20 Best Mountain Bike Under $700 Dollars (2023 Updated)

Seems like a decent bike and not hard to put together, but it is green, not yellow. The title clearly says yellow (my son is on the autism spectrum and loves yellow; thus this purchase), but if you click on the specs it says green.

Some of the pics also look much greener than yellow (those pics are more accurate than the main pic in my opinion). So, a bit disappointed, but don’t want to go through the trouble of a return.

Overall a good bike. Very light with the aluminum frame. I like it better than the Schwinn I replaced. Two negatives- the front tire wasn’t very simple to install and the front shocks are pretty weak.

Like all bikes I’ve had, the highest gears are a little sticky.

The bike itself seems to be of decent enough quality, but you should be aware of a few issues. Firstly, it is very easy for the bike to be damaged in shipping. The rear derailleur of my bike was damaged during shipping and I had to spend $54 to have it fixed.

The second issue is vilano’s terrible customer service. I reached out to them after I assembled the bike because the derailleur was damaged and they refused to reimburse me for the repairs; they stated that the bike is advertised as needing tuning from the factory so it is normal to have to visit a bike shop.

The problem with this is that it had nothing to do with assembly or tuning, it was entirely due to the fact that the derailleur was damaged either from the factory or during shipping. The third problem I’ve ran into so far is false advertising.

The brake calipers in the promotional images and in vilano’s instructional videos are a different brand and design than the ones that are actually on my bike. While it is likely caused by a supply chain issue which is understandable, they should at least give a disclaimer.

These brakes do not adjust or fine tune in the same ways as the advertised ones. This made the assembly process an extra hassle and an overall poor experience as I had to figure out how to adjust these strange brakes.

The brakes also don’t appear to reach down far enough onto the disc, so the braking power is absolutely abismal for disc brakes, I’ve had cheap Walmart bikes with V brakes with significantly more power than these.

Other than the previous issues the bike and it’s components seem to be of reasonable quality, and I do especially like the shifters derailleur (after getting it fixed of course. ) I would strongly advise against purchasing this bike online, but if you can see one at a local bike shop and verify that it has the correct brakes it could be a good buy.

If you ever have to deal with Vilano’s customer service however, expect a terrible experience.

This bike is solid and of high quality. My daughter was so happy with it. Everything is adjustable and locks back securely. The best thing was its parrot horn.

I always LOVED Margaritaville so it’s great that I can share it with my daughter. These bikes are so fun!! The parrot horn is my daughter’s and I’s favorite feature.

This is a great bike! It’s nice and sturdy, and the look is my daughter’s favorite! Especially the fact that the coral and green color is still girly.

Have only rode less than ten miles so far. Quick and easy to assemble, box arrived in good condition, damage to bike. Rear derailer shifter and brakes already seem tuned accurately. Crank derailer shifter shifts through all 3 crank gears but is only labeled for H & L gears so will have to relabel shifter myself.

My first road bike so can’t compare to others and been over 20 years since I’ve rode. Did replace seat with one that is better cushioned. Nice sleek looking frame. Alot stiffer ride than mountain bikes but to be expected on road bikes.

May see about putting a little wider tires for softer ride, comes with 28 wide. All n all I would recommend this bike to anyone wanting a nice road bike for begginers on a budget wanting a sleek look and nice color combo (black & white w/red accents).

I bought this bike to be a trail bike. I bought it a 120mm trail fork and a 190mm rear shock and the bike is fairing nicely. It does have a 44mm headset that adapts a 1 1/8″ steerer tube, so you will have to buy a 44mm 1 1/2″ to 1 1/8″ headset and press it in to adapt a tapered steerer.

And, absolutely none of the suspension bushings were greased, so you will also have to grease each suspension linkage, unless you want excessive wear on your suspension. Other than that, the bike is very solid and proves to be a nice and stable trail bike.

I would not recommend going over a 140mm size fork as the bike geometry can get a little unstable.

