Tackling double diamonds on an affordable bike?

[@TrailFeatures]

What do you think my next upgrade(s) should be? Check out the GT sensor here: bit.ly/GT_sens_sport

[@obi-wankenobi9871]

How do you get along with the brakes? They are absoloute garbage imo. They usually come on 400-500$ bikes and when building up bikes (i work in a bike shop) the calipers are often crooked, so you cant get them to not rub on the disk. I know, that this is a budget bike, but i would have expected slx brakes or at least m395's.

[@TrailFeatures]

@KZbin User Ya know, I wasn't sure about them either. However, after getting them bedded in I've been impressed for the cost. Keep in mind, the person buying a bike in this price range is likely just moving off an entry level HT, so they will likely still be mostly riding blue trails. I wanted to help get rid of the mindset that you *need* to spend $3k+ just to get out on the trails. If you need stronger brakes you're probably already pretty invested in MTB and would likely be eyeing something else, or have parts to donate to a new bike.

[@obi-wankenobi9871]

@@TrailFeatures Yea, i was just wondering, because we sell the tektros for 25 and m395's for 30 bucks a piece at the shop, so the prices are pretty equal. For a big manufacturer like Gt this would probably come down to a less than 5 Dollar per bike diffrence, concidering, that they get better deals than our shop and we obviously dont pay 25/30 for the brakes when we order them.

[@TrailFeatures]

From the whispers I've heard in my limited exposure to the bike industry, I believe there are a couple factors that play into this. One is that $5 across 1,000s of bikes adds up quick. The other thing is the deals bike manufacturers work out with components companies can be a bit tricky and full odd requirements of who they can work with for other parts; which is why you'll sometimes look at a bike spec and think, "Why the heck did they do this and not that!?". Take this with at least a few shakes of salt though.

[@martinpasfall5117]

Dont you Think the gt sensor is a good bike

[@fabien9765]

I don't have the same definition of affordable 😭

[@fabien9765]

@celow banks I usually get 2nd or 3rd hand bikes

[@elainaebersole2750]

I agree

[@TrailFeatures]

I appreciate it's a lot of money still. 😬 This bike isn't right for everyone, it's just to show that you don't need to drop $4k+ when upgrading to a FS bike. In an age where new and young riders are getting blasted with ads and KZbin videos telling them they need a tricked out carbon bike I am hoping to set a better example.

[@fabien9765]

@@TrailFeatures Hey thanks for the reply! I'm sorry if my comment sounds pejorative, I absolutely does not mean it that way. I actually meant it in a funny way ^^ That's how life is, there are things we can afford and others we can't. Whould I enjoy a better and brand new bike than those I've had? Of course I would, but when I'm riding my 11 year old bike I'm just enjoying myself and not thinking how great it would be on a new one, even though I've "worked" (I was an intern assisting the head of the company to redo their business plan, it was awesome) for CSG (Cannondale, GT, etc) and had the chance to ride their $10k+ bikes back then, so I kinda know what it would feel like. I love mountainbiking, been doing it for over 25 years, but I also know that there are things in life more important, and I should be glad for what I have and the opportunity to be able to ride pretty much when I want to. Some guys wouldn't be able to even afford my cheap 3rd hand 2008 pitch pro bike, and I've been raised to not only never complain of what I don't have, but more importantly to be grateful for what I have. This novel about my life just to let you know that I didn't feel any negativity in your video, and I enjoyed it! Keep doing the great job!! Thanks for your work! To more riding, cheers!

[@ItsHuntex]

For 2k Canadian you can get a Norco fluid fs 4 brand new. I have one and it handles whistler no problem. Get the 2019 tho

[@scorch2020]

I dont get why everyone says hardtail is entry level, just a different design for different application 🤷‍♂️

[@carlingas666]

Dan2024 exactly many xc racers prefer hardtails over full suspension to save on weight

[@jonpattersonlpc2153]

Because I bought off-brand, I got a hardtail AND a FS boost bike. They ride differently and sort of do different things. I will set one up for street and the other for offroad. Endless fun.

[@iraamerson623]

I grew up BMXing and got my first MTB in 1989. It was a hard front and tail🤣. I learned to bomb “Rough Go” in Annadel State Park on that bike. Turns out the faster you go the easier the trail is! Hardtails teach skills the FS crowd learn slower in my opinion. My buddies and I used to love to let the full boinger guys go first on trails then pass them like they were standing still on our hardtails...

[@enforcerdino6790]

Ikr

[@marcuslinton310]

Because stunt biking somehow became normal mountain biking. Jumping ramps, doing flips... a lot of people now consider that to be mountain biking when it's not, it's different aspect entirely. Most of the people I see with full suspension out on the trails in my area make me want to laugh, they simply aren't needed for the terrain around here.

