Tag1

Have been doing lots of searches and reading on this forum since I've been getting back into MTB. Lot's of good info, and I'm learning heaps. But everytime I blink someone is saying how Trek's suck, blah, blah.

These seem to be a few of the reasons:

Everyone has one. Everyone has a Honda too, I see lot's of old ones on the road...I guess they must suck as well. It's funny that in your quest for individuality, you've let the masses define your preference after all. Sucker.

Newbs may buy them because they've heard that Lance rides one. This one is great: Since other people buy them for possibly stupid reasons, that makes you hate the manufacturer (instead of the people) for an even more pathetic reason. Brilliant.

Broad groundless statements, like hearing about the frames breaking, or someone's uncle's brother's goldfish's cousin getting bad customer service. That stuff exists for every company. Even the best companies have to deal with a**holes sometimes, who walk away and spread malicious drivel.

They come with Bontrager in-house components. Bontrager stuff seems arguably as good as anything else in most price ranges, and so what if it's in-house? Most components get upgraded by us anyways after a while anyway, in the never-ending quest for new stuff...

So...I wanted to bring this out because I think it stinks that a total newb might come here and be swayed by some of you to buy a Specialized etc instead of a Trek - when the Trek may have potentially fit them better and offered a more enjoyable ride. To be fair, for as many people here who say "don't buy a trek", there are some who say "buy what fits", which seems to me to be the best advice. Especially at the lower price points that most people are looking to purchase their first MTB at, brand seems to hardly make a difference as much as fit and comfortability.

I bought my wife a Trek 6500wsd and she loves the heck out of it. It fits like a glove and operates flawlessly. It's been a great stepping-stone into MTB for her, and I love that she loves to ride now. I can't find a single thing to dislike about her bike, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Trek in a hot second. I also wouldn't hesitate to buy a Specialized, Kona, whatever - if it felt right.

In summary, this brand-bashing is really quite immature IMO, and potentially somewhat harmful to an inexperienced person visiting these forums for the first time. Personal dislikes are your God-given right, but seems we ought to stick to the facts when it comes to offering advice.

The End

ankush

while what you say may or may not be correct, this topic has been covered before, more than once..

ps - i love my bike. its a 6500.

cydewaze

That right there is one of the best paragraphs I've read on these forums.

Trekke

You forgot one bashing point.

Too Many Decals.

C Law

“Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true.”

The big company will always get bashed no matter how good the products are.
But to be honest, I think there is less trek bashing here than in the road forum, but that is just my opinion.

And I even think there is a 'club' here for the youngens who are thrilled with their bruisers.

I know a certain mod here has a problem with them, but I haven't noticed a pattern from others.

Hey, thats great that your wifes bike is nice, I have heard Trek makes nice bike for women. But, I don't know if their other bikes could stand up to the abuse a man puts on a bike. I'll let you in on this story I heard. This guy one of my friends knew was just riding along on smooth concrete and his frame shattered into 5 peices.

Anyway, how long have you worked for Trek?

mtnbiker66

I haven't noticed any Trek bashing in a long time around here.I'm happy your wife likes her trek and I'm glad you got this off of your chest.I'm sure BF is a better site now becuse of it.

Tag1

Actually, I don't work for them at all...but I'm adding the URL for this thread to my application right now...

Snuffleupagus

I know what you need...

gmoneyhobbit

plus .. treks are bogus

Jason222

The problem is, trek makes a lot of bikes in the beginner range. Cheap bikes have cheap components, which break. People hate it when bikes break, and automatically blame the manufacturer. Trek makes REALLY nice high end bikes though. The only thing I don't like about many of them is, most come with manipoo forks.
It's better.

Drunken Chicken

I have to agree there about the fact that Trek bashing isn't cool. I generally don't reccomend Treks when people ask about what entry level hardtail to get and the like but that's because I prefer Hardrocks to 4500s, not because I actually dislike the 4500s.
Anyway, Bruisers rock and quite frankly, Bontrager components are pretty damn nice for the amount of money you pay.

Pheard

Also from what Ive seen the high end bikes look expensive.

Maelstrom 

Keep in mind a lot of the bashing is backlash from the dhiller and freeriders. Trek kind of started it by not jumping on the bandwagon. They snubbed that entire side of the sport, pissing off a lot of people. They suddenly hop in last year and want respect. Well, they sure haven't earned it.

Oh and their only dh option was a 4000usd dh FRAME.

That said trek has some a long way. Now if they would get out of bed with manitou they could be the best bikes on the planet.

God that company used to piss me off.

gwhunt23

Trek is what got me started in the sport. A few years ago, I bought a Trek 4300 for 350 bucks.

Since then, I've replaced every component on the bike, including the frame. I replaced the components as I moved up in the sport and as I picked up racing and off-road triathlons. I now am a member of a sponsored race team.

To be exact, it's been 2.5 years since I bought that Trek 4300 bike. So in 2 and a half years, this low-end Trek bike turned me into a sponsored triathlete and MTB racer.

C Law

That tends to be the case with most brands

leonardotmnt

I think that high end and expensive go hand in hand with any maker.

RageoftheDragon

Treks ******** suck.

And now, off to ride my 4100!

Jason222

I totally agree. They should change over to Marzocchi and Fox.

Drunken Chicken

Mhm, I can just imagine a Session with a Marzocchi fork and a Fox shock... *drool*

MattP.

Ummh, that would be yesterday:

valbowski1980

In 1992, a Trek 820 was the first proper moutain bike I've ridden. Before that I thought that my Huffy Sledge Hammer was the dog's bolox.

IMO, Trek makes a fine product. It's just that for what they cost, I'd rather have an Ironhorse.

mtnbiker66

Well as you see, I miss a lot of things.

Doggus

I think Specialized are a better deal. But that's my opinion...

And they're mass market brand too, so who gives a rats a55.

I think I'm one of the few people who can ride with a group and not tell you who was riding what after we're done. I rode with my lunchtime riding partner three times before I realized we had the same bike. She kept asking me questions about the bike that later made sense once I realized we're on the same stead.

Tequila Joe

Trek needs to do more than just offer more fork options than just Manitou & RockShox, IMO they haven't been very innovative with thier suspension designs. I would expect much more from one of the largest bike company in the world.

Trek = Single pivot
Giant = Maestro
Iron Horse = DW Link
Intense = VPP
Specialized = Hoerst
Rocky Mountain = ETSX

I've ridden all of the above designs (except for Intense VPP but I have ridden a SC Blur) and must say that Single Pivot under-whelms me everytime.

Aound here, Treks are over priced for the spec you get when compared to other brands / spec.

T.J.

iamlucky13

Yes. Enjoy the ride. Don't do the, "oh my gosh. I can't believe she had the gall to ride the same colored bike as me! What a copycat." It's very high school-ish. While, I don't remember what everybody's riding, I definitely tend to notice who has the nicest bike. In the end, though, who cares? My noticing is only jealousy anyways.

As for Trek, I think they have a great line of hardtails and road bikes, but I find the offerings in other lines more interesting from the other companies. My 4500 has been great. I was never terribly fond of my Bontrager cranks, but the wheels are pretty solid (if a bit heavy). Compared to similar offerings from Giant and Specialized, I definitely like the geometry better, but that's me, and different people look for different fits.