Mountain Biking - trek bruiser 2

i know trek is a good company, and the way people on this site go crazy for trek bruiser 1s i was wondering if a trek bruiser 2 is good. i have just bought a new bike but in 3 yrs. i will be back on the market. just wondering for the future.

also the choice is between a trek bruiser and a kona shred. i realize that they are differnt kinds of bikes seeing as the kona is a dj bike and the trek is a xc right?

In three years none of what you're asking will be relevant as the designs will have completely changed

Bruisers arent xc at all. They are freeride bikes, urban/dj/whatever else fits the category. they arent very good at all for long trips, but I love mine for everything else.

are there any more differences between the bruiser 1 and 2 besides from the disc brakes

yes, the cranks, and other general components.

Bruiser2, could you use the bruiser effectively for XC though? (obviously not ONLY for xc...)

It would work "effectively". I have done so myself. The only problem is that it gets to be very tiring pretty quick due to the large FR tires and beefy wheelset. They can actually be fun on certain trails where you can do more than just XC. I wouldn't let the pedaling efficiency be your deciding factor though, unless you plan on doing a lot of XC, then the bike isn't really going to suit you very well.

yes, the cranks, and other general components.

Bruiser2, could you use the bruiser effectively for XC though? (obviously not ONLY for xc...)

You could make it work, I know I do. I ride average trails of 8-12 miles long. Pedaling up hill is not effeciant so this is where your freinds will pull away. The bike has more of a BMX geometry so the power you putting to the pedals isn't going in the right places. Only power you put is from pushing, not both push n pull like you would with a high seat XC bike. So you working harder on a few muscle groups with just pushing so you legs tire faster rather then using you eintire leg for leverage to turn the cranks. I have 3 bikes, roadie, XC and this, all have different geometry and my legs and upper body can tell teh difference. I consider this more of my DH bike. Point it down and it will suck up most of the stuff you throw at it.

bikerinblack, I'm not sure what type of riding you plan on doing or how much climbing there is in your area. The kona shred looks liek it has a better climbing geometry over the Bruiser and it also carries and bit smaller price tag. Best bet is to find both bikes in stock at a LBS and see what fits and weigh out what type of riding you plan to do.

So nice to see people read the posts they respond to completely

I use my Bruiser 2 for a lot of Xc. You get used to the weight and long distances. I find that my bruiser 2 is easier to do Xc and distance than my brothers trek 4100, you get more power out of each stroke on the Bruiser 2. It's a great bike, the only thing I don't like is the crappier Mx one disc brake calipers. The Mz-comp fork is ok, it works well if greased enough though. I have mine jammed to the highest setting and I find it works better.

the only thing I don't like is the crappier Mx one disc brake calipers. The Mz-comp fork is ok, it works well if greased enough though.

Try upgrading the brake pad to a better material. The stock pads on cheap disc brakes are harder material and easier to glaze. Take the pads into a LBS and have them give you be the best uipgrade of that type. Shouldn't cost more then 15-20 bucks per set. Or you can get some Avids for $70 each.

Ask for EBC Gold or Red disc brake pads. They're the best!!!!