My boy needs a nice entry level mountain bike - what sayeth the Hive?

In reply to GTwannaB :

That's where I was not long ago. I hadn't bought a new bike for myself since my '96 Trek 7000. I was heavy into mountain biking back then, but my car hobbies started taking over. Then came kids. My kids were getting older, and we were starting to go out for more aggressive rides. I hadn't paid any attention to bikes for around 20 years. I love my old Trek, and started looking at upstanding it. I was shocked to see all of the changes! One day I was cleaning my bike, and my wife said I needed a new one. Didn't need a lot of convincing, other than getting over the sticker shock. Comparing the two bikes that are 25 years apart, I think the only things similar are the saddle and pedals.

Frame- Other than hardtail Vs. full suspension, very different geometry and riding position. 

Fork- Elastomer Vs. air sprung with a lot more travel. 

Wheels- 29" Vs. 26", wider hubs, beefy through axles. 

Tires- much wider and tubeless. I love tubeless. Not a single flat yet. 

Bar and stem- Much shorter stems now and much wider bars. Lock on grips are such a simple and great idea. 

Seatpost- Quick release Vs. dropper. Probably my favorite new feature. Not having to stop your bike to transition from a climb to drop or jump is great. 

Brakes- V brakes to hydraulic disc. No comparison, especially at the higher speeds that the suspension allows. 
 

Drivetrain- 3x to 1x with a clutched derailure. I was skeptical at first, worried I'd miss the extra ratios. Don't miss them at all, the gears are more accessible, and the chain doesn't flop around. 
 

I've been riding the same trails for over 30 years. The new bike can cover the same ground easily at speeds that would have bounced the old bike off into the trees. 

In reply to mainlandboy :

It is a Homegrown XTR, made by Yeti.  I had an S9five(.3) ($750 my cost, dunno what retail was) and a 9six(.40) ($1200, again, don't know retail) when I was at the bike shop.  This bike was waaaaay out of my league.

rustomatic said:

To add some random points:  

1.  29" wheels are the best, period.  They can make up for a lot in both suspension and ability.

2.  No suspension is way better than junky suspension.

3.  Cheap carbon is worse than middle-of-road aluminum.  Steel is the pinnacle.

4.  Generally, fewer moving parts = less annoyance/maintenance.  Silence is golden.

5.  Nobody actually needs a dropper post.  They break and distract.  The seat is a point of contact and control, even in DH.

6.  Like with the car, everything comes down to skill and how much fun you can have (or impact you can create) with as little as possible.  Build up, not down.

I agree with a lot of this but the dropper post point. Dropper posts are very prefectly reliable now. I have broken plenty of parts on my bikes but never had a dropper post. They make riding so much more fun because it is easier to get the saddle out of the way. Having to stop drop the saddle and get back on sucks especially on rolling terrian. TranxZ, BrandX and PNW all offer very reliable droppers for not a lot of cash. BMX riders, dirt jumpers and DH racers don't run the seatpost up in their ass for a reason. Shoot even most of the top XC racers are running dropper posts now.

I will echo going used. Prices for used will start dropping soon and have to some extent.

The problem with those entry level bikes are the brakes aren't going to be very good, the wheels won't stand up to real mountain biking and those cheap spring forks are basically pogo sticks.

I coach on the local nica team. I'll  write a post soon with my learnings. 

I think folks have covered most stuff, so I'll just add a little info and some opinion.

What are your trails like? Ours have gotten more and more man-made, and I thought I'd forgotten how to ride a mountain bike after some time off and then just discovered that the "bigger" trails that exist here now just aren't much fun on a 26" XC hardtail (for me). I got a full suspension 29er and it changed everything. I do miss the precision, and Keith's "trophy truck" comment resonates, but for my reasonably-skilled-and-experienced-but-aging-and-not-crazy self the 29er just works better here today. I miss the "feature"-free singletrack that I learned to love rigid and then hardtail 26" bikes on, but that doesn't really exist here anymore. What's it like where you ride?

I don't know when you expect him to get from 5'8" to 6'1"+, but I wouldn't be buying a mountain bike sized to grow into. I'm 6' and constantly question whether I should've bought my Kona Hei Hei in M instead of L. (Not that M and L are universally meaningful) Expect him to either decide he doesn't like mountain biking or want to trade out anyway because he's riding so much and has grown into something nicer skills-wise before he's done growing physically.

