9 Tough Hardtail Mountain Bikes for Epic Off-Road Adventures

If you’re newer to the sport of mountain biking, but have intentions of racking up miles outside of town, and maybe even experimenting with some cross-country races, then make Trek’s Marlin 7 a top contender in your search. Trek built this hardtail with upgrades where it counts, like the RockShox XC 30 front suspension fork with 100 millimeters of travel and lockout capability, so it will absorb shock with ease when you want, but can be stiffened up to improve pedaling efficiency when energy-saving is a priority. 

The Marlin 7 is available with 27.5-inch or 29-inch wheels, so there’s an option for riders of all shapes, sizes, and styles. Trek’s Alpha Silver aluminum frame is the ideal combination of tough and lightweight (without costing a fortune), so you'll feel lighter and faster, but won't end up bike-less if you smash it into a tree. 

Since it’s well under the $1,000 limit, you'll have some extra cash in your pocket to add a dropper post (hydraulic adjustable seat post) or buy a badass lock to keep the onlookers at a distance. With the Trek logo stamped on the side of these sexy orange or silver frames, you’ve got the complete package for anyone looking to bike on a budget. 

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You may think of Diamondback as the brand that stocks the shelves in Target's sporting goods section — but they are so much more than that now! In the past few years, Diamondback has invaded the mountain biking world with some bikes that are somehow built with higher quality components than similarly priced competitors.

The Line is a pretty rad hardtail, with an aluminum alloy frame and progressive geometry, so riding is more comfortable, and risk-taking is less frightening. 27.5-inch wheels cruise on shaky trails, disc brakes stop on a dime, and the front fork’s 120 millimeters of travel absorbs some pretty sizable bumps. 

We love the Shimano 1x9 drivetrain (single-chain ring in front, 9-gear cogset in back) for this hardtail, as it makes shifting super simple, taking some of the work out of hill climbing. Whoever said that a solid bike can't cost well under $1,000 hasn't ridden the Line.

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Orbea’s MX 10 is the only hardtail with 29-inch wheels in this list, which means it's faster and more stable on sketchy terrain than most. Just be absolutely sure that 29-inch wheels are the best choice for you, because they can be a bit tricky to maneuver for less aggressive or smaller riders. 

This mountain bike slides right in at $999, and it's about as fully loaded as they come in the sub-$1,000 group. The MX 10's aluminum frame is lightweight and strong, internal cable routing gives a clean look and reduces maintenance, and hydraulic disc brakes stop faster than most cable-activated options. If you prefer a higher variety of gears, this 20-speed Shimano drivetrain (2x10) will impress. And while the front suspension fork has just 100 millimeters of travel (less than most on this list), it's made by RockShox — a tried-and-true brand that leads the industry in suspension performance.  

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If the first thing that comes to mind when you hear San Quentin is California’s maximum-security prison, you are not alone! Marin Bikes (based in Marin County, California) named this bike after their roughest parts: the prison itself. The San Quentin 1 is a rough and rowdy all-mountain hardtail. 

With big 27.5-inch wheels, 120 millimeters of travel in the front fork, and a more aggressive style than many hardtails, this bike is capable of a little bit of everything: downhill speed, long distances, and a dive into jumps! 

The Shimano 1x9 drivetrain will make easy work of tall climbs, while hydraulic disc brakes, which are rather rare in this price range, will bring you to a screeching halt when the trail turns into a cliff. These tough components, coupled with a double-butted aluminum frame, are ready to go hard! 

If you’re looking for a seriously capable off-roading machine with a $1,000 price cap, you’d be silly to overlook the Rocky Mountain Growler 20. The lightweight aluminum frame is simple, sturdy, and stable enough to feel solid while you’re pushing its limits and hold strong when you inevitably lay it down. The Growler features a trail-oriented geometry (less for cruising, more for charging) gives you the juice to push through steep uphills, fly over rollers, and charge hard to the finish line. 

The Growler's 27.5-inch tires have a higher volume than many other tires in this range (3 inches versus a more common 2.3 inches), which provide more forgiveness and won’t punish you with a trip over the handlebars for small mistakes. 

Additional features like disc brakes and a 120-millimeter front suspension are standard in this price point, while the Shimano 1x9 drivetrain helps this bike perform like many much more expensive counterparts.

Just let your friends know about the meeting spot ahead of time, because there’s a strong chance you’ll leave them in the dust.

The Pine Mountain is different from every other bike in this review, thanks to a steel frame and hard front fork. The 27.5-inch wheels feature plus-sized tires that bridge the gap between most mountain bike tires and a fat bike. Translation: More surface contact equates to better traction. These wheels are “tubeless-ready,” too, meaning you can upgrade easily to tubeless tires and worry less about flats when you’re miles from civilization. 

This bike has a rigid frame, which means there is no front suspension. This can make technical downhills a bit more difficult, but the world is your oyster for daylong and overnight bikepacking adventures. Hydraulic disc brakes can stop this big rig if a rattle snake is stopped mid-trail, and the Shimano 1x10 drivetrain (again, one of a kind in this list) makes climbing fun. That’s right, we said climbing uphill can actually be fun!

Coming in significantly less expensive than the other bikes in this list, this Canondale is more of an all-around cruiser than a hardcore mountain bike. The front suspension fork, with 75 millimeters of travel, is much smaller than the other bikes reviewed here, but it’s plenty capable of taking shortcuts on unpaved trails and hopping curbs. 

Meanwhile, the tires are more casually studded, so they still grip loose terrain well, but they'll cruise better for smooth sailing in the city. Additional features, such as a lightweight aluminum frame, cable-controlled disc brakes (not hydraulic), a 21-speed drivetrain, and a competitive price point, make this a perfect entry-level mountain bike for anyone who rides frequently around town, takes some tow-path shortcuts, and ventures into the hills from time to time.

REI’s own brand of gear is always solid and tends to be much more affordable than other big brands. By skipping the middle man, REI can offer good quality at a much better price. And this bike is no exception to that rule. 

The Co-op Cycles DRT 1.2 hardtail mountain bike has a 3x9 drivetrain for a total of 27 gears, which provides tons of versatility on all types of pitches. 27.5-inch wheels, an aluminum frame, and 120-millimeters of travel in the front are pretty common in this price point. The cables (brakes, shifters) are routed inside the frame tube, which prevents them from snags and offers a much cleaner look. The disc brakes are hydraulic, and the low-profile rear derailleur is designed to minimize snags and bumps.

One feature we love is the ability to remotely lock the front fork (to stiffen it), which basically converts the bike to a rigid frame. This makes the bike more responsive, and minimizes the leg work required for steep uphill climbs, because saving energy is vital when you're on an all-day ride. 

Simple, affordable, and reliable, Giant’s 27.5-inch Talon is built for fun on singletrack trails and dirt roads. It may not be the fanciest option, but it also doesn’t claim to be. 

The Talon features an aluminum alloy frame, a 100-millimeter front fork that reduces chatter on washed out forest roads, 27.5-inch wheels for speed and stability, and high-quality Maxxis tires that grip confidently. You’ll appreciate the 24-speed drivetrain (3x8), which gives you plenty of power for big climbs, yet allows you to switch things up and maintain speed when the trail flattens out. To experiment with off-road riding, the Talon is your ticket.