Cannondale F400

Pros: Great Frame, Light, Wheels, Tires, Comfortable
Cons: heavy hubs, no clipless pedals, front derailleur

For this price range, only the Gary Fisher came close, but my local Cannondale bike shop (Bicycles East, if you're in Charlotte, they're the best) had the bike for $660, and it was critical that I get the bike for less than $700, so that gave me...

Pros: Excellent frame construction, solid wheels, Hutchinson tires.
Cons: Headshock service requires specialty tools only available at Cannondale dealerships.

Cannondale has been around since pretty much the dawn of the mountain bike world, so it stands to reason that they should know a thing or two about building bikes. When people think of the Cannondale brand, typically two things come to mind; top quality...

Pros: A "REAL" mountain bike that's not "REAL" expensive. Good performance mix.
Cons: None to date

The Cannondale F-400 is perfect for riding with my kids through the local parks. Unlike some mountain bikes, this one handles streets and bike paths well, and is comfortable on long trips.

AND IT CHEWS UP MUD AND ROCKS AND EATS OTHER MOUNTAIN...

Pros: Great Bike Overall
Cons: Handlebars could be a bit shorter but thats an easy fix.

She climbs like a billy goat and rides quiet and smooth.

For a basic bike it's really great.

The On Off head shok is much better than the 2004 model.

At first i wasn't too thrilled on the Black and Deep Orange (Tangelo) color but it grew on me...especially after getting the matching Cannondale ChainGang Jersey.

If there's one available out there test it out and you'll see...she's a dependable cool ride.