourty years of riding, finally by butt and hydraulics are at realitive ease. The possibility of adjusting frt and rr suspension on the fly is very appealing to me. I am not an extreme rider, but going from hills-to grass-to hard surface with pot hols-to stairs-to grass-to pot holes... (you got the idea) ask for some adjustment to be made. And it feels great to be able to to do that. The weight of the bike is not an issue for me. At 190lb of bones, muscles and some fat, a few ounces here and there are not making any difference. It is not the fastest bike I rode, but it is the surest to get there. And it is a headturner. So many guys were eyeballing and salivating, while sitting in the traffic, staring at the bike. Overall it is a good, solid product, capable of rough handling and even abuse for many years. 5X5 Flamin' Chlilis.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alex Kenison
a Weekend Warrior
from Albert Lea, MN Date Reviewed: November 1, 2000
Favorite Trail:
dead horse
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
Martins cycle and fitness
Strengths:
beefy swingarm, easy to move in air, rear shock is adjustiable, sweet blue "the paint", short and easy to manual on, bars are awsome, short stem, beefy seat post, wheelset is sweet and strong
Weaknesses:
cranke makes noise on mine, forks f@*king suck, 8 speed not 9, rear deraler sucks, rear end is a little on the heavy side
Similar Products Used:
jamis fullsusp.
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
good bike for cost good for beginers
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave Cox
a Cross Country Rider
from Havertown, PA Date Reviewed: October 27, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$800.00
Purchased At:
Bike Line Broomall
Strengths:
Color, adustable rear shock, price. It is fun to ride and that's all that matters to me.
Weaknesses:
crankset, brakes After bending the spindles on the BB and rounding out the left crack, I raplaced them with the same parts and it happened again. This is not fun. It bobs when you stand but you don't have to stand.
Similar Products Used:
Giant Iguana, Trek Y-3
Bike Setup:
currently stock but as I write, my full XT package is on its way in the mail.
Bottom Line:
Buy it for the Frame/Shock combo...then upgrade the drivetrain and brakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan Ferguson
a Weekend Warrior
from Michigan Date Reviewed: October 26, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Polly Anna Trail
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$976.00
Purchased At:
Prestige Cycle
Strengths:
Great Bike for the money! Nice paint, good rear suspension, quality machine!
Weaknesses:
Front suspension - needs upgrade, brake components need upgrade.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale 400, Specialized FSR.
Bike Setup:
I like my rear suspension on the middle setting - Cross country, the low setting is to soft and the high setting in only good if you do a lot of downhills.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike for the money. I tried about seven different bicycles before I settled on this one. I have not been dissappointed! I like the ride so much better than my old hardtail - I doubt very much if I will ever own anything else in the future - unless it has a full suspension!In the future I plan to upgrade the front suspension and the drive train components. I hope this lasts as long as my first bike - seven years and thousands of miles!! ( It was a Mongoose Sycamore ). This is my third bike in about twenty years. I think that even when you are not in the market- you should try different friends bicycles out, and go to your local bike shop and see what is new. I can't beleive how much improvements have been made in just the last five or six years.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Terry
a Downhiller
from Toronto Ont Canada Date Reviewed: October 3, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Blue Mtn Squirly
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
Cyclepath
Strengths:
Main frame is good. That's about it
Weaknesses:
swingarm sucks, components are garbage, eveything sucks
Similar Products Used:
super 8 Specialized FSR, Trek VRX 300
Bike Setup:
UD150 on front, Gustav front, Hayes rear, mammoths, DH stuff
Bottom Line:
This bike sucks!!! I am only 17 and I was too stupid I did not know. I beat the snot out of it and I broke 3 swingarms, tacoed the wheels split the headset, broke a dogbone, seat, seatpost, cranks and the rest of it. I is DEAD!!! Do NOT BUY A VRX 200... THEY SUCK!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pete
a Weekend Warrior
from Brisbane, Australia Date Reviewed: September 29, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$907.00
Strengths:
Great frame and rear shock. Infinitely controllable at speed. Corners like its on rails.
Weaknesses:
The pogo stick on the front, the drive train. Weight. Brakes.
Excellent bike for the money. Got it as a run out deal. Have already cracked the medium spring in the RockShox Jett XC (replaced at no cost) and bent the middle chain ring in two places (swing arm induced force?). I suppose that sums up the bike. The frame and rear shock are excellent. Very plush and comfortable on severely rutted/rooted trails but also not bad at climbing (Chain torque when on the granny ring does eliminate much of the bob when climbing - and at 30 odd pounds that is where you'll be when on any real incline). Great handling especially at speed, good on technical stuff too. Unfortunately the front shock and the drive train only just work if you ride off-road often. Do yourself a favour and upgrade them. Brakes are very weak. Despite these things the VRX 200 is excellent. Upgrade and drop a few pounds and the bike would become unreal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Morris
a Weekend Warrior
from Maple Valley, Wa, USA Date Reviewed: September 22, 2000
Favorite Trail:
around maple valley, beaucoup trails
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
Issaquah Bike Shop
Strengths:
Good looking, strong frame, comfortable ride. After riding road bikes, a full suspension is so much nicer to the bonz. Adjustable suspension is very easy to maintain and works well, a bit noisy on hard descents though (it chatters). Gearing is good, brakes strong. Nice handling.
Weaknesses:
Geometry makes the handling a bit soft, have ridden more responsive f/s bikes in my time. Seat ok, could replace. Wheels a bit saggy (?), could be the fat tires they put on there. could also be the rolfe satellite design. Could be me, too, after riding road bikes for so long... water bottle droputs on the bottom of the frame is a negative. If you hit a tree, your h20 bottle cage is toast.
