This might be the wrong community to ask this but I’ll give it my shot. I already own a very good Trek bike but it’s an urban commuter. I want something that handle dirt and country roads just as good as a Jeep or Land Cruiser. I know mountain bikes are best suited for off-road scenarios but I’ve only ever used urban bikes and BMXs. Is there a brand that is revered by mountain bike enthusiasts in the same way that Jeep is to car guys? Thanks in advance.
Any steel frame mountain bike should do IMO. Trek, Specialized, GT, just to name a few, but generally all brands are solid choices as long as it’s not purchased from amazon, a walmart, or other generic big box store. Decathlon’s in-house brands are pretty reasonable, if they operate in your region.
Bicycle-specific retailers typically have tons of choice and variety in their offerings, may be worth giving those a look.
If you’ll be going off road frequently, check how affordable inner tubes are for that wheel size, so you can carry spares and repair quickly in the field - otherwise patch kits will get you home at least
I agree steel frames are great, but trek, specialized and gt abandoned steel in the late 90’s. I love a good vintage frame, but for mtb the modern geometry is an undeniable upgrade.
High end: Orange cycles, Cromag, Ritchey, Chumba, Cotic.
Mid range: Kona, Marin, Surly, Niner.
Also: go tubeless and never buy an innertube again. I bought a 5 pack of tubes for emergencies and used 2 of them in the past decade. The sealant can be a royal pain in the ass, but it beats getting stranded out on the trail.