We kicked off our MTB on a Budget series by looking at where to spend and
where to save on apparel and protective gear, which means that now it's time to take a look at the one thing you actually need to go mountain biking – a mountain bike.
If you browse through previous Pinkbike reviews you'll see that yes, mountain biking is an expensive sport. The good news is that you don't need to spend $10,000, or even $5,000 to buy a bike that can do just about everything you ask of it.
This article goes over the pros and cons of spending or saving on various components and on the bike frame itself. It's worth noting that the main focus of this article is on where to spend (or save) on new parts. Going used is obviously the best way to save even more money – we recently put together
this video that goes over the basics of purchasing a used bike.
Save on a Frame
Typical Full Suspension Frame Price: $1,500 - $3,500+ USD
Recommendation: Under $2,000 USD
Used: Yes, but be sure to inspect it carefullyWhether you're going with a hardtail or a full-suspension frame there's a simple way to save – choose aluminum over carbon. By choosing alloy you'll save somewhere around $1,000 on a new frame alone, although there is typically a weight penalty, usually in the neighborhood of one pound (.5 kg).
You'll be able to go just as fast on that aluminum frame (take a look at what bike Loic Bruni, the current DH World Champion, rode to victory last season for proof), and the on-trail feel of carbon vs. aluminum isn't anything to lose sleep about. Plus, aluminum frames are typically better at surviving crashes, especially ones into rock gardens, which means your investment should hopefully last for multiple seasons without any major issues.
Going with a hardtail over a full suspension frame is another way to save – the lack of a rear shock and extra moving parts reduces the frame price and the amount of maintenance you'll need to do. However, hardtails aren't for everyone, and if you can swing it, especially if you're planning on doing more aggressive riding, I'd recommend looking for a full suspension bike.
Spend on Tires
Recommendation: $50-$100 USD per tire
Used: Not unless they were only ridden to church on Sundays. And not dirt church.Yes, tires can be expensive, and you might have paid less for your last set of car tires, but it's not worth skimping when it comes to the connection between you and the ground. That bucket of tires at your local bike shop that are on sale for ridiculously low prices? There's a reason they're on sale – more than likely they're narrow, hard compound tires that are better suited to gravel paths than actual mountain biking. They're also probably 26” in diameter, but that's a different topic.
The ideal tread pattern, compound, and sidewall construction will vary depending on your location; it's worth asking other riders in your area for recommendations. The enduro pros may all be on tires with extra thick casings, but it's entirely possible you don't need that much protection, especially if you live in an area without too many rocks. There's no need to ride around with an extra pound or two of rubber if that's the case, just like you don't need sticky mud spikes if you live in a place with mostly smooth, hardpacked trails.
Save on Wheels
Recommendation: Up to $750 USD
Used: Potentially. Check the bearings, and inspect the rim for cracks or major dents.Just like with your frame, aluminum rims are the way to go if you're shopping for wheels on a budget. Start by choosing a wheelset with rims that have an internal width that's compatible with the tire size you're planning to run – these days 30mm has become the de facto standard, a number that works well with most tires between 2.35 – 2.6”.
When it comes to hubs, having the fastest engagement possible isn't a necessity - those ultra-quick engaging hubs are typically the most expensive. Of course, it is nice if you can find hubs that offer 10-degrees or less between points of engagement - I'm a fan of DT Swiss' 350 hubs with a 36 tooth ratchet ring. They're simple, reliable, and I've had countless sets roll through on test bikes without any issues.
Those aren't the only options, though; there are numerous pre-built wheelsets in the $500 - $700 range that hit the mark when it comes to weight and durability. Hunt Wheels, Spank, and Stans are three companies that come to mind when it comes to relatively affordable pre-built wheels.
Spend on Grips, Save on Saddles & Pedals
Recommendation: Up to $40 for grips, Less than $80 for saddles & pedals
Used: Maybe. These are heavy wear items, and it's nice to be the one that does the breaking in when it comes to grips and saddles.Just like with tires, it's not worth it to try and skimp on contact points. You're going to be grabbing onto those grips and sitting on that saddle for hours at a time, so they'd better be as comfortable as possible. Spending the extra dough for the nice lock-on grips in your preferred width and rubber durometer is worth it every time.
