Why Mountain Bikes ARE NOT Worth The Money 

When people tell me I can't do a downhill without rear suspension, I remind them that I come from a time BEFORE rear suspension existed!

They are worth the money if you don’t buy a new one every other season.

Keep preaching it brother, don’t have to spend big bucks to have a big time, good message

Some things that are worth spending on imo : - Good 4 pot brakes - Good tires - 1x drivetrain - dropper post - suspension service - a bike trip

The bike I riding is the one I already got.

Great channel. Really stoked by the fact you documented your experience as a noob and growing into it, finding out what suits you, your style and improving. There's endless channels of pros riding insane lines and that's all good but there's a ton of folks who want something they can relate to along with the common questions people have regarding bikes. Unfortunately the industry pushes the most extreme of everything from terrain to top end bikes and people probably think they cannot even bother but it's so true you can ride almost all trails with a hardtail. For the longest time, it was standard and people rode crazy stuff on them.

Well said ! Need and Want when choosing a bike is like "peer pressure". I almost fell into a trap back then but my instinct helped out . Loved how you put it out and thanks.

Dude your channel is killing it! I think you are just a genuinely kind/fun person that bleeds through your videos and that has led to your success. You deserve it! As for me, I love it simple. I love my Specialized Fuse with mid fat tires and a simple air fork. I'd like to maybe upgrade my fork but overall, as long as my body can take it I think I'll stick to the simplicity of the hard tail. Only thing I don't like is even though the fatter tires give nice cushion they are annoyingly bouncy at times. I love riding a hard tail around guys that think they need a full suspension.

I'll ride a hardtail anywhere. Chances are, those people who said that you can't ride a hardtail here and there, have only rode full squish.

Last year I bought lightly used previous gen Polygon N9 for $860. If you know any experienced rider just ask them to help finding a bike that fits in your budget. It's always fun to find good deals in used market.

Totally agree with you on the hardtail. I own a bike shop, get to try lots of bikes and I still prefer hardtails 90% of the time. I'm currently on a Marin El Roy, I love it.

My wife’s Polygon Siskiu D7 was $1199 and does its job every bit as good as my 4K+ Trek Fuel EX…$1200 isn’t cheap but it’s a ton of bike for that money.

Hey, Matty! I was subbed to your channel all through the Treks, and somehow lost you for a while, but I'm glad I found your channel again. Your video quality has improved TREMENDOUSLY!

As we sometimes say in the dirt bike racing world. Sure the type of bike your ride helps but it really comes down to riding skill that makes you fast.

You are spot on with all that. I'm done with chasing full-sus performance. The next bike I buy will likely be a hardtail -- half the price, and plenty of fun on the flowy trails I like to ride. I could care less about 12-speed. An 11-speed Shimano Deore drive train with an 11-51 cassette in a 1X set up will do me fine. Push the boat out and get an XT shifter for a bit more comfort and precision. BTW: I've ridden Shimano's Deore 4-piston brakes quite a bit, and I can't tell the difference between them and the XT variety. But, they are a fraction of the price. And when it comes to forks, I'll pick Marzocchi Z1 or Z2 over Fox or Rochshox. All in all, you get what you pay for. But the middle ground is where all the value sits. And, importantly, it's much cheaper to replace when things wear out or break. Cheers

I love your channel and videos Matty. Please keep em coming. I ride a Specialized Turbo Levo which I bought during the Specialized big sale 9 months ago. Having this eBike is a wonderful in that this 73 y/o can keep up with our sons and grandsons. You’re fortunate to have great places to ride. We’re fortunate to have great riding weather here in SoCal. Cheers friend.

I rode a 24 inch Dirt Jumper on actual MTB trails for years to start 😂 then borrowed my brothers FS cross country bike and was blown away, like man that thing has a shock! Ended up buying an older FS frame, 2008 cannondale, built it with parts from my Dirt Jumper and new drive tran/forks/tires… love that bike been riding it for 7 years now no issues and gives me extra satisfaction blowing past the dorks riding 6-11k bikes who don’t have the ability to use them close to their potential.

My first bike I got for MTB was the Siskiu D6. Fast forward 10 months later I upgraded the fork and rear suspension and feels like a brand new bike! Loving my Siskiu D6!!

