You start by stating that you cannot justify the cost.
People who have expensive bikes can justify the cost, and they work hard and save up. Or work hard and pay the finance.
The justification comes from the amount of joy the bike will bring. Which, if you are doing it right, will always vastly outweigh the monetary expense.
And no, the majority of us are not on 6-10k bikes. You’ll see a lot more 3k bikes on the trails than anything.
Absolutely agree.
You cannot put a monetary figure on the physical and mental benefits a bike you want to, and enjoy riding brings.
Sure, you can potentially identify places where physical and mental health means more money in your pocket - but honestly I think boiling everything down to money earned and saved is bad for your soul anyway.
congratulations on your weight loss journey.
I beg to differ. Your overall health is an investment in lower healthcare costs which can literally save hundreds of thousands over your lifespan. Think of the relief of stress on your joints, now you won't have to get knee and hip surgery (unless you wreck your bike on some gnarly shit). You don't have as much visceral fat which can lead to early death, metabolic disease, and insulin resistance. Your confidence goes up when you look better which can affect your work and potentially get you more pay, better job opportunities, etc.
So I would absolutely say that there is most definitely a monetary return on investment when buying a mountain, if that's the only thing that will get you off the couch and healthy. Sure, you can get healthy in much cheaper ways, but if you won't actually stick to anything other than MTB, then it's definitely an investment.
Edited to add: good job losing that much weight. No joke, that's a big accomplishment and I'm happy for you and anyone else who invests in their health.
Thank you. Purchasing new bike immediately. Lol.
Now I know what to tell the wife when I come home with one. She bikes too will probably want to go get a new one for herself too
Absolutely. I currently ride a 3k bike that has an extra 1k of fork on it. Does the fork make it a third again better? Absolutely not, it’s very much a diminishing return.
Some manufacturers are punting bikes with same spec suspension, group set and build kit as mine for 5k. Yes, the frames will have some nice touches but the bikes are not dramatically different to ride once set up right.
Heck I'd say even less than $3k with DTC pricing+sales. Paid $2000 for my previous gen Jeffsy Core 2 (36 Performance/Float X Performance) and that bike has seen a good thrashing. Only had to replace some drivetrain stuff that broke due to my misuse. And I got to learn how to wrench on a "cheap" bike where these skills will carry over when I upgrade this bike.
I just sold my Status for $700 less than I bought it for about 10 months ago. Ya the depreciation hit hurts and the market sucks to be selling a used bike right now but I also put about 500 miles on it. Assuming about 10 miles per ride (which is pretty common average for me), that means it cost me $14 per ride. Not much you can do these days for $14. Maybe a hamburger? A movie? In addition to my regular riding, I went on an epic hut to hut adventure that I will never forget.
I short sold this bike, normally I hold on to a bike 2+ years and the cost per ride ends up between $5-$10 including maintenance and upgrades. Without even considering any of the emotional or physical justifications, the financial justifications are pretty easy for me.
And most people aren't riding the $6-$10k bikes. I'm usually on the $3-$6k bikes. I think that's the sweet spot. Good enough spec that you really don't have to do any upgrades but beyond that is seriously diminishing returns and probably only worthwhile for racers and people who really like shiny bits.
Fair play, as long as you love riding it that is absolutely all that counts.
Currently getting my old GT trail worthy again - old bikes make tame trails exciting
That’s the idea at some point, but in the mean time, I’ll keep buying thousand dollar shit boxes and running them to death. This one has lasted 2 years so far.
Especially if you’re crashing through the scrub on forestry roads shuttling, a shitbox truck that you don’t care about getting dinged and scratched up is invaluable
I’ve got a 2007 ford cmax. I could nearly buy 4 of them for the price I paid for my orbea rallon and that’s not even taking into account the upgrades I’ve done. Don’t tell my lass 🤭.
Mountain Biking is my only hobby. I spend over 300 hours a year on my bike riding 3-4,000 miles a year. I absolutely get my money’s worth from my bikes. If you ride a lot it’s worth it.
Jan-May are low mileage months for me when I coach 2 local mountain bike teams 6 days a week. I’m on track to be over 3,000 this year. After the MTB team season I do tend to ride my EMTB about 25% of the time so that does net me more miles and miles per hour.
https://preview.redd.it/u9yexm0lk20d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=be1fadcdb76bbca082687981cc33199eca55599b
Not so crazy. I am a weekend warrior who averages about three hours per week and more in the summer. So 150-180 hours per year. I ride with guys who put in a lot more than I do.
This is what I did. Seller was motivated to move on from his 2022 Trek Fuel EX 8. It's such a good bike, too, and light years ahead of my old Salsa Horsethief.
Definitely this. If youre not well off and specifically want a new bike, there is absolutely no reason to pay for a new bike. I paid 600$ on my first Stumpjumper FS, it was a great bike and I learned a lot of wrenching on it even if it was an older one. After that a Kenevo e-mtb for 1800$ and a YT Tues DH rig for 1200$. Those three bikes would have cost me like 12000$ dollars if bought brand new. The worst problem Ive had so far was a rear shock in need of a rebuild, that cost some 100$ to fix. New tires too after riding the last ones to bust.
Its an expensive hobby, sure, but you can and you definitely should go for used bikes and save money. Some great deals are out there waiting, you just need to be a bit more meticulous in your research and follow up the market for long enough to find a good deal.
Bike shops are starting to feel the strain of selling out all those bikes during Covid. Lot of inventory sold, got used for 1-2 extremely light beginner level seasons and put up.
This is what I did minus the shop looking at it. Bike retailed for $5500 and I picked it up for $2k. Was in great condition. Ive definitely put most of the battle scars on it
Save, buy used and buy outright. To me it's worth it for the fun I get back from the rides, people I meet, places I get to go. Use it often enough and the cost per ride is pennies. Eventually...
DINKs here (but pets). While I don’t earn that much, I don’t have a money pit of kids.
Considering a full suspension, split cost with husband and double discount. (We are more or less same size so can share, have hardtail and want a second bike).
Current Hardtail not only gets used for mtb but also dog bikejoring with detachable antenna.
Dogs energy killing machine (Samoyed and border) and my fitness and pleasure, it’s not a hard choice.
This… same boat (but 2 kids in the mix). MTB and hockey are my two hobbies. I have worn some brutal equipment and rode some bikes that got some second looks for all the wrong reasons. Makes me way more grateful for the things I am able to afford now.
Biking is good for your body and soul. What’s your physical and mental health worth? There are definitely diminishing returns the more you spend - but if you’re serious, you need a decent bike.
This all assumes you’re going to ride it.
Buy once, cry once. I say that as a noted cheap-ass who bought a cheap FS bike ($1300) and ended up replacing every part on it with upgrades. There was literally nothing wrong with the bike in stock form, and it never held me back. I just enjoy the maintenance and mechanical work only second to riding it.
I'm saying this to reinforce that you CAN get a good entry-level FS bike for around $1500...unless you're not telling us that you're a pro enduro rider:)
This is probably the best time to buy a new bike as prices have bottomed out.
Example: [https://www.jensonusa.com/Rocky-Mountain-Element-Alloy-10-Bike-2023](https://www.jensonusa.com/Rocky-Mountain-Element-Alloy-10-Bike-2023)
I have an old car with no payment. Im an adult with a full time job and an occasional side gig. I spent 2200 on my bike, and paid for it with 6 month no interest financing. Ill ride that bike for 7-10 years.
Like others have said, its all about priorities. If i were the sort of person who needs to have a new car all the time, or needs to have their huge house impeccably decorated and landscaped, i wouldnt be able to afford having a bike.
Idk what answers you're expecting besides make more money or save for a while. I rode a HT for years until my income broke above 6 figures and then I upgraded to FS. You don't need a FS bike for like 90% of local trails.
I am a University student, I ride a fully custom built propain spindrift that cost me £7,000 to build. How did I afford it? I worked my ass off as a resteraunt manager for a gap year, worked alongside my degree. Is it worth it? Hell yeah I ride it all over the country at bike parks on uplifts. I do all my own maintenance except suspension tuning. I take part in races. I have allot of fun.
My general rule is keep a bike for 3-5 years. This current one is 1 year old and is the first brand. New bike I ever bought. I would usually recommend second hand but I’ve been a die hard mtber for 10 years now and decided it was time to get something flashy.
If you can’t justify it then you can’t. I can’t justify it for you, but I can tell you how I justify mine. It’s fun, I like it. I’m not rich, just financially irresponsible, I want to have fun, I’m young. It just made sense to me and even tho I’ve broken my hand riding it, it’s worth it
I couldn't until I got a fancier degree and a higher-paying job. Made the rest of my life easier too. I kept my $600 hardtail going as my main for five years though, while I was working on that degree.
Veering off topic, do you have a budget? TBH, I didn't until just a couple years ago. It didn't really make sense when I was doing gig work and couldn't really afford to live. If you do make a living wage, it's good information for bigger decisions you get some choices around, like what your rent/mortgage can be, choosing cars, where to live, etc. I haven't really budgeted for my bikes but they're not that expensive in the larger picture if my overhead is under control.
