Another Old Newbie

R

rcktdan

New Member
Hi All,

I've been lurking around for a while and thought it was about time I said hi!

Like a lot people, after many years I've dusted off my mtb and have hit a few trails again. And I'm loving it! Nothing too serious (yet). Just trying to get my legs back in shape first. I'm currently riding an older Trek 8000. Back in the day it was decent bike, but wow, how things have changed. Hydraulic disc brakes? Oh, how I feel the stigma of cantilever brakes. Looks like it's time for an upgrade, but for now it will just have to do.

Anyway I'm back riding and looking forward to meeting some of you fine people on the trails.

Dan
 
Welcome. Feel free to hit me up if ever interested in Allamuchy or Deer Park up north.
 
Hey Dan..welcome to the site. Hope to see you on the trails with your back in the day bike. Know what you're going through. Luckily the skills come back pretty quickly. The legs not so much. 😎
 
Welcome aboard and back (to the bike). There are a bunch of us who did the same. Don't worry about the bike just ride. My favorite part of that Leadville movie was the guy who has done it all 15 years on his original bike. It was really funny when he said he still has the same front tire on it!
 
Hello and welcome! Don't beat yourself up about that Trek 8000 and its Cantilever brakes, with a proper set up and good pad choice they'll work very well. My first "nice" mountain bike was a Trek 8500, that was around 1991 and I wish I still had it. The biggest advances that you'd feel an immediate benefit from would probably be modern tires: They are bigger, stickier and yes faster too... I wouldn’t give up on that old Trek unless it's falling to pieces! 😀
 
al415 said:
Hello and welcome! Don't beat yourself up about that Trek 8000 and its Cantilever brakes, with a proper set up and good pad choice they'll work very well. My first "nice" mountain bike was a Trek 8500, that was around 1991 and I wish I still had it. The biggest advances that you'd feel an immediate benefit from would probably be modern tires: They are bigger, stickier and yes faster too... I wouldn’t give up on that old Trek unless it's falling to pieces! 😀
Click to expand...

Yep, she's a keeper. Vintage 1993. No problems mechanically. That's what makes it so hard upgrading. It would just be nice to have a fuller range of gears and a little more stopping power. I'd post a picture if could figure out how.
 
rcktdan said:
Hi All,

I've been lurking around for a while and thought it was about time I said hi!

Like a lot people, after many years I've dusted off my mtb and have hit a few trails again. And I'm loving it! Nothing too serious (yet). Just trying to get my legs back in shape first. I'm currently riding an older Trek 8000. Back in the day it was decent bike, but wow, how things have changed. Hydraulic disc brakes? Oh, how I feel the stigma of cantilever brakes. Looks like it's time for an upgrade, but for now it will just have to do.

Anyway I'm back riding and looking forward to meeting some of you fine people on the trails.

Dan
Click to expand...

Hey welcome. I'm a fellow lurker and random commenter. I was curious, is that 8000 fully rigid? I think my friend has the same one.

cheers,
another Dan.
 
It was fully rigid when I bought it in 93. Within a year or so I had added a front shock. A Rock Shox Judy XC, another component that needs upgrading.

93trek8000.JPG
 
Cool bike! If you plan on keeping your canti's you might consider switching your pads to Swissstop's Green rat pads:
HEL-RATGHP.jpg

I use them on my 29er and they stop very well.

As for the fork, unless you want to splash out the cash on a White brothers or something similar I'd consider shipping it off to hippie tech:

http://www.hippiesuspension.com/hippietechsuspension/

When those Velociraptors wear out you could check out some of the advances that have been made in tire treads and compounds. I had a great Summer running a Small block 8 on the front of my rigid Fat Chance. The previous winter I learned to love Continental's Mountain Kings on another Fat Chance... Do you still have the rigid fork that came with your Trek? Either of the two tires I mentioned would offer similar levels of "suspension" to that old Judy!
 
Thanks for the advice. I might just give those brakes a try. The pads I have on the bike just don't seam to grip.

No, unfortunately I tossed the original fork about two years ago when cleaning out the garage. At the time, after 10+ years I thought it was just taking up space and I'd never have any need for it. Now I'm starting to reget that decision. 🙁 Oh well, life goes on.
 
I have a practically new MZrace fork that works perfect if you don't want to make a big investment that I will sell you for cheap. It is on my list of things to post soon once I gather up the rest. No pressure just thought it could be useful.
 
I find cleaning the rim also helps a lot with rim brakes. I usually clean the rim and pads with Simple Green before every ride. Although some people will say not to use Simple Green on your bike, it's worked for me since I was riding BMX bikes in the 80s. If the pads get really dirty, sometimes I sand them down a bit.
 
soundz said:
I usually clean the rim and pads with Simple Green before every ride. Although some people will say not to use Simple Green on your bike, it's worked for me since I was riding BMX bikes in the 80s.
Click to expand...

Why is Simple Green not recommended for your bike? Of course I ask because that is what I use.
 
Adrian said:
Why is Simple Green not recommended for your bike? Of course I ask because that is what I use.
Click to expand...

I've read somewhere (I think mtbr) that it is corrosive on metal and has been known to make chains snap if you soak your chain it in overnight. That's why they don't use it on aircraft and space shuttles. They supposedly have some non-corrosive version of Simple Green. I haven't verified any of this.
 
I'm guessing they don't use Park cleaners on the space shuttle either. Just a guess though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom