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Submitted by
Mark Huppertz
a Weekend Warrior
from Tijeras, NM USA
Date Reviewed: May 7, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Tablazon Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Gift as a basketcase | | Strengths: | Very light, strong, and compliant. Can't find a worthy replacement for under 4K. | | Weaknesses: | Rear aluminun swingarm cracked under extreme abuse. Factory pivot wears out, replaced with oilite bronze which tightened it up very well. | | Similar Products Used: | This is my first REAL bike, and I have ridden it hard for about 4 years, average 2 times a week (once a week in winter, two to three times a week summer). | | Bike Setup: | Replaced nearly every component. It was a basketcase when I got it. Manitu oil damped front fork, v brake conversion, Mavic wheelset, carbon riser bar, carbon/titanium rail seat, XT components. | | Bottom Line: | I have bombed on this bike ruthlessly. The terrain here is some of the best anyware, and provides everything from terrifying unridable downhill to smooth gradual stuff. I weigh 185 and with he exception of a newly discovered stress crack in the rear swingarm that bike has taked everything I have thrown at it. I'm going to tig weld the frame and use the thing as long as I can. This bike has spoiled me to the point that I won't be happy with anything less than a $5,000 Kestrel carbon fiber FSB, and that ain't going to happen any time soon! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Huppertz
a Weekend Warrior
from Tijeras, NM USA
Date Reviewed: May 7, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Tablazon Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Gift as a basketcase | | Strengths: | Very light, strong, and compliant. Can't find a worthy replacement for under 4K. | | Weaknesses: | Rear aluminun swingarm cracked under extreme abuse. Factory pivot wears out, replaced with oilite bronze which tightened it up very well. | | Similar Products Used: | This is my first REAL bike, and I have ridden it hard for about 4 years, average 2 times a week (once a week in winter, two to three times a week summer). | | Bike Setup: | Replaced nearly every component. It was a basketcase when I got it. Manitu oil damped front fork, v brake conversion, Mavic wheelset, carbon riser bar, carbon/titanium rail seat, XT components. | | Bottom Line: | I have bombed on this bike ruthlessly. The terrain here is some of the best anyware, and provides everything from terrifying unridable downhill to smooth gradual stuff. I weigh 185 and with he exception of a newly discovered stress crack in the rear swingarm that bike has taked everything I have thrown at it. I'm going to tig weld the frame and use the thing as long as I can. This bike has spoiled me to the point that I won't be happy with anything less than a $5,000 Kestrel carbon fiber FSB, and that ain't going to happen any time soon! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trekrider
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia
Date Reviewed: March 27, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Light weight, simplicity of design, a known bike with parts still around, and of course, the look! | | Weaknesses: | Haven't found any yet. | | Similar Products Used: | Previously a Malvern Star Outlaw FS...one wonders if a Trek Y3 had been borrowed by their designers. | | Bike Setup: | 1997 Y5, 1998 Y33, 1998 YSL200, and a concocted Y22 with 96-98 parts. Yes, I collect Trek Y bikes. | | Bottom Line: | Well if there was ever a perfect mountain bike, the Y bike is it. Bio pacing is a non issue: 1)use a lockout shock, or 2)don't sit on the saddle when ascending, or 3)set up the shocks right.
Lightness puts most current duallies to shame. These bikes fly. As I don't have a death wish when I go riding, frame breakage, or anything breaking for that matter is also a non issue. Why do people complain about the frame noise? It's just there to remind you that you're riding the best bike design ever invented. And that look! I really need to frame one on the wall. Ultimately, it has got to be the most sensibly designed frame I can think of...so simple and yet works so well. Just a word of warning; the Y3 and Y1 are heavier bikes (chromoly URT) and are getting up to 14kg.
