My Grocery-Getter & Touring Bike Work-in-Progress

     This is my grocery-getter, a 1996 Trek 8500 SHX.  When I was 15, I worked very hard mowing lawns, pet-sitting, and working a few hours a week for the city of Lakewood for nearly a year.  With a small loan from my mom, I was able to walk into the LBS and pay $1,549, cash, before school began in Fall 1996.  This bike was nearly top-of-the-line in hardtails.  It came with full XT groupo, Matrix rims, Panaracer Smoke (rear) and Dart (front) tires, and a terribly uncomfortable Bontrager saddle. 

     Today, only the frame and Shimano XT V-brakes are original (except pads).  After nearly two decades of riding, that year's worth of hard work is still rolling.  It doubles as both a means to convey groceries from store to home and a foul-weather rig.  Within the next few months, it will be transformed once more into a long-haul touring bike.  I will detail the transformation as it occurs here.  In the meantime, here is a list of all the factory parts, what they were replaced with and why:

• Wheelset:
• Factory: Matrix Swami, 32-hole
• Pulled a spoke through the rear rim
• Replacement: Vuelta ZeroLite
• Inexpensive and effective
• Drivetrain:
• Factory: Shimano Deore XT front and rear derailleurs; Shimano Deore XT brake lever/rapid-fire shifter combo; Shimano Deore XT crankset
• Rear derailleur wore out; right shifter would hold derailleur on 4th gear.
• Second chainring of crankset cracked.
• Replacement: SRAM X0 rear derailleur; SRAM X9 from derailleur; SRAM X9 shifters; Avid SingleDigit 7 brake levers; Specialized crankset (only square drive available of any quality at the time)
• Fork:
• Factory: Answer Manitou Mach 5 SX
• Elastomers fatigued and disintegrated (after 11 years of use with regular service).
• Replacement: Nashbar Carbon Mountain Bike Fork
• Wanted something light and simple.
• Saddle:
• Factory: Bontrager Plus 10 Lite
• Too narrow and unforgiving
• Replacement: Specialized Body Geometry
• Additions:
• Specialized bar ends
• Crank Bros. Candy 1 pedals
• Topeak Super Tourist Rack
• REI panniers
• Topeak MTX trunk bag
• Planet Bike Hardcore Fender set
• Ergon GP1 grips