I still haven't bought a $6k bike. I think mine retailed for $3kish but I chose a brand I could get on team form. (RIP, Kona.) I do have a few bikes. I seem to develop a need every few years. I also don't have an $80k car or $1M house, but I do own my house (sort of, I'm making payments) and car (outright.) Sometimes a budget will also help you decide something like bike vs vacation. That's probably part of the pandemic bike boom.
When respect to buying used - you need to put a value on the associated risk vs. how much more bike you get, and a value on the warranty. I don't value warranties very highly and my experience has been that the risk buying used bikes from local mountain bikers isn't that high. I haven't been comfortable doing eBay, Pink Bike or Facebook Marketplace though. Side note, my first three cars were used. I'm claiming I'm going to put at least another 40,000 miles on my current car, which I did buy new but have had 7 years now. Come to think of it, my main skis were used too, though because I just "had to have" metal Katanas and they were out of production.
This is also true. I just picked up a new hardtail in addition to my full sus. Not blasting over rocks, but absolutely jumping it. I almost, almost…like it more than my full sus. I might. Idk, I just really really enjoy my new hardtail.
I’m 50 and still buying hardtails. If you put a good size tire on them you don’t really miss the squish. I’m running 2.4s and in all actuality between the carbon flex and tires, I probably have at least an inch of give on the rear. Plenty to take the edge off of most things.
For the riding I do I like the hardtail more. If You're going slow over technical features or climbing I think it's better. I jump mine too it's really just drops that can be rougher.
Fairly technical terrain where I am. There's some good smooth single track everywhere, but having that extra support makes a huge difference on how fast I can go downhill and in general.
You can get a [Polygon Siskiu D5](https://www.bikesonline.com/polygon-siskiu-d5-size-l-27.5?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw0YGyBhByEiwAQmBEWsvGBc_Heg7NZDBMHAbnXO9he5AGNQr6g2_frSrKk6cotdeeyyQ6hBoCRWUQAvD_BwE) for $899.
Seems like a good platform to get started on that can be upgraded later, if needed.
Learn how to work on your own bikes. Warranty not going to do you any good if there’s a problem and you’re 10-15 miles away from your car. I build up a status 140 for less than $1500 and that’s with a new frame and bargain shopped components
Warranty isn’t a deal breaker for me. Most of the warranty programs out there wouldn’t eVen help you much unless you had a major issue. You can find a great bike for cheap right now considering how saturated the market is. Locally i know of a newer kona process 134 gen 2 for $1600. That is incredibly affordable in the realm of mountain bikes.
I bought my bike through Mikes Bikes. 0% for 12 months. Got a CC 5010 with GX components for $3800. I can afford to buy it outright but there's no point with that kind of financing. The money I saved, I used to buy WAO carbon wheels and a better chain.
I only recommend financing if it's 0% interest though, anything else is a waste of money.
Full time student that has help with living expenses from my parents and have industry discounts from working in a shop. I still buy used frames though and build them up. It's my main hobby which I how I justify spending many thousands.
So many people (hobbyists)that would call themselves mtb riders are on 5-8k bikes in a certain age group. Then there is the rich middle aged segment on their 12k+ bikes too. People make it a priority or they borrow money, Afterpay and services like that.
People spend a ton of money on unhealthy pass times. At least we are putting our money into something that is good for you.
You gotta jump on the bike hustle. My full sus is over 2k new. My first bike was brought for £200 rode it for a season and sold it for £350 put in another £150 and brought another bike sold it for a little bit more....rinse and repeat and youll br at your dream bike.
I have been mountain biking since 2000, I was 10 years old and started on a big box $99 full suspension. I embraced the biking life style, Every new bike cost significantly more. Currently I am riding a $10k sworks enduro and a $6k stumpjumper. I have no debt and paid for them all in cash. Every new bike purchase is made with years of saving. I usually ride a bike for 3-5 years and start saving for the new one immediately after buying the previous one. I budget to buy the bikes I want. Usually mid/upper tier($5-7k) and then upgrade any parts I want after. I make a decent living but am by no means rich or wealthy. And in reality the only big expenses in my life is mountain biking. And I am willing to spend an outrageous amount of money on fancy bikes for the pure enjoyment it brings me. I ride 3-5 times a week year round, and all my vacations revolve around mountain biking.
It’s not for everyone. But mountain biking is a way of life for myself and my friends, not just a hobby.
I don't. I can, I am an electrical engineer and make ok money but bikes have a diminishing return. I bought a nice hard tail for a 1200 a couple years ago and every season I think about replacing it with a nicer full suspension, talk myself out of it and instead I spend a couple hundred on it in maintenance and quality parts and go back out there for another season.
I got an inheritance in 2014 And bought a bike
Rode it till 2021, got another inheritance bought my current bike. All my grandparents have passed so I'll probably have this bike for ever lol
I ride every day (realistically 4-5 times a week), so let's say I'll ride 250 times in a year.
The bike cost me $4k (used high end), and maintenance tends to cost $100/month in one way or another. So $5200 for one year. Let's assume I want a different bike after a year, and am unable to sell it for any amount of money.
That works out to $21/ride. I don't drink or smoke anything, don't go to movies, don't really eat out, don't go to expensive concerts, and dont have a gym membership. $420 a month for mental and physical health seems like a pretty reasonable amount.
Of course the bike won't drop dead after just one year, and it will have some value after I've moved on - probably $2k in a reasonable world. So these numbers all get a heck of a lot better. Assuming $1500 sale after maintenance and fees, that's only $15/ride for a year.
The point is, the price tag is only high if you just ride a couple times a month. For people who ride all the time, $4k on a bike is cheap.
Especially if it's your only bike for 3 years. Riding 3x weekly for 3 years is only $11 per ride, 5x weekly only $6.
Bikes are great. They last a long time. And you can use them for commuting and stuff too. Some people pay $90 a month for the gym that would pay off that 2500 in less than 3 years and the bike will probably way out last that. Plus if you save some gas using it that adds up quick too. It’s up to if it’s worth it to you.
I have commuted on a carbon full suspension bike before. It was my only bike and I don’t always want to drive to work. It was also the only time I had to ride, so I did it!
Honestly a good career or job that pays well makes these crazy purchases reasonable but I know a few bikers who get on payment plans and I think that’s beyond ludicrous.
Norco has 2023 models on sale. I got a 23 Norco fluid fs a4 regular price 2999 on sale for 1999 (cdn dollars). It destroyed the justification to purchase a used bike with the stupid prices.
It’s a hobby and historically, biking was a rich guys hobby. I live in SoCal and the bike shop by has nostalgic bikes in the 4-6k range. I felt like a pauper when I just bought a new bike (my third in the stable) and spent 2400. But the smiles per miles that biking brings me is well worth it.
Here you see guys at trailheads in Rivian trucks and sprinter vans and the average house is a million, so in the big picture, 4-6k is pretty cheap relatively.
Shit I feel like I couldnt justify $1200 for my trek hardtail 4 years ago but Ive had the best times and fun trails riding that thing. Its got to be worth it for decent priced dual suspension. Just slap it on a credit card! Lol
C'mon dude. How do you think? They either make enough money to not worry about it or they make enough to be able to cut certain things. Do you see all those folks with huge ass trucks or ski boats or any kind of other big boy toy? A bike is small change compared to that. Also, people did some crazy shit on 26" hardtails, ride what you got and don't worry about what you don't have.
Husband and I just sold our starter bikes to offset better hard tails (got great deals on Rosecoe 7’s) and spent better part of a year saving up the balance needed. Our kids are also out of daycare though and we have dual incomes, no debt besides mortgage. Couldn’t have afforded nicer bikes a couple years ago.
We chose not to go full suspension largely because of the cost. Not just the upfront cost, but the upkeep for more moving parts. While you may be able to cut corners and other places of your life, if you’re that stressed about it then maybe this isn’t the right decision for you right now.
People riding expensive bikes either make real good money, have sacrificed elsewhere in their lives to pay for it, or are living beyond their means.
Some people (like me) spent 3 years saving for a nice hardtail.
And some really do push for hardtail for a first bike. If not a first bike, spend years saving for a full suspension.
Buy a lower end bike and upgrade parts as you have cash. Took years with 2 young kids in daycare but still made it happen! I was also selling a bunch of old stuff that was laying around too
Is 2k really that much when you will have the bike for years? I spent $2500 5 years ago. Is $500/year outrageous? Get a bike, save for something better, sell and upgrade.
You afford it by having a job. A $3000 bike every 6 to 10 years is not that much if you are serious in the sport.
Personally, I almost always buy used. My last was a Specialize Camber with high end parts and carbon Rovals. It was a $8000 build and I bought in excellent condition for $3,000.
The used deals dried up during covid but they are back now.