I race enduro on a 2019 specialized enduro It’s ridiculous how expensive suspension and drive train has become!!!! I spend thousands of dollars to keep my bike in shape and race. The industry is going nuts!!!

4 years ago I bought an unwanted rental bike, a 2019 GT Sensor from an out of state bike shop for $1500 ( including shipping). I still love riding it, and predictably, I’ve replaced almost everything except the frame over the years. You don’t have to spend a lot initially, but over the years, things wear out or you just want some bling parts and you’ll eventually keep spending money regardless of if you buy on the cheaper or not, if mtb is your thing

I accidentally found polygon bikes and its otw. I'm so excited! After bad experiences with Specialized and trek I was about to give up but then I stumbled up polygon bikes and was amazed at the features you get on these "budget" bikes! Your video was very encouraging! Also, that bike trail looked awesome!!

Nice video Matty! I do some wrenching on my bikes but don't have much experience with rear suspension maintenance. So, I gravitate toward buying from a local shop instead of online. That being said, the Polygon lineup seems like a good deal.

Where im from the Polygon siskiu D5 costs 2000$ I ride a 670$ full suspension bike which people always overlook or ignore its the rockrider st530s doesn't bother me that it doesn't have 29" wheels 27,5 is good enough, don't need preinstalles dropper or internal routing im glad it has a 120mm coil shock/fork and hydraulic disk breaks and 1x9 drivetrain I like that bike, when interacting ur interacting with the rider not the bike

I bought a used like new specialize stumpjumper for $1,100 and it works very well and I sure have lots of fun with it over a year now. So yeah, you don’t need to spend like $3000 bike to have fun.

Matty, your new subscriber here & a hardcore hardtail enthusiast. You are correct, Polygon is criminally underrated! That said, this is an observation I'd like to share, I saw this back in the States side & in Asia where I currently reside. While full suspensions MTB are a technical marvel to tackle different terrains. But as you said, marketing had caused too many poorly thought-out impulse purchases. In addition, I see WAY too many riders are "over bike", Figuratively speaking, "over bike" is similar to a 16 yrs old thrown into driving an F1... just my humble 2 cents... Keep up the good work! Look forward to seeing your channel grow! 🤙

I'm looking to upgrade from my marlin 5 3x7 but I'm on the fence about upgrading to a better bike due to cost or upgrading what i have. I have been looking at polygon t9 for quit a while, great video thanks for the info.

Just snatched up a great deal (IMHO).....Canyon Spectral 125 CF8 for, get this, $1200 off!!! That sale lasted a whopping 2 days and it's back down to just $400 off now. That put this amazing full XT build for less than the lower model AND lower than the Aluminum models. My wife is considering MT'ing with me, and I'll most likely go with a Polygon to keep the costs down while she figures out how dedicated she'll be.

I got a t8 last fall and it's more then capable on any trail I've ridden so for. I come from a bmx background and just wanted to get into the mtb world to explore my local trails. I have no regrets.

Hey Matty, Polygon just came out with their Siskiu T9. Are you able to get your hands on one for a review maybe? I would appreciate your take on the bike. Thanks

That is good and informative. I have a trek marlin 4 I have slowly upgraded over time. Also ridden it down greenworld at winter park.

Nukeproof Scout with Marzocchi Bomber Z1. I ride it hard and usually crash at least once per ride …….. and only worry about me getting hurt. Great video!!!!

Hey Matty I'm wondering what action cam mount options do you use and like? I'm thinking chest mount for mtb I have a bar mount for road and gravel. Thanks in advance for your input 👍🏻

Got into MTB with my dad's Specialized stump jumper made in the 90s, was a hard tail with 25" wheels and ended up bending a wheel and couldn't never find a replacement. But a week ago I got a GT Aggressor Pro that used to be on sale but the Dicks Sporting goods forgot to take off the sake sticker but I still got it for $299, rode the trails here in Pueblo Colorado all weekend, felt great. I'll get a full sus hike here eventually when I find a good deal but I just wanted something affordable that I could take and go. I'll definitely look into the Polygon brand, never heard if it before. I definitely gotta hit Trestle

A couple years ago, I bought a Giant Trance for about $2,500 (I'd have probably gotten the Polygon D7 if it would have had a boost fork at the time). There are definitely some big steps up a guy can take on spec, but you wind up paying a lot for them and unless you're a really particular rider, a lot of them aren't huge. The biggest difference I've felt was from buying a used set of carbon fiber wheels and lighter tires. It goes to show how good the "low midrange" actually is. So much of the stuff doesn't actually function worse, it's maybe a bit heavier - like Shimano Deore vs. XTR.