When it comes to seats, it's worth spending to get the shape that works best for you, but you can save money by skipping the titanium or carbon railed version. Take the WTB Koda, for example, one of my personal favorites. You can spend $40 for the steel railed version, $80 for the chromoly, or $130 for the titanium railed model. The padding does change a little bit depending on the model, but the shape is what really matters, and that's the same no matter the pricepoint.
Pedals are an easy place to save money without incurring a massive performance penalty. Plastic bodied flat pedals cost half the price of aluminum options, and usually use the same axle and bearing system. When it comes to SPD pedals, Shimano's M530 pedals take the cake when it comes to price vs performance. They're readily available for under $60, and they seem to last forever. There's a new version on the way, the ME700, which will hopefully offer the same level of longevity with a slightly larger platform around the clip-in mechanism.
Spend on Brakes (Within Reason)
Recommendation: Up to $150 per wheel, $250 per wheel if you want to splurge
Used: Yes, assuming nothing is bent, broken, or seized up.Brakes aren't a place to skimp – save those cable-actuated disc brakes for commuter bikes – but you also don't need $1,000 brakes that are individually polished by German craftsmen.
As you drop down in price you won't have as many tool-free adjustments available, but if you don't mind pulling out a multi-tool to tweak your lever position that's not much of an issue.
One thing that's worth spending on are metallic brake pads, especially if you live in a wetter climate. Lower priced brakes often come with resin pads, and sometimes even resin-only rotors – it's worth spending more to gain the improved wet weather performance and pad lifespan that comes with metallic pads and compatible rotors.
It's a good time to be a brake buyer on a budget – there are more four-piston options then ever at a range of price points, which is the way to go if you're building up anything other than a lightweight XC or downcountry-mobile.
Save on Handlebars and Stems
Recommendation: Up to $60 for a stem, $75 for a handlebar
Used: No. It's too hard to know what kind of abuse a handlebar has seen - save on dental bills by buying new.That wall of carbon bars and shiny CNC'd stems may catch your eye at the local bike shop, but resist the urge to spend if you're on a budget. A stem is a stem, and a $30 - $40 option will work just as well as those $80 - $150 models. I would recommend going with one from a known brand in order to get a little extra peace of mind about its construction and durability.
The same goes for handlebars. You can save a decent amount of weight by going with a carbon bar, but that's also going to leave your wallet a whole lot lighter. Once again, aluminum is the way to go to save some dough. Pick a bar based on the rise, sweep, and length that feels the most comfortable to you, and then go with the one that fits your budget. Just like with stems, I'd stick with a known brand rather than trying to find the absolute cheapest option from some dark recess of the internet.
Save on Dropper Posts
Recommendation: Up to $250 for a post and remote
Used: Yes, but don't settle for less drop than you really want.You should absolutely spend on a dropper post if you don't already have one. I think there are still three people out there who don't understand the appeal of being able to lower your seat with the push of a lever; for everyone else, a dropper post is a necessity.
The good news is that prices have dropped dramatically over the last few years, and there's no reason to spend more than $250 for a post, remote included. OneUp, X-Fusion, and PNW Components are three examples of companies that offer reliable droppers at a reasonable price.
Save on a Drivetrain
Recommendation: Under $500 for a complete 12-speed drivetrain, cranks included
Used: No. Buying a used chain, cassette, or derailleur is a recipe for issues - those parts typically wear out before someone decides to sell them.Smartly spec'd bikes have higher end brakes and suspension paired with a more affordable drivetrain. Why? Because there's not a massive performance difference between the top tier and more entry level drivetrains, other than weight.
12-speed drivetrains are here to stay, and now that both SRAM and Shimano have options ranging from budget to baller it's the way to go if you're looking to upgrade your current setup.
If you're in the Shimano camp, it's worth spending a little more to get an XT shifter, even if the rest of your drivetrain components are SLX or Deore level. It's not that much more expensive, and it gives you the ability to drop the chain two cogs down the cassette with one push of the lever.
Speaking of Deore, I've been riding on the new 12-speed drivetrain for the last couple of months and have zero complaints so far. Sure, it's not the lightest, but performance-wise it's been very, very impressive, and the entire gruppo is available for less than $300, although you'll need to budget a little more if you don't have a MicroSpline compatible freehub body.
