Everyone knows bikes aren’t free but beyond that, we rarely agree on how much a good mountain bike should cost.
Tell us about the best value you’ve found when it comes to buying a new mountain bike!
Share This:
How Much Does a Decent Mountain Bike Cost?
Unfortunately the survey doesn’t update averages in real time, but after 2200+ replies, here are some stats:
Average: $1,892 (after taking out a few extreme replies below $100 and above $10,000). The raw average was about $2,200 but someone typed in $60,000 which skews the result a good bit. We’re going with $1,892.
Median: $1,500. That is, half of the responses were less than $1,500, and half were above $1,500.
Best bet… Wait for a demo bike to go on sale or end of year clearance. Or buy used if you can discuss out the details and quality.
Used 2018 Trek Fuel EX 9.8 Carbon with upgraded Pike fork. Bought last year for $2100. Low miles. Like new.
I said $800 — but with the proviso that it’s either a used hardtail or *fully rigid*. If your baseline for “decent” starts with a new full sus bike, then you’re talking $2000.
But you can have a lot of fun on an $800 that won’t fall apart underneath you, and I call that “decent”.
I should add — I ride a fully rigid mountain bike that I paid $800 for. But I also shelled out another $1100 on wheels, tires, dropper post, cluster for a 1x conversion, crankset , bottom bracket and handlebars. I’m very pleased with the result, but I probably should have just bought a more expensive bike that was the way I wanted. But as delivered, the bike was “decent”.
1500 is the sweet spot where a hardtail won’t be holding a beginner back and should still have a frame worthy of upgrades.
This, of course, depends on what your personal threshold for “decent” is.
I wrote about what I still think is the best value I ever encountered during my 2015 Outerbike experience.
https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-reviews/test-ride-review-marin-pine-mountain-27-5/
I think $1500 can get you into a decent hardtail that has a frame worthy of upgrades and about $2000 for a full suspension bike with a nice alloy frame that can be upgraded here and there.
We are talking trail bikes here.
Well I said 200 dollars, but I always buy second hand
I’ll agree that about $1500 retail for a HT and $2000 for FS is about right.
Either would be good enough to give a new rider room to grow while not holding-back more experienced riders.
Spent about $1300 a few years ago and that got me a Carbon hard tail with SRAM guide RS and full XT drivetrain. The wheels are robust rather than racy but seeing as I don’t race I’ve not upgraded them. Reba RL fork is OK but another upgrade that would be required to race as it’s a little flexy for my weight making braking and cornering interesting. That said it’s a fairly lightweight fun set-up and I’ve not had to replace anything as all the components are decent quality and spec.
I feel that a Fuji or other second tier brand could come out with a decent hard tail for $600 that will serve new riders for enough time to build fitness and skills, without breaking and without limiting skill progression. They already sell bikes from $400-$600 but they have the old XC geometry. But these aren’t XC bikes because they are heavy.
Geometry should be essentially free: steepen and shorten the seat tube (75 degrees and take an inch out), add bosses and port for dropper, slacken the head tube (67 degrees), make sure can take a tapered steerer, lengthen the top tube (let’s say 440-450mm reach on large) and shorten the stem (60mm). So this should only be marginally be more expensive than current alloy frames due to extra length.
Components will be the challenge: bars, stem, grips, saddle, seat post, pedals etc. will all be no name. No dropper (can upgrade later), maybe a 2×9 drive train so you don’t have to limit range and don’t have to have an expensive clutch derailleur. Most likely going to have to stay with square taper BB. You could go with the lowest level hydraulic or mechanical disc brakes.
Going to have to get real creative with the wheels, tires and fork. For wheels, need to go for stoutness with a reasonable width rim. For tires, may need to create a house brand tire and make sure it has good trail-worthy tread pattern but go for a harder compound so they last a little longer. For the fork, this will be the crux, need to work directly with a fork manufacturer to create a budget friendly fork that is perhaps coil sprung that the dealer can swap out springs to customize to rider weight, rebound and compression adjustments (keep it simple though). Fork should be 120mm and stanchions should be at least 32mm. (for reference SR Suntour XCT has 28mm stanchions)
Based on what I have seen, $1,200 is the real price for currently available bikes. You might find a deal on a rigid plus or fat bike for $800.
I think the cost of a “decent” suspension fork sets a pretty hard floor on how cheap a “decent” new hardtail can get. Since even mid range models cut corners with the wheels, if you exclude rigid bikes then your question boils down this: what is cheapest suspension fork you’d trust?
Jeff, I think it is dead on to say $1500.
Descent is a very subjective word to define. I liked Phonebem concluded $1500 for hard tail and $2000 for FS. Good guidelines for brand new and for people who have a good budget.
I think of the rider that is new and coming to terms with how much bikes cost, plus gear like a helmet. I said $650. My thought was a descent hard tail, used and just 2 or 3 years old. They can be found. The key is doing some research and deciding on a few parameters for the bike. Know what you are looking at and a range of what you want and Craigslist has it. You have to be patient but descent bikes are there at price ranges that are easier for most to handle.
