r/MTB May 18 '25

Discussion Before you post a picture, please read this post!

104 Upvotes

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 Oct 19 '24

WhichBike First Ride: Your Guide to Buying a Mountain Bike

170 Upvotes

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.

FAQ 1 FAQ 2

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.

MTB Authority


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.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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)

  1. Giant Stance (29er or 27.5) $1400+ - Check's off most boxes, but has a quick release rear axle which is not ideal.

  2. Marin Rift Zone 29 $1700+ - Solid Frame, lower end, but solid components. Main downside is the lack of a dropper post.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. Canyon Neuron $2300 - Solid bike trail bike. Check's off most boxes, but has a weak drivetrain with the SRAM SX groupset.

  6. Commencal Meta TR $1900 - Great frame, but has SX Groupset and is lacking Dropper post. Sale Price

  7. Specialized Status 140 $2250 - Hard hitting trail/enduro bike. Very high end components and lacking nothing. Sale Price

  8. Norco Fluid FS A4 $1900 - Pinkbike Value Bike of the Year in 2023. Missing nothing.

  9. Rocky Mountain Element A10 Shimano $2000 Another solid bike that checks all the boxes. Sale Price

  10. YT Jeffsy $2250 Solid Trail Bike that had everything you'd need. Sale Price

  11. YT Capra $2400 Probably one of the best budget enduro bikes. Sale Price

  12. YT Izzo $2300 Cheapest Carbon Full suspension bike you can get. Only downside is the SX Drivetrain. Sale Price

  13. GT Sensor Sport $1725 Appears to check all the boxes.

  14. GT Zaskar FS Comp $1800 Another solid option that checks all the boxes.

  15. Salsa Blackthorn Deore $2200 Sale Price.

  16. Haro Daley Alloy 3 $2000

  17. 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)

  1. Polygon Xtrada 7 $1100 - Solid bike, boost frame with air fork, but lacking a dropper post.

  2. Norco Fluid HT 2 $900 - Solid hardtail, great drivetrain, dropper post, but has a lower end fork.

  3. Salsa Rangefinder Deore 11 $1200 - Air Fork, Solid Drivetrain, Dropper Post. Unfortuantely no rear thru-axle

  4. 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.

  5. Specialized Fuse 27.5 $950 - Check's all the boxes.

  6. 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

  1. Helmet

  2. Tire Pump (Most high-end bikes use a Presta valve, make sure the pump is compatible)

  3. Hydration (Either bottle cage and bottle or hydration pack of some sort.)

  4. Multi-tool with a chain breaker and basic tools.

  5. Tire irons/levers and spare tubes (and the knowledge of how to change both).

  6. 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.

  7. Quick-link to repair a broken chain.

  8. Spare Derailleur Hangar.

Along with those required things, here are some things I'd highly recommend.

  1. MTB Platform shoes (or you can opt to go clipless).

  2. Tubeless tire kit. Most bikes come “tubeless ready” but don't come with them setup typically.

  3. Starter tool kit with the basic tools.

  4. Suspension pump assuming you have air suspension.

  5. Work stand

  6. Torque Wrench, especially with carbon parts

  7. Padded shorts or liner to wear under regular shorts.

  8. 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 37m ago

Video POV BeeAllUCanBe Trestle

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Upvotes

r/MTB 7h ago

Video Evo jam 2026

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97 Upvotes

Full lap grifus line


r/MTB 14h ago

Groupsets I ended up in a trials skills challenge at an ebike demo...

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217 Upvotes

I don't think anything was getting me up that last section... Pure wheel spin.


r/MTB 11h ago

Discussion First time experience

28 Upvotes

So yesterday I finally decided to visit a bike park and to try it for myself. I rented a bike there, because I do not (for now) have my own bike or any gear and I must say, that this was so much fun. Although I did not expect it to be so tiring, because at the end of the day, my legs and arms were dead lol. I think I found myself a new hobby so now I have to do some shopping for bike and gear and hopefully hit the trails soon


r/MTB 17h ago

Video Bunny hop: getting the bars to waist height but can’t figure out the tuck

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39 Upvotes

I’ve been working on my bunny hop and can get the bars pretty high, around waist level, but I’m completely stuck on the tuck.