On the SRAM side, I'd recommend going with at least a GX shifter due to its Matchmaker compatibility. The NX and SX shifters get the job done, but the ergonomics are lacking a bit. If you're looking for the most gear range, you'll need to go with at least a GX cassette - the NX and SX options have an 11-50 tooth spread compared to the 10-50 tooth range found on GX. Keep in mind that NX and SX cassettes work with a splined freehub body rather than SRAM's newer XD driver body. That could potentially help keep the costs down if you're planning a drivetrain upgrade and don't already have an XD freehub body.
Spend Wisely on Suspension
Recommendation: $800 or less for a fork.
Used: Maybe. Make sure that it's from a trusted seller, and that the item isn't more than a season or two old.Typically, the more you pay for a fork or shock the more external adjustments you'll have access to. With RockShox, that means you'll get adjustable high speed compression damping, while on Fox you'll see adjustable high speed compression and high speed rebound.
In addition, higher end models often use a different damper than their lower priced siblings. For instance, in RockShox' lineup the Ultimate and Select+ series forks use a Charger 2.1 damper and the Select forks use a Charger damper, while more budget oriented forks like the Revelation use a Motion Control damper. If you can swing it, I'd recommend aiming for a Charger damper over the Motion Control – there's a noticeable difference between the two.
Fox's lineup is arranged a little differently than RockShox – they've moved their more affordable options over to the Marzocchi side, which is where you'll find the Z1 and Z2. In the budget arena, those two forks are hard to beat. They're heavier and lack some of the adjustments of a 34 or 36, but the damper works very well, and are certainly worth considering if you're trying to maximize your suspension spending.
Is paying extra for that Fox's fancy Kashima coating worth it for someone on a budget? Maybe in a laboratory, but in the real world the black anodized stanchions used on the Performance Elite fork feel just as slippery smooth as the bronze/gold coating found on the Factory level forks. The internals and adjustments are identical, which makes this an easy way to save $100 or so without any significant performance loss.
ShocksDuring our Sedona Field Trip, Mike Levy and I both noted that budget shocks are much easier to live with than a budget fork. On complete bikes it's not uncommon to see the same shock spec'd on a variety of price point for that very reason – there aren't as many varieties of shocks to choose from, and the performance difference isn't as drastic.
That said, rear suspension is a pretty costly upgrade to do later, so if you're choosing between different frames it may be worth your while to buy once, cry once, and spring for the full fat shock out of the gate.
Agree? Disagree? What did we miss? Where would you choose to spend your hard-earned dollars?
Stay tuned for the next edition of this series that'll cover where to spend and where to save on tools and accessories.
Years ago it was really easy to get the model you wanted but you'd have your pick of previous years models from any retailer.
Now because of market control , built in obsolescence, standards etc its impossible to go back further than 1 season with most major retailers.
I know why they do it. And its in all their interests except us as the consumer!
Also where are all those bikes and parts that dont sell going??
If you're a bike manufacturer or a retailer, selling a bike at a discount costs you money (time, opportunity cost, etc.), so brands are doing more conservative forecasts and smaller production runs.
In a typical year, the availability of deals is purely a function of how well the product managers nailed the demand. Any deal you find is a sign they over-ordered (or got pressured into over-ordering due to volume deals from suppliers).
As said, you can get a full Deore groupset for like 300$, which when on a budget, is the best deal around.
Not trying to argue, genuinely curious, because I want to build a bike with Deore M6100. The new Deore group looks amazing, and I don't see why I would need to go with a higher end groupset (i'll probably get an XT shifter).
And I even bought the f*cking 7 bucks piece of crap plastic thing to set the distance of the b-screw to set it up properly.
Next drivetrain will be Shimano again.
I've spent years on SRAM and Shimano 11 speed (X01 and XT) with zero issues.
One season on GX Eagle was a nightmare by comparison. I had to warranty the first derailleur because of ejected jockey wheels... then the second one worked well for about 2 months before shifting degraded. (even after a tune-up)
I went back to XT 11 speed and I've been happy ever since.
I cheap out on chainrings. I now buy "Deckas" brand narrow-wide chain rings on Amazon or Ali Express for around $20, and they work just as well as my RaceFace or Wolftooth chainrings
Is the cheap chainring a con? Do you get extra durability from a more expensive chainring? An XT 12spd ring costs almost twice as much as a 12spd SLX ring.
