Hi,

I went into my LBS to check out some 29er hardtails, specifically Trek's, Mamba, Cobia and X Caliber. I love Treks. I told the LBS that my price range was 1K-$1200. This would be my first mountain bike, but I have no plans to upgrade components. I'm 51 and in shape, but not like I used to be in my prime. She looked for leftover 2012 Cobia's and X Calibers to get within my price range but had none. I did take out a 2013 19" Mamba, $929, but the bike felt a little heavy (weighed in at 32.5 lbs) and I didn't care for the Hayes hydraulic breaks. The 2013 X Caliber 19" was priced too high at $1529 or so. I took it out anyway, and liked it, but not the price. She said she did have a 2012 leftover Trek 6500 in my size (18.5"). I'm 5'9 with a 31.5 inseam. Never considered going with a 26"er, but the specs on the bike were incredible for the $1200 they are now asking. The bike definitely was easier to handle in the turns and the brakes, gears and front suspension were the best of all the bikes I was considering. The bike came in at 27.2 lbs in a 18.5. I know for 2013 Trek stopped producing the 6500. Was this due to demand? Are 26'er a thing of the past?. Are 29ers becoming the new standard for mountain bikes. The deal seems good and a 29er with those components would be close to 2K. Is there anything that the 6500 can't handle that a similarly priced 29er ($1200) could? LBS did say if I had plans for any hooliganism jumps for example that a 26er would serve me better.

Thanks






From the archive:

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2012/archive/6500

If 26" is a thing of the past, consider me a retro grouch. If you rode it and appreciate the nimble cornering and the way it feels jumping it, well, you won't get that with a 29er.

29er's do all the boring stuff better than a 26's,,,,,, 26er's do all the fun stuff better than the 29's.... I dig my 29er,,,Alot.

I'm 6 ft tall 180 and long legged, the 26" I tried felt like a kiddie bike to me..

No question, if I was your size, I would go with the 29er. I wish they had a 650b 27.5"er to test ride. I have to say, the 29er felt more like a comfy touring mountain bike to me, where as the 26er felt like a sport mountain bike. I only got to go over come deep potholes and 6-8" curbs, but I felt more secure going over these at a slower speed with the 29er. The 6500 also handled these well. It's just that I didn't feel as confident. I will also say that the rear of the 29er almost felt like it was slightly suspended compared to the 26er. The larger rear wheel and tire gave it more of a cushion, but did give up some feel. My LBS also said the 26ers wheels would be stronger than any 29ers. Thanks guys.

It's alright,
It's OK
You're gonna have 2 bikes some day.

The 6500 is a solid bike.

Thanks guys. On that 6500 I noticed that the grips had no ends to keep them in place like the online pics show. I was able to rotate them ever so slightly. This is something that should be standard, correct? My LBS also said they added black full alloy pedals to the bike for test rides. Checking the specs, these are supposed to be standard. Not happy if they are trying to deceive me. I think I'm going to try to at least get them to throw in a u lock and bottle holder. They said they could do more than the current discount of $500 though. I told them I would expect the entire bike to be re-tuned. I did find the breaks to vibrate at times. What kind of maintenance should I ask them to do with the brakes and fork? The bike looks like its been tested a few times and needs a cleaning also.

Thanks

Yeah, I know. I already have the 7.3 FX. LOL. My wife would kill me if I ever had three though. LOL

I have one from 1998. Its still awesome. Now that Im 40 my prostate really doesn't enjoy my rides but its still fun.

I wish I was only 40! LOL You're still a kid. Wait until you hit the big 50!

Unless the grips are lock-ons (which you'd most likely need to buy aftermarket), you can usually get them to rotate a bit if you crank on them.

I highly doubt the shop is trying to deceive you. Pedals often don't come with bikes. Even a few times that I've seen cheap pedals listed in the specs, I went to buy the bike and had to buy pedals separately. No big, the pedals that would come with it are cheap and not even worth using. Invest in either clipless or a good set of pinned platforms, you won't regret it.

Thanks! Still deciding.

Buy the bike that fits you and your style of riding. The 6500 is a solid bike at a great discount. 29ers, 27.5ers and 650B is 75% marketing. Are you pedaling? is your fun meter pegged? No worries. The 6500 at that price won't last long at the store.

Thanks, I'm going to stop by the LBS and see if they can do $1200 cash OTD. If not I'm going to ask them to at least throw in a good u lock. I only have a cable for my FX and know that the 6500 is more likely to be stolen. I also want them to lock the grips, go over all the components and clean up the bike. It looks like it's been tested at least 8-10 times. My LBS does provide free tune ups for the first three years!

Expect to pay $20-25 for lock-on grips. Those most likely won't get thrown-in with the purchase of the bike.