# The Best Mountain Bikes Under $500



## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

I've heard Nishiki has a dynamite bike for < $500.


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## bjcccat (Jul 28, 2009)

There are no good mountain bikes under $500. Every bike above is a total turd-bucket!!!

If you want to get into this sport, save $200 for 5 months. Sorry, if that isn’t something you can do, you probably shouldn’t be spending $500 on a bike anyway. A $1000 bike will be lighter, safer, more modern, and last long enough to keep you in this. If you decide it is not for you, you can likely get $4-500 selling your bike, then you’re back where you’d be with a $500 bike.

Real talk...


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## DragonStyle (Nov 11, 2013)

bjcccat said:


> There are no good mountain bikes under $500. Every bike above is a total turd-bucket!!!
> 
> If you want to get into this sport, save $200 for 5 months. Sorry, if that isn't something you can do, you probably shouldn't be spending $500 on a bike anyway. A $1000 bike will be lighter, safer, more modern, and last long enough to keep you in this. If you decide it is not for you, you can likely get $4-500 selling your bike, then you're back where you'd be with a $500 bike.
> 
> Real talk...


I've bought great used mtb's, for less than $400, that have lasted me 8+ years. All hardtails, one is a 2003 Specialized Rockhopper, (excellent trail bike, that I got for $200 on CL). Another one: My old GT Zaskar, fell off of my car, on the freeway, and the frame cracked. Bought a used 2006 Jamis Dragon frame, on Ebay, for $300. Then built it up with the parts, from the cracked Zaskar. I ride that Jamis Dragon, nearly every week, to this very day.

Don't know much about the modern, hardtails above. And maybe newer hardtails, are not as durable. Nevertheless, there are great deals to be found, for less than $500, (on the used market). My Jamis Dragon, had an MSRP of $3,600, in 2006, got the frame on Ebay, for a song. The used market is full of hidden gems. There are many forgotten hardtails, made of quality steel, and aluminum, that are excellent rides.

Only issue is 26ers got phased out, from the industry, years back. Hence it is harder to find good tires, but they are still out there. All of the parts are still out there as well, (Ebay, CL, Facebook Marketplace, etc, etc). A more relevant point I guess, is that there are great used 27.5 and 29er hardtails, for sale on the used market, as well.


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## bjcccat (Jul 28, 2009)

DragonStyle said:


> I've bought great used mtb's, for less than $400, that have lasted me 8+ years. All hardtails, one is a 2003 Specialized Rockhopper, (excellent trail bike, that I got for $200 on CL). Another one: My old GT Zaskar, fell off of my car, on the freeway, and the frame cracked. Bought a used 2006 Jamis Dragon frame, on Ebay, for $300. Then built it up with the parts, from the cracked Zaskar. I ride that Jamis Dragon, nearly every week, to this very day.
> 
> Don't know much about the modern, hardtails above. And maybe newer hardtails, are not as durable. Nevertheless, there are great deals to be found, for less than $500, (on the used market). My Jamis Dragon, had an MSRP of $3,600, in 2006, got the frame on Ebay, for a song. The used market is full of hidden gems. There are many forgotten hardtails, made of quality steel, and aluminum, that are excellent rides.
> 
> Only issue is 26ers got phased out, from the industry, years back. Hence it is harder to find good tires, but they are still out there. All of the parts are still out there as well, (Ebay, CL, Facebook Marketplace, etc, etc). A more relevant point I guess, is that there are great used 27.5 and 29er hardtails, for sale on the used market, as well.


So, you didn't actually buy the "new" $500 type of bike this article is about. Maybe instead of trying to improperly pose an argument against my comment, you should of just simply gone on your used bike ramble.


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## DragonStyle (Nov 11, 2013)

bjcccat said:


> So, you didn't actually buy the "new" $500 type of bike this article is about. Maybe instead of trying to improperly pose an argument against my comment, you should of just simply gone on your used bike ramble.


Why don't you read the title of the article. What does it say? "The Best Mountain Bikes Under $500." There was no mention that the bikes had to be new. Up your reading comprehension game, bruh.

