Ethan

So I'm looking to buy a new bike. I'd like it for the first time to not be a cheapo but a nice one. I'll mostly be doing city riding but it might be nice if it could do mountain type stuff too because maybe I'd go do that kind of stuff some day. Any suggestions on what to get in the $300 price range or maybe the $400 price range? What should I be looking for? Any other tips?

Brian

Not much thats good and new in the $300 range. Try the MTB threads, where they list bikes at a certain price point.

PWRDbyTRD

you can look used too...some killer deals out there

Brian

Baldy, where were you when they 410lb guy needed a new bike? You let me down.

Ethan

So... where might be a good place to start researching? See my options... find out why I need to increase my spending. Where's a good place to look at used? BTW when I say a nice bike I mean one that's not like the Walmart ones I grew up on.

alanbikehouston

The best way to research a new bike is not on internet forums...it is by visiting first rate bike shops. A REAL bike store does NOT sell golf clubs, bowling bowls, or running shoes...it sells bikes.

It is helpful to develop a relationship with a bike shop that is close to home. After doing a bit of research, I've learned that there are seven or eight good bike shops within five miles of where I live. It is easy to ride over to one of them when I need to pick up a new tire, or get an adjustment on my bike. It would have been silly for me to buy from a store fifty miles away, to "save" $20 on a bike. Much better to buy in the neighborhood and have after-the-sale support close by.

Right now, many bike shops are doing close-outs on 2005 mountain bikes, as the 2006 models arrive. So, for $300, you can buy a bike that sold for $350 or $400 back in April. If you buy a Trek, Giant, KHS, Specialized or "name brand" mountain bike in the $300 to $400 price range, you are getting a bike that will hold up very well to riding around town, and that is well suited to riding on moderately difficult off-road trails. This is a class of bike that is FAR, FAR more sturdy and reliable than the very few road bikes offered in that same price range.

And, a $300 mountain bike is well suited to on-road use. Put on light weight "slick" tires, and you can get around the neighborhood as fast or faster than on a road bike. Why faster? These bikes make it easy to take a short-cut across a gravel construction road, or up a trail connecting two neighborhoods...the sort of short-cuts that are difficult to use on a road bike.

What these bikes are NOT good at is a hundred mile charity ride. If you plan to ride a hundred miles a day, a real road bike is the way to go. But, to get a road bike built as tough as a $300 mountain bike, you need to spend $600 to $800...sturdy road bikes are not cheap.

Brian

Giant Boulder or Rincon, you should be able to get one new at that price point.

Ethan

So I've gone out and done some research. I'm looking into these bikes:

From a local Bike shop:
Gary Fisher Advance (lifetime on frame)
https://www.fisherbikes.com/bikes/bik...c&bike=Advance
Raliegh Mojave 2.0 (5 years on frame)
https://www.raleighusa.com/items.asp?...temid=283&va=0
Trek 3900 (lifetime on frame)
https://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/Moun...3900/index.php

From Dicks Sporting goods
Mongoose Select (30 days or 3 years for $50)
https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/pr...entPage=family

Any thoughts? The mongoose definately gives me the most and is I believe also the cheapest but from Dicks (which actually does have a guy that does the bikes and services them etc. but nothing like a real bike shop I don't think) The Trek 3900 is pretty tempting.

madman91

try a specialized hardrock ... excellent ebay deals.. i got mine for 300$

specialized hardrock pro disc 2003

good luck

Speed_Racer

I bought a bicycle from bikesdirect.com It was a Motobecane Mirage for $325. https://www.bikesdirect.com/ It is a good entry level bicycle I think

FarHorizon

Cheapest deals at these three places:

1. Yard sales
2. Police auctions
3. College bulletin boards at the end of semester

Happy shopping!

Retro Grouch 

Assuming that your goal is to buy a real bike, meaning one that fits your body and your riding style, then buying a used bike can be an artform in itself.

If you're buying a brand new bike you can go to the bike shop, see what they have, pick out what you want and leave it to them get one for you in the right size.

When you're looking for a used bike, there's usually only one. The first cut has to be size and function. If the bike that you're looking at isn't the right size to fit you, it makes no sense to buy it regardless of price and how nicely it's equipped. That means that you have to know ahead of time pretty much what you want and what size you're looking for.

I don't think that very many new riders have that kind of knowledge. The result can be buying a bike that suits you poorly. It isn't much fun to ride so you don't want to ride it very much and another potential cyclist falls by the wayside.

HiYoSilver

Retro is right on with his advice. Most years you can save at local bike shop with last year close outs. Some are reporting less deals this year because of uptick in interest in bikes. It's been a very very good year for bike shops.

Best advice:

1. test ride for at least 10 minute ride
2. test ride a second day, you'll be surprised how differently the bike feels the second time.
3. since you're not buying the bike, test ride a bike 2x your expected budget so you have a base line to really good bike.

Savas

I went to a far away LBS solely on the basis that the owner is a nice person and cares about getting the bike to fit correctly. He's an ace bike mechanic. Which was very cool. Since I have a hitch mount rack, it's not that much a hassle to go over there for service. Besides, there is a huge park with excellent biking paths not too far from his shop.

cyccommute 

Don't worry too much about frame warranty. Most any company worth their salt will offer lifetime. What you really need to worry about is component selection. For instance, at the price point you are looking at, the components on the Fisher are about what you'd expect. A mix of Alivio and lower stuff. The fork on the bike, while not great will give you lots of riding before you out grow it.

The Raleigh has a little lower component mix and a poorer fork. The 7 speed rear is probably a freewheel and very heavy. Not the best bike if you really want to ride it aggressively or even off-road.

The Trek is comparable to the Fisher (same company really)

There are others out there. If you would be willing to look at a little more expensive bike - say $500 - you can make a real difference in quality. Especially this time of year you might be able to find some real deals. For instance, a Rockhopper at around $520 is 2 or 3 times the bike that any of the ones you listed is. You get a real shock and you get a bike that will allow you to grow as a rider. It will take a lot more abuse and ride better than the other bikes. (Trek and Fisher have comparable bikes.)

And that brings us to the Mongoose. Stay away. Stay far away! At less than $300 for a full suspension, disc brake equiped bike, they had to cut something to make it. They cut performance and durability. They cut component quality. They cut frame materials. The bike will be a tank! The brakes will perform poorly and most everything will have to be replaced or won't work much more than the year the warranty lasts.

Do yourself a favor and buy a good bike. You'll save more money in the long run and have more fun to boot.