This is a very nice mountain bike. High quality. Excellent quality components. A very sturdy, strong, and comfortable ride. I highly recommend this bike to everyone.

I bought this bike in the light blue version last year so that I could get into better shape while enjoying being outside with my family. I’m a big girl and needed a sturdy bike that could hold up to my weight while also making it easy to want to ride so I don’t give up.

This bike is all of that and more. After not riding a bicycle for nearly 20 years, I got on this guy with so much anxiety but that quickly went away while riding. It took a few tries to get the gears right so they didn’t skip or throw the chain off but now it rides unlike any bike I’ve ever owned.

It is smooth, sturdy, and so easy to ride. I live in the mountains with harsher landscapes to ride in and this beast goes everywhere I have taken it. I can ride it in the snow, sand, mud, and dirt with ease and I don’t tire for quite some time riding this.

It shifts gears smoothly and has double disk brakes that stop well. I still need to fine tune the brakes a bit but am learning more on bicycle maintenence to get this guy in perfect riding order. I am having a blast with this bicycle and am very happy with my purchase!.

This bike is awesome. I’ve used it for about 6 months in all kinds of weather – sunshine, rain, blizzards, several inches of snow – mostly on nicely-paved and badly-paved roads, and even on gravelly, rocky trails.

It holds up nicely, rides smooth and stable yet provides tons of fun! The wider contact patch of the 4-inch wide tires makes for a bit of a tougher ride than with a normal bike, but the sound they make on pavement when you really get moving is somewhat analogous to the whine of a powerful turbo engine in a race car.

Not that loud or intense, but it’s very cool and you’ll enjoy it. The frame is a nice, lightweight aluminum but the other components – screws and bolts and whatnot – are steel (I guess?) and will become corroded if left exposed to the elements.

So if you do get this bike and have to leave it outdoors for hours at a time on a rainy or snowy day, be smart and put some kind of cover over it to help keep it like new.

Purchased the bike just over a month ago and took it out immediately for a quick ride before I started the single speed transformation. Frame geometry is modern, through frame cable routing, and hydraulic brakes for $399?? What a steal! Bike is now a single speed with new wheel set, stem, bars, tubeless tires, new front fork, and dropper post and it’s amazing!! If you are looking for a light frame with hydraulic brakes for a project bike, look no further.

Very happy with my purchase and as always, The House doesn’t disappoint!.

The bike you get is not at all what the specs say. If the bike was built to specs, it would be a $1000 bike. 1. The cassette is not a Shimano HG31. Instead it’s a Shimano MF-TZ500 which is a freewheel and not a cassette.

2. Because it’s not an HG31 Cassette, this means the rear wheel hub is a freewheel hub which makes upgrades extremely challenging, and again this is not per spec as the spec says cassette. 3. The freewheel shipped with this bike is not an 11-31 range but a 14-28.

Again, not to spec and a much cheaper product. 4. The brakes shipped with this bike are not a Tektro brand, but a much cheaper version that has no online support. Overall, stay away, as there are much more honest companies to buy bikes from with much better parts for the same price.

I’m really impressed with the bike. It exceeded all of my expectations at this price level. 1. Fast shipping, the bike was well packed/protected (not a single scratch), everything easy to assemble and working out of the box.

2. The frame seems to be relatively light, love the paint job and the frame fits me pretty well (I’m 5’11” and ordered a 19″) 3. The hydraulic disc brakes are awesome. 4. Wheels and tires are ok, they will do the job 5.

The drive train is OK, but not made for rough trail rides. Expect a lot of chain slap and dropped chains. 6. I have been under biking for a while, riding gravel bikes on single track trails, so having some suspension is awesome, I recon the fork could be better, but I’m not changing in the near future unless it breaks.

I purchased 2 Takara Jiro. One for my wife and one for myself. Put it both together was fairly easy. Took us about 1 hour for both. We took both bike for a ride, my wife didn’t had any issues other than the position of the break handles and the shift where a bit awkward for her.

