2016 trek 920 review

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Trek 920 Review: What’s an adventure bike?

Joining the ever-burgeoning ranks of the ‘adventure bike’, Trek’s 920 aims to rewrite the classic touring rulebook. For a start, it uses a lightweight aluminum frame, the latest in industry thru-axle standards, and sports clearances for 2.2in 29er tires. There’s custom racks and provision for 6 water bottles too. But does this mean it can really go where no touring bike has previously been? Skyler Des Roches takes one to British Colombia to find out…

It’s clear on paper that the Trek 920 is a category-confused bike. Is it a drop-bar 29er? A touring bike? A monster-cross or all-road thing? Several companies are calling similar machines “adventure bicycles”. What does that even mean? How does the curious mating of spec and geometry often found in this newly-minted category play out on planet Earth?

While I’ll concede that I don’t think it really matters what particular narrow niche a bike is labeled under, I do think that knowing what a bike does best is extremely useful when shopping. In a world where the word adventure has been appropriated by urban dog-walkers and picnickers, my challenge in reviewing Trek’s answer to the “adventure bike” was to figure out what the hell this bike was for.

From afar, the Trek 920 looks a lot like many of this year’s new breed of gravel or randonneur bikes. But, those bikes are adapted cyclocross or road designs and can usually fit 700x40c tires or more voluminous, but smaller diameter 27.5×2.1” (650Bx53) mountain bike tires. The 920 comes set up with Bontrager Duster Elite 29er wheels, and clearance for up to about 29×2.25” (untested, so this might depend on the tire). Running the stock Bontrager XR1 tires, which measure 29×2.0” (or 700Cx51 if you prefer), there is even space for fenders.

One upside to the bike industry’s new love for the word “adventure” is that it has provided an opportunity for bike manufacturers to break some of the old rules of touring bikes. Gone is the old singular meaning of adventure cycling, the one that meant loading up a small mountain of gear strapped to front and rear racks, just sort of suffering along whatever road, and praying that the equipment would hold up.

These days, adventure means, well, just about anything if you believe the marketing. It’s the hottest thing in cycling, and everyone wants a slice. Adventure biking is being used simultaneously as a category, and an all-encompassing activity. Full-suspension mountain bike – adventure; hardtail – definitely adventure; cross bike – whiskey and adventure; expensive road bike – hella adventurizing. The spirit of adventure never changed, but the old rule book – the one that required 26” wheels, Schwalbe solid rubber tires, rim brakes, drop bars, 36 spoke wheels, square-tapers, leather and steel – has been shown out the back door. It’s rather confusing from a marketing perspective, so it’s perhaps understandable that the 920 would appear so category-confused.

At its core, Trek’s 920 seems to aim to achieve the same thing as those rule-bound classic touring bikes, but freed the Luddite mentality that is becoming less and less necessary for international touring as bikes get more reliable, and a variety of parts more easily available around the world. Its aluminum frame features thru-axles, internal cable-routing, a bent top tube that allows three bottle cages within the front triangle on sizes 56cm and up, braze-ons for front and rear racks (which come included), and bottle cage mounts on each fork leg and below the down tube. That’s a total of six bottle mounts on the frame and fork. The aluminum material is exotic in itself for a touring bike, but it allows for a bike that weighs only 26lbs in size 58cm.

Though a frame will always be the heart of a bike, I’d guess that the 920 is the sort of bike that will almost always be purchased and ridden as a complete package. As such, the stock parts spec will be important to most people looking at this bike.

The 920’s build, with a few exceptions, offers a build spec that will come as a breath of fresh air for cycle tourists: its components, for the most part, are exceedingly well-suited to the unique needs of pedaling a loaded bike. Namely, its mountain bike gearing, powerful brakes, decent tires, and strong racks will mean forgoing some common component swaps made to brand new touring bikes.

• Frame 100 Series Alpha aluminum w/rack + fender mounts
• Fork Trek Adventure alloy disc, 15mm thru-axle
• Rims Bontrager Duster Elite Tubeless Ready
• Hubs 15mm front, 142×12 rear
• Tires Bontrager XR1, 29×2.0″
• Shifters SRAM 500 TT, bar end control, 10 speed
• Front derailleur SRAM X5
• Rear derailleur SRAM X7, Type 2
• Crank SRAM S1000, 42/28T
• Cassette SRAM PG-1030, 11-36, 10 speed
• Chain KMC X10
• Saddle Bontrager Evoke 1.5
• Seatpost Bontrager alloy, 2-bolt head, 27.2mm, 8mm offset
• Handlebar Bontrager Race, VR-C, 31.8mm
• Stem Bontrager Elite, 31.8mm, 7 degree, comes w/ computer & light mounts
• Headset FSA IS-3, 1-1/8″ threadless, sealed cartridge bearings
• Brakeset TRP Hylex hydraulic disc

A highlight reel

• Tubeless ready wheels with asymmetrical spokes (for more even spoke tension).
• Bontrager 29×2.0” XR1 Comp tires: cheap yes, but also pretty ideal for rolling efficiently on gravel and paved surfaces. I was able to run these tires tubeless for duration of the test, even if they’re not a tubeless ready tire.
• 2×10 Sram X7 mountain drivetrain: mountain bike drivetrain on a drop bar bike?! A 42/28 crankset?! Pinch me. This gear range is actually suitable for cycle touring.
• TRP Hylex hydraulic disc brakes: because being able to actually stop a loaded drop bar touring bike is something the world deserves. Unlike mechanical disc brakes, these are set-and-forget, requiring zero maintenance.
• Thru-axles: because if it’s going to have mountain bike wheels, it’d better be able to run common mountain bike wheels. They also surely add a degree of stiffness, stability, and strength to the frame when stressed by heavy loads.
• Custom racks: yup, the 920 comes with front and rear racks designed to mount specifially to this bike, and as far as I can tell, they’re bomber.

There were only a couple of parts that were immediately unimpressive. First, the saddle did not agree at all with my posterior. I guess that’s a matter of personal preference. Second, the stock stem lengths are atrociously out of whack with the bike’s geo. Consider that Specialized’s AWOL has very similar front end geometry, and specs a 70mm stem on the size L. The 58cm Trek reviewed here came with a 110mm fishing pole.

Now, I’m a relatively averagely proportioned 6’2” tall man. I’ve never come across a bike that was offered in 58cm where the correct size for me wasn’t 58cm. I don’t doubt that the stock stem length will work for some folks out there, but I’d have hoped Trek would aim for average. As it was, I immediately swapped to an 85mm stem, and would probably be happier with a 70mm.

Besides that, there are a few spec choices that don’t quite fit with the nature of the bike. They’re not huge detriments, but they add to the category confusion of the Trek 920.

I guess it’s not really fair to be puzzled at the bar-end shifters – I know why they’re there. Reason 1: this is a $2000 drop bar bike with hydraulic disc brakes. They’ve got to cut cost somewhere and bar-cons are a good way to do that. Reason 2: there’s an old notion that bar-end shifters are a good choice for touring. Part of this idea comes from a sort of retro-grouch mentality that says simple is inherently more durable. I disagree, but I’ll get to that. Part of the old appeal of bar-end shifting stems from the flexibility of friction shifting. Bent derailleurs or derailleur hangers can sometimes be limped home with some amount of shifting in friction mode. Alas, while Sram 10 speed allows the mixing of road shifters with mountain drivetrains, those Sram bar-cons cannot be switched to friction mode.

But given the wide tires, thru-axles, hydraulic disc brakes, aluminum frame and tubeless wheels, I’d think the 920 was beyond all that – a 21st century answer to the touring category. Rather than providing any sort of real advantage to reliability, the bar-end shifters just place thin aluminum shift levers in one of the most vulnerable places on a bicycle. If the bike falls over, which is likely to happen at some point if you use front panniers, there’s a real possibility of breaking or bending the shifter lever.

You and I can likely live with all that given the rest of the spec. The real annoyance came when I thought to myself “damn, this bike could almost pass as a real mountain bike. I should turn off on that singletrack right there.” Or maybe it was that all the underbiking I saw the last time I checked that well-known cycling fashion blog. You know, the one where they’re always riding absurdly expensive road bikes on California singletrack.

