Submitted by
RVacinek
a Weekend Warrior
from Springville, NY, US Date Reviewed: July 30, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Holiday Valler
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Berts Bikes
Strengths:
The bike is light and very efficient.
Weaknesses:
The brakes on this speceific bike aren't great. I'm taking them to be tuned up to par.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
The bike is great for the money. I'm having troubles with the disk brakes that i hope to get fixed but other than that it is great
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
pakrz
a Weekend Warrior
from Tomah, WI Date Reviewed: July 2, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Human Powered Trails (LaCrosse)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$949.00
Purchased At:
Smith's Cycle and Fi
Strengths:
This bike is relatively light and just feels right when riding. The components are well above average and the RS Tora suspension forks are nice and plush.
Weaknesses:
The grips are thin and hurt the hands after awhile. The seat is uncomfortable, even when wearing padded shorts. I'll have to look at a new seat at some point. I've had a few flats on the back tire due to glass. Probably due more to bad luck than poor Bontrager Jones XR tires. Time will tell.
Similar Products Used:
Haro Vector
Bike Setup:
Stock with the following upgrades: Ergon GR2 grips. Bell carbon hydration cage. Cateye Strada wireless computer. Knog Frog lights on the front and back. Will probably get a new seat at some point.
Bottom Line:
Love the bike. I held off on a review until I got in over 100 miles on the new rig. I do most of my riding on the pavement for cardio but try to get to the trails as often as possible. The 6500 performs well on the pavement and trail systems alike. I upgraded to this bike from a Haro Vector and the difference is night and day. I'd highly recommend this bike to anybody looking to get into a mid-range mountain bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul
a Weekend Warrior
from Huntington, WV, USA Date Reviewed: June 14, 2009
Favorite Trail:
the Next
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
Jeff's Bike Shop, Hu
Strengths:
I just bought this bike, just took it on it's maiden voyage this morning. I am posting this review because I did it with my last bike and 5 years later it was nice reading my original review and comparing.
This morning I rode for about 3 hours on some muddy, nasty trails. First impression of this bike is that it climbs like a billy goat. I put my clip-in pedals on it and other than that it's stock.
The front fork is a nice 100mm Rock Shox Tora that really soaks up the bumps. The disc brakes definitely helped today because the trail was muddy, slick, & rutted out from all the rain. I was able to stay in control and descend down the steep inclines without sliding the rear tire.
Weaknesses:
This was my first ride of this bike, just bought it. I removed the factory pedals immediately and put my clip-in pedals on, so I guess I'd say pedals are a weakness.
Similar Products Used:
Prior to this bike, I had a Diamond Back Response & a Giant Yukon.
Bike Setup:
Factory w/ Shimano clip-in pedals
Bottom Line:
Bottom Line, I'm thrilled about this bike. My first ride was this morning, I loved every mile of it and this thing climbs like nobody's business. I can't wait to get back out and put some miles on her. I'm riding again this evening!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
haglersp
a Weekend Warrior
from Nacogdoches, Texas, United States Date Reviewed: February 23, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Raiders
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1150.00
Purchased At:
the Bike Shop
Strengths:
almost everything
Weaknesses:
pedals suck
Similar Products Used:
giant yukon
Bike Setup:
stock except for some cheap platform pedals
Bottom Line:
this bike is really good for the money. handles really well and the fork has taken everything i have thrown at it without a problem. definately change the pedals and the brakes could use an upgrade but they aren't too bad. impressed overall
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ozmaan
a Weekend Warrior
from Carroll Valey, PA Date Reviewed: November 14, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Schaeffer Farms
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$829.00
Purchased At:
Gettysburg Bicycle a
Strengths:
Sturdy frame, solid stock components, builds confidence on technical stuff, just looks awesome
Weaknesses:
Since I was transfering from a 15 yr old bike, weaknesses are hard to find. Crappy stock Bontranger tires, weak platform pedals
Similar Products Used:
Peformance M304
Bike Setup:
Factory, Continental Mountain King tires, Crank Bros Smarty pedals
Bottom Line:
This bike is a significant upgrade for me, and I think is a good value in it's price range. I compared it to a Speicalized RockHopper, and I felt the Trek had much better balance and fit me better. I have had no mechanical issues, and have taken the bike on some brutal rides down at Gambrill State Park (rocks, logs, rocks, rocks, rocks). This bike is a great bike for the intermediat rider who doesn't have the money or doesn't quite have the experience to invest in a FS or 29er. I love the bike, and would buy it again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SpyderPride
a Cross Country Rider
from Bismarck, ND Date Reviewed: August 9, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Maah Daah Hey
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$750.00
Purchased At:
Scheels All Sports
Strengths:
Comes stock with good components for the price paid. Very comfortable to ride and capable of more advanced/fast mtb'ing. Nice looking, very stiff and sturdy frame (lifetime warranty).
Weaknesses:
A little on the heavy side. I'm not a racer (yet) and a little heavy myself, so this isn't too much of a problem for me. Stock tires, grips, and saddle leave something to be desired (which is why I upgraded them). Brakes could be more responsive, but do the job.
Similar Products Used:
None, I am fairly new to mtb'ing.
