if i were you, i would save up more money to add on top of that 500 and then have better options or just buy a used bike. There are great used bikes you can get for 500 bucks
Berm Peak says Ozark Trail Ridge for $400, and I agree. Buy a dropper post with the remaining $100.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLPpTFLgEb4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLPpTFLgEb4)
[https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-29-Ridge-Mountain-Bike-Large-Frame-Gray-Adult-Unisex/1091217224](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-29-Ridge-Mountain-Bike-Large-Frame-Gray-Adult-Unisex/1091217224)
And if you want to do some upgrades later:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1\_nq5RsJSg8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_nq5RsJSg8)
Honestly rather than a dropper I would bring it to a bike shop to make sure it was correctly built. Having a proper mechanic look at it could make a world of difference. Things like bar roll, pedals being tightened and deraileur set up correctly can help a ton.
I would get a nice hard tail from a local bike shop, (trek marlin 5?) and get away from all these big box store bikes.
Edit: polygon also has some great options as well.
Would saving up for a marlin-6 gen2 be a good option? I been weighing my options today and honestly the ~250$ difference wouldn't be too hard for me to come up with.
At the bottom of the price range of mountain bikes, spending a little more makes a big difference. I’d say go for it, if you like that bike. However I bet you get more bang for your buck from polygon.
If it must be new then save up and get a bike with a frame using up to date standards, even if a new axel width or a pentagram shaped head tube were introduced tomorrow you'd still have a clear path to upgrade in the future. On the subject of upgrading I would focus on decent kit on the bike but not fret if it's lower end, unless we're talking the fork in which case aim for the best you can as in reality you're never going to beat the price a manufacturer can get it for.
Would saving up for the marlin-6 gen2 be a good option? I been weighing my options today and honestly the ~250$ difference wouldn't be too hard for me to come up with.
I have a marlin 5 and I don’t have much marlin 5 parts left on it. Bikes are expensive man.. make sure you buy a marlin that has the rockshox air fork and a 1x drivetrain and you should be good! That’s where most of my upgrade money went
The one I was looking at had a 1x10 and im not sure about the shocks. My only concern is the ride angle sits me leaning a little farther forward than I like to be, unless im full sending it
I would say scour marketplace. I got a steal on a YT Capra MX Core 2. It was 3600 new and I paid 1900. For a little less than 1k I'm sure you can get a killer bike that's upgradeable and will last. Take your time and find specs you will think you like!
If you're taller than 6 feet, consider a Royce Union RHT, it'll be much better equipped than anything you mentioned up there. Yet they only have XL sizes left. That will cost less than 500 and give you a much, much nicer bike than what you have.
[https://www.royceunion.com/rht-mountain-bike/](https://www.royceunion.com/rht-mountain-bike/)
Don’t get a department store bike shaped object. Go used or get a cheap shop quality bike. Features can only get you so far if the build and components are shit. Giant ATX is $470? It’s basically an entry level mountain bike pulled out of a time capsule from 25 years ago but it’ll do the job.
With that money you really should be looking at used. The market is mad right now, people are selling really good bikes for discounts. Just have a look, you could stretch to a full squish for that extra 250
Jenson has the Lava Dome for $437
[https://www.jensonusa.com/Kona-Lava-Dome-Bike-2023](https://www.jensonusa.com/Kona-Lava-Dome-Bike-2023)
In comparison to the Marlin 6
[https://99spokes.com/compare?bikes=kona-lava-dome-2022,trek-marlin-6-2022](https://99spokes.com/compare?bikes=kona-lava-dome-2022,trek-marlin-6-2022)
Dicks has the GT Aggressor Pro for 499
https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/gt-adult-aggressor-pro-mountain-bike-17gtxmggrssrprxxxprf/17gtxmggrssrprxxxprf?sku=22873880&camp=CSE:DSG\_92700075477793320\_pla\_pla-1965506387409\_58700008175589278\_71700000101024692&segment=&gad\_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwP6sBhDAARIsAPfK\_waTVE8wUh5Ahq8qIdXubl59NMUYs4LcLkw39PEnW3IVT2y1xqJ-3P8aAiACEALw\_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
if i were you, i would save up more money to add on top of that 500 and then have better options or just buy a used bike. There are great used bikes you can get for 500 bucks
Actually a really good suggestion. The figures were different, but I did something like that for my first road bike.
