Trek 2200

Advantages: fast, light, high spec for cheap price
Disadvantages: None

...be increased quite significantly to get anything that would last. I spent hours researching, joining forums (I highly recommend Bike Radar) etc in order to find the ideal bike in my budget. Whilst taking my trusty steed of a mountain bike to Pauls Cycles in Dereham I thought that I'd better have a quick look at the small selection of racers in the shop. It was there I saw it…… The Trek 1200 in black and red. I knew the Trek name and knew that they were generally a good, quality brand. That was it though. The price was £799 which was way over my budget, but because it was a 2006 model I could have something knocked off it. The bike was described as 'shop soiled' since it had fallen over and had a tiny scratch on the frame. If the bloke hadn't told me this I would never have noticed it despite looking over the bike thoroughly... Read review

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Advantages: Good re-introduction to road bikes
Disadvantages: expense and pedals

...to make 16 altogether. A triple is available for about the same price, but I reckoned it might overcomplicate things for me - so mine's a double thanks. The shifters on the handle bars look like the standard brake pulls I had 30 years ago. Now, very cleverly, they also incorporate the gear shifters too. On this entry level road bike from Trek, the system is less complex and refined than on the bikes further up the scale. It is a Shimano 2200 STI system. It means that a quick flick of the hand gives an easier gear, while a click of a thumb on the little black lever, gives a harder gear. The draw back of this particular shifter is that those who ride with hands right down on the drop of the handle bars, could have a job stretching their thumbs to those levers. There are two carbon sections to the bike - the seat post and the front... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Lightweight, Durable, Value for Money
Disadvantages: No lock out on the forks, no disc brakes, poor quality chainset

...After a long break from cycling I decided to get back into mountain biking. My budget was limited and I wanted something lightweight and durable. After coming across the Trek 4300 my mind was quickly made up, lovely lightweight frame that wouldn't be out of place on bikes twice the price. A reasonable set of Shimano Alvio shifters and forks with adjustable pre-load. Perfect for what I wanted, something I could commute to work on but also give a good thrashing around the local MTB routes. The bike is versatile, the adjustable pre-load works well and although the forks aren't fantastic, they'll serve you well as long as you're not throwing it off 6 foot drop offs. The only things really letting this bike down are the Suntour SR cranks. Mine were poorly fitted and the pedals had been cross threaded which meant that when I went... Read review

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