This week’s Reader’s Rig comes from Barata in São Paulo, Brazil, who shares the mid-90s Trek 970 that he found in gently used condition several years back and uses for everything from commuting around the city to bikepacking trips into the surrounding countryside. Get to know Barata and his bike here…

Words and photos by Barata

Hi, my name is Barata. I’m from São Paulo, Brazil, and I’m a proud owner of a 1996 Trek 970. I bought the bike used from OLX (kinda Craiglist from Brazil) in 2017. It was all dirty, covered in dust, with some modern suspension and front disc brakes. The previous owner sent me some photos of it sitting in his garage, where it seemed to have been sitting for years and years, but I knew there was beauty and potential in it, and I bought it without seeing it in person.

  • 1996 Trek 970
  • 1996 Trek 970

Once I had the bike, I cleaned it up and swapped out some parts (including removing the cheap crankset, front disc brake, and suspension fork), and I couldn’t be happier with it!

1996 Trek 970
  • 1996 Trek 970
  • 1996 Trek 970

For me, a 26″ steel mountain bike is one of the most versatile bikes one can have. I had my first one in 2010, a custom-made frame, but it cracked during my first year of riding it. I eventually fixed it and got it rolling again, but the frame cracked again in a different spot a while later, so I no longer trusted it. I was looking for an affordable replacement and was lucky to come across the Trek 970 for a good price.

1996 Trek 970
  • 1996 Trek 970
  • 1996 Trek 970
  • 1996 Trek 970
  • Frame/Fork 1996 Trek 970 with 90s Tange fork
  • Rims Matrix Voodoo 32H
  • Hubs Shimano Alivio Parallax (front) / Shimano Deore LX FH-M565 (rear)
  • Tires Chaoyang Victory 2.0
  • Handlebars Trek System 2 (or a generic riser bar)
  • Headset Cane Creek
  • Crankset Shimano Deore XT FC-M739 175mm
  • Pedals Shimano DX PD-MX30
  • Cassette Shimano Alivio CS-HG 51 11-32T
  • Derailleurs Shimano Deore LX FD-M567 (front) / Shimano Deore XT SGS RD-M737 (rear)
  • Brakes Shimano Alivio BR-M422 (front) / Shimano STX RC BT-MC33 (rear)
  • Shifter(s) Shimano Deore LX ST M-667
  • Saddle Calypso
  • Seatpost Trek 27.2 95.04 System 2
  • Stem Trek System 2
  • Front bags Curtlo Handlebar Bag
  • Frame bags Custom-made Aresta Equipamentos
  • Rear bags Curtlo Roll top RC 15L
  • Accessory bags Aresta Porta Volume de Guidão 1L
  • Other accessories Bontrager BackRack MIK, Trek System 2 Bar ends
  • 1996 Trek 970
  • 1996 Trek 970

When I use it as a commuter, I leave the original flat bars and stem with 26 x 1.5″ tires. For backpacking trips, I switch the flat bars for a riser, swap the long stem for a shorter one, and add some wider tires. It’s a simple and reliable bike to do it all and do it well!

  • 1996 Trek 970
  • 1996 Trek 970
  • 1996 Trek 970
  • 1996 Trek 970
  • 1996 Trek 970

When I’m not riding, I also play drums in a grindcore band called Test. The band recorded a music video in a bicycle street race here in São Paulo, which you can check out here.

You can follow along with Barata on Instagram.

Send Us Your Bikepacking Rig

Use the form below to submit your bikepacking rig. We’ll choose one per week to feature in a Reader’s Rig Dispatch and on Instagram. To enter, email us your best photo of the bike (preferably at a 90° angle), your Instagram username (optional), and a short description of you and your rig. If your bike is selected, we’ll need a total of five photos and a little bit more info.

Readers Rig

  • Make sure to set your shared image folder to public!

  • *By clicking submit, you're also subscribing to our email list. You'll receive an opt-in email before being added.

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

FILED IN (CATEGORIES & TAGS)

Dispatch

Reader's Rig

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.