What Is The Best Mountain Bike Under 500 Dollars?
TL;DR – In a hurry and just want to know what is the best mountain bike under 500 Dollars? The best bikes at that price
A mountain bike is a gateway to a world of fun, excitement, and physical fitness. It’s also a significant investment, and you’ll want to get a bike that will keep your rides fun and make sure that your equipment isn’t holding you back. There’s a staggering range of bikes on the market, with price tags ranging from a few hundred dollars to many thousands. You have to sort through multiple wheel sizes, suspension types, drivetrain components, and other features. It’s a lot to process and it can be confusing at first glance, but it’s not that difficult to cut through the chatter and focus on what you need to consider to get the best bike for you.
It’s important to remember that while a bike and the gear that goes with it can be a significant investment, mountain biking can be a quite inexpensive sport once you have what you need. A bike can last for years, and if you choose the right bike from the start you can go years without needing to upgrade. Many areas have trails you can ride for free. Some riders do become obsessed with upgrades and that can get expensive, but it’s rarely necessary. Making good choices from the start and not getting carried away by the hype that surrounds new products can set you up for years of riding with very modest ongoing costs.
Let’s take a look at mountain bikes and how to choose one.
That’s obvious, right? We all know what a bicycle is, and a mountain bike is just a bicycle designed to be ridden on rough surfaces. That’s true, but it’s not quite as simple as it sounds. We tend to think of “a bike” as a single product. Once we’re shopping, though, we learn that a bike is a collection of products, often from many different manufacturers. We often identify a bike by its frame, but most manufacturers offer their frames in several versions with different component sets, often at very different prices. For example, Giant offers their popular Trance Advanced Pro 29” frame in four different builds ranging from $3,350 to $10,500!
Most riders buy built bikes with component selections provided by the frame manufacturer. That’s usually a good decision. Manufacturers know what components will suit the type of riding that a given model is designed to do, and because they buy components in bulk they can get them at lower prices than you’d get if you bought components one at a time. Experienced riders with very particular needs might choose to build a bike to their personal specifications, but most beginning and intermediate riders will be better off with a built bike.
You don’t need to be an expert on every part of the bike to choose a mountain bike. It’s still a good idea to be familiar with some of the basic features of modern mountain bikes. Here are some terms you’ll hear a lot when you’re making comparisons.
Most bikes from major manufacturers offer a high degree of component interchangeability. Not every component will fit on every bike, but in almost every case you’ll have multiple options for upgrades down the line. If your budget is only enough for the more basic models in a product line, don’t worry. Most credible bike manufacturers spec entirely functional parts even on their entry level models, and you can replace components as you go along if you feel that they are impeding your performance. Many riders find that the most important upgrades are to their legs, their lungs, and their skills. Those upgrades are free: all you have to do is ride your bike!
Mountain bikes can be roughly divided by the type of riding they’re designed for. Knowing the type of riding you’re likely to be doing is an important step toward selecting the right bike.
There are three primary factors that define the type of riding you’re likely to do.
There’s an enormous spectrum of mountain bikes on the market, but most of them fit into a few basic categories defined by the type of riding they’re intended for.
It’s important to be realistic when assessing your needs and choosing a bike type. For most beginning and intermediate riders a general purpose trail bike will be the best choice.
TL;DR – In a hurry and just want to know what is the best mountain bike under 500 Dollars? The best bikes at that price
TL;DR – In a hurry and just want to know what is the best mountain bike under $300? The best mountain bikes at that price
Why is $1000 the benchmark you might ask? There definitely are some good bikes for far below the $1000 mark, but if you are looking
Your budget will have an impact on your choice. Spending more will get you more features and better quality components. That’s usually reflected in lower weight, greater durability, and better performance. All of that is desirable, but if you’re a beginner or intermediate rider you’ll need to look for the best compromises. The difference between less expensive and more expensive components is not always dramatic. A Shimano SLX rear derailleur weighs 316 grams and costs $75. The top of the line XTR rear derailleur weighs 240 grams and costs $257. Most riders wouldn’t notice a performance difference, and many would choose to save the $182 and try to take the 76 grams off their waistlines!
