While I don't agree with the specifics of the original poster, I sure do agree with the spirit. What the hell is up with new bikes?

First, I'm a big dude. 6'2" and 360lb of big. I'm also a powerful dude, I keep up with and outride those a third of my size. Right now I'm riding a ten year old 18" Raleigh M40. It's painfully too short for me. But, I wonder if I'm going to find anything better? This bike has served me beautifully for the past two months and probably 600-700 miles (yeah, I'm getting into it pretty hardcore again). The only things that have broke are the rusty old chain, and some dry-rotted rear tires. Some cheap-but-wonderful Specialized Hardrock'r tires with Bontrager anti-thorn tubes fixed that problem.

But.. I keep test riding new bikes and coming back underwhelmed. Anything under $500 is pure junk. Like, I don't care if it fits me better, that stuff is worse than the old Raleigh (which admittedly is butter smooth and squeak-free). Don't even get me started on suspension, I'm looking specifically for bikes with TPC lockouts because I *hate* suspension forks.. even on the trail. It seems that you have to start at $700 to get anything decent for a complete bike.

Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of complete bikes below $500 with amazing frames. The Hardrock series, for one, looks like you could throw it off a cliff a dozen times, and it *MIGHT* get dented. Hell, the old tried-and-true Trek 820 is still steel, albeit low quality with horrendously bad components. Some of the Fisher Genesis bikes are available under $500. And you can probably get a Cannondale F300 for under that, along with a couple Konas.

But really, even when you hit $700, you aren't getting spectacular. The best one I've found yet is the Trek 6500. The XT rear derailuer is smooth and wonderful, it rides perfectly, and the front suspension actually isn't half bad when it isn't locked out. Oh, and the brakes, the brakes are great. I'm not talking about the fancy discs, nope I've been underwhlemed with those, that thing has good old v-brakes that feel wonderful and will stop my tubby ass from 20mph in no time.

For comparison, I also tried out the "Clydesdale bike" Kona Hoss. What a brilliant piece of marketing. It's got a big badass frame, but really, it doesn't LOOK any more sturdy than that of the Hardrocks or the 6500. And the components, for $900 you get... Deore. Not even LX, you just get the basic Deore. It's the classic "big and tall" syndrome, you get less quality for more money. There's no way I'll ever buy a Hoss, it's a total rip-off. Nice frame, ****ty package.

And don't get me started on suspension bikes. The only one I've EVER liked is the Stumpjumper FSR. What a wonderful machine, but $2800? For the love..

Where I tried the Kona I heard lots of Trek and Specialized bashing. Well, frankly, those are the two that have impressed me the most! Right now my list basically goes Trek 6500 and a two-way tie between the Hardrock Comp Disc and a Cannondale F400. It's like the Harley-Davidson syndrome. They poo-poo imports, but the imports totally kick their ass.