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What are some good mountain bike brands

Hi I want to buy a good used mountain bike off ebay. Budget is like upto $400. I'm not into hardcore bmxing like downhill. Just want a good bike with comfort for street biking, some mountain maybe. thx

There's good brands, but then there's the big issue of preferance. With a budget of 400$, you won't be able to afford the really high end stuff anyways. I'd recommend you find a couple of bike vendors near you and try a couple. Some places will let you run around in them a bit. Keep in mind you gotta get some gear on that budget.

Also, if you don't intend to use it on trails, then definately get a ROAD bike, they perform so much better on pavement. If you're not sure but you still intend to do alot of pavement cycling, check out hybrid bikes.

Trek, Cannondale... You have to know your measurement (frame size), what kind of stuff you want - keep in mind, many customize the crap out of the bikes. From fork, to gears, to breaks, to wheels, etc. Some dude at my work sank close to 15G's in his custom mountain bike. Granted, it's a sick ass fucking bike with a 2 wheel (YES, 2 WHEEL) drive but to him it's worth it, I guess.

If you're not going to be doing crazy down hill jumps and mostly road or off-road riding, consider getting something like mentioned earlier - hybrid bike. For hard core downhill, I'd probably recommend something sturdy to start with. Some of the "cheaper" spring/gas suspensions are flimsy and can break or not handle well.

For $400 you can buy a pretty decent new mountain bike, BTW. shop around and look online. May be worth your while.

I had a pretty damn good Gary Fisher that cost $850, but then some ******s stole it out of my basement. So I got a used $350 Trek... world of difference (shifting, feel, control, chainslip, etc.)

There are two important things to know about mountain bikes: the components and the frame. The frame determines how the bike feels - geometry, weight, etc. The components are what determine most of the price of the bike and also how long it lasts (with proper maintenance). If you can afford them, go for Shimano Deore components (I think it goes Acera - Alivio - Deore - Deore LX - XT - XTR). My Fisher had Deore/Deore LX components and, man, it was worth it.

For brands: Treks, Giants are on the cheap side, Gary Fishers, Marlins are more expensive, Cannondale is even more expensive, then come Kona, Haro, and other such brands that make bikes that are targeted towards the more professional user (not your everyday Mary-Jane riders)

For $400 you will not have a good fork. If you do 70% pavement 30% offroad, get a hybrid, if you do 30% pavement, 70% offroad, get a mountain bike (and, maybe, smoother tires for pavement rides)

i've got a Specialized rock hopper. it's really smooth ride, and quality all around, and isn't as expensive as a cannondale or the whole lot. was $500

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Originally posted by oldblue1224 i've got a Specialized rock hopper. it's really smooth ride, and quality all around, and isn't as expensive as a cannondale or the whole lot. was $500

Yah, forgot that one.

IMO, Specialized > Trek > Giant by a very slight margin

i've been looking to buy a road bike these last couple of days and i want one that's not fixed gear. I went to a few bike shops in the area and looked online on craigslist and ebay. I can't find any new ones for under $500. i wanna get a new one for about $200 or something. do you guys know of any? i don't really know the bike industry as much as the car industry, so excuse me on any simple errors i might have.

Rocky Mountain, Specialized, Kona, Gary Fisher, Trek, Marin, Scott, GT

tbh you should look at a good quality used Hardtail bike. It'll do the off roading to a good standard, is better than a full sus for on-roading and usually they're very light. Don't get a jump-based one because whilst built strong as fuck, the extra frameage will be a detriment to the actual riding.

