San Antonio Cycling Club Travel Journal

If you’re looking to get started into biking and you want to find one of the best entry-level mountain bikes to get started with, you’ve come to the right place! In this post, you’ll learn about the things you might want to keep in mind as you look at different mountain bikes. Additionally, you will find five product reviews from some of the most highly recommended products on the market. If you want to save some time and skip the guessing game, you won’t go wrong with one of the products reviewed below, so I recommend paying close attention to those.

Best Entry-Level Mountain Bike – Things To Consider

Tires

When it comes to choosing which tires you are going to buy, the most important thing for you to consider is where you are going to be riding the bike. The terrain you will be riding on is essential when it comes to the bike tires because they perform differently, whether on rough or smooth terrain. If you want to find a high-speed mountain bike, you want to go with slick tires that have reduced rolling resistance and increased speed. If you’re looking for something with a good grip, go with a deep thread on the tires. Do some research on bicycle tires.

Handlebars

When it comes to a mountain bike, you will find two different types of handlebars to choose from. You can go with the flat bars or the riser bars. As you might expect, the flat bars will sit lower and be slightly lighter than the others. They will most likely be used by anyone who wants to ride long distances. Riser bars come in many different shapes and are typically broader and more accessible to reach than flat bars. They allow you to sit more upright and are preferred for downhill riding.

Pedals

When you purchase a bike, it will come with pedals already attached, and you will be able to keep those on if you choose. These are flat and simple pedals and can be fine if you ride around town or commute from place to place. However, if you want to ride longer distances, you can go with clipless pedals that allow them to spin faster. If you want to upgrade your bike, the clipless pedals are certainly the way to go, but in many situations, you can get away with the standard pedals.

Seats

Let’s just get this out of the way right now because nobody likes to sit on the seat that is included with your bike because it is usually uncomfortable. Unfortunately, there is not a single seat that will work for everyone because the needs of each person are different. Ultimately, the seat choice will come down to your personal preference. If it is possible for you to do so, I recommend trying out the seat before you buy it because the only way you will know about the comfort is to try it out. Additionally, you can always consider a pair of cycling shorts with extra padding to help improve the comfort of your ride.

Frame

The frame material used to be an easy decision to make, but there are a lot of different materials now, so the decision is more complicated. The two most significant factors in the frame are strength and weight. Aluminum is one of the most popular choices you will find because it looks great, it’s strong and durable, and it is lightweight and affordable compared to the other options you have found. While that is the most popular option, you can buy bike frames made from carbon, steel, and titanium.

Suspension

It never used to be this way, but the bike’s suspension will be included in every purchase, and it plays a crucial role in getting a much more enjoyable and smooth ride overall. Even if you happen to buy a bike that doesn’t have shocks, the suspension will be there, and it will come as either front or full suspension. The front suspension only has one shock in the front as you might have guessed, and the full suspension has shocks throughout the entire bike.

Overall Use

You really need to put a lot of thought into how much you will use the bike and where you will use it because that will help make your decision. Be honest and figure out how much you will use the bike. If you plan on using it a lot, it might make sense to buy a more expensive bike that will last you longer. However, a cheaper bike will do just fine if you only plan on riding it the place to place. If you figure out precisely what you plan on using the bike for, you can easily and quickly determine which features you should pay attention to and which are most important.

5 Best Entry-Level Mountain Bikes in 2022

1. Schwinn Protocol 1.0 Men’s Mountain Bike

Schwinn Protocol 1.0 Men’s Mountain Bike. When it comes to finding a bike to buy, you’ll have a hard time finding one better than Schwinn because they offer one of the better brands that you will find and their bikes are typically second to none. This bike comes with a full suspension frame, 24 speeds, and plenty of other features to help make it a great bike for everyone.

Full Suspension Frame

When it comes to Schwinn, you will appreciate the aluminum full-suspension frame offered by this particular mountain bike. The front suspension fork is explicitly built to deliver a smooth, reliable, and responsive ride at all times.

24-Speed Shimano Shifters

As mentioned earlier, Shimano shifters are some of the best shifters out there, and these are the EZ-Fire type, which provides you with an even better experience overall. You can use these to give you a wide range of speeds and incredibly smooth shifting while riding.

Front And Rear Brakes

If you’re looking for the best stopping power for a mountain bike, you found it in this one. This bike uses a front disc brake and a rear alloy V-brake so that they can combine to make sure you stop in time in all conditions you might face.

Schwinn Alloy Crank

If you want to find the best when it comes to gear, you’re going to love the Schwinn alloy crank on this bike. Not only is it made from the best materials to ensure you don’t have to worry about strength, but it also helps minimize the maintenance needed on your end.

