Coffee the only way to adjust stem is to move it down. The stem is as high as it goes when you buy a bike new. So you will not be able to move it up. What I would do first is change handlebar to a riser handlebar. Talk to your local bike shop for options about handlebars.

Also Coffee how is the position of your bike seat. You want the bike seat in proper spot before you change handlebar or stem. For example you could just move seat down a half inch. Is your seat in the right spot?

What are your impressions of the bike?

i tested both 8.4 and 8.6, both very nice bikes. I ended up going with the 8.6 because I like the color. Ride is about the same with the exception of slightly smoother gear shift on the 8.6. If 8.4 didn't have the white TREK lettering, I could have gone with 8.4 and would have been just as happy.

Col. Sanders,

I am really liking it so far. It was a birthday gift to myself and I had at least a month to do research and shop. It climbs well and also can take a hit! Going down hill on the sketchy bumps was a bit unerving but I just need to ride more and learn it. Tomorrow I will be commuting to work on it for the first time. Pretty stoked!

How do you like the mud flaps on your Trek? I like the look. What brand are they I might get them for my Trek 8.2.

Hey Eagle1, I like these mud flaps. Who makes them? I might order a pair for my DS 8.2.

Anyone know what size spoke Trek D.S. 8.6, 2016 has?

Sorry I do not know. I feel your pain. I came to this thread to see if anyone knew what spoke size I need for my 2013 8.3DS.

I have had a few replaced, and was given a couple spares at my LBS last trip. They measure ~11.5 inches (with standard J-bends). However I didnt see the actual size on the box he pulled them from.

Now, ~11.5 inches is ~292 mm. But when the next sizes up and down are in increments of just 1mm, it makes me a bit uneasy. I believe you'd have +/- 1mm to play with, but I too would like to know.

What I find amazing is I cannot go to a Trek site and find a manual that will tell me what size I need! The "user manual" I got with my bike was the exact same manual as I got for my 5 year old daughters Trek. Not bike specific.

I can appreciate there are calculators out there that require measurement of wheels/hubs etc, but I'm just looking for stock length!

Anyone know?

Hokay, bit of a double post as I started a seperate thread and didn't put that it's for the DS...so I'll throw it here as well as I can't change the title or delete the thread

So I've been in search for bigger tires but always worried about fit in the rear stays.

After doing the North/South Track (a real mountain bike track) a couple of weekends ago, the search for bigger tires became a priority. While I've done some really "out of scope" terrain (single tracks, sand, rock gardens) on the standard LT3 38c OEM tires it was definitely time to change.

Emails to Trek Australia didn't really lead me anywhere though I do know now that the 2012/2013 frames are the same and the 2014 has slightly larger rear stays. That being said the Trek page states for the current model "accomodates 700x35c tyres with mudguards, or a 29"x1.8" MTB tyre without mudguards."

I just happened to drop into an LBS and they had some $30AU 29 x 2.1 Deli SA-258s in stock. The guy said "take 'em and try 'em" and so I did. No luck. Slightly (like in technical terms a smidgeon or a bee's dick ) because of the edge knobs. Only way they'd clear was if I dropped the pressure to about 25 PSI. Slightly too low for my purposes.



Back to the drawing board.

Then I came across the 29x2.1 Kenda Small Block 8. $30 for a name brand tire ( yeah wired bead, I'm not worried about foldings on the hybrid) , definitely worth a try. Not as aggressive as the Delis but that meant the edge knobs weren't as pronounced.



Just put them on and.....BINGO!

Front clearance was never an issue.



Nice and clear, on the rear




Compared to the 40c PRX2's on my wife's Giant Rove


Compared to the son's DS 2013 DS 8.3 with OEM LT1



Looks a bit more "agressive"


Biggest issue is that a 2.1" tires isn't a 2.1" tire, depends on the manufacturer and the tread pattern, so all you can really do is try and try again.

Will feedback on the tires after the weekend

Guess I will never understand why people put a 29 tire on a ds. To me it sounds like a bad idea, its way to tight. The ds is a hybrid not a mountain bike.

