i'm looking into buying a mountain bike, what are some quality brads to consider/ brands to stay away from

Question

i'm brand new to the sport and have no idea no idea where to start on buying one of these things, but i badly dont want to shell out alot of money on something thats going to let me down

preferably something for use in the city as well as out on trails

Answer 1

My dear friend, it all depends on what you want to do with your mountain bike. Jump, climb, descend, or what? If you require one that you will use down town and in the country, you need a hybrid mountain bike. If you require one for down hill on steep terrain you need one with very strong bars. If you need one for the snow clad terrain you have to concentrated on tires that have better snow grip. I do not know hwere you are but there are specialist shops that will direct advice you. If you will need to climb up higher terriains you may need one with alluminium frame that is light to be carried. It also depends on your size, weight and what you want to do with your bike. As a beginner go in for a cheap pupular bike. Some professional go for very expensive bikes . One may cost up to two thousand dollars or more. I will not recommend that for you. You may start with a cheaper category of say three hundred dollar of less and if you are comfortable and still want more then you may look for expensive ones.

Answer 2

I guess you can find good Specialized, Cannondale, Trek, Giant, Kona, Marin, GT (some), Iron Horse (the bikes sold at bike shops, the ones sold at Kmart or such are not really good).

Bikes to stay away, Huffy, wall mart specials, Ellsworth, and such.

Okay, just kidding about Ellsworth, they're like 2,000 or more us bucks per frame only ;)

Your best option is going to different bike shops and see which bikes they have, and how they fit you.

Don't let yourself into since it has Shimano is a top quality bike. Shimano has different level of products, some are louse and some are very good.

Answer 3

aaron, typicly when you shell out 1K$ it should last a while, if not then u get to take it right back. most bikes from reputable bike shops wont sell a bike thatll let ya down in 8 months. i ride a Klein and love it, Cannondale is good too, Specialized rocks and im really liking Santa Cruz too. the list goes on though.

Answer 4

ya really didnt give us much on your riding conditions, body type, or knowledge of bikes, so its gonna be pretty hard to steer you to a company. we can just give you a general overview of companies that make nice bikes for the money.

You start, by deciding what type of riding you want to do. there are many styles/types of bikes, for completely different riding conditions, so if you buy a downhiller, dont even consider pedaling it to your local 7-11.

these are the categories (main categories)
road bikes.
these bikes are very lightweight, very fragile, cannot handle any off roading (including gravel roads and dirt trails), but are built solely to ride on a road.
next, you have cyclocross bikes.
its a combination of a xc mountain bike, and a full fleged road bike. you have a light/mid weight frame, with tires that are a combination of road and offroad, and can withstand a few bumps here and their... if youre a big guy, a roadbike probably wouldnt hold up well, but a this will.
next, you have xc mountain bikes.
these bikes are only for off road riding, they may or may not have full suspension, but they are very light, and fragile, so you really cant take any jumps or drop offs without breaking it.
next is trail bikes (many manufacturers include 'all mountain' bikes in this category).
these bikes can handle 3-4 foot drop offs, fast corners, they can be pedaled up and down the hill. they are going to be heavier then the xc bike, they will hold up well for a big rider, may or may not have full suspension, but will have front suspension.
then you have the specialties:
free ride/ downhill
these bikes can only serve 1 purpose... bombing down the sides of mountains... 40' drop offs.. no problem... pedaling it up the hill... dont even think about it.
i dont want to get in the categories of:
snow riding, recumbents, trick bikes, single speeds... because if youre looking for these bikes, then you know enough about bikes that you wouldnt ask any questions.

now to the companies.
cannondale makes great bikes, but, on a budget standpoint, they are going to be pretty expensive.
the previous poster was right on the money about schwinn. 8 years ago, they made great high quality bikes, but, do to poor management, they went bankrupt and sold out. now they make junk... but, if youre looking for a used bike, definetly check out the homegrown schwinns.
trek is another american company that makes nice bikes, but, this may not mean much to you, only their high end bikes are made in the USA.
the previous companies make more high end bikes then anything else...
you might want to look at a company like raleigh, jamis, or fuji.
these companies make very affordable quality bikes... they really dont make anything that will 'wow' avid mountain bikers, but they build decent bikes for beginners on a budget.
i personally think jamis makes the best bikes for the money, but im a 'made in america' kind of biker, so i dont mind spending the extra cash to ride that title.

Answer 5

It sounds to me like you may be looking for a hybrid. It is great on paved roads and can handle trails and some light off-road. Giant and Trek both make some great, affordable hybrids that if maintained properly will last for years. Good Luck!

Answer 6

Find a bike shop. dont buy from wal mart or target. shop around

Answer 7

the tire size is on the side wall. 26"dia. width is typically 1.95-2.1. all you need is a kenda from walmart. 15-20$. you don't need to match tires like on a vehicle.

Answer 8

cannondale all the way



*i refuse to ride crappy bikes cannondale is the best

Answer 9

cannondale, it is american. schwinn is a china bike now like most of the bikes now.

Answer 10

you need an xc (cross country) opening level, Ironhorse or Marin or gt will be best