[@TrailDad]

Finally, a video about affordale bike that is NOT more than $3500 😂. I got a $2k bike and I haven't even scratched the surface of it's potential! 🤙🏽

[@TrailFeatures]

Awesome!

[@francmeister420]

I have like 4500 into a hardtail 🙈

[@TrailFeatures]

@@francmeister420 that must be a heck of a hardtail!

[@frederickschulze8014]

If I got a $2k bike, I'd be afraid to scratch its surface.

[@TrailDad]

@@frederickschulze8014 it's not about bling, its about shred!

[@jeremyoleary6479]

Couldn't agree more with the dropper post addition! Never knew how nice they were until I finally got on a bike that had one! Incredibly nice to have!

[@jamesjdm]

I have GT Sensor Expert (not budget, cost nearly 5k) and it's the absolute best mtb ive owned over twenty years of riding. Before that i had an entry level Sensor, cost 1500 and it was better than plenty if bikes twice it's cost. GT makes amazing bikes.

[@jokermtb]

I’ve a Sensor 29’er from 2012, and I still love riding it. Never had a lick of trouble either. Very underrated bikes!

[@thomasbrown2025]

YES they do I love them I have a Karakoram 4.0 I love it bought it used for 400. Now I'm getting 2020 sensor sport for 2k. My whole family rides GT

[@alexgrant6965]

If it’s the 2020 could you tell me how it rides because I’m a 14 year old advanced rider and the owner of my local bike shop (he races ews) said that the GT Sensor expert would be a great bike. I’d just like to know what you think of it so far

[@glidewillie5767]

Hardtails are not just a begginer thing. A bike is a bike. If anything you must be more skilled to ride one. You can't be lazy when there is no rear shock.

[@prajwalpingali]

That's true but most hardtails under $500 are mostly XC beginner bikes. You can't really send much on it without serious component upgrades. I've bought a hardtail at this price range, and I have changed everything, the bars, stems, tyres, rims (I had to convert it into a Mullet bike for it to be rideable on most trails without feeling like crap), brakes, saddle, seatpost, headset. Not all of these upgrades apply to all entry level bikes but a considerable amount do. What I'm trying to get at is, not all hardtails are entry level, but a considerable portion of the hardtail market is entry level.

[@luisorozco8583]

Prajwal Pingali yeah I’ve seen a 2k hardtail

[@ashresearcher]

World cup cross-country riders mostly ride hard tails BTW! They're lighter and don't drain your energy with rear shocks (even if they can be locked).

[@axial27]

Just wanna say that he said "entry level hardtail" not just hardtail.

[@cameronchilders3701]

you can when your climbing lmao.

[@Arfonfree]

I like your attitude. Can't count how many times I've said exactly your closing words. Even though I admit to being a gearhead (for better and for worse), the important thing is to get out and ride what you've got! So you've got a new subscriber.

[@nofrontbrakes]

Haha, I had no idea how that clip was going to play out. Hilarious!

[@TrailFeatures]

I laughed hard watching it for the first time. Thanks for being a good sport!

[@brandoncummings4169]

I know I don’t think everyone got the joke 😂

[@richallen7006]

Your voice is a perfect mix of Alton Brown and Binging with Babish. Please get into audiobooks.

[@prajwalpingali]

Oh man, a podcast with him, MTB Savant, and CGP grey would be awesome. Their voices are so soothing.

[@1pho3nixmatt]

Omg I died laughing when you said “all it takes is two hands” and cut to No Front Brakes. 😂🤣

[@TrailFeatures]

So did I when I first saw it. XD

[@huntstyle]

Hahaha me too!

[@davidwalterphotography]

NFB rules, awesome dude

[@OutdoorGold]

Lol 😆BKXC! Only the long time fans can enjoy that!

[@TrailFeatures]

Haha! The epic livestreams of greatness!

[@JerryWDaviscom]

Yeah, I cracked up when Brian showed up. That was a great touch. Throw some Seth in your next one :)

[@dereksmith3632]

Man I remember that stream, Brian was at his breaking point but he kept his cool and everyone was laughing at themselves because we had all been there. Brian became king of the streams on that one. The only bad thing is it was at the beginning and Brian didn't have many subs, I had just found the internet ( yea really ) and was to shy to comment. Trail Features really kicked ass the way Brian was included. Your comment took me down memory lane, thanks. Who knew things were going to explode as big as it has. I wish I was twenty years younger, I would be in the inner circle right with y'all but the outter circle is not a bad place to be either, I still feel like I'm part of the family. But being in my 40s it has started taking it's toll. Great comment man, it's good to see someone from that stream.

