School me on mountain bikes.

[ThreeFingerPete]

This may be a dumb, noob question, but I'll ask anyway.

In regards to upper echelon manufacturers(Trek, Specialized etc), is there a big difference from their base model bikes versus a "department store" level bike?

For example, I'm looking at a ~$350 Trek 820 from a local shop versus a ~$230 Schwinn,mongoose, etc from academy.

Also, at a bike shop is there normally room to haggle on prices or are they normally set in stone?

Department store bikes are not built to be ridden. In the best case scenario, they will barely shift, the wheels will come out of true constantly, they will weigh 40lbs, and won't be very rewarding. In the more likely scenario, the frame or fork will fail, sometimes having serious medical consequences. The wheels will cost you a fortune in truing, and you will break all of the cheap plastic shit that the bike is made from.

The Trek will cost you plenty in maintenance, from trying to keep the drivetrain acting right, to keeping the jankety wheels true. The chance of frame/fork failure is almost none.

If you plan on riding trails, save more money and buy a decent bike. Nobody ever does it, because they all say "well i'm just trying to get in shape." or "i don't ride hard" etc, and then a year later they're buying the $1200 bike after they've dumped a few hundred into maintaining their $300 bike.

[Beej]

Agreed, I have a NR MiNewt 600 and its bright enough!
But look at this beast!
http://www.niterider.com/rechargeabl...-3000-led-new/

I run a 2 magic shines, one on helmet and one on bars. It is the only way to go. When you get 2-3 riders with plenty of light it is almost like day, just have to watch out for shadows.

[Tannerm]

Damn, and I thought my 500 was bright.

Agreed, I have a NR MiNewt 600 and its bright enough!
But look at this beast!

http://www.niterider.com/rechargeable-new/pro-3000-led-new/

[Tannerm]

Story time... buddy of mine got into biking and went and bought a Mongoose wallyworld version to start on with some friends out at horseshoe who had Specialized bikes. Riding it cracked the frame on the weld of the top and down tubes join at the headset. He bough a Stumpjumper FSR.
Second story, my buddy (different) also bought a chain store brand (Next) to tool around on with me. That pos couldnt stay in gear, extremely heavy, and was terribly built. You would have thought that any of these pos bikes mentioned were 30+ yrs old... He ended up buying a nice Trek Cobia.
and third story, 3rd buddy had a mongoose to start off on and rode it for a long while. By the end of the "season" that bike was stretched out and almost useless. He bought a Camber 29er.

Point being, it your going to buy a bike to basically rag out on rough trails (anything outside of pavement), you want a good bike from a good manufacturer, fitted to YOU, and with good components.

[Tannerm]

Well heres my experiance. The top guns in bikes use higher quality frame material and welding/joining vs the wlamart steel and spot weld. Second AND most important; the components. The 820 has decent Shimano stuff and steel frame (heavy). Where the Walmart brands will have crappy components and really crappy steel! Link to your 820 on Trek's site http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes.../sport/820/820
As for Mongoose, if you bought there bike shop version, they are actually really good bikes. Its the chain store models that are trash.

REMEMBER; On bikes (road or mtn) the more you spend, the better the bike (e.i. the components are king).
I hope this helps.

[71chevellejohn]

This may be a dumb, noob question, but I'll ask anyway.

In regards to upper echelon manufacturers(Trek, Specialized etc), is there a big difference from their base model bikes versus a "department store" level bike?

For example, I'm looking at a ~$350 Trek 820 from a local shop versus a ~$230 Schwinn,mongoose, etc from academy.

Also, at a bike shop is there normally room to haggle on prices or are they normally set in stone?

[Osiris]

Oh I'll be at big cedar here shortly

[Osiris]

Damn, and I thought my 500 was bright.

[Beej]

Nothing less then 1000 Lumens

[ThreeFingerPete]

If anyone wants to ride, we're doing a night ride at RCP tomorrow around 8-8:30pm.

[Osiris]

I have a busted ass tube wrapped silicon tail light, and a serfas 500 headlamp.

[ThreeFingerPete]

shoooot, I got lights up the wazoo on my rigs. Badass NR LED on my rockhopper with LED tails. Same with my roadbike

That's cute. Let me introduce you to my friend that we call "Dark Star".

[Tannerm]

shoooot, I got lights up the wazoo on my rigs. Badass NR LED on my rockhopper with LED tails. Same with my roadbike

[Beej]

They're so fast, they don't even bother to carry water!

I even had a guy laugh at us for turning our lights on at dusk. Im sure 10 minutes later he was regretting ever opening his mouth, and wishing he was riding behind us.

[Osiris]

Lol!