The startup cost is usually the most significant obstacle we face while starting a new hobby. Many of us love to ride a reliable mountain bike across beautiful trails, but the considerable amount of money scares us. However, it’s not as scary as it sounds; sometimes, we overestimate the costs associated with downhill mountain biking. But if you are wondering if mountain biking is an expensive hobby or not, this blog might just be your right choice!
Mountain biking is an expensive hobby to pursue if you plan to buy premium quality parts and gears. Even a good entry-level mountain bike will cost you $1000 dollars, and if you go for carbon and full suspension, you might end up spending more than $3000. However, most of us can’t or don’t want to spend so much money on something we are just starting. Be ready to spend at least a thousand dollars on your hardtail suspension bike if you’re a beginner. It doesn’t stop there; then comes all the equipment (Accessories, gears, helmets, and much more), which will easily cost you around $200-$600. Maintenance and other such costs will set you back further. Mountain biking can be an expensive hobby if you don’t know how to buy smart.
Well, as scary and expensive as downhill mountain biking sounds, you don’t have to spend all your savings. We will share all the essential equipment for your ride and some things that might not be as vital as they sound. You can set your budget and get started with as much money as you want to spend.
How Much Does Downhill Mountain Biking Usually Cost?
Well, the first thing that you will need for downhill mountain biking is a mountain bike. But you might be wondering how much will it cost you, right?
The average cost of buying a premium quality MTB bike is usually around four thousand dollars and can go even more. You can go for a low-end used bike that will hardly cost you 500 dollars but is unreliable and can quickly break. But if you go for high-end MTB bikes with premium quality parts and carbon frames, you will end up spending from $3000 to $11,000.
The high cost is usually because it’s incorporated with high-quality built-in components and offers great reliability. The price will rise according to the quality of the components. The more you spend your MTB, the more you’ll enjoy downhill mountain biking.
But before you go and buy the most expensive bike out there, there are other essential costs associated with downhill mountain biking. The first thing that you need to focus on after your bike is your MTB gears. Just like buying a good quality MTB bike, buying MTB gear can be a little overwhelming. There’s an endless number of brands offering premium quality MTB gears that range from $30 to $10000 depending upon their quality and reliability. The cost associated with gears is enough to make your head spin.
If you have decided to give downhill mountain biking a try, the best approach is to provide mid-range bikes a shot. These bikes will not be too heavy on your pockets and serve the purpose without causing unnecessary injuries or damages. If you are on a budget and can’t spend thousands on just a hobby, you can always go for hardtail MTB bikes incorporated with only one suspension on the front. They can cost you up to $1000 and offers the reliability required by the harsh and rough trails you face on downhill mountain biking.
As a beginner, buying a mid-range bike will help you learn the basics of MTB. Once you have improved your skills, you can always go for a high-end bike that offers premium features according to your riding style.
What are the costs associated with Downhill Mountain biking?
Mountain bike
The first thing you need to buy to pursue mountain biking as a hobby is a good Mountain bike. Suppose you are looking for a decent bike that doesn’t cost you hundreds of dollars for repairing and one that will satisfy your basic MTB needs, get ready to shell out at least a thousand dollars. This is the minimum amount that you would need to spend to get a good-quality mountain bike.
Downhill mountain biking can be a little heavy on your pocket, but if you know ways to save that money, it’s not as expensive as you think.
The most cost-effective approach for getting a good quality bike is to shop from your local bike store, especially when offering winter sales and clearing out their stocks. That’s the time when you will find the best bikes at the lowest possible prices. With these fantastic clearance sales, you can quickly get a discount of at least thirty percent, and sometimes it’s even better than that. If you still want bang for your money, you can check Craigslist, and they offer slightly used MTB bikes at the best possible prices.
For your downhill mountain biking, you can also look for sellers who have done a solid job on their bikes and are selling it for way below its worth. This usually happens when they are looking for urgent cash and want to unload their bicycles on an urgent basis. If you find a bike that catches your attention, make sure to get it checked from an independent bike shop before you decide to buy it.
The Best Affordable Bikes Under $1000
Kona Blast
One of the best all-rounder bikes offers 27.5 hardtails and can quickly help you climb the harsh terrains with hundreds of hidden obstacles. It will also help you in having the perfect geometry to go faster on slopes and descents. The Kona Blast will only cost you $999 and has the valuable feature of a 10-speed Deore and 100mm travel fork that will take you anywhere.
Marin Bobcat Trail 5
One of the best hardtail enduro bikes offers low and slack geometry that helps you speed on technical downhill mountain biking terrains. Marin Bobcat Trail 5 has wheels that are about 29 inches and can through rocks and obstacles smoothly like butter. It helps you move on the steep uphill with an 11-speed drivetrain. You can avail all these features for just $850.
Diamondback Hook
A modern designed geometry combined with other practical features is what you get from The Diamondback Hook. Its popularly known for being very maneuverable in tackling tight and sharp turns. The practical design gives you the needed confidence and gives you an excellent downhill mountain biking experience. With its ability to g on technical terrain with its 27.5 wheels, it gives you the liberation of enjoying your ride without hurting yourself. The best part about this bike is its price; for only $700, you get the best entry-level bike with premium features.