Pros

• Reliable and responsive riding
• Easy shifting
• Perfect stopping
• Durable
• Little to no maintenance

Cons

• Assembly could be easier
• Highlighted Features
• Aluminum full-frame suspension
• Shimano EZ-Fire trigger shifters
• Front and rear brakes
• Alloy rims
• Alloy crank

Final Verdict:

As you can see, this bike is certainly not lacking in features. If you would like to find something to reach the fullest potential on your ride and you want to get a bike backed by a great brand name, this is the bike to go with.

2. Diamondback Overdrive Sports 29er Mountain Bike

Diamondback Overdrive Sport 29er Mountain Bike. When you choose an entry-level mountain bike to use daily, you should try and find one backed by a great brand, and that’s precisely what you get with this bike from Diamondback. It has an aluminum alloy frame, technological suspension features, a 27-speed drivetrain, and extra-large wheels to get the best performance out of most bikes in this similar class.

Aluminum Alloy Frame

Perhaps one of the most essential parts of the bike is the frame, which uses a robust and solid aluminum alloy frame as the backbone of everything this bike can do. It comes with tubing formed and butted for incredible strength and an overall lightweight finish which means that no matter where you are riding this bike, it is light, fast, and effortless to maneuver at all times during your ride.

Suspension Lockout Features

Every bike you look at will have some sort of suspension, so it’s hard to call suspension anything special. Still, this particular feature is excellent because it enables you to get the most power in situations where your suspension isn’t necessary. When you are climbing up something or riding around a smooth and even surface, you know there is no need for suspension, so it harnesses the power saved from not using suspension and puts it into your bike.

27 Speed Drivetrain

If you want the best results and performance, then you need to ensure you have enough speed and power with your bike, and this particular option gives you 27 different rates to choose from. Each time you shift from speed to speed, you will find that it is easy, smooth, and responsive, so you have no problem shifting. This helps lead to instant acceleration and speed change whenever you need it.

Large Diameter Wheels

Since a mountain bike is meant for the mountains and to be taken off the road a little bit, it makes sense to try and find something with wheels to accommodate that. This particular bike has 29-inch wheels, which are incredibly large in diameter to help ensure you can handle just about any terrain. Whether it is smooth or rough, you’ll find that getting a good roll with your bike is no problem.

Pros

• Smooth and easy ride
• Easy assembly
• Perfect for beginners
• Reasonable priced
• Lightweight
• Incredibly comfortable

Cons

• The seat is very uncomfortable
• Highlighted Features
• 6061-T6 aluminum alloy frame
• Tubing formed and butted
• Strong and lightweight
• SR Suntour XCR-LO suspension fork
• 3×9 Speed drivetrain
• SL7 aluminum double-wall rims

Final Verdict:

While it’s hard to go wrong with any of the bikes that are going to be talked about in this post, this is one of the best options for anybody that wants to find a bike that is built with strength and durability in mind and is also backed by a great brand name like Diamondback.

3. Nashbar Single-Speed 29er Mountain Bike

Nashbar Single-Speed 29er Mountain Bike. When it comes to a bike, some people want a ton of speed options, while others are okay with just a single speed. If you’re the type of person who can live with a single-speed, then I highly recommend this bike. It comes with many features, and it is one of the best single-speed mountain bikes you will find on this post and in the market as a whole.

Frame

Like the previous bike that was reviewed in this post, you’ll find that this is a 6061 aluminum frame, and it is lighter than steel but manages to provide plenty of strength and durability to the bike as a whole. In addition, the aluminum frame can stand up to all types of weather, which is excellent for those who might want to bike in all sorts of weather.

Chainring Guard

Maybe this isn’t the flashiest of points to discuss, but it can be an excellent and convenient feature for avid bike riders. A plastic guard on the front of the chain helps protect you and ensure that nothing gets wrapped up in the chain. It might be plastic but black, so it is hardly even noticeable on the bike.

Tektro Novela Brakes

If you’re buying a bike, you need good brakes to stop, and you might find that the brakes on this bike will be unique and perfect for you. They are mechanical disc brakes and work to stop you at all times, no matter how bad or sloppy the conditions get; you can quickly stop in plenty of time, thanks to these brakes.

Chromoly Fork

It’s not often that the fork of the bike gets talked about, but this rigid fork on this bike is great because it helps to be incredibly tough, and it gets a fantastic, smooth ride that steel is so well known for. In addition, it helps to reduce vibrations and is explicitly built to handle everything the brakes can do on this bike.

