General Cycling Discussion - newbie with some questions...

hey all, i'm looking into getting my "first" mountain bike. i'm not "new" to riding, i own and have been riding dirtbikes and atv's for many years. i'm stuck in central massachusetts for a year or two and there are no good places in my area to ride my dirtbike or atv. i have a bad case of cabin fever here as there is NOTHING to do in this area. i am looking for a "good" model to start out with that isn't too expensive. i will be doing an equal amount of trail riding and jumping. i would prefer not to spend more than $1000. any suggestions as to what make and model would be appreciated.

You should be able to get a very nice mountain bike for your 1000.00. That's what I paid for a Schwinn Moab III a few years back, and I liked it better every time I rode it.

Go check out your bike shops and look over what they have in the price range. Specialized, Giant, Trek, etc. all make good solid bikes in that price range. I'd reccomend a hard-tail; you don't need rear suspension for much other than "freeriding" down big mountains.

Don't forget about support; I picked the Schwinn over the other brands as I had dealt with this dealer for years and knew he stood behind his stuff.

When you look, don't overlook the maker Kona! Their MTBs are some of the best (and best values) on the market, IMHO.