Similar Products Used:
K2 Carbon f/s, cannondale f/s
Bike Setup:
off the floor
Bottom Line:
I bought mine at the end of the product year 2000, so I got a great deal. For the money, you can't beat it. There are so many f/s bikes out there, and they cost a ton more. Very pleased overall, plan to make some small modifications. I like the fact that they put dropouts for disk brakes on the frame so you can upgrade if you want, which is what I plan to do. Plan to dump a little more money in and keep this bike forever! If you're unsure of what you want, find one and go ride it, and compare to other bikes, you won't be dissapointed. Great starting bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mojo
a Weekend Warrior
from fairmount in usa Date Reviewed: August 30, 2000
Favorite Trail:
highland park MI
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$750.00
Purchased At:
curfmans shcwinn
Strengths:
this is THE entry level f.s. bike ,decent component great ride handels like a trained gaurd dog .great for any level short of pro racing
Weaknesses:
water bottle mounts ,saddle
Similar Products Used:
trek 800 mnt.trek 830 xc plus some other pieces like schwin home grown (a nice pece) and a walmart mongoose( a piece of *#**)
Bike Setup:
stock (with upgrade asperations)
Bottom Line:
This is an outstanding bike for the dough.quick hills and cheap thrills for under 8 c notes.HIghly upgradable for those who need to or even those who think they need to.for the weekend end warrior on a budget RELAX MAN your search is over change the saddle and hit the dirt.Not the fastest bike around but then again at 38 im not as fast as i once was either .Lets say ive come to a point where i dont see the point of a hardtail jarring my not so youthful bones for an extra second or two less in speed.but i tell ya with this bike i plan on being out there in the dirt another 38 yrs(ha) so at 76 Ill write the final review on this bike it's built to last that long hopefuly so am I !!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marco
a Weekend Warrior
from Täby, Sweden Date Reviewed: August 18, 2000
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
Cykelspecialisten
Strengths:
All of it. Great design, smooth ride, I love the Rear suspension... i take´s it all.
Weaknesses:
The front suspension could be better... but hey.... its does not matter. IT´S THE BEST.
Similar Products Used:
Some Orange, GT XCR, Porsche S, Porsche FS, RD Coyote.
Bike Setup:
Almost original, Spd 747, Magura Hydralic brakes HS22.
Bottom Line:
If. u are looking for a F/S bike dont look no further, just close down your computer and go buy it NOW. u will no regeret it. it the best of all times and I love mine.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
VRsex
a Cross Country Rider
from Jax, FL, USA Date Reviewed: August 15, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
:)good allround bike. :)GOOOOOD looking (Virtual Reality Sex). :)makes me feel like a teenager again. :|plush rear suspension (maybe too soft?).
Weaknesses:
:(front suspension kinda cheap for this bike :(Springs at front and rear are too weak for my weight (200 lbs), definitely need heavier springs. :(waterbottle placement (need to buy a camel on my back). :(too much bobbing when pushing the pedal to the metal.
Similar Products Used:
none, this is my first mountain bike
Bike Setup:
stock...for the moment. Soon stiffer springs and clipless pedals (toeclips are pain in the ...). Once parts need to be replaced I'll upgrade the bike.
Bottom Line:
Great value for the money.
During my first few rides I switched bikes several times with my friend who has a hardtail (bike I mean)......damn.....that hurts. I'll never buy a hardtail....ever. Full suspension rules!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tRaiLBlaZa
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver B.C Canada Date Reviewed: August 14, 2000
Favorite Trail:
anything rough
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
-bomb ass looks, price and value. paid $1160 cdn -sweet paint, f/r shock adjustibility and descent components -good all around bike for everything
Weaknesses:
-front shocks -could me more agile -a little heavy
Similar Products Used:
P3
Bike Setup:
Stock... for now.
Bottom Line:
This bike is hella sweet!! I'm harsh happy with it; it's my first FS bike and I have totally no regrets.
Frame is same as higher models!
Can't wait for Whistler!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tylor Sherman
a Downhiller
from Savona, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: August 9, 2000
Favorite Trail:
anything downhill
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
cheap, same frame and aluminum as the highest model, value. best full suspension for your money. Upgradable
Weaknesses:
Jett XC!, components are cheap, stem is no name brand.
Similar Products Used:
Kona Roast, 2000 Vrx 200, giant warp
Bike Setup:
stock except platform pedals, replacement swingarm, and 2000 VRX 500 mainframe (broke both. New fork very soon.
Bottom Line:
Don't go off your roof like me, cause you might break some stuff. The swingarm cracked doing pogos, must of been defected. The main frame got messed up and I now have a 2000 VRX 500 mainframe. Buy a new fork, and its a great bike. The rear suspension is really nice, except it deactivates under braking. But how can you complain at the price you pay.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Ryan
a Cross Country Rider
from St. John's, NF, Canada Date Reviewed: August 8, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Kenmount Hill
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Solid frame, plush rear suspension, great maneuverability
Weaknesses:
Front suspension needs to be upgraded
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
This is a rippin' bike that has endured every trail and spill with zero complaints. Five flamin' chilis!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Di Arama
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada Date Reviewed: August 7, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Thames Trail
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Great ride overall! Great components for the money. Very adjustable setup and suspension. Goes almost anywhere if you learn how to ride it. Great geometry. Easy to bail out if you have to. Can grab it and climb with it. Great looking bike too! Tried a lot of bikes with some better components and different configurations but find no need to upgrade or switch. Great service from dealer.
Weaknesses:
A little tiring on roads, but that isn't what it was meant for.
Similar Products Used:
Trek VRX400 Kona Stinky Giant Warp DS1 Giant XtC DS Team Brodie Enduro Specialized FSR Enduro Gary Fisher Sugar 2
Bike Setup:
Right out of the box, but properly tuned. (Except for a softer seat.)
Bottom Line:
I love my Trek! Reasonable price, and I got an even better deal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
=SveK= James
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney Date Reviewed: July 28, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Red Hill
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
good any level bike!
Weaknesses:
Front shock! Brakes!
Bike Setup:
Z1 Bomber BAM front forks, icon graphite cranks, Hayes Disc brakes, Azonic stem and bars, shimano spd's
Bottom Line:
As a stock bike it was pretty good, now its sweet! I repaced most things. The frames identical to he VRX500 and VRX600 and there heaps cheaper! Get rid of the forks! This bike rips, best buy ive ever made!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eddie
a Weekend Warrior
from Wilmette, ILL Date Reviewed: July 13, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
I love the frame, rear shock, looks, Tires, overall feel of the bike
Weaknesses:
Shifts kinda funny Seats almost as stiff as my highschool avisor (both are pain in the asses : ) Front shock is not as good as a judy but for the price its fine Its a tad bit heavy.. I'll need to upgrade the components
Similar Products Used:
Old Trek 800, trek 820
Bike Setup:
Stock with Scwhinn Seat
Soon to upgrade -avid 1.9lever and 25 brakes -Shimano Hollowtech crank lx 2000 -lighter pedals
Bottom Line:
I absolutely love this bike for the price i paid for it ($600 second hand)
I was wondering if thier was a trek vrx mailing list?
