bicycle for trails

depending on what you mean by "trails"..... gravel bike

What's your budget. How gnarly of a trail do you want to ride.

from easy manicured trails.



to big, steep, fast big feature trails.



Could start somewhere around $500 all the way up to $10k depending on what type of riding you want to do and how safe/fast you want to do it.

So my budget is like 500 to 1200 I guess. I live in Denton so we have a lot of trails but it’s not extreme hills. More like a lot of roots and ravines and things smaller hills but my cheap bike broke while riding on them.

I'll just give you a couple of things to look out for when shopping for a bike. People mention the marlin series of bikes from trek. Good starter bikes. Avoid any and all models that only have 7 speeds in the rear. The versions of the marlin with 7 speed rear cassettes are a dead end upgrade wise so if you ever want to upgrade the drivetrain you need to buy a whole new rear wheel.

Make sure the head tube of the bike can accepted a tapered steerer tube. If you ever need to replace the fork there are a ton more options if the frame can accept a tapered steerer.

Geometry is free and built into the frame but that's where most entry level bikes get it really wrong. The geometry on entry level bikes hold them back from progressing into faster or more challenging terrain. You might hear bike manufacturers mention modern slack geometry here is a breakdown.

Slack head tube angle. Road bikes are in the 72 degree range. Many entry level mountain bikes are in the 69-70 range. Modern hardtails are in the 66-68 degree range. Bikes for aggressive use can be as low at 63 degrees. Slack head tubes push the front wheel further away from you so you lessen the chances of going over the bars. It also makes the wheelbase longer.

Long wheelbase. Gravel bikes are in the 1000mm range. 1050-1100 for these entry level bikes. Modern bikes are closer to 1200mm. Aggressive bikes are in the 1300mm range. Long wheelbase mean slower turning but more stability. More stability means when you are going over those rutted and rooty sections you bike isn't going to be knocked around as much.

Steep seat tubes. With the front wheel pushed forward it's important to keep your weight centered on the bike so the front wheel doesn't wander while you are pedaling hard uphill. So part of the new geometry Trend is steeper seat tube angles. Old school is in the low 70s like 72-73 degree. Modern bikes will be in the mid 70s 75-76. Aggressive bikes will be in the upper 70s. This steeper seat tube allows you to pedal efficiently when the bike is pointed uphill.

My complaint with the Trek Marlin series bikes is they are design in a way once you get better and progress and become a better rider the bike is expensive to upgrade using old outdated standard parts and the geometry isn't suited for more than easy smooth trails. If you want a marlin you should be able to find a used one cheap.

Couple of bikes that check off all my check marks are the Marin San Quentin (aggressive geo), bobcat trail (modern), and the Rocky Mountain growler. Any are around $1k and would be a platform you could ride as is and would be worthy to upgrade if you love the sport. There are some great options you can buy online like bikes from Virus and Polygon that check all the boxes.

How much?

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How much?

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Email me at classicgold1102@gmail.com and I'll send over pricing and pictures.

Don't want to turn the subject post into a classified section.