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Submitted by
Philippe
a Weekend Warrior
from Quebec, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | used | | Bike Setup: | 1998 Y33 | | Bottom Line: | I have one to sell. This is an amazing bike. Logical and Experienced bikers, not racers, should buy it. The key is to upgrade it correctly and avoid unbalacing it. If you're not stupid, you can own one. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Jax, FL
Date Reviewed: December 5, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | razzorbak, Jons Gap, NC | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Ect. (LBS) | | Strengths: | Carbon,Carbon, Carbon...very lite and fast.Very plush ride!!! | | Weaknesses: | they don't make it any more. | | Similar Products Used: | trek 9.8 (my other bike) also rode fuel 100 very fast but not near as plush Kinda in the middle (9.8 & y-33) | | Bike Setup: | 95' Y-33, Full 2003 xt, 2002 Rock shox Sid race (carbon Crown), fox AVA Float RL, Easton Carbon bars,seatpost,stem,Sette Italia SLR Gel Flo Saddle, Bontragger xxx race wheelset, Panaracer Fire XC tires, shimano PD=M959 pedals, Yette grips, I've Got the new shimano FC-M760 Crankset on order Merry X-MAS!!! | | Bottom Line: | This Bike Rocks!!!! It may not be a fast race bike By todays standards, But thats what the 9.8 is for. If your going for a all day ride on the trail this is the bike for you. this bike climbs great and decendes just as well. the extrem lite weight (23.2 LBS) makes it a dream to take on long rides. the plush shox take out all the bumps, small & large. I've done 5' drops with no proublem. The fox shox w/pro pedal and rock shox sid take almost all the pedal bob out!!! It only bobs when standing in the pedals and then its very little. all in all this is the best cross country bike I've ever ridden. I love this bike, too bad Trek dont still make them. i think they are the plushest biks ever made!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Endo Boy
a Downhiller
from San Diego, CA USA
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Noble Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle Centre | | Strengths: | Simple bike design which is easy to maintain. The life time frame warranty has come in handy twice. Xlnt customer service for frame warranty replacement. The URT works good for most terrain and the component group is a good selection for this type of bike. TREK was trying to hit the Freeride market with Cannondale in 1998 and the Y-Glide Deluxe was a great bike at that time. The Manitou triple clamp X-Vert and the FOX Vanilla RC were a good choice for shocks. The Hayes Hydraulic front and rear 6" disks were the perfect choice for brakes. Tires were the IRC Missles 2.25 which were and still one of my favorite tires. Overall the bike had a good component groupo other than the H-bar and stem which is a easy swap. | | Weaknesses: | Again some of the components were not really suited for freeriding, but what the hell was freeriding in 1998. I really like my Y-Glide Deluxe, But I really did not like the stick on raised TREK letters on the top tube of the frame. Either the letters were peeling off or my shorts would get caught on a corner of a letter and put a hole on my inner thigh of my shorts. | | Similar Products Used: | I now ride a Intense Uzzi DH and a Specialized Big Hit Pro. The only similarities in product design is that they are all bikes. The Uzzi is set up for DH and the Big Hit is set up for Freeriding! | | Bike Setup: | My TREK Y-Glide Deluxe is all stock other than the H-bar and stem. I now use the IRC KUJO DH 2.35 front and rear. Thats all I have changed out since I purchased the bike in 1998! Oh ya, I also changed the brake pads a few times. | | Bottom Line: | Even though I ride an Intense Uzzi DH and Specialized Big Hit Pro I still really like riding my TREK Y-Bike. I plan to keep the bike and just get the frame replaced every time I bend the top tube. Some riders laugh, make K-Mart comments and some friends tease my Y-bike, but I just laugh with them and tease my friends back. The main point to my riding is spending time riding with my kids and friends, exercising, meeting new friends, sharing bike stories and just getting my butt outside and enjoy life!! Thats the bottom line!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Daniel Rispolie
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto,Ontario,Canada
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | All | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$750.00 | | Purchased At: | Canadian Cyclist | | Strengths: | Light,nimble,quick handling,fast,cross country plush,reliable, just plain fun.
| | Weaknesses: | I do not know if this is considered a weakness but with the URT design you must set up the suspension according to your weight.If you set it up properly with the right amount of sag,preload, compression, rebound,etc. the ride quality is quite plush with little bobbing.I think the complaints about URT bobbing is due to improper suspension set up.A 4 bar linkage can feel really harsh if not set up properly.
So what I am saying is suspension set up based on your body weight is the key.Also ensuring that you have a balanced suspension(your front shock is the same as the rear)meaning if you set up your rear shock with too much rebound damping with your front with no rebound damping it causes your bicycle to react poorly.A balanced suspension is the key to a great ride. | | Similar Products Used: | gt hardtail
gt hardtail | | Bike Setup: | carbon y33, XT/XTR, Mavic, Raceface, Manitou, Stratos. | | Bottom Line: | The bicycle really is designed for xc and will ride very plush if one learns how to set up a balanced suspension.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Christian
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Bruce Trail from the Beaver Valley North | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$2900.00 | | Purchased At: | Sport Swap | | Strengths: | It is light and nimble. Climbs over rocks and roots comfortably and quick. Came stock with top components (XTR gruppo), Titanium bolt kit and seat post, OCLV carbon fibre bar ends etc.