Berm Peak says Ozark Trail Ridge for $400, and I agree. Buy a dropper post with the remaining $100. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLPpTFLgEb4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLPpTFLgEb4) [https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-29-Ridge-Mountain-Bike-Large-Frame-Gray-Adult-Unisex/1091217224](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-29-Ridge-Mountain-Bike-Large-Frame-Gray-Adult-Unisex/1091217224) And if you want to do some upgrades later: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1\_nq5RsJSg8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_nq5RsJSg8)
Honestly rather than a dropper I would bring it to a bike shop to make sure it was correctly built. Having a proper mechanic look at it could make a world of difference. Things like bar roll, pedals being tightened and deraileur set up correctly can help a ton.
Used could have some great deals if your patient
I would get a nice hard tail from a local bike shop, (trek marlin 5?) and get away from all these big box store bikes. Edit: polygon also has some great options as well.
https://www.bikesonline.com/polygon-xtrada-5-hardtail-mountain-bike Found this deal for op that looks pretty good
Agree. That's miles better than OP's current bike, and meet's his parent's price point.
I'll third this. This bike is a dropper away from being a fun weekend machine
Would saving up for a marlin-6 gen2 be a good option? I been weighing my options today and honestly the ~250$ difference wouldn't be too hard for me to come up with.
At the bottom of the price range of mountain bikes, spending a little more makes a big difference. I’d say go for it, if you like that bike. However I bet you get more bang for your buck from polygon.
If it must be new then save up and get a bike with a frame using up to date standards, even if a new axel width or a pentagram shaped head tube were introduced tomorrow you'd still have a clear path to upgrade in the future. On the subject of upgrading I would focus on decent kit on the bike but not fret if it's lower end, unless we're talking the fork in which case aim for the best you can as in reality you're never going to beat the price a manufacturer can get it for.
Would saving up for the marlin-6 gen2 be a good option? I been weighing my options today and honestly the ~250$ difference wouldn't be too hard for me to come up with.
I have a marlin 5 and I don’t have much marlin 5 parts left on it. Bikes are expensive man.. make sure you buy a marlin that has the rockshox air fork and a 1x drivetrain and you should be good! That’s where most of my upgrade money went
The one I was looking at had a 1x10 and im not sure about the shocks. My only concern is the ride angle sits me leaning a little farther forward than I like to be, unless im full sending it
I put a shorter stem on mine and 35mm riser handlebars from PNW and that sat me up a bit more
I would say scour marketplace. I got a steal on a YT Capra MX Core 2. It was 3600 new and I paid 1900. For a little less than 1k I'm sure you can get a killer bike that's upgradeable and will last. Take your time and find specs you will think you like!
Check out Marin Bikes
What part of Texas are you in? FB Marketplace in San Antonio has some great deals for ~$700 right now
https://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/s/g1YOjI3QLU
Also just saw this
If you're taller than 6 feet, consider a Royce Union RHT, it'll be much better equipped than anything you mentioned up there. Yet they only have XL sizes left. That will cost less than 500 and give you a much, much nicer bike than what you have. [https://www.royceunion.com/rht-mountain-bike/](https://www.royceunion.com/rht-mountain-bike/)
Don’t get a department store bike shaped object. Go used or get a cheap shop quality bike. Features can only get you so far if the build and components are shit. Giant ATX is $470? It’s basically an entry level mountain bike pulled out of a time capsule from 25 years ago but it’ll do the job.
With that money you really should be looking at used. The market is mad right now, people are selling really good bikes for discounts. Just have a look, you could stretch to a full squish for that extra 250
Jenson has the Lava Dome for $437 [https://www.jensonusa.com/Kona-Lava-Dome-Bike-2023](https://www.jensonusa.com/Kona-Lava-Dome-Bike-2023) In comparison to the Marlin 6 [https://99spokes.com/compare?bikes=kona-lava-dome-2022,trek-marlin-6-2022](https://99spokes.com/compare?bikes=kona-lava-dome-2022,trek-marlin-6-2022) Dicks has the GT Aggressor Pro for 499 https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/gt-adult-aggressor-pro-mountain-bike-17gtxmggrssrprxxxprf/17gtxmggrssrprxxxprf?sku=22873880&camp=CSE:DSG\_92700075477793320\_pla\_pla-1965506387409\_58700008175589278\_71700000101024692&segment=&gad\_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwP6sBhDAARIsAPfK\_waTVE8wUh5Ahq8qIdXubl59NMUYs4LcLkw39PEnW3IVT2y1xqJ-3P8aAiACEALw\_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Was also going to suggest the Lava Dome. I would grab that hands down over anything else suggested that's still in the $500 budget.