I'm just trying to wrap my head around what a more expensive groupset would give me. I love XT/XTR shifters, but other than that i'm only seeing less weight and more bling, not much else.
Personally I haven't noticed a difference in terms of wear between cheaper and more expensive chains (i'm pretty meticulous about drivetrain cleanliness tho), although the difference between a Deore and XT chain is about 9-10€, so you can always go with an XT chain when you replace it.
The chainring bit is interesting, i'd love to see how much longer an XT chainring lasts compared to an SLX and Deore, and whether the durability offsets the price difference. Deore chainrings are not available yet, but judging from the SLX prices I suspect that from the price of 1 XT ring, you could buy 2 Deore rings.
For my new build i'd like to go with an M6100 drivetrain with an XT shifter, and M6100 4 pot brakes. Seems like a cheap to run that would do everything I want, i'm just wondering if the durability issues are really there.
I work part time as a mechanic in a shop and had to replace quite a few GX Eagle derailleurs (at least 3-4 that I handled personnaly, and I know we had to deal with at least 2/3x that in reality) that would just decide to stop shifting properly, in particular on the larger cogs. And as much as I'd want to believe that they are nearly as durable as their more expensive counterparts, experience seems to prove otherwise...
Is it a good groupset? Yes it's actually pretty decent, even with my experience. Can you more performance for the same cost? Most definitely.
Főleg ha XT váltót használsz, kb egy komplett 8100 csoportnak 80%a, úgy érzésre. Talán nem annyira robusztus. De legalább annyira mint a SRAM GX.
I don't doubt your experience, but could the robustness of srams >gx groups just be a sampling effect? For example you could see 3x more gx failures than x01 but if there are 3x less x01 rigs then failure rates would be similar. Just thinking out loud. I've had both 11 and 12 x01, and I'm finally coming back to camp blue with an slx xt hodge podge. Personally, I'd take deore over xx1.
But I still believe they have a reliability issue, and hope the latest version (the one that works with the 52 tooth cog) has been made more reliable. If not, I see lots of replacements in my not so distant future hahaha
10 spd XO shifter
10 spd Sunrace 11-46 cassette
12 spd gx eagle mech
no issues here
First, I don't hate SRAM, having ridden X01 all of last year and not really having a complaint to say other than the performance I'm getting from my 12 speed XT this year is better. Like I've said in my second comment, even with the experience I've had, I still believe GX is a decent groupset, when it works correctly and doesn't fail prematurely (as is your case). But dollar for dollar, you can get better.
Kaz - i don't think you understand the term "budget"
up to $750 on wheels ??
up to $250 on a dropper ??
Wheels - you can get a set of hope wheels from merlincycles.com for £135
Dropper - get a Brand X dropper from chainreactioncycles for £100
Both BRAND NEW.
If you actually need customer service, say if a company like Merlin screws up, or the product is faulty, Merlin is the absolute last place you'll want to have purchased from.
That doesn't make it fun though.
True. I must have the most reliable reverb on the planet and I still woudnt buy another. High cost high maintenance and not as slick or smooth as other much cheaper posts with a inferior handle bar lever.
Reverb is completely out of date relic. Needs a complete revamp.
Buy a 30.9 and it will fit any future frames
Add up the price of suggestions: $5,000
Hmmmmmmm......
Never tried them, but aren't Shimano M520 4 pistons really really good? Ok, the within reason part is right
The M520s and SLX 4-piston models both look good, but I'm still wary of Shimano since dealing with the wandering bite-point issue on a set of XT 8000s - Has anyone had this issue on their Deore and M-series stoppers, or is it just the higher-end models?
Don't get cheap Srams though. I had Level T brakes and they suck.
I have a BrandX dropper post (rebranded TransX, 100eur at CRC), and another Satori Sorata Pro (85EUR on Ali), they both work flawlessly. PNW also rebrands TransX. But I am afraid of the first maintenance on the Satori.
But when you screw the collar back on I recommend you use a touch of loctite. I had one of those eject itself on a ride when the collar had loosened up on rough trails. Never found THAT set of guide pins again!
What IS for sure though is you save a ton buying direct. My bike's spec would have cost $1500 more if I bought it in my LBS. $1500 is a lot of upgrades and service money. There's no comparison.
