Which mountain bike for a beginner?

• Get the right size. First up, everything else is secondary to the right frame size.
• Choose a wheel size.
• Choose hardtail or full-suss.
• Don't obsess about weight.
• Beware the flashy trinkets.
• Choose suspension quality, not quantity.
• Look for futureproof design.
• Keep some budget back.

1. Get the right size

First up, everything else is secondary to the right frame size. But don't rely on stated size – while many companies are switching to small, medium and large instead of increasingly inaccurate numbers, (seat tubes have been shrinking even as frames get longer), there’s no standardised idea of what, for instance, constitutes large. One brand’s large can match another's medium.

Instead, you'll want to ensure that your bike is the right fit for you. Look for (and contrast) the reach (distance from the saddle to the bars) and stack (distance from center of crank to mid-head tube) measurements, and don’t be afraid to go longer than with a road bike. A long front triangle puts the axle further ahead, letting you weight it (for grip) without risking going straight over the bars at the first impact. It also helps with climbing by keeping your front wheel planted.

Just don’t go so long there’s no standover clearance. You only need a couple of centimeters. A short seat tube gives good standover and the greatest room for maneuver, but make sure you can still get full pedalling height without overextending the seatpost. Note that 29ers have taller fronts, and that riding position can be significantly tweaked with alternative stems, bars and seatposts.

2. Choose a wheel size

Diameters have settled to an easy, binary choice of 27.5in (650b, aggressive trail and downhill) or 29in (XC and trail). However, wide-rimmed Plus sizes and the recent trend towards 29in downhill wheels are muddying the waters.

While strong, stiff and light(ish) 29ers will undoubtedly become more common in the next few years – along with suitable tires and frames – for now the choice remains largely the same: favor bigger hoops for big miles, or smaller, stronger ones for smashing trails. Plus sizes can really pay off on hardtails, but they’re sensitive to tire pressure and there’s some question over whether they’re really here to stay.

3. Choose hardtail or full-suss

The rear shock, bearings, linkage and extra manufacturing complication of full suspension all cost money. Consequently, you’re likely to get a better parts spec on a hardtail over a full-suss bike at the same price. You’ll have less maintenance and fewer things to go wrong, too.

On the other hand, full-suss bikes are now more advanced than ever, so their advantages can still outweigh their disadvantages. There’s no need to dismiss either, but forget needing to ‘learn’ on a hardtail before getting ‘a big bike’ – it’s a myth. Really, this one is preference.

4. Don’t obsess about weight

Weight is important, but off-road, strength is marginally more important. Flimsy has no place when random rocks, roots and ruts can grab at you from all angles – steering accuracy, cornering and confidence all suffer, dragging your speed down with it. It’s better to carry a few extra pounds and keep your bike out of the hedge. And out of the workshop, too.

5. Beware the flashy trinkets

Don’t be fooled by a nice rear mech (derailleur): it’s common for these to be up-specced to help sell the bike. A quality mech is important, but so too are the shifters and cranksets – even the chainrings aren’t too far behind. Be aware that lower spec components are heavier, more rudimentary and not worth paying a premium for, so factor in your plan for future upgrades. FSA have a variety of quality MTB components available.

6. Choose suspension quality, not quantity

Check the reviews of the forks and shocks (on full suss) on the bike you’re looking at, and use the manufacturer’s site to get the exact models. Note that OE (original equipment) units can be a different (often lower) spec than similar-looking aftermarket ones. Quality damping and a decent air spring will do far more for you than any amount of extra travel.

7. Look for futureproof design

Check for current/popular axle diameters and spacing, plus headset, bottom bracket and even seatpost diameters – you’ll struggle to get the increasingly popular dropper post (for changing saddle height on-the-fly) in the smallest diameter, for instance. Internal routing for ‘stealth’ droppers is also desirable, though what internal gear cabling/brake hosing gains in looks it can lose in noise and ease of maintenance.

8. Keep some budget back

You will benefit from a dedicated trail helmet, with its greater coverage, stronger construction and decent peak. You may also want a backpack, plus glasses for warding off flying crud. Then there are sticky shoes for flat pedals, or mountain bike specific shoes, cleats and clipless pedals.

