The electric-mountain bike market has grown exponentially in the last decade, and this year鈥檚 options are better than ever. Whether you鈥檙e looking for a whip that feels the same as a regular mountain bike, or a hard-charging chop-crusher, we singled out the best seven eMTBs of 2025.

Best eMTBs

• Editor鈥檚 Choice:
• Best All-Rounder:
• Full Power Without the Weight:
• Best Enduro eMTB:
• Best Mid-Power eMTB:
• Best Race eMTB:
• Best Lightweight eMTB:
• How to Choose an eMTB
• How We Test Electric Mountain Bikes
• Meet Our Lead Testers

Editors’ Choice

Trek Slash+

Tested Build: 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type
Weight: 46 lbs
Wheels: Mixed 27.5鈥�/29鈥�
Frame: Carbon
Travel: 172.2 mm rear; 177 mm fork
Motor: TQ HPR50
Battery: 580 Wh, 160 Wh extender

Pros and Cons
鈯� Top-notch descending performance
鈯� Best in class battery range
鈯� Could be your only bike
鈯� Limited size range
鈯� Build kits should be better for the price

Trek chose the Slash as the platform for their newest lightweight eMTB, and boy did they stick to the prompt. The Slash+ is an electrified Slash, and nothing else鈥攂ut that’s what makes it so great. It has a decently powerful motor, truly impressive battery range, and suspension feel that competes with any long-travel mountain bike, electrified or otherwise.

With a TQ motor and battery system, the Slash+ gains some pounds over the analog equivalent, but still comes in at a very impressive 46-pound total build weight, even with some appropriately capable parts bolted to it, such as the RockShox Zeb fork, Vivid air shock, and SRAM Maven brakes. The spec is very solid, although the price of the complete bike is on the higher side compared to other options in this category.

This is an eMTB with the same suspension kinematics, geometry, and body position as the notably impressive Slash. There are only four sizes, though, compared to the five available for the regular Slash, which could make it slightly trickier to choose the right size.

By electric mountain bike standards, the Slash falls into the lightweight eMTB category, where overall weight takes precedence over having as much power as possible at the wheel. That said, the TQ motor can put out an impressive amount of wattage鈥攊t does a great job of making big grinds seem a whole lot mellower. As an added bonus, it鈥檚 damn near silent. It鈥檚 also quite efficient when it comes to battery usage鈥� it鈥檚 possible to put in some serious vert without running out of juice.

Part of the joy of riding an e-bike is the stupid climbs you can throw yourself at, just to see what’s possible. Though the motor output is less punchy than a full-power bike, the Slash+ can still hang. The rear wheel grip pays dividends here, and is helped along by the TQ motor’s natural feeling power delivery鈥攜ou can meter effort in an intuitive way and expect that the bike will follow suit.

The Slash+ is one of the best descending bikes we’ve ridden in recent memory, thanks to excellent rear suspension feel, balanced geometry, and that little extra stability that comes from the motor and battery weight. In comparison to the non-motorized Slash, that last detail is the clincher, as the extra weight near the bottom bracket keeps the bike just a bit more planted over chattery trail noise.

The electric Slash鈥檚 geometry looks good on paper, with a wide range of adjustments that make it possible to customize its handling, and it feels even better in real life. The chainstay length increases nearly 18 millimeters through the travel due to the rearward axle path, which provides stability when you’re pushing into the bike the hardest, but doesn鈥檛 feel too sprawled out in corners and techy sections. The balance here is really impressive. Though the design caters towards erasing bumps at speed鈥攁nd that’s where it feels best鈥攊t doesn鈥檛 compromise on predictable cornering.

Best All-Rounder

Santa Cruz Vala

Tested Build: X0 AXS RSV
Weight: 48.1 lbs
Wheels: Mixed 27.5鈥�/29鈥�
Frame: Carbon
Travel: 150 mm frame travel; 160 mm fork
Motor: Bosch CX
Battery: 600 Wh

Pros and Cons
鈯� Easy handling, adaptable performance
鈯� Impressively reliable frame and electronics
