Trek 3700

"I use my 3700 disk bike on the Michigan Tech trails. I have gone on trails varying from easy to advanced. I mainly ride standing up. After having used the bike for a year I have found things I like and don't like about the bike. The fork does not have a lot of adjustment in it but it handles fine on bumps less than 2ft high. The bike is very light for an aluminum bike. You can easily throw it around on mountain bike trails. The brakes also handle nicely. They do tend to squeek once in awhile though. Overall I would say this is a great bike for someone who enjoys mountain biking, but does not want to spend a ton of money on a bike."

"This is the first bicycle that I have bought for myself and it is a very good beginner bicycle. My typical ride covers about 10 miles distance and is filled with pavement, gravel/dirt roads and singletrack trails. I have put in excess of 400 miles on my bicycle in three months. In that time span I have learned a lot about the way I like to ride and the limiting factors this bicycle presents to me. But I have also found that with a little bit of compromise that this bicycle will out perform its design.



Since I've learned about what style of riding I like, I have changed some components. I have a much better front fork, clipless pedals, different angle and length stem, wider handlebar, new wheelset and cassette. These changes have really improved this bicycle to better meet my needs without having to buy a new bicycle. My next changes are disc brakes and going to a 9-speed cassette drivetrain. I know that when I'm done I will have basically a new bicycle. I like the frame geometry so until I break this frame I will continue to ride it.



My only complaints about this bike are the pedals and the rear gear selection. After about 150 miles the pedals started grinding so I bought new pedals. I didn't try taking them apart but I guess you could regrease the pedal bearings. I went clipless and that really helped improve my climbing. Just adding better platform pedals would make the drivetrain feel much smoother. The other complaint is the gear selection. I know this is a 7-speed cassette but the cog size between the lowest rear cog and the next higher gear really dragged down my climbs. A 34-tooth low gear is great to have but when you then shift into a 24-tooth gear, it just kills your climb. SRAM has a very good 7-speed cassette that I put on my bicycle. It required a different hub, hence why one of the reasons I have a new wheelset.



After all of that my recommendation is I would buy the 4300 disc because it has more gears and a better front fork. I only say that in hindsight because I didn't have a full grasp on my own riding style. If you are a daily commuter with just some weekend trails, this bike is on the money. If you are going to be riding more off road, then do yourself a favor and move up to at least the 4000 series bicycles."

"This is the best bike I've ever owned. I use it every single day and it's held up very good for the year I've been riding it. It rides great on streets, sidewalks and dirty zig-zag trails. The breaks and shimano gear changers are great and frustration free unlike other cheap bikes. I got the hardtail because I wanted a nice clean looking bike that transfered all of my energy efficiently. I prefer adjusting my body to the bumps and curves of the trail, it's very enjoyable. I highly recommend this bike!"

"Have had my new 3700 for about 2 weeks now and it is a great bike! i had not rode for a long time and decided it would be a good workout so i first bought a cheaper bike from [...], it was ok for a while but i knew a quality bike from trek would be so much better. the 3700 handles well, shifts good, brakes perform good, everything is working great. i would recommend it and it is a good price for the quality . i would also recommend getting one of the trek computers for your bike, tells you how far, fast, and long you have rode, very helpful for training!"

"This is the bike you need to get if you're thinking of getting into Mountain Biking, I've been using it for almost 2 years now 4 times a week. It is a great starter bike and made me fall in love with the sport, I ride it hard on all types of trails, beginner/advanced/expert (Trails: Big Creek, Chicopee Trails, Blankets Creek) and have to say that I'm amazed at the sturdiness and the efficiency this bike provides. I will mention that I modified it a little over time, new fork that took the bike to a higher level and brakes. But this is something you'll end up doing to any bike you get over time. Oh and also it's a [*] good looking bike."

"I just purchased the 3700 last weekend and put a paltry 20 miles or so in it; however, I'm already regretting my purchase. This bike is solid, and if you are debating between a $200 lunker from a department store and this bike, then 10 times out of 10 I would purchase the 3700. If you have the extra $100 to spend as I did, then don't be cheap; upgrade to something in a 4 series.

