12 Money-Saving Tips For Mountain Bikers

It may be hard to believe, but mountain biking doesn’t have to break the bank!

We all love the thrills of riding an MTB and the ability to get outdoors on your bike, but it can feel as if there’s always something to pay for, whether it’s a shiny new part, an uplift day or just fixing the latest thing that’s broken.

We share some of the best budget-friendly ideas to help save you money while still enjoying mountain biking. Some of these tips could even add to your enjoyment of the sport.

What’s your top money-saving tip? Let us know in the comments 👇

#MBUKmagazine #MTB #mbuk #mountainbike #mbuktech

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:32 Maximise Component Life
01:25 Make Aftermarket Downgrades
02:37 Buy Pre-owned
03:38 Buy The Best You Can Afford
04:48 Fix It Yourself
05:46 Stick To Service Schedules
06:48 Take Care Of Your Gear
07:23 Use Non-MTB Gear
07:58 Ride From Home Or Hitch A Lift
08:23 Pedal Up
08:56 Make Your Own Provisions
09:29 No Trinkets!
09:55 Outro

Image Credit:
Jonathan Kitchen | Getty
ANP / Contributor | Getty

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it may be hard to believe but mountain biking doesn’t have to break the bank we all love the Thrills and Spills of riding an MTB and the ability to get Outdoors on your bike but it can feel like there’s always something to pay for whether it’s a shiny new part an uplift day or just fixing the latest thing that’s broken I’m going to share some of the best budget friendly ideas to help you save money while still enjoying mountain biking and some of these tips could even adds to your enjoyment of the sport how can you save money on brake pads brake less you say well thankfully there are more achievable Solutions swapping around some of the consumables on your bike is a neat trick to keep your biking expenses in check for example with brake pads if you find the front ones wear out faster than the rear ones just rotate them by putting the worn ones where they’re used least and some new ones up front so you don’t have to replace both set at the same time and of course buying one set at a time will help you with your cash flow likewise when the tread on your front tire starts to wear you could stick it on the rear instead where you don’t always need as much grip and then put the freshy up front for maximum turning and braking traction this trick is a good way to get the most from your consumables but when they do wear out completely we have a tip for what to replace them with just because your bike came with higher end parts the doesn’t mean you have to replace them like for like what do I mean well when it comes to brake pads and other consumables such as cassettes chains or cables consider more affordable Alternatives in many cases they can work nearly as well as the original equipment fitted by the manufacturer but end up a whole heap cheaper for example if your bike came with two piston Shimano XTR brakes you’re not bound to stick exclusively to high-end titanium Shimano XTR disc brake pads which cost around 28 quid you could downgrade to more basic offerings from the same brand like these Shimano RX resin pads which cost just 10.99 but fit exactly the same you could even travel off piece with numerous aftermarket Brands Uber bikes brake pads to fit Shimano XTR two piston brakes start at $8.99 or around $10 or even UK company Planet X who offer budget friendly compatible components like their jobsworth pads which start at a staggering £349 excuse the Lowes picture apparently Planet X’s web hosting is on a tight budget as well with a Keen Eye and a bit of time you can uncover fantastic deals on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace or Ebay the added bonus is that hunting for bikes can be almost as fun as buying them looking for a new bike well consider picking up an X Higher One despite likely having extensive usage these rigs are maintained by professional mechanics and and where is tracked meticulously finding a good one could make a reliable investment even if it doesn’t have the shiniest paintwork if you’re part of a group of riding mates or perhaps you’re part of a group ride WhatsApp someone you know is bound to have Parts they want to get rid of this is a great opportunity to collect a bargain set of cranks for example because selling to someone you know cuts out the hassle for the seller of advertising online and if you don’t pay they know where you live there is a limit to what you can buy secondhand though we don’t recommend buying secondhand helmets for example apart from the fact that some crash damage can be invisible they’re often stinky while you can buy cheap it’s important to remember that quality matters even for the parts of your bike that you don’t think about it’s tempting to go with the cheapest option especially with less glamorous components like pedals headset bearings or bottom brackets but opting for higher upfront investment in better quality Parts can pay off in the long run expensive headsets and bottom brackets for example use high quality bearings which can last much longer than similar looking bb or headsets which cost half the price as the old Mantra says buy cheap buy twice rebuilding and servicing parts does cost money but it can be much cheaper than buying a whole new part choosing products that are easily serviceable may involve more initial expenditure but should ensure improved longevity pedals are a prime example muk’s editor JCW Reon it’s well worth investing a little extra in pedals that can be stripped and rebuilt replacing bearings