trek fuel 80 slr

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USED 2002 "AS IS" Trek Fuel SLR 80 Large Mountain Bike Full Suspension 26" Aluminum

Product details.

For sale is a USED 2002 Trek Fuel SLR 80 Mountain Bike. The Large aluminum frame is equipped with front and rear suspension, 26" wheels, Shimano Deore 3x8 speed shifting, and powerful V-brakes. This bike is being sold AS IS, see more information on the condition in the "Condition Description" section below.

• Size: Large / 19.5" 
• Seat Tube (c-t): 49.5cm / 19.5"
• Top Tube (effective): 625cm
• Head Tube: 14.5cm
• Steer Tube: 23.5cm
• Standover Height:  80.5cm / 31 3/4"
• Wheel Size: 26"
• Speed: 3x8 speed
• Type: Full suspension mountain bike
• Components: Shimano 3x8
• Color: Black/silver/red
• Weight: 31lbs 12oz

COMPONENTS:

• Frame: Trek Fuel 80 SLR, aluminum
• Fork: Manitou Black Comp, 80/100mm travel
• Headset: Aheadset 1 1/8" threadless
• Rear Suspension: Fox Float air spring
• Seatpost: Bontrager, setback
• Saddle: Bontrager 
• Stem: Bontrager, 100mm 
• Handlebar: Bontrager Crossbar riser bar, 63cm
• Shifters: Shimano Alivio 3x8 triggers
• Brakes: Promax levers and v-brakes
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Alivio triple
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore 8 speed
• Crankset: Bontrager Sport, 44/32/22t chainrings, 175mm arms
• Cassette: SRAM 8 speed, 11-32t
• Chain: Shimano 8 speed
• Wheelset: Bontrager Corvair [F], Shimano Deore hub > Mavic X221 [R]
• Tires: Bontrager Jones AC 26 x 2.1"

CONDITION: 1 (poor) - 10 (new) 

• Chain/Cassette/Cranks: 6
• Brake Pads: 3
• Shifters: 4
• Cables/Housing: 3
• Both tires cracked
• Grips melting
• Saddle worn on edges but usable
• Cassette worn
• Suspension holds air, but will need service
• Brake pads hardened - need to be replaced
• New cables and housing needed throughout
• Shifters need to be flushed out, not guaranteed to work

SIZING: Based on traditional sizing, it could fit someone 5' 9" to 6' 2". Please note this is an approximate range and the buyer is responsible for verifying the fit before purchase. --- 210000054105 20231114 - JB

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The 2001 Trek Fuel 80 is a full-suspension mountain bike with an aluminum Alpha SLR / Cane Creek AD-5/3. frame. The frame comes in red or white.

It was released in 2001 and costs $1,099 brand new. Due to the frame materials and other factors, we estimate that this bike weighs around 35 pounds.

The Fuel 80 2001 comes with Mountain Mix components, including a Bontrager Sport stem, a threadless Dia-Compe STR headset and Shimano Alivio RapidFire Plus shifters.

The Fuel 80 2001 has 8 speeds and has a Shimano Deore LX SGS derailleur.

It comes with Bontrager Jones AC tires and Bontrager Corvair rims.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

• Crosscountry
• Rider Notes

2005 Trek Fuel 80

A 26″ aluminum frame full suspension crosscountry bike with high-end components. Compare the full range

For This Bike

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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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5'0" – 5'6"

5'6" – 6'1"

5'9" – 6'3"

6'1" – 6'6"

🐐 Estimated

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

Apr 2006 · Seb Rogers

Trek's successful Fuel design has been around for a few years, spawning longer-travel offshoots as well as high end cross-country race machines. The Fuel 70 is true to its roots,

Read Review

Last updated June 29 Not listed for 2,487 days

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Trek 2001 Fuel 80 Full Suspension Bike

• USER REVIEWS

Climbs like a mountain goat, scary fast flat out

Bontrager chain rings, XL frame broke (replaced), stock wheels braking surface seems weak, the single bolt seatpost was worthless-replaced with Raceface

I love this bike. I am 6'4" 215 pounds. The frame cracked in two places like many of the other XL frames. It was replaced and rebuilt by my LBS in less than two weeks. Great service Trek and Bike Rack! This bike is very fast. I can keep up with guys on road bikes for a few miles if I really try. There is just no wasted motion with pedal bob if you pedal smoothly. Even if you mash it up hills, you just don't feel much bob at all. I am still trying to figure out what stem I need to get fit correctly to the bike. I am a little tall for the current set up and find that my arms and hands get numb after about 1.5 hours of riding. I don't have the problem when I lower the seat down a little but then I don't get the same leg extension. I loved the fork when I first got the bike (Manitou SX-R). I did change the spring out to the stiffest one they make. I am starting to think it is a little too soft for my weight but it is still OK. It soaks up big bumps really well but is a little squirly on fast, bumpy downhill. I used the Fox tuning manual to set up the fork but maybe it still just needs some tuning. It is quite adjustable. If I had $500 to blow, I would put a Fox fork on it. I will live with this one for a few more years anyway. The only real problem I had with the bike was the front chainrings. I thought that they just did not shift well at all. I had the bike tuned up a couple of times at the LBS and it would shift fine on the stand but just stunk when I was on the bike. I put on the 180mm XTR crankset with an XTR front derailleur and now it shifts flawlessly. I find that I actually use all three front gears now. I can heartily recommend this combination. I have two wheelsets now. The Rolf Satellites are plenty strong. I ran flat on, straight into a tree once and did not knock the wheel out of true at all. I could not believe it. I had a few pretty spectacular wrecks last season and did no damage at all to the wheels. Anyway, I left the Bontrager Jones AC's on those wheels and use them for paved trail and crushed limestone riding. Those tires are awesome for hardpack and trail riding. I do not understand why they get bashed so badly by everyone on this site. They do pack up in mud, but so do most tires. They are fantastically fast. My other wheelset is Hugi 240's with Sun Rhynolite rims. These are my offroad wheelset with Panaracer FireXC Pro's. They are a little heavier but are very stiff. The tires are much better for general offroad riding. Don't get me wrong, the Jones AC's are fine on hardpack and damp surface dirt. They just aren't much good when it is wet, sandy or muddy. The Fire XC Pros are much better for those conditions. They suck on paved trails and make an incredible amount of noise. Run the air pressure pretty high and you still get excellent traction. I guess this is a pretty long bottom line. In the end, I can tell you that for me - 6'4" 215 pounds, this bike rocks. It is not made for beating hard on. Get a Liquid Fuel, a Jekyll or something heavier duty for that. This is a race bike. It climbs very well and is really fast. It corners well but not as well as smaller bikes. My friends can pull away from me in the winding sections of track but I can always catch up on the uphills and flat sections. I think when I finish fitting myself properly to the bike, it will corner better also. I don't think you can go wrong with this bike.