50% on sales? Uh, no..
(Also it wasn’t me that downvoted you.)
Wheels: Hope Pro2 Evo (case of beer and a rebuild for the rear. $80 new for the front. Octane1 rims ($30/each). DHF/DHR II ($100 for both at a shop moving sale)
Fork: RS Yari ($500 for a new fork pulled off a stock build)
Shock: RS Vivid Coil ($80 plus a new spring)
Bars: Chromag OSX ($40 at a shop moving sale)
Brakes: Shimano Zee ($250 for front/rear w/ rotors)
Drivetrain: Sram GX 11spd ($250, but sold the cranks for $100)
Dropper: Brand-X 150mm ($150cdn)
Saddle: Ergon ($30 used)
Also picked up a NS dirt jumper for $50 (mom was selling because her kid hadn't used it in a few years)
Way better than a Yari for the Same price
But "feel" doesn't translate to Strava times. I think the "feel" is WAY more in the head than in the reality. But no one likes being told they spent money on something that barely made an improvement when they "feel" so much better.
Seriously though, you can’t tell me that carbon wheels are 3-4 times better than a set of aluminum wheels. 3 to 4 times the price is a lot to save 100 grams...
They’re nice, but not for budget buying.
Looking for close-outs, discontinued and
Off season buying are the way to go.
I'm saying that I personally found the difference in ride quality to be more than I suspected it would be based on what I had read. The other thing I've noticed that even ridden extremely hard, they stay true. As always to each their own but when a lot of manufacturers are offering lifetime warranties they start to make sense.
Basically you should stick with 12-speed SRAM or Shimano. No mention of Microshift, 11-speed, sunrace cassette's for instance.
I run a sunrace 10-46t cassette with a SLX derailleur and and 11-s XT shifter. Works perfect, very affordable and bigger range than SRAM 1x11s (which at launch was considered sufficient range by the reviewers).
On the fork side, no mention of Suntour, Manitou, DVO etc. which would seem very likely suggestions if you want to advise people on a budget to get good value for money.
Article just comes across somewhat narrow-minded when on a budget one of the things you need to do is think outside the box.
Vitus sommet vr frame £570 new eBay,
Suntour aion forks crc £160 reduced from 380.
Sram level t brakes tweekz £95 front n rear.
Sun ringle boost rear wheel duroc rim decathlon £ 67
Sram gx rear mech £25 new ebay
All other bits are off my 2017 marin mount vision, the summets great rides like a new bike
With this technique you can build up your S-Works rig cheaper than the official version.
Deals are there if you look for them.
GearHub sports in Fernie BC
They may ship to the US. Check them out. They have some RM frames available for good prices.
They have some really well priced altitude frames in stock right now and with the exchange rate you should make out like a criminal
Take the slayer. It aready has an X2 on it or if you want a coil they do suspension upgrades with purchase. Basically you pay the difference for an upgraded shock.
My slayer came with a DPX2 and I upgraded to an X2 for about $130
1. Suspension
2. Tires
3. Brakes
4. Cackpit
5. Pedals
6. Everything else
Edit: And they are not that light eighter.
Also, taking care of your gear (i.e., getting a bash guard and not letting your shocks get crudded up) is a good way of saving money by deferring replacement.
Anyway... there are a number of things that you can buy that can make your life (mostly slightly) better as a mountain biker. That being said unless something dramatically changes I try not to buy new (or upgrade) things until the difference is so substantial that I get that "night and day" feeling. Most bikes these days seem to really last. and the geometry, even when it's a couple years old, has changed the way everyone rides My tip for an investment would be to learn how to repair and tune your own stuff. That old "give a man a fish" story.
If you actually wanted to build a budget guide, youd need to heavily revise down your expendiature recommendations and actually look to save money. Try building a bike for $1000 or less. Its completely do able and the end product is actually great. You'll have just as much fun as the boomer riding his full carbon $10,000 shop rig.
In summary, this is bullshit from people who get sponsored to make sure you overgear yourself for the trial.
The Saddle - being comfortable is vitally important here. Most quality saddles won't break the bank relatively speaking, so having a saddle that works for you is worth the investment. Do you need carbon or Ti rails on the saddle? Again Saving within reason may mean the difference between enjoying mountain biking or not - especially for the wives & daughters you want to get into riding with you!