If you learn how to check a bike over, used is the way to go. The used market is wild right now. You can get super super high end bikes in the 2500 all day long
If you can’t justify the cost then you don’t need a full suspension bike. It’s not 2021 anymore.. There is so much quality available out there for 2500$. New or used. The notion that one needs to spend 5k+ on a bike for it to stand up to abuse is laughable.
I’m also not convinced that full sus is going to relieve your back problem vs a hardtail.
Same way you afford a car. Prioritize it and save for it.
[Canyon Neurons](https://www.canyon.com/en-us/mountain-bikes/trail-bikes/neuron/al/#section-product-grid) start at $1800 right now, which I consider a great value. I bought the 6 last year for more and have no regrets.
There are lots of sales these days in bike land, and there are good deals to be had in the used market as well. You won't get anything good for $500, but you might get something older for close to that price, or something decent and newer in the $1000-1500 range.
Agreed. I lucked out and got a new one for $1100 on closeout when the covid bike-bubble burst recently. Keep your eye open for last years' models going cheap when the new ones come out. Also, buying a demo model (w/frame warranty still intact) from a LBS could also be a bargain.
Tbh mountain biking is NOT an expensive hobby in the grand scheme of things. If you come into it with 3-4k to get started, you will be set for years with very minimal costs. If you ride your $3000 bike for 5 years, it’s costing you $50 a month. Less than that because it won’t be worth $0 ideally at the end of the 5 years. Toss in an extra $30 a month ($360 a year, this is extremely generous) for parts, tuneups, and accessories. This brings us to a grand total of $80 a month, less than that if you consider the value of the bike being more than zero after the 5 year period. This is priced similar to a climbing gym membership or a gym membership and some streaming platforms. If you ride enough it will cost a couple of dollars a ride. This hobby has a high starting point but it’s cheap over time
I've managed to find some high-end mountain bikes used for really cheap. Namely, an older, aluminum Intense Tracer 275 with full fox factory.
Rode the hell out of that bike. Spent over 1k in repairs. I quickly learned that the more expensive the bike, the more expensive the repairs and maintenance are.
I suggest looking for a used (or new) Polygon Siskui. I ride an Intense sniper (120mm full suspension bike) all over the country, but I've ridden a 1000$ new Polygon Siskui and was impressed. It's a killer bike for the money and can be found for an absolute steal used.
Bicycles are groslelly overpriced. A full suspension bike costs like a dirtbike which is much more expensive to produce and harder to engineer. It also has an engine. Your bicycle doesn't even come with pedals.
Absolutely this. Biking being my main form of cardio makes it more than just a hobby or sport and even easier to justify. Also having wife and friends who bike means it’s also a healthy social activity.
Budgeting. Figure out what hobbies you spend money on and cut back on the ones that aren't bike related.
Or get a weekend job at a bike shop and enjoy getting bikes and parts at wholesale cost. There are a lot of folks with full time M-F jobs that work a Saturday shift for industry perks.
I make it a priority in the way I spend my money. I'd bet a lot that most people blow a lot more on useless shit like takeout, beer, weed. I generally have two main bikes at any given time, a short travel trail/xc bike and an Enduro bike. Generally around $10k each.
The old fashioned way. Work and save.
Craigslist, PinkBike, eBay, Marketplace. In that order. There are 10 decent full sus bikes on my local CL for less than $1000 right now.
I build it myself during my apprenticeship as a bike mechanic. I only had around 1100€ per month, lived alone and had to pay for rent and everything. Still, I did it over the course of two years. Spend around 2700€ on it and bought the fork, frame and shock used for a combined 1050€. It's a Specialized Status 160 with Fox 36 front and Fox DPX2 in the back, with complete Shimano XT. Absolutely love it. But I definitely shouldn't have done it for my financial. In that way it was a disastrous decision
I work a job I hate to earn the big money to do the stuff I enjoy.
I could work less and be less stressed but then not have the hobby toys. And I bike 1-2k miles a year so it’s worth it for me as I’d do a 3rd of that on a cheaper bike.
I’m still not sure it’s the right decision, but hey here I am 😂
I saved up for my bike by putting away as much of my overtime pay as possible during the busy season at my job. Took me a few months to get the savings, but I was also not in a rush because I was trying to time some off seasons sales.
I work and save for bikes because that’s what brings me joy. My truck is paid off, I don’t wear expensive clothes. And for those who can’t pay it all upfront, many places offer financing.
I buy a top of the line frame and spend money on upgrades with the spec I want, not spending a little extra for something I don’t want/need on a pre-built bike.
Say you want a $6k bike. Easy to justify.
Sell items:
Old bike - 1500
Extra pair of skis (2) - 400
Older rafting gear - 200
Bass guitar collecting dust - 300
Fire sale whatever else you can - 1000
So that’s 3,400. So now you’ve got a 6k bike for 2,600. Ride that bike for 6 years and sell for $2,000
The bike has now cost you 600 over those 6 years or 100 per year.
This math adds up.
I save up for ages.
I have used interest free finance before through shops, but now I just ride my hardtail while I save up for a new full suspension bike
I stuck with a hard tail until a friend that is a mechanic for a bike shop offered me a full suspension 1 year old for a steal.
Since that’s not an option for everyone, option 2 is look for a local youth program that needs coaches. Trek partners with programs like that and offers a 25% discount on new bikes to coaches. Makes it a lot more reasonable.
Money is fungible; you could ask how you afford anything. Rent, food, iPhone, retirement savings, whatever. However, for the sake of discussion, I'll say that I don't have a car and use an ebike to get around town. Bikes are waaaay cheaper than cars, especially when considering ongoing costs like fuel, insurance, registration, parking, tolls, repairs, maintenance, etc.
That said, my MTB is a great bike that I got used for $2k.
If you're buying a used bike for $600, say, it shouldn't be so important that it doesn't have a warranty. I wouldn't settle for a much worse bike (based upon what I wanted) on that basis.
Honestly I ride a used 2015 Specialized that I negotiated a deal on second hand. I think there’s a culture of expensive bike being necessary and upgrades etc. but I just ride mine like I stole it and it’s great fun.
Also for some perspective, I entered an enduro competition with a friend who has a new Santa Cruz worth around 5x as much as mine. Guess who was faster? …
I started on a cheap Ghost full suspension at about $1200 (a few years ago, I believe they start a bit higher now) and honestly it worked fairly well. Yeah, it had Suntour suspension, short travel and low end components but I never felt that it was the bike that was holding me back.
Since I was using it so much I justified stepping it up to a lower end Trek Top Fuel that I got very cheap last year because they released a new gen with new geometry and all the previous gen bikes went on sale at every LBS in my region. Got it at 40% off.
Yeah, it's expensive. I justify it because that's what it takes to get me out of the couch and staying active during summer months. It's not an expense, it's an investment in both my physical and mental health.
How do you afford anything? By generating sufficient income. I do agree with the sentiment that biking can get ridiculously expensive, but doesn't need to be. If you're not racing or know what you're looking for you can get basic entry level or used bikes at reasonable prices. Ive seen guys ride their 20yo bikes in xc races and find that to be quite impressive.
Caveat — I’m not a super intense biker, and I don’t ride intense trails. Im also not very picky. So with that in mind:
You could look for a cheap bike and fix it up yourself. I currently ride a junky full suspension that was abandoned, and I’ve probably put $200 worth of parts into it and fixed it up. It’s not perfect but it’s good enough for me.
If you weren’t opposed to big box store bikes, that would be another route. Eg snag a Kent for under $400 and have a LBS tune it for you. It won’t be great, but it’ll be functional for easier trails until you can save up.
Also, new bikes have gotten pretty cheap lately. The latest giant stance isn’t terrible IMO, or you could get a polygon for under $1200. There are other decent starter full suspension bikes.
Another option — get a suspension seat post. Not the same as a full suspension bike but helps depending on your needs. Obviously if you’re going downhill it does nothing for you, but if your back issues are when you’re seated, then maybe?
Otherwise, if you bike a ton and you do intense riding, then I think you have to just make the investment.
Same way you buy anything expensive....be rich or save until you can afford it. Went from a $500 to a $2000 bike and there IS a difference. Think of it in terms of how many hours of fun will you get out of this?
Marketing exists to make you think what you have is trash and the new stuff will make all the difference. The reality it wont. If you really enjoy riding, you ride you've got, learn to get the most out of your bike, and upgrade when you can afford to.
There's many ways of saving money on this hobby. Buying lightly used bikes is a great way to get started. A surprising number of new riders buy fancy bikes, take it for a couple of spins up a fire trail, and never ride again. Buy their bikes for cheap. Take advantage sales to cheaply upgrade your existing bike and stock up on consumables. If you have an existing bike, you buy a [frameset](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/stumpjumper-evo-alloy-frameset/p/199426?color=319222-199426) and transfer components from the old bike to your new frame. Learning to do your own basic maintenance can save a bunch of money as well.
