This is the bike I've been looking for.
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
- Where should you invest money when upgrading your bike? Well, I aim to help you figure that out! The GT sensor Sport makes a fantastic budget bike that actually worth putting parts on, so over the next year we're going to make this bike the best it can be. Without breaking the bank!
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#GTbike #Budgetbike #TrailFeatures
WOW! Thank you, everyone! I didn't expect this video to catch on, but I'm *so* happy it did! I've gotten a lot of great feedback, and want to take a moment to address some things:
1. I really shouldn't have called this an entry-level bike. A good hardtail (like the one in Daily MTB rider's vid) is the true entry-level bike. A $1400-$2000 FS bike like this would be the next step up form that. You've learned how to throw a bike around a bit, but don't quite want to put down $3K+.
2. Buying a used bike will, in fact, always be the best way to get the most bike for the least money. The problem with that is you really need to know what you're looking for to make sure you get a quality bike. Not everyone knows what redflags to look for and can buy a bike that turns out to need a lot of work done. That will quickly eat away any savings you made buying used. In that regard, it can be safer for some people to buy a more budget friendly bike that comes with a warranty. Then ride that for a while before thinking about doing anything to it.
3. I didn't want to make it sound like someone should buy a bike and immediately start swapping parts. As I mentioned, it's always cheaper to spend a little more up front for the next trim package up that comes with better parts. Outside of basics like grips, pedals, and maybe tires, people really shouldn't pour money into upgrading a bike until at least riding it for a few 5-8 months . At that point you can start to decide what, if anything, really needs an upgrade and you've had time to save some money.
4. The cost of tools also needs to be addressed when upgrading a bike. I'm going to do my best to start off with upgrades that only need some basic tools and work up from there. I'll also be trying my best to teach basic mechanical skills throughout this project, because I learned so much of what I know by wrenching on my old hardtail.
As I said, I should have been a more clear in this video. Given the feedback on this video, I will for sure go into better detail in the next video to help clear some things up!
Thanks!
Change the rear wheel to 650b or 27.5 and that will cut your crashes in half.
just curious, what trail(s) did you take this on in Moab ?
@@timothyranken4238 www.strava.com/activities/1917391741/
@@TrailFeatures aah nice, perfect intermediate trails for me :) was wondering if you did something balsy, like the whole enchilada
This is a mistake I made. Recently just got a 2013 Stumpjumper and evended up needing new bars, stem, chain, headset, bottom bracket, cassette, pedals, seat, seatpost, grips, tools, tires, rims, hubs, fork and shock service, and I'm sure more to come like cranks, and brakes, my $1300 deal turned into a 3.5k nightmare. However I do love it now, I've made it my own, and it will last me a long time. I will day I'm a sucker for having the "best" so I didn't exactly skimp out on parts either ...
Really good move! The truth is that anything more advanced than this is a luxury. Luxury is something a lot of us decide is important, but it’s not an essential part of getting on the trails.
Word.
Wise words of seth bike god
Seth i was looking for full suspension bike that is below 1000$
@@vidakgrbovic1283 you should probably look at some used bikes on Pinkbike if that's your budget, just watch a video on what to look for first
@@RLSteffler ok thanks for suggestions
My first car cost less than this bike. Mountain biking is absolutely nuts when the cost of entry is 1000$+
Eh, tbh the diamondback hook is a good sub 1k bike
Vitus Nucleus
Oayx not if you consider it has a coil fork up front. I mean if you want to spend $500 on a new fork too then sure. Rocky Mountain Fusion 30 has an air fork only comparably bike I can find but it is a 29er. GT probably makes something similar too.
@@ryanwierckx5377 vitus has an air fork budget bike there's no gt with an air fork at that price
i bought my first mountainhbike for 180 euro's
Glad to see someone actually “bought” themselves a decent and capable bike that most of us MTBers can actually purchase and review said bike that isn’t a top tiered carbon $5k-$12k bike given to them by the brand.....I’m so tired of seeing all the mtb UA-cam channels review the latest and newest 2020 bikes and they’re all top tier or just right below it models. Does anyone else actually review mid level aluminum bikes anymore!? It’s like checking out Motortrend to see the latest vehicles coming out for the new year that could possibly push me toward buying a new vehicle, but all I see are reviews for Ferrari’s and Lamborghinis. Thank you for being a normal person who actually thinks about the majority demographic 👍🏼👍🏼
I'm riding an 06 Stinky I bought from my uncle 10 years ago. Still trying to get my head around $1900 being a "budget bike"
Jess Hines it’s very budget
@@bestofthenavy1609 I guess any amount does qualify as A "budget," but it seems that 10 years ago when I got the Stinky, I could have bought top of the line for that price. But maybe I just didn't really know what that cost back then either.
Jess Hines well its a budget bike compared to his previous yeti bike.
@@finnharkort-berge765 yeah I guess like so many things "budget" is relative. My "budget" process consisted of thoroughly cleaning my 06 Stinky and learning how to do fork and derailleur service. Runs like a champ now! Maybe a "budget" bike is a little later in my future :)
@@JessHines well yeah , it is. Glad to hear youre enjoying your budget tho
The Dropper Post is definitely the first upgrade for any bike that doesn't have one. Love the vid, and can't wait for this series to play out!
Yup, I'm looking forward to the day they are standard on all levels of bikes!
don't forget slapping on a set of decent pedals {for new people that may not have one that they swap out of their old bike}
Try a G!ant dropper, good bang for the buck. I put one on my fat bike and it rocks even in the cold...
