Best Mountain Bikes Under $300: Premium Budget Models With Stainless Steel & Aluminum Frames, Amazing Braking, Smooth Shifting & Timeless Designs– Fully Tested & Reviewed With a Complete Buying Guide

Mountain bikes (MTB) are more dynamic than road and other cruiser bikes in the sense that they get to tackle a diverse range of terrains. This is the reason bikers enjoy a whole lot more when riding this category of two-wheelers. The growing demand and popularity inspired hundreds of brands coming up with myriads of designs and qualities at different price points. 

If you are a beginner rider or looking for a cheap model for other reasons, you’re at the right place! Today, we’ll be talking about the 10 best mountain bikes under $300. These might be coming at a low price, but rest assured, they can put on a good fight when compared with flagship models. 

List of Our Top 10 Best Mountain Bikes Under $300

1. Adult Mountain Bikes – 26 Inch Steel Carbon Mountain Trail Bike

So, you’re a yellow lover? This one’s for you! Built from no-rust aluminum the 26-inch Carbon Mountain bike is super light and amazingly stylish. Let’s get to the specs right away.  

Equipped with a 21-speed derailleur, the bike offers seamless gear shifting experience that you’ll love. The variation of the speeding options will give you the independence to adjust your speed matching the road. 

We liked the saddle for two particular reasons– it’s fully padded for ensuring comfort during long rides, and the other one is full adjustability. That means you can change the seat height according to your convenience. It makes the bike ideal for people of different heights. 

In terms of safety, the bike is equipped with a front and a rear disc. They offer a pretty decent response and we gained confidence while riding thanks to them. Another positive aspect is that the total package includes all the required paperwork and tools.  You wouldn’t have to grope in the dark when assembling the bike right out of the box. It took us no more than 20 minutes to fully assemble it. 

The customer care service was also responsive and you can’t really complain about this. 

Our verdict

This is a bike from a Chinese manufacturer and like many other good products, this one will definitely impress you. For the price, it offers some great features only found in flagship models. If you have the budget, we suggest you try this one.

2. Schwinn High Timber Youth and Adult Mountain Bike

Schwinn is one big name in the bicycle industry. For years they’ve been maintaining their reputation only through delivering quality products, and high timber Schwinn is no exception.  Let’s find out why.

The stainless-steel rugged mountain-style model sports a suspension fork by Schwinn. This means you can enjoy super responsive riding on any terrain. On top of that,  they’ve added 7-speed twist shifters by Shimano coupled with a rear derailleur that is also from Shimano. This results in amazingly precise and smooth gear shifting no matter on what surface you are riding. 

You also get an aluminum frame version of the bike with 21-speed Shimano shifters and rear derailleur. That would raise the cost. But for smaller budgets, we’d stick to the stainless steel version. 

The rims are made from alloy. This material is lightweight but stiff. You can take them on any road condition and they can handle it masterfully. The Schwinn crank installed in the bike is also made from alloy material. It requires less maintenance but offers steady gearing performance!

The braking of the bike is also good. You can choose from pull brakes and disc brakes offered at different price points. We’d suggest you go for the disc option as that would give you better confidence in braking. 

Our verdict

Although it would be a little difficult to turn the bike at low speed without hitting the tire with your legs, for the money, you can’t get so many great features from a reliable manufacturer. With all the right points this bike offers you a winning choice. If you have the right budget, grab it before the stock runs out. 

3. 27.5″ Royce Union RMT Womens 21-Speed All-Terrain Mountain Bike

Royce union bikes have hit the right spot once again with their newest RMT 21-speed MTB made for women. This bike packs so many great features at such a low price point. So what are they?

Well, it’s hardtail frame has been shaped from no-rust aluminum making it lighter than stainless steel. Due to lightweight it can accelerate faster than its steel framed counterparts. 

Equipped with a Shimano 21-speed Revoshift and an indexed Shimano Tourney derailleur, this bike offers amazingly smooth shifting. You can change gears seamlessly and fix your speed matching your riding surface.

 It comes with 27.5” wheel size that helps the bike gain momentum faster than smaller wheeled models. The size of the wheel ensures a lot less resistance when rolling compared to standard MTBs. You won’t have to worry about gravels and small potholes on the way. 

The braking of the bike is enabled by a high quality brake pad to ensure that you can stop at any speed in an emergency. The zoom suspension also gives you confidence and better controlling power.  The bike also came with all the required equipment for assembly. Thumbs up for that.  However, we recommend you to lube the chain of the bike after washing with water. We found it rust after leaving the water dry out. 

Our Verdict

RMT is one of the best women’s mountain bikes under 300. It offers all the features you can expect from a standard MTB at an attractive price point. From build quality to braking control, the bike ticks all the right boxes. We hope you won’t find it difficult choosing the bike. 

