OT - Mountain Bike - what to get??

I'm a bit older. Got a new Raleigh about 10 years ago. No mountain action just cruising da hood. It works for me. $400 or so.

You should be able to get a decent Trek or Specialized for $600-700.

Then again, I haven't shopped them for several years, so I may be way off.

Here's an aluminum framed bike in that range:  http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/mountain-bikes/sport-mountain-bikes/marlin/marlin-6/p/2016600-2016

I ride a lot so take this as my thoughts-
You absolutely get what you pay for- and before I dropped that money I would start with a decent hardtail from Craigslist and see if you even like it.

I progressed as follows when I got back into biking in my late 30s- turn 50 this year.
Rode my original MTB from College
Upgraded to a Haro Hardtail
Upgraded to a Haro FS-  Sold Hardtail
Bought a Scott Road Bike on Craigslist- I learned that after all these years I still HATE road biking.  I rode that for a 13 mile each way commute for 3 years and I hated that bike- still own it, road it Sunday and I still hate it.  Luckily I paid for a used ride.
Bought a Redline 29er Monocog
Sold FS for lack of use after sitting in garage for 4 years.

In all that I am about 3500 into bikes and I love the least expensive one of the bunch the best.  I sold the FS as to me it felt like a 70s cadillac rolling on new asphalt- lost the feel of the trail.

So after you buy the 1st used bike to determine you like it then-
1. buy as much bike as you can afford with the best components.  Used bikes are likely about 40% of new at the 2 yr mark.
2. Buy a 29er for sure, buy a fatbike even- this style will be my next bike.
3. The more 'stuff' on the bike- FS, Gears, Disc Brakes, Dropper Post, Fancy Hubs and Rims the more expensive the replacement from the inevitable crash.  You can minimize this w learning your own repairs but the tool cost is high as well.
4.  You will also spend a fortune on non bike gear- shoes, clip in pedals, padded shorts (baggies), dry fit shirts, helmet, glasses, gloves.  Maybe a Garmin to track rides, want to ride at night- (2) lights- bar and helmet I have even seen guys with Night Vision Goggles.  Add a gopro to film your crashes.  Hydration- Camelback or some polar bottles.  You need a rack on your car to get to the trails.  Enough stuff on you to 'fix' your bike- Tubes (or tubeless and all that fun), light tools, inflator, maybe a seat bag

You think your egg habit is expensive.... my bike Habit is worse- most bikers will tell you that the optimum number of bikes is how many you have plus one.  This list of 'rules' is for Roadies but you can get a feel for the cult of bikers from it.
http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/

Get a good used namebrand hardtail bike from craigslist.

If it has hydraulic brakes, it's probably a decent bike.  Also look at the other stuff, but this is a good initial indicator of a higher end bike.

badinfluence said:

As everyone said above why do you need a full suspension? They are great on a rough downhill but I don't know what kind of terrain you will be riding. If you do go full suspension get one that you can lock the suspension. In a clime you definitely want to lock the rear suspension.

fyi I ride a Gt sensor 4.0 it is no longer made.

I agree.  The full suspension, when not locked, saps energy that would otherwise be driving you forward.   I usually keep my front forks locked when I'm riding around town.

BUY A TREK, whatever you do. I'm on my 3rd one. I still have the first Trek MTB I bought over 20 yrs ago. I got back into riding the local trails about 10 years ago, when I was in my 40's. After a while I decided it was time to bite the bullet and upgrade from a completely un-suspended bike and went to full suspension and was glad I did. There's an extremely big difference in how bikes perform and unfortunately, a lot of that has to do with how much you spend. I bought a 09 Trek Fuel EX 8 and rode the crap out of it. So much so that I broke the frame in the summer of '13. This was a mid-grade bike with an aluminum frame and after a little back and fort with my LBS and Trek I wound up with a replacement frame. They upgraded me to their top of the line carbon fiber frame! Frame and rear shock on my 9.9 come in right at 5 lbs. It is unbelievably sweet! Almost all the components transferred over from the old bike which led to a worn out drive train last summer. I put over a grand into a new drive train including shifters and pedals and again, it was like a new bike. My point here is Trek totally went above and beyond to honor their warranty. Only caveat here is, just like the Egg, you need to be the original owner to take advantage of the warranty. 

You need to decide how you're going to be riding it. What are the trails like around your house? Are they rocky and rooty, flat or hilly? The advice on buying a 29er is good. They roll over obstacles better but are a little cumbersome in some of the fast downhill switchbacks. You can also adjust your shocks with a little more air pressure to find that sweet spot where the bike is stiff enough for climbs, but still gives some relief with the suspension over rough terrain. I've got all that lock out stuff but pretty much adjust with air pressure; rebound always stays the same. There is also going to be a big difference riding with your wife and your MTB buddies from work. I could never ride with my wife. I used to ride with a couple guys from work who were at least 5 yrs younger than me. One of them worked out all the time and is a real stud on the bike. Those are the guys you want to be riding with for the most part. They will make you a better rider and help you get in shape faster. Save the rides with the family for Sunday afternoons. 

Bikes are like knives. Go into a local shop, tell them your budget, and test out a bunch until you find what feels right. Just like anything else, if it doesn't feel good, you won't use it. 

Get a Fat Bike. Tons of fun. Check my Avatar. Lol...don't buy a cookie cutter. Ride your own ride. 

Another vote for Trek bikes. You can also find a nice cannondale hardtail for around a grand used.

i hate full suspension bikes. definitely buy a hard tail. if you find a second hand rockhopper they really cruise when you ride flat trails with the front suspension locked out. those big 29 inch wheels are really nice compared to my old road bikes. i look at full suspension as down hill only then you need to get into a jeep to get back up the hill. they suck the energy right out of you if your not in prime shape

Are you sure you don't want a Walmart mountain bike? 

https://youtu.be/wkMnk_eCDQU

fishlessman said:

i hate full suspension bikes. definitely buy a hard tail. if you find a second hand rockhopper they really cruise when you ride flat trails with the front suspension locked out. those big 29 inch wheels are really nice compared to my old road bikes. i look at full suspension as down hill only then you need to get into a jeep to get back up the hill. they suck the energy right out of you if your not in prime shape

I 100% agree.  You can pick up a 29" hardtail pretty cheap. Bought a Gary Fisher 2009 model (stickered at $1300) for $500 from a bike shop. Owner had spent another $500 on upgrades.  I rode it hard for the past couple of years  on the street, but I switched to smoother tires.  Kept front suspension locked most of the time.   Sold it the other day for $450.  If you watch the craigslist ads, you can pick up a name brand model cheap, enjoy it, and still get most of your investment back when you sell or trade it in.

Hi54putty said:

Eggcelsior said:

Hi54putty said:

Giant makes some great bikes in that price range. 

Another thing about Giant, their factory(I believe it's in Taiwan) actually build a bunch of different brand's bikes frames in regards to the low and mid-range bikes. They just provide their specs and geometrys to the factory and the frames go out for finishing.

My local shop told me this and they've never given me reason not to believe them.

Are you saying this as a positive or negative? That is a non factor for me. 

@Hi54putty Positive! Since they are building other brands, they are seeing popular frames and are able to mimic much higher priced geometrys so you are getting a nice frame. The next variable is components. Oh my!