which one?

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i know this question has been asked alot, but i havent been able to find all the info i would like. im limited to a budget of 500 max. i was looking at the raleigh m80, trek 4500, and one of the specialized rock bikes (forgot which one exactly). which of these is considered to be the best? thanks

cdixon

Hmm... Interesting set of choices. Personally, my first bike was a speciallized rock hopper. It was 565 dollars, steel frame, had no suspension, in 1996. It was a great bike. I did break the frame, which specialized was happy to replace in 1998 and they also gave me a new seatpost, stem, headset, and fork, because they were different sizes. I was a happy customer. I would stay away from the Raleigh. I worked at a bike shop or two, and the raleighs were low quality. Trex are OK, but I would really suggest going with specialized.

-percious