or fitting new mechanical Parts can spare you the need to purchase complete Replacements knowing where to save and where to invest is a real skill but with the right knowledge you can save some money without compromising your enjoyment of riding and speaking of enjoyment one of the purest Joys is learning a new skill and acquiring basic bike maintenance skills will save you money and make you feel like a boss there are books online guides and even subsidized training courses which cover every job you could conceive of doing on your mountain bike start with the basics like puncture repair and setting up brakes and gears and this could lead to you gaining skills to set up wheels tubless replace cables bleed brakes true wheels or even service your own suspension learning these skills will not only save money but will also mean you can learn more about your bike spotting potential problems before they escalate a word of caution though it’s wise to entrust jobs above your skill level to The Experts it’s easy to inadvertently inflate your expenses by starting a job that you can’t finish these are all tips to help maintain your bike but if you want to save money it’s important to consider when your bike needs some love it’s not glamorous but staying on track with service schedules is essential for extending the life of your parts and getting the most out of your bike servicing is cheaper than replacement and looking after your kit will pay off in the long run for example dropping 100 quid on servicing your suspension Fork might seem pricey but it’s a far cry from the cost of replacing a worn Crown steering unit and a set of lower leg bushes which is what can happen if you miss your service intervals ask me how I know in the comments plus a well-serviced bike is much faster and safer to ride it’s an investment but freely rotating frame bearings a smooth dropper post and predictable hydraulic disc brakes can make your bike feel like a Rolls-Royce on the trails whereas compared to a neglected bike it could sound like a drum kit being thrown down a flight of stairs and remember that a used but well-maintained bike part can be sold on to help fund an upgrade in the future whereas a knackered part is only fit for the bin if you Splash out on some technical riding gear then make sure you look after it follow the care instructions and be considerate of your garments don’t leave that 100b jacket scrunched up in the back of your van after a soggy ride and don’t Chuck those ripped waterproof trousers away many Brands including alkit berghouse Patagonia and Rafa offer repair services or repair kits for their gear resoling riding shoes is another great cash saer allowing you to keep your comfy old faithfuls whilst injecting a new helping of traction and life into them on the topic of clothing why not use the clothes you already own sure MTB specific gear works great and looks amazing but you don’t necessarily need the latest and greatest kit to be comfortable and have fun on your bike especially when the weather is fine other household items can also come in handy on a ride generic zip ties have a multitude of uses from fastening a spare tube to your frame or as a guide to tring wheels and Gorilla tape works well when you don’t have tubeless Rim tape even if it’s a pain to get off afterwards if you can ride straight from home instead of getting in the car it’s a no-brainer to save a few quid plus it could be a good gentle warm-up before you reach the trails and head up that gnarly vertical climb you’re about to smash for those living further from the trails consider lift sharing with your mates and taking turns to be the taxi driver it’s more fun traveling together as The Stoke starts as soon as you get in the car bike parks can be some of the most entertaining places to spend time on your mountain bike there’s groups of like-minded riders scattered around the park well-built properly maintained trails and they’re all laid out for your enjoyment but uplifts can be expensive so why not buy a push-up or pedal up pass instead it’s substantially cheaper than an uplift but you still get the joy of the park but of course there is a catch you have to Pedal up the upside is that by the end of the session you will be super fit as well as having saved your wallet instead of buying sport sports drinks bars and gels or spending a fortune in Trailside cafes you could start making your own supplies by investing a bit of time in the kitchen you can create tasty snacks and drinks to fuel your rides explore online recipes for homemade bars and energy drinks and nip to the local shop so that you can make delicious and costeffective pack lunches before heading out on the bike you might even boost your enjoyment of cooking and food prep as you shape your own energy balls or batch cook for filling lunches for your next ride the biggest piece of advice that I can give is don’t buy it if you don’t need it empty being is rif with temptation with the latest gear and the shiniest anodized Parts often luring Us in I’m looking at you Tom law however if you stop and ask whether that stuff is truly essential you’ll often find that it isn’t after all the easiest way to save money is to not spend it let us know your favorite money saving tips in the comments and if you enjoyed this video click the like button and make sure to subscribe for more oh and if you want to join me in finding out about Great Value bikes click the link here or batch cook fulfilling lunches for your next day riding thanks Kyle as always so sorry so IM I’m feeling the pressure now the not giggle pressure