What do you want to use the bike for, fitness, racing, day tours, commuting?
There is nothing wrong with the Treks, except the difficulty of fitting front fenders and (possibly) the lack of a luggage rack thread on the frame. These can turn a sport bike into a practical commuting machine.
For good entry-level bikes, I think Fuji are heard to beat.

There are a lot of good brands, but its more important to find a good bike shop. You need to get a bike the correct size and you need post-sales backup.