2018 trek 920 specs

The New 2018 Trek 920 Off-Road Touring Bike

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The 2018 trek 920 off-road touring bike, want to compare the trek 920 with dozens of others, helpful resources, touring & bikepacking bike overview.

The 920 is the off-road touring bike of choice in the Trek catalogue, given its low gear ratios and ability to fit 29 x 2.2″ knobby tyres. Not only is the 2018 Trek 920 off-road capable, but you can fit some fast-rolling touring slicks and fenders, and it’ll be ready for a big road tour.

The Trek 920 uses aluminium for the frame and fork construction (as opposed to steel) in order to shed weight. Although we don’t have the exact numbers, the difference could be as much as 1000g (2.2lbs) depending on frame size.

There’s been a few changes to the 920’s specification this year – let’s take a closer look. 

The biggest change to the 2018 Trek 920 has been the switch from barend shifters to integrated road levers. SRAM S-700 levers make the gears much more accessible when cycling in the brake hoods, bringing the 920 more in-line with the specification of other off-road adventure bikes. It’s important to note that the brakes remain hydraulic (SRAM S-700) despite this change.

Despite now employing integrated road levers, the bike still uses a 10-speed SRAM X7 mountain bike rear derailleur. Trek can do this because SRAM, unlike Shimano, uses the same shift-ratio between their road shifters and mountain bike derailleurs. With the SRAM S1000 42-28t crankset, the drivetrain achieves a 22.5″ climbing gear, and will have a big gear capable at rolling at over 40km/h (26mph). If you require smaller gear ratios, a 22t granny ring will bolt right onto the crankset (I recommend changing the big ring too).

Otherwise, the frame, fork, wheels and components remain the same. The 2018 Trek 920 with front and rear racks (uncommon on a stock bike!) is available for US $1999 .

Check out the  Touring Bicycle Buyer’s Guide  which compares touring bike steering, sizing, gear ratios, specification, pricing and more. The Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide does the same thing, however, with a focus on lighter bikes and models with more off-road capability. Both of these guides are updated annually with the latest models at no extra cost!

All About Touring Bike Brakes Frame Materials for Bicycle Touring How to Select Touring Bike Gearing Understand Bicycle Frame Geometry What’s the Difference between Cyclocross and Touring Bikes?

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Are these 920s coming into Australia Alee? They don’t show up on the Australian version of the Trek website, and I haven’t seen one in the flesh yet. Looks like a cool bike tho.

The 2017 model never made it here, so I’d suggest not.

I have a MY2015 version. I really like the bike, frame is nice and stiff even when heavily loaded, there’s lots of tyre clearance and mounting points for anything and everything. Brakes are also amazing on long descents with a heavy load. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2ceb650f9758499d4de05f7cd568a7fb7e034c552f62b6b1a8646e9866152659.jpg

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Trek 920 Review: What’s an adventure bike?

Joining the ever-burgeoning ranks of the ‘adventure bike’, Trek’s 920 aims to rewrite the classic touring rulebook. For a start, it uses a lightweight aluminum frame, the latest in industry thru-axle standards, and sports clearances for 2.2in 29er tires. There’s custom racks and provision for 6 water bottles too. But does this mean it can really go where no touring bike has previously been? Skyler Des Roches takes one to British Colombia to find out…

It’s clear on paper that the Trek 920 is a category-confused bike. Is it a drop-bar 29er? A touring bike? A monster-cross or all-road thing? Several companies are calling similar machines “adventure bicycles”. What does that even mean? How does the curious mating of spec and geometry often found in this newly-minted category play out on planet Earth?

While I’ll concede that I don’t think it really matters what particular narrow niche a bike is labeled under, I do think that knowing what a bike does best is extremely useful when shopping. In a world where the word adventure has been appropriated by urban dog-walkers and picnickers, my challenge in reviewing Trek’s answer to the “adventure bike” was to figure out what the hell this bike was for.

From afar, the Trek 920 looks a lot like many of this year’s new breed of gravel or randonneur bikes. But, those bikes are adapted cyclocross or road designs and can usually fit 700x40c tires or more voluminous, but smaller diameter 27.5×2.1” (650Bx53) mountain bike tires. The 920 comes set up with Bontrager Duster Elite 29er wheels, and clearance for up to about 29×2.25” (untested, so this might depend on the tire). Running the stock Bontrager XR1 tires, which measure 29×2.0” (or 700Cx51 if you prefer), there is even space for fenders.