[@eazilyamuzed1]

I guess I see it differently as I'm not sure how much sense that actually makes. $1900 for the bike and $350+ for upgrades before your first ride. Despite that, you still have Rockshox's low-end Rekon forks and Trunion shocks, an 11-speed drive with 11-42T sun race cassette, and entry-level Tektron brakes. For the same price, you can get a YT Jeffsy with better suspension, better tires, a dropper post, an Eagle 12-speed drive with 11-50T cassette, SRAM brakes, and it even comes with Odi grips and a tool kit WITH a torque wrench! The Canyon Neuron AL 7.0 is another that's close in price and comes with much value in its kit. Same with the Spectral but it ups the ante a bit over the previously mentioned bikes. While you still may need different bars for fit regardless of the bike you choose, upgrading brakes and suspension is not very practical from a value standpoint. It can get pretty expensive -- even more so if you're not confident in doing the work yourself and you have to pay someone. You're far better off getting better components to start with from a value (performance to dollar) standpoint. Sure, compared to 7K for a boutique bike the GT is pretty decent, but there are likely better values out there. And while you can spread out your dollars over time by upgrading here and there, in my opinion, there's a strong argument to be made that you'll end up spending far more than you could have if you bought a bike with a kit you can grow into as your skills increase, rather than upgrading to accommodate your new skill level.

[@graysonadams2485]

I second this, canyon offers sooo much spec for the price. Also, I agree that the "I'll upgrade it later" mentality usually doesn't work out

[@jokermtb]

YT customer service is abysmal - many frame failures and zero replacements in stock

[@eazilyamuzed1]

@@jokermtb Sorry you had issues, but your experience doesn't mean their customer service is "abysmal" overall. My experience has been completely different from yours. I've had to deal with them on 2 different occasions on 2 different bikes (I have a Tues and a Capra) over a 2 year period. On one occasion I was under a time crunch and had to have it fixed by a LBS. YT cut me a check and reimbursed me. They've been nothing short excellent. On a side note, I had a buddy who had to replace the frame on an '06 Capra, and he had no issues with customer service or getting it warrantied, however it did take 3 weeks for him to get the frame.

[@plantdesigns7889]

I've been looking at the Jeffsy al base. Outdoor Gear Lab ranked it as best trail bike under $2,500. All there testers really loved it.

[@eazilyamuzed1]

@@plantdesigns7889 I haven't ridden the Jeffsey, but I know several people who really love theirs - nothing but good stuff. I was a little disappointed the '19 base AL models didn't share the same changes as the more expensive CF models, but I heard none of the base owners complain.

[@BurningEmu]

This is the first video of yours I've seen and I definitely appreciate you discussing prices and value/practicality vs. the average youtube celebrity just riding a $5000+ bike because it's top of the line.

[@thombatty1950]

This was my first time watching your channel, and I've got to say I'm pretty impressed. Good editing and scriptinng, and a very realistic view on the budget most mountain bikers, and especially newer riders, are dealinng with. As a bike shop owner, I appreciate that you tell people to take it to the shop if they are unsure of what they are doing, and to be skeptical of some of the online sources witht prices that seem too good to be true. Looking forward to following the channel.

[@TrailFeatures]

Thanks, Thom! Bike shops are still great places to get the help you need. It's super tricky to button up everything in a video because even if you're correct, there's still so many gotchas!

[@Thompson1246]

That shot at 11:50 was amazing, almost felt like I was there

[@nathanfagan9881]

Was chuckling at Brian's little bit for ages. Additionally thank you for this video, I've just upgraded from a budget full suspension to an Orange Five. There was nothing my old bike couldn't really do, I only upgraded as I was crashed into by a kid on a steel bike and trashed my frame. That said I upgraded the following things: Fitted a budged Brand X Ascend dropper. Replaced the budget tyres, originals were skimped on by the manufacturer and were the cause of several crashes for me. I was planning on getting a riser bar to relieve some lower back line I was having and improve the fit. If you're buying a new bike for under £1500-$2000 factor in the above.

[@thomasscottmcdonald1920]

I have a 19 year old GT I-drive 2. Still on the trails but behond modern upgrades ( disc brakes, dropper post etc. GT sensor seems like a nice replacement and a bike to build on

[@TrailFeatures]

I've been seriously impressed with this bike. For sure a good platform to build off. The carbon frameset is less than $2k, so a custom build would not be too, too, expensive if you had the means.

