Falcon Maverick & Vienne Review 2026 | Cheapest Adult MTBs Worth It?

The Falcon Maverick and Falcon Vienne are the cheapest adult mountain bikes we sell from a proper British brand — both are £241.99 right now, down from £279.99. They're the same bike underneath: a hi-tensile steel hardtail with a suspension fork, 18 gears and 26" wheels. The Maverick is the 19" frame for riders of roughly 5'7" to 6'2", the Vienne is the 17" frame for 5'3" to 5'10". Pick by your height, not the name.

We build and safety-check every one that leaves our Shrewsbury workshop, so we've had a lot of these on the stand. Here's the honest version: what £242 actually buys you, where the corners have been cut, and who should spend a bit more.

Verdict at a glance — 3.5/5

A tidy-looking, dead simple steel hardtail that's fine for towpaths, park tracks and getting to work — just don't expect it to be light or to enjoy real trail centre riding.

Key specs

Both come boxed and part-assembled with free UK delivery, or tick our Delivered Ready to Ride option at checkout and we'll build, tune and safety-check it before it goes out.

What you actually get for £242

The frame is the story here. Hi-tensile steel is the cheapest way to make a bike frame that lasts, and it does last — we still see 20-year-old hi-ten Falcons come through the workshop for a service. It's also heavy. At 16kg the Maverick weighs about the same as a decent e-bike's battery and frame combined, and you'll feel it lifting it over a gate or up a flight of stairs.

The 18-speed drivetrain is a genuine plus at this price. A triple chainset with a 24-tooth granny ring means you can winch up steep stuff without standing, and the Shimano rear mech shifts cleanly once it's been set up properly (which is exactly why we recommend the workshop build — a badly indexed twist shifter is the number one complaint we hear about budget bikes, and it's a five-minute fix on the stand).

The suspension fork is a basic coil unit. It takes the sting out of kerbs and rough tarmac; it will not cope with a rocky descent at speed. No lockout, no adjustment. On a bike this price that's expected, and honestly for the riding most Maverick owners do — towpaths, bridleways, the ride to work — it's fine.

V-brakes with resin levers are the other obvious cost saving. They stop the bike perfectly well in the dry. In wet Shropshire winter they need a bit more squeeze and a bit more anticipation. If you want disc brakes you're looking at closer to £500 and the Claud Butler Alpina.

Maverick vs Vienne: is there any real difference?

Frame size is the big one, and it's the only one that matters. But there is one small spec difference worth flagging: on the site the Maverick is listed with 1.95" city tyres and the Vienne with 1.95" MTB tyres. In practice both are a semi-knobbly all-rounder, but if you're mostly on tarmac the Maverick's tread will roll a touch faster, and if you're mostly on muddy bridleways the Vienne's will grip a little better. Either can be swapped for £20-odd a pair.

Both have a long 300mm seatpost and an adjustable quill stem, so there's a lot of fit adjustment. If you're bang on the 5'7"–5'10" overlap, go Vienne if you want a more upright, manoeuvrable feel and Maverick if you want more stretch and stability. Or measure your inside leg and let the numbers decide.

Who is it for?

Good for:

• Anyone who wants a new, warrantied bike from a real brand for the price of a second-hand one
• Commuting, towpaths, forest tracks and family rides
• Taller teenagers (12+) who've outgrown 24" and 26" junior bikes
• Cycle to Work buyers who want a spare or first bike without spending the whole allowance

Not for:

• Trail centre red routes, rocky descents or anything where you'd want disc brakes
• Riders who'll notice the weight — if you carry a bike up stairs daily, look at an alloy hybrid instead
• Anyone under 5'3" (the Vienne is the smallest adult frame Falcon make; look at a 26" junior bike)

Alternatives

• Falcon Explorer 26" hybrid, 19" — £218.99 (RRP £249.99) and Falcon Expression 26" hybrid, 17" low-step — £235.99 (RRP £249.99). Same steel frame sizes and 26" wheels, but with a rigid fork, 6 gears, semi-slick tyres, and steel mudguards and a rear rack thrown in. If you'll never leave tarmac, these are the better commuter for less money. Stock on both comes and goes, so check the page.
• Claud Butler Alpina — under £500. The step up: alloy frame, disc brakes, proper trail ability. Read our Alpina review.
• Our full Best Adult Bikes Under £300 round-up if you want to see everything at this price side by side.

Final verdict

The Maverick and Vienne aren't going to excite anyone who reads mountain bike magazines. They're heavy, the brakes are basic and the fork is more comfort than control. But that's not who buys them. If you want a solid, good-looking bike with 18 gears and a warranty for £241.99 — and you're honest with yourself about riding towpaths rather than trail centres — they're one of the safest cheap buys on the site. Get it built in the workshop and you'll avoid every problem people usually blame on the bike.

Rating: 3.5/5. Proper brand, proper price, sensible expectations.

Check the Falcon Maverick 19" price → Check the Falcon Vienne 17" price → Shop all Falcon bikes →

More from the blog

• Best Adult Bikes Under £300 UK (2026)
• What Size Bike Frame Do I Need? UK Height Chart
• We Now Accept Bike2Work — Save 32–42% on Any Adult Bike

Ready to find your next bike?

Every bike we sell is built and safety-checked in our Shrewsbury workshop, with free UK delivery, a 12-month warranty and 90-day no-quibble returns. Buying through Cycle to Work or Bike2Work? You could save up to 42% on either of these.

Shop all mountain bikes →