The best bike to buy depends first on the type of riding and the rider. A children’s bike, an adult mountain bike, an electric hybrid and a full-suspension electric mountain bike serve different purposes, so price comparisons are most useful when they stay within the same category.
This guide compares current examples from Decathlon, Halfords and Smyths in the UK. It covers cheap bikes, Carrera mountain bikes, electric bikes, full-suspension mountain bikes and kids’ bikes, with prices and retailer details shown where available.
The table brings together examples across the main categories. Prices were recorded on 9 September 2026 and can change, particularly where a product is shown at a reduced price.
| Model | Category | Retailer | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROCKRIDER 27.5" Mountain Bike EXPL 50 | Adult mountain bike | Decathlon | £199.99 |
| ROCKRIDER 29" hardtail EXPL 100 | Adult hardtail mountain bike | Decathlon | £359.99 |
| Carrera Vengeance Mens Mountain Bike | Carrera mountain bike | Halfords | £385.00 |
| Carrera Vengeance Womens Mountain Bike | Carrera mountain bike | Halfords | £385.00 |
| Carrera Vengeance Trail Mountain Bike | Trail-labelled mountain bike | Halfords | £415.00 |
| ROCKRIDER Kids’ Mountain Bike White 20" MTB EXPL 120 | Children’s mountain bike | Decathlon | £189.99 |
| Smyths 16 Inch Freestyle 3 Bike | Children’s bike | Smyths | £109.99 |
| ROCKRIDER 29" hardtail electric mountain bike E-EXPL 100 | Electric mountain bike | Decathlon | £999.99 |
| Carrera Crossfire E Mens Electric Hybrid Bike 2.0 | Electric hybrid bike | Halfords | £899.00 |
| ROCKRIDER 29" full-suspension electric mountain bike E-EXPL 520 S | Full-suspension electric mountain bike | Decathlon | £2,499.99 |
The mountain-bike and electric-bike examples come from Decathlon’s mountain-bike listings and Decathlon’s e-bike listings. The Carrera models and Crossfire E come from Halfords’ Carrera range. Children’s bikes and the wider kids’ selection are listed by Smyths.
There is no single best cheap bike for every rider, but the clearest low-cost adult example in these listings is the Decathlon ROCKRIDER 27.5" Mountain Bike EXPL 50. It costs £199.99, reduced from £229.99, and Decathlon displays a rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 148 votes.
That makes the EXPL 50 a strong starting point for someone specifically looking for a relatively inexpensive adult mountain bike. It should not be compared directly with a children’s bike, an electric bike or a full-suspension model, because those categories have different designs and price levels.
The alternative adult hardtail in this price comparison is the ROCKRIDER 29" EXPL 100 at £359.99, previously £399.99. It sits £160 above the EXPL 50 and has a larger 29-inch wheel size. A Carrera buyer can compare the Carrera Vengeance Mens and Womens models at £385.00, or the Vengeance Trail at £415.00.
For a child, the lowest-priced conventional bike in the comparison is Smyths’ 16 Inch Freestyle 3 Bike at £109.99. Smyths also lists the 16 Inch Freestyle 7 Bike at £119.99 and balance bikes at £24.99. These are different stages and formats, so the cheapest item is not automatically the correct choice for a particular child.
The current examples show a wide range rather than one normal price. A children’s bike is listed at £109.99, an adult mountain bike at £199.99, Carrera mountain bikes from £385.00, electric bikes from £899.00 and a full-suspension electric mountain bike at £2,499.99.
| Category | Example | Listed price |
|---|---|---|
| Children’s bike | Smyths 16 Inch Freestyle 3 Bike | £109.99 |
| Children’s mountain bike | ROCKRIDER Kids’ 20" EXPL 120 | £189.99 |
| Adult mountain bike | ROCKRIDER 27.5" EXPL 50 | £199.99 |
| Adult Carrera mountain bike | Carrera Vengeance Mens | £385.00 |
| Electric hybrid bike | Carrera Crossfire E Mens 2.0 | £899.00 |
| Electric mountain bike | ROCKRIDER 29" E-EXPL 100 | £999.99 |
| Full-suspension electric mountain bike | ROCKRIDER E-EXPL 520 S | £2,499.99 |
Sale pricing affects several of the comparisons. The ROCKRIDER EXPL 50 is shown at £199.99 rather than £229.99. The Carrera Crossfire E is £899.00, reduced from £1,399.00, while the E-EXPL 520 S is £2,499.99, reduced from £2,999.99. The price is therefore best read alongside the model, category and any stated previous price.
For a conventional mountain bike, the lower end of this comparison contains the ROCKRIDER EXPL 50 at £199.99. The 29-inch ROCKRIDER EXPL 100 is £359.99. Halfords’ Carrera Vengeance Mens and Womens models are each £385.00, while the Vengeance Trail is £415.00.
The Carrera Vengeance Mens Mountain Bike has a displayed Halfords rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 1,539 reviews. The green version of the Carrera Vengeance Mens Mountain Bike is also shown at £325.00, reduced from £385.00, with a 4.5 out of 5 rating from 685 reviews. The two displayed review counts relate to the respective Halfords listings and should not be treated as one combined score.
These prices create a straightforward Carrera and ROCKRIDER comparison: the EXPL 50 is the lowest-priced adult mountain-bike example, the EXPL 100 is close to the Carrera range, and the Vengeance Trail is the highest-priced conventional mountain bike among these listed examples. The product names identify the models as mountain bikes; they do not make them interchangeable with road bikes or electric bikes.
