Wish I found this site before Craigslist

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by simplyserving .

He was near my height, probably 5'9".

Well, IMO, you are very bold to ride a MTB which was designed to be used by someone who is 2" taller than you ...

However, I suppose THAT simply reaffirms what a wuss I am with regard to MTBs & MTB riding.

Originally Posted by simplyserving .

He said that the only thing original is the frame and all other parts are no older than 3 years old. Do you think that's true? Obviously I can tell the shocks and seatpost are new and the headset and wheels but how can I tell if the other parts are newer? He said he got the frame and started to build him a racer.

1. FYI. I wasn't kidding when I said "[COLOR= #0000ff]that's a nice bike ... for 1998[/COLOR]."
2. By my recollection, the frame is from the mid-90s ...
   
3. The XTR rear derailleur is model RD952, and I am pretty sure dates from 1998-to-2002 ([COLOR= #808080]I have RD950, RD951, and RD952 derailleurs + XT-RD750, etc.[/COLOR])
4. I'm pretty sure that the 8-speed XT (?) shifters have to date to about 1998, or before.
5. The presumably 8-speed XT FD739 front derailleur is 1998, or before, too.
6. The rear cassette is more recent than the original 8-speed generation of Shimano cassettes ([COLOR= #808080]which were not ramped[/COLOR]).
7. I will guess that the particular ROCK SHOX Fork dates to before 2008, but may never have been used ...
   • ... in the past few years, the cantilever/V-brake bosses were deemed superfluous & eliminated from "current" suspension forks; but, I didn't pay close attention to when the brake mounting bosses were actually eliminated since I wasn't in the market for a new Suspension Fork..
   • NO remote lockout? That probably means that the Fork dates to 2005, or earlier.
8. I can't tell what type of BB the bike has, but I'll presume it is an ISIS ... THAT more-than-likely dates it AND the RaceFace crankset to between 1998-and-2002.
9. The 26.4mm stem probably dates the handlebars-and-stem to before 2003-or-2004; after that, an OS stem & Handlebar would probably be chosen more often than not.

I have to guess that the seller may have meant that nothing was used for more than three years ... otherwise, he was clearly not telling you the truth.


I'll date the wheels to around 2001, BTW.

• $300 is a generous valuation for the here-and-now considering they are rim-brake only hubs.

Of course, someone else might give you a different assessment of the age of the components.

Originally Posted by simplyserving .

If all parts are in good condition, what would you say the monetary value if this bike is?

Monetary value?!?

Kind of late to ask, isn't it?

What did YOU pay for it?

According to the "Free Market" the value is whatever YOU paid for it ...

The next person might not be willing to pay as much, or they might be willing to pay more.

It's too late to worry about it ...

If you ride it & enjoy riding it, then it's probably worth whatever you paid for it.

Otherwise ...

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by simplyserving .

Also, he gave me a "parts" bag with some type of aparatus which looks like a tire pressure hose. I take it that its for the shock. He explained to me something about adjusting the amount if give in the seatpost by turning a screw inside of it. List there. He also gave me these neoprene covers which he said to use in wet or muddy conditions to cover the shocks. Are these relevant?

FYI. To adjust the spring in the suspension seatpost, you need to remove the seatpost from the frame ([COLOR= #808080]if the seatpost isn't ruled, then put a piece of masking-tape-or-equivalent on the seatpost where it enters the frame[/COLOR]). At the bottom end, there will be a bolt head which probably requires a 5mm Allen Wrench ... usually, you turn it clockwise to make the spring "sitffer" and counter-clockwise to make it bouncier.

The Neoprene covers keep the sliders on the fork clean of GRIT ... regardless, the sliders need to be cleaned & lubed, periodically ... Englund's SLICK HONEY is a good choice ... just a dab near the bushing on the stanchions will generally suffice. The Neoprene covers are NOT particularly relevant if you ride in dry conditions.

I'm pretty sure that the "aparatus which looks like a tire pressure hose" is for adding air to your Fork.

