Are you looking for a quality mountain bike under £1000 that will still get you riding those trails with confidence and speed? We've come up with a few options which can be considered for best mountain bike under £1,000 to help you choose the best bike for you.
Several of the bikes we've picked are very affordable mountain bikes coming in under the £1000 mark, leaving you more money to plan trips to some of the best hardtail mountain bike trails around. The United Kingdom is packed with amazing routes whether you are into trail riding or just want a capable hardtail mountain bike to take you along muddy forest paths.
As you're probably aware, there are plenty of mountain bikes under £1000. You will even find single chainrings and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes on some models. We are here to talk you through what you get when you spend a little more and the trade-offs of less expensive bikes. There are some absolutely amazing hardtail mountain bikes out there and deciding will be down to the sort of riding that you will be doing and your riding style. We also have an excellent range of electric mountain bikes.
Contents and Quick Links
Top mountain bike brands
Specialized
Specialized are a Californian bicycle company who sell bikes all over the world. The first mountain bike they sold was the Stumpjumper in 1981 and you can still buy (an updated version, thankfully) one today. Today, Specialized produce a number of MTB models from hardtails such as the Rockhopper, Chisel and Epic HT to the full suspension mountain bikes like the Stumpjumper, Status and the Enduro. What you know you will get from Specialized are great value, well made mountain bikes across the board that can take on light off-road, trails, cross country or demanding downhills.
Giant & Liv
Giant and Liv are the same company based in Taiwan. Giant predominantly make men's bikes and Liv make women's. Giant/Liv are renowned for producing bikes that are excellent value for money that offer incredible capability. Giant hardtail mountain bikes are the Talon, Fathom and the XTC and for Liv, the hardtail mountain bikes under 1,000 would be the Tempt and the Lurra.
Merida Bikes
Merida bikes, one of the biggest bicycle manufacturers in the world which are exceptionally popular in the UK. Merida bikes are tested beyond the industry standard to give you bicycles that deliver safe and reliable performance for their entire lifespan and are renowned for being a brand whose products provide excellent quality at a very reasonable price. The Merida Big Trail would be the sub-£1000 hardtail MTB.
Whyte Bikes
Whyte bikes are designed in the UK and are tailored to suit British trails with a fast and stable geometry that is happy on flowing singletrack and more demanding, technical trail riding. Sun £1000, Whyte bikes will come in a compact and a non-compact version. Both of these different frame geometries are designed at different bodily proportions or, indeed, to personal preference. The compact bikes will be shorter in reach and have a higher front end and will usually suit people with longer legs for their height. The non-compact version is the other way around - a longer reach and a lower front end and will generally suit people with a longer torso for their height. As said previously, personal preference can affect this choice too as those who want a more upright position will usually choose the compact whereas people who want a more aggressive position might be better suited to the non-compact. Over £1000, the Whyte bikes revert to a unisex sizing system on models such as the 429, 529, 629 and the 900 range.
Benefits of hardtails over full suspension
We have a full blog on this topic which you can check out here but below are the benefits in brief.
Aside from the price difference between a hardtail and a full-sus mountain bike, there are a couple of main differences that they have when it comes to riding different terrains. First thing to note is that there is no rear suspension on a hardtail so they will be less forgiving on the downhill sections - the benefit of this is that you will develop handling skills and line choice on a hardtail quicker and therefore, will make you a more capable rider.
Most of the benefits of a hardtail come down to it having no rear suspension - as there is no excess movement on the rear of the hardtail, this makes them more efficient at climbing and cross country mountain biking. Side note: choosing a full sus will very much depend on intended use - some XC full sus bikes will come with as little as 80mm travel for efficiency and downhill ability.
If you want more information on this or are just interested, check out the Hardtail Vs Full Suspension Blog.
Best Mountain Bikes Under £1,000
Giant talon 0 2023 - £750
Built to be inexpensive, durable and offer excellent ride quality, this mountain bike Giant is exceptional value for money. The dependable Shimano components, hydraulic disc brakes and aluminium frame gives you a bike that is equally efficient and fun to ride on both climbs and descents. 27.5 inch wheels are becoming increasingly popular as their size gives agility on technical trails. An air sprung fork gives excellent adjustability and can be tuned to individual riders' weight and personal preferences.
Whyte 429 - £849 (reduced from £999)
If you like fast, then you'll love the Whyte 429. An extremely capable front suspension bike with it's 29 inch wheels for fast rolling on flowing terrain. The 429 is fitted with Shimano's ever-reliable Deore 1 by 10-speed drive-train for excellent long-term performance and reliability and tektro hydraulic disc brakes for powerful stopping, this is certainly a quick and enjoyable bike to ride.
An excellent bike if you are looking for great ride quality on an xc trail bike or a bike that can be used with confidence along muddy tracks or for off-road bikepacking. One of the unique selling points of Whyte bikes generally is that, being a British brand, their geometry and spec suit UK riding perfectly.
