MBA’s Budget Bike Buyer’s Guide
Budget Bike
Buyer’s Guide
As many of you know, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of people throwing a leg over a bike to stay active while enjoying some much-needed time outdoors. As new riders have quickly found out, however, mountain biking can be a very expensive hobby. There are many worthy bikes to pedal that are available between $4000 to $6000, but that does not even come close to being the high end of the market. Fortunately, there are just as many exceptional bikes for right around $2000.
Unfortunately, since the cycling boom, bikes have become hard to find. In some cases, it is impossible to even know when they will become available. Now that we are in the spring of 2021, however, companies should be on track to receive more inventory to meet the high demand. We made a list of our top picks, which range from light hardtails to all-mountain trail machines, while keeping budget and quality in mind. We cover some of the important specs and reasons you might want to choose a particular model.
NINER SIR 9 2-STAR
Contact: www.ninerbikes.com
Price: $2399
Category: Hardtail/adventure
Drivetrain: SRAM SX Eagle 12-speed
Brakes: SRAM Level
Fork: Marzocchi Bomber Z2 Rail, 120mm travel
Frame material: Reynolds 853 steel
Tires: Schwalbe Nobby Nic 29×2.6″ (f)/Schwalbe Nobby Nic 29×2.35″ (r)
Wheels: Niner Alloy 30mm Internal
What stands out: We had lots of test time on this frame last year. We loved how the steel frame rode and appreciated all the attachment points on this bike to outfit it for bikepacking. If you are not into that, this is still a great hardtail to progress your riding skills.
What could be changed: This build does not come stock with a dropper post. A dropper post would be a noteworthy upgrade.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN GROWLER 50
Contact: www.bikes.com
Price: $1999
Category: Trail Hardtail
Drivetrain: Shimano Deore 12-speed
Fork: RockShox 35 Gold RL, 150mm travel
Frame material: 6061 alloy
Tires: WTB Vigilante 29×2.6“ (f)/WTB Trail Boss 29×2.6″ (r)
Wheels: WTB ST i30
What stands out: The Growler is a great option for someone who wants to ride a hardtail aggressively downhill. The slacked-out head tube and long wheelbase make the Growler function as more of a trail bike through the terrain.
What could be changed: It has updated standards throughout the frame design, so riders can upgrade as they go. To start, we would ride the bike exactly as it comes out of the box and perhaps upgrade the fork down the road.
MARIN PINE MOUNTAIN 2
Contact: www.marinbikes.com
Price: $2099
Category: Hardtail/adventure
Drivetrain: Shimano SLX 12-speed
Fork: RockShox FS 35, 120mm travel
Frame material: Double-butted and heat-treated chromoly
Tires: Vee Tire Flow Snap 29×2.6″ (f and r)
Wheels: Alloy double-wall
What stands out: This was another adventure rig that we did some testing on. Similar to the Niner, we enjoyed the way the steel frame carried itself on the dirt. Marin blends a classic hardtail with modern trail capabilities.
What could be changed: If we were specifically buying this bike to load up for bikepacking, we might consider upgrading the wheels to something a bit sturdier.
CANYON NEURON 5
Contact: www.canyon.com
Price: $1899
Category: Trail
Drivetrain: SRAM SX Eagle 12-speed
Fork: Rock Shox Judy Silver TK, 130mm travel
Frame material and travel: Aluminum, 130mm travel
Tires: Maxxis Dissector 29×2.4″ (f)/Maxxis Rekon 29×2.4″ (r)
Wheels: Shimano MT410
What stands out: This direct-to-consumer brand has delivered an impressive trail bike build for under $2000. It’s a great bike if you are looking for a new way to experience any trail.
What could be changed: This is a personal preference, but we eventually upgraded the fork to save weight at the front of the bike.