One upside to the bike industry’s new love for the word “adventure” is that it has provided an opportunity for bike manufacturers to break some of the old rules of touring bikes. Gone is the old singular meaning of adventure cycling, the one that meant loading up a small mountain of gear strapped to front and rear racks, just sort of suffering along whatever road, and praying that the equipment would hold up.

These days, adventure means, well, just about anything if you believe the marketing. It’s the hottest thing in cycling, and everyone wants a slice. Adventure biking is being used simultaneously as a category, and an all-encompassing activity. Full-suspension mountain bike – adventure; hardtail – definitely adventure; cross bike – whiskey and adventure; expensive road bike – hella adventurizing. The spirit of adventure never changed, but the old rule book – the one that required 26” wheels, Schwalbe solid rubber tires, rim brakes, drop bars, 36 spoke wheels, square-tapers, leather and steel – has been shown out the back door. It’s rather confusing from a marketing perspective, so it’s perhaps understandable that the 920 would appear so category-confused.

At its core, Trek’s 920 seems to aim to achieve the same thing as those rule-bound classic touring bikes, but freed the Luddite mentality that is becoming less and less necessary for international touring as bikes get more reliable, and a variety of parts more easily available around the world. Its aluminum frame features thru-axles, internal cable-routing, a bent top tube that allows three bottle cages within the front triangle on sizes 56cm and up, braze-ons for front and rear racks (which come included), and bottle cage mounts on each fork leg and below the down tube. That’s a total of six bottle mounts on the frame and fork. The aluminum material is exotic in itself for a touring bike, but it allows for a bike that weighs only 26lbs in size 58cm.

Though a frame will always be the heart of a bike, I’d guess that the 920 is the sort of bike that will almost always be purchased and ridden as a complete package. As such, the stock parts spec will be important to most people looking at this bike.

The 920’s build, with a few exceptions, offers a build spec that will come as a breath of fresh air for cycle tourists: its components, for the most part, are exceedingly well-suited to the unique needs of pedaling a loaded bike. Namely, its mountain bike gearing, powerful brakes, decent tires, and strong racks will mean forgoing some common component swaps made to brand new touring bikes.

• Frame 100 Series Alpha aluminum w/rack + fender mounts
• Fork Trek Adventure alloy disc, 15mm thru-axle
• Rims Bontrager Duster Elite Tubeless Ready
• Hubs 15mm front, 142×12 rear
• Tires Bontrager XR1, 29×2.0″
• Shifters SRAM 500 TT, bar end control, 10 speed
• Front derailleur SRAM X5
• Rear derailleur SRAM X7, Type 2
• Crank SRAM S1000, 42/28T
• Cassette SRAM PG-1030, 11-36, 10 speed
• Chain KMC X10
• Saddle Bontrager Evoke 1.5
• Seatpost Bontrager alloy, 2-bolt head, 27.2mm, 8mm offset
• Handlebar Bontrager Race, VR-C, 31.8mm
• Stem Bontrager Elite, 31.8mm, 7 degree, comes w/ computer & light mounts
• Headset FSA IS-3, 1-1/8″ threadless, sealed cartridge bearings
• Brakeset TRP Hylex hydraulic disc

A highlight reel

• Tubeless ready wheels with asymmetrical spokes (for more even spoke tension).
• Bontrager 29×2.0” XR1 Comp tires: cheap yes, but also pretty ideal for rolling efficiently on gravel and paved surfaces. I was able to run these tires tubeless for duration of the test, even if they’re not a tubeless ready tire.
• 2×10 Sram X7 mountain drivetrain: mountain bike drivetrain on a drop bar bike?! A 42/28 crankset?! Pinch me. This gear range is actually suitable for cycle touring.
• TRP Hylex hydraulic disc brakes: because being able to actually stop a loaded drop bar touring bike is something the world deserves. Unlike mechanical disc brakes, these are set-and-forget, requiring zero maintenance.
• Thru-axles: because if it’s going to have mountain bike wheels, it’d better be able to run common mountain bike wheels. They also surely add a degree of stiffness, stability, and strength to the frame when stressed by heavy loads.
• Custom racks: yup, the 920 comes with front and rear racks designed to mount specifially to this bike, and as far as I can tell, they’re bomber.