The bike has been easy to sevice, and has proven very durable. It also happens to be they best looking FS bike ever made. Don't argue or deny it. | | Weaknesses: | The Matrix Voodoo rims (A Trek brand I think). I pretzled the front wheel within two months. The back wheel hub is a bugger to service. The rear derailleur hanger is not replaceable. One of the rails on the Vetta saddle broke when the bike and I became seperated by gravity. | | Similar Products Used: | Rocky Mountain Blizzard, Bontrager, Merlin Titanium. | | Bike Setup: | Stock (XTR)throughout, except replaced front wheel with Mavic/Chris King rim/hub combo. Titanium bolt kit, Carbon fibre bar ends, Titanium post, Dia-Compe headset, Shimano 747 pedals, Judy SL front, Fox Alps4 rear shock, Selle Italia Flight Ti saddle, Vetta C-500 wireless computer. Also added a seatpost mounted waterbottle cage. Continental Goliath tires which are good on and off road. I avoid riding (damaging) wet, muddy trails, so I don't need a full knobby on the rims. | | Bottom Line: | I like this ride. I bought the first Y-33 available in Canada, a few weeks after I saw it in the 1995 Toronto MTB show. At the time it was way ahead of other FS bike designs. I think people are forgetting how far things have come since then. I consider the Trek Y frames raised the bar with this bike back then, as is evidenced by the widespread adaptation of the fundamental Y design by other manufactuers proves. The first model year was a beautifully laquered deep Indigo Blue. Yellow Judys and decals and completely chrome rear triangle, fork crown, headset/stem etc. make this a real eye catcher.
Climbing characteristics are superb. I also think it descends well (but does require a little more finesse and rhythm at high speed to tame the rear if you are out of the saddle skimming over bumpy stuff). But I still feel more confident on technical terrain than any of my hardtail buddys. They seem to think I attack descents with aplomb and marvel at the fact I rarely go off course. I think its a combination of riding technique and good hardware. The Y-frame is best suited to experienced, smooth spinning and mid-size riders.
I was a hardcore road racer for years before going mtb, and I think that has helped my peddling style on a FS bike. I never experience Pogo effect, unless I'm hammering recklessly out of the saddle with too little preload. I like a fairly stiff ride, so I set the preload to between 210-215 psi. I'm 5'10' 165-170lbs. Pogo isn't a problem 'cause I pedal in complete revolutions, using hams and calves to assist and smooth out each stroke. I can sprint out of the saddle on pavement with the proload pumped to 220, and hard slicks on the rims with only the very slightest loss of power (while in a big gear at low rpm). But once I get the cadence up, it is a great accelerating and fast bike !! Rhythm and Cadence are the keys to getting the most out of my Y-33.
If you can't ride this way you will not fall in love with a Y-frame, and you should probably stick to a hardtail anyways.
With regard to the noisy frame issue, i've never noticed it in seven years of riding. You nit-pickers should be listening to your drivetrains, respiratory breathing rhythm and other environmental feedback anyways !! lol:) And as for frames busting, I've had my share of hard knocks, and the frame has proven worthy of the punishment. Seemingly, I'm more likely to break myself into pieces than the frame.
Bottom line:
220 lb newbies and hacks stay away!
Mid-weight spinners with finesse looking for a plush,light,quick and hot looking ride should search for a used Y33 (or Y22, Y50), cause I think they are under valued right now.
Happy trails everyone.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Camouflage
a Weekend Warrior
from Germany
Date Reviewed: May 4, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Strengths: | I liked the bike for its great design and the lightweight construction. Suspension performed well. I had no problems with the bob but I usually stay seated on uphills. At the time I bought it, the suspension characteristics were good compared to other bikes, but is not competitive anymore today. And the component mix is good value for money (if it works and does not brake). | | Weaknesses: | Many unreliable components:
- The oil cartridge of the RS Judy XC fork broke twice. Damping characteristics got worse in the time despite regular maintenance.
- I had to replace the bearing in the front hub soon.
- Front rim (Bontrager/Matrix) bent.
- Original cantilever brakes were without braking power so I had to upgrade to V-brakes.
Frame:
- Acts like a loudspeaker. It is difficult to figure out where the noise actually comes from.
- No proper place for water bottle.
- Rear triangle very flexible which makes the bike feel unstable especially on downhills or fast corners. Even with V-brake and brakebooster it is difficult to bring power to the rear brake.
- Frame broke (see below) | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized FSR
Trek Fuel 90 | | Bike Setup: | Y 22 year 96; XT-V brakes and shifters, Syncros seatpost, longer stem, small crankring (20), Mavic 517 rims, Michelin Wildgripper tires, Shimano SPD 545 pedals, Biogrips | | Bottom Line: | I rode Y 22 for almost 5 years and was happy with it most of the time.
I bought the bike for a discount price but had to invest a lot of money to upgrade or replace broken components.
Afterall I lost my faith in carbon. The frame broke, but Trek did not accept this as a warranty case. They said the damage was caused by improper use. However they did send me a used ยด97 Y22 frame in size M which did not fit because the original frame was XL. After negotiations with Trek and my local dealer I got the Fuel 90 with a major discount.
