Aluminum is the new Steel .

I agree. It seems Trek now gets by on brand-recognition alone. There are certainly significantly better touring bikes out there for about $1400-1500 (Salsa, Kona, Masi, and Surly to name just a few off the top of my head).

$1600 for this bike is straight gouging.

First Impressions: Trek 520

https://www.adventurecycling.org/adv...gn=20180822_ED

I'm going to guess Sora brifters plus Alivio derailleurs are for compatibility. There are no Shimano brifters that are compatible with 10spd+ mtb groups right? You'd have to go full Tiagra if you wanted higher tier brifters, and that doesn't support the desired gearing like what's currently specced.

​​​​​​Pretty uninspiring machine for that price.

I suspect you are right. Maybe deore Rd are made for 10 speed. And yes, tiagra sti have road pull, so don't work with MTB 10.

Well, duh! It's 15 years newer!

:)

They are including both a front and rear rack , this year just rear rack included..

LHT comes bare.. you have to buy both..

By the way you don't have to stay home, just because you are still not owning the best touring bike..

pack up what you have and go see someplace new..




....

So I just went thru this process for myself. Looked at the (new) Trek 520. Meh. I have an '87 520, but it is set up more as a weekend 'event' cruiser than an actual touring bike.
Almost pulled the trigger on a Disk Trucker.
Ended up with a Salsa Marakesh, and VERY happy with it. It comes with a rear rack, BTW.

The deciding factor: The Salsa is a better looking bike to me. IMHO, you can't really go wrong with any of those 3 bikes.

Well that was a pointless article that said absolutely nothing. It said nothing but what Trek's own promo said, other than using some more flowery wording.

Trek, lifetime warranty on frame, Surly/Salsa limited time.

Adventure Cyclist: the 2018 version of Buycycling magazine.

"Watch the December 2018/January 2019 issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine for our full Road Test." :) :(

Pros:
I like the red color.

Cons:
I'm not sure why they went with an Al fork.
I'm not a fan of drop-bars nor brifters.

The rest seems fine, as does the price .

My Bottom Line:
I'd definitely pass.

The 1990 Trek 520 had Deore DX, which was second level under XT at the time (I have one).

I have a bike with 1990 Deore DX stuff and it still shifts as good as it ever did.
Sure it hasnt been ridden a gazillion miles, and I always kept it clean, but I figure deore is the best quality price function balance point, and always has been---I do admit though that alivio can still work fine for ages, I would just prefer a better build quality rd for the price they are asking for the bike.

The 520 was/is Trek's last all steel ride, I suppose Trek has kept it like such since it is their longest running model but perhaps it's time they killed it off?

Since they decided to go with an Al fork, I don't understand why they didn't just go with a full on Al frame. All of the other models in their "adventure" line are made from Al. The Al fork will automatically exclude the 520 from consideration for a number of folks already so may as well just move on...

Call them in Wisconsin HQ and ask..

Also , Trek has a Live Chat line on their website .

and here is Bob with his overused comment that anything can be used to tour. Yup, we get it. Nobody has said, or even suggested, that they would need to stay home due to not owning the best touring bike.

its a thread about equipment and people are giving opinions of the equipment.

I'm surprised you didn't add that the frame and fork are made in Asia. You forget to post that?

I've been riding a new 920 with a similar aluminum fork for a few weeks now and I have noted no issues with it. My ride of the last eight years has a CF fork. On the same rides on surfaces that vary a lot in smoothness I could not tell that the CF is any better. Perhaps it is a case of fat tires covering a multitude of sins but I prefer fat tires anyway so I am covered. If I were looking at the old 520 I would have gone with the Kona Sutra anyway so I can't see any of these changes appealing to the traditional touring market. Perhaps they feel the bigger market is going a different direction. Perhaps they are right, perhaps they are wrong.

I am living where people tour, a destination ,, and see this all summer tour is the trip, bike is one way to tour..

Dont sell many touring bikes , since people bring them from home..
Local shop had a 520 that often sacrificed a wheel to touring riders who broke theirs ,

Then last summer it sold, paid for by the motorist who hit a guy , just a half day out on his trip..
and the ER,/'urgent care' for the check over, treating scrapes , and such, ..





....

Pretty much what @BigAura said.

Nobarends would DQ it from my consideration, but I suppose all in all its gonna sell them more bikes. Still not sold on the necessity of discs for this application, but I'm guessing this is a marjeting driven decision.

That said they geared it exactly like I geared mine before deciding I'd rather stick with the Mazama. Guess they finally realized touring bikes didn't need 130+ GI.

This is my exact train of thought, so you beat me to it. Its perplexing that they chose to put an aluminium fork on it. :deadhorse2: nuff said.

Yeah, Trek now seems like the epitome of a soulless multinational corp. I know bike companies are for-profit businesses, but that doesn't mean they can't be quirky and personable. I think that's why so many of us are fond of brands like Surly and Salsa.

both just send the work overseas, more efficient production wins.

just QBP/Surly uses Maxway , that hires a zillion people skilled as TIG welders.



rather than whine from the bleachers about what a designer for a factory chooses to do
pony up for a hand made custom..





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