There were only a couple of parts that were immediately unimpressive. First, the saddle did not agree at all with my posterior. I guess that’s a matter of personal preference. Second, the stock stem lengths are atrociously out of whack with the bike’s geo. Consider that Specialized’s AWOL has very similar front end geometry, and specs a 70mm stem on the size L. The 58cm Trek reviewed here came with a 110mm fishing pole.

Now, I’m a relatively averagely proportioned 6’2” tall man. I’ve never come across a bike that was offered in 58cm where the correct size for me wasn’t 58cm. I don’t doubt that the stock stem length will work for some folks out there, but I’d have hoped Trek would aim for average. As it was, I immediately swapped to an 85mm stem, and would probably be happier with a 70mm.

Besides that, there are a few spec choices that don’t quite fit with the nature of the bike. They’re not huge detriments, but they add to the category confusion of the Trek 920.

I guess it’s not really fair to be puzzled at the bar-end shifters – I know why they’re there. Reason 1: this is a $2000 drop bar bike with hydraulic disc brakes. They’ve got to cut cost somewhere and bar-cons are a good way to do that. Reason 2: there’s an old notion that bar-end shifters are a good choice for touring. Part of this idea comes from a sort of retro-grouch mentality that says simple is inherently more durable. I disagree, but I’ll get to that. Part of the old appeal of bar-end shifting stems from the flexibility of friction shifting. Bent derailleurs or derailleur hangers can sometimes be limped home with some amount of shifting in friction mode. Alas, while Sram 10 speed allows the mixing of road shifters with mountain drivetrains, those Sram bar-cons cannot be switched to friction mode.

But given the wide tires, thru-axles, hydraulic disc brakes, aluminum frame and tubeless wheels, I’d think the 920 was beyond all that – a 21st century answer to the touring category. Rather than providing any sort of real advantage to reliability, the bar-end shifters just place thin aluminum shift levers in one of the most vulnerable places on a bicycle. If the bike falls over, which is likely to happen at some point if you use front panniers, there’s a real possibility of breaking or bending the shifter lever.

You and I can likely live with all that given the rest of the spec. The real annoyance came when I thought to myself “damn, this bike could almost pass as a real mountain bike. I should turn off on that singletrack right there.” Or maybe it was that all the underbiking I saw the last time I checked that well-known cycling fashion blog. You know, the one where they’re always riding absurdly expensive road bikes on California singletrack.

And even that started out great. It was a blast right up until the first short, punchy climb. I stood up on the pedals, spine curled and hands deep in the back of the drops when cluuunk…instant knee-to shifter contact. Gear 1 to 10 in one second flat. Game over, no more climbing. Those accidental knee-shifts all but prevented me from using this bike as a drop-bar mountain bike.

Given that those shifters and racks are good indicators that Trek may have intended the 920 to fill the role of a classic touring bike (while somewhat extending its utility onto unsealed surfaces) the 28-spoke wheels are also surprising. Sure, 28-spoke wheels are common for all manner of mountain biking these days, including such high wheel-abuse activities as enduro racing. The Bontrager Duster Elite wheelset is built using asymmetrical rims, which provide more even spoke tension, and may allow them to hold their own against higher spoke-count hoops. But, wheels are subject to a lot of abuse when riding corrugated roads with four bursting panniers, as might be expected on a 920. Fortunately, throughout the test, the Bontrager wheels showed no sign of struggling, though I never did ride the bike loaded with more than about 15kg.

With its long 465mm chain stays, its very low 85mm bottom bracket drop, and its high trail fork, the Trek 920 is built for stability above all. Combined with the large wheels, this has the down side of making the bike decidedly not nimble. This is, perhaps, its weakness. It is especially noticeable when the bike plays dual duty as a commuter. Even though my commute times were not noticeably slower than on my positively zippy little 90’s mountain bike-commuter conversion, the 920 felt very slow to accelerate, and far less eager to take 90 degree corners at speed. It made up for time, however, by easily cruising at speeds similar to a road bike.

With a front load, that high-trail fork exacerbates the lack of maneuverability, making it ride as if on rails. This is likely of benefit moving fast on open roads, but I’d advise against riding with a front load bias off-road. Note that, despite the recent resurgence of front loading – a style of touring long popular amongst randonneurs and their low trail bikes – the 920 and the likes of Specialized’s AWOL have very similar trail measurements, and are not actually any more suitable for front-loading off pavement than other bikes. Instead, I found the 920 handled best with a slight rearward weight bias, or close to even front-to-back weight distribution.

