How To Choose Your First Mountain Bike

Think mountain biking looks fun? You would be right! It's hard to find another sport which better combines fitness, adrenaline, strength and skill. Even better, you can start from right outside your front door! There's something for everyone, whether it's big jumps and impressive tricks, or simply escaping into the woods to explore and enjoy the birdsong. But where to start? Here's our guide to choosing your first mountain bike (MTB).

MTB-Style vs MTB

It's a sad fact of modern life that there are many sub-standard products lurking out there, ready to catch those with limited means or knowledge. This includes mountain bikes. There are a plethora of what's known in the trade as "bike-shaped objects" – bikes which appear at first glance to have all the right features, but which are constructed so poorly that these features are worse than useless. £400 can get you a BSO with "full suspension" and dodgy disc brakes. It can also get you a basic runaround bike which will weigh less and work better, despite appearing to have far fewer features. At lower price points, simplicity and build quality are the most important things. Neither of these bikes will be good at mountain biking, but the simple bike is far more likely to still be usable after a few months of riding.

How to Spot an Impostor

If a bike brand doesn't have its own website, that's usually a red flag. If you can only find it on marketplace sites like Amazon, it may be best to steer clear. Bikes which proudly proclaim things like "21 SPEED GEARS" or "PRO SUSPENSION!" on the frame are to be avoided. If a spec list announces that it has features, but then doesn't give you any details about those features, then that's usually a red flag – for example, if a bike has suspension, they should tell you the brand and model of the suspension. If they're not telling you, it's probably because they don't want you to know how bad it is. Be wary of new bikes with 26" wheels – this has not been a common size on new performance bikes for a long time, for good reason (except for certain extra small models, and some very niche speciality bikes for stunt riding).

What will you actually use it for?

Before you fall too far down the rabbit hole of mountain biking, it's important to think about what you will actually be using the bike for. Modern mountain bikes are more capable off-road than ever, but they're a lot less versatile as a result. If you're just commuting on paths and gravel tracks, consider a Hybrid bike instead – it'll go faster, and might have some more sensible features for daily use. If you just want to explore the backroads, paths and tracks around your local area, a Gravel bike might accomplish this a little better, giving much faster rolling speeds on the smoother sections. That's not to say a mountain bike can't do these things, but it will be slower and heavier, with a less efficient riding position for longer distances.

If you want to ride further afield off-road, or keep riding through all weathers, consider an adventure bike such as the Surly Krampus or Genesis Longitude – these will easily handle some singletrack trails, but you might run out of bike if you take them on trail centre Red or Black routes. Bikes like this are the spiritual successor of the original MTB and ATB models from the 80s. These bikes have MTB geometry, but with sturdy steel frames and none of the complicated suspension parts. While they're not as capable, they're practical, reliable and a lot of fun to ride.

Budget and Expectations

To a point, the more you spend, the higher quality your bike will become. However, above that point, parts begin to become optimised for performance rather than durability, often requiring more regular and extensive maintenance to keep the same level of performance. Often, mid-range suspension and drivetrain components offer the best balance between performance, reliability and running costs for the average rider. If you buy a top-end mountain bike, expect to have to clean and maintain it regularly for it to work well, and expect to spend a lot if you don't keep on top of it. Without maintenance, you're not getting the performance you've paid for.

As a rough guide, mountain bikes that will withstand regular leisure cycling fall around the £600 to £900 mark, and they'll be quite happy on fire roads through the woods. If you're starting off hitting some singletrack trails, ideally consider bikes in the £1000 to £1400 area. £1500 to £2000 will get you a nice hardtail bike with some safely mid-range components, but full-suspension bikes around this price point are probably best avoided as a general rule. £2000-4500 is where the real performance bikes start to kick in – you'll see higher-end hardtails, and some safely mid-range full-suspension bikes. Above this, you start to get to the more premium bikes, packed with features and new tech, but potentially requiring a little more considered maintenance.

Weather and Service Intervals

Mountain biking in this part of the world means you'll spend a lot of time riding on wet, muddy ground, and maybe some salted roads too. That means lots of gritty, muddy spray all over your expensive new bike. This will contribute to accelerated wear and tear, and shorten the interval between services. Parts such as hub and frame bearings are sealed against dust and splashing, but not against more submersion or heavy water flow. Chains and gears will wear out quickly if they're covered in grit. Suspension forks and shocks will require more regular servicing too. Keep this in mind.