Most mountain bikes from major manufacturers will have adequate components. If the bike is inexpensive they may be entry level components, but they will work and you can upgrade with better ones if they break. You may not be winning bling points on the trail but you’ll be riding! If you want to learn more about the specific component sets available there’s lots of information available online. If you don’t, just focus on finding a bike that fits your budget and your target riding style and trust the manufacturer to choose the right components.
Let’s look at some common price ranges and what you can expect to find at different price points. Make sure you include a good helmet in your budget!
Can you spend more than $3000? Of course! You can spend 3 times that or more, if you have the money and you want a bike that will turn heads in any company. You’ll get a lighter bike, but whether you’re really getting appreciably better performance is open to question. Unless you have very specific and very rigorous requirements, most beginner to intermediate riders will be perfectly happy with a bike in the $2000 – $3000 range. Many could get on a bike that cost twice as much and barely notice the difference. If you’re buying a hardtail you can do quite well for under $2000.
Here’s a tip from someone who’s been riding mountain bikes for a long, long time. Learning good shifting technique will improve your riding more than spending a ton of money on a top-of-the-line drivetrain. Good braking technique will improve your speed control more than high-end brakes. Good pedaling technique will improve your efficiency more than the latest hyper-engineered suspension design. It absolutely makes sense to spend enough to get a solid, well-built bike with good quality components, but there’s a point at which spending another $1000 just doesn’t get you that much improvement in performance. Remember those three most important upgrades: legs, lungs, skills. You don’t have to buy anything to improve those, just ride your bike!
Once you’ve decided what type of riding you want to do and set a budget, you’re ready to look at bikes. A few internet searches and conversations with local riders and bike shops should help you narrow down your choices. In most cases, bikes from different manufacturers that are in the same price range and oriented toward the same type of riding will carry very similar specifications and components.
Just as an example, if you’re looking for a general-purpose trail riding hardtail from a credible brand in the $1500 to $2000 range you’ll easily find half a dozen or more candidates. There will be some small differences, but all of them will be excellent bikes and any of them will make you happy. At this point you can start considering things like frame colors and aesthetic appeal. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices to a few good bikes here’s nothing wrong with making the final choice on the basis of looks!
Fit is critical to enjoyment and to safe, fun riding. Even a $10,000 superbike will not deliver a quality ride if it doesn’t fit its rider. Most manufacturers offer multiple sizes: S, M, L, and XL are common, but some have XS and XXL models as well. Check the manufacturer’s website for guidelines on what sizes fit what rider heights.
If your height gives you a clear indication of what size is right for you and if your physical proportions are close to standard, you may be able to judge your size easily. If you’re between two sizes, or if your body proportions are unusual the decision may not be so clear. Many bike shops offer bike fitting services that will measure your body proportions in detail. You’ll get a recommendation on what size to buy and the shop may suggest a different length of stem or handlebar, or a different saddle.
These services cost money but they can make a huge contribution to comfortable riding. If you have any doubt about whether a bike will fit, seeking professional advice is a very good idea. Making sure your bike fits you properly will do more to improve your riding experience than many component upgrades would.
There are three main ways to buy a bike.
I’m biased toward the local bike shop (obviously), but there’s nothing wrong with buying online, especially if you don’t have access to a good shop or the online deals are just too good to pass up. If you do buy online, it’s still a good idea to have your bike checked and tuned by a mechanic before you hit the trails. Most bikes require some assembly after shipping, and a mechanic can give your new ride a good checkout and show you some basic bike maintenance tricks.
If you’re shopping for a mountain bike you’ll be following these steps.
That’s a fair bit to go through, but a mountain bike is a major investment and getting the right bike for you will pay dividends in enjoyment and in safe, comfortable riding. At the end of the process you’ll have a shiny new bike just waiting for you to go out and get it dirty. That’s where the real fun begins!