Also does anyone know what the stock components weight/overall bike weight
Id like to lighten the bike up a couple lbs
Please email me at Eddie3dfx@aol.com thanks guys.. this bike rocks!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
andrew connolly
a Cross Country Rider
from st. john's,nf,canada Date Reviewed: June 23, 2000
Favorite Trail:
white hills
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
good entry level bike.awesome price.
Weaknesses:
the fork must be changed.my back brake does not work.
Similar Products Used:
gt xcr 4000,and those crap infinity bikes.
Bike Setup:
judy xl,full xtr,hayes rear disk brake,and clipless pedals.
Bottom Line:
people really should buy this bike for the cheap price on it.this bike is good for just about anything and worth it for the price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, California Date Reviewed: June 4, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Los Penasquitos
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Great rear shock! FLI lets you have 3 different setting for shock power (XC, AC, DH) Durable frame
Weaknesses:
front shocks could be better
Similar Products Used:
Klein Mantra
Bike Setup:
factory setting
Bottom Line:
THIS BIKE IS THE BEST BIKE I HAVE EVER RIDDEN! I CANT BELEIVE I OWN SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND I GOT IT FOR ONLY 800 DOLLARS! I'VE ONLY HAD IT FOR 2 DAYS :) BUT FROM MY EXPERIENCE ON THIS BIKE SO FAR I CAN ONLY SAY GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sparky Spark
a Cross Country Rider
from Outerspace Date Reviewed: June 2, 2000
Best bike on earth. You can upgrade till you have no money. Buy it and like it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
a Cross Country Rider
from HILTON HEAD Date Reviewed: May 25, 2000
Favorite Trail:
SNOWSHOE WEST VIRGINIA
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
THE FRAME IS BOMBPROOF AND VERY UPGRADEABLE
Weaknesses:
COMPONENTS
Similar Products Used:
SPECIALIZED FSR ,9.9 TREK.ROCKHOPPER.
Bike Setup:
ALL XTR,MARZOCCHI X-FLY,RACEFACE CRANKS STEM,AND SEAT POST.BONTRAGER RACE LITE WHEELS AND REVOLT SUPER X TIRES ON MAVIC CROSSLINKS.SPECILIZED HANDLEBARS AVID 50 BRAKES WITH 2.0 LEVERS
Bottom Line:
I HAVE CHANGED EVERYTHING BUT THE FRAME AND REAR SHOCK NEED HELP FINDING AN AIR SHOCK THAT FITS.THIS BIKE WEIGHS AROUND 25.5 POUNDS AND ROCKS OVER ANY TERRAIN IN ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY I HAVE TAKEN IT TO.THIS BIKE HAS ALOT OF TIME AND MONEY INVESTED IN IT BUT HAS TURNED OUT TO BE WORTH EVERY PENNY.JUST REMEMBER YOUR IN IT FOR THE RIDE.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Prizo p
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada Date Reviewed: May 8, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Fish Creek Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Sweet travel - PLUSH! Seems like a very solid bombproof frame.
Weaknesses:
Heavy - but it isn't a hardcore XC bike. Relative to other 5-inch travel bikes its a pretty normal weight (mine comes in at 29.5 lbs). Stock components.
Love it. Uphill is good, much better then I anticipated. Downhill is a BLAST. Nice rooty, rocky, gnarly flat sections are AWSOME. I am lovin' this bike. The stock components are pretty weak - I've upgraded almost everything and this is a truly kick-a$$ machine. All (including all component upgrades) for $1700 CDN (about $1100 US). One minor point - the Bottom Bracket height is only around 12-12.5 inches, which means my pedals hit side objects a bit more than if it was higher. Clearing logs is also a little harder - but stability and confidence are better with a lower BB. Gotta give 5 for value and 4 for overall cuz the only thing is missing is 1" of BB height.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
djallar
a Cross Country Rider
from Eastern PA Date Reviewed: May 6, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Good mix of components for price.
Weaknesses:
Non noted so far.
Similar Products Used:
Mongoose NX 8.1
Bike Setup:
OEM with the addition of clipless pedals and bar ends.
Bottom Line:
Great entry level full suspension bike. Especially at the $799 US price I got it for. Fox coil over rear shock is plush with only a minimum of bounce.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ed Mcdowl
a Downhiller
from Chicago Date Reviewed: April 10, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Bullfrog Lake Sucide Summit
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
ALL
Weaknesses:
Upgraded mine to XT - Upgraded to Gripshift.
Similar Products Used:
Most bikes in the $700 - $2000 price range
Bike Setup:
Just the upgrades mentioned above. Except I added the Tech plus ultra-high performance X-games supra turbo II water pro bottle cage.
Bottom Line:
Killer bike for the price. I'm 6'1 and have the Large Frame. Most comfort out of all bike I test driven. Very stable feel when riding slow. Doesn't have the "I'm on top of the front wheel feel" Good uphill stability not as bouncy as some full sus bikes. No chain slap over jumps!!! (I hate that sound)
You want a good bike and don't want to spend alot = VRX200
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Derick Morales
a Weekend Warrior
from Denver,CO, USA Date Reviewed: April 3, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Anything off road
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Good frame, strong swing arm, Great bike for the money, good paint job, and plush rear suspension
Weaknesses:
front shock sucks, bent middle chain ring, broke shifter lever, broke chain, hard to adjust front and back shocks, the brakes, and brake levers
Similar Products Used:
mongoose down hill dream P.3 Gary fisher Joshua F1, Sugar 2 Gt XCR LE, XCR 2000, XCR 3000
Bike Setup:
All Stock except for pedals 636s, handel bars titec hellbent alloy DH, grips schwinn homegrown, Front tire(IRC) Back Tire (Raptor 2.1)
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike for the money. I've beaten this bike up so bad and it still runs great, but I broke some stuff off of it. Great bike to free ride on, not much for racing though
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Luke
a Racer
from Abbotsford B.C. Canada Date Reviewed: April 2, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Soft Taco
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
I love the bikes beefy frame. It is a beauty to look at and the picture that shows it isn't the real colour it is really Navy Blue and it sets the bike off wonderfully. I love the front fork( Rock Shox Jett XC 3.00" travel. It is very plush and I can't say enough about the back Fox Vanilla shox with 4.50"-5.00" of smooth wheel travel. I paid $999.00 Canadian for this bike ($600 US) and I couldnt say no.