Similar Products Used:

Old rigid frame

Smokin' deal on last years bike. Bike climbs with minimal bob. Almost bought a new disk brake hardtail last year. Thanking my lucky stars.

V-brakes which I upgraded to XT's a week after I bought the bike. Wasn't crazy about Bontrager AC tires. Battled with the white colour but, have since grown to like it.

Best outfitted bike I found in this price range and dressed up as a 90 it's unique in a belly button world. Like to climb and do technical stuff and Trek handles it all well. Like the 100 mm Black on the new Treks but, life's a beer budget.

All hard tails. First full susp bike.

Handles very well even in loose eroded terrain. Predictable firm ride and very good climber. Very fun. Quiet drivetrain (I use white lightning) and I like the Bontrager Jones AC tires. Fast through turns and climbs

Threw chain alot when shifting to granny gear...pivoted front derailler very slightly in around seat tube to minimize. Had creaking noise fixed by massively lubing seat post. Rolf rims harder to true than normal. V brakes are a little weak on extended downhill. Stock fork does not really soak up Big Hits but should it?

Still very happy with bike. Mabey the best XC bike for the price

Liked Santa Cruz Superlight,almost bought Jeckyl w/Lefty, tested Sugar, Specialized Enduro.

LIGHT, RIGHT PRICE (LAST YEAR), GOOD OVERALL SPEC, HANDLES WELL, AWESOME FOR A X-C RACE OR 24-HR RACE (PROVEN).

LOW BOTTOM BRACKET HEIGHT, CRAPPY BONTRAGER PEDALS, CRAPPY BONTRAGER TIRES (CAN WE SAY BLOW OUT?)

THIS BIKE ROCKS! I WAS WORRIED THAT I'D HAVE TO BABY IT, BUT IT HAULS ASS, THE LOCK OUT IS GREAT, AND OVERALL THE THING IS A GREAT DEAL AND WORTHWHILE ($1,000 LESS THAN THE 2002). THE ONE THING THAT SUCKS IS THAT THE BONTRAGER CRANK DOES CAUSE CHAIN SUCK (SEE OTHER REVIEWS), BUT IT'S ONLY HAPPENED TWICE. I WOULD MAKE THAT A PRIORITY TO SWAP OUT ONCE THE RINGS WEAR. THE PEDALS ARE ALSO A PRIORITY TO SWAP SINCE THE BONTRAGER PEDALS ARE LIKE MUD MAGNETS. BUY THIS BIKE NOW! OR WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR FOR THE 2002 ON SALE.

SPECIALIZED FSR, GARY FISHER SUGAR

nice frame set up for climbing

Front shocks, pedals and seat

Awesome climbing machine. I find climbing with this bike to be easy. Quite often forget I am. Since changing over to disc I've been a little more aggresive. 3 to 4 foot drops pretty big for an old guy. I have blown the seal on my Judy C twice now and lost my front brake because of the leaking oil. Piece of crap. I have since packed it with grease its ok. Saving for a Mars or a Sid ??? If you ride alot a new seat is a must. I ride 150 km week min. and almost died with old seat. Some upgrades are a must but Crane rear shock is wicked. It took me awhile to find my sweeeeet spot but when I did it was like a new bike. take the time to try it at all different settings.With a few more upgrades this is going to be one sweeet ride. Stock its great for beginners and casual riders with upgrades the sky's the limit.(except for those crazy 10 ft plus drop guys)

Rides like a hardtail. No bob.

It is the loudest bike on the planet. It pops, rattles, creeks and snaps. Literally It feels like the thing is falling apart right out from under you. The frame cracked on me right above the top beed weld on he seat tube and i wasn't taking any five foot drops. I am currently dealing with trek to fix the situation. I will guide you during our travels with this particular issue.

I Baught a santa cruz superlight and will probably never go back. If you want a bike that rides like a hardtail, buy a hardtail. If you want a good feeling full suspension bike, I dont recomend the trek fuel. Trek fuel only has 3inchs of rear travel, It has alot of pivots, (that have to be maintained) The frame size runs big. Make sure you have set on one before you buy it. And last but not least. I was in the specialized spring classic race event and there was alot of trek fuels and lot of everything else. The fuels weren't doing the winning.