I've deleted my dropper comments because we're trying to get the most bang for the buck for the bike itself and you don't need one, and might well benefit from riding without one first. I'll save that for when the motor oil arguments are settled for good.

Here is what I'd suggest as "requirements" of a modern MTB. 

- 29" wheels 

- 130mm travel (because most 29ers with 120mm+ suspension are more modern)

- hydraulic disc brakes, preferably Shimano, but SRAM is cheaper.

- dropper post (not required, but a nice feature)

- 1x10 or "One By" or "One Ex" drivetrain ie no front derailleur. 

Some bikes in the $800 range that I'd consider acceptable:

Diamondback Mason 1

Kona Lava Dome from Chain Reaction Cycles UK

Vitus Nuclear VR 29 from Chain Reaction Cycles UK

Trek Roscoe 6 (find a shop trying to move last years model) - $800-$1200

Giant Talon 1  - $900

On One Bootzipper (fully rigid, but modern geo and good spec, likely very reliable because steel) - $1000

Why should you trust me? I've been riding since the early 90's. I've bought and sold classic MTBs to collectors (so I've ridden a wide variety of oldschool stuff). I haven't bought a "complete" bike from a store or dealer in over 20 years. My last 2 bikes have been American made, manufactured in Colorado, and I've built them up with my own selection parts.

Currently ride a Made-In-Colorado Guerrilla Gravity Revved Trail Pistol with Manitou Mezzer, Shimano Saint brakes, Shimano 1x11, Custom wheelset. 

This looks like a pretty good start for a used bike to see what he would like. I've been looking at a new fork for my old Gary fisher and it would be cheaper for me to just buy this whole bike.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/612145867197346/

pheller said:

 

Here is what I'd suggest as "requirements" of a modern MTB. 

- 29" wheels 

- 130mm travel (because most 29ers with 120mm+ suspension are more modern)

- hydraulic disc brakes, preferably Shimano, but SRAM is cheaper.

- dropper post (not required, but a nice feature)

- 1x10 or "One By" or "One Ex" drivetrain ie no front derailleur. 

 

Some bikes in the $800 range that I'd consider acceptable:

Diamondback Mason 1

Kona Lava Dome from Chain Reaction Cycles UK

Vitus Nuclear VR 29 from Chain Reaction Cycles UK

Trek Roscoe 6 (find a shop trying to move last years model) - $800-$1200

Giant Talon 1  - $900

On One Bootzipper (fully rigid, but modern geo and good spec, likely very reliable because steel) - $1000

 

On One has great stuff but shipping will be expensive so expect to pay an extra $150ish to ship. Also the Bootzipper geo is built around a shorter rigid fork so adding a suspension fork won't work well.

Jesse Ransom said:

I think folks have covered most stuff, so I'll just add a little info and some opinion.

What are your trails like? Ours have gotten more and more man-made, and I thought I'd forgotten how to ride a mountain bike after some time off and then just discovered that the "bigger" trails that exist here now just aren't much fun on a 26" XC hardtail (for me). I got a full suspension 29er and it changed everything. I do miss the precision, and Keith's "trophy truck" comment resonates, but for my reasonably-skilled-and-experienced-but-aging-and-not-crazy self the 29er just works better here today. I miss the "feature"-free singletrack that I learned to love rigid and then hardtail 26" bikes on, but that doesn't really exist here anymore. What's it like where you ride?

I don't know when you expect him to get from 5'8" to 6'1"+, but I wouldn't be buying a mountain bike sized to grow into. I'm 6' and constantly question whether I should've bought my Kona Hei Hei in M instead of L. (Not that M and L are universally meaningful) Expect him to either decide he doesn't like mountain biking or want to trade out anyway because he's riding so much and has grown into something nicer skills-wise before he's done growing physically.

I've deleted my dropper comments because we're trying to get the most bang for the buck for the bike itself and you don't need one, and might well benefit from riding without one first. I'll save that for when the motor oil arguments are settled for good.

The trails are a good point. If there aren't a lot of steep descents, the modern geometry is a lot less important. Also agree on the second paragraph.

Not sure how you would benefit from riding without a dropper first though.

93EXCivic said:

On One has great stuff but shipping will be expensive so expect to pay an extra $150ish to ship. Also the Bootzipper geo is built around a shorter rigid fork so adding a suspension fork won't work well.

Yea On One actually suggests not running a suspension fork. 