Bike Setup:
Panaracer Fire XC Pro tires (cheaper taiwan version, $35 for a pair at pricepoint), Oury Mountain grips, Sette Edge 90mm stem, WTB Speed V saddle, pretty much stock other than that.
Bottom Line:
Like I said before, I am fairly new to this sport but I tend to learn quickly about any hobby/sport I am involved in and am very observant of equipment (being a mechanical engineer).
This is an excellent beginner bike and probably a decent hardtail for an intermediate rider. I also considered getting a Rockhopper when I choosing a bike, and this one pulled through due to a step up in components across the board for only a little bit higher cost. I also liked the way it felt to ride marginally better than the Rockhopper. Overall, I feel this was an excellent choice for my first mtb.
I am very good about maintenance and haven't had any failures while I am out riding. The thing performs like a champ for what I need it for. I like to go fast on downhill sections, take corners at a decent speed, and hit small jumps and drops here and there. I can't go crazy on it yet due to my limited skill, but I'm improving quickly due to pushing my limits and having an awesome bike to back it up.
I am 5' 10" and 210 lbs, a little heavy, but the bike does fine under my weight. The brakes aren't as crisp as I would like them to be, but they certainly slow and stop me just fine. Pretty good for being some of the cheapest hydro's out there. It shifts quickly with Deore derailleurs and I would probably have a to fork out quite a bit of money to see a marked improvement over them. The wheelset is a little heavy but is durable and gets the job done for me. Same thing with the fork, its nice and smooth but a little heavy.
In conclusion, awesome starter bike. Make sure it fits you and feels good, then buy it. If it doesn't, check out some of the offerings from other companies in this price range.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff Richards
a Weekend Warrior
from Pleasant Hill CA USA Date Reviewed: March 22, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Shell Ridge
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$850.00
Purchased At:
Hank And Franks
Strengths:
Strong Frame. Brakes are great. Mine came with an XT rear derailer. Handles well, and climbs like a billy goat!
Weaknesses:
Heavy. Fork is useless. Stock Tires suck. Bottom Bracket Failed. Wheels break spokes. Came with platform pedals.
Bike Setup:
XT Rear LX in the Front. Veloca Raptor WTB Tires (Awesome XC Tire) LX Crank Set. Manitou Axcel Elite 80mm (Did I say this fork sucks)Shimano Hydraulic disc setup. Bontrager wheels, shimano hubs
Bottom Line:
I'm pretty hard on this bike. I weigh 190 pounds and take this thing through rock gardens, off 3 ft jumps through streams ect.... So I'm not surprised that I keep breaking stuff on it. However, it's a great foundation to upgrade from and for the money it can't be beat. Mines an 06 model I don't know what the 08 has in terms of components but the first thing I would do when I got this is to change the tires and get clipin pedals. You can ride it around as is for a while but eventually you will have to start replacing parts. Once I get a new fork on it, it will be just where I want it. It's a good bike for someone who wants to ride seriously but does not want to spend alot of money right away.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gardner
a Cross Country Rider
from New Hampshire Date Reviewed: October 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Gyroscope
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
Rhino Bike Works
Strengths:
Climbs Great Descends w/ Confidence Little to no sway on slow uphills Point and go steering
Weaknesses:
Stock Seat Stock fork
Bike Setup:
I've changed things as they break, but the only real upgrades I have put on are a new WTB seat and some SPD pedals.
Bottom Line:
I am a handicapped rider originally born in Florida, so this bike is perfect for the type of riding I do in New Hampshire.
With this bike I have been able to get through most stuff that alot of people on my team have not been able to, even though they are on a Santa Cruz Blur Xc, a Trek Fuel, and a Cannondale Rush. I descend just as quickly as they do, but do not ascend as quickly because of my handicap.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Phil
a Weekend Warrior
from West Chester Date Reviewed: September 3, 2007
Favorite Trail:
fair hills
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Bike line
Strengths:
I Actually really like the tires, forks, and even the weels are holing up better then my other bike.i like the geometrey and the gears.
Weaknesses:
the only thing that is anoying is when i switch it into the lowest gear, the front dearailler rubbs. Also the seat.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized hotrock Trek 820
Bike Setup:
Its all stock except tube and pedals.
Bottom Line:
The best bike I've ever rode. great on trails, and on rode. I've had it for over 4 months and i never had any problems. One flat. the breaks are great and have saved me from many car acidents as well as busting my face on the trails. Its a great bike and would recomend it to any one with $900.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jonathan
a Cross Country Rider
from Richmond, VA Date Reviewed: August 1, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$860.00
Strengths:
I have the 2006 model- great frame, nice rear deraillur, brakes, really good bike for the $
Weaknesses:
wheels and tires. Unless you like fixing flats, swap these tires off immediatly. Wheels are weak- I broke so many spokes. Fork sucks- I blew the seals after 4 mons.
Bike Setup:
Manitou sliver fork, mavic crossride wheels, hayes rotors, irc mibro tires, wtb laser v saddle, smimano spd clips
Bottom Line:
This is a really good bike. I didn't have a lot of $ when I bought it, but it has done what I need it to do. With some upgrades and some TLC, I am very satisfied with this bike.