Helmet
Doesn’t matter if you are horse riding, cycling, mountain biking, or even running along rough trails; helmets are the essential part of your protective gear kit. Even if you have to purchase only one item for your MTB ride, the helmet should always be your first choice. Depending on the intensity of your ride and the trail you choose, several types of helmets are available.
Enduro helmets are considered the best and the safest options out there for all sorts of mountain bikers. This is mainly because of the high-level coverage that they offer. Compared to other MTB helmets, they are a bit longer from the sides, which helps if there are significant chances of crazy crashes or the terrain is too rough. MTB riders carry a higher risk of hurting themselves than other athletes, which is why their protection is vital.
And you know what the best part is? You don’t have to empty your pockets to buy a premium helmet for your protection; you need something that will do its job and is not too heavy on your head. There are various cost-effective options, especially the Giro Quarter MIPS. The Giro MIPS comes with a Multi-Directional Impact Protection System (MIPS) and costs you only $60. There are various other brands offering premium quality with even lower prices.
MTB shorts and gloves
While getting yourself a pair of MTB shorts, always look for two things. The first thing you need to look for in an excellent downhill mountain biking experience is its amount of compression. Compression shorts provide you comfort while preventing hassles like chafing and blisters. Secondly, make sure to get a pair that comes with great padding to avoid getting saddle sores. Like everything with downhill mountain biking, you can shell out as much money as you want, but spending more than $100 on just a pair of shorts is a waste. You can find great pieces from different brands with prices ranging from $40-$100.
You will lose control and fall riding your MTB bike; that is a sure thing to happen. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first time or whether you are an expert; downhill mountain biking involves falling. Even if the trail conditions are perfect and everything seems fantastic, there will be times when you touch the ground. And the first time you feel the ground without any gloves will make you realize how sensitive and thin the skin of your hand is. While getting a pair of MTB gloves is unnecessary, you can avoid many unnecessary injuries and protect your hands from getting sore. A good pair of MTB gloves will protect your hand from getting blisters while gripping the handlebars.
You can spend as much as you want on a good pair of MTB gloves, but a cost-effective premium pair of gloves will cost you something around $30-$50.
MTB goggles
The importance of eye protection comes right after the helmet. Your eyes are in a vulnerable situation during every ride, even if you are cycling on the pavement. However, the risks multiply when you are doing downhill mountain biking. More than one risk surrounds those rough trails that are ready to hurt your eyes, so protecting your vision is a must.
MTB goggles are made with a flat and single-layered lens, making your vision clear and helping you see better even dirt and debris around you. Since mountain biking involves a lot of off-roading and riding through mud, debris, sharp branches, rocks, and other rough terrains, your goggles can quickly get scratches. This is the reason why MTB goggles are flat shaped to help you see effectively even through scratches and stains.
Most downhill mountain biking riders prefer lenses that offer clearer vision. Still, most brands nowadays are offering interchangeable lenses that allow optimum vision in every light condition. Goggles can usually range from $30-$60. However, if you are a beginner, you can get an excellent entry-level goggle for somewhere around $30-$60.
Footwear
There are a lot of other well-known brands offering MTB shoes with super-sticky soles that stick to the pedal effectively. As you get the basics of downhill mountain biking, you might want to go for clipless pedals. You can easily clip in your pedal with a cleat on your shoe using the clipless pedals. This effectively keeps your feet attached to the pedals and gives your feet ultimate support for pedaling and climbing through harsh terrains where your feet might bounce of the pedal and injure you.
Clipless pedals go best with clipless MTB shoes. Some riders prefer flat pedals and shoes, while others prefer clipless, and few prefer both. As a beginner, you can go for clipless but always go for shoes and pedals that make your ride comfortable rather than challenging.
Like every other downhill mountain biking gear, the amount of money you can spend on footwear can range from $50 to as much as you want, but spending too much might be a waste. Rather than listing a range of prices, we have summarized the prices of MTB footwear for you so you can buy a good pair according to your budget. The average downhill mountain biking shoe will cost you somewhere around $135-$140. The most expensive MTB shoes are for $284.93, and you can get the least expensive ones with very few features for just $40.
Other Expenses
There are hundreds of other expenses that you might need to incur for your first downhill mountain biking ride. Starting from trail charges (if any) to MTB learning classes, you might feel the need for many things. Depending on where you live, sometimes you also need to travel to trail locations which costs you even more.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, downhill mountain biking is an expensive hobby to pursue. As fun-filled and exciting it is to race with your teammates and learn to conquer problems together, it’s a bit to have on the pockets. If you love adventures but don’t want to spend too much on a single ride, mountain biking might seem impossible to you.
Luckily, there are many smart ways that you can utilize to enjoy this fantastic sport of mountain biking without hitting too much on your budget. Once you learn the art of coping with financial barriers, nothing stops you from enjoying the adventures you love, at least not your budget.