That was an easy fix. However, mine. Where do I start. First the chain kept jumping off. Had to stop several time to readjust the chain. The handle keep wiggling even after I tight, I mean really tight the stem.

I took a short dirt trails and fell of my butt because after a really small jump the handle went one way and the tire to the other. Again had to tight, the stem, aling the handle and the front wheel.

After that, we just ride the pavement trail for about 2 hours. Changing shift on mine ’cause the chain to jump off several times again. Ended up just keeping it at 2 and 4 the rest of the ride. The handle wouldn’t stop wiggling during the whole ride.

For me it was a 50/50 change. My wife ride was nice, smooth shifts, no big issues. Mine, well was awful. I will upgrade the stem and the handle either way because this handle is too short for me. About the shift and chain, I guess I will take a closer look and see if I could adjust it better.

Update: After upgrading the stem, handle and the spacer I can tell you is a good ride. However, considering the cost of the upgrades you might want to consider another brand like a entry level Trek, Specified, or GT pro.

First of all , the assembly is very easy and it contains instructions in three languages ​​. The bike is very comfortable, the seat doesn’t hurt at all, you literally don’t even feel the changes when you do them and what to say about the brakes are excellent, it’s really worth every penny it costs.

I loved. #takara #VoxBox #influenster #influenstervoxbox #fitmom #fitness #bike #kenttakararyu #kent #fitspiration.

Very excited to get to try this bike out! My teenage son loves it. It has a really nice matte black finish and large tires which he loves. He has been riding quite often and says it’s very comfortable.

He added a few accessories to complete the look. Price point is great also. Would definitely recommend.

I’m so thankful to this opportunity by @influenster and @kentbicycles for sending me a bike, incentivized. Here’s my review: Everyone who knows me knows I dont know how to ride a bike! As a child I knew, I fell and I gave up.

Now I’m at a stage in life where I really want to ride confidently. I have gotten on this Kent Northstar bike a few times. All I can say is , it is Super comfortable and stable specially for someone who is afraid to ride! I’m already loving it and can’t wait to hit the roads!! Don’t forget to wear the helmet because safety comes first! Thank you.

#KentBikesAreOnTarget #complimentary @KentBicycles @Influenster #bicycle #ridebikes #bicycling #newbie #safety #safetyfirst #safetyriding #confidence #strength #strengthtraining #pov #fridayvibes #fridayfeeling #bloggerlife #bloggerlifestyle #blogpost #incentivo #incentives #paidpromotion #reviews #honestreview #gobuyit #thankmelater ✌🏼.

I have no issue with the purchasing process, it went smooth, and delivery was quick. I am disappointed in the quality of the bike. The tube on the back tire had a defect and blew apart as soon as the appropriate amount of air was put in.

No one was even near the bike when the tube blew. It also blew apart the tire. We had to replace the tube and back tire, only to discover that the rim appears to be bent. Not much we can do about that.

After the back tire issue was more or less resolved, the first ride occurred. This resulted in the chain jumping off the sprocket due to an adjustment needed to the derailer. Other than a few lapse around the driveway, there have not been additional opportunities to ride the bike, so who knows what issue will occur next.

I am expected better quality from this bike manufacturer. I don’t think I would recommend this bike to others.

Fantastic beginners mountain bike. The dropper post is a life saver for those alternating terrains on their ride, the 2. 6 inch wide tires allow for smooth rolling over branches and rocks, wide handle bars and disc brakes provide excellent control of downhill descents.

The ONLY thing I would change is the fork, but I understand to keep the $500 price point this is acceptable. I definitely recommend this bike for those getting into mountain biking to try out. It’ll leave you wanting more for sure, but you WILL NOT find a better bike at this price point.

I love this bike. I researched a bunch of bikes and a lot of the recent reviews/videos/etc on YouTube or other media outlets didn’t include this bike in comparison tests, etc. That is because it came out a few years ago and really hasn’t changed much.

