Buying your first (e)MTB, go cheap or expensive?

[pgtips]

Hardtail with plus tyres is great for ( no hardcore ) XC rides. Mrs had a 2017 Specialized HT and was surprisingly a very capable bike.
Have a look at Seth's bike hacks on youtube........that bloke can ride a H/T allright

But yes, get a full suspension for the full experience. Last years models or a good second hand with good components is the way to go if you're on a budget.
What ever you get you will love it

Good luck.

 

[Swissrider]

I’ve read all the comments so far. I disagree with those who say start on a normal bike. An ebike cannot be compared to any normal bike (unless downhill only!) The first time anyone tries an ebike uphill, it always produces a grin of amazement, on road or off road. It all depends on the riding one is going to do: if full on off-road, in bike parks etc (unlikely for a beginner) then decent travel and a dropper post is really the minimum one needs to enjoy the terrain and avoid getting hurt. At the other extreme if it’s mainly road and easy paths then a hybrid will work best. If in-between, easy off-road and a bit of road then an ebike hardtail would be fine for an introduction. If the ground is not technical there is no need to drop the seat and with a quick release this can be done in seconds if necessary. You should be able to pick up a second hand ebike/last years model for a good price. You can do a lot of mountain biking on a hardtail and it does teach good habits. Only issue is that since one can go so much faster on the flat and one has to be seated means that without rear suspension one does get thrown around. If you really enjoy the off-road, then buy a full bells and whistles MTB later on, sell the hardtail or put some road tyres, mudguards and rack and you’ve got a great town run-around/tourer. The other advantage or spending some time finding out what you want is that the ebike scene is changing rapidly, with better motors, longer lasting batteries and better value. Just look at what the YT Decoy gives you for your money - would have cost you at least a third more only a couple of years ago.

 

[Pdoz]

I'm looking at that " cheap" bike , and apart from the lack of dropper post I'd be more than happy for one of my kids to UPGRADE to it.

Ok, perhaps better forks as well for my 14 yo daughter , because the norco optic she's currently riding has slightly better forks - but she's had a good 18 months learning on that norco , and better forks are just going to make her faster down hill, and I don't want to watch that....

So, my vote is find a bike ever so slightly better - perhaps a dropper post and ideally 34 mm mid spec forks. Accept that if you get hooked , then in a couple of years you will be looking for an updated and upgraded bike, but realistically that's going to happen anyway - NOBODY here would go out and buy a 2017 top end emtb if they had the opportunity to buy a 2021 mid spec !

This is my 14 yo daughter - for perspective on what a bike of that spec can do

 

[dirt huffer]

Heck if you really want to go cheap borrow your brother/dads/uncles 1990's mountain bike hanging in the garage and thrash the hell out of it on the trails. Once it becomes so broken it's unridable, go out and drop used-car money on a new bike.
That's what I did and so thankful for it. I knew at that point I was hooked so I spent my entire savings on a bike.

 

[Deleted member 2899]

I would say set a budget and go for it. Buying a Trek Powerfly 4 for £2900 has reignited my enthusiasm and I'm up in the Forest of Dean as often as I can make it conditions allowing. I'm a fair weather Mountain Biker these days though. Mud was one of the things that put me off a few years ago. That and the uphill effort