@@aguacatecontreras8311 A great budget trail/enduro bike is the Marin Alpine Trail...160/150mm travel and great spec and geo for the price. Polygon has some good offerings as well. Jenson USA has the Marin alpine trail 7 for $1900 right now, it has a Yari fork and a select plus rear shock.....thats a crazy deal
I really enjoy a budgt bike review. It is what normal people can afford and it is great info for someone trying to get into the sport with a more capable bike than a Walmart bike. It is crazy when there is $10k + bikes. I am not sure who is buying those bikes and I make $140k/year.
I agree that having these budget reviews is great. I would say that I know a lot of people who buy $5k - $8k bikes (including me) because we race frequently and look for any additional performance gains we can get. I know a lot of guys who drive $60k pickup trucks and wonder why people would spend more than $2k on a bike. I drive a 9 year old car that has been paid off for 6 years and prefer to spend a few thousand more on a great bike. It’s all priorities.
I agree about the priorities. I have a stable of bikes for the wife and I. Each have a trail bike, enduro bike, DH bike, fat tire bike & eMTB. Probably why we have kept our 2004 F150 for nearly 20 years so we can buy new bikes.
To be honest: nope. Id rather have the high spec top bikes even tough I'm not gonna buy it. It's like watching a Porsche being reviewed even knowing i can never afford one. There is this thing called dreaming and wow. It's like watching a movie vs docu. Both cool but movie is cooler!
Having purchased the Marín half way through the year I'm SO glad I did and did so thinking of those upgrades they mention @ the end. Great handling bike and Best bang for the buck, obviously
Recently purchased the Marin rift zone Xr for $2300. I have about 20 miles on it so far. I’m 5 foot 10” tall and weight 220 fully kitted on the size large. Things I like, this bike is an all a rounder, corners playfully with that short rear end, the shimano 4 piston brakes have all the stopping power in the world when pushing it to the limit, dual Maxxis assegies have a ton of grip in various terrain, the Marzocchi z1 air took some effort to dial in but is nice and soft off the top and provides predictable mid stroke and bottom out protection. The rear fox float X tracks the ground on chop and edges but if very poppy and playful for coming out of berms and getting in the air considering its heft, with a 65.5 degree hta it feels nimble and quick around tight switchbacks, and initiating corners. Things that could be better depending on your style of riding or terrain you ride would be: faster rolling rear tire, (dissector/trail boss, even a specialized eliminator would work), converting to tubeless sooner that later, I’ve yet to do it, and some DMR V11 pedels for there grip and slight con cavity. The Marin bars and cockpit setup are plenty good and I don’t plan on upgrading any of it until it breaks or wears out. Overall a joy of a bike to ride and play on, it really is made for fun! Great video
I bought my son the Norco Fluid A3 and shortly after the Rockshox 35 developed a bushing issue. It was sent to RS and they sent back a Pike Ultimate (C2.1)! So now it's a bit lighter and much nicer to ride :) Next upgrades will be a GX shifter and nicer wheels.
For anyone wondering, the "11spd" Shimano Deore RD-M5100-SGS is happy to double as 12spd just by replacing the shifter to 12spd (SL-M6100/7100/8100). The RD-M5100-SGS and RD-M6100-SGS is basically the same product with different paint jobs.
Same here, I got the Stumpy alloy back in 21 for $2200 USD and I have upgraded the brakes, wheels ( which was covered by the shop due the factory wheels being too weak, shout out to Contes bike shop) and rear suspension. The bike has been awesome since the upgrades and still rides strong today.
Same here, I got the Stumpy alloy back in 21 for $2200 USD and I have upgraded the brakes, wheels ( which was covered by the shop due the factory wheels being too weak, shout out to Contes bike shop) and rear suspension. The bike has been awesome since the upgrades and still rides strong today.
@olafharoldsonnii4713 Giant makes nice bikes. I don't think you would go wrong getting one. For the money, the Polygon is a better value. The lower cost option Trance has Sram SX, some people don't like SX.
I was surprised and impressed to learn about the inclusion of a freehub on the Marin, a bike I'm looking at. That and the Alpine Trail, and the Ibis Ripmo.
Love this type of review. I'm hoping next year to switch to full sus on a budget. Too bad I can't buy anything right now cause the deals are pretty crazy. They were selling that Norco fluid here for only $2k cad. Obviously the spec isn't the best but at that price it doesn't matter. One bike that looks really interesting to me is the updated 2024 giant stance, which now has thru axle and better geo. Hopefully you guys get to test that one when it comes out. Also it's nice to know that the 2 piston Shimano brakes work alright because most cheap bikes come with those but I've never tried them.
Where is the review part of this video? It seems like a first-look overview, mostly about spec. Why was the Marin everyone's favorite? Did I miss the part where they talk about the ride quality of the bikes? I'll offer this having ridden several of these and having watched lots of reviews on all of these: Best part spec: Polygon T8 (tires and suspension are worth about $600 more than the next closest bike in this group) Most plush rear suspension: Instinct Best climber: Trance X Best downhill: Instinct/Norco Fluid The stumpjumper is a great all-arounder but even with the sale there are better values out there.
I watched this again, still confused about how the Marin was a favorite. The negatives on the Instinct was the tires and brakes. The tire on the Marin came off the rim while riding... Can't get much worse than that. The brakes that the Marin has can be put on the Instinct for about $100 including installation
I think these could be the best value bike reviews in the industry. Thanks Vital. I own a Polygon T8 (XL) and my daughter (12) is on T7 (S). We absolutely love the bikes. I rode a Rocky Mountain Element A50 the 2 previous seasons and with a couple upgrades (wheels, tires & cranks) I actually like the Polygon better.
In my opinion, the best budget bike a mountain bikers can buy if they are on a budget (talking about an enduro bikes) is Radon Jab 9.0. Comes with a Rockshox Zeb Select+ and Magura MT5's and the bike comes in at about 2300USD (or around 1800USD because they are the mostly on sale). I hope you guys will take the bike in consideration if you ever man a budget enduro bike video. Cheers!
I bought a Giant Trance X1 a little over 2 years ago and been slowly upgrading it and it is a totally diferent and much more capable bike. Now that I'm done with the upgrades I don't feel the need to buy something more expensive.