Should a beginner mountain biker buy one of the best hardtail mountain bikes or the best full-suspension mountain bikes? We usually recommend a hardtail to start off on, but luckily the best budget mountain bikes can encompass both genres.

There loads of different types of mountain biking and bikes dedicated to each of those disciplines, but for most new riders trail mountain biking is the best place to start.

If you are unsure of what you want or have some questions of your own, be sure to read our 'how to choose the best mountain bikes for beginners' section at the bottom of this article.

The Ragley Marley really shows how good affordable bikes have become, opening up tech and features to entry-level riders without having to fork out a serious investment. The progressive geometry along with the smooth Marzocchi fork will instill confidence on rough trails allowing new riders to experiment with line choice and learn new skills. The Shimano Deore drivetrain has already proven itself as the go-to budget groupset with dependable performance and a wide range 11-speed cassette.

The only disadvantage is that the Ragley uses 27.5-inch wheels rather than the more popular 29er size. While this sacrifices some capability to roll over large rocks and roots its does increase maneuverability to make the bike feel more playful on trails and jumps.

This hardtail from Orbea sports a 140mm fork and a dropper post for aggressive trail riding. The quality spec means those beginner riders who quickly progress their riding skills won't outmatch their bike's components.

Bolted onto the triple-butted aluminum frame are a Shimano Deore drivetrain and Shimano M201 hydraulic disc brakes. The wheelset is Orbea's tubeless-ready OC1 29er model, which comes wrapped in 2.6in Maxxis tires to keep you gripping the trail surface.

Vitus is known for producing bikes that ride great at impressively competitive prices yet Vitus has truly outdone itself with the Escarpe 29 CR. The 140mm trail bike is staggeringly good value with a solid spec list. Not only are you getting front and rear suspension from Marzocchi and RockShox, a Shimano Deore 11-speed drivetrain and a dropper post, but the front triangle is carbon - that's right - carbon on a full-suspension trail bike for sub $3,000.

All this spec is useless if the bike doesn't ride well, and Vitus has this department covered as well. The company's years of bike design knowledge have been applied to the geometry and suspension kinematics so the Escarpe climbs as well as it descends for all-round trail performance, so you know you have a bike that will keep up as you develop your skills.

Based out of Andorra, Commencal is a direct-to-consumer brand that has long sold bikes through its own website offering well-specced rowdy rides at prices other brands have struggled to match.

Commencal technically classes the Meta HT as an enduro bike, likely due in part to its 160mm fork and super slack 65-degree headtube angle. If you're planning to tackle an EWS (Enduro World Series) course, a rear shock is probably a must, but the Meta HT is a hardy hardtail that is a capable descender. The geometry encourages descending at lightspeed and provides enough front suspension to get you out of a lot of trouble.

For the money, the Meta HT AM Origin is great with a RockShox 35 Silver fork, and this year it's been upgraded to a SRAM 12-speed groupset. The only thing missing is a dropper post.

If you are more interested in lap times than airtime then Specialized has the budding XC racer covered with its Chisel range. With 100mm of travel and a lightweight alloy frame, the Chisel is ready to cover ground quickly and efficiently. In fact, Specialized claims the Chisel is one of the lightest alloy mountain bike frames available at 1,350g, making the Chisel Comp a worthy candidate for upgrades as you get more serious about riding.

Stock components are a mix of functional name-brand kit from the likes of RockShox and Shimano as well as Specialized's own-brand kit which is used around the touchpoints and finished off with quick Specialized Fast Trak tires.

You must be living under a rock to be a mountain biker and not have seen 50-01's videos of them hitting huge jumps and tearing down trails. Cannondale's Habit might be marketed as a trail bike but in the right hands, it's clearly far more capable. This is down to Cannondale's superb suspension platform which absorbs trail trauma and allows you to ride as hard as you can rather than punishing you when your talent runs out.

Cannondale has chosen RockShox dampers front and rear, a SRAM drivetrain and Shimano brakes. A 150mm dropper will get the saddle out the way on descents while the Maxxis tires keep you on the trail in a range of conditions. Cannondale uses what they call Ai Offset for its frames, this moves the drivetrain 6mm outboard which results in a stronger rear wheel and more mud clearance. The downside is the Habit requires proprietary cranks and special rear-wheel dishing which should be considered if you are planning on future upgrades.

