You've got to love a hardtail mountain bike, a hardtail takes you back to the halcyon days of mountain biking, a simpler time before you had to worry about your suspension kinematics and suggested sag range percentages, and all the other fun things we get to tinker with on today's full-sus mountain bikes. There's no doubt that the best hardtail mountain bikes are great options for beginners, but they're also a top choice for experienced riders looking for the lightest bike possible, or who want to experience the most direct trail feel with reduced mechanical complexity, which makes for a more responsive and easier to maintain bike.
I personally love getting on a hardtail bike, for nostalgia and the fact that they are generally great fun to ride. With the October Amazon Prime Day deals in full effect, there are plenty of hardtail MTB deals kicking around, and I've put together three of the best deals I've seen so far for anyone on the hunt for the best budget hardtail mountain bike deals.
1. Marin Team Marin 2
Depending on what your opinion of 'the budget' is, this one might be heading in the not-so-budget direction, but bear with me, because the Team Marin 2 is an exceptionally well-specced hardtail, currently coming with a 21% discount that takes it under $2,000. This one was a top pick for me, as I rode the titanium framed, Shimano XTR equipped Marin Team Edition back in the day, and Marin has been at the heart of MTB since the beginning.
The Team Marin 2 XC bike is designed to ride fast on the trails and to perform exceptionally well on the climbs. It has a super light aluminum frame with 120mm of travel on the front fork, and the frame features full internal cable routing, Boost spacing, internal dropper post routing, and tire clearance for up to 2.35-inch tires.
Up front is the excellent Fox 34 StepCast fork with 120mm of travel. Other componentry highlights are the Shimano XT/SLX 12-speed drivetrain, and stopping power comes from the TRP G-Spec FMR hydraulic disc brakes. Aluminum tubeless-ready rims are paired with Maxxis Rekon Race tan wall tires that are tubeless-ready, and there is also a TranzX Dropper Post.
Tech specs: Marin Team Marin 2
- Frame: Series 4 6061 Aluminum
- Fork: Fox 34 StepCast, 120mm
- Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT
- Shifters: Shimano SLX, 12-Spd
- Stem: Marin 3D, alloy
- Bar: Marin Mini-Riser, Alloy
- Crankset: FSA Grid, 32t
- Seatpost: TranzX Dropper
- Brakes: TRP G-Spec FMR
- Wheels: Marin Aluminum Double-Wall Rims, Shimano Boost Hubs
- Tires: Maxxis Recon Race
- Color: Gloss Black
- Sizes: S and M
2. Kona Big Honzo
Another great deal from Jenson USA comes from one of the best mountain bike brands in Kona's Big Honzo, and again this one comes with a superb spec, at a price now discounted by 40%, bringing this in at under $1,000. The Kona Big Honzo is a trail mountain bike so has a slightly longer suspension travel to the Marin at 130mm, with a coil-sprung Suntour XCR34 LOR DS fork.
Designed to climb efficiently and descend with confidence, the aluminum-framed Kona Big Honzo also comes with a Shimano Deore 11-speed drivetrain, Tektro HDM275 hydraulic disc brakes and WTB ST i35 TCS 2.0 rims paired with WTB Ranger tubeless-ready tires. Another highlight is the Tranz X dropper post which is rare on a budget mountain bike.
Tech specs: Kona Big Honzo
- Frame: Kona 6061 Aluminum Butted
- Fork: Suntour XCR34 LOR DS, 130mm
- Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore
- Shifters: Shimano Deore, 11-Spd
- Stem: Kona XC
- Bar: Kona XC/BC
- Crankset: Shimano MT5100, 30t
- Seatpost: TranzX Dropper
- Brakes: Tektro HDM275 hydraulic
- Wheels: WTB ST i35 TCS 2.0 Rims
- Tires: WTB Ranger
- Color: Satin Black
- Sizes: S, M, L and XL
3. Ragley Big Wig
The outstanding Ragley Big Wig hardtail mountain bike is currently getting a massive $1,170 discount from Chain Reaction in a deal that's bound to be snapped up quickly. The much-loved UK brand specializes in producing the finest quality frames and some of the best hardtail mountain bikes around, and the Big Wig is one of their most popular models that received an excellent four-star review on Bike Perfect when we tested the Ragley Big Wig Race edition.
Ragley has also recently overhauled its entire range of mountain bike frames, with every bike in its collection receiving a geometry update. The Big Wig is a perfect option as an all-rounder MTB with an excellent line-up of components to deliver the goods, especially if you have your eyes on a steel-framed MTB. Equipped with RockShox Revelation RC forks, a Shimano Deore M6100 12-speed groupset and hydraulic disc brakes, and a Brand-X dropper post. The Big Wig rolls on 29-inch wheels and features a custom triple-butted 4130 Chromoly (CrMo) tubing steel frame, and this price makes it a very attractive bike.
Tech specs: Ragley Big Wig
- Frame: Ragley Big Wig 29" 4130 Chromoly (CrMo)
- Fork: Rockshox Revelation RC 140mm travel
- Rear Derailleur: Shimano M7100 SLX SGS
- Shifters: Shimano M7100, SLX 12-spd
- Stem: Ragley Stubbing V2 50mm
- Bar: Ragley, Alloy
- Crankset: Race Face Ride, 170mm, 30t
- Seatpost: Brand-X Ascend Internal dropper post
- Brakes: SRAM DB8 200mm F 180mm R
- Wheels: WTB ST i30 TCS 2.0
- Tires: Maxxis Minion DHF / Minion DHR II
- Color: Moss Green
- Sizes: M, L, XL