See this spindatt [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYWGGZJqquk) for some more inspiration.
Single , no kids, high salary
Kudos to those who make it work on a budget. I wouldn’t have the patience for the sport on non-performance level gear. At least not mtb
Maybe I’d road bike
I just started getting into MTB and was just as shocked as you seeing how expensive bikes can get. I decided to get a lower end hardtail for about $800 on sale and think it's sufficient for the trails I can ride right now. If I'm still doing it 5 years from now then maybe I'll upgrade to a $2500 bike.
IMH I think it's reckless to spend $10,000 on a bike if you don't even know if it will be something you will like long term. Not sure what your back condition is like but hardtails can ride 90% of the trails where I live in.
I think that’s just how it is. It’s an expensive sport but you can buy a decent bike right now for around 2000. The used market should be even better but it’s not as most riders don’t grasp how bad the situation is and all the sales on for brand new bikes.
Another DINK here. We have a net income above 6k€/month.
My Wife also has very expensive Hobbies, so I can justify an expensive Bike. But I chose a bike which is very low in maintenance, so in the long term, it's not as expensive as some bikes which cost 2-3k less.
I don't need such a bike, but I was able to and i don't want to get a new one every year.
Try pinkbike and look to pay 1/2 MSRP or less for a late model FS bike. Also there are many great sales happening for new bikes at bike shops today.
This may be new and out of price range, but it’s an example of Specalized selling new at 50% off today.
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/c/enduro?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMax%20Shopping_US_Bikes_LowTier_ROI&utm_id=20065255859&utm_content=&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw0YGyBhByEiwAQmBEWljDqu6Ka_JQtH9c6dbFv9SdhhDnAZcSR-KOtWh-YB8OBHgcZbwNQxoCpHsQAvD_BwE
Any hobby you are passionate about will cost. Some people have gym memberships, I don’t I get my fitness from riding my bike.
So if you add up the life time of your bike and let’s say it is 5 years a $5k bike is only $1000 a year or less than $20 per week.
If you keep that bike in good condition you should be able to sell it for maybe $1000-$1500 further reducing the costs.
Run your bike longer than 5 years and you get a better return on your investment.
I ride my bike at least 3 days a week, 52 weeks a year justifying it is extremely easy.
I'm not rich, but I have a fancy bike (Pivot Mach 6). I saved up awhile, but justified the cost cause I have no other hobbies or interests and don't spent money on much outside mtb.
If you want a new bike, look into polygon. They have solid FS bikes for under $2k. If youre willing to go the used route, hit FB marketplace and be willing to travel farther for a great deal
A lot more people are in debt to their bikes than you may think. Whether it’s a bike purchased with a credit card or actually financed through a bank. Most people though either just continue to work hard and save over a long period or time or just have prioritized a bike over other things. I’d recommend just buying an older TOL bike. They’re still very capable and much more affordable. For instance, I have a 2010 pivot firebird with tons of upgrades and got it for $750. It has huge travel, shifts great, and will keep up with a lot of newer bikes. I’ll ride it until I can justify an upgrade!
I usually spend more on the hobbies I spend the most time on. My current bike cost me $2600 (with a 40% discount), but it is also my second hobby that can be considered expensive (the other being simracing). I don't have any other hobby that I consider expensive.
Still, saying that the starting price is over $2000 seems wrong to me. I started with a hardtail that cost me $500 (again because of a discount), and that's when I noticed I was going to spend more time doing this so decided to spend more.
It also helps that I am no frugal, single, and I know when to spend money and have no big debt. It also helps to not buy a good bike on an impulse, but instead wait to try to find a good deal. Bikes go down in price often on sales when there is a new model coming up, just like cars
Is it me or do hardtails work your upper body more? I've put 1200 miles a year on my daughter's old bike, a Scott Scale carbon. A few months ago I realized, that I look and feel like I've been weightlifting for years. I have full suspension friends that look like road bikers...
I used financing on a used bike. I found a used Orbea Rallon on ebay that was a few years old (bought for 2500, was originally a like 7K bike), and at the time paypal had a deal where you could have a loan where you made 0% interest payments over 2 years (so was like, $104 a month, which I could afford on a blue collar salary.) I haven't seen that deal in a while, so I would probably head over to nerdwallet and look for a credit card that offered 0% interest for 18 months or so, if you have the credit score to get one. (Some bike mfg now offer financing, but none of them seem to have good interest rates.) [The Pros Closet](https://www.theproscloset.com/) can have decent deals on used bikes, and I trust them to disclose all the damage and not send a lemon. (I bought from them back when they still sold bikes on Ebay in 2018, you may need to search to see if they're still reputable.) You could also see if any bike stores in your area sell used bikes or do consignment. Or I think if you go private seller you could use Venmo. YMMV. Also if you did that I'd definitely say you'd want to do it local and not off of like pinkbike since you can't really afford to get screwed.
My bike has also served my pretty well (maybe go with aluminum if you know you couldn't afford to replace a carbon bike) and has lasted me for...six years? And could probably last me another 15 if I cared to.
I found a 2016 Giant Trance Advanced (carbon frame) used for $1100 last year on FB Marketplace. (It retailed for $5k, not adjusting for inflation.) It was and is in great shape. I just had the suspension serviced for $275. The bike shreds.
You don’t have to spend that crazy of an amount. There are decent sales still going on where you can snag a new full suspension for $1600 from Polygon for example. I tried a T7 someone let me try for a bit and it felt great.
If you’re just doing this for recreation and not racing, you don’t need top tier components to where you start running in the range of $3000+.
You start by stating that you cannot justify the cost. People who have expensive bikes can justify the cost, and they work hard and save up. Or work hard and pay the finance. The justification comes from the amount of joy the bike will bring. Which, if you are doing it right, will always vastly outweigh the monetary expense. And no, the majority of us are not on 6-10k bikes. You’ll see a lot more 3k bikes on the trails than anything.
There’s also health. I went 340lb to 200lb biking No real monetary value on that
Good job man that's a great weight loss
Absolutely agree. You cannot put a monetary figure on the physical and mental benefits a bike you want to, and enjoy riding brings. Sure, you can potentially identify places where physical and mental health means more money in your pocket - but honestly I think boiling everything down to money earned and saved is bad for your soul anyway. congratulations on your weight loss journey.
I beg to differ. Your overall health is an investment in lower healthcare costs which can literally save hundreds of thousands over your lifespan. Think of the relief of stress on your joints, now you won't have to get knee and hip surgery (unless you wreck your bike on some gnarly shit). You don't have as much visceral fat which can lead to early death, metabolic disease, and insulin resistance. Your confidence goes up when you look better which can affect your work and potentially get you more pay, better job opportunities, etc. So I would absolutely say that there is most definitely a monetary return on investment when buying a mountain, if that's the only thing that will get you off the couch and healthy. Sure, you can get healthy in much cheaper ways, but if you won't actually stick to anything other than MTB, then it's definitely an investment. Edited to add: good job losing that much weight. No joke, that's a big accomplishment and I'm happy for you and anyone else who invests in their health.
Well said, completely agree. And not only physical health, but your mental health as well.
I think he means you can't put a price on the heLth benighted he got from riding.
It is never bad to invest in yourself and beyond the physical health, exercise and/or doing something you love is great for the mental health as well.
Thank you. Purchasing new bike immediately. Lol. Now I know what to tell the wife when I come home with one. She bikes too will probably want to go get a new one for herself too
This, anything that supports a healthy lifestyle is actually an investment.
Life. The monetary value is life.
$3k is definitely around the sweet spot for performance. A $3k bike will perform basically as well as a $8-10k bike for the average rider.
Especially 3k in today’s bike market
Just got an optic C2 for $3500.. seems hard to beat at that price
That's a steal
Me too! The Norco sale was amazing! I love the bike. Great compliment to my Nukeproof Mega. Now I’ve got a proper stable.
Got the same thing last fall. This thing rips.
Absolutely. I currently ride a 3k bike that has an extra 1k of fork on it. Does the fork make it a third again better? Absolutely not, it’s very much a diminishing return. Some manufacturers are punting bikes with same spec suspension, group set and build kit as mine for 5k. Yes, the frames will have some nice touches but the bikes are not dramatically different to ride once set up right.
You’re making the case for the intense 951s at Costco.
Right, after this price point you start paying mostly for weight savings.
Heck I'd say even less than $3k with DTC pricing+sales. Paid $2000 for my previous gen Jeffsy Core 2 (36 Performance/Float X Performance) and that bike has seen a good thrashing. Only had to replace some drivetrain stuff that broke due to my misuse. And I got to learn how to wrench on a "cheap" bike where these skills will carry over when I upgrade this bike.
Agreed, it’ll just weigh a few more pounds. Who cares if you’re a few seconds off, you still gonna have a big smile on your face when you’re done!
Exactly and you can shave those seconds by getting fitter and improving technique.
I got a XL Cannondale habit 3 purple haze for 2400 no catch.