Read our full review of the Cannondale Habit 5, which features a different component spec but the same great handling characteristics.

Another Vitus, this time the very popular Sentier which uses neutral trail-orientated geometry to offer a confidence-inspiring ride. Perfect for those hitting the trails for the first time but it's still plenty capable and can hang on when you start getting fast and loose.

This model comes with a dependable 1x11 Shimano Deore groupset and 140mm Marzocchi Bomber Z2 fork. We have chosen the 29er as the one to go for although Vitus does offer a 27.5 version which would suit smaller riders or those who ride very tight trails.

Trek recently updated its range of Roscoe hardtails to make them shred even harder across a variety of singletrack terrain. Namely, the geometry has been changed to include a 65-degree head tube angle, 73-degree seat tube angle, 430mm chainstay, and a longer reach than the previous model. The new Roscoe also gets a rear thru-axle which strengthens the rear end and increases wheel compatibility for future upgrades.

A 140mm RockShox 35 Gold RL fork propels this 29er down the trail, while SRAM drivetrain and Shimano brake components are found in the cockpit. The geometry and spec updates for 2022 mean that the Roscoe is now more trail riding ready compared to the old model that was more focused on XC riding. The Roscoe 8 is the mid-range model, which also comes with a dropper post. Budget riders can check out the Roscoe 7, while riders looking for nicer components can look at the Roscoe 9.

(Last updated on March 28th, 2023)

These days, cycling is more popular than ever, and people are flocking to mountain biking as a recreational and fitness activity. There are plenty of options out on the market, but this guide is here to help you make sense of what bike is best for you. Take a look at the 9 best mountain bikes of 2023 for beginners.

Mountain bikes are specifically designed to handle rough terrain and intense riding conditions such as steep hills, jumps, and bumpy descents. Compared to other models, mountain bikes typically have wider tires, more upright frame geometry, and heavier-duty brakes. Other MTBs also include suspension systems and 1x groupset to change gears.

As you’re developing your mountain bike skills, it’s important to start out with the right equipment. Quality beginner mountain bikes are typically more stable, affordable, and have straightforward components so you can focus on riding.

For me, the most crucial elements of a good beginner bike are durable componentry and affordability. Expert level models are too much bike for riders just starting who won’t utilize the extra features. Poor quality budget bikes can be unsafe as riders develop their skills and progress to more gnarly terrain and jumps.

The market for beginner MTBs is huge, so there are plenty of quality bikes out there hidden among the glut of not-so-great options. This round-up does the hard work of research and product comparison, so you don’t have to!

Novice MTBers don’t require the luxury shifting and long-travel suspension that professional riders need to tackle more intense terrain. A hardtail, a bike with front suspension but no rear shock, is the best choice for your first mountain bike, saving on weight and costs. That said, we’ve included a couple of full-suspension models in this list for the more ambitious beginners out there.

While formulating this round-up, I considered all the potential options. After analyzing their manufacturer specs, user reviews, and expert opinions, I have combined them with my experience. It helped me choose bikes that are a worthwhile investment and perfect for developing your MTB skills.

My criteria for the best mountain bikes for beginners prioritized durability, value, and performance. Almost every bike manufacturer offers an affordable MTB option, so plenty of quality bikes are available. I gave each model an overall rating and scored them according to the following criteria:

All bikes come equipped with either 27.5” or 29” wheels for better handling, a step up from the old 26” wheel standard.

Reliable groupsets and quality components are a must. Entry levels should be able to take a beating and perform well for years to come.

In beginner categories, bang-for-buck is one of the most important parts of purchasing a new bike. Most of the bikes on this list are priced under $1,000, except for the two full-suspension models.

Here are the best bikes that make it to the list with their great features and specifications:

Related: Best Mountain Bike Brands 2023

Mountain bike frame geometry is different from hybrids, cruisers, and road models, so it’s crucial to study mountain bike-specific charts when determining the right size for you.

More questions about the best beginner mountain bikes in 2023? Let us know!