I've been keeping an eye out for a better bike than the $15 garage sale no namebrand clunker I have now. I commute about 5 miles to the bus on a pretty flat an beautiful trail accross the bay here in Anacortes. I'm pretty much broke when it comes to $, but I saw this Trek800 Antelope bike at the thrift shop for $85 and they said they would go down to $75. I tried it and it seems to fit me very nicely. It's lighter than the bike I use now (the front wheel on mine needs to be replaced it's in very bad shape). I'm wondering whether I should hold out for something better or just get this thing.
I'm not sure I want a roadbike as I tend to jump curbs sometimes.
On my current bike (I think it has about the same gearing as the trek) I noticed that on days when I have a wind from behind or when I go downhill, I wish I had a higher gear as I don't feel I'm going fast enough. I guess that's one reason to go with a roadbike, otherwise I tend to be pretty rough on my bike as I don't have time to slow down and avoid stuff so I just plow ahead. The trail where I ride, is littered with seashells (the seagulls use the trail as a hard surface to drop clams and break them), so I'm not sure that skinny tires would be ok as I just don't have the patience to avoid the stuff... I've got enough things to worry about I need something solid enough to take this kind of abuse.

There's one in a pawn shop, here in Dallas, for $45.00.

I don't know much about this particular bike, but it looks like it was in the low end of Trek's line.

Get a beach cruiser with 26 inch tires. Do not bother with crappy mtb.

If it's anything like my trek 820 ($85 used/good), it's a so-so mtb, and a good commuter (7-10 miles). I found the gearing to be just enough for me as I was almost "geared out" on flat ground with no wind and slicks. Otoh, it has plenty of shorter gearing for hill climbs which I enjoy. It's upright and provides nice road feedback while being tough enough to throw around, kinda like an old schwinn except the components are relatively fragile and will probably wear quickly. The only gripe I had (besides the cheap components) was the handle bars being too low, which I probably can solve with spacers. The only problem you might have is outgrowing the gearing, but that should take a while to happen, and by then you can upgrade if you'd like.

Here's my wifes 820 Antelope. I repainted it with some new brakes and cassette. I would love to put a rack and panniers on this baby. Such a fun bike to ride.

Is it worth $75? Yes, I think so. It was almost $400 new, when I bought it back in 1993. Hers is mint, and is perfect for running around town. She also pulls our girls (6yo & 3yo) in a trailer to school (Kindergarten).

Hey Patriot,
Nice paint job. I hope, when I repaint my bike, it looks that nice.

I coulda scooped a nice one, a virtually unused garage find for $25,
but I told the guy to find a deserving teenager. The tires were a bit
crackled so I even offered to donate a pair,(got'em comin' outa my ears).

From my experience with entry level rigid mtb bikes,, not that I have whole lot, but I've restored/overhauled 5 of them in the last year and ridden many in the past, they can be really good and reliable commuter bikes. With a little effort i've gotten all of them to shift essentially perfect and to ride smoothly and quietly. So I would guess that the bike you are looking at is either a good bike or has the potential to be good with a little mechanical finesse. That said, when I ride my entry level bikes I try to keep in mind that they were not designed to take the same beating a higher level one was. You might also consider looking on craigslist. I dont know where you live but here in Co. springs there are several sweet older mid-high end mtb's listed right now for around a hundred dollars. In fact I find it a little shocking that those great machines are so undervalued (it's partly because of the season), I wish I could afford to buy them.

There are so many variables to consider. But you have to remember that it's only worth what someone wants to pay for it. If it's mechanically sound and has no major issues then maybe. You'd probably want to swap out the tires/tubes/cassette/chain and maybe even the cables, service the wheels/hubs and drive train (clean, grease and repack hubs, true wheels, adjust derailleur, etc). After that's all said and done you'd have a nice commuter bike and you'd have spent less than a big box bicycle that wouldn't last more than a few years of serious riding.

See if you can snag it for $50, and allow yourself $50-$150 for parts/tools (if you don't already have them).

The value depends a lot on the condition of the components and what you expect to upgrade/modify.

In general, the steel Trek 8xx series were good frames, and if I needed a bike, I would be quite happy cruising around on one or modifying it for commuter use. If all of the components are in good shape, the set-up is how you want it, the bike fits you, and you wouldn't need to do a thing to it before you started riding, then I'd say $75 is a fair deal. If the components are in good shape, but it's not quite your style/you want to change the handlebar, seat or pedals or something, then it might be worth $75 to someone, but not to you. Components take the price down a lot, and quickly, and have a lot to do with your resources. I could build most of a bike from spare parts, and for me, I'd pay $20 or so for a good steel 80s MTB frame, like a Trek 800, if I was in the market. I'd modify the price based on condition and color and the weather and which side of the bed I got up on. If I was buying parts, I wouldn't pay much at all for something needing any significant help, not at this level.

If the 800 is in good cosmetic and mechanical condition, $80 is okay. The frames are bulletproof. If the consumables don't need to be replaced; cables, housing, brake pads, tires, grips, go for it. On an 800, the most vulnerable parts are the twist grip shifters, cheap and can fall apart. If they are bad and don't shift precisely, knock $25 off your offer and replace them with thumb shifters.

If you can spend a few more bucks, look for a Trek 850 or 930. STX and Deore shifters and derailleurs are more robust. Specialized Rockhopper and Stumpjumpers are very nice vintage MTBs too.

Looking on the Bellingham Craigslist, there are some of each, but I don't know what size you would need and if that's close enough to you.

yes

Yes. But if you can find a 900 series Trek, or Specialized Stumpjumper, Rockhopper of the same vintage, get one of those instead..

Everyone is responding as if they aren't aware that this is a 7 year old thread.

My money is on the OP having found an answer by now.

The great thing is that a Trek 800 Antelope is worth almost exactly the same amount today that it was seven years ago.

If he got that bike, I bet he is still riding that bike to this day.

WhidbeyBikr posted once on BF. (2006)

I own a Trek 800 Antelope and can tell you, it is the only bike you will ever need. Mine has been to hell and back with me and it has never failed. I paid $130 for mine and never look back because there is not a mistake to be found on it.

I think Rawly Old just suckered the bunch of us by resurrecting this zombie thread.

*sigh*

You've got that right! I've got one of those mid 90's Treks and it's been through it and back again many times, and it is still going strong to this day. I've got newer bikes and I still enjoy riding that old steel horse, but it's now retired to smooth single track and paved bike trails.

1997 Trek 800 frame, here, around 40K total miles. Daily urban workhorse, trailer rig, kid rig, commuter, off road/trail touring setup. Rebuilt many times. Maybe 7th rear wheel, 4th or 5th front. Big Apples, hand built velocity aeroheat wheels, Brooks Flyer Special, Surly Long Haul Trucker fork, front and rear racks, etc., on the long but low and compact frame make for a comfortable, versatile, and surprisingly responsive ride. Solid old frame, 19.5, bit small for dedicated touring but nice stand over for trails, trailers, and traffic.

mods, please change thread title to "The Epic Trek 800 and stuff thread part 2" and sticky. Thanks.

My experience with used bikes is that they normally need around $100 in repairs. Once that is done, you will likely have a better bike than you could buy for $185.

If I take the but to work it costs me $5.30/day. A couple of month of biking to work would pay for that bike and give me a bonus of free fun and exercise.

Oops

It doesn't matter if the thread is old because it's about people experience with this bike. In my opinion, I would take this bike over the entry level Trek mountain bike any day. I've seen so many of them on the street over the years, it must have been a good bike.