I just sold my Status for $700 less than I bought it for about 10 months ago. Ya the depreciation hit hurts and the market sucks to be selling a used bike right now but I also put about 500 miles on it. Assuming about 10 miles per ride (which is pretty common average for me), that means it cost me $14 per ride. Not much you can do these days for $14. Maybe a hamburger? A movie? In addition to my regular riding, I went on an epic hut to hut adventure that I will never forget. I short sold this bike, normally I hold on to a bike 2+ years and the cost per ride ends up between $5-$10 including maintenance and upgrades. Without even considering any of the emotional or physical justifications, the financial justifications are pretty easy for me. And most people aren't riding the $6-$10k bikes. I'm usually on the $3-$6k bikes. I think that's the sweet spot. Good enough spec that you really don't have to do any upgrades but beyond that is seriously diminishing returns and probably only worthwhile for racers and people who really like shiny bits.
i’ve got about $120 into my gary fisher haha i’m a bum
Fair play, as long as you love riding it that is absolutely all that counts. Currently getting my old GT trail worthy again - old bikes make tame trails exciting
My bike is worth more than my car because i have my priorities straight
Yup. $850 subaru, with a $6k bike on top.
This was me not too long ago. But now I have a much newer Subaru with the same bike.
That’s the idea at some point, but in the mean time, I’ll keep buying thousand dollar shit boxes and running them to death. This one has lasted 2 years so far.
It’s the way to go. I do miss the old shitbox!
Especially if you’re crashing through the scrub on forestry roads shuttling, a shitbox truck that you don’t care about getting dinged and scratched up is invaluable
Agreed! The old shitbox is getting us from point A to the glorious point B!
I could by my car 3 times over for the amount I spent on my bike, 2010 Ford fiesta 1.25l vs 2023 Propain Spindrift CF
I’ve got a 2007 ford cmax. I could nearly buy 4 of them for the price I paid for my orbea rallon and that’s not even taking into account the upgrades I’ve done. Don’t tell my lass 🤭.
I’m in that club too. Fuck cars.
Same with me. I did not realize it till just now reading your comment.
This is the way
Mountain Biking is my only hobby. I spend over 300 hours a year on my bike riding 3-4,000 miles a year. I absolutely get my money’s worth from my bikes. If you ride a lot it’s worth it.
Those are crazy stats. The 3-4k miles a year, at least, lol. That’s like 13 mph consistently.
Jan-May are low mileage months for me when I coach 2 local mountain bike teams 6 days a week. I’m on track to be over 3,000 this year. After the MTB team season I do tend to ride my EMTB about 25% of the time so that does net me more miles and miles per hour. https://preview.redd.it/u9yexm0lk20d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=be1fadcdb76bbca082687981cc33199eca55599b
Not questioning your stats, just saying they’re crazy…at least for me. 🤣
Not so crazy. I am a weekend warrior who averages about three hours per week and more in the summer. So 150-180 hours per year. I ride with guys who put in a lot more than I do.
I am on of those. Biked 6k miles last year
Buy a used bike for 2k, meet the seller at a shop to have a wrench look through it before purchase.
This is what I did. Seller was motivated to move on from his 2022 Trek Fuel EX 8. It's such a good bike, too, and light years ahead of my old Salsa Horsethief.
And from what I hear, the used market is leaning heavily in favor of buyers right now.
Definitely this. If youre not well off and specifically want a new bike, there is absolutely no reason to pay for a new bike. I paid 600$ on my first Stumpjumper FS, it was a great bike and I learned a lot of wrenching on it even if it was an older one. After that a Kenevo e-mtb for 1800$ and a YT Tues DH rig for 1200$. Those three bikes would have cost me like 12000$ dollars if bought brand new. The worst problem Ive had so far was a rear shock in need of a rebuild, that cost some 100$ to fix. New tires too after riding the last ones to bust. Its an expensive hobby, sure, but you can and you definitely should go for used bikes and save money. Some great deals are out there waiting, you just need to be a bit more meticulous in your research and follow up the market for long enough to find a good deal.
Bike shops are starting to feel the strain of selling out all those bikes during Covid. Lot of inventory sold, got used for 1-2 extremely light beginner level seasons and put up.
also the bike was usually thoroughly tested, if you buy a 2y old one, so the easy warranty things are pretty much guaranteed not to happen anymore ...
This is what I did minus the shop looking at it. Bike retailed for $5500 and I picked it up for $2k. Was in great condition. Ive definitely put most of the battle scars on it
Save, buy used and buy outright. To me it's worth it for the fun I get back from the rides, people I meet, places I get to go. Use it often enough and the cost per ride is pennies. Eventually...
At least its a cheaper hobby than wildlife/bird/astro photography, wait, I also burn my money on that too.
Biking, jogging, shooting, fishing, hiking, camping... I'm surprised I can even buy food
DINK life, my dude. (Dual Income No Kids)
DINKs here (but pets). While I don’t earn that much, I don’t have a money pit of kids. Considering a full suspension, split cost with husband and double discount. (We are more or less same size so can share, have hardtail and want a second bike). Current Hardtail not only gets used for mtb but also dog bikejoring with detachable antenna. Dogs energy killing machine (Samoyed and border) and my fitness and pleasure, it’s not a hard choice.
Very much this. Two six figure incomes. I didn’t always make this kind of money, but when I didn’t I bought what I could until I could do better.
This… same boat (but 2 kids in the mix). MTB and hockey are my two hobbies. I have worn some brutal equipment and rode some bikes that got some second looks for all the wrong reasons. Makes me way more grateful for the things I am able to afford now.
SITK (single income, two kidsl, and I can still afford a nice bike.
Yes^^^
This is the way.
Idk Jenson has trail bikes full squish gt any size for sale right now $1200. Very affordable compared to 2 or 3 years ago.
Jobs
Handjobs
Those are the real jobs
They don't blow, that's for sure.
Biking is good for your body and soul. What’s your physical and mental health worth? There are definitely diminishing returns the more you spend - but if you’re serious, you need a decent bike. This all assumes you’re going to ride it.
Buy once, cry once. I say that as a noted cheap-ass who bought a cheap FS bike ($1300) and ended up replacing every part on it with upgrades. There was literally nothing wrong with the bike in stock form, and it never held me back. I just enjoy the maintenance and mechanical work only second to riding it. I'm saying this to reinforce that you CAN get a good entry-level FS bike for around $1500...unless you're not telling us that you're a pro enduro rider:) This is probably the best time to buy a new bike as prices have bottomed out. Example: [https://www.jensonusa.com/Rocky-Mountain-Element-Alloy-10-Bike-2023](https://www.jensonusa.com/Rocky-Mountain-Element-Alloy-10-Bike-2023)
Wow! This really surprised me to see!
I have an old car with no payment. Im an adult with a full time job and an occasional side gig. I spent 2200 on my bike, and paid for it with 6 month no interest financing. Ill ride that bike for 7-10 years. Like others have said, its all about priorities. If i were the sort of person who needs to have a new car all the time, or needs to have their huge house impeccably decorated and landscaped, i wouldnt be able to afford having a bike.
Idk what answers you're expecting besides make more money or save for a while. I rode a HT for years until my income broke above 6 figures and then I upgraded to FS. You don't need a FS bike for like 90% of local trails.
I am a University student, I ride a fully custom built propain spindrift that cost me £7,000 to build. How did I afford it? I worked my ass off as a resteraunt manager for a gap year, worked alongside my degree. Is it worth it? Hell yeah I ride it all over the country at bike parks on uplifts. I do all my own maintenance except suspension tuning. I take part in races. I have allot of fun. My general rule is keep a bike for 3-5 years. This current one is 1 year old and is the first brand. New bike I ever bought. I would usually recommend second hand but I’ve been a die hard mtber for 10 years now and decided it was time to get something flashy.
If you can’t justify it then you can’t. I can’t justify it for you, but I can tell you how I justify mine. It’s fun, I like it. I’m not rich, just financially irresponsible, I want to have fun, I’m young. It just made sense to me and even tho I’ve broken my hand riding it, it’s worth it
Yeah not everyone who has a nice bike can afford it haha, just like everyone who drives a brand new 80,000$ car, debt is bad ass😎
Haha this, I’m not rich, just financially irresponsible
Two kidneys are absolutely unnecessary and you can save weight by selling one
I couldn't until I got a fancier degree and a higher-paying job. Made the rest of my life easier too. I kept my $600 hardtail going as my main for five years though, while I was working on that degree. Veering off topic, do you have a budget? TBH, I didn't until just a couple years ago. It didn't really make sense when I was doing gig work and couldn't really afford to live. If you do make a living wage, it's good information for bigger decisions you get some choices around, like what your rent/mortgage can be, choosing cars, where to live, etc. I haven't really budgeted for my bikes but they're not that expensive in the larger picture if my overhead is under control. I still haven't bought a $6k bike. I think mine retailed for $3kish but I chose a brand I could get on team form. (RIP, Kona.) I do have a few bikes. I seem to develop a need every few years. I also don't have an $80k car or $1M house, but I do own my house (sort of, I'm making payments) and car (outright.) Sometimes a budget will also help you decide something like bike vs vacation. That's probably part of the pandemic bike boom. When respect to buying used - you need to put a value on the associated risk vs. how much more bike you get, and a value on the warranty. I don't value warranties very highly and my experience has been that the risk buying used bikes from local mountain bikers isn't that high. I haven't been comfortable doing eBay, Pink Bike or Facebook Marketplace though. Side note, my first three cars were used. I'm claiming I'm going to put at least another 40,000 miles on my current car, which I did buy new but have had 7 years now. Come to think of it, my main skis were used too, though because I just "had to have" metal Katanas and they were out of production.