See our blog on Whyte mountain bike reviews and Why we love Whyte bikes
Liv tempt 2 2022 - £525
Liv bicycles are some of the best mountain bikes designed by women, for women and offer a geometry (shape) that fit most women better. A shorter reach and a higher front end make for a comfortable and capable mountain bike. The Liv Tempt 2 is a capable and durable cross country bike that comes with quality components such as the Suntour coil sprung forks for extra comfort without requiring much maintenance. Tempt’s performance-minded yet comfortable geometry gives it the versatility for both commutes around campus and off-road rides. With robust and reliable Shimano gearing and powerful hydraulic brakes give excellent stopping power in all weathers.
Specialized rockhopper 29 2023 - £425 (reduced from £525)
Rockhopper’s butted aluminum alloy frame features hydroformed top and downtubes in order to keep weight low and strength high. Keep things simple with a durable 2x8 MicroSHIFT drivetrain that offers plenty of range and SR Suntour XCE 29 front suspension features Rx Tune coil sprung damping. A capable and fun bike for off-road and muddy tracks and gives extra comfort on poor tarmac surfaces. Due to the excellent price and value, this bike tends to be perfect for children who have outgrown their last kids bike and need their first adult bike. Sizes go all the way down to extra small so will usually fit children from about 11 years and up.
Specialized rockhopper sport 29 2023 - £525 (reduced from £629)
Rockhopper’s butted aluminum frame features hydroformed top and downtubes in order to keep weight low and strength high. Keep things simple with a durable 2x8 MicroSHIFT drivetrain that offers plenty of range and SR Suntour XCE 29 suspension fork features Rx Tune coil sprung damping with lockout for added efficiency on roads or hard packed ascents. A capable and fun bike for off-road and muddy tracks and gives extra comfort on poor tarmac surfaces. Due to the excellent price and value, this bike tends to be perfect for children who have outgrown their last kids bike and need their first adult bike. Sizes go all the way down to extra small so will usually fit children from about 11 years and up. Also available is the Specialized Rockhopper Sport 29 2022 for more straight line stability and increased roll over rough terrain.
See our current Specialized Rockhopper range
Merida Big Trail 400 2023 Mountain Bike
A fun-packed and hugely capable bike. Trail bike geometry combined with a long travel 140 mm fork and grippy 2.4" wide 29er trail tyres make this the perfect companion for exciting trail sessions and demanding all-day rides over rough terrain. It's perfectly suited to UK riding.
The modern trail bike geometry has a slack enduro inspired 65.5° head angle, steep seat angle and a long reach. A short seat tube delivers a low standover height giving plenty of space to manoeuvre on the bike when the trail gets technical but still accommodates a long travel dropper post. The geometry means most sizes work for most body sizes so riding style can be factored in. If you want to go crazy fast, take the longer size, for agility, take a shorter size.
The Big Trail has hidden talents, in addition to two sets of bottle bosses, there's a trail mount under the top tube that allows you to carry tools and extra gear on the bike. It's also possible to fit mudguards and a rack if you want to trek further afield.
BEST MOUNTAIN BIKES UNDER £1,000 - WHAT TO LOOK FOR
So what can you expect from a new mountain bike that costs under £1,000?
SUSPENSION
Hardtails - mountain bikes with front suspension only - are dominant in this price bracket. Good quality full suspension mountain bikes will likely be, at least, twice the price of their hardtail equivalent.
Under £1000 mountain bikes will usually come with coil sprung forks however you may see some air sprung forks just under the £1000 mark. Air forks will generally be customisable to rider weight and preference and will be a smoother ride quality with greater adjustment than the coil equivalent.
A hardtail with a good spec is likely to be more capable mountain bike to ride than a lower spec'd full suspension. Read our suspension blog for more details.
FRAME
At this price point you'll probably be looking at a high quality alloy frame material with modern geometry that is great at ascending and descending. It is also likely to be a butted aluminium frame which will reduce weight while maintaining strength and will likely come with internal cable routing. You are unlikely to find a good quality full suspension mountain bike at this price but hartail mountain bikes are an excellent choice for intermediate riders who want to develop their skills. What will change, as you go up through the price points, will be the quality of the suspension fork, the gears and whether or not you have rim brakes, mechanical disc brakes or hydraulic brakes. There are excellent choices also, of womens mountain bikes and mens mountain bikes
What if you spend more? You will likely get a better machined aluminium frame that is lighter or, if you go high enough, you will find carbon frame MTB's that offer stiffness for efficiency while being extremely lightweight.
FORK
There are two broad categories of suspension fork on a hardtail bike - coil sprung or air sprung fork. Coil sprung forks are at the cheaper end of the market and are great for those that want very little maintenance.
