What is the best mountain bike to buy at a cheap price?

Question

What is the best mountain bike to buy at a cheap price?

Answer 1

I just bought a GT Avalanche 3.0 2008 disc.

Answer 2

Conondale or Trek are your best bet, a good one is about 400-500 USD, but think of it this way,  it will  last YEARS.  I bought my Trek in 2000 and its still going without any problems to this day.

Answer 3

What does cheap mean to you?

Answer 4

For best quality, components, well-built frame with good warranty, and a good price, I'd suggest a Giant. I agree with the previous poster that Cannondale and Trek make good bikes, but they tend to be more expensive than others. Cannondale definitely charges more than others because a good deal of their bikes are actually manufactured in the US. Trek is a bigger brand name, so they can get away with charging a lot. Trek uses the same frame manufacturer (Giant), so there isn't going to be much difference in that quality.

Look at a Giant Rincon or Yukon. Rincons retail for around $420. Compare what you get with the Rincon to the similarly-priced Trek 3900. The frame is the same grade of aluminum. The Rincon offers a step up in both derailleurs. The Rincon has a better fork with more travel. The Rincon also has mechanical disc brakes compared to V brakes.

Just to mention, I'm not a shill for Giant. I actually own and am very happy with a Trek 6700.

You can usually get great clearance deals when new model years come out, but that time has already past this year. Keep an eye out for specials, though. Head over to your local bike shops and test ride. I can't stress the testing enough. While one bike may have all the components and paint job you want, it's no good unless it fits you correctly and you feel good on it.

Good luck!