Buying a new beginner mountain bike is difficult because the sheer amount of options available may be overwhelming – even for seasoned mountain bikers. Finding a good beginner mountain bike that has acceptable component packages and consistent handling at a reasonable price is key. Should a newbie mountain biker invest in one of the top hardtail or full-suspension bikes? We normally recommend a hardtail for beginners, but good mtb for beginners bikes can accommodate both.
- Part 1: What Mountain Bike should I Purchase
- Part 2: What should I Understand about Suspension
- Part 3: How much should I Spend on Your First Mountain Bike
- Part 4: Conclusion
Part 1: What Mountain Bike should I Purchase
Starting with, there are many other sorts of mountain riding and bikes devoted to each of them. But trail mountain biking is the ideal place to start for most beginner riders. In addition, if you’re not sure what you want or have any queries, keep reading this article on how to pick the best mountain bikes for beginners.
Firstly, mountain bikes are divided into categories depending on their geometry, suspension travel, and intended riding environment.
In addition, one extreme of the scale is the cross-country bike, which has steep angles, limited tire clearance, and suspension travel ranging from zero to 100mm, and is available in hardtail or dual suspension versions. Downhill bikes, on the other hand, have super-slack angles and 200mm of suspension built to take a hammering and rumble down.
Unless you intend to race one of these or the trails in your region heavily favor one end of the, we believe you should invest in the greatest trail bike you can.
Trail bikes come in dualies and hardtails. Also, they’re built to do everything well. This type of bike has steady handling and the geometry is such that you may gladly ride it on an all-day adventure or even laps at the bike park with 120-140mm of travel. This type of bike is versatile and will develop with you as your abilities improve.
Part 2: What should I Understand about Suspension
First of all, modern suspension is very incredible because it can smooth over bumps that might otherwise rattle your teeth.
Even at the basic level, air suspension is recommended since it lets you to adjust the sag to your weight. For motorcyclists just getting started, we’d recommend hardtails over dual suspension.
For the same price, a hardtail with a more basic frame design will have superior components than a full suspension bike. A hardtail will also assist you in developing stronger basics, which you can build on as you improve your riding skills.
Part 3: How much should I Spend on Your First Mountain Bike
While we could toss up a number and list a variety of bikes in that price range, we don’t think it’s the best way to choose your first mountain bike – eventually, it’ll come down to how much money you have and how much importance you place on riding your bike.
There aren’t many truly good mtb for beginners bikes these days, but in terms of quality, you get what you pay for.
If you buy a $500 bike, it will be equipped with inferior parts. It will cost you more in the long term since they will ultimately break and need to be replaced. Experienced mountain bikers may rationalize spending the price of a 2016 Honda Civic on a mountain bike since they’ll be riding it for hundreds of hours, and the comfort and ride qualities that come with such a product over that time are worth it.
However, if you’re new to mountain biking, keep in mind that the bike isn’t the only thing you’ll need; you’ll also need a helmet, multi-tool, track pump, shock pump, pedals, and so on. If you do decide to buy a good mountain bike, make sure to include these items in your budget.
BELOW ARE SOME BEGINNER BIKES
Ragley Marley 1.0
Playful Hardtail that can Take on any Trail
Firstly, the Ragley Marley exemplifies how wonderful inexpensive motorcycles have gotten. Bringing advanced technology and amenities to entry-level riders without requiring a significant investment. Additionally, the progressive geometry, along with the smooth Marzocchi fork, will give inexperienced riders confidence on rocky terrain, letting them to experiment with line choice and gain new abilities.
With solid performance and a broad range 11-speed cassette, the Shimano Deore drivetrain has already established itself as the go-to budget groupset.
Also, the Ragley’s only drawback is that it comes with 27.5-inch wheels rather than the more common 29er size. While this reduces the bike’s capacity to roll over huge rocks and roots, it improves agility, making it more fun to ride on trails and jumps.