Solid! Looking forward to the journey
It's going to be a fun one!
Am new to mtb and bought a ‘99 GT Backwoods hardtail as my 1st bike. After a few months as my skills developed I went for a ‘00 GT XCR 5000. On both bikes the single, least expensive, upgrade which made a HUGE difference to both bikes was converting to tubeless and upgrading the tyres. I’m from Northern Ireland and we ride wet trails mostly as it rains plenty across the seasons, so I upgraded to Continental Mountain Kings - 2.2” front and 2.1” rear to the Backwoods and 2.3” front and 2.2” rear for the XCR. Despite my burly 200kg weight and the antiquated but properly functioning suspensions on both bikes, grip, AND riding comfort have been transformed.
I’d suggest the best first upgrade to go for on your budget/entry level mtb is your tyres. Consider the type of riding you’ll be doing, go tubeless to lighten the load and reduce tyre pressures and buy a set of good quality tyres.
YES A TRAIL FEATURES VIDEO! Ok, the best upgrade I ever made was the ODI Elite grips. It's an important contact point and those were really a game changer!
Oh man, contact points are so important. And you can spend so little money on it to get such a huge return!
I have the same grips on my GT and love them
ODI Aaron Gwinn grips are the Tits
I second that; contact points are really important between you and the bike as well as the bike and the ground...so pedals, grips and tires are my first things to change if needed. If the bike is really a budget ride make sure it's got a decent level shifting component group with a clutched derailleur as this can be really frustrating and annoying esp for new riders if things aren't working properly. But, even 'deore' or NX stuff is pretty solid these days so hopefully it's not something that needs immediate upgrading.
Sweet dude! When it comes to best upgrade I've made, it would be one that I would carry over to whatever bike I'm riding, now and in the future. Like Paul, for me that's my grips! DMR Deathgrips fo lyfe. Looking forward to seeing this project progress!
This is true. The slip-ons that came with the bike serve the purpose, but I'll be replacing them ASAP!
Dmr Deathgrips are best grips so far that I've tried. Only downside is that they don't last that long. Another great upgrade you can carry over to whatever bike are pedals. Loving my Dmr V12 with terror pins. For 50€ those pedals have to be the best upgrade money/performance wise I've done.
Just wanted to say thanks for keeping it real! I've been mtb'ing since 94' & the most expensive bike I've owned is my current $1,300 Camber. Got a great deal on a NEW last yr model that was retailed at $1,900. My HT b4 that was retailed $1,400, paid $900. My current bike is set up for what a manufacture would charge $3,000-$5,000 for all because I shopped around and built it up the way I wanted with sale parts, take off parts, hardly used parts! Much like the car scene I'm proud to say mine is built (to a point) rather than just bought & exactly how I want. I personally would never spend $2k plus up front on any bike. This market is over inflated and filled with way to many bike snobs. Its great to see people like yourself inspiring the new & the young to just get out there and have a good time! Plus the look on someones face as you pass them on your "cheap" bike is priceless!
dude.... that EPIC AF intro!.... I can't wait to see the rest of this series..
Entry-level bikes deserve epic cinematography also!
🤔 Where does bike fit end and upgrade start?!
The *contact points* (grips, saddle, pedals) are somewhat right in the middle i think.
But a shorter *stem* is an instant game changer on ANY rig!
*Tires* are a big one too - didn't think compound in itself would make _such_ a difference, let alone the tread!
*Dropper* (post) imo has been the biggest invention in MTB-ing since shox have been introduced!
From there on it just becomes fun i guess.
p.s.: What a move to swap your Yeti for an entry level fully! *PROPS!* ✨🏆✨
imho: That's where most current mtb channels fail, riding top of the line bikes pretty much no one can relate to - you, Sir, just earned a sub! 👌🏻
man, i cant believe the quality of videos you make, i did not think ONCE that you had only 19k subs when i was watching this. you are a great filmmaker and i hope you get a lot more subs
Been doing a budget build on my cannondale catalyst. This was a $400 bike from REI I’ve upgraded to a Rockshox recon 100mm travel air fork, Maxxis aggressors and raceface aeffects bars and stem. Totally transformed this bike. Keeping it around $1000.
Your bike is honestly as good as the GT in this video, they both have recon forks lol
Very nice introduction, good subject too!
To speak for myself (265 lbs, 6 ft 3) i usually go for the most solid parts when buying. Upgrades afterwards are usually brakes, tyres and fork.
Love to see more regarding this project.
Very nice introduction, good subject too!
To speak for myself (265 lbs, 6 ft 3) i usually go for the most solid parts when buying. Upgrades afterwards are usually brakes, tyres and fork.
Keep it up!
Great video Joseph! And the clip at 4:19 made my face go.... 😱
Yeah, his leg stuck in the frame looked awful. Not to mention no knee pads. OUCH!
Good times!
Great start to what will be a killer series! We've talked about this a few times, stoked to see it kick off after all the trolling you've done teasing it. Ergon GP1 grips were a great upgrade for me! Increased surface contact = better control. Experimenting with an upgrade from 180-203mm rotors would be fun with brake testing.
I think putting better pads, or just upgrading the brakes would be better than putting 203 rotors on. I don't think the fork that came with the bike supports them, and cheap 203 rotors would likely warp like a mother.
Spend 700$ on a 2012 specialized enduro best decision I ever made people were telling me that it is gonna be trash but it has modern geo 170 mm of travel and exceeds my every need and I feel like I’m not even using the bike to its full potential people need to more open minded about budget bikes love the vid man and looking forward to the next one
Epic my friend, GT should hire you to do their videos lol. Upgrades I have found to be most beneficial on a new bike would be tires, carbon bars and carbon wheels. You get what you pay for so choose wisely. Thanks again for sharing this epic video reveal.