Loaded up on smooth back-roads, whether dirt or pavement, this stability plays to its favour. On one lightly-loaded two-night trip, I was able to maintain close to a 25km/h moving average on smooth gravel roads – much higher than my usual plodding pace. Once up to speed, I could sit in the drops and go, and go, and go…I rode 60km of dirt roads in falling snow for lunch with friends, and 60km back along sloppy mud roads in the rain. The next day, 80km before lunch. These are not my usual sorts of backroad riding days, I’m really not that fit.

This efficiency is no doubt one of the few benefits of drop bar bikes for dirt road touring. I find the riding position (after the stem switch) generally more powerful, and less energy-consuming on the 920 than I’m used to. That said, this being a demo bike, I did not have the opportunity to cut the steerer tube to my preferred length. I found the drops often felt too low, while the hoods felt too high. On one trip, I added some aero bars. By rotating between the three riding positions – climb on the hoods, rotate between the drops and aero bars on flats, and descend in the drops – I was able stay comfortable enough.

On rougher roads, such as the crushed rock logging roads found in British Columbia’s more mountainous parts, the efficient road bike-like riding position and incredible stability (lack of maneuverability) ceased to be a benefit. Instead, I found the position made it challenging to effectively absorb rough stretches, even if the bike itself encouraged me to bomb through those parts. After 100km of that sort of road, my back was sore and I was wishing for a flat bar bike. I’m convinced that a flat bar rigid 29er remains the best option over the greatest variety of terrain, even if the drop bar 29ers excel on gravel roads.

Furthermore, the low bottom bracket and bar-end shifters make it very challenging to ride the 920 on even relatively easy singletrack. Perhaps it’s because I’m used to riding modern hard tails on that sort of surface, but between the constant pedal-to-ground and knee-to-shifter strikes, I wasn’t going far on singletrack without getting frustrated. Running 2.3” tires, some of the pedal striking would surely be alleviated, and the bike would undoubtedly tackle singletrack more adeptly.

Aluminum is certainly unfashionable as a material for touring bikes. I think there is a wide notion that the “feel” of steel makes for a smoother, more comfortable ride. That may be so, but 2.0” tires do a lot for a smoother, more comfortable ride. On maintained gravel roads – that is, unsealed roads that may have a good gravel cap and get graded somewhat regularly – the 920 sails. Hitting corrugated corners at cruising speed is totally comfortable. Perhaps some of my soreness on rougher roads could be attributed to the aluminum frame material. But, I think we can really blame that discomfort to the sporty drop bar position and its difficulty dodging bumps when loaded.

• Value for the price – impressive package for sub-$2000
• Comes with good quality front and rear racks
• Finally, a gear range on a touring bike that’s not too tall
• Tire clearance for 2.0” rubber with fenders, or up to 2.3” without
• Bottle bosses for 6 bottles in size 56cm and up, and 5 bottles below
• Hydraulic disc brakes provide plenty of power for stopping a loaded bike
• Surprisingly good tire spec
• Lightweight – 26lb without racks or pedals in size 58cm, 29lbs with racks and pedals.
• Wants to go fast.
• Stock stem length way, way too long for average build
• Bar-end shifters are vulnerable to damage, and impede maneuvering obstacles or climbing out of the saddle
• Stock saddle designed without any reflection on human anatomy
• Long rear end/high-trail fork gives away too much maneuverability for touring stability

​Wrap Up: So what is an adventure bike?

​Think of the Trek 920 as​ an updated ​’classic’ ​touring bike​. It ​offer​s​ the load-carrying abilities ​of racks and panniers ​teamed with​ modern components and materials​, ​​bringing i​t in at ​a ​svelte ​26lb package​ – a relative lightweight in the touring world. ​Though the 29×2” tires ​and its generous clearances ​may ​suggest back​country,​ bikepacking ​inclinations, th​e 920’s super stable geometry​ really shines on paved roads and smooth, non-technical dirt​, the kind of terrain encountered on many of the popular touring routes​. ​Consider ​it more as a ‘Touring Plus​’ bike​. ​But note that while the big tires ​help it ride more comfortably and safely, they don’t necessarily extend the abilities of this machine.

