I am obsessed with bikes that don’t cost much. In fact, I have a category devoted to bikes that cost less than $700. I think it is important for new people to the sport to start small, and work your way up. I purchased a Bianchi Brava (ahh…Italian Steel) for less than $700 about two years ago with the plan to upgrade it if I got into the sport. Well, now that I am obsessed, I am extremely comfortable on my bike and have no need for anything “better.”
Trek’s are similar to Giants in one regard, Either you love them, or you hate them. Many riders believe that as more and more pieces of the bike get off shored and built in China, the quality goes down. I can’t argue one way or the other, as I haven’t seen any proof. I did take the Trek 1000 out for a test run for about 1 hour courtesy of my LBS, and I was very impressed. If it is one thing that the major manufacturers have going for them it is that they can pack a lot of goodies for such a reasonable price. This bike was going for $699, and came stocked with an aluminum frame/carbon fork, and a carbon seat post. The ride was solid, and the Shimano components were pretty standard. The entire bike was covered with Bontrager, which is owned by Trek.

The pedals were of the strap-in type, which is the standard for the sub-$700 bike. The Bontragerseat was also pretty uncomfortable, so that should also be on the top of the list future upgrades for any new Trek 1000 owner.

Overall, there was little to dissapoint, and I forgot to mention how sweet this bike looks. I am not a huge fan of the Discovery Channel sticker, but that blue is hot. If you are looking to get into the sport, you should definitely check out the Trek 1000. Remember, even though I may have enjoyed the ride, you may not. Everyone is different. Support your local bike shop and test ride every bike you can until you find one that is perfect, and within your price range.