I would definitely be very picky on which carbon bars I put on my bikes. I've heard way too many horror stories of people breaking carbon bars!
You're absolutely right when you say things are getting out of control and the wrong message is being sent to new riders...imagine wanting to get into this sport and then finding out the bike you've been eyeing costs more than the car you own. That's the reality in the world of mtbing these days. If bike manufacturers want to sell their bikes, they need to be more affordable, period. The only reason Yeti or Canyon or whoever can charge $5000 for a bike is because people keep paying that much for them.
Dropper post. First thing to do, second- tubeless and tire choice, third- customize handlebar and stem set up, fourth- grips
Such an important message here. That GT bike looks like everything you need and nothing you don't. Awesome
Been riding same bike for 4 years with no up grades ( basic maintenance, chain, cassette, pads, tires). As Eddy Merckyx said " If you want to faster, don't get upgrades, go up grades"
Best bang for buck in my opinion is cockpit upgrades (stem, bars, and grips)
Completely changes the feel for a relatively cheap price
I love how people are trying to inspire and show the truth about how expensive of a bike that they need to even ride! I am deeply inspired and I really thank the you tubers and the mountain bike community for this.
Awesome, man! I'm really hoping this series gets more people out on bikes without having to stress about the bike they're on!
I think that’s great! I’m trying to find a new bike and I’m 15 years old. This has cleared up some envy between me and other friends of mine.! Thanks for replying.
Just my opinion, contact points are an easy and low cost upgrade that can allow you to ride longer. I always change the grips, peddles, and saddle. Next is tires. I always put tires on I know and trust. For the riding I do, Vittoria Mezcals are excellent.
I agree, ride until parts break then upgrade. at the same time, save up while the stock parts/components are still working properly. had a '99 SC heckler and upgraded the drive train components when the stock parts when they started failing as an example.
My greatest upgrade... When I bought my Trek Stache 7 2016 model, it came with 80mm stem. I switched that immediately to 65mm I had because I was feeling really stretched. It was ok after that, but due to fact, that mountains here in Poland are mostly steep I decided to go for a 45mm to give me that safe feel. What turned out after a half year of riding is that when I did some flow trails, or hand build trails I felt like going over the bars! The bike was too short with that 45mm stem! I decided to go for 60mm stem and found it out to be perfect :) The bike now feels just right. So there we go :) Love the channel and the video!
Fit is always #1. Everything after that is a bonus!
You nailed it on this video!!
Everyone has their idea of what the best components are. But when you start with a well designed frame and work the canvas from there.... I'm racing a sub $2k bike and smashing it. The components selected suit the area I ride. And are all custom. That is what's fun for me. Making a common bike unique to me
Man, I'm stoked to hear this! Thinking you need a 5k+ bike to race is another myth I'm hoping to squash. If you're a pro? Sure, you need that edge. But if you're racing for fun, or still working your way up the ranks, then working on skill sets will get you a much better ROI.
I started with a Marin Hawk Hill. First upgrade - Dropper post. Second - better hubs, higher POE and bigger rear axle (this is cheaper for me as I can lace and true my own wheels). Third - new stem and bars (35 Easton Haven Carbon). Next will probably be rear shock, brakes and then drive train. Its a lot of fun and very rewarding to start with something solid and then upgrade yourself. I love working on bikes (and cars), so this process works for me.
The Hawk Hill is a *great* bike. I went with the GT because I liked the geo on it, but the Hawk hill was a close 2nd!
Great project Joseph! I'm always looking for the budget friendly bikes and this seems like a great offering. I typically make tires my first upgrade depending what comes on the bike. Excited to see this build progress!
I'd like to see GT either bring the spec up, or the cost down on this trim. However, for a Steep/slack geo you're going to be hard pressed to find a more budget friendly option!
I upgraded some components of my bike after a year of purchasing it and chose the cheapest option of components upgrade I can find without compromising too much quality and I love it. Almost most of my upgrades by the way, I got it on sale. The most expensive upgrade that I made was the fork which cost me AUD 800 (I got it on sale with SRP of AUD 1500) and the next most expensive I think was the dropper post for AUD250 and that's it. Other components like handlebars, saddle, pedals, stem, rear derrailer and shifter only cost me less than AUD 100 for each. I always believe that SKILLS is the first one to upgrade before the bike. If you think you upgraded your skills and you already using the full potential of your bike then its the best time to upgrade your bike. cheers.
Best upgrades I've made are 1) Oneup composite pedals - Same price as the "cheap" alloy pedals that came on my bike and I have (literally - I did math) about 10% as many pedal slips as I used to. 2) SQLab 60X saddle - As a 30-something with a lingering back injury this has improved my comfort and enjoyability massively.
haha! I love some good metrics! The saddle is often overlooked, but as you know it can really make the ride better!
Have you thought about the possibility of selling the bike after a year to see how much of your cash you could recoup after the upgrades? Or even turning it back to stock and selling the bike stock and the upgrade parts separately? Could be interesting.... :)
We'll have to see! Who knows? I may decide that I like this too much to sell it at the end of the year! 😎
@DempseyTheDog I tend to agree, but i'm not new in to MTB. If i were new, getting an entry level bike i could grow with for a year or so would be beneficial in many ways. I think the biggest intangible is learning how to wrench on your bike by changing out parts. :)
Mr Tonka yes this is why I would like to see
My current bike is a 2017 Giant ATX1. I can't exactly afford a duallie, so it's a pretty standard entry-level hardtail that does the job and gets me on the trail with no worries. The best upgrade I made were the tyres, from the stock ones to a set of Maxxis Ikons. While i did get used to the slippage of the stock ones and learn to control it, the Ikons are rubber mountain goats in comparison.
