BikeForums has been chief in helping me pursue answers to my many bicycle questions. I wanted to give back to the site that has helped me so much. Here is a list of MOUNTAIN BIKE BRANDS [edited from original post] that I have compiled as I discovered by obsession with bicycles at age 28 (a year ago).

Feel free to comment on the list. I've only begun my interest in bicycles a year ago. So I'm sure I have a few things wrong or missing. This is my impression of the market to date, specifically the mountain bike side.

There is some order to this list. It isn't throughout, however.

BIG 3
Giant
Specialized
Trek

OTHER GOOD COMPANIES
Kona
Marin
Fuji
Felt
Jamis
KHS (limited dealers)
Norco (limited dealers)
Haro (BMX styled mountain bikes)

GENERAL STORES (DISCOUNT BIKES)
Diamondback
Novara (REI)
K2 (Dick's Sporting Goods, and other such like stores)

DOREL INDUSTRIES OWNED
Cannondale (expensive)
Schwinn (discount bikes)
GT
Mongoose (discount bikes)

BOUTIQUE (NO ENTRY-LEVEL BIKES)
Orbea
Niner (expensive)
Surly (touring and fatbikes)
Santacruz (expensive)
Salsa (expensive)
Yeti (expensive)
Ibis (expensive)
Pivot (prices not listed; start $4600 +)
Turner
Fairdale (mostly 700c)
Rivendell (700c)

NO PRICES LISTED (REALLY ANNOYING)
Raleigh (prices not listed)
Scott (prices not listed)
Redline (prices not listed)
Intense (prices not listed; handcrafted)

DIRECT BUY FROM FACTORY (YOU ASSEMBLE)
Airborne

BikesDirect.com
Windsor
Motobecane
Gravity
Dawes
Origin8

BikeIsland.com
Transition (high end parts)
On-One (British?)
Commencal (European)
Cove (Canadian)