Come Trek With Me
Written: Jun 21 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lightweight, smooth ride, easy handling
Cons: No front suspension
The Bottom Line: This is a wonderfully smooth shifting and smooth riding bicycle. The light weight makes it easy to hang up or load up.
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| gp4evr's Full Review: Trek 820 (1998) |
Living in Florida allows us to enjoy bicycling year round. My husband and I grew up using bikes purchased at department stores. They were inexpensive and worked just fine. I can remember many happy hours pedaling around with my friends. These less expensive bicycles are still fine for children who outgrow them quickly and do not take particularly good care of their bikes. If a bike gets stolen ( we all know how kids leave them lying about in the front yard), at least is isn't a great monetary loss.
In 1998 my brother had purchased new Trek bicycles for himself and his wife and was showing them off to us. He was very pleased with his bike, how smoothly it rode, and all the quality components that it included.
I have to point out that before my brother buys anything he does exhaustive research on what he plans to purchase. He reads comparisons, specifications, reports, and talks to others who own such a product. So when he buys something I know it is usually quite nice and sometimes expensive because ordinary dosen't do for him.
I was impressed by what he was telling me and what I saw, so I jumped on his bike to try it out. I was really surprised at the smoothness of the ride and how easily it shifted and handled. I must have had green eyes after that spin around the block because when I returned I was sold on Trek bikes and I wanted one!
We went down to our local dealer who handled Trek bikes to check out the models. They really have a wide selection of bikes depending on what you are looking for. They range from kids bikes, racing bikes, recumbant bikes, bmx, cruisers, mountain bikes and hybrids. The salesman helped me choose which bike would suit me best by how I would be using it. He also helped me find the proper fit bike. When you are straddling the bike with your feet flat on the ground there should be at least 1 inch clearance between the top rail and the rider. For all terrain bikes the clearance should be 2 to 3 inches.
I chose a Trek 820, 26inch mountain mix bike for riding around the neighborhood and sometimes for off the road riding the trails at our State Park.
The Trek 820 is relatively lightweight making it easy to lift & move around. It weighs approx. 29 pounds. Compare that to my daughters Next bike that weights 41 pounds.It has Shimano derailers and grip shifters. The grip shifters have 3 speeds on the left grip and 7 speeds on the right grip which in combination offers 21 speeds ( more than I really ever use). The rim brakes are controlled by levers on the left and right handgrips.
The 820 also has quick release wheel retention mechanisms, allowing the wheels to be quickly removed and installed without tools.
I replaced the original seat with a gel seat, which was much more comfortable, added a water bottle holder and bar ends on the handle bars.
About two or three months after I had purchased my Trek, I saw an ad in the newspaper for a Trek 830 for $200. We checked it out (it was not even broken in yet) and I bought it for my husband.
Todays technology has allowed for lightweight design, excellent shock absorption and quality components, but keep in mind these bicycles need basic care and maintenance to keep them in good working condition.
The owners manual recommends
AFTER EACH RIDE wipe off brake pads and rims, check tire inflation and check to see if wheels are straight ( by spinning them, if the rim does not spin evenly you can have them trued by a Trek dealer)
WEEKLY Wipe down bicycle with a damp cloth, check for loose spokes, lube suspension forks, check suspension bolts both front and rear for tightness
MONTHLY Inspect & lube chair and cassette and deraileurs, inspect for any loose nuts and bolts, inspect shift cables for wear, inspect brake cables, check wheel bearing adjustment, check headset bearings
EVERY 3 MONTHS clean & polish frame, inspect & lube brake levers,crankset,pedals and reflectors
EVERY YEAR Regrease bottom bracket bearings, wheel bearings, pedal threads & bearings, and suspension forks. Also Lubricate wheel quick releases, seatpost and handlebar stem
I recently took my Trek 820 in to my Trek dealer for a tune-up. It only cost $35 and I didn't have to worry about all that lubricating and checking. They go over the entire bike lubricating and making adjustments (the cables
stretch over time), making sure everything is properly aligned and in good working order. The tune-up even includes replacing worn springs on the brakes. I would recommend a tune-up once a year if you ride regularly unless you are a do-it-yourselfer.
Trek first began making hand-built bicycle frames in 1976 in an old wooden barn in Waterloo, Wisconsin. You can learn about the history of this company, their mission & advocacy on their web site http:\\www.trekbikes.com
Trek Bicycle Corporation
801 W. Madison Street
Waterloo, Wisconsin 53594
While these bicycles might be a bit more than you can or would be willing to pay, believe me they are worth it. You can buy a good used Trek for about what you might pay for a new less expensive brand. Check e-bay and even your local newspaper ads. People who are upgrading, moving, etc, are often selling good used bicycles. As I mentioned before, that is how I bought my husbands 830 Trek.
Happy trails!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
gp4evr
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Member: Sue Kiddy
Location: Florida
Reviews written: 48
Trusted by: 23 members
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