This bike is a real steal at this price. I made this purchase at the advise of many bike dealers and mechanics, as well as, avid riders. My review of this bike at an 8 is based on my opinion after making a change in one component. The mixed components consisted of a Shimano Deore rear derailer, Sram chain and sprocket, and a bontrager crankset. The component mix never seemed to measure up just right. I had great diffuculty when shifting out on the trails and lost my chain constantly. After many adjustments and frequent visits to the mechanics I had nearly given up on this bike. With the help of my mechanic we contacted Trek and explained my situation. Trek addressed this matter quickly and replace my bontrager crankset with a Shimano Deore crankset and now this bike responds beautifully when shifting. The bike is sharp looking, and performs well enough for any level rider. And the Disc brakes stop nearly on a dime. There are only 3 weaknesses that I found with this bike. The major one was corrected easily because the manufacturer, Trek, stood behind their product. The other two weaknesses I found are the handle bar length, which I took two inches off, and the Bontrager saddle is not very comfortable. Overall, this bike with the all Shimano Deore components is an outstanding ride.