@@kamilkrakowski5284 Everything but the frame and the fork hahaha. As upgrades I got Industry nine hydra hubs laced to alloy Raceface Arc HD's 30, shimano saint brakes with shimano Rt-86 rotors, a Marzocchi Bomber Air shock, Deity Speedway carbon bar, tenet 32 stem and Continental Kryptotal front, Xynotal rear. As replacement I got a PNW Loam dropper post because the original stopped working after a year and a half and the same shimano SLX drivetrain because it got worn out after 2 and a half years. I got a matching deity saddle and the PNW Loam lever just for the looks and I kept the Fox 36 Rythm that came OEM because it has the same internals as a Marzocchi Z1 and I'm more of a set and go guy, I'm not interested on the extra adjustments of the more expensive forks. Keep in mind that I have almost 3 years with my bike, most of the changes came from time to time and I got everything new but with very big discounts.
Really enjoyed watching this. I feel like this review is for most people who just want a capable bike to have fun with on the trails and think spending $5k or more is the only way to get a nice mountain bike. Marin makes great bikes. I really enjoyed my first real mountain bike, the Bobcat Trail 3 hardtail. If I were to get a full suspension, it would be the Rift Zone for sure.
Bikes Direct has Motobecane bikes priced $1500 to $3500. Why are they never included in these reviews ? Makes me wonder if these reviews are biased by whomever is paying the reviewers...
If you ask me the best all MTB on a budget is the polygon colossus n7 at 1999$ it’s specked very well with good parts and suspension and I really don’t like when y’all say cheap bikes it can be a deterrent for some people who are actually looking to buy one of these bikes and as of today the polygon n7 is 1799$ you can’t beat that
I bought a bike with a 150mm Bomber Z2 (27.5) and after five rides the bushings (plastic) were finished. I'm a 45 year old dad, only 165lbs with full kit and I don't jump or do big drops. I wanted to love the Bomber since I had those original ones way back, but I would stay away from the Z2. Fortunately Fox replaced the lowers for free (under warranty) this time.
I agree with the Marin Tires assessment. Stock tires are garbage. Also, if you are a heavier rider (190lbs+), I wouldn’t buy a Marin as the frame in the larger frame sizes has a weak top tube; I cracked mine on a descent.
It needs to said for newer riders that 2500 for a bike is expensive. I got along perfectly fine riding real Colorado trails with a 1400 dollar brand new full suspension Giant Stance 2. It was reliable and the parts held up no problem. You get more features and better equipment if you spend more but you don’t have to spend 2500 dollars like these guys are saying to have a reliable rig to go ride. Don’t buy a Walmart bike and you’ll be good. Even my 600 dollar new Specialized Rock Hopper did just fine with no reliability issues. You have to look at this thru the right lenses. Guys like on this video that are used to riding double blacks with 170mm travel bikes that cost 10 grand will say these 2500 dollar bikes aren’t that great. 2500 dollar bikes are really really good and 1500 dollar bikes are still good and keep you on the trails reliably
Well I wish this video was out when I was getting my first real MTB bike I had to do a lot of research and got the marine rift zone 2 witch I love and am slowly doing up grades and am happy with my bike but would have been easy to buy something that I didn’t like or fit so these videos are worth there weight in gold I love your brake down and I also learn a few thing about my bike I didn’t no it had a micro spline so thanks for that great video and I no it’s gonna help people. 👍
I think there needs to be better regulation on what bike companies tell you is coming on your bike and what is actually delivered. I bought a Norco FS1 this year and multiple parts on the bike were not what was advertised. They hide behind their disclaimer that they have the right to change out parts but if they're advertising certain parts and replace them with cheaper parts without telling the consumer then that is a problem. Unfortunately for a lot of us I can't tell if one parts is better or worse than the other so I'm left wondering if I've been taken to the cleaners. It came with completely different rims that seem to be the exact same as the ones I got on my $1,200 mountain bike I started mountain biking with, rather than the ones that were advertised.
At the end of the day, all that these bike “manufacturers” do is build a frame and then complete the build with other companies’ components. Unfortunately it’s still cheaper to buy a complete bike than put one together, but you can’t be as selective with the components, especially at this price point. I’m really shopping the components that comprise the bike, rather than the bike as a whole. This mindset has me leaning towards the Siskiu T9 as the suspension punches way above it’s price point, and that’s the most expensive component of the bike for what I’m looking for. Not willing to pony-up for carbon frame/wheels at this point.
Helpful video! I been riding a V1 Carbon Ripmo for a few years now (XT/Ibis Carbon wheels with I9s). I do consider cheaper bikes as a next ride since many seem happy with them for the most part and am tired of spending money on these bikes as much as I love them!...LOL.. I'd love to demo a Marin. It seems these cheaper bikes are getting progressively better and better and am beginning to believe it makes more sense to buy one over the pricier bikes. It's just a matter of finding the right one.
Without question, a famtastic comparison video. I would have liked a bit more detail describing suspenion pedal bob or brake jack. Or just more info about handling. Still a great video Thanks 👍
The budget bikes are so good now a days that the question we should be asking is why do we even spend more. I remember 15-20 years ago, where the 2k mtb market was filled with terrible Heyes or Juicy 3 brakes, nickel coated non-adjustable super heavy forks and no name shocks. The geo was terrible and the bike weight was about 1.7 tons, the tires were made out of paper and the wheels were made out of rubber. It was absolutely terrible. Back then you were pretty much forced to spend good money on a mtb to get something half decent. Now look at these bikes. They are amazing for the price. At our store we sell a somewhat lesser known bike called the Kellys Thorx 10 for about €2500, and that bike is amazing for the price. It even has a vpp rear susp and rides really good. Im very impressed with the budget bikes of now a days
I'm looking for my first (moving to Tucson) and probably last (62 yo) mountain bike. I road bike now and know what good and bad feels like and will spend what it takes, but don't want to waste money. I appreciate the look into bikes in the $2G range.
Best thing to do is look for 10 year old dh bikes that have been upgraded as time went on. I found a canfield jedi for 700 bucks that has a triple crown 40mm boxxer up front avid elixr 3 brakes 203mm rotors brand new maxxis dhr tires new gold dh pads. Theyre selling on pink bike from anywhere from 1200 with the original hardware to 6k with more modern upgrades. But heck a lot of them came with the 888 and thats good enough for even red bull riders so really it doesnt neeeeeeed to upgrade unless you want to more finely tuned it.
With black friday sales and the overstocking of bikes and brand needing to get rid of them i think now is a really good time to buy. There are some super sick deals out there. Often you can save 15-20%. In addition these bikes are actually in stock and you dont need to wait 2 months for them to have them shipped from Asia.
