Originally Posted by
Catweazle
Where to buy the bike?
If even an entry level ‘bike shop’ bike is out of reach for you, investigate purchasing a decent secondhand brand name bike. You’ll have to do a bit more homework/research, so you’re aware of size and fit matters, but a good secondhand bike is far preferably to a WallyWorld bike!
I would like to respectfully disagree with this statement. My first mountain bike was a Mongoose XR-Pro 29er. Smooth ride with full suspension. Disc brakes, Trigger shifters and Shimano derailurs. My only real complaint about the bike was that it was like me, over-weight, but I rode it on paved trails for 2 seasons and enjoyed the bike a great deal. Cost was about half of what you will find in your LBS, so if you're tied to a restrictive budget, Wallyworld might be the place to start. If you see a bike you're interested in their stock, you can always read reviews on the web to see what others are saying about the bike. Just my 2 cents worth. :>)