In my fuel ex 5, the biggest changes have been shorter stem (35mm from 60mm), adding tokens to the rear shock and extending the fork travel by 10mm. Not sure if these count as upgrades as they're mostly bike fitting changes. When the bike fits, it rides well.
Very true!
Most useful upgrades in order of importance vs budget balance: Dropper, tyres, saddle, pedals, grips, bar and then the rest
I bought a low end Specialized Camber. 1,600 bucks, then got a dropper for it. I’m older and not as aggressive as I used to be. The shocks got better after tuning, breaks are good for trails, it shifts and the geometry is great. I don’t big mountain or big hit ride anymore, so the package works for my routine. Today’s stuff is so good, it’s so much better than several years ago for the money, geometry and features in particular. I’m happy. Cool bike and your right, great job
Mine best upgrade was a 1x12 drivetrain. It just gave me the ability to upshift and downshift quicker on v shaped valleys
Giant Talon 3 ( my entry into MTB proper )
Cheapest upgrade with biggest result ratio:
£20 stem. From 90mm to 60 it sharpened up the steering and took away the "driving the school bus feel"
Close second was Nukeproof Evo pedals at £25
Biggest improvement in feel:
MountainKing tyres 2.4F 2.2R £45ish for both. Only the Puregrip versions but the improvement over the Maxxis Ikon 2.2 F&R was drastic, even on smooth surfaces where you'd think bigger knobs would be slower.
Confidence shot up, times tumbled.
This should be your first upgrade.
Most expensive upgrade but worth it:
Manitou Marvel comp fork. £230 quid, just over half the bike's cost but again it gave a big confidence boost. It also raised the nose by 20mm and lightened it by over 1kg!
It was my last upgrade and I'd not recommend it as a first but for where my skill was going it was worth it.
It was the final part that took the bike from a XC & light trail use to hard trail and bike park capable bike.
Most overhyped upgrade:
Dropper post.
As a newbie to the sport my legs just weren't ready to do a whole trail stood up ( shorts ones at sub 2 mins ) even tho I'd been riding for about a year on XC routes up to about 20 miles and for a couple of years before that on an old fixed MTB.
As a fairly early upgrade I felt I had wasted £85 when it may have been better spent on pedals or grips which both made a bigger impact when fitted later.
I am now at a point a year and a bit later where I will drop the seat for some sections but only half min max before raising it again ( 3/4 up ) for smoother bits where I may still stand in the attack when needed but will sit and pedal for parts and don't need that full body movement.
The dropper is hailed by a lot as the biggest single improvement and a must do first!! but only if you're fit enough for it and are doing anything past XC trails. Small jumps drops etc it's just not essential and your money is best spent elsewhere first.
If your spuds are getting mashed however by all means get one.
2nd most overhyped for newbies.
Tubeless.
I've not tried it on my bike granted but I run 20F 24R PSI in my conti's, they're nice and squishy and I've never pinched flat.
I don't and cant burp the tyre, I've never slashed a sidewall bad enough to end a ride even tho I've had to stitch them up afterwards, tubeless would have been done. ( infact I ran for a while a mates done for tubeless tyre without doing a thing to it! )
Thorns have only ever seen the tyre flat the next day and I can change tyres in a couple of mins on a whim and no mess. Tubeless guys carry a spare tube, so do I and I won't get covered in gunk at the trail side.
Like the dropper it's just not required unless you're getting far more advanced, and you're not doing that on your 400 quid bike just yet.
Totally agree. I still have my Talon 4 and slowly upgraded overtime as my main ride. I also went with the Manitou marvel 120mm fork upgrade 2 yrs ago, huge difference! I still haven't made the leap to get a seat dropper. I run Maxxis Ardent 2.2 currently F&R... I think I'll try the wider mountain kings for more grip per your recommendation
More aggressive rear cassette was the best changing the gears made it easer for me to go fast and go up hills better. 28-11 cassette and 28-48 front crank. Then correct frame size was a good upgrade too. Now thinking the frame should be the primary thing to look up you can always change/upgrade anything on a bike but the frame is the one thing that is the most expensive and limiting factor on a bike. If you cant afford a 400+ bike walmart bikes seem to be 10 times better than they used to be. The big issue is they tend to be built poorly and parts are the bare minimum. But walmart has some good bikes just need to replace everything on it.
Hahaha! Did you know I just posted a video on a Walmart bike that was pretty good? 😃
2020 and I am still hear looking for entry level bike looking to buy one next month on B-day. Thank you
I ride a diamondback atroz comp from 2017 and it has survived bike parks, big drops, and gnarly Colorado terrain. You don’t need an expensive bike it’s just a luxury.
Very true!
Sweet vids, respect for taking the dive to a more affordable bike so others can see the proof. As a new rider to mtb and being in the same boat as that new rider needing to finance a bike to get a "good" one... this is still a $2k bike and not the "good" $400 BMX from back in the day, thus still needing to finance it for some. Sure, after my last month of exposure to the industry and hobby, this is a budget bike, but that's subjective. My point being, that it's still a large investment for some.
You were spot on with the comment about getting what you can to get out and get started.