Gary fisher sugar plus, Santa cruz Superlight.

very responsive climber, just enough to take the edge off the bumps

I had a YSL200, I am 220lbs, without locking out the suspension, climbing was lame. I got tired of my buddy blowing me away on climbs with his Sugar1. The handling is quick, well balanced, suspension is great, has lockouts, but really do not need them at all. My 2nd front SID, getting tired of trying to find the sweet spot, but overall very happy with performance. I see a tremendous difference in climbing, the single largest advantage over the old Y. I was really on the fence with the fuel or sugar, the fuel set up fit me a bit better. Overall, I am still amazed at the difference in performance every time I get on it. This is a great XC bike!!

Trek YSL200 (my old bike), Sugar1, Superlight

Great Climber. Love the Bontrager tires everybody says they suck but the dont. Cane Creek Kicks!

The Judy upgrading as soon as the u-turn Dukes come out. the brakes suck gettin xt's. The seat is as hard as hell

The best overall bike in it's price range. Trek makes good stuff some have said there frames have snapped Ive done some nasty drop's and nothing yet.

Fast and Fiesty! Fun to ride and climbs well. The faster the better for handling! Light

The main triangle broke after only 7 weeks of riding. Trek replaced it and the LBS was quite cooperative (charging me nothing) Tonight the swing arm broke. I hope Trek is as good about the swing arm. In the first year I have had to: 1. Rebuild rear wheel with thicker spokes on nondrive side after many, many broken spokes. 2. Have headset replaced. (warrantied with a WTB which seems cheaper than the Cane Creek S6 that came with it.) 3. Have the Bantrager re5 pedals replaced. (They replaced the $105 pedals with Shimano 515's :( 4. XT Cassette replaced 5. Wheels trued frequently. (Design seems weak but light) 6. Both parts of frame replaced (or need replaced) 7. Rocker arm bolts replaced after one fell out during a ride.

Fun to ride but not real reliable.

Soooo smooooth....just sooo smooooth. Makes me smile just thinking about how this bike feels when Im hauling a little ass. Also, best seat my ass has ever hit.

Crank setup....and thats it.

I cant describe how much I am impressed by this bike. The geometry is a little strange, Im still working out the steep climbs...but thats my issue, not the bikes. No cracks, squeaks, or snaps (knock on wood) yet. Im not the fastest climber, but I really push it on the downhills...performs much better than I expected from an XC bike. Only drawback is the crackset. It needs to be switched...I had some issues with chainsuck when I first got the bike. This problem has not been fixed, I just have learned how/when to switch to the granny gear to keep this from happening. I will replace the cranks and rings this season. Alos, kill the shimano pedals. If you ride in any conditions other than dry pavement, Time is the only way to go. Bottom line, buy the bike if you want to spend $13-1700 on a XC FS bike. Noone makes a better one. Can I give this more than 5 Flamers??

Tried every comparable FS bike last June to find what I want.

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Old Trek Fuel 80 value?

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Saw a used Trek Fuel 80. I think it's a 2006. It has the older rear suspension before they went to the full-floater. Has Fox Float shock and a Manitou fork. Seems to be in really good shape, not squeeky or loose feeling, but obviously it's a few years old. Not much wear and practically brand new Velociraptor tires on it. Besides the guys who think anything that old isn't worth anything at all, what would be a fair price for this thing? It's kinda old, but caught my eye for some reason. I have two hard tails and would like to get a half-decent full suspension 26er without having to spend $2k.  

Well dang! If you wanna pay too much for an outdated sled, then go for it!  

Didn't say I was gonna, just said I was thinking about it. I might try to haggle with a manager but the store kinda sucks for that. IDK. Not gonna find anything new worth a damn for that price. Outdated cuz it's not the newest, lightest, carbonest, enduroest whatever... the hardtail I ride now is outdated too but I still love it. So is my car. And my guitar. On the other hand, it's pretty late in the season. Could save up 'til next year for something newer.  

greetings from Greetings from Ukraine) thanks for the topic, I still haven’t found information on the weight of the bike on the Internet, but as I understand it, it doesn’t matter anymore since more progressive and new carbon models have appeared, and old bicycles can continue to be offered to their owners for inexpensive pleasure  

slavik3389 said: greetings from Greetings from Ukraine) thanks for the topic, I still haven’t found information on the weight of the bike on the Internet..... Click to expand...

I have a 2004 in storage that is in perfect shape with a newer than stock RockShox XC32-TK fork and if I was going to sell it I'd feel lucky to get $500.  

Rough value: http://www.bicyclebluebook.com/SearchListingDetail.aspx?id=11185&make=750&model=53574  

Bicycle blue book is pretty good for reference. You should be able to get that bike for a great deal...no more than $350.  

Thanks guys. I should have thought to look it up on there. The store wants like 465 for it. Sales guys there are dumbasses that don't know jack about bikes and won't deal. Bummer. Still kinda thinkin about it. Their shop guys are pretty good and it seems well-tuned.  

my trek furel 98 was about 23 lbs, v-brakes and all  

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Trek fuel SLR 80

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Trek Fuel 80

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Size / 15.5", 17.5", 19.5", 21.5"

At a glance

Where to buy.

Specifications

• Frame Alpha SL Aluminum
• Wheels Bontrager Superstock Disc
• Wheel Size 26"
• Tires Bontrager ACX, 26x2.2"
• Crank Bontrager Select 44/32/22
• Front Derailleur Shimano Deore
• Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore XT
• Shifters Shimano Deore
• Brakeset Hayes HFX-9, hydraulic disc
• Handlebar Bontrager Sport, 25.4, 620x25
• Saddle Bontrager Select
• Seatpost Bontrager Sport
• Stem Bontrager Sport, 25.4
• Headset Aheadset, semi-cartridge

Q: Where to buy a 2005 Trek Fuel 80?

