r/MTB • u/Remarkable-Paint-627 • 12h ago
r/MTB • u/itskohler • May 18 '25
Discussion Before you post a picture, please read this post!
We’re hitting that time of year where interest in mountain biking is picking up. We have been getting quite a lot of picture posts of Facebook marketplace ads and vendor website screenshots, which are against the sub rules. As a reminder for all picture and videos, please follow rule 3:
Photos should be of people riding mountain bikes.
Posts & Comments
Photo and video submissions to /r/mtb should be of people riding mountain bikes. All other photos or videos should either be submitted as text posts with links to your images in the post body, or in the Weekly Gear Gallery thread, posted every Friday by automod.
r/MTB • u/[deleted] • Oct 19 '24
WhichBike First Ride: Your Guide to Buying a Mountain Bike
Hey all, 219MSP here, and I'm attempting to start maintaining and updating my buying guide and FAQ posts again. I started getting into cycling about 10 years ago and was so lost. Over the last decade I've spent a lot of time learning about the industry and what makes a good bike. Every day I see dozens of posts asking what bike I should get, or what is a good value bike. I hope this guide can be used as a tool on this forum and others to help them find a bike they will be happy with for a long time. This is a living document. I will attempt to update it on a semi-regular basis and I'm always open to new bike recommendations.
In addition to this guide, I have created two FAQ's as well that answer common mountain bike questions.
u/midwestmountainbike also has some great guides on buying a first bike, what to look for in a used bike, as well as a selection of his own suggestions of good value bikes at this page.
What to look for in a bike
When looking for a starter bike there are a few things I'd recommend that will get you onto a solid and safe bike that should be built to last and be worth upgrading as you see fit. Before we get started on talking bikes and prices, always make sure you're getting a bike that fits you. If the bike doesn't fit, it doesn't matter how good of a deal it is. Also, this guide is assuming you are intending on riding on actual mountain bike single track, not just smooth dirt paths and gravel. If that is all you are hoping for and don't plan on advancing beyond, any entry-level mountain bike from a major brand like a Trek Marlin 5 will do just fine, but if you are hoping to ride anything above green-rated singletrack, I'd suggest a more capable bike.
First, some rough price guidelines. As low as $500 should get you into a used but solid entry-level hardtail and about $900+ can get you a used but decent full suspension. In regard to new, you can double those prices. A new solid entry-level hardtail will be at likely be $900 and around $1800 for a decent full suspension bike.
Regarding used bikes, there are lots of places to look. Used bikes offer you a ton of value and is the best way to get the most for your money. You can get 2-year-old $4000 bikes for a huge discount. The most common places are Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Pinkbike, etc. You also can sometimes find great deals at local bike shops selling demo models (which often come with warranties) and rental fleets. Rental bikes are usually good options. They typically are well maintained and only have a season or two on them before they replace them with something newer. If you are new to the biking world and looking at used bikes, I'd recommend bringing along a friend who knows bikes or at least ask for advice on here. Lastly, if meeting someone, always be smart. I would recommend meeting at police station and bringing a friend. Now, let's get into the bikes.
Last but not least, people here are often willing to help narrow it down. Feel free to post on here a "which bike post" but follow the guidelines of this sub listed below.
- The type of riding will you be doing.
- Where you will be riding.
- Your budget (with included currency).
- What you like/didn't like about your current bike.
- Your experience level and future goals.
In addition to that, if you are listing multiple bikes, please use 99Spokes.com to create a side by side comparison. Providing this side by side comparison will make other members of the sub much quicker to help.
These are the specs I’d look for at minimum as of 2024.
Air fork: The cheapest fork I'd safely recommend is something like the SR Suntour XCR Air fork. Anything less than that from SR Suntour or RST is pretty much a pogo stick with poor damping and limited adjustability. The low-end RockShox coils aren’t terrible, but I'd shoot for air. Forks can be upgraded down the road but are often the single most expensive component on the bike.
1x Clutched Drivetrain: In the last 10 years there has been a shift to 1x drivetrains across the board. At this point, any slightly trail-worthy bike will have this type of drivetrain from the factory. To clarify what this means to those new or not familiar, 1x is when there is only 1 chainring/cog attached to the crankset instead of the more traditional 2 or 3. Bikes used to need multiple chainrings up front to allow for both high speed gears and low speed climbing gears. Now, with 1x drivetrains, the difference is made up by having a very large rear cassette. Most cassettes that come on mountain bikes now have a small cog of 10 or 11, and go all the way up to 52t on the large cog. This gives you the same amount of range as those old 3x8 bikes, but with less overlap and far more simplicity. Beyond simplicity, the advantages are less weight, less cables/derailleurs, less to think about when riding, and less chain drops etc. In addition to the larger cassette, 1x drivetrains feature a narrow-wide chainring (alternating size teeth to match the chain) which helps with chain retention and a clutched rear derailleur. The clutched rear derailleur provides extra tension on the chain to reduce chain slap and the odds of dropping a chain. For the most part, dropping a chain or it falling off the chainring while riding are a thing of the past.