Note: I ride really hard, and a lot. For someone who is riding for sport, or not very often, this bike and its stock components would be an excellent fit.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from nj Date Reviewed: July 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Round Valley Resevoir
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Genisis
Strengths:
Frame very light and strong(Lifetime Warranty) Rear Derailer shifts smoothly(Deore Lx) Front Shock nice compression and lockout(Manitou Slate 100mm lockout) Nice components Disc Breaks are nice and smooth
Price
Weaknesses:
Seat and tires. And the front derailer would have been happy with deore lx front. Wish the placement of cables were on the bottom of top tube. Come crashing down on the top tube u will scratch the beautiful frame :]
Similar Products Used:
cannondale f6 and f3 (decent could have better components trek 7000 (nice light xc bike specialized rockhopper(decent bike) and many of my friends gary fishers(which are crap!!!!)
Bike Setup:
Stock. Hopefully soon new tires and seat and maybe new front derailer with a lighter crankset
Bottom Line:
Good Bike would recomend to any rider. Good hardtail for rough riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tyler
a Cross Country Rider
from North Dakota Date Reviewed: July 21, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$850.00
Purchased At:
Scheels
Strengths:
Very nice frame, stiff, not too heavy either. The fork is a thing of beauty. Trek made nice imporvements for the 2007 model. Hydraulic brakes are nice too. Rest of the componesnts are solid, not the best, but a good value.
Weaknesses:
Tires and rims are not the best. Infact the Botranger tires that come on this bike are crap. The stock seat is nothing short of painful. I use a Trek Rx seat and that is WAY better. But these are "normal" issues with stock setups.
Similar Products Used:
Trek Y Frames
Bike Setup:
Pretty much stock so far, new seat, new peatls
Bottom Line:
For the money this is a very, very nice bike. I have read many mixed reviews about the Hayes brakes on this bike. My experiences have been very good. I haven't had to frequently adjust them, I set them when I got the bike and they work very well. That is one point I have to make, the place that built your bike and set it up is a HUGE factor in how well it will perform. I bought mine form a local Scheels and they obviously didn't know jack about bike setup. After I followed the regular proceedure for the derailurs I read through the Hayes manual and set up the brakes. I have had about 12 good rides on the bike without incident. I don't miss a full suspension at all, infact I don't think I will own a soft tail again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brent
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver, WA / Portland, OR Date Reviewed: July 4, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Sunnyside Sports - Bend, OR
Strengths:
Very comfortable (except for the saddle), good value for the $, light, and it looks good!
Weaknesses:
Saddle
Bottom Line:
I took a few other bikes in this price range for a test ride and I am very happy with the choice I made. Good bike for the $$$. I wouldnt recommend this bike for the more hardcore riders, but if you hit the trails only 3-4 times a month and also ride on the streets then this is a great bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
PJFD
a Cross Country Rider
from UIO - EC Date Reviewed: June 22, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Strengths:
Very comfortable frame, nice slopping, light and strong, deore hidraulic discs, bontrager components
Weaknesses:
wheels (spokes, I broke 12 spokes since I change it all), saddle, bontrager tires, manitou axel fork sucks
Similar Products Used:
GT Avalanche, Specialized rockhopper
Bike Setup:
marzocchi mx pro 100, lx cranks, flite saddle, wtb tires, deore hidraulic discs, lx / xt group
Bottom Line:
This bike is one of the best hardtails I've ever had, very strong, excellent handling, light weight, with the right fork this bike is the best.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Weekend Warrior
from Canberra, ACT, Australia Date Reviewed: May 18, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Sparrow Hill & Stromlo
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At:
Bike Culture
Strengths:
Great entry level hardtail. Light weight frame. Value for dollar
Weaknesses:
tyres
Bike Setup:
Stock, except for shimano clip in pedals
Bottom Line:
Seems I paid more than other reviewers,but given exchange rates, shipping etc it was still a great deal in Aus. It was sold to me as a entry level bike(stopped riding about 7 years ago and wanted to jump back in the saddle). The sales guys didn't try the hard sel to gemore dollars out of me. Looked at Scott & Specialised and the Trek had the the best componenets for the price.(love the disc brakes).
As said before,the tyres need upgrading... caused a few wash out already..but seems great value all the same.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alex Lifeson
a Weekend Warrior
from Alameda, California, USA Date Reviewed: April 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
lake Chabot Loop
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$797.00
Purchased At:
Cycle City
Strengths:
Rear derailleur(XT), Light Frame, Brakes, Price
Weaknesses:
Bottom Bracket, Cranks, Fork, Seat, Front Derailleur.
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo.
Bike Setup:
XT Deraillers front and back, Race Face Evolve Cranks with X type bottom bracket, Fox Float 130 R Fork, Race face Deus XC Headset, FSA OS-140 Stem, FSA K-Force Carbon Riser handlebars, WTB Grips, SRAM PC951 Chain, SRAM PG970 Cassette, Cane Creek Thudbuster Seatpost, Giant Saddle, Crank Brothers Smarty Pedals.