That said, depending on the terrain, riding rigid might not be that bad. My neighbor recently picked up a 275+ Marin Pine Mountain and despite years on full-suspension it's been his go-to bike. He also is a commuter/roadie-turned-MTB guy, so he doesn't exactly search out technical terrain. 

I went riding with a friend a few weeks ago. He's 10 years younger than I am with more history in extreme riding. He was on a current big travel 29, I was on my hardtail that apparently is set up like a XC race bike from a few years ago because it IS a XC race bike from a few years ago. I could outclimb him pretty handily but he's more comfortable over big obstacles and faster on downhills than I. That's not ALL bike, he's wired differently than I but it was pretty clear that the bike was allowing him to ride the way he wanted to ride. 

It was really interesting to see the different techniques. I tend to pay more attention to the front wheel, managing it over obstacles and letting the rear follow. This was true on climbs and drops. He'd just get over the back wheel, aim the front in the general intended direction and let the bike sort stuff out. Like I said earlier, trophy truck. Mine is more of a pointy WRC car. I think the lack of big suspension definitely forces you to learn some fundamentals in weight transfer but you also don't get to explore the big fast drops.

I don't think I ever saw him adjust his dropper on our ride ;) 

We've got a variety of trails around here, I tend to stay away from the ones that require hucking because I am old and because even when I was young I found it more interesting to go up and through than down. So I'd shop accordingly.

My local Trek store has a bunch of crazy big travel huge full suspension bikes but it's the Supercaliber in the corner that makes me drool...

pheller said:

93EXCivic said:

On One has great stuff but shipping will be expensive so expect to pay an extra $150ish to ship. Also the Bootzipper geo is built around a shorter rigid fork so adding a suspension fork won't work well.

Yea On One actually suggests not running a suspension fork. 

That said, depending on the terrain, riding rigid might not be that bad. My neighbor recently picked up a 275+ Marin Pine Mountain and despite years on full-suspension it's been his go-to bike. He also is a commuter/roadie-turned-MTB guy, so he doesn't exactly search out technical terrain. 

Agreed. I am collecting parts to build me own rigid using a custom frame from Marino down in Peru for bikepacking, more XC trails (especially if I go back to my home town cause it is fairly flat), riding around town, etc. I have a Cross Check but I have found I have more fun hopping off stuff, riding curbs, etc around town then just putting in miles. So I want to build something faster then my full out mtb (especially with it running minions) but with a more mtb geo and flat bars.

Lotta good stuff in here - just gonna summarize

• 1x is a must.  1x11 or 1x12.  The bulk of 1x10s are bikes that were 2x10 at one point and converted and they have crappy gear range and a bad chainline.  They are likely for sale because the owner realized how expensive a proper 1x11 or 1x12 conversion is.
• Name brand hydro disks are a must.  No Tektro or non-branded Shimano stuff.  The pool is split between the Sram and Shimano, most people say the Shimano stuff is better.  I have always rode Sram and have no complaints.
• If you get a fork, get a decent fork made in the last 5 years and make sure its a name brand that you can get parts and service on.  I would only consider Rockshox or Fox.  If it has chrome stantions, run away!  Bonus points if its the same brand as your current fork if you do your own wrenching.
• 27.5 or 29 is fine, I am a 29er but I am on a large frame.  On the smaller frames, having less toe overlap and a lower bottom bracket height with the slightly smaller wheels is a good thing.  At 5'9 and likely to increase, either would be sufficient.
• Dropper posts are take-it or leave-it for me, but a lot of it depends on the terrain.  
• Get something with modern geometry (made in the last 5 years).  There is a reason that modern bikes are awesome, and the bulk of it comes from the longer/lower/slacker thinking.  Turns out that the benefits in the downhills are greater than the detriments in uphills.
• Hard pass on any suspension bikes over 5 years old

Now time for an anecdote.  So I decided to get back into mountain biking and bought myself a late 90s Moots Rigormootis (a vintage $10000 bike) I found on Craigslist.  Holy crap, 16 year old me would have been so proud.  Full XTR, even the XTR V brakes, XTR hubs, XTR skewers, and titanium cassette.  3x9 gearing that was absolutely smooth and silent.  All the Moots geegaws on it, seatpost, stem, seat, handlebars, you name it.  Old ass SID World Cup fork.  Put some new tires, a fresh clean and lube job, and hit the trails.

