Curious as to how this thread turned out. Quite honestly those of us looking for bike under the $500.00 mark are not, or should not expect to be getting high end equipment. I myself bought a 2004 Trek 3700 hardtail that works for my intended purpose, to see if I truly will like mountain biking. Being a roadie convert, I ride mostly singletrack and fireroads with my 3700. I wanted to give mountain biking a try and didn't want a big initial investment for a test. I am fully aware that if continue down the rocky paths I will need to upgrade or replace this bike. So for my purpose this bike is perfect for me.

That being said, it is important to know what to look for in this price range for decent componentry. Can we get back on topic?