[FatAzzRunner]

Its a Trek 6500. It was on clearance due to it being an '06 model.

I rode a Cannondale(dont remember which model) and I rode a Specialized Hardrock comp disc and I rode this Trek. The Cannondale didnt feel right, felt like I wanted to flip over the bars just riding it around the lot. Rode the Specialized and it was O.K.?? but still not quite right. Then I rode this Trek and it felt great to me. It was responsive and quick, I didnt feel toooo stretched out.

I didnt know what I wanted when I went to the LBS and to be honest, I didnt think my wife would let me buy a new bike so I never bothered doing any product reviews searches. Well I bought the bike and I came home and read some good things about it. Think it get like a 4.85 out of 5 or something like that on this board.

I hope its a good bike. I wont be doing any huge drops or crazy jumps, just basic city riding and some trails (single track) on the weekends, basically I guess it would call it more for cross country type stuff . Mainly bought it to help me get my fat ass in shape. I started lifting again, just need something for the cardio. I have a long way to go to get in shape but I can do it. I am 5'11 and 285 (all muscle ).

Chose it cause it was on sell and also cause it is upgradeable to Disc brakes and aready has the higher end rear deraillure (sp?)

This is the bike.......Dont really mind the color but it isnt exactly what I wanted, anyway its what they had.

 

[Old_Dude]

Congratulations! Ride the snot out of it - wear it out - that's what they're for, right? Ride it a lot every day.

And don't overdo it with the cardio - relax, have fun and do it a lot. If you're far from trails you might consider getting road tires and using it out your door for quick rides.

In reality, and honestly I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, virtually all bikes like this are designed with a certain "strength factor" - at 285 you're probably over the "recommended weight limit" for this machine. Don't worry about that as much as making sure, like you said, you don't do big drops & so forth. You may want to consider getting a specially made wheelset - just about any bike shop can make you a custom (not always inexpensive) set of really strong wheels. The ones you have are ok - at 285, just don't get crazy with it.

Congrats!!! You can do it - do you have a target weight? You'll get there!!! You're on the right track (no pun, as I loathe that company).

 

[jacksonpt]

Congrats - Trek makes solid stuff, so I'm sure you got a decent bike. And it sounds like you paid some attention to how the bike fit/felt, which is good. A lot of people don't do that then end up regretting it.

Try to focus on having fun, not losing weight. If you have fun you'll ride more, and the more you ride the more weight will come off. If you focus on losing weight you're less likely to ride, which means you're less likely to lose weight.

Get out there and have fun, and congrats on your purchase!

 

[FatAzzRunner]

Thanks guys, Yeah, I do have a goal weight of 210. I know that sounds high still but I do carry a lot of muscle and I have been to 228 before and felt great but still had a bit of a gut. Even at 228 I was wearing a size 35-36 jean depending on the brand.

I plan to have a lot of fun on this rig. I found out last night that not too far from the house is a nice place to get offroad, I will be going there A LOT. It has everything from mild to wild..............I will be staying mild for some period of time. I gotta get my confidence level up and my weight way down before I start doing hard stuff on this bike, I know its not build like the all mountain or DH bikes.

 

[MMcG]

Congrats on the new bike!