The 5 Best Mountain Bike Under $250 in ​2021

The Kent KZ2600 Dual Suspension Mountain Bike is an affordable, high-quality, and versatile mountain bike that surely doesn't disappoint you when it comes to performance, making it an ideal choice for beginners and professionals alike. This full suspension mountain bike features a corrosion-resistant aluminum frame with a floating beam design. The Kent KZ2600 has 26 inch double alloy rims with 36 spokes for durability, safety, and long-lasting performance. The mountain bike also features 21 speed twist shifters along with front and rear disc brakes. This not only makes the braking system quite reliable and but also allows for smooth stopping while providing greater control over the bike. Another great thing about Kent KZ2600 mountain bike is that its assembly is quite straightforward and can be done easily without the help of any professional.

However, the bike is slightly heavy and weighs about 40 pounds, making it difficult to carry around. Nonetheless, this bike is an excellent choice for children and adults who do not want to spend a fortune on the best mountain bikes but still want to experience the thrills of mountain biking. All in all, Kent KZ2600 dual suspension mountain bike is a great buy under $200 for those who want a bike that works for years to come without requiring frequent trips to the mechanic.

Pros

• Comfortable design
• Strong aluminum frame
• 21 speed shifters
• Affordable and easy to assemble

Cons

• Heavy
• Tires may need to be replaced after 6 miles

#3 Vertical Alpine Eagle

The Vertical Alpine Eagle 24 Inch Bike is yet another amazing bike by Dynacraft that has earned a spot for itself on our list. With dual-suspensions and front and rear brakes, the Vertical Alpine bike is equipped to endure the challenges of mountain biking. The bike has 18 speed shifters making it a perfect buy for young children. The bike has an extremely comfortable frame, and the frame allows the handlebars to be raised or lowered as well. The seat post can be adjusted to the desired height to ensure a comfortable riding experience. Vertical Alpine Eagle comes with a padded seat and rear and front linear pull brakes, making it extremely safe for young children and ensures a smooth braking operation in times of emergency.

Vertical Alpine Eagle bike comes in a vibrant mint green frame with custom graphic stickers and colorful accents throughout the bike frame. This color palette makes it an elegant pick for young girls. The bike comes unassembled, but it does not require much time or any professional help to be assembled. Overall, Dynacraft’s Vertical Alpine Eagle bike is a perfect entry level mountain bike for kids and teenagers who want to have a taste of mountain biking without going over the budget.

Pros

• Dual suspension
• Comfortable frame
• Quick responding brakes
• Can be for girls and boys

Cons

• Slightly heavy in weight
• Tires do not hold air for long
• Requires constant maintenance

#4 Dynacraft Magna Echo Ridge

The Magna Echo Ridge 24 Inch Bike by Dynacraft comes with front suspensions and features a solid steel frame with a deluxe red paint finish, all at quite an affordable price. The bike frame has a color palette of navy blue, black and white, which will surely turn heads wherever you go. The bike has a tough and sturdy frame with front shock suspensions and front and rear brakes to make emergency stopping a breeze. The bike has 18 speed shifters and has a soft padded seat, which is also shock resistant so that you can have a comfortable riding experience.

The bike, however, is heavy and weighs about 44 pounds and does not come assembled. But the good news is that it can be assembled in a short amount of time and does not require any professional help. The bike features a kickstand and includes a bottle holder. Apart from that, Magna Echo Ride 24 Inch Bike also features large wide pedals which makes the foot grip to be strong and balanced. All in all, the Magna Echo Ride 24 Inch Bike should be your go-to choice if you want to ride in style without compromising on your comfort.

Pros

• Budget friendly
• Strong bike frame
• Comfortable seat
• Strong brakes

Cons

• Weighs on the heavier side
• Requires frequent maintenance

#5 Eurobike X1

The Eurobike Bicycle X1-27.5 inch is a mountain bike that offers some of the most desirable features of a mountain bike at a surprisingly low price. The bike supports a weight of up to 220 pounds and comes with front and rear brakes and standard size tires to support the ride.  Shimano front and rear derailleurs are also included along with 7-speed shifters for speed control. The X1 Bike comes with quality assurance of 1 year, which means that you would not have to spend any maintenance cost on the bike. The bike can support heights of up to 5 inches and 11 centimeters and is a perfect fit for young adults and teenagers alike.

The bike comes in a color palette of neon green and black, making it a perfect option for boys. Since it is made of steel frames, it weights about 44 pounds, which is considered to be on the heavier side. However, the great thing about Eurobike X1 is that it comes 85% preassembled- all you have to do is put the front handle and pedals together. The pedals are wide in shape for a strong foot grip and higher stability.