• Model Tested Trek 920 Disc
• Size Tested 58″
• Sizes Available 49,52,54,56,58,61″
• Weight (56cm) 28lbs / 12.7 kg
• Price $1,989.99
• Contact TrekBikes.com
• Recommended Uses Gravel touring, dirt road bikepacking, all-road riding

Rider’s Background

When not on some longer exploratory bikepacking trip, I tend to do my riding on a mountain bike on the steep, technical trails of southwestern British Columbia. Earlier this year, I spent three months finding new bikepacking routes in Chile’s central Andes. Despite my bias toward lighter loads and harder trails, I’ve put in my time riding on pavement with four panniers, and everything in between. I’ll admit a preference toward standard flat handlebars and more upright riding positions for all but the fastest road riding.

Height 6’2” Weight 180lbs Inseam to ground 34.6”

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Zachary Kenney

Adventure Doesn't Find You

Trek 920 Ultimate Adventure Gravel Bike Review

Reviewing bikes is something I’ve always wanted to do, but reviewing a bike that’s already 3-4 years old by the time I get it usually doesn’t warrant an online review. This Trek 920 ; however, is my first new bike I’ve ever owned. And with it being the first new bike I’ve ever owned, I cannot even begin to tell you how much I enjoy riding this bike. I’d even go as far as to say as it made me fall back in love with riding bikes. The Trek 920, advertised as Trek’s go-anywhere adventure touring bike, lives up to its name.

A little background on my riding style. Grew up riding BMX, like most teens. Transitioned to road riding while in college (2010) in Pennsylvania and began to take it seriously when living in New England (2014). Picked up mountain biking in 2017 while riding the rooted, hilly trails of Connecticut. Moved to Utah in 2019 and currently live in Park City, UT where rides consistently involve 2,000 vertical feet of climbing and technical/fast descents. I like to go fast both uphill and even faster downhill.

First off, this rig comes standard with 29″x2.00″ tires. For reference, your burly mountain bike is probably running tire widths of 2.20″-2.40″. So right away you’ll notice how much traction and gnarly trail you can cover with these beefy tires. Sure, they won’t roll as well as a skinny tire or a gravel tire, but those tires won’t get you into half as much adventure as these will.

Second, the drivetrain. Equipped with SRAM S7000 Shifters up front, SRAM X5 front derailleur in the middle, paired with SRAM GX rear derailleur in the back. Tied in with a 11-36 10-speed cassette, this drivetrain runs surprisingly well with minimal maintenance needed. At first, the SRAM DoubleTap shifters were hard to get used to, but after a year on the bike, I really like the technology. Plus the range on this drivetrain is pretty astounding, and much needed when you have a fully loaded bike on a tour.

Last, the frame & setup of the Trek 920. This bike was designed and built to haul your gear into the backcountry and not only survive, but thrive. Sure, you can strap anything to a bike, but if it’s not designed to carry that load, you’ll feel like the bike is going to collapse under the weight. Or worse, get weighed down by the bike before you even load it up with anything. The spec weight of this bike is a super light 28.41 lbs. Sure, heavy compared to a road bike, but it’s not that, it’s an adventure bike. And you’re road bike would snap under the impact I’ve put this thing through.

The Ride Experience

I’ll be the first to tell you that there is no such thing as a one bike quiver, but the Trek 920 being designed as the go-anywhere adventure touring bike, it comes pretty damn close. So I actually won this bike in a contest held by Outside TV Campfire Contest in October 2018 . Since winning the bike, I’ve ridden it all over Park City. At first, it was just my commuter bike and used to go get groceries. But that was only because I didn’t know it’s full capabilities.

Treating this bike like a mountain bike, I’ve taken this bike on the Glenwild, Round Valley, and Utah Olympic Park singletrack, where it not only handled well, but rode surprisingly well. I’ve never climbed technical sections with such ease before due to how efficient a rigid frame bike rides. Long traversing sections were so much fun, with the monster tires eating up all of the smaller bumps allowing you to just cruise at the high altitude. Then come the descents. I’ll be the first to tell you that it’s sketchy. Without front suspension, and with those drop bars, your center of gravity is really forward on the bike. Little drops and features, that you wouldn’t even notice on a mountain bike, tend to throw you for a whirl and get exciting. This is also the part where biking became fun for me again, having to really pay attention to all the line choices instead of letting my suspension eat it up. With that being said, I tend to stick to blue trails for my descents so that I don’t get into anything over my head (or go over the bars).

