Mountain Biking - Looking To Get A Cheap Mountain Bike (Recommendations Needed)

Hey Everyone,

Im new here. I'd really like to get my first mountain bike but I wanted to get some recommendations on bikes. Im sure there wont be much quality in my price range but I figure I'd try to buy off Craigslist then go to Walmart and take my chances on a bike there. The riding I plan to do will be mostly trail riding although downhill does look very fun but it will probably take me a while to get to that point.

Im looking to spend about 150-200 on the bike. I will obviously have to look for used in this price range. I would prefer front suspension but know that is not likely in this price range.

Can you guys recommend me some bikes in this price range that might do me well?

PS: Im a big dude about 6 foot 2.

Thanks

wal mart bikes are the devil....

Don't even consider Wally World bikes!

At that price level, I'd watch Craigslist like a hawk cause anything decent will go quick. Also, garage sales, bike swaps, police bike sales of stolen bikes, a little late but sometimes around here at the end of the college year (May) students dump/sell their bikes.

As was stated, DO NOT buy Wal Mart bikes. They are very sub-standard,

how about instead of only spending $200 and getting a cheap bike now, you save up money until you have $500 and get a really good entry level trek or specialized that will last your entire cycling life.

i'm not trying to be sarcastic or a d!ck, i'm trying to be helpful. the truth of the matter is, mountain biking is an expensive hobby. if you want to buy a bicycle for actually riding on trails, it's going to cost you money if you want to do it correctly. yes, you can get into it rather inexpensively, but then you have inferior product, and you have a crappy time, and you end up not understanding why people like it, as well as risking injury because you are riding a machine that wasn't intended to be used the way you are using it.

The idea of "getting a cheap mountain bike" is rife with failure. By nature, you will subject a mountain bike to more stress than a road bike or any less substantially built bike. In essence, you will eventually beat your mountain bike as you understand the stresses it can withstand without failing. Because of this, you need to know you have a bike under you that is built to keep you alive. Wal Mart does not sell such a machine, nor does any other 'Big Box' store, ie; K-Mart, Target, et al.

As has been stated above, save a few bucks, look on Craigslist, first in your local area, then if you do not find what will suffice, look at Craigslist in expanding areas from where you live.

The members here can help you look at listings and get you pointed to an experience that will not put you off of the mountain biking genre and make sure you get a good deal.

Don't know about your CL, but pretty decent mountain bikes are to be found often on my local CL. And, not Wally world bikes either, but Treks, Fujis, and Haros for about what you are looking to spend (2 haros, a fuji, and a trek just got posted today here, for example).

Of course, YMMV...

I did not word my original post correctly. What I meant was, I'd rather buy off craigslist than get a walmart bike. I know they are hated around these parts.

So is it more about the brand or are there specific models I should be looking for?

No big. Everyone got the point, and there are a lot of good suggestions posted.

You'll do fine.

150-200 dollars = craigslist, look for old Trek/specialized/giant...etc. better off with old good bike than crappy new one. I just bought a Trek 850 to use as a street beater for 75 bucks, I put 25 bucks worth of parts into it and rode it 20 miles on tuesday. smooth as silk. love it!!

The riding I plan to do will be mostly trail riding although downhill does look very fun but it will probably take me a while to get to that point.

If you plan to do much aggressive/technical riding (and it sounds like you do) you're going to need good brakes - skimp on anything else you want but not that. I would highly recommend trying to find something with disc brakes - you can always upgrade the calipers if needed. A lot, if not most of the sub-$200 CL bikes will be older brand-name bikes with V or canti brakes. They will work but eventually you're going to want better stopping power, and upgrading Vs to disc also means new frame and new wheels - IOW, you'll be buying another bike.
Ultimately the advice to save up more money might be the best thing.

Look on bikesdirect.com. I have heard more about their track bikes than their mountain bikes but most agree that they are a good value. Don't read that as pro quality bike for $200 though. Probably a step up from a NeXT tho.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I know I wont be buying a great bike at this price but I want to be sure this is for me before I invest a larger amount of money into it.

I used to race BMX as a kid. Still have the GT Power Series that my mom bought me for the track so I understand the importance of of having a decent and reliable bike to take out. Thats why I came here for ideas instead of going to a big box store.

You should of bought the $75 2007 Gary Fisher Tarpon I got today. Seriously, the deals are out there if you are patient enough to wait.