If you want a do-all hardtail then you'll have to spend at least $700 for an all mountain hardtail. for under $300 though you can get a pretty good BMX or dirt jump bike. but like a said, for a mountain bike, you'll have to save up a bit more.
On downhill trails hardtail mountain bikes are harder to control, vice full suspension. So improve your skills by getting a hardtail.
There are so many personal preferences involved that it's impossible to give a solid answer to that. Might as well ask what's the best candy.
1.You should look for material and frame of the mountain bikes (The bike made with aluminum alloy is the most commonly considerable mountain bike) 2.Check the type of brake (Disc type or rim brakes) Always go for Disc type. 3.Wheel size of the bike is another important factor. More choices of mountain bikes are here,outdoorpursuites/best-hardtail-mountain-bikes/
Pretty much rider's choice. Wider front can give better cornering, while wider rear(particularly on a hardtail) can protect against flats.
That really depends on what you want the bike for. For downhill / all-mountain, a full suspension bike is preferable. For cross country a hardtail can still be competitive, particularly for shorter trails. Oil/air shocks have great adjustability, but short mainteance spans. Oil/spring are more rugged, but tuning them require replacing the spring. Elastomer shocks have pretty much died out.
yeti
It depends on what you're looking for in a bike. You can always get a $100 so-called "Mountain Bike" from a big-box store, but these will not perform in any capacity off-road. There are a few grades (or price divisions) of mountain bikes, based on component spec. Prices also vary based on suspension. A "hardtail" (only front suspension) will be far less expensive then a full-suspension bike. Most manufacturers only produce full-suspension starting at the mid-level or enthusiast level.HardtailEntry level Hardtail: $400 - $700Mid-Level Hardtail: $800 - $1,300Enthusiast Level Hardtail: $1,400 - $2,500Race Level Hardtail: over $2,500Full SuspensionEntry level: $1,000 - $1,700Mid-Level: $1,800 - $2,300Enthusiast: $2,400 - $3,500Race Level: Over $3,500
You cant rally get any good moutain bike for that price but for that price i would recomend a giant. Also it comes down to wat u want it for like downhill, hardtail, racing, etc but if you expand your price range you could get a specilized they are like the best bikes ever made so good luck finding one!
If you want a mountain bike for trials, I would suggest any bike under 25lbs with non-curved tube frame, under 14 inch frame size.
santa cruz
http://www.houstonbiketrails.com is a good website to find mountain bike trails and bike paths in the South Houston and surrounding areas.
Depends on what kind of bike it is. For a road bike it'd be heavy. For a hardtail MTB it'd be fairly OK. For a full suspension MTB it'd be quite light. For a DHMTB it'd be amazing.