4. Mongoose Title Micro, Mini, Junior, Pro and Expert BMX Race Bike

If you are looking for a BMX race bike for a beginner to intermediate rider, Mongoose Title Micro Mini should be a great choice. Mongoose is a popular name in the bikeverse of its reliable production line and heavy-duty bicycle designs. This time, it kept its promise as usual. 

The aluminum frame construction of the bike has made it super solid and durable but made it one of the lightest models out there (frame weight is only 2.76 lbs.). The strength of the frame can be felt once when you are rolling with it on rough terrains. The durable aluminum frame can handle all the torture you can throw at it. 

This bike has been designed for junior and beginner level riders. So you can expect all the right ergonomic signatures on it which makes it super comfy and easy to handle. When it comes to the price, it’s also inexpensive. 

Rider’s height should be in between 5’3” to 5’ 8” if one wants to unfold the true potential of the bike. The wiring rout or the cable management is fantastic on the bike that adds to the aesthetics as much as to the protection. 

The 20-inch tires are mounted on aluminum rims namely Xposure. The ball bearing of the front hub is also made out of aluminum. We got excellent braking response from the bike’s alloy V-brake setup. 

The handlebar and the fork of the bike are made of Hi-Ten steel, meaning you can gain enough confidence when facing rough road conditions. The sealed bearing offers buttery smooth steering performance. 

Our Verdict

Apart from the seat comfort, this bike offers some solid features that you can’t really expect at this price range. It’s feature packed bike up for sale and if you are a beginner rider, it will give you a superb opportunity to create beautiful memories. If you have the budget, don’t waste your time!

5. WEELOLOE 26in Folding Mountain Bike

You might have never heard of Weeloloe, but their 26er MTB model packs some good features under the hood that might definitely amaze you! The fashionable model is a 21-speed setup with full suspension. Let’s find out the highlights.

The frame of the bike is made from high carbon steel giving it the much needed strength for ensuring better stability and handling. The design is admirable and you can’t help noticing the impressive graphical finishing. 

It comes with an advanced suspension that absorbs all the shocks the bike picks through its tires and wheels. You wouldn’t feel the rough terrains once you roll over. The Shimano derailleurs and Shimano EF500 gear shifters are super smooth in changing speed. You won’t feel a thing. 

Another attractive feature that comes with it is the foldable frame. You can actually fold the bike into half and carry it even on a public transport with ease. It’s super simple to fold and reassemble. You wouldn’t need more than a minute to do the job. This gives it high portability. 

The bike comes with Tolan disc brakes with excellent stopping power. You will feel much more confident once you start riding. It performs like a pro even during downhill rolling. 

Our Verdict

We were amazed by the performance of the bike even though it’s a foldable design. The reason it performs superb lies in the precision of engineering excellence. It has been crafted with cutting edge technology. It packs all the great features along with super portability. If you love touring, it can be a great companion.

6. Mongoose Status Mountain Bike for Men and Women

If you’ve decided to buy a superbly designed standard  MTB that can be used by both men and women but will not cut a big hole in your pocket, well, Mongoose Status is right here! Why though? 

Well, Mongoose is not kidding when it says Status wouldn’t let life hold you back in the endless run that you make every day. It’s going to be a silent friend, a kind of best friend that doesn’t ask for a lot, well, anything at all, except for the tiny price tag! 

It’s a 26” MTB with robust aluminum frame and suspension. The suspension fork is strong enough to give you the much needed confidence over rough road surfaces. 

The bike is equipped with a 21-speed Shimano derailleur (rear). You’ll get smooth shifting experience from the SRAM twist shifters. The rims of the bike are also made of alloy material, meaning you’ll get two super light and strong rims that’ll absorb shocks effectively. 

The bike is uniquely designed for matching the structures of both men and women. The unisex design makes it even more dynamic.

Our Verdict

We simply loved the bike as it sports all the useful features you can hope for. It’s designed for both men and women, so you don’t have to worry about the compatibility issue anymore. The Aluminum frame, Shimano derailleur, and super responsive gear shifter offer an excellent package at a surprisingly slim price point. If you love Mongoose, you can’t go wrong buying this one. It’s definitely one of the best mountain bikes under 300 dollars. 

7. Huffy Hardtail Mountain Bike

 Huffy Stone Mountain bike is for those who are looking for both looks and performance. They call it an excellent family bike. Let’s find out why. 

The 24” bike has a tough stainless steel frame (comes with lifetime warranty). It is equipped with Kolo 1200 suspension that ensures an amazingly smooth riding experience as it absorbs most shocks coming from the rough road surface. 

We took the bike for uphill and downhill riding and it performed like a pro. The 21-speed Shimano TZ31 derailleur and the buttery smooth twist shifter offered dynamic options for having full control over the speed of the bike. The braking is ensured by it’s knobby tires. The pull brakes work ok. We don’t have any complaints about the rims. 