Pros

• Supports a wide range of heights
• Has a smooth braking system

Cons

• Low quality bike parts
• Heavy in weight

Buyer’s Guide

Finding the right mountain bike under a budget is not an easy task, especially considering the vast array of features and MTB-specific terminology you need to be aware of. This comprehensive buyer’s guide will acquaint you with everything you need to know about inexpensive best mountain bikes and make the entire buying process a lot easier for you.

Types of Mountain Bikes

Buying a good mountain bike requires clarity on the intended use of the bike since there are different types of bike models available to choose from. So it's essential that you spend some time to decide on the biking style as well as the terrains you want to ride your bike on, as both of these will play an important role in helping you pick the right MTB model.

The most common ones under $250 are trail bikes, which are perfect for beginners and experts alike. Cross country bikes are light to allow for easier acceleration and offer a comfortable user experience. Likewise, downhill and fat bikes are designed to make technical rides safer and more comfortable but enduro bikes are specially made for professional enduro racing so they might not be your go-to choice if you're just starting.

Budget

The important step for buying the right mountain bike for yourself is to determine the budget earlier in the process to narrow down the range of options available to you. MTB prices can range from as low as $50 to as high as $5000 but since you’ve already determined a price range of under $250 for your new purchase, you’re done with the most difficult part of buying the right mountain bike.

Now you might think that it's difficult to but a low-budget bike with all or perhaps most of the features as those found in the expensive one. The good thing is that most MTB manufacturers are aware of the versatile needs of ever rider and thus they are developing MTB models to with all the amazing features one can ask for in a mountain bike, no matter if it's entry level or a high-end one.

Comfortability

When investing your hard-earned money on a mountain bike, the last thing you want is an uncomfortable riding experience. The frame size plays an important role in determining the overall comfortability and safety of your ride so make sure to purchase a bike of the right size and fit. To determine if the frame size is right for you, perform a step-over test by standing over the top tube and check is the approximate distance between you and the bike is at least 2 inches.

Features

Choosing the right features according to your intended biking style is immensely crucial as it can greatly enhance your biking experience. Here are some of the basic yet important features you should know about.

Suspensions

Suspensions absorb the effect of uneven surfaces and improve the overall grip and traction while riding on rough, uneven terrains. When talking about suspensions, the best cheap mountain bikes can either be rigid, hardtail or full suspension. Rigid mountain bikes do not have any suspensions while hardtail bikes are ones that have front suspension fork to absorb the impact on the front wheel.  Full suspension bikes are even more sophisticated. Front and rear shocks in these MTBs allow for the most comfortable rides even on the rockiest surfaces, but they may be a bit hard to find one under $250!

Brakes

Brakes are an important consideration if you want your ride to be safe. Cheap mountain bikes are generally equipped with either disc brakes or rim brakes. Although rim brakes are don’t cost much and weight considerably less, they can’t be relied upon under wet surface conditions. On the other hand, disc brakes work efficiently on a number of terrains and surfaces and hence are increasingly replacing rim brakes in modern MTB models.

Gears

Mountain bike gears enable you to vary the useful torque output and switch between different speeds without any troubles on an array of surfaces. There can be multiple gears on your MTB  but purchasing a bike with a suitable number of gears depends on your riding style and the terrain.  Generally, the required number of gears increase as the surface slope increases to give you more control over your ride. 

Wheels And Tyres

Many people overlook the role MTB wheels play in determining the performance of your bike on desired terrains. The wheels should be made of durable material or otherwise, you would need to replace them only after a few rides. Moreover, bike wheels should be of the right size for pleasant riding experience. They are generally available in three different sizes, but the one you choose should be in line with the terrain you intend to ride on. 26" wheels offer better acceleration due to their lightweight while 29" wheels offer a greater grip and traction on rocky surfaces. However, 27.5" wheels provide the right balance between weight and traction and hence are the most desirable ones for use on varied surfaces.

Conclusion

As MTB manufacturers endeavor to provide a better user experience to riders of all levels, finding the perfect mountain bike under $250 in 2020 is now possible. However, the bewildering array of options available to you in the market may leave you confused and, in that case, a little guidance can save you from a lot of trouble. We hope that this article will prove to be helpful in your questing to find a good mountain bike for yourself. Make sure to check out top-rated mountain bikes under $250 as well – you might as well find something you’ve been looking for all this time!