Newbie advice - Best bet for $135 or less?
 

I'm a newbie to mountain biking and I'd like to give it a shot without investing too much up front. If I really get into it, I'll upgrade, but in the meantime I would like some advice from you experienced bikers out there. Obviously at this price, I'm checking out the Department Stores. So far, I am considering the following. Any advice on which is the best bet would be greatly appreciated...

Mongoose EFX $130
MGX Virage $130
Honda Hartail $130
Schwinn Sidewinder $133
Next Shocker $80
Next Plush $80

Ok, you wont be happy with this adivse, but i would recommend spending at least $300, those bikes wont last 5 minutes, they're uncomfotable, the quality of them is appalling, and they are a rip off, if you spend $300, you'll be able to get a reasonable used bike, that you will enjoy, the dept store bikes arent worth the hassle, and by the time you've finished, you'll be so sick of the bike that you wont want to ride anymore...

Trust me, spend a bit more and get a better bike.... Everyone else will tell you the same thing...

Thanks for the replies. I'll definitely go check out the used ones before I make a decision. Let's suppose, however, that I can't find a used bike in my price range...if you absolutely HAD to choose one of those, what would it be? I'll keep in mind that I should check out the mechanical condition before riding and be safe, however.

Neither, I'd sooner build my own.

Wow. If I go that route, I won't be mountain biking. LOL... One more try... Hypothetically, let's say I'm going to buy one of those bikes...which is the least EVIL? LOL.

me too, i'd rather not ride than ride one of those bikes

If you really want an answer that much, i would go for the most expensive out of the lot... But i still wouldnt buy it...

G)None, they are all evil.

http://www.bikesrnottoys.com/

I guess a better question may be...If I go in to buy a cheapie, should I buy the absolute cheapest, say a Roadmaster for 60 bucks, instead of plunking out 130 on a piece of crap?

Go up about $75 not that much, and get a Trek 820 at an LBS. No suspension, but the frame and mechanics will outlast those bikes by a lot.

check it out at

www.trekbikes.com

EDIT: it's been improved for the 2005 season

http://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/Moun.../820/index.php

if your getting into mounain biking you should be ready to spend a bundle. There is a sticky about $500 dollar bikes for newbies. There is also a Dirt Rag article about buying from mass mechant stores

True story:

Years back, a friend saw me keeping in good health by mountain biking and would like to join me and asked me that very same question "which 150-buck bikes should I buy", I told him that those are _toys_ not bikes and he should should spend a bit more, I even spent 1 hour explained to him why and why and offered my to help choose a good bike...Well a week later, he showed up in front my house in spank'ng new Huffy (costed him 140 bucks) and insisted me to take him to trail...We biked to the trail, on the way, he was telling me that I was cheating by having a light bike, his bike was twice the weight so it would give him twice the workout...Yeah right, he walked the 1st small hill (about 50 yards long), then we went down the hill and I hear a loud noise behind me, I stopped at the bottom and looked back but only see the bike and not friend, it turned out that the brake on the cheap bike didn't hold so he bailed out and crashed about 30 yards up letting the bike tumbling down the slope.

He never went biking again, the darned bike still sits in the same place in his garage 8 years later...so get a good bike or forget about it and save 150 bucks.

/td

I'm not suggesting you buy a dept. store bike over one from a reputable manufacturer, but if you can't fit a more expensive bike into your budget, try and get one without a rear suspension, without a front derraileur, and without flashy looking stuff on it. If you're fairly mechanically inclined, you might be able to get the bike in the box, unassembled, and assemble it yourself, taking plenty of time. It won't hold up well to drops and jumps and the like, but get accustomed to riding it, don't go insanely fast down hills unless you need to, etc. Basically, get the most solid bike you can, and be careful with it, and it should last at least a few months.

Yep...all what has been said is right. Even on many of those bikes there is a sticker that says in tiny writing "not intended for off road use" If you go to a pawn shop and look around you will find a bike under 250 of decent quality. It will beat the hell out of any dept. store bicycle, not to mention probably a LOT safer. I can tell you i tried a walgoose, it had crappy disc brakes which did not hold and i went into the water.

I never knew Honda made bikes, i bet they're crap though.

The ones that honda let a company market with their name on it is crap, the one that honda actually built is not a peice of crap, the One honda makes is amazing to look at in person and $130 wouldn't buy you the drivetrain on it.

lol

$130 would barely buy you the handlebars if you're lucky, man. Also, I have to agree with everyone here... If you're going to buy a bike that you plan on riding off-road, go at least $250-300. Save your money. You won't enjoy riding a Huffy, Roadmaster, etc. Also, when you buy a bike from a bike shop, you'll normally get a year or whatever of free tune-ups. That right there is worth more than the price of any of those dept store bikes. You seriously won't regret saving up the extra money and buying a bike actually worth keeping. Also, the pawn shops would be a GREAT place to check at this point. Christmas season has just passed and now everyone's broke and probably in debt. They'll be looking to pawn off random unused objects. Bikes are popular to pawn.

I wouldn't HAVE to get any of those. I would follow the advice of others and get a better bike. For $150 on Ebay you can get a good used bike that will be 10 times better than any of those you mention.

In that price range, you can find a used bike, if you are patient. Go to a bike shop and ask what suggestions they have on finding a used bike in your area. Also, search ebay for brand names, such as Trek, Specialized, Gary Fisher, etc. But buying from a bike shop is best for your first bike.

and dont go for those bikes that have car names slapped on them. ie. honda or jeep. Would you buy a toaster that said Toyota? Or a bicycle that said black and decker?

when I used to race bmx the joke about huffy was that it got it's name from what you'd be doing when/if you crossed the finish line...