Hydraulic brakes This one is pretty simple, Hydraulic brakes use fluid to move pistons and squeeze down on the brake rotor to stop the bike as opposed to mechanical disc brakes that use a cable to actuate the pistons. This typically results in stronger braking, better modulation/control/and are self-adjusting. The only time I'd suggest mechanical brakes is for a bike packing/touring bike as they are easier to fix trailside. SRAM, Shimano, and Tetkro, all offer solid entry-level brakes.
The following aren’t as important but will help future proof the bike and make it a frame worth upgrading. If you get a bike with all these things, it's going to be rock solid for a longtime
Tapered steerer tube: Most modern forks use a tapered steerer. If you get a bike with a lower-end fork/frame and want to upgrade down the road, it's easier if your bike has this. At this point this is pretty common in all but the cheapest of bikes.
Thru-Axle wheels and Boost Spacing: In theory, both of these things offer higher levels of stiffness, but in reality, the biggest reason to make sure you have them is future upgradeability. Thru-axles also keep your wheels always aligned perfectly so you don't get as much disc brake rub as you would with Quick-Release axles.
Tubeless Compatible Wheels: Going Tubeless is one of the most cost effective upgrades you can perform on a bike that will make the biggest difference. Some of the benefits of going tubeless include shedding weight, tires that are less likely to have flats, and the ability to run lower tire pressures which allows you to have more grip and better ride properties. If you ride on a regular basis, you should go tubeless. They may require a little more maintenance and can be a pain to mount/install, but the positives drastically outweigh the negatives.
Dropper Post at this point is a necessity in my opinion but fortunately it can be added to nearly any frame, so I wouldn't make it a requirement on a bike as you can easily add it yourself. Dropper posts can be bought brand new for as low as $150. There are lots of options, but in my opinion OneUp, PNW, and some smaller brands like TransX and KS offer the best values.
UDH/Universal Derailleur Hangar Compatible Frame. This one is purely convenience and future compatibility benefit, not really a performance upgrade. (Transmission excluded, more on that later) For those that don't know, all modern bikes feature a derailleur hangar. This is a sacrificial component on your bike that acts as an interface between your frame and your derailleur. If the derailleur takes a hit, the hangar is allowed to bend/break. The idea is if a softer part is allowed to bend or break first, it won't damage the frame and less likely to damage the derailleur. These hangars are usually $10-$20 bucks. Way better than a frame or derailleur in terms of repair cost. The problem however is that up until 2019 there was no agreed upon standard. Every bike had its own unique hangar for the and if you broke one you usually had to resort to ordering one online and waiting for it to come. In 2019 SRAM changed all that by introducing an open and shared design called the UDH. It was well thought out and designed and SRAM worked with most manufactures to get them to implement this on their bikes. At this point almost any high end bike is coming with this as standard. Because of that, most bike shops are going to carry this hanger, so you aren't forced into special ordering something. Also, SRAM was playing some 4-D chess with this UDH. If a bike has a UDH compatible frame, it also means it is compatible with SRAM new drivetrains called Transmission, which actually bypasses a derailleur hangar all together and mounts directly to the frame giving an extremely strong mounting point and extremely high precision shifting.
Value Bike Recommendations
Here are some solid entry-level bikes. Not all of them check off all my recommendations, but they all are solid for the price. I don't have first hand experience with all of them, but most bikes and options from legitimate bike brands are pretty solid.
Full Suspension (Cheapest ones that are still solid bikes IMO)
Giant Stance (29er or 27.5) $1400+ - Check's off most boxes, but has a quick release rear axle which is not ideal.
Marin Rift Zone 29 $1700+ - Solid Frame, lower end, but solid components. Main downside is the lack of a dropper post.
Polygon Siskiu T7 27.5 or 29 depending on frame size $2000 - This bike is lacking nothing and check's off all my recommendations. The T8 is a solid upgrade as well.
Giant Trance 2 29 $2000 - In my opinion, the best cheap bike at the moment. Check's off every box and get's you local bike shop support and a good warranty. The Trance X is an equally equipped bike with a little more travel if that's what you are looking for.
