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A used mountain bike is a good buy if the suspension still works, the frame has no cracks and the drivetrain isn't worn out. Those three checks take ten minutes. In the Netherlands, where most riding is on forest trails in the Veluwe, Utrechtse Heuvelrug or the dunes, a decent hardtail is enough for most people and costs a lot less to keep running than a full suspension bike.
A hardtail has a suspension fork at the front and a rigid rear. It is lighter, cheaper, and has fewer parts to wear out. For Dutch trails, which are flowing, sandy and rooty rather than steep and rocky, a hardtail with 100-130 mm of fork travel covers almost everything.
A full suspension bike (a fully, as Dutch riders say) adds a rear shock and pivot bearings. It is more comfortable and faster on rough ground, and more expensive to service. A cheap used fully is often a worse buy than a good hardtail at the same price, because the rear shock and bearings on a budget fully tend to be worn.
Suspension is where a used MTB hides its biggest costs. A fork service runs from roughly EUR 80 for a lower leg service to EUR 200 or more for a full damper service at a shop.
Look at every weld and tube junction, especially around the head tube, the bottom bracket and the rear dropouts. Paint cracks in a line can be frame cracks. On carbon frames, tap gently around any chip with a coin, a dull sound compared to the rest means damage under the surface. Carbon is fine used, but a crashed carbon frame is not worth buying without an inspection.
On a fully, lift the rear wheel and try to move it side to side. Any play means worn pivot bearings, which is fixable but adds cost. Also grab the front brake and rock the bike to check the headset.
Modern mountain bikes mostly run 1x drivetrains (one chainring) with 11 or 12 speeds. Shimano Deore and SRAM SX/NX are the common entry groups, SLX and GX the step up. Worn cassettes and chainrings on 12 speed are not cheap, so check for shark-fin shaped teeth and a chain that skips under hard pedalling. Hydraulic disc brakes should feel firm at the lever and not sink to the bar. A spongy lever needs a bleed, which is a normal service item but negotiable.
Wheel size is 27.5 or 29 inch on bikes from the last ten years; older bikes run 26 inch and are cheaper but parts like forks are getting harder to match. Frame sizes are S, M, L, XL. At 1.75-1.85 m most people ride an M or L, but geometry varies a lot between brands, so test ride.
Dutch listings use mountainbike, MTB, hardtail and fully. Watch out for ATB, which in the Netherlands often means a hybrid or trekking bike with knobby tyres rather than a trail bike. On vindje.com you can ask for a 29 inch hardtail in size L with a 1x12 drivetrain and air fork, and it skips the ATB city hybrids and kids bikes.
| Item | Typical asking price |
|---|---|
| Entry hardtail (Decathlon Rockrider, Giant Talon) | EUR 150-400 |
| Mid hardtail, air fork, 1x12 | EUR 450-900 |
| Entry full suspension | EUR 700-1400 |
| Trail fully, Shimano SLX or SRAM GX | EUR 1300-2500 |
| Electric MTB, 3-5 years old | EUR 1500-3000 |
Rough Marktplaats asking prices in the Netherlands. Condition, age and season move them a lot.
Describe what you want in your own words and vindje.com searches Marktplaats in Dutch, then reads every listing and keeps only the real matches. For example:
29 inch hardtail mountainbike, size L, air fork, 1x12 Shimano Deore or SRAM, under 700 euro, within 30 kmSearch Marktplaats like this
Yes, if the fork and shock work, the frame is crack free and the drivetrain is not worn out. Mountain bikes lose value fast, so used is good value.
For most Dutch trails, no. A hardtail with 100-130 mm fork travel is lighter, cheaper and handles the Veluwe and Heuvelrug well.
Look for scratches and oil on the stanchions, push down hard and feel for smooth travel without clunks, and turn the dials to check they work.
Most riders of 1.75-1.85 m ride M or L, but geometry differs per brand. A test ride beats any size chart.