# Which entry level mountain bike to choose



## Traildude09 (Sep 29, 2021)

Hello everyone!! I hope this post finds you well. I am stuck choosing between the Cannondale trail 8 and the specialized rock hopper as my first entry level mountain bike. I will be biking paved trails and gravel for now. This is me not knowing much about mountain biking...


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## DeeCount (Oct 3, 2020)

I'm a converted fan of Motobecane for a first/entry level mountain bike 👍.
They're more than competent entry bikes at very reasonable prices. Leaves room to upgrade some parts as you go, or just use as is and sell after you gain experience and want to upgrade to something more capable down the road.


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## MTB_Underdog (Jul 8, 2020)

I like the Rockhopper as a first bike, had one for myself and my twin daughters. My one recommendation would be to see if you can move up one model and get the hydraulic brakes. The cable brakes on the base model we got one daughter were atrocious, borderline unsafe for a young kid. Much happier once we swapped them out for some hydos.


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## Koogs (Mar 25, 2016)

MTB_Underdog said:


> I like the Rockhopper as a first bike, had one for myself and my twin daughters. My one recommendation would be to see if you can move up one model and get the hydraulic brakes. The cable brakes on the base model we got one daughter were atrocious, borderline unsafe for a young kid. Much happier once we swapped them out for some hydos.


Both are probably fine brands/lines of bikes.

I 2nd what Underdog said, try and get Hydrolic brakes, they are really great compared to mechanical. Looks liek you'd have to be at the "Sport" model on the rockhopper. Trail 7 or above for cannondale.

I'm partial to Specialized over Cannondale, I don't know why, but it looks like a more modern style bike. I had a Specialized Camber before I got my current ride, so maybe that is why i relate.


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## Battery (May 7, 2016)

Starter bikes are all the same style. Pick one that suits your budget and ride it on the paved trails/gravel roads like you mentioned. If you decide to hit up trails, either starter bike will work just fine. In the end, you will sell the bike next season for something that suits your riding style. Starter bikes are great for discovering what you like to do.

Regardless which bike you choose, get rid of those stock pedals and get a good set for better grip!


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## MTBeing (Jan 11, 2012)

Probably want to stick with a bike-shop bike for service and/or warranty needs, unless you’re mechanically inclined. Agree with the rest of the posters re hydraulic brakes, but if you’re just going to stay on roads and smooth paths, the mechanical brakes _may_ be ok. Polygon bikes are an online vendor and offer a lot of bang for the $, but your local LBS won’t honor any warranty repairs, obviously. 

If it was between these two, I’d probably opt for the Specialized.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

These aren't mountain bikes. They are fine for paved trails and gravel. Just way too expensive. The 'forks' are designed for that. Take them on mt bike trails with rocks and roots and the plastic bushings inside will quickly begin to fail. Real forks have metal. And the forks have no adjustable rebound damping. On fast bumpy downhills they'll pogo and make you grqab for the brakes. But the brakes have liitle stopping power. . . So you'll experience shots of adrenaline. Can be fun if you can avoid crashing.


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## Champion_Monster (Nov 30, 2014)

eb1888 said:


> These aren't mountain bikes. They are fine for paved trails and gravel. Just way too expensive. The 'forks' are designed for that. Take them on mt bike trails with rocks and roots and the plastic bushings inside will quickly begin to fail. Real forks have metal. And the forks have no adjustable rebound damping. On fast bumpy downhills they'll pogo and make you grqab for the brakes. But the brakes have liitle stopping power. . . So you'll experience shots of adrenaline. Can be fun if you can avoid crashing.


I'm curious as to whether this is true. The 700 dollar rockhopper fork is a SR Suntour XCE 29 Coil model, clearly at the beginner end but will they really fail in short order during modest trail use- for which Specialized certainly markets them as suitable?


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## Koogs (Mar 25, 2016)

Champion_Monster said:


> I'm curious as to whether this is true. The 700 dollar rockhopper fork is a SR Suntour XCE 29 Coil model, clearly at the beginner end but will they really fail in short order during modest trail use- for which Specialized certainly markets them as suitable?


I don't know. I see people comment like the above, and think there are clearly different expectations.

"Fast bumpy downhill" is not what these bikes are for. However, there is a lot of terrain in between fast bumpy downhill and paved path.