Bottom Line:
Excellent light weight frame, although paint seems to scratch easily. Very good price, very good starter bike as previously stated, components adequate for beginners but will definately require upgrading as you get more confidence and put more miles on the bike. Original Shimano Bottom Bracket lasted 400 miles before it started making a loud clunking noise. Replacement Race Face Evolve Cranks & X Type BB are awesome - feel half the weight of the original Shimano M440's - and look much better also! Original 'Deore' Front Derailleur was next to useless, as was the Bontrager Saddle. Original Fork ok but Fox Float is in an entire different league! I definately would recommend this bike but plan on spending some money on upgrades as time goes by!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Lewis
a Weekend Warrior
from Pleasanton CA USA Date Reviewed: March 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Any one with mud
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
Livermore Cyclery
Strengths:
Light, Disk brakes, fork is good, despite what people say. it takes a beating. Good frame replacement =)
Stock, except, Trek 8500 frame, LX front deraileur, new seat, shimano clip-ins, panaracer fire xc pro 2.1 up front, panaracer fire DH 2.3 in back
Bottom Line:
Hmmmm, well, its good for people NOT on stereroids ;) Well, i dont take them, but you get the point. this bike is fragile! its good, but wont take continuious hard riding. i cracked my rear hub in half, broke my seat, snapped 4 chains, and severed a gear tooth, and cracked my frame in 2 places, i dont jump, i ride it around town.
But, with the frame replacement, they upgraded my frame for free. very nice. but, for the money, id get a fuel. but thats just me. this is a great bike no doubt, just not suited for my downhill style riding.
Although I am writing about the Trek 6500 I want to also throw in what I’ve learned through all my research of bikes in this price range and category to potentially help anyone looking for a performance level XC hardtail. So I’ll start by telling you about the Trek 6500 I have in this Next paragraph and then if you want to read on to the other paragraphs ill briefly compare it spec wise to other bikes. To begin with I want to emphasize that I am talking about the 2007 Trek 6500 and not a 2006 or earlier model. The 2007 trek 6500 is somewhat improved over last years model in several ways. First of all the Frame is lighter by about 100g according to the trek website and the frame shape is different. The 2007 frame looks Fantastic!!!! The picture they have on their website does not do it justice, so check it out in stores if you can and if not take my word for it that it looks better than the photo they have online! Some of you may think that the way a bike looks is irrelevant by I’m here to tell you it makes a big physiological difference to most people and can ultimately affect your riding style in a positive way if you have a more positive feeling towards the aesthetics of your bike. Now with that said about the awesomeness of the frame lets move on to the specs. Also new on the 2007 is that it comes standard with clipless pedals, which makes a WORLD of difference. Once you go clipless you will never go back. It may take 3 or 4 rides to get used to them but after that you’ll be a pro and you will also realize how much your riding improves on both the uphill, downhill, and flats as well as over very rough terrain. Because you become one with the bike your balance greatly improves which allows you to expand your ability limits. Next I want to talk about the bikes specs. Pretty much everything on this bike is very good and reliable, although obviously not tip top of the line, but it gets the job done in style. The new 07 LX derailleur shifts like a dream, although if you shift uphill with it it can get a bit rough. However if you know what your doing it’s a good derailleur and its fairly forgiving; I don’t recommend picking another bike just for the sole reason it comes with an XT or SRAM 0.9, the 07 LX works almost just as great and you could always upgraded later (which is not that expensive) if you decided your unhappy with it after a while. The front derailleur on the other hand I have some problems with. It does its job but it’s very lazy. Allot of times when I try to down shift because I’m going uphill it doesn’t want to move even though I’m going at a good speed and I’m not forcing the pedals. I’ve had to adjust my riding style to accommodate it, which I’m not thrilled about, but it’s not that difficult to get used and upgrading is really cheap for a front derailleur which I might do in the near future. I should probably also mention that I like using my front derailleur allot, as opposed to the average bike rider. I use it just as much as I do my rear derailleur because overall it increases my speed tremendously uphill and down and really helps me utilize this 27-speed bike to its full potential. Now let move on to the brakes. The Hayes Sole, which it comes with, are the most basic Hydraulic disk brakes you can get but they are Hydraulic and they do work quite well. I’ve read both good and bad reviews about these brakes and so far they have held up just fine, besides the fact I crashed on a switch back once and bent the rear rotor, but that was my fault. Maybe the rotors could be a little stronger? I honestly don’t know much about Hydraulic disk brakes, this is the first time I’ve owned some. I’ve tried my friends HFX 9’s and they fell just about the same. The only think I don’t like is the fact that the brake levers are so long, but that’s not tragic. I’ve crashed many times and they have never broken or gotten in my way for any reason. So overall the brakes are definitely a plus on this bike because they are hydraulic and they come standard with the 2007 trek 6500. As far as the Fork goes I am very pleased with it. Again for the 2007 model they have upgraded to 100mm instead of 80mm, and it has lockout. The fork by the way is Manitou Slate, and from what I’ve read about Manitou before buying this bike, for 2007 they have decided to try to upgrade their whole image so they’re making forks better than they ever have. This is a great midrange XC country fork that has made the ride so much nicer. The fork gives you a ton of added control if you’re coming from a “weaker” fork. The other components such as the Bontrager stuff and Deore parts on it work and feel just great. Although I’ve read some bad reviews about Bontrager parts from other people, from my experience they are as good as any and better than most. The sit I’ll admit is a bit stiff but if you ride correctly you shouldn’t leave all your weight on the seat when you ride but instead you should balance between the two pedals and the seat to get the ideal power out of your bike. So overall I am giving this bike 5 chili’s for quality and 5 for value. The Trek 6500 for 2007 has an MSRP of 929.99, however DON’T PAY MORE THAN 849.99. If you decide to buy this bike do yourself a favor and get it from a bike shop that offers price matching; if they don’t offer it to for 849 or better get out the phone book (or internet) and call up every bike shop that sells trek bikes and see who gives you the best price. Then ask your store to match it. I guarantee you will find it for 849 at least if not better. Don’t be a fool and pay 930. In general this works for all bikes. Bike shops in general have a standard reduction they can provide. In the next section of this review I want to compare the Trek 6500 hundred to several other bikes in the same price range and tell you why I chose this one over those. Specifically I will be comparing it to the Trek 6700, Specialized RockHopper Pro, Brodie Bandit, Brodie Fury, KHS Alite 3000, Marin Palisades Trail, Norco Charger, and the Kona Caldera. All of these are very good bikes by the way so take a look at them yourself if you get the chance.