The 2005 Trek Fuel 80 may be purchased directly from Trek .

Q: What size wheels does the 2005 Trek Fuel 80 have?

The 2005 Trek Fuel 80 has 26" wheels.

Q: What size 2005 Trek Fuel 80 should I get?

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Shooter Files by f.d. walker

Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides

Apr 24 2017

City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Moscow, Russia

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

At over 12 million people, Moscow is the largest city in Russia and second largest in Europe by population ( Istanbul is #1). An urban, cosmopolitan metropolis with more than enough glitz and glam to cater to the elite, but without losing its fair share of Soviet era roughness around the edges. It can be fast paced, brash, busy, and trendy like other big cities, but it has its blend of West meets Russia atmosphere and beauty that provides plenty of unique interest. The Red Square is as famous as it gets, but there’s so much more to this city, including the most beautiful subway system you’ve ever seen. It would take years to capture all of Moscow, but that means you have an endless amount of areas to discover.

So here’s a Street Photography guide so you can be ready to capture all that Moscow has to offer before you even arrive!

• Patriarch’s Pond
• Old Arbat Street
• Maroseyka Street
• Tverskoy Boulevard

Top 5 Street Spots:

1. red square.

The Red Square is the most famous square in not just Russia, but all of Eastern Europe. The name actually doesn’t come from the color of the bricks or communism, but from the name in Russian, Krásnaya, once meaning “beautiful” before its meaning changed to “red.” This large plaza is what you see on the cover of guide books and magazines for Moscow, with St. Basil’s Cathedral being the center piece next to Lenin’s Mausoleum surrounded by the Kremlin Wall. Of course, the Red Square attracts hordes of tourist due to the main attractions, but all that activity around an interesting atmosphere does provide street photo opportunities. It’s also the central square connecting to the city’s major streets, providing a good starting point to explore outward.

You’ll also find the popular pedestrian only Nikolskaya Street connecting the Red Square to Lubyanka Square. This line of expensive shops includes plenty of activity, while also leading you to another popular square. Filled with history rivaling any city, the Red Square and surrounding areas are the heart and soul of Russia.

2. Patriarch’s Ponds

Patriarch’s Ponds is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Moscow. Despite the name being plural, there’s only one large pond, but it’s worth a visit with your camera. It’s a popular spot for locals and expats to come relax or take a stroll around the pond. You get an interesting mix of young and old too, from young love to “babushkas” feeding pigeons. It’s a very peaceful park atmosphere in one of the nicer areas within the city center, while bringing enough activity for street photography. 

The pond is shallow and in the winter becomes a popular spot for ice-skating too. The area is also well-known for the location in the famous Russian novel, The Master and Margarita. 

3. Old Arbat (Stary Arbat)

Old Arbat is the most famous pedestrian street in Moscow, and dating back to the 15th century, also one of its oldest. Originally, it was an area of trade, but soon became the most prestigious residential area in Moscow. During the 18th century, Arbat started attracting the city’s scholars and artists, including Alexander Pushkin. Cafes lined the streets and impressive homes filled the neighborhood. Since then, New Arbat street was created as a highway in the area, while Old Arbat was paved for a 1km pedestrian only walkway.

Due to the historic buildings, famous artists that lived here, and the bohemian atmosphere, Old Arbat has become a big attraction for tourists today. Now, there’s a mix of cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, street performers, street merchants and other attractions for visitors, and some locals, to come enjoy. It can get really busy here and there’s usually something interesting going on so it’s a good street to come walk with your camera for guaranteed life.

4. Gorky Park

One of the most famous places in Moscow is Gorky Park. The official name is Maxim Gorky’s Central Park of Culture & Leisure, which gives you an idea of what goes on here. When built, it was the first of its kind in the Soviet Union. Divided into two parts, it stretches along Moscow River. One end contains fair rides, foods stands, tennis courts, a sports club, a lake for boat rides, and more. This end brings more active life due to its number of attractions, while the other end is more relaxed, where you’ll find gardens, trees, older buildings, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Gorky Park attracts mostly locals so it’s a good spot to capture the non-tourist side of Moscow life. Muscovites come here to escape the city and unwind in a picturesque setting. The park remains alive outside of the warmer months too, especially when the lake turns into the city’s largest outdoor skating rink. I’d recommend taking the metro out here to spend at least half a day exploring the massive park’s life with your camera.

5. Maroseyka Street

Maroseyka Street is a popular area not too far from the Red Square. The long, winding street turns into Pokrovka and is lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and places to stay. It’s actually where I like to stay when I’m in Moscow due to its location and solid street photography opportunities itself. You have Kitay-gorod station near and if you keep walking southwest, you’ll get to the Red Square. But if you walk northwest, as it changes to Pokrovka, you can find a long street of activity for photography with its own interesting atmosphere.

6. Tverskoy Boulevard

Tverskoy Boulevard is the oldest and longest boulevard in Moscow, beginning at the end of Nikitsky Boulevard, and finishing at Pushkin Square, a spot to come for activity itself. The boulevard is made up of two avenues, with pedestrian walkways in-between. You’ll find grass, shrubbery, trees, benches and more walking it’s almost kilometer length. Many people come here to enjoy some relaxation, walk their dog, or just to use it to walk wherever they’re going. Its center location also provides a nice place to walk with your camera near plenty of other spots you’ll want to check out anyway.

