Mountain Bike recommendation

[Crowmangler]

I'd like to get more into mountain biking & looking for recommendations on a good mid level sub $1,000 bike.
I know there's hundreds of options but I'm just looking for good quality & simple features.
Probably use once / week on local mid level trails, nothing crazy.
Open to getting a used one also.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Whaledriver]

I just purchased a Trek Roscoe 7 hardtail. Really nice bike for around 1200. Biggest issue will be finding one in stock.

 

[kickemall]

Marin Bolinas Ridge 1 or 2 is one that comes to mind. Just a little over half your budget and will do everything and more than you described. Right now some bikes are a little hard to find though.

 

[alaskanparret]

Buy used. Bikes can be found all over for good deals. I’m no expert at biking, hectic I haven’t even gone this summer.

However! I bought a 2014 trek fuel ex8 in 2014 for $900..in 2014 it was top of the line nice nice bike. To me in 2018...it was still crazy good and better than I can usually push it. But instead of paying $3200 for a brand new bike, I bought a bike that is still far better than any of the bikes I’d owned for far far less than new.

Food for thought.


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[ramsdude47]

Yep most definitely go used. MTBs don’t hold their value like some of the high dollar items you see on these forums, so consequently you will find used options that originally cost $2,500-$3,500 at the $1,000 price point.

Unless you are certain you need full suspension, I would recommend looking at a 27.5+ AM hardtail with ~130-140mm travel.

Edit to add: quick search revealed this nice 2015 $3,250 MSRP bike: https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2671195/

 

[Lawnboi]

Where are you located? What type of riding?

Unfortunately with a 1k budget your looking at a hard tail. Also unfortunate, 1k doesn’t get you a mid level bike, more along the lines of entry level.

With that in mind if you know what your looking for used is possible. Or just go get the highest end in your budget, trail (not race) oriented hard tail from your local shop and ride it.

 

[toadmeister]

You may want to consider a fat tire bike. The extra flotation from those tires is a big bonus.

I got myself a Motobecane Sturgis NX from Bikesdirect.com. good value. I do a lot of winter riding in it.

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[Titan_Bow]

Salsa Timberjack is a good choice as well. I picked one up several years ago and I love it. I use it a bit for hunting and the 1x11 gear setup is sooo quiet, it’s perfect for sneaking far back into that whitetail spot, are cruising logging roads for. Spring bear!


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[def90]

As a mountain biker myself I would recommend that you go to a couple of local shops and get fitted and test ride a few models. If you find that you like one shop more than another then rent/demo a couple of them that you like, the demo fees usually get applied to any purchase you make down the road. In the end if you have 5 guys ride 5 different bikes they will likely all have different ideas of what they liked/didn’t like. $1000 isn’t going to get you much so test riding/demoing is going to be crucial, if you buy a shitty bike off the floor that you aren’t comfortable on you won’t ride it.

 

[ZDR]

used for sure...look for a solid brand like Ibis, Yeti, Salsa, Santa Cruz, Cannondale, Niner etc...
The Pros closet is a great place as well as the pinkbike site above. definitely a hardtail as you get way more value for the $$$ typically.

 

[ZDR]

as Titan_bow mentioned above, the Salsa Timberjack is an excellent choice.
WIth any bike, getting the right fit is critical to a good ride so make sure you know what size you need. Lots of great you tube vids to help there.

Salsa Timberjack NX1 27+ Mountain Bike - 2018, Small

Salsa Timberjack NX1 27+ Mountain Bike - 2018, Small

www.theproscloset.com

 

[slick]

Not sure if someone’s mentioned it, but if you have a place that rents them in semi close proximity, go check out their stable. Typically they offload last years bikes at a half ways decent price.


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[Austink47]

If possible find a local independent shop where they treat you right. Get fitted. A good shop will bend over backwards to get you into your first bike. Most independent shops will sell used bikes, especially for people upgrading. As far as make and model they pretty much all use the same components and every reputable brand makes a good frame.

 

[JohnnyDesert]

My vote would be for a 29” hard tail. Look for air forks instead of spring forks so you can easily tune them for you’re weight, also look for a quality drivetrain group. Nice components make the bike so much more enjoyable to ride.


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[ramsdude47]

One of the primary reasons my 1st recommendation to these types of ?’s is a 27.5+ hardtail is you can run a 29er wheelset as well, and almost have 2 bikes in 1.

Many 29ers (especially newer ones) can accommodate 27.5+ wheelsets, but for the most part a 29er hardtail will come with a 100-120mm fork whereas an AM 27.5+ will be 130-140mm.

 

[qwerksc]

Buy used, you will get a lot of bike.

 

[brsnow]

You really need to look used, some great deals out there. If you are going to ride regularly a 1000 bike won’t last.

 

[Rodéo]

I'm in the same position as OP and found a used Marin FRS full suspension that looks to be about a decade old. Guy wants $495 for it.

Good deal for a first "real" bike?

 

[ramsdude47]

Too many variables (starting with not an exact model year) to say for certain - but if it is in fairly good condition then it is at least a decent deal.

Definitely a good deal if any of the components (beyond tires/chain) have been replaced in the past ~3 years.

When I was in this position 3 years ago I set $1500 as my upper limit and found a 4 year old Stumpjumper with lots of upgraded parts for $1,350. If you stretch that budget (OP) even just a little higher you may find some pretty significant improvements. At the $500 price point it’s going to be hard to find anything better than “maybe” a good bike/deal.

 

[Marlin1938]

do your homework tons of bikes out there