Why do Walmart bikes come with 2 suspensions but more expensive bikes come with only 1?

A hardtail mountain bike is one with only suspension fork installed. It is a full suspension or softtail mountain bike if you can also see a rear suspension or shock absorber installed.

It is not true that all hardtails are more expensive than full suspension bikes. The full suspension mountain bikes that you see in Walmart maybe built with steel frame. And if they are alloy framed bicycles they may be installed with components that are not branded or are house brand with less features. That will affect the weight of the bicycle. It is the lighter weight bicycles that are more expensive.

To give you an idea, take a look at the specifications on this 27.5” full suspension mountain bike which weights only 14.1kg.


A 27.5″ softail MTB like this is selling close to USD1000 vs the USD100 to USD200 range 26″ softail MTB listed on the website of Walmart. If this softail have been installed with complete Shimano Deore groupset, it would have been more expensive.

So, the next time you check out bicycles make sure that you compare components installed on the bicycle and not the price. Example, if the price of the bicycle you are interested in is cheaper, look at the components on the other bicycle.

What are the components installed on that bicycle that you do not see on the one of your choice? What are the additional features? If the more expensive bicycle is installed with carrier, mudguard or a gear shifter of a later model or with a remote lock for suspension, these may cost more than the savings that you think that you will be getting from buying a cheaper bicycle.