Sample Street Walk:

For a full day of Street Photography, covering some of the best spots, you can follow this sample street walk for Moscow:

• Start your morning walking around the Red Square (1), while exploring the surrounding area, including Nikolskaya Street
• Then walk northwest to Patriarch’s Ponds (2) and slowly walk the pond and surrounding area with your camera
• Next, walk east to the Pushkin Monument and stroll down Tverskoy Boulevard (6)
• Once Tverskoy Boulevard (6) ends, it will turn into Nikitsky Boulevard. Follow this down until you get to the start of Old Arbat Street (3), across from Arbatskaya station
• After you’re done walking down Old Arbat Street (3) for more street photography, spend some time checking out Moscow’s beautiful metro stations
• To finish off the day with more street photography, get off the metro near Red Square (1) again, Maroseyka Street (5) or wherever you’re staying for the night.

3 Things I’ll Remember about Shooting in Moscow:

1. museum metro.

The Moscow metro system was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union and today includes 203 stations across 340km of routes. The elaborate system has some of the deepest stations in the world too, with escalators that seem to go on forever. None of this is what makes it so special, though. Many of its stations feel like stepping inside a museum, making it without a doubt the most interesting and beautiful metro system I’ve been in.

When built, Stalin wanted to make the metro stations “palaces for the people” with marble, chandeliers, and grand architecture. The best part is the variety of architecture and styles used, making many of the stations a completely different experience visually. You could easily spend a whole day traveling the stations and there are even tours available for people who wish to do just that. My advice, though, would be just to buy a ticket and hop on and off at different stations, while exploring different lines. The museum-like surrounding mixed with the crowds of characters can make for a great photography experience.

Since there are so many stations, here are some of my favorites to check out:

• Novoslobodskaya
• Mayakovskaya
• Elektrozavodskaya
• Komsomolskaya
• Ploschad Revolyutsii
• Dostoyevskaya
• Prospekt Mira

2. Moscow is Big

It’s no secret that Moscow is a big city, but it can feel even bigger with how spread out much of it is. This is especially true if you compare it to cities outside of Asia. If I compared it to cities in Europe, I’d probably say only Istanbul would warrant more time to really discover the depths of this city. Most only explore around the Red Square and surrounding area, but that is such a small part of the city. Although, that central area does give you plenty to see on its own.

Fortunately, I had a good friend living in the city to show me around, but it opened up my eyes even more to how much there is to discover in Moscow. It’s a big city with a variety of atmosphere that can take you from “east” to “west” and trendy to rugged depending on where you go. I’d imagine you’d have to live here a while to really know the city.

3. Cosmopolitan Mix of East meets West

Modern skyscrapers mixed with amazing architecture, a world-class metro system with museum-like beauty, trendy fashion and chic clubs, Moscow is a rich mix of Russian culture and history in a more western cosmopolitan package. There is a push to keep the Russian culture, while also pushing forward with a modern metropolis the whole world will envy. This comes with an impressive skyline, that continues to grow, and endless modernities, but with soviet nostalgia and atmosphere mixed in for good measure.

Mixed in with this grand western cosmopolitan atmosphere, is a strong national pride in Russia. This includes their famous leader, Vladimir Putin. Maybe no other place will you see a country’s leader more often. All over, from the pricey tourist shops to the underground walkway stalls, you’ll find goods with Putin’s likeness covering them. From t-shirts to magnets to Matryoshka dolls. There’s a strong national pride that can be seen around the city, which also extends to their leader. Moscow is many things. It’s East meets West, modernizations meets Soviet era, and a whole lot more.

What To Do For a Street Photography Break?:

Eat at a stolovaya.

Stolovayas are Russian cafeterias that became popular in the Soviet days. You grab a tray and walk down the line of freshly prepared local dishes, and select whatever you want from the chefs. They’re usually inexpensive and a much better value than restaurants, while giving you the opportunity to try from a wide selection of everyday Russian food. They’re also very tasty. I always include some borsch on my tray and go from there. The places themselves are all over Moscow and usually come with Soviet-era aesthetics to complete the experience.

Street Safety Score: 7

*As always, no place is completely safe! So when I talk about safety, I’m speaking in general comparison to other places. Always take precaution, be smart, observe your surroundings and trust your instincts anywhere you go!

Being the 2nd largest city in Europe with over 12 million people, you’re going to have your dangerous areas, but for the most part, it feels safe walking around. Russia is statistically higher in crime compared to most of Europe, but this generally doesn’t apply to tourists and visitors. Around the Red Square and surrounding city center, you should feel completely safe walking around. Pick pocketing can happen, but no more than other touristic places. I always explore Moscow freely without coming across too much to worry about. It’s a spread out city, though, so of course it matters where you are. Just use basic street smarts, know where you are and Moscow shouldn’t give you a problem. 

People’s Reaction Score: 7

Moscow is fast paced, big city life, which usually means people aren’t too concerned with you, or your camera. I don’t find people notice or pay much attention to me when I’m out taking photos in Moscow. For the most part, people just go about their day. You shouldn’t get too many looks or concern. But it can depend on the area you are in. The more you stick out, the more you might get noticed with suspicions. I’ve never had any problems in Moscow, or Russia, but just be careful who you’re taking a photo of if you get out of the city center. Other than that, it’s about average for reactions. 

Street Tips:

Learn the alphabet .

Much of Moscow, including the metro system, doesn’t use english. The Russian alphabet uses letters from the Cyrillic script, which if you aren’t familiar with it and don’t know the sounds, can be hard to decipher the words. This is most important for street names and metro stops when trying to get around. It can save confusion and make it easier getting around if you learn the basic alphabet. At the very least then, you can sound out the words to see which are similar in the english conversion, which can help matching them to maps. When out shooting street photography, getting around is as important as anything. So save yourself some time and frustration by learning the Russian Alphabet.

