Updated August 7th, 2023
Mountain biking is a really fun way to spend a few hours riding trails. It can be a relaxing ride down an uncrowded easy flowing trail or it can be an adrenaline pumping exciting trip down a roller coast like flow trail. $600 is a really good price point for finding your first mountain bike. At this level you get real Shimano or SRAM components, suspension forks, disc brakes, and 27.5 or 29 inch wheels. If you are ready to go mountain biking then let’s have a look at the best mountain bikes under $600.
Below are my 3 favorite under $600 mountain bikes available today. I run a Meetup that does casual mountain biking events. I get asked several times a year “What bike should I get?” If I was going to buy one today or recommend a bike to my friend I would suggest either the Mongoose Switchback Comp or the GT Agressor Pro.
☆ Top Pick
☆ Top Pick
☆ Best Value
Mongoose Switchback Comp
GT Men’s Aggressor Pro 27.5
Mongoose Malus Adult Fat Bike
The Top 8 Best Mountain Bikes under $600
1 – Mongoose Switchback Comp
☆ Top Pick
Specifications
- Wheel Size – 27.5inch
- Suspension Fork – XPosure Fork
- Front Derailleur – Shimano Altus
- Rear Derailleur – Shimano Altus
- Shifters – Shimano Altus
- Brakes – Tektro aluminum mechanical disc
- Chain Rings – 2
- Rear Cogs – 9
Summary
The Mongoose Switchback Comp is an excellent 27.5 inch wheel entry level mountain bike. It has a Shimano Altus 2×9 driveline and shifters as well as mechanical disc brakes. It is spec’d with Kendra Small Block tires which have been a long time favorite for many mountain bikers regardless of bike price. This is an overall good package although we would like to see a nongeneric suspension fork and hydraulic disc brakes to be really competitive with other offerings at this price.
Mongoose is a well established bike brand that has made entry level through several thousand dollar high end bikes for years.
What we liked:
- Shimano Altus shifting
- 2×9 driveline
- Mechanical disc brakes
- Kenda “Small Block” Tires
- 27.5 inch wheels
2 – GT Men’s Aggressor Pro 27.5
☆ Top Pick
Specifications
- Wheel Size – 27.5inch with Plus tires
- Suspension Fork – SR Suntour XCM
- Front Derailleur – Micro-Shift FD-M642 D
- Rear Derailleur – Shimano Altus
- Shifters – Shimano Alivio
- Brakes – Promax Mechanical Disc
- Chain Rings – 2
- Rear Cogs – 9
Summary
The GT Aggressor Pro is a 27.5 inch wheel mountain bike with plus tires. Plus tires are usually 2.8 to 3.0inches wide. Regular mountain bike tires tend to run 2.0 to 2.3inch wide. Plus tires give you a more plush ride than regular tires because of the bigger air cushion they create. They give you a boost in traction on loose surfaces such as sand. The downside is they are heavy tires and they give a bit more smooshy feeling when cornering. The GT Aggressor Pro is an overall good package with Suntour XCM fork and shimano Altus shifting and 2 x 9 driveline. The brakes are only cable pull rather than the hydraulics found on most other bikes in this price range.
What we liked:
- Shimano Altus shifting
- 2x driveline with 9 rear cogs
- Suntour XCM Fork
- 27.5 wheels with plus tires
- Mechanical disc brakes
3 – Mongoose Malus Adult Fat Tire Mountain Bike
☆ Best Value
Specifications
- Wheel Size – 26inch
- Suspension Fork – Rigid
- Rear Derailleur – Shimano Tourney
- Shifters – Shimano
- Brakes – Mechanical Disc
- Chain Rings – 1
- Rear Cogs – 7
Summary
The Mongoose Malus is an entry level fat bike that. It has 26 inch wheels with 4 inch wide tires that will float over almost anything including snow. Fat bikes are popular for winter riding but can be used any time. They provide a very stable and cushy ride because of the wide tire size. It has Shimano components with a 1x driveline with 7 cogs. The brakes are mechanical disc brakes. It has decent specs for an entry level bike.
One short coming of this bike is the lack of quick releases on the front and rear wheel. A 1x driveline gives you simple reliability. With only 7 gears the range will be limited. For the price you can’t complain too much.