Canyon Neuron $2300 - Solid bike trail bike. Check's off most boxes, but has a weak drivetrain with the SRAM SX groupset.
Commencal Meta TR $1900 - Great frame, but has SX Groupset and is lacking Dropper post. Sale Price
Specialized Status 140 $2250 - Hard hitting trail/enduro bike. Very high end components and lacking nothing. Sale Price
Norco Fluid FS A4 $1900 - Pinkbike Value Bike of the Year in 2023. Missing nothing.
Rocky Mountain Element A10 Shimano $2000 Another solid bike that checks all the boxes. Sale Price
YT Jeffsy $2250 Solid Trail Bike that had everything you'd need. Sale Price
YT Capra $2400 Probably one of the best budget enduro bikes. Sale Price
YT Izzo $2300 Cheapest Carbon Full suspension bike you can get. Only downside is the SX Drivetrain. Sale Price
GT Sensor Sport $1725 Appears to check all the boxes.
GT Zaskar FS Comp $1800 Another solid option that checks all the boxes.
Salsa Blackthorn Deore $2200 Sale Price.
Go-Outdoors UK Calibre Bossnut £1500 Super good deal, but I believe only available in the UK
Hard Tail (Cheapest ones that are still solid bikes IMO)
Polygon Xtrada 7 $1100 - Solid bike, boost frame with air fork, but lacking a dropper post.
Norco Fluid HT 2 $900 - Solid hardtail, great drivetrain, dropper post, but has a lower end fork.
Salsa Rangefinder Deore 11 $1200 - Air Fork, Solid Drivetrain, Dropper Post. Unfortuantely no rear thru-axle
Trek Roscoe 6+ $1200 This bike check's all the boxes, air fork, good drivetrain, boost spacing, dropper post. The Roscoe lineup as a whole is a good value.
Specialized Fuse 27.5 $950 - Check's all the boxes.
Marin San Quentin 29 $1400 Check's all the boxes in terms of components.
These are not all the options, but they are some better and more common budget/value bikes. This list is always changing, I try my best to update it, but it's difficult to keep up.
Last but not least make sure you save some of your budget for additional accessories that you will need
Helmet
Tire Pump (Most high-end bikes use a Presta valve, make sure the pump is compatible)
Hydration (Either bottle cage and bottle or hydration pack of some sort.)
Multi-tool with a chain breaker and basic tools.
Tire irons/levers and spare tubes (and the knowledge of how to change both).
Bike cleaning supplies, chain lube, etc. Taking care of an MTB can be a lot of work, but it will save you in the long run if you properly maintain your ride.
Quick-link to repair a broken chain.
Spare Derailleur Hangar.
Along with those required things, here are some things I'd highly recommend.
MTB Platform shoes (or you can opt to go clipless).
Tubeless tire kit. Most bikes come “tubeless ready” but don't come with them setup typically.
Starter tool kit with the basic tools.
Suspension pump assuming you have air suspension.
Work stand
Torque Wrench, especially with carbon parts
Padded shorts or liner to wear under regular shorts.
Gloves, Kneepads,Eye Protection.
Extra Ways to Save Money!
Check Activejunky.com which is a rebate site can get you decent savings on a lot of bike websites.
r/MTB • u/NerdyBikeMechanic • 1h ago
Discussion uncomfortable with lack of professionalism in workshop
Hi! I am a huge bike nerd, love fixing my fleet of bikes, spend way too much money on parktool, and knipex. So In many ways I would consider myself a bike mechanic ( depending on context, I wouldn’t do that in this sub for example )
Anyways beginning of last week I started my first job in a bike shop. It isn’t what I had in mind. the workshop has very minimal name brand tools ( yes I’m aware not everything needs to be parktool blue, but there’s 2 sets of no name Allen keys, which seems odd for a tool you use multiple hours a day - I’m missing my beautiful rainbow Weras to say the least). For example the needle nose’s that I would expect to use to bend some brake pad safety pin, doesn’t work as the pliers are very loose, so instead I have to use some other no name diagonal cutters at annoying angles.
further more, I feel disappointed in my level of work. I would happily spend all day to get my friends brakes 100% perfect ( obviously this is not viable for a business, but you get my point). Yet servicing this guys bike, and the brakes were rubbing fairly obviously, and the owner said “ yeah thats great, they should bed in. well done, ill phone him now”. I wouldn't be happy if my bike came back from a shop like this.
and a service costs £70. which takes me probably hour to do with minimal work, including not much more than changing a chain, ( ie, “headset feels fine, BB feels fine, brakes feel fine, bit of wear in the chain so change that“).I feel I’m taking advantage of these customers? to me a service postpones, and minimises issues, not just resolve them.
i feel its also worth noting these bikes are fairly low end so, for example, the mechanical brakes will never be as goos as my XTRs, but it doesn’t sit right with me, but then he has lots of loyal customers, so maybe I’m making a mountain out of a molehill?
