How To Buy Your First Mountain Bike | The GMBN Guide

So you've decided to buy your first mountain bike, and taken your first step into the world of MTB. But it can be quite overwhelming; do you get a cross country hardtail or a full suspension trail bike? Do you need disk brakes? Air or coil spring suspension? - In this video, Neil Donoghue helps you find everything you'll need to know about purchasing your first off-road bike to start you on your journey of MTB Bike Life! 🤘

Do you have any good stories to inspire people just getting into mountain biking?

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🎵 Music - licensed by Epidemic Sound and Artlist
Around the Bend - Pip Mondy
Different Type Of Vibeo - Matt Large
For Ilion (Chefen) - Matt Large
Pretty Carolina (Instrumental Version) - Jontha Links

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The Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN) is the world’s largest and fastest-growing online mountain bike channel and community – and your destination for the best mountain bike content in the world.

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[T-Crack]

Finally, GMBN promoting not having to sell body parts to get in the mountain bike game.

[Malesoun]

A fully stocked Decathlon, what is this sorcery?

Jokes aside, places like Decathlon are very effective at making the sport more accessible by removing one of the biggest barriers - cost.

Their bikes are solid and give excellent value for money.

[alanhougham]

Well reading the comments so far for some this has really brought out the snobbery in the mountain bike community! How many of those looking down their noses have actually owned a Rockrider? Yes this is a PP vid but it’s also about making the sport accessible to all and on even the lowest budget. Rockrider bikes do what they say on the box. My son’s both have them. One has a HT and the other a FS, both originally in the £300 - £400 bracket. Now over 6 years old they have been bomb proof. Thrashed round woods, trail centres, 45 mile rides and covered in mud, nothing has ever gone wrong with them; even the cheaper components. Although they’ve now upgraded to more premium bikes they’ve kept the Rockriders for every day riding and still nothing has broken. We all have to start somewhere! Really well presented Neil! 👍

[fabiomoreira]

Thank you for covering these bikes, i understand that 3k bikes will be much better but not everyone has the budget to go there and also not everyone is out to do massive drops and jumps. I personally own a trek but my wife has a rockrider 530s with air suspension and its a great bike to do some easy trails and rocky bits.
Great to see some coverage for different economies/countries.

[mattyosborne]

My first bike was a Norco Storm a couple years ago, paid around $1000 AUD. It was an amazing entry to the mountain bike scene. I did a 1x conversion myself on it. Already had an air fork and hydraulic disk brakes which I paired with some bigger rotors. I'v since had a slight upgrade to a 2021 Norco Fluid full squish trail bike and love that thing

[faithnomoreaddict]

I have the 600 quid rockrider and it's been over a year now for full suspension amateur based its been a great comfortable bike i love it i can't afford to go over 1k-etc so for now it's been an absolute beast for trails its helped amazingly to build confidence to building up to jumps its gone really well

[MadeiraTrailsBikeMTB]

my 1st bike was RR560s with 120mm Rockshox ..i do singletracks with that and its fine !
My next bike will be Spectral with 160mm ..
but RR560s will stay 4ever in my heart !

[ozioskar]

this year i bought my first "good" mountain bike - 2018 specialized rockhopper. i bought it used and i have to say - it was a real bargain. it costed a bit more than 700 €. The owner upgraded it, so it now has sram nx eagle shifting system, crang brothers pedals, lizard skins grips, 12 gears etc. i just love it. it's perfect for beginners with some experiences. it's also super light. recommend it!

[kermitthefrog]

Decathalon is GREAT! You can get used to the weight of an Ebike before you actually get an ebike

[markymarkpowpow]

great info for my daughter who is still riding her middle school Gary Fisher (she is about to turn 29 yrs old) starter mtn bike! thanks for the informative video. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[leonline]

Kudos for you guys for doing some Decathlon/Btwin/Rockrider stuff, . they do make some good bang for the buck bikes. I still have my RR9.1 from 2007 that now has had some tasty upgrades, like better wheels, brakes, shorter stem, longer handlebars, and a fork with more travel. 1x drive set. today it would be considered as a Downcountry bike. My son rides it and he loves it. I always say it's better to get one of these bikes than some cheap dodgy no brand entry level 2 wheeler!

[yokaiofwater]

Great video. Thank you, Neil. I have a Jamis Divide, as a beginner bike ot does the job, but I'm looking forward to upgrading it into something more as my skills improve both on the bike and in the shop.

[MrCrazeDawg]

Bought my first one this year second hand, Saracen Mantra Carbon, my ankles hated hardtail. Now almost half year on Canyon Strive :D

[bambamty]

Got myself my first "proper" mountain bike last week, after having road bikes a few years ago and old mountain bikes when i was in my teens! Went for an "ideal traxer", which hasfox 32 forks, full shimano xt drive train and hydraulic disks front and rear! absolutely steal at just over 1k!

[tobih]

That whole video feels like I’ve accidentally entered a gmbn multiverse.... am I still in the correct Dimension/ Universe ? 😂 I was expecting “entry level bikes start at 1 K up to a kidney

[TORQKK]

Seeing Neil on a 299£ V brake decathlon hahaha ;)
joke aside I had decathlon s cheapest mtb as my first bike it was 250 pound and I was like OMG THIS IS SO EXPENSIVE but I used it for a year in all of wales red/black routes it managed... nothing broke, but after a year I spent 1200£ to buy a vitus sentier,
decathlon definately good for a very very beginner MTB and dont spend more than 300£ because you are going to overgrow that one and need the money you saved for a proper one, dont even try to spend money to upgrade that bike just use it until it breaks it lasted well for a year until headset needs chaging,

[rupedog]

This is a great vid for anyone thinking of buying their first mtb...or even 2nd, 3rd for many!

[daveswagson]

thats epic, my first bike was a st900s with this bike i fell in love with mountainbiking :)

[andrewsmith]

Fantastic video. Exactly what I needed, thank you

[viktorvandeneede]

So Nice to see these bikes covered, great value for your buck