05.04.2024 | Reading time - 18 min(s)

Best Mountain Bikes under £1000 UK

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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 prices 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. Now is also a great time to pick up a discounted bikes for sale.

See all whyte hard tail

As you're probably aware, there are plenty of MTB 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 MTB 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 MTB bikes.

MTB on Sale

Contents and Quick Links

Top Mountain bike brands - A look at some of the top mountain bike brands we stock
Benefits of hardtails over full suspension mountain bikes - the pros and cons of hardtails vs full-suspension MTB's
Best Mountain Bikes Under £1000 - Have a look at some of the top affordable MTB's available now
Mountain bikes under £1000 - What to look for - Here are the factors to consider when looking at MTB under £1000
What if you spend a little more? - Pushing the envelope a touch? We have a look at some excellent MTB's that come just over the £1000 mark.

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 Bikes produce a number of MTB models from hardtails such as the Rockhopper, Chisel and Epic HT to the full suspension mountain bikes like the Specialized bikes Stumpjumper, Status and the Enduro. What you know you will get from Specialized are great value, well made MTB 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. There are plenty of Merida mountain bikes that are 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.

Hardtails

Pro's

More efficient uphill
Simpler
Relatively inexpensive
Develop handling skills

Con's

Lack forgiveness downhill

Full-Suspension

Pro's

Forgiveness and ability on technical downhills
Comfort especially for cross country riding

Con's

More expensive
Less Efficient uphill

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 29 3 2024 Mountain Bike - £579

Wheel size: 29in or 27.5in | Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL | Suspension travel: 80mm or 100mm front

The Giant Talon 29 3 is an excellent entry level MTB with a solid aluminium frame and reliable Microshift 8-speed gearing and dual disc brakes. 29er wheels are excellent for those who want straight-line stability on cross country style terrain.

Great foR:

Children who are ready for their first adult bike
Those looking for an entry level bike that won't break the bank
Occasional cyclists looking for a bike for all terrains
Cyclists looking for a good gear range

Liv Tempt 29 3 2024 Women's Mountain Bike - £579

Wheel size: 29in or 27.5in | Frame sizes: XS, S, M, L | Suspension travel: 80mm or 100mm front

Liv bikes are designed specifically for women to be both comfortable and efficient. The Liv Tempt 3 is an excellent entry level MTB that is perfect for those looking for their first MTB or for younger people that are ready for their first adult bike. The Tempt range are a great all-rounder as they can be used on roads, gravel and even some rougher terrain. These Bikes are available in the 29er wheel Liv Tempt 29 3 2025 for greater stability and efficiency especially on long distances or the 27.5 inch wheel Liv Tempt 3 2025 for added manoeuvrability.

Great For:

Those looking for excellent quality at a low price
Women or those that prefer a higher and shorter reach
Young adults looking for their first adult sized bike (usually around 11/12 Years of age)

Merida Big 60 2023 - £625 (reduced from £800 While stocks last)

Wheel size: 29in or 27.5in | Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL | Suspension travel: 100mm front

Merida's heartland has always been bombproof aluminium hardtails. Half a century of frame building experience counts for a lot. All Big Nine and Big Seven models use a sophisticated TFS frame featuring the latest technology: full internal cable routing for a clean, neat set up, tapered headtube offering the potential for future upgrades inboard disc brake mounts protect the brake and maximise stopping power.

As much Shimano componentry as possible has been added to complement the modern frame and enhance reliability. There are a wide range of sizes; Big Seven for shorter riders and Big Nine for taller riders with a healthy overlap between the two. For riders in the middle, riding style can be taken into account. If you are looking for speed and efficiency choose a 29er wheel Big Nine 60, if you are looking for agility choose a 27.5 inch wheel Big Seven 60.

Great for:

Those looking for a bargain
People looking for a significant spec improvement over entry level MTB's
Those looking for a wide range of gear cycles

Giant Talon 2 2024 Mountain Bike - £649

Wheel size: 29in or 27.5in | Frame sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL | Suspension travel: 80mm or 100mm front

An excellent aluminium hardtail with a plush coil sprung suspension fork. Coming with the incredibly robust and reliable Shimano Cues 1 x 9 gearing, this is a beautifully simple and capable bike. As with most of the Giant Talon range, these are available in the nimble and manoeuvrable 27.5 inch wheel Giant Talon 2 2024 or the super-stable 29er Giant Talon 29 2 2024.