2 Chilis in value rating due to the many broken components in this bike. I hope other ones had more luck! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick Pappas
a Cross Country Rider
from Randolph
Date Reviewed: March 25, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Gas Can, No Fat Chicks, Super Highway, High Roller, and more if you know where! | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | used | | Strengths: | All around great. Especially if the front and year shox are dialed in for downhill, the bike just grabs the ground at high speeds. But dont think you'll do 90mph, ya fool. | | Weaknesses: | The factory rear Fox Air Shock doesn't hold air well and thats why in my case you experience the bobbing motion like on an excersize machine. I believe a new shock that can be stiffened to the hilt or locked out would make any carbon fiber bike by trek #1 in my book. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | XT-brakes, shifters, derailluers, new (but original to the bike) Judy fork, Chris King headset(everyone should have one), Continental tires, and more! | | Bottom Line: | Best money besides my trek 8900 SL or my original trek 8000 (ever made), I think. Money and value when buying a high end trek can take you a long way! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Yale Tankus
a Weekend Warrior
from Brookeville, MD, USA
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Patapsco - Waterton FS CO, Schaffer Farm | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Y50 purchased in 97. Light, quick handling, good climbing and predictable.
The bike just flys over every thing!
Actually looking for a replacement Y50 - | | Weaknesses: | The frame (after thousands of miles & 4 + years of hard riding) has a major squeak (I suspect there is finally a crack someplace, I just can't find it).
The only chronic problem is the cable routing on the side. It could be solved with a front fender though. About every month or so there is enough gunk accumulated in the housings that the shifter and rear brakes don't easily work. Cleaning them out helps, but replacing the cable and housing is the best way to fix it.
| | Bike Setup: | SRAM 9.0 rear derailer & shifters, 517 rims, xtr hubs & brakes, xt crank & cassette, chris king head set, strata lock out rear shock, manitu si front shock, salsa riser bar, speedplay pedals. | | Bottom Line: | I need a new frame! Too dialed in to what I really like (Y50) to wander. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Santino
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose, California
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | lightweight, stiff, the frame itself absorbs shock, simple low maintenance design, and of course goods looks | | Weaknesses: | none encountered; of course I only use the bike for cross-country riding | | Similar Products Used: | GT STS; Cannondale Raven & Jekyll; Intense Tracer; Klein Mantra | | Bike Setup: | Trek Y50, Easton CT2 Monkeylite bar/seat post, Chris King headset, Race Face LP cranks, full Shimano XTR brakes/drivetrain, Rockshox SID 100, & Spin wheelset | | Bottom Line: | For my riding style, this was the best bike to get. If you enjoy cross-country riding through beautiful scenic trails, than this is the bike for you. Recently, I thought about buying another frameset because I felt my Trek was outdated. I tested the Raven which rides similar to my Trek except that the cockpit felt tight. The Jekyll for some reason, feels like a hardtail. The price and the looks kept me from buying it either one. GT's carbon frame was pretty smooth but I always felt that when I pedal hard on a climb with the i-drive, the bike is slow to respond. The Intense Tracer was a great test ride but it lacked the vibration absorption that carbon fiber offers. In the future, I may purchase the Klein Mantra Race if they can fix the single pivot problem with the swingarm. As of now, I am completely satisfied with my Y50. The ride is plush and the on-the-fly lockout really assists you when climbing. The one thing I'd like to change is my wheelset. Yes, the Spins are low maintenance, but they're heavy as hell. They also hop when I ride on the road. What is that about? I could probably get my bike below 24 lbs with a pro quality wheelset. Then, I may even consider racing over at Big Bear. If you can find a Trek Y in excellent condition and at a great price, give it a shot. If you're a dual-slalom or downhill rider, stick with an aluminum design. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert Dennis
a Cross Country Rider
from Starkville, MS, USA
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Chewacla Nat. Park | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Light, fast, very responsive. | | Weaknesses: | Small amounts of bobbing, but hey it's a full suspension bike. | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale F2000SL, Specialized Enduro Pro | | Bike Setup: | Full XTR, Mavic Crossmax UST, Bontrager 2000 (Ti) saddle | | Bottom Line: | It's a great bike from the flats to all out climbing. I don't have any problems with the design. Everyone I have ever talked to has really been negative about the Y-series design. I agree it's a simple design, but simplicity is the key. If we continue to become more complex with the full suspension design more problem will occur and people will back away from the full suspension bike. I think Trek has done a great job with the bike and I hope to see future designs based off this bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wyatt LeCadre
a Cross Country Rider
from Brooklyn, New York
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything, Anywhere | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Versatile, Flexible, Light, Simple design | | Weaknesses: | None yet | | Similar Products Used: | Gary Fischer XO | | Bike Setup: | Easton CT2 seatpost & CT2 Monkeylite handle bar
ONZA H.O. brakes
SRAM ESP 9.0SL brake levers, shifters, rear derailuer
RaceFace SYStem, Team SL headset, Taperlock Ti BB, Next LPs crankset
Shimano XTR front derailuer, Carbon V brake booster | | Bottom Line: | After about 4 and half years and more than 5000 miles later I have never had a problem. I have no original parts mainly because I like new stuff and change it when I get my moneys worth. Excellent design, form and function as it should be. It does what I need it do and goes where I want it. An all around great bike.