I will say that on paper it looks a bit “dated” as the seat tube angle seems less than others and the reach seems shorter than you will see on similar bikes today. All that being said, I sized up to a large and got a comparable reach to other mediums and thanks to the low stand over, this bike fits me perfectly.

For my size (shorter legs/longer torso) I am always between a medium and a large and sizing up was great. However, I did have to buy a shorter dropper post as the included KS-Lev was too long at 150mm fully extended and fully inserted.

For performance, this bike pedals really well. The best pedaling bike I have ever owned for XC was a 1998 Stumpjumper. This bike feels like that when I pedal it. Power to the ground. Finally, it also has a great spec for the price.

I traditionally have been a Shimano drivetrain/RockShox Suspension guy but this bike converted me. The GX drivetrain is awesome and the shifting crisp and so far the shocks are great. This bike is agile, poppy, and fun.

It makes me go towards the features with confidence instead of going around them. I think Diamondback gets overlooked because it is not a top seller with capability to keep revamping bikes every year and it does not have the clout of a Santa Cruz or Yeti.

I will admit I have a soft spot for the brand as I raced a Diamondback in the hey day of 80’s BMX on a Formula 1, so capturing that bit of my youth with another Diamondback doesn’t hurt. If you are on the fence on this bike, go for it.

You will not be disappointed.

Bottom line you can’t beat the price for the speck you get on this bike. It’s very similar to the Santa Cruz Hightower and shares virtually the same suspension design due to Santa Cruz’s expired VPP patent.

Yes the Santa Cruz will have better resale value due to the name but that’s about it. Save about $800 to $1000 by going with the DB Release and basically get the same performance and spec bike. I have ridden both and can’t tell the difference other than the slight geometry change between the two.

If you are a Santa Cruz fan which just about every mountain biker is but you don’t want to drop mad cash then this is the bike for you. It’s a beast on descents and a very capable climber. Rips the trails with ease.

Can’t say enough good things about this bike. The Release was the game changer for Diamondback. 👍👍👍.

Loving it! Looked for a fun comfy trail bike and that’s exactly what I got. No way professional but an avid bike enthusiast I can just appreciate the dialed feel for the money. 2. 8 tubeless rips into the ground – feels safe even on straight asphalt.

Would buy again anytime. Having the fat bike feel but without the slow weight down feel.

So I’ve had this bike for less than a month. Two and a half weeks two be exact. And I ride it to work every day. It’s 4. 3 miles one way 8. 6 miles daily. And the chain broke. I haven’t been able to find a direct replacement so I just bought a chain and used the master link in the original chain.

Other than that it’s a great starter bike. Looking to do modifications at later dates will keep posted.

For a 29″ sized tire bike it comes with a very low saddle height, had to get a extension length saddle pole from third party. Front disc break is doing a solid job. Back brake pads are a bit flimsy and small sized for the wight it has to brake.

Also, brake in the bake isn’t a too good one, but works. Frame itself is well welded aluminum, had a welder buddy of mine notice that. Bike itself is not too heavy. Unfortunately the mounting of both tires and adjustment of brakes and gear shifters is up to you.

Will have to take it to a bicycle shop to adjust them right, been experimenting with lower gears 1 to 3 forever and still have trouble shifting into them. Makes riding it in my hilly area of the city a bit rougher, maybe that’s how they speed up their eBike sales, making people want to have pedal support up hill? Anyway, decent road bike so far, but honestly, I don’t think I would take it to the trails or down to the mountain tracks, that might be kind of a backfiring idea.

Would recommend it to you, but do your own research. Was the only one left online, when I got and needed it, but it’s a good bike for road use. Builds some leg muscles too, get to it ;).

This bike replaces a top of the line Trek hardtail. that was made in 1992. It was time for a 21st century full-suspension and this one fits today’s budget. It rides really nice and so far, the components are working smoothly.

I’m 5′ 7″ which puts me right on the line between a small and a medium frame. I went with the small and as it comes it’s a bit too small. One of the first upgrades I had planned was a dropper seatpost, which took care of that problem.