Riding this bike like a gravel bike, well obviously it was born for that. Just last week I rode a gravel rail trail section where this thing rolled superb and kept the tire side down in some of the looser gravel sections. The dirt felt hard to me, but I don’t think a skinny tire bike could make it very far on the trail, not without a few spills and punctures. Having the option to cruise on a gravel trail, at 15mph, chewing up miles is a unique experience and one that you simply cannot get on a road bike or mountain bike. Plus, it’s just fun to knock out your Strava climb times on gravel climbs that you normally ride with your mountain bike.

The touring capability of this bike was unparalleled to anything I’ve loaded up and ridden. Having toured around the White Mountain National park on a bike that was inefficient and weight 95 lbs fully loaded, was a nightmare to say the least. This bike was the exact opposite. I loaded it up for a bike-ski-tour micro-adventure in Park City during the early spring, and it couldn’t have ridden any better. The added weight, albeit awkward, of my ski setup was barely noticeable as I climbed the bike path trails from my home to the ski area. Even with the snow and rain that was falling, the bike braked perfectly, kept the tire side down, and didn’t have me exhausted by the time I had to click into my skis. I’ve yet to do a full bike tour with this bike, but after everything I’ve ridden on it, I can’t wait.

As I mentioned before, I’m a firm believer that there is no such thing as a one quiver bike, but the Trek 920 gets damn close. If you’re looking to get a bike that you’ll spend most of your time riding roads, dirt roads, gravel trails, and light mountain biking; well this bike is your perfect fit. Looking for adventure workhorse bike that will get you into some serious fun in the farthest sections of the backcountry, I’d go with this bike. It really has made riding fun again, because now I get excited to go fast through rocky and dirt trails that my full suspension mountain bike wouldn’t even notice the features. And even riding this thing to and from work, I can just zone out and ride without worrying about cracks, holes, or dirt sections that I’d panic if I hit on my road bike.

This is my first bike review, I hope you enjoyed it. I’ll leave the real technical reviews to the guys at PinkBike.com and the other professionals. This was just my experience on the bike.

Hi there, my name is Zachary Kenney and I’m an adventure filmmaker & photographer.  My passion is to tell stories that will hopefully motivate you to go live a more adventurous life. Whether that is to experience the view from the summit of a mountain, or wandering through a new town on a road trip. Currently based out of Park City, UT.

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Nice review! Thanks! This bike has my attention, I will read a few more reviews and decide after that.

Thx for review of a bike am put my eye on for cummuter and touring road and little gravel here and There. Have You try little thinner tyres on the bike, and how the bike feels now after couple if months use? Safe journy. M

I have put 40c tires on it, and it is awesome! It rides almost as well as a road bike on pavement and still can hold a corner and make it through chunky sections on mellow mountain bike trail. But obviously, it shines on dirt roads and gravel. Love the setup now.

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Trek 920 review

Trek’s hydraulic disc-braked take on the tourer

David Caudery / Immediate Media

Simon Withers

Comprehensive kit, quality components and an excellent, comfortable ride

No mudguards as standard but that’s about it if you’re happy with aluminium

With its aluminium frame, hydraulic disc brakes and thru-axles, it’s fair to say that the striking-looking Trek 920’s frameset is an outlier in the touring bike category.

It’s not only the frame and fork that are ploughing a unique furrow, though. Touring bikes are the last hangout of the triple chainset but Trek’s 920 has a double with small chainrings, emphasising the importance of lower gears.

But don’t be fooled: this Trek is every inch the full-on tourer that’s designed to carry you and nearly 40 kilos of your kit (a claimed 25kg at the back, 11.8kg at the front) – with a hefty overall weight limit of bike, rider and cargo at a claimed 136kg /300lb. In all my tours, I’ve never carried anything like 40kg.

• What is a touring bike?
• Road bike groupsets: everything you need to know

An aluminium frame instead of steel? One of the oft-repeated arguments in favour of steel is that if the frame fails in Uzbekistan or Uttar Pradesh all you need is to find a garage with a welder and your troubles are over.

There is an element of truth to this and I have met one cycle-tourist who did this. But, frankly, any ‘incident’ that writes off an aluminium frame is likely to do the same to its steel counterpart.

