Mountain biking is an addictive pursuit: the surges of adrenaline, the sense of achievement and the simple joy of being out in the mountains are all valid reasons to love the sport – but it’s not cheap.
Bikes, gear and transport all cost money. Add in inflation increasing the cost of living and now is a key time to try to save money where you can.
Cutting costs can maximise the enjoyment you get from riding and minimise financial stress.
The more money you can save where you can without compromising your riding experience, the more cash you will free up to spend on things that can enhance your mountain biking: coaching, trips to new riding destinations and getting your bike serviced are all brilliant ways to spend your money.
Here are some essential tips to help avoid wasting money so you can spend it where it matters.
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Maximise component life
If you’re putting in a lot of miles on your mountain bike, firstly lucky you. But the downside of regular riding is you will get through consumables at a rate of knots.
Consumables are those components that wear out according to how many miles the bike does, rather than things that break unexpectedly. These include brake pads, tyres and drivetrain components.
You should always wash, dry and lube your components as instructed by the manufacturer to preserve function and life for as long as possible.
It’s also possible that chopping and changing some of your parts could improve your cash flow.
When replacing brake pads, if the rear ones wear more quickly than the front, you could look at switching in the front pads when you send the rear ones to the bin.
Likewise with tyres; if you run the same tread pattern and compound front and rear, it’s likely your rear tyre will wear out more quickly than the front. If you swap the worn front to the rear, not only will you save money, but you'll also make your bike handle better.
If your chain is getting worn out, it can be possible to replace it before replacing the cassette.
Using a chain checker, you can monitor the wear and replace the chain alone before the entire drivetrain is worn out. This involves spending more money in the short-term, but if it prolongs the life of an expensive chainring and cassette (and jockey wheels), it will be money well spent.
Make aftermarket downgrades
Although replacing like-for-like with OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts is the best way to ensure consistency, there may be opportunities to save some cash.
I always recommend sticking to brake pads from the brake manufacturer where possible.
However, there may be opportunities to replace the pads with a cheaper alternative and achieve similar performance. Wherever you buy your replacement pads, it’s best to read the reviews where canny mountain bikers have shared their experience.
With drivetrain components, it’s possible to compromise out-and-out perfromance for some cost saving.
For example, if your bike came with a Shimano XT cassette and chain, it’s possible to downgrade to SLX or even Deore. While this will usually mean an increase in weight, and perhaps a slight compromise to shifting performance, these cheaper groupsets offer fantastic value for money.
Buy pre-owned
Where brake pads and bearings aren’t usually useful to buy second-hand, parts such as stems and cranks can last for years, provided they haven’t been over-stressed.
Heading to Facebook Marketplace or eBay can be a great way to find bargains. Alternatively, ask your riding mates; people can often be open to lower prices if they don’t have to go through the hassle of taking photos, uploading a description and dealing with buyers of unknown trustworthiness.
Buy the best you can afford
While this may appear to contradict point number two, it all depends where you’re focused on spending and where you’re looking for savings.
If you’re after a cheap cassette and you’re not overly concerned about shifting performance, something unbranded is probably going to fit the bill, and it will often last a comparable mileage to more expensive alternatives.
However, if you’re considering components such as bottom brackets or headsets, a good-quality item that costs more could last two or three times as long.
Headsets from brands such as Chris King and Hope run their own bearings and are machined to a high tolerance. This quality of workmanship can make all the difference to how long the bearings last.
There are even numerous cases of posh headsets being swapped between frames, outlasting bike builds without showing signs of wear.
Fix it yourself
This one comes with a caveat: an awareness of your own skill level is required here.
If you are a competent home mechanic, there are a number of jobs on your bike that could save you the time, effort and money of going to a bike shop.
Adjusting your gears or brakes is likely to take you longer to perform than a bike shop would, but you can do it for free, with some YouTube tutorials or handy BikeRadar guides.
Jobs such as brake bleeds require the purchase of a bleed kit and consumables, but if you perform them regularly, there are significant savings to be made.
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Stick to service schedules
It’s not glamorous, but servicing needs doing if you want to get the maximum life out of your products.
This can be something as simple as degreasing and lubricating your chain to prevent excess wear and keep everything running smoothly.
For components such as suspension and dropper posts, it can feel like a big investment. But scrimp on servicing and you could end up with blown hydraulics, scored stanchions and sloppy bushes.
Suspension and dropper posts need fresh oil and regular attention in order to work properly, so don’t skip services.
Take care of your gear
“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing” is an old saying, and investing in technical riding gear can be a great way to make wet and cold rides bearable. But if you spend money on good gear, make sure to look after it.
Follow the care instructions and be considerate to your garments – don’t leave that £100 waterproof jacket scrunched up in the back of your van after a soggy ride.
Many brands, including Alpkit, Berghaus, Patagonia and Rapha, offer repair services or kits, so you can keep your gear fresh, year after year.
Resoling MTB shoes is another great cash-saver if the uppers are still in good condition.
Consider non-MTB-specific equipment
MTB-specific gear is great, but you don’t need the latest and greatest kit to have fun on your bike.
It’s possible to shop around at online retailers or stores such as Decathlon and get some functional kit at bargain prices.
It might be earmarked for 'outdoor' rather than MTB-specific use, but many pieces of equipment, such as jackets or hip packs, could be used effectively for mountain biking.
Cable ties have a multitude of uses, from cable tidies to truing badly buckled wheels.
Duct tape works well as tubeless tape (but can be challenging to remove), or even for fastening a spare tube to your bike.
Ride from home or hitch a lift
As well as causing pollution, vans and cars can be expensive to run. So why not car share with a friend or begin your ride from your front door?
Sharing lifts is not only green, but also halves the cost of fuel. An added bonus is extra social time to share in the pre-ride stoke before you arrive at your biking destination.
Alternatively, you could begin your ride from home. This allows for a chilled warm-up to get your body and mind into the zone before you embark on a gnarly off-road adventure.
It will also build your fitness as you cruise out in Zone 2, instead of arriving at the trailhead and being tempted to drop in on that challenging trail straight out of the car.
Pedal up
If you’re keen on bike park laps (like me), you will be aware of how easy and tempting the uplift service is. However, if you choose to pedal up the hill instead, you can boost your fitness and 'earn' your descents, while saving significant amounts of cash.
With a bit of grit, you can get plenty of laps in, even if you’re human-powered rather than diesel-powered on the ascents.
Make your own provisions
Buying snacks at the local shop or food at the cafe near the trailhead is a fabulous luxury, but regular visits can add up quickly. With forethought and planning, you can craft some tasty snacks and fulfilling lunches in your kitchen and take them out to the trail.
Whether it’s sticky date energy balls, or a Feta cheese wrap, there are great recipes online for creating yourself something you’ll be proud to enjoy trailside.
No trinkets
Multiple companies make MTB gear that looks good enough to put on your mantlepiece. However, anodised top-caps and CNC-machined stems are not going to make you a faster rider.
Consider with each purpose whether it’s going to improve the function of your bike and your riding experience, or if it's simply going to give you a quick dopamine hit from buying something beautiful.
