Why? Trek bought Gary Fisher years ago to make up for their admittedly lack luster line of good mountain bikes. For some reason Trek couldn't seem to put decent components on a light frame for the same money as others. Fisher could, and does. Look at the component group you get for the $900 Gary Fisher Tassajara compared to a $900 Trek. The Tass gives you the Rock Shok Tora, and hydraulic Discs. The comparable Trek gives you the Dart shock and mechanical disc.
Also, Trek mountain bikes look like a Hyundai. Bright colors, and big stickers like you would see on a Huffy. Other makers like Gary Fisher, Cannondale, Kona, etc... all make their bikes in earthy, tough looking schemes.
In the long list of options that we can choose from in mountain bikes, Trek rates close to the bottom with me.
I like Trek road bikes a lot. Their mountain line has things to be desired..
I have a trek fuel 8 and have really enjoyed it. It's a good climber and performs well for the $. I'm comparing to GT and other bikes in the $3000 range and have been very happy.
Not sure where you are hearing bad things about Trek mtn bikes. I have a Trek Fuel EX 9 and am very happy with it. I like the fact that the frame was hand-made in Wisconsin versus so many other frame manufacturers whose goods come from China or Korea. All mtn bikes today are componentized, so you are really paying for the frame and then the component bundle. My Trek certainly doesn't look flashy or have stickers - it is a dull anodized grey color with darker grey logos. As I pass road bikers on the street in their flashy Italian jerseys, I just have to smile :)
I do 2000+ miles per year of mountains and trails, and have literally ridden bikes to their graves. So far the Trek is holding up nicely.
I guess i agree, Trek bikes used to be to cheap and flashy some 3 years ago. It all changed with the new fuel line of mountain bikes. They were also heavy and were never at the top of new developments. They were followers more than developers. It is all changing these days, but I would not change my giant road bike or the rocky mountain mountain bike
My first dual suspension bike was a Trek Fuel 100. I've since moved on to the Specialized Epic. The Fuel was a 2003, and in hindsight I would say that the Trek technology wasn't very good, even for the time. The 2003 even need a frame adapter to run disc brakes, when other brands had long been equipped for disc. Anyway, my friends and I called it the Barcolounger...The geometry just wasn't good. I like Trek roadie's, but I do tend to agree Trek is behind on mountain bike technology. I do like their hard tails, and like their carbon technology.
i have a 07 trek jack 3 and i love it! i use it for everything! i can go XC with my friends and im usually in front. i do DJ and would love to try freeriding. the frame is a beast! it is a little bright. its orange. i like the color though. im in love with the bike but the funny thing is that they gave me a fork thats has a sticker that says CROSS COUNTRY ONLY. so i geuss they do use cheap components.
I own a fuel 90 and I freaking feel 19 again when I'm on that monster, I LOVE my trek, it is so far the best frame I've built around so far. I am proud to say my bike was hand made in the usa (not the ignorant kind of proud) but the pride that you are riding a bike that some guy who you don't know went to work and at the end the day built the very frame I am riding now. Every time I take my bike out I think of that dude and wish I could shake his hand and thank him for a great job. Imagine the amount of jobs we could keep if the fancy bike companies built them here. By the way trek also unfortunately does build alot of their generic bikes in TAIWAN. Oh well.
Must use Buy It Now and PayPal.
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