Full suspension is represented at several very different price points. Decathlon lists the ROCKRIDER All-Mountain Feel 700 S at £1,399.99, reduced from £1,499.99. It also lists the ROCKRIDER E-EXPL 520 S, a full-suspension electric mountain bike, at £2,499.99, reduced from £2,999.99.
Two less expensive full-suspension mountain bikes appear in Decathlon’s listings through the third-party seller E-Bikes Direct: the Basis 1 at £221.99 and the Basis 2 at £227.99. The seller detail matters when comparing these models with products presented directly in the Decathlon or Halfords ranges.
| Model | Category | Price | Seller detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basis 1 | Full-suspension mountain bike | £221.99 | E-Bikes Direct via Decathlon |
| Basis 2 | Full-suspension mountain bike | £227.99 | E-Bikes Direct via Decathlon |
| ROCKRIDER All-Mountain Feel 700 S | Full-suspension mountain bike | £1,399.99 | Decathlon listing |
| ROCKRIDER E-EXPL 520 S | Full-suspension electric mountain bike | £2,499.99 | Decathlon listing |
The two Basis models should therefore be kept distinct from the ROCKRIDER products in a comparison. They share the full-suspension category, but they are supplied through a named third-party seller rather than being presented in the same way as the Decathlon-branded models.
The lowest-priced electric bike in this selection is the Halfords Carrera Crossfire E Mens Electric Hybrid Bike 2.0 at £899.00. It is shown reduced from £1,399.00. The model is an electric hybrid bike, so it is a different proposition from the Decathlon ROCKRIDER E-EXPL models, which are described as electric mountain bikes.
Decathlon lists the ROCKRIDER 29" hardtail electric mountain bike E-EXPL 100 at £999.99 and the E-EXPL 140 at £1,399.99. Both are hardtail electric mountain bikes. The E-EXPL 520 S extends the range to a full-suspension electric mountain bike at £2,499.99 and has a displayed rating of 4.2 out of 5 from 323 votes.
In practical comparison terms, the prices form three distinct points: an electric hybrid at £899.00, hardtail electric mountain bikes at £999.99 and £1,399.99, and a full-suspension electric mountain bike at £2,499.99. The category label is as important as the price when deciding which electric bike fits the intended purchase.
Children’s bikes in the listings cover several wheel sizes and age labels. Decathlon lists the ROCKRIDER Kids’ Mountain Bike White 20" MTB EXPL 120 at £189.99 and the ROCKRIDER Kids’ 20" 6–9 Years EXPL 500 at £219.99. Its 24-inch 9–12 Years EXPL 500 is also £219.99, while the 26-inch 9–12 Years EXPL 500 is £259.99. The ROCKRIDER Kids’ 24" 9–12 Years EXPL 900 is £359.99.
Smyths covers a broader range of children’s products. Its category lists 102 bikes, including kids’ bikes, BMX bikes, mountain bikes and balance bikes. Alongside the 16 Inch Freestyle 3 at £109.99 and Freestyle 7 at £119.99, it lists the 24 Inch Verve Ultra Mountain Bike at £189.99, the 24 Inch Oyama JM24 Mountain Bike at £249.99 and the 29 Inch Element Mountain Bike at £229.99.
| Wheel size or type | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 16-inch children’s bike | Smyths Freestyle 3 | £109.99 |
| 20-inch children’s mountain bike | ROCKRIDER Kids’ EXPL 120 | £189.99 |
| 24-inch children’s mountain bike | ROCKRIDER Kids’ EXPL 500 | £219.99 |
| 26-inch children’s mountain bike | ROCKRIDER Kids’ EXPL 500 | £259.99 |
| 24-inch mountain bike | Smyths Verve Ultra | £189.99 |
Smyths also states that orders over £20 qualify for free delivery and that Click & Collect is free within two hours. That gives its bike category a different purchasing proposition from the model and price comparisons alone.
Begin with the category: children’s bike, mountain bike, electric hybrid, electric mountain bike or full-suspension mountain bike. Then compare models within that group. A low price for a child’s 16-inch bike does not make it a cheaper substitute for an adult mountain bike, just as an electric hybrid should not be ranked directly against a full-suspension electric mountain bike.
Next, record the wheel size where it is stated, the retailer, the seller detail and the current price. This is particularly relevant in the full-suspension listings, where Basis 1 and Basis 2 are sold by E-Bikes Direct via Decathlon. Also separate a current promotional price from a previous price: the EXPL 50, Crossfire E and E-EXPL 520 S all have stated reductions.
Customer ratings add another comparison point where they are displayed. The EXPL 50 is shown at 4.5 out of 5 from 148 votes, the E-EXPL 520 S at 4.2 out of 5 from 323 votes, and the Carrera Vengeance Mens at 4.5 out of 5 from 1,539 reviews. Ratings belong to specific listings, so they should be read alongside the model name rather than used as a universal ranking of every bike in a category.
The Decathlon ROCKRIDER 27.5" Mountain Bike EXPL 50 is the clearest cheap adult mountain-bike example here. It costs £199.99, reduced from £229.99, and has a displayed rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 148 votes. For a child, the Smyths 16 Inch Freestyle 3 is listed at £109.99.
In these UK listings, prices run from £109.99 for a Smyths children’s bike to £2,499.99 for Decathlon’s full-suspension electric mountain bike. Adult mountain bikes appear from £199.99, Carrera mountain bikes from £325.00 for the displayed green promotion, and electric bikes from £899.00. The appropriate budget depends on the bike category and the rider rather than on one universal price.