If you are interested in giving fat biking a try this is a great starter fat bike.
What we liked:
- Shimano shifting
- Mechanical disc brakes
- Fat bike wheel and tires
- 1x driveline
- Low price
4 – Cannondale Trail 8 Bike
Specifications
- Wheel Size – 27.5 or 29inch
- Suspension Fork – SR Suntour M3030
- Front Derailleur – Shimano Altus
- Rear Derailleur – Shimano Tourney
- Shifters – microSHIFT Thumb-Tap, 7-speed
- Brakes – Tektro cable-actuated disc
- Chain Rings – 2
- Rear Cogs – 7
Summary
The Cannondale Trail 8 has modern slack trail geometry and progressive wheel sizing. It is a trail ready package with a frame that can be easily upgraded. The frame features SAVE micro suspension which allows it to flex to absorb roots and rocks. This gives a smoother ride on the trail than other too rigid aluminum bike frames.
The bike is available in 5 sizes. Sizes XS and S get 27.5 wheels. Sizes M, L, and XL get 29 inch wheels. This bike can suit a wide range of riders sizes thanks to this.
The driveline has a mix of component parts. The only thing we don’t like is the Shimano Tourney rear derailleur. The Microshift shifters have proven to be reliable and smooth. The Tektro cable disc brakes are reliable with good stopping power.
What we liked:
- Progressive wheel sizing for different sized riders
- SAVE micro suspension in frame helps smooth out the trail
- 2 x 7 driveline with some upgraded parts
- SR Suntour front suspension fork
5 – Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1 Bike
Specifications
- Wheel Size – 27.5 inch
- Suspension Fork – SR Suntour XCM
- Front Derailleur – Shimano Tourney
- Rear Derailleur – Shimano Tourney
- Shifters – Shimano Tourney Rapidfire Plus
- Brakes – Tektro hydraulic disc
- Chain Rings – 3
- Rear Cogs – 7
Summary
The GT Aggressor Pro is a 27.5 inch wheel mountain bike with plus tires. Plus tires are usually 2.8 to 3.0inches wide. Regular mountain bike tires tend to run 2.0 to 2.3inch wide. Plus tires give you a more plush ride than regular tires because of the bigger air cushion they create. They give you a boost in traction on loose surfaces such as sand. The downside is they are heavy tires and they give a bit more smooshy feeling when cornering. The GT Aggressor Pro is an overall good package with Suntour XCM fork and shimano Altus shifting and 2 x 9 driveline. The brakes are only cable pull rather than the hydraulics found on most other bikes in this price range.
What we liked:
- REI brand reputation and service
- Hydraulic disc brakes
- 27.5inch wheels
- Kenda tires
- Available in 5 frame sizes
6 – Diamondback Hatch 2
Specifications
- Wheel Size – 27.5 or 29inch
- Suspension Fork – SR Suntour XCE
- Front Derailleur – Shimano Tourney
- Rear Derailleur – Shimano Tourney
- Shifters – Shimano Tourney Rapidfire Plus
- Brakes – Tektro M280 mechanical disc brakes
- Chain Rings – 3
- Rear Cogs – 7
Summary
The Diamond Back Hatch 2 is an entry level trail bike with wheel sizes to suit rider size. Diamond Back has always made reliable low cost bikes. My best bike friend who is a large guy (6’3″ x 300 lbs) rode a low end Diamond Back for a long time. It always shocked me how well the bike stood up to the abuse of him riding it on trails.
This bike comes with 27.5 wheels for sizes XS and S. M, L and XL get 29 inch wheels.
The Hatch 2 comes with Shimano Tourney driveline. We like seeing Altus or Alterra on trail bikes. The brakes are reliable cable pull disc brakes. The bike doesn’t have name brand tires or other parts. I expect what it has will work and hold up well.
What we liked:
- Bike is everything you need to start trail riding.
