
Introduction
So you're looking for your first mountain bike - congrats! Are you completely overwhelmed with the choices and terminology yet? Before you get too far, I'm going to give you some pointers to get you focused on the right things to be looking at and considering. I'll help you cut through the all the noise from your riding buddies' opinions and the biking industry's marketing. I'll keep things simple to help you put together a plan to help you find your first mountain bike - let's get started!
Budget
Let's address the elephant in the room first. Mountain biking isn't cheap. That being said, you don't need to spend a lot to have fun and be safe. Technology has improved dramatically over the last few years so even the lower priced bikes are built well, have modern geometry and come with components that are designed to last. I do suggest you set a budget - not only for the bike, but for gear, maintenance, spare parts and at least some basic tools to help you help yourself if you have issues on the trail. See my earlier blog post for more on this.
The Market - Just like any commodity, things change over time: Supply; Demand; Manufacturing Costs; Shipment Costs; Etc. No one can predict where the market will go. So if you're in the market to buy now, buy now as the sooner you start riding, the better. If the market is bad for buying, it's likely great for selling. So if you upgrade or swap bikes, it's just a wash in the end. Right now (late 2023), it's likely the best time to buy (new or used) that we'll ever see (dirt cheap prices and enormous selection). During COVID in 2020 (high demand, low supply), it was a horrible time to buy with high prices and few choices.
High Level
What's the Best Bike For You?
Only you'll be able to determine that. You can Google and YouTube indefinitely and won't find that answer. You can post on Facebook groups and ask your riding friends too - same result. Ultimately, you need to get your butt on as many seats as you can (after setting some basic criteria) - demo/ride, take notes and continue to update your criteria. Faster than you think, you'll be down to just a few bikes to choose from. My goal with this blog post is to help you set those basic criteria. So let's get going with that!
New or Used?
To help you decide if you want to buy a new or a used mountain bike, here's a pro/con list. Here's what I did when I bought my first mountain bike: I wasn't sure if I was going to stick to the sport when I started, so I went used mainly to keep costs low up front. After narrowing down my list of bikes, I met the seller of my top choice near a bike shop. I called the shop in advance asking them if they'd do a pre-purchase inspection for me (if I decided to buy it). They did this for a nominal fee and was well worth it because they did find a few maintenance issues, quoted me a price to take care of them, which I used to negotiate the price down on the bike. That shop then did those repairs for me. Oh, and be sure to ask the folks at the shop their opinion of how the bike fits you before you commit to buying it.
New/Used Pros and Cons
| New | Used |
Price | Retail | (Usually) Big Savings* |
Warranty | Full Manufacture: You may get even more coverage from the bike shop | None: Buying as-is (warranties do not transfer), possibly from a seller with an unknown reputation |
After Sale Service | Most bike shops cover any/all repairs for 30-90 days (Pronghorn goes a full year) | None |
Condition/Reliability | 100% | Unknown, unless you or someone else does a complete pre-purchase inspection |
The Latest/Greatest Tech | Yes | Maybe not, but how important are these small yearly incremental changes to you? |
*Per my story above, I went with used as I figured if I didn't stick with the sport, the cost to get in and out of it would be minimal. You'll lose a lot more by selling a new bike vs. selling a used one. If you stick with the sport (I hope you get just as addicting as the rest of us), you may end up selling your first bike quickly and getting one that meets your criteria even better as you learn more about yourself and the kind of riding you'll be doing.
Types of Mountain Bikes
Enduro, XC, All Mountain, Trail, etc - what does it all mean?!?
Great question! The biking industry has adopted these general categories so that you know what the manufacturer's intent is for each bike. I'm going to list these categories here, ordering from "efficient" to gnarly. In general, the more travel the suspension has, the more towards the right end (i.e. gnarly) of that list the bike will be.
XC (Cross Country), Down Country, Trail, All Mountain, Enduro, Downhill
XC bikes are light and designed for efficiency and speed, but won't be a good choice as the trail gets gnarlier.
Enduro and Downhill bikes are on the heavier end and have much more suspension travel - designed for going downhill fast and/or on the gnarlier terrain (including bigger jumps and drops). This additional weight and suspension make them less efficient and more effort to climb.
Trail and All Mountain bikes are between these categories, so you'll see why I recommend them to most of my clients as a first bike.