And even that started out great. It was a blast right up until the first short, punchy climb. I stood up on the pedals, spine curled and hands deep in the back of the drops when cluuunk…instant knee-to shifter contact. Gear 1 to 10 in one second flat. Game over, no more climbing. Those accidental knee-shifts all but prevented me from using this bike as a drop-bar mountain bike.

Given that those shifters and racks are good indicators that Trek may have intended the 920 to fill the role of a classic touring bike (while somewhat extending its utility onto unsealed surfaces) the 28-spoke wheels are also surprising. Sure, 28-spoke wheels are common for all manner of mountain biking these days, including such high wheel-abuse activities as enduro racing. The Bontrager Duster Elite wheelset is built using asymmetrical rims, which provide more even spoke tension, and may allow them to hold their own against higher spoke-count hoops. But, wheels are subject to a lot of abuse when riding corrugated roads with four bursting panniers, as might be expected on a 920. Fortunately, throughout the test, the Bontrager wheels showed no sign of struggling, though I never did ride the bike loaded with more than about 15kg.

With its long 465mm chain stays, its very low 85mm bottom bracket drop, and its high trail fork, the Trek 920 is built for stability above all. Combined with the large wheels, this has the down side of making the bike decidedly not nimble. This is, perhaps, its weakness. It is especially noticeable when the bike plays dual duty as a commuter. Even though my commute times were not noticeably slower than on my positively zippy little 90’s mountain bike-commuter conversion, the 920 felt very slow to accelerate, and far less eager to take 90 degree corners at speed. It made up for time, however, by easily cruising at speeds similar to a road bike.

With a front load, that high-trail fork exacerbates the lack of maneuverability, making it ride as if on rails. This is likely of benefit moving fast on open roads, but I’d advise against riding with a front load bias off-road. Note that, despite the recent resurgence of front loading – a style of touring long popular amongst randonneurs and their low trail bikes – the 920 and the likes of Specialized’s AWOL have very similar trail measurements, and are not actually any more suitable for front-loading off pavement than other bikes. Instead, I found the 920 handled best with a slight rearward weight bias, or close to even front-to-back weight distribution.

Loaded up on smooth back-roads, whether dirt or pavement, this stability plays to its favour. On one lightly-loaded two-night trip, I was able to maintain close to a 25km/h moving average on smooth gravel roads – much higher than my usual plodding pace. Once up to speed, I could sit in the drops and go, and go, and go…I rode 60km of dirt roads in falling snow for lunch with friends, and 60km back along sloppy mud roads in the rain. The next day, 80km before lunch. These are not my usual sorts of backroad riding days, I’m really not that fit.

This efficiency is no doubt one of the few benefits of drop bar bikes for dirt road touring. I find the riding position (after the stem switch) generally more powerful, and less energy-consuming on the 920 than I’m used to. That said, this being a demo bike, I did not have the opportunity to cut the steerer tube to my preferred length. I found the drops often felt too low, while the hoods felt too high. On one trip, I added some aero bars. By rotating between the three riding positions – climb on the hoods, rotate between the drops and aero bars on flats, and descend in the drops – I was able stay comfortable enough.

On rougher roads, such as the crushed rock logging roads found in British Columbia’s more mountainous parts, the efficient road bike-like riding position and incredible stability (lack of maneuverability) ceased to be a benefit. Instead, I found the position made it challenging to effectively absorb rough stretches, even if the bike itself encouraged me to bomb through those parts. After 100km of that sort of road, my back was sore and I was wishing for a flat bar bike. I’m convinced that a flat bar rigid 29er remains the best option over the greatest variety of terrain, even if the drop bar 29ers excel on gravel roads.

Furthermore, the low bottom bracket and bar-end shifters make it very challenging to ride the 920 on even relatively easy singletrack. Perhaps it’s because I’m used to riding modern hard tails on that sort of surface, but between the constant pedal-to-ground and knee-to-shifter strikes, I wasn’t going far on singletrack without getting frustrated. Running 2.3” tires, some of the pedal striking would surely be alleviated, and the bike would undoubtedly tackle singletrack more adeptly.

Aluminum is certainly unfashionable as a material for touring bikes. I think there is a wide notion that the “feel” of steel makes for a smoother, more comfortable ride. That may be so, but 2.0” tires do a lot for a smoother, more comfortable ride. On maintained gravel roads – that is, unsealed roads that may have a good gravel cap and get graded somewhat regularly – the 920 sails. Hitting corrugated corners at cruising speed is totally comfortable. Perhaps some of my soreness on rougher roads could be attributed to the aluminum frame material. But, I think we can really blame that discomfort to the sporty drop bar position and its difficulty dodging bumps when loaded.

• Value for the price – impressive package for sub-$2000
• Comes with good quality front and rear racks
• Finally, a gear range on a touring bike that’s not too tall
• Tire clearance for 2.0” rubber with fenders, or up to 2.3” without
• Bottle bosses for 6 bottles in size 56cm and up, and 5 bottles below
• Hydraulic disc brakes provide plenty of power for stopping a loaded bike
• Surprisingly good tire spec
• Lightweight – 26lb without racks or pedals in size 58cm, 29lbs with racks and pedals.
• Wants to go fast.
• Stock stem length way, way too long for average build
• Bar-end shifters are vulnerable to damage, and impede maneuvering obstacles or climbing out of the saddle
• Stock saddle designed without any reflection on human anatomy
• Long rear end/high-trail fork gives away too much maneuverability for touring stability

​Wrap Up: So what is an adventure bike?

​Think of the Trek 920 as​ an updated ​’classic’ ​touring bike​. It ​offer​s​ the load-carrying abilities ​of racks and panniers ​teamed with​ modern components and materials​, ​​bringing i​t in at ​a ​svelte ​26lb package​ – a relative lightweight in the touring world. ​Though the 29×2” tires ​and its generous clearances ​may ​suggest back​country,​ bikepacking ​inclinations, th​e 920’s super stable geometry​ really shines on paved roads and smooth, non-technical dirt​, the kind of terrain encountered on many of the popular touring routes​. ​Consider ​it more as a ‘Touring Plus​’ bike​. ​But note that while the big tires ​help it ride more comfortably and safely, they don’t necessarily extend the abilities of this machine.

• Model Tested Trek 920 Disc
• Size Tested 58″
• Sizes Available 49,52,54,56,58,61″
• Weight (56cm) 28lbs / 12.7 kg
• Price $1,989.99
• Contact TrekBikes.com
• Recommended Uses Gravel touring, dirt road bikepacking, all-road riding

Rider’s Background

When not on some longer exploratory bikepacking trip, I tend to do my riding on a mountain bike on the steep, technical trails of southwestern British Columbia. Earlier this year, I spent three months finding new bikepacking routes in Chile’s central Andes. Despite my bias toward lighter loads and harder trails, I’ve put in my time riding on pavement with four panniers, and everything in between. I’ll admit a preference toward standard flat handlebars and more upright riding positions for all but the fastest road riding.

Height 6’2” Weight 180lbs Inseam to ground 34.6”

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Trek 920 Review – Is it Worth the Money?

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Touted as a ‘go-anywhere adventure bike’, my Trek 920 review is going to find out if this bike really is an all-rounder. If you are going to be paying out a couple of thousand dollars for a bike you’ll want it to at least perform comfortably in a variety of situations from standard commuting to going ‘off-road’ and onto some trails.

So, does the Trek 920 do this? Let’s find out.

Bottom Line Up Front: The Trek 920 is a quality bike for the price range it finds itself in. Ideal for long journeys on good surfaces and decent performance on gravel and uneven terrain, the 920 is an ‘all rounder’ to an extent. It performs well, even if it does need some tinkering to the stem and saddle.

920 is a go-anywhere adventure touring bike. It's built with drop-bars and 29er mountain bike wheels for balance and capability on any surface you'll encounter on a bikepacking expedition.

Table of Contents

Who is Trek?

If you have bought a mountain bike before or been interested in bikes at all, you’ll no doubt have come across the Trek brand at some stage.

They are one of the biggest bike manufacturers in the world. Founded away back in 1975, they’ve built up a truly global reach that spans across many countries. Their main base is in Wisconsin, USA, but you’ll find Trek bikes being used in Europe, Asia, South Africa, and pretty much everywhere that biking is popular.

They manufacture a variety of bikes for different purposes from adventure bikes to hardtail mountain bikes so there is something for all tastes and interests. (Here check some of them you might actually like: Trek Marlin 4 , Trek Marlin 5 , Trek Marlin 6 , Trek Marlin 7 ).