If you plan to ride a lot in all-weathers, and your budget allows, it may be worth looking at a more mid-range bike rather than a top-spec one. If you have the means and space to do so, having a basic hardtail to use in winter alongside a fancier bike for summer is a great way to get the best of both worlds. Hardtails and rigid bikes have much lower running costs than full-suspension bikes, so that's worth keeping in mind – getting your frame bearings replaced can easily run into several hundred pounds worth of parts and labour.

Used Mountain Bikes

Buying a used MTB can be a great way to get yourself something snazzy for a nice price. It can also be a great way to get ripped off, paying over the odds for something which will require expensive repairs to be usable. Always view bikes in-person before committing to anything, and try to buy from reputable sellers or acquaintances. Try to take somebody with you who knows what they're looking at, and avoid anything which sounds too good to be true. A used full-suspension bike may look perfectly fine, but if the hub bearings, frame bearings and suspension all require servicing, that may require an additional £600 or more to make the bike safely rideable, or risk causing further damage. As always, be careful. Check out our Outlet Store for some pre-loved, clearance and ex-demo deals.

It's Not Just The Bike

To safely and comfortably enjoy your new bike, you're going to need some accessories. A decent helmet would be advisable. Pedals are almost certainly going to be necessary, as few bikes are supplied with them, and if you do get some thrown in, they're probably a bit rubbish. Some matching shoes would be good too. We won't get into the flat VS clip pedal debate here. Cleaning products and some basic tools would be ideal, and if you have the space to store it, then a basic workstand really helps speed up cleaning and maintenance. Consider some protective gear if you'll be riding any trails with jumps or rolls. Whether you buy the accessories up-front or further down the line, you're going to need them sooner or later. Trying to save money initially can cost you more down the line in deferred maintenance costs.

"You Should Start On A Hardtail"

If you hang around with any crusty old mountain bikers for long enough, you're bound to hear this one. There's certainly an element of truth in it, but it's not necessarily the right answer for everyone.

There are a few benefits to starting with a hardtail. Full-sus bikes will let you get away with an awful lot more, allowing you to ride a long way out of your depth before suddenly showing up your lack of skill quite dramatically. It's harder to get yourself into a dangerous situation on a hardtail, as you'll need to build your skills before trying to conquer bigger trail features. The rigid back end of a hardtail encourages you to learn the correct technique for jumps and manuals, without relying on rear shock rebound to get you in the air. Hardtails are cheaper to buy and maintain, so they're great for getting to grips with maintenance – you're less likely to make any expensive mistakes while you get the hang of it. They also generally have a lower standover height for the same size bike, allowing them to fit a wider range of rider sizes - great for growing kids getting into the sport.

Perks of starting on a full-sus include being more comfortable, having a bike which lets you get away with a few more mistakes (great if you're an older rider who doesn't bounce quite so well), and being able to take on more challenging trails with confidence. 

Components

Gears

You'll probably end up with a bike that doesn't have as many gears as your old one. Most mountain bikes now have just a single chainring at the front (referred to as 1x, pronounced 1-by), and up to 12 gears at the back (cassette). As recently as 15 years ago, most mountain bikes had 3 chainrings at the front (a triple chainset) with 8 or 9 gears at the back. While some entry-level hardtails will still come with a 2x or 3x setup, any full-suspension bike or performance hardtail will have a 1x drivetrain.

We won't go into too much detail here as we'll just get bogged down in gear ratios and cassette teeth. Except for cheaper bikes with triple chainsets, most mountain bikes now lack the high gears required to ride on the road for extended periods of time – you'll find yourself spinning your legs at an uncomfortably high cadence if you want to use your mountain bike for road rides. This is a particular issue on the lower-spec bikes. A 1x12-speed system will give you very good gear range, including a reasonably high top gear. A 1x11-speed system won't be far off, but you'll lose a bit of range at one end or the other. Once you drop down to 1x8, 9 and 10-speed systems, you'll find that the gear range becomes quite a bit narrower, and the jumps between the gears might become a bit awkward. You'll probably still have ample gears for the climbs, just not for the descents or faster road riding.

As you work your way up through the quality levels, performance continues to increase, but durability may begin to drop off, with more usage of lightweight materials. For an entry-level leisure bike, consider drivetrains such as Shimano ESSA, Acera and Alivio, CUES 9 speed or MicroShift Advent. If you're going to be riding some singletrack trails, a bike with Shimano CUES 10/11 speed, Shimano DEORE 11-speed or MicroShift AdventX would be preferable.

If you're taking it a bit more seriously, consider a bike with Shimano DEORE or SLX 12-speed, or SRAM SX, NX or Eagle 70 - these drivetrains offer the best combination of performance, durability and price. Top-spec bikes will come with parts such as Shimano DEORE XT or XTR, SRAM Eagle 90, GX, X0 or XX, which will offer excellent performance, but may wear a little quicker, with expensive replacement part costs. If you're not going to regularly clean your kit, you won't get the performance benefit anyway, so you may as well save your cash and get the cheaper stuff.

