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Submitted by
Stuart Kirk
a Cross Country Rider
from Oxford
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Skyline, Afan | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Ridgeway cycle, Wantage | | Strengths: | Speed, comfort, control | | Weaknesses: | Not found any yet | | Bike Setup: | As original spec, nothing worn out yet to replace | | Bottom Line: | Brought this after using A mongoose Amasa Compe 2005 for two years as I had started XC racing and the Mongoose, great as it was for £500, wasn't good enough. The difference was amazing, speed and control are infinitely better, I can stay out on this for 10 hours straight with no problems. Hills are breeze with the fork locked and I have absolute confidence coming down the otherside.
I have put at least 1000 mile on it mainly off-road and it still feels close to new and I am not easy on my bikes, my mongoose had 3 rear mechs, new brakes and front mech during that mileage, plus countless other replacement parts. In fact I am getting slightly annoyed as I want to upgrade the thing but I will only do that when bits need replacing.
This is all XC stuff (the Ridgeway, The South downs) I haven't taken this to any trail centre as yet. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Enosz
a Cross Country Rider
from Budapest, Hungary
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Urban trooper | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | www.nella.hu | | Strengths: | Stiff, light, robust, beautiful geometry, virtually maintenance free, takes beating without a hiss. | | Weaknesses: | Found none. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 900, 6700, 7100 | | Bike Setup: | Shimano XTR levers, shifters, derailleurs (Truvative Holzfeler for a while, but sucked). Bontrager wheelset, Cane Creek seatpost. | | Bottom Line: | This is a pricey a bit but when you ride and it is reliable and you can punish without reciprocity you will know what you've paid for. I had absolutely zero problem with it trashing in city traffic, stairs, trails, hills and creekbeds. The frame just holds. No distortion, no annoying noises, paint holds second to none. If you want hardtail with perfect geometry and you think that even a nice bike is basically for entertaining you and not for show-off, so you're willing to put it to the test, go for it. You'll love it. Promise. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andreas Klauser
a Cross Country Rider
from Munich
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | yes | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | Rabe Munich | | Strengths: | Still working | | Weaknesses: | rear triangle only 2,1 tires. no changeable derailleur hanger. | | Similar Products Used: | TREK 9900 OCLV, Hot Chili Zymotic, DeKerf Generation | | Bike Setup: | Manitou Black Fork. | | Bottom Line: | This is about a 1996 (!) TREK 8500 Alu Frame. First the minuses: rear triangle is narrow, only up to 2,1 tires fit. The Derailleur Hanger is part of the frame; so no chance to replace it, when it bends. The positive list: well, it ist still in very goog shape. It is amazingly responsive. From the first day on it was more like a steel frame. My other alu frame (Hot Chili) is stone dry harsh. May have something to do with the fact, that it is one of the last alu frames that were bonded (TREK did this for a time during the 90s, tranfered the technique used with theit splendid Carbon frames to alu)and not welded. The paint (mat brown) doesn't look very solid at a first glance, but (in sad contrary to the DeKerf)is absolutely top rate. Only two minor scars stemming from a toss-up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Curtis
a Racer
from Washington DC
Date Reviewed: January 3, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Incredibly responsive, very balanced and even handling, perfect geometry | | Weaknesses: | Long head tube makes it somewhat annoying to find a fork with a long enough steer tube, stupid trek proprietary disc brake drop out design wasn't eliminated until 2005 models. | | Similar Products Used: | 2002 trek 8500, 2005 trek 8000 (same frame), Giant NRS | | Bike Setup: | 8000 frame, crossmax SL, XT crank, Reba SL 100mm fork, K force XC 25mm risers, Mibro 2.1 tires 24.33 pounds with pedals- that's lighter than the Elite 9.8 (w00t!) | | Bottom Line: | I absolutely love this bike.
First- The Frame:
The geometry of this bike is excellent, it absolutely loves tight singletrack and quick ups and downs. I originally had a 2002 8500 frame which has the exact same geometry (it hasn't changed in the past 5 years), and I had an 80mm fork on it with flat bars. With that set up, the bike was a bit twitchy for my taste, but admittedly, my skills were not as good then as they are now.
I now have a 2005 trek 8000 frame (same as 8500), built with a 100mm fork and 25mm rise K force bars. I immediately noticed a vast increase in the bike's stability at speed. It still has the quick, carvey soul, but now it's tamed to the point that you don't have to be a pro to reign it in.
Second- As I have it built:
I spent some extra bucks to get the bike set up just like I wanted, and it was incerdibly well worth it. As it is currently built, the bike weighs 24.33 lbs with the egg beater SL pedals I ride. The bike is an absolute rocket up climbs, even with the slightly longer travel on the fork (100 instead of 80), and the riser bars, the front wheel doesn't wander and the rear still stays glued down.
My tips for you if you were to buy a new 8000 or 8500:
ditch the dual control junk (unless crappy drivetrain parts ar your thing) and switch to SRAM grip shift (those who ride know).
Also, trade the bontrager stuff for lighter parts, Bontrager parts are notoriously heavy (expecially cranks and bars).
