The trek 3700 is a great bike as it lasts for years and years without anything going wrong with it. I got mine about 3 years ago and it still hasn't broken, even though i use it everyday! The forks have taken a real beating over the years as i do downhill biking quite a lot and many of my friends have snapped their forks within half the time i've had my trek. The suspension at the front is stiff at first but it soon loosens up and this provides a much more comfortable ride and if you're not bouncing about so much, it's easier to concentrate on the trail.
But the suspension also brings about the first problem with the trek as it lacks rear suspension. This makes the ride much less comfortable and therefore enjoyable for someone who would only use it for cycling in urban areas. This is just about the only fault i can find with the trek so here's more of the good stuff! The gears go up to 21 which is plenty and they're manged into 3 groups of 7 so you don't have to go through all the different gears to get from say gear 4 to gear 20. They are in easy reach on the handlebars and it also comes with a little black bell! Aswell the suspension being very stiff at the start, the brakes are also stiff but this again loosens up over time as the brake pads are abrazed into a good position. The brakes do come loose every so often but this does not happen in an instant and they get very loose over a long period of time until they cease working altogether. This is easily fixable though with an Allen key. All you do is loosen the teeth that grip the wire and squeeze together the bracket on the brakes which moves the brake pads closer to the wheel. Then tighten the bracket again with the Allen key and it's as good as new!
The saddle on the trek is thin but comfortable and it is good for cycling siiting down for a long time. If you do not find it comfortable, a bigger saddle can be easily purchased and changed from most bike shops.
The chain is very good in the sense that it rarely comes off and i can't think of many times it has done. The tyres are also very chunky and thick which prevents punctures well. They can also grip the floor very tightly which makes skidding hard unless you want to.
When i look back at my old bike, the magna, it really shows how good the trek is compared to that bike. All sorts went wrong with it, causing me pain and grief. For instance, once the front wheel fell off as i was cycling on a main road. Luckily, i fell onto the pavement as if i went the other way i probably would have been flattened! One of the pedals came off as i had cycled about 20 miles from home and i had to push it back. The list goes on really.
I would sum the trek up as a great bike and to add to the good points it cost only £230 and i very lightweight. I recommend this bike and the women's model to anyone who wants a good bike that will last for years on end.
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£230
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