Trek 6500 vs. Trek 6700
Okay so the primary reason I picked the 2007 6500 over the 6700 is of course MONEY. Its MSRP is $1099.99 so it’s a little more than $150 over the MSRP price of the 6500 and I needed money left over to buy shoes, (which cost me about $100) and a new helmet. The second reason was that I didn’t see a very big difference in the overall components. Everything is almost identical between the two except for the Rear Derailleur, which is an SRAM 0.9 instead of an LX, the seat is a bit different, and instead of Hayes brakes it has Avid Juicy 3’s. Also the fork is a little bit better (RockShox Tora) because it comes with some more features. But pretty much besides that, without getting into too much nitty gritty detail, that’s it! Now I’ll say that besides the fork the other stuff is not really worth spending extra money for, at least to me. Avid 3’s are not that much of an improvement over Hayes Sole; if it had Avid 5’s then we’d be talking but it doesn’t. And while Rear Derailleur is a little better I’m still not perfect at shifting in certain situations so I figured I’d rather perfect my skills on an LX rather than screwing up a more expensive derailleur; plus I plan on upgrading the drive train in 12-18 months anyway. But if you’re looking to spend under $1000 the trek 6500 is the way to go and you’re not getting less of a bike. Trek 6500 vs. Specialized RockHopper Pro
The specialized RockHopper Pro is listed with an MSRP of $1100 and is an all around good bike, but I highly favor the Trek 6500 over it for several reasons. One, the RockHopper Pro is over priced for the specs it has in my opinion. For example it has an identical drive train to the 6500, It does Not come with clipless pedals and for a bike of that price that should be standard feature in my opinion, also it only comes in a very ugly orange color. I also should add the bike comes with thinner tires, 2.0’s which reduces your control over rougher stuff. Specialized brags about the light M4 alloy frame it comes with, (that’s the frame the famous stumpjumpers come with) but the frame isn’t that much lighter. After tons of searching I found out that the M4 alloy frame weighs about 3.11 lbs (for the 19 inch frame) and the Trek SLR aluminum frame weighs about 3.38- 3.55lbs for a similar sized frame. (Just as a note the weight of the trek frame was very difficult to find so this is somewhat of an estimation based on an official document put out by Trek in 2002 saying the SLR frame weighed 3.6 lbs but for 2007 the frame has dropped 100g according to Trek so that would put the new SLR frame at 3.38 lbs. however in that article the exact frame size was not mentioned so I assumed it to be their middle sized frame 18 or 19.5 inch size so hence the small range from the frame weight. So hence the range of estimated possible weight it could be if that was in fact the weight of a slightly smaller frame). In any case rest assured that it is less than half a pound in the worst case scenario. So when I thought about it (assuming worst case scenario) I figured that when all the parts are put on 27.2 lbs is not going to feel better than 27.8 lbs (and most likely the difference is even less than that). Plus honestly the design of the Trek frame looks much better, not taking into account color, just looking at the pure geometry of it. Where the Pro scores a little better than the Trek is the fork and a tiny bit on the brakes; It has avid 3’s but again that’s not much of an improvement over the Sole and hence not a major plus. So overall I would in this case save your money and buy the 6500, if you’re really itching to spend $1100 go for the Trek 6700 and sleep easy that you have the best bike for that amount money.
Trek 6500 vs. Brodie Bandit
To start off the Brodie Bandit has an MSRP of $949.00, only $20 bucks more than the 6500 price is not an issue here at all. Like the price everything else on the bike is virtually identical component wise, except of course that the trek has Bontrager handles, bars, seat, wheels etc. and the Bandit uses a combination of other stuff that’s in the same range as the Bontrager. I don’t know how the Bandit feels due to this difference because I have never ridden one, but I do know I like the Bontrager feel on the Trek. If you don’t however you may want to take a look at the Bandit. However at the end of the day if you gave me a choice again I personally would pick the Trek solely for looks in this particular case. The Trek frame just looks so much cooler. But again other than the slight differences mentioned, on paper they look virtually the same.