Totally, it's still a lot of money. That's why why I don't recommend it as a first bike but a great next step after you've hit the limits of an entry level. And that was really the goal of this video, help bring things back to reality so people don't feel bad about not having a "good" bike that cost 4k+. 👍
@@TrailFeatures That's the proper outlook I think. I definitely felt that pressure while looking for a first real trail mtb. I ended up taking out a loan and buying 2 haha. There's hope!
Hey Joseph, great video! The best bang for buck upgrades to start with would be some new rubber setup tubeless. A dropper post is also a must; I even run one on my gravel bike! Stoked to see the changes coming to this bike over the coming months!
I love this. Everyone I follow on my two passions as they become more successful lose touch and end up riding premium bikes or super bikes while still calling themselves the everyday rider.
This video hits home for me. 2 years ago when I first got into biking I took borrowed money to get my first bike. Long story very very short, life happened hard a year later. I now have zero bike and is still paying back what I owe.
It sucks but I definitely learned from it.
Ouch! Sorry to hear that man. Life can hit hard some times, we've all felt it at some point. Keep up the good fight!
This is what got me to start putting up UA-cam videos. Just encouraging people to get out and ride what they have for now. Thanks for the vid...
Great Video! I love the message of not needing a $5,000 bike to enjoy biking. Another great entry into MTB would to buy a fat bike hardtail with a 2nd set of wheels. It will allow you basically 2 bikes in one to get you riding all season, and then when you upgrade to a full suspension you just keep your fatbike and keep riding through the winter. Just found you today, keep the videos coming!
I've been looking for the last 6 months to get back into riding, but can't get over the prices of the bikes. I didn't want to buy a cheap bike that won't last a year before i need a new one, and not have any resale on the beginner bike. I am going to start looking at the GT's. Thank you!
I've been super impressed with the Sessor! I encourage you to test ride one before you pull the trigger though! At the end of the day, you're the one that's going to ride your bike, so make sure you like it!
Great topic. I've been in the industry for about 40 years now - always recommended to those with a budget to stay within that budget if you could, or to save a bit longer and get the best value bike you could find. Usually believed that was a model up from the base model... Get a set of good pedals, and if the grips or saddle didn't work for you, change those first. Stem to fit the rider on the bike, if needed, though most new bikes are pretty well-sized for the frame... After that, 'upgrades' would be to convert tires to tubeless (with maybe new rubber depending on whether or not the OEM stuff would go tubeless or if a better compound/casing would help over what the stock bike came with...) then perhaps the dropper post - though learning to ride without that would likely make you better at line choice and how to move your body around on the bike... (Funny, been riding MTB for 40 years now. First dropper item was the Hite-rite back in the mid-late 80's, then rigid post for years. Have a dropper now and rarely use it. When I do, it's usually just down an inch and a half or so. Don't find that much need for it for real-world trail riding. More expensive component upgrades would be wheels, carbon bar perhaps, then replace stuff when it wears out/breaks with better parts if you think you need to.
I’ll be checking out GT because of this video. Thanks!
Their new lineup is pretty awesome!
If anyone doubts that an inexpensive bike can’t keep up with the premium bikes, I have a little something called the 100mm killa you need to see in action. Great video Joe! Glad to see you on a ride that, so far, seems to be a better fit than the Yeti.
In terms of upgrades, for my DB, swapping out the long stem and short bars for short stem and wide bars really changed the feel of the bike. After that dropper, wheels, and pedals were my big wins. Can’t wait to see what you do with your new ride!
It is a better fit! In a perfect world, I would have liked just a smidgen more reach, but a longer stem will fix that!
I totally agree. My first "real bike" was a 2017 Marin Hawk Hill., which I financed. (yes, i'm dirt poor :) ) After a few months and several problems with the bike I bought a 2017 Diamondback Recoil out right and upgraded it over the course of a few months. On paper the recoil is still a lower spec bike but in the real world it just suits me better and works better with the trails I tend to ride. 9 times of of 10, I grab the recoil went going out for a ride and couldn't be happier.
Thanks for putting this video out there. I have been buying gently used MTBs for years. I finally wanted to treat myself to a new bike. I went for the YT Jeffsy 29er CF pro race. Pretty much because of the value you get for your money. I will use your video for newbies next time they ask me about deciding on an entry level bike. Keep it up.
It's funny, I was actually looking at this bike the other day. I honestly didnt think anybody was gonna buy a budget full suspension bike since everyone is buying all these super expensive ones. People like myself dont have alot of money. I go to the trails and I see everyone with 5k bikes and me over here with a 1k hardtail. Thank you for doing this, gives me hope for when I buy my new bike.
This is exactly the reason why I decided to do this series. Help people remember that were all out there just to have fun. A good hardtail is just as much fun as any other bike. Maybe a little bit more sometimes, because shorter rides feel more intense.
I got this GT because it has some amazing geometry designs for such a low price point. I can't wait to put out the review and show at this bike can really do!
Killer move for sure! This guy definately earned my respect swapping his Yeti for a rig *we all* can relate to, eventually jeopardizing his channel/sponsorship deals along the way. ✊🏻
Just bought myself a used 140mm 650B fully for 1K + 400 bucks in parts and labour and i'm having a *BLAST* riding!
You can do the same stuff on a hardtail....just maybe a little slower and with less comfort. Will teach more about line choice too, so when you get a full sus you will be faster.
Its not what you ride. I own nice bikes, but also blow by people on the trail with my 20 year old cannondale super v hardtail and take 3ft drops, so the 6k yetis dont necessarily mean shite
The best upgrade for my bike: A 1X11!