Hard tail mtb’s and hard tail ev mtb’s are more than enough for the average user.

I have my faithful specialized since 2007. I upgraded it with brand new components, but it is time to upgrade. Now I'm building my own with 29ers. So excited!

You’re right I made a really bad mistake and bought a hardtail frame and a bunch of PNW components and I decided to buy Marin Riftzone 3 27.5 since it was discounted now I have a brand new frame and a bunch of parts just laying around and the bike shop offered me $500 for around $1200 worth of parts brand new and think I learned a valuable lesson.

This is a hot take lol. But I do kinda agree. MTB riders have become the new Cyclist. They have a smug elitist attitude. Back in the early 2000-2010s that wasn’t the case. I just recently got back into MTB and spent $600 on a MTB and when I was on the trails everyone else had $2000-4000 bikes and made fun of my bike. Reminded me of when I used to cycle.

Some of this depends on the type of riding you do and how sensitive you are to feel. For me personally, I like hubs with instant engagement. ( I like to techy rock stuff) and a good shifter. I also like to have compression adjustments in my suspension minus a lockout. I don't use lockouts but my bike is also on the dw platform. What he is talking about will cover probably 99% of the people. The other 1% are the faster more technical riders that are sensitive to feel and need something that is more precise.

Its all about the law of diminishing returns. My first mountain bike was a voodoo bizango it was about 750 stirling, it had pretty good specs for the price. then i pulled the trigger on 2500 bike with sram eagle and fox forks. Was it 3 times a better bike . No way.

Great videos. I've seen three so far and I really like the down to earth, straight talk. Thanks again for the videos, God bless.

I have a Status. Love it, but it was also a purchase rooted in hours of research and test riding. You're right, buy the bike you love and that you connect with.

My first bike was a hardtail Giant Talon 2 (2021) and I love it, it cost about $650 with taxes and it was able to handle so much. I took it to Spider Mountain in Austin with no issues. I’m sure if I were do to upgrades (Tires, Front fork, brakes) it could handle much more but I’m still entry level. I do eventually want a full suspension for downhill and jumps but they say a hardtail can handle as much as you can

Ozark trail ridge gang, where are you?! I love my OTR! Had some upgrades on it but it is a great bike and got me riding right away vs waiting to save for something better

Popular brands can be expensive and not always worth it. That's why I chose to buy a bike from a less popular brand that still offered quality and value for money. I was considering Trek or Giant at first but they were too expensive. I initially planned to get an MTB, but in the end, I bought a road bike because I often saw road bikes being used on GCN, and I primarily ride on the road. I bought my bike for $440, and I'm really happy with it. You're right, it's just a status symbol.

The bike I brought to my first big downhill park was a beat up Cannondale I got for $150 and everyone loved it. I ride a Nukeproof Scout now. It's probably more bike than I need but I love it and will keep it for many years

I got an entry level Kona Lava Dome last year and I'm having loads of fun with it. Certainly not the best bike in the world but gets the job done and gets me where I want. I will replace the parts when they break, but no problems so far!

My $5500 full suspension bike is broken after 10 years. I'm just trying to get back on a bike and polygon looks like the way to go.

My first MTB was a Diamond Back Line, I paid $600 in 2015! Last year I wanted to upgrade and received the same advice “you want a full suspension”. I almost gave in, instead I went with a Guerrilla Gravity hardtail (sadly closed down) But I love my hardtail.

I used to ride Trestle bike park on my specialized epic hard tail and it was amazingly fun. I got on some black diamonds and shredded. I still don’t feel like I’m ready for a full suspension however Specialized is discontinuing the epic HT so I may not have a choice but to get a procaliber or epic full sus. Love the video man keep it up!

Really appreciate this perspective. As someone who lives in Bentonville and is learning to ride it is intimidating being surrounded by $5K-$10K full sus luxury bikes. Meanwhile I’m in year 2 on my $1200 Giant Fathom 2 and have yet to find a trail I can’t shred on it!