...But not until after a dropper post, which I'm told will be life changing. I crawled under a rock in 2007 so I really wouldn't know.
Saw a "dream build" version of my bike on fb marketplace and the seller was claiming he had spent $13k on it. I struggle to imagine it being 7 times more fun than mine.
It‘s not an outlier also. Buddy of mine is only three rides in on the same wheels and the back wheel is already broken.
All I got offered from Hunt was „crash replacement“, which doesn’t help when the rims are that bad from the start...
I am one of the three people who rides a lot but doesn't have a dropper - I have three bikes I ride a lot and can never decide which to put it on - even have one sitting in a box.
Brakes - I really like Shimano deore - I have them on all my mtn bikes now and find they work well, are reliable and cheap. I also bought a huge bulk order of pads so I am committed - I have never really had higher end brakes so it could be I don't know what I am talking about
One thing I learned: That extra cash doesn't make you faster, really. Two great examples are a 20 minute, 1300' local trail. I'm in the top 1% out of 1000 people, only 10 seconds difference between my fastest time on the old vs new bike. On another local bike park trail that is 3:30, I am in the top 1% out of 4000 people, and only 10 seconds faster on the new bike.
Was the more expensive bike faster? Yes. $5000 faster? You have to answer that question for yourself (I actually don't regret it).
I'd be much more inclined to splurge on a nicely shaped pair of (flat) pedals with easily replaceable sealed bearings and good pin placement
A similar amount would have got me a set of Spank 350s or Stan's Flows on CRC, so it's not like Superstar is the exception. No need to splash out 700 on wheels if we're talking budget build.
$150-250 a pop for brakes? If you're on a budget get a pair of Zees with 203 mm rotors and enjoy DH-worthy performance for peanuts.
Overall good article though and great that PB even discusses this. I agree with a lot of it: get good tyres, plastic pedals are great for half the price of alu, suspension over drivetrain, get a dropper if you can.
Could have mentioned the actual value players in suspension though: Manitou, Suntour, X-fusion. They never get much love or attention from PB but if I was building a bike from scratch or replacing some Recon/Revelation/35 from a stock build, I would for sure look at those 3 brands.
Smaller drivetrain players like Box could be a good idea but with the price of the complete new Deore (or even better discounted 11 speed if you find it) I think I'd trust good old Shimano.
Have to mention that Versus has really well-rated tires for $120 a set, shipped to the US (we have a $5 off a set promo this week on top of that, too). We also have a 30-day satisfaction guarantee & a frequent buyer program, which earns points towards discounts. We have special pricing at events (whenever they start happening again, too).
Oh, and Versus is rider owned.
Frame $400
Fork/shock $450
Custom wheels $250
Crank/drivetrain $200
170mm dropper $135
Rest $365
Total $1800
Time will tell how it worked out but first impressions are good. Nothing truly heavy and cheap and plenty of rebound and compression adjustment on suspension. But obviously nothing too fancy either.
And before you ask, i have about 8 friends i ride with the most, and ALL of them are on 26. I'm the only one on 27.5.
I know this is not exactly how "budget" work, but what I want to say is that you can have better stuff for a much lower price here. Also, your riding buddies will happily spend some beer and pizza if you true or build them some badass wheels.
TIL: Fox own Marzocchi.
This is crazy, especially when we talk about budget suspension. This is very bad.
LOL
• slightly lower tire pressure
• push on grips
• thicker push on grips
• alloy bars with different geometry (12° back? more height?)
• Rev grips
• carbon bars
As a person with short stubby fingers, thick grips aren't even an option. The increased grip force (hand strength) needed to hold onto larger OD grips more than negates the soft squishyness of the grip due to the faster osent of hand /forearm fatigue ... How I wish for a smaller diameter bar, so I could have a thicker squishier/softer grip at the same OD of thin grips on regular bars. kids bikes have the same problem. adult size grips w/pint size hands. Imagine trying to control your bike if your grips were the OD of a 12oz beer with a koozy? Poor groms.
At what point are replacing all those grips more expensive than just getting the carbon bar?
That said, I ride an aluminum bad with ODI Elite Pro.
*Zees rhymes better than 'dropper posts' unfortunately.