- Low maintenance cable pull disc brakes
- Progressive wheel size depending on frame size
- Sturdy aluminum frame
7 – Giant Talon 29 3
Specifications
- Wheel Size – 29inch
- Suspension Fork – SR Suntour XCT30
- Front Derailleur – microSHIFT FD-M282
- Rear Derailleur – Shimano Acera
- Shifters – Shimano Altus
- Brakes – Tektro HDC M275, hydraulic disc
- Chain Rings – 2
- Rear Cogs – 8
Summary
The Giant Talon 3 is a really great bike value. It will be a great first bike for anyone to try their hand at trail riding. Giant is one of the biggest bike maker in the world and they have been at it a long time. They produce the bikes for a lot of other bike brands such as Specialized as well. This allows them to always make great bikes and good prices. The Giant Talon 3 is avaialble in a 29 or 27.5 wheel version.
It has Shimano Altus and Acera driveline components. It has a 2x driveline instead of the more typical 3x at this price range. It has a Suntour XCT front suspension fork. To top it off, it even has Maxxis tires for original equipment. Maxxis tires are very well known for producing great high performance tires that are found on bikes costing several thousand dollars.
What we liked:
- Shimano Altus and Acera shifting
- 2x driveline
- Hydraulic disc brakes
- 29er wheels
- Maxxis tires
8 – Specialized Rockhopper Sport 27.5
Specifications
- Wheel Size – 27.5inch
- Suspension Fork – SR Suntour XCM
- Front Derailleur – Shimano Altus
- Rear Derailleur – Shimano Altus
- Shifters – Shimano Altus
- Brakes – Tektro HDC M275, hydraulic disc
- Chain Rings – 2
- Rear Cogs – 9
Summary
The Specialized Rockhopper Sport 27.5 has one of the best build specs of any $600 mountain bike. It has Altus shifting, a 2×9 driveline, hydraulic brakes and a Suntour XCM fork. All of these are a level upgrade over what is found on most bikes at this price point.
Specialized has been building mountain bikes for a long time. The Specialized Stumpjumper was one of the original production mountain bikes when it was first introduced in 1981. The Rockhopper has been it’s little brother since sometime in the 1980’s. It has always been a great value for recreational mountain bikers.
What we liked:
- Shimano Altus and shifting
- 2x driveline with 9 rear cogs
- Hydraulic disc brakes
- 27.5 wheels
- Suntour XCM fork
Best Mountain Bikes Under $600 Guide
Below are some things to consider when looking at mountain bikes. At this price point there are some really good values and some bikes that are priced well above their component specs.
What should a $600 Mountain Bike Have?
The better end of $600 mountain bikes should have a few things.
- It will be a hard tail meaning no rear suspension.
- 27.5inch or 29inch wheels.
- Suntour XCM or XCT front suspension fork.
- Shimano Altus or Tourney components.
- Disc Brakes that may be hydraulic or cable pull.
- 3x driveline meaning it will have 3 chain rings and between 7 and 9 rear cogs.
- Presta valves on the tubes
- It will weigh between 30 and 35 lbs.
What Won’t A $600 Mountain Bike Have?
It should not be full suspension. Any full suspension bike below about $1500 is just putting on junk parts and will have no damping. Too many corners are being cut for it to be a good usable bike at this price point. It should not have 26 inch wheels. If the bike has any of these you should avoid it. It’s not a good value and you can do better.
What Can I Get If I Spend More Than $600?
Going above $600 you will get upgrades to driveline and suspension fork. Parts will get more durable and lighter weight. You’ll move from a 3x driveline to a 2x or 1x. They will also start adding in things like tubeless ready rims and tires and all brakes will be hydraulic.
1x drive trains are wonderful and absolutely worth it if you can up the price a bit more to get one. SRAM Eagle 12 speed systems are incredibly smooth with lots of gear range.
Where Should I Buy A New Bike At?
There are lots of places you can get a bike. You can go to a bike store and have a look and test ride bikes. You can also go online and buy a bike there at various places. In looking at a lot of $500 to $600 bikes for this guide. There are just as good of values available from bike brands you can only buy at a bike shop as there are with bike brands you can buy online. There really is no money to be saved by avoiding the bike shop.
Shimano and SRAM Components
The 2 main producers of mountain bike components are Shimano and SRAM. The majority of bikes in the $500 to $600 will have Shimano Tourney or Shimano Altus components. A few rare bikes will have SRAM X3 and X4. Bikes typically have a mixture of levels where some parts are 1 to 2 levels up from others.