Personally although for my height I should have 17.5" frame I'm more personally comfortable with a 19.5" frame plus a long headset. I find it puts less strain on my back than the shorter. In many ways, goto bike shops & do trial runs on the bikes to find the setup that suits you personally, buying something blind isn't a good idea. I bought my last bike through mail order, going by the size i "should" have and it just didn't suit my riding style at all.

quote:

Originally posted by DjArTiN! i've been looking to buy a road bike these last couple of days and i want one that's not fixed gear. I went to a few bike shops in the area and looked online on craigslist and ebay. I can't find any new ones for under $500. i wanna get a new one for about $200 or something. do you guys know of any? i don't really know the bike industry as much as the car industry, so excuse me on any simple errors i might have.

simple error? the budget! for $200 you'll end up buying the ones out of walmart/best buy/ halfords(we have them as a chain store here) etc. The parts will be tacky and the ride heavy & awful. People seem to think disc brakes for that budget is good for example, but the simple fact is that a reliable set of hope's or LX/XT discs will cost the 200 alone. Basic price for a good bike is �400 (800$)

wow, i guess i have no other choice then to save up some money and buy one at those prices

budget budget budget

what do you intend on having the bike for? What do you want to do? Light trail riding, all around use? Are you climbing steep hills, ripping down rocky terrain? First assess what your needs are, then you need to look at your budget.

I'd say for decent mountain bikes that are affordable, go with Giant. You may find some in the 200-300 price range that is decent enough to go around. I warn you though, once you get out there on your bike you'll have that instant I need better feel. So really think about it.

If you want to go up a grade, look at Trek they make some nice bikes. Specialized and Cannondale if you got the cash to spend on some quality performance.

Geared Road Bikes - same applies budget wise!
I'm riding a Bianchi Coast 2 Coast right now, loving it to be honest. Some note worthy road bikes are bianchi, cannondale, schwinn, felt. more top of the line and ultra expensive are orbea, guru, cervelo, and look.

also if you've built a bike before and know about it's components, then I'd say check out bikesdirect.com - just an FYI though, the prices are cheap but they are boxed bikes, meaning you'll have to assemble them yourself. Not an easy task to be honest

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Originally posted by get nyce also if you've built a bike before and know about it's components, then I'd say check out bikesdirect.com - just an FYI though, the prices are cheap but they are boxed bikes, meaning you'll have to assemble them yourself. Not an easy task to be honest

You really don't even have to be THAT familiar with bikes. Most of the parts are quite easily recognizable. And if they aren't, they are usually in a size that you can determine the general area they should be applied. Although bearings and such would be what I would worry about for the n00bs.

ps: good site. I am thinking about getting a bike to ride between the train station and home and the train station and work. Quit driving as much as possible, if not altogether.

quote:

Originally posted by get nyce budget budget budget what do you intend on having the bike for? What do you want to do? Light trail riding, all around use? Are you climbing steep hills, ripping down rocky terrain? First assess what your needs are, then you need to look at your budget. I'd say for decent mountain bikes that are affordable, go with Giant. You may find some in the 200-300 price range that is decent enough to go around. I warn you though, once you get out there on your bike you'll have that instant I need better feel. So really think about it. If you want to go up a grade, look at Trek they make some nice bikes. Specialized and Cannondale if you got the cash to spend on some quality performance. Geared Road Bikes - same applies budget wise! I'm riding a Bianchi Coast 2 Coast right now, loving it to be honest. Some note worthy road bikes are bianchi, cannondale, schwinn, felt. more top of the line and ultra expensive are orbea, guru, cervelo, and look. also if you've built a bike before and know about it's components, then I'd say check out bikesdirect.com - just an FYI though, the prices are cheap but they are boxed bikes, meaning you'll have to assemble them yourself. Not an easy task to be honest

my counter argument to this is the following 2 points

road bikes can't go offroad, so only buy one if you're not intending to do anything in the local trails you may have.

secondly a boxed one can easily be assembled by a local shop. My brother bought a Giant one not long ago & had it put together & tested for $50, cheaper than the money he saved from mail ordering it.

How is the brand "Fuji" anyone know?

they make good cameras ben

quote:

Originally posted by Ian they make good cameras ben

Yeah well I asked about bikes!

Fuji makes good bikes also

As for the not being THAT familiar and can figure out the parts, yea sure I totally agree with you be it that as an engineer I think about those things. I just don't want to be ripping down a trail to find out my brakes don't work or if I tightened the bottom bracket properly. I don't know crap about building a bike and even the mechanics of it quite scares me in those "what if" situations.

