any mountain bike suggestions..i don't want a walmart bike

[NICKG]

i am looking to get a basic mountain bike to help get some excess pounds off, i am dismayed to see that all the brands i grew up and loved (mongoose, diamondback etc) are all walmart bikes now...wtf? any suggestions on a good entry mountain bike that is still made here in the usa? i would love disc brakes, don't need rear suspension. Honestly i am gonna use it on road 99% anyway so even disc brakes would be fluff. read some good things on Gt avalanche (they were always good) and the giant bike

anyone have a suggestion?

[Gene Wilkes]

Cannondale makes a very nice light weight product. Schwinn has a good product too!

[ErVikingo]

MRAZEK..... They are awesome, my brother is a rider turned dealer also.

http://www.mrazek.com

[MichiganMat]

Check out:
http://www.mtbr.com

And then scope the deals at:
http://www.jensonusa.com

[Tishabet]

Kona!

[NICKG]

wow...i was hoping to spend under 500...schwinn is chinese now btw.

[KFC911]

After a buddy of mine purchased one (that I checked out), I bought a "Gary Fisher" mountain bike a couple of years ago (around $450) from a local bicycle shop. I like it...

[Zef]

+1 for Kona...Giant is not bad too...!

[nostatic]

if you're only paying a couple hundred bucks, they're all made in china.

[NICKG]

yea..i see that. sucks.

and almost all are the same company (pacific cycles). i am gonna stop at a bike shop tonight i guess

[k9handler]

From the description you would do best on a hybrid or cyclocross bike...so I say Kona has what you need.

[KFC911]

Yep, check out a bike shop...just did a quick search and there are Gary Fisher dealers in your area: http://www.fisherbikes.com/

While these certainly aren't the "$ky'$ the limit" bikes, you can get a good one for around $500, and "I think" they are made in the good 'ol US of A, but I could be wrong. IMO, they are worth checking out in your search...

[KFC911]

Originally posted by NICKG
wow...i was hoping to spend under 500...

I don't think Kona is gonna make the cut

[ikarcuaso]

Try to find a lightly used one on craigslist.org or elsewhere. Some people fork up for a really nice one and end up not using it as much as they thought. Once ridden, bikes depreciate a lot. You might get lucky and find one of the quality makes mentioned above at a steal of a price. More bang for your buck that spending only <$500 on a new bike. Good luck.

[gr8fl4porsche]

Made in the USA is going to be a problem. At best, maybe the welding of the tubes is performed here, but every other part is going to be from Japan, China, etc. At $500 price point, don't expect too much bike for your money.

[lendaddy]

Used bike?

[Noah930]

I have a GT Avalanche (mebbe from 1996 or so?). Don't know how the current ones compare, though. But it would definitely be overkill for what you want out of a bike. I think I paid about $900 for it.

If you're only going to be on roads, and doing this mainly to lose some weight, then there's no need for an aluminum/titanium frame, higher-end off-road worthy components, or rear suspension. It's nice stuff to have, and you'll notice a difference in the weight of the bike, smoothness of shifting, etc. But you probably won't notice a significant difference in what you're trying to accomplish (fat-burning, cardio, basic exercise). If anything, you'll notice that you have to ride longer/faster/further/harder to get the same workout. You will notice a difference in the cost of your rig, though.

[k9handler]

even at $1k the bikes are not from USA....Yeti bikes only make the top 3 of the lineup, the rest is contacted to Asia. Used will be your best bet, try ridemonkey.com

[KFC911]

Can you get a PPI for a used bike . I'd be worried (particularly for a mountain bike) that it may have been "rode hard" and abused...

[legion]

Trek?

I have a Trek 6000 (not made anymore) that i've nearly replacing everything but the frame on.

I bought my wife a Trek 4700...which essentially has the same features but is heavier.