I’ll admit the first bike I bought was a little more expensive than $500 dollars – it was $650. Did I think it was the best hardtail mountain bike for the money at the time? Not really. Here’s where I was kicking myself: I didn’t realize I could have bought it for around $500.
Since most experienced enthusiasts will shy away from bikes at this price point, I’m going to assume you’re a beginner looking for the best mountain bikes under 500 dollars.. and there’s nothing wrong with that!
Everyone has to start somewhere, and I did too!
The first thing you’re doing right at this price point is buying a hard tail. No doubt about it, the hardtail is the way to go for this price range.
Full suspension bikes require more components and have more moving parts (also requires more development time and engineering by the bike company too!) – it’s just absolutely going to be more expensive by nature. Unless you buy it second hand.
If you do find a NEW full suspension bike at this price point, you’re going to get Walmart bike quality which is not good (there’s plenty of funny youtube videos about Walmart bikes: point is – they get destroyed and don’t hold up).
And it will potentially get you hurt on the trail. Just don’t go full suspension at this price point, please .. for your own safety!
Contents
The 5 Best Trailworthy Hardtail Mountain Bikes Under 500
The difference here is you need a bike that will handle the rough stuff. Not any bike can take the constant pounding of rock gardens, drops, and *even if it’s made by a good bike brand!*
I’m not going to get into the tech specs of each bike. You can easily find those on the bike manufacturer’s website and it would definitely be more accurate!
So plain and simple, what I recommend you do is find last year’s model of a bike – ESPECIALLY if you’re a beginner. That is a secret tip to get a decent mountain bike for the money! I’ll get into that a bit later, but for now, here’s the best bang for your buck bike brand and models that you can take on the trail!
1. Diamondback Overdrive 29 1
They’ve been around for a LONG time and were the go to brand in the 90’s for BMX bikes. Then somewhere during the turn of the century they went into big box stores and somewhat lost a bit of their solid reputation. They sold bikes at big box stores that were cheap and that made them unattractive to serious bike enthusiasts. Today, they’re definitely back on the rise again, and most likely getting even more popular thanks to guys like Seth’s Bike Hacks: check him out here on Youtube, and The Single Track Sampler, who with their massive following are sponsored by Diamondback. The good exposure is getting DB back into the game!
Anyway, here’s the Diamondback Overdrive 29
This model of DB bike is currently listed on sale on Diamondback’s website substantially below the $500 price point. Other versions of the Overdrive are equipped with better components tipping it over $1000! That just means the frame is absolutely trailworthy and if you decide to get one it’s possible to make upgrades that would turn it into a serious hardtail ripper.
WHAT MAKES IT TRAILWORTHY? The FRAME on this thing is bulletproof.
THE NOT SO GOOD: The seat is terrible.
2. Cannondale Catalyst 2
Cannondale has been around a long time also and they definitely know a thing or two about bikes. The Catalyst 2 is pretty hard to track down which you may be able to find at a local REI. It’s currently priced just over $500. It’s a serious bike and is one to consider. When I see Cannondale bikes on the trail I oogle over their looks – I just think they’re sexy. I’m a little wierd yeah.
WHAT MAKES IT TRAILWORTHY? The drivetrain does well in all situations for beginners.
THE NOT SO GOOD: It’s on the heavy side.
3. Giant Talon 3
I know this one all too well! This bike costs less than the version I bought many years ago for $650. But it’s essentially the same bike frame, perhaps better components if you ask me because times change of course! I love this bike, it is near and dear to my heart so this may be a little biased, but this is an amazing beginner’s bike! I’ve had mine for over 5 years which is a testament to it’s durability, reliability, and trail capabilities. I’ve shot it off 4 foot drops (I’m sure it can do more I just don’t have the balls to try!), plowed rock gardens, practice trials skills on it… I just love it.
Seriously a beautiful bike but then again like I said I’m biased. I’ve done many upgrades to the one I still currently own so it’s worth a lot more.. but that’s what you do when you fall in love with a hobby right?! I can’t ever get rid of it.
Giant also makes a bike model called the ATX, but I just don’t think it would be a good trailworthy bike. It’s a leisure/recreational bike.