What kind of bike is the Trek 920?

The Trek 920 is marketed as a ‘ go-anywhere adventure bike ’ so it fits into the touring category.

This means that it is designed so it can handle a variety of different terrain from the daily commute to work across smoother roads to hit the trail where you’ll encounter bumps and difficult conditions. The nature of a touring bike is that it should be able to handle long distances with durability and comfort.

You’ll find out as you go through my Trek 920 review that the bike and its components have been designed to handle various types of adventures but do its features necessarily mean that this is an all-rounder?

The Main Features of the Trek 920

What is the Trek 920 frame made from?

The frame on the Trek 920 is a 100 Series Alpha aluminum frame.

Aluminum was really the default frame of choice for a long time before carbon came along and became more accessible to manufacturers. The advantage that an aluminum frame like the one on the Trek 920 has is that it’s less expensive than a carbon frame. If you’re looking to save some bucks on a new bike then choosing an aluminum frame is usually a good starting point.

That being said, aluminum frames and the 100 Series Alpha aluminum frame that is on this bike are durable. They should last a long time even if you are regularly going off-road with this bike. The frame also comes with thru-axles, internal cable routing, and a bent top tube.

What about the wheels?

The wheels that you’ll find on the Trek 920 are Bontrager Duster Elite, Tubeless Ready, and 100x15mm thru-axle on the front and Bontrager Duster Elite, Tubeless Ready, 142×12 thru-axle on the rear.

You can fit up to 29×2.25” tires on the 920 if you wish. With the scope for adding wider tires onto this bike, it should add to the overall comfort of your ride as well as increasing the type of terrain it can handle.

I’ve found the tires on the Trek 920 to be able to offer a smooth ride both on flat roads as well as gravel trails and if you want to add other mountain bike tires you can.

What brakes does the Trek 920 have?

The bike comes with TRP Hylex hydraulic disc brakes. They provide good stopping power in a variety of conditions from dry and sunny days to wet and muddy terrain.

Even with the extra weight that you’ll be carrying if using this as a touring bike, the brakes should perform very well. As far as mountain bike brakes go they’re certainly not the worst out there.

In fact, the hydraulic disc brakes don’t exactly require a ton of maintenance either – unlike the mechanical disc brakes – so that is an added bonus.

Does it have any other features?

There are a few other features of the Trek 920 that I need to go over with you. It has a SRAM S700, 2-speed Drivetrain, and SRAM S700, 10-speed shifters so you’ll be able to pick up decent speeds on this bike.

The range of gears also means that its designer for touring as well. The Bontrager Evoke saddle isn’t the most comfortable and you’ll find that many people tend to replace the stock version with something a bit better and more suited to long-distance rides.

The Trek 920 comes in a range of sizes too from 49cm to 61cm so you should be able to get a size to suit you. The default color is Matt Sandstorm which looks really sleek and definitely gives it an aesthetic edge over some other bikes in the same category. You can potentially get up to 6 water bottles on the bike which further enhances its reputation for long-distance journeys.

How does the Trek 920 perform?

The main purpose of the 920 is as a long-distance touring bike however it is also touted as being able to handle a variety of different terrain too.

It has what you need for a touring bike and you’ll get a comfortable ride over long distances. The gear range also helps to hit a good speed while the fact that it has a 136 KG maximum weight further enhances its reputation as an adventure bike that you can head off on for hours (if not longer) at a time.

The wide tire clearance helps with comfort and stability so it can perform fairly well on less than ideal roads and trails where you’re going to hit a lot of bumps and uneven ground.

The aluminum frame can contribute to a somewhat harsh ride at times and there is a preference towards steel on long-distance and carbon for off-road adventures however I felt the Trek 920 performed well across a variety of surfaces.

What are the specs of the Trek 920?

Find the main specs of the Trek 920 below.

Will I get a warranty with the Trek 920?

You will get a lifetime warranty with the Trek 920 (for the original owner) and this covers the frame. There is between a 1 and 4-year warranty included on the other parts of the bike too.

What’s the price range of the Trek 920?

The Trek 920 comes in around $2,099.99 so ever so slightly over the $2000 mark.

There are cheaper options out there but the value for money is pretty strong with this bike. As a long-distance touring bike that also has the capability for gravel trails and off-road pursuits, the Trek 920 is set in a good price range for beginners and experienced mountain bikers .

If you are looking to spend a bit of money on a bike but don’t want to enter the really high end of the market, the Trek 920 fits the bill.

Trek 920 is suited for people who…

• Prefer a bike that uses an aluminum frame
• Need a bike for long-distance journeys with occasional off-road trails
• Want to carry a lot of water bottles with them
• Have a bit of money to spend without going into the high-end price bracket

Trek 920 is not suited for people who…

• Don’t like aluminum frames on long-distance biking
• Don’t want to make any alterations to the stock components
• Want a bike to use on gravel trails and tricky terrain all the time

What do users think of Trek 920?

The Trek 920 has received an abundance of positive feedback albeit with a few concerns mainly around the stock stem length and the saddle.

The stem length has been said to be too long for the average rider with the 58” version coming in at 110mm. A lot of people replace the stem with the smaller part which has helped with rider fatigue and overall control. The saddle is another part that is often replaced on the 920 for something a little bit more comfortable.

That being said, overall the Trek 920 has been praised for its all-round approach. Its tires, brakes, drivetrain, and potential for up to 6 water bottles, on sizes 56cm and above, means that it is ideal for long distances as well as shorter off-road pursuits.

The Pros and Cons of the Trek 920

• The high-quality bike is made from aluminum construction
• Provides good value for money
• Ideas as a touring bike that can handle some off-road pursuits
• Capacity for up to 6 water bottles on sizes 56cm and above
• Powerful stopping with hydraulic disc brakes
• Decent speeds and comfortable ride
• The saddle can be uncomfortable so is often replaced
• The stem is too long and will probably need to be changed
• Maneuverability is impeded due to the design of bar-end shifters

FAQs About Trek 920

This bike uses an aluminum frame.

The Trek 920 has tire clearance up to 2.0” rubber with fenders or you can fit up to 2.3” without fenders.

The Trek 920 can perform well on gravel and uneven trails. It is designed as an all-rounder touring bike.

As the original owner, you will get a lifetime warranty for the frame and other parts come with between a 1 and 4-year warranty.

The bike is available in 49, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 61cm sizes.

What are the best Trek 920 alternatives?

#1 trek 520.

The Trek 520 comes in a shade cheaper than the 920 – it costs $1,679.99 – and it commands some thought as an alternative to the 920.

If you are a steel frame fan then the 520 will suit you as it comes with a Chromoly steel frame that offers durability and a smooth ride over long distances. It is slightly heavier than the 920 comings in at 14.26 kg. It can handle loads of up to 125 kg.

The Trek 520 uses Bontrager H1 Hard-case Ultimate, 700x38c with reflective sidewall tires. They provide a good cushion against bumps and uneven surfaces while still allowing you to pick up speed.

Other Features

The Trek 520 has a Shimano Sora R3000, 9-speed drivetrain, and TRP Spyre C 2.0 mechanical disc, 160mm rotor brakes. The bike is ideal as a slightly cheaper alternative to the 920 and does come with a fairly similar spec although the 920 is able to handle more weight. If you are a fan of steel with a bike that can handle long distances while offering a comfortable ride then the Trek 520 is worth your consideration.

520 is a steel touring bike made for the open road. It's the longest-running model in our lineup, and it's built to carry you and your gear on your longest journeys.

#2 Giant Toughroad SLR 2

For another cheaper alternative to the Trek 920, the Toughroad SLR 2 from Giant is a dependable bike that can handle a variety of terrain too.

The Toughroad SLR 2 comes with a lightweight aluminum similar to the 920 and it also features a lightweight design which is great for touring. Its integrated rack mounts also help to load the bike over short trails or over a long distance.

The Toughroad SLR has Giant Sycamore S, 700×50, FlatGuard Deflect 2 tires, and the tubeless design means you’ll get a smooth ride and be able to handle most types of surfaces.