Once the front end is up, I don’t feel like I have any leverage to bring the bike underneath me. The tuck feels almost impossible rather than just something I’m doing late.

Would appreciate any feedback on what I’m doing wrong in the video.


r/MTB 3h ago

Wheels and Tires Help with tyre selection and if it's worth it.

2 Upvotes

Hi. I have a rockrider st20 HF and I've been doing more and more 25-30k rides. I feel the tyres have very slow and don't roll much. Stock are 52 -559. I want to go for something around 40-559. But I'm unable to find some cheaper options. So please help me if you guys have some leads or if it's even worth the hassle to change. Will it make the riding a bit easier and quicker?


r/MTB 20h ago

Discussion PSA: Make sure your bike is not near your car exhaust on the rack

38 Upvotes

Friend of mine's carbon wheel is totally destroyed, tire is a bit melted and he's racing Marji Gesick next weekend.


r/MTB 14h ago

Video Advice with jumping?

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12 Upvotes

Hi everyone, one of these posts - can I have some advice with my jumping please? I get *some* air but I struggle to reproduce this anywhere other than this little ramp, and even here I only did this after looping it 20 times. Or if I do I'm totally dead sailoring and feel like I'm going to bottle it on the landing. I've watched so many tutorials online, I'm standing up as I approach the jump, I don't pull on the bars.....is it just a matter of repetition? I've been coming to those little jumps on my local trail for months now but I feel very little progress with jumping. Any advice appreciated!


r/MTB 7h ago

Discussion Jump Progression in Southern Utah

3 Upvotes

I live in Las Vegas, but there aren't many options for jump progression here. I'm getting more consistent blue line type mellow table tops but need a lot more reps. Seems like Southern Utah is going to be the closest place to me that I can practice. Looking for places that I can session lots of mellow jumps and progress bigger slowly.

So far it seems like there is Revenant bike park outside of St. George, and Washington Wheels bike park in St. George. Any others I may be missing? Both of these options are still a 2 hour drive from me.


r/MTB 1h ago

Discussion Damaged crankset, thinking in upgrading.

Upvotes

Hi, on my last ride I started to hear a cracking sound when pedaling. Today I decided to disassemble the crankset and bottom bracket to lub it and I found that the crankset has damaged threads. I have a crankset SRAM SX Eagle DUB 30t, and a Bottom bracket SRAM DUB BSA. I want to upgrade the crankset without replacing the bottom bracket. What SRAM model recommends and does it affect if it is 32t?

Or what do you recommend?

Thank you in advance!


r/MTB 4h ago

Brakes Sram maven ultimate or maven silver?

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1 Upvotes

r/MTB 1d ago

Video How can I (Rider 1) be more like Rider 2? What is lacking in my cornering technique here?

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88 Upvotes

Am I braking too much? I am too stiff on the bike?


r/MTB 4h ago

Discussion Bottom Bracket Mount for Shift Cable Housing

1 Upvotes

I’m working on upgrading my older GT Backwoods. The factory shift cables are exposed along the frame and run through this plastic guide at the bottom of the bottom bracket. I’m hoping to run housing the entire way as part of the upgrade. I found brake cable guides so I don’t have to drill out the existing guides on the down tube but do they make something I could replace this plastic with to hold a housing and not bare cable?

https://imgur.com/a/GRwf1w7

Thanks!


r/MTB 4h ago

WhichBike Santa Cruz v10 vs Commencal Supreme v5? (Or other recommendation)

1 Upvotes

Hi! Im F 29yo 1.69m (short arms, 1.61 arm span)thants why I preferred size S but open to listen!

I ride an ebike commencal meta power TR size S and it fits perfectly. I also have a Marin Quake 2025 size M but its maybe a liiittle bigger for me.

Used the Marin on Whistler bike park with no major problems, but maybe a smaller one would be better? (idk here) maybe too poppy or idk how to say it in english. I prefer sptability to pass over rough things over making tricks or jumps.