Specifications
Travel: 130mmWheel size: 27.5Sizes: S, M, L, XL
Reasons to Buy
- High-performance fork
- Durable Shimano drivetrain
- Dropper post
Reasons to Stay Away
Smaller wheels do not roll over obstacles as well as 29-inch wheels.
Orbea Laufey H30 Bike 2021
Aggressive Hardtail for Trail Shredding
For aggressive trail riding, Orbea’s hardtail has a 140mm fork and a dropper post. Because of the high quality specification, even advanced riders will not outperform their bike’s components.
Shimano Deore drivetrain and Shimano M201 hydraulic disc brakes are bolted to the triple-butted aluminum frame. In addition, the wheelset is Orbea’s tubeless-ready OC1 29er variant, with 2.6in Maxxis tires to keep you firmly planted on the trail.
Specifications
Travel: 140mm
Wheel size: 29
Sizes: S, M, L
Price: $1,699.00 / £1,349.00
Reasons to Buy
- Durable 11-speed Shimano drivetrain
- Dropper post
- 140mm fork smooths down the trail
Reasons to Stay Away
- A muscular build adds weight
Vitus Escarpe 29 CR 2021
Outstanding Value Full-suspension Trail Bike
Firstly, Vitus is recognized for making high-quality bikes at affordable costs. Also, with the Escarpe 29 CR, the company has absolutely excelled themselves. The 140mm trail bike is a fantastic deal with a long list of features.
Not only will you get Marzocchi and RockShox front and rear suspension, a Shimano Deore 11-speed gearbox, and a dropper post, but the front triangle will also be carbon – yes, carbon on a full-suspension trail bike for under $3,000.
All of this technical information is meaningless if the bike doesn’t ride properly, and Vitus has this covered as well. Years of bike design expertise have been applied to the Escarpe’s geometry and suspension kinematics. Ensuring that it climbs as well as descends for all-round trail performance, ensuring that you have a bike that will keep up as your abilities improve.
Specifications
Travel: 150mm (front), 140mm (rear)Wheel size: 29
Sizes: S, M, L, XL
Price: $2,699.99 / £1,999.99
Reasons to Buy
- Predictable handling due to geometry +Full-suspension confidence
- Unbelievable value
- Specifications sorted
Reasons to Stay Away
- Availability
- A dull color
Commencal Meta HT AM Origin 2021
A Great Option for those Looking to Take on Tougher Trails
In addition, commencal is a direct-to-consumer firm based in Andorra that has long offered bikes via its own website, delivering well-specced rowdy rides at costs that other companies have failed to match.
Also, the Meta HT is classified as an enduro bike by Commencal, owing to its 160mm fork and exceptionally loose 65-degree headtube angle. You should use a rear shock if you want to ride an EWS (Enduro World Series) circuit. The Meta HT is a tough hardtail that can descend well. Moreover, the shape fosters fast descents and gives enough front suspension to get you out of a tight spot.
For it’s price, the Meta HT AM Origin is great with a RockShox 35 Silver fork. In addition, this year it’s been upgraded to a SRAM 12-speed groupset. Also, the only thing missing is a dropper post.
Specifications
Travel: 150mm
Wheel size: 27.5
Sizes: S, M, L, XL
Price: $1,399.00 / £1,231.18
Reasons to Buy
- Slack geometry
- Large fork for heavy riding
- Broad rims
- In stock
Reasons to Stay Away
- Should include a dropper post.
Specialized Chisel Comp
Fast Mile-muncher for Budding Cross-country Racers
The Chisel collection from Specialized has the aspiring XC racer covered if lap times are more important than airtime. The Chisel is ready to cover distance fast and effectively with 100mm of travel and a lightweight aluminum frame.
In addition, at 1,350g, the Chisel Comp is one of the lightest alloy mountain bike frames available, according to Specialized, making it a good candidate for improvements as you grow more serious about riding.
Stock components include a combination of useful name-brand components from RockShox and Shimano. As well as Specialized’s own-brand components utilized around the touchpoints and topped off with fast Specialized Fast Trak tires.
