# Should I pick up a trek y3?



## mass-hole (Oct 6, 2011)

I am just starting out MT biking but my cousin has a trek y3, probably a 97 or 98. I don't think he's used it in years. Should I make him an offer to add my first FS bike to my inventory and if so how much. As far as I know his bike is bone stock.

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## mimi1885 (Aug 12, 2006)

Edit: I missed the part about being the first bike. why the need to own a late 90s URT design. There's nothing wrong with the design but it suited that era well not now.

Since it would be your first bike I'd share some info with you. URT or Unified Rear Triangle in the era offers very firm pedaling platform like Hardtail but still active suspension on the descend while coasting. The problem was that back in the day the designer made the bike very firm and not really comfortable and questionable handling as well. 

Modern URT design like one found on a boutique Castellano Zorro would yeild a good of a ride as other popular full suspension design now.:thumbsup:


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## mass-hole (Oct 6, 2011)

I only have a 2000 Gary Fisher tassajara at the moment but I also don't have a whole lot of money to look into anything too expensive as I'm trying to purchase my first home. I figured it might be worth it if I could get it cheap enough and then resell it when the time is right.


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## kudude (May 20, 2008)

you're not going to make money on it, so forget about that.

Ride it around and see if you like it, but you're probably better off on hte GF than the bouncy Y-3. 

Shitty full suspension isn't better than a HT


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## Call_me_Clyde (Oct 27, 2004)

*No*

No, no, no, no, no. Don't buy it. Take Mimi's advice. For it's day, a well suited design, but not by today's standard. At this point, it's merely a novelty.


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

mass-hole said:


> I only have a 2000 Gary Fisher tassajara at the moment


That would be such a backwards step it wouldn't be funny. Stick with your current bike and only put enough money into it to keep it running well. Save your pennies and pick up something from the last decade off the used market.

If you buy a FS bike that's older than that then you're going to get something that rides poorly and if something breaks you will be unlikely to find a replacement part for it.


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## Gary H (Dec 16, 2006)

I had a Y-5 back in 98 and read all the magazines on how shitty that bike was. I must of put 6000 miles on that bike. They were wrong. That was the best bike I ever owned. Well, except this Fuel EX 8.


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## mrbigisbudgood (Apr 4, 2011)

Gary H said:


> I had a Y-5 back in 98 and read all the magazines on how shitty that bike was. I must of put 6000 miles on that bike. They were wrong. That was the best bike I ever owned. Well, except this Fuel EX 8.


Yeah....my VooDoo URT (eerily similar to the Trek Y suspension) was the best bike I owned also....until I got another bike an realized how horribly that bike pedaled. First thing I did after changing from the VooDoo to a Homegrown hardrail was stand and hammer a climb, you can't do that on a URT bike.

Stay away from the old tech, save your money.


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

Stay away from the Y. Neat looking bikes, but that's about it. There was so much pedal bob on those it was depressing. That said, there is still a niche for the Castellano URTs today - full suspension single speeds.


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## mass-hole (Oct 6, 2011)

Ok thanks a lot everyone. I wasnt aware of what URT stood for so I did a wiki search and I can see how it could be a tough suspension to work with. The fact that the distance between the pedals and seat can change seems like a pita. Thanks for talking me out of it.


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