Mountain Bikes

[Gunner]

What?s a good bike for trails around town and the mountains? I don?t know anything about brands really or model. Just wanted to pick some of your brains. This is not a want to buy add since I?m just getting an idea and will probably buy from a shop. I?m not wanting a $2000 bike yet since I?m new I?d like it to be $600 or less.


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[Sawin]

If pavement and pea-gravel trails are all you'll be riding on, then just get a hard-tail. (no rear suspension). It'll keep you in that price range without sacrificing everything. I started in a similar fashion many years ago with a Raleigh M40dx. It had fair front travel that you can adjust and mechanical disc brakes (much cheaper than hydraulic discs)

Any decent bike shop should have plenty of options for you to look at and even ride.
A lot of options from Trek and Specialized should be pretty ubiquitous.

That said, once you learn a little bit about what you're after, check craigslist. You'll get a better bike for less money than new.

[hurley842002]

I really like my Giant Talon 2 29er, it also comes in a 27.5 variety. I just purchased it in March, and have ridden it quite a bit, on both road and trails. It's a bit above your price range at $750, but I'm sure it can be found cheaper, and I'm under the impression that Giant is one of the best bang for your buck options out their.

ETA: Like Sawin said, absolutely try to buy used if possible, bikes are worse than driving a new car off the lot, they hold value terribly. I vowed to never buy new again, and then I rode (a version of) my current Giant, and fell in love, which is likely the only exception to the rule I would make.

[def90]

Way too many variables, it's like asking a gun forum what you should get for a carry weapon. My advice is to go to a good shop that carries a wide assortment of brands and discuss with the sales person what it is that you want to do with the bike, then ride as many of them as you can at the shop and then pick a couple that you really like and see if they have demo rentals available for the ones you like. Most shops will credit demo/rental fees to your final purchase if you buy from them. Demo/rent a cheap bike and then demo/rent a good solid mid range bike for a day so that you can see and feel what you are getting for the extra money.

I don't see a problem with buying new. Bikes if treated right will last forever. I'm still riding my Gary Fisher Sugar 3 from 2004. Everything on it is still pretty much current tech, full suspension, disc brakes, tubeless tires and so on. Spend money and get something good out of the gate, buying a cheap bike that rides like shit is not going to make you enjoy mountain biking.

University Bicycles, Full Cycle, Wheat Ridge Cyclery and Bicycle Village are all pretty good shops.

[colorider]

Bikes are a hot commodity these days. !

[CS1983]

Don’t bother with craigslist. Too many people are proud of their turds and the market supports it. Unless you’re versed in what to look for you might get taken. See a shop. Spend the money. Get the warranty.