Need your help? I am looking to spend between $250 to $400 on a 26"mountain bike?

Question

I am a beginner and would like to know from all of you professionals out there what brand should I consider and why? Also where would you suggest I should purchase it from? Online, retail store, or a bike shop.

Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

I always recommend going to your local bike shop(s). The employees there will be able to help you pick out the right bike with the right fit for you. You can usually find good deals online, but you have to know exactly what you are looking for and what size you need. Avoid retail stores as they carry low quality, heavy bikes that are often poorly assembled.

Bike stores carry quality merchandise - Trek, Gary Fisher, Specialized, and Giant are some of the top brands. Each frame fits a little bit differently, so test ride different brands and models to see which one feels most comfortable to you. A good bike shop should also offer at least one initial tune up to adjust the bike after its break-in period. Having this initial tune up will ensure that your bike rides smoothly for many years. The employees can also give you basic care instructions and have other necessary products on hand and the knowledge to help you decide what gear you need and what gear you don't need. By the way, if you feel pressured by the sales staff, go someplace else.

You will want to seriously consider what kind of riding you will be doing - street, bike path, offroad. This will help you zero in your options. Most mountain bikes start at around $250 and are configured to be a basic bike - versatile for getting around on paved surfaces and in loose dirt. More expensive mountain bikes are better suited to off-road riding as they often feature slightly different geometry and better components to maximize your power on loose dirt surfaces and allow for smoother, more responsive shifting on more challenging courses (they can still be ridden on the road), so if you will be doing a lot of technical trail riding, look to the higher end of your price range.

Happy cycling!

Answer 2

First don't confuse frame size with wheel size. All adult mountain bikes have 26" wheels. This is standard. A scant few have 29" but there are very very few. You will need to get measured for a frame size. Depending on your height, inseam, etc., it could be anywhere from 15" to 21". Definitely go to a bike store and talk to a knowledgeable salesperson. You will get the most help and the best ongoing service.

Answer 3

I have never seen a mountain bike that is 26", unless you're a professional basketball player. Only cheap-o Wal-Mart bikes market them as 26", but REAL bikes are measured by the frame, not the wheels.

The answer to real cyclists is to go to a real bike shop. You cannot get the correct frame size by buying online unless you know EXACTLY what you are looking for, so let the people at your local shop get you the right one.

Answer 4

Tough to reply this. Most manufacturers have whatever well. I like Giant and Cannondale. Both have very first rate lessen finish stuff as good as bigger finish stuff. Cannondale makes such a lot in their stuff within the states, so great is best. I have a Perp1 which has (as do many different in their frames) warmness dealt with welds. These welds enable the weld, and the 2 peices being welded to turn out to be one cast peice. That's beautiful targeted. If you appear round, you'll uncover portraits of a body with this that has been reduce in part (advertising and marketing fabric I understand, however wow). Cannondale lessen finish stuff is made foreign in Taiwan, however I do not believe that stuff is to be had on the market external of Asia. Giant stuff could be very well as good. Not as committed to great, however first rate stuff certainly. I'm a gigantic fan of the Iguana Disc sequence and the Trance sequence (that's from your fee variety). Both are good designed, good idea out and well powerful apparatus. But the great could truthfully be to drop in in your nearby LBS stores and determine out what they've moment hand. Usually you'll uncover a motorbike that is a pair years historic for round part the fee. Nothing in any respect improper with it. And you get an excessively excellent trip (now and again with fine add-ons) for Wal-mart holiday-handy charges - or virtually... Spend a while considering what you wish related to ingredients as good: Three places to don't forget: Shifter pods - are they incorporated (Shimano calls this STI)? If they're, and you wish to have/wish to difference a shifter or brake setup, it is high-priced and a limitation. Brakes - how most important are disk brakes to you? You can get *best* preventing energy from good tuned rim brakes, simply the identical of mid-variety or low finish disc brakes. I've visible tons of inexpensive motorcycles with XT or identical great Avid rim brakes so they can give up on a dime. The gigantic change among disc and rim is that disc is much less suffering from dust and rain. But when you get a motorbike with rim brakes, you could have hubs that don't enable disc brakes. Hence when you wish to improve later, you have got to substitute the hub which means that you're watching at an entire wheel rebuild = $$$$ You might get a motorbike with low cost disk brakes regardless that and retailer the cash from the brand new wheels to improve to higher brakes rather simply... Suspension - Do you wish complete or entrance? You are usually great to begin with a hardtail in view that this will likely get the great bang for the dollar. You might don't forget a fork that has lockout when you do plenty of mountain climbing. If you're over a hundred and fifty lbs, you'll usually uncover that the inventory spring is simply too gentle, so ask the store approximately the probability of switching the spring when you ought to - and the way lengthy after acquire is that this an choice. Hope it is helping. Test trip a minimum of 3 earlier than you purchase!

Answer 5

I'll sell you mine.