Trek 6700 vs. Brodie Fury
The Fury the next model up over the bandit and has an MSRP of $1199. So as you guessed it price was an issue here. However the bike is truly over priced in my opinion. If the Bandit is the Equal to the 6500 then the Fury is the equal of the 6700 except it’s a $100 buck more!! The 6700 and the Fury have all the same specs for the most part (XT rear D instead of 0.9 but those to Derailleur are considered equal), so I see no reason to buy this bike at all unless your obsessed with Brodie, or someone gives you much much better deal on it. Check out the specs for yourself if you don’t believe me.
Trek 6500 vs. KHS Alite 3000
The KHS Alite 3000 has an MSRP of $1099. Its weakness’ compared to the 6500 are that it does not have clipless pedals and it does not look as good as the 6500. Other than that it has similar components to the Trek 6700 and the Brodie Fury. So bottom line it has some slightly better components when it comes to the brakes (avid 3’s), rear derailleur (XT), and that’s about it. I’m not too crazy about this bike although it’s not a bad bike at all and could compete with any of the bikes mentioned here. However it’s my last pick out of all the bikes mentioned and all the bikes left to come.
Trek 6500 vs. Marin Palisades Trail
The Palisades Trail has an MSRP of $959.00 and has the same drive train as the 6500, the same great frame quality, it looks good. Forks are about equal, brakes are equal. However I would choose the Trek 6500 over this bike because the Marin does not come with clipless pedals and I like the paint job on the 6500 more. But overall they are both pretty equal; however the Trek is still a tiny bit cheaper.
Trek 6500 vs. Norco Charger
MSRP on the Charger is $985.00. I’m getting tired of writing so I’ll give you the short version. Brakes of the Charger are once step better, The Rear Derailleur is one step lower, the Fork is a short step higher, the frame is not as good looking as the Trek’s, Other than that they are both pretty much equal.
Trek 6500 vs. Kona Caldera
MSRP $900. The Caldera has an XT rear derailleur and Hayes HFX-9 hydraulic disk brakes. Both these components are one step higher the component on the 6500, everything else is pretty much equal. So honestly this is THE BEST BIKE FOR THE MONEY out of all these bikes, it has the best specs for the price. I don’t know how it feels when you ride it but Kona is a good manufacturer so I’m sure it does not feel like crap compared to the trek. I still like the trek frame a little better but honestly this bike, at least on paper looks better. It comes with the same specs as all the $1100 bikes mentioned here and it comes with the lowest price of all!.
So in closing I just want to re-emphasize that all these bikes compared here today fall in the same category as far as performance goes, there are only minor difference between them and they are all great bikes. If you want to buy a bike in this price range definitely look into these, they are the top XC hardtails for the price range of 900-1200. I know I left out Giant and Gary Fisher, but I honestly don’t like the hardtails Gary Fisher has. Trek owns Gary and I would recommend only buying a full suspension Fisher and to forget about their hardtails, Trek puts less emphasis on those. Giant did not come out with a XC hardtail in this price range this year so I did not include any Giant bikes here. Also I have only ridden the Trek bikes and the Specialized so I don’t know how the other bikes actually handle when you ride them. Mostly this was a value comparison; however performance wise I doubt you will find huge differences but the best way to find out is to ride as many as you can. As you can tell I did a ton of research before I purchased my Trek 6500 so I knew exactly what I was buying, and I took my riding style into consideration. I love to ride very technical single track trails, I always love a good downhill I can drop down once in a while, and I love to climb really steep and challenging trails. I mostly ride in forest terrain filled with roots, small rocks, and fallen trees everywhere. So I don’t do most of my riding down wide boring fire roads, I do real off road biking 3-4 days a week every week. I enjoy hardtails because they really give you a feel of the terrain and force to develop better balance and techniques, also to find a full suspension that climbs as well as my 6500 I would have to pay at least $2200 but probably more, I looked into that a little and decided I don’t have that kind of money to spend on a bike. I hope this review is useful to someone because I spent way more time than should writing it. I should be biking!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin Tofield
a Cross Country Rider
from London Date Reviewed: October 8, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Epping Forest Pole Hill
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At:
Action Bikes London
Strengths:
Frame and some of the components brakes stems handle bars gear shifters
Weaknesses:
Forks, Head Bearings Pedals Chainrings kinda as I have racked up a few miles
Similar Products Used:
Ridgeback
Bike Setup:
A bit modified,
Bottom Line:
This bike is an upgraders dream. The frame seems to be a good a starting point as any. I've had this bike 2 years and done about 4000 miles. I've had to make some changes, some by choice and others by neccessity. It's the usual story of building to a price point and compromising on the parts you wont or don't notice.
Pedals were discarded immediately for a set of Shimano MT540's.
Change the tyres as for me all they're good for is to take you to the scene of your first off and not much else. Single track through the forest was atleast 2 punctures a ride.
I found the front forks a bit weak and as mentioned by other reviewers mine leaked oil. Changed them to a set of RockShox Reba Teams with U Turn. these were on sale so I got them a bit cheaper than usual. After set up experiments they are as sweet as (Zero BOB) and will probably be put on my next bike. At the same time I changed the head bearings to a set of Cane Creek S3's as the originals were shot in less than a year.