My first bike was co-op drt 1.1 for 600bucks. I did some upgrades later down the line by adding 120 mm rock shox air suspension from original 100mm SR Suntour changed the pedals to more grippy aluminum and changed the brake pads to semi metalic for better braking. I rode it hard and its best first bike i think.

If you guys think bikes are expensive in US, come to Brazil and try to buy a bike. A brand new trek Roscoe 9 costs around US$6000. A brand new specialized S-Works Turbo Levo SL LTD costs around US$28000. You guys have absolutely no reason to complain.

i was given an old gary fisher sugar 4 by a friend for free but it needs a new front fork and a rear shock rebuild would you recommend i do the work or get something newer?

I have some pretty good money in a few bikes. But I have tons of fun on early 2000s classic Cannondales and Schwinn. Eff the haters. 😂

Im still riding my 1998 Specialized M2 Stumpjumper Comp I bought brand new. I paid $1100 for it...and it still rides like a champ. Id never pay the prices they want for a bike now.

Got my first bike at the end of last season a siskiu D6 and for someone getting back in to biking again it's perfect

Hardtails are the best man. The simplicity and weight savings are so worth what you lose in "capability" because they force you to build your technique. Love these videos, stay active!

Appreciate the video as someone who's also started off on a hard tail trek. There's definitely a lot of people out on trails that are crazy judgemental if you don't have the most expensive rig......at the end of the day the bike doesn't make you the best rider or the one having the most fun.

Started with roscoe 8, then canyon spectral, and now im learning more about installation and repairs and building a new frame. Working on a giant reign. 😅

I've got a 2019 Trek Xcalibur 7 hardtail 29er. I commute in Florida with it and like all my pedal to transfer to the wheel, not the suspension.

I rode a Trek Marlin 5 for 9 years - they are fantastic bikes. I'm happy I upgraded to a Canyon Spectral 125 AL5 (I think they are like $2900 now) though.

I have a couple of Santa Cruz bikes and love them... one bike needed the pivot bearings replaced (lifetime warranty) and it took months for SC to cover the cost of the bearings. My Tallboy has a Reverb RockShox dropper post that lasted for about 30 cycles (and failed) and it's been off the bike being warrantied by RockShox. The problem, it's been over for 6 months. If I had to do it again I would choose a less expensive bike and have money left for additional parts... it doesn't matter if the warranty is good if it takes a year to get results. We are in an age of you're on your own. This is just not SC, my friend has had the same experience with a Scott dealer... sorry we can't get that part (for a bike that was a month old).

Keep in mind second hand is also an option, you can save lots of money. even a ex demo bike, rental bike from bike park or shop. Due to my back problems a hardtail guarantees a thrown out back, but full suspension greatly minimises the risk for this. But I still need to work more on my back. I can't blast trough rough terrain on a xc bike as I did when I was a kid.

I've got a ragley marley hardtail and I love it I've also got a full suspension mondraker factor r but love the hardtail too much now 😂

I also like hard tails, they have a special place in my heart. It where I started. I love my Cotic Soul. Now I need a full suspension, and I'm looking into a Polygon Siskiu T7. It might be more than I need in some ways, but I know it will handle any trail I will ride. The T series also has a better BB height than the D series. Anyway, I appreciate your views and reviews. Your video editing also kills. Keep it up!

Hi Matty. Hopefully you will see this message.and will give me your input. I have the current Gen Roscoe 8, partly because of the high Roscoe praise on your channel. I really like the bike and have liked it more and more as I have used it. Right now I'm caught up in thinking I have to have a full suspension and a bike with higher specs. I'm 42 and blew my knee out on my bike about 10 years ago. I have no desire to get hurt again so I don't do anything too sketchy. I also have 4 young kids that I take so it's more about them learning than me pushing myself. Are there benefits to an FS bike even on easier trails and city riding? I have some money for a new bike so I'm debating about giving my oldest daughter the Roscoe 8 and getting me the Roscoe 9 or I could get something like a Fuel EX or a Srumpjumper. I feel like the Roscoe is plenty of bike for what I do but I have never owned a full suspension so I can't shake the idea of maybe I'm missing out on something. We live in Utah so there are plenty of trails all around us. Thanks

Funny story, I started same time and ended up on specialized rockhopper. Now I have a specialized stump jumper got it last year. Will ride it for a while now. I want to get a pivot next

So true! My first dually was a Giant AC 1, and I had a royal blast on it! And I still love my hard tail (and fully rigid) bikes. At a certain price point, you encounter diminishing returns.