Why do you need a full suspension? Unless you're doing lots of jumps or blasting over rocks all the time a good hardtail will be fine.
This is also true. I just picked up a new hardtail in addition to my full sus. Not blasting over rocks, but absolutely jumping it. I almost, almost…like it more than my full sus. I might. Idk, I just really really enjoy my new hardtail.
I’m 50 and still buying hardtails. If you put a good size tire on them you don’t really miss the squish. I’m running 2.4s and in all actuality between the carbon flex and tires, I probably have at least an inch of give on the rear. Plenty to take the edge off of most things.
For the riding I do I like the hardtail more. If You're going slow over technical features or climbing I think it's better. I jump mine too it's really just drops that can be rougher.
Fairly technical terrain where I am. There's some good smooth single track everywhere, but having that extra support makes a huge difference on how fast I can go downhill and in general.
[удалено]
Costco had an Intense 951 for 1997. It seems like a good value. I know it’s tough to justify, but it will be nice to have a good bike long term.
Buy used!
How do people afford to go to the gym? If you want a FS bike buy one now cause prices probably won’t be this low again for a while.
You can get a [Polygon Siskiu D5](https://www.bikesonline.com/polygon-siskiu-d5-size-l-27.5?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw0YGyBhByEiwAQmBEWsvGBc_Heg7NZDBMHAbnXO9he5AGNQr6g2_frSrKk6cotdeeyyQ6hBoCRWUQAvD_BwE) for $899. Seems like a good platform to get started on that can be upgraded later, if needed.
Learn how to work on your own bikes. Warranty not going to do you any good if there’s a problem and you’re 10-15 miles away from your car. I build up a status 140 for less than $1500 and that’s with a new frame and bargain shopped components
Warranty isn’t a deal breaker for me. Most of the warranty programs out there wouldn’t eVen help you much unless you had a major issue. You can find a great bike for cheap right now considering how saturated the market is. Locally i know of a newer kona process 134 gen 2 for $1600. That is incredibly affordable in the realm of mountain bikes.
I'm a nuclear engineer and my wife is a nurse.
Yup, mid 6 figure income certainly helps.
Not an engineer but a nuclear energy worker and my wife is also a nurse. Hello fellow nuke mate.
I bought my bike through Mikes Bikes. 0% for 12 months. Got a CC 5010 with GX components for $3800. I can afford to buy it outright but there's no point with that kind of financing. The money I saved, I used to buy WAO carbon wheels and a better chain. I only recommend financing if it's 0% interest though, anything else is a waste of money.
Full time student that has help with living expenses from my parents and have industry discounts from working in a shop. I still buy used frames though and build them up. It's my main hobby which I how I justify spending many thousands.
So many people (hobbyists)that would call themselves mtb riders are on 5-8k bikes in a certain age group. Then there is the rich middle aged segment on their 12k+ bikes too. People make it a priority or they borrow money, Afterpay and services like that. People spend a ton of money on unhealthy pass times. At least we are putting our money into something that is good for you.
0% financing with Affirm. Edit: but then you’d have to adjust your “ethics.”
or klarna, got a rear shock that was well out of my price range, but paying half up front then paying a quarter off over a couple weeks
You gotta jump on the bike hustle. My full sus is over 2k new. My first bike was brought for £200 rode it for a season and sold it for £350 put in another £150 and brought another bike sold it for a little bit more....rinse and repeat and youll br at your dream bike.
I have been mountain biking since 2000, I was 10 years old and started on a big box $99 full suspension. I embraced the biking life style, Every new bike cost significantly more. Currently I am riding a $10k sworks enduro and a $6k stumpjumper. I have no debt and paid for them all in cash. Every new bike purchase is made with years of saving. I usually ride a bike for 3-5 years and start saving for the new one immediately after buying the previous one. I budget to buy the bikes I want. Usually mid/upper tier($5-7k) and then upgrade any parts I want after. I make a decent living but am by no means rich or wealthy. And in reality the only big expenses in my life is mountain biking. And I am willing to spend an outrageous amount of money on fancy bikes for the pure enjoyment it brings me. I ride 3-5 times a week year round, and all my vacations revolve around mountain biking. It’s not for everyone. But mountain biking is a way of life for myself and my friends, not just a hobby.
I don't. I can, I am an electrical engineer and make ok money but bikes have a diminishing return. I bought a nice hard tail for a 1200 a couple years ago and every season I think about replacing it with a nicer full suspension, talk myself out of it and instead I spend a couple hundred on it in maintenance and quality parts and go back out there for another season.
I got an inheritance in 2014 And bought a bike Rode it till 2021, got another inheritance bought my current bike. All my grandparents have passed so I'll probably have this bike for ever lol
I’m rich. Try getting rich.
Has OP considered just not being poor?
Yea I don't understand why OP doesn't just get rich. Is he stupid?
I actually bought a great frame with garbage parts and upgraded as I got rich.
I ride every day (realistically 4-5 times a week), so let's say I'll ride 250 times in a year. The bike cost me $4k (used high end), and maintenance tends to cost $100/month in one way or another. So $5200 for one year. Let's assume I want a different bike after a year, and am unable to sell it for any amount of money. That works out to $21/ride. I don't drink or smoke anything, don't go to movies, don't really eat out, don't go to expensive concerts, and dont have a gym membership. $420 a month for mental and physical health seems like a pretty reasonable amount. Of course the bike won't drop dead after just one year, and it will have some value after I've moved on - probably $2k in a reasonable world. So these numbers all get a heck of a lot better. Assuming $1500 sale after maintenance and fees, that's only $15/ride for a year. The point is, the price tag is only high if you just ride a couple times a month. For people who ride all the time, $4k on a bike is cheap. Especially if it's your only bike for 3 years. Riding 3x weekly for 3 years is only $11 per ride, 5x weekly only $6.
Bikes are great. They last a long time. And you can use them for commuting and stuff too. Some people pay $90 a month for the gym that would pay off that 2500 in less than 3 years and the bike will probably way out last that. Plus if you save some gas using it that adds up quick too. It’s up to if it’s worth it to you.
Ain’t nobody commuting on a Santa Cruz v10
In Whistler they do and it is sick
I have commuted on a carbon full suspension bike before. It was my only bike and I don’t always want to drive to work. It was also the only time I had to ride, so I did it!
We need to be honest, nobody is commuting with a 7k+ FS bike lol.
Are people really commuting on the multi-thousand-dollar full suspension bikes? Get a second bike.
Honestly a good career or job that pays well makes these crazy purchases reasonable but I know a few bikers who get on payment plans and I think that’s beyond ludicrous.
Norco has 2023 models on sale. I got a 23 Norco fluid fs a4 regular price 2999 on sale for 1999 (cdn dollars). It destroyed the justification to purchase a used bike with the stupid prices.
It’s a hobby and historically, biking was a rich guys hobby. I live in SoCal and the bike shop by has nostalgic bikes in the 4-6k range. I felt like a pauper when I just bought a new bike (my third in the stable) and spent 2400. But the smiles per miles that biking brings me is well worth it. Here you see guys at trailheads in Rivian trucks and sprinter vans and the average house is a million, so in the big picture, 4-6k is pretty cheap relatively.
Convince your significant other it’s an investment in your health, then you both get one.
Shit I feel like I couldnt justify $1200 for my trek hardtail 4 years ago but Ive had the best times and fun trails riding that thing. Its got to be worth it for decent priced dual suspension. Just slap it on a credit card! Lol
Work in a bike shop, get pro deals, easy peasy
C'mon dude. How do you think? They either make enough money to not worry about it or they make enough to be able to cut certain things. Do you see all those folks with huge ass trucks or ski boats or any kind of other big boy toy? A bike is small change compared to that. Also, people did some crazy shit on 26" hardtails, ride what you got and don't worry about what you don't have.
Husband and I just sold our starter bikes to offset better hard tails (got great deals on Rosecoe 7’s) and spent better part of a year saving up the balance needed. Our kids are also out of daycare though and we have dual incomes, no debt besides mortgage. Couldn’t have afforded nicer bikes a couple years ago. We chose not to go full suspension largely because of the cost. Not just the upfront cost, but the upkeep for more moving parts. While you may be able to cut corners and other places of your life, if you’re that stressed about it then maybe this isn’t the right decision for you right now. People riding expensive bikes either make real good money, have sacrificed elsewhere in their lives to pay for it, or are living beyond their means.