Shimano mountain bike component levels go in the following order from low end to high end:
- Tourney
- Altus
- Acera
- Alivio
- Deore
- SLX
- XT
- XTR
SRAM mountain bike components go in the following order from low end to high end:
- X3
- X4
- X5
- X7
- NX
- GX
- X01
- XX1
SRAM Eagle components denote their 12 speed 1x component sets. There are GX and NX components in both 1x with 12 cogs and also 2x with 10 cogs and a few other combinations.
To read more about mountain bike component levels click here.
Suntour Suspension Forks
Most bikes in the $500 to $600 range will have either a Suntour XCT or Suntour XCM front suspension fork. There are better forks out there by RockShox, Fox, Manitou and several other brands. You won’t find them in this price range on a new bike. You may find them on a used bike.
XCT – basic coil spring fork with no damping. Preload is adjustable and they can have a mechanical lockout.
XCM – a slightly upgraded XCT slightly larger stanctions, and the option of a hydraulic lockout on the top model. Remote lockout is an option.
XCR – A decent coil spring fork, with dampening and a hydraulic lockout. Adjustable preload and rebound damping. Remote lockout is an option. Also available in an air spring version.
3x vs 2x vs 1x Drivetrain
1x or 3x refers to the number of chain rings on the bike attached to the pedal cranks. High end mountain bikes all have 1 chain ring only and 12 rear cogs. Mid range bikes in the $800 to $1100 range have either 2 chain rings and 10 rear cogs or 1 chain ring with 10 or 11 cogs. Under $800 bikes all have 3 chain rings and 7 or 8 rear cogs.
Multiple chain rings requires a front derailleur and shifter which adds something to the bike that can brake. Front derailleurs shift the chain on the loaded side when your pedalling so they get a lot more wear and tear if you shift them while stomping on the pedals which most new riders do. Eventually you learn to downshift chainrings when your approaching a hill.
Rear cogs and the rear derailleur shift from the unloaded side of the chain so they can shift just fine while your stomping down on the pedal during a climb.
Hydraulic vs Cable Pull Disc Brakes
Hydraulic brakes have one big advantage over cable pull disc brakes. Mechanical advantage. With a cable pull disc brake force is limited by how hard you can pull the cable with the brake lever.
With a hydraulic disc brake system the brake calipers are pushed by the hydraulic fluid. The brake actuation cylinder and caliper can multiply the force by several factors. With a cable pull system you may have to squeeze the lever pretty hard to stop quickly.
With a hydraulic system you can screech yourself to a halt with 1 finger effort. The downside is you have to learn to control how much you squeeze your brakes so you don’t send yourself over the handlebars trying to stop.
27.5inch vs 29inch wheels
There are 2 popular wheel sizes out there right now for mountain bikes. 27.5 inch and 29 inch wheels. Nothing is made with 26inch wheels anymore above Walmart store level bikes.
29 inch wheels roll a bit faster and are better for cross country riding. They make the bike less likely to endo if you stick the front tire on something. They can make the bike feel a bit sluggish. All cross country race bikes are 29inch wheels.
27.5 inch wheels are a bit lighter and the bike will feel a bit livelier. Some people prefer them for more technical riding. Most downhill race bikes are 27.5 inch wheels. Some Enduro Bikes are 27.5. Some are 29inch.
Mountain Biking FAQ
Q: What mountain bike should I get if I have $600 to spend?
Find the bike with the best components, fork, and driveline you can afford. It’s helpful to ride a bike too if you can because different frame geometries feel different when riding.
Q: Should I Just Buy A Really Cheap Mountain Bike From Walmart?
Obviously everyone has a budget. You can get around a lot of mountain bike trails just fine on virtually any bike out there. Once the trails begins to have a lot of roots and rocks to roll over it will start shaking and destroying parts on a cheap bike. There are tons of videos out there on Youtube showing the effects of trail riding on really cheap bikes.
The below video shows some good information on how well very inexpensive Walmart mountain bikes hold up to trail riding.
Q: Should I buy at bike at a bike shop or online?
At the $500-$600 price range there really isn’t much of a bargain to be had online. If you look at what bikes are coming with, the bikes sold strictly online aren’t coming with anything better for the same price and in many cases have a lot of unknown parts like suspension forks that it is impossible to find any information on. If you have a local bike shop I would go there. If you don’t then go shop online for a bike.