As with any bike design anyone can nitpik just to prove their point. If the Y-bike design was as horrible as some people say it is, then so many manufactures wouldn't copy it. Just look around and you will see variations of the Y-bike design everywhere (Cannondale RAVEN, Specialized FSR and Gary Fischer Joshua to name a few). The TREK Y series is flexible enough that I even run slicks to do tours that run through city streets. It is even light enough and fast enough to hit a 40 mph run and better if you set it up right and tough enough for the roughest of trails.
As far as suspension goes anyone complaining about bobbing is probably running the suspension to soft or doesn't know how to set it up properly. Plush doesn't mean bouncing up and down at every little twig on the trail or crack in the street. Equipped with 4 inches of rear travel this is not a downhill bike but will take some pretty good drops and jumps. Suspension lockout during braking...? I don't know where that one came from and I have never experienced it.
Resinating sounds are slightly amplified but certainly not deafing. It may be a slight annoyance for a moment but if you are out enjoying the trails with fiends, noise will be the last thing on your mind.
Different bikes are made for different rides. So get what fits your ride style and chose for yourself. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe Cannon
a Weekend Warrior
from Indianapolis. IN, USofA
Date Reviewed: July 15, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything technical | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | 98 Y22 is an all around good bike if you want full time full suspension. | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Bike Setup: | original except for m747 spd and XTR rear hub upgrades. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is great for just about any type of trail. It's frame is very solid, yet light for FS. The bike will bob if you get out of the saddle, but that is a very small problem given that the suspension is active even when pedaling very hard. This problem is solved in most part by spinning or locking out the rear suspension with the remote dampening adjuster. Full time suspension is the biggest benefit to the Unified Rear Triangle design. Unlike other designs, that lock out the rear suspension when pedaling. I can't agree with other reviews that state that the rear suspension locks up under breaking. I have not had any problems with the suspension locking up. The only thing I see happening is that your weight gets transferred forward and this unloads the rear wheel causing a loss of activity. I have also read other reviews that say that the rear suspension is less active when you are out of the saddle. I imagine that this is true with all FS bikes sense you shift your weight forward when you get out of the saddle which also unloads the rear wheel. I would have to say that the 98 Y22 was and is the best deal for a FS bike. It has very good components for the price and the strongest long travel FS carbon frame that Trek ever made. I would recommend this bike to those who like rough XC rides and are tired of having the trail beat them into submission. I wouldn't recommend this bike to any hard core down hill rider, for the suspension probably isn't going to be tunable enough or have long enough travel for them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary Ferrell
a Cross Country Rider
from Victorville Ca. U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | anything with a downhill | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Low maintenance,bullet proof frame,good components | | Weaknesses: | does not really excel in any area,WTB headset is a piece of crap | | Similar Products Used: | was first FS bike but now I own a Specialized FSR Enduro | | Bike Setup: | Hayes hydraulic disc brakes,statos helix pro rear shock,titec hellbent bars,Raceface realseal headset,and a icon onyx stem,shimano 636 pedals | | Bottom Line: | The first time I rode the bike on the trail I thought it was great,but after endoing a few times when riding rough downhills due to lack of damping in the rear.Once someone informed me of how to adjust the rear shock I really didnt like the bike.In the 2 years that I owned it I could not find a setting for all around riding conditions even after upgrades.Either I could set the damping to take the big hit and get rattled to death on the small stuff or glide over the small stuff and get bucked off on the big hits,but never a medium between the two.On the other hand depite god knows how many crashes over a two year period I just could not break the damn thing and believe me I tried hoping that I would get a new VRX from the warranty.I finally just set it up as close as I could to what I wanted and just rode the thing.I had alot of fun on it after all it was slightly better than my hardtail.I guess what I am trying to say is that it's not a bad bike I just expected more out of a bike with full suspension I just recently bought a specialized enduro FSR and had it set up in about five rides perfectly. This bike also has it's flaws but delivers exactly what I want in just about every ride characteristic. No FS bike is perfect,you just have to do some research ride it and ask around because you don't want to be stuck with something you just laid $2,000 or better for and not be totally satified when you could have gotten a better bike to suit your needs for the same money. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom
a Weekend Warrior
from Watertown, SD
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | the farm | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Bottom Line: | Unfortunately I do not have the time to write a multi-page review, however, the Y-bike is not a good design for a mountain bike. I've owned a Y-3 and ridden Gary Fisher Joshas. The URT bikes suck as full suspension bikes! Jubbi mentioned the BB to seat distance changing, it's true. Go hop off some curbs and pay attention to what the suspension is doing. Definitly not as smooth as when you are in the seat. It is hard to be smooth when your legs are trying to soak up the jumps at the same time the rear suspension is compressing and forcing your legs to move along with it. True FS bikes like the linkage types don't make you do anything weird. As far as performance goes this bike takes it away from you in the form of bobbing. Brian wrote a short novel trying to reason this away but unless you're 50 yrs old and only ride the bike path you will notice it and it will drive you crazy. The bobbing can't be cured as it is inherent in the design. You can try and up your preload or air pressure to eliminate it, but then you end up with a stiff riding bike that acts as a pseudo hardtail and defeats the purpose of a FS bike.