The bike in my profile picture is an absolutely amazing bike now and it looks and feels brand new, not 14 years old since I've put a 1x drivetrain on it.
You sir....just got yourself a subscriber 👍. Absolutely great video and great idea. I'm from the UK and people don't think a bike is any good unless it has a big price tag (at least £2000 or $3000). There's so many new riders that think they are not able to do things because they don't have that shiny expensive bike when in reality the best bike out there...is the bike you've got. Because that's the bike you can go out and have fun on.
I think entry level (but not superstore cheap) bikes are great and if you look after them and keep them clean can be a great upgrade project even if you buy that shiny expensive bike a few years down the line. Always nice to have a upgrade project that's personal to you 👍
Yup. I think people may have felt I was saying a $1900 FS bike was "entry-level", but that was mostly poor choice of words. A bike like this is a great stepping stone from a good HT that you've learned how to ride and work on!
Just subscribed, really looking forward to this series as earlier this year i purchased a budget entry level bike (Calibre Triple B, UK £1400) It has been one of the best things i have done in years and really has improved my life. I go out every weekend sun or rain doing around 20 miles and am totally happy with this bike. I have upgraded the pedal, Raceface Chesters and the tyres, Maxxis Aggressor on the back and Minion DHF on the front, (bike came with a dropper post) I understand what you are saying about the young kids, I have met a few who seem to think they need a 3k+ bike to go mountain biking. Also have to factor in the shoes, pants, gloves and tops, these can be quite expensive too as I have found.
Great idea Joseph, I'll venture that most of your young/beginner/amateur watchers have never upgraded their bike. I went from a Craigslist dirt bike to a department store hard tail. Got rid of them and purchased a decent entry level hard tail with good components. Then I found a deal on a full squish that is 3 years old. The only upgrade I have done on them so far is changing to Chesters flat pedals. I'm wanting a dropper but there are a few things higher up on the list right now. I look forward to your upcoming videos.
You bring up a good point. A lot of what I'll be covering is not just what the best bang for buck part is, but how to install them and the tools needed. Half of why I know so much about bikes is all the tinkering I did on my $400 hardtail. While the bike is long gone, the knowledge I gained is still giving me value to this day!
Great video dude. I think you hit it out of the park on this one. Great one.
Thanks man! It's going to be a fun series!
I actually just upgraded to a used Yeti SB5 from a Cannondale Habit 4 alloy and it’s made a huge difference in my riding and confidence.
I so appreciate this video. I'm a dad of 3 who loves to hit the trails and rides a “budget" Giant Talon 4. I've done upgrades over time and as I can afford them. I get so frustrated with one of the bike shops in my area, which basically told me my bike wasn't good enough for one of the trail systems in my area and that I needed a FS ( which I ride all the time with my hardtail). Would I love to own a nicer hardtail or full suspension?? Yeah sure but I don't want to put myself in debt and my bike owes me nothing. I'll continue to upgrade and ride and when my bike bites to dust then I'll look at something a bit nicer.
Getting the bar/stem combo sorted was the best bang for buck. The suspension was the greatest change I made. I did build my ride frame up though so a most parts were specd properly from the beginning.
Funny you mention that, some of the first upgrades will be contact points and getting the cockpit sorted!
grips are another thing but I already had them fropma previous bike
THE BEST UPGRADE I EVER MADE - New handlebars, I have a very custom carbon giant reign and a new set of handlebars has completely transformed the way the bike feels and rides
Fit is king! the cockpit is always the best place to start!
My bike had dropper, most important for me was tires. It makes a big difference.
The stock tires on the bike were great for green and some blue trails, but I wouldn't have tried a double black without some good grip!
I must have scrolled through 100+ comments. Not once did I see tyres mentioned? TYRES, TYRES, TYRES! First thing after the dropper is a change in tyres to suit your riding style, terrain, required level of grip and puncture resistance. TYRES are one of those items that carry over on every bike. They change how the bike feels and rides over different terrain, grips over different terrain, resists punctures over different terrain... ...you get the idea. Currently my go to setup is a Maxxis Minion DHF EXO 2.5 for the front and a Maxxis Aggressor 2.5 for the rear - both 27.5 in EXO casing.
some upgrade tips for new riders;
1.tire pressure (free), expirement
2. If your bike doesn't have lock on grips and your riding trails, get some.
Really, really good advice!
Good vid I bought a trek Roscoe and upgraded to the carbon fat bars only having a blast on this bike had expensive bikes in the past even now have a one Sixty travel bike which I don’t use as much as this bike ...It’s good to see your keeping it real and showing new comers you don’t have to spend a fortune to have fun..
Going tubeless, getting new Kona platform pedals, and buying new tyres
A nice stiff wheel set with relatively high engagement adds a lot of joy to the riding experience. A carbon bar can really takes the sting out of the rough stuff.
But the first upgrades should be for safety. If the brakes are not consistent and powerful better get something decent, which don’t have to be crazy expensive. Second, if you’re trying to go big on jumps and drops you got to get your suspension sorted. Not much you can do for a flexy fork, but a desecent damper can be revalved to allow for high speed blow off. Airspring rates can be tuned for little cost to prevent bottoming or sensitivity.
Lastly, I’d say before someone starts upgrading for show or marginal performance, best to invest in some tools and consumables so you can maintain the ride you have. Things like lubing and replacing chains, replacing brake pads, bleeding brakes and serving fork lowers are all very easy, will help your bike last and be more fun to ride and will save you money for upgrades down the road. That’s a win win.
