The last few years haven't been great for the entry-level mountain bike market, rising costs and stock issues have caused budget mountain bike manufacturers to either raise prices or lower specs.
Calibre looks to be righting those wrongs though with their updated Line hardtail, which features an impressive spec for a very reasonable price.
The Lines 6061 aluminum frame features progressive geometry and modern Boost width thru-axles which will improve the stiffness of the frame and make future wheel upgrades easier. There's two bottle cage mounts, one on the downtube and one under the top tube, and stealth dropper routing. The Line frame has fully external routing for the gears and brakes which helps simplify maintenance.
It's the component sheet that is really impressive on the Line though. The bikes come in either 27.5in or 29in wheel sizes and it's the cheaper 27.5 that particularly stands out as great value.
The bikes are available through UK outdoor retailer Go Outdoors (they are also sold by Millets and Blacks) and with a Go Outdoors members card you can pick up the Calibre Line T3 27 for just £999 (RRP £1,200). For a hardtail mountain bike under a £1000, you're getting a RockShox Recon Silver RL 140mm travel suspension fork, SRAM NX 11sp drivetrain, SRAM Level T brakes, and Maxxis Rekon 2.6in tires. What makes this particularly good value is that you also get a KS Rage-i dropper post, something that is rarely featured on bikes at this price point.
The Line T3 29 has larger 29er wheels and a slightly upgraded spec, adding SRAM Guide four-piston brakes for enhanced stopping power. The Line T3 29 retails for £1,100 for Go Outdoors members (RRP £1,300).
