When you know you want an air-sprung fork on your first mountain bike, the BMC Sportelite Deore Bike is the right one for you. Sportelite is the line BMC created for new mountain bikers, those who have a hankering for getting dirty, but aren’t quite sure what they want to do, other than explore the unroads.

BMC designs the bike around 650b wheels. These are bigger than traditional 26” and smaller than new school 29ers, a sweet spot that lowers rolling resistance while still feeling small underneath. Then they took triple-butted, hydroformed aluminum. Light, durable, stiff, with the shaped tubes allowing some vertical flex in the stays but limiting flex in the main triangle. This is the same frame you’ll find throughout the Sportelite line. Here, the fork installed is the RockShox XC30 Solo Air with TurnKey. You have a simple, balanced air spring that is limited by a lockout that can be blown off on the biggest hits.

The frame is equipped with Shimano components. The SLX rear derailleur is the featured bit, and as it is the hardest-working part on the bike, the upgrade is welcome. Deore for the front derailleur, shifters, and 38/24 double-ring crank. The cassette is an 11-36 ten-speed.

The wheels are BMC-built to provide you with a reliable set of disc-brake equipped hoops. Shimano hubs are laced to Alex rims. 160mm rotors are stopped by Shimano M355 hydraulic disc brakes. The wheels are finished with Continental Race King Sport 2.2” tires. These are all-condition treads with an 84tpi sidewall that features mesh reinforcement for durability.

Bars, stem, seatpost are all designed in-house by BMC. The price is low, the pieces durable, and the look coordinated. The seat clamp has a quick release for fine-tuning on the trail, whether that means finding the right height, or dropping for big descents. A Selle Royal Seta saddle tops it off.

The BMC Sportelite Deore Bike steps up the performance for the beginner rider.