Submitted by
Rene Valle
a Weekend Warrior
from Mexico City Date Reviewed: August 18, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Any trail anywehre in the world
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At:
USA
Strengths:
Light, light, light, fast and strong. Did I mention light?
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Trek 7000
Bike Setup:
From factory (all XTR) plus Shimano SPD pedals and Thompson Elite Stem
Bottom Line:
Brilliant bike,even though it's four years old, I haven't found anything that's better. If something better comes along I'll buy it, but so far nothing rides like this bike. It's extremely light, very fast, and very strong. I've taken the crap out of it and besides a few scratches it looks like new!!! If you can find one (as it's discontinued) buy it!!!
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Submitted by
Wayne Johns
a Racer
from Dallas Date Reviewed: March 23, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At:
Richardson Bike Mart
Strengths:
As an earlier posting I expressed my concern for the longitivy of the frame. My concerns were right my stp400 frame broke at the chainstay and trek replaced it with a 9.8
Weaknesses:
chainstay
Bottom Line:
I no longer have the frame due to a broken chain stay.
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Submitted by
RANDY SMART
a Cross Country Rider
from GREENVILLE Date Reviewed: January 11, 2003
Favorite Trail:
SOUTHSIDE PARK
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
PRIVATE SALE
Strengths:
Light weight,handles great,superb climber,very fast acceleration, carbon frame is stiff and absorbs impacts with ease, rear shock takes care of the big hits.
Weaknesses:
This bike is not made for a soft ride, or a strong downhiller, bike is built for speed and climbing. Still takes the hits with ease for its lightweight.
Similar Products Used:
Trek Fuel 80
Bike Setup:
Carbon frame, cranks xtr,front and rear sprockets XTR, bottom bracket XTR, front derailer XTR, Sram 9.0 brake levers, shifters and rear derailer. fork Rock Shox sid race, rims Rolf Propel, Tires michelin hot s.
Bottom Line:
This is a great all around bike if your looking for speed and climbing abilitys. The carbon frame is extremly light and absorbs a lot of the bumps, along with the rear shock which helps with the larger impacts. The Trek fuel 80 is a great bike if you want a smoother ride, but since the bike weighs more it does not have nearly the speed that the STP 400 has or the climbing ability, yes you will have to take more bumps but its worth it. If your a downhiler, or want a full suspension feel this bike is not for you. From a scale of 1-10 for suspension on the trek fuel 80, I will give it a 9, for the STP 400 I will give it a 7, the STP 400 bike realy is amazing. The front fork is light and tends to roll over obstacles with ease, going downhill the fork can throw you around a little bit but not extreme, it absorbs bumps incredibly well. Due to the light weight fork the front end is more maneuverable, and requires less arm work for control and climbing. The rims are lightweight and can take a lot of abuse. This bike is flat out fast, and can climb!
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Submitted by
Tom Sylvia
a
from Auburn, NH USA Date Reviewed: July 8, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Bear Brook
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Private Sale
Strengths:
The XTR Group, Carbon Frame, Weight, Performance
Weaknesses:
The Cane Creek Headset sucks, the rear shock doesn't help to much
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale F-400, Specialized FSR enduro
Bike Setup:
Switched the Avids to XTR's and the front fork to a 2002 Sid SL, soon a Chris King headset
Bottom Line:
This bike is awesome! I'm coming from a bike that had 5" front and rear I thought I was going to die on this bike, was I wrong! The light weight lets you though the bike around through the technical sections. I can actually go faster in the technical sections and the downhill’s. The XTR drive train is unbelievable, I have experienced no trouble with it. The rolf wheels are light and strong. The only section on the trails that I wish I had more travel was a set of stairs made out of logs. Overall this bike is awesome and performs flawlessly !
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Submitted by
Ron Jeremy
a Cross Country Rider
from California Date Reviewed: November 2, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Strengths:
Fast, Responsive, Light,
Weaknesses:
Carbon Fiber Durability, $, Bottom Bracket area flexes like a rubber band, Makes a bunch of noise plastic creaking etc.
Similar Products Used:
All Treks, Giant, Fisher, Specialized, Truth's, Tracers, etc.