Chainrings wore out after about a year, seems a common story with Shimano's but saying that if you read some reviews a year is a miracle. These were changed to a set of TA Chainrings which have been faultless.
I changed the wheels to a set with Mavic rims and XT hubs. These were by choice as I wanted something a bit sturdier than stock.
The gear shifters and brakes are fine and I wouldn't even contemplate upgrading. Why waste money, the brakes feel proessive and how sharp do you need them in the mud. They're good enough to chuck you over the handlebars.
Next upgrade planned is a change of crankset and possibly front derailleur. Again this is purely by choice as the original Shimano M440's are fine if a little scuffed and the BB is still going strong. Looking at the XT Hollowtech II but after reading some reviews the Hone's seem better value for money. I'll see if I can get the bike shop to buy back the chainrings....
The rest of the bike has remained standard which doesn't actually leave alot. Seeing as I'm not a racer, any weight gains through further upgrades are a bit pointless. Cheaper to go on a diet.
All in all I'm well impressed with this bike and intend to keep it for a few more years atleast. One of the reasons for the upgrades of choice.
If you're into some hardcore riding you'll probably want a full suspension bike or at least a higher specced,pricier, hardtail. However if you're like me, you'll get a midrange bike with lots of potential to upgrade at a later date.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom Bauan
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Date Reviewed: September 18, 2006
Favorite Trail:
slider
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Rocky Mountain Cycle
Strengths:
The frame is light and the handle bars are good the rims are very tought and the shifter are also good
Weaknesses:
The Manitou Axel elite 80 is honestly a joke this is a sorry excuse for a lockout fork. This fork's lockout broke very easily and it always leaks fluid I have bottomed it out over large rock's. Another thing that is bad a the brakes so weak feeling and arent very crisp. The derailler is also not the best honestly I think that Deore Lx's are better then Xts
Similar Products Used:
Trek 4100 and a Remedy 5 now
Bike Setup:
sold it
Bottom Line:
don't buy this bike unless you plan on upgrading parts alot
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Lewis
a Weekend Warrior
from Pleasanton, CA, USA Date Reviewed: August 28, 2006
Favorite Trail:
any one that has a good downhill section
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Livermore Cyclerey in Dublin
Strengths:
Good solid frame, VERY!!! light, nice shifters, smooth deraileurs*, smooth ride, hydraulic disk brakes, sturdy pedals.
Weaknesses:
flimsy components (grips and stock tires), stock tires were CRAP the first week i had the bike half of the treads came off, *weak front deraileur, Manitou AXEL fork.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale Super-V 2000
Bike Setup:
Stock, changed wheels and deraileur was upgraded for free after it broke :D
Bottom Line:
This is a good bike for anyone who wants to do hard uphills, lockout on the fork is nice too, but for me, a 210 lb rider, the fork just isnt strong enough. a smooth ride for technical trails and good brakes too. all around, this is a very solid bike, except for the tires, fork, and grips (mine come off at the end ecause they are too long.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Robert Neidlinger
a Cross Country Rider
from Bowling Green, KY, USA Date Reviewed: July 4, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Nat' Outdoor Sports
Strengths:
Frame, lock-out front fork, disk brakes... Beautiful frame, will keep it for some time, if I don't destroy it, and upgrade the components over time.
Weaknesses:
Tires, needed something else for what I do, seat, as everyone says it is hard, thinking of changing it...
Similar Products Used:
Schwinn garbage, road bikes before that, Bianchi mainly..
Bike Setup:
Standard with the following minor changes, end bars, tires, pedals. All else stock.
Bottom Line:
I use this more as a cross than a mountain bike, although that is what it is used for on the weekends. I ride everywhere, to work, to shop, to play, etc. The weekends I ride trails for the enjoyment of it. Evening I explore the small county roads around where I live. I researched what I needed before I purchased this, so altogether it is exactly what I wanted. Would change almost nothing. Even the price was right. Would recommend it to anyone needing a good singletrack bike, a serious commuter bike (with the need for offroad, gravel, trails, etc.) and a beginner looking to upgrade in the future.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josep
a Cross Country Rider
from Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain Date Reviewed: June 18, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$920.00
Strengths:
Good frame and good components except pedals and front fork (axel).
Weaknesses:
Front manitou axel fork. The axel lockout feature broke while going home from the shop (just 3 pavement streets!!).
Similar Products Used:
Trek 7000, Trek 7100FX
Bike Setup:
Replaced the manitou axel with a marzocchi mx comp eta that is working fine (very good eta system)
Bottom Line:
I'm not used to disk brakes and I'm not feeling comfortable with it, feels softer than normal brakes. I think I will get in touch with it after a few downhills. Tyres maybe too big for mixed mountain/sand road. I'm planning a cross-country through Iceland next month and I think I will change tyres with lighter and smaller ones.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew Nguyen
a Weekend Warrior
from Brisbane, QLD, Australia Date Reviewed: May 8, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Chocolate Buddha
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1060.00
Purchased At:
www.victorcycles.com.au
Strengths:
Frame - solid, can take a beating, tyres low rolling resistnace on pavement and adequate grip on dirt+gravel, adequate Manitou Axel Elite forks, hydraulic disc brakes, overall quality componentry
Weaknesses:
2006 Colour (only 1 available), stiff saddle, cheap chain, single bidden mount, Forks only 80mm -not very responsive to fine tuning and seeping oil, ordinary pedals, tyre wear
Similar Products Used:
Giant Alias 2006, Specialized Rockhopper Disc 2006
Bike Setup:
Trek 6500 Disc 2006, Odyssey Jim Cielinkei Pedals
Bottom Line:
A very solid bike from Trek. Light weight and can take a beating (has survived 10+ solid stacks on and off road). Handles well and brakes are responsive as you can get. Rear shifting is responsive. Chain was cheap and got sticky links within less than 500km of use. Forks are ok, could use with abit more travel especially for XC use but are fine for road/paved road riding. Lockout feature is nice but they are either locked out or fully open, no real ability to tweak in-between. Tyres are great but are wearing fast.
