Originally Posted by
mconlonx
Who is currently selling any kind of mtn bike with a rigid fork at a budget price...? Not hatin', just snarking on the current state of the industry...
OP -- shop their catalog, pick out some mid-level stuff that looks OK for what you want -- rack, fenders, lights -- talk with the rep, and go from there. (You'll need disc brake specific rack/fenders with this bike...) If you're worried about the wheels because of what people are saying here, recognize that shopping on budget and getting something perfect for your not-the-norm situation are incompatible. Confirm with REI that their bike wheels will support your weight, find out what the warranty is on the wheels, and expect to either be replacing wheels under warranty within their period of warranty coverage, or spending $400-600 for custom bullet-proof replacement wheels down the road, or $200 for another set of wheels with a very limited lifespan, considering your situation.
I think this is the thing to do--go into the deal knowing that the wheels are the weakest part of the bike, knowing I'm getting something sturdier than a 700c road rim but I still have to ride light and plan to upgrade. This is smart. They did say that before I take it out of the store, I can swap any component on the bike for the difference in sticker between the two & no labor. Considering a wheel build itself is $40/wheel....hmm. I might push to find a 36-spoke or 36F/40R setup but I have no clue what the sticker on the stock wheels would be, and I have NOT AT ALL begun component shopping.
Then
Frenchfit come along and shows me a gamechanger. I'd heard of BikesDirect but hadn't done any looking on there before. Wow. Bottom dollar for obscenely good components which would normally be way outside my price range, no shipping charges and no tax. Or, what I originally wanted for within my original budget. So...What's the catch? They ship you a box and that's it? You build the bike up and don't like it, you can't return it I guess... And no warranty, I'm assuming. (Time to go read the website's terms.)