Oh, by the way Brian, with all the advice you dispense in your review and the claims you make dismissing all legitimate, negative reviews you may want to take a little time and get your facts straight.
1. Let's see, Judy forks don't use air they have always been a coil/MCU-oil or coil/oil design.
2. Who are you to determine what sound levels are acceptable to the mountain biking world?
3. We shall all have to forget about all the reviews about those who have experienced broken carbon fiber frames and assume they were all beget from abuse and not poor design.
4. Everyone on this site, all 352 reviewers, are just like you and they should love this bike since it works great for you to ride back and forth to class on. I don't think so!
The Y-bike concept was an ingenious marketing ploy that many people, including myself fell for. As the years went by the design could not compete with the mainstream, linkage type, FS bikes all the good manufacturers offered. Look in your 2000 Trek catalog and try to find a Y-bike. The only thing you will find is the bargain priced Y-3. Even Trek realized this "Y" design was a joke and could no longer compete with the other manufacturers' performance models. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jubbi
a Weekend Warrior
from America
Date Reviewed: May 19, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Bottom Line: | Brian below gives a long review. Great. But he did forget to mention that the reason Y frame is more susceptible to bob complaints is because of the URT design. The bottom bracket is suspended with the rear. This changes the seat to pedal length when the rider is in the saddle (which is basically when the rear suspension is active--out of saddle suspension is minimal to the point that it is like a glorified suspension seatpost). That is why people feel "bob" not because there really is more. If the rear moves properly (not bobs) on a hit, the saddle to pedal distance changes and it still feels like bob to most. And I admit, it's really a pain to have that change--hard to pedal, hard on the knees and give nothing to me when I am going down a steep hill behind the saddle.
That is why Y frames that suspen the BB get such a bad rep. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian Dolezalek
a Weekend Warrior
from Aurora CO USA
Date Reviewed: May 18, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Waterton Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Light weight, plush ride, simple design, double-takes from other riders! | | Weaknesses: | Judy shocks suck, noodles on rear brake calipers too far out, long wheelbase makes for lots of work in the tight stuff | | Similar Products Used: | Gary Fisher Mamba | | Bike Setup: | Marzocchi Z2 Atom 80 front shocks
Speedplay Frog pedals (trust me on this one!!)
Cheap ($50) Specialized helmet
Specialized Team or Comp shoes, gloves
Specialized/Mountain Dew jersey (OK, that's solely a matter of opinion I admit!)
Jando front and read bags depending on how much you take with you
WTB weels, Conti tires | | Bottom Line: | The following is a review of the '96 Trek Y-22 mountain bike. It is a real-world review; that is, a review by someone for whom there's more to life than mountain-biking!
The Trek Y-22, and really the entire Y-series, is overall an excellent series of bikes; the bikes are solid, lightweight, and are excellent attention-getters! But for me to simply write a good review of these bikes seems a touch pointless; if you want that, you can draw from the literally hundreds of good reviews about this series. So instead, I will try to focus on the points made by the people who've written bad reviews of these bikes. Hopefully, that will work towards saving you the trouble of having to sift through all the bad reviews of this series as I had to back in January when I first bought my Y-22 used for $700.
The biggest complaint about the Trek Y-series that I have seen centers around the phenomenon of rear-end bobbing, whereby a portion of the energy exerted with each pedal stroke goes toward extending the rear suspension instead of toward powering the bicycle as it should. Now you can read and memorize every such complaint about the Y-series that you want to, but in the end, the simple fact is that the majority of the riders that this bike caters to probably will not experience this phenomenon in any measurable way. Indeed, if they experience rear end bobbing at all (and I have not experienced any rear in bobbing as yet), at most it will manifest itself as an annoyance, nothing more. The Y-series employees a full URT suspension; most writers of reviews on this web page, even good reviews, seem to be under the impression that a full URT suspension is more susceptible to rear end bobbing then just about any other suspension type. I believe this is probably true, but for the kind of riding you're going to be doing on a Y-bike (namely cross-country), you simply aren't going to encounter the rear-end bobbing effect to the extent that it is in any way debilitating, or in any way detracts from the overall ride. Furthermore, if you really think it's necessary to take active steps to negate the rear-end bobbing effect, then you can always a) pump more air into the rear shock absorber; or b) buy a better rear shock absorber for the bike. This bike is flexible enough to take just about any component you would ever want to throw at it; more on that later.