I like that it IS upgradeable and eventually will go with a lighter front fork, a higher end 1×12 drivetrain, and hydraulic brakes, but I’m in no hurry to do so. All in all, I’m very happy with it after half a dozen singletrack rides.

As someone who is getting older and needs to find a way to exercise more, I tried going to the gym and hated it. I have always loved being outside, so I decided to buy myself a Mtn. Bike. I am glad I did.

I have been out riding and, after some initial soreness, enjoy being able to get out and ride the trails again.

Pretty awesome bike – excellent entry into decent quality full suspension mountain biking. The only issue I have is that I’ll be towing a bike trailer for the kiddos, and there is no way to mount a kickstand.

Not even a clamp on, because the way the bars are built, it’s too tall.

Bike is heavy. Disc brake on the front very noisy when braking. Gear change smooth. Quite expensive for $650 bike.

love the handling of this bike. she’s smooth ride and responsive. perfect for the commute and a little off road trail.. so lucky to have the south downs close to my door step.

The bike is great..everything you would expect from a quality manufacturer like Trek! Sadly a bit too small..I should have ordered a medium rather than a size small.

At nearly 40 years old, I had not been on a bike since I was in HS. seriously. I wanted a solid, entry-level bike to attack my n’hood community trails and this bike is PERFECT! Out of the box, it just looks like it is ready to juggle whatever balls you throw at it.

The Hook can do what you want, and so much more! I did a TON of research on hardtail MTBs and all signs lead me to this one. I was beginning to become slightly discouraged looking for such a popular bike during a Pandemic, when bike sales were skyrocketing and demand was high, but I am certainly glad I held out.

Set-up was simple since it was already 85% assembled (and I don’t wrench on bikes). Only thing you might want to consider, after riding this bike a few times, is upgrading the saddle. I was a little sore the first few times from only riding for 45 mins or so; just something to consider and by no means a deal-breaker.

If you pull the trigger on this bike, you WILL NOT be disappointed.

I was primarily a road rider who was looking to improve my gravel skills by spending some time on a real MTB. I had a limited budget, so when Moosejaw had this bike at a 20% discount, I pulled the trigger on the purchase.

The bike is very well packaged when shipped, and requires only minimal assembly. After unpacking, I only had to install the front wheel and handlebars. The drivetrain was properly adjusted, and the wheels were true with correct spoke tension.

The wheels are tubeless ready, but the bike ships with tubes installed. I had a couple of spare tubeless valves in my toolbox, and was quickly able to convert to a tubeless setup. I could remove, and re-install the tires without any tools, and the tires sealed easily.

With the tubeless setup, the bike, size L, weighs 28. 5 pounds. I changed the pedals to One-Up, and have been riding almost daily. The wide tires are a bit slow rolling on smooth pavement, but on the trail, the added grip plus lower tire pressure work really well.

The bike handles all terrain quite easily, and the gearing is perfect for climbing. The relatively short wheelbase makes this bike very good handling, and fun to ride on trails. This is a great bike for skill development, as well as general purpose skill development.

The bike is easy to work on, and I am looking forward to developing my MTB skills with this bike.

I love the bike. I purchased the bike about 2 months ago. It was shipped to my house in a box. The assembly was easy to figure out. I really like everything about the bike. It is definitely a good solid bike for themoney.

I.

You don’t need big brand MTB to have a CF frame hardtail MTB and with research and comparison you will realize the specs of this Syncline C2 was way better than those big brand aluminium hardtails in the market on the same price point.

I was thrilled when I saw this bike and its specs and started comparing and planing for the purchase. I just received mine and It did arrive in 2 business days within Sydney which is amazing. Today I had it road and gravel tested and it was a joy to ride compared to my old 26er aluminum hardtail (which is heavier).

The fork i thought was the weakest part, but to my surprise the Suntour was actually plush and it is 32mm stanchion. It was as comfy as my 27. 5 aluminum dual fox suspension. The tyre was another surprise, it has a Schwalbe which is an all rounder Nobyy nic which is good for my use.