Other features

The bikes have Shimano BL-MT201 hydraulic discs which provide adequate stopping power in a range of different biking conditions from dry hard roads to soft muddy trails. There is a Shimano Acera 9-speed triple crankset too. The Toughroad SLR too is a bit cheaper as well than the 920 as it costs just over a thousand dollars at $1050 although it doesn’t offer the same performance as the Trek model.

Conclusion – Is that Trek 920 worth it?

The Trek 920 is a great bike for the cost – there is no denying that.

At just over $2000 you get a high-quality bike that is at home traveling long distances and comes with a variety of features and components to suit this type of riding. The fact that it can also handle itself on off-road trails and less than perfect conditions is a great bonus too. It isn’t a true trail bike but that isn’t its main function.

It performs great on typical touring routes that consist of smooth roads coupled with some uneven ground and gravel. If this is what you are planning on using it for then it is ideal for these kinds of situations.

There are some issues around how comfortable the saddle is and the stock stem length is one of the longest I’ve seen.

With a high load capacity, room for a number of water bottles, and a design that promotes speed, control, and ability to be a bit of an all-rounder across various roads, the Trek 920 is definitely worth your consideration as your new touring bike.

1 thought on “Trek 920 Review – Is it Worth the Money?”

Had my 920 for 3 years now and concur will all of the points above. If you van only own 1 bike, this is the one. Put on skinny tires and it is even faster!

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Zachary Kenney

Adventure Doesn't Find You

Trek 920 Ultimate Adventure Gravel Bike Review

Reviewing bikes is something I’ve always wanted to do, but reviewing a bike that’s already 3-4 years old by the time I get it usually doesn’t warrant an online review. This Trek 920 ; however, is my first new bike I’ve ever owned. And with it being the first new bike I’ve ever owned, I cannot even begin to tell you how much I enjoy riding this bike. I’d even go as far as to say as it made me fall back in love with riding bikes. The Trek 920, advertised as Trek’s go-anywhere adventure touring bike, lives up to its name.

A little background on my riding style. Grew up riding BMX, like most teens. Transitioned to road riding while in college (2010) in Pennsylvania and began to take it seriously when living in New England (2014). Picked up mountain biking in 2017 while riding the rooted, hilly trails of Connecticut. Moved to Utah in 2019 and currently live in Park City, UT where rides consistently involve 2,000 vertical feet of climbing and technical/fast descents. I like to go fast both uphill and even faster downhill.

First off, this rig comes standard with 29″x2.00″ tires. For reference, your burly mountain bike is probably running tire widths of 2.20″-2.40″. So right away you’ll notice how much traction and gnarly trail you can cover with these beefy tires. Sure, they won’t roll as well as a skinny tire or a gravel tire, but those tires won’t get you into half as much adventure as these will.

Second, the drivetrain. Equipped with SRAM S7000 Shifters up front, SRAM X5 front derailleur in the middle, paired with SRAM GX rear derailleur in the back. Tied in with a 11-36 10-speed cassette, this drivetrain runs surprisingly well with minimal maintenance needed. At first, the SRAM DoubleTap shifters were hard to get used to, but after a year on the bike, I really like the technology. Plus the range on this drivetrain is pretty astounding, and much needed when you have a fully loaded bike on a tour.

Last, the frame & setup of the Trek 920. This bike was designed and built to haul your gear into the backcountry and not only survive, but thrive. Sure, you can strap anything to a bike, but if it’s not designed to carry that load, you’ll feel like the bike is going to collapse under the weight. Or worse, get weighed down by the bike before you even load it up with anything. The spec weight of this bike is a super light 28.41 lbs. Sure, heavy compared to a road bike, but it’s not that, it’s an adventure bike. And you’re road bike would snap under the impact I’ve put this thing through.

The Ride Experience

I’ll be the first to tell you that there is no such thing as a one bike quiver, but the Trek 920 being designed as the go-anywhere adventure touring bike, it comes pretty damn close. So I actually won this bike in a contest held by Outside TV Campfire Contest in October 2018 . Since winning the bike, I’ve ridden it all over Park City. At first, it was just my commuter bike and used to go get groceries. But that was only because I didn’t know it’s full capabilities.

Treating this bike like a mountain bike, I’ve taken this bike on the Glenwild, Round Valley, and Utah Olympic Park singletrack, where it not only handled well, but rode surprisingly well. I’ve never climbed technical sections with such ease before due to how efficient a rigid frame bike rides. Long traversing sections were so much fun, with the monster tires eating up all of the smaller bumps allowing you to just cruise at the high altitude. Then come the descents. I’ll be the first to tell you that it’s sketchy. Without front suspension, and with those drop bars, your center of gravity is really forward on the bike. Little drops and features, that you wouldn’t even notice on a mountain bike, tend to throw you for a whirl and get exciting. This is also the part where biking became fun for me again, having to really pay attention to all the line choices instead of letting my suspension eat it up. With that being said, I tend to stick to blue trails for my descents so that I don’t get into anything over my head (or go over the bars).

Riding this bike like a gravel bike, well obviously it was born for that. Just last week I rode a gravel rail trail section where this thing rolled superb and kept the tire side down in some of the looser gravel sections. The dirt felt hard to me, but I don’t think a skinny tire bike could make it very far on the trail, not without a few spills and punctures. Having the option to cruise on a gravel trail, at 15mph, chewing up miles is a unique experience and one that you simply cannot get on a road bike or mountain bike. Plus, it’s just fun to knock out your Strava climb times on gravel climbs that you normally ride with your mountain bike.

The touring capability of this bike was unparalleled to anything I’ve loaded up and ridden. Having toured around the White Mountain National park on a bike that was inefficient and weight 95 lbs fully loaded, was a nightmare to say the least. This bike was the exact opposite. I loaded it up for a bike-ski-tour micro-adventure in Park City during the early spring, and it couldn’t have ridden any better. The added weight, albeit awkward, of my ski setup was barely noticeable as I climbed the bike path trails from my home to the ski area. Even with the snow and rain that was falling, the bike braked perfectly, kept the tire side down, and didn’t have me exhausted by the time I had to click into my skis. I’ve yet to do a full bike tour with this bike, but after everything I’ve ridden on it, I can’t wait.

As I mentioned before, I’m a firm believer that there is no such thing as a one quiver bike, but the Trek 920 gets damn close. If you’re looking to get a bike that you’ll spend most of your time riding roads, dirt roads, gravel trails, and light mountain biking; well this bike is your perfect fit. Looking for adventure workhorse bike that will get you into some serious fun in the farthest sections of the backcountry, I’d go with this bike. It really has made riding fun again, because now I get excited to go fast through rocky and dirt trails that my full suspension mountain bike wouldn’t even notice the features. And even riding this thing to and from work, I can just zone out and ride without worrying about cracks, holes, or dirt sections that I’d panic if I hit on my road bike.

This is my first bike review, I hope you enjoyed it. I’ll leave the real technical reviews to the guys at PinkBike.com and the other professionals. This was just my experience on the bike.

Hi there, my name is Zachary Kenney and I’m an adventure filmmaker & photographer.  My passion is to tell stories that will hopefully motivate you to go live a more adventurous life. Whether that is to experience the view from the summit of a mountain, or wandering through a new town on a road trip. Currently based out of Park City, UT.

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Nice review! Thanks! This bike has my attention, I will read a few more reviews and decide after that.

Thx for review of a bike am put my eye on for cummuter and touring road and little gravel here and There. Have You try little thinner tyres on the bike, and how the bike feels now after couple if months use? Safe journy. M

I have put 40c tires on it, and it is awesome! It rides almost as well as a road bike on pavement and still can hold a corner and make it through chunky sections on mellow mountain bike trail. But obviously, it shines on dirt roads and gravel. Love the setup now.

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Bike Hugger

A Weekender: Trek 920

Last month, shared a story about the nostalgic, adventure trend gripping the bike industry. And with the Trek 920 in to demo, here’s a 7 second review.

All you need to know really and succinctly. Impressed and intrigued by the 920, back burnered all work decisions for what am I gonna hang off those racks?

Let’s see…

• Panniers filled with snacks
• A change of clothes and backup batteries
• Camera and map
• My road kit and the road scene
• A baguette!

Getting your groove back on the bike, experiencing that momentum once again, and immersing yourself in the ride is the theme for issue 23 . That’s what we’re doing on bikes like the 920.

We're riding townies , adventure , and mountain bikes . Find recommendations on our store page . As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases.