For bigger fellas (6'2", 220), the front suspension really robs you of power going up substantial hills. You may also end up kicking yourself for not going with something offering smoother shifting and the option of being able to easily transition to front disc brake (as you would be able to do with the 4300).

This bike has a lot going for it though. It's obvious when you ride it that it is well built, regardless of the lack of comfort/function features. It's comfortable. It is a great trail bike; great for riding at comfortable paces with family or friends. AND, it's still very, very smooth in comparison to every other entry level I tested (regardless of make and model). If you are just getting back into riding, like me, then I couldn't suggest a better bike - unless you have an extra hundy lying around!"

"Got back into cycling after a (ahem) 25-year layoff and needed a bike suited for riding with my son (age 7), some light work on trails and broken terrain, and strong enough for a 6'3", 250 lb guy. My Trek 3700 fits the bill perfectly, at a cost I find more reasonable every time I ride! :) It's light, easy to keep the pedals spinning, and comfortable, even on trails or loose rock. I did upgrade the wheels to double-walled ones, mostly because of my size, but otherwise the bike is stock. It handles nice, turns well, and is well balanced when I'm easing down slick, broken descents. So far I haven't found anything I don't like about it, except that I wish I had a touch more length in the stem for a more erect riding position (am very tall through the torso). I would recommend this bike to anyone!"

"I have the 08 version of this bike, which is essentially identical. First things first: I like this bike. It's very stable, very solid, When you crank it into a high gear and pound on the pedals, everything feels sturdy. However, durability is a major issue. As soon as I started to ride harder, faster, and more technical trails (nothing extreme, I'm not that skilled yet), things started to break. The derailleur stopped working properly for a while, my brakes have gotten messed up, and my crank started to fall off. I'm learning more and more bike mechanics because so much is breaking. So, if you like to ride around, ride moderate trails, and maybe some occasional harder rides, go for it. but be warned: if you're not good with mechanics, then this bike is probably going to cost you more in the shop than it's original price. (One last note: If you have strong legs, this thing climbs like a beast. On flat pedals I out-climbed my friend who was riding a top-of-the line bike with clipless pedals.)"

"I purchased this bike August, 2006 and still use it now. This is my favorite mt bike I ever owned (I owned 3 before) because it's very durable and swift. The only maintenance I've done on it is a flat tire and some squeaky gears but these are minor and easily fixed. I biked at the beach, surface streets, some beginner dirt track courses and around the Rose Bowl area and had a great time and good workout. I recommended this bike to a friend who bought it and returned his Iron Horse for this and had no regrets. This is a good bike for everyone except perhaps hard core mountain bikers who need stronger suspension."

"After years of buying cheap [...] bikes wich needed to be replaced each year, I decided to save up for a "real" Mt. bike. After a few months I had saved up enough money and went to buy it. I ride this bike 7 miles each way to and from school each day even when theres been up to 1 ft of snow on the unplowed country roads, ride on the track through the woods I made at our farm, ride to friends houses, and bring it camping were I'v road on every thing from pro. technical tracks to paved bike paths. I'v now had this bike for 5 years and have put many miles on it and am really happy with it especially considering the price and I'm not all to easy on my things. It does require some know how because it does need to regulary be tuned up and other randome repair jobs. So far I'v replaced the brake pads 4 times, replaced the front rim, replaced the seat, replaced the front three gear sprockets, replaced both of the tires 2 times, replaced the handle bar grips, replaced the pedals, and replaced the cables for both of the shifters and the rear brake, tuned it numeruse times, am constintly tightning the breakes, and greasing all the parts. This sounds like alot but keep in mind that I ride more than most people and I'm prety hard on my bike. I'm now saveing up for the trek 3900 disc. bike, I don't need a new bike because my 3700 is still in good rideing condition despite all the scratches and dents, but I find the disc brakes and the other upgrades to be much desired. Over all this is a great bike but it is way to heavy to jump, I would love it if the front shocks hade more travel, and it had disc. brakes. It is an awsome bike for weekend woriers and beginners. I LOVE the mega drive rear gear that work great for steep inclines, deep mud,and snow. This bike has great shifting that always changes to the gear you want and does it smooth and fast. STOP READING THE REVIEWS AND JUST BUY IT!!!!"