2021 Trek Precaliber 24 Review From Real Owners

Written by meastt09 in Uncategorized

In this review, we break down our experience with our kids owning and riding the 2021 Trek Precaliber in this Trek Precaliber review. We own what we share with you, that matters.

Trek Precaliber 24 Review

What can you expect from this Trek Precaliber 24 review? Well, you can expect that despite all the “reviews” out there regurgitating specs, stats, and numbers, we are breaking down what matters: Real kids and their real experiences on the Trek Pre-Caliber 24 mountain bike. 

Both CJ and Mike of Off-Grid Essential have kids with Trek Pre-caliber 24’s. In fact, between the parents and kids, we all ride Trek (Roscoe 7, Marlin 5, and Pre-Caliber 24’s). It’s safe to say we like Trek. 

Because of this, we decided to share our thoughts in a combined article from both of us with our kid’s experience rocking the Trek Pre-Caliber 24. 

Shopping for mountain bikes is exhausting, there are so many options and let’s be honest, they are expensive! So when you fork over your hard-earned money, you expect quality and value to meet you in the middle with price, topped off with a big smile on your kid’s face. Psst! Brining your doggo camping with you? You need to check out our Camping With A Doggo Checklist, you wont regret it! It’s the little things folks. 

Kids nowadays are so wrapped up in video games and television that a little fresh air from time to time is needed.  One fun way to do get them outside is ensuring they have a good bike they can take out on the trails and around the neighborhood…insert the Trek Precaliber 24 8-speed Hardtail bike!

Mike’s Experience With The 2021 Trek Precaliber 24: 

My kids are fun, I’m sure yours are too. But, you know what’s really fun with these kids? Seeing their eyes get big and smiling/laughing as they take tier mountain bikes down the green/blue lines of the North Frutia Desert in Colorado and the trails of Moab, UT. 

Not sure what those “green/blue” lines mean? Checkout our guide on the Mountain Bike Trail Rating System. Previous to 2020, my kids had only owned cheap bikes from Target or other big box stores. While there is nothing inherently wrong with these bikes, they are a bit limited in both features and components when it comes to true mountain biking. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, my kid’s aren’t jumping their bikes or hitting black lines in Moab, but they are getting to an age where they push their bikes further than the Target/Walmart bikes were built to do. 

Mountain bike trails are fast and fun. With that speed comes the need for good braking, cornering, and shock absorption. When you go from a Walmart bike to a Trek, you see an immediate improved difference. 

This improvement in braking, cornering, and shock absorption bring a much higher level of safety as well. I can’t really argue that. I mean, who wants their kid flying downhill and not having good tires and brakes? Not me, amigos (I said that in my head with a 1970’s Mexican Bandito movie accent). 

At first, when I shelled out $800 for two bikes (kids aged 8/9), I was skeptical. Both of my kids seemed proficient on their bikes and I didn’t really see the need for the upgrade. All of that changed when we went riding in Colorado/Utah. I instantly noticed a confidence improvement from the kids. I think the improved control and braking allowed them to get a little more creative on the trails, and it showed. 

The unfortunate part? These bikes don’t physically grow along with kids. This means that although I’ll be able to get by over the next two years with seat post and handlebar adjustments, in a few years they will be upgrading bikes. But, hey, your a parent too and you know this already because you have likely had to buy shoes and clothes over and over every few months, not because they “wanted” new stuff, but because they needed it. 

And you know what they will be getting? Treks. All this love and fun with the bikes the kids had, promoted us to share this Trek Precaliber 24 review.

CJ’s Experience With The 2021 Trek Precaliber 24:

By now you know that we are a Trek family.  And why not?… Trek is a reputable brand that makes quality bikes. We purchased this bike for my son who is 7. So you can understand his evolution, he went straight from a Stryder bike to a Trek Precaliber 20. The Precaliber 20 was the perfect first bike that lasted him for four years.

We knew he needed a larger bike, but I had my heart set on finding him something that had a suspension fork because we were going to spend a good portion riding on trails here in Colorado.  Luckily for me, his Trek Precaliber 20 sold very fast and I cannot tell you how worth of investment that bike was.  Due to the success, we had with his previous bike, it was a no-brainer that the Trek Precaliber 24 8-speed Suspension would be his next.

Of course, COVID dried up the market but we lucked out and found a dealer in Denver that had three in stock.  This bike comes in two colors: Radioactive Red, and Trek Black.  They actually had both colors so we allowed him to choose which color he wanted and while Radioactive Red sounds cool, he ultimately went with Trek Black because he wanted to match mom and dad’s bikes. This bike retails for $379.99. 

What you will get with this bike.  To start, a strong lightweight aluminum frame, an easy to use 8-speed Shimano drivetrain, a front suspension fork with 45 mm of travel, a kickstand, rear rack mounts, and a smooth saddle.  This is a true kid rugged, adventure bike.  Pavement, dirt…does not matter, this bike performs on all and my son cannot stay off it.

I was initially concerned about the gears and his ability to shift, but a few times worth of practice in the neighborhood and he has it down.  The twist shifter is genius!  He now understands which gear he should be in to climb and descend.

He loves this bike so much that he is always asking to take to the trails…we actually just got home from riding a portion of the Sante Fe Trail here in Colorado Springs.  He found some hills that he could have some fun on.

The experience with this Trek Precaliber 24 8-speed Suspension bike is truly amazing.  He wants to be out riding, which means less time on Fortnite and Youtube!  His confidence level with riding is through the roof thanks to Trek’s frame design.  The lower top tube allows kids’ to stand over and hop on and off the bike with ease.

It is a true rugged bike, that will last him another 3-4 years, and because this bike is built to last when it is time we will have no problem selling it.  We did not know how he would respond to trail riding, but this bike has him begging for more time spent on the dirt.

Oh, and the kids in the neighborhood have taken a liking to his bike.  Every time my garage door opens there is a girl across the street asking to ride his bike…hopefully, her parents will buy her one soon ☺.

Final Thoughts? 

To summarize this Trek Precaliber 24 review, this bike is an excellent, smile-inducing, 8-speed, hardtail mountain bike. The Trek Precaliber is equipped with the Alpha lightweight aluminum frame that is both durable and rustproof, hand brakes, simplistic shifting, and a suspension fork…what is there not to love about this bike? Not sure if the Trek Precaliber is the right fit for your kid? Check out their entire lineup at the Trek website.

…..and if your gonna be out adventuring your gonna poop. Check out our write-up on the Best Camping Toilet Option. Stop acting like you won’t need it!

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