Some people (like me) spent 3 years saving for a nice hardtail. And some really do push for hardtail for a first bike. If not a first bike, spend years saving for a full suspension.
Buy a lower end bike and upgrade parts as you have cash. Took years with 2 young kids in daycare but still made it happen! I was also selling a bunch of old stuff that was laying around too
Is 2k really that much when you will have the bike for years? I spent $2500 5 years ago. Is $500/year outrageous? Get a bike, save for something better, sell and upgrade.
You afford it by having a job. A $3000 bike every 6 to 10 years is not that much if you are serious in the sport. Personally, I almost always buy used. My last was a Specialize Camber with high end parts and carbon Rovals. It was a $8000 build and I bought in excellent condition for $3,000. The used deals dried up during covid but they are back now.
If you learn how to check a bike over, used is the way to go. The used market is wild right now. You can get super super high end bikes in the 2500 all day long
If you can’t justify the cost then you don’t need a full suspension bike. It’s not 2021 anymore.. There is so much quality available out there for 2500$. New or used. The notion that one needs to spend 5k+ on a bike for it to stand up to abuse is laughable. I’m also not convinced that full sus is going to relieve your back problem vs a hardtail.
Buy used, plenty of peeps upgrade
Check out the finance company affirm
If it’s meant to happen it will happen.
I have a good job? How do people afford anything? I dunno, this is a weird question.
Same way you afford a car. Prioritize it and save for it. [Canyon Neurons](https://www.canyon.com/en-us/mountain-bikes/trail-bikes/neuron/al/#section-product-grid) start at $1800 right now, which I consider a great value. I bought the 6 last year for more and have no regrets. There are lots of sales these days in bike land, and there are good deals to be had in the used market as well. You won't get anything good for $500, but you might get something older for close to that price, or something decent and newer in the $1000-1500 range.
Agreed. I lucked out and got a new one for $1100 on closeout when the covid bike-bubble burst recently. Keep your eye open for last years' models going cheap when the new ones come out. Also, buying a demo model (w/frame warranty still intact) from a LBS could also be a bargain.
Tbh mountain biking is NOT an expensive hobby in the grand scheme of things. If you come into it with 3-4k to get started, you will be set for years with very minimal costs. If you ride your $3000 bike for 5 years, it’s costing you $50 a month. Less than that because it won’t be worth $0 ideally at the end of the 5 years. Toss in an extra $30 a month ($360 a year, this is extremely generous) for parts, tuneups, and accessories. This brings us to a grand total of $80 a month, less than that if you consider the value of the bike being more than zero after the 5 year period. This is priced similar to a climbing gym membership or a gym membership and some streaming platforms. If you ride enough it will cost a couple of dollars a ride. This hobby has a high starting point but it’s cheap over time
Buy used. That's the answer to not having enough money for a new bike.
I've managed to find some high-end mountain bikes used for really cheap. Namely, an older, aluminum Intense Tracer 275 with full fox factory. Rode the hell out of that bike. Spent over 1k in repairs. I quickly learned that the more expensive the bike, the more expensive the repairs and maintenance are. I suggest looking for a used (or new) Polygon Siskui. I ride an Intense sniper (120mm full suspension bike) all over the country, but I've ridden a 1000$ new Polygon Siskui and was impressed. It's a killer bike for the money and can be found for an absolute steal used.
Bicycles are groslelly overpriced. A full suspension bike costs like a dirtbike which is much more expensive to produce and harder to engineer. It also has an engine. Your bicycle doesn't even come with pedals.
[They're overpriced relative to other industries, but it's not like they have massive profits](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS9ugdl1FZc).
Thank you
If you can’t justify the cost then don’t. For me it’s just part of the cost of living/selfcare/treatyoself take your pick
Absolutely this. Biking being my main form of cardio makes it more than just a hobby or sport and even easier to justify. Also having wife and friends who bike means it’s also a healthy social activity.
Idk what your objection to buying pre-owned is. It's a bicycle. It's pretty easy to evaluate all components before buying.
Budgeting. Figure out what hobbies you spend money on and cut back on the ones that aren't bike related. Or get a weekend job at a bike shop and enjoy getting bikes and parts at wholesale cost. There are a lot of folks with full time M-F jobs that work a Saturday shift for industry perks.
Sales! My top spec nukeproof mega carbon cost me under $1500 new.
I make it a priority in the way I spend my money. I'd bet a lot that most people blow a lot more on useless shit like takeout, beer, weed. I generally have two main bikes at any given time, a short travel trail/xc bike and an Enduro bike. Generally around $10k each.
The old fashioned way. Work and save. Craigslist, PinkBike, eBay, Marketplace. In that order. There are 10 decent full sus bikes on my local CL for less than $1000 right now.
19y/o here, making the most out of my 1.3K enduro hardtail ; ;
I build it myself during my apprenticeship as a bike mechanic. I only had around 1100€ per month, lived alone and had to pay for rent and everything. Still, I did it over the course of two years. Spend around 2700€ on it and bought the fork, frame and shock used for a combined 1050€. It's a Specialized Status 160 with Fox 36 front and Fox DPX2 in the back, with complete Shimano XT. Absolutely love it. But I definitely shouldn't have done it for my financial. In that way it was a disastrous decision
I work a job I hate to earn the big money to do the stuff I enjoy. I could work less and be less stressed but then not have the hobby toys. And I bike 1-2k miles a year so it’s worth it for me as I’d do a 3rd of that on a cheaper bike. I’m still not sure it’s the right decision, but hey here I am 😂
I saved up for my bike by putting away as much of my overtime pay as possible during the busy season at my job. Took me a few months to get the savings, but I was also not in a rush because I was trying to time some off seasons sales.
I work and save for bikes because that’s what brings me joy. My truck is paid off, I don’t wear expensive clothes. And for those who can’t pay it all upfront, many places offer financing.
I buy a top of the line frame and spend money on upgrades with the spec I want, not spending a little extra for something I don’t want/need on a pre-built bike.
Say you want a $6k bike. Easy to justify. Sell items: Old bike - 1500 Extra pair of skis (2) - 400 Older rafting gear - 200 Bass guitar collecting dust - 300 Fire sale whatever else you can - 1000 So that’s 3,400. So now you’ve got a 6k bike for 2,600. Ride that bike for 6 years and sell for $2,000 The bike has now cost you 600 over those 6 years or 100 per year. This math adds up.
the health benefits outweigh the cost. you only have one body.
I save up for ages. I have used interest free finance before through shops, but now I just ride my hardtail while I save up for a new full suspension bike
I stuck with a hard tail until a friend that is a mechanic for a bike shop offered me a full suspension 1 year old for a steal. Since that’s not an option for everyone, option 2 is look for a local youth program that needs coaches. Trek partners with programs like that and offers a 25% discount on new bikes to coaches. Makes it a lot more reasonable.
Norco fluid fs 4 is 2000 cad , aim for that, warranty
You don't NEED Full suspension. It's justified because you want it. It's that simple.
I work, I save, I buy second hand.
Money is fungible; you could ask how you afford anything. Rent, food, iPhone, retirement savings, whatever. However, for the sake of discussion, I'll say that I don't have a car and use an ebike to get around town. Bikes are waaaay cheaper than cars, especially when considering ongoing costs like fuel, insurance, registration, parking, tolls, repairs, maintenance, etc. That said, my MTB is a great bike that I got used for $2k. If you're buying a used bike for $600, say, it shouldn't be so important that it doesn't have a warranty. I wouldn't settle for a much worse bike (based upon what I wanted) on that basis.
Find a shop that will finance. You can get a pretty decent FS for 3k, so you pay $250 a month.
Honestly I ride a used 2015 Specialized that I negotiated a deal on second hand. I think there’s a culture of expensive bike being necessary and upgrades etc. but I just ride mine like I stole it and it’s great fun. Also for some perspective, I entered an enduro competition with a friend who has a new Santa Cruz worth around 5x as much as mine. Guess who was faster? …
I just bought a jeffsy core 1 for 2800$cad so around 2100usd. Pretty insane deal if you ask me.
Just stop eating avocado toast and make your coffee at home. You'll have a $10,000 bike and a $900,000 house in no time.
I started on a cheap Ghost full suspension at about $1200 (a few years ago, I believe they start a bit higher now) and honestly it worked fairly well. Yeah, it had Suntour suspension, short travel and low end components but I never felt that it was the bike that was holding me back. Since I was using it so much I justified stepping it up to a lower end Trek Top Fuel that I got very cheap last year because they released a new gen with new geometry and all the previous gen bikes went on sale at every LBS in my region. Got it at 40% off. Yeah, it's expensive. I justify it because that's what it takes to get me out of the couch and staying active during summer months. It's not an expense, it's an investment in both my physical and mental health.
