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What Nobody Tells You About Cheap vs Expensive Bikes!

Jared Hoff

387,829 views

Revel Rascal SL Dream Bike
https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/prod...

Mountain bike prices spark more debate than wheel size, suspension, or frame material. Some big media outlets push $10,000 dream builds, while other YouTubers claim a $500 Walmart MTB is all you’ll ever need. But what’s the truth, and which bike actually makes sense for you?

In this video, I’m putting three bikes head-to-head across the full price spectrum:

🚲 A $500 Walmart full suspension mountain bike

🚲 A $1,500 Polygon Siskiu trail bike (my pick for best value MTB)

🚲 A $5,000 dream build designed for riders chasing premium performance

We’ll test climbing, descending, cornering, suspension, brakes, and overall ride feel to see how much bike you really get for your money. Whether you’re shopping for a budget mountain bike, a mid-range trail bike, or wondering if a $5,000 MTB is worth it, this video breaks down where the money actually matters.

👉 Stick around until the end for my honest verdict... you might be surprised which bike comes out on top.

If you’re in the market for a new mountain bike or just curious about the truth behind MTB prices, this video is for you.

LINKS and DISCOUNTS:
Wolf Tooth Bottle Cage
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Polygon T6 On Sale Now
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Trail One Components
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KALI Helmets
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Code: KALIJH25

KETL Mountain Bike Clothing (Everyday Clothing, No Giant Fox Logo)
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Worldwide Cyclery (Love These Guys, Support Them!)
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Privateer Bikes (Trail & Enduro)
Discount Code: HOFF10
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CrankBrothers, Discount Code: JARED15
Shopify Link (code auto-applied at checkout): https://www.crankbrothers.com/discoun...

SMITH Goggles (Get Chroma-Pop Lens)
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Join the channel!
@jaredhoff

Chapters:
00:00 - Cheap vs Expensive MTB
00:59 - $500 vs $1,500 vs $5,000 bikes
01:19 - Are Expensive Mountain Bikes Worth It?
01:51 - Inteoducing the Mountain Bikes
02:50 - Walmart Ozark Trail Slalom FS.2 Ride
11:43 - Polygon Siskiu T6 Ride
17:38 - Revel Rascal SL Ride
22:11 - Revel Rascal Downhill Run
23:21 - Technical Rock Garden
23:45 - Revel Rascal Final Ride Impressions
24:45 - The Brutal Truth About These MTBs

20 Comments

@JaredHoff Creator 11 months ago (edited) Pinned

Check out the Revel Rascal SL here
https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/products/revel-rascal-sl-sram-eagle-90-treeline-kit-prickly-pear?aff=578

@ViperGTS_R 11 months ago

Hobby thingy law : Always mid tier one is best.

@amory716 11 months ago

Storytime!

I got back into mountain biking in 2015 by renting a FS in Squamish and man, that ride lit the spark. I was re-hooked instantly.

In 2016, I picked up a used 2009 Santa Cruz Nomad. It was clapped out, but I dropped a ton of upgrades into it. Suspension, drivetrain, cockpit. You name it was upgraded. That bike taught me how to wrench, how to ride harder, and how to fall better.

A few years later, I sold the Nomad and grabbed a used 2015 Giant Reign in 2020. Same story: upgrades, tweaks, more trail time. Every ride was a step up.

Fast forward to 2022, I scored a killer deal on a new Knolly Warden frame. I swapped over parts from the Reign and slowly built it up into a full-on enduro sled. Over the last three years, I’ve pretty much rebuilt it from the frame out — my perfect trail weapon for BC, Canada.

Here’s my hot take and I’ll die on this hill:
- Don’t buy a cheap new bike!
- If you are new, rent first, make sure you love the sport (cheaper than buying a cheap bike).
- Then, buy a solid used bike and learn to work on it yourself.

You’ll save money, learn faster, and build a ride that truly fits you.

@bicyclelife7088 11 months ago

$600 entry level bikes today are better than anything we rode in the 90's. Most people don't need a $5k bike. Do I have one, yes..but most people can get all they need for $2,500. The difference between that and a $5k bike is only really going to be noticeable by serious riders.

