2012 Trek 6000 Hardtail Mountain Bike
The 6 Series hardtails from Trek Bikes have worked away quietly over the years, providing quality 26" mountain bikes that suit beginner riders wanting to get a taste for singletrack. While the buzz might be around 29ers and dual suspension bikes, the Trek 6000 is still a great value option with its lightweight Aluminum Alloy frame and sorted trail geometry. Based around a 100mm travel SR Suntour fork, the 6 Series frame provides a relatively upright riding position that avoids the stretched out and front-heavy positioning that other hardtails end up with. By keeping your weight centralised and less over the front wheel, the 6000 feels more stable and confident when the trail points down and avoids the "over the bars" sensation you can get with racier bikes. The fork gets adjustable preload as well as a Lockout lever for deactivating the suspension, which is ideal for road riding and smoother trails where you want to conserve energy that would otherwise cause the suspension to bob up and down.

For 2012 the 6000 sees a massive upgrade on its drivetrain to the Shimano 10 speed Deore groupset for dependable and efficient shifting, and they've even managed to squeeze in a slick XT Shadow rear derailleur that tucks the mechanism up and away from rocks. The 10 speed drivetrain uses a wider range cassette in conjunction with a closer ratio front crankset in order to encourage the rider to stay in the middle chainring up front and use the entire range on the cassette. This minimises front shifting, which is particularly useful for beginner riders that don't have a lot of experience with geared mountain bikes and want a simpler setup. Shimano have also helped Trek out with the M446 hydraulic disc brakes that are powerful and more importantly, very reliable. Compared to mechanical disc brakes or V-brakes, the M446 brakes work more consistently in wet conditions and don't require as much maintenance.
Another area that tends to be skimped on when it comes to entry-level mountain bikes is the wheelset, where Trek have used a super solid set of Bontrager wheels to provide better ride quality and durability compared to cheaper options. The Bontrager XR1 tyres use a grippy tread pattern with a wide 2.2" casing that gives a smooth and supple ride quality and plenty of traction when riding off road.
 

Our favourite features of the 6000

3x10 With a 10-speed cassette and a 3-ring crankset, 3x10 delivers a closer-ratio drivetrain, a wider range of gears, and increased efficiency and durability. You will also find the ratio of change between each gear very consistent all the way across the cassette. Something you will appreciate when pushing hard up steep climbs.