Honestly, even if you're new to biking - how do you think you can go wrong with a name like "Specialized"? Mountain bikes under this label have been patronized by discriminating cycling enthusiasts - and not just because the name is catchy, but because this brand has a performance history that's no less than good and solid.

Specialized mountain bikes of the Rockhopper line, for example, have remained at the top of consumer rankings for a long time, contending with equally popular classics like the Trek 4500 and the Gary Fisher Marin. These "hardtail" bikes are lightweight and perfect for use by cyclists with different body types, which makes it a favorite for most kinds of rugged trails.

The average weight of a Specialized bike is 30 pounds. The aluminum frame helps greatly in reducing weight and increasing speed. And because aluminum is tried and tested for its durability, it is also the material of choice by Specialized manufacturers. You can test the worth of a bike of this name by putting it through a trail bike test; see how well it performs and how easily it is to transport during normally arduous uphill climbs.

Mike Sinyard, creator of Specialized Bicycle Components, founded his company in 1974, with the intent to "give everyone the best ride of their life." Since then the professional mountain bikes turned out by the company have made the top picks, and in the past years the company's success in developng its mountain bike lines was driven by the presence of its independent suspension FSR frame.

Specialized is also known for producing quality "budget" bikes - and by this, we mean trail bicycles that are slightly cheaper than industry standard, for their caliber. They're still more expensive than you could expect a regular bike to be - for example, a "cheap" competition-grade Specialized model could still cost a little over $1000. Before you balk at this price, you must remember that Specialized bikes are known to compete with big-name brands like Marin, Trek and Giant, some of which definitely sell their "budget" models at much higher costs! But you could look forward to top of the line service and performance from Specialized mountain bikes. You could save a little more if you buy previous years' models, which almost invariably drop in prices as new and shinier models enter the market. If you're able to take advantage of special offers, you can grab a special deal on a firsthand full suspension, cross-country trail bike.