Weaknesses:
Stem and Making people that I ride by feel jelous and stairing at my bike as they crash.
Similar Products Used:
Rocky Mountain 5000,4000 Kuahara ???? Rocky Mountain Pipeline K2 Disco Monkey K2 Super Monkey Specailized FSR sport I have alot of freinds with nice bikes.
Bike Setup:
Clipless Pedals( Speeder) by Answer came with bike when I got it.
Bottom Line:
Best full suspention bike at this price even up to $1800 that i've seen or tested . If u want to go fast over all terran ( even uphill where the bike is suprising good at conseidering it is a FS) this bike will let u and keep u in control at all times. Best frame ever considering it is also on the VRX400 a $2000(1400 us) bike. BUY IT OR U WONT BE GETTING THE BEST FOR UR MONEY 5 Flamin' Chilipeppers
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Weekend Warrior
from Palatine, IL USA Date Reviewed: March 15, 2000
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
I think that this bike handles very well off road. I like that you can adjust the rear suspension for different riding conditions.
Weaknesses:
Alittle heavy. Hard to really adjust the fork
Bottom Line:
I would recommend this bike to anyone looking for a good bike at a good price
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Col Henwood
a Downhiller
from Northants uk Date Reviewed: March 10, 2000
Favorite Trail:
anything off road
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Good Fame/Swing Arm,Fork Clearence,You can throw it at/down anything and stay on! And it looks Good in the flesh as well.
Weaknesses:
Touch heavy,not the fastest thing on two wheels.(could be me not the bike. ;-)
As a stock bike it was good, now its lurrrrrrvely. Just Buy one, the frames identical to he VRX500 and a grand cheaper!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shaun Jeffs
a Cross Country Rider
from Orem, UT, Utah Date Reviewed: February 10, 2000
Favorite Trail:
all over
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Very plush rear susp. Good components. Strong frame. Awesone down-hill rider. Price: got it for $600
Weaknesses:
Too heavy. Waterbottle gets mud-caked. Hard shifting on steep up hills. Crummy front susp.
Bottom Line:
This was a very good deal. I went crazy when I saw the price and had to buy it. I now see why it was so cheap. I have a really hard time climbing, but I guess thats how all full-susp. bikes are. It is way fun down-hilling with.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug
a Cross Country Rider
from Houma,LA Date Reviewed: February 3, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Greenbelt
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Frame is a excelent design for the money you can't beat it. The rear shock is great once you set it up for your wheight it smooth.
Weaknesses:
The handle bars needed to be a riser bar & peedles
Similar Products Used:
NO OTHER BIKE CAN COMPAIR TO A TREK
Bike Setup:
Factory with monkey riser bar and Shimano 535 peedles
Bottom Line:
It is one of the best bikes I onwed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick
a Weekend Warrior
from UK Date Reviewed: January 10, 2000
Favorite Trail:
FOD
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Great Frame, swing arm value for money
Weaknesses:
front shock isnt good enough should be Judy's
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR Proflex
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
Great value for money I paid less £700 for mine an absoulte steal truly chuffed with it, need to replace the front suspension as well as brakes and chainset if picky.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim Clark
a Cross-Country Rider
from Fort Wayne Date Reviewed: January 8, 2000
Favorite Trail:
any
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
This is a great bike. Afreind has a GT and he is wanting to sell it after riding the treck. I went from a treck 800 to this bike. what a set up in quality.
Weaknesses:
there are no weaknesses.
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
If You want a lot of bike for the money buy this bike
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peanutman
a Cross-Country Rider
from USA Date Reviewed: December 11, 1999
Favorite Trail:
wherever
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
for the price the bike is excellant
Weaknesses:
for the price i can't find any REAL problems.....afterall this ain't a $3000 bike
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale, Trek, Giant
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
this bike is not the best but not the worst i've seen....for its price i would say however it is excellant,. handels smoothly....front shock ain't the greatest...shifts funny under pressure.......Nice bike.....can't find a better one for the price Five steaming piles
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Ozona, Florida Date Reviewed: December 10, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Santos
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Great Frame and Swing Arm set up
Weaknesses:
Almost no rear shock up grades available
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale SV400 Specialized FSR
Bike Setup:
Stock,stock,stock.
Bottom Line:
What can I say? I love mine AND now that I know the truth behind the frame I think I'm gonna build mine into a VRX500 wannabe.8^)
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mark
a Downhiller
from hong kong Date Reviewed: December 2, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Tai Mo Shan
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
all round awesome bike for DH or just cruising around on the streets, doin trick jumps
Weaknesses:
the bolts tend to rust and also low end components, but now i have upgraded, it is sweet.
Similar Products Used:
C'dale SV900
Bike Setup:
Z1 Drop off with 5, helix stratos with 5, Thompson seat post, control tech stem + handle bars, yr2000 Shimano DX pedals, ESP derailleur and shifters Hayes hydro brakes, Mavic D321 rims, DT Hugi hubs
Bottom Line:
awesome bike... my setup has made it a tad heavy, but still easy to climb up hills... awseome for doing DH with 5 of pluch travel
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bernie Atkinson
a Weekend Warrior
from UK Date Reviewed: November 24, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Look out Bracknell
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Excellent Frame / Swing arm combination
Weaknesses:
Forks and some componets are not so good either
Similar Products Used:
Marin Cannondale Scott
Bike Setup:
Rock Shock Judy Race 2000 LX Crank SPD's Mavick 519 Rim, Hope Bulb Hub & Hope Pro Disks (Front)
Bottom Line:
The front shock is rubbish throw away as soon as possible or get the shop to replace as part of the deal. This front shock should not be sold with this bike it is way out of it's league.Excellent value for money, cost me UK750.00 have now spent another 600 on parts. I have now got the bike I always wanted
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James
a Racer
from MOAB, UTAH Date Reviewed: November 11, 1999
Favorite Trail:
moab streak
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Bombproof frame Plush ride Great Climber compared to many hardtails Great price Great color Love the FIL technology
Weaknesses:
no clipless pedals
Similar Products Used:
Klein Mantra
Bike Setup:
Standard Specialized TI seat Specialized clipless
Bottom Line:
Great Bike, no complaints
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Runforcover
a Weekend Warrior
from BC, Canada Date Reviewed: November 8, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Dufferin
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Awesome bang for your buck. Really soft ride. Really fast uphill.
