I bought a new 17.5 Trek 6000 as a solid entry level hardtail in 2008 and have absolutely loved it.....except for one thing.....the rear brake SUCKS. I've had trouble with it since the first trail ride. I've brought it to 2 different dealers and they have taken out the pads, made some "adjustments" and solve the problem.....for about 15 minutes and the problem returns. It feels as if the pads are oiled, I squeeze the brakes and they just slip. At an easy pace on the street it takes no less than 15 or 20 yards to come to a stop if I use only the rear brake. The front brake isn't stellar by any means, but definitely works as designed. Has anyone else heard of this bike having problems? Any suggestions for (cheap) fix?

As for fixing the brake, I have no advice. To fix the problem, however, simply stop using the rear brake. Your front tire has way more traction than the back when moving forward. I've reached speeds in excess of 30mph & used only the the front brake &, with my weight shifted properly, stopped in 10-15ft.

You should still probably look into getting it fixed, but using only the front brake is still a viable option.

do you have the bb5? yes, i've heard a lot of complaints about that brake. the positive reviews say that you have to adjust it before every ride. the bad reviews say that after a few rides it stops working completely. i don't know what to say but when i buy my next mountain bike i will have the lbs swap for bb7s and pay the difference.

sam, as you said, he should definitely get the rear brake fixed up. he needs it as a weak back up in case for whatever reason the front brake fails. i'm surprised you stopped from 30 mph with only 15 ft. i guess i'm a wuss after my endo accident when closelined by a dog leash. luckily you and the OP probably don't weight as much as me (220 lbs). if i tried to stop in 15 ft going 30 mph downhill on my hybrid (low handlebars), no matter how good my technique was to brace myself against the handlebar, i'd flip over the handlebars catastrophically. i think doing such a big stop is very risky. maybe your geometry was different than mine (higher up handlebars).

i like biking but i've come to realize that a bike has no protective mechanisms at all. you can't brake too hard at high speeds or else it's endo. if the brakes fail (like the OP's rear) at an intersection...scary! so i make sure that i ride cautiously and that my breaks and components are in excellent working order.

edited for careless spelling mistake on "brake".

There's absolutely no way I could stop from 30 mph in 15 feet with only the front brake and not endo., and i only weigh 125-130 #s. Add to that trying to negotiate tech. terrain going down hill, and I think it's a really bad idea.

I did it on flat pavement riding past one of those speed limit signs with the radar that tells you how fast your going. My measurement was an estimate (I don't carry measuring tape around with me while I ride) but it was no more than 25ft. I just leaned all my weight back as far as I could & pulled the front brake.