Outroad Mountain Bikes – Buyers Guide’s, Expectations, and Tips

A few months ago here at Mountain Bikes Lab we bought and reviewed the Outroad 26 Inch Mountain Bike, and after that review we knew that we would one day be doing a full brand guide on Outroad mountain bikes. That initial review covered only the Outroad 26 inch mountain bike which we feel is one of the best mountain bikes in the world for less than $300. In this Outroad brand guide we will go over some of our favorite Outroad mountain bikes, the history of their storied company, and what our professional team feels about the quality and performance of their brand.

Table of Contents

But First

Before we get into the meat of the Outroad brand, we feel like there are some things that need to be said first. The most important thing to know when buying a bike from a brand like Outroad for only $200-300, you must know that these are not high-end, professional grade bikes. Outroad makes bike for the common person, not for someone looking to learn downhill mountain biking at a high level. However, that does not mean that there are not great uses for their bikes. When we reviewed the Outroad 26 inch mountain bike we made it clear that it was a beginner level mountain bike; and now again after testing three other Outroad brand mountain bikes, we want to make it clear that we are viewing these bikes through the lens of entry level bikes, not profession quality downhill mountain bikes.

Outroad Mountain Bicycles – An Introduction

With that being said, let’s get into our Outroad brand guide!

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Setting Expectations

The first thing that you need to realize when buying a bike from a brank like Outroad is that the customer reviews that you will read online at places like Amazon will more often than not be completely irrelevant. The people reviewing these mountain bikes are expecting state of the are engineering and top end performance however that is never something you will get from a mountain bike that is less than $300. So what exactly should you be looking for in a entry level mountain bike?

In our minds, the three most important things you should be asking about when purchasing a beginner level bike are these:

Working breaks that are responsive

Consistent derailleur that does not cause frequent de-chaining
A decent frame that will last you awhile.

Basically, what we are saying is you should keep it simple.

If you’re buying an entry level bike, the difference between grip brakes and disc brakes, or 21 speeds versus 27 speeds is not likely going to make a difference to you. Generally just finding a bike that can support what you want to do is all that you should be looking for.

Our Analysis – The Three Best Outroad Mountain Bikes

When testing the eight top Outroad brand bicycles we realized that the quality of their bikes fall into three distinct categories: above average for their price, decent quality, and not worth the money. After significant testing and debating between our team we decided that the bikes we felt were not worth the money would not be included in this review because we would not feel comfortable recommending them to anyone. However, of the remaining bikes we tested, there were three that stood out, and those are what the rest of this guide will cover.

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Editors Top Pick – Outroad 26 Inch Mountain Bike

Outroad MTB

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There is a reason that we decided to do an in-depth review of this bike a few months ago and that is because it simply is one of the better entry level bikes that you will be able to find. You can read our full individual review of the Outroad 26 inch mountain bike here, however we will give you a quick overview of why we enjoyed riding this mountain bike so much.

First there are the components: a carbon steel frame, disc brakes, and the hard tail suspension fork all come together to make this one of the more high end entry level bikes that you can find. Components are not everything however, it is how the bike rides that really sold us on its quality.

The Outroad 26 inch mountain bike rides smoothly. It was one of the first things that we noticed while riding the bike on the trails and we were pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it was to ride. The suspension has some give to it allowing you to traverse some terrain but is not so loose as to make your ride bumpy and unenjoyable as so often is the case with entry level bike suspension. The high tech carbon steel frame also serves to keep the bikes weight low, allowing you to easily transport your new mountain bike. Overall this was our clear number one Outroad brand bike and what we would recommend if you are looking to get an entry level mountain bike.

The Runner Up – The Outroad Folding Mountain Bike

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Folding bikes are not something that we have dug into too much here at Mountain Bikes Lab, however we do have a decent amount of experience with them. In our mind the folding bike is for a more niche consumer, however for what they can do folding bikes can be very useful. As stated in their name, folding bikes can fold up into a smaller area allowing you to more easily store and transport your bike. The Outroad folding bike is a mid-fold bike and can fold up to nearly slightly more than half the original size.

When riding this bike we felt that it was not quite able to handle intense mountain trails, however for the more casual rider it is definitely a great option. For example anyone living in a small apartment who doesn’t have the space for a fully bike should certainly consider the Outroad folding bike as it is great for cramped city living. Like the Outroad 26 Inch MTB, this bike is made of high tech carbon steel and is sturdy enough to handle lots of wear and tear. Another great feature of this bike is that is comes 80% assembled — our team spent only around 20 minutes putting together the last 20% of the bike using the clear instructions provided. Overall this is a quality option for folks who want an entry-level folding MTB.

The Unique Pick – The Outroad Fat Tire Mountain Bike

Here at Mountain Bikes Lab we LOVE fat tire bikes and have tested numerous different fat tires such as the Mongoose Dolomite, the Mongoose Juneau, and the GMC Yukonto name a few. Like these other fat tire bikes that we have ridden the Outroad Fat Tire mountain bike rides as though you were on a cloud. It is one of our favorite things about riding fat tire mountain bikes — you feel like you are riding a beach cruiser because of how comfortable these types of bikes are.

Obviously fat tire bikes are not designed for intense downhill mountain biking, however the Outroad fat tire MTB was able to easily ride over dirt trails, and along the beach. Riding this bike along the edge of the pacific ocean right at dawn has been one of my absolute favorite things to do, and the fact that I can ride the Outroad fat tire over sand so easily is such a plus. This bike is a great option for someone who wants to take their bike off-roading on flat but unstable terrain. We really enjoyed our time with the Outroad Fat Tire mountain bike and although it is not suitable for everyone’s biking desires, we believe that anyone who buys this fat tire mountain bike will be happy with their decision.

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Final Thoughts on Outroad

After buying and testing out the top eight Outroad brand mountain bike we would be lying if we said we were not at least somewhat disappointed. Of those eight mountain bikes we road, we truly felt that there were only three that were above average in terms of the performance you get compared to the price you pay. However we hope you do not take that information the wrong was. Just because some of the bikes we road were below average does not mean that every Outroad bike isn’t worth it. After riding the Outroad 26 inch Mountain bike, the Outroad Folding Mountain bike, and the Outroad Fat Tire Mountain Bike, we can confidently say that these three bikes are more than worth their cost. In our professional opinion these three mountain bikes will give you better performance than a majority of other bikes at their price range and you can be confident in your decision to buy them.

Overall Outroad is a mountain biking company like many other in the space that produce entry level bikes. In general their bikes are not very high quality however sometimes, like we’ve seen with our top three Outroad mountain bikes, there can be some diamonds in the rough. When you’re looking to buy an entry level bike we hope that you will seek out professional opinions like ours before you make a purchasing decision, and stay away from the customer reviews on places likes Amazon where you can never be sure of the motive behind the review. As always thank you to our amazing group of readers, we love being able to buy and review mountain bikes and would not be able to without you support. If you have a suggestion for a bike for us to review, or a topic you would like to see covered please leave a comment below!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are Outroad 26 inch mountain bikes still made?

Yes, Outroad still produces it’s 26 inch mountain bike and it was one of our favorite Outroad mountain bikes to ride.

Is Outroad a good mountain bike brand?

For an entry level mountain bike company Outroad is above average and we feel that if you are looking for a beginner level bike there are multiple Outroad options that would be great choices.

What is the best Outroad brand mountain bike?

After thorough testing of eight different Outroad mountain bikes our team strongly believes that the best Outroad mountain bike is the Outroad 26 inch Mountain bike.