Twenty five hundred dollars is a lot of money but let’s face it, that amount of cash doesn’t go as far as we would like, especially when it comes to buying a new mountain bike. Full suspension is really nice to have, but at this price point tradeoffs and compromises will need to be made when it comes to factors like component quality, features, weight, and durability.
A used FS bike.
We’ve been seeing a lot of overpriced 5-year-old bikes on the market lately…
True!
I recently purchased a used aluminum 2018 Jet 9, informed by your review. It’s got fox shocks front and rear and is only 2lb heavier than the carbon model. I really love it, even though it’s noticeably heavier than my hardtail I can ride for longer without lower back pain and fatigue, which I can’t seem to get rid of despite many hours of strength training.
I have purchased both a $2500 hardtail for myself and a $2500 full suspension for my wife. The Polygon Siskiu T8 hits this price point and really isn’t too compromised, other than lack of local dealer support.
Fat bike. Can get a nice rigid fat bike, with potentially carbon frame or decent components, for $2500. If you already had an MTB this is the route I’d go (and went). Depends a lot on where you live, but if there is snow and groomed singletrack around you fat biking is an awesome way to extend the season, and some like their fatties on dirt too (me not so much). But it can really go anywhere so is a good spare/buddy bike too and opens up winter/sand/adventure and other things you may not have had access to otherwise. We get around months of groomed biking where I ride though, so likely a bit biased…
Save an extra $500+ and buy a Specialized Status complete or build a hardtail frame up from scratch. Potentially build said aforementioned Status frame from scratch. One can get almost anything they want yet save a a great deal of money if they are patient, flexible and a smart shopper.
Gravel Bike
Right there with you and then some. I would go with a State Bicycle Offroad Steel Gravel Bike and I would spring for the second set of wheels. Then I would have 700c and 650b options.
Then I would replace the parts that I cheaped out on my last build. Have already replaced the grips, pedals, brake levers, cables and housings. I would also get a new saddle and clutch derailleur (ordered wrong part first time).
I would also get new wheels for my other bike and have the suspension serviced.
Finally, I would buy some accessories for my bike. Internal tool storage.
How about $2,500 in component upgrades to my current bike?
That’s what I’m doing. Little by little I’m replacing all the stick components on my Axum.
If I had an extra $2500 right now I would definitely buy a fat bike. I guess that’s technically a hardtail!
$2500 hum will not get you to much of a FS so HT it is to include a HT rides faster, less maintenance, better climber so there. I have owned FS (Santa Cruz and Scott) as you just read owned I no longer have interest on FS once you master riding your pedals mainly on technical trails IMO it is much more responsive and much more fun on a HT… Have a Great Ride U All.
I bought a new HT frame fork and wheels then used parts I already had for my latest build. Think came in somewhere just over 2k
You can buy a good FS bike with a Rockshox fork and Shimano Deore or SRAM NX drivetrain for this price. Bike manufacturers will raise the price by 1k to go from Deore to SLX or from an SX to GX. Or, you can simply upgrade the derailleur for $100 to $135 + bike shop fees and still save $800….
I would get a Breezer thunder full rigid and spend the rest on accessories, or a Marin team 2
I prefer a full rigid
Fully rigid, $2,500 should almost buy a titanium fork and frame!
Or really upgrade an Axum. With that 2500.00 I could really upgrade my 1x drivetrain!
$2500 is barely frame money anymore it seems, but I bet I could find a titanium HT frame for that and build it out for fun!
Personally, I can’t really see myself ever buying a finished bike to begin with. I like building them as much if not maybe a little more than riding them. I could easily build a bike worth $4000 with that $2500 buying used parts and frame set, restoring them by hand and tailoring the bike to exactly what I want it to be. Im a fan of hard tails personally, nothing against FS I just like feel like a hard tail let’s you feel the ride more, it’s easier for me to feel like the bike is an extension of me rather than something I’m riding if that makes any sense. Last – dollar for dollar, if you don’t have to spend any of that $2500 on rear suspension and the increased frame cost that goes with it, that money saved can be then be used for things like upgrading your front suspension and/or switching over to carbon fibre on things like seat post, stem and bars.
Just my two cents
Fat bike
The better “groomed” the trails are, and/or the shorter my ride time, the more likely I’d pick the HT. Otherwise, the FS just offers better capability that will have me spending more time in raw chunky stuff. 2500 is borderline just enough to get a truly trail-worthy FS these days. Polygon Siskiu T7/T8 are exceptions. Canyon Spectral 6 and YT Jeffsy Core 2 start at around 3k. Marin Alpine Trail 7 and the Vitus Sommet CR all interest me too. Ibis Ripmo AF Deore build seemingly shot up from 3k to 3900.
My wife’s Trek Fuel EX 5 is right around $2,500 and it actually isn’t bad, I took it to the bike park when mine was out of commission and it handled it surprisingly well.
for $2,500 I’ll buy a gravel
Buy a Hudski Doggler and have money left over!
$2500 buys a brand new Polygon Siskiu T8, which is a ton of bike, so that’s a good option. I got my Marin Hawk Hill 3 before the pandemic inflation for $2600, and I feel like it didn’t need much. So if I was buying a single bike I would get one with full suspension, but I would like to add a sweet hardtail to the fleet someday and $2500 buys you a really sweet HT.
Rigid fatty w/ two wheel sets.
$2399 for Fezzari Abajo peak 29er is 140/130 with dropper, DVO fork, X-fusion shock, NX drivetrain, Maxxis DHF/Agressor tires.
$2349 for Marin Rift Zone 29 2 is 130/125 with dropper, Rockshox fork & shock, Shimano Deore drivetrain, Vee Flow Snap tires.
The Fezzari looks like a better deal and more capable to me, but both should be competent trail/mountain bikes.
Add a few bucks at $2599 for Polygon Sikiu T8 and you get 150/140 29er with dropper, Fox fork/shock, Shimano SLX drivetrain, and “Performance Tire” (could be WTB, Schwalbe, or whatever is on hand). At $200 over the Abajo you do get a little more capability, but potential for tires to disappoint (or not), which is important to get right at this price point.
A little richer is $3799 Fezzari Delano Peak carbon 150/135 29er with dropper, DVO fork/shock, SRAM NX drivetrain, Maxxis tires, better brakes and other components. Or $3899 aluminum Ibis Ripmo AF, very similar to Delano Peak but 150/147 and slightly heavier.
Any one of these is a good entry into mountain biking and reasonable platforms to upgrade. First upgrade of the cheapest ones is the brakes.
While I started out on a hardtail, most riding is WAY better on FS bike, especially if you ride bumpy/rocky/rooty trails. Hardtails work for certain conditions, but IMO limit your riding options.
Assuming a new bike the hardtail would give me better components for the money. I’m thinking any full suspension bike is going to be $3500 or more to get decent components.
FS at $2500 is what I’m about to get.