I'm looking for a basic entry-level mountain bike. I have a 9 year old Cannondale F300 that I'm replacing. I'd like to get something equivalent to it in terms of components. It has Deore in the rear and Alivio in the front.

I've been reading that all the entry level bikes are about the same as far as components. But when I look at the Giant Talon 27.5 5, it comes with SRAM X5 rear derailleur. Isn't that a bit better than the usual for a $570 bike?

I don't know enough to see where they've made up for this by having cheaper components elsewhere on the bike. Any help is appreciated.

Talon 27.5 5 (2014) (2013) | Giant Bicycles | United States

My '09 Cannondale 29er came w/ X5 standard and it's durable, but heavy and a bit clunky. (I've since upgraded to X9)
In an age of much better derailleurs (XX, XO, XO1, XX1, X9 and X7), X5 is nothing special and entry-level at best. Shoot, even some of the 'best' WalMart bikes come with X4 rear derailleur.
As far as "cheaper components elsewhere", the Giant is loaded w/ entry-level-spec parts: Suntour XCT fork, Tektro brakes, Suntour cranks/bb, mixed-brand shifting, etc...and while none of this means that it's a bad bike, the parts spec is going to become more and more evident the more you ride it and as you improve your riding abilities, but for sub-$600 it's spec'ed pretty normal.

As always, I recommend you test ride whatever you buy before you buy it. A good local shop should let you do that in order for you to make a wise decision.

Thanks for the info. It seems like most of the sub $600 mountain bikes I see have Acera or Altus rear derailleurs. For example, the Cannondale Trail 29er 7 and 5 have Acera and Altus rear derailleurs respectively. Is the X5 not considered better than either of those? My understanding was that the X5 is SRAM's equivalent to the Deore. Is that incorrect?

Sorry for all the questions. Just trying to figure out what the best buy is. Am I much better off going with this for $150 more? GT Karakoram Comp 29er with Deore/Alivio? GT Karakoram Comp 29er Mountain Bike - 2014 - Mountain Bikes

I'd say comfort and intended use is every bit as important as price. There is a slight difference in the riding characteristics of the two wheel sizes.

The 27.5" looks solid for an entry level All-Mountain Bike, IMO.

The Cannondale looks like a decent bike. Why do you want to replace it with an entry level bike? Seems like at best a lateral move, or maybe even a downgrade. Why not just upgrade the Cannondale?

I thought about upgrading it but I really liked the feel of the 27.5 and 29ers when I rode them. I think I've decided on a GT Karakoram 29er Sport. It has the Alivio rear derailleur and it felt really nice when I just test rode it.

If I decided on upgrading the Cannondale, what upgrades would you suggest? What are your thoughts on the GT Karakoram Sport 29er? PB has it for $499. Seems like a good deal.

Derailleurs are somewhat of a moving target as they typically get upgraded by the manufacturer every year or so and many of the lower-end models experience trickle-down upgrades, so the X5 or Alevio of today may not be equal to the same derailleurs of just a few years ago. How do they compare to each other?
I don't know.

I've ridden plenty of older mtbs that have Alevio and Acera derailleurs and they worked just fine for everyday general riding. Shoot, my last commuter bike had Microshift derailleurs...not what I would consider great quality by any means...and they never failed me on many 50 and 100-mile rides.

I thought X5 was deore equivalent?