The only initial issue i had was they didn’t have a small 29er, on paper I only need a 3/4 inch of additional height to be able to handle medium. So i took the risk and try the medium and it was amazingly perfect for me.

Did some some small turns and jumps and was able to handle it. All in all I finally found my long term hardtail. Can’t wait to ride it on the trails.

From order to early delivery (even in locked down Melbourne) I could not be happier with my bike. After receiving the bike it was assembled with no issues by a local bike mechanic (I am not great on the tools) who said the bike was a dream to assemble.

His quote was “I love working with amazing parts”. The order was due to arrive in store on 28 September, however, after placing my order BicyclesOnline had sent the order just seven days later. I received a message saying it was dispatched at 2 pm and by 12pm the next day the bike was here.

I took my bike out for a spin the next morning and immediately felt comfortable with it. It has the speed to burn, feels light, and is actually really nimble around corners. I do find sometimes the back of the bike tends to slip out on turns or loose gravel, but this is easily fixed with adjustments to riding style.

I am really happy with the size, weight, and 29er wheels on the bike. The purple tinge to the white is incredible and I have had many compliments since.

Great entry+ trail, unpaved road, off road grass/gravel, or paved trail bike. Go with the sizing per Cannondale website and then look on YouTube to adjust seat height, seat forward aft position. I went with Large at first and it was slightly too small.

Exchanged for XL frame and REI made it really easy and good exchange! Glad I bought at REI. Once I got XL home adjusted brake lever and shifter lever position, seat height, and seat a little backward.

Now I don’t have numb hands or pelvic area and legs feel even work on quads and hamstrings. Get the correct size and fiddle around with adjustments. it makes a good positive difference. I like the Cannondale trail 6.

Nice bike so far. Decent gearing for riding on flat road/trail and good gearing for off road or up trail or up hills.

I bought this bike 3 months ago and it’s a awesome bike for the price! I ride this bike hard and it holds up good. Upgraded to tubeless tires and rims and some Chester pedals with ergon grips and this bike is amazing.

The fork is great you just have to tune it a bit to get the most of it. But when you do, your going to feel like 100mm of travel is perfect. I find myself ride this bike more then my 130mm travel bike.

Also the 2x drivetrain is great. At first glance I thought that I was going to have a hard time with it but I was wrong. I had no chain drop and the gear ratio is great for the climbing I do. And yes 1x Drivetrain would be better but you really don’t need it you can use a old inertube as a chain stay protector.

This bike is perfect. Yes you are limited to fork options. But there is still a lot of good forks in the market like a suntor 120mm air fork. But if your in a budget like I am. The 100mm fork is perfect.

Also I just love hardtails. .

The 2021 is a great beginner bike at it’s price point. It is also a good bike for the more experienced riders as well. There are some components on the lower end that the average rider will not notice.

For you more experienced riders, this is a great frame and worth saving some pocket change and upgrade the components. – PLEASE NOTE – I am 5’10 with a pretty portioned torso and trunk. My torso is only slightly longer.

– I really suggest you DO NOT go by size recommendations. Based on the geometry and Cannondale’s size chart I was stuck between the medium and large. When that is the case I always size down so I prepaid for a medium.

Lucky when I got there they had a small b/c the medium was still a bit BIG. Obviously the 29 inch & 27. 5 inch come into play but if you are not coming from 29’s it will feel like a very big bike. I was looking at a Specialized Rockhopper, Trek Marlin 5 & Haro Flightline.

I am very happy I went with the Trail 8. Below are the basic things I did not like: – The seat is a bit uncomfortable. – The pedals it comes with are very cheap. – The crank arm is kinda long. ****I have already already upgrade the seat and pedals Next upgrades are the crank arms, front & rear derailleurs and eventually the forks and all the entry level components.

Hope this helps.