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## pushie (Aug 3, 2020)

Champion_Monster said:


> I'm curious as to whether this is true. The 700 dollar rockhopper fork is a SR Suntour XCE 29 Coil model, clearly at the beginner end but will they really fail in short order during modest trail use- for which Specialized certainly markets them as suitable?


They don't last long. They are not really off road forks. I bet that yellow sticker on them will say something to that effect. Bikes like those are suitable for green trails only, and would be classified as category 2 bikes under ASTM F2043-13 international standard for bicycle usage.

SR Suntour categorises them as 'Casual MTB' forks.

That said, they are fine for the OPs intended use. I would recommend going for something more path oriented though. Ditch the boat anchor fork, go full rigid like a flat bar road bike. I've owned similar bikes to the one is the OP. They are ok but the forks seize up and stanchions get rusty after not a lot of time. 

I love mountain bikes and own several but I ride a lot of paths too and I use a drop bar bike for that because they are better suited and much faster. They aren't for everyone though, and more expensive, but there are still better flat bar options for path riding than entry level XC mountain bikes.


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## NWA_Tre (Sep 30, 2021)

My bike came with the SR Suntour SF19-XCT30-HLO-DS-29 fork. I'm sure it falls into the above category. I currently ride blues and some blacks with it. Our blues are chunky as all getout with rock ledges, baby heads, gravel, tire cutters, small mandatory drops, ruts, roots, etc. My fork might have "failed", I don't know. I'm still riding 

I basically tell myself I don't have a suspension. It compresses, but there's no damping at all. I don't wreck going fast. I'm still alive. It can be done...but I want a new bike 😬


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## 2021Mach6 (Jan 19, 2021)

Get the Specialized ... Cannondale is stuck in the past. And +1 on the brakes. That's a must.


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## pushie (Aug 3, 2020)

NWA_Tre said:


> My bike came with the SR Suntour SF19-XCT30-HLO-DS-29 fork. I'm sure it falls into the above category. I currently ride blues and some blacks with it. Our blues are chunky as all getout with rock ledges, baby heads, gravel, tire cutters, small mandatory drops, ruts, roots, etc. My fork might have "failed", I don't know. I'm still riding
> 
> I basically tell myself I don't have a suspension. It compresses, but there's no damping at all. I don't wreck going fast. I'm still alive. It can be done...but I want a new bike 😬


Well it has wheels so it will roll down anything a bike can. Doesn't necessarily mean it should lol.

I'm sure you are aware a catastrophic fork failure can lead to serious injury.

Stick a Manitou Markour on your current bike. Pretty cheap upgrade to a basic MTB that will give you adjustable air spring and compression/rebound damping. They are worth about $250 and available in straight steerer/QR.


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## NWA_Tre (Sep 30, 2021)

pushie said:


> Well it has wheels so it will roll down anything a bike can. Doesn't necessarily mean it should lol.


Sure, I just think that the more we ride, the more we think, "How can anyone ride on that setup?!?" that we used to ride on...lol. I wouldn't tell anyone to get a bike with a cheap spring fork and expect to ride it on blacks for a year. Blues for a year, maybe. I guess like everything it's relative to the trails and rider.


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## NWA_Tre (Sep 30, 2021)

pushie said:


> Stick a Manitou Markour on your current bike. Pretty cheap upgrade to a basic MTB that will give you adjustable air spring and compression/rebound damping. They are worth about $250 and available in straight steerer/QR.


I think $250 would be better served as part of a down payment on a new bike


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## pushie (Aug 3, 2020)

NWA_Tre said:


> I think $250 would be better served as part of a down payment on a new bike


Probably true, but it depends on your finances. We all like new bikes but for some people, $250 upgrade is a lot easier to swallow and you'll end up with suspension performance you'll only get on a $1000+ bike.


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## NWA_Tre (Sep 30, 2021)

pushie said:


> Probably true, but it depends on your finances. We all like new bikes but for some people, $250 upgrade is a lot easier to swallow and you'll end up with suspension performance you'll only get on a $1000+ bike.


$250 down and a few hundred a month


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## RETROROCKS (Sep 25, 2004)

Have you looked into an older used bike?
Not sure of your budget but Ive picked up some pretty sweet rides for $500 to $600!!
Or less!!
Hit up craigs or facebook market possibly even on here!
If you start upgrading, your going to probobly put more into it than its worth.
Avid bb5 or bb7 are great mechanical brakes!! perhaps if you ask the shop to swap out they may give some credit for your stock brakes.