It’s even better than that. There’s currently deals in the UK like I’ve never seen in over 20 years of riding bikes. Santa Cruz 5010 at 40% off. Some of the really high end stuff is actually borderline affordable at the moment. It’s not going to let up anytime soon either. Definitely a good time to buy a new bike, but conversely it’s also a terrible time to sell a second hand bike.
I used to run the vee snap trail a month ago, thing is they hook pretty well until you get to harder patches as you said, I saved a front wheel washout followed by a 180 drift. Pretty intense but I politely removed them from my rims, straight to the pile 😂
I got the Norco Fluid 3, it's great! taken to the British Columbia mountains a few times with my friends who have enduro bikes, and kept up fine with them, the only issue is I'm 230lbs I want to throw on bigger rotors to handle my weight better.
I own the Giant X3 in 27.5 .... I hated the levers of the Tektro brakes despite the fact that they have a super strong bite so I swapped them for Shimano MT6100 4 caliper set; the anchors for the bottle cage are too close to the neck so there's no room for a regular bottle inside that small triangle but you install a side load cage and a small bottle and problem solved. I ride the bike on the High setting of the flip chip, it works for me. The bike is heavy but it rides like a dream and it's trouble free. My options were the Marin, the Trek Fuel and the Trance, at the end, the Trance won me over. The fact that Trek does not offer the Fuel with 27.5" wheels is plain stupid.
Great review! I looked at several of these before I ended up buying a YT Izzo Core 2. It was a couple of hundred more than most bikes on this test but was well worth the carbon frame and overall better suspension and brake components. Would be curious to know your opinions on how it compares to the Marin as that was clearly the favorite on this test. In my opinion YT’s are hard to beat in terms of value and overall quality for the money.
indeed, the capra uncaged 10 cf currently goes for 2800 but has fox performance fork and coil shock, code r brakes, gx transmission with xd body, full carbon frame and 2,5 maxxis tires
@@TomCollins-c4h great on everything except super chunky enduro type terrain. Compared to my friends 2019 Stumpjumper it’s a much more solid feeling platform while also pedaling uphill faster and absorbes the bumps better. The only upgrade the Core 2 would need is a better cassette and derailleur. I switched mine over completely to Shimano XT but it’s not necessary
@@mrmotovisor3417 Thanks, my last bike was a 2019 Stumpjumper alloy and now I have a Spur. The IZZO sounds like it would be right up my alley. Off the top suppleness is most important to me.
I just spent $2,300 on a new Cannondale and I felt like it was a pretty big purchase. Then someone came into the shop with a 10k bike and was buying a new part for 1k. I wondered how he could afford something so expensive that he only rides on the weekends
The most important thing was upgraded on the Polygon: the seat tube-top tube gusset. The tall triangle shaped one from previous years was known to fail where the gusset welds met the top tube.
@@travisgibson5545if you end up keeping the HG freehub body I’d highly recommend the Shimano link glide drivetrains. They are super solid and perform well. Also I picked up a set of Hunt Enduro Wide V2’s with an hg freehub for $400 and they’ve stood up to a ton of abuse, and have good hubs.
I have a 1600 2024 polygon siskiu 2000k T8 and 22 3000k kona prosses 153, and the T6 is my favorite out of the three. i don't care if it's the cheapest.
....something to think about based on my experience. Sx eagle is good for one season on the shifter and maybe 2 seasons on the cassette. Plan on that if you get one of these with SX. I rode a carbon Giant trance for a few years. It was a fun bike
If you are prepared to wait for a good sale you can get a great bike for under 3k USD. I paid less than than for a 2023 trek slash 8 new which will keep up with bikes which cost twice that
I really wonder why Rose Bikes is never mentioned. They sell the Root Miller 3 for 2700 atm and it has full Fox Factory parts as well as a sram x01 derailleur e13 dropper and dtswiss rims. I bought the bike for 4k last year but i think if you consider "Budget bikes" now its the time to mention it
Would rather hear about rider experience rather than all the details of each bike, that can be given in a list on screen. I want feedback - how they ranked and what came last etc ...
I don't know why but it's still hard to buy these bikes, because where i live they cost a lot more than you say in the video, but the most important problem is the trails in my country are made for enduro and downhill bikes, this means that the bikes from the video won't hold up
Do you think its worth it improve my suspensions on my stumpjumper comp alloy to fox 36 factory 150mm or 34 factory 140mm in front and factory dps with cascade link to 138mm in back? i love the bike but i feel like in steep trails i suffer a bit Help me guys give me yr toughts
Absolutely 100% not worth the investment. And if you do decide to buy a new fork, get the performance elite fork instead of the factory fork. It's exactly the same fork, just with black stanchions instead of kashima. We just did the Vital Enduro Test Session and none of us noticed a difference between factory and performance elite forks@@fishingoccasions1034
And why not the Specialized? Oh because it is a Specialized. People already have their mind made up about that brand. You either like the brand because it is a quality bike and bike frame. Or you bash on it because it is the big S. The brand that everyone knows and loves to role their eyes at. I feel like Specialized bikes are like the Yankees. You either love it or love to find things grip about from the brand.
I just cant get over the weight. My 30 pound full sus feels like a sled already compared to my 27 pound 26er. Cant image dragging around 4 to 10 more lbs.
I picked up a trek top fuel w hydro discs, fox shocks front/rear for $175 off marketplace. Can destroy any trails in pisgah w it, will be racing xc next year with it. My main ride is a $56 goodwill diamondback from 1997. A new 1x8 and vee pads, I will ride it till I take top ten in local stravas… my $85 27.5 giant is my enduro bike I hope… so much rusty time, honestly wish injust got a rift zone 😂😂😂😂😂😂 and didnt deal w used crap..
I bought my girlfriend an Instinct A10, and after putting my old fox 36 forks on, switching to Michelins, and throwing a set of XT brakes on, it's a missile. The stock brakes sucked.
most of these brands have 150mm travel bikes in similar price ranges. there are A LOT of good deals out there, so do some research and see which may be best for your riding style and terrain.
2.500 IS a budget bike. But people that get into Mountanbiking wont by a bike that's so expensive. You might wanna do a Budget Budget Bike rewiev like +-800-1000€/$/£ . And a vid on what to look for on used bikes
Marin’s website says it uses HG and a sunrace 11-51t cassette? Which is it? I’ll prob end up getting the Marin as I can get one for $1900 with military discount locally. Then, upgrade the brakes to XT 4 piston F+R as I am a bigger guy. Also, prob get an ispec Shimano XT shifter and Shimano ispec dropper remote with the brake upgrade 🤷♂️
if you can see one locally, you should be able to tell which cassette is on there. we'll reach out to marin to see if they specify what comes on it now. as noted in vid, our shock on the marin was nicer than listed on their site, too.