Probably the second biggest complaint I see here at MTBR.COM centers around how noisy the frame it is. The frame on the Y-22 is made of carbon fiber, not aluminum or any other alloy. It is physically a rather large frame compared to your standard mountain bike frame, so there is a larger volume of air inside the frame than there is in most bikes. This, combined with the propensity of carbon fiber to resonate sound in general, causes any impact the bike should encounter to produce a sound. I can't really describe the sound; all I can say is that it's the sound you'd hear inside a carbon fiber enclosure upon impact. I finally noticed this sound after about three months of riding the bike, only because of the negative reviews I had read here at MTBR.COM concerning the Y-series' propensity to produce the sound. But to hear people talk, you'd think this sound was deafening, so loud you could barely hear yourself think. Nothing could be further from the truth; the sound is at most slightly annoying, certainly not debilitating in any way, and certainly not of a sufficient sound pressure level to take away from the overall ride.
Finally, I hear a lot about how the carbon fiber frames on the Y-series sometimes break. As most people can pretty much figure out, a broken carbon fiber frame is pretty much ready for the junk keep (it can't even be used as a boat anchor because it's too light!), whereas an aluminum frame could conceivably be repaired (although I doubt it would be worth it in the end to try and do so). Carbon fiber is just that -- a series of fibers, and any break anywhere in those fibers is disastrous. Even a crack is usually fatal in the long run. There are many claims of carbon fiber frame breakage for the Y-series here at MTBR.COM; it's up to the reader to determine from each such review whether the fault lies with the rider or with the bike. But in the real world, the simple fact is that it would take a fairly distant drop -- probably six feet or more--to put enough stress on the frame to even come close to causing breakage. In the real world, cross country doesn't normally involve such drops; any sane rider would do their best to avoid them, even if it meant walking the bike. Downhillers experience such drops all the time, of course, but anyone silly enough to downhill with the Y-22 (even after having slapped a pair of Boxxers or bigass Zokes on the bike) is putting the frame at serious risk of breakage associated simply with the downhill riding style. Are you going to be doing this? Probably not. Normal use begets normal wear, pure and simple, and real-world riders probably won't have a problem.
That pretty much covers the (mostly) bogus complaints about the Y-22; now let's go over some legitimate complaints. The Y-shaped frame makes access to the water cage problematic at best; you probably won't be taking a drink while in motion. Answer: a Hydra pack. Pretty simple math. The rear brake caliper on these damnable Shimano V-brakes employs an aluminum noodle at the point where the cable curves into the caliper, and your bike shoe will brush against this noodle pretty much every time unless your foot is 100 percent parallel with the frame. This is definitely a problem, albeit a minor one, and a friend of mine has pointed out that it can probably be corrected by installing a curveless, or noodleless, rear brake caliper. Cane Creek makes such a caliper, and I'm going to order one when I finish this review. The Rock Shox Judy front shocks are woefully inadequate for most cross-country riding, even easy riding. In addition, the Judys of that year were prone to some leakage of air, and were generally of questionable quality at best. A bike of this caliber should have been equipped with something better, to be sure, but it is a simple and relatively inexpensive matter to have the front shocks replaced with something of better quality. I had a pair of Marzocchi Z2 Atom 80s put on, and I love them, but even a set of 2000 Judys would work fine.
Whether bogus or legit, complaints about a bike like this constitute nit-picking, nothing more. The Trek Y-series is probably the single biggest leap forward in mountain bike design and construction ever to hit the industry. Trek Y-bikes are not the best, and they're certainly not the most expensive, but I defy any real-world rider to quantify the difference in ride quality between my $700 Trek Y-22 and a Year 2000 carbon fiber bike of any manufacture (say, a top-of-the-line Trek or Cannondale of today). The Y-22 is incredibly lightweight (rear shock and all); you can easily heft this thing anywhere you need to put it, on the trail or on your car. Furthermore, the plushness and luxury of the bike's ride, even in the rough stuff, is something you simply have to ride to appreciate. Normal downhilling is a blast; the rear wheel holds in almost all situations. The bike's geometry is simply ideal for cross-country, although the long wheelbase makes the really tight stuff rather interesting at times. Said long wheelbase also makes replacing the stock Judys a very good idea, and your tires should be pretty much top-notch if possible. I've got a set of Continentals that work beautifully. The other componentry is of fair to excellent quality, and replacement will most likely be necessitated only by age.