@StefanDrake 11 months ago

The best bike for you is the bike you can afford easly without going broke ✌🏻
And just for the record he said it himself, he didn't dial in the 500$ bike.
Kinda biased on the Siskiu tho, especially since it was dialed in and the 500$ bike wasn't

@yurahbom 11 months ago

I bought a used Giant Iguana 2006ish for like $100 off Facebook and am having a blast.

@LecroysOrganicPhotos 11 months ago

MTB evolution: first bike is always a crash course in what not to buy, but you thrash the hell outta it until your riding style and skills need an upgrade. The second bike is always the bike you shoulda bought the first time. It's also the second bike that plunges you into the life long journey of enjoying this awesome sport, and also spending a lot of research time, money, and labor doing it.

@PyroBanddiitt 11 months ago

The Ozark's huge benefit is that it can be bought by someone who works a minimum wage job, ridden to work everyday until they can upgrade it. I speak from personal experience, when your weekly check is $400 and your weekly living expenses are $350... that Ozark will be rolling under you way sooner. All 3 bikes are great, for their markets.

@jojo-q8w5j 10 months ago

"What nobody tells you" is right up there with a good old unboxing...

@icewing7913 11 months ago (edited)

Let's be real a new rider doesn't need a full suspension bike at all. Most new riders need a hard tail and the Polygon Xtrada line starts well under $1k for those who are more budget oriented. I stated with an Xtrada and rode the heck out of it for 4 years till I recently purchased a Polygon Siskiu T8. What an awesome bike!

@arc9812 9 months ago

1:30 , the Polygon moves on its own, the spirit of Polygon is speaking to me.

@SithDungeon 11 months ago

I only saw the Ozark part of the video till now but that Suntour fork isn't made for downhill/enduro/trail or any technical terrain. It's even specified on it's sticker and they're site's description.

@nightstalker824 11 months ago

If you have been riding for a “long” time as you say you have, then you should remember when “top end” bikes had shitty geometry, crappy brakes, crappy drivetrains , etc. etc. Sure they were high end 15 years ago, but I’m sure that $500 Walmart bike can take them on them bikes from yesterday. Ok, so maybe throw in an aftermarket fork.

It’s not an honest review if you are used to riding expensive modern bikes. For someone getting into sport, they wouldn’t even know what it’s like riding a high end carbon. They will probably have loads of fun riding a $500 bike.

This is coming from a 43 year old riding a $5000 carbon bike. I remember what it was like riding a cheap ass pawn shop bike and having loads of fun because that’s all I knew and could afford.

@coltonowens2742 11 months ago

I find joy in pushing cheap stuff hard purely for the lols. I own nice bikes, but there's something satisfying about shredding an absolute clapper or cheap bike.

@StormyKays 11 months ago

On the Walmart bike as with most bargain units the end limit on the derailer must be set so it doesn't drop the chain. Also the cable must be set for proper engagement. This is not a design problem rater a setup problem.

I think you nailed it. Great honest reviews

@vizion007 1 month ago

Best word of the day for the $500 bike going down hill: "Mayday!"

@lynnt3964 6 months ago (edited)

I'm actually glad I started with a cheaper hard tail 1st before I moved on to the Enduro bike I ride now. The only way you'll fully appreciate these tiers is to crawl before you walk. Expensive doesn't always translate to being better when it comes to cycling. It all depends on where you'll be riding, budget, comfort, and what the riders expectations are

@nathanfisher1512 4 months ago

I’m glad I bought a used 1k Stumpjumper. I learned so much and had a blast. When I finally did upgrade, I was confident that I loved the hobby/sport to invest in it further to keep the joy alive.

@Zwantceeto 6 months ago

1:06 I was like how can an Ozark Trail cost the same as my pretty decent Alubike Sierra, then I realized he's comparing only FS. I'd take a good HT over a cheap FS any day, great vid man.

@danielcluley870 11 months ago

My most expensive bikes were only like $3500, but then I got "upgraditis" and bought some $1000 wheelsets and Sram XX components. It adds up. Sometimes it is better to go more expensive right out of the gate, but also not a bad Idea to just get a solid frame and upgrade over time when you have the cash saved up or get more into the sport/using the bike. I still ride some 20+ year old bikes because they put a smile on my face and just upgrade things over time or as certain things wore out. (new wheels, new fork, new derailleur/cassette system, etc).