Any advice on a good bargain bike for my wife?

[Beave]

My wife wants a bike for her birthday. I'm thinking a mountain bike rather than a traditional skinny wheeled 10 speed.

Any suggestions for a good all-around value bike? I don't want to buy a crappy $100 steel bike from Walmart, but I don't want to get in over her head either considering I'm not sure she'll stick to this. She hasn't owned a bike in 10 years. A good used bike may be best if I can find one.

What should I look for? Any brand suggestions?

[DaveW731]

I've been real pleased with my Giant brand, Upland model. It is considered a "hybred", ie, frame looks like a mountain bike, but the tire tread pattern is a bit different. No shocks, Shimano brakes and gears, quick release hubs. I think the frame is steel, but weight is not bad, bike rides well. Bought it about four years ago, for less than $300.00, done both trail and street riding with no problems. Longest road ride was about 20 miles (Dimondale to Springport), have also taken it on some moderate-level trails.
Good luck,
Dave

[Chris_Davis]

Like Dave said, a hybrid or cross (but not cyclo-cross) is a good all around bike. It's a cross between a comfort bike and road bike, it has the up-right position of a comfort bike w/the wheel size of a road bike. It's suitable for cruisin' around the neighborhood, roads, dirt roads and rail-trail.

A comfort bike may suit her, as well. A comfort bike shares many of the same properties as a mountain bike. It's construction and components will, typically, not be built as strong as a bike intended for singletrack riding. It will have wider and smaller tires than a cross, typically a suspension seat post and some sort fo suspension in the fork. A cross can come with suspension, usually on higher level bikes.

The best bet is too visit a bike shop and take a look around. Raliegh and Giant are huge manufacturers and may offer higher quality components on bikes at a lower price-point. Anything from a quality bike shop will get the job done. It's worth the extra dough to buy from a shop, the confidence in knowing that the bike was assembled properly and the free tune-up pay for themselves.

[Swamp Monster]

Yep, buy from a reputable shop. A well built comfortable bike is a joy to ride and an investment. Sometimes this time of year they still have last years models in stock that you can get heavily discounted. The choice of colors might be limited but usually color choice is fairly limited anyway. getting a bike that fits is important to. On a nice, well fitted bike, she more apt to stick with it. A few years back my wife at the time and I bought her Giant at a dealer in Grandville or Hudsonville can't remember which. Don't remember the model she bought but it was an aluminum frame/front shock entry level mountain bike that was under $400. The componenants were entry level but plenty durable for her needs. The tires were less aggressive than many models which made for a smooth ride on the road where the bike spent most of its time. She also had the seat switched out to a woman specific seat that was more comfortable for her. She road a few of the cross bikes but the mountain bike was more comfortable for her.

[Swamp Monster]

I think the deale rwas the Village Bike shop in Jenison, but there are 3-4 other Village Bike Shops in the GR area. I think the model she bought was the Rincon or maybe the Yukon.