Years ago, my loaded aluminium tourer fell off a railway station platform onto the tracks. It came away with nothing more than a scratch. Fortunately, this was in rural New South Wales, one train a day in each direction. I also managed 3,000 miles in three months on that frame, some of it on poor roads.

The Trek 920 has a double chainset rather than a triple and it’s a move away from the Shimano hegemony with its 2x10-speed SRAM setup, which consists of SRAM S700 Double-Tap shifters (two) and GX derailleurs.

Crucially, while it may only have 20 gears compared with the 27 or 30 on the other bikes on test ( Fuji's Touring Disc , Cinelli's Hobootleg Easy Travel , Ridgeback's Panorama and Thorn's Club Tour MK5) this doesn’t compromise gears at the all-important lower end – the 28x36 is similar to the bottom gear on the other tourers.

The 42x11 top gear is actually the lowest top gear on test by a fair margin, though that’s rarely an issue when it’s fully laden.

Trek 920 ride impressions

The 920’s ride is a sumptuous, king-of-the-road experience. Loaded up – with most of the weight at the rear – it’s stable, comfortable and tackles poor roads, grit, gravel and towpaths with barely a murmur.

Unloaded, or carrying little kit, the 920 is only negligibly slower than a road bike and as plush as you’ll need.

I got on with the saddle but not everybody will, and for a bike of this size you might want a slightly shorter stem for adventures.

But those are minor quibbles on a bike that I dare you not to like, even if its looks might cause a raised eyebrow among touring traditionalists.

The highlight of the component package is the braking. The cable-actuated discs elsewhere are easily adequate for touring (I’ve toured on cantis and caliper rim brakes with no problems), but SRAM’s hydraulic discs are a level or two above with great braking with minimal effort from your hands and arms.

Gear shifting from the DoubleTap levers is equally efficient, and you’ll pick up the technique within minutes if you’re coming from a Shimano background.

• Road disc brakes: everything you need to know

Part of the ride quality comes from the Bontrager Duster 29er rims and wide 2in XR1 mountain bike tyres, and both the rims and tyres are tubeless ready.

The 920 doesn’t come with mudguards but has the fittings for them – and mounts for just about everything else that you could carry, including triple-bottle bosses.

The 920’s Blendr stem is compatible with a wide range of dedicated computers , lights and other accessories. Very neat.

Trek 920 overall

The Trek is perhaps the most versatile bike in my test, doubling up as a day-to-day machine and full-on tourer, expedition, adventure or bikepacking bike.

It comes in at just 12.4kg in a 54cm frame with two panniers, and if you whip these off and fit narrower, slicker tyres (or even change to road wheels ) you’ll have a bike nearer 10kg; although it won’t be a crit-racing flyer, it will be comfortable, stable, very well appointed and that little bit sharper.

Trek 920 geometry

• Size (* tested): 49, 52, 54*, 56, 58, 61cm
• Seat angle: 74 degrees
• Head angle: 71 degrees
• Chainstay: 46.4cm
• Seat tube: 43.1cm
• Top tube: 54cm
• Head tube: 12cm
• Fork offset: 5.25cm
• Bottom bracket drop: 8.5cm
• Bottom bracket height: 28.2cm
• Wheelbase: 1,084mm
• Stack: 58.3cm
• Reach: 39.2cm

How we tested

This bike was tested against four other top touring bikes that have been designed to let you unlock your inner adventurer.

Other bikes on test:

• Fuji Touring Disc
• Cinelli Hobootleg Easy Travel
• Ridgeback Panorama
• Thorn Club Tour MK5

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• Rider Notes

2018 Trek 920

An aluminum frame touring bike with upper mid-range components and hydraulic disc brakes.

For This Bike

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Based on frame geometry and build specs.

A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

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155cm – 163cm

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Do you have this bike? Help other riders make a decision about which size will work for them by sharing your own size and fit notes. Report your fit

Sept 2016 · Jordan Gibbons

The Trek 920 Disc blurs the lines between road bike and mountain bike but theres no doubting it's an adventure bike.

Read Review

Aug 2016 · Skyler Des Roches

Joining the ranks of the 'adventure bike', the Trek 920 aims to rewrite the classic touring rulebook. Skyler takes one to B.C. to find out what this means.