Damn bikes have gotten heavy, 15.4kg with pedals is the lightest, makes me really appreciate my 2019 norco fluid fs1, that was 15 and a half kg but with some upgrades it now weighs 13.8kg with pedals.
Depends on how you ride, but I would argue they used to be too light. Once you start getting up to decent speeds, stuff starts to break on a light bike. I would take 2-3 extra kgs for reliability.
@@vlbz Now they've gone too far in the other direction, I ride at decent speeds on chunky stuff and not broken anything on the bike in the 3 and a half years I've owned it, except for a wheelset (buckled) dt swiss ex471 rims, but they lasted about 4 years on two different bikes, heavy bikes drain your energy faster on longer rides, plus they're generally a bit sluggish in everything they do, except bombing downhill in a straight line.
@@benjy288 makes no difference for me. Sticky enduro/dh tires slow me down a lot. Suspension maybe makes a very minor difference, I'm not even sure. The weight of the bike I couldn't even tell by riding it.
@@vlbz Really? I can tell easily, heavier bikes accelerate slower, are harder to pedal up hill, drain your energy faster on longer rides, are harder to get a rebound pop, aren't as nimble, they're basically worse in every area, about the only advantage they do have is they're more planted on fast rough stuff.
And in the real world: $500-650 is supermarket level junk, not a real bike. $1500ish gets you cheapest real mountain bike, that won't break after 5min downhill, probably hardtail, so slow and unstable, pretty difficult to ride. After 1 season you'll have to spend another $1500 to change/upgrade the parts, because you'll realize that stock parts perform poorly / are broken. And you start thinking why you didn't spend 3k for a good full suspension bike initially. $2500-3000 is start point for proper full suspension bike. Bikes that are fast and stable, capable of hard riding. Components are pretty strong (but heavy) and perform pretty well, you don't need to change half of the bike after 1 season. Best price/performance ratio, bikes got everything 95% of riders need. $5000 is where you get similar components as in $2500-3000 bikes, but the frames are now made of carbon, some parts might be lighter / better performing. $8000+ is high end bike territory. Bikes come with top of the line components that perform great, are reliable and light. Now that's expensive. So the review channels are pretty spot on, for a real mountain bike $2500-3000 can be considered "budget", since expensive bikes cost $8000+
@@rokas3935 I rode a $600 bike for 4 years, it will only fall apart if you don’t maintain it.I have a $1600 full suspension that I ride double blacks with you don’t need anything more then that unless your riding downhill specifically or looking for more running and comfort. You don’t need carbon bikes either that’s just a cherry on top.
Those brakes came stock on my giant trance, I had to replace the levers with TRP levers that fit... Other than that they were good brakes. Then I put shimano brakes on anyway. 😂
never bought anything more expensive than 2K USD I've ridden my Remedy 7 (1500 USD) with a RS 35 GOLD and some cheap shock for over 2 years before upgrading. I cased some of the biggest jumps in central EU. I've ridden some of the gnarliest DH tracks around and it was more than enough for my 95kg ass.
I love these budget tests, thanks for posting them.
Glad you like them!
@vitalmtb sorry to bother you what would be the best budget all trail-enduro full suspension mountain bike for the money today
@@aguacatecontreras8311 A great budget trail/enduro bike is the Marin Alpine Trail...160/150mm travel and great spec and geo for the price. Polygon has some good offerings as well. Jenson USA has the Marin alpine trail 7 for $1900 right now, it has a Yari fork and a select plus rear shock.....thats a crazy deal
I really enjoy a budgt bike review. It is what normal people can afford and it is great info for someone trying to get into the sport with a more capable bike than a Walmart bike. It is crazy when there is $10k + bikes. I am not sure who is buying those bikes and I make $140k/year.
Totally agree. $1k to $2k is a big difference. $5k to $10k is hardly noticeable.
I agree that having these budget reviews is great. I would say that I know a lot of people who buy $5k - $8k bikes (including me) because we race frequently and look for any additional performance gains we can get. I know a lot of guys who drive $60k pickup trucks and wonder why people would spend more than $2k on a bike. I drive a 9 year old car that has been paid off for 6 years and prefer to spend a few thousand more on a great bike. It’s all priorities.
I agree about the priorities. I have a stable of bikes for the wife and I. Each have a trail bike, enduro bike, DH bike, fat tire bike & eMTB. Probably why we have kept our 2004 F150 for nearly 20 years so we can buy new bikes.
To be honest: nope.
Id rather have the high spec top bikes even tough I'm not gonna buy it. It's like watching a Porsche being reviewed even knowing i can never afford one.
There is this thing called dreaming and wow.
It's like watching a movie vs docu. Both cool but movie is cooler!
@@pascalkrieger3415Dang you are insufferable
Having purchased the Marín half way through the year I'm SO glad I did and did so thinking of those upgrades they mention @ the end. Great handling bike and Best bang for the buck, obviously
Recently purchased the Marin rift zone Xr for $2300. I have about 20 miles on it so far. I’m 5 foot 10” tall and weight 220 fully kitted on the size large. Things I like, this bike is an all a rounder, corners playfully with that short rear end, the shimano 4 piston brakes have all the stopping power in the world when pushing it to the limit, dual Maxxis assegies have a ton of grip in various terrain, the Marzocchi z1 air took some effort to dial in but is nice and soft off the top and provides predictable mid stroke and bottom out protection. The rear fox float X tracks the ground on chop and edges but if very poppy and playful for coming out of berms and getting in the air considering its heft, with a 65.5 degree hta it feels nimble and quick around tight switchbacks, and initiating corners. Things that could be better depending on your style of riding or terrain you ride would be: faster rolling rear tire, (dissector/trail boss, even a specialized eliminator would work), converting to tubeless sooner that later, I’ve yet to do it, and some DMR V11 pedels for there grip and slight con cavity.
The Marin bars and cockpit setup are plenty good and I don’t plan on upgrading any of it until it breaks or wears out. Overall a joy of a bike to ride and play on, it really is made for fun! Great video
Bought the same bike in size Medium, love the spec but bummed it came with Sunrace cassette which means HG hubs.
