This is my brother Alex. We almost always go together to the top of the mountains when we get a chance. In the summer it was almost every weekend. This bike is a Giant 29er, it is a much lighter bike than the GMC and I did go to the bike shop and spent $600 on a Giant 29er of my own. I really do recomend if anyone is going to do this type of exercise activity that they go to a bike shop because they size you up to the bike. not all bikes are the same size even though they are the same brand and model. for example his is a large mine is a small and they are the same model.