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Location: Sometimes Maryland, sometimes NoVA. Depends on the day of the week
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By "price that is similar to there china competition," are you referring to bicycle prices at big box stores (wal-mart, target, sports authority, etc)? You won't find a well-made bike at that price-point. I use to work on product safety, and bicycles was one of my areas. Don't buy a cheap bicycle. Don't even buy an expensive bicycle sold at a big-box store. Well, I suppose if all you wanted to do was ride around on the sidewalks, you might be ok. But I saw front wheels fall off, forks break, and all sorts of nastiness even on the sidewalk, for example when a kid hit a tree root growing through the sidewalk. Or a adult killed when his the quick-release on his front wheel failed and he was thrown off (no helmet). And that was just hitting a speed bump at normal speeds.
Go to a bike specialty store and find a bike that will last you for 10 years.
Adtobias...since you want to buy American, I'm assuming you're really just talking about the frame. In that case, Cannondale, Gary Fisher and Trek are the choices that come to mind for me. However, most of the other components are not going to be American. Shimano almost has a monopoly on drive trains and other major components. I don't know what your level of experience with mountains bikes is, but it would be good to talk with a knowledgeable sales person so you can explain what kind of riding you plan to do. If you're just now getting into mountain biking...it's great...so...enjoy!
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