Believe it or not, this thing suuuucked to ride.  Twitchy, bad braking, sketchy handling, you name it.  Dropped chains, everything.  Swapped half-way through the ride with my buddy on his fat tire bike and was so much faster everywhere.  

Listed it for sale as soon as I got home and got a Trek Top Fuel RSL, a modern $10000 bike, full of Sram XX1 goodness, more carbon than a stealth fighter, and beautiful suspension.  It was a rocketship up hill and down and let me ride way faster than fast guys on older bikes.   

Eventually i wanted to hit some bigger stuff and the Top Fuel RSL is not made for that, its a 100mm cross country bike.  So I horsetraded it off for an Evil The Following MB.  Now that thing is an absolute sled.  You wanna go fast downhill, just point it at the bottom and hang the eff on.  

Just because others have posted baby pictures, here's the bike that rekindled my riding last year. It's so responsive that I find myself riding it harder and faster than my full suspension, and the full suspension isn't exactly a squish-o-matic. But this thing just wants to GO. No dropper, no monster crawler gear - you're not going to just noodle your way up a climb, you've got to haul. Puts down power beautifully. Cost me at the top end of the stated price range because it's not exactly a normal frame. 

The full suspension, Rocky Mountain ETSX. Designed for long XC rides 15 years ago. Rear geometry that puts down the power really well so it climbs well for a bouncy bike and isn't all squishy but it won't take the huge hits a DH bike will :) Not "modern" geometry with big slack angles but it's really nimble and I don't feel like I'm riding a motorcycle without an engine. Haven't priced one for a few years but IIRC I picked it up in the stated price range.
 

93EXCivic said:

pheller said:

93EXCivic said:

On One has great stuff but shipping will be expensive so expect to pay an extra $150ish to ship. Also the Bootzipper geo is built around a shorter rigid fork so adding a suspension fork won't work well.

Yea On One actually suggests not running a suspension fork. 

That said, depending on the terrain, riding rigid might not be that bad. My neighbor recently picked up a 275+ Marin Pine Mountain and despite years on full-suspension it's been his go-to bike. He also is a commuter/roadie-turned-MTB guy, so he doesn't exactly search out technical terrain. 

Agreed. I am collecting parts to build me own rigid using a custom frame from Marino down in Peru for bikepacking, more XC trails (especially if I go back to my home town cause it is fairly flat), riding around town, etc. I have a Cross Check but I have found I have more fun hopping off stuff, riding curbs, etc around town then just putting in miles. So I want to build something faster then my full out mtb (especially with it running minions) but with a more mtb geo and flat bars.

Nice! I wanted Marino to build me a 27.5 jump bike ala the Reeb Destroyer 650b, but with a slighter longer seat tube and clearance for 275x2.6. I might still. Their prices are hard to beat. 

You might consider smaller wheels. Whenever I put my 275 wheelset on my TP, or ride a modern bike with smaller wheels I can't help but get the big BMX feel - although I absolutely hate riding trail with anything less than 29x2.4. 

93gsxturbo said:

Lotta good stuff in here - just gonna summarize

• 1x is a must.  1x11 or 1x12.  The bulk of 1x10s are bikes that were 2x10 at one point and converted and they have crappy gear range and a bad chainline.  They are likely for sale because the owner realized how expensive a proper 1x11 or 1x12 conversion is.
• Name brand hydro disks are a must.  No Tektro or non-branded Shimano stuff.  The pool is split between the Sram and Shimano, most people say the Shimano stuff is better.  I have always rode Sram and have no complaints.
• If you get a fork, get a decent fork made in the last 5 years and make sure its a name brand that you can get parts and service on.  I would only consider Rockshox or Fox.  If it has chrome stantions, run away!  Bonus points if its the same brand as your current fork if you do your own wrenching.

 

On the 1x, I generally agree unless it is Microshift Advent or Advent X. I run Advent on two my bikes and it is great. Easier to adjust then 1x12 for sure. Cheaper chains too. Plus really good range 11-46 on Advent 9 speed and 11-48 on Advent X. It doesn't shift quite as nice as XT or XX1 but still pretty good.

On brakes, yeah the Tektro stuff sucks but there are several brands out there making great brakes beyond those two. I have Magura MT7s on my bike and holy crap they are good (but pricey). I had TRP Slate T4s that I had on my bike previously that are going on my single speed that are really good. Not quite as powerful as the MT7s though. Also have ridden a bike with Hope E4s and those are amazing too. SRAM has a reputation for breaking (although according to the guys at the bike shop it is getting better). Shimanos always to me feels like an on off switch.