The saddle of the bike ensures sufficient comfort. It’s an ATB premium padded saddle that contains stitches for lasting for a long time. The alloy wheels are strong and absorb most of the shocks coming from the rough terrains. 

Our Verdict

We tested the bike thoroughly from our end and got stoked by how it performed. In our opinion, this one is definitely the best hardtail mountain bike under 300 bucks. Huffy has been making bikes from 1892 and it has enough reasons to claim its position as one of the top bicycle makers. Apart from minor complaints, this is a superb package and be sure to be charmed once you get it. 

8. Mongoose Impasse Mens Mountain Bike

Mongoose has made the Impasse super durable for men to explore their ultimate limit. It’s a bike that demands rough handling and vicious velocity. The design felt aggressive and the details were subtle. It seems, every inch of the bike has been crafted by an artist or something. 

The Impasse gives men freedom to leave the hustles of life and get lost in the hills and woods. It’s the ultimate stress-relieving machine. 

To keep the weight minimum and toughness high, they’ve used aluminum frame and suspension. It means you are going to find comfort when playing with it. The 21-speed rear derailleur is from Shimano. Coupled with SRAM twist shifters, the derailleur would give you smooth gear shifting experience even on rough terrains. Besides, multi-speed options give you the freedom of choosing the right speed limit and pedal pressure adjustments. 

The alloy wheels come with quick release technology, meaning you can open them up in less than a minute if you need to work on them anywhere in the middle of the journey. They’ve also added disc brakes to the front and rear. 

The 29-inch wheels will run over potholes and you won’t be able to notice. The sheer diameter will add to the speed up. You won’t have to struggle hard to get to the top. 

Our Verdict

If you plan to get a Mongoose MTB, don’t look anywhere else. This bike has all the great features a standard MTB should have, yet it can also be used as a cruiser. The lightweight aluminum frame of the bike provides superb stability. The handlebars offer a comfortable sitting position. A big thumb up for this one!

9. Mongoose Dolomite Fat Tire Mens Mountain Bike

We put an extra fat tire MTB on our list for good reasons. Not only is it super fun to ride on mongoose dolomite specs, but its strong build, fat tire, and surprisingly light bodyweight are simply refreshing. All of that you get at such an attractive price point. 

This stainless steel frame bike comes with 3 different color options. Being a steel construction it offers more strength and weight than the aluminum or alloy counterparts. The first thing that will attract your eyes the very time you look at this bike is the size of the tires. 26” wheel size holds an incredibly robust tire on both ends of the bike. 4 inches thick these tires add to the overall stability of the bike. 

The paint job of the bike is also impressive. It looks pretty decent from the outside and we don’t really have any problem with its color and graphics. At 47 lbs. this bike may surprise you with its look. We didn’t get a good response from the disc brakes though. It has a threadless headset as opposed to threaded ones. That means it feels solid. 

You would need to reduce the tire pressure down to 10 psi if you want it to handle sands and pebbles right. On roads, turn it up to 20 for better response. Overall, this bike is full of compromises, that starts from a low price point. Guess what, it’s not a bad low budget fat bike for sure!

Our Verdict

Mongoose is a reliable name in the bike verse and this time it hasn’t broken its promise– offering a low budget fat bike with all good features. It’s true that the bike has made quite a lot of compromises but at such a price point it’s sheer engineering excellence. For the money, you can’t expect a better fat bike!

10. Schwinn High Timber Youth and Adult Mountain Bike

Schwinn is famous for their versatile MTB models. The High Timber is one such kind. It has been designed to conquer all sorts of terrains and pavements. It packs some amazing features but comes with an attractive price point. Let’s find the details. 

High Timber is modelled on an MTB frame made from stainless steel. It sports a responsive suspension fork that performs great on rough and smooth road surfaces alike. 

The bike also comes with a 7-speed twist shifter from Shimano. The rear Shimano derailleur coupling the front twister makes smooth shifting of gears. You can feel the simplicity and enjoy the buttery smooth speed control. This also helps you climb inclined surfaces effortlessly.

Braking is one of the most important features for any bike. Schwinn did much to improve the braking of High Timber. The rear and front pull brakes are made from alloy material. We were pretty happy with its stopping power when testing. 

The crank of the bike is also made from alloy. It’s super tough and requires minimum maintenance.  

Our Verdict

This bike offers you the opportunity to explore both on and off-road terrains. We liked the build quality, ergonomics and design. The braking is satisfactory. Most importantly, despite offering some good features, it comes with a small price tag. If you have the budget, we don’t think you can go wrong buying this one.

How To Find The Best Mountain Bike Under $300

MTBs are compact bikes with plenty of parts and each of them play an important role that collectively adds to the overall riding experience. This is why choosing the right model can give you a hard time, especially when you are looking for the best youth mountain bike under 300 bucks. Let’s discuss some key points you should check before zeroing down on a model.

