The Buyer’s Guides
Read up. Then ride.
Everything I tell friends who ask me what bike to buy, written down. Start at the top if you're new; jump straight to your question if you're not. No sponsorships, no jargon, no sales pitch - just the advice I'd give you on a trailhead tailgate.
01 · Start here
New to this? These answer the questions I get asked most - no jargon, no sales pitch.
The complete guide
What bike should I buy?
The honest answer to the question every rider gets asked - written down so I can stop repeating myself.
For new riders
Best beginner bikes
Forgiving handling, reliable parts, prices that don't punish you for being new. My real picks.
Fit comes first
Size chart
Your height gets you 90% of the way. The chart, plus the honest tiebreakers for when you land between sizes.
02 · Set your budget
Money decides more than marketing does. Here's what each price band actually buys - and where the sweet spots hide.
Budget guide
Best under $1,000
A grand buys a genuinely good hardtail now. Here's how to spend it without getting burned.
Budget guide
Best under $2,000
The first price band where full suspension gets real - and great hardtails still win half the time.
Budget guide
Best under $3,500
The sweet spot. Real suspension, real brakes, a bike you won't outgrow in a season.
Budget guide
Best under $5,000
Where good turns dialed: suspension worth tuning, wireless shifting, and carbon that isn't stripped to hit a price.
03 · Find your category
Hardtail or full-sus, trail or downcountry - match the bike type to your trails before you fall in love with a paint job.
Category guide
Best hardtails
Lighter, cheaper, tougher - and the best teacher of clean riding there is.
The big decision
Hardtail vs full-sus
The first real decision every buyer faces. Here's how I'd choose on your budget and trails.
Category guide
Best trail bikes
The do-everything category most riders should buy. My picks from budget alloy to dream builds.
Category guide
Best downcountry bikes
Climbs like an XC race bike, parties on the way down. The fastest-growing category for a reason.
Category guide
Best e-MTBs
Motors went quiet, prices came down, and the fun-per-hour math changed. Where e-MTBs honestly stand now.
Category guide
Best enduro bikes
The most over-bought category in mountain biking - and the best money you can spend when your trails actually ask for it.
04 · Buy smart
New or used, the goal is the same: the most bike for your money without inheriting someone else's problems.
05 · Gear up & get out
The bike is half the story. What to carry, where to ride, and the apps that find the good dirt.
Or skip straight to your answer
The quiz does what these guides teach - our AI matches how you actually ride to the 587 builds we track and hands you your top 5, explained.
Find your bike →The Quarterly Ride Report
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