I bought my son the Norco Fluid A3 and shortly after the Rockshox 35 developed a bushing issue. It was sent to RS and they sent back a Pike Ultimate (C2.1)! So now it's a bit lighter and much nicer to ride :) Next upgrades will be a GX shifter and nicer wheels.
Wow nice job Rockshox!
Really nice to see hands on testing and real world experience.
One of the best vids all year. Would love to see a hardtail test in the same price range.
For anyone wondering, the "11spd" Shimano Deore RD-M5100-SGS is happy to double as 12spd just by replacing the shifter to 12spd (SL-M6100/7100/8100). The RD-M5100-SGS and RD-M6100-SGS is basically the same product with different paint jobs.
but you still need to replace the chain and cassette, which becomes expensive because of the hg freehub body
Got the stumpjumper alloy back in 21 for $2999 cad and put a $1000 in it over time upgrading myself. Learned alot and happy with the bike.
Same here, I got the Stumpy alloy back in 21 for $2200 USD and I have upgraded the brakes, wheels ( which was covered by the shop due the factory wheels being too weak, shout out to Contes bike shop) and rear suspension. The bike has been awesome since the upgrades and still rides strong today.
Same here, I got the Stumpy alloy back in 21 for $2200 USD and I have upgraded the brakes, wheels ( which was covered by the shop due the factory wheels being too weak, shout out to Contes bike shop) and rear suspension. The bike has been awesome since the upgrades and still rides strong today.
I've had my Polygon T8 for almost a year now. It's been a solid performer.
Between Polygon T8 and Trance 29 3; Woukd you still pick your Polygon?
@olafharoldsonnii4713 Giant makes nice bikes. I don't think you would go wrong getting one. For the money, the Polygon is a better value. The lower cost option Trance has Sram SX, some people don't like SX.
I really enjoyed this video guys. Thanks for testing a group of "affordable" bikes that are not out of reach for many of us.
The deals on the Rossignols are insane. I didn't even know they made bikes.
I was surprised and impressed to learn about the inclusion of a freehub on the Marin, a bike I'm looking at. That and the Alpine Trail, and the Ibis Ripmo.
Love this type of review. I'm hoping next year to switch to full sus on a budget. Too bad I can't buy anything right now cause the deals are pretty crazy. They were selling that Norco fluid here for only $2k cad. Obviously the spec isn't the best but at that price it doesn't matter.
One bike that looks really interesting to me is the updated 2024 giant stance, which now has thru axle and better geo. Hopefully you guys get to test that one when it comes out.
Also it's nice to know that the 2 piston Shimano brakes work alright because most cheap bikes come with those but I've never tried them.
I love how you critically go on to detail comparing these bikes. love your review still best bike for geometry marin
Where is the review part of this video? It seems like a first-look overview, mostly about spec. Why was the Marin everyone's favorite? Did I miss the part where they talk about the ride quality of the bikes?
I'll offer this having ridden several of these and having watched lots of reviews on all of these:
Best part spec: Polygon T8 (tires and suspension are worth about $600 more than the next closest bike in this group)
Most plush rear suspension: Instinct
Best climber: Trance X
Best downhill: Instinct/Norco Fluid
The stumpjumper is a great all-arounder but even with the sale there are better values out there.
I watched this again, still confused about how the Marin was a favorite. The negatives on the Instinct was the tires and brakes. The tire on the Marin came off the rim while riding... Can't get much worse than that. The brakes that the Marin has can be put on the Instinct for about $100 including installation
I appreciate how the context for the price range is set as well as tips on checking the used market. 👍 Kudos Vital.
Can't be happier to have bought my Jeffsy Core 2 last year. It's not spec as well this year.
I think these could be the best value bike reviews in the industry. Thanks Vital.
I own a Polygon T8 (XL) and my daughter (12) is on T7 (S). We absolutely love the bikes. I rode a Rocky Mountain Element A50 the 2 previous seasons and with a couple upgrades (wheels, tires & cranks) I actually like the Polygon better.
In my opinion, the best budget bike a mountain bikers can buy if they are on a budget (talking about an enduro bikes) is Radon Jab 9.0. Comes with a Rockshox Zeb Select+ and Magura MT5's and the bike comes in at about 2300USD (or around 1800USD because they are the mostly on sale). I hope you guys will take the bike in consideration if you ever man a budget enduro bike video. Cheers!
I'm surprised the Canyon Spectral 125 didn't make the list. Excellent review and comparison though! Loved it.
I bought a Giant Trance X1 a little over 2 years ago and been slowly upgrading it and it is a totally diferent and much more capable bike. Now that I'm done with the upgrades I don't feel the need to buy something more expensive.
What did you upgrade if I may ask?
@@kamilkrakowski5284 Everything but the frame and the fork hahaha. As upgrades I got Industry nine hydra hubs laced to alloy Raceface Arc HD's 30, shimano saint brakes with shimano Rt-86 rotors, a Marzocchi Bomber Air shock, Deity Speedway carbon bar, tenet 32 stem and Continental Kryptotal front, Xynotal rear. As replacement I got a PNW Loam dropper post because the original stopped working after a year and a half and the same shimano SLX drivetrain because it got worn out after 2 and a half years. I got a matching deity saddle and the PNW Loam lever just for the looks and I kept the Fox 36 Rythm that came OEM because it has the same internals as a Marzocchi Z1 and I'm more of a set and go guy, I'm not interested on the extra adjustments of the more expensive forks. Keep in mind that I have almost 3 years with my bike, most of the changes came from time to time and I got everything new but with very big discounts.
Really enjoyed watching this. I feel like this review is for most people who just want a capable bike to have fun with on the trails and think spending $5k or more is the only way to get a nice mountain bike. Marin makes great bikes. I really enjoyed my first real mountain bike, the Bobcat Trail 3 hardtail. If I were to get a full suspension, it would be the Rift Zone for sure.
Bikes Direct has Motobecane bikes priced $1500 to $3500. Why are they never included in these reviews ? Makes me wonder if these reviews are biased by whomever is paying the reviewers...
If you ask me the best all MTB on a budget is the polygon colossus n7 at 1999$ it’s specked very well with good parts and suspension and I really don’t like when y’all say cheap bikes it can be a deterrent for some people who are actually looking to buy one of these bikes and as of today the polygon n7 is 1799$ you can’t beat that
I bought a bike with a 150mm Bomber Z2 (27.5) and after five rides the bushings (plastic) were finished. I'm a 45 year old dad, only 165lbs with full kit and I don't jump or do big drops. I wanted to love the Bomber since I had those original ones way back, but I would stay away from the Z2. Fortunately Fox replaced the lowers for free (under warranty) this time.