Road bike down hill and having no steering in your fork because of a headset bearing not properly installed is quite scary. Same would apply if your brakes didn't work.

As for having a LBS put together a boxed bike for you, yea plenty of people have done it and you do end up saving a lot. Then again maybe it's my area but I can understand why a LBS might not want to do it or if they did they'd charge you a bunch to assemble.

quote:

Originally posted by get nyce Fuji makes good bikes also As for the not being THAT familiar and can figure out the parts, yea sure I totally agree with you be it that as an engineer I think about those things. I just don't want to be ripping down a trail to find out my brakes don't work or if I tightened the bottom bracket properly. I don't know crap about building a bike and even the mechanics of it quite scares me in those "what if" situations. Road bike down hill and having no steering in your fork because of a headset bearing not properly installed is quite scary. Same would apply if your brakes didn't work. As for having a LBS put together a boxed bike for you, yea plenty of people have done it and you do end up saving a lot. Then again maybe it's my area but I can understand why a LBS might not want to do it or if they did they'd charge you a bunch to assemble.

Yeah I see your concern, but it is in a way something that can't go wrong as long as you don't have to deal with assembling the crank stuff. That is the only area I can see it as a problem as you would need to know the way in which all the bearings, washers, etc go in before assembling it.

So Fuji is a good manufacturer. I saw someone with one which is why I was wondering. I am really looking to drive even less (which is already only 10mi a day as it is) than I already do. I am trying to do what I can to minimize my driving as much as possible.

My suggestion would be to go to the local bike shop, try a bunch of different bikes, a bunch of different sizes and then start shopping for used bikes from there. From that standpoint, the most important component is the frame itself. You can always update a frame with new componentry if you really get into the sport. If you don't get into it, well then you didn't spend a bunch of money on a bike you'll never ride.

Last year, I bought a brand new 2005 GT Disc for $300. Since then, I've upgraded everything except the wheelset and the front fork. Everything I've bought has been on sale or clearanced, etc. Now it rides really sweet and I've built it myself. If I could go back and do it again, I'd just look for a lightly used bike or frame and start from there.

quote:

Originally posted by get nyce I warn you though, once you get out there on your bike you'll have that instant I need better feel. So really think about it.

A big +1 to that. And it's fun too. I really don't go for the high-end componentry (because I'm not that technical of a rider nor do I have that much money to spend) but look for good deals on sale stuff that is still decent componentry. SOOOOO fun to get new stuff and then go beat on your bike!

P.S. - and you'll also want to trick it out, my headset cap says 'ENERGYHAX'

energyhax nice one


bianchi c2c 53cm

I am a weakling, so I need a light bike lol what is a good light brand that is relatively lower priced but not CF?

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Originally posted by gehzumteufel I am a weakling, so I need a light bike lol what is a good light brand that is relatively lower priced but not CF?

general rule of bike parts - light, strong, cheap, choose any 2.
you want light and cheap it's not going to be a strong bike.

quote:

Originally posted by tubby general rule of bike parts - light, strong, cheap, choose any 2. you want light and cheap it's not going to be a strong bike.

Well I am aware that light and cheap = weak. I am no dumb bumblefuck from middle-of-nowhere, oklahoma. I understand you get what you pay for, but there are always things that are a good bargain for what they are.

quote:

Originally posted by gehzumteufel Well I am aware that light and cheap = weak. I am no dumb bumblefuck from middle-of-nowhere, oklahoma. I understand you get what you pay for, but there are always things that are a good bargain for what they are.

One thing to think about Ben, if you want to keep weight down, is to ride singlespeed. You take off the weight of the shifters, extra chainrings, cogs, derailleurs front & back. Can really amount to quite a weight savings. Sometimes it takes a while to find the gear ratio that fits your riding but, when you do, it is FUN. Just hop on your bike and go and not worry about what gear to be in. My mountain bike is a singlespeed and I can ride just about anywhere. Sometimes it's a little spinny on flats but again, you can change the gearing to suit your riding style.

Also for anyone interested in mountain biking, here is a great forum with a ton of info:

http://forums.mtbr.com/

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