Use the metro

While Saint-Petersburg feels very walkable for a city its size, Moscow can feel very spread out, even for its bigger size. Outside of the Red Square area, you can have plenty of walking before getting anywhere very interesting, so you’ll need to take the metro a lot if you really want to explore the city. Maps are deceiving here too, it will always be further than it looks.

Another reason it’s less walkable than Saint-Petersburg is its completely different set-up. Moscow’s streets are mostly contstructed in rings with narrow, winding streets in-between. This is common with medieval city cities that used to be confined by walls, but you usually don’t have it in a city this massive. Saint-Petersburg has a more grid-like pattern that also uses the canals to help you know your way around. When it comes to navigating on foot in Moscow, it can be more difficult, so bring a map and take the metro when needed. It’s why Moscow’s metro carries more passengers per day than the London and Paris subways combined.

Explore other areas if you have time

Moscow is really big. While most people stay around the Red Square within the Boulevard Ring, there’s so much more to the city. I covered some other spots outside of this circle, but if you really want to see the city, you’ll need time. If you do have time, some other areas I’d check out first are Zamoskvarechye, along some of the south and western Moscow.

Inspiration:

For some more inspiration, you can look through the Street Photography of Moscow photographer Artem Zhitenev  and check out 33 of my photos taken in Moscow .

Conclusion:

Moscow’s name brings a certain mystique, but once you’re there it might bring a different atmosphere than you expect. It’s big and sprawling, but beautiful in many ways. It can feel like a European capital on a grand scale, but you can definitely find its Russian side in there.

The urban sprawl of Moscow can be intimidating, but give it enough time and you’ll be rewarded with plenty to discover. All with the world’s best metro system to take you around.

I hope this guide can help you start to experience some of what Moscow contains. So grab your camera and capture all that Moscow has to offer for Street Photography!

If you still have any questions about shooting in Moscow, feel free to comment below or email me!

(I want to make these guides as valuable as possible for all of you so add any ideas on improvements, including addition requests, in the comment section!)

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Stalin’s Soviet Union – Moscow in 1953-1954

No comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in History , People , Photos

Major Martin Manhoff spent more than two years in the Soviet Union in the early 1950s. He worked as an assistant to the military attache in the U.S. Embassy, ​​located near Red Square.

Manhoff, being a gifted photographer, shot hundreds of scenes from everyday Soviet life – both in Moscow and in other regions of the USSR.

Construction of the hotel “Ukraina” from the roof of the U.S. Embassy on Novinsky Boulevard. On the left you can see the Church of the Nine Martyrs of Cyzicus (1954).

After the accusations of espionage, he left the country with hundreds of color slides and negatives taken during his time in the USSR. Among these materials was the shooting of Stalin’s funeral – one of the turning points in Soviet history.

Hotel “Moskva” on Manezh Square.

The Kremlin from the entrance to the U.S. Embassy.

In 1953, Red Square was not yet closed to traffic.

Approaching the intersection of Okhotny Ryad and Tverskaya Street.

Movie theater “Khudozhestvenny” on Arbat Square.

Theater Square.

Driving up Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street.

The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius.

Novinsky Boulevard, 18.

Storefront at Theater Square.

Novospassky Monastery.

The corner of Bolshoi Devyatinsky Pereulok and Novinsky Boulevard.

The view from Vorobyovy Gory.

The newly built main building of Moscow University in the night illumination.

The funeral of Stalin.

Celebration at Manezhnaya (Manege) Square.

Pushkin Square.

The building of the Central Telegraph.

Moscow Zoo.

In the pool of Moscow State University.

Metro station “Park of Culture”.

The second part of photos

Tags:  Moscow city · Soviet past

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2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

In Transit: Notes from the Underground

Jun 06 2018.

Spend some time in one of Moscow’s finest museums.

Subterranean commuting might not be anyone’s idea of a good time, but even in a city packing the war-games treasures and priceless bejeweled eggs of the Kremlin Armoury and the colossal Soviet pavilions of the VDNKh , the Metro holds up as one of Moscow’s finest museums. Just avoid rush hour.

The Metro is stunning and provides an unrivaled insight into the city’s psyche, past and present, but it also happens to be the best way to get around. Moscow has Uber, and the Russian version called Yandex Taxi , but also some nasty traffic. Metro trains come around every 90 seconds or so, at a more than 99 percent on-time rate. It’s also reasonably priced, with a single ride at 55 cents (and cheaper in bulk). From history to tickets to rules — official and not — here’s what you need to know to get started.

A Brief Introduction Buying Tickets Know Before You Go (Down) Rules An Easy Tour

A Brief Introduction

Moscow’s Metro was a long time coming. Plans for rapid transit to relieve the city’s beleaguered tram system date back to the Imperial era, but a couple of wars and a revolution held up its development. Stalin revived it as part of his grand plan to modernize the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s. The first lines and tunnels were constructed with help from engineers from the London Underground, although Stalin’s secret police decided that they had learned too much about Moscow’s layout and had them arrested on espionage charges and deported.

The beauty of its stations (if not its trains) is well-documented, and certainly no accident. In its illustrious first phases and particularly after the Second World War, the greatest architects of Soviet era were recruited to create gleaming temples celebrating the Revolution, the USSR, and the war triumph. No two stations are exactly alike, and each of the classic showpieces has a theme. There are world-famous shrines to Futurist architecture, a celebration of electricity, tributes to individuals and regions of the former Soviet Union. Each marble slab, mosaic tile, or light fixture was placed with intent, all in service to a station’s aesthetic; each element, f rom the smallest brass ear of corn to a large blood-spattered sword on a World War II mural, is an essential part of the whole.

