Average Mountain Bike Price (with 22 examples)

Overall, the average mountain bike price is $3,831.66. On the low end this type of bike can cost $193.96, and on the high end the price can be as high as $11,999.99. All other mountain bicycles are priced somewhere in between.

I got these numbers after researching 11 top popular brands. I found the most expensive bike and the cheapest one they made. This gives us the range of pricing we can expect for each brand. I found this to be very useful when I was searching for a new bike myself.

  • $449.99 Trek Marlin 4
  • $8,999.99 Trek Top Fuel 9.9 Race Shop Limited
  • $700 Giant Talon 29 2
  • $8670 Giant ANTHEM ADVANCED PRO 29 0
  • $499.99 Cannondale Catalyst 3
  • $11,999.99 Cannondale SCALPEL-SI HI-MOD BLACK INC.
  • $1799 Santa Cruz Chameleon
  • $5799 Santa Cruz V10
  • $10,000 Specialized Men’s S-Works Epic XX1 Eagle
  • $500 Specialized Men’s Pitch 27.5
  • $299.98 GT Men’s Aggressor Pro Mountain Bike
  • $4199.99 GT Men’s Sanction Pro 27.5” Mountain Bike
  • $8199 YETI SB5.5 TURQ XX1 EAGLE
  • $4799 YETI SB4.5 CARBON XT/SLX
  • $7499 Kona Hei Hei Race Supreme
  • $549 Kona Lana’i
  • $2220 Mongoose Meteore Expert Mountain Bike 27.5″ Wheel
  • $193.96 Mongoose Men’s Mech Mountain Bike
  • $4799 Diamondback Bicycles Release 5C Carbon Full Suspension Mountain Bike
  • $454.48 Diamondback Bicycles Atroz Dual Suspension Mountain Bike
  • $1399 Raleigh Bikes Kodiak 2 Mountain Bike
  • $266.35 Raleigh Talus 1 Recreational Mountain Bike

Why is There Such a Big Difference in Price

As you can see there is a large price difference among mountain bikes even within the same brand. Some differences can be as much as $9500. There are a couple important reasons for this.

  1. The frame of the bike is made from different materials. There is steel, aluminum, titanium, and carbon. Steel is the least expensive and carbon is the most expensive material to make a frame with because it is very light.
  2. The fork of the bike is made using different materials which effect the price like the frame. The fork also gives the bike suspension. Suspension is normally between 80mm to 210mm depending on the type of mountain bike and what you are going to use it for. The more suspension the higher the price.
  3. Wheels, basically the larger the size of the wheel the higher the cost. Alloy wheels are less than carbon wheels. The quality of the bearings and hubs will lower or increase the cost. Some wheels are better for all-mountain, cross country, downhill riding, and winter biking. This means your wheels will need to be wider or thinner.
  4. The crankset can be made from 4 different materials just like the frame and fork. The lighter the better. There are also cranksets with single, double, and triple chainrings.
  5. Cassettes are made in a wide variety of speeds and sizes. For mountain bikes there are 7 through 12 speed versions. The more widespread the gears the easier it will be to climb hills.
  6. Higher priced bike chains have smoother, longer lasting, and corrosion protective coatings. They also have hollow links and pins making them lighter than lower cost chains.
  7. Derailleurs are usually controlled using cables. More advanced ones are controlled electronically by sending signals from the shifters to the derailleurs to change gears.
  8. There are 3 different types of shifters at the moment, the Shimano Rapidfire trigger system, the SRAM trigger shifter, and the SRAM grip shift. They all have a different price point.

Basically the difference in price comes down to what material is used, the quality of the components, and the overall performance when you are riding.

The higher the cost the smoother and easier the gears will shift. The brakes will stop better because they are disc brakes. You will be able to pick up your bike because it is made with light material.

If you ride a more expensive bike up hill you will notice how effortless it is to shift gears while you are still going up hill.You can feel how smoothly you stop or slow down because of high quality brakes. Or notice how fast you can accelerate due to a quality chaingroup.

All these factors no matter how big or small they effect the price individually, when combined together is what causes the differences in prices.