The transaction with Cambria went smooth and the bike was shipped the same day. It took a bit longer to get it to the East Coast than I expected due to UPS freight delays. The box came absolutely in tact, bike was VERY well packed in tons of bubble wrap.

The bike was pre assembled and decently tuned. It impressed me with an excellent frame quality build, solid air fork and rear shock. It indeed impressed me as a playful trail bike due to its progressive geometry and 27.

5 wheels. The only problem I had with my new bike, and that’s why I rated it 4 out of 5 (component quality control issue), was the defective bearings in the Shimano cassette hub, making grinding noise and wobbling at freewheeling.

Cambria immediately contacted Marin warranty, where they said the faulty wheel needs to be sent to Shimano… which would most likely delay my plans to ride for weeks. Luckily, Cambria customer support rep Alan was super nice and helpful and within 2 days, Cambria took care of it and sent me a replacement wheel.

Just installed the replacement, cassette hub freewheels like butter, and I’ll be riding this weekend. Great store, great customer support, didn’t let me down. Thanks Cambria!.

Firstly the bike, it’s incredible! The paintwork is stunning, and it rides even better than it looks. I’m 5’11 and went for the large which for me feels just right. For the deal I got at the time, in my opinion it can’t be beat.

Sure it may need a few minor improvements in the long run, but everyone loves an upgrade regardless of level of bike. For an entry level “do it all” full sus, it’s more than capable for what any average rider can throw at it, and as you improve (which this bike begs you to do) it’s a great base to build on and improve with you.

Secondly, the service from biketart has been exceptional. The overall delivery and communication throughout was flawless, and even though I encountered a minor issue, the guys at biketart went above and beyond expectations to rectify the problem and a special mention must be given to Michael in particular.

He was the main contact throughout and I can’t praise enough the help and customer service I received. And I’m happy to say, I will now be using biketart for the foreseeable future based on the care and dedication these guys put in to looking after their customers! ….

And the prices are pretty decent too. Perfect.

Coming from decades of road cycling experience, this is my first mountain bike. I’m fit enough for challenging rides, but little technical experience mountain biking. I purchased this bike to keep the investment low, but enable me to upgrade in the future.

I’ve now gone on many steep, rocky, technical rides and the bike has done excellent. I’m very happy with my choice. I only upgraded to a dropper post at the time of purchase. In the future I’ll upgrade the group set as I’d prefer a little more snappiness in shifting, but it performs very well on tough trails.

No complaints!.

I started riding about three-quarters of a year ago with this bike. I’ve done green through black diamond trails on this sucker and its held together quite well through it all. I’m still a newbie with jumps, but I’ve been practicing on this bike without any issues.

Peddle upgrades are a must if you’re doing more challenging trails. The chain is pretty easy to knock off; that’s my only real complaint so far. I think this bike is a great place to start your MTB journey, especially if you’re on a bit of a budget.

A solid entry-level bike. It competes well against similarly priced/marketed bikes. There is definitely room for upgrades from the stock entry-level components, but that will be the case with any bike at this price point.

It wins over its competitors with the drivetrain: it has a 2-by setup, with a larger range on the rear cassette. Other similarly-priced bikes have more travel on the fork (100mm to this 75mm), though.

The seat is not the most comfortable, but that shouldn’t be a deciding factor. As another review mentioned, it runs slightly large – it may be worth getting the smaller size if between 2 sizes.

Having taken this on a 2-hour trail ride, I’m thrilled with the bike. It’s sturdy, the tires are pretty good for an entry-level bike, and it’s really not that heavy even with the basic shocks. The only issue is sizing.

I’m 5’6″ with a 29 to 30″ inseam, so that put me in a medium by the size chart. Since my road bike (Jamis) is a medium, it sounded reasonable. No way. The medium seemed big when I picked it up, and after my test ride, I knew I had to swap it for a small.

Even with the saddle all the way down, I just make it to a comfortable spot on the pedals. The reach to the handlebars is also a bit large. Size down for the right fit.