Overally a very good bike from trek. But if you are riding this bike over long distances and/or weigh abit? Get a new saddle.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dejan
a Cross Country Rider
from Serbia Date Reviewed: May 6, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
The frame is very elegant, looks fragile but very stiff. Weldings are perfect, geometry looks like freeride. My size is 17.5inch, dark grey-black. Good selection of components, except axel fork.
Weaknesses:
For the frame- no weaknesses at all. Axel fork is too heavy and soft&slow for my ride, i changed it for RS J3. Also changed crankset to XT, so i cuted down weight for 1kg.
Great bike for non-perspective riders who want quality and performance for reasonable price. Good start for upgrading. Frame is the best.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jonathan
a Downhiller
from ridgewood Date Reviewed: May 4, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
ridgewood cycle
Strengths:
its very durable and nice flat pedals (bmx style) its light and easy for tricks. The shifters are good and the grip is alright. tires have good traction and front suspension is great. Best part is the disk brakes u gotta love them.
Weaknesses:
the front suspoension only has 80mm. i could hav a bit more like 100 at least. shifters arent that great. Seat needs to be replaced. great bike but for the price not worth it.
Similar Products Used:
all other bikes were bmx and they were haro`s
Bike Setup:
only change was the seat and rear fender with grudgeboard. like the big flat pedals .
Bottom Line:
Its a great bike light weight for tricks.Durable and also has very good handleing. The handles are bit wide. great brakes they are the best and stop on the spot. shifters are good not needed to replace. front suspension needs a lil more travel although the lockout is great. the bike is amazing but i recommend this bike at 800 if anymore buy it somewhere else.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ruben Vallina
a Racer
from Weston, Florida Date Reviewed: April 9, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Markham
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$760.00
Purchased At:
Mega Cycle In Weston
Strengths:
The frame size is awesome I bought the 15.5 inch size, I’m 5’7” 150Lb’s; love the hydraulic brakes they feel so smooth, and the shifters feel pretty good to. I don’t think they are as smooth as the SRAM drive train but they shift nice. I like the fact that the bike comes with flat pedals. Tires sound that like they have good traction, bike feels very light. The front shock feels real good, I like the lock out feature, although they seep a little oil. I will have to keep an eye on that. Seat is a little hard but I don’t sit much. All in all I love the bike.
Weaknesses:
Front shocks seep a little oil. The Shimano shifters are not as smooth as the SRAM but they are real nice.
Similar Products Used:
Giant Rainier 17” frame, great bike love the SRAM shifters, but I think the frame is built more for down hill riding than jumping. Specialized Hard rock Pro Disk 15” frame. love the frame, brakes are good but the front shocks really really stink, when ever you lift the front tire you hear this loud clank sound. Preloading the shock just make the sound louder.
Bike Setup:
All stock, I just going to do away with unneeded metal by cutting or drilling. Who needs 12 inch seat post when you will be using 4 inches of it?
Bottom Line:
I test drove 4 other bikes and did research for two months before I decided on this bike. I think for the money you get good components and a frame with good geometry all in all I think it's a killer bike. if you wait and shop around for last years model you may get a great deal. I road and raced BMX bikes for years and this bike due to it's size and weight feels a little like that. I'm in love with my new bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roberto "madman" cruz
a Cross Country Rider
from Red Bank, N.J. USA Date Reviewed: March 9, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Grand tour @ Hartshorne
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
Coogles
Strengths:
Stiff aluminum ride & nice disc brakes!
Weaknesses:
The seat is so hard It really takes some getting used to. Could use 2 more sets of water bottle mounts. Grips are for whimps
Similar Products Used:
Trek 5000
Bike Setup:
Way to cheap components
Bottom Line:
The bike is not so bad. It's just that I ride HARD. I mean really hard. Harder then a lot other guys. In fact I might be the fastest guy in the woods.This bike should last another couple of months and then I'll blow it up and buy somethin' sweet.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonton Date Reviewed: February 8, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
United Cycle
Strengths:
Good Frame, decent components, hydraulic brakes big plus
Weaknesses:
Paint color on 06 model. Seat is really hard. Fork a bit weak, although I weigh 200 lbs.
Similar Products Used:
Cheap junk
Bottom Line:
Only had it a month, and with the mild winter here, I've taken it out a few times and have been pretty impressed with it. Great on trails, small jumps. Can't wait until spring! Grwat bike for the novice.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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