I agree with the Marin Tires assessment. Stock tires are garbage. Also, if you are a heavier rider (190lbs+), I wouldn’t buy a Marin as the frame in the larger frame sizes has a weak top tube; I cracked mine on a descent.
It needs to said for newer riders that 2500 for a bike is expensive. I got along perfectly fine riding real Colorado trails with a 1400 dollar brand new full suspension Giant Stance 2. It was reliable and the parts held up no problem. You get more features and better equipment if you spend more but you don’t have to spend 2500 dollars like these guys are saying to have a reliable rig to go ride. Don’t buy a Walmart bike and you’ll be good. Even my 600 dollar new Specialized Rock Hopper did just fine with no reliability issues. You have to look at this thru the right lenses. Guys like on this video that are used to riding double blacks with 170mm travel bikes that cost 10 grand will say these 2500 dollar bikes aren’t that great. 2500 dollar bikes are really really good and 1500 dollar bikes are still good and keep you on the trails reliably
Right. I'm sure a Siskiu T6 for $1500 is gonna be just as reliable as the Siskiu T8 for $2300
I would get the Rift Zone XR instead of the stumpy
Well I wish this video was out when I was getting my first real MTB bike I had to do a lot of research and got the marine rift zone 2 witch I love and am slowly doing up grades and am happy with my bike but would have been easy to buy something that I didn’t like or fit so these videos are worth there weight in gold I love your brake down and I also learn a few thing about my bike I didn’t no it had a micro spline so thanks for that great video and I no it’s gonna help people. 👍
I think there needs to be better regulation on what bike companies tell you is coming on your bike and what is actually delivered. I bought a Norco FS1 this year and multiple parts on the bike were not what was advertised. They hide behind their disclaimer that they have the right to change out parts but if they're advertising certain parts and replace them with cheaper parts without telling the consumer then that is a problem. Unfortunately for a lot of us I can't tell if one parts is better or worse than the other so I'm left wondering if I've been taken to the cleaners. It came with completely different rims that seem to be the exact same as the ones I got on my $1,200 mountain bike I started mountain biking with, rather than the ones that were advertised.
My Spur was supposed to come with Race Face rims but came with WTB crummy rims.
At the end of the day, all that these bike “manufacturers” do is build a frame and then complete the build with other companies’ components. Unfortunately it’s still cheaper to buy a complete bike than put one together, but you can’t be as selective with the components, especially at this price point. I’m really shopping the components that comprise the bike, rather than the bike as a whole. This mindset has me leaning towards the Siskiu T9 as the suspension punches way above it’s price point, and that’s the most expensive component of the bike for what I’m looking for. Not willing to pony-up for carbon frame/wheels at this point.
Helpful video!
I been riding a V1 Carbon Ripmo for a few years now (XT/Ibis Carbon wheels with I9s). I do consider cheaper bikes as a next ride since many seem happy with them for the most part and am tired of spending money on these bikes as much as I love them!...LOL.. I'd love to demo a Marin.
It seems these cheaper bikes are getting progressively better and better and am beginning to believe it makes more sense to buy one over the pricier bikes. It's just a matter of finding the right one.
Great review, thank you! My son and I both have GIANT Trance 29 2 under and Trance X 29 2 - both are under $2000. loving it.
I think both the Ari Cascade Peak Comp and YT Jeffsy would certainly be worthy contenders in this category. I wish they were also included.
Without question, a famtastic comparison video.
I would have liked a bit more detail describing suspenion pedal bob or brake jack. Or just more info about handling.
Still a great video
Thanks
👍
Great review! I'm looking to get my fiance a MTB at this price point and this video was super helpful!
The budget bikes are so good now a days that the question we should be asking is why do we even spend more. I remember 15-20 years ago, where the 2k mtb market was filled with terrible Heyes or Juicy 3 brakes, nickel coated non-adjustable super heavy forks and no name shocks. The geo was terrible and the bike weight was about 1.7 tons, the tires were made out of paper and the wheels were made out of rubber. It was absolutely terrible. Back then you were pretty much forced to spend good money on a mtb to get something half decent. Now look at these bikes. They are amazing for the price. At our store we sell a somewhat lesser known bike called the Kellys Thorx 10 for about €2500, and that bike is amazing for the price. It even has a vpp rear susp and rides really good. Im very impressed with the budget bikes of now a days
I'm looking for my first (moving to Tucson) and probably last (62 yo) mountain bike.
I road bike now and know what good and bad feels like and will spend what it takes, but don't want to waste money.
I appreciate the look into bikes in the $2G range.
Super helpful video. Best I’ve seen. Cleared it!
Best thing to do is look for 10 year old dh bikes that have been upgraded as time went on. I found a canfield jedi for 700 bucks that has a triple crown 40mm boxxer up front avid elixr 3 brakes 203mm rotors brand new maxxis dhr tires new gold dh pads. Theyre selling on pink bike from anywhere from 1200 with the original hardware to 6k with more modern upgrades. But heck a lot of them came with the 888 and thats good enough for even red bull riders so really it doesnt neeeeeeed to upgrade unless you want to more finely tuned it.
The canyon spectral is currently on sale for only 1699€. I’d highly recommend checking that out
With black friday sales and the overstocking of bikes and brand needing to get rid of them i think now is a really good time to buy. There are some super sick deals out there. Often you can save 15-20%. In addition these bikes are actually in stock and you dont need to wait 2 months for them to have them shipped from Asia.
It’s even better than that. There’s currently deals in the UK like I’ve never seen in over 20 years of riding bikes. Santa Cruz 5010 at 40% off. Some of the really high end stuff is actually borderline affordable at the moment. It’s not going to let up anytime soon either. Definitely a good time to buy a new bike, but conversely it’s also a terrible time to sell a second hand bike.
I used to run the vee snap trail a month ago, thing is they hook pretty well until you get to harder patches as you said, I saved a front wheel washout followed by a 180 drift. Pretty intense but I politely removed them from my rims, straight to the pile 😂
I got the Norco Fluid 3, it's great! taken to the British Columbia mountains a few times with my friends who have enduro bikes, and kept up fine with them, the only issue is I'm 230lbs I want to throw on bigger rotors to handle my weight better.