You call my comment a "ramble", but it came from a good place. I'm trying to help people out. You just sit back and criticize, you sound like a negative old geezer.


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## bjcccat (Jul 28, 2009)

DragonStyle said:


> Why don't you read the title of the article. What does it say? There was no mention that the bikes had to be new. Up your reading comprehension game, bruh.


These are all MSRPs of new bikes under $500... So I'm spot on, suck-it bruh...

I would say my reading comprehension is on-point, or at least it has gotten me further ahead in life than you bargain-bin-Bob...


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## DragonStyle (Nov 11, 2013)

bjcccat said:


> These are all MSRPs of new bikes under $500... So I'm spot on, suck-it bruh...
> 
> I would say my reading comprehension is on-point, or at least it has gotten me further ahead in life than you bargain-bin-Bob...


Doesn't matter if they are MSRP's. The title of the article, and the paragraphs of the article, disagree with your arrogance.

You seem like a real negative, old geezer, with a stick up his ass. You don't know what I do for a livin, fool. One thing I don't like in life, is getting ripped off. Which you seem to enjoy. Paying $1k for a mountain bike, makes it a good one, I see. There are hundreds of hardtails, primarily, that contradict with your statement. Read some catalogs from a few years back, and older. Or can you even ride a hardtail? Is that back still alright? Nevertheless, the intellectual superiority of your statement, makes me quiver in awe! Lmao!!! ???


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## bjcccat (Jul 28, 2009)

DragonStyle said:


> Doesn't matter if they are MSRP's. The title of the article, and the paragraphs of the article, disagree with your arrogance.
> 
> You seem like a real negative, old geezer, with a stick up his ass. You don't know what I do for a livin, fool. One thing I don't like in life, is getting ripped off. Which you seem to enjoy. Paying $1k for a mountain bike, makes it a good one, I see. There are hundreds of hardtails, primarily, that contradict with your statement. Read some catalogs from a few years back, and older. Or can you even ride a hardtail? Is that back still alright? Nevertheless, the intellectual superiority of your statement, makes me quiver in awe! Lmao!!! ???


Sorry, this article is fully about new bikes $500 and under. I don't know what else to tell you. Further, your latest response is total gibberish. As someone claiming reading comprehension superiority, you cannot put a comprehensive statement together to save your dragon charred rear end.

Good luck with your life. Enjoy your used garbage heap Jamis, I've heard it gives you DragonStyle.


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## DragonStyle (Nov 11, 2013)

bjcccat said:


> Sorry, this article is fully about new bikes $500 and under. I don't know what else to tell you. Further, your latest response is total gibberish. As someone claiming reading comprehension superiority, you cannot put a comprehensive statement together to save your dragon charred rear end.
> 
> Good luck with your life. Enjoy your used garbage heap Jamis, I've heard it gives you DragonStyle.


Wrong, you don't get to claim what this article is about. Prove it then. Oh yeah, you can't. Because it wasn't clearly defined. Furthermore, you don't have the authority, to dictate the meaning of the article, Clown.

You claim I write gibberish, because you hide from the truth. I struck a chord, didn't I? You can't ride a hardtail huh. You enjoy getting ripped off. It's like a fetish, Suckah. Btw, I know the 2021 Specialized Rockhopper, is a good hardtail, besides the fork, and lack of boost spacing.

These are all clear statements, you get my drift. The Jamis Dragon is an excellent steel hardtail. Made of Reynolds 853 steel, better than 99% of the grade, of steel, you can find on bikes, in 2021. Anyway, I've had enough fun with ya, good luck with your life, BJ Cat guy.


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## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

OK this is comical and stupid at the same time.

$500 bike for easiest of trails for the one weekend a month person or great for path use as much as you can as long as you maintain.

$5000 bike. Whatever trail you can ride, will get you there and back without issues, and can do it endlessly before having to worry about a failure, as long as you maintain it.

I've been at both ends of the spectrum. My youngest boys bike was $450 for a 20" bike. Add a "zero" behind that for what I have in my FS. I won't even let my kids ride cheap crap, it hinders their confidence and skill building.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk


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