Bike Buying Advice for beginners
Bike buying advice for those at the very beginning of their MTB journey!
If you’re looking to get into mountain biking then you couldn’t have chosen a better time- new competitions are appearing left and right, events are attended by more fans than ever and entries into local races and festivals are skyrocketing. People all over the world are going mountain bike mad.
If you’ve consumed any mountain bike media from the last couple of years in your exploration of the sport, you’ll probably notice that everyone is riding beautifully engineered, sparkly, intensely complicated and very expensive looking bikes. On top of this, if you’ve done a quick search like ‘mountain bikes for sale’ to find your own shredding machine, you’ve probably discovered the shocking prices of the mountain bike world for yourself.
But don’t panic; we’re here to tell you that, for now at least, you don’t have to get wrapped up in any of this.– What Bike do I Need as a Beginner? –
The mountain bike market is currently saturated with bike companies vying for your attention; telling you that, as a beginner, you need to start on their ‘special beginners model’ then upgrade to the more expensive ‘not so beginner’ version for higher performance- all the while accepting your hard earned cash that you don’t actually need to spend. If you take a break from reading (just for a moment, of course) and head to Google, then search something along the lines of ‘mtb bikes from the 00s’, you’ll find an assortment of bikes that look a lot like the bikes our dads may have owned during our younger years, or even your very first bike from Halfords. Some questionable design choices, bold clashing colours, small wheels, thin handlebars, useless suspension and awkward riding positions were all prevalent, even at the highest level- and yet they rode. If mountain bikers of yesteryear can ride those bikes then why can’t we? When you’re a beginner, a bike is a bike. Does it have 2 wheels? Yes? Then get out there and get those tyres on some dirt. Get a feel for the sport. Climb some hills, explore some single track, pedal along bridleways and challenge yourself with some downhill.– So Can I Really Ride Any Bike? –
Within reason, yes!
Old bikes in your parent’s garage, online marketplace bargains, second hand wonders from local bike shops- the key takeaway here is that you don’t need to spend a load of money on your first bike. This is not the time to be worrying about buying a high-end mountain bike with a carbon frame.
Having said that, as this is the real world, this does come with some important caveats.
Ensuring you have properly functioning brakes is a must, do not ride any bike with brakes you are unsure of- ever. You’ll also need tyres filled with air, the ability to pedal is always nice (though not essential, we can always push!) and giving the bolts and screws a quick once over will certainly help your chances of staying in the saddle.
If you get your hands on a second hand bike always give it a once over before heading out for a ride; if you don't know how to do that safely then head to your local bike shop to get your bike checked over. You can use this opportunity to ask about the best local places you could take your bike- chances are they’ll be stoked that you’re thinking about riding, and keen to help you get started.
Then it’s down to you to do some exploring. Mountain biking means many different things to many different people, so getting out there and discovering what it could mean to you is a crucial step.- Not all Bikes are Made Equal -
Whilst it is true that you can hop on a bike a cruise a bridle path, or explore some forest tracks, it is worth noting that certain bikes will restrict you on certain trails, and others could be down right dangerous. For example, riding a fixed gear bike would be very difficult down a flow trail as you can never stop pedalling- making balance very difficult. A beat up old rigid bike could receive severe structural damage over extremely rough terrain, or the wheels could buckle causing you great harm. Always make sure the bike you are riding is designed for the type of riding you are about to undertake. There are very specific kinds of bikes for a very good reason in the world of MTB, some tasks may be beyond the capabilities of your bike- check out our blog on the different types of MTB to get a better idea of what this means. For the most part, beginners will be fine cruising on entry level trails, but as your skills start to ramp up it is very important to be sure your bike is up to the task. – Will I Miss Anything Not Having a New Bike? –
The truth is, as a beginner, absolutely not.
It would be fair to estimate that the majority of mountain bikers around the world never extract more than half of the potential of their fancy, expensive bike. These bikes are designed by some of the world's best engineers in laboratories and factories, parts are strength tested and designed to take huge stresses, and complex geometry is used to maximise the efficiency of the human component- but for the regular person, none of this means anything.
If, for example, I were to buy a relatively standard bike for around £3,000 and head out to the mountain bike trails near me to practise jumps, hit a few rough sections of trail and have an all round great time, I would have barely touched the tip of the iceberg in terms of that bike’s capability. In the hands of a professional rider that very same bike could handle high speeds, massive jumps and steep, technical trails.
Pretty much every regular rider is ‘over-biked’- meaning they don’t use the full capability of the bike they own. And this is fine, it’s often the way in sport; it’s how technologies progress, talents get discovered, and it means you’ll have plenty of room for your skills to grow into your new bike.
But it also enforces the point that as a beginner, the most beneficial thing you can do is to get out there and ride- as your skills progress you'll reach a natural point where have a newer bike would be a great advantage, but for now just enjoy being on two wheels. – When Should I Buy a ‘Proper’ Bike? –
Give yourself time to understand the basics of the sport. Learn some technique, find your balance, learn how to use the breaks, the gears and gain some basic bike control. Once you’ve spent some time acquainting yourself with the sport, go ahead and search for the best mountain bike brands or how to find the right bike for you.
Make sure you understand the sport and want to continue within it; the longer you give yourself on your ‘beginner’s’ bike, the more you’ll reap the benefits when you make the switch to a modern machine. – Now, Get Out There and Shred! –
Now’s the time to get out there and discover the freedom of mountain biking; you’ll get the chance to make new friends, get fitter, stronger, healthier, and learn a heap of new skills. *add link here to ride with us page*
So what are you waiting for? 