So you want to start mountain biking but dont want to spend a ton of money to get your first bike. We get it. Thats why weve rounded up a list of the best entry-level womens mountain bikes under $1,000 (or right at). These bikes will help you get into the sport, and wont break the bank. You can always upgrade later if you find out you really love mountain biking.In addition to a list of our top sub-$1,000 mountain bikes for ladies, weve also included a list of tips on buying yourfirst mountain bike and what you should look for. Dont understand the difference between hydraulic disc brakes and mechanical disc brakes?Thats ok. Keep reading and well break it all down for you.Our Top PicksBikePriceWhat We Like1 Liv Tempt 1 $1,000A brand just for women!2Cannondale Trail 1$999Includes a dropper post3Specialized Rockhopper Sport$849Local bike shop support4Trek Marlin 6 Gen 3$999Good quality suspension fork5Polygon Xtrada$799Can usually get on saleLiv Tempt 1Price: $1,000Buy at Liv-Cycling.comLiv Cycling makes some of the best womens specific bicycles out there, and some of the best budget bikes, period. The Liv Tempt 1 is the lightest bike on our list, which pushes it into our top spot.We appreciate that it comes in an XS frame to fit women as small as 411, and it has a female-specific saddle. While it doesnt come with a dropper post, it does have internal cable routing to add one later on. The bike offers Tektro hydraulic disc brakes and 80mm or 100mm of travel (depending on the size) thanks to the Giant air fork. All the components on the bike are brand-name, and everything is durable.Cannondale Trail 1Price: $999Buy at REI.comThe Cannondale Trail 1 proves that you dont have to spend a lot of money to get a nice bike.While its not a womens specific bike, it is offered in small frame sizes and those smaller bikes have size-appropriate wheels. Designed thoughtfully for smaller riders, the extra-small frame accommodates those as petite as 46. Cannondale doesnt cut corners with cheaper, off-brand components on this model. Instead, theyve equipped the bike with entry-level but name-brand parts. The Trail 1 includes a Shimano CUES drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes, ensuring reliable and smooth performance.It comes with a dropper post, which isnt standard on most bikes at this price point, and is one of the best inventions in mountain biking. Believe me, you want one! However, the bikes weight could be a sticking pointits a bit heavier than the Liv Tempt. This might be a concern if you frequently ride in hilly areas.Also, it features a 2x drivetrain, which includes two chainrings in the front, diverging from the modern trend of a single chainring setup that many prefer for its simplicity.Specialized Rockhopper SportPrice:$849Buy at Specialized.comThanks to the fact that Specialized is one of the biggest bike manufacturers in the world, they manage to produce high-quality bikes at a fraction of what other smaller brands can manage. The Specialized Rockhopper was actually my first mountain bike some 15 years ago, and that old bike still serves me well as a commuter bike.On the component front, the Rockhopper Sport boasts a dependable microShift drivetrain and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, providing reliable shifting and excellent stopping power in all weather conditions. Like most of the bikes on this list, it has a dependable, though entry-level Suntour fork.The bike is offered in 27.5, and 29 wheel offerings, and it comes in XS to XXL frame sizes. Ive consistently had great luck fitting tiny riders on Specialized mountain bikes. While many bikes on this list are direct-to-consumer, Specialized allows you to order a bike online OR head to your local Specialized dealer. This offers the best of both worlds. Trek Marlin 6Price: $999Buy at TrekBikes.comTrek recently got rid of the womens version of this bike (sad!), but the Marlin 6 is still worthy of your consideration. Like Specialized, Trek is one of the biggest bike brands around which means you get nicer components for a lower price, and its easy to get local bike shop support if you need it. Trek bikes have a great warranty, and I know from personal experience that they take good care of you.While this bike just barely scrapes in at under $1,000, the little bit of extra dough is worth it. The bike comes with a RockShox Judy fork which is a definite step up from the Suntrour fork included many of the other bikes listed here.Also, the Marlin is one of the better fit options for small ladies. The XS frame size fits riders as small as 49.Like many other bikes on this list, the biggest drawback is that its heavy. If you can afford to spend more for one of the next levels of the Marlin, you might want to consider it.Polygon Xtrada 5Price: $799Buy at BikesOnline.comThe Polygon Xtrada is a direct-to-consumer budget mountain bike. This is a great bike to get started on.Despite its hefty weight, its a pretty decent climber. I felt fast on this bike when on flats or uphills.Like other bikes on this list, the Suntour fork definitely felt a bit stiff on the descents. For mellow beginner trails, it will feel fine, but once you start to progress, the fork will be a limiter. My biggest complaints is that there is no routing for a dropper post should you choose to add one later on, and the base level Xtrada 5 has a 2x rather than 1x drivetrain. Youll have to upgrade to the Xtrada 6 or 7 for a 1x. Review: Polygon XtradaWhat to Look For In An Entry-Level Mountain BikeFeel a little intimidated by all the bike-lingo? No worries. Heres what you should look for when picking your mountain bike.Womens Specific Mountain Bikes vs Unisex BikesA few years ago, every mountain bike brand on the market was coming out with womens-specific offerings. Now the pendulum has swung the other way and many brands have removed their womens mountain bikes.This isnt necessarily a bad thing. Marketing bikes as womens bikes often relegated women to a specific corner inside the sport. And whos to say smaller men and teen boys dont benefit from smaller frame sizes too?On the flip side, womens-specific mountain bikes are sometimes a blessing for smaller women who dont fit on traditionally-sized bikes, and for ladies looking for bikes in more feminine designs and colors. Generally, they also come with components that fit a larger range of women betterlower standover height, narrower handlebars, shorter cranks, and perhaps most important of all: womens-specific bike saddles (seats).On this list youll see a mix of womens-specific bikes as well as unisex bikes. These are bikes that are offered in smaller sizes and will work well for women regardless of their gender designation.The bottom-line is that you dont feel like youre limited a womens bike. If you find a mountain bike that meets all the other criteria well mention below and that is in your price range, go for it.SuspensionFor a sub-$1,000 bike, expect to buy a bike with front suspension only. Bikes with full-suspension will be more expensive or of inferior quality. But thats okay. A hardtail bike is a good place to start.All the bikes on this list have a pretty similar suspension fork. TheSR Suntour fork can be found on most bikes in this price-point and its a pretty decent little fork. It ranges between 100mm and 110 mm of travel, which isnt a ton, but its enough to get started.It is a lot stiffer than a higher quality fork, and you may feel like you get shaken around a bit. A good fork is the biggest reason to spend more money on a mountain bike. (Well talk more about this later). But if youre sticking to easy, mellow trails, the Suntour fork will do okay for you. Wheels and TiresMountain bikes come with several different wheel sizes 26, 27.5, and 29. Which size is best is largely a personal preference. Youll notice that fewer and fewer bikes are being offered with 26 wheels (it used to be the norm). Bigger wheels roll easier over obstacles, but also take a little longer to get up to speed and to maneuver in corners. For this reason, our personal favorite wheel size is 27.5.Tires come in a wide variety of sizes too. Of course, youll need tires that match your wheel size (26, 27.5 or 29), but there are also variation in widths. Again, this is largely a personal preference. A 2.0 tire is super narrow, and a 2.8 tire is beefy. In general, the more rocky and technical the terrain you are riding, the wider the tire youll want. If youre sticking to gravel paths, a narrower tire will roll faster.Finally, some wheels and tires are tubeless or tubeless-ready. This means that they can be ridden without tubes like traditional bike tires. Most bikes in this price range are not tubeless-ready, but a few are, and wed highly recommend it. Since switching to tubeless tires, Ive cut down on the number of flats I get by like 2,000%.DrivetrainThe drivetrain of the bike is everything that works together to propel the bike forward and to shift between gears. This includes the front and rear derailleur, the cassette, the front chainring(s), the shifters, shifter cables and chain.Between the bikes on our list, there isnt a ton of differentiation. The biggest difference youll notice is the inclusion or lack of a front derailleur.Over the last few years, higher end bikes have all but dropped a front derailleur. This trend is now trickling down to entry-level bikes as well.Youll notice that the bikes on our list either have a 1x (one-by) drivetrain or a 2x(two-by) drivetrain. On a 1x drivetrain, there is only one gear up front and no front derailleur. On a 2x drivetrain, there are two gears up front and a front derailleur to move between the two gears.Id highly enourage you to look for a bike with a 1x drivetrain. Beginners often have a lot of trouble with shifting, and this keeps things simple.In terms of brands, at this price point, expect a mixed-bag of component groups from a reputable brand-name company such as Shimano or SRAM. The nicest bikes on this list have a Shimano Deore drivetrain.BrakesModern mountain bikes come with disc brakes. This is different than mountain bikes of yesteryear that had rim brakes. Disc brakes offer significantly better-stopping power than rim-style brakes.Youll notice there are two different types of disc brakes: mechanical disc brakes and hydraulic disc brakes. Mechanical disc brakes are the cheaper and easier to maintain of the two. Hydraulic disc brakes, on the other hand, offer better modulation and performance but add additional cost and maintenance.In general, wed recommend choosing a mountain bike with hydraulic disc brakes. Just a few years ago, nearly all entry level mountain bikes had mechanical disc brakes, but today there are cheaper, reliable hydraulic disc brakes available.Youll notice that the majority of bikes on our list have Tektro hydraulic disc brakes. They are simple and work well, though lack the stopping power of the brakes youll find on more expensive mountain bikes. WeightUnfortunately, what these bikes save in price, they make up for in weight. Meaning that compared to more expensive mountain bikes, the rides on this list are HEAVY. This will be more noticeable if you live in an area with mountainous terrain (like Colorado), as opposed to an area with mostly flat trails (like Florida). Its also a reason to be kind to yourself if you are struggling to keep up with friends on hillsa heavy bike is slower. Once youve decided that mountain biking is your jam, youll probably want to invest in a lighter bike. Until then, have fun, be kind to yourself, and pick the lightest bike you can find in your budget.When You Should Consider Spending MoreIf youre just starting out mountain biking, getting a budget bike to start out might make sense. You dont know yet if this is sport you want to invest big dollars into.That said, if you already sold on mountain biking, and know that youre excited and ready to progress, you should consider spending a little bit more. There are plenty of hardtail mountain bikes in the $2k-$3k range that will grow with you longer than these will. They will offer features like a more comfortable suspension fork, a dropper post, tubeless wheelset, thru-axles, and more. With a little shopping, youll also find some options that arent as heavy as the hardtails on this list.An example of a little higher end hardtail that will get you further is the Specialized Fuse. More Resources to Help Get You Started In The SportWomens Bike Sizing GuideWhat To Wear Mountain Biking: Everything You Need To Know!Best Womens Mountain Bike Clinics, Camps, & EventsAbout The AuthorKristen Bonkoski is a USA cycling and NICA coach, bike educator, and founder of Femme Cyclist.Shes also the host of the Femme Cyclist podcast and runsRascal Rides, a website about biking with kids.Shes been riding bikes for more than two decades and is passionate about empowering women on the bike.IG:@femme_cyclistJoin Kristens Weekly Newsletter!The post Best Mountain Bikes For Women Under $1,000 appeared first on Femme Cyclist.