Mountain Biking - Hardrock vs. Rincon vs. 4300?

I could really use some help. I am just getting into the sport and I am trying to stay under $350. The 3 that I narrowed it down to are the Specialized Hardrock, the Giant Rincon, and the Trek 4300. I am not sure which one has better components or which is just an overall better bike. They all feel about the same, which to me is no surprise because I have never really been on a good bike before. Any imput that you could give me would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!!!

They really all are about the same, component wise and front fork wise.

The only significant differences are the geometries in which the tubes are welded and the color.

The key is to test ride each of them and find which one is most comfortable for you. The second selection is to choose which bike shop you like the most. The shop that treats you well and wants your business is the place you should spend your money. If they're arrogant or snobs, go somewhere else!

L8R

They are close component wise, I'd say try each and see which one feels best to you. In other terms exactly what a2 said.

FWIW - Last month, I had to make the exact same decision as you (except replace Trek 4300 w\Iron Horse Warrior). The Hardrock and Rincon were identical in price and components. The only difference was that the Rincon has an Alivio rear derailleur and the Hardrock has an Acera (from what I've read the Alivio is slightly higher on the food chain). No LBS in my area had the Iron Horse Warrior (they only had the Warrior disk which was out of my price range). From the specs on their website, it had nearly the same components as the Rincon and Hardrock except it had a Manitou front fork. The other bikes have a RST Capa TL. I probably would've gone with the Iron Horse if I could get one from an LBS w\in 10 miles of me but to no avail. The LBS near me did not have the Rincon in my size. I ended up with the Hardrock, 19", white for $349 (after tax). I've ridden it 4 times already on an intermediate trail (twice in average conditions, twice in the rain). For the price, it kicks @$$!! Anyhow,as wisely stated by others, pick the one that feels best to you. If you really want to dig for more info check out www.mtbreview.com. I spent A LOT of time there researching bikes before it came down to the 3 choices. Good luck!

I dunno about Specialized or Giant, but when I shopped around, the Trek dealer said that they had a lifetime warranty on their aluminum frames, including the 4000 Alpha series.

Just checked their site. Specialized has lifetime warranty on the frames as well.

Thanks everyone for your help. I did a little more research and decided on the HardRock. I rode all 3 and liked the feel and shifting of the Hardock the best. I am gonig to order it this weekend. I wish I could just get one from the store, but they don't stock the 23". I am going to special order it in the Blue color. I will let everyone know how it works.

Don't forget to post pics!:D

Yep, pictures of new bikes are part of the unwritten rules around here! Muddy pictures prefferred, bonus points for carnage and some blood!

L8R