The tech and quality of a $1400 MTB today is truly astounding.
After almost 8yrs otb,. And 12 since I built my last bike,. I just finished a new build… Being poor after divorce,… it took me a year to be able to afford what I really wanted and at least 4months of solid effort researching EVERYTHING. Before I bought anything just to learn all over again the new standards and parts etc commonplace in 2019 MTB lots changed since 2010…
It was a ton of work but also fun and educational,. I found a virtually perfect 2017 Devinci Troy CF frame with a handful of basic parts hs/shock/bb for $800. And over the last 10 mo. I’ve spent about 3k more on virtually all used or NOS top of the line parts to customize it and upgrade it to end up with a crazy high tech carbon laden beautiful pride and joy, that would’ve cost $8500+ retail new easily… I ended up w carbon ethirteen Trs r wheels and enve bars, a customized 160mm 2017 Pike w/ mrp ramp cart. Cannondale SI cranks,
w/ Abs. Blk oval ring, a 1x 10sp dt, one up dropper, HOPE brakes AND a spare set of Plug N Play, Hot Swappable alloy wheels and tires..virt. the only NEW parts on the bike.. every steel bolt is gone, now titanium or alloy. XTR shifters/ der. + Enduro pedals..
I have a touch over 4k into it which is a shite load of cash but for what I ended up with now ….it’s a smokin deal with contemporary components aside from the 1×10- 46t rr cogset vs the now common 50+ and,….. i built it… so I know every nook and cranny..
It does cost more than you think but you can build an awesome bike with the plethora of fantastic used parts out there..
The MTB community is heavy with 20 to 30 sumthings who have a hard core case of the “I need the new” mentality and apparently the disposable income to do so, so there are ALWAYS good deals on xlnt used parts available.
That’s actually what I was trying to get at in my earlier post (thanks for the nod BTW).
If you can find a lightly used hardail that retailed for $1500 for around $5-600, you’re probably good to go! The same applies to full suspension bikes, just with a correspondingly higher price.
I did exactly that with my current HT, I found a year-old $1500 bike for $550 and it has served me well for 4 years now.
I always encourage people to go with a steel hard tail. Here’s why… aside from the fact that a steel hard tail is simply a bad ass choice, it’s also a great bike to learn on. A little extra weight won’t hurt you in the beginning, and a hard tail will teach you to pick a decent line. An old used one is still plenty usable since
A steel frame will last 20 years, and when the day comes that you want something newer, faster or whatever, the steel hard tail will continue to remain incredibly useful for bike packing, dirt touring, grocery getting, or just a low cost beater that will be your tank and probably outlive your next bike. Also, let’s be honest, an old steel frame has a lot more character then an aluminum frame of just about kind.
Topher has a great point about steel frames! There really isn’t anything quite like a steel HT and I’ll probably never be without one in my stable.
The term ‘decent’ is subjective and highly interpretative. My definition of a decent bike is one that is spec’d with 90% of my desired components, can be maintained annually for 15% (or less) of the total purchase cost, and be repaired through a reliable source (LBS, manufacturer) for at least 10 years from the purchase date.
Maintenance includes consumables such as tires, brake pads, fork/shock oil/seals, cables, housings, grips, seat, pedals, and bearings. Upgrades are not included considering the highly personal and customizable combinations.
If you are not too concerned about having the latest and greatest, a 10 year old fully functional full suspension 26″ stumpjumper can be had for between 600-800. For that price a few minor tinkerings can be tolerated.
I should have been more specific in my comment, I had in mind the purchase of a new bike in which we all know anything decent starts at around $2000
But that being said and to remark on what can be found used, i agree if your willing to be patient and willing to do the footwork you can find a “decent” used bike, but again your still looking at spending $1000 or close to for something not best to death .
My argument is that when mountain bikes new and used started to demand the same prices of new and used motorcycles it was just out of hand.
The cost to design and produce say a Honda 450R dirt bike far out ways the same of that of a Specialized StumpJumper yet you see dealers selling the mount bike for the same and in many cases far higher than the cost of the motorcycle .
Not to mention many of these mountain bike manufactures explain that cost by telling us how their bicycle is better quality because they have “built” it . Not to take anything away from design and geometry but we all know in most cases everything but the frame is sourced out and bought in bulk from companies in Asia and in a lot of cases that includes the frame.
My bottom line is that I have a hard time believing that these companies cant offer these same bikes that start at $2000 for far less.
I would absolutely love to own a new mountain bike but at these prices and living paycheck to paycheck ,i never will .And frankly , it sucks !!
I purchased my last new bike in 2012. It was a FS XC bike and paid $900. Since then, the prices have skyrocketed and so has my desire for demo and good used bikes. My last two used bike purchases, one Gary Fisher hardtail and one Kona FS with additional upgrades cost $700 in total. I will keep searching the used and demo markets in the future.
The cost of mountain bikes have priced the average person right out of owning anything decent !