Brakes

Almost all mountain bikes come with hydraulic disc brakes now, and for good reason. They're more powerful, they still work in the wet, they automatically compensate for pad wear, and they enable a lot of lever adjustment without losing braking performance.

Cheaper bikes will come with basic 2-piston brakes, usually paired with fairly small, stamped-out steel rotors. These are fine for casual use, but not great for prolonged, steep descents and aggressive braking. The lever blades tend to be quite long, making them more difficult to set up for 1-finger use. You won’t be able to get the full benefit of a full-suspension bike if it has weak, basic brakes.

Better bikes may have 2- or 4-piston brakes, and they'll generally have machined brake discs which are more resilient, and suitable for use with more aggressive pad materials. The levers tend to offer a broader range of adjustment, and you'll feel a lot more power beyond the initial bite with a higher-quality brake. Brakes are quite easily upgradeable, but be aware that the different brands use different mounting systems for their levers, so you might need to purchase some adaptors too – check before buying, or you might find that you have no way to attach your shift levers to your nice new brakes.

Suspension

Try not to get bogged down with brands here - they're all quite good, and if you don't have any prior experience, you're not really going to feel any of the subtle differences anyway. The more important thing is the quality level within the brand. You'll get more benefit from a bike which has a consistent level of componentry than one which has a few "halo" products, paired with cheaper ones in the places they don't think people will look. Consider that high-end suspension products often have much shorter service intervals, and much higher repair costs: after a year of use, a mid-range fork will probably feel better than a high-end one if it hasn't been serviced. At a minimum, consider servicing the suspension once a year for regular use, on any bike above around £1500.

Basic suspension forks tend to have steel stanchions, straight steerer tubes, coil springs and little or no damping or effective adjustment. Better forks will have aluminium stanchions, tapered steerer tubes, air springs and adjustable hydraulic damping. Mid-range forks will feature lighter-weight lowers and more complex dampers, and top-spec forks will feature a lot more adjustment options, often with some fancier surface coatings, such as FOX's famous Factory-line gold Kashima coating. Basic shocks tend to skip the bottom step, starting with aluminium shafts and basic hydraulic damping, though they often lack compression damping adjustment. Better shocks gain fancy surface coatings, and may add a "piggyback" reservoir to improve heat management. Top-end suspension can be quite difficult to set up if you're not sure what you're doing, but get it right and it feels great.

Wheels and Tyres

Most bikes now use 29" wheels, except for the smaller sizes where 27.5" wheels can solve fit issues. Some bikes have what's referred to as a "Mullet" or "MX" wheel setup, with a 29" wheel up front and 27.5" at the back. As a general rule, 29" wheels offer better rollover and higher rolling speeds, while 27.5" wheels feel more agile and manoeuvrable. Mullets are aimed at offering the best of both worlds, particularly for shorter riders. If you want to go fast on any terrain, 29" will probably be the best option for you. If you're more bothered about playful riding and stunts on steeper terrain, consider a mullet.

Tyres have changed a lot over the last 15 years or so. They're now mostly tubeless, though may not initially be supplied set up that way. It's always worth checking before you buy. Tubeless tyres offer a lot of benefits - they're filled with some sealant, which should fix most punctures without you needing to stop. They also mostly eliminate the risk of pinch-punctures, as quite simply there isn't an inner tube there for you to pinch.

Axles

Most mountain bikes now come with thru-axles – oversized aluminium tubes which pass through the frame and fork, threading into one side. These offer big benefits to stiffness and alignment, making it much less likely to find yourself riding along with a dragging brake than with old quick-release skewers. Some entry-level bikes still use quick-release wheels, or hybrid systems like Trek Thru-Skew, which can make it more difficult to upgrade the wheels further down the line. Make sure you don't leave your thru axles behind if you're taking the wheels out for a car journey – they're quite expensive to replace, and there are far more different sizes and thread options than there really need to be.

Sizing and Comfort

Mountain bike sizing can be a bit of a minefield. Some brands now base their sizing around reach, with seat tube lengths staying quite consistent between sizes. Others do not. It's best to go and try bikes in person before making a commitment. Pick the bike you want first, then narrow down the right size of that bike - one brand's Large might be smaller than another's Medium. Consider the length of the dropper seatpost as well as the seat tube length, particularly if you have shorter legs for your height. Most brands offer a size guide, which might be a good place to start, but isn't always perfect for everyone.