Basic Criteria to Consider
It's time to get to my criteria recommendations (finally, right?!). This is based on conversations I've had with dozens of clients and riding friends of the years. It's meant to get you started. As you research and ride/demo bikes, your personal criteria will change.
Type/Category: Per the above list (from XC to Downhill), I suggest your first bike fit in the Trial or All Mountain category. This kind of bike will let you experience (to some degree) all of the types of riding available throughout that whole range. Down the road, if you decide you want to race, you may add or change to an XC bike. Or if you decide you like to cruise downhill much more than climb, you may opt for an Enduro bike. So you can see that starting with Trail or All Mountain is the way to go for most first time buyers.
Full Suspension or "Hardtail" (front suspension only): A hardtail will be cheaper to buy and cheaper/easier to maintain. It will also be more efficient at climbing. Unless these things are really important to you (and you test ride both full suspension and hardtails so you can feel the differences), I suggest a full suspension bike. It's going to be the most comfortable and allow you the freedom of riding more trails and conditions.
Age/Model Year: If you go used, buy a model year 2019 or later so you get the most up to date geometry.
Wheel Size: Get 29er wheels (vs. 26 or 27.5). Larger wheels give you the ability to roll over features easier than smaller wheels. A 29er may feel less maneuverable and nimble, but most riders starting out prefer the rolling efficiency they provide.
Drivetrain: This is basically the gearing. If you go with 2019 model year or later, you likely won't find any with multiple chainrings up front - so no front derailleur. I recommend this set up for simplicity in learning to ride and easier/cheaper maintenance. These are known as "one bys" or 1x (since there's only one chainring/gear up front. In the rear, most good quality drivetrains are going to have 11 or 12 gears. So overall, you're looking for a 1x11 or 1x12 drivetrain.
Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes (not mechanical/cable disc brakes, and certainly not rim brakes) is what you want. You should expect these on bikes of good quality built 2019 or later.
Dropper Post: If the bike doesn't have one, it can be added later. Your learning will be easier with a dropper post.
Bike Size: Sizes from manufactures can vary quite a bit so be sure to check out the sizing recommendations on each bike's website and/or ask your bike shop for advice. Ultimately demo/test ride to be sure you're buying the right size. Just because a size medium works from one brand doesn't mean a size medium will work for a different brand.
eBikes: Just a few words about eMTBs, as really, this is a topic for a blog article of its own. Every eBike I've seen fits in the Trail, All Mountain or Enduro categories. You're also going to be looking at bikes much heavier (because of the battery and motor) and also different motor sizes and battery sizes. If you're shopping for an eBike, reach out to me - I'm happy to give you more tips on what to consider.
Where to Look
Used: KSL Classifieds (in Utah), Facebook Marketplace, and those mountain bike Facebook groups which allow sales (like this one) are great places to start. Some bike shops will sell used bikes also.
In a buyer's market, pay attention to how long each bike has been listed. With this type of market, sellers struggle to sell anywhere close to their initial price so don't be afraid to offer significantly less than what people are asking.
New: Just like car dealers are licensed to sell only certain brands, the same is true for bike shops. If you're just starting to look, check with shops who offer the most brands. The biggest selection I know of in Northern Utah is Bikers Edge in Kaysville Utah.
Be Prepared
When heading out to look at bikes, wear what you'll be wearing on the trail (at the very least, bring your helmet). If you're looking at a bike from an individual, keep in mind that most bikes are not sold with pedals, so ask in advance for the seller to put flat pedals on so you can take it for a quick spin.
Thanks for Riding with Me / Wrap Up
The more you look, the better feel you'll get for the market, what works for you and prices.
When you find some that you're really interested in, feel free to send me the links and I'll share any thoughts I have on them - I'm happy to help!
**Bonus** Get Coached
A shameless plug? Maybe, but I believe that skills coaching is the fastest way to reach your full riding potential. Nothing beats having a qualified coach giving you real-time feedback regardless of your riding ability. If want to ride more safely, have more fun, go a little faster and/or just feel less fear on your bike, let me help you get there. Mountain biking doesn’t need to be extreme or dangerous: learn the fundamentals of safe, confident and fun riding.
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About the author: Joel Zieve is a Certified PMBI Mountain Bike Skills Coach in the Ogden Utah (Northern Utah) area. He specializes in helping beginner, novice and intermediate riders ride more safely, have more fun, go a little faster and feel less fear on their bikes. He is also the host of the Podcast "Aging on Dirt". Click here for more information about his coaching programs.