Originally Posted by
cyber.snow
Can you help me with some TREK 520 disc questions?
1. What range of tires can I run? I was hoping to run from 28mm to 42mm+
2. I heard that the rack that comes with the bike is not a very good one. What rack is recommended for the front and back of the bike?
3. How difficult is it to mount fenders and are there any special fenders that are needed for the bike?
4. On a normal ride, without touring bags, where do you store your lock and what kind of a lock is recommended?
5. Is there a good front handlebar bag that I can use to store maps, cell phone, snacks, etc on rides?
6. Should I go ahead and buy panniers and ride the bike with the panniers attached or take them off when riding the bike as a commuter or to the store?
Sorry, prolly pretty silly questions to most of you long time riders, but things I just don't know any decent details about. My LBS will order about anything and I have this feeling that their recommendations are based a lot on profit margin.
Thanks,
Snow
Only a Trek dealer can order a Trek, so is the local dealer a Trek dealer?
1 - Ask the dealer. Then ask the dealer if you have a smaller maximum size tire with fenders?
2 - I like the Tubus Ergo front and Tubus Logo EVO rear. The Logo EVO is best with panniers, it does not do well with just a rack top bag since it is too narrow for most rack top bags. When I get home from a trip, I strip off the Ergo and Logo, put a cheap rear rack on instead.
3 - I do not know your skill level.
4 - I am not going to recommend a lock, I lock my bike in pretty safe areas, I do not know about where you will park it.
5 - I spent several hours modifying my handlebar bag, so I would not recommend the one I got.
6 - I use a shopping type pannier for around home, not my touring panniers. I take the shopping pannier into the store because I put my groceries in it. I use two different shopping panniers, a large and a small, the ones I got are no longer sold.
I recently bought one of these panniers to use as a gym bag, got the medium size. Works great for that purpose, would likely work well as a commuting bag too. Shipping from the UK was about $6. But it is a weird web site, put a couple more items in your cart and suddenly shipping jumps to over $60.
Cordo Valda Single Pannier Bag | Planet X