[@Anonymous-m9f9j]

I was looking to get into the sport felt a lot of pressure to keep up with my more experienced friends and their expensive bikes. I’ll take up the challenge of getting into this smarter and more efficiently, thanks. What a rad video. Your passion and honesty helped a lot

[@andrewjohnston4882]

Chris M sensible move there. Do the upgrade route and your mates will be impressed. Not only that you will end up with a better personalised steed. I did with a Cube Analog hard tail and fell in love with the sport. Been at it two years now and not slowing down( I’m 45) Happy riding Chris

[@azdirtlife4280]

Great video Joseph! The perspective of starting with a budget bike is a great idea. Thanks for the little cameo from the ride with Seth and Eric! 👍👍

[@TrailFeatures]

Thanks man! Keep an eye out for the next video! (when i catch up on sleep. XD )

[@edtorres6463]

Hello. I have a 2022 GT Sensor Sport. I upgraded the brakes with Shimano 4 piston brakes. I upgraded the shifter with the XT shifter because it has multi release. I installed a chain guide. I will keep the Recon fork. This fork is buttery smooth. I may go tubeless but for the trails in Arizona I prefer to use the Tannus Armour tire inserts. I will have up to 90% of the performance of a 6k bike for a fraction of the cost.

[@anttiharing]

HAHA! Those little roasts really cracked me up, great video!

[@TrailFeatures]

Haha! We had fun. 😆

[@ajsaracina8380]

Man, really well done! Liked all the little clips you put in, and the filming and editing in general was just great!

[@TrailFeatures]

Thanks! I really wanted this video to shine because it's not fair that boutique bikes get all the love.

[@mathiasskjoldby8606]

7:39 normal people will be like "oh no are you okay Me: oh no the bike

[@manuelmolina1292]

True...

[@Fred_the_1996]

Basically every MTBer

[@swingset1969]

A few years ago I bought a Sensor and it was (to me) a high end bike far beyond anything I'd spent before. Sure is funny how the sliding scale of need and value goes up with bikes. Anywho, it was a great bike for me and I never considered it a cheap bike.

[@BlindstuffMTB]

Great build! This bike looks amazing. Those minor changes make a huge difference. The only thing I disagree is that $150 for a dropper is expensive, PNW is making amazing droppers for a fraction of the cost of other brands, I think $150 is a steal for a company that has the service level of PNW. Coming from someone who has a different dropper that doesn't give me any issues, i'd buy a PNW if I were looking for one now.

[@TrailFeatures]

Totally agree! I just understand that some people will look at a $100 dropper and a $150 dropper and wonder what's the difference (a lot, in some ways).

[@Luul_e]

Trail features:Saying that almost 2k is “affordable”. “Laughing In rich people language” Me: Cries in poor people language. :(

[@TrailFeatures]

Not laughing at all. A big reason why I did this video was because I wanted to help get rid of the idea of people needing to spend $4k+ just to take on local trails. When 14 year old kids are talking about taking out loans just to ride, it's not a joke. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6uYkpl_oNGchKc

[@Luul_e]

Trail Features Hey thanks for the reply! I know your not laughing but I’m just saying I can’t afford a bike like that. I ride a Walmart bike right now. 😂

[@scottcarlon6318]

If thats your financial situation, perhaps 2k invested in schooling would be a more effective long term solution, because as we all know, the more paper ya have, the more money ya make.

[@wuzen-productions]

@@Luul_eI thought u said you were a kid?

[@prudentiaski]

What’s the spoke pattern on that wheel? Looks awesome

[@AdoSean]

Nice, appreciate the budget conscious MTB videos!

[@TrailFeatures]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MistaGeezy90]

Just got a PNW Rainier dropper post with the Loam Lever a few weeks ago. Leaps and bounds over the KS Lev that came on my Kona. And just like you said the customer service is first class. Any one looking for dropper posts or other products deff check out PNW. Nice video just wish it had a little more riding in it.

[@evildiesel1709]

we have totally different views of the word 'affordable'

[@TrailFeatures]

$1,900 is not a small amount of money for sure. If there is one thing that this video taught me is that affordable means a lot of different things to different people. if you read through all the comments here it can vary a lot ($300- $3000). My objective here what to show that you don't need to speed 4k+ just to get out on the trail and still have plenty to grow into.

[@patrickong5197]

Trail Features you can buy a full suspension for $800, and that’s still expensive

[@Geodash602]

Patrick Ong that’s not expensive for a brand new full suspension, if you cannot spend that sort of money then start looking at used bikes, by doing that you can get a good full suspension for a good price.

[@endtimesarehere1322]

Well, if you are into mountain biking then you already know these higher priced bikes hold there value something fierce. So with that in mind a $1500-2000 brand new can still be worth $1200-1800 3 years later. Dont believe me try to find a quality Mountain bike in stock new or even used in the 1k to 2k price range. then youll see.

[@michaelh7770]

@@endtimesarehere1322 I have to believe the coronavirus has a lot to do with the lack of new and resale bikes available. Hard to not imagine a potential uptick in lightly used bikes a year or two from now (along with lower prices in the used market)

[@GOTCHAPARK]

Hey man Thanks for making this video ! Not to many people have the balls to go from a Yeti to a "reasonably priced " bike .You make me want to buy a GT , Good job and keep up the good work .

