# Upgrades for 2011 Trek 3700 Disc with 300$ !!!



## tavorh1 (May 9, 2011)

Hey guys two weeks ago I bought a new 2011 Trek 3700 Disc. I was wondering be the best upgrades for this bike with a budget of 300$. I was thinking upgrade pedals since the ones are plastic (platforms or clipless?). I leave the 300$ to your choice. I do mostly trail biking.

Here are the specifications of the bike:

2011 Trek 3700 Disc. Details /

Description

Colors
Crystal Pearl White
Satin Black
Frameset

Frame
Alpha White Aluminum w/semi-integrated head tube, bi-oval down tube w/integrated gusset, rack & fender mounts, disc compatible dropouts, replaceable derailleur hanger
Front suspension
SR Suntour XCT w/coil spring and preload, 80mm travel
Size
19.5"
Wheels

Wheels
Formula alloy DC20 front hub, Shimano alloy M475 rear hub; Bontrager 550 36-hole rims w/brushed sidewalls
Tires
Bontrager LT3, 26x2.0"
Drivetrain

Shifters
Shimano EF51, 7 speed
Front derailleur
Shimano Tourney
Rear derailleur
Shimano Altus
Crank
Shimano M131, 42/34/24
Cassette
Shimano TZ31 13-34, 7 speed
Pedals
Wellgo nylon platform
Components

Saddle
Bontrager SSR
Seatpost
Bontrager SSR, 31.6mm, 20mm offset
Handlebar
Bontrager Approved Riser, 25.4mm, 30mm rise
Stem
Bontrager Approved, 25.4mm
Headset
1-1/8" threadless, semi-integrated, semi-cartridge bearings
Brakeset
Tektro Novela mechanical disc brakes w/Shimano EF50 levers
Accessories

Grips
Bontrager SSR


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## Prophet bill (Feb 28, 2008)

Ride it the way it is till it breaks save the money for your next bike.


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## Ice Cold (Aug 20, 2008)

you could used the $300 on a 2011 Trek 4500 Disc

you would have gotten

- Hydraulic brakes
- Double walled rims

unfortunately the 3700 only has single walled rims which you will most likely bend or taco soon enough. 

my LBS has 2011 Matte onyx (thats silver) Trek 4500 Disc for $600 bones thats a steal on an $800 msrp quality bike.


I must admit I really considered the 3700 and 3900 Trek 2011 models and rode them but Single wall rims are a deal breaker. Note to Trek if your 2011 3900 Disc matte black had double wall rims I'd be riding one right now $450 at LBS. Instead I took my business to Cannondale.


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## tavorh1 (May 9, 2011)

Ice Cold said:


> you could used the $300 on a 2011 Trek 4500 Disc
> 
> you would have gotten
> 
> ...


I got it for 400$ seemed like a very good deal. I did think to upgrade to the Trek 4300 Disc but it was 200$ more 50% of my initial investment. So I went back and settled for 3700 Disc one considering that I am a beginner at trail biking. I'm not going to do 6 feet jumps or anything. Just normal trail riding.

Anyways there has to be some upgrades that noticeably will improve the bike. Maybe the Shimano PD-M520L clipless pedals or better fork or tires. I dont know. I guys are the experts.


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## MarlinAbuser (Jan 28, 2006)

Replace as things break.

I put a bunch of miles on my 2001 Gary Fisher Marlin on all the stock junk parts, the worst part about these low end bikes is the Fork. I gave my Fork to the local hipster bike place and put a Surly Rigid fork on that bike, and upgraded the crank with a slightly used XT off of eBay for like $100 shipped. The crank upgrade was vital IMHO because that old one flexed a lot but I'm sure whatever is on the new 3700 isn't horrid.


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## SwampDonkeyDisco (Mar 3, 2010)

Buy a basket, fenders, streamers, lights, bell, pump, bike lock, panniers, mirrors, pegs, number plate, bobble-head doll, customized license plate, blinkers, baseball cards for the spokes, speedometer.....that should do it.


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## tavorh1 (May 9, 2011)

im thinking Shimano PD-M520L MTB Sport Pedals with Cleats for 34$ in amazon. great because if i later on buy a better bike i could swap them. maybe a RockShox Tora TK Coil 100 Black Rim/Disc '11 Fork for 175$ or off a sale for under 150$. Will this fork fit my bike with my stock disc brakes?


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## Musichead13 (May 3, 2006)

It's your money and you can do anything you want with it but I really wouldn't be putting a lot of money into upgrading the bike right now, especially when it's only a few weeks old and probably doesn't even have that many miles on it. Clipless pedals and cleats are fine so you can learn to use them but I really wouldn't be upgrading the fork at this early point. See if you really like riding first and want to get into the sport more before putting more money into the bike. Of course, it's all your choice.


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## Ice Cold (Aug 20, 2008)

Wow just $250 more and you could have had a 2011 Trek 4500 Disc.

you can spend $500 on upgrading your 3700 and you still would not get close to a 4500 Disc. 

Now you want to blow $300 on upgrading a 3700. Makes no sense it boggles the mind.


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## Dirty Bastard (Jan 23, 2008)

as hard as it is for some of us too see what ICE COLD coldly pointed out... you nailed it on the head in you allready know, its the pedals!!!!!!!! get clipless and a good pair of shoes, go mtb ride and with the money left buy some tubes, lube and other essentials 300 bucks blows away quit fast. other than that I would say a Manitou minute fork : D, but I would rather be on a rigid that a low end fork, been there done that.


