Mountain Biking - Full Suspension (Dual-Suspension) Bike Cheapest

What is the cheapest, but decent quality dual-suspension bike?

I am looking for something good, but with a strong frame, and as low-priced as possible to fit my budget.
But nothing like a $200 piece of junk.

Am I really only limited now at getting a decent hardtail, without having to fork out $1500.

I would like the strength of steel, or at least
7005 double butted Aluminum.

Thanks.

Woodstock 707

ahh.. woodstock... those were the good days

You didn't mention what kind of riding you planned to do.

Cheapest is probably Ironhorse because the frames are built in China. They're not bad, just a bit heavy.

My main trail bike is a Giant Reign 3, '05 model that I paid $999 for. It's a 5/6" travel bike with decent components... LX derailleurs, deore shifters, etc. I was on a biking hiatus from 2003 to 2006, and raced downhill for three years before that. When I got back into biking, I was no longer interested in blowing tons of money on a single bike. The Giant fit the bill and thus far I've been pleasantly surprised. No major problems. The Hayes Sole brakes are probably the only thing I don't really care for, but I can live with them for now. I may change to some Avid BB7s eventually. We'll see.

A couple weeks ago I saw a Schwinn Rocket '05 at performance also for $999. Would've been a killer deal for anyone who snagged that bike during the "double points" weekend where they basically get 20% back in store credit.

You can always consider used as well, but I'd only buy locally and test ride before purchase. If you don't have a lot of biking experience, you may want to bring a more experienced friend who can spot any problems with the bike.

Is Ironhorse any good? They have decent prices, but I am looking for sturdy, and strong and high tensile. I don't care for weight, though it would be nice, but am trying to keep the costs low.

I am doing trails with some mild drops, nothing too crazy, just don't want to bottom out, or to blow out the shocks, and I don't want a bike that snaps in half.

What is the cheapest, but decent quality dual-suspension bike?

I am looking for something good, but with a strong frame, and as low-priced as possible to fit my budget.
But nothing like a $200 piece of junk.

Am I really only limited now at getting a decent hardtail, without having to fork out $1500.

I would like the strength of steel, or at least
7005 double butted Aluminum.

Thanks.

A Specialized FSRxc Rim will set you back around $1200 (maybe you can find a sale). Not a bad bike. It has a good frame that would make upgrades worthwhile.

A Trek Fuel EX5 will run you about the same.

Kona Kikapu will run around $1000. It's got a pretty low spec but would be worth a look.

Go try some. Find a buddy who's bike you can borrow for a bit more than the 'ride the parking lot' test ride. I don't know where you live, Grun, but maybe you have a ski area close by that you could rent a bike to test. Most of the rentals are going to be bikes of about this level.

Good luck.

another cheap one...

http://giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/mountain/1382/29355/

crappy parts though :rolleyes:

the 2008 giant trance 2 looks like a good deal at around $1100

if only i could find one

jamis dakar

kona kikapu hands down in my opinion :)

it rivals the Giant Trance but cheaper

i got the kikapu for $599 while the trance was around $1.2k


although the giant trance was obviously slightly better, it was not worth another $600 for me