Weaknesses:
Needs a RS JUDY fork. Water bottle mount not accessable, did not even know of it till I flipped the bike over.
Similar Products Used:
1998 Specialized FSR
Bike Setup:
Completely Stock.
Bottom Line:
WOW. Much better than a hardtail for the money. Really nice and plush. Awsome on jumps.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rich A
a Cross-Country Rider
from Eldersubrg Date Reviewed: November 4, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Mckeldon
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
just about everything now!!
Weaknesses:
hmmmm, doesnt come with clipless pedals...??
Bike Setup:
VRX200 w/ control tech team issue barends, spinergy rev roks xlite wheels, upgraded springs in fork, aviner comp.
Bottom Line:
i complained about the fork being too soft before, well one of the spings was broken into 4 pieces, rock shox replaced the spring(s) thru the dealer...i am a happy boy now, oh and spinergys kick assthis bike is PHAT, bottom line....
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
vince
a Weekend Warrior
from singapore Date Reviewed: October 29, 1999
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Price, disc-mounts, looks
Weaknesses:
weight, bolts rust, front suspension
Similar Products Used:
gt xcr1000 Litespeed owlhollow
Bike Setup:
judy xc hayes hydralic discs white industry hubs xcalibre rims
Bottom Line:
Pro: Bang for the buck Con: It's heavy and the transmission is noisy and the bolts rust all over the bike...... after upgrading the parts it's a great bike.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ElefantDude
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix Date Reviewed: October 29, 1999
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Price: Got i for $799 as a '99 Clearance Special, smooth ride and amazingly comfortable.
Weaknesses:
Water Bottle mount, underneath the frame. Had to purchase seat post cage for water bottle and water bottle battery for lights...
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Joshua F4, TREK VRX 300, Cannondale Super V400
Bike Setup:
Stock from bike shop: RS Jett Front Suspension and Fox Vanilla Rear Suspension, Shimano Deore LX Rear Derailleur, Shimano STX/RC Front Derailleur, Bontrager Corvair Rims, ICON seat post and handlebars, with the following options: VDO Computer, Topeak Combo Master Blaster frame mountable floor length pump, .
Bottom Line:
This bike rocks! Other than uses off road, I started using it to commute to work every day. I plan to purchase another set of rims and road use tires... any ideas from the crowd out there on what I should get? The Bontrager Jones tires that this came with on the Bontrager Corvair rims, slow me down on road use, but work great on the hills! So any input would be appreciated.... I plan to get some JetDesign Dual Beam Lights, so that I can do some extreme riding at night as well. So as you can see, I'll be a bikin' fool from Sunrise to Sunset and beyond!! Woo Hoo!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nathan Phillips
a Cross-Country Rider
from Kalamazoo, MI Date Reviewed: October 9, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Fort Custer
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Great overall bike very plush very smooth down hill love the F.I.L.
Weaknesses:
I am still looking for a weakness in this ride
Similar Products Used:
GT I drive Joshua X-1
Bike Setup:
changed to Ritchey clipless peddles system 2 seat post
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike especially for the 820.00 I spent on it. There is very little power lost even in steep up hill climbs. I am a very light rider, so I have never had any problems with the front fork, in fact I like it.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JoeShunk
a Weekend Warrior
from Virginia Date Reviewed: October 2, 1999
Favorite Trail:
hollywood farm
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
I really like the way the bike handles. A little body english goes a long way.
Weaknesses:
The rat traps they give you w/ the thing got to go. I've already going to buy clipless pedals (ouch! - learning curve) after just 5 months.
Similar Products Used:
I test drove quite a few different full suspensions before buying it. Marin, Specialized, and Cannondale
Bike Setup:
No previous front suspension experience.
Bottom Line:
My wife looked at me and said, why don't you get it?.....I love her! She later confessed that she wanted me to enjoy it before I'm too old. I've competed in two races this summer, and many hours of pure enjoyment on the trails. I'm sure the paint is indestructible...I went handlebars first into a briar patch.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rich A. 19
a Cross-Country Rider
from Eldersburg, MD Date Reviewed: September 27, 1999
Favorite Trail:
McKeldon, Patapsco
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
-very nice, smooth ride -rear travel -tires stay on the ground
Weaknesses:
-water bottle mounts -fork is too soft -pops out of low gears when under pressure
Similar Products Used:
n/a
Bike Setup:
stock vrx-200
Bottom Line:
this bike rocks, you feel badass riding it, look badass riding it, ride badass riding it... it is my first FS bike, it is a great start and i couldnt ask for anythign more, the weight doesnt really bother me since i dont compete, and the price was low enough for me to afford--i traded in a '94 mountain track 830 for my vrx, it was the best decision i ever made...the VRX kicks ass...THANKS TREK!! *5 flaming piles all the way*
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brad Stevens
a Downhiller
from Hickory, NC Date Reviewed: September 25, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Tsali
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Awesome linkage great price lots of rear travel easy to ride and jump
Weaknesses:
fork bottoms components suck needs disc brakes
Similar Products Used:
KHS SPECIALIZED MONGOOSE Y-3
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
Great bike for the money, awsome rear swing arm with lots of travel, great frame
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
produde
a Downhiller
from D-Bar CA Date Reviewed: September 18, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Bottom Line:
I have the VRX 300 but since all the frames in the VRX series are EXACTLY the same it still applies. A 7.25 eye-to-eye and 2.25 stroke rear shock FITS and will deliver 7.5 to 8 of rear travel
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike R.