Image from Ergon Saddles. Check out their guide to saddle ergonomics here.

Getting the frame reach right is important, as is choosing a saddle which works for you - there's a good chance the stock saddle that comes with your bike might not suit your anatomy. Remember that there's a finite amount of space down there, so getting a big squishy sofa saddle might not be the silver bullet you've been looking for. Handlebar width and shape can be changed easily on most bikes, provided they don't have an integrated one-piece bar and stem – then it can get a little messy.

 

There are not many women's-specific mountain bikes any more, but Liv still offer a great range. There's a Liv model for pretty much every equivalent Giant model. The frame geometry is altered to suit common female physiology, and the components are more likely to work for you from-the-off than a unisex equivalent. The suspension is also tuned to work better for lower rider weights, and the frames are produced down to much smaller sizes to accomodate shorter riders. That said, the right size unisex bike could also be adjusted to suit you just as well in most cases.

 

Our Mountain Bike Recommendations

Entry-Level Hardtails for Gentle Rides

If you just want to roll around your local woods, using fire roads and forest tracks, then the Trek Marlin 6 is a great option. It features a sturdy, no-frills spec of reliable parts, and comes at a fairly attractive price. 

Considering some slightly more adventurous riding? The Giant Talon 1 offers a lot more features for not too much more money – it'll be perfectly capable of some light singletrack riding, and the thru axle wheels and tapered headtube allow an easy upgrade path if you really start to get into it.

Entry-Level XC

if you want to push your legs and lungs, XC riding and racing can be great fun. The Trek Procaliber 6 will easily see you around your first race, and it makes a great winter training bike for those who are getting a little more into it too. Again, the spec is reliable, offering decent performance for the price, without being too fussy. The Giant XTC is also a strong contender at this price point,

Entry-level Trail Hardtails

Check out this old GMBN video of the Megavalanche downhill race on a hardtail.

If you're going to be riding some more serious trails, with roots, rocks and jumps, then a trail hardtail will be a great option. Check out the Merida Big Trail 500 as a great option - it has a consistent spec level which ticks all the important boxes, and the frame is worthy of future upgrades as your riding develops.

"Downcountry" and XC Full-Sus

If you really want to push your speed over longer distances, with some rougher trails thrown in, then a full-sus XC or "Downcountry" bike is a good option. XC bikes tend to be optimised for XC racing, with very lightweight, minimalist specs, and feaures such as remote suspension lockouts for maximum pedalling efficiency. Downcountry bikes tend to have a slightly more robust spec, more suited to everyday trail riding, but still maintaining the spritely XC-bike feel. Both bikes will climb well and feel efficient on the flats, but require a little more skill on the descents than longer-travel bikes. For wild singletrack riding and bike park Red trails, an XC or Downcountry bike will be perfect. For pure XC racing (money-no-object), check out the new Giant Anthem. For Downcountry, take a look at the Trek Top Fuel and Merida One-Twenty downcountry bikes.

Trail Full-Sus

If you want a general-purpose full-suspension mountain bike, Trail bikes are a good option – they have a much sportier ride quality than longer-travel bikes, making them far more engaging to ride on tame, local terrain. Meanwhile, they should be capable enough to take on most of the Red and Black trails at trail centres, assuming you've built up a reasonable level of skill. Take a look at bikes like the Merida One-Forty and Trek Fuel EX for a great all-round mountain biking experience.

Enduro/All-Mountain Full-Sus

Enduro or All-Mountain bikes are the most downhill-capable of the mountain bike categories (except for downhill bikes, which don't really go uphill). If you want to be able to ride anywhere, hit big jumps, or handle very rough terrain, these are the right place to look, but you might find them a bit dull and uninspiring to ride on more tame terrain. The riding position of these bikes often puts more weight on the hands - well suited to steep climbs, but not so good for flatter, longer rides. These bikes can require a little more upper-body strenght to handle, and may feel a little lethargic at lower speeds – they generally come to life more when ridden hard. Have a look at bikes like the Giant Reign, Merida One-Sixty and Trek Slash.

Downhill

Unless you're planning to race Downhill, or live very near a bike park with some dedicated DH trails and a good uplift system, you're probably not going to benefit much from a DH bike these days. They're very, very fast downhill, but lack the necessary geometry and gearing to pedal for any length of time on anything more than flat fireroads. These can be a great second or third bike if you really get into it, but not such a great option for beginners. If you're keen, have a look at the Trek Session or Giant Glory.

What about ebikes?

That's a topic for another day. Congratulations on making it this far. If you have any unanswered questions, or want more information on one of the bikes mentioned, please do get in touch or leave us a comment!