Bike
MTB
The best mountain bikes for under £1,000
Stop dreaming of those budget-breaking dream machines, there are some real MTB bargains to be had out there for under four figures.
Are you ready to hear one of the most disturbing truths of mountain biking? OK… take a deep breath and brace yourself… it doesn’t actually matter how much money you spend on your bike.
Unbelievable, right?! Well, if you are looking to go racing then, as with any sport, prepare for things to get a bit spendy BUT if a bombproof trail slayer is what you’re after, a machine on which to hone your off-road skills, then there are some veritable bargains to be had under the magic.
Here are our top five bikes to check out for 2019:
- Nukeproof Scout 290 Sport – £999.99
- Calibre Bossnut Evo – £999.99
- Commencal Absolut – €999.00 (£881.00)
- Marin Pine Mountain 27.5+ – £899.00
- Merida Big Nine Limited – £1000.00
Read on to find out more about each of the bikes.
1. Nukeproof Scout 290 Sport – £999.99
Nukeproof Scout 290
© Nukeproof
Best for: Singletrack slaying
A do-anything, no nonsense, properly designed mountain bike? Look no further than the Scout 290 Sport from Nukeproof. Flip through the digital pages of many of the big bike brands' catalogues and you’ll find that this is a strangely difficult alchemy to pull off. But when you have already pretty much mastered affordable yet perfectly formed componentry and have an Enduro World Series champ riding for you, as Nukeproof do, then these things become more straight forward.
29in wheels (a 27.5in version is available) offer up massive trail speed whilst spot-on geometry and a mix of their own superb components mean that you really are a dropper post away from a near-perfect trail mix.
2. Calibre Bossnut Evo – £999.99
Bossnut Evo
© Bossnut
Best for: All-round trail riding
Alright, so the new Bossnut Evo’s RRP is actually £1399 but when the manufacturer’s own website directs you straight to a retailer offering it up for under a grand then we’ve no choice but to call it one of the bargains of the century.
The Bossnut has had a bit of a cult following for a few years now and that only looks set to build with the slightly harder hitting Evo. Full suspension and 11-speed gearing for this money? Frankly ludicrous value and easily the best full-bouncer you’re likely to see for this price. Neat little touches include full width handlebars ripe for trimming to suit and a front tyre actually worth holding on to.
3. Commencal Absolut – €999.00 (£881)
Commencal Absolut 2019
© Commencal
Best for: Jumps / Parks / Pump
Remember that time in 2008 when all three Atherton siblings won their respective UCI World Cup disciplines at the home round of their then sponsors Commencal? Dan Atherton did that massive quad jump? Well, if you do then you’ll probably remember that he did it on a bike called a Commencal Absolut. This little bike has roots.
If you prefer your mountain bikes of a more skatepark/pump track/dirt jump variety then complete builds don’t come much tricker than the new Absolut, developed by Kyle Strait. Commencal switched to direct sell last year and as such they’re able to offer this single speeder up at a really good price complete with a hardy Manitou fork and two-piece cranks.
4. Marin Pine Mountain 27.5+ – £899.00
Marin Pine Mountain 27.5+
© Marin
Best for: Adventure
If you prefer a classier look and perhaps a more relaxed ride from your MTB then the new Pine Mountain from one of the original iconic brands, Marin, may be just the thing. You don’t have to go full ‘fat bike’ to have a superbly hardy winter explorer. Equally, the Pine Mountain will happily indulge the desire to dive down that unknown trail whilst that slightly awkward-looking ‘adventure’ bike your mate has just bought remains collecting dust in their shed.
The chunkier 27.5in tyre size may be on the wain in terms of mass popularity, on bikes like this it’s almost the perfect choice. The fully rigid design may not open up the top of the time sheets but it will make for a fun and reliable long distance machine in a rather cool retro looking package.
5. Merida Big Nine Limited – £1000.00
Merida Big Nine Limited
© Merida
Best for: Speed
Merida have a theory; for speed, you need big wheels and light weight. Few brands can match their XC racing pedigree and they’ve been involved with the GOAT, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå, to back it up. This year's Big Nine Limited features a light-as-they-come alloy frame and race honed geometry.
The racing snake theme continues with an ultra-fast wheelset shod with Maxxis Ikon rubber and there’s a nod to the new school with dropper post cable routing. In terms then of machinery ready and capable enough to go racing then this one is the pick of our top five.