Because..... The DS was my "gateway" bike and when I started riding was doing heaps of road riding and mixed riding and trails. Now I have a road bike the DS has become more specific for riding trails. At least once a week I do firetrails on my commute home ( a 3 km ride becomes 20km of trails with around 600m elevation )

While the 38c will certainly cope with the firetrails I do they are bit skinny and lacking in bite/grip especially on uphills. I'm not doing fast downhills or jumps or airs so the hybrid suspension is fine and with larger tires and lower pressure it'll be just that bit more comfortable and confidence inspiring.

Besides I can justify $80 for new tires and tubes to myself (and the Minister of Finance) easier than the cost of a decent MTB.

The DS still feeds my needs just needs a bit of tweaking to fit my needs slightly better.

You need a wide enough tire to keep the bike stable otherwise you are all over the trail. My 38mm tire works just fine for me offroad because I take it real easy. Could see a 42mm or maybe 45mm tire on my ds but nothing bigger.

Yeah really depends on where/what conditions you're riding. I rode a Cyclocross for a while with 32c tires. Rode it on singletrack, bad firetrails etc, not just gravel roads. I'm not the fastest, youngest or bravest rider out there but as I say above and as you're saying, you can pretty much do anything with anything as long as you're careful and pick your lines well

So some feedback on the 2.1 Kenda Small Block 8s ( close your ears @talonwing )

Did the firetrails home last night, there's about a 5 k road climb ( 200m elevation), the new tires did feel "heavier", but that might just be subjective.They're still pretty smooth riding with probably slightly more road noise than the LT3s but definitely less than a full knobbly.

On the dirt trails (about 10k of firetrail and about 200m elevation gain ) , this is really where they excel and do exactly what I wanted from them. Less deflections from rocks and roots on the front which results in not having to pick your lines as carefully and feeling safer and more "planted". Especially useful on snotty downhills.

The bigger rear gives so much better grip and drive on the wet/loose surfaces especially when going uphill.

Probably need to drop some pressure, was running 50 psi, but probably drop down to 45 on the next trail ride.

IF you're riding lots of dirt, firetrails and single track then definitely worth considering.

What is the skinniest and fastest tire we can put on a D.S. 8.6?

On a DS 8.5, I've got 47-622 (28x1.75) Continental Tour Ride tires, front and rear. On a set of Velocity Dyad 36H rims. Very stable and strong. Have done mildly muddy and rutted trails, though nothing very steep yet. Big difference, as compared to the 38mm's.

Rubs a bit with full-length fenders, but works fine without the fenders. Will need to reshape the brackets and toy with the fender stays, but I'm hopeful they'll work.

Could believe that a 47 tour ride will fit because they run a little small. I have a 37 and 42 conti tour ride. The 42 seems real heavy in the front when climbing hills. Took it off right away and put in the rear. I am running my old lt3 tire in the front.

I picked up my new 2014 8.4 DS last November. First bike I have had in almost 18 years. Love this thing, and love riding bikes again. Started commuting to work, 26 miles round trip. Did my first yesterday. Felt great. Glad to have a place online to geek out about my love affair with my bike.
as it is now
out on a big group ride
As it was the day I took it home

I recently swapped the stock LT3 38's for H5 HardCase 42's for paved rides and commuting. After reading a couple threads on this forum about tires on a DS, I am torn between the Schwalbe Smart Sam 700 x 45 or a set of Bontrager 29-3 in 29 x 2.0 for off road.

Here is my 2015 DS 8.5 that was actually purchased at the beginning of this year. I love the bike and it really is a huge improvement over my old bike a 93 Trek 850 Mountain track I purchased on Craigslist.

I read a few of the posts here about owners putting larger tires on their DS bikes.. What is the largest tire I can use with the stock wheels that came on my DS ?

Obligatory photo of my bike

Are you sure that is a 8.5 DS?

The colour looks all wrong to be either a 2015 or 2016 8.5 DS

I just looked at the receipt from the LBS It says DS 8.5 right on it... Bike does too...

Course I am not the expert some of you are. or I might need glasses..

Could it be a 2012 8.5 DS?