You don't need to spend thousands of pounds to get a good mountain bike ripe for razzing the trails, under £1,000 will get you a capable hardtail and even a good full susser or two from some budget brands. We have been testing a variety of bikes that all cost less than £1,000, here are the cream of the crop with these top bikes all having scored 3.5 stars or above. 

• Buyer's guide to mountain bikes - get the best MTB for you
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• Best mountain bikes for under £3,000 - capable trail bikes that won't break the bank

[Updated  19th October 2019]

Calibre Two Cubed

The Calibre Two Cubed manages to pack in a sweet riding frame and cracking spec that really does belie the asking price, though to get it under £500 you'll need a Go Outdoors discount card for a mere fiver. There's very little complain about at this money, with a decent quality Shimano 27spd drivetrain and RockShox fork with 100mm of travel up front. 

• £399 (with discount card)
• Read the full review of the Calibre Two Cubed here.

Voodoo Bizango

The Voodoo Bizango is the totally sorted hardtail that’s ruled the roost for a few seasons at this price point. Over the years, Voodoo has added a smaller 16” size to fit shorter riders, lowered the top tube for more room to move and changed the aluminium frame’s blend for a smoother ride. One thing they’ve never done though is mess with the excellent value and impressive ride quality. The Bizango is a nimble, well-balanced package that’s not only fun, it rides and steers like a proper trail bike on flatter trails. With the basics nailed down, for a tad over £500 this Voodoo is simply a killer deal anyone can enjoy riding. 

• £725
• Read the full review of the Voodoo Bizango here.

Forme Curbar 1

Forme's Curbar 1 offers a load of fun for not a lot of money, with respectably modern handling and kit that does the trick largely without issue. Serious off-roaders will need some more aggressive rubber in the short term to make the most of the trail geometry and long term upgrades should include the fork and brakes, but it's a solid platform to start with.

While the Curbar 1 has some stiff competition - Voodoo's £725 Bizango being the particular elephant in this room, along with Calibre's budget offerings - the bike acquits itself well on handling and performance, meaning it's a worthy option if you want to have a lot of mountain fun without a whole lot of money.

• £675
• Read the full review of the Forme Curbar 1 here.

Decathlon Rockrider AM100 HT

The new Rockrider AM100 from Decathlon looks a great bike on paper but on the trail, it’s fantastic, a riot of fun and hugely capable. Modern geometry gifts this sub-£1,000 hardtail great handling and the parts package is all top-notch with no real weaknesses, with the dropper post being especially rare at this price. 

• £950
• Read the full review of the Rockrider AM100 HT here

Buy now from Decathlon

Vitus Sentier 29 VR

If you’re after a do-it-all hardtail ready for rough and tumble riding, then the Vitus Sentier 29 VR hits the spot with a solid and well-thought-out spec for the cash and confidence inspiring handling paired to the big wheels. While the aluminium frame isn’t the most comfortable thing out there, budget for a dropper post and you'll have a superb ride. 

• £1,000
• Read the full review of the Vitus Sentier 29 VR here.

Whyte 605

Whyte’s affordable 605 hardtail might not break the bank, but when it comes to on-trail performance it blows most rivals out of the water thanks to a frame sporting bang-up-to-date geometry and well-chosen components. All in all the Whyte 605 is hugely impressive for the money. Yes, you can buy bikes at this price point that come with much better bits bolted to them, the bendy coil sprung fork and lightly treaded tyres being the ones you might feel most keenly, the latter especially in the winter.

However, if you’re looking at as the bike as a complete package then it’s bloody hard to beat. If you want a bike that’s going to allow you to push your riding onwards, boost your confidence both uphill and down and you aren’t fussed about what’s written on the components then the Whyte is a superb machine - and not just by the standards of ‘budget’ bikes. 

• Read the full review of the Whyte 605 here.

Marin Bobcat Trail 4

The Marin Bobcat Trail 4 is Marin's entry level hardtail offering. Entry level can often mean loud in looks but low in terms of geometry and riding said bike on anything other than a canal towpath. However, Marin has delivered something genuinely fit for purpose in the Bobcat. If you like the idea of commuting to work on fatter tyres, razzing along the toe path with the kids at the weekend or even entering your first cross-country race, the Bobcat is ready for you, and ready for shiny new bits when you wear the originals out. 

• £600
• Read the full review of the Marin Bobcat Trail 4

Calibre Bikes Ladies Bossnut V2

• £899
• Read the full review of the Calibre Bikes Ladies Bossnut V2

We'll be updating this list as we test out more great bikes under £1,000, so check back soon for those. If there's a bike you'd like to see reviewed, let us know in the comments below.

You might also like: 

• The best mountain bikes you can buy for under £1,500 - full sus and hardtails
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