WHAT MAKES IT TRAILWORTHY? The BANG FOR YOUR BUCK, reliability, fun, durability.
THE NOT SO GOOD: I can’t say because I own this bike, BUT if I were to guess the front fork and 3x drivetrain (I’ve since gone 2x and installed a bashguard on mine).
4. Specialized Rockhopper
Yes this one is just a smidgen over the budget for the lowest tier model you’ll find (get last years model to meet your budget!). But you get the brand name, which is synonymous with well crafted and well engineered bikes. Rockhoppers have been in Specialized hardtail lineup since I can remember. A buddy of mine had an ancient 26″ Rockhopper, I got to take that thing out on the trail and DANG it was a blast to ride – even with it’s mechanical rim brakes and grip shifters! Seriously a great bike! Rockhopper’s also have other models that can make drive up the price quickly, but luckily Specialized has an affordable option!
WHAT MAKES IT TRAILWORTHY? Durable hence used by many rental bike companies. Comfortable saddle.
THE NOT SO GOOD: The front fork isn’t good. But then again, many on this list at this price point aren’t that great either.
5. Trek Marlin 5
If you know anything about bikes, Trek is definitely a contender for the most popular brand. Fortunately they also haven’t kept their prices “boutique” high and gave us the Marlin.
It’s an affordable all-around good value mountain bike. I’ve never tried one, but I always hear good things when I see and talk to people on the trail. It is also just slightly over the budget from what I see, but again, finding a deal on one shouldn’t be too difficult especially if it’s the previous model year.
WHAT MAKES IT TRAILWORTHY? It can handle just about anything on the trail and the brakes are on point.
THE NOT SO GOOD: The pedals are garbage, but that’s a cheap fix.
6. Raleigh Tokul 2 (BONUS)
I know I know, at $699 this one isn’t anywhere close to the $500. BUT, if you can find an older version of this you will not regret it. You wouldn’t think it, but this is a surprisingly capable trail bike. Don’t believe me? Check out this video of former professional downhill mountain biker Phil Kmetz absolutely putting this bike through it’s paces with backflips, MASSIVE drops, and more:
The Best Affordable Mountain Bikes: Boutique Brands?
The list above does not include MTB bikes from well-known but unique brands such as Santa Cruz, Yeti, Pivot, Evil, Rocky Mountain, Transition, etc. They’re considered “boutique” brands because of their love for riding which they then apply directly to the bikes they create. Boutique brands have a different attitude when it comes to their own bikes: passion and the attention-to-detail to name a few. It drives them produce the ultra high quality bikes they would want to ride themselves. They seriously live, breath, and eat bikes!
So although these brands make incredible bikes (I REALLY want to get a new 2019 Pivot Trail 429…drool), they are usually priced out of the market for amateur and beginner riders, even for their low tier bikes.
As much as I love these brands, it’s typically very difficult to find a bike from these manufacturers that would make sense for the weekend rider that’s looking for an affordable bike. Budget conscious riders usually go with larger brands like Diamondback, Giant, or Specialized.
Of course all that depends on how much your willing to fork out on a bike! If money were no issue, I wouldn’t be writing this!
But like I mentioned before, always be on the lookout for a previous model year bike or used bike as there’s always a deal to be found.
What to Look Out For When Buying a Mountain Bike around 500
I’m 99.9% certain the bike will be aluminum, which is fine! Bikes in this price range usually have excellent frames so I won’t go into that. Whether or not the bike can handle the trails is the important characteristic. Essentially you’ll be ripping the bike on all kinds of terrain. So here’s what you need to look out for when in your search for a mountain bike in the $500 price range:
- Suspension Fork – This is a hard one since most bikes at this price point aren’t too good in this department, but find one that gives lock out options, adjustable rebound or damping, any other features would be be icing on the cake
- Drivetrain – make sure it shifts properly! Storytime: when I bought my first bike it had serious slipping issues – little did I know it wasn’t supposed to do that. Somehow I had bought it with a bent derailleur hanger (what a nighmare to diagnose for beginners – I really didn’t like the bike shop I bought it from because they didn’t want to fix it!) So getting the derailleur(s) indexed and aligned properly is important for a good time out on the trail while really cranking the pedals.
