tt15d

I'm looking for a OK starter mountain bike and I'm looking at used bikes since I am on a budget. I am willing to spend at most $500. I've been browsing craigs list and I've been looking at Trek, Cannondale, and Specialized bikes. I liked the looks of this 2001 Cannondale M400 I saw for sale for $350 in like new condition. I'm really not sure if the pricing is reasonable though and need more information. I'd appreciate any advice on what bikes to look for in that price range.

Thanks,

David

Minesbroken

buy a brand new bike in that price range, you will like it better. look at the 500 dollar mountain bike thread thats already floating around. I think the general consensus would be that a specialized rockhopper...trek 4300 or something of that nature would probably be best for you as a beginner. As a beginner you may want to start with a hardtail ( no rear shock) as it will be a better bike for the money used or new. Oh and welcome to the forum.

taylor p

marin, trek, and specialized all have bikes for under 500$

Minesbroken

Yeah I forgot about marin, my girlfriend has a marin and it was less than 500, its a nice bike too

Alrocket

Can be a good time of year to grab a bargain on a barely used 2nd hand though - there's a lot of fair weather cyclists out there

agarose2000

Gary Fisher Mamba. I ride the crap out of mine - commuting, off-road, and more. It's steel, it's heavy, and it kicks some bike booty!

$140. (+$40 tuneup)

mlts22 

Lots of places are discounting '06 bikes to make way for the '07s. You can't go wrong with Gary Fisher, Trek, Kona, or any of the other brands mentioned.

Just avoid buying department store crap whatever you do... I was in one department store, saw stuff there that would make any bike mechanic weep instantly. My biggest concern were the horribly misadjusted center pull brakes which probably would require replacement before the bike could be safely ridden more than ten feet.

roccobike

At $500, you're real close to a base line Rockhopper. With closeoout sales in progress, it should be possible to pick one up at 10% off, that puts it right in line with your budget. That's a great frame for a $500 bike and this year it has a Judy fork. You might want to check one out.