evictionsurplus

The frame is a steel Trek 950. I am guessing late 90s. Shimano Deore XT derailers and brakes, Sugino cranks and a Manitou Spyder front suspension fork. I traded a SS for it. What am I missing out on compared to a real quality hardtail, or did I get a good deal?
j

LowCel 

Sounds like you got yourself a good bike. Only thing I would do to it is ride it. If / when things break then worry about upgrading.

wb 86

The Trek steel 900 series were one of my favorite frames to ride. Years ago I was in love with a green, lugged 930 with a rigid fork. It was in the Trek "Singletrack Series" and it had super tight stays and a shorter wheel base than my 7000. That bike was awesome on the rocky switchback trails in northeastern PA I grew up on.

It sounds like a solid bike, they are a good deal even today.

Craig

Svr

Let me guess, it's painted blue. Sounds like a 1998 model year. The XT brakes and derailleurs are upgrades. The frame isn't as nice as the 1994-1996 950 models, but overall it was one of the better production steel hardtails on the market at the time.

uphillbiker

I used to have a Treck 970. It was a very good bike. With all the progressive refinements that have been added onto mountain bike lines over the years, we get the false preception that older stuff is crap.

allencb

Much better than my first mountain bike and at least as good, if not better than my second one (I'm on #3 in 22yrs of mtbing). The only thing you're "missing out on" is maybe a little less weight and maybe geometry that was tailored to a suspension fork. If it's your first, you won't know what you're missing. Ride the heck out of it and enjoy.

My first mountain bike, in the mid 80s, had friction shifters and weighed over 30lbs.

Chris