Sooner or later the bike will need maintenance or replacement parts and you’ll probably be going to a bike shop at that point whether you bought it there or not.
Q: Should I wear a helmet while mountain biking?
Yes. You should ride a helmet while mountain biking. I have mountain biked for a long time now and have had a few scares along the way. Several of my worst falls were on trails I think are easy. Overconfidence can lead to bad things happening sometimes. Helmets aren’t that expensive and can really save your day sometimes.
See our guide to the best mountain bike helmets under $100 for some great options.
Q: What is a 29er?
A 29er is simply a mountain bike with 29 inch wheels. Originally almost all mountain bikes had 26 inch wheels. When 29inch wheels came onto the scene people referred to bikes with 29 inch wheels as “29ers”. Today a majority of mountain bikes have 29inch or 27.5inch wheels and 26inch wheels are virtually non existent.
Q: How Hard Is It To Upgrade A Bike?
Most parts of the bike that are easy to fix and replace are also easy to upgrade. It will require a bit of research to find what parts are compatible. If your bike has 7 rear cogs, almost any Shimano or SRAM rear derailleur, shifter or rear cassette will work. Some things are fairly standardized. There is a Youtube video out showing how to do almost any upgrade you can think of doing.
Some really common upgrades to do on new bikes are the seat, pedals and handlebar grips. Those items are your touch points on the bike and you can really make a bike feel different by changing them.
Q: Where Can I Find Mountain Biking Trails?
The best place to start on this search is the International Mountain Biking Association. Click here to go to their where to ride page. You can also Google “Mountain Bike trails near me” to get some help on local trails.
Some areas have their own organization. In Michigan we have the Michigan Mountain Biking Association that has very good trail information on their page. You can see it here.
Q: What’s the best way to carry water while mountain biking?
Staying hydrated during a bike ride is very important. 2 good options are water bottles and hydration packs. I personally prefer hydration packs because you can carry more water and it gives you some place to carry your tools and spare tube. See my article on hydration packs vs water bottles for mountain biking to learn more.
Q: What are Tubeless Tires And Wheels?
Most bikes above about $800 price point have “Tubeless ready wheels”. They are setup so that you can remove the inner tube and use just a tire on the wheel. The tires are filled with some liquid sealant that seals any gaps and can also reseal holes from thorns or nails so you don’t get a flat.
You can ride with lower air pressure without worrying about getting a “pinch flat” where the inner tube gets pinched between the rim and tire and gets a hole in it that looks like a snake bite. You save the weight of having an inner tube in the tire.
Almost any mountain bike wheel can be converted to tubeless. The only real difference between a tubeless ready wheel and a regular wheel is a $15 rim tape going around the inside of the rim.
Q: What are clipless pedals and should I get them?
The term clipless pedals is a bit of an oxymoron. Clipless pedals use cleats on the bottom of the shoe that clip into the pedal. If you are going to race your mountain bike then by all means get clipless pedals and shoes. If you are just riding for fun I strongly recommend avoiding clipless pedals.
You will save yourself the agony of occasionally falling over when you stop and you’ll feel more confident to try difficult technical features when you are not worried whether you can get your feet unclipped if you need to.
You might also like:
- Full Suspension Mountain Bike Weight. How Heavy Are They?
- Cycle Wheels USA Wheelset Review – Great Custom Made MTB Wheels
- Parts Of A Mountain Bike. Helpful Guide To Your Bike
- Outdoor Master Bike Helmet With MIPS – Great Helmet Under $60
Doug Ryan
Co-Founder & Chief Editor
I grew up back east in Pennsylvania and learned to ski on a family trip to Killington, Vermont when I was 6. I immediately fell in love with the mountains and outdoors and have been skiing across the US and Canada ever since. I went to school for Mechanical Engineering, and have a Master’s Degree in Material Science and Reliability.
I am a total gear nerd and love learning how things work and thinking about how they could be improved. Nothing excites me more than trying out new gear. I’d rather spend 3 hours taking my bike apart and learning how to change something than go to a bike shop. These days I reside in Michigan by the Great Lakes and go skiing, biking, and boating as much as possible.
doug@adventuregearinsider.com
