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I red these reviews as a first time entry casual rider looking for the casual riders analysis and WHY they arrived at the cobia versus any other trek and and now I want to help those like me with this review. I'm new to MTB and have less than 500 miles of [...] off road riding so consider that as you read. I was looking for a bike I could grow into but not pay for more than I could fill out with my expertise for the flatter areas of {...}. I Arrived at the cobia as it's a 29er that glides over the rock gardens (compared to the steel 26 in I had) and hard tail better suited to the more XC paths we have here ( versus full suspension). I tried the hydraulic breaks and was sold on that (test ride one yourself and see!). The mamba would have given this option but The shifters and breaks are not separate so I went one up to the cobia so I could better arrange the breaks and shifters to my hand positioning. I'm VERY pleased with the purchase having put ~200 miles on it. With the ten gears the shifting fits any incline to my cadence. Again the breaks are heaven so be careful as they'll lock up easily. The front suspension noticeably allows me steering control over the rocky paths, and it's capabilities exceed my abilities so I have plenty of bike to grow into experience wise. If you have a similar background as I do, you will be very happy with the decision.

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I ride at least 3 times a week. I have had this bike for over 2 weeks and have put over 200 miles on it. The only thing I wish is it had better brakes. The back brakes are very loud and need an upgrade. I love the bike other than that. It will run over anything.

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I ride this bike to most of the trails that I ride, and it is almost as much fun getting there as it is riding trails. The only change I have made is the pedals, switching to a clip in. This bike is most at home on hard packed, rocky trails. The handling is great, and the climbing capabilities are amazing. This is my first 29er, and I am thoroughly impressed. I love the new style of shifting, taking the index finger out of the process. All in all, this is the best bike you are going to get for the buck. I have seen some reviews saying that the seat is uncomfortable, but I have put in four 4+ hour rides on it this week, and it is just fine. You would be hard pressed to find anything else about this bike that you don't love.

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Does not come with SRAM X5 Front Derailleur. Comes with Deore.

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This is a great bike for anything in any conditions.. I call it the "tank" it runs over anything with no problem. If you are a big guy and like to push yourself to the limit this is the right bike for you.

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I got this bike knowing full well that it would probably never see a trail. It would however be seeing the unloved and uncared-for side streets of Chicago on a daily basis, a fair number of constructions zones and the occasional curb. In the three months that I've had it, it's been a fantastic bike. The 29-inch wheels make a huge difference while "negotiating" curbs to get the hell out of the way of cars. :-) As for the G2 Geometry. Well, it feels a bit "odd" or "off" at first but once you get accustom to it; rail-like cornering it does have. Shifting is much smoother and seemed to be faster than I was accustomed to. The one thing that's taking me a while to adapt to is that the front gear/right hand shifter works in the exact opposite way the rear gear/right shifter does. This is the first I've had double thumb shifters so my expectation was that they would operate in the same manner. Short thumb shifter = increase gear ratio Long thumb shifter = decrease gear ratio. The short and long shifters are opposite between left and right. The breaks are responsive but if you haven't had disks before be careful. You will almost, if not succeed, in going butt end over tea kettle if your not. Other than that, they will whine a little once you get some dirt in them but it's nothing to be concerned about. Consider it an early warning system for impending "but end over tea kettle" time. The new geometry and 29-inch wheels make it a bit difficult to negotiate out my basement and through the back door. (The basement and back door are very close and form a L.) Your mileage may very. I just though I'd mention it for others in a similar situation. All and all I don't find the bike to be heavy as I've seen others comment on in other reviews. I chalk it up to trail rats wanting more from a bike than was intended given the components and price. After reading this It may seem that I don't like it but that's not the case. This is a fantastic bike and I'll probably have it for years to come. What I've included are some of the things that I wish others would have said in reviews. If they had I doubt it would have changed my mind. I just would have been prepared for the subtle differences. Last but not least. If your going to use this bike and intend to spend any time sitting buy a new saddle in the shop or use the one from your last bike if you have it. The one that comes with it was never intended for more than 2 - 5 min of riding while sitting. Hey, it's intended for trails etc.. so that kinda makes sense.

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This was my first Mountain Bike purchase, and I wanted a bike that would meet all my commuting needs (which does involve some off- trailing =)) but also have good components for an average price. It came down to the Mamba, the Montare DS, and a few others from different names like specialized, and Raleigh( I was really stuck in between a hybrid and a mountain bike if you can't tell).. So far the Cobia went above and beyond my expectations. Since this was a big buy for me, I was a little hesitant, but really, it's TREK PEOPLE the biggest name in bikes, relatively.. I have ridden this thing on concrete for about a week now daily. And the promax hornet's ( which for some reason drew alot of stale criticism) worked fine, but what i did was just break them in a bit by coming to some complete stops on a big hill before blasting down it with the calipers half way squeezed. Once they were all seasoned they work just fine IMHO. I am like I said a first time rider so don't really know much about top of the line MTN bikes yet, but all I can say is.. This bike is a blast to ride and I can't wait to take it offroading on some local trails soon! I would easily recommend this to anybody entering the sport. Ciao people

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Climbs like a champ. Fun to ride and overall a great bike that out performs all others in it's class.

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I selected the '11 Trek Cobia over the '11 Specialized Rockhopper Pro mostly due to financial reasons but I couldn't be happier with my decision. My plan was to upgrade with the $340 price difference but I really don't think it's necessary. The Cobia handles great and I feel confident when riding on rougher trails, my only complaint is in the seating area but this can be said about most bike seats.

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my first 29er and don't think I'll ever go back to a 26 again. This thing is like buttah when it comes to rolling over and through stuff. Wasn't sold on the orange paint on the web but when I saw it in person it is pretty cool. My one complaint on the appearance is the handlebars look kind of cheap. Probably upgrade those anyways. I also tried the Specialized RH 29er but the Fisher just felt more stable and agile and the fork is a bit more upgraded