Review: Trek 920 Disc

• Price: $2,090
• Weight: 24.8 pounds (without racks), 27.5 pounds (with racks)
• Sizes: 49, 52, 54, 56, 58 (tested) and 61 cm
• More: trekbikes.com

Posted in Best Of Bicycle Times Bikepacking Bikes Gear Gravel Bike Review Bike Touring Bikepacking Commuter Bike Gravel Bike Touring Bike Trek Trek 920

Trek 920 Rugged Touring Bike – An Excellent Adventure Partner

The Trek 920 blurs the line between “gravel” bikes and loaded touring bikes.

The whole concept of bicycle touring has been turned on its ear in the past few years. For a generation the idea was loading up a stalwart Trek 520 and following the pavement wherever it took you. Today many folks don’t even start their tour until they find where the pavement ends. Rides like the Tour Divide or the Oregon Outback have made back roads the new main street for bike touring, and Trek has designed the new 920 model for exploring on dirt, gravel and beyond. (Trek also debuted a new 720 light touring model.)

The parts spec uses a traditional touring layout but swaps in some high-tech mountain bike components.

The all-new aluminum frame and fork are more reminiscent of a mountain bike than a traditional, steel touring rig. The massive tubes keep things from twisting when loaded or traversing rough terrain. The distinctive kink in the top tube adds room for a second bottle cage on the down tube, meaning there is room for four bottle cages on the main triangle, as well as one on each fork leg.

Thru-axles front and rear add stiffness and security.

The 920 can be stripped down for events like the Dirty Kanza 200 or run with its included front and rear aluminum racks, giving you all the carrying capacity you could want. And while it may look a bit like a traditional touring bike with this set up, the details make it anything but. The Bontrager Duster wheels and knobby 29×2.0 Bontrager XR1 tires are straight from the brand’s mountain bike line, as are the inclusion of thru-axles front and rear.

Braking – Trek 920

Braking is handled by the excellent TRP Hylex hydraulic system.

The drivetrain is a curious mix as well, with traditional-looking bar end shifters paired with a SRAM S1000 42/28 mountain bike crankset and 11-36 cassette. Keeping your loaded rig under control is made much easier with the TRP Hylex hydraulic disc brakes. After using these for a few weeks it’s impossible to imagine going back to cantilevers.

The frame can also fit fenders for double duty as a commuter, something that should normally be essential here in Oregon.

I’ve been riding the Trek 920 on back roads all over Oregon in the past few weeks (aided by an alarming lack of snowpack) and thus far it has been an excellent adventure partner. Watch for an in-depth review soon.

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Vital stats Trek 920

• Price: $2,090
• Weight: 28.13 pounds, w/racks
• Sizes: 49, 52, 54, 56, 58 (tested), 61cm
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Trek 920 pavement build

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Any know if there's such thing as 26" slicks? Wanting to ride this bike on a paved biking trail and won't need anything too off road oriented. Also, about how much should I look at paying to have the wheels trued?  

There are. Kenda makes some. 1.95s I think. Other than that Maxxis Hookworms are your only other option, I think. And the Kendas aren't tubeless ready. They're wire bead. Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk  

I posted here before I googled, should've done the opposite because I found exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the response though  

Here's the link from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01596R7J6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fc9-xbT0G686W Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk  

Just curious. What did you find. I couldn't find any true slicks over 1.95 and would be interested in something else if you found some. Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk  

Schwalbe Big Apples aren't exactly slick, but come in 2.35  

thickslicks come in 26  

Michelin, Tioga, and Cheng Shin all make actual slicks, and there are dozens of different street treads. I am using Kenda PowerBlock tubeless.  

I use trail tires for summer trail riding currently have a set of Specialized Fat Boy 26x 1.25 road slicks on the Element and they work excellent. 100 psi max pressure soft rubber for good grip and comfort. I have 2500 KM on them with no sign of wear thru , although I ripped a hole in the sidewall last week causing the tube to bubble out.. their days are numbered but served me well. I am replacing them with a set of Tom Slick pro 26x 1.0" slicks only because I have them I suggest at least a 1.25" width tread for better comfort. Pamaracer makes good semi slicks as do dozens of other brands shop around for a deal on something slick or semi slick , with semi slick you can do light off road *better* then with slicks. Also check PSI rating the higher the psi the less rolling resistance  

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• Rider Notes

2016 Trek 920 Disc

An aluminum frame touring bike with upper mid-range components and hydraulic disc brakes.

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Sept 2016 · Jordan Gibbons

The Trek 920 Disc blurs the lines between road bike and mountain bike but theres no doubting it's an adventure bike.

Read Review

Aug 2016 · Skyler Des Roches

Joining the ranks of the 'adventure bike', the Trek 920 aims to rewrite the classic touring rulebook. Skyler takes one to B.C. to find out what this means.

Value for the price – impressive package for sub-$2000

Comes with good quality front and rear racks

Finally, a gear range on a touring bike that’s not too tall

Tire clearance for 2.0” rubber with fenders, or up to 2.3” without

Bottle bosses for 6 bottles in size 56cm and up, and 5 bottles below

Hydraulic disc brakes provide plenty of power for stopping a loaded bike

Surprisingly good tire spec

Lightweight – 26lb without racks or pedals in size 58cm, 29lbs with racks and pedals.

Wants to go fast.

Stock stem length way, way too long for average build

Bar-end shifters are vulnerable to damage, and impede maneuvering obstacles or climbing out of the saddle

Stock saddle designed without any reflection on human anatomy

Long rear end/high-trail fork gives away too much maneuverability for touring stability

Last updated 29 June Not listed for 2,487 days

The New 2018 Trek 920 Off-Road Touring Bike

Table of Contents

The 2018 trek 920 off-road touring bike, want to compare the trek 920 with dozens of others, helpful resources, touring & bikepacking bike overview.

The 920 is the off-road touring bike of choice in the Trek catalogue, given its low gear ratios and ability to fit 29 x 2.2″ knobby tyres. Not only is the 2018 Trek 920 off-road capable, but you can fit some fast-rolling touring slicks and fenders, and it’ll be ready for a big road tour.

The Trek 920 uses aluminium for the frame and fork construction (as opposed to steel) in order to shed weight. Although we don’t have the exact numbers, the difference could be as much as 1000g (2.2lbs) depending on frame size.

There’s been a few changes to the 920’s specification this year – let’s take a closer look. 

The biggest change to the 2018 Trek 920 has been the switch from barend shifters to integrated road levers. SRAM S-700 levers make the gears much more accessible when cycling in the brake hoods, bringing the 920 more in-line with the specification of other off-road adventure bikes. It’s important to note that the brakes remain hydraulic (SRAM S-700) despite this change.

Despite now employing integrated road levers, the bike still uses a 10-speed SRAM X7 mountain bike rear derailleur. Trek can do this because SRAM, unlike Shimano, uses the same shift-ratio between their road shifters and mountain bike derailleurs. With the SRAM S1000 42-28t crankset, the drivetrain achieves a 22.5″ climbing gear, and will have a big gear capable at rolling at over 40km/h (26mph). If you require smaller gear ratios, a 22t granny ring will bolt right onto the crankset (I recommend changing the big ring too).

Otherwise, the frame, fork, wheels and components remain the same. The 2018 Trek 920 with front and rear racks (uncommon on a stock bike!) is available for US $1999 .

Check out the  Touring Bicycle Buyer’s Guide  which compares touring bike steering, sizing, gear ratios, specification, pricing and more. The Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide does the same thing, however, with a focus on lighter bikes and models with more off-road capability. Both of these guides are updated annually with the latest models at no extra cost!

All About Touring Bike Brakes Frame Materials for Bicycle Touring How to Select Touring Bike Gearing Understand Bicycle Frame Geometry What’s the Difference between Cyclocross and Touring Bikes?