 

[simplyserving]

That's just it, I didnt pay for it per se, but traded rougly 400 dollars worth of musical gear for it. He had it listed on Craigslist for 450. I am just trying to assess a value for insurance or future resale/trade-in purposes. As far as sizing goes, if it ends up being too big a fit, what options (if any) do I have to aid in a better fit? I figured with a medium sized frame and the fact that the seller was slightly taller than I with a similar, muscular build, that it would come close to fitting. I also wanted to lean towards the side of being slightly larger as I wanted my son who is 5'9" and growing to be able to ride it. What do I need to do to test if these older parts are in good working order, aside from taking it for a ride it to a shop? I am particularly interested in assessing the functionality of the shock. I guess you are right in that if I like enjoy it, then that's what truly matters. I guess with this being my first bike, its a good starter and would be better than most department store bikes. That was my goal.

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by simplyserving .

That's just it, I didnt pay for it per se, but traded rougly 400 dollars worth of musical gear for it. He had it listed on Craigslist for 450. I am just trying to assess a value for insurance or future resale/trade-in purposes. As far as sizing goes, if it ends up being too big a fit, what options (if any) do I have to aid in a better fit?

FWIW. Hardly the definitive answer, but $450 sounds "okay" as an amount if you needed to replicate the build ...

• $100 +/- for the used wheels
• $100+ for the NOS Fork
• $100 +/- for the 8-speed shifters/derailleurs/etc
• $50-to-$100+ for the frame ([COLOR= #808080]it could be worth a lot more to someone having a Rosebud-moment[/COLOR])
• $50 for the crankset & BB
• $50+, saddle, seatpost, etc.

As far as making the bike feel smaller, all other things being equal, if the handlebars are higher than they currently are then the required forward reach by the rider is less ... on the other hand, if the bars are lower, the required forward reach by the rider is greater ...

So, you would want to raise the handlebars by either getting a handlebar with some "rise" ([COLOR= #808080]there are at least two "taller" bends[/COLOR]) and/or using a Hi-Rise stem which raises the handlebar by about an inch, I think, and has a net forward reach of about 90mm.

 

[simplyserving]

He kept raving about the Chris King headset he recently added. Is this a good/expensive headset? I saw a Trek 8700 being sold as Vintage on EBay. It is pretty rough looking and the seller was asking around 1000 dollars. There were some add-on parts to this as well. All-in-all, if the bike functions properly, would you consider this a bad, fair, good, or excellent bike? Is this something which is going to get me "laughed off of the trails" or would it hold its own?

 

[davereo]

Originally Posted by simplyserving .

He kept raving about the Chris King headset he recently added. Is this a good/expensive headset? I saw a Trek 8700 being sold as Vintage on EBay. It is pretty rough looking and the seller was asking around 1000 dollars. There were some add-on parts to this as well.
All-in-all, if the bike functions properly, would you consider this a bad, fair, good, or excellent bike? Is this something which is going to get me "laughed off of the trails" or would it hold its own?

No one is going to laugh you off the trails. You wouldn't believe the bikes that are out on the trail. Some of them are so beat up from use that you would be surprised they still worked.
The headset is not really a big deal. It is better quality than the stock one that was on the bike and was probably something the previous owner had kicking around and he decided to put it on the bike.
I would recommend that if you are planning on using the pedals and cleats you take the bike out for a few road rides and get used to getting in and out of them in a hurry. If the trails in your area are anything like they are around here your safety will depend on this skill.
You have the bike go out and ride it. You will learn more on the saddle riding than you will tapping the keys.

 

[kdelong]

The bike looks respectable, but a little dated as newer bikes nearly always come with disc brakes. I don't think that anyone is going to laugh at you over the bike. They might get a chuckle out of watching you get used to trail riding but the the bike is just fine. It is probably as good as, if not better than what most anyone else will have out there except for the real hardcore riders. A Chris King headset is pretty good, sort of like Michelin Tires on a car. There are less expensive headsets that will work just as well but you are paying a little for the name and reputation. For sizing, ride it and see what it needs to be right for you. You can get a shorter stem if needed, and you can raise or lower the saddle as needed, as well as move the saddle forward or aft. If none of these work, then you might need to sell it and look for another. Good luck, looks like a nice enough bike to me, in spite of what alfeng thinks.

 

[danfoz]

Sweet ride. As long as everything's working ok it looks like it's ready for serious business! Most people couldn't reach that bikes limits. And a "medium" from Trek should cover you at 5'7". Size-wize if it doesn't feel right, as long as the seat height is set correctly a lot can be done w/just the stem.

