Mountain biking is an excellent sport that allows you to have fun and stay fit at the same time. A fact is mountain biking is not always all about huge jumps, breakneck speeds, and drops. The truth is you can still enjoy the sports on easy trails at first, eventually working your way up to more difficult dirt trails to gain experience. So how do you start with this fun activity? You begin right here with our selection of the best beginner mountain bikes available on the market. Furthermore, if you are uncertain about which one to choose, we have a buyer’s guide at the end to help you on your way. Check out: Best Mountain Bike Helmets
Table of Contents
Best Beginner Mountain Bikes you can buy
1. Diamondback Hardtail Mountain Bike
The mountain bike with its hardtail frame and low bottom bracket height is ideal for beginners to use. You can ride fast as Diamondback kept the rear triangle short for you to enjoy a playful ride. The do-it-all bike helps you to learn the basics of mountain biking. While you do not get an impeccable performance compared to costly bicycles, you get a fork that can handle rough terrains. Furthermore, you get an acceptable range of gears with the SRAM 1×8 drivetrain as well. The bike has hook rolls on the wheels to move over rough terrains with ease.
2. Raleigh Tokul 2 MTB
For the most affordable beginner mountain bikes, you can look at the Tokul 2 from Raleigh. The bicycle has an alloy frame to keep the price down. You get reliable gears with the Shimano 12-36t with the nine-speed cassette for accurate shifting. Even the tires do an excellent job of absorbing bumps with outstanding traction. While the travel fork is perfect for cross country racing it is still not made for extreme racing. Furthermore, the brakes feature “reach-adjust’ to dial into your hand size, but you cannot do this on the fly as you need a tool to do this. For the price, it is one of the best beginner mountain bikes available.
3. Schwinn Protocol
The dual-suspension mountain bike is perfect for beginners to enjoy a comfortable ride. The bicycle is lightweight with the aluminum frame and front suspension. Furthermore, it has shock absorbers mounted into the fork as well. Even the gear system is from high quality with a 24-speed EZ-Fire Shimano trigger shifter with a derailleur. Therefore, you can enjoy minimal disruption when cycling rough terrains. Another excellent reason to buy the bike is that it offers you low maintenance with an extensive gear range.
4. Kent KZ2600
Here we have another dual-suspension MTB from Kent that is perfect for any beginner to use. The frame is lightweight and small, making it easy to transport and carry. Furthermore, it has a standard front fork suspension with rear floating beam suspension. With the design, it absorbs most of the shock when cycling through rough terrains even at high speeds. You get 21 speeds with the Shimano gear shifters and Tourney derailleur. The mountain bikes packed with comfort features.
5. Schwinn S29
With the 29-inch wheels on this mountain bike, you can ride over different terrains comfortably. The bicycle has full suspension to remove bumps in the road giving you a smooth ride. You get front and rear disc brakes with a 21-speed gear shifter. Furthermore, the aluminum frames lightweight and it is equipped with large wheels for the best traction on the road.
6. Dynacraft Alpine Eagle MTB
The Alpine Eagle is made for women who enjoy mountain biking. The hybrid design allows you to ride comfortably on mountain trails to roads. Furthermore, it has a shock-absorbing front fork and the handlebar and seats padded well for comfort. You can adjust the seat or remove it to replace it with a better one. The alloy wheels are sturdy and it offers you a wide gear range as well.
7. Xspec Folding Mountain Bike
Finding a folding mountain bike is rare, but when you find one, you have one of the best beginner mountain bikes money can buy. The quality is high and the bike collapses small for transport in seconds. The rims made from aluminum alloy and it offers you a wide range of gears with 21-speed Shimano gear shifters and derailleur. Furthermore, it uses advanced disc braking as well.
8. Kent T-29 Mountain Bike
The beginner mountain bikes from Kent has a lightweight 6061 aluminum frame to give you an outstanding foundation when riding rough terrains. Furthermore, it is equipped with Shimano RS25 Shifters with TZ31 derailleurs to provide you with precise gearing and riding. The bicycle is lightweight with its 29-inch alloy rims and equipped with 29-inch knobby tires for the best traction on any surface.
9. Mongoose R3577
Here we have another full suspension mountain bike made for girls that are lightweight with the aluminum frame. You get a 21-speed Shimano rear derailleur with SRAM twist shifters for smooth gear changes. For fast braking, it has alloy brakes and you have full suspension in the rear and front.
