The 7 Best Beginner Mountain Bikes of 2023
By: Colin Edwards: Bike Buyer | June 30, 2023
Shopping for a beginner mountain bike is one of the most exciting things one can do. The only thing better than New Bike Day is a first ever New Bike Day. Whether you’re looking for a bike for yourself, or for someone else, finding that perfect first mountain bike is thrilling. But on the flipside, it can be a little overwhelming too, especially as you sort through geometry, travel, and build kits. That’s why we've done our best to simplify that process with this list of the best beginner mountain bikes. Any one of these bikes will offer a great introduction to the sport, assist you in learning how to mountain bike, and will stay fun and useful for years to come. Just pick the bike with the right amount of travel for your home trails and get riding.
New This Year:
And this year, these beginner mountain bikes offer better value than ever before. Many of them feature 12-speed drivetrains, a feature that was only present on premium bikes just a few years ago. And they all sport intelligent combinations of brakes, suspension, and other components to help give you the most bang for your buck. So what are you waiting for? Grab one of these bikes, and be prepared to be sucked into the wonderful world of mountain bike culture.
This Year's Best Beginner Mountain Bikes:
Marin Rift Zone XR 27.5
The Marin Rift Zone XR 27.5 Complete Mountain Bike is a trail ready ripper capable of hanging with the very best. This build is the hard-charging special edition, and the clue is in the name: 'ER' stands for 'Extra Rad'. That means it's kitted out with awesome components like a chunder busting Marzocchi Bomber Z1 fork up front, and a plush Fox Float X Performance shock in the rear, while the playful 27.5" setup keeps the focus firmly on fun. If your riding runs the gamut from XC slogs to downhill chunder-fests, the Rift Zone XR has everything you need and more.
| Wheel Size | Travel | Original Price |
| 27.5" | Front: 140 mm | Rear: 130 mm | $3499.00 |
Marin Alpine Trail XR
With its enduro-focused geometry and advanced MultiTrac Suspension Technology, the Marin Alpine Trail XR Complete Mountain Bike is a force to be reckoned with on challenging downhill terrain. It's not just a descender, though, as it's got the geometry to maintain its efficiency during climbs. The Alpine Trail "Xtra Rad" model is a bump up in capabilities from the 7, with a slick Shimano SLX/XT drivetrain, powerful TRP brakes, and send-friendly Marzocchi suspension. It's no surprise, as Marin has always been known for providing exceptional value for your money. This is a podium-worthy bike at a hobbyist's price!
| Wheel Size | Travel | Original Price |
| 29.0" | Front: 160 mm | Rear: 150 mm | $3599.00 |
Devinci Django A 29 SX 12s
Fleet of foot and very quick to react, the Devinci Django A 29 SX 12s Complete Mountain Bike delivers the trail bike experience you're looking for. It's a rapid climber, a solid descender, and an out-and-out ripper. With Devinci's excellent Split Pivot suspension design, its 120mm can feel like a hardtail (on climbs) or a bike with much more travel (in the rough stuff). The Django's been a shorter-travel trail bike of aggressive riders for a few years now, and this version's a great example of the genre. There are very few bikes out there that are this much fun! This model comes with SRAM brakes and drivetrain components.
| Wheel Size | Travel | Original Price |
| 29.0" | Front: 140 mm | Rear: 120 mm | $2999.00 |
Santa Cruz Tallboy
There are few better bikes to spend your hard-earned cash on than the Santa Cruz Bicycles Tallboy Mountain Bike. The lower-link mounted shock in the VPP suspension design gives this most recent Tallboy a 10mm increase in travel along with more stability than its predecessor (already a trail favorite). This bike climbs like crazy, is hyper-maneuverable, and stays more planted at speed than any shorter-travel bike has a right to.
| Wheel Size | Travel | Original Price |
| 29.0" | Front: 130 mm | Rear: 120 mm | $4799.00 - $10049 |
Juliana Joplin - Women's
Your tire tracks will give it away. Maybe. The Juliana Joplin Mountain Bike is equipped with some serious meats, maybe out of place among other 120mm bikes labeled "XC." But aggressive tires run counter to this bike's climbing prowess, its quick-but-not-too-twitchy handling, or the way its size-specific rear triangles make it equal parts playful and planted. Juliana's calling this new Joplin "tech-C," and that's a nice way to wrap it up: if you're racing a modern XC track, you'll encounter as many heavy moves as on a trail ride, and the overall competence of this bike shines when the going gets rougher. The gnarly tires make sense, once you see what this bike's capable of!