An air sprung fork will be slightly more expensive but will give you are smooth ride, is customisable to rider weight and will be significantly lighter. As you spend more from here, you get forks that can handle more extreme descending and cornering as they give less lateral movement cornering and less fore/aft movement under braking on rough terrain. But again, not everyone needs a beefy air fork for their riding style.
What if you spend more? As you spend more on forks you will get better internals for smoother and more customisable forks as well as having a thicker, more robust stanchion for less flex when cornering and braking.
WHEELS
The industry have two current standards of new mountain bikes. The first one being 27.5 inch which combines responsive handling with a fast rolling speed on tight and twisty trails and 29 inch wheels, which are also common - these are even faster but not quite as nimble as the 27.5 inch on technical terrain, particularly if you're a shorter rider.
What if you spend more? As you pay more for wheels, you will get lighter aluminium or carbon wheelsets. Better quality wheelsets will also have less flex for more predictable handling on demanding terrain - a must for serious mountain bikers.
If you plan to use your bike to get to work, check if your employer is part of a Cycle to Work scheme. There are valuable tax savings to be made if you buy through that. We also have great interest free credit options to spread the cost over monthly repayments.
What if you spend a little more on a hardtail?
Once you break that £1000 barrier, you will likely be looking at better spec all round and will normally be looking to get air sprung forks at this price point. Aside from being air, the forks will normally have a wider stanchion to reduce flex when cornering and braking for more predictable handling when you reach higher price points. Single front chainrings are a norm at this price bracket to save weight and hold the chain better especially on the rough terrain. Finally, the frame will still, most likely, be an aluminium alloy but will be machined to remove any excess weight but still maintain its strength to give a lighter bike all round. Here are some of our best bikes at just over £1000.
We have a blog on the best mountain bikes between £1000 & £2000
Whyte 529 2023 Mountain Bike
The bigger sibling of the Whyte 429 seen above. The 529 is also part of Whyte's 29er hardtail range for that cross country efficiency but still offering good manoeuvrability if the trail gets a bit technical. Rockshox Recon air forks offer customisable tuning to be set up for rider weight, preference or for different trail types and 130mm of travel gives that balance between excellent efficiency but forgiveness on the descents. Equipped with single front chainring to reduce weight and a wide range cassette to be able to get up any hills you encounter. Oh! we almost forgot - it comes with a dropper post for trail versatility and technical downhills. Looks absolutely amazing too.
Merida Big Trail 600 2023 Mountain Bike
Modern trail bike geometry with a slack enduro inspired 65.5° head angle, steep seat angle and long reach. A short seat tube delivers a low standover height giving plenty of space to manoeuvre on the bike when the trail gets technical but still accommodates a long travel dropper post.
The geometry means most sizes work for most body sizes so riding style can be factored in. If you want to go really fast, take the longer size, for agility, take a shorter size. The Big Trail has hidden talents too - in addition to two sets of bottle bosses, there's a trail mount under the top tube giving the ability to carry tools and extra gear on the bike. It's also possible to fit mudguards and a rack if you want to trek further afield.
Big Trail 600 runs a 140mm travel Marzocchi Z2 fork, 1x12-speed Shimano Deore drivetrain, Shimano M4100 brakes and size specific Merida Comp TR dropper post and all of this results in an incredibly versatile bike that can take on (almost) anything.
Specialized Chisel Comp 2023 Mountain Bike
OK, this one is pushing the envelope a little at £1499 (discounted price while stocks last) but we had to include the Chisel as these bikes are the ultimate cross country/ bikepacking hardtail mountain bike and you can get the little sibling, the Specialized Chisel 2022 while stocks last for a lower price.
The Chisel Comp is the perfect bike to begin your journey into XC riding and racing, with all of the features to get you to that elusive "top step" at a price that leaves some change left over for race entries.
Specialized's D'Aluisio Smartweld technology allows for the hydroformed tube joints to be moved away from areas of the highest stress, making the finished frame's balance of strength, rigidity, and weight more pronounced than any alloy frame in history.
This not only makes the Chisel one of the lightest alloy hardtail frames, coming in as light as 1,400g, but it also allows for tuned frame stiffness across all sizes. Aside from all this, check out the spec below and it is easy to agree that this is one of the best hardtails going.
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Sram Eagle 1x12 Speed drivetrain
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Sram Level T hydraulic disc brakes
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RockShox Judy Gold fork
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Fast Trak, Control casing, GRIPTON® compound tyres
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Body Geometry Power Sport saddle
As you can see from the above list, you can get a lot of amazing hardtail mountain bikes across the range whether your budget is below or above £1000. Hardtails can be a great choice regardless of budget as they are bikes that can be used on a number of different terrains and can even be used relatively well on roads if you want a bike that can handle your commute during the week and hitting the trails on the weekends. If you have any questions about anything you have read, please pop in to any of our stores in Newcastle, Leeds, Aberdeen or one of our three in Edinburgh - Bruntsfield, Canonmills and our newest Giant/Liv store on Hamilton Place in Stockbridge.