When I got into the sport I started out with a budget ht(scwhinn axum). After a couple months of progressing on it I started making it more capable over the next several months. It took about 1200$ to make it capable of how I was riding. But I was able to pick and choose over time what it needed (18months). Now it’s a trail shredder. The only stock parts on it besides the frame is rear spokes and rim hoop, seat post, and clamp. No regrets, it fits me perfectly and is completely customized to my preferences and I was able to learn a lot about working on bikes, geometry, and developing a machine that has characteristics that I was after. I did what to get a full sus to handle larger hits, and after months of research and saving money, and now knowing what I wanted from a bike,( fitment and ride characteristics), I was able to buy a Marin Riftzone XR for $2400 new. I love both of my shred machines equally, but definitely spent the time had to learning what I really wanted. Out of the box the XR came exactly how I needed it to, but depending on what I want to do on the trail, I grab the bike that suits that goal. Always have fun and keep riding! Thanks for the vid

I ride in a group. We are known as the Trek Boys. We ride Marlin and Roscoe 6 and 7. No more than $1500 is all good. Don't get the money-pits from big box stores. Go to a bike specialty store. Great video! You got it down

Excellent video. To be fair, seeing the trail you were riding...it could have also easily been done on a hard tail with plus sized tires too! I only avoid places with nonstop chatter like rocks/roots on my hardtail. It can do it but it's no fun to me anyway coming from road riding where everything is so much smoother. I like it fast and flowy.

Coming from a background that included about 10yr working in bike shops, I tend to agree with the sentiment. I have owned a $7K+ bike. My last three bikes have been well optioned used/demo bikes picked up at about half price and I am currently on a $3600 last year's model bike that I got for under $2K. For most riders a $1-2K bike is more than enough to handle all their needs. I will say that in chunky terrain higher level suspension is noticeably better at it's job.

I started out on a Trek Marlin 5 for $600 start of COVID. Did so much on that bike! 3 years later I got my second bike : Santa Cruz Tall Boy full suspension $2,500ish dollars end of last summer. Been riding for almost 4 years now!

Some things to thing about are you don’t have to buy new and resale value. I bout a Santa Cruz Bronson in 2018 that was one year old for $2700. This bike originally was $5,000. The previous owner also put 1400 wheels on it. I rode that bike until 2023 and sold it for $2000. In that time I did upgrade the drive train from a 1x11 to 1x12 and also upgraded the rear shock and pedals. I have trails out here in Utah literally in my backyard that are downhill trails with jumps that a full suspension bike definatley helps.

That is why I bought my trek rosco 7 saltin color, I feel so happy with that bike. Thanks to you my boy I did my right choose watching your videos. I’m just a beginner mountain bike

What size sisku did you go with and how tall are you? I’m looking to get one but not sure what size to get. The recommended size for me is large but the geo numbers look a little big.

been on a hardtail for 8 years , im itching for a new frame with through axle and dropper amenities , the fram im looking at , the only internal cable routing on it is the dropper 🤣, its chromoly and i can also fir up to 29x3 wheels , bus getting a 1x12 setup and its taking me a few months to save up for the parts (3rdworldproblems) im also locked into the shimano ecosystem because the pricing on sram drivetrain components here is absolutely insane . shimano deore deraileur costs 1200 vs sram gx at 3300

Subscribed cause you genuinely seem like a good guy god bless. I always buy cheaper bikes as I just really want the frame I upgrade as I go then end up with high end parts for much less money then top tier models. Bike prices are ridiculous

I am just now getting into mountain biking and the only thing that worries me is the older you get the longer it takes to heal lol. But I am getting me a Walmart Schwinn and gonna upgrade it as I can afford and enjoy it until then lol

I did the same thing: I bought a Santa Cruz Tallboy and it was awesome but I found it boring on lighter trails, and downright scary how fast you could do steep technical stuff. It made me go way too fast for my skill level. I sold it, and now will probably get a carbon hardtail for light duty all day riding to complement my All-Road/Gravel bike.

Nice riding bro. I have loads of fun on my 2023 Santa Cruz Chameleon HardTail.

