[JonathanGennick]

I'm helping my nephew buy a mountain bike. Bascially, he's picking the bike and I'm picking up the tab. He told me tonight that he's picked out a Trek 3900. He rides a lot in southern Michigan, at a place called Fort Custer. From talking to him and looking at a few pictures, I think we're talking here about hard-packed single-track with a few technical obstacles here and there. For example, there's this maybe three-foot high pile of logs on one of the trails. There are some steep hills, but we aren't talking true mountains by any means.

I just know that it sucks to be out on the trail with a bike that won't shift when you want it to, with brakes that won't stay adjusted, etc. I want to be sure I get him a good enough bike that he avoids that sort of grief.

Trek has a 4300 and a 4500. I'd love it if someone with experience on these bikes could comment on how they would compare to a 3900. Trek's site lists the component differences, but their site doesn't do a good job in explaining what those component differences translate into in terms of day-to-day riding.

Any advice or comments on these models would be much appreciated.

 

[BIRDMAN111]

yeah those models are good to go with. i dont know the exact differences between them but you should definatly stay with a hard tail. oh, and whats your intrest in treks?

 

[mastercycleman]

I used to have a 4300, i liked the bike, and it held up well, i got the the disc model. if he rides in michigan, you should tell him to go to Pontiac lake, i was back there visiting family, and those trails were really good, steep climbs, small drops, if you want to take them. and roots and rock gardens galore. anyways, i would try to get him discs if you can afford it. as they make stopping in wetweather much easyier and they get alot of that back there. my friend now has a 4300, with some parts swaped out. (derailuers, brake levers shifter pods) but either way you cant go wrong, as i left my bike tottally stock, and i bought it for 425, and sold it a little over a year later for 300, with no trouble. I would definetly suggest the bikes, but you can also look in other companys, suck as a Specialized hardrock, also look at Konas.
BTW sorry its so confusing, i just type it in as my brain spits it out.

 

[mastercycleman]

also with the components, the higher end model will ussually be more sturdy, and wiegh a little less, also, they do get a little better shifting performance, but its hard to notice.
If i could suggest two bikes, it would be a trek4300 disc,
or a Specialized hardrock, look at the different models and find what fits your budget

 

[JonathanGennick]

yeah those models are good to go with. i dont know the exact differences between them but you should definatly stay with a hard tail. oh, and whats your intrest in treks?

I've no particular interest in Treks. No one local to me sells them, so I don't follow the Trek line. I actually ride a Specialized. Treks just seem to be one of the lines that my nephew's local bike shop carries. He apparently finds them comfortable (which is really important, IMHO). He's too far away, unfortunately, for me to take him shopping personally.

 

[TheBiggmann]

Personally, if it's available, I would look around and see if there is a Specialized dealer around his area. My brother has a Trek 4500 and I have a Specialized Rockhopper Comp (I realize that's probably a little outta the price range) but I rode lot's of different bikes while shopping for my Rockhopper and they all in my opinion rode better than the Trek. Something about that bike rides weird, i think it's something with the headset or something and it steers weird or something. Also, his has about the lowest quality fork you can get, it's VERY stiff. I don't know if anyone carries k2 in your area but that was another bike that I tried out, the Zed, that you can get for a reasonably decent price. But back on track with the Specialized topic, I'm sure you know about the Hardrock, another bike that I tried out; rides great, better fork than the Trek, not big on the SRAM components but that's a personal preference, and a little extra will get you disc brakes. Jamis seems to make a pretty nice bike, as does Rocky mountain, for about the same price as the 4500, so maybe check them out too if you have a dealer around. Good luck.

 

[mastercycleman]

well, how far away from detroit is he, and can he drive.

 

[mastercycleman]

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCDealerLoc.jsp
he should be able to find a dealer resonably close

 

[TheBiggmann]

Also, you could check out a Kona, they have a dealer in marquette which isn't too far from your location.

 

[JonathanGennick]

My brother has a Trek 4500 and I have a Specialized Rockhopper Comp (I realize that's probably a little outta the price range)

I ride a Rockhopper Comp. Very nice bike. More front shock travel than the Trek he's looking at. The bike shop he's been looking at usually carries Specialized, but apparently they don't have any in stock at the moment. He lives nine hours from me, so I can't go shopping w/him, unfortunately.
[/quote]

Also, his has about the lowest quality fork you can get, it's VERY stiff.

That's worth knowing. Thanks.

Jamis seems to make a pretty nice bike,

I have an old Jamis that I'd just give him. Good enough bike. Frame geometry just never felt right for me. I should never have bought it. It's too big for him though, imho, and he's all excited now about a *new* bike. I promised him a new bike. There's no backing out now.

as does Rocky mountain, for about the same price as the 4500

I rode a Rocky Mountain last week. It was a $3600 model. I didn't think they made anything in a price range that mere mortals could afford . The one I rode felt great, except the shifters were these weird-feeling, new-fangled, combined, brake/shifter levers. I'd really need to take those out on the trail for a couple of days, to get a feel for whether I'd like 'em. Doesn't matter though. There is no $3600 anything in my near future .

 

[BIRDMAN111]

or iron horse, they have some quality hard tails. that was my first real mtn bike and i really advanced my riding skills with the ironhorse maverick. performance bike carries them, and performance is pretty common to find.

 

[TheBiggmann]

Yeah, for the Rocky Mountain, check out I believe it's the Vapor and the Soul. I think the soul was a little bit more, like in the $650 range, but I think the vapor was like $550, both nice bikes from what I could tell in the test ride.

 

[JonathanGennick]

I just thought I'd close the loop on this thread. Thanks to your advice, and some from another forum, and some from the LBS, and a review or two that I stumbled across, my nephew is now riding a brand new Trek 4500. Somehow he didn't seem too dissappointed when I told him I wanted to get him the 4500 instead of the 3900.

I love bike shopping.

 

[mastercycleman]

Your welcome!

 

[BIRDMAN111]

Somehow he didn't seem too dissappointed when I told him I wanted to get him the 4500 instead of the 3900.

I love bike shopping.

haha sweet, i love uncles