2016 Advocate Lorax 2018 All City Gorilla Monsoon 2016 Basso Ulisse 2016 Bianchi Volpe and Lupo 2016 2016 Bombtrack Beyond 2017 Bombtrack Beyond 2018 Bombtrack Beyond 2018 Bombtrack Arise Tour 2019 Bombtrack Beyond 2016 Brodie Elan Vital 2016 Cannondale Touring 2019 Cannondale Topstone 2020 Cannondale Topstone 2016 Cinelli Hobootleg Geo 2018 Co-Op ADV 4.2 2017 Curve Grovel V2 2017 Diamondback Haanjo EXP Carbon 2016 Fuji Touring 2017 Fuji Touring 2018 Fuji Touring 2018 Fuji Touring Disc 2016 Genesis Tour de Fer 2016 Giant ToughRoad 2017 Giant ToughRoad 2018 Giant ToughRoad and ToughRoad GX 2016 Jamis Aurora and Aurora Elite 2019 Jones Plus SWB 2020 KOGA WorldTraveller-S 2016 Kona Big Rove 2016 Kona Roadhouse and Sutra LTD 2016 Kona Sutra 2017 Kona Sutra 2018 Kona Sutra 2018 Kona Sutra LTD 2019 Kona Sutra and Sutra LTD 2020 Kona Sutra and Sutra LTD 2020 Kona Unit X 2016 Marin Four Corners 2017 Marin Four Corners 2018 Marin Four Corners 2016 Masi Giramondo 2018 Masi Giramondo 2016 Niner RLT9 2016 Rawland Ulv and Ravn 2016 Salsa Deadwood 2017 Salsa Fargo 2018 Salsa Fargo Ti Frameset 2018 Salsa Journeyman 2016 Salsa Marrakesh 2017 Salsa Marrakesh 2018 Salsa Marrakesh 2020 Salsa Marrakesh 2017 Salsa Vaya 2019 Salsa Warbird 2016 Specialized AWOL 2017 Specialized AWOL 2017 Specialized Diverge 2018 Specialized Diverge 2019 Specialized Diverge 2017 Specialized Sequoia 2018 Specialized Sequoia 2019 Specialized Sequoia 2018 Surly Bridge Club 2017 Surly Troll 2016 Traitor Wander 2019 Trek 520 2016 Trek 920, 720, 520 & CrossRip 2017 Trek CrossRip 2018 Trek 920 2018 Trek 1120

Are these 920s coming into Australia Alee? They don’t show up on the Australian version of the Trek website, and I haven’t seen one in the flesh yet. Looks like a cool bike tho.

The 2017 model never made it here, so I’d suggest not.

I have a MY2015 version. I really like the bike, frame is nice and stiff even when heavily loaded, there’s lots of tyre clearance and mounting points for anything and everything. Brakes are also amazing on long descents with a heavy load. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2ceb650f9758499d4de05f7cd568a7fb7e034c552f62b6b1a8646e9866152659.jpg

Awesome to hear!

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Trek 920 review

• by Cyclesgo

With its aluminium frame, hydraulic disc brakes and thru-axles, it’s fair to say that the striking-looking Trek 920’s frameset is an outlier in the touring bike category. It’s not only the frame and fork that are ploughing a unique furrow, though. Touring bikes are the last hangout of the triple chainset but Trek’s 920 has a double with small chainrings, emphasising the importance of lower gears. But don’t be fooled: this Trek is every inch the full-on tourer that’s designed to carry you and nearly 40 kilos of your kit (a claimed 25kg at the back, 11.8kg at the front) – with a hefty overall weight limit of bike, rider and cargo at a claimed 136kg /300lb. In all my tours, I’ve never carried anything like 40kg. Front and rear racks offer a huge carrying capacity. An aluminium frame instead of steel? One of the oft-repeated arguments in favour of steel is that if the frame fails in Uzbekistan or Uttar Pradesh all you need is to find a garage with a welder and your troubles are over. There is an element of truth to this and I have met one cycle-tourist who did this. But, frankly, any ‘incident’ that writes off an aluminium frame is likely to do the same to its steel counterpart.

Years ago, my loaded aluminium tourer fell off a railway station platform onto the tracks. It came away with nothing more than a scratch. Fortunately, this was in rural New South Wales, one train a day in each direction. I also managed 3,000 miles in three months on that frame, some of it on poor roads. The Trek 920 has a double chainset rather than a triple and it’s a move away from the Shimano hegemony with its 2×10-speed SRAM setup, which consists of SRAM S700 Double-Tap shifters (two) and GX derailleurs. Crucially, while it may only have 20 gears compared with the 27 or 30 on the other bikes on test (Fuji’s Touring Disc, Cinelli’s Hobootleg Easy Travel, Ridgeback’s Panorama and Thorn’s Club Tour MK5) this doesn’t compromise gears at the all-important lower end – the 28×36 is similar to the bottom gear on the other tourers. The 42×11 top gear is actually the lowest top gear on test by a fair margin, though that’s rarely an issue when it’s fully laden Bianchi Oltre RC .

The 42×28 rings offer a good range of lower gears.

Trek 920 ride impressions

The 920’s ride is a sumptuous, king-of-the-road experience. Loaded up – with most of the weight at the rear – it’s stable, comfortable and tackles poor roads, grit, gravel and towpaths with barely a murmur. Unloaded, or carrying little kit, the 920 is only negligibly slower than a road bike and as plush as you’ll need. I got on with the saddle but not everybody will, and for a bike of this size you might want a slightly shorter stem for adventures. But those are minor quibbles on a bike that I dare you not to like, even if its looks might cause a raised eyebrow among touring traditionalists. The highlight of the component package is the braking. The Bianchi Oltre PRO cable-actuated discs elsewhere are easily adequate for touring (I’ve toured on cantis and caliper rim brakes with no problems), but SRAM’s hydraulic discs are a level or two above with great braking with minimal effort from your hands and arms. Gear shifting from the DoubleTap levers is equally efficient, and you’ll pick up the technique within minutes if you’re coming from a Shimano background.

• Road disc brakes: everything you need to know

Fully equipped with excellent comfort, the 920 takes the crown. Part of the ride quality comes from the Bontrager Duster 29er rims and wide 2in XR1 mountain bike tyres, and both the rims and tyres are tubeless ready. The 920 doesn’t come with mudguards but has the fittings for them – and mounts for just about everything else that you could carry, including triple-bottle bosses. The 920’s Blendr stem is compatible with a wide range of dedicated computers, lights and other accessories. Very neat.

Trek 920 overall

The Trek is perhaps the most versatile bike in my test, doubling up as a day-to-day machine and full-on tourer, expedition, adventure or bikepacking bike. It comes in at just 12.4kg in a 54cm frame with two panniers, and if you whip these off and fit narrower, slicker tyres (or even change to road wheels) you’ll have a bike nearer 10kg; although it won’t be a crit-racing flyer, it will be comfortable, stable, very well appointed and that little bit sharper.

Fully equipped with excellent comfort, the 920 takes the crown.

Trek 920 geometry

• Size (* tested): 49, 52, 54*, 56, 58, 61cm
• Seat angle: 74 degrees
• Head angle: 71 degrees
• Chainstay: 46.4cm
• Seat tube: 43.1cm
• Top tube: 54cm
• Head tube: 12cm
• Fork offset: 5.25cm
• Bottom bracket drop: 8.5cm
• Bottom bracket height: 28.2cm
• Wheelbase: 1,084mm
• Stack: 58.3cm
• Reach: 39.2cm

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• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Size / 49cm, 52cm, 54cm, 56cm, 58cm, 61cm

At a glance

Where to buy.

Specifications

• Frame 100 Series Alpha aluminum, rack & fender mounts, 142x12mm thru axle, 73mm threaded bottom bracket
• Fork 920 alloy disc adventure, 15mm thru axle
• Wheels Bontrager Duster Elite, Tubeless Ready, 100x15mm thru axle
• Wheel Size 29
• Tires Bontrager XR1, 29x2.00'' [p18]
• Chain KMC X10, 10 speed
• Crank Size: 49, 52, 54, ProWheel forged alloy, 42/28, 2-piece, 170mm length; Size: 56, 58, 61, ProWheel forged alloy, 42/28, 2-piece, 175mm length
• Bottom Bracket Sealed cartridge, GXP Type
• Front Derailleur SRAM X5, 34.9mm clamp
• Rear Derailleur SRAM GX, Type 2, long cage
• Shifters Size: 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61, SRAM S700, 2-speed; Size: 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61, SRAM S700, 10 speed
• Brakeset Hydraulic Disc
• Handlebar Bontrager Race VR-C, 31.8mm
• Saddle Bontrager Evoke
• Seatpost Bontrager alloy, 27.2mm, 12mm offset, 330mm length
• Stem Size: 49, Bontrager Elite Basic, 31.8mm, Blendr compatible, 7 degree, 80mm length; Size: 52, Bontrager Elite Basic, 31.8mm, Blendr compatible, 7 degree, 90mm length; Size: 54, 56, Bontrager Elite, 31.8mm, Blendr compatible, 7 degree, 100mm length; Size: 58, 61, Bontrager Elite, 31.8mm, Blendr compatible, 7 degree, 110mm length
• Headset FSA Integrated, sealed cartridge bearing, 1-1/8''

Q: How much is a 2021 Trek 920?