a Weekend Warrior
from Columbia, Maryland Date Reviewed: August 26, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Patapsco Avalon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
This is a terrific bike. I tried quite a number of full suspension models (some much more expensive) and kept coming back to this one. It just feels right sitting in the cockpit. The ride is stable without any bounce (oscillation). At first I thought there might be some chain slap, but this turned out not to be a problem once I got comfortable with the gears.The only problem I have experienced with the gears is difficulty downshifting on a very steep upward slope.I took the VRX300 home and didn't like it nearly as much. The hydraulic front shock on the VRX300 may be higher end, but I found that it tended to bounce. The rubber front RockShox on the 200 soaks up the bumps, but you don't really feel you are riding a suspension bike.The handle bars on the 300 were too low for me; I had to ride in a more crouched position with my back was too stretched out. On the 200, I sit in a more upright and comfortable position. I thought I wanted clipless pedals (like on the 300), but I have found the toe clips on the 200 to be comfortable and real easy to get in and out of. There is no comparison with my old hybrid Giant that has regular pedals. Perhaps one day I'll get clipless pedals, but for now I'm enjoying just having the toe clips.
Weaknesses:
The only real weakness is that the componentry is obviously not high end. Whether this makes a difference in the ride isn't clear, but you certainly don't get the satisfaction of knowing you own the most meticulously machined product.
Similar Products Used:
Trek VRX300 Specialized
Bottom Line:
Sure I'd like to have flashier componentry. But the bottom line is that this bike feels great and rides great. I found the reviews on this web site to be very helpful in selecting my bike. I hope my review will be useful for you. Five flaming big ones for the Trek VRX200 . . .
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Newbury Park, CA Date Reviewed: August 17, 1999
Favorite Trail:
beach runs...
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Price, design, frame, good components, rugged rear suspension system
Weaknesses:
bottle mount placement, saddle, stickers
Similar Products Used:
Trek VRX 300, M7000
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
For $799, this bike is without doubt the best bike for the buck. The very nice aluminum frame is exactly the same (except for color) as the one found on higher priced VRX models, it offers a rugged design with quality paint job (NOTE: the actual blue frame color shown in Trek photos is much lighter than in real life; in photos it appears as a powder blue... in real life the blue frame is the same color blue as on... say the label of a bottle of Aquafina water, much darker). Althought the Shamino equipment is not top of the line - it is a good place to start, the bike is easily upgradable. So far the shock system has performed very well. On climbs the bike performs well for a FS bike, controls well both in and out of saddle. The rear shock does zap your momentum when turning on the power out of saddle on climbs and level rides - but this is the price you pay for FS. On downhills the bike is ultra solid, stable and the suspension system comes alive (impressive). The only complaints I have are real minor... the stock saddle is kinda cheap and hard, I bought a better constructed one; bottle mount placement is very bad due to the frame design with a mount located on the seatpost and one on the underside of frame just above crank level (bottles stored here are unreachable while riding and due to its proximity directly behind the front wheel any bottle placed here will rapidly become covered in dirt/dust.. this bike is clearly intended for riders with backpak hydration systems. Trek kinda overdid the stickers on this bike.. the big VRX sticker on the rear suspension arm had to go =P MY CONCLUSION: This is a great bike for the money, a solid ride, good rear suspension design, very upgradable.. I luv it! =P
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from LA, CA Date Reviewed: August 17, 1999
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Lots of rear travel Oil damped fork Low top tube is great for knarly stuff
Weaknesses:
Shifts a bit rough, but shifts great for the price Bushings at suspension pivots Fork has clicked a bit, but that's a rock shox deal
Similar Products Used:
FSR sport Giant ATX ful susp. Hardtails: GT's, Trek 6500
Bike Setup:
Stock right now
Bottom Line:
Great frame and suspension design to build on. Add a triple crown fork and a front disc and it's a really good DH bike (for the price), lighten the components go to an air fork and an air shock and it's pretty light for a dual suspension. If you ride 3 or 4 times a week, I might go for a really high end bike with bearing pivots and light components, but I reckon this has got to be one of the best values around. It gives me tons of confidence on downhills and I can still climb pretty well. If you just spin on climbs, the rear won;t bob and you'll actually have more rear traction anyways since the tire will stick to all irregularities. In retrospect, I would have upgraded to the 300 for the better cranks, better shifters, and I assume better fork (Manitou vs Jett XC). Oh yeah, the bellcrank linkage on the rear shock is just waiting for me to drill my own holes in it to get some more travel or different wheel rate curves. I give it 5 smokin' downhill chilis...
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Downhiller
from penticton B.C. Date Reviewed: August 14, 1999
Favorite Trail:
anything fast & steep
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
sweat ass frame, price, it desends well, and it kicks ass
Weaknesses:
front shock bottoms out to easy.
Similar Products Used:
jushaua F4, Y3
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
this bike is the bomb!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross-Country Rider
from chicago Date Reviewed: August 11, 1999
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
plush on the dirt path plush on the big rocks plush on everything 3 shock settings
Weaknesses:
takes 20 minutes to adjust shock level on the FIL system
Similar Products Used:
specialized fsr sport vrx 300
Bike Setup:
sram centera gripshift specialized body geometry seat
Bottom Line:
This bike is definately worth more than the $870 I paid. Compared to the Raleigh m7000.....no comparison. Compared to the FSR sport... no comparison. wonder if FIL link is compatible with Rock shox sid? Awesome bike with the ultimate ride.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joerg
a Cross-Country Rider
from Moenchengladbach, Germany Date Reviewed: July 28, 1999
I bought this bike mainly to get the frame because I have a perfect set of parts. After some changes (my wife got some brandnew parts on my old frame, a Scott Vertigo), the Bikes works very well. The climbing is OK, to go downhill is great. The quality of the frame is absolutely convincible. Some of the original Parts are poor, but for this money it is OK: The cranks are made of rubber and shifting makes no joy. The Bonntrager wheelset is good for this price, but I will change it to the ultimate Set: HUGI/DT/MAVIC 517. I would buy this Bike again.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego Date Reviewed: July 27, 1999
Favorite Trail:
single track
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great gear ratio...excellent climber and plush rear suspension
Weaknesses:
say goodbye to frame mounted bottle cages!
Similar Products Used:
vrx 400 specialized FSR comp Gary Fisher Joshua
Bike Setup:
rock shox jett fox vanilla (rear)
Bottom Line:
Best bang for you buck! readilly upgradable... F.I.L. technology is impressive. It is responsive and climbs great! A longer front fork travel will greatly improve the ride be sure to make room for disk brake upgrade... ...get a camelback! I give it 4 ReD HoT ChiLLy PePpErS!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Tulsa, OK Date Reviewed: July 12, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Turkey Mountain
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Price. Frame. Plush Ride.
Weaknesses:
Front Suspension.
Similar Products Used:
Warp DS-1
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike for $899. I upgraded the alivio crank to an LX for $40 more. This bike is killer on the trails. I'm used to a ruff ridin' Raleigh M8000 (96' model). I can't believe the difference. The components are great for the price. The front suspension is a little soft but great for rocks. It's not real great when you push it out of the saddle. But it's not supposed to be a road bike. Really, for the price you can't get a better bike. I've been looking for a long time. It's a steamy five roasted horses.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Whitby, Ontario Date Reviewed: June 11, 1999
Heavy, Slow acceleration and not agile. Suspensions have no dampening. Entry level front suspension.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR, Trek VRX 300
Bike Setup:
Standard set up from manufactor.
Bottom Line:
This would be a good bike if you wanted to ride casually. It would not win competitive races because of it's weight. It is a heavy bike and will take its toll on long rides. I was impressed by its rear suspension as it work very well over rough ground. VRX 300 feels lighter and rides better because of dampening adjustments you can make front and rear but is $500 Canadian more. I purchased the Trek 8000 HardTail because it was the same price as the VRX 200 and is a muchlighter faster and responsive XC bike.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Christian
a Weekend Warrior
from Gatineau,QC Date Reviewed: June 2, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Gatineau Park Trails, Bromont and St-Anne Qc.
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Frame quality, Simplicity of the design, very plush ride.
Weaknesses:
Stock fork, Grips don't stick to the bars, Water bottle mounts, Stock Stem No Boots on the Judy
Similar Products Used:
GT I-Drive GT LTS Rocky Mountain Element
Bike Setup:
Judy 100 upgrade XTR 12-32 Cassette Ritchey Superlight inner tubes. Lower stem Mountain Speed Speed Seals for the Judy.
Bottom Line:
This a great bike. It does exactly what it is supposed to. You get the exact same frame if you buy the 200 or the hi end 500. So you can upgrade without a problem. The frame as a lifetime warranty. The Stock front shock as not enought travel to match the rear, so I upgraded to a 4 Judy 100. I also upgraded to a XTR cassette so it helps on the climbs. I also got a lower stem as the stock one as to much rise. The bike climbs very well in technical stuff but is sluggish on long fire road. No significant bobbing while pedaling seated. Have a clean pedal stroke and you don't notice it at all. It really bobs when you hammer out of the saddle, but every suspension bike I tried did. It eats any thing you throw at it big or small and the Judy's do a super Job, there super plush. You have to get a Hydration pack if you get this bike as the water bottle mounts are in a very poor place. I guess with this kind of design it's expected. It's a blast to descend, with the roomy cockpit you can manouver this bike very well. Give it a try, you wont be disapointed. I give it 4 stars as I have a hard time getting the grips to stick on the bars.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan Byler
a Weekend Warrior
from Lititz PA Date Reviewed: June 1, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Back woods hard core
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
very sturdy, excellent price for the bike that you get. rear shock is quite good at absorbing the large and small bumps.
Weaknesses:
front schock is not up to par when compared to the rest of the bike
Similar Products Used:
TREK Y3 TREK VRX 300,400,500
Bike Setup:
TREK VRX200, stock
Bottom Line:
A great bike. Competition level performance with a decent price to go along with it.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MrGooda
a Racer
from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: May 22, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Roller Coaster, Lac des Fées
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Really great suspension design Decent weight for bike style One bitchin' rig, too!
Weaknesses:
Only 3 on the fork? 5 would balance the rear travel better
Similar Products Used:
GT I-drive Klein Mantra Spec FSR Rocky Mntn Pipeline etc. (I work in a store, so I can try a lot of stuff)
Bike Setup:
stock when I get mine, it will have a Marzocchi Z1 Drop-Off with 5 of travel, some better components (brakes, shifters, stem) and a sparkly blue seat.
Bottom Line:
This is THE bike. It fit me like a glove... better than my bike gloves. I knew the bike, the bike knew me... everything just clicked. So I'm buying one. The suspension design works so well! You can hit a large something and not feel anything. That's not exaggeration. Don't complain about bottle cages, buy a Camelbak, life's too short. I'll post a more detailed review once I get the bike. Five chili's. (Has anyone else noticed that they look like blazing dead horses?
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
steve
a Weekend Warrior
from Carmel Date Reviewed: May 20, 1999
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Bottom Line:
Hey Mac, think you can review the Joshua and the Specialized that you tested also?5 flaming things so I don't throw off the overall rating in a bad way
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mac
a Weekend Warrior
from Minneapolis, MN Date Reviewed: May 3, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Rock Lake Trail, Chequamegon Natl Forest, WI
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Very plush ride w/ 3 Front travel, and 4.5-5 Rear travel (depending on settings). Very stable and responsive. Great climbing traction. Rear suspension keeps the rear wheel on the ground during the rocky climbs.
Weaknesses:
Little heavy for a true Comp bike. Crank does flex a little under extreme cranking pressure.