What blows me (and others) away about the bike is the incredible flexibility offered by the bike. You can literally convert this bike into any type of bike you want; you could make a downhiller, a racer, even a road bike (with the proper tires) out of this thing with no problem whatsoever. The sheer simplicity of the design is what makes this possible; a great many of the full suspension bikes I've seen on the market appear to be some kind of variant on the basic Trek Y-series design, for obvious reasons. There are better designs out there, to be sure, ones that counteract rear-end bob better, ones that provide more rigidity, certainly ones that are lighter. Specialized and Giant are two brands, in particular, whose high-end products will give the Trek Y-series a serious run for its money just about every time. But between Specialized, Giant, and Trek, you pretty much can't go wrong; and it's going to take more than nit-picking by the so-called experts to take the Y-series out of contention with anything anywhere near its price range. I was lucky to find a '96 for only $700, but knowing what I know now, I would've paid $1000 with no problem whatsoever. That's the kind of ride you'll get out of a Y-series IMHO. But to make that determination involves test rides of bikes from many different brands and designs, and only a real-time, real-world test ride on your part will allow you to determine whether a Y-bike is right for you. But whatever you do, don't believe the hype generated by all the bad reviews of this bike that you'll find here in MTBR.COM; if you buy a Y-bike, you'll get a quality product no matter what, whether or not it delivers the kind of ride that you're looking for.
Another thing: be prepared for a few double takes when you ride a Y-series! A bike like this draws attention among other bikes the way a Porsche or Ferrari would draw attention among other cars. Consider yourself a rebel if you ride a Y-bike, in the city or on the trail. There's nothing more satisfying for me than locking up my bike in front of a bike store and having people pay more attention to my bike than to the bikes in the store window!
Recommended components/equipment:
Marzocchi Z2 Atom 80 front shocks
Speedplay Frog pedals (trust me on this one!!)
Cheap ($50) Specialized helmet
Specialized Team or Comp shoes, gloves
Specialized/Mountain Dew jersey (OK, that's solely a matter of opinion I admit!)
Jando front and/or rear bags depending on how much you take with you
WTB weels, Conti tires
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
LOCAL
a Weekend Warrior
from Homer
Date Reviewed: April 26, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Weaknesses: | The URT concept | | Similar Products Used: | GT LTS, FSR, Cannondale | | Bike Setup: | Trek Y-3 | | Bottom Line: | These bikes exhibit every bad symptom pointed out in this rewiew column. The guy below me does not understand full suspension designs and then has the gall to call another reviewer a moron! Have you ever heard of the term "fully active" Racer? It is obvious that you haven't or you would have not given your absurd expanation of the suspension lockout during braking. With an FSR the suspension is not effected by pedaling or braking forces. The Y-bike URT is. I can give testiment to this since my Y-3's rear suspension would lock out under braking and not soak up small bumps and rocks. This would make for a scary decent since the rear end would hop and skid all over the place! This doesn't happen on my FSR. Y bikes are a sad example of full suspension. This is why Trek no longer sells them in any high performance application. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bike Master Mike
a Racer
from Canton, MI
Date Reviewed: April 12, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Island Lake | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Somewhat Light
Looks Great
Suspension Works Good (yeah ut does, for you boubting idiots, try actually riding a Y rather than | | Weaknesses: | Lots of lateral flex | | Bike Setup: | OCLV frame w/ XT/XTR and Race Face components, Manitou XVert DC fork | | Bottom Line: | Whats with the moron that says braking will lock out the suspension? How is that going to happen when the freakin brakes are mounted to the swingarm? The suspension action will be lessened due to the shift in the center of gravity as the fork compresses from braking. That takes weight off the rear wheel causing the suspension to be less active since there will be less force on it from the rider. Simple physics and it happens on ANY bike.
My Y rocks! It has 5150 miles and its amazing that it hasnt broken yet. I do urban stuff like jumping off large ledges (5+ feet), stairs, dirt jumps, some trials and XC riding. While is doesnt work as good as a specific freeride or XC trail bike, it does all of those well ona whole. How many bikes can you use for a huge variety of things?
The bike is on its fourth fork. Started with an Indy SL, then a Manitou FS, Rock Shox Judy XL (pile of crap) and now Im on a 2000 Manitou Xvert DC. Never buy Rock Shox. Work at a shop and you'll learn why...the customer service is horrible, and you need it since their forks dont last long. After 260 miles, my Judy XL had no oil in the damper. Try compressing a 4" travel fork and let it rebound with no rebound damping and you'll learn how scary a bike can be. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Jax, FL
Date Reviewed: February 14, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Handling, comfort, looks | | Weaknesses: | none for my riding situations | | Similar Products Used: | I've tried everything | | Bike Setup: | VW team issue Y-33 | | Bottom Line: | I've been riding Y bikes since they first came out, for the type of riding I do, I have not found a better riding bike (single track (mostly flat woods), heavy roots, logs, etc.)
I've tried so many different types of full suspension bikes, but nothing works better for me than my Y.
If your a serious hammer head, downhiller, or have to be the fastest on the trail freak, this is not the bike for you, but if your looking for a plush ride on rough flat terrain, find one of these babies used some where, you won't regret it. | |
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$ 3199.00
