Hi all, i want to get into mountain biking and have already read alot of threads on this forum which has helped loads.

I am looking at a Hardrock Pro 2005. Is this a good bike to start with? The Hardrock comes with Shimano brakes and gears and I have read a few threads today where some people have slagged off Shimano. Should i worry about this being a newbie?

Are there any other bikes around the same price range as the Hardrock Pro which are any good?

Cheers

Adam