A 2021 Trek 920 is typically priced around $2,099 USD when new. Be sure to shop around for the best price, and also look to the used market for a great deal.

Q: Where to buy a 2021 Trek 920?

The 2021 Trek 920 may be purchased directly from Trek .

Q: What size wheels does the 2021 Trek 920 have?

The 2021 Trek 920 has 29 wheels.

Q: What size 2021 Trek 920 should I get?

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Rocky Mountain Fusion 920

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Size / XS, SM, MD, LG, XL

At a glance

Where to buy.

Specifications

• Frame Rocky Mountain 6061 Series Custom Hydroformed Alloy. Threaded BB. Tapered Zerostack Headtube. Rack and Fender Mounts.
• Fork SunTour XCM, Suntour XCM-LO 29.100mm (XS: 80mm). SpeedLock / Fixed Rebound
• Hubs Shimano RM33 / Centerlock / 32H
• Wheels Wheeltech SX19 By WTB
• Wheel Size 29"
• Spokes Stainless
• Tires Maxxis Sphinx 29" x 2.1"""
• Chain KMC , KMC X9 9spd
• Crank Shimano , Shimano M371 170-175mm 42/32/22T
• Bottom Bracket FSA 7420
• Front Derailleur Shimano Acera, Shimano Acera 9spd 31.8mm
• Rear Derailleur Shimano Alivio, Shimano Alivio 9spd
• Shifters Shimano Acera, Shimano Acera Rapid Fire 9spd
• Brakeset Shimano , Shimano M355 Hydraulic Disc 160mm
• Handlebar Rocky Mountain Zero6 Flat 31.8mm x 670mm x 6° Sweep
• Saddle WTB Volt
• Seatpost Rocky Mountain XC 27.2mm x 400mm
• Stem Rocky Mountain XC7 7° x 60-90mm
• Grips Rocky Mountain XC Kraton
• Headset FSA #57 Internal: ZS44, ZS56mm

Q: How much is a 2016 Rocky Mountain Fusion 920?

A 2016 Rocky Mountain Fusion 920 is typically priced around $799 USD when new. Be sure to shop around for the best price, and also look to the used market for a great deal.

Q: Where to buy a 2016 Rocky Mountain Fusion 920?

The 2016 Rocky Mountain Fusion 920 may be purchased directly from Rocky Mountain .

Q: What size wheels does the 2016 Rocky Mountain Fusion 920 have?

The 2016 Rocky Mountain Fusion 920 has 29" wheels.

Q: What size 2016 Rocky Mountain Fusion 920 should I get?

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Reviewed: 2016 Trek Boone 9 cyclocross bike

A race bike at a fair price point, the boone offers comfort, stiffness, and an excellent overall design, despite a few imperfections..

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

MSRP for stock model: $4,500 MSRP for bike as tested (Aeolus 5 wheels): $6,550 Overall star rating: 4/5

Star ratings: Value: 4/5 Comfort: 5/5 Handling: 4/5 Acceleration: 4/5

What we like: Tight, quick steering; IsoSpeed decoupler adds comfort. What we don’t like: QR rear wheel; plastic cap covering decoupler broke almost immediately.

Trek has committed to IsoSpeed for 2016, and its proprietary decoupler has appeared in various iterations on many of its most popular dirt and pavement bikes. The Boone 9 is no exception: The IsoSpeed decoupler is built into the frame to help add a splash of comfort to what ultimately seems to be a very stiff frame. The idea behind IsoSpeed is to allow flex in the seatpost without compromising stiffness in the bottom bracket area. This allows for as much pedal power transfer as possible without shaking your fillings loose when you’re in the saddle.

We’ve put some miles on the Boone both on and off the race course, and overall, we found it to be an excellent race bike: quick steering, instant acceleration, and comfort to boot. But it’s got some imperfections that should be addressed on future versions of the Boone.

We’ve mentioned in other reviews that IsoSpeed works, and this is the case with the Boone 9 as well: The decoupler quiets chattery courses so you can concentrate on pedaling hard and strategizing your next move around the guy ahead of you in the chicanes. We were a bit surprised, though, to see how quickly the bolt within the decoupler loosened. It took about five hard rides before we heard a noise and found that the bolts were not tight. The plastic cover, too, worked loose almost immediately and cracked. It’s a decorative piece, so no big deal in terms of functionality, but aesthetics matter when you’re paying this much for a bicycle. Once tightened, the decoupler didn’t work loose again.

Trek has added a thru-axle fork for 2016, though it stuck with a quick-release rear, a contentious choice when the stiffer 142×12 option is now available on so many bikes in this category. Aside from that complaint, the frame is spot-on: The geometry feels fairly compact, avoiding that long, laid-out position common on race CX bikes, which can compromise quick steering; the frame is, subjectively, quite stiff in the bottom bracket (we did not send this bike to the VeloLab for testing).

Despite all that stiffness, the Boone rarely feels harsh, which is likely attributed to the IsoSpeed. Up front, our best guess is there’s enough flex in the fork and head tube to keep the ride comfortable, but the thru-axle provides quick, accurate steering.

Our test bike came with Bontrager’s Aeolus 5 D3 TLR Disc wheels, which are not stock on this model, and while they’re stiff wheels that offer tubeless versatility, it isn’t worth pillaging your wallet for them. Tubeless-ready clinchers will run you $2,850 aftermarket for the set, while tubulars will set you back $2,400. We rode the clinchers with tubeless tires, and the set-up was ideal for many conditions but not necessarily the race course. You won’t get the low tire pressures you can with tubulars, but the peace of mind that came with tubeless, knowing punctures wouldn’t likely be an issue on terrain riddled with goat heads, definitely helped. Tubeless isn’t about to overtake tubulars in terms of overall usability and performance on the ‘cross course, so if really low pressures are your thing, or you fear burping a tire, you might want to consider the tubular version instead. For our money, we’d stick with Zipp 303 tubular discs, which are just as stiff, weigh slightly less, and actually cost less.

While Trek could stand to iron out a few kinks with the IsoSpeed, and the rear axle really should be a 142×12 thru-axle, the Boone 9 is an agile and fast racer that hits a price point lower than similar bikes in the category. We’d stick with the stock wheels to keep the price down, and invest in some tubulars for serious racing, but otherwise, out of the box the Boone 9 is serious about reaching the podium.

