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Monday, November 13, 2017

2013 TREK 8.2 DS BICYCLE

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This bike I sold in April 2017 and upgraded to a 2017 Trek DS 1.

My anticipation of Christmas 2012 was a really big deal for me. Why? I've been itching to upgrade from my Schwinn to a Trek. And it finally happened. I choose the 2013 Trek DS 8.2 model. And model is beautiful. Neptune blue and white. The other color for this model was silver/black. Would I have liked different color combinations? Of course. Two is not many. Five or six would have been better. But after riding hundreds of miles on Florida paved trails since March 2011 on a Schwinn Aluminum Comp, the time felt right to get a Trek. After all, in October 2012 I had just upgraded my lady friends bike from a Schwinn steel frame mountain bike to a Trek 2012 Navigator 1.0 WSD model. So the Trek bug was really biting me hard. And there was only one thing for me to do. Trek describes the DS Series as the ultimate hybrid. Part refined city bike, part adventurous trail ride. Many things make DS the go anywhere choice.

I bought this bike at Sarasota Cyclery after looking and drooling for about two weeks at the Trek website. I didn't really need a high end model, but my one requirement was the adjustable front suspension. I'm not a fan of a rigid front end. The retail price on the wesite was right for my wallet also. $559.99. However upon my arrival at the store, the price tag showed $509.99. OK. Saving money always works for me.
The first thing I did was change seats. I do recreational riding not competition. Standand with the Trek bike came the Bontranger SSR seat (shown on the left). So I upgraded to a Selle Royal Lookin Gel seat (shown on right). Very soft. Sells for around $40. A nice seat for sure.

Aftermarket seats are huge business. Why? Everyone knows manufacturers cut corners to maximize profit and include the cheapest seat they can on their products. Makes sense to me. Many bicyclists change their seats almost immediately after buying a new set of wheels. Personally the gel seats are my favorite. Very soft. Super comfortable. Prices can range from just under $20 to $50. Dependes on the brand name. The Selle Royal I have was purchsed at my local bike shop for $40.

The sizes for the bike are 15.5, 17.5, 19, 21, and 22.5 inches. I choose the 17.5. This is more towards a lower profile but a perfect size for me.
Next to the bike frame itself, nothing has a bigger impact on your bike's performance than your wheels. Bontrager wheels are a surefire way to save weight, go faster, and improve your bike's handling. Formula alloy hubs w/Bontrager AT-750 32-hole rims that are double walled with Bontrager LT1 700x38c tires.

The rear derailer consist of Shimano Altus M310. Wide link design increases durability and precise shifting. 7/8 speed design. The 13 tooth guide pulley and 15 tooth tension pulley is perfect for long wear. Max sprocket: 34 tooth Top-Normal (standard action) return spring.
Also the bike features an SR Suntour XCC AC4C design alloy crank arm 48/38/28 w/chainguard. Also the ring fixation and fixing bolt are riveted. Interesting piece of history in 1969, SunTour was the first Japanese gear and shifter manufacturer to introduce indexed shifting on bicycles.
Tires here are Bontrager LT1 700x38c. I upgraded to Serfas Vida Hybrid tires that features low rolling resistance road tread pattern, multi sport F.P.S. (flat protection system), long lasting rubber compound, wire bead, and maximum PSI is 80. However, about a year later, I noticed the middle of the tire wearing very fast. So in February 2016 I upgraded to Schwalbe Marathon Plus 440 with flat guard.
These are the tires I upgraded to in February 2016. Schwalbe has to be probably the best bicycle tire on the market. German engineered, and manufactured with their South Korea partners, these tires incorporate 7 combinations of rubber compounds. Add this with flat protection, and you have truly incredible tires. Extremely affordable at $41-49 per.


Adding a rear rack to my bike was easy. I chose the Bontranger S back rack made specifically for Trek and sold at Trek stores. The flat black looks great. This bolts up easy to the rear wheel with two adjustable rods going from the rack to the frame. When installing, just make sure the rods don't bind or interfere with the brake assembly. A very affordable price of $39.99 in November 2012. Nice to carry things easily.



Above is my first outing with my new Trek on the Legacy Trail in Sarasota on 2-6-13. Outfitted with a new rear rack the bike looks really nice. It rode incredible. Very smooth and quiet. What surprised me when I started looking into Trek bikes in 2011 was how affordable many of the models were. Oh sure some are way out of my price range that's a fact. But I'm a regular guy. I don't need high end. I'd rather have the dollars in my pocket. But to get a 2013 Trek DS 8.2 for just a modest amount more than a Schwinn, well that's a really great purchase. In closing I never thought I would let go of my old bike. It was not easy. But I finally was able to do it. Thanks for seeing.

7 comments:

Sean said...

Isn't that a Female seat?

Anonymous said...

Hey Charles I just picked up my 8.2 yesterday and couldn't be happier. This bike is like riding in a Cadillac. With the exception of the stock seat i can find a thing wrong with this bike. I can't wait to get back to San Francisco and get out on those hills and conquer them with my new bike. Thanks for your review, it made my decision a lot easier on what bike to buy. Happy riding!!

Charles Rinehart said...

Very nice choice Michael that's for sure. I'm really happy with my Trek DS 8.2 that's for sure. Have you ever been riding on paved trails? Many are built on abandoned railroad corridors, and lots of people enjoy riding them. Getting away from the traffic and busy roads is a plus also. Just Google 'California Paved Trails' to see them. Thank you very much for leaving your comment here. I really appreciate it. Enjoy and stay safe.

rich said...

I've been lusting after this bike after taking a test ride a few months ago at a bike shop. After reading your review i might just go out and buy it.

Charles Rinehart said...

Very nice Rich. The 8.2 is a really fantastic bike. But of course all Treks are top notch for sure. I appreciate you seeing my blog here and leaving a comment. Stay safe and enjoy.

Andy Hernandez said...

Thanks Sir, I enjoyed reading your comments, and I am also enjoying my DS 8.2 for a couple years now. But I will also get those SERFAS VIDA, as I just got a flat today, 1" long nail, original Bontrager tires are too cheap in construction, and can't understand why they don't just put these tires on from the beginning. I do about 35 miles every weekend, must have over 3000 miles already in a couple years ride safe Andy Hernandez

Charles Rinehart said...

Thanks for seeing my blog Andy. Yes I believe the Serfas tires would be a great addition for your bike and others. Harder rubber is a good thing. Keep pushing rubber and stay safe.