Bike Setup:
2000 STP Frame. Full XT. Rolf Propel. Avid Arch, Time ATAC
Bottom Line:
Very fast and responsive bike. Very similar in ride to the 9.8 but a bit easier on the body with the slight travel in the rear. Check out how bad the frame flexes when you put some weight down on the cranks. WOW! My STP developed a ticking noise from the bottom bracket area that no one could figure out. I have heard this on many other STPs and it could drive a man insane. Carbon Fiber has made me nervous in rocky sections. When going down fast fire roads rocks will bang up the frame bad. I always have the feeling the bike might just crack on me. That is just my opinion. Overall Im not all that impressed. The travel in the rear is hardly noticeable at all. (I realize it is only a soft tail) The frame is expensive and given all the small dents on the bottom of my bike, the amount of frame flex and the plastic ticking noise it makes under power Im not sold on the durability. If you race and are sponsored by Trek it would be great. For everyday rider I wouldn't recommend it. Id just go out and buy a full suspension. The soft tail doesn't do much at all.
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Submitted by
sadf
a
from sdaf Date Reviewed: August 28, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
ass
Bottom Line:
ass
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Submitted by
Jay Auxier
a Cross Country Rider
from Muncie,Indiana Date Reviewed: August 19, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Knobstone
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At:
B&B Bke Shop
Strengths:
Fast,light
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
9.8
Bike Setup:
full XTR , except Avid SD Mag. Easton CT2 and Mag Stem
Bottom Line:
Get one of these , It will bring a smile to your face everytime you ride !
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Submitted by
Daniel SALVATORI
a Cross Country Rider
from Buenos Aires - ARGENTINA Date Reviewed: July 15, 2001
Favorite Trail:
TREK
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4500.00
Purchased At:
Argentine Trek dealer
Bike Setup:
SID race ; SID dual Air ; Group XTR ; Wells Propel ; Sten + form + seapost = Easton EA 70
Bottom Line:
La mejor Bici que se pudo haber fabricado y la recomiendo en todos los Idiomas
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Submitted by
Vince Talavera
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, Colorado USA Date Reviewed: March 4, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Amasa Back, Moab
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$4300.00
Purchased At:
Turin Bikes
Strengths:
Light a sthe wind for a full suspension. Not a true full suspension though. It is a XC racer will a tiny amount of travel in rear. Climbs and decends like a dream
Weaknesses:
SID rear shock needs tweaking to get it right, but once its on its awesome. Rolf wheels were changed immediately to UST Crossmax tubeless. Huge upgrade and worth every penny.
Similar Products Used:
Fisher Sugar, Litespeed, Moots
Bike Setup:
STP 400 frame with Sid SL RACE, UST Crossmax tubeless Full XTR group,King Head Set with Profile Stem SRAM 9.0 shifters
Bottom Line:
The bike is pricey, but if you want the ultimate XC racer with a little give in the rear without compromising weight and climbing ability, this is the bike for you. Do yourself a favor and demo the bike. It will be love at first ride. I get a lot of compliments with my ride.
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Submitted by
Shard
a Cross Country Rider
from Perth, WA, Australia Date Reviewed: January 26, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Down South
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4200.00
Purchased At:
Treknology in Singapore
Strengths:
Light, responsive and all in all an awesome bike. I personally feel that the Trek STP is one the best soft tails on the market even with the majority of the competition being made from Ti instead of Carbon. Been riding this bike cross country for close to 2000 KM and it has not given me any problems.
Weaknesses:
Protective varnish on the frame chips and cracks easily, purely cosmetic though. Rear shock requires a fair amount of trial and error in tuning before you get it right.
Similar Products Used:
Litespeed Tsali, Moots YBBeat
Bike Setup:
Easton CT2 Handlebar, Easton CT2 Seatpost, Kore Elite Stem, Chris King Headset, RockShox SIDney Front Suspension, RaceFace Next LP Crankset, RaceFace Ti Taperlock BB, Rolf Propel Wheelset, Avid Single Digit Mag Brakes, XTR Front and Rear Derailleurs, XTR Brake Levers and Shifters, Time ATAC Ti Pedals and Bontrager FS2000 Saddle.
