Best Entry Level Mountain Bike

In order to choose the best low priced entry-level mountain bike, one should first set his priorities and decide the parameters upon which he wants to judge the bike. Today, there are mountain bikes available in the market with prices ranging from a few hundred dollars to even thousands. Different bikes are manufactured, keeping in mind the needs of different types of riders. One should choose the bike that best suits his needs. Understanding the specific needs is important because one would not want to overspend on entry-level bikes. Those bikes with a higher price offer greater comfort levels and also make it smoother for the rider to shift gears. All these and other advantages come with a price tag greater than other models/products.

What is Mountain Bike?

A mountain bike is a type of bicycle used for off-road cycling on steep declines, logging roads, dirt trails and other unpaved paths. People started using mountain bikes with the introduction of sport of mountain biking in 1970s. Nowadays, many different mountain bikes have evolved out of the original ones. These bikes are used in different sport competitions such as cross-country, free-ride biking, endurance biking and downhill mountain biking. The four different types of mountain bikes are hardtail, fully rigid, soft tail and the full suspension. The hardtail bikes don't have a rear suspension, but possess a suspension fork in the front. The fully rigid type of mountain bikes don't have a suspension at all. Soft tail bikes have a little bit of rear suspension which is activated by the flex and not the pivots. Full suspension bikes offer more comfort than any other type. It is necessary to understand that bikes with suspension though offer comfort while riding, the hardtails are still considered to be the best. This is because the hardtail models can endure rough terrain in a far better manner than those with suspension.

Entry-level Mountain Bikes

Mountain bikes come in different varieties. Before buying a mountain bike, one should think about his specific requirements, purpose of purchasing the bike, and also the budget. One should decide whether he wants a bike for weekend riding, off-road mountain biking or both. For the entry-level biker, a 24 speed aluminum bike should prove to be ideal. The price range for entry-level mountain bikes is between $600 and $800. However, bikes that are both cheaper and expensive than those in the $600-$800 price range can be found in the market. Bikes such as the Woodstock, Fezzari and Ibex bikes are considered to be ideal for entry-level. The price range of under $500 makes these bikes ideal for entry-level buyers.

Ideal Mountain Bike

Weight and position are the crucial factors that one should consider while choosing a bike. An ideal mountain bike should have a forward leaning body. The bike should be light in weight and must give the same riding experience, both uphill and downhill. Let us have a look at some of the notable brands suitable for beginners.

Trek 3900: The Trek 3900, a hardtail bike with an aluminum frame is a good trek bicycle. However, this model is designed for off-road use, i.e. on gravel trails and dirt tracks; it is not meant for a rugged terrain. Also, one shouldn't use it for jumps. The smooth shifting gear pattern and rigid frame of this bike are its plus points. One should however spend a little amount in order to upgrade its disc brakes. The 'Trek 3900' is priced at an economical $480, which makes it a cheap entry-level bike.

Gary Fisher Tarpon: It is one of the best entry-level bikes for mountain and other rough terrains. Gary Fisher Tarpon comes with a lifetime warranty. The 100 mm suspension of this bike makes it especially suitable for riding on mountain terrains. This bike is priced at somewhere around $460.

Felt Q520: The notable features of this entry-level mountain bike are its 100 mm suspension fork and disc brakes. It has a strong body and also offers great levels of comfort. The approximate price of Felt Q520 is $470.

Specialized Hardrock: The specialized hardrock bikes are priced around $500 and possess a strong frame. The riding position too is very comfortable.

Kona Kula: The Kona Kula is a hardtail bike which costs around $1,300. This bike has a frame that weighs 26 pounds. Kona Kula was introduced in the market about 10 years ago. It is mostly used for cross-country.

To buy a specialized bike in the beginning itself would not be a smart thing to do. An entry-level mountain bike would allow you to understand your interests as to which type of biking you want to practice. The different types of mountain biking activities have specialized requirements. An entry-level bike therefore, serves as a tool to experiment with and then proceed further.