A hardtail mountain bike is usually where we all begin our journey to the trails. The good old hardtail often remains in our bike arsenal for future play time, long after we’ve moved onto full suspension bikes, and some riders never do – particularly those after weight savings such as some cross country racers.
Mountain bikes can be broken down into two categories: hardtail bikes and full suspension bikes. Hardtails are just that, they have front suspension and a ridged rear end. Full suspension bikes have suspension at the front and rear of the bike. If you want to know more about both of these, and then check out our guide: Hardtails Vs. Full Suspension MTB’s here.
A Guide to Buying a MTB Hardtail
Having been a newbie myself one time, I was all too eager to bypass the hardtail and go head first – literally – into buying a full suspension bike. After 18 months, I’ve now gone the other way, and picked up a hardtail for some serious back-to-basics. This is something many other riders are beginning to do too, with hardtail bikes being an intrinsic part of learning the foundations of MTB.
Whether you’re looking to start out in mountain biking, or you want to get back to basics, we’ve rounded up our favourite MTB Hardtails for under £1k.
Marin Wildcat Trail
Marin’s Wildcat Trail bike has been in their fleet for years. It’s their staple entry level MTB for women who want to get familiar with the dirt, pedal those pins and fall in love with the sport.
The new model for 2017 has a lightweight aluminium frame, a 27.5″ wheel-set with SR Suntour front forks. The 21 speed drive-train is constructed from Shimano Tourney components. The brake system is cabled operated with forged alloy V-brakes.
The Wildcat Trail is ideal for gravel and fire-road trails. It have a lovely design and shape to get you started off-road, but it’s equally as useful for those commutes and leisurely town rides too!
Colours: Grey / Purple
Sizes: 13″ / 15″ / 17″ / 19″
