Few of us are lucky enough to be able to splash £1,000 on our first bike. Instead, this tends to be the price range for people who’ve already spent some time on a mountain bike and have decided they want something a little more serious to take their riding to the next level.
Mountain bikes in this price range open up serious trail riding and often feature quality frames and components that allow you to progress your skillset.
Every machine here can be pushed into service at any trail centre, in most types of cross-country races and for general off-road exploration.
Our testers have reviewed hundreds of mountain bikes since BikeRadar's inception and know their way around bikes at every price point.
You can skip further down this article to read about how we test £1,000 mountain bikes and see our buyer's guide on what to look for in these budget bikes.
Editor's note: This list was updated on November 21, 2024, with our latest reviews. We have also added guidance on how we test mountain bikes in this price range and why you can trust BikeRadar.
Best mountain bikes for around £1,000 in 2024
Rockrider AM 100
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- £1,000 as tested
- Pros: Modern geometry; lifetime frame warranty; fun and responsive ride
- Cons: Dropper post could be longer
The Rockrider AM 100 offers impressive performance and style at an excellent price thanks to a well-designed frame and considered component choice.
We found the bike to cover the ground well while offering plenty of confidence on the descents.
Our tester found the 27.5in wheels sometimes stalled on technical ascents and felt the brakes lacked a little punch.
However, the frame offers plenty of upgrade potential thanks to up-to-date standards.
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Voodoo Bizango Pro
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- £950 / $1,258 as tested
- Pros: Trail-capable modern geometry; great spec list; decent tyres
- Cons: Poor seat tube tolerance
The Voodoo Bizango Pro offers great value, with a spec list featuring a 130mm RockShox FS-35 Gold fork and a Shimano Deore 1X12 drivetrain married to Shimano MT401 hydraulic disc brakes.
With a modern geometry, featuring a 66.5-degree head angle, the Bizango Pro feels confident and controlled out on the trails, with the air fork providing support uphill and finding grip on descents.
Unlike some bikes in this price range, the Bizango Pro features thru-axles as opposed to quick-release skewers. This adds lateral stiffness and makes the bike compatible with wheel upgrades.
The decent spec list extends to the tyres, where a Maxxis High Roller II and Rekon combo enables you to push the bike to the limit in various conditions.
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Marin Bobcat Trail 5
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- £985 / $999 / €1,149 as tested
- Pros: Modern playful geometry; well-rounded spec; upgrade potential
- Cons: It didn't come with the ordered spec
The Bobcat Trail 5 sits at the top of Marin's Bobcat Trail range and features a 120mm Suntour XCR 32 fork and a Shimano Deore 1X11 drivetrain.
Having a coil-sprung fork made it difficult to set the suspension up, and it performed worse when compared to air-sprung counterparts. The geometry makes up for this, providing good handling across the board, with the long reach aiding the bike's stability.
The 67.5-degree head angle remained composed on the climbs and inspired confidence on the descents. It allowed for aggressive riding past the bike's intended use.
Wheel size changes with frame size, with the small bike using 27.5in and the rest using 29in wheels. This enables the Bobcat to be better proportioned to different riders' heights.
Our test bike didn't arrive with the WTB tyres that were specced, instead featuring unbranded tan walls that lacked performance. Marin said this was due to supply-chain issues.
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Specialized Rockhopper Elite 29
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- £949 / $1,150 / €975 / AU$1,300 as tested
- Pros: Fast rolling with zippy ride feel; well-refined; decent spec
- Cons: Short suspension travel
Specialized's Rockhopper Elite 29 is eager on the climbs and performs well all-round.
The RockShox Judy Solo Air fork provides good damping and confidence on the descents, with the travel lengths changing through the sizes, from 80mm to 100mm.
The short travel means you have to work harder on technical descents, but the large wheel size smooths out the trail well.
A lightweight frame and fast-rolling 29in wheels make the Rockhopper a mile muncher and put a smile on your face when climbing.
The 74.5-degree head angle and Shimano Deore drivetrain leave little room for excuses on steep climbs and reward you with fast-paced ascending.
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How we test £1,000 mountain bikes
We test mountain bikes out on the trails to see how they perform in their natural habitat. Our testers often use trail centre trails to review bikes in this price range, though they often push them past their limit on more technical trails to see how they support skill progression. Ultimately, our reviews are based on the following criteria:
- Handling characteristics, their suitability for trail riding, and whether they can be pushed further.
- Specification and how well the components work and whether the components allow you make the most of the frames geometry.
- Upgradability, does the frame feature modern standards that allow parts to be upgraded or replaced.
- Value versus the competition, are you getting a good deal for your money compared to the market?
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What to look for in mountain bikes for around £1,000
While budget is still a priority, the bikes in this price bracket are a little more trail-focused. So you can expect to find suspension that’s a bit more heavy-duty and equipment that’s better at handling the rigours of off-road riding.
This price range is dominated by hardtails, but you can get a good full-suspension bike if you're prepared to spend close to the £1,000 mark, and it's not unheard of to see some full-sus bikes under £1,000 among the best trail mountain bikes.
Hardtails tend to be lighter and easier to maintain, but the benefit of having both front and rear suspension is that it'll give you more confidence and traction on steep descents.
The industry also seems to have settled in terms of wheel size, meaning the majority of bikes at this price will now use 27.5in/650b wheels.
At this price point, dropper posts are becoming more common, introducing extra versatility to a bike and consequently opening up a far wider range of riding.
Hydraulic disc brakes are also almost standard at this price. We'd go nearly as far as saying you should avoid bikes that don't have them, because they offer better and more confidence-inspiring performance than cable brakes.
A good tip is to look for a bike that uses the Boost mountain bike axle standard. Upgrading wheels is an easy way to improve the performance of a bike and this standard will open up a whole plethora of lighter and stronger mountain bike wheels to you as well as make it easier to find quality replacements.
Have you found what you’re looking for?
If £1,000 is a bit too much money, the best mountain bikes under £750 and the best mountain bikes under £500 still offer great performance and are ideal if you’re just starting out or buying for someone who is.
Otherwise, if this list has whetted your appetite and you think you could stretch your budget a little further, check out our list of the best mountain bikes under £2,000 and the best mountain bikes under £3,000.
Still need a bit more info to help you decide? Make sure to check out our guide on how to choose the right mountain bike for you, with tips on what to look for in a mountain bike, from suspension and gears to different types of riding.