[@7tevoffun568]

That's a good rotational physics lesson: torque = force x radius, so the larger the action/lever arm, the less actual force is needed to apply the same torque. :)

[@koolrabi768]

This

[@brianpittman9460]

What you've demonstrated is how a longer lever will generate a given torque value without as much force applied to the handle, that's fine and good but if you'd like to check the calibration of a less expensive torque wrench you can do so with the scale you showed but you need to have a breaker bar that measures one foot from the center of the square drive to the point on the lever where the scale will be affixed while the force applied to the scale needs to be coming from 90 degrees to the one foot length of the lever while the socket you want on the square drive should be held around it's outside diameter by a pillow or flange block bearing which in turn will be held fast to a work bench or a vise or any means of a sturdy attachment so as to maintain the one foot distance from square drive to leverb and it must be able to withstand the force you intend to apply to it. This frame will have the scale attachment point as well as the flange or pillow block mount. I would choose a position for the T wrench parallel to the floor that way you can control the amount of force you bring to bear on the torque wrench and with the scale and one foot lever positioned right in front of you can slowly increase the force you exert whilst observing the scale reading the tough part is going slowly enough to see the reading at the moment the torque wrench reaches it's set point or threshold. Anyhow happy calibrating! Cheers from BP-USA

[@jjr1314]

Once again, great video! Budget bikes are the reality for so many of us, especially when your outfitting an entire family! Although even "budget bikes" are expensive, the family time it has created for me is worth every penny! Keep the awesome vids coming.

[@TrailFeatures]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with prioritizing money towards your family. 👍 I'm glad I can help show that you don't have to spend big to get out there and have fun. Some of my best memories growing up are from my dad and I exploring new trails in NH on the weekend.

[@MissingLinkMTB]

I have a Bell tool I picked up in Kuwait while deployed. I use it A Lot! Lots of great tips in this video!

[@jp119]

I just bought one of these bikes in New Zealand. Am currently customizing it to fit, so really enjoyed your video 👍

[@B1KER]

Great video dude. I thought the cameo's were great. Very thorough as usual. Good stuff. Headed to Paul's channel to see it in action now.

[@piccolo6214]

One bit of advice that I would add that has to do with safety is to make sure not to cut your steerer tube too short. I've had friends who's stems have come loose on big hits and have suffered some pretty painful injuries. I know a lot of people like to slam their top caps (as illustrated in the video) but always leave a little bit of extra length on the steerer tube and have a 2-5mm spacer up top to ensure that the stem has a maximized surface area for optimal grab. This also prevents the stem from crushing the top of the steerer tube. Too short and the stem will not have enough clamping surface area on the steerer, making for a very dangerous situation. Also, always use carbon past when attaching carbon to carbon or carbon to aluminum. When attaching aluminum to aluminum a small amount of slick honey grease works well to prevent creaks.

[@NicK-qc6nm]

I did my first my double black on a dirt jumper lol

[@jakubkost7330]

I did it on rigid 😂

[@pnwshredder2559]

Yes a dropper post install video would be awesome. I have been looking at the PNW droppers I am currently running a TransX it's been working great. I just got back into biking a couple months ago after a ten year break. Man dropper posts are amazing!!!!

[@PaulThePunter]

It's not the bike that showed what they could do, it was you Joe!

[@TrailFeatures]

True. Hopefully this helps remove some limits for others out there!

[@ancogbernard]

😂😂😂. still f.s. bike. is comfortable to sit will riding 😁

[@dbest1aVlogs]

Seeing that fall on the rock is enough to solidify my thoughts on purchasing a "good" set of knee protection. I just purchased a talon 3 and enjoying some trails here in the catskills. Learning little by little, and having fun. New subscriber here. Maybe someday I'll move to FS. But not for now.

[@thecakeisalie7070]

I think your approach to the sport with entry level bike is great! Upgrades can get pretty expensive unless you really think about the improvement in mtb experience per dollar. Sometimes it's functional and sometimes it's subjective. I agree that the cockpit improvement is a very smart move. I'd like to see videos about sessioning trail features as part of getting better on the bike. What do you think are some of the feature types that new riders could work on and in what order?

[@the_secret_goldfish]

Dude this vid is amazing. Thank you for taking the approach that you did. Not all of us can drop serious $ on the bike of our dreams but you opened up a new dropper post company for me to check out and possibly a diff full suspension. Thanks man!

[@TrailFeatures]

Glad you liked it!

[@jordank87]

Sweet video and nice bike! I almost went with the GT Sensor Alloy Sport but ended up going with the Giant Trance 3 due to dropper post and more travel.