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## S_Trek (May 3, 2010)

Ice Cold said:


> you could used the $300 on a 2011 Trek 4500 Disc
> 
> you would have gotten
> 
> ...


What I was thinking.


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## Koppuh Klyde (Jul 13, 2010)

Typically you want to change your contact points first. Grips, pedals and saddle. Also tires depending on the terrain you ride. These are all personal preferences and you'll just have to figure them out for yourself for the most part.


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## S_Trek (May 3, 2010)

Get a good helmet, gloves and a few pairs of riding pants.


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## tavorh1 (May 9, 2011)

yes i guess for 200$ more its worth the upgrade to the 600$ 2011 4300 disc with double walled rims and hydraulic brakes. i guess im going for upgrades that i could swap to by future next bike. upgrades like the Shimano PD-M520L clipless (30$) and maybe upgrade the fork online if i find a very good deal for a good fork new or used under 100$ good enough


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

I used to have a Trek 3700. For the kind of riding you do, all you really need to upgrade would be the rear derailleur. You can pick up a Shimano Alivio rear derailleur for about $40 on eBay, or you could spend $10 extra and get a Shimano Deore, either of which will dramatically improve your shifting. I would also consider getting a different front deraillur.

I would agree that the forks could be upgraded as well. I wouldn't worry about that right away, though. What you may find is that the Suntour forks will start to squeak every time you hit bumps, and at that point, I'd say do the upgrade then.

Don't worry about upgrading the rims for now until the bike store tells you they need to be replaced because they can no longer be trued.


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## tavorh1 (May 9, 2011)

*rear derailleur*



getagrip said:


> I used to have a Trek 3700. For the kind of riding you do, all you really need to upgrade would be the rear derailleur. You can pick up a Shimano Alivio rear derailleur for about $40 on eBay, or you could spend $10 extra and get a Shimano Deore, either of which will dramatically improve your shifting. I would also consider getting a different front deraillur.
> 
> I would agree that the forks could be upgraded as well. I wouldn't worry about that right away, though. What you may find is that the Suntour forks will start to squeak every time you hit bumps, and at that point, I'd say do the upgrade then.
> 
> Don't worry about upgrading the rims for now until the bike store tells you they need to be replaced because they can no longer be trued.


is the stock derailleur that bad? is it worth it? do i need to do any modifications?


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## TUowls717 (May 11, 2011)

pick up a LX crankset on Jenson for $89, along with new rear derailleur, maybe like a deore or LX, some lock on grips total for that stuff will be around $150. then search craigslist for a wheelset or get a new set online. typically can find decent set with XT hubs for under $150. You'll notice a dramatic difference with those modifications alone.


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## bing! (Jul 8, 2010)

Buy new tires, pedals and shoes. Put the rest of your money in a fund for repair parts/tools as needed. Upgrades are fun. Having to buy parts coz you busted something stinks. Best to be prepared.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Koppuh Klyde said:


> Typically you want to change your contact points first. Grips, pedals and saddle. Also tires depending on the terrain you ride. These are all personal preferences and you'll just have to figure them out for yourself for the most part.


Agree with this.

I often change stems on my new bikes, to get the reach dialed in.

I'm a fan of clipless pedals, although I've actually never used Shimano. Don't be a cheapskate about shoes. You really get more when you spend over $100. (But not that much more when you spend over $200, IMO.)

Each and every component on something like the 3700 could stand to be replaced with something nicer, and it doesn't sound like you spent your real figure. Ride this for the season and don't buy any more "upgrades" than those listed right here, in this post. Don't buy a new fork - they're expensive, don't always transfer to the next bike, and bolting extra money to entry bikes doesn't do much for the resale value. Your future use for this if you get into the sport is going to be as a loaner or a utility bike, and you'll either not care about the fork or want to stick a rigid on it.

The 3700 has a funny geometry, and is likely to fit oddly for men who ride athletically. So beyond being a ridiculously expensive way to get a nice bike, bolting a lot of upgrades to this frame still won't get you something that rides that well, as you get into good riding shape, unless you're leggy and have a short reach.

If you break something expensive (fork, wheel) or wear out something expensive (crankset) just buy a new bike. Spend your real pricepoint this time. If you want to stretch a buck, buy used. My roommate picked up a really nice, racy hardtail for $700 last night, courtesy of a guy who bought it to race and found he liked his even more expensive FS better, and if she decides she wants to race and she's less of a wimp than he was about doing some ab work in the morning, she can do it without changing a single component (beyond fit components, of course.) It'll certainly be great for her as she develops her trail skills.


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

Well...I was always taking mine in the the bike store for adjustments - you will notice a huge difference with Alivio or Deore. Just be sure that if you swap the parts out that they will still do the adjustments for free on the Alivio or Deore, because if you don't know what you are doing, it can be a nightmare trying to do the adjustments your self. 

Since Alivio and Deore are much better quaility than the one the 3700 comes with, the bike store would probably be okay with it, because you aren't going to be bringing it in nearly as much for adjustments, and shifting will be much smoother for you.


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## tavorh1 (May 9, 2011)

best bang for the buck?


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## i017768 (Feb 17, 2011)

That's what i've upgraded. Grips, handle bar, platform pedals, and seat. I have a 2011 Trek Marlin. I love it! and now i'm looking to go clipless and a good pair of shoes. And then i'm gonna ride it till it breaks!! And don't you just love all the smart a$$es on here...:madmax:


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