My first MTB was a Moto 529HT. My biggest gripe about them is their website.Its not easy to find what you looking for without a real filtering option and it looks like it was built in 1999. Outside of the whole purchasing experience, the bike was ok. Its a real basic 3×8 sram drivetrain, suntour coil fork, and the worst tires I have ever seen. I had a lot of fun on it, got into mountain biking, and then sold it to my friend for 100 bucks about a year later when I upgraded. He still rides it nearly 3 years later. (Of course with new tires.) I never had any catastrophic failures, but the wheels and tires that come with it are absolute garbage. Its not way cheaper than a similar entry level hardtail, they just make the compromises in different areas to get to the price point, so it depends on whats important to you.Also the hydraulic brakes it comes with are not so great- Tektro Dracos
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/mountain_bikes/529ht_29er_mountainbikes.htm?