Pros

• Strong and durable frame
• Lightweight
• Stands up to weather
• Single-speed
• Large wheels

Cons

• The brakes could be better
• Lack of quick-release on the back wheel
• Cheap components
• Highlighted Features
• 32×18 gears
• 6061 aluminum frame
• Rigid Chromoly fork
• Tektro Novela brakes
• 680mm wide aluminum bar for leverage

Final Verdict:

As you can see, there are a ton of great features offered by this bike, and it’s sure not to disappoint. This is the perfect choice for anybody looking to find a single-speed bike without worrying about all the other bells and whistles that come with other mountain bikes on the market.

4. Gravity FSX 1.0 Full Suspension Mountain Bike

Gravity FSX 1.0 Full Suspension Mountain Bike. When push comes to shove, you might have to find a bike that meets most of your needs while sacrificing a few things it doesn’t satisfy. In this situation, you’re going to see that this bike has many features, so if it doesn’t meet every need, it’s going to come close to meeting all of them. This is one of the best bikes you’ll find for the price and features offered.

Aluminum Frame

As you probably noticed, an aluminum frame is one of the most popular and common choices with all the other bikes we have reviewed. This bike’s particular frame is solid, durable, and the perfect choice for beginners.

Double Wall Rims

When you have the tires on your bike, you want to ensure that they are supported by a quality rim that can be used at all times. In this case, the double-wall rims on this bike are both strong and light, so they will not only support the person riding but won’t inhibit your movement due to weight.

Shimano Shifters

If you’re looking for some of the easiest shifters you can use, you’ll love the Shimano Shifters on this bike. They provide you with one of the easiest and simplest ways to shift your bike to different speeds. Once you use these, it’s hard to imagine trying anything else.

Quick Release Wheel

If you’re going to ride a trail or bring your bike with you anywhere, you need to fit it in your vehicle, which can be tough to do. Luckily, this bike comes with a quick-release wheel in both the front and the rear so that they can quickly be taken off for transportation and popped back on when you are ready to ride.

Pros

• Strong and durable frame
• Strong and light rims
• Quick-release wheel
• Assembly is a breeze

Cons

• The tires could be better
• The seat is very hard
• Tough to adjust
• Highlighted Features
• Front and rear disc brakes
• Aluminum frame
• Shimano shifters
• Adjustable suspension
• Double wall rims
• Quick release wheel

Final Verdict

When it comes down to it, this will be one of the better bikes you can purchase. While it might not be one of the most well-known brands, it packs in some of the best components you can find, and you’re sure to love everything it offers if this is the bike you end up purchasing.

5. Vilano Ridge 1.0 Mountain Bike

Vilano Ridge 1.0 Mountain BikeLast but certainly not least, this mountain bike from Vilano is a perfect option for just about anyone. Not only will you get a high-quality bike with some solid components, but you’re also going to get it all at an affordable price for everyone involved.

Aluminum Frame

It’s somewhat fitting that the last bike we review also comes with an aluminum frame since all of the other ones have this frame too. This double-butted 6061 aluminum frame is built to be strong and lightweight, so it will be the perfect choice to help take your riding to the next level.

Disc Brakes

The mechanical disc brakes on this bike help to provide superior stopping power compared to any other brake, no matter what the weather is going to be like. Whether riding at the fastest or the slowest speed, this bike can stop you with no problem.

7 x 3 Drivetrain

If you don’t need a ton of speeds and gears for your bike but would like a little bit of an option, this drivetrain is perfect for you. With 21 different speeds, you can easily find the one that’s perfect for where you are riding.

Vilano Quality

When it comes to finding a strong, quality, and affordable bike, Vilano has been the go-to option for over eight years. They have extensive knowledge of all things to do with bikes, and they pride themselves on building solid bikes that won’t hurt your wallet, which means you can rest easy knowing that you’re getting exactly what you want.

Pros

• Easy to assemble
• Smooth and sweet ride
• Affordable
• Strong brakes

Cons

• The tires could be better
• Highlighted Features
• Butted 6061 aluminum frame
• Mechanical disc brakes
• Shimano Shifters
• 3 x 7 drivetrain
• 26” Wheels

Final Verdict

If you’re looking to find a strong bike without paying a ton of money, you will have a hard time finding a better option than what this bike offers.

Overall Final Verdict

As you have probably already noticed, there is a lot that you should keep in mind as you go to purchase your mountain bike, and if you haven’t done it before, it can be a pretty overwhelming experience. Following the advice provided above and paying attention to the product recommendations, you’ll be ready to go with your new mountain bike in no time!