Overall, I give it 5 chilis for the value rating because I am so enamored of the bike and you can't put a price on the confidence this frame inspires. 4 of 5 for the overall because of the need to trade out some major parts upon first purchase. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mr Earwig
a Cross Country Rider
from UK
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Trail of destruction | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | 8500 ZR frame only about £200 UK for unused frame only. Light, very responsive. Makes you want to give it your all. | | Weaknesses: | Riding position felt slightly strange initially, but rather like it now. | | Similar Products Used: | Some other hardtails | | Bike Setup: | 8500 ZR frame, Marathon S 2003 forks, 317 Mavic Disc on hope XC front, Trek , Mavic 819 Disc on Ti XC hope rear. SRAM X9 rear deraileur, Xgen front, x9 shifters, Easton monkey lite bar, Thompson X4 stem, Formula Oro Puro brakes, Continental Vertical Pro UST rear, Protection front. | | Bottom Line: | Try it, you might like it.. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
andy kinrade
a Racer
from shrewsbury
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Coed y Brenin | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2300.00 | | Strengths: | racing lightweight, sprity feel very responsive | | Weaknesses: | very harsh ride if not racing | | Similar Products Used: | trek 6500, Marin mount vision, specialized stmupjumper | | Bike Setup: | racface diabolus headset, deus stem, carbon flat bar, Xt center lock/dt swiss wheels (lighter than stock), panaracer fire 1.8's, middleburn race rings, xtr casette, selle italia x0 seat, race face next carbon seat post | | Bottom Line: | very good for cross country racing, lightweight and geometry just makes you want to push harder. forks are very good for 80mm travel. but chainrings are made of cardboard,
(wore out in less than 200 miles). chain is also very weak. now running rohloff chain (very highly recommended). also if riding in wet sandy ish trails, brake pads will be out in an hour or less, no joke, so go for metal goodridge pads. lighter wheelset made a big differace over stock, but over all a very good race machine. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Craig
a Cross Country Rider
from Aberdeen
Date Reviewed: March 27, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2445.00 | | Purchased At: | Alpine Bikes, UK | | Strengths: | lightweight, responsive, consistent component spec, great forks, great disc brakes.
This bike combines a stiff responsive frame with a relatively upright riding position meaning that it sprints and climbs like a racer but descends with confidence. Like i said the forks are noticably better than most forks on the market and the lockout is handy, it handles large irregularities surprisingly well for 80mm travel. The disc brakes are very powerful and very controllable. a full xt drivetrain is comforting while carbon seatpost and disc only and tubeless rim technolgies tell you this is high end stuff. | | Weaknesses: | some may want more travel (i do sometimes), rapid rise mech, combined shifting and braking can be a pain- even when accostommed to it!
I rode this boke 50km and really found the saddle literally a pain, its fine and supportive for short jonts but isnt suitable for endurance.
The firm characteristc runs through the whole bike, it feedsback well to the rider but this can make it a harsher then normal ride, not really a complaint this is targeted at proper mtb'ers anyway.
I think the stock disc brake pads are already going thin, i recommend upgrading anyway for better performance in the logevity aspects.
Original tyres arent really much use except fot dry gentle downhilling or beach riding (i thought)..
| | Similar Products Used: | other custom mid-spec hardtails | | Bike Setup: | 17.5 inch hardtail, mostly race setup except for riser bars. i changed the tyres and grips after purchase but thats personal. may get a more satisfying saddle.. | | Bottom Line: | This is a super bike. it may be a fair amount of money but it performs well enough to earn it. I doubt others could match it, the more expensive klein attitude xv is the same except it has a nicer frame and 100mm travel for another £400 but no other brands seem to offer full xt and a nice all round package that is ready to ride.
I like fast forrest trails where fluid runs prevail over dropoffs and this bike suits me to the ground. It has one or two flaws but they dont effect the bikes core ablity to link the rider to the trail so well. I have ridden specialised stumpjumper comp disc, gary fisher, variants and they seemed lesser to me. hence it gets 5 for performance, but its stll a lot of $$ and you dont get pedals so 4/5 for value | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dan
a Racer
from AUS
Date Reviewed: March 14, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Ultimate Ride | | Strengths: | (Review is actually for the new '06 model 8900) | | Similar Products Used: | Giant XTC zero (good but bad sizing offered), GT zaskar hartail (nasty long top tube, and generally weird geometry), Avanti competitor hartail (light but delicate, bit of a one-season-wonder), too many others to list. | | Bike Setup: | stock, except for a fizik gobi, schwalbe fast freds, flat bars (bontrager) | | Bottom Line: | (Review is actually for the new '06 model trek 8900) Very solid frame, not going to break this one easily (is slightly heavy because of this though)
the frame is slightly more compact than many other alloy hardtails (such as giant, avanti, specialized etc...) and I find that it is easier to throw around and handle on the downhills. I also think it looks better...
The frame sizing is also good (for me), with their 17.5" fitting me a little better than a standard 18".
The componenet spec is great for the price, Fox F80X forks are flawless, & super efficient. Being automatically locked out when not hitting bumps makes it possible to really power up the hills without loosing energy to suspension bob. They also handle the downhills really well, and are heaps stiffer than many other forks I've ridden with (rockshox, manitou).
XTR Gruppo is sweet as expected. After owning a few bikes with the new shifters I'm finally getting the hang of them...
The Bontrager components also suprised me. The carbon seatpost is pretty light compared to many and the side clamping mechanism to clamp the saddle rails is also less fiddely than the standard one. One thing that might concern any heavy riders is the durability of the seat post. I'm only 62kgs (136lb) and the post still flexes a fair bit under me. For me this is good as it provides a little comfort over the bumps, but at my weight, it is the first seatpost that I have noticed doing this!
I would say that the main strengths of the bike are its descending characteristics due to the frame geometry. it goes like a dream down a hill...
Weight-wise it isn't too bad, with mine comming in at around 10.5kgs (~23lb) and is still mostly stock. While that is pretty light, there are many production bikes now available that are a good couple of kilo's less in weight. The top of the range hartail, the elite 9.9 would certainly be a sweet ride, as the frame would be a fair bit lighter, & the higher level components. as far as I know the geometry is the same between the carbon & alloy hartails.
If you've got the dough, get the carbon frame, but if you're on a budget, the alloy works a wonder (at that price.)
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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