- Brakes – go for disc type. Hydraulic
- Shifters – double check that the shifter can cycle through all gears with the right amount of pressure. I had a friend with a 8 speed shifter when he had a 9 speed cassette on a bike he bought used. Hilarious!
- Tires/Wheels – this one isn’t too big of a deal, but test ride and see how you like the tires and grip.
Just remember, at around the 500 price no bike will have exceptional quality components – BUT they should all be trailworthy!
Why You Shouldn’t Buy a ‘New’ Hardtail Mountain Bike
See, thinking back had I been a little more patient and waited a few more months I could’ve bought the same bike I have at a discount. Or, even better, if I wanted a bike right now (as many of you who are reading this are probably anxious to do), I would buy the previous model year’s bike and I would’ve saved substantially on how much I paid PLUS get better components. That’s the key really.
New bikes are grotesquely overpriced. They mark down bikes by as much as 40%+ when they need to get rid of last years inventory – theyre also often not too different in specs compared to the new model year’s bikes (usually!) – this means more savings for you!
Sometimes, the savings is substantial enough that you can buy the discounted previous model year’s bike, and THEN ALSO buy whatever component upgrades you want and it will still come out to less than the new model bike. WIN WIN.
Want to see exactly what I’m talking about? You can clearly see the discounts offered on previous year bikes on CompetitiveCyclist.com here. You can see them on sale at the bottom of their list usually. (FYI they’re a great bike shop and I would probably order my next bike from them. They’re the cycling side of the same company you may have heard about: BackCountry.com)
Just browse their bikes section for a second and check out ANY bike brand. Then take a look at the discounts offered on last year’s models on their website. It’s nuts!
Amazon also has a variety previous year hardtail mountain bikes available.
Your local bike shop will also do the same thing, so don’t forget to check out your LBS – what’s great about local bike shops are sometimes you’ll get free or discounted services for life.h
Why the Best Deals are from Previous Year Mountain Bike Hardtail Models?
The other great thing about buying previous year bikes is there are people or professional bike reviewers who have done the hard work for you: they’ve tested it! You can read all the reviews and watch all the videos you want to find out how it performs, and then cater that information to yourself!
Hard tails are just less maintenance over all. And the most affordable option. Don’t be fooled though, some hardtails can go for thousands of dollars too, it just depends on how you like to outfit your bike – some professionals ride hardtails so it’s not just for newbies and beginners.
As mentioned before, hard tail mountain bikes are the most common type of bike for beginners to start on. And there are always more beginners than seasoned riders – it just makes more sense because not everyone will stay in he sport in the long run. So it doesn’t make much sense to plop down thousands on a bike that might not be an activity that is fun for some people. Therefore, manufacturers provide just enough bike for people to test out the sport that won’t break the bank.
Personally, I would go for the middle tier type of bike. For example, if you liked the Giant Talon hardtail MTB, there’s the Talon 0, Talon1, Talon 2… you get the idea. Just go for the middle of the road – of last years model.
You definitely can’t go wrong.
Is it Best to Buy a Used Hardtail Mountain Bike Around 500 Dollars?
It’s totally okay, just be very cautious and inspect the bike thoroughly. There are key things to inspect:
- Frame
- Brakes
- Suspension
- Drivetrain
- Wheels/Rims
If those are okay it may be worth your while. In fact, if you could just meet the owner of the used bike at a local bike shop who could do an inspection for you.
Conclusion
In the end, the problem with buying the previous year’s bike is that we all have what’s called shiny object syndrome. Gotta have the latest and greatest! But it just isn’t necessary in my opinion. I personally still have my old (but updated) hardtail, and I wouldn’t trade it for a new one. No way!
If you can get yourself over that hurdle and think past the fact that the previous year’s bike, is LAST YEARS, you’ll have a better bike around the $500 mark for sure.
If I get enough requests, I’ll definitely get something out later and list “bang for your buck” full suspension bikes.
Til then, go Rider Up!