I have a fancy Pivot Mach 6 with all the expensive stuff. I love it. That said, more times than not I'm riding my $800 hardtail and I have a blast on it. My FS I pretty much just use at the bike park, which I visit a lot, but for most riders, myself included, you really don't need anything more than a capable hardtail. The Pivot is sick though ngl, got Reserves on there and everything. Edit: Watched the whole video and I should clarify, when I'm riding my local trails I'm on the hardtail, but the majority of my riding is at the bike park. I hit big jumps and drops, some pro lines so I need a capable bike. I could've found a used DH bike though and then upgraded components as things get replaced.

That is why I do not buy a new highend fork but just a USED Yari or select and let it custom tune. Still far cheaper but better than highend stuff of the shelf. Example for shocks: Bomber Cr/VanRC used for under 200 euro+custom tune for 160 for bike,ridingstyle and bike from M-Suspensiontech (pistons and shims). Works better than 1000 buck shicks of the shelf. Just lacls the climb switch. Or get the used float x,then you have the switch. Same price relations for the forks.

My road bike is kinda like a hardtail. I can even fit 2.4 inch tires. So next I tried a low-travel full suspension bike which has the DW link suspension. Only thing I don’t like are the hydraulic brakes, too catchy for me.

Never had problem buying used bikes or cars... For the trails I'm capable to ride... an old cannondale prophet is more then good... old XT or XTR is stil good stuff... ofcourse I wanted to try more modern geometry... got me a 2018 Mondraker Dune... nice bike both up and down the hill... It's how much you are willing to invest,,, like in any other hobby...burning desire to try it... If the fancy 6K machine will boost your motivation... I can understand.

Good content brother! keep it up

I went from Roscoe 7 to Siskui T8. Great transition. Then I moved to the status160. It’s a tank and I think was the right move as I’ve progressed into enduro ! Great video

for any beginners i always recommend looking something with a 1x drivetrain. Why? It takes the thought process out of shifting and typically any 1x drivetrain comes with a clutch derailleur. The other thing i really push for is finding something with hydraulic brakes and leaving budget for a dropper. With these things any beginner can really grow into the bike. And these features can be found for around $500 if you look for a great deal. Example the Canyon grand canyon was on sale this past holidays for that price. It came with a 1x12 shimano drivetrain. Purchasing and upgrading the drivetrain later is a waste of money imo.

What do you think about this.. I’m gonna buy a freeride bike from 2011 (trek scratch 8) it’s the bike in my pfp… “€750” I get friendship discount. Is it worth it? And what would you do?❤

You have to ask yourself if diminishing returns are worth the investment. I have a trail bike, a dirt jumper, and a commuting bike. I have all that I need already.

I love how silent the T7 sounds, or doesn't sound lol

Ive been riding for 40 years on a hardtail and never wanted to up grade to a full suspensión

My first real MTB was a Diamondback Release 3, which I purchased as a bike I could grow into. I absolutely loved that thing until it was stolen after about 4 or 5 years of ownership while I was on my way to do the Whole Enchilada. While I do miss it, the insurance money combined with end of season sales allowed me to upgrade to a bike twice the price that I never would have purchased on my own due to the price (even with it being their entry-level build).

Great video brother glad to have you join the shredding club.

Polygon is changing the game with quality bikes at affordable prices

I have an Ozark trail ridge and I put about $800 into it to upgrade pretty much everything. I took it on some pretty serious Tucson AZ trails this past weekend and it did everything I asked of it.

Hi! I don’t know if ever going to see my comments but here’s the question. I got offered a trek roscoe 8 2021 for 500€ do you think is still a good deal? I’m a beginner on the bike world and I got a recommendation about your channel.

I've always tapped into the used bike market Matty. I started MTBing 3 years ago on a 95 Gary Fisher taikai that I bought for $50. Well that bike got stolen so I found a 2012 Kona hei hei deluxe 29r on eBay for $1100 and raced it for a season and a half. Still have it and ride it often. My next and current race bike is a 2016 Niner jet 9 rdo that I found for $1500! I see no need in upgrading anytime soon as both the Kona and Niner are both better than my abilities by a big margin.😂 I do agree that new bikes are horribly over priced. I'll probably always hit the used bike market because you never know what kind of deal is out there. If you save a lot of money on a used bike it leaves extra money to upgrade the components and still have money left over. Just my thoughts......

One of these days you need to test a high quality steel hardtail. Yes they’re not cheap but they’re an amazing experience and ride