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randoms: the one about carrying cargo of all kinds\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"gallery: 16 attention grabbing bikes from the sea otter classic","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/16-attention-grabbing-bikes-sea-otter-classic\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/16-attention-grabbing-bikes-sea-otter-classic\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"gallery: 16 attention grabbing bikes from the sea otter classic\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/16-attention-grabbing-bikes-sea-otter-classic\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"gallery: 16 attention grabbing bikes from the sea otter classic\"}}\u0027>\n gallery: 16 attention grabbing bikes from the sea otter classic\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"haro bikes is set to release a new race road bike and gravel bike. wait, what","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/haro-buzzard-rivette-road-gravel\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/haro-buzzard-rivette-road-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"haro bikes is set to release a new race road bike and gravel bike. wait, what\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/haro-buzzard-rivette-road-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"haro bikes is set to release a new race road bike and gravel bike. wait, what\"}}\u0027>\n haro bikes is set to release a new race road bike and gravel bike. wait, what\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u2018cycling sucks sometimes\u2019: what poga\u010dar, van der poel and pidcock said before li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/cycling-sucks-sometimes-what-pogacar-van-der-poel-and-pidcock-said-before-liege-bastogne-liege\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/cycling-sucks-sometimes-what-pogacar-van-der-poel-and-pidcock-said-before-liege-bastogne-liege\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018cycling sucks sometimes\u2019: what poga\u010dar, van der poel and pidcock said before li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/cycling-sucks-sometimes-what-pogacar-van-der-poel-and-pidcock-said-before-liege-bastogne-liege\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018cycling sucks sometimes\u2019: what poga\u010dar, van der poel and pidcock said before li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018cycling sucks sometimes\u2019: what poga\u010dar, van der poel and pidcock said before li\u00e8ge-bastogne-li\u00e8ge\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"sea otter randoms: riser handlebars, nifty racks, and tubes aren\u2019t dead","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/sea-otter-randoms-riser-handlebars-nifty-racks-and-tubes-arent-dead\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/sea-otter-randoms-riser-handlebars-nifty-racks-and-tubes-arent-dead\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"sea otter randoms: riser handlebars, nifty racks, and tubes aren\u2019t dead\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/sea-otter-randoms-riser-handlebars-nifty-racks-and-tubes-arent-dead\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"sea otter randoms: 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spotlight\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"mathieu van der poel realistic about quest for monument sweep: \u2018even with roubaix legs i cannot follow poga\u010dar\u2019","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/mathieu-van-der-poel-realistic-about-quest-for-fourth-monument-even-with-roubaix-legs-i-cannot-follow-pogacar-here\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/mathieu-van-der-poel-realistic-about-quest-for-fourth-monument-even-with-roubaix-legs-i-cannot-follow-pogacar-here\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"mathieu van der poel realistic about quest for monument sweep: \u2018even with roubaix legs i cannot follow poga\u010dar\u2019\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": 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\"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the cadex race integrated bar is as light as it is good looking\"}}\u0027>\n the cadex race integrated bar is as light as it is good looking\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"time to plan your next trip: 5 companies with new bike bags at sea otter","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/new-bike-bags-at-this-years-sea-otter\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/new-bike-bags-at-this-years-sea-otter\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"time to plan your next trip: 5 companies with new bike bags at sea otter\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/new-bike-bags-at-this-years-sea-otter\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"time to plan your next trip: 5 companies with new bike bags at sea otter\"}}\u0027>\n time to plan your next trip: 5 companies with new bike bags at sea otter\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"highbar wants to revolutionize your helmet straps","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/highbar-wants-to-revolutionize-your-helmet-straps\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/highbar-wants-to-revolutionize-your-helmet-straps\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"highbar wants to revolutionize your helmet straps\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/highbar-wants-to-revolutionize-your-helmet-straps\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"highbar wants to revolutionize your helmet straps\"}}\u0027>\n highbar wants to revolutionize your helmet straps\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "}]' > >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": 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Trek 520 Disc first ride review

BikeRadar gets world’s first test of Trek’s revamped steel tourer

Robert Smith / Immediate Media

Simon Withers

The Wisconsin-based company has been making its steel 520 bike since 1983 — making it a couple of years younger than Specialized’s Allez and a decade or so younger than the Dawes Galaxy, probably the standard bearer for steel touring bikes, at least in Britain — and started out as an all-round road bike. But in the years since 1983 the bike has flitted between all-rounder and full-on tourer.

The 2019 incarnation is very much the latter beast, having gained even more touring-friendly features than the 2018 model, and it now has some serious expedition chops to its name.

• Best gravel and all-road bikes of 2018
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Trek 520 Disc spec as tested

• Frame : TIG-welded butted chromoly steel
• Fork : Alloy disc touring with lowrider mounts
• Handlebar : Bontrager Comp VR-C
• Stem : Bontrager Elite ‘Blendr’ with computer and light mounts
• Seatpost : Bontrager 27.2mm alloy, 12mm offset
• Saddle : Bontrager Evoke 1.5
• Shifters : Shimano Sora
• Front derailleur : Shimano Sora
• Rear derailleur : Shimano Alivio rear
• Brakes : TRP Spyre C2.0 mechanical disc
• Brake levers : Shimano Sora
• Cassette : Shimano HG200, 11-36, 9-speed
• Chain : KMC X9
• Chainset : Shimano Alivio triple 48/38/26T
• Bottom bracket : Shimano external cartridge bearing
• Wheels : Bontrager Affinity TLR tubeless-ready 36-hole rims, Shimano M475 hubs
• Tyres : Bontrager H1 Hard-case Ultimate, 700x38mm with reflective sidewall
• Extras : Bontrager 15kg-max capacity front rack and 25kg-capacity rear rack
• Weight : 13.97kg (57cm including racks but not pedals)

Trek’s 520 ups its touring chops for 2019

Most notably for 2019 the 520 has gained a 15kg-capacity Bontrager front rack and a much lower bottom gear — the all-important one — compared with the 2018 model. It has also moved from bar-end shifters to more familiar Sora STI levers.

Trek’s original 520 was lugged, whereas today’s model has a neatly TIG-welded chromoly steel frame with an alloy thru-axled fork; the rear wheel has a standard quick-release.

There’s a peg at the rear of the head tube to fix a frame pump under the top tube and a chain peg on the driveside seatstay. There are three bottle bosses on the down tube, allowing you to fix the bottle cage at different points, and further fittings on the fork, so you can adjust the height of the rack or carry more bottle cages if you forego it altogether.

Triple the fun

Most significantly for 2019, and a sign of its more adventurous ambitions, is that the gearing has gone even lower than before. Make no mistake, this is a good thing.

If your bike is carrying a 70kg rider (okay, nearer 75kg in my case) and approaching 40kg of kit, and you reach the bottom of a long or/and steep hill, you can never have a bottom gear that’s too low. This is where the very-rarely-seen-on-a-road-bike triple chainset comes in.

Trek should also be praised for making it a 48/36/26t Alivio mountain bike chainset, with a teeny-tiny 26t inner chainring, rather than a Shimano 105 road bike 50/39/30 or similar.

Trek really makes the most of this with the saucer-sized 36t sprocket, which delivers a very low bottom gear (under 20in). The 48x11 top gear (around 120in) is more than adequate for powering down hills, and the Sora gear lever and Alivio rear derailleur pairing works well, even with the large jumps necessitated by the 9-speed 11-36 cassette.

Is that bailout/granny gear too small? Not if you find yourself on an unsurfaced road at the foot of a 2,000ft / 600m peak, which happened to me touring in New Zealand years ago.

The front thru-axles help you get the most from the TRP Spyre brakes, which are among the best mechanical disc brakes around with the advantage of being easier to fix and fettle than hydraulics when off the beaten track. Okay, they require more effort through the brake levers than even low-end hydraulic disc brakes, but they work in all weather conditions.

That said, the 36-spoke Bontrager Affinity rims give the impression they’d survive the apocalypse. The 38mm Bontrager Hard-Case tyres ride well on tarmac and were fine on the light gravel of my local canal towpath, and the rims will take wider rubber too, so you can fit more gravel-specific or off-road-flavoured tyres.

Go low, go slow, go long…

The geometry is touring leisurely, with long chainstays, a wheelbase well over a metre and a slack head-tube angle. This creates a very stable, comfortable, semi-upright riding position, ideal for both touring and commuting.

Contact points are good and you can rack up those miles comfortably, albeit slowly. Where it really comes into its own is in its ability to carry considerable quantities of kit, which is where the super-low gearing helps.

My 16-mile commute ends with a few hundred metres of climbing at 10–12 percent, which usually requires out-of-the-saddle honking or even zig-zagging on the steepest section.

Not with the Trek 520. Even with bulging panniers I could stay seated in the bottom gear and spin-spin-spin. On a tourer you want to twiddle and maintain a high cadence rather than crank a knee-crunching gear. If you are loading the 520 up to the gunwales, split the load between the 25kg capacity rear rack and 15kg front, which will balance the handling better.

Trek 520 Disc early verdict

The 2019 is £100 / $215 more expensive than last year’s model, but I think it justifies the extra cost (in the UK at least) if you fancy tackling some full-on, continent-traversing treks.

The front rack ups carrying capacity to the max, with more bosses for greater adaptability, and while Sora STI may nominally be a lower spec than 2018’s bar-end shifters, the move to a much lower bottom gear more than makes up for that.

Upping tyre spec from 32mm to 38mm adds weight, yes, but increases comfort, which can be further added to by going tubeless or to even chunkier rubber.

If you carry heavy loads you could use Trek’s 520 for tough commuter runs but the 520 is most at home on the wide-open road. Thirty-five years of history so far, and we reckon you could get a lifetime of trekking adventure on this well-specced, attractively priced bike.

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