High Entry Fee
Mountain biking can be an expensive hobby, but it doesn’t have to be. With some bikes topping the $15,000 mark and some frames alone costing $5,000 it can be hard to convince yourself this is a sport you can afford.
I am a super frugal guy and over my bike career I have learnt a few tips on how to get into the sport and still afford to feed your kids! See below for my dad joke of the year after a co-worked picked up his new bike.
What kind of bike should I buy?
Hardtails are not dead
Start with the best hardtail you can afford. Depending on where you live and what your local trail network is like a well built hardtail will do the job just fine and get you out onto the trail.
Some of the options out there these days like the Trek Roscoe and the Rocky Mountain Growler will get your shredding with your budding on their $12K rigs. Both of these bikes can be yours for well under $2000 and are capable bikes that will get you out riding. With nice slack geometry and entry level components these bikes can be the bike you learn on.
You still need to decide how much you will love this new hobby before you dump every last penny into it.
Find your “quiver killer”
If you do decide, like me, that your old worn out body may prefer to comforts of a full suspension bike make sure you pick one that can tackle all the terrain you may see. While this can be tough try and pick a bike best suited to what you will ride 90% of the time. Your bike may not be ready for lift assist park laps but if you only head there once a year you can always rent a real downhill bike.
Once you start bike shopping you will find out there are many categories for many different types of riding and trails. Everything from a light cross country race machine to a dual crown forked downhill rig.
The Trail category of bikes is pretty versatile for most riding and will likely suit your needs with travel in the 140mm range. While it is tempting to get a bike for every different occasion you can probably find a bike that will suit most of your needs and most of your rides.
Where should I shop?
Bike Shop
If you are looking for a new bike with some warranty and some aftercare look no further than your local bike shop. The staff at these places all love bikes and love getting people stoked and out onto the trails. Make sure you set a budget before heading in and they can find the right bike for your intended riding style.
Please do not buy your bike at the same place you can buy your groceries. The extra money you spend up front will pay off with components your can repair and replace vs a bike that will be ready for the dump after a season.
Used market
Things went a bit crazy with the Covid pricing. You couldn’t find a bike in any of the shops. Supply and demand took over and the used market pricing also took off. Fast forward to today. New bikes are in stock in all your favorite shops, some even on sale! Used bike prices are coming down and are likely to come down even more. People bought bikes like crazy when they couldn’t travel or go to the gym. The graphic below is how much “mountain bike” is googled and you can see a clear trend down overall.
I have to imagine after the spike of of sales in 2020 some of those riders have started to move back to pre-covid hobbies. If you have patience and a keen eye on what you are looking for Pinkbike, Kijiji or Facebook marketplace may be your ideal spot to pick up your first “real” mountain bike.
Learn to fix things yourself
Preventative maintenance is key
Take care of your gear and it will take care of you. With the cost of bikes and components being so high one of the best ways you can save money is to take care of what you have. Most tools you likely already have and the cost of some of the specialty tools can pay for themselves in one service.
Keep things lubed
Apply some chain lube before each ride and you can keep that drivetrain running smooth. Simple and quick!
Check your Chain
Check your chain periodically for stretch. I have a co-worker who recently had to spend $1500 on his drivetrain components that wore prematurely due to a stretched out chain. You can buy a simple tool for to measure this or even 3D print one if you have access to a printer.
Service those Shocks
Make sure you follow manufacturer recommendations on fork and shock servicing intervals. With the right tools and some YouTube searching you can typically find a service video for your model. Just like your car if your suspension is clapped out you can put extra stress and strain on other parts of the bike.
YouTube Channels
Generally you can find exactly what you are looking to diagnose or repair with a quick search on YouTube. There are a few channels I have come across over the years that have been extremely helpful in keeping my rig running smooth.
These are just a few of my favorite go to channels. If you have one you like please drop it in the comments below.
Getting Kitted Up
The bike you ride is important but there are some critical pieces of gear to pickup that will make your riding that much better and more comfortable.
- Good Quality Helmet – Get one with plenty of airflow, you will love this when you are pedaling hard.
- Gloves – You can get away with light work gloves here in a pinch
- Jersey – Something that wicks away all that sweat you will be making while you get yourself into shape.
- Shoes – This is one item I would recommend going with a brand name. Keep an eye out for deals on Five-tens and scoop some entry level ones up. They really do help keep you glued to the pedals. Sometimes you can find a used deal from someone how bought a pair, got them muddy once and didn’t like the fit. Check Facebook Marketplace and you might score a deal.
- Backpack or hip pack – You need something to carry your tools, tubes and snacks. Any old one will do for now.
While the major brand names are great when it comes to gear they can also be extremely pricey. After you have spent all your extra money on a bike it can be hard to pickup a pair of $170 shorts. The good news is that there are options out there that won’t break the bank.
Inexpensive but effective gear
There is plenty of gear options out there and if you are willing to try a couple “off brand” options you can save yourself a couple hundred bucks.
Pants
These ones are right out of the PinkBike comments section. I picked up two pairs and other than not being waterproof these are great. About half the price of brand name.
Glasses
ROCKBROS Photochromic Sunglasses
These glasses are great. They fit well, don’t fog and the lenses adjust based on how much light they see making them perfect for darting in and out of the trees. I have recommended them to a couple people I ride with and feedback is all positive. I mean for under $40 can you really go wrong here?
These are just a couple options I have tried. If you have found a sweet off brand deal please post it in the comments below!
Off season sales
If you are patient you can usually find great deals off season. Here in Canada there isn’t much demand for summer riding gear when it is -35C outside. End of season blowouts are common in the bike shops as they transition to winter gear in the late fall. Keep your eye out and follow the bike shops social media channels is the best way to catch these deals.
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