This is an amazing amount of good information. Well done!
Spacers/tokens are a cheap and easy way to change the characteristics of your suspension as well.
The Canyon neuron AL 6.0 is 1600 bucks comes with a dropper post and a fox float DPS rear shock, this in my opinion is the ultimate full suspension bike.
There are definitely a lot of great bikes out there! The GT was just something I went with because I personally liked the geometry it offered and have a soft spot for the brand because of nostalgia form my first real mountain bike being a GT.
Ultimately, the best bike to buy is the one that fits you and your budget. 😀
Great vid. I recently purchased a 2018 Marin RiftZone 2 (for $1,850) with similar specs but with a dropper for the same reasons. I'm a older XC racer looking to get back into riding after 15 years off and didn't want to jump in with a $5k bike I might not like. This $1500 to $2500 price range has so many great bikes. Like so many others, my first upgrade was grips. I then went tubeless and added a carbon bar(got on sale). Looking forward to your follow up upgrades videos.
Totaly! There are a ton of great option in that price rang for people who are looking to get back into the sport, or who are looking to move from a hard tail.
this is my story as well...off the bike after 15 years... 51 yrs old... easing back in. I originally got the rift zone 1 at first..then had a few issues, bike decent still just issues...and so the manager of the place offered me a rift zone 2 as a free upgrade for all the hassles and traveling I had to do. the rz 2 has been great for me.. been riding it daily. perfect of me..I love the dropper, it is a first for me to have. and rift zone 2 is what I originally wanted..but didn't have the funds...they were great help and kept their promise. so basically I got it for 1300.00...now on a 29 er...its fast and fun.
Dude you are soo right! I’ve been riding for 30 years and just can’t get past how ridiculous pricing has gotten... still rocking a aluminum framed bike and loving it
Nice!
The biggest bang I got for my bike was upgrading the tires I went from a slant 6 2.35 to a maxxis minion dhf 2.5 and it made I huge improvement
The tires on this bike are for sure a limiting factor for more aggressive riders. To be fair, even higher-end bikes seem to come specd with some pretty weak rubber.
I totally agree with you and Josh... Major props to both of you for making real down to earth videos and choices !!
This particular bike, the GT was definitely high on my list (top 2) until I fell on the Canyon Spectral AL 6.0 for about $500 more...
But This GT is a fantastically beautiful bike !!!
Do they stock the Canyon often or is it always sold out?
Great points. I started with an entry level Cannondale Trail 6. Added hydro brakes and air spring forks. Was like a new bike. Many bikes later, I’m now on a Canyon Spectral. You’re right-it’s more expensive in the long run to progress through bikes, but at least you can get in the trail earlier and have fun.
That’s what it’s all about, right??
You can get on the trail for 500 bucks or less if you buy used. Keep in mind, double black isnt gonna happen at that price, but most people are not riding double black when they start. You can ride local trails galore on a $500 dollar bike. I ride a trek full suspension that I got scratch and dent for 1500 and it can do more than I am willing to take on.
This is such a cool message to send! I've been riding my GT sensor hard for 3 years and loved every minute of it. The best upgrade I made to mine was switching from the rock shox revolution fork to a fox 34 with 150mm of travel
I’m updating an old school 2000 Cannondale Bad Boy. It’s an awesome bike - about 26 pounds stock weight-wise, without trying to drop any weight, 44/33/22 with 11/34 9 speed allows me to climb up anything. The brakes are with weak point, so I updated the brakes to modern hydraulics.
I think you are right on about the cost of bikes. An expensive bike won’t make a person a better rider, it will just allow them to ride better a little easier. It’s nice to buy the best a person can afford, but for a beginner, it’s good to buy a quality entry level bike on which to get some experience, and then graduate from there to whatever kind of bike style or characteristics they need.
I got a 2017 trek fuel EX 5 on clearance for $1,400 , and it's not a bad bike at all. I pretty much need a drop post that's it.
Hell yeah I knew it was a GT this bike will be my second GT. I currently own a GT agressor pro and I love it.
subscribed. Been waiting for a series like this, thank you.
best upgrade I ever did on my entry level bike was replace the fork.
So I have a 2017 Diamondback release 3. Scored it on an amazing and blessed deal. Upgraded the stock grips to ODI rogues and the aluminum bar to a carbon bar. The bar made a huge difference in comfort. Also 10mm longer stem to compensate for my above average long arms.
I’d put the bike up against my friend’s Yeti at its at least 3k less.
Getting your bike dialed in to fit you is such a good upgrade! not only for comfort, but it can help you get more balanced on the bike so you feel more confident.
Great video, i have a hardtail and i am going through some upgrades already and I am happy so far
I understand & appreciate the purpose of a dropper post & there's one on the used '13 Giant Trance X0 29er I purchased 2/18 for $1200 which, by the way, is the best riding bike out of the 8 I've owned in the last 24 yrs & which I've put 900 miles on without ever having used the dropper function. I ride all the trails in my region (Charlotte, NC) which are predominantly XC oriented & never feel the need to drop the seat in order to maneuver thru technical DH sections. I will be removing the dropper post for a nice-n-light traditional rigid post very soon which will declutter the h-bar & reduce the overall weight of the bike. If I encounter super-steep & techy DH, moving my @$$ back & behind the seat has never been an issue with a rigid post & being able to lean the seat against the inner thighs to maintain balance while negotiating techy single track is essential. If I ever visit any lift-accessed bike trails I may reinstall the dropper post but until then it'll sit in my parts bin collecting dust with my old rim-pincher brakes from yesteryear.
my yeti costs more than my car. but i used to have a specialized hardtail that was under $1000 and I had a ton of fun on it (and it never needed any real maintenance either). it was too small for me but i didn't know any better and that was some of the most fun mtb'ing ive ever done. wish i could forget how plush and fast my bike is now so i could be happier with something budget again
Awesome video! Purchased a 2018 Kona Process 153 SE for $2000 because of the same belief you have. Modern geometry and decent components with the plan to upgrade as necessary. Only thing I felt needed replacing immediately was the fork. New OEM Fox 36 takeoff from a friend for $400 and it completely transformed the bike. Looking forward to seeing the rest of this series!!
