# Trek 820



## Kent580 (May 31, 2013)

820 - Trek Bicycle

Hello everybody, I haven't been riding bikes since probably 1997 when I was a kid... but I kinda want to get back into it. I have moved to a small town where everything is close enough to be ridden to. I'm also 5 minutes from a pretty nice park with bike paths and such.

When I was a kid, I used to ride an old 90 dollar Huffy... the thing weighed a ton, but I remember it being like a tank. I left it out in the rain a bunch of times, almost never oiled it, and even knocked it over more times than I can remember.... I rode the hell out of that bike, often times 20 miles outside of town with friends.

Anyway, I've got no idea what brands are decent anymore. About 15 minutes of research has shown me that people (at least on the internet) seem to universally hate Huffy now ever since their production was moved overseas.

That really brings me to the subject of this post: I need some advice on a nice bike, that can handle streets as well as the dirt bike trails at my local park, that will be able to take a beating like my Huffy did when I was a kid. My friend recommended to me the Trek 820 ... which really appeals to me, because I like the styling and the fact that it's within my price range of 300-400 bucks.

Yeah that's right... I'm not looking to spend a fortune. I made the mistake of wandering into my local bike shop, and they were nice guys in there... but they kept trying to talk me into this 1200 dollar bike. I eventually had to stop the guy's sales pitch and was like "Look man, I'm not spending 1200 bucks on a bike." ... After he realized he wasn't gonna get the sale, he kinda couldn't be bothered with me.

What frustrated me about the bike shop was that I couldn't seem to get an HONEST answer about what bike would meet my needs and budget. They only seem to care about customers that are in there to buy 1200 dollar bikes I guess... I asked him about the Trek 820, and he flatly said that they didn't carry that brand, and that I should consider something else. Quite honestly, the whole atmosphere of the bike shop was a bit much for me. Whole lotta Lance Armstrong wannabes and brand fanaticism... I found it all to be a bit much.

So I guess I'm looking for feedback on the Trek 820... does anyone here actually own the bike? Anything that I should need to know before buying? My friend says Trek is a reputable brand and uses good parts... which is good enough for me, since I know almost nothing about bikes.


----------



## 8iking VIIking (Dec 20, 2012)

My first non department store bike was a trek 3700, which is very similar to the 820 but with an aluminum frame instead of steel. It actually said on the frame "NOT FOR OFF ROAD USE", which I assume was for warranty issues. Anyways the forks on those bikes are absolute garbage for anything but smooth dirt roads and the wheels are also junk (bent 2 of them going off curbs). For your price range I would definitely go used


----------



## ParsedOut (Apr 4, 2013)

I always recommend Bikesdirect.com to newbies (I still am one) looking for an inexpensive starter bike. I got mine there and despite some shipping issues with UPS, my experience was very positive. I got the Gravity G29 singlespeed, but they have geared bikes with name brand components (however they are "entry level") and the frames are built to handle off road use. If you don't mind buying sight unseen, this is a great option in my opinion and less chance of getting suckered by buying used.


----------



## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

This Bike Direct Gravity Point1 is 450. The fork is only good for bike paths and easy(no bump) trails. But Nick at Suntour has a Raidon air fork upgrade offer for 175+ship. That gets you up to about 630. Then you can ride rocks, roots and steep trails. At the bike shop that type bike is 7-800 and still needs the fork upgrade. The 1200 bike he was showing you was probably the cheapest trail ready bike in the shop.
Save up to 60% off new Mountain Bikes - MTB - Gravity 29Point1 29er Mountain Bikes
Here's the thread on the upgrade--
http://forums.mtbr.com/beginners-corner/if-you-want-upgrade-your-suntour-fork-830657.html
There's a review on page 5.

You can also go used. I'd stay with a 29 hard tail.


----------



## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

To answer your question directly, the Trek at 820 will work for your described riding needs just fine. Yes its a heavy steel bike, yes there are better bikes out there and yes that bike will easily handle commuting and dirt paths and even more.


----------



## ParsedOut (Apr 4, 2013)

Based on his original post, he only plans to ride the bike trails at his local park. I have the feeling the stock fork would be just fine. He could even get away with a rigid singlespeed and spend way less. If he absolutely has to have gears, the entry level Gravity is a decent starter bike for not much cash.


----------



## Mtn-Rider (May 21, 2010)

My other bike is a stock '92 Trek 820 Antelope which is a blast to ride. I'm really surprised how I can ride many of the tough trails I normally ride my real mtb on.

I also ride it a lot around town, do errands up to 10 miles away with a rack+panniers, and put on it many more miles than on my 29er.

An 820 is fine as long as you ride within its limitations: rigid fork, rim brakes, low BB/pedals, etc. You don't need much bike to get around town and ride the kinds of trails you mention.


----------



## Kent580 (May 31, 2013)

So long story short, I ended up getting a Giant Boulder bike... used... from the bike shop. They tuned and oiled up everything for me, and I'm really happy with it. This thing feels very sturdy and solid, and it shifts very smoothly and reliably. 

I paid a little extra to get a non-department store brand... but I'm happy with it. I can't wait to take this bike out to one of the park trails.


----------



## 8iking VIIking (Dec 20, 2012)

Congrats on the new bike! You made a good choice, the boulder is much better than any department store bike


----------



## ferguson65 (Jun 7, 2013)

Congrats on the new bike. Just as a follow up to the 820 question though, I'm still riding my 2000 Trek 820, and the thing is tough. I did put a new fork on it last year, but other than the fork, bars, grips and tires it's all original. I'm a big guy #240 and ride hard, and this thing has been dropped, crashed, beaten and its still together. I know I got my $400 out of it!


----------



## plainolebill (Mar 10, 2012)

ferguson65 said:


> Congrats on the new bike. Just as a follow up to the 820 question though, I'm still riding my 2000 Trek 820, and the thing is tough. I did put a new fork on it last year, but other than the fork, bars, grips and tires it's all original. I'm a big guy #240 and ride hard, and this thing has been dropped, crashed, beaten and its still together. I know I got my $400 out of it!


I bought a used 97' 820 last year and upgraded/replaced most of the moving parts. I love the thing - I'm an old guy and only ride around town so it will probably outlast me. My last bike was a Trek 7200 and I never liked the suspension.


----------