[@danieldevine5347]

I rode double blacks on a trek marlin, was $600 new and it’s a decision I would never have changed. Ride a hard tail for a long time before you get a full suspension. It’s good for you.

[@Boomerang5891]

Can't stop laughing at the fact you had the face shield up during your tubless inflation

[@KaiSteinbach]

Totally agree on the dropper post recommendation. I put one on a 279 $ department store hardtail bike - which sounds crazy but I’ve learned it’s a game changer.

[@abcdefghijklmno3764]

Kai Steinbach it certainly is

[@TrailPOV]

Dropper post definately a worthy upgrade! However I would say wait with the tire upgrade until you've done several rides with them in varying conditions. Yes they may not be perfect, but most tires today will get you down the trail without issue. If you're looking for a budget bike it's very possible you're probably not hitting double blacks.....just my 0.02.

[@TrailFeatures]

All valid. It's why I stressed you shouldn't start dumping money into the bike on day one (as tempting as it is). This was really just to give a good example that good budget bike can evolve with you over a season or two as you progress and save money for key upgrades.

[@danl5632]

I love GT bikes. Their logo alone is cool and awesome. Specialy this bike. Its the bang for the buck.

[@mattj6676]

This is a really helpful video for people just getting started who probably haven't worked on a bike before. I've assembled an antique truck from a pile of parts, but I would have no idea what the torque specs are for a handlebar neck. The point is that it's extremely important to know what you're doing if you want to work on your bike yourself or you can get hurt. I think folks should learn to do it, I'm not trying to scare anyone off, just make sure you're doing your homework first. Knowing how your bike goes together could save your butt if you're on a trail and have a breakdown, and besides you can save a lot of money if you can repair and maintain it yourself and if you're like me you can get a lot of satisfaction from doing it. I can't emphasize this enough about tools-buy good ones. They don't have to be expensive, but things like torque wrenches need to be accurate. Also, if you want an easy way to fill tires without having to buy an expensive air compressor, you can buy a portable air tank for cheap. You can fill the tank at a gas station, or if you're friendly with a bike shop or service shop/tire place or just know a guy like me with a tool fetish you can fill it up at his house. You can also put a regulator on it to set the pressure coming out (less flinches). If you don't keep the hose hooked up to it, the tank should hold a good charge of air for a long time. I really appreciate this site, your videos are very well done! I'd love to see more of them, but I think you have a "real" job that gets in the way of the important stuff. I watched your 100 subscriber video earlier, a lot has changed in a short time!

[@jedaiahkramer1204]

Great video! Entertaining with loads of super tips. One thing worth mentioning about grips ... despite being personal preference, be sure they're LOCKING grips. Non-locking grips can come off at inconvenient times while pushing limits of bike & rider.

[@BikingWIthPanda]

that was the best KevCentral video i've ever seen!!

[@greasycervelo]

I love this. Most creators start out affordable and as they get more successful they ,move to high end bikes. This is nice to see a everyday bike in use. I left triathlon as it became the realm of high cost bikes or high debt bikes to ride.

[@Br3ndo1891]

Certain stems require no gap at the top or bottom when putting bars on.

[@Honda-nn3ee]

Very true.

[@joen3992]

Love the video! Proud owner of a 1990 Yellow/Red GT Karakorma US made hard tail. Period correct....gets looks when I ride Shorthills Provincial Park.

[@madtical777]

that transistion from how weather to snow, i bust out laughing!! good stuff! im looking for a good terrain budget bike and then convert it to and ebike.

[@talesfromoztrails7875]

Honest take: I feel like I learned more about bike wrenching than the actual proposed topic. Thanks for sharing though! This has been helpful for a super beginner like me! 🤙🏻

[@TrailFeatures]

There was going to be a lot more trail footage, but at the time it would have overlapped too much with another content creators video. So I turned it into a build vlog. Glad you still found it helpful and entertaining!

[@embracingthehustle4069]

Thank you so much. I needed this video because I have been trying to research what bike to get if I decided to take up mountain biking here in NJ instead of choosing road biking. Still not sure what I'm going to go with yet (road biking, I could use zwift in the winter or if the weather is bad to still get practice). Coming from BMX, its a really hard choice for me because they are two totally different things. On a side note, I cant stress enough how annoying it can be to mess up those handlebar screws! Sometimes i would mess them up and the bars would tilt toward me after tricks and i was like NOOOOO. I can also certainly agree with that dropper post probably being amazing.

[@zeroa69]

that entierly depends on what terrain you favor riding on. if you arent gonna be hitting heavy trails all the time and are gonna be pounding a lot of gravel/fireroads then a gravel bike is a solid alternative. that way you can still get that sweet roadbike action with mtb durability should you choose to go offroad

[@halfgeek1394]

I feel like having good tires is more important than going tubeless. It’s cheaper and less of a hassle to just upgrade tires, especially if your rims aren’t tubeless ready. It’s the first upgrade I always do to my bikes other than grips, and it’s essential to tackle your local trails.