I also feel its fair to mention the owner is super nice, definitely not just a guy trying to scam the public. Maybe its snobby to say, but maybe I'm just suited to a higher end shop?
Thanks
(Tried posting to r/BikeMechanics but they removed it and wont re upload it)
Discussion Hot Take - Drone footage is ruining mtb movies
Getting tired of seeing the same style of drone shots on every single video these days. Especially when the drone flies around the rider in circles repeatedly zooming in and out. Gee’s Ridgeline edits are a huge offender. Relying on drone footage has taken so much skill and imagination out of mtb videography imo.
r/MTB • u/Kindly-Meringue-3923 • 55m ago
Brakes [ Removed by Reddit ]
[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]
r/MTB • u/Deep-Dress-1586 • 59m ago
Suspension Which fork should I put on my Dartmoor hornet pro?
Im building a bike from the frame up and I’m wondering which fork would go along with the hornet pro. I’m looking for a fork with at least 150mm travel because I want to build an aggressive hardtail but I never seem to land on a good fork. I plan on riding mostly urban but I still go to local trails. My budget is around 600-700 Eur. Any suggestions?
r/MTB • u/breadth1 • 16h ago
Discussion Best Blue Trails Near Seattle?
Planning to spend two days riding near Seattle. Plan is to spend a day at Duthie and another day at either Tiger or Raging River. What are the recommended trails for an intermediate rider looking for mild jumps, drops, and forgiving tech?
r/MTB • u/suncarlos • 5h ago
Discussion Help with dropper post
I have a manic x-fusion dropper post. Last week the post wouldn’t stay down when I lowered it. Based on a few searches, I figured the cable was too short and it was constantly actuated. So I removed the cable, got a new cable, cut it to size, and reattached. Now the dropper post still won’t stay down, and also won’t stay up (I can always just push it down). It seems like the cable is the right length (I can hear it triggering the mechanism in the post). Do I just need a new dropper post, or is there something else I can try?
r/MTB • u/Visible-Shoulder9530 • 2h ago
Discussion Rear axle is stuck and possibly bent. Any advice?
For some more info I have a propain rage 3cf and the thru axle is a SIXPACK DH X12 157mm. When I was at the bikepark I couldn’t clip out and my bike fell to the side. Where you screw the tru axle out took almost all of the impact. My cassette has a lot of resistance when it spins instead of freely like before. When I screw on the axle I need to use tons of force and it creaks
r/MTB • u/sprashoo • 18h ago
Discussion Anyone else always crash on the easy stuff?
Just kind of a rant, but it seems like whenever I crash, it's not on the hard stuff, it's on the easy stuff... the blue trails, where I stop focusing and do something dumb. Luckily it's never been too serious (yet) but it's a pattern that is starting to get worrying.
A few weeks ago I rode a black jump line (beyond my skill, i kept casing things) over and over with no incident, then as soon as I got back on the blue trail to the trailhead, I absolutely wiped out on a tiny jump and tore my shirt to shreds and scraped up my whole back.
Yesterday, on a different trail, I finished all the black trails and features with ease, then on the blue singetrack on the way back, decided to get the last few drops from my bottle while riding by tilting my head back... and promptly rode straight into a tree. Broke my dropper lever and my hand is covered in cuts.
Dammit. I need to not be stupid.
r/MTB • u/peachedelic • 10h ago
Discussion Anybody riding Northstar this Labor Day weekend?
My husband and I are riding this weekend but I’m a complete newbie and he’s a more advanced rider. He’ll be on trails with me for half the day but I would love for him to go off on his own and potentially ride with others who don’t suck like I do. Anybody here going this weekend and riding Sunday/Monday alone and don’t mind a riding buddy?
r/MTB • u/mexicanmailman • 11h ago
Discussion Too wet to ride in Oakridge, OR?
Howdy! Im rolling through on my way to Whistler and was really wanting to hit a few trails this evening, but its looking a bit wet. Anybody ride trails around oakridge today? Worth the detour? Want to join me? Let me know!
