Hey guys/gals,
Looking at getting bikes for my wife and I. The only bike shop I had local moved to a bigger town 2 hrs away and that's a little far to travel unless necessary.I see that the majority seems to say to stay away from the department stores,so what do you guys suggest I should look at first? Then maybe I can go to that shp and actually seem to know what I'm talking about.I'm 6' 210lbs and I'm kind of thinking about a 29er,but am open to suggestions.Brands,makes,etc are appreciated. Looking in the price range of $200-$850 per bike.The lower the price the better,but I don't want junk either.Thanks

What kind of riding are you planning to do?

Going to be off and on road.Gravel,dirt with some paved in between.

Ok, so you'll probably be shopping for either a hardtail mountain bike or a hybrid could also handle that type of riding. I'd lean one way or the other depending on where most riding would take place. More road I'd go hybrid and more trail go mountain. The bike shop 2 hours away will be your best bet. Call them tomorrow and ask what brands they carry. Post that info back up and then you can get recomendations of models. ALso check out the websites of the brands they carry and get an idea of what is available. By the time you go to the bike shop you can be armed with the models your interested in and have an idea on prices. Also, are you close to an REI?

https://www.rei.com/product/798378

https://www.rei.com/product/795388

REI will deliver and these are a couple of nice options. Bikesdirect and eBay have some good options as well.

Take a look online for the best value ...

Shimano Deore 27 Speed Front Suspension 29er Mountain Bike Fantom 29Trail $599
LockOut Suspension Fork, Tektro Disc Brakes, 180mm Brake Rotors, 29 inch WTB Tires/Wheels
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...9_trail_xi.htm

Thanks for the links guys. I like the disc brake setup. I am actually 45 mins away from an REI,never heard of them so I wasn't aware of that.

BD does have good bikes for cheap, but I would avoid buying from them if you don't have a bike shop close by.

Unless ofcourse you're experienced with building/repairing bikes yourself, but it doesn't sound like OP is.

I'd leave it at that. The OP is a beginner and doesn't know what kind of geometry he wants or what will feel best or anything. That and chelboed cut through a BD frame and found the frame's walls to be about as thick as a can of PBR.

I found out today that one of the guys I work with is heavy into biking.He told me that a guy is opening a new store in our neighborhood.He's mostly going to be carrying Cannondale,but can get about anything and will have a few others so customers can try out different styles,etc. They will have their own service dept also.They are planning for a December opening,so I think I will see what happens and try to give the business to the local guy.They also will have weekly rides,nice.

Sounds like a good idea to check the local bike shop. At least talk to them and see if you want to do bizness there. As you ride more, you may find that you need something different. It's nice to be able to go back to that LBS and swap for something that fits your style.
Your co-worker could also be a great resource. Maybe somebody in his circle has a bike you could borrow, and there is always a lot of trading and selling going on. Remember tho, that you have to figure what works for y'all, so take his advice with a grain of salt. One of my co-workers is a very experienced road & mtn biker, but for some reason, his advice has not been that useful to me.
Good luck. Be patient. Keep asking questions. One bike leads to another.

He is getting together for a ride with some other guys and he had invited me to come along.He's even going to let me try out a few of his bikes since he will have all four of them with him.He rides his Giant mostly and said that the others mainly just sit there doing nothing.He has one that has full suspension and the others are Specialized and Trek hardtails.He's my size,6' 200-210 lbs and I think he said he rode a 19" bike,so we'll see how it feels.From some of the info I have read,it seems I should be on a 18",but I'm not sure how accurate that is.I also have an REI about 45 mins away that I'm going to.

Riding a freinds bike is a great idea. See how well one of them fits you. If you like the fit you need to record the size of the frame, the distance from the seat post to the bars, the angle of the stem and size of the stem. If they don't fit you, remember what you didn't like. This will all help a good bike shop fit you.

Riding in WNC I would say don't even consider a hybrid. There are way too many good trails around and the more you ride nad you cycling fitness improves the more you'll want to explore them. Where are you exactly? You could check out Biowheels,Liberty, Carolina Fatz, Sycamore Cycles (best shop around). Lots to choose from.

Thanks for the info.All those shops are within 45 mins of where I am.

Went to a LBS today and he had the 3900 for around $500.00.It rode really good and I believe it would be ok for my first bike.The guy was really nice and knew what he was talking about.He even told me that I would need a 19/19.5 inch for my size.I believe I appreciated the fact that I was a beginner and he answered all my question(even though some may have been dumb) and didn't make me feel like I was wasting his time.So should I jump on it? I will be headed to a few more LBS when I go on a trip next week that have Trek,Giant and Specialized and can do special orders as well.Should I wait and see what they have?Thing is with them they would be a 45 min drive if I needed their help with something.I'm sure the other shop would help,but would charge since I didn't purchase from him.I was looking into a 29er,but I believe a 26 would be fine.