[@MTBTrailMagic]

That was a high quality video Joseph. Loved the cameos too. Absolutely hilarious. And well done on the ride.👍

[@W1LL528]

I’ve still got my GT aggressor XC2 hardtail from back in 2009! I use it occasionally!

[@TrailFeatures]

GT makes some awesome bikes!

[@GBGWkndWarrior]

Great video but did expect more riding because of the title. I'm very curious how you got the trail markings on the Google earth map since it was really nice way of showing the route.

[@_into_the_journey_]

Yeah, me too, did you figure it out?

[@GBGWkndWarrior]

@@_into_the_journey_ Yes! If you use Google Earth Studios, you can download the .kml file of a trail from ex. Trailforks and then import this

[@glynbuck3335]

The bits of added humour are hillarious !

[@TrailFeatures]

Thanks!

[@rustbucket240sx4]

if you get a diamond back they throw in a shock pump and a torque wrench and the atroz is only 899 and it’s a full squish

[@Zniszczu4130]

I just recently bought me one of those GT's, and this video was quite a big part of that decision. It's hard to state how awesome the bike is. Especially at this price pont. Thanks for finding it for me in a way :D Greetings from Gdańsk, Poland btw ;)

[@parz173]

i did a double black on my xc been meaning to get a full sus for a while but eh took a shit line and crashed but it was doable with some skill.

[@FurkanCemTurfanda]

I've never done a double black but my $750 hardtail xc handles black and blue trails just fine.

[@bigwave7207]

I loved your video. I bought a $2k trail bike. It came with a dropper, but I upgraded to short stem, wide bars, and minion dhfs. Now it’s a frickin missile. You don’t need to drop $5k on a bike these days to get amazing performance. A lot of riders are too caught up in the tech. This is a game of skill, and with some patience and some mechanical know how (or ability to learn), you can fashion a bike that will handle anything.

[@littlegoobie]

7:53 And the forsale ad for the bike goes up. hahhaa.

[@LiveLaughLarp69420]

I just bought my first mtb. Specialized Stumpjumper 29er, it didnt come with a dropper so yesss a dropper post vid! 🤙

[@themtblife4768]

Finally a video with a GT Sensor 2019! How does the LTS feel? I'm looking one but can't find one to ride first.

[@TrailFeatures]

Coming from the Yeti, I was really happy with how the bike pedaled. You need to run it with a bit less sag than you would on other bikes, but that doesn't make it harsh. I haven't rode GT's AOS linkage, so I can't comment on how they compare.

[@star47981]

Really appreciate you making these good videos. My son and I learn a ton from them and I really like how you don’t approach your content with a lot of hype. Very professionally done. Keep the content coming!

[@gavintoews2543]

I’ve taken a $900 full suspension bike on many black diamond trails

[@xoloitsquintli]

What bike? I'm looking for a new one this summer and $900-1,200 is my budget.

[@hucktoflat3564]

This bike can do so much more than this stuff he does as well! I bought this bike as a trail bike, with my evil as my big hitter and now ride this so much more! I have vids of me sending the snowshoe pro dh course this past weekend and all the big drops at 7 springs and the cupcake drop seen on steady spins page too! Things sick! Put a coil rear on and push 11.6 internals on front and enduro all day! Wheels take a beating stock too. For 2k??? Unreal bike

[@thomasbrown2025]

Finally saved enough for the 2020 Sensor Sport I am excited. Also will be getting a dropper and good tires. Good video my friend.

[@NPC-kh7nh]

This was a quality video and you deserve more subscribers.

[@natedawgg77]

What an awesome idea. So many channels focus on $5k+ bikes, and that just isn’t a reality for most people. I ended up doing something very similar. I bought a 2019 trek ex 5. Since it was “last year’s” model I got a really good deal on it. As I have been learning what different parts will make my bike better for me, I have been slowly upgrading. Btw, my dropper gets delivered tomorrow! Great video, keep up the good work!

[@timcahoon145]

I liked the break for a physics lesson

[@TrailFeatures]

#Smartereveryday

[@neutronshiva2498]

Torque wrench is some of the best investment Ive made. I bought mid-priced one that had lots of positive reviews. It's great and super useful.

[@TheCrashingDad]

I'm curious to see what's NEXT 🤔 we all know that upgrades and changes rarely stop 😂🤦‍♂️ (well, if you're like me!)