The Metro is a monument to the Soviet propaganda project it was intended to be when it opened in 1935 with the slogan “Building a Palace for the People”. It brought the grand interiors of Imperial Russia to ordinary Muscovites, celebrated the Soviet Union’s past achievements while promising its citizens a bright Soviet future, and of course, it was a show-piece for the world to witness the might and sophistication of life in the Soviet Union.

It may be a museum, but it’s no relic. U p to nine million people use it daily, more than the London Underground and New York Subway combined. (Along with, at one time, about 20 stray dogs that learned to commute on the Metro.)

In its 80+ year history, the Metro has expanded in phases and fits and starts, in step with the fortunes of Moscow and Russia. Now, partly in preparation for the World Cup 2018, it’s also modernizing. New trains allow passengers to walk the entire length of the train without having to change carriages. The system is becoming more visitor-friendly. (There are helpful stickers on the floor marking out the best selfie spots .) But there’s a price to modernity: it’s phasing out one of its beloved institutions, the escalator attendants. Often they are middle-aged or elderly women—“ escalator grandmas ” in news accounts—who have held the post for decades, sitting in their tiny kiosks, scolding commuters for bad escalator etiquette or even bad posture, or telling jokes . They are slated to be replaced, when at all, by members of the escalator maintenance staff.

For all its achievements, the Metro lags behind Moscow’s above-ground growth, as Russia’s capital sprawls ever outwards, generating some of the world’s worst traffic jams . But since 2011, the Metro has been in the middle of an ambitious and long-overdue enlargement; 60 new stations are opening by 2020. If all goes to plan, the 2011-2020 period will have brought 125 miles of new tracks and over 100 new stations — a 40 percent increase — the fastest and largest expansion phase in any period in the Metro’s history.

Facts: 14 lines Opening hours: 5 a.m-1 a.m. Rush hour(s): 8-10 a.m, 4-8 p.m. Single ride: 55₽ (about 85 cents) Wi-Fi network-wide

Buying Tickets

• Ticket machines have a button to switch to English.
• You can buy specific numbers of rides: 1, 2, 5, 11, 20, or 60. Hold up fingers to show how many rides you want to buy.
• There is also a 90-minute ticket , which gets you 1 trip on the metro plus an unlimited number of transfers on other transport (bus, tram, etc) within 90 minutes.
• Or, you can buy day tickets with unlimited rides: one day (218₽/ US$4), three days (415₽/US$7) or seven days (830₽/US$15). Check the rates here to stay up-to-date.
• If you’re going to be using the Metro regularly over a few days, it’s worth getting a Troika card , a contactless, refillable card you can use on all public transport. Using the Metro is cheaper with one of these: a single ride is 36₽, not 55₽. Buy them and refill them in the Metro stations, and they’re valid for 5 years, so you can keep it for next time. Or, if you have a lot of cash left on it when you leave, you can get it refunded at the Metro Service Centers at Ulitsa 1905 Goda, 25 or at Staraya Basmannaya 20, Building 1.
• You can also buy silicone bracelets and keychains with built-in transport chips that you can use as a Troika card. (A Moscow Metro Fitbit!) So far, you can only get these at the Pushkinskaya metro station Live Helpdesk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations. The fare is the same as for the Troika card.
• You can also use Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Rules, spoken and unspoken

No smoking, no drinking, no filming, no littering. Photography is allowed, although it used to be banned.

Stand to the right on the escalator. Break this rule and you risk the wrath of the legendary escalator attendants. (No shenanigans on the escalators in general.)

Get out of the way. Find an empty corner to hide in when you get off a train and need to stare at your phone. Watch out getting out of the train in general; when your train doors open, people tend to appear from nowhere or from behind ornate marble columns, walking full-speed.

Always offer your seat to elderly ladies (what are you, a monster?).

An Easy Tour

This is no Metro Marathon ( 199 stations in 20 hours ). It’s an easy tour, taking in most—though not all—of the notable stations, the bulk of it going clockwise along the Circle line, with a couple of short detours. These stations are within minutes of one another, and the whole tour should take about 1-2 hours.

Start at Mayakovskaya Metro station , at the corner of Tverskaya and Garden Ring,  Triumfalnaya Square, Moskva, Russia, 125047.

1. Mayakovskaya.  Named for Russian Futurist Movement poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and an attempt to bring to life the future he imagined in his poems. (The Futurist Movement, natch, was all about a rejecting the past and celebrating all things speed, industry, modern machines, youth, modernity.) The result: an Art Deco masterpiece that won the National Grand Prix for architecture at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. It’s all smooth, rounded shine and light, and gentle arches supported by columns of dark pink marble and stainless aircraft steel. Each of its 34 ceiling niches has a mosaic. During World War II, the station was used as an air-raid shelter and, at one point, a bunker for Stalin. He gave a subdued but rousing speech here in Nov. 6, 1941 as the Nazis bombed the city above.

Take the 3/Green line one station to:

2. Belorusskaya. Opened in 1952, named after the connected Belarussky Rail Terminal, which runs trains between Moscow and Belarus. This is a light marble affair with a white, cake-like ceiling, lined with Belorussian patterns and 12 Florentine ceiling mosaics depicting life in Belarussia when it was built.

Transfer onto the 1/Brown line. Then, one stop (clockwise) t o:

3. Novoslobodskaya.  This station was designed around the stained-glass panels, which were made in Latvia, because Alexey Dushkin, the Soviet starchitect who dreamed it up (and also designed Mayakovskaya station) couldn’t find the glass and craft locally. The stained glass is the same used for Riga’s Cathedral, and the panels feature plants, flowers, members of the Soviet intelligentsia (musician, artist, architect) and geometric shapes.