Specifications
Travel: 100mm
Wheel size: 29
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL
Price: $1,900.00 / £1,799.00
Reasons to Buy
- Solid spec list
- High-quality aluminum XC frame
Reasons to Stay Away
Geometric conservatism
Cannondale Habit 4
A Capable Trail Bike with Excellent Suspension
Firstly, to be a mountain biker and not have seen 50-01’s videos showing them hitting enormous jumps and ripping down trails, you must be living under a rock. The Habit from Cannondale is touted as a trail bike. However, it’s plainly considerably more competent in the proper hands.
This is due to Cannondale’s excellent suspension platform, which absorbs trail shock and enables you to ride as hard as you want rather than punishing you when your ability wears out.
Also, cannondale went for RockShox front and rear suspension, SRAM transmission, and Shimano brakes. On descents, a 150mm dropper will get the saddle out of the way, while Maxxis tires will keep you on the trail in a variety of situations. Cannondale’s frames have Ai Offset, which shifts the powertrain 6mm outboard, resulting in a stronger rear wheel and more mud clearance.
In addition, the disadvantage is that the Habit requires custom cranks and specific rear-wheel dished. You should consider if you plan on upgrading in the future. Read our entire evaluation of the Cannondale Habit 5, which has a different component spec but the same excellent handling qualities.
Specifications
Travel: 140 (front), 130mm (rear)
Wheel size: 29
Sizes: SM, MD, LG, XL
Price: $3,000.00 / £2,700.00
Reasons to Buy
+Size-specific geometry
+Balanced, agility-focused handling
+Lifetime frame warranty
Reasons to Stay Away
- Relatively substantial
- More difficult by the offset frame.
Vitus Sentier 29 VR
Confidence-inspiring Trail Bike that will Help to Push Your Skills
Another Vitus, this time the extremely popular Sentier, which has balanced trail-oriented geometry for a confident ride. Also, it’s ideal for individuals who are just starting started on the trails. Nevertheless, it’s also capable of hanging on when things go fast and loose.
The 1×11 Shimano Deore groupset and 140mm Marzocchi Bomber Z2 fork are standard on this model.
Although Vitus does have a 27.5 variant that would suit smaller riders or those who ride very narrow terrain, we have picked the 29er. Confidence-inspiring trail bike that will help to push your skills
Specifications
Travel: 140mm
Wheel size: 29
Sizes: M, L, XL
Price: $1,449.99 / £1,199.99
Reasons to Avoid
- Marzocchi Bomber fork
- Versatile geometry
- Discs with just resin
- There are no tiny sizes available.
Trek Roscoe 8 2022
A Trail-focused Hardtail that’s Excellent Value
Trek’s Roscoe hardtails were recently modified to shred even harder over a variety of singletrack conditions. Also, the geometry has been altered from the previous model. It is to incorporate a 65-degree head tube angle, 73-degree seat tube angle, 430mm chainstay, and a longer reach. A rear thru-axle is also in the new Roscoe. This reinforces the back end and provides wheel compatibility for future upgrades.
In addition, this 29er is propelled down the trail by a 140mm RockShox 35 Gold RL fork, with SRAM transmission and Shimano braking components in the cockpit. The new geometry and spec changes for 2022 make the Roscoe more trail-ready than the previous generation. In addition, they are mainly focused on XC riding. The Roscoe 8 is a mid-level model that has a dropper post.
The Roscoe 7 is for budget riders, while the Roscoe 9 is for those who want finer components.
Specifications
Travel: 140mm
Wheel size: 29 (XS has 27.5)
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XL
Price: $2,299.99 / £1,950.00
Reasons to Buy
- Includes a dropper post +Geometry ensures reliable handling
Reasons to Stay Away
- Bontrager components are less expensive, but they aren’t the most premium or unique.
Part 4: Conclusion
In sum, setting up a good mountain bike for beginners is usually hard for most people. However, after reading this guide you should know the perfect bike that suits you as a beginner.
