in Beginners, Newbies, Noobz, etc (Moderators: imwjl, TheMayor1)

Hello all!
I'm new here and a total noob.  I was recently gifted an old Trek 830 by a friend (I lost my own Trek MTB several years ago in my divorce).  On a whim I took it out to Devils Lake and became hooked on riding off road.  I made my first trip out to the John Muir trails this week (it was awesome!).  I am realizing that my free bike isn't going to last me very long.  The gears are quite worn and I struggle to get the bike into the lower gears.  I don't have a lot of extra cash or free time since I'm working on a second degree.  I'll probably only ride every-other weekend in the non-snowy months, possibly not at all when fall rolls around along with multi-variable calculus. 
Do any of you have any recommendations for an entry level bike for someone who doesn't plan to ride frequently?  Cheers! 

If you're on a limited budget I'd at least stop by Dream Bikes:
http://www.dream-bikes.org/

You can probably find something that will be an upgrade from the 830 and/or in better shape for $300-125.

For a price reference and you're happy with what you have, the same thing you have new would run you $370:
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/sport/820/

As far as what bike - it would kind of depend on what kind of riding, how much hell raising you plain on doing, and if you care about having a big name branded frame.

Is repair to your current bike a possibility? You could replace the chain, rear gears, and rear derailleur for less than the cost of another bike.

What shape is the rest of the bike in? Do the brakes work? Does the fork work OK? Wheels and tires OK?

Hard to say what your best course of action is without knowing the overall condition of the bike.

Thanks for the responses!  The brakes, wheels and everything else work on the bike I currently have so it's possible that I could just change out the gears, chain & etc. The body isn't in great shape (cosmetically, anyway) and most of the cables are rusted.

Since my tuition for fall is banked I do have a little budget leeway.  I could maybe spend up to $700 on an upgraded bike, though I'd prefer to stick around the $500 range.  I'll have to swing by Trek this weekend and see what they have available. 

Definitely check out Dream Bikes. For that amount of cash you could end up with a really nice bike. The only caveat is that most (not all) of their bikes are used, and you need to find one to fit you. But you get a good deal for your money there.

It would help to know just how old that bike is and how many gears are in back. It may not be worth spending much on an upgrade to that bike because you can find old bikes like it that have hardly ever been used sold at low prices.

It would help to know if you want a bike good for general purpose or just riding the MTB trails. As an example, a dual suspension bike would be ideal for trails but not commuting.

Knowing some history is important when you shop for used bikes. Some older bikes might have been top shelf the day they were sold but have parts, design or geometry that didn't stand the test of time. As examples it took a while for most suspension bikes to be universally good, and for 29r bikes to handle as well or act as fun as they do now. I'm sure you'll get here if you ask about a bike and something about it is a red flag.

I don't have a lot of knowledge about bikes so I'm not sure if I would be comfortable buying a used bike. 
I don't know how old the Trek 830 is, but I really don't want to mess around and spend money on trying to upgrade it.  I'm happy to keep it as a casual street bike. 

I'm really just looking for a dedicated trail bike.  When my fall school schedule resumes it's unlikely I'll be able to ride at all, so I don't want to spend a lot of money right now since I'll likely only be able to ride in the summers until I finish my education. 

Thanks for the input!

So, I came home from Trek today with the Neko S 18".  Wow.  What a difference. 

Excellent