10. Tommaso Gran Sasso
If you are tight on budget, you will love the price when looking for a beginner mountain bikes from Tommaso Gran Sasso. The MTB has Shimano gears with a lightweight aluminum frame. The 29-inch wheels are made for rough terrains and make climbing hills easier. Furthermore, it comes with Shimano M315 hydraulic disc brakes offering you double the stopping power. Moreover, it has a 24-speed Shimano drivetrain with Suntour SF15-XCM fork comprising of 100mm travel. Even the handlebar is wide for better control. So if you want a mountain bike that is built to last, make sure to check this one out.
Beginner Mountain Bike Comparison Table
| BEGINNER MOUNTAIN BIKE | FRAME | DRIVETRAIN | BRAKES | TIRES |
| DIAMONDBACK | 6061-T6 ALUMINUM ALLOY | SRAM 1×8 SPEED | TEKTRO AURIGA MECHANICAL | SCHWALBE TOUGH TOM 27.5 x 2.35″ |
| RALEIGH TOKUL 2 | AL-6061 SL ALUMINUM | SHIMANO 12-36T/9SPD | TEKTRO AURIGA HYDRAULIC DISC | KENDA HONEY BADGER 27.5 x 2.2″ |
| SCHWINN PROTOCOL | DUAL-SUSPENSION ALUMINUM | SHIMANO | PRO-MAX FRONT/LINEAR PULL BACK | 26-INCH |
| KENT KZ2600 | FULL SUSPENSION ALUMINUM | SHIMANO | FRONT WITH REAR | 26-INCH |
| SCHWINN S29 | ALUMINUM | EZ FIRE | FRONT/REAR MECHANICAL | 29-INCH |
| DYNACRAFT ALPINE EAGLE | ALUMINUM | 21-SPEED | FRONT/REAR V-BRAKES | 26-INCH |
| XSPEC MTB | FOLDABLE STEEL FRAME | 21-SPEED | DUAL DISC BRAKES | 26-INCH |
| KENT T-29 | ALUMINUM | N/A | DUAL DISC BRAKES | 29-INCH |
| MONGOOSE R3577 | ALUMINUM | 21-SPEED | ALLOY/FULL SUSPENSION | 24-INCH |
| TOMMASO GRAN SASSO | ALUMINUM | 24-SPEED | SHIMANO M315 HYDRAULIC | 29-INCH |
MOUNTAIN BIKE BUYERS GUIDE
Whether you have tried out mountain biking or new to it, we have all the information you need to get started here. So to find out which MTB will work for you, you can always follow the next steps to help you out.
Do you need a Hardtail or Full Suspension?
The Hardtail you can find with a front suspension fork with a firm rear end and different to full-suspension frames providing a shock in the back end. So which one is better? In honesty, neither of them and comes down to personal preference. With the suspension at the back, you get better traction with less pedaling. However, the hardtail is lighter in weight and cheaper as it lacks a shock. If you want to get the job done, the hardtail is the one to have to offer more comfort. On the other hand, the full-suspension model offers comfortable performance with the hardtail feeling more like a pogo stick.
What frame should you pick?
Do you want an aluminum frame or perhaps one made of steel or carbon? If you are a beginner, you will most likely need an alloy frame as carbon ones are expensive. Start with a cheaper frame, and once you are entirely sure you want to go on with the sport, you can always buy a carbon one later.
What wheel size will work for you?
The standard wheels size of most mountain bikes is 26-inches, but the majority has been replaced with 27 – 29-inch wheels. With bigger wheels, the bicycle rolls easily over obstacles in your way. Furthermore, choosing the right wheel size comes down to your height. If you are tall, we recommend selecting a 29-inch one.
The Drivetrain
On mountain bikes, for beginners, you will find the drivetrain has two chainrings on the front with a 9 – 11-speed cassette. However, you can find the bike equipped with a single chainring as well comprising a 10 – 11-speed cassette offering you an excellent gear range without the weight.
The Brakes
For enjoying mountain biking, we recommend you buy an MTB with hydraulic disc brakes. You get the best braking power compared to a cable pull or rim brake.
Furthermore, if the mountain bike has an affordable price, it may not always have the best brakes, but as long as it is hydraulic, it will help you stop with ease.
The Tires
The majority of beginner mountain bikes have stock tires, and you should not expect too much of them on the road. So if you do not want problems with your handling, you can always upgrade them to better ones.
We hope that our beginner mountain bike buyer’s guide helps you to find the right bicycle to fit your needs. We love the Diamondback Pro as it has a combination of durable components that are made with quality material.
The important thing is to find a mountain bike that is suitable for your budget and cycling needs, so once you have selected the best mountain bike, why not check out our mountain bike helmets while here as well. Enjoy your ride, and always be safe!
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