My mountain bike is a 2019 hardtail that cost me less than $500 USD to buy new. It has a coil Suntour fork, a 3x7 Shimano drivetrain, and mechanical Tektro brakes. I have performed very little maintenance on it up until I just recently broke the cranks. Yes, it weighs over 35 pounds for an aluminum hardtail, and yes, it isn't the prettiest, fastest, or most fun, but it was within my budget and it has given me very few problems. I'm sure my skill level and the frequency with which I hit demanding trails help keep it in working order as well, but it's all the bike I need for the time being.
Although if I had the budget I would buy a fragile $5k bike in a heartbeat...
March 10, 2022, 10:04 a.m. - imnotdanny
My mountain bike is a 2019 hardtail that cost me less than $500 USD to buy new. It has a coil Suntour fork, a 3x7 Shimano drivetrain, and mechanical Tektro brakes. I have performed very little maintenance on it up until I just recently broke the cranks. Yes, it weighs over 35 pounds for an aluminum hardtail, and yes, it isn't the prettiest, fastest, or most fun, but it was within my budget and it has given me very few problems. I'm sure my skill level and the frequency with which I hit demanding trails help keep it in working order as well, but it's all the bike I need for the time being. Although if I had the budget I would buy a fragile $5k bike in a heartbeat...