Bottom Line:
People looking for a Full Suspension bike should probably try a Gary Fisher Sugar or Trek Fuel. Even though the Trek STP is marketed as a Full Suspension (Soft Tail), it is really a Hard Tail. It sure rides and handles like one. In all honesty, the rear shock is more of a gimmick than anything, you hardly feel it. Having said that, this is an awesome bike and you will be hard pressed to find anything better.
Lastly, different individuals have different requirements and it is always the test ride that will tell you if the bike is right for you and not someone elses comments/reviews.
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Submitted by
Psyc
a Cross Country Rider
from Ontario Date Reviewed: November 19, 2000
Favorite Trail:
hardy road trails
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Strengths:
This is LIGHT like the sun,.My first time on the bike felt like I needed to go faster. It also induced a considerable amount of confidence.
Weaknesses:
Had trouble clipping the left foot in (cause)-broken pedal from factory,warrentied no prob. On my second ride my rear wheel pinch flatted and dented the rim....I have come to find out that rolf propells are non servicable. I have a new wheel on order..not impressed with that Ill tell ya. Also 2 things to get used to..the dead feel and sound of carbon fiber, and how this bike goes squish over everything. but like I said thats getting used to.
Similar Products Used:
none. Only owned a gt psyclone hardtail.
Bike Setup:
as you buy it.I might install riser bars, havent decided yet.
Bottom Line:
I am going to build a set of xtra wheels that are serviceable cuz doin city trials and hard riding the propells cant seem to handle it. and they are xpensiv but very fast so Ill use them to race with. I dont regret buying this bike, I wanted some specific riden characters and this bike has them. shock set up is personal preference but I found that 100 psi in + 140 psi in - gives me the proper sag and uses allmost all the travel on a 4 ft drop off. If you can afford this bike....BUY IT.
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Submitted by
The Capn
a Cross Country Rider
from Utah Date Reviewed: September 28, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Gooseberry Mesa
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light, comfortable, great climber.
Weaknesses:
None as of yet.
Similar Products Used:
No soft-tails, numerous high-end ti hardtails
Bike Setup:
Stp 400 frame, 00'Sid XC, XTR, C King wheelset, Avid brakes
Bottom Line:
This bike rides like a race bike. It's stiff and goes where you want it to. It's incredibly light and pretty comfortable. I don't know if it's the slight rear-wheel movement or what but it climbs like a cat. The sid rear shock is kinda finicky to get set up initially but once I got it dialed I haven't had to mess with it. The Sid hydraair fork is the best on the market AT ANY PRICEPOINT. Overall, I'd have to give the entire package a rave review. Hope to enjoy many, many miles.
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Submitted by
Gedub
a Cross Country Rider
from TX Date Reviewed: August 14, 2000
Favorite Trail:
San Juan Trail (CA)
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Light Weight, Equipment, Durability, Rigidity, did I mention its Light Weight?
Weaknesses:
Some creaking in the BB "One word plastics" -The Graduate
Similar Products Used:
Trek Pro 9.9
Bike Setup:
As factory equipped: XTR, SID Race, SID adjust , Avid SD Mag, Rolph Propel wheels & Monkey lite monkey risers
Bottom Line:
This is a follow-up review. My concerns for the durability of the softtail design are unwarranted. aside from riding three or four times a week here in TX I have taken two extended trips to ride the western US this year and this bike has rocketed up & down the trails in Moab, Logan, Gooseberry Mesa, Brianhead UT, Sadona, AZ, Bear Lake ID. and Santa Barbara, Laguna Beach, San Juan Capastrino CA. I keep the maintenance up, clean (sometimes) & lub for each ride and All I've have had to do is true the rear wheel once and replace a bolt that fell out of the crank and of course replace the tires & brake pads a couple times. I've beat the crap out of this bike, this thing is SOLID. My previous value rating was 4 chills that is now moving up to 5 this bike is worth all the money. Life is Good!
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Submitted by
Ik-Goo Cho
a Cross Country Rider
from Seoul, Korea Date Reviewed: July 11, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Yu-Myung mountain
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Nice, Exellant,
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
The tanasi of Litespeed, The Vertex T.O. of Rockymountain.