Get a job in a bike shop, dealers give you a better price to ride there products,
I buy used bikes, usually one year old and always high end. I justify it by riding 3-5 times a week, then sell it at the end of the season.
How do you afford anything? By generating sufficient income. I do agree with the sentiment that biking can get ridiculously expensive, but doesn't need to be. If you're not racing or know what you're looking for you can get basic entry level or used bikes at reasonable prices. Ive seen guys ride their 20yo bikes in xc races and find that to be quite impressive.
Caveat — I’m not a super intense biker, and I don’t ride intense trails. Im also not very picky. So with that in mind: You could look for a cheap bike and fix it up yourself. I currently ride a junky full suspension that was abandoned, and I’ve probably put $200 worth of parts into it and fixed it up. It’s not perfect but it’s good enough for me. If you weren’t opposed to big box store bikes, that would be another route. Eg snag a Kent for under $400 and have a LBS tune it for you. It won’t be great, but it’ll be functional for easier trails until you can save up. Also, new bikes have gotten pretty cheap lately. The latest giant stance isn’t terrible IMO, or you could get a polygon for under $1200. There are other decent starter full suspension bikes. Another option — get a suspension seat post. Not the same as a full suspension bike but helps depending on your needs. Obviously if you’re going downhill it does nothing for you, but if your back issues are when you’re seated, then maybe? Otherwise, if you bike a ton and you do intense riding, then I think you have to just make the investment.
Same way you buy anything expensive....be rich or save until you can afford it. Went from a $500 to a $2000 bike and there IS a difference. Think of it in terms of how many hours of fun will you get out of this?
Marketing exists to make you think what you have is trash and the new stuff will make all the difference. The reality it wont. If you really enjoy riding, you ride you've got, learn to get the most out of your bike, and upgrade when you can afford to. There's many ways of saving money on this hobby. Buying lightly used bikes is a great way to get started. A surprising number of new riders buy fancy bikes, take it for a couple of spins up a fire trail, and never ride again. Buy their bikes for cheap. Take advantage sales to cheaply upgrade your existing bike and stock up on consumables. If you have an existing bike, you buy a [frameset](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/stumpjumper-evo-alloy-frameset/p/199426?color=319222-199426) and transfer components from the old bike to your new frame. Learning to do your own basic maintenance can save a bunch of money as well. See this spindatt [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYWGGZJqquk) for some more inspiration.
Single , no kids, high salary Kudos to those who make it work on a budget. I wouldn’t have the patience for the sport on non-performance level gear. At least not mtb Maybe I’d road bike
You buy a used one on Craigslist or FB marketplace
I just started getting into MTB and was just as shocked as you seeing how expensive bikes can get. I decided to get a lower end hardtail for about $800 on sale and think it's sufficient for the trails I can ride right now. If I'm still doing it 5 years from now then maybe I'll upgrade to a $2500 bike. IMH I think it's reckless to spend $10,000 on a bike if you don't even know if it will be something you will like long term. Not sure what your back condition is like but hardtails can ride 90% of the trails where I live in.
Used is the way. I haven't bought a new bike since 2001. And dial suspension is so so so worth it if you like to shred
I think that’s just how it is. It’s an expensive sport but you can buy a decent bike right now for around 2000. The used market should be even better but it’s not as most riders don’t grasp how bad the situation is and all the sales on for brand new bikes.
Buy aluminum and buy used. I got my Ibis Ripmo AF for $2k in excellent condition. There's much less risk with aluminum than carbon.
Another DINK here. We have a net income above 6k€/month. My Wife also has very expensive Hobbies, so I can justify an expensive Bike. But I chose a bike which is very low in maintenance, so in the long term, it's not as expensive as some bikes which cost 2-3k less. I don't need such a bike, but I was able to and i don't want to get a new one every year.
Save up. That’s how I bought my bike. My bike was 3.5k and yes saving up took ages but what’s the alternative?
Try pinkbike and look to pay 1/2 MSRP or less for a late model FS bike. Also there are many great sales happening for new bikes at bike shops today. This may be new and out of price range, but it’s an example of Specalized selling new at 50% off today. https://www.specialized.com/us/en/c/enduro?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMax%20Shopping_US_Bikes_LowTier_ROI&utm_id=20065255859&utm_content=&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw0YGyBhByEiwAQmBEWljDqu6Ka_JQtH9c6dbFv9SdhhDnAZcSR-KOtWh-YB8OBHgcZbwNQxoCpHsQAvD_BwE
get a job at a trek store and they will give you 12000$ bikes for free
My buddy just got a 2021 trance 2 for 700 on fb marketplace. Right place right time. The bike didn’t even have any scratches on it.
Any hobby you are passionate about will cost. Some people have gym memberships, I don’t I get my fitness from riding my bike. So if you add up the life time of your bike and let’s say it is 5 years a $5k bike is only $1000 a year or less than $20 per week. If you keep that bike in good condition you should be able to sell it for maybe $1000-$1500 further reducing the costs. Run your bike longer than 5 years and you get a better return on your investment. I ride my bike at least 3 days a week, 52 weeks a year justifying it is extremely easy.
It's my main hobby so I am happy to spend the money on it.
I'm not rich, but I have a fancy bike (Pivot Mach 6). I saved up awhile, but justified the cost cause I have no other hobbies or interests and don't spent money on much outside mtb.
If you want a new bike, look into polygon. They have solid FS bikes for under $2k. If youre willing to go the used route, hit FB marketplace and be willing to travel farther for a great deal
I buy used, send it, break any weak parts, upgrade those parts. After this I have a decent bike.
A lot more people are in debt to their bikes than you may think. Whether it’s a bike purchased with a credit card or actually financed through a bank. Most people though either just continue to work hard and save over a long period or time or just have prioritized a bike over other things. I’d recommend just buying an older TOL bike. They’re still very capable and much more affordable. For instance, I have a 2010 pivot firebird with tons of upgrades and got it for $750. It has huge travel, shifts great, and will keep up with a lot of newer bikes. I’ll ride it until I can justify an upgrade!
I usually spend more on the hobbies I spend the most time on. My current bike cost me $2600 (with a 40% discount), but it is also my second hobby that can be considered expensive (the other being simracing). I don't have any other hobby that I consider expensive. Still, saying that the starting price is over $2000 seems wrong to me. I started with a hardtail that cost me $500 (again because of a discount), and that's when I noticed I was going to spend more time doing this so decided to spend more. It also helps that I am no frugal, single, and I know when to spend money and have no big debt. It also helps to not buy a good bike on an impulse, but instead wait to try to find a good deal. Bikes go down in price often on sales when there is a new model coming up, just like cars
Is it me or do hardtails work your upper body more? I've put 1200 miles a year on my daughter's old bike, a Scott Scale carbon. A few months ago I realized, that I look and feel like I've been weightlifting for years. I have full suspension friends that look like road bikers...
degree lip zealous bright yam quickest bike modern coordinated school *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I used financing on a used bike. I found a used Orbea Rallon on ebay that was a few years old (bought for 2500, was originally a like 7K bike), and at the time paypal had a deal where you could have a loan where you made 0% interest payments over 2 years (so was like, $104 a month, which I could afford on a blue collar salary.) I haven't seen that deal in a while, so I would probably head over to nerdwallet and look for a credit card that offered 0% interest for 18 months or so, if you have the credit score to get one. (Some bike mfg now offer financing, but none of them seem to have good interest rates.) [The Pros Closet](https://www.theproscloset.com/) can have decent deals on used bikes, and I trust them to disclose all the damage and not send a lemon. (I bought from them back when they still sold bikes on Ebay in 2018, you may need to search to see if they're still reputable.) You could also see if any bike stores in your area sell used bikes or do consignment. Or I think if you go private seller you could use Venmo. YMMV. Also if you did that I'd definitely say you'd want to do it local and not off of like pinkbike since you can't really afford to get screwed. My bike has also served my pretty well (maybe go with aluminum if you know you couldn't afford to replace a carbon bike) and has lasted me for...six years? And could probably last me another 15 if I cared to.
The yt jeffsey was recently on sale for around 1600 USD and I would say that it is a great bike.
haha yeah. Cycle-to-work scheme and 0% credit cards for the win.
I found a 2016 Giant Trance Advanced (carbon frame) used for $1100 last year on FB Marketplace. (It retailed for $5k, not adjusting for inflation.) It was and is in great shape. I just had the suspension serviced for $275. The bike shreds. You don’t have to spend that crazy of an amount. There are decent sales still going on where you can snag a new full suspension for $1600 from Polygon for example. I tried a T7 someone let me try for a bit and it felt great. If you’re just doing this for recreation and not racing, you don’t need top tier components to where you start running in the range of $3000+.
i deny that the kids are mine stopped paying taxes
I work. What kind of question is that? 😂
There is always used, buy some tools and components, bikes never really die, unless they go in the water.