Kinda same thing with forks although totally stay away from chrome. There are so many brands making great forks and given some of the problems Fox and Rockshox have had limiting to those seems pretty well limiting. The massive problems with bushing play in the new SID or the creaking CSUs on Fox forks. Plus the cheap Rockshoxs aren't anything great. I mean DVO, Manitou, Cane Creek, MRP all make excellent forks plus even the high end Suntour stuff is supposed to be really good.

93EXCivic said:

93gsxturbo said:

Lotta good stuff in here - just gonna summarize

• 1x is a must.  1x11 or 1x12.  The bulk of 1x10s are bikes that were 2x10 at one point and converted and they have crappy gear range and a bad chainline.  They are likely for sale because the owner realized how expensive a proper 1x11 or 1x12 conversion is.
• Name brand hydro disks are a must.  No Tektro or non-branded Shimano stuff.  The pool is split between the Sram and Shimano, most people say the Shimano stuff is better.  I have always rode Sram and have no complaints.
• If you get a fork, get a decent fork made in the last 5 years and make sure its a name brand that you can get parts and service on.  I would only consider Rockshox or Fox.  If it has chrome stantions, run away!  Bonus points if its the same brand as your current fork if you do your own wrenching.

 

On the 1x, I generally agree unless it is Microshift Advent or Advent X. I run Advent on two my bikes and it is great. Easier to adjust then 1x12 for sure. Cheaper chains too. Plus really good range 11-46 on Advent 9 speed and 11-48 on Advent X. It doesn't shift quite as nice as XT or XX1 but still pretty good.

On brakes, yeah the Tektro stuff sucks but there are several brands out there making great brakes beyond those two. I have Magura MT7s on my bike and holy crap they are good (but pricey). I had TRP Slate T4s that I had on my bike previously that are going on my single speed that are really good. Not quite as powerful as the MT7s though. Also have ridden a bike with Hope E4s and those are amazing too. SRAM has a reputation for breaking (although according to the guys at the bike shop it is getting better). Shimanos always to me feels like an on off switch.

Kinda same thing with forks although totally stay away from chrome. There are so many brands making great forks and given some of the problems Fox and Rockshox have had limiting to those seems pretty well limiting. The massive problems with bushing play in the new SID or the creaking CSUs on Fox forks. Plus the cheap Rockshoxs aren't anything great. I mean DVO, Manitou, Cane Creek, MRP all make excellent forks plus even the high end Suntour stuff is supposed to be really good.

No concern on the Microshift if you are on a McBudget but I wouldnt recommend someone buy a bike with it.  Around here its usually seen on bikes that have been pieced together from odd bits and bops that someone can't afford a proper groupset on, I would consider that enough of a warning to stay away.  Sram NX Eagle is cheap enough and shifts good for what it is, and a legit 12 speed.  

My EVIL has the Hope E4s and yeah they are great but not a lot of OEM builds using them so I left them off the list.  The chance of running into a set of Hopes on a $750 Craigslist special is pretty low.  Same with the DVO, Cane Creek, MRP, etc forks.  Not a ton of them on OEM builds.  

My old fat tire had the Magura MT7s on it, they were a good set of brakes.  Liked the feel of them compared to the Sram stuff but not enough to justify pulling the Sram stuff off my new fat tire bike.   

93gsxturbo said:

... bought myself a late 90s Moots Rigormootis (a vintage $10000 bike) I found on Craigslist.  Holy crap, 16 year old me would have been so proud.  

Believe it or not, this thing suuuucked to ride. 

I've made about $1000 in the last decade just reselling old bikes that folks have given me. The last bike I made a decent profit on was one similar to that posted in this thread. I once had a retro-nut ask me why I didn't keep any of these bikes - USA made Santa Cruz Chameleon, Cannondale SE1000, US made Zaskar LE, etc - he said "those are all dream bikes!" - I said "dude, if you ride for enjoyment, modern bikes are so much more superior for modern trails." 

I just have learned that while I think old early 90's pieces of history are cool, I don't have any intention of actually riding them. 

I'd sooner ride a modern rigid 29er with 29x2.6 tires and proper geometry than the nicest bike from the 90s. 

I would make one exception - I'd really like to find a Willits (arguable the first 29er) and turn it into a commuter. 