Similar Products Used:
Demo: GF Joshua F4, GT 4000, and Specialized FSR
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
Great bike for a weekend warrior. I ride alot in Chequamegon Natl Forest, where its very rocky. The plush ride really smooths out the trails and helps keep the rear wheel on the ground. I've had the bike about a month and took it on the Esker trail (A rock glacial knife ridge) and it ate up the trail. I would have liked to have gotten the VRX 300 with a little better components, but had enough problems justifing a $900 bike to my wife. I'll up grade components as needed in the future. I was the most worried that the Rock Shox Jett my not be beefy enough to handle my 225 lbs., but it is suprisingly stable and lateral stiff. My only wish is that it was 2-3 lbs. lighter, but if want to get ride of 2-3 (or 10-15 lbs) during climbing, I should lose the beef, potatoes and beer that eat on Sat. night before my last ride.Great bike, I would recommend it to anyone wanting a great value in a Full Suspension.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross-Country Rider
from Milo, IA Date Reviewed: May 2, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Plush ride, excellent price
Weaknesses:
Front derailleur a little tough to adjust
Similar Products Used:
Giant Warp DS1
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
This bike is fantastic! It handles great on the trails and has a very comfortable ride. It also looks tough and turns a lot of heads on the trails. By far the best buy in full suspension!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Hong Kong Date Reviewed: April 23, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Its an all round beast!...especially with my setup. The frame is light yet strong, and could kick any Cannondale's asss
Weaknesses:
There are no weaknesses apart from the position of the water bottle mount!
Similar Products Used:
Super v 900 FSR comp Giant ATX1000
Bike Setup:
On the front, i got bomber z1 with 5 travel!! At the rear, i got Helix pro also with 5 when in DH settings. ESP 9.0 shifters and re derailleur. Nuke Proof carbon hub up front with LX hub at the rear.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is, Trek is almighty, esecially when compared to shitty ol cannondale!!....Cannondale is a rip off and are pieces of crap. The frames are sooo unbelievably weak, ive been through 3 of em already! Dont buy Cannondales.....Either buy a FSR which rocks or the new Trek VRX bikes..!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
BDWACP
a Weekend Warrior
from Colo Sprgs, CO Date Reviewed: April 17, 1999
Favorite Trail:
all of them
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
VERY adjustable. The difference on rear shock settings is huge. The travel is about five inches in DH mode, and four and one half in XC mode as measured on my bike stand.
Weaknesses:
If your a wieght freak, it's a little heavy. But I prefer the added strength, and stiffness over lighter wieght, so it's not really a weakness for me.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized,diamondback,GT.
Bike Setup:
Stock frame, wheels, rear shock, and gears. I added a Judy XL in front, a shorter 5 degree stem, stiffer bars, Rhino v-brakes, Grip Shift, and Irc Kujo tires.
Bottom Line:
The price, and performance can't be beat. I test rode several other designs, and the Trek is the most adjustable, smoothest bike of them all. In stock form the 200 model is a little cheazy, but the frame is the same as the other models, so it's easy to build the bike you really want. The whole bike costs less than other framesets. I built the bike up more as a DH oriented bike, but I can still climb well in XC mode, and switch to DH mode for the ride home. Overall this is a great all around bike, which can be modified to suit a range of riding styles. The suspension is super smooth, and plush, and I would reccomend it to anyone who wasn't a race geek. If your gonna race nothing beats a hardtail. This is just a great, fun bike to ride everywhere, and over everything.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Luis F. Colon
a Cross-Country Rider
from Katy, TX Date Reviewed: March 17, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Similar Products Used:
GT XCR 4000
Bottom Line:
This is an update on the review which I previously posted. I still think that this bike rocks!!! I solved all of the problems that I mentioned before except for the rear shock rubbing against the frame... it turned out that the shock mount was welded on the wrong spot!!! Trek is replacing the frame and swingarm (very dilligently I may add, their service is outstanding!). On another note, at first I was skeptical of the Jett XC fork (I thought it was a glorified Indy XC), but this thing is super plush and very responsive. It is a great fork considering its price. The bad thing is that I rode my bike into an invisible hole in the ground (the front wheel hit square on the side of this hole) , and the fork snaped in two (the stanchions broke at the crown). However, I don't think that ANY fork would've survived this hit. Lastly, my only complaint so far is the crankset, the middle chainring is warped, due to pedaling induced torque (I think this warping would have not hapened in a five arm crank). The crankset overall is too flexy. Still overall I still think that this is a great buy of a bike...
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross-Country Rider
from Highland, CA Date Reviewed: March 16, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Base of S.B. Mts.
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Bottom Line:
Just got this bike about two weeks ago and already I've been on some epic rides. Got the large to handle my 6' 2 215 lb. frame. This bike is awesome. Does everything I ask it and then some. I'm actually very surprised on how well it climbes on the real steep stuff too. However, the real fun is on the technical descents and the single tracks around my house. The rear suspension set on the XC setting works best for me though I'm looking forward to the DH setting when I take it up to Summit this summer.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Luis F. Colon
a cross-country rider
from Katy,TX Date Reviewed: January 13, 1999
Bottom Line:
I have had the bike for a little over a week now and it has performed better than expected. Very plush ride, minimal biopacing, great handling. I think the frame alone deserves the $999 that I paid for it. I'm not a very agressive rider but I took the bike trough its paces just to see how it would perform, and can say that it was exceptional (I never bottomed out), except for this minor details: First, while riding through washboard terrain, there was a loud rattling noise, it turned out to be that the V-brake noodle was rattling within the bracket that supports it to the V-brake arm. Second, I noticed that no matter how carefully I tried to adjust the rear derailleur, it would not shift to the 28-T cog (the bike has a 11-30T cassette), it won't shift going up or down through the gears(in essence I'm only using 7 gears instead of 8!). Third, when the rear shock is installed in the AC position, the spring rubs the frame!!!(it's even worst in the DH position). I took it back to the dealer and they said not to worry about it because it only rubs when the suspension is unloaded (when you are not riding the bike, or the rear wheel leaves the ground). I'm still not satisfied with that explanation...Anyway, overall this bike is a great buy (specially if it is your first dual suspension)!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Christian
a weekend warrior
from Quebec, Canada Date Reviewed: December 21, 1998
Bottom Line:
Just got the bike this week end, so i haven't ridden it on the trails yet as there is a foot of snow here. Very good components for my ussage and the weight is not a factor as i don't plan to race the bike. I upgraded the forks off the bat to Judy 100 to match the rear end travel. Plan to buy a camel back as the 2 water bottle mounts are not very accessible when ridding. For what i have ridden it so far i give the bike a 4 chilly's
Overall Rating:
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