You're not gonna try it? Look at the penalty for failure dude.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSzvDkyMD0o

 

[alienator]

If the bike fits you and feels good out on the trail, then it will work fine. You don't need a bike built in the last few years to have fun. As suggested by davereo, get used to getting into and out of the pedals before you do anything too serious on the trails.

 

[danfoz]

Originally Posted by alfeng .


So, you would want to raise the handlebars by either getting a handlebar with some "rise" ([COLOR= #808080]there are at least two "taller" bends[/COLOR]) and/or using a Hi-Rise stem which raises the handlebar by about an inch, I think, and has a net forward reach of about 90mm.

To add, larger frame sizes usually have longer head tubes. Some riders who have difficulty with a very leaned over position (because the bars are to low) and who cannot get the bars high enough by flipping the stem or adding spacers often go up one size and remedy the increased stretch of the longer top tube w/a shorter stem (or just find a model w/a taller head tube). In other words, you probabably won't be too low on a bigger frame, you're more likely to be too streched out.

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by kdelong .

... looks like a nice enough bike to me, [COLOR= #ff0000]in spite [/COLOR][COLOR= #ff0000]of what alfeng thinks[/COLOR].

Whoa!

I didn't mean to suggest that there was anything wrong with the bike OTHER than possibly the size for the intended rider ([COLOR= #808080]i.e., Ken, aka [/COLOR]simplyserving) based on [COLOR= #0000ff]my[/COLOR] wussy bias toward a smaller MTB frame + to make him aware of the vintage of most of the components as probably being from 10-years-ago, or older.

• my dust-covered Hardtail is currently set up with 8-speed shifters + an 8-speed cassette, BTW
• my Hardtail is a 90s-vintage STEEL Trek frame that has been reworked several times and whose handlebar & stem I would change to OS-size for purely cosmetic reasons + the crankset which I would probably change to a Hollowtech II ([COLOR= #808080]again, for purely cosmetic reasons[/COLOR]) from its Octalink crankset only because I happened to get the Hollowtech II crank for a "Touring" bike which I don't seem to be inspired enough to build up.

I guess I should have said "[COLOR= #ff0000]that's a VERY NICE bike ... for 1998[/COLOR]" + it should be a nice Hardtail to ride in the here-and-now.

 

[simplyserving]

Excellent feedback as usual from the forum. The reason i have not yet rode it is because I am in a sling recovering from a Labrum tear surgical correction (old injury). Hopefully I will be on it soon and be able to ask some educated questions. Regardless if its comprised of older parts or not, I am sure I will love it.

On another note, I was sent some road bike parts from a family member. I would feel odd asking if these were quality parts and an upgrade over what i have on my bike. Could anyone tell me what I have and its quality by these pictures.

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by simplyserving

He kept raving about the Chris King headset he recently added. Is this a good/expensive headset? I saw a Trek 8700 being sold as Vintage on EBay. It is pretty rough looking and the seller was asking around 1000 dollars. There were some add-on parts to this as well.

All-in-all, if the bike functions properly, would you consider this a bad, fair, good, or excellent bike? Is this something which is going to get me "laughed off of the trails" or would it hold its own?

FWIW. Sorry about not commenting on the Chris King headset, earlier ...

• The Chris King headsets are arguably the benchmark against which other headsets are judged ...
• And, it is better to have one than almost any other headset ... But, if they need servicing, they must be sent back to Chris King to have the cartridge bearings replaced
• Chris King headsets have a 10-year warranty I even have a couple of bikes which are fitted with Chris King headsets
• in my case, they were chosen as much for subjectively superior functionality ([COLOR= #808080]i.e., no maintenance required[/COLOR]) as for conspicuous consumption

[*] So, while a properly installed-and-adjusted $10 headset will function just as well as a Chris King headset, a Chris King headset is actually easier to install

• BTW, the least expensive headsets will have steel cups & caged bearings vs. aluminum cups and sealed cartridge bearings, so there is a weight difference
• [COLOR= #808080]there are several other headsets which have aluminum cups & cartridge bearings, BTW[/COLOR].

As others have already noted, no one will laugh at the bike ... all of the components AND Fork would still be considered to be very good ... and, the components were excellent-for-the-time.

