Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear. And of course we discovered near-magical options that cost three and four times that. Body proportions vary as much within a gender as between them.
Based on this, all of our bike platforms are designed for all riders. It also means—we believe— that brands and shops are obligated to offer a higher level of assistance when it comes to optimizing touch points—saddle, grips—and dimensions like handlebar width and stem length for every unique customer.
However, the frames are shared with sibling brand Santa Cruz—only paint and graphics differ. During the past decade or so, mountain bikes have undergone one of the largest evolutions in their history. They include the almost wholesale shift to inch wheels and 1x drivetrains, widespread use of dropper posts and thru axles, and major changes in geometry including steeper seat angles, slacker head angles, longer reaches, and the use of shorter stems and wider handlebars.
Some of that madness has tapered off. These bikes run a inch wheel in front and a smaller The main advantages claimed are more clearance when hanging off the rear of the bike in steep terrain, and a snappier cornering feel. When it comes to components and features, the big change here is the almost industry wide adoption of the UDH universal derailleur hanger.
As the name implies, this is a single derailleur replaceable derailleur hanger standard. This additional length centers the rider between the wheels more, and makes bikes feel more stable, more secure in steep terrain, and smoother overall.
This puts most riders in a more favorable seated climbing position. But steeper seat angles also allow frame engineers to move the seat tube out of the way as they try to increase travel, decrease chainstay length, and fit bigger wheels and tires into their frames.
Join Bicycling All Access for in-depth bike reviews. These are short-travel bikes made for racing on XC and marathon courses where you need sharp handling and efficient suspension. Many have head-tube angles near 70 degrees, inch wheels and, if they have rear suspension, 90 to mm of travel.
These are the most popular bikes for good reason, designed to handle almost everything from casual XC trails to rowdy downhills. Expect to Fordon och cyklar head angles between 65 and 68 degrees, slightly longer wheel bases, and travel between and mm.
These are mini-downhill models that are good at climbing. Head angles range from 62 to 66 degrees and reaches are longer to keep your weight farther behind the front wheel. Made for downhill races and bike parks, these have ultra-long wheel bases, lots of travel usually mm or moreand dual-crown forks that slow handling but help the bike rip downhill in a straight line and hit massive jumps better than anything else.
We raced them, rode them on our local trailsand hit the bike park. Often we swapped tires and other components to get a better understanding of each bike.