I rode the 153 last year in B-ham. It's an awesome bike. Kona bikes are great because they often go on massive sales at the end of the year and always come well specd!
Amen! I just started riding a few months ago and went for a diamondback fs for only $2k total. I’ve been to different places, terrain and difficulty (except double blacks), and felt the bike has been more than enough to handle everything. I agree that a dropper post should be the first upgrade a budget bike should have since it improves the safety and quality of every ride dramatically.
I feel like the bikes at this price range are the best bang for the buck and it will take years of riding to really “out-skill” especially for beginner/intermediate riders
I would fancy myself somewhere close to advanced in skill (at least, that how it looks when I edit my footage down! 😂 ) and would agree that FS bikes in the $1500-$2000 range are more than enough for experienced riders looking to move up from a well equipped HT.
1.Dropper 2. Tyres and tubeless conversion 3. Bigger brake disc’s. The rest you change as they wear out or break 💪🏻🚵💨
Cool video and great intro! Best upgrades I've made so far wider bars, Fat Paw grips, saddle in the correct width and shape, PNW dropper and brakes better suited for CO riding. #1 upgrade - wider carbon wheels with really good hubs. Made the bike more responsive and spread the tires out for better traction and feel. Looking forward to see where you go with the GT.
PNW FTW! Glad you enjoyed the intro!
The best upgrades I made to my GT Aggressor Sport, would be swapping the Suntour M3030 (75mm coil fork) with a budget Rockshox Judy (100mm air), putting in a KS dropper from Amazon, and a set Shimano Hydro brakes. Now I'm looking into getting the sensor sport because even if it has some lesser performance parts, it's a solid platform and the used market is a real money saver
Awesome video. Thank you for focusing on entry level bikes, which can be upgraded! The best upgrade I made was changing the drive train to a 1X system!
Its good seeing videos showing its not the bike that makes the rider, my “upgrade” bike is a second hand ex hire 2017 Trek fuel ex 7 which has been a great all round bike, iv learnt soo much in it and built it the way I wanted it, best upgrades iv found so far were getting a ks lev intera dropper post with a southpaw thumb lever and wolftooth fatpaw grips
I went from a Norco to a Yeti SB100 Carbon frame and then I purchased all the components online bike websites! Absolutely no regret. Better to custom build to your likeness instead of getting an already build bike and start changing parts.
Upgrades: tires then pedals. Dropper can come after, imo :)
I had a yeti asr5 frame that I turned into an absolute downhill beast! And the thing that I think changed it the most was adding a rockshox pike dual air rct3 that could change from 160 to 130mm with a flick of a switch. It allowed for. Rash descending but then standard geometry for climbing.
A fork would be nice, but that'll be a very down the road upgrade. :)
As someone who got an Enduro bike from a rental store, trail bikes are where it's at. The bike soaks up energy so I have had to do tons of training to get the bike to be snappy like my older hardtail. getting the longer travel bike made the ride smoother at the cost of being able to boost off the small bumps and roots on my local trails I spend most of my time on. My current recommended bikes are the Commencal Meta HT, Giant Trance, Santa Cruz Chamelion, or any short travel trail bike really. The bike I started on was at the $800 price point and for the most part it is a tank that I will cherish until it can be retired to the hall of frames. A modern equivalent would be something like the Kona Fire Mountain.
My only complaint about the "budget" bikes are the forks feeling as well as low quality control on the drivetrain and wheels.In their defense I put any hardware you give me through it's paces. I started out on a minimum speck Jamis Nemesis XC bike. Four months of in I lost a crank, cracked factory pedals, and knocked the back wheel so out of true the mechanic was amazed that the hoop was salvageable. Next was the riveted chainring being worn down in one season along with the freehub exploding on me just before a trip to Mammoth mountain. The last big change I made to the bike was changing the fork after the original damper gave in after two years of diligent service and became one a partially active pogo stick. Now there is a secondhand fox fork along with a rebuilt front wheel. all that is left to do is get it back into a reasonable amount of travel. The never outright failed in most cases, the main issue was the cost of repair versus upgrading as the parts broke. Credit where it's due, my old fork could of had a longer life if I knew more about the service intervals when I first got into biking, as well as the issues that come with the type of fork. Seals for RST products
are hard to source for some reason on the west side of the united states and I blew the seals in the first 8 months. Repair would have cost $120, and the secondhand upgrade was $200, so I went for the upgrade. I learned a ton about wrenching on the bike which has a value in it's own. It would have been a tragedy to learn the way I did on an expensive bike.
To do the damage I did to my bike you have to go ham every time you ride your bike. Like climb hills in your midrange of your drive train chasing personal bests. You have to be throwing the bike at every drop and jump in sight. Rock gardens have to be a minor inconvenience. I highly recommend "budget" bikes for any rider. They are a learning experience and once settled in are more reliable and fun.