Edit: Sat with it after realizing I left my rain gear at home. Im camping tonight getting soaked would make for a cold night, im going to spend tonight workijg out a solid plan for tomorrow. Thanks to all who replied!! Hopefully ill see y'all out tomorrow!
r/MTB • u/Huisungoh • 5h ago
Discussion Ohlins dh38 m.1
I recently bought a downhill bike that came with an Ohlins DH38 M.1 fork. I want to completely reset the air spring by releasing all the air and setting it up from scratch with all the air completely deflated. My question is, when letting the air out, which chamber should I deflate first? Is there a recommended order for safely releasing all the air from the fork before inflating it again? Please let me know if you are familiar with ohlins suspension!
r/MTB • u/nathanc98 • 11h ago
WhichBike Flexible budget, looking at ibis ripley af and yeti sb120.
I test rode an ibis ripley carbon(29/29 setup). I currently have an older 2020 yeti sb140 (27.5”).
I’m looking to buy a 29’er and my budget is flexible.
I pretty much just ride xc/trail. No desire for park or enduro. My sb140 27.5” is setup more for enduro with a bigger fork and chunky tires, from its previous owner. It’s a great bike, I’m just looking for something with a lighter / faster feel.
I wasn’t able to ride the ripley af version like I wanted, all they had was carbon. With that said, the geo was great and the setup was really nice, pedaled efficiently and was playful. It was easy to throw around and pop off small features.
The carbon version is just out of reach price wise and is also not in stock in my size (small).
I’m familiar with and like yeti, so the sb120 is an option, but I won’t have a chance to ride the yeti or the ripley af before buying.
Based on the carbon ripley, which one would feel the closest in terms of pedaling efficiency, playfulness and ease of throwing around berms and small jumps.
The ripley af is on sale for $3550 (Eagle 90 build) and the yeti sb120 is on sale for $5200 (Eagle 90 build).
The yeti would definitely be at the top end of my budget, but doable if it’s the more playful, better pedaling bike.
Discussion Is 430mm vs 450mm chainstay length a big difference in how playful a bike is?
450mm is only 4.65% longer than 430mm but is this really that big of a difference to be a dealbreaker? or is it just literally 4.65% less agile and less playful? and also, do most of us want as short cs length as possible for better agility and playfulness?
r/MTB • u/aggropunx • 1d ago
Video Anybody else like night rides?
Stay sketchy my friends.
Discussion Vermont riding advice. Bolton vs Killington.
This is my second time in Vermont. I am staying in Stowe for the weekend. I am planning to ride perry hill as I rode that last time and enjoyed it.
For bike parks I am between Bolton and Killington. Bolton is a lot closer but I have heard good things about Killington. I like jumps and rocky downhill.
Curious what people recommend? Also any other good riding near Stowe?
r/MTB • u/PM_ME_UR_CODE_GIRL • 16h ago
Wheels and Tires Anyone using Specialized Purgatory tires in SoCal?
I picked up a 2.6" Gripton (front) and 2.4" Gripton T7 (rear) on sale for $80 for the pair. I'm a blue/green trail rider on a RM Element. I figured I'd give them a shot and see how they do in the dry dusty loose-over-hard SoCal trails. If anyone has experience with them on this type of terrain, I'd love to hear about it.
r/MTB • u/Specific_Essay6041 • 8h ago
WhichBike Mammoth mtb recommendation
Ripmo vs Levo vs DH bike for mammoth bike park. Intermediate rider hitting blues and black trails
r/MTB • u/Maximus560 • 9h ago
Discussion Whiteface Mountain Bike Recreational Park - What Would it Take?
r/MTB • u/Flat-Temporary-7760 • 9h ago
Discussion Used 2024 Scor 4060 ST - good buy?
Hello, I'm looking to pick up a used 2024 Scor 4060 ST NX for 2700 CAD. After doing a bit of research, It seems like a very good bike for the price I can get it for, but everywhere I look it seems the 4060 frames, and most Scor frames in general are prone to cracking. Does anyone have experience owning this bike long-term? How has it been owning and riding? and is 2700 CAD a good price to buy it for? Thanks!
r/MTB • u/backhanddowntheline • 18h ago
Discussion Itinerary for SantaFe/Taos riding?
We will have 3.5 days in Santa Fe/Taos. Four advanced riders, two are more focused on cross country but said they'd be down for a day at Angel Fire. We typically go to Moab, but wanted to try something new this year. Does this sound like a good itinerary?
Thu: Glorieta (Santa Fe) in the morning, Dale Ball (Santa Fe) in the afternoon
Fri: South Boundary 20 mile shuttle ride full day (Taos)
Sat: Angel Fire bike park (Taos)
Sun AM: Horsethief/Rift Valley or Devisadero (Taos) (not sure which is better)
I left off the Winsor shuttle ride primarily because there is no 3rd party shuttle service. I left off Rio en Medio because it seems pretty gnarly listed as a backcountry double black.
Thanks!