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$400 is not a real MTB. It will fail you if you really get into it at all But you can do $1500 via Bikesdirect.com



I think the problem is that there isn't really a $400 category for mountain bikes.

There is the $100 walmart/acadamy bikes, made without regard for quality/weight/etc. And then there are the $1000+ bike store bikes.

That said, if you look at kids bikes at the local bike shop I think you will notice something. Those bikes tend to be just as good as the adult versions (good components, strong frames/etc) but they tend to cost under $250.

I think it says something.


> I think the problem is that there isn't really a $400 category for mountain bikes.

I'm more of a commuter rider, so I don't know how bad the stresses of frequent hardcore mountain riding can be, but my current bike is a Trek hardtail mountain bike that I paid ~$520 for new at the bike shop, and it's served me well for years. Perhaps I should have said $500 instead of $400, but I'm pretty sure I've seen unsprung MTBs from good brands selling for $400 at my local.

Edit: I realize that a $400 unsprung MTB is not at all suited for a serious mountain rider. But I do think it would do for someone who's on the fence and doesn't want to spend thousands on a hobby they might not like. That's why I said "entry-level"--if you turn out to love mountain riding and wreck it in six weeks, then you know what to be saving for. If you find you don't like it, you haven't lost too much.


there isn't really a $400 category for mountain bikes ... then there are the $1000+ bike store bikes.

That's not quite accurate. Here's a random example:

http://www.rei.com/c/mountain-bikes

You should be able to find plenty of decent hardtail low-end mountain bikes in the $500 - $900 range, particularly if you wait until the off-season to do your shopping.

My personal advice would be to buy your way into a decent frame and upgrade components as they fail. If there's one thing I found from several years of avid mountain biking, it's that parts wear and break much faster than they do in road riding, giving plenty of upgrade opportunity. :-)


A full suspension bike under $1000 is garbage, I agree, but you can get plenty of capable hardtails for < $1000. Personally I cut my teeth on a $750 steel hardtail, and I would regularly be passing douchebags on $5000 full suspension bikes who had absolutely no need for that kind of hardware.




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