I own the Giant X3 in 27.5 .... I hated the levers of the Tektro brakes despite the fact that they have a super strong bite so I swapped them for Shimano MT6100 4 caliper set; the anchors for the bottle cage are too close to the neck so there's no room for a regular bottle inside that small triangle but you install a side load cage and a small bottle and problem solved. I ride the bike on the High setting of the flip chip, it works for me. The bike is heavy but it rides like a dream and it's trouble free. My options were the Marin, the Trek Fuel and the Trance, at the end, the Trance won me over. The fact that Trek does not offer the Fuel with 27.5" wheels is plain stupid.
Loved this!! Great job.
Great video. Great selection of bikes
👍🏻👍🏻
Great review! I looked at several of these before I ended up buying a YT Izzo Core 2. It was a couple of hundred more than most bikes on this test but was well worth the carbon frame and overall better suspension and brake components. Would be curious to know your opinions on how it compares to the Marin as that was clearly the favorite on this test. In my opinion YT’s are hard to beat in terms of value and overall quality for the money.
indeed, the capra uncaged 10 cf currently goes for 2800 but has fox performance fork and coil shock, code r brakes, gx transmission with xd body, full carbon frame and 2,5 maxxis tires
How does the Izzo smooth out the bumps?
@@TomCollins-c4h great on everything except super chunky enduro type terrain. Compared to my friends 2019 Stumpjumper it’s a much more solid feeling platform while also pedaling uphill faster and absorbes the bumps better. The only upgrade the Core 2 would need is a better cassette and derailleur. I switched mine over completely to Shimano XT but it’s not necessary
@@mrmotovisor3417 Thanks, my last bike was a 2019 Stumpjumper alloy and now I have a Spur. The IZZO sounds like it would be right up my alley. Off the top suppleness is most important to me.
I love that $2500 is cheap. To 99% of people that’s insane.
I just spent $2,300 on a new Cannondale and I felt like it was a pretty big purchase. Then someone came into the shop with a 10k bike and was buying a new part for 1k. I wondered how he could afford something so expensive that he only rides on the weekends
Yeah, selling a 4k full carbon Intense in an area where mountain biking isn't huge and people literally had no idea bikes cost this much!
The most important thing was upgraded on the Polygon: the seat tube-top tube gusset. The tall triangle shaped one from previous years was known to fail where the gusset welds met the top tube.
I just bought a T8 and didn't know about the rear hub😢 I was planning to upgrade rims but this is gonna up that cost
@@travisgibson5545if you end up keeping the HG freehub body I’d highly recommend the Shimano link glide drivetrains. They are super solid and perform well. Also I picked up a set of Hunt Enduro Wide V2’s with an hg freehub for $400 and they’ve stood up to a ton of abuse, and have good hubs.
@@travisgibson5545: bro, HG cassette is very easy to find on the market, and the price is also very affordable.
This vid makes me feel so lucky to live in Reno ❤
How do you not have a YT on this list?
The black Fox T-Shirt looks awesome, got links?
I have a 1600 2024 polygon siskiu 2000k T8 and 22 3000k kona prosses 153, and the T6 is my favorite out of the three. i don't care if it's the cheapest.
What a fun video, thank you. 😃👍🏾
Vital always delivers!
....something to think about based on my experience. Sx eagle is good for one season on the shifter and maybe 2 seasons on the cassette. Plan on that if you get one of these with SX. I rode a carbon Giant trance for a few years. It was a fun bike
Great video
I’m glad someone is converting these seems absurd for a normal person to spend more than this on a bike.
Polygon and Marin are made by the same folks I believe...I have a Polygon and it has been rock solid for 3K and counting!
Yours has a slx gearset and microspline hub 😢
11 speed, no Microspline@@travisgibson5545
No it's totally different
@@dictionarsis They come out of the same factory in asia.........
If you are prepared to wait for a good sale you can get a great bike for under 3k USD. I paid less than than for a 2023 trek slash 8 new which will keep up with bikes which cost twice that
I really wonder why Rose Bikes is never mentioned. They sell the Root Miller 3 for 2700 atm and it has full Fox Factory parts as well as a sram x01 derailleur e13 dropper and dtswiss rims. I bought the bike for 4k last year but i think if you consider "Budget bikes" now its the time to mention it
Would rather hear about rider experience rather than all the details of each bike, that can be given in a list on screen.
I want feedback - how they ranked and what came last etc ...
I don't know why but it's still hard to buy these bikes, because where i live they cost a lot more than you say in the video, but the most important problem is the trails in my country are made for enduro and downhill bikes, this means that the bikes from the video won't hold up
The Marin would be a decent platform to start with
i mean it's good but here the trails are downhill bikes only, so you need at least an enduro@@Number18ster
Do you think its worth it improve my suspensions on my stumpjumper comp alloy to fox 36 factory 150mm or 34 factory 140mm in front and factory dps with cascade link to 138mm in back? i love the bike but i feel like in steep trails i suffer a bit
Help me guys give me yr toughts
Get the 36 grip2 fork and ditch the dps rear shock for a float x
@@That.Guy. do you think will be worth the difference? This is an hard investment
Absolutely 100% not worth the investment. And if you do decide to buy a new fork, get the performance elite fork instead of the factory fork. It's exactly the same fork, just with black stanchions instead of kashima. We just did the Vital Enduro Test Session and none of us noticed a difference between factory and performance elite forks@@fishingoccasions1034
And why not the Specialized? Oh because it is a Specialized.
People already have their mind made up about that brand. You either like the brand because it is a quality bike and bike frame. Or you bash on it because it is the big S. The brand that everyone knows and loves to role their eyes at.
I feel like Specialized bikes are like the Yankees. You either love it or love to find things grip about from the brand.
That's funny that the Instinct actually has more reach than its big brother the Altitude.
I just cant get over the weight. My 30 pound full sus feels like a sled already compared to my 27 pound 26er. Cant image dragging around 4 to 10 more lbs.
That Rocky is gorgeous
Hi their.. Can you guys make one with XC bikes? Thanks in advance. And I'm a new subscriber 💪
& why didn't the girls their opinion?
8:15 I would prefer HG at this kind of build. Wheel upgrade should happen first anyway
You can get most mid-high end wheelsets in HG - just buy an MS/XD freehub body if you upgrade your drivetrain.
you didnt mentions the hubs on some of the other bikes vs the marin
I picked up a trek top fuel w hydro discs, fox shocks front/rear for $175 off marketplace. Can destroy any trails in pisgah w it, will be racing xc next year with it. My main ride is a $56 goodwill diamondback from 1997. A new 1x8 and vee pads, I will ride it till I take top ten in local stravas… my $85 27.5 giant is my enduro bike I hope… so much rusty time, honestly wish injust got a rift zone 😂😂😂😂😂😂 and didnt deal w used crap..
