New Trek 5th District - Took in Trade - Poor Job by LBS

Trek 5th district - Medium Size

Recently I took in trade a Trek 5th District from a friend for a Campagnolo group set and some cash.  I was with my friend when he purchased the trek at a LBS back in April.  He had hardly any miles on the bicycle when traded it to me because as he said "The bike just does not ride well, It makes all kind of noises."  I said I could give it a tune-up and see whats going on, but my friend had already moved on to his next bike and had enough so I took it in trade.

I have always really liked this bike when it first came out, I am a fixed gear nut (This bike is a Single speed with a flip flop hub.) and have always had a soft spot for Coffee color.  The retro style also caught my eye.  I really wish the bike was bigger and I would keep it, but being a medium it does not fit my 6'-4" frame.

I test road it and he was right, it was loud and did not ride right, awful knocking and creaking noises and grinding.  The local LBS should be ashamed for ever letting a bike out of there store like this, especially at just a little under the MSRP of $799.99.  I am tempted to give the name out.

Trek 5th District - Before - Side view

First thing I did was start with the front wheel noises, first about half the spokes where improperly tensioned even with the wheel fairly straight.  I properly tensioned all the spokes and trued the wheel.  The bearing cones where way to tight, to the point of grinding and with almost no grease at all.  I greased and set the cones properly.  The front wheel is now a dream to spin, the tire still has all the mold marks, a very ice wheel now, and silent.

I did the same for the rear wheel, spokes where way out of tension and the cones set way to tight.  Fixing both wheels cleared up half the noise the bike was making.

Trek 5th District - Wheel Work

With the wheels done I test road the bike again to get a bearing on where the next set of noises where coming from.  Two places, the bottom bracket and the single speed freewheel.  First thing I did was remove the freewheel, an awful knocking / clunking sound came from it when you applied any force to it at all.  After further inspection of the freewheel Trek just put a really crappy freewheel on it with a lot of play.  Maybe it was just a bad freewheel but I am guessing not, quality was just a bad choice.  In the photo below, the original freewheel is on the right, you can see the dark somewhat wide gap all the way around where the cog meets the freewheel, there is a ton of play in the gap.  The left side is a new Shimano freewheel, very tight and very smooth.  In the end, crappy poor choice by Trek replaced with a good freewheel.

Trek 5th District - New Freewheel Left - Old Freewheel Right

Last thing to do is the bottom bracket.  The bottom bracket that was in the bike was creaking, an awful sound.  The bottom bracket cartridge would not come out easy, it took a lot of work.  Whoever at the factory or bike store put this in used absolutely no grease and way over tightened it.  I replaced the bottom bracket cartridge with a new Shimano UN-55 68mm x 113mm.  With the old bottom bracket cartridge out it was easy to put the new in.  Now the bottom bracket turns very smooth and best of all, silent!

Test ride and the Trek District is fast, smooth and most important, dead silent.  The last thing I did was tune the brakes a slight bit and adjust the rear drop out so the rear wheel is better aligned.  And I forgot, new pedals.

Trek 5th District - Better then New Condition

Who ever get this Trek 5th District you are getting a brand new bike with at the most 10 miles on it.  The condition of the bicycle is new and with the new parts the Trek is better then new.  And for a price way below new.

Trek 5th District Details:

Price:                $550
Frame Size:       Medium
Drive Train:       Single Speed
Fork:                Bontrager Satellite Plus, carbon
Tires:                Bontrager Race Lite All-weather, 700 x 25c
Crank:              Bontrager Nebula SS - 44 Teeth Chain Ring
Cog:                 17 tooth Shimano Freewheel
Rear Hub:         Flip Flop Single Speed/Fixed


I think this would be a wonderful bike for commuting with all the hardware to attach racks and fenders, cursing the neighborhood, running around town doing earns, hitting the coffee shop with friends and my favorite bar cruising.

Trek 5th District - Angle View

Trek 5th District - Rear View

Trek 5th District - Drive Train

Trek 5th District - Flip Flop Hub

Trek 5th District - Brake

Thanks for looking!!