CO-OP CYCLES DRT 2.2
Contact: www.rei.com
Price: $1799
Category: Adventure/hardtail
Drivetrain: SRAM NX Eagle 12-speed
Fork: RockShox Recon RL, 120mm travel
Frame material: Aluminum
Tires: WTB Ranger 27.5×2.8″ (f and r)
Wheels: WTB ST i35
What stands out: This is an ideal option for someone who wants to go on adventures. It’s not our first choice to crush downhills with, but it is very much a stepping stone that could be used for more than just enjoying the mountains.
What could be changed: Although the plus-sized tires are forgiving over terrain, we would recommend trying a 2.6-inch for less rolling resistance once the stock compound is used up.
GIANT STANCE 29 1
Contact: www.giant-bicycles.com
Price: $2000
Category: Trail
Drivetrain: SRAM SX Eagle 12-speed
Fork: RockShox Recon Silver RL, 130mm travel
Frame material: Aluminum, 120mm travel
Tires: Maxxis Forekaster (29×2.35″)
Wheels: Giant AM 29 alloy
What stands out: The Stance’s modern full-suspension geometry is a great example of how a rider can experience the latest trail-taming technologies. This bike is a solid value for a rider looking to take on more technical terrain than a cross-country bike can handle comfortably.
What could be changed: Some riders might blow through the travel pretty quickly if the bike’s limits are overstepped. If that is the case, we would swap to a higher-performance front and rear shock.
CANYON EXCEED CF 7
Contact: www.canyon.com
Price: $1999
Category: Hardtail
Drivetrain: SRAM NX Eagle 12-speed
Fork: RockShox Recon RL, 100mm travel
Frame material: Carbon
Tires: Maxxis Ikon 29×2.35″ (f)/Maxxis
Aspen 29×2.5″ (r)
Wheels: RaceFace AR25
What stands out: This is the same hardtail frame used by Canyon’s race teams but with a more affordable component package. Again, Canyon’s direct-to-consumer model is tough to beat with a complete carbon-framed bike right at $2000.
What could be changed: This is an exceptional option for someone who wants to get involved with racing cross-country and still have some money left over to upgrade components if he or she gets more into it.
SANTA CRUZ CHAMELEON D
Contact: www.santacruzbicycles.com
Price: $1949
Category: Hardtail
Drivetrain: SRAM SX Eagle 12-speed
Fork: RockShox Recon RL
Frame material: Aluminum
Tires: Maxxis Minion DHF 29”x2.3″ (f)/Maxis Ardent 29×2.35″ (r)
Wheels: WTB ST i30
What stands out: Santa Cruz designed the Chameleon to be adaptable to suit its environment. It can be run as a 29er or 27.5+, and there is even the option of running gears or single-speed with a swappable dropout design. It is also optimized to run 130mm of front travel.
What could be changed: Simple answer—anything a rider wanted, depending on preference and style.
MARIN RIFT ZONE 29 2
Contact: www.marinbikes.com
Price: $2049
Category: Trail
Drivetrain: Shimano Deore 12-speed
Fork: RockShox Recon Silver RL, 130mm travel
Frame material: 6061 aluminum, 125mm travel
Tires: Vee Tire Flow Snap 29×2.35″ (f and r)
Wheels: Double-wall alloy
What stands out: The Rift Zone has long, low and slack geometry. This makes the bike much more aggressive than a cross-country race bike while providing more stability at high speeds and more smiles through technical terrain.
What could be changed: The frame alone is worth the investment, but for $2000 you get a complete bike to rip before even thinking about changing out components.
HUDSKI DOGGLER MOUNTAIN
Contact: www.hudskibikes.com
Price: $1999
Category: Rigid hardtail/adventure
Drivetrain: Shimano SLX 12-speed
Fork: Hudski full carbon
Frame material: Doggler alloy
Tires: Maxxis Rekon EXO
27.5×2.6″ (f and r)
Wheels: Jalco i30
What stands out and what could be changed: Check out the full review on this new Northern California bike brand here.
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