Average Mountain Bike Helmet Price

The typical price for a mountain bicycle helmet is $298.80. The lowest costing helmet is at around $54.99 and the highest priced is $550.00. There are a number of factors which contribute to the range in pricing.

This most significant factor is the material it is made from. The most expensive helmets are made from carbon and the lower priced helmets are made from ABS plastic, and fiberglass.

Then there is the impact foam, high-end models use nano EPS foam. While others use a lower grade material or do not have impact foam.
Ventilation is important, the best ones have vents for the head, brow, and chin area. This keeps the riders head and face cool. Plus anti-odor padding for freshness after sweating. Lower priced models have less vents and no anti-odor padding.

  • $550 KALI PROTECTIVES SHIVA 2.0 CARBON FULL-FACE HELMET
  • $449.95 FOX RACING RAMPAGE PRO CARBON MIPS HELMET
  • $348.95 IXS XULT HELMET
  • $218.95 SCOTT NERO PLUS HELMET
  • $169.99 LEATT 3.0 ALL MOUNTAIN HELMET
  • $54.99 Cannondale Helmet Ryker AM Bike Helmet

Average Price For Mountain Biking Shoes

The average price of shoes for mountain biking is $168.00. High-end shoes come in at around $250.00. The lowest price I found kicks in at around $90.00. The main difference in the price is the material used when they make the various parts of the shoe.

In a more expensive shoe the upper is made from microtech microfiber, the footbed is compressed foam, and the lining is mesh. The midsole is fiberboard and the outsole is nylon.

A less expensive shoe is made using synthetic leather/polyurethane for the upper, the footbed is EVA, and there is no lining. The outsole is made from rubber and the midsole is glass fiber. Below are 5 examples of men’s mtb shoes.

  • $250 Sidi Dominator 7
  • $200 Shimano ME7
  • $180 Pearl Izumi X-Alp Elevate
  • $120 Five Ten Freerider Canvas
  • $90.00 Shimano ME2

Mountain Bike Shorts Average Price

I have found that the average price is $108.72 for mountain bike shorts. The most expensive shorts cost $140.00 and the least expensive shorts cost just $65.00. The important differences have to do with how the shorts are made and designed.

Higher priced shorts are made with 90% nylon and the fabric is coated with a water repellent. There are reflective details so cars can see you, grotch gusset with articulated legs which allows smooth 360 degree pedal strokes.

Lower priced shorts are made using 95% polyester, the fabric is not treated with a water repellant. There are no reflective details and no grotch gusset.

However, there are mesh ventilation panels, and taped seems for a non chafing smooth surface. Plus there is a fusion inseam gusset to improve rang of motion. Below are 4 examples of men’s short for biking off road.

  • $140.00 7 Mesh Glidepath Bike Shorts
  • $129.95 Fox Attack Bike Shorts
  • $99.95 Fox Indicator Bike Shorts
  • $65.00 Zoic Ether Shell Bike Shorts

Average Glove Price For Mountain Biking

The average price you will pay for mountain bicycle gloves is $44.95. The highest price I came across was for $69.95 and the lowest I found was for $19.95. These are for long finger gloves. The price difference relates to the material, padding and specific features.

The back of expensive gloves is made of 90% polyester, the palm 60% polyamide and 40% polyurethane. The thumb is made of 100% polyester, and the knuckle area is 80% ethylene vinylacetate. The padding is foam, 100% polyethylene.

Less expensive gloves are made with spandex and Amara synthetic leather. The padding is foam. Other lower priced gloves are made with 4-way stretch polyester and the padding is TruGel. They also have perforated palms for ventilation, and silicone tip fingers for holding your cell phone.

  • $69.95 POC RESISTANCE PRO DH GLOVE
  • $59.95 POC RESISTANCE PRO ENDURO GLOVE
  • $49.95 FOX RACING ATTACK GLOVE
  • $39.95 YETI CYCLES PROSPECT GLOVE
  • $29.95 TROY LEE DESIGNS AIR GLOVE
  • $19.95 LOUIS GARNEAU CREEK GLOVE

I hope this article has given you a good idea as to what you can expect to pay on average for a mountain bike and related gear. It definitely helped me to do this research first, before I made a selection.