Number of Gears

MTBs can come within a range from one to maximum 30 gears that are crucial to maintaining the stability and speed of the bike. Since these bikes are ridden on a variety of trails, hills and terrains, a multi gear system can be very handy. Multiple gear systems would allow you to utilize more speeding options. But the problem is they come at a price. So, it gets difficult to get a multi gear MTB at a low price. So, you make a balance between how much you pay and what you opt to get. 

MTB Suspension

There are major three types of suspensions that you can find in MTBs. 

The first category is known as full bike suspension. This type covers both the front and rear wheels. They work wonderfully in absorbing shocks and vibrations from the ground and give a smooth riding experience for the rider. 

The next category is known as hardtail suspension. A bike with such a type has only front fork suspension. This means the rider is saved from the head on potholes and cracks that the front wheel faces. There’s no rear wheel suspension. So you will feel the bumps hard when your rear wheel falls on a rough surface. 

The final category refers to the rigid models. This type offers no shock absorbing mechanism at all. That means, you are going to feel every bit of roughness of the road surface you are passing. These bikes are cheaper and they require less maintenance. 

Types Of Mountain Bikes

MTBs have different categories and before you opt for one, you must have a clear idea what you are going to pay for. Let’s get to know them in detail. 

Fat Mountain Bikes

Fat MTBs refer to the modes that feature extra fat tires (check out our product number 9). One big advantage of these bikes is that they are super stable, thanks to their super chubby tires. Extra large tires offer better grip and spacious ground contact. That’s why we recommend these bikes for the beginners. 

Trail Mountain Bikes

Trail models come with exceptional suspension response. These suspensions can travel up to 120-140 mm. That’s why these are ideal for climbing hills and downhill ridings. These are superb performers on the trails. 

Cross Country Mountain Bikes

With 80-100 suspension response, cross-country MTBs are excellent for speeding and hilly tracks. You can use these bikes for riding long hours. They are comfortable and lighter than the rest. You can enjoy cross-country cruising experiences on them. 

The Most Important Feature of Mountain Bikes: Frame Construction

 Frame of an MTB plays a crucial role and it defines the structure of the bike. Two major frame materials dominate the market– stainless steel and aluminum. Aluminum is lighter than steel and strong enough to provide boosted performance. On the other hand, steel frames are heavier but stronger than aluminum ones. There’s another frame material that is both lighter and stronger than the two and that is carbon fiber. When it comes to price, stainless steel models are the cheapest. And cheap MTBs are mostly built with steel frames. Apart from the extra weight, you can’t really complain about it. But if you can get an aluminum model, go for that. 

Wheel Size

The size of the wheel makes a lot of difference when it comes to riding an MTB. Why? Well, the diameter of the wheel not only decides the weight of the bike, but also determines how much maneuverability, comfort and speed you are going to get when riding. The most common wheel sizes include 26-inch, 24-inch, 27.5-inch, and 29-inch. The smaller the wheel, the more control you will have over the bike but the less speed you are going to enjoy. Smaller wheels are less capable of absorbing shocks and overcoming roughness of the road surface. As the diameter rises the bigger holes can be managed and the lesser shock will be felt. 

Brakes

Brakes are crucial to any vehicle and it’s a life saver for anyone. MTBs need stronger braking capacity for the type of rough roads and trails they cover. You can choose from either a rim brake or a disc brake. Rim brakes are traditional brakes that are cheaper. They are less strong but reliable. Rim brakes may decay fast and require frequent brake shoe changings. On the other hand, a disc brake has a stronger stopping power. They are so sensitive that they often lead to skidding of the wheels. They are essential for bike stunts. So, for a beginner, we always recommend the rim brakes. They are both cheap and safe. 

What Features Do You Need or Want? 

Since the budget is limited, we don’t think you should expect high-end features in an MTB. There’s actually no end to how much upgrading you can do to such a bike. So, we recommend you to go for the basic features as a starter. Later, once you’ve mastered the skill, you should probably start upgrading the bike. For that matter, get a good frame even if you compromise on other features. That will help you build on it. 

What size do you need?

 It depends on your age, how skilled a rider you are and your physical features. Your height and weight would decide the size of the bike and the size of the wheels. If you are a kid and less than 5 feet, you should probably stick to a 26-inch model. For adults with advanced biking experience, the bigger models are more suitable. 

Wrapping It Up

There you go, we’ve listed and reviewed the best mountain bikes under 300 bucks available today. Hopefully, our intensive analysis of each bike would help you decide your own model. We know how difficult it is to find the right model amid so many. That’s why we’ve chosen for you the cream of the market. If you are still confused, we recommend you to get anyone bike from the renowned brands. But most importantly, always wear a certified helmet and safety gear before starting to roll. 

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