MicroShift Advent is good stuff. I wouldn't turn it down. 

For no other reason than it actually runs a good ol fashioned HG freehub. SRAM XD and MicroSpline kinda piss me off, but they exist in my garage along with their overly expensive cassettes. 

Mission is accomplished.  The pickings are very slim out there - hit a bunch of places and settled on the Trek Marin 5.  Pimpy machine despite the lower end front shock.  I was surprised to learn it had hydraulic discs on both ends.

93gsxturbo said:

No concern on the Microshift if you are on a McBudget but I wouldnt recommend someone buy a bike with it.  Around here its usually seen on bikes that have been pieced together from odd bits and bops that someone can't afford a proper groupset on, I would consider that enough of a warning to stay away.  Sram NX Eagle is cheap enough and shifts good for what it is, and a legit 12 speed.  

My EVIL has the Hope E4s and yeah they are great but not a lot of OEM builds using them so I left them off the list.  The chance of running into a set of Hopes on a $750 Craigslist special is pretty low.  Same with the DVO, Cane Creek, MRP, etc forks.  Not a ton of them on OEM builds.  

My old fat tire had the Magura MT7s on it, they were a good set of brakes.  Liked the feel of them compared to the Sram stuff but not enough to justify pulling the Sram stuff off my new fat tire bike.   

Fair enough. Personally I won't be going back to the big two after having Microshift. For me, it shifts as well as the lower end Shimano (Deore, SLX although I haven't tried 12 speed SLX) or SRAM NX and better then SX. I have found 12 speeds a bit of a pain to get tuned in perfectly and the Advent is super easy because the gears aren't as close. Last year when 12 speed chains were hard to find I was glad I didn't need one. I am also not super picky about drivetrains as long as it is reliable, cheap to replace (since they are wear items after all), have good range and easy to work on. Microshift ticks all those boxes for me.

84FSP said:

Mission is accomplished.  The pickings are very slim out there - hit a bunch of places and settled on the Trek Marin 5.  Pimpy machine despite the lower end front shock.  I was surprised to learn it had hydraulic discs on both ends.

Nice! That's a great starter bike. 

If I had to make any suggestion about an upgrade, I'd really REALLY REALLLY suggest trying to a DIY tubeless tire setup. Wrap the rims with tape, get some tubeless valves via ebay, some cheap sealant, and have at it. Not having to worry about holes in tubs is a revelation. 

84FSP said:

Mission is accomplished.  The pickings are very slim out there - hit a bunch of places and settled on the Trek Marin 5.  Pimpy machine despite the lower end front shock.  I was surprised to learn it had hydraulic discs on both ends.

 

Regarding the fork, Suntour offers an upgrade program so if he needs a better one, you can get a better Suntour for not a lot of money.

MTB threads somehow always meander into $10,000 bike discussions, no matter where they start :).

Back a bit to OP, I think the Giant and Trek are both good choices.  A buddy has the Giant and has no complaints.  He is stunningly faster than me on trails, but that's not the bike. 

An overlooked point in the discussion so far I think is the intended usage.  For a 13yo, I'm assuming this is mostly ride to school/park/for fun, rather than downhill XTREME youtube legend, especially coming from a BMX bike, but I could be wrong.  

Similarly, for me, I went with a cheap bike because my riding is 90% "ride from my house 20 miles to downtown to eat lunch, ride home, try to stay on trails/paths so cars don't kill me" and 10% riding on actual MTB trails.  I wanted something new, as decent a spec as I could get cheap, and something that if someone cut my lock downtown and stole it, I would only cry for a day or two.  I went with this:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Schwinn-Axum-Mountain-Bike-8-Speeds-Large-19-Inch-Men-s-Style-Frame-29-Inch-Wheels-Black/288838682?athbdg=L1300

Disc brakes, 29" wheels, 1x drivetrain, tapered headtube all mean the good aftermarket stuff would bolt on (forks, brakes, etc.).  My plan was to ride the heck out of it and wear out the stock drivetrain/fork/etc, and when it needed a big pile of maintenance to keep going, either upgrade or replace it.  Been delighted so far.  I did have a bad caliper out of the box, called Schwinn and they sent me a replacement right away.  It did need a replacement seat immediately, I think the stock one was cast from concrete.  Long term I may buy a Giant/Trek/etc., and use this as a cheap platform for home ebike conversion to try that out. 

Just wanted to weigh in from the cheap seats :)