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## Champion_Monster (Nov 30, 2014)

If Suntour's "Casual MTB" forks won't work for MTB riding then that should be an issue. Would be nice if one of their reps could stop in here and help clarify what the SR Suntour forks will withstand.

_From Suntour in this thread:(1) Confused about low end Suntour suspension forks | Mountain Bike Reviews Forum (mtbr.com) 
Finally, if you are shopping for a bike that is less than $1,000 I'm sure you have seen that many of those bikes are equipped with SR Suntour forks. The primary reasons for this are based on the fact that the bicycle brands have come to trust SR Suntour to supply them with a reliable product that performs well. (that may seem simple, but its a big deal) Additionally, we operate service centers in North America, Asia and Europe to back up our product._


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## pushie (Aug 3, 2020)

Champion_Monster said:


> If Suntour's "Casual MTB" forks won't work for MTB riding then that should be an issue.


They will work for 'MTB riding' but they are not designed for fast, rough trails. Sure some people push them beyond their limits and don't die, doesn't mean its advisable for everyone to hit double blacks on these bikes.

Any bike shop worth their salt will advise similar. If you want to ride fast and hard on rough trails, get a bike that is appropriately designed. If you are not interested in riding trails then it doesn't really matter. Sub $1k bikes are reliable because 99% of people buying them don't take them off road. The only people I see on these bikes on trails near me are very casual riders who ride infrequently, and slowly, usually with kids in toe on green trails. Everyone bombing the rough trails at speed are on better equipped bikes.


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## Champion_Monster (Nov 30, 2014)

pushie said:


> They will work for 'MTB riding' but they are not designed for fast, rough trails. Sure some people push them beyond their limits and don't die, doesn't mean its advisable for everyone to hit double blacks on these bikes.
> 
> Any bike shop worth their salt will advise similar. If you want to ride fast and hard on rough trails, get a bike that is appropriately designed. If you are not interested in riding trails then it doesn't really matter. Sub $1k bikes are reliable because 99% of people buying them don't take them off road. The only people I see on these bikes on trails near me are very casual riders who ride infrequently, and slowly, usually with kids in toe on green trails. Everyone bombing the rough trails at speed are on better equipped bikes.


I guess that standard makes sense. Bombing on rough terrain with significant elevation changes or hitting very rough stuff at speed is something that you would expect to overwhelm the cheapest versions of suspension forks and other items. Some of the initial claims about these forks were that trails with 'rocks and roots' would cause them to fail in short order, but I think your description is a better explanation


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## MattiThundrrr (Jul 6, 2019)

The Suntours on my Hardrock had one of these...








Removed the sticker. Now they're fine for trail riding


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## richj8990 (Apr 4, 2017)

These aren't mountain bikes. They are fine for paved trails and gravel. Just way too expensive. The 'forks' are designed for that. Take them on mt bike trails with rocks and roots and the plastic bushings inside will quickly begin to fail. Real forks have metal. And the forks have no adjustable rebound damping. On fast bumpy downhills they'll pogo and make you grqab for the brakes. But the brakes have liitle stopping power. . . So you'll experience shots of adrenaline. Can be fun if you can avoid crashing.



Champion_Monster said:


> I'm curious as to whether this is true. The 700 dollar rockhopper fork is a SR Suntour XCE 29 Coil model, clearly at the beginner end but will they really fail in short order during modest trail use- for which Specialized certainly markets them as suitable?


The fork probably won't fail. It's just going to start holding you back after your skills improve a bit. I think what EB is also trying to say is that for the money neither bike is worth it. What you guys should really think about is what exactly you are getting for the money, as in what components that come on the bike(s). Don't look at the manufacturer's name at all. The best mountain bike company in the world can sell a cheap bike and mark it up hundreds of dollars over essentially identical off-brand bikes...just because they can, they have name recognition. That DOES NOT mean somehow it's a better bike than some Amazon/Walmart one for 1/2 the price with exactly the same components except maybe the frame. Or the frame is identical but it's labelled brand-name after it goes from China to the USA. Think about these things before you buy!