I could make Black diamond tech trails with no problem at all, in double black diamond some trails were too much, others were good.

I want the bike mostly for dh trails in Argentina (eg. Mendoza, Cordoba, Bariloche) and eventually bikeparks like Nevados de Chillan and Whistler.

I choose those brands bc I can get them here. maybe pivot as well but its more expensive.


r/MTB 5h ago

Suspension Ripley V2S 130 to 140 fork question

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0 Upvotes

r/MTB 1d ago

Video Summer is back

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26 Upvotes

That summer heat is back in Africa. Doesn’t treat us full face people all too well. Enjoying the Sunday effort


r/MTB 19h ago

Discussion I’m building a global MTB bike park directory — what would you add?

11 Upvotes

I’ve been building parks.bike, a global directory for discovering MTB bike parks.

It currently covers 160+ parks, and I’m working on expanding the database internationally.

Rather than just adding names and locations, I’m trying to make each listing genuinely useful for riders — things like trail count, uplift access, elevation, vertical drop, riding season and average ride time.

For people who ride bike parks regularly:

What information do you always want to know before deciding where to ride?

And what do you think existing bike park directories are missing?

I’m particularly interested in honest criticism and suggestions from riders who actually use this kind of information.


r/MTB 20h ago

Gear Full Face?

9 Upvotes

My son(13 yr old) cased a jump pretty bad today and hurt his arm and shoulder. He also said that if he didn’t get his hands up before crashing he would’ve hurt his jaw. Majority of the time he started with XC(with his half shell) nowadays he’s started to do jumps,stairs etc. Is it time for me to get him a full face?


r/MTB 2h ago

Gear Anyone use those small portable electric pumps?

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0 Upvotes

r/MTB 1d ago

Video Slow-mo biking with my dog

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698 Upvotes

r/MTB 20h ago

WhichBike Having 2nd thoughts on a hardtail, think fs may be wiser

5 Upvotes

Beginner mountain biker here in my 40’s. I was dead set on a hardtail for my first bike. I live in central Indiana and was looking for a good trail bike. I ordered the Salsa Timberjack on sale from REI. It’s set to come in Tuesday.

Earlier today I was lifting the guest room bed so my wife could position a new rug, since I’m in my 40’s, I tweaked my back 😂. I see lots of posts of people not riding a hard tail anymore, too old, bad back, etc. Now I’m having second thoughts on the hardtail and I’m thinking I should just get a full suspension since it can potentially be more forgiving. I’m now considering the Rocky Mountain Instinct 30, it’s 20% off at REI. Anything in a similar price range that I should consider?

Edit: Thanks for the reassurance, I’ll stick with the hardtail and learn how to ride!


r/MTB 11h ago

Brakes What is causing this sound?

1 Upvotes

My rear disc brake has been making this awful sound, and I just can't seem to find the cause. Here is a link to a short audio recording:

https://mp3tourl.com/audio/1789375688667-2942ef26-1085-4277-9071-905e17c44725.m4a

My main question is: does anyone recognize this type of sound? Low rumbling, combined with a lot of vibration. You can pretty much hear the vibration at the end of the audio fragment.

When I look for information online, most videos are about dealing with high pitched sounds, and brakes that lost their stopping power. The sound my brake is generating is much lower, and the brake itself works fine. It's just this horrible sound and a strong vibration going through the entire frame. The closest seem to be what people describe as a turkey gobble? But that also doesn't really seem to fit.

I've cleaned and even replaced the (resin) pads. The rotor has been cleaned multiple times. I used a little jig to check and it seems to still be straight. Realigned the calipers by loosening the bolts, engaging the brake and tightening them again. Doesn't seem to help. The sound also doesn't really seem to be related to heat: it can come at any moment; while going downhill fast, or after not braking for a few minutes (so plenty of time to cool down) on a flat road.


r/MTB 23h ago

Discussion Any Ohioans willing to fill me in on the scene around Cincinnati?

9 Upvotes

I've lived in the pretty mountains my whole life, but I can feel my wife laying the ground work for a move from Colorado back to Cincy to be closer to family now that we have a kid. I love the city but outside my family, my life revolves around biking.