• The particular RaceFace crankset was certainly a very popular option at the time ... the particular RaceFace crankset was available with "Compact" & "Micro" spiders ([COLOR= #808080]your bike has the latter[/COLOR])
• it was available for use with either an ISIS or Square Taper Bottom Bracket my very subjective opinion is that Square Taper BBs were better than the ISIS BBs that I have used ...
• part of my annoyance with the ISIS BB is that while it appears to use the same BB tool as the Octalink BB, most of the Octalink tools will not work with it due to the length of the spindle which extends beyond the BB cups ... a 107mm ISIS BB installed-and-removed with an Octalink BB tool ... it's a very trivial point, but something to be aware of when you buy a BB tool (i[COLOR= #808080]f the crankset & BB are indeed ISIS[/COLOR]) that it is ISIS-capable.

BTW. The two (?) bidders for the Trek 8700 which you mentioned was sold on eBay may have been having the previously alluded to Rosebud-moment OR the frame is a collector's item ...

As I said, "[COLOR= #008000]The next person might not be willing to pay as much, or they might be willing to pay more.[/COLOR]"

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by simplyserving .


On another note, I was sent some road bike parts from a family member. I would feel odd asking if these were quality parts and an upgrade over what i have on my bike. Could anyone tell me what I have and its quality by these pictures.

FWIW. I like RITCHEY stems very much, in particular, and RITCHEY handlebars to a lesser extent ( ...[COLOR= #808080] ONLY because I've reverted to using my old Cinelli handlebars in many instances[/COLOR]) amongst the handlebars with an Ergonomic bend ...

• my Ritchey handlebars have the "same" bend as the older ITM & 3T handlebars which I have ...
• I like the ITM[COLOR= #ff0000]/[/COLOR]3T[COLOR= #ff0000]/[/COLOR]Ritchey bend the best amongst the Ergonomic bars I have tried in an attempt to find a better handlebar than the bend on the Cinelli bars, but you-and-others may not

IMO, the quality of Ritchey components is consistently very high regardless of the "model" of the component.

SELLE ITALIA saddles ([COLOR= #808080]yes, I know there is redundancy in that phrasing[/COLOR]) are very highly regarded; but, there is no assurance that they will be comfortable for you.

 

[simplyserving]

So perhaps swapping out the stock Scott handlebars and stem with the pictured Ritchey's would be an upgrade? I also noticed that I appear to be reaching too much when in the hoods and this stem and bar set up looks like it will be shorter than my current set up. Trying the saddles and going from there would also be a good option I take it. I noticed that the Scott saddle on my bike has more padding but I am also seeing that more padding does not necessarily calculate to more comfort, correct?

 

[simplyserving]

Let me ask another opinion. Is the Trek frame I have worth looking at upgrading the bike with down the road? Let's say that I want to start upgrading components as I grow with the sport. Is this frame worth the effort or would I be better starting off with a different frame? If its a 98 or so, and carbon, is there concern that the frame has a lot of miles on it and may start to give in time?

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by simplyserving .

So perhaps swapping out the stock Scott handlebars and stem with the pictured Ritchey's would be an upgrade? I also noticed that I appear to be reaching too much when in the hoods and this stem and bar set up looks like it will be shorter than my current set up. Trying the saddles and going from there would also be a good option I take it. I noticed that the Scott saddle on my bike has more padding but I am also seeing that more padding does not necessarily calculate to more comfort, correct?

I'm not certain what the stock handlebars are on your Scott ... the 110mm stem may be perfect for your current bike & you if the current stem is longer.

As far as the shape of the bars, what really matters is the shape of the bars between the ends & the forward bend ... I like it, but obviously there are a lot of other shapes because a lot of people like the other shapes.

NOT ONLY is the shape a factor, but how the bar is oriented in the stem ultimately matters ... I like the bottom portion of a Road handlebar to be as close to level as possible, sometimes a very slight downward slope as a compromise due to the upper bend requiring a certain brake lever position ... my preference is a legacy of my having become familiar with what I deemed to be a quasi-touring orientation. On the other hand, in the past half-dozen years, or thereabouts, a lot of people have taken to setting up their handlebars & levers so that the upper portion of the bend is close to parallel to the ground with the result being the lower portion being pointed more toward the rear axle than out to the distant horizon -- this would make the lowers non-useable for me.

Basically, orientation of the bars + location of the brake levers is often a personal matter.