Value for the price – impressive package for sub-$2000

Comes with good quality front and rear racks

Finally, a gear range on a touring bike that’s not too tall

Tire clearance for 2.0” rubber with fenders, or up to 2.3” without

Bottle bosses for 6 bottles in size 56cm and up, and 5 bottles below

Hydraulic disc brakes provide plenty of power for stopping a loaded bike

Surprisingly good tire spec

Lightweight – 26lb without racks or pedals in size 58cm, 29lbs with racks and pedals.

Wants to go fast.

Stock stem length way, way too long for average build

Bar-end shifters are vulnerable to damage, and impede maneuvering obstacles or climbing out of the saddle

Stock saddle designed without any reflection on human anatomy

Long rear end/high-trail fork gives away too much maneuverability for touring stability

Last updated 15 February Not listed for 2,235 days

2018 Trek 920

• Serial: WTU021C6367N
• Manufacturer: Trek
• Name: 2018 Trk 920
• Primary colors: White
• Frame size: 56CM
• Wheel diameter: 700 C
• Frame Material: Aluminum

Distinguishing features

2018 Trek 920, Tan, black accents. Salsa Cowchipper handlebars. Brooks rubber tape. Brooks Cambium C17 Carved saddle.

Additional parts

• Saddle Black Brooks Cambium C17 Carved Cambium C17 Carved ()
• Handlebar Salsa Cowchipper Cowchipper ()

• Trek 920 2018

155cm - 163cm

161cm - 169cm

166cm - 175cm

172cm - 181cm

178cm - 186cm

183cm - 191cm

Bike summary

Bike components.

100 Series Alpha aluminum w/rack & fender mounts

Suspension Fork

Trek Adventure alloy disc, 15mm thru axle

Rear Derailleur

SRAM X7, Type 2

Front Derailleur

Shift levers.

SRAM S700, 10 speed

SRAM PG-1030, 11-36, 10 speed

SRAM S1000, 42/28

Bottom Bracket

Sealed cartridge

Not included

Bontrager Duster Elite Tubeless Ready, 15mm front, 142x12 rear

Bontrager XR1, 29x2.00?

SRAM S700, hydraulic disc

Bontrager Elite, 31.8mm, 7 degree, w/computer & light mounts

Bontrager Race VR-C, 31.8mm

Bontrager tape

1-1/8? threadless, sealed cartridge bearings

Bontrager Evoke 1.5

Bontrager, 2-bolt head, 27.2mm, 8mm offset

Bike geometry

About this model.

920 is part of the Trek 920 model. Trek released 14 bikes variations of this model so far.

Take safety seriously when you ride your bike, and always wear your helmet. Moreover, don’t ride on the sidewalk. This is actually against the law in some states and can be dangerous for both you and pedestrians.

Average price for Touring bikes

Our math shows that the average cost of a dependable Touring bike is 1007 $ . However, this doesn’t mean that if you spend less money on a Touring bike, you couldn’t get a decent one. In conclusion, always check bike reviews and their components before making a purchase to make sure you don’t overpay.

Furthermore, this bike was made available in 2018 for 1999 $ . If we compare this with the average Touring bike cost we notice that the price is 98.51 % higher .

Average weight for Touring bikes

If we make a quick analysis of the average weight of a Touring bike, we get 13.35 kg (29.43 lbs) . A lighter bike will give you some extra advantage when climbing. A heavier bike will have more speed for descents.

Weighing 12.89 kg (28.42 lbs) , the 920 model is slightly lighter than average. In conclusion, the average Touring bike weighs 3.57% more than 920.

920 components

Fork material.

920 has an aluminum fork, which is a lighter material. However, it is not as tough, nor durable as steel is.

Wheels size

As for the wheels, Trek 920 2018, has a 29″ aluminum model. With 29″ wheels, bumps will feel lighter and you’ll gain more speed on descends, compared to smaller wheel-sized bikes. However, 29″ wheels will make your bike react slower to obstacles you may encounter.

We ride faster and faster, so a good braking system is essential on a bike nowadays. The 920 comes with Hydraulic Disc brakes. These kinds of brakes are among the most popular models used on bikes. To sum up, your safety is in good hands.

There are 6 sizes available for this model. Rider height can be anywhere between 155 cm – 191 cm (5.09 ft – 6.27 ft) . In short, it won’t be difficult to find the right one for you.

Trek 920 models from 2021

Trek 920 models from 2020, trek 920 models from 2019, trek 920 models from 2017, trek 920 models from 2016, trek 920 models from 2015.

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