Liv Tempt 29 2 2024 Women's Mountain Bike

Wheel size: 29in | Frame sizes: S, M, L | Suspension travel: 80mm or 100mm front

Tempt 29 2's performance-minded yet comfortable geometry gives it the versatility for both commutes around campus and off-road rides. A suspension fork offers control, comfort, and stability over bumpy terrain. Depending on frame size, the fork comes with 80mm or 100mm of travel.

Great for:

Women or those that want a higher and shorter reach
Young adults looking for their first adult bike
People looking for an excellent bike that won't break the bank

Merida Big Trail 400 2023 Mountain Bike - £795 Down from £1200 While Sotcks last

Wheel size: 29in | Frame sizes: M, L, XL | Suspension travel: 140mm front

A fun-packed and hugely capable bike. Merida Big Trail 400 features 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.

Great for:

Those looking for incredible specification at an amazingly low price
Keen mountain bikers looking for a trail ready hardtail
MTBers upgrading from a more basic hardtail

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? A lot of deciions made will depend where you mountain cycle so here are some of the aspects to consider.

SUSPENSION

Hardtails - MTB 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 MTB 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.

Merida Mountain bike price

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

Wheel size: 29in | Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL | Suspension travel: 120mm front

The bigger sibling of the Whyte 429 seen above. The 529 is also part of Whyte's 29er hardtail range for the perfect blend 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 120mm 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.

Great for:

Cross country mountain bikers looking for incredible spec
People looking for an efficient climber and descender
Those cycling longer distances off-road

Merida Big Trail 700 2023 - £1450 down from £2200 while stocks last

Wheel size: 29in | Frame sizes: M, L, XXL | Suspension travel: 140mm front

The Merida Big Trail 700 is perfectly suited to UK riding. The modern trail bike geometry has a slack enduro inspired 65.5 degree 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 allowing 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.

Great for:

Those looking for an incredible spec hardtail
Mountain bikers looking for a significantly upgrade
Mountain bikers looking for a bike that can handle all terrains

Whyte 629 V6 2024 Mountain Bike

Wheel size: 29in | Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL | Suspension travel: 120mm front

The 629 is a fast, light weight and award-winning trail hardtail with handling that's perfect for making the most of every bit of fun you can find - whether going fast and far in the hills, sessioning singletrack, or lapping trail centre trails.

Confidence-inspiring geometry and specially selected components have all been crafted to combine together to unlock your riding potential, wherever you ride. With a perfect 10/10 score from MBR it's the trail hardtail benchmark.

Great for:

Those looking for a top specced 29er hardtail
MTBers who want fast and efficient climbing
Cross country or bikepacking cyclists looking for all day comfort
Those looking for a bike that can withstand the gnarliest of tracks

As you can see from the above list, you can get a lot of amazing hardtail MTB 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 for cycling 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.

Author

Ross Howieson

Content Creator

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Best Mountain Bikes under £1000 UK

Top mountain bike brands

Specialized

Giant & Liv

Merida Bikes

Whyte Bikes

Benefits of hardtails over full suspension

Hardtails

Pro's

Con's

Full-Suspension

Pro's

Con's

Best Mountain Bikes Under £1,000

Giant Talon 29 3 2024 Mountain Bike - £579

Great foR:

Liv Tempt 29 3 2024 Women's Mountain Bike - £579

Great For:

Merida Big 60 2023 - £625 (reduced from £800 While stocks last)

Great for:

Giant Talon 2 2024 Mountain Bike - £649

Liv Tempt 29 2 2024 Women's Mountain Bike

Great for:

Merida Big Trail 400 2023 Mountain Bike - £795 Down from £1200 While Sotcks last

Great for:

BEST MOUNTAIN BIKES UNDER £1,000 - WHAT TO LOOK FOR

SUSPENSION

FRAME

FORK

WHEELS

What if you spend a little more on a hardtail?

Whyte 529 2023 Mountain Bike