Go two stops east on the 1/Circle line to:

4. Komsomolskaya. Named after the Komsomol, or the Young Communist League, this might just be peak Stalin Metro style. Underneath the hub for three regional railways, it was intended to be a grand gateway to Moscow and is today its busiest station. It has chandeliers; a yellow ceiling with Baroque embellishments; and in the main hall, a colossal red star overlaid on golden, shimmering tiles. Designer Alexey Shchusev designed it as an homage to the speech Stalin gave at Red Square on Nov. 7, 1941, in which he invoked Russia’s illustrious military leaders as a pep talk to Soviet soldiers through the first catastrophic year of the war.   The station’s eight large mosaics are of the leaders referenced in the speech, such as Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century prince and military commander who bested German and Swedish invading armies.

One more stop clockwise to Kurskaya station,  and change onto the 3/Blue  line, and go one stop to:

5. Baumanskaya.   Opened in 1944. Named for the Bolshevik Revolutionary Nikolai Bauman , whose monument and namesake district are aboveground here. Though he seemed like a nasty piece of work (he apparently once publicly mocked a woman he had impregnated, who later hung herself), he became a Revolutionary martyr when he was killed in 1905 in a skirmish with a monarchist, who hit him on the head with part of a steel pipe. The station is in Art Deco style with atmospherically dim lighting, and a series of bronze sculptures of soldiers and homefront heroes during the War. At one end, there is a large mosaic portrait of Lenin.

Stay on that train direction one more east to:

6. Elektrozavodskaya. As you may have guessed from the name, this station is the Metro’s tribute to all thing electrical, built in 1944 and named after a nearby lightbulb factory. It has marble bas-relief sculptures of important figures in electrical engineering, and others illustrating the Soviet Union’s war-time struggles at home. The ceiling’s recurring rows of circular lamps give the station’s main tunnel a comforting glow, and a pleasing visual effect.

Double back two stops to Kurskaya station , and change back to the 1/Circle line. Sit tight for six stations to:

7. Kiyevskaya. This was the last station on the Circle line to be built, in 1954, completed under Nikita Khrushchev’ s guidance, as a tribute to his homeland, Ukraine. Its three large station halls feature images celebrating Ukraine’s contributions to the Soviet Union and Russo-Ukrainian unity, depicting musicians, textile-working, soldiers, farmers. (One hall has frescoes, one mosaics, and the third murals.) Shortly after it was completed, Khrushchev condemned the architectural excesses and unnecessary luxury of the Stalin era, which ushered in an epoch of more austere Metro stations. According to the legend at least, he timed the policy in part to ensure no Metro station built after could outshine Kiyevskaya.

Change to the 3/Blue line and go one stop west.

8. Park Pobedy. This is the deepest station on the Metro, with one of the world’s longest escalators, at 413 feet. If you stand still, the escalator ride to the surface takes about three minutes .) Opened in 2003 at Victory Park, the station celebrates two of Russia’s great military victories. Each end has a mural by Georgian artist Zurab Tsereteli, who also designed the “ Good Defeats Evil ” statue at the UN headquarters in New York. One mural depicts the Russian generals’ victory over the French in 1812 and the other, the German surrender of 1945. The latter is particularly striking; equal parts dramatic, triumphant, and gruesome. To the side, Red Army soldiers trample Nazi flags, and if you look closely there’s some blood spatter among the detail. Still, the biggest impressions here are the marble shine of the chessboard floor pattern and the pleasingly geometric effect if you view from one end to the other.

Keep going one more stop west to:

9. Slavyansky Bulvar.  One of the Metro’s youngest stations, it opened in 2008. With far higher ceilings than many other stations—which tend to have covered central tunnels on the platforms—it has an “open-air” feel (or as close to it as you can get, one hundred feet under). It’s an homage to French architect Hector Guimard, he of the Art Nouveau entrances for the Paris M é tro, and that’s precisely what this looks like: A Moscow homage to the Paris M é tro, with an additional forest theme. A Cyrillic twist on Guimard’s Metro-style lettering over the benches, furnished with t rees and branch motifs, including creeping vines as towering lamp-posts.

Stay on the 3/Blue line and double back four stations to:

10. Arbatskaya. Its first iteration, Arbatskaya-Smolenskaya station, was damaged by German bombs in 1941. It was rebuilt in 1953, and designed to double as a bomb shelter in the event of nuclear war, although unusually for stations built in the post-war phase, this one doesn’t have a war theme. It may also be one of the system’s most elegant: Baroque, but toned down a little, with red marble floors and white ceilings with gilded bronze c handeliers.

Jump back on the 3/Blue line  in the same direction and take it one more stop:

11. Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). Opened in 1938, and serving Red Square and the Kremlin . Its renowned central hall has marble columns flanked by 76 bronze statues of Soviet heroes: soldiers, students, farmers, athletes, writers, parents. Some of these statues’ appendages have a yellow sheen from decades of Moscow’s commuters rubbing them for good luck. Among the most popular for a superstitious walk-by rub: the snout of a frontier guard’s dog, a soldier’s gun (where the touch of millions of human hands have tapered the gun barrel into a fine, pointy blade), a baby’s foot, and a woman’s knee. (A brass rooster also sports the telltale gold sheen, though I am told that rubbing the rooster is thought to bring bad luck. )

Now take the escalator up, and get some fresh air.

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21 Things to Know Before You Go to Moscow

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