And this lifetime warranty sales pitch crap...with these bikes, if you don't learn to fix most of the problems in your garage, that bike is going to be in the dealership's shop about 90% of the time. If you ride more than 30-50 miles a week, you will have to learn have to fix most stuff on your bikes, usually drivetrain and at this level, brake-related. You have to, there is no choice, it's that or you bring it to the bike shop 2-3 times a month forever. Because things will go out of spec or break all the time on these bikes. I was terrible at mechanical things before I started mountain biking. Now I bring it in maybe 1-2 times a year for something. I had to get better mechanically, I had to spend 100s of hours tinkering with stuff, it's just how it's going to be if you get into the sport. 


This is what you 'should' be getting for the money:

$400 and under --- 3x7 freewheel drivetrain, rim or mechanical disk brakes, probably 26" frame and tires, heavy coil fork. They often weigh 35-45 lbs depending on if they have a steel or aluminum frame. No that's not 'really' a mountain bike by today's standards. 25 years ago it would have been!

$400-700 probably 3x8 or 3x9 drivetrain, either mechanical or hydraulic disk brakes, 27.5" or 29" frame and tires, still an inferior coil fork. If there are hydraulic brakes, the fork and tires are upgraded, and maybe even get a dropper post, yes, you 'can' ride mountain bike trails with this. It will not be the fastest out there, but you will have plenty of fun at your level, trust me. If you upgrade the air fork, make sure you know what kind of frame you have, if it's 1 1/8 straight steerer or if it's tapered. Also make sure you understand the difference between 9x100mm quick-release (QR) fork dropouts and 15x100mm thru-axles (I'm assuming there are no boost bikes selling below $1000 USD). Upgrading the fork is the most research-intensive thing you should do after buying the bike. Dropper is just a question of if it's externally routed or not; in that case I'd recommend PNW Components for around $200, it's side cable mounted and very good for the money. Don't be all in a hurry to upgrade a 3x8 or 3x9 drivetrain, that's the least of your worries at this level of bike. By the way 3x8 or 3x9 doesn't sound all that much better than 3x7, but it is, as you will see if you buy 3x7 and then break either the freewheel hub axle or the hub casing around it. These should weigh 30-34 lbs.

$700-1100 now we are starting to get into 1x drivetrain territory, should for sure have hydraulic brakes, 27.5" or 29", and...drum roll...an air fork! May not have a dropper post. Tires may be good to go or you may need to upgrade them. May be under 30 lbs now. Remember all of these are hardtails, do not even think of buying a full-suspension bike new under $3000. 

$1100+ should get you all of the above with a dropper post, and hopefully tires that can go right out there and do the job without crashing. After that, it's all a question of going to full-suspension or not (which of course means a new frame, blah blah blah), how much $$$ do you want to pay for the drivetrain and suspension, the frame's cost, if you want really light wheelsets, etc. 

I'd really recommend starting at the $400-700 level above unless you have the cash to buy a bike that has an air fork...I have not seen any horrible air forks come stock on any bike but there are bad ones that are aftermarket.


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## Champion_Monster (Nov 30, 2014)

richj8990 said:


> And this lifetime warranty sales pitch crap...with these bikes, if you don't learn to fix most of the problems in your garage, that bike is going to be in the dealership's shop about 90% of the time. If you ride more than 30-50 miles a week, you will have to learn have to fix most stuff on your bikes, usually drivetrain and at this level, brake-related. You have to, there is no choice, it's that or you bring it to the bike shop 2-3 times a month forever. Because things will go out of spec or break all the time on these bikes. I was terrible at mechanical things before I started mountain biking. Now I bring it in maybe 1-2 times a year for something. I had to get better mechanically, I had to spend 100s of hours tinkering with stuff, it's just how it's going to be if you get into the sport.


Great and informative post all around, although I think that some of the price points above say 1k will eliminate the need for 100's of hours of mechanical tinkering which most people will never and should never need to do. My first MTB was a 13 Spec Crave hardtail bought in 14 so around 1300 otd price on an 1800 sticker, it's seems impervious to needing service although it was hung on a wall and not used for 3 years. The Reba RL 29 air fork was still fully pressurized- the first time in 7 years it had even been looked at- when I checked it earlier this summer and it just runs. I keep meaning to service it but it's almost too durable for its own good, I know I need to just do it.

I agree that quality components plus stepping up to the Air Fork are part of the pay to play scheme here and think that early investment is why I've had an almost completely trouble free run with my first bike. I recently bought a 21 Fuel Ex8 GX and even though it too is sidelined for injury recovery it runs like a top, as expected, with just a few creaks I need to grease out.


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