Bike Setup:
Assembled in a Factory
Bottom Line:
I have three of Rocky mountain bike. The feeling of Rocky Mountain bike's riding is like a Japanese car. I still love my beautiful bike. It is not good for a long trip. So, I bought the STP 400 of Trek. It is like a caddilac. It is a perfect bike for long mountain trip.
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Submitted by
Scott
a Racer
from Ogden, Utah Date Reviewed: June 16, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Bonneville Shoreline
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Tight, fun, beautiful, sexy, etc., etc...
Weaknesses:
A littly pricey (but for this bike you won't care)
Similar Products Used:
Lottsa Treks and Gary Fischers'...GT..Kona..Airborne..Moots'..etc.
Bike Setup:
Pretty much "top-of-the-line" everything.
Bottom Line:
Simply the best bike on the market...it covers the best of both worlds (x-ctry and DH) for most riders. Obviously it doesn't have the travel needed for serious downhillers, but for the other 95% of us, you CANNOT find a better bike.(period)
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Submitted by
Pepe
a Cross Country Rider
from Puerto Rico Date Reviewed: June 6, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light frame, top of the line components, rear susp. adjustability
Weaknesses:
Difficult to set up rear susp.
Similar Products Used:
Litespeed Unicoi
Bike Setup:
Full XTR, Rolf Propel, Thompson seatpost, Monkeylite riser bar, Control Tech stem.
Bottom Line:
Changed my beloved Litespeed Unicoi to try what Mountain bike Mag said was the real softail. The biggest difference has to be the adjustability of the rear susp. With the Litespeed there is no adjustment. It does take time to adjust the SID on the Trek and if you do it correctly, you could definitely feel the difference. The Trek frame is suppossed to be almost a half pound lighter! But I need more time to really decide which one is better.
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Submitted by
gary
a Cross Country Rider
from illinois Date Reviewed: June 3, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
light,strong,no rusting out,easy on the butt on all day rides
Weaknesses:
haven't found one yet
Similar Products Used:
none similar, but getting rid of my Merlin XLM for this trek
Bike Setup:
stock...easton monkey risers/ct2 seat post..kooka levers/ibis ti stem... (with race face (next crank/BB) on order...mavic cross max TUBELESS
Bottom Line:
I'm selling(if anyone's interested) my Merlin XLM because this trek is awesome!! the nice dead feel of a plastic frame and the "all be it" slight rear suspension is just enough for you hard tail loyalist's. I for one was leery of getting off the great feel of ti but after only a couple of rides , i'm hooked on PLASTIC. This will be my last bike (i hope) i own...set it up with mavic tubeless and you won't be able to beat it for XC racing/riding ALL DAY!! riding on 29 lbs. of air pressure is the way to go. BUY THIS BIKE, you won't regret it
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Submitted by
Tyson
a Weekend Warrior
from Ogden, UT Date Reviewed: March 29, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Skyline
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
The best thing I found was that it climbed and rode like a hardtail, only with a hardly even noticeable flex in the rear that absorbs some of the shock. The components (full XTR) are obviously an excellent choice and the wheels are the best I've seen. My friend has some and hasn't had to true them once yet, even after Moab.
A great bike for those that want the climbing ability of a hardtail with a little comfort along with it. Definitely race worthy. However, it still feels like a hardtail so if you want even more comfort I recommend the Klein Mantra or the Gary Fisher Sugar series.
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Submitted by
Gedub
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas,TX USA Date Reviewed: March 12, 2000
I wanted a lighter bike with better handling and after a month with the Trek 9.9 Pro (A great bike!) this 45 yr. old back needed a little relief, so I traded up to the STP 400. Coming from a K2 4500 carbon frame with over 4" of rear travel the SID adjusts 1.25" of travel won't give you that full suspension experience, but as an alternative to the harshness of a hard tail with all the benefits, this bike can't be beat. My initial concern and still is, the longevity of the "soft tail" design and whether it can absorb all that flex over a period of time without comprising the integrity of the frame, that remains to be seen. However with a lifetime warranty and the level of support from the factory that the dealer sold me on, I'll take my chances.
$
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