Originally Posted by
4evrplan
I've been out of the bike thing for a long time and don't really ride anymore, but I'm thinking about getting my 17 y.o. his first mountain bike. The challenge is that the SO doesn't see the value in getting anything but a cheap big box bike. If I have any hope in convincing her, it's gonna have to be <$400, maybe <$300. Unfortunately, there's no LBS in my area anymore anyway. So, these days, what's the best of the bad? Something like a Forge Sawback 5xx used to be well regarded, but it doesn't look like it's available anymore. Maybe a Motobecane 300HT from bikesdirect? And before you say get a quality used bike off of Craigslist, the options are pretty limited around here, and I don't know if I have the patience to wait for the right bike to come around or to drive to god-knows-where to check out a bike that doesn't really work out anyway. Thanks for your input.
For riding actual trails, $400 is going to be a choice between bad options.
Used would normally be the no-brainer here, but it sounds like that might not work out for you.
For new.... Bikesdirect might be the place to look. My experience with BD stuff (both a bike I owned as well as a few other peoples' bikes) is that the stuff is fine, certainly worth what you pay for it. It is not worth the fake MSRPs they post, but still a decent value. You do need to go over the build. In particular I've had to check the preload on any cup and cone wheel bearings I have come across. I'd also check stuff like the preload on the headset as well. But really, even a $400 bike from BD is going to hit it's limits on the trail really fast. If your son really takes to trail riding, that bike is going to let him down.
At this price range, every $100 you can add to the budget will yield huge improvements. If you can get up to $600, you start to get into the lowest end of what could be loosely considered trail worthy... but even then you are looking at a bike that if you son gets into riding, the bike is going to need to be replaced upgraded, and it would have been far cheaper just to buy something better to start with.
$400 will let you know if you are into the sport. It won't take you very far into it, though.