| Wheel Size | Travel | Original Price |
| 29.0" | Front: 130 mm | Rear: 120 mm | $5899.00 - $8599 |
Santa Cruz Hightower
Of all the things that make mountain biking great, it's got to be the turns that are the best. Or actually, it's skipping through a rock garden. Or completing a multi-trail epic, starting at dawn and collapsing back where you started as the sun goes down, bruised, battered, and buzzing. And laying off the brakes as you jam towards the lip of a jump, determined to finally clear a gap. The Santa Cruz Bicycles Hightower Mountain Bike knows that all of these things are great at any given time, and does more than any other bike out there to excel at every single aspect of aggressive trail riding.
| Wheel Size | Travel | Original Price |
| 29.0" | Front: 150 mm | Rear: 145 mm | $3799.00 - $11549 |
Marin San Quentin 3
Free yourself from any preconceptions you have about hardtails, the Marin San Quentin 3 Complete Mountain Bike is a whole different animal. Designed by pro rider Matt Jones with a mind-altering blend of modern trail geo and a dirt jump inspired frame style, it's the perfect grab and go bike for everything from your local downhill mashers to the top secret jump line in the woods over yonder.
| Wheel Size | Travel | Original Price |
| 27.5" | Front: 130 mm | Rear: | $2399.00 |
Learn More With Our Other Bike Guides:
- Mountain Bikes - How to Choose
- Mountain Bikes - Size and Fit Guide
- Mountain Bikes - How to Get Started Mountain Biking
- Mountain Bikes - How to Choose a Wheel Size
- Mountain Bikes - Suspension Basics
- Mountain Bikes - How to Choose a Mountian Bike Dropper Post
- Mountain Bikes - How to Choose MTB Handlebars
- Mountain Bikes - How to Choose MTB Pedals
- Mountain Bikes - How to Change Bike Pedals
- Mountain Bikes - How to Clean
- Mountain Bikes - How to Bleed SRAM Brakes
- Mountain Bikes - How to Bleed Shimano Brakes
- Mountain Bikes - How to Convert to Tubeless Tires
- Mountain Bikes - How to Replace Internal Cable Housing
- Mountain Bikes - How to Adjust Your Rear Derailleur
- Mountain Bikes - How to Bleed a RockShox Reverb Seatpost
- Mountain Bikes - How to Service Fox and RockShox Fork Lowers
- Mountain Biking - What to Bring Mountain Biking
- Mountain Biking - What to Wear Mountain Biking
- Mountain Biking - How to Choose Knee Pads
- Bikes - Size and Fit Guide
- Gravel Bikes - How To Get Started Gravel Biking
- eBikes - Classes, Features & More
- eBikes - Where to Ride eBikes
- Bike Accessories - Helmet Size & Fit Guide
- Bike Accessories - How to Choose Bike Shoes
- Bikes - How to Choose Bike Tires
- Bikes - How to Change Bike Pedals
- Bikes - How to Repair & Replace a Bike Chain
- Bikes - How to Choose Accessories
- Bikes - Urban Riding Tips
- Travel & Destination Guides - Where to Mountain Bike
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The Best Mountain Bikes for Beginners
The Best Mountain Bikes Under $3,000
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The Selection Process:
Our bike buyer has an endless amount of knowledge on all things bike stemming from years of experience in the bike industry in tandem with their countless hours out on the dirt, gravel, and tarmac. evo's buyers assess all products coming to market, lean into this knowledge, and put together this selection of the best products. They have a unique perspective as they truly see everything offered across the category.
Colin Edwards
Meet Colin Edwards, evo's in-house Bike Buyer and mountain biking aficionado. With 15+ years of e-commerce buying experience under his belt, Colin is the go-to guy for all things related to "Riding Dirt." He's worked across various categories, including bike, snowboard, travel, climbing, and surfing, giving him the know-how to recognize and select top-notch mountain biking products for evo's customers.
Colin's been shredding trails since he was a kid, starting on his trusty hardtail Trek 800 Sport. Born and raised in Utah, he recently made the move to Bellingham, WA with his partner, Kenz. Colin's real-world biking experience, combined with his background in product trends, relationship building, and sales analysis, makes him an invaluable asset to the evo team.
When he's not busy handpicking the raddest gear, you'll find Colin ripping through PNW trails or hunting for the world's best dirt. And when the snow falls, he's all about snowboarding. Colin also loves trail running and exploring the PNW's stunning landscape with his two dogs and Kenz.
With Colin's expertise and passion fueling evo's mountain biking selection, you can trust that his recommendations are spot-on and tailored to the evo community's adventurous spirit.