Frame – One of the main advantages of buying a more budget bike is that you’ll get the exact same frame as amore expensive model but with a less plush specification. This means it’s a good platform to start upgrading as parts wear out or your budget allows.

For this price you’re probably looking at an aluminium frame, but don’t see that as a bad thing. Some World Cup bikes are still aluminium framed, in fact Sam Hill won two on an aluminium Nukeproof Pulse in 2014. More than anything aluminium is proven, far more than carbon, and will provide a reliable and stable platform for your ride.

Suspension – For this money the suspension won’t be the best around, but the differences between a top end fork and a budget one aren’t always as big as marketing hype would have you believe.

The BoXXer RC fork is commonly specced on bikes at this level. You get the same chassis and travel as the top of the range BoXXers but you do sacrifice weight and the damper inside is not as plush.

You may alternatively get suspension from Marzocchi or X-Fusion. These guys are smaller companies in the suspension world but don’t let that put you off. Their gear is still used at World Cup Level and the 380 C2R2 Ti and Rv1 HLR both made the Dirt 100 this year.

In the rear you’re going to be looking at a coil shock. Air technology is still relatively new and has yet to trickle down to this price point. There’s nothing wrong with a coil shock though, we’re convinced they perform better in terms of pure damping and while they are less tunable there’s definitely an appeal to a set and forget spring.

The two main players at this price point are the Fox VAN and the RockShox Kage. These are second tier offerings from the suspension giants, so they are less adjustable and heavier, but still offer decent performance – certainly better than you will be used to if you’re buying your first downhill bike.

Wheels – At this price point there are a mix of 26 and 27.5 inch wheels. Again, don’t let 26 inch wheels put you off, they may be seen as outdated now but they served us well for many years and will continue to do so for many more. The wheels will likely be aluminium but will be heavier than those on more expensive bikes. If you’re planning on a big upgrade, wheels are normally a good place to start as the rotational weight is better to shed than weight hung on the frame.

The tyres will probably be a let down with a cheap, hard compound. Swap them out as soon as possible. We recommend the Specialized Butcher or the Schwalbe Magic Mary.

The rest – The rest of the spec you can expect to be robust if not stellar. This is where things start to proliferate but you can rest assured that budget components are more capable than ever – they will be reliable and durable but they won’t be as light as their more expensive counterparts. Keep an eye out for any corner cutting though, if possible you want to avoid the squidgy brakes or narrow bars that are often snuck under the radar.

Suspension – At this price range you start to see more boutique suspension options, predominantly from Rockshox. You should be looking for BoXXer Team or above level forks but you may be lucky enough to find the odd bike specced with our current fork of choice – the Fox 40.

Also keep an eye out for offerings from Bos or DVO, they are rare on complete bikes but still offer decent damping.

Wheels – At this price you want to be looking at high-end aluminium or carbon wheels. Don’t think you’re taking a downgrade by going aluminium though, Easton’s Havocs are still the most successful downhill wheels in World Cup history and they’ve stayed true to their aluminium roots.

The rest – At this level the spec should be ready to race out of the box so don’t accept anything that won’t stand up to the rigours of downhill. You’ll want a gravity specific drivetrain, powerful four piston brakes, grippy two ply tyres and a sorted cockpit.