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Few of us are lucky enough to be able to splash a grand on our first bike. Instead, this tends to be the price range for people who\u2019ve already spent some time on a mountain bike and have decided they want something a little more serious to take their riding to the next level.<\/p>\n
While budget is still a priority, the bikes in this price bracket are a little more trail-focused. So you can expect to find suspension that\u2019s a bit more heavy-duty and equipment that\u2019s better at handling the rigours of off-road riding.<\/p>\n
This price range is dominated by hardtails, but you can get a good full-suspension bike if you\u2019re prepared to spend close to the \u00a31,000 mark, and it\u2019s not unheard of to see some full-sus bikes under \u00a31,000 among the best trail mountain bikes<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hardtails<\/a> tend to be lighter and easier to maintain, but the benefit of having both front and rear suspension is that it\u2019ll give you more confidence and traction on steep descents.<\/p>\n The industry also seems to have settled in terms of wheel size<\/a>, meaning the majority of bikes at this price will now use 27.5in \/ 650b wheels<\/a>.<\/p>\n At this price point, dropper posts<\/a> are becoming more common, introducing extra versatility to a bike and consequently opening up a far wider range of riding.<\/p>\n Hydraulic disc brakes<\/a> are also almost standard at this price. We\u2019d nearly go as far as to say avoid bikes that don\u2019t have them because they offer better and more confidence-inspiring performance than cable brakes.<\/p>\n A good tip is to look for a bike at this price point that uses the Boost mountain bike axle standard<\/a>. Upgrading wheels is an easy way to improve the performance of a bike and this standard will open up a whole plethora of lighter and stronger mountain bike wheels to you.<\/p>\n Every machine here can be happily pushed into service at any trail centre, most types of cross-country races<\/a> and any sort of general off-road exploration.<\/p>\n No matter which bike you choose in this price bracket, it is going to help get more out of you and your riding \u2013 which, after all, is why we ride a bike.<\/p>\nBest mountain bikes for around \u00a31,000 in 2022, as rated by our expert testers<\/h2>\n
Boardman MHT 8.9<\/h3>