[@TrailFeatures]

You know, I'm curious also. This bike seriously impressed and now I'm trying to decide what's next. 🤔

[@Kunkou2008]

Nice video. I bought a 2019 Giant Stance for 1500$ love the bike. Came tubeless and with a dropper post. Upgraded it with a wolf tooth and I love it. This bike is full suspension rockshox front and rear along with shimano brakes

[@jesuslover5710]

Brian Chen yea I had one but absolutely destroyed it on my local mtb trails they have jumps and a lot of roots I upgraded so much on it then just scrapped that bike now I have a 9520 dollor sworks

[@johnsimpson5684]

I ride all of that with a HT. No need for FS. Why do you have a mudguard in AZ?

[@bengordon2330]

Torque wrench, cable cutters - essential if you're going to do your own bike tweaks. Affordable options are out there. In addition to that, I've only had positive experiences with PNW and their products ( two dropper posts and a dropper lever ).

[@andrewtwentyniner9541]

Nice vid bro! Completely agree on how budget bikes can surprise you. I also talk more or less about that on my channel. Please let me know what you think.

[@derektaylor2845]

Little tip when holding a wrench while working on your bike. Place your thumb on the part of the wrench that is connected to the bolt on the bike. Wrap your four fingers around the wrench and you will learn the right feel for the bolts.

[@smc7960]

Hey, great vids dude... Ive just sold my nomad v4 and after watching your vlog on the GT I ordered the GT sensor.. Exact same model as yours... I paid £1450 absolute bargain for such a great bike... Nice work dude 🤘 😁

[@goodfella6093]

BUT WHY? Why should somebody do that?

[@smc7960]

@@goodfella6093 do what? 🤔

[@goodfella6093]

@@smc7960 Trade a top of the line bike against a cheaper entry level bike

[@smc7960]

@@goodfella6093 simply downgrading my ride to help fund a home extension... Purely financial reasons but without a lie the gt rides better than the nomad... 29er is the biggest factor.... 👌😁

[@miinpajamas6680]

lmao dog eating snow is so fkin cute

[@justin.tamiyagarage]

Too much gripe on the comments section about the price and hardtails. Come on boys. We all know the prices of high-end bikes and that hardtails are cheaper than full suspension thus, beginners usually has them in general and I believe that’s his main point. Sheeeesh.

[@LuisManuelHdez]

GT is very underrated and its ok.. it keeps them affordable! My road bike is a GT and I also upgraded it to carbon bits including the rims. It's now awesome.

[@danyal5288]

2:18 a vault boy bobblehead!!!!

[@timc6265]

Awesome, I thanks for taken the time to make a vid about budget mtb

[@erikstubicar1882]

One time my cousin did a double black with no chain

[@johnfreeman1558]

I did a double black on a bmx

[@nathanpratt6697]

what surprised me is the cost of the bike its $1800 and I dont have that kind of money

[@StraitClownin909]

"Affordable/budget" are very subjective terms.

[@Groosome128]

I got a 140/150mm 27.5 bike at a similar starting RRP with dropper and decent tyres. Very happy with it :)

[@wills1110]

Wht is it?

[@Groosome128]

@@wills1110 It's a 2018 Merida 140 600. The 2019 range is a bit different in the gear you get on the different price levels of 140. I didn't say initially cause I'm guessing this may be sponsored by GT :)

[@TrailFeatures]

Nope, not sponsored in any way by GT. 😀

[@Groosome128]

@@TrailFeatures Cool, then I guess no offense caused by me mentioning my Merida which unfortunately I'm not sponsored by either ;)

[@kevinhenriksen4390]

4:04 he stole my reaction

[@MrBurns0618]

GT is honestly a very good quality bike, very easy to upgrade, and easy to fix.

[@tristinwilcox9518]

KZbinr: "budget" Comments: "OMG I CANT AFOORD BREAD, card said DECLINED"

[@TriggerRidesEverything]

Back in the day I got a second hand 1995 Marin nail trail ( no suspension ) excellent bike IMO for my 1st MTB. 2nd hand can be a good place to start, just do you research based on budget.

[@matrixracing8268]

I'm Just Gonna Point Out That The Brakes On It are Crap, They are The Same Brakes On a Marlin 5 For 500 Dollars.

[@germanvillarreal2594]

That what I noticed! If they barely stop my marlin how’s it going to stop a full squish

[@dasKontroloer]

@@germanvillarreal2594 the same? Lmao

[@matrixracing8268]

@The Everyday Rider Well Those Tektros Will overheat Easily and are Just bad Overall.

[@carldjovan]

Mannnnn I LOVE THIS VIDEO. Currently in the market for a budget friendly bike and I think this might be it. Thank you so much for the review.

[@reactivemtnbiking9871]

Epic Joe! Yet again you out did yourself on the editing, voice over and cameos. It was kind of harsh on the "all you need is 2 arms" on Eric lol. Keep up the awesome content my friend.

[@TrailFeatures]

Haha, Eric was in on it. 😉