FWIW. Here's an example of an Ergonomic handlebar where I wanted the Ergo part to be flatter which subsequently resulted in a shallow valley in the middle of the lower portion of the handlebar which the edge of my hand can 'nest' in and which 'I' find to be comfortable:

​

As far as saddle padding, you are correct. The observaton has been made that too soft a cushion causes the sit bones to sink down to the underlying plastic platform which means that the excess padding which is not pressed down is left to apply pressure on whatever soft tissue is between a person's legs and thereby cause discomfort in many instances.

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by simplyserving .

Let me ask another opinion. [COLOR= #ff0000]Is the Trek frame I have worth looking at upgrading the bike with down the road? [/COLOR]Let's say that I want to start upgrading components as I grow with the sport. Is this frame worth the effort or would I be better starting off with a different frame? If its a 98 or so, and carbon, is there concern that the frame has a lot of miles on it and may start to give in time?

[COLOR= #ff0000]ABSOLUTELY! [/COLOR]

But, IMO, for the most part, changes to the components on your TREK will be mostly cosmetic unless you opt for a RAPID RISE rear derailleur ... and, if you go that route, I recommend you consider an XT rear derailleur instead of an XTR because the cost differential between XT & XTR components seems to have widened in the past 10+ years ... or, maybe it's just sticker shock.

BTW. I actually considered getting a screwed-and-glued Carbon Fiber TREK Road frame, but timing-and-circumstances resulted in my getting a different, Carbon Fiber Road frame ... I'm going to peg the date as [possibly closer to 1995, not that it matters. If you e-mail TREK's customer service with the serial number, they can tell you the "production year" for the frame.

Personally, I don't think you have to worry about the tubes separating from the lugs unless you crash the bike ... and, the damage sustained on a newer frame might be more immediately catastrophic whereas you might be able to ride home ([COLOR= #808080]presuming you haven't broken any bones in the theoretical crash![/COLOR]) on the glued-and-screwed frame because the tubes are probably thicker on the older CF framed bikes.

As far as I can tell, the only reason to get a different MTB frame is if you do decide that the particular frame is slightly larger than you think you might prefer OR if your son is ready to "inherit" it from you and you then want to move the current components to the new frame and/or move some from & retain some on the Trek frame ...

OR, if your riding style or trail conditions dictate disc brakes ([COLOR= #808080]you can probably get by with just a front disc brake, BTW[/COLOR]).

 

[simplyserving]

Thanks alfeng for your thoughtful and detailed response. If you read any if my previous posts, I am one to sometimes get ahead of myself and think too much before riding and discovering on my own. Plus, as I have mentioned, I am currently in a sling post Labrum repair so I have time to think and future plan. I guess I am just ultimately wondering if I have a good bike here and that pretty much has been answered. The main reason I wanteda MTB is that they are ripping out a lot if old train tracks and converting them into riding trails. I also have been riding this one road path which turns into MTB trails at one point and aside from walking them, I am curious to see how they are. I will definitely take her out on the road paths while I get use to the pedals. That was one thing which was not answered yet. Seeing as I have the MTB shoes, which I wouldn't mind using on my road bike, and the gave the Time ATACK cleats, could I buy a set of pedals for my road bike which use the same cleats and if so, what road pedals would they be it would I just buy another set of the same pedals? Is there additional gear I do not already own for my road bike that I should consider? Another question I have which may sound silly is that with the tubeless tires on this bike, I can obviously still get flats. Do I need a patch kit now to carry with me or how does all of that work? Lastly, any other pre or post ride checks or maintenance which is specific for a MTB? I will tell you, I asked all if these questions prior to my first road ride and aside from the dog that knocked me off on my first ride, I felt a lot mote confident setting off on that ride.

 

[simplyserving]

You know, I realized that I have never posted pics of my road bike yet. Tell me what you think. If anyone has any parts they feel would help upgrade this bike and are interested in perhaps trading for a part I have pictured in a previous post (saddles, stem, handlebars) let me know. i am broke but love a good barter.Pretty much out of musical gear except the Gretsch drumset you slightly see behind one of the pictures of the bike, a Yamaha Stagepass 300 portable PA system, and a Ashdown Electric Blue 180 bass amp. I am trying to clear this gear out to make the room into a workout/bike room. I am all about trying to take what I have in bikes and make them better.