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im looking at entry level full suspension bikes
the two I’ve been eyeballing are the Motobecane Full Suspension
Fantom DS SPORT from bikesdirect,and the diamond back atros 1.are either of them any account? Or should I just get a hard tail,and save my money up? I’m going to be riding mostly single track and maybe a little rougher,and the idea of the rear shock sounds pretty good
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I think this is a keep saving situation. If your budget is truly $700; I’d look at a hardtail. If it were me today; I’d buy a Vitus Nucleus. If you could stretch a little more the Norco HT3 has a dropped for $950.
If you need full suspension; I would not look at anything less than a Marin B17, Hawk Hill or Rift Zone. They are all essentially the same but with different wheel sizes.
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Shoot for a hard tail. Plenty of good ones out there under $1000. You could get this one and stick a fork and dropper on it and still come in under a grand. The Marin Pine Mountain is a total sleeper and an absolute ripper that you could likely never out ride.
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You are tempting me. In my cart it is 1,020 shipped. Bike, manitou mattoc fork and brand-x dropper (external router and 27.2).
Probably a better idea than putting more money into my current ride.
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Sub $1K full suspension bikes make a ton of compromises. Most likely you will want to upgrade soon and would have been better off getting a better package deal rather than chipping away at upgrades as you try to polish a turd. Previous posters recommendations sound good.
That said, I’m probably gonna buy a $350 rigid single speed from bikes direct to be an annual vacation bike to store with family across the country. Bikesdirect bicycles definitely have their place (read many mtbr threads for perspectives on this) but if you’re new to the sport buying in to the support of a local bike shop is a very good idea.
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My advice depends on your experience level. If you’re just starting out in the sport and not sure how much you’ll get into it yet, I’d push you towards a quality hardtail and possibly plus (2.8″) tires. Trek Roscoe and Specialized Fuse have a real good set of components (including 1x drivetrain and dropper post). There’s a good chance you’ll go one of two routes: 1) off-road won’t really stick for you and you’ll regret spending too much money up front; or hopefully 2) like many of us, you’ll get into it so much that 2-3 years down the road you’ll be looking for a serious upgrade and you’ll have a better idea what you want.
Now with that said, if you’re still thinking full squish, I agree its pretty tough below $1,500 and even sub $2K is tough to find recommended options like 1x drivetrain and dropper. But again, if you really start to get into riding, there’s still a good chance you’ll be looking for serious upgrade in 2-3 years and now you’ve got an entry bike collecting dust. But if you go with a hardtail now, chances are you’d use that more even after buying a more serious full squish later on down the road.
Strongly recommend you demo or rent a few before diving in. Good luck!
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The Diamondback Atroz 3 has a really great spec for a full-suspension bike, especially priced at $1400. Only real compromise is that it’s a single-pivot design, which means there will be some pedal bob on the climbs. This is the reason it’s so affordable.
The Atroz 2 makes a lot of parts compromises, and is probably not such a great value for $900. A good hardtail like the Trek Roscoe line would serve you better.
I wouldn’t buy a full-suspension bike from BikesDirect. Look at used bikes on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace for a great deal.
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