For that specialized price you can get a Ibis Ripmo AF
i feel like 2 of the bros are actually bros. is that correct? also, great video for those of us who still want to dream of 2010 mtb pricing!
I bought my girlfriend an Instinct A10, and after putting my old fox 36 forks on, switching to Michelins, and throwing a set of XT brakes on, it's a missile. The stock brakes sucked.
Just bought a YT Izzo Comp 2 for 2,500 on sale. How do you feel it would stack up against this pack?
miles away in performance i'd say, half carbon frame with fox performance fork and shock, even at full price is better than the specialized
Why no Canyon?
or YT
Hi all I have giant advanced pro 2 29 what a trail bike it is to ride thanks
Where is the Commencal?
duudes for this money you can get trek slash, nukeproof mega or even giga those bikes are not regular cheep bikes.
I love how the point was made NOT to buy a bike based on weight at this price point; however, everyone selected the lightest bike as his favorite. 😂😂😂
Vital mtv Sorry to bother you what would be the best budget all trail - enduro full suspension today
most of these brands have 150mm travel bikes in similar price ranges. there are A LOT of good deals out there, so do some research and see which may be best for your riding style and terrain.
you can get a deore 11 speed cassette with a 51 tooth rear cog
don't know if it exists in the us, but radon makes really good bikes for little money..
how tall (in cm) is your tester who rides marin in size large ?
When the fuq did $2500 become "budget"?
They literally explain it to people like you: 0:40 - 1:20
2.500 IS a budget bike. But people that get into Mountanbiking wont by a bike that's so expensive. You might wanna do a Budget Budget Bike rewiev like +-800-1000€/$/£ . And a vid on what to look for on used bikes
yeah this is like for the people who already have been riding cheaper hardtails or something and want to upgrade not for people just starting out
Marin’s website says it uses HG and a sunrace 11-51t cassette? Which is it? I’ll prob end up getting the Marin as I can get one for $1900 with military discount locally. Then, upgrade the brakes to XT 4 piston F+R as I am a bigger guy. Also, prob get an ispec Shimano XT shifter and Shimano ispec dropper remote with the brake upgrade 🤷♂️
if you can see one locally, you should be able to tell which cassette is on there. we'll reach out to marin to see if they specify what comes on it now. as noted in vid, our shock on the marin was nicer than listed on their site, too.
Marix Rift Zone XR 23 came with sunrace cassette on the one i bought recently.
How come no one tests YT bikes? They seem so much cheaper for what you get compared to a lot of other brands... Are they just bad?
no they are good its just a lot of these channels work with bike shops and manufactures and barely ever talk about direct to consumer companies
Why not talk about how they climb?
Damn bikes have gotten heavy, 15.4kg with pedals is the lightest, makes me really appreciate my 2019 norco fluid fs1, that was 15 and a half kg but with some upgrades it now weighs 13.8kg with pedals.
Depends on how you ride, but I would argue they used to be too light. Once you start getting up to decent speeds, stuff starts to break on a light bike. I would take 2-3 extra kgs for reliability.
@@vlbz Now they've gone too far in the other direction, I ride at decent speeds on chunky stuff and not broken anything on the bike in the 3 and a half years I've owned it, except for a wheelset (buckled) dt swiss ex471 rims, but they lasted about 4 years on two different bikes, heavy bikes drain your energy faster on longer rides, plus they're generally a bit sluggish in everything they do, except bombing downhill in a straight line.
@@benjy288 makes no difference for me. Sticky enduro/dh tires slow me down a lot. Suspension maybe makes a very minor difference, I'm not even sure. The weight of the bike I couldn't even tell by riding it.
@@vlbz Really? I can tell easily, heavier bikes accelerate slower, are harder to pedal up hill, drain your energy faster on longer rides, are harder to get a rebound pop, aren't as nimble, they're basically worse in every area, about the only advantage they do have is they're more planted on fast rough stuff.
@@benjy288 maybe because I'm not exactly skinny, and the bike weights nothing in comparison.
Cheap is $500-650
Pricey $1500ish
Expensive $3000
But to review channels cheap is 3000 and under
And in the real world:
$500-650 is supermarket level junk, not a real bike.
$1500ish gets you cheapest real mountain bike, that won't break after 5min downhill, probably hardtail, so slow and unstable, pretty difficult to ride. After 1 season you'll have to spend another $1500 to change/upgrade the parts, because you'll realize that stock parts perform poorly / are broken. And you start thinking why you didn't spend 3k for a good full suspension bike initially.
$2500-3000 is start point for proper full suspension bike. Bikes that are fast and stable, capable of hard riding. Components are pretty strong (but heavy) and perform pretty well, you don't need to change half of the bike after 1 season. Best price/performance ratio, bikes got everything 95% of riders need.
$5000 is where you get similar components as in $2500-3000 bikes, but the frames are now made of carbon, some parts might be lighter / better performing.
$8000+ is high end bike territory. Bikes come with top of the line components that perform great, are reliable and light. Now that's expensive.
So the review channels are pretty spot on, for a real mountain bike $2500-3000 can be considered "budget", since expensive bikes cost $8000+
@@rokas3935 I rode a $600 bike for 4 years, it will only fall apart if you don’t maintain it.I have a $1600 full suspension that I ride double blacks with you don’t need anything more then that unless your riding downhill specifically or looking for more running and comfort. You don’t need carbon bikes either that’s just a cherry on top.
crazy to call 2500 budget thats more than my first car
More than my current car. Got a nice 2004 Subaru Outback for 1900
Love me a shootout video
I kove the marin bikes, but i gotta say their rims are so bad. I really dont think Vee tires are the problem.
Great test 👍
Those brakes came stock on my giant trance, I had to replace the levers with TRP levers that fit... Other than that they were good brakes.
Then I put shimano brakes on anyway. 😂
Budget?!
never bought anything more expensive than 2K USD
I've ridden my Remedy 7 (1500 USD) with a RS 35 GOLD and some cheap shock for over 2 years before upgrading.
I cased some of the biggest jumps in central EU. I've ridden some of the gnarliest DH tracks around and it was more than enough for my 95kg ass.