Looking for a quality trail bike for under 500???
03-02-10 | 02:23 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Looking for a quality trail bike for under 500???
Im a new rider and wanna get back in shape. the idea of hittin some trails.. etc. sounds thrilling! i rode them when i was a teenager and now i wanna get back into it. i need a bike that rides great on dirt trails with alot of stability, i also love to go at things hard. . go bick or go home right? lol so im gonna need a tough bike and one that will take ware and tare . im 6'2 and 230 . . a big guy. im looking to spend round 400 maybe 5. if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.. . thanks!
03-03-10 | 10:59 AM
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Near Catania, Sicily
Bikes: In the process of buying a Pinarello FP4. 2009 Trek 7.3FX; 2010 Trek 2.3; 2009 Fisher Tassajara
Got back into cycling last year after a way-too-long gap for the exact same reasons. Started with a fitness bike, but just added a road bike and a trail bike.
On both road and trail fronts, I was amazed at what was avail in the $500 neighborhood. The LBS I've adopted is mostly a Trek/Fisher op, so I focused most of my attention in that direction, but any of the major manufacturers are going to have comparable models at comparable price points.
I started looking at the Trek 3500 and 3900 which would be within your $500 bogie, but wound up going with a Fisher Wahoo for just a few bucks over that--IMO, a very nicely appointed entry-level hard tail with disc brakes.
As mentioned above, the used market is great, but if you're like me, after being away from cycling for such a long period I felt I needed the advice and support of a shop to get restarted.
If you do go the new route, since we're still fairly early into 2010, most of the shops still have some deals on 2009 inventory bikes at a good savings--in most cases these are going to be pretty much the same as the 2010 models, maybe a color difference or minor change in components, etc..
Happy hunting!
Bill
On both road and trail fronts, I was amazed at what was avail in the $500 neighborhood. The LBS I've adopted is mostly a Trek/Fisher op, so I focused most of my attention in that direction, but any of the major manufacturers are going to have comparable models at comparable price points.
I started looking at the Trek 3500 and 3900 which would be within your $500 bogie, but wound up going with a Fisher Wahoo for just a few bucks over that--IMO, a very nicely appointed entry-level hard tail with disc brakes.
As mentioned above, the used market is great, but if you're like me, after being away from cycling for such a long period I felt I needed the advice and support of a shop to get restarted.
If you do go the new route, since we're still fairly early into 2010, most of the shops still have some deals on 2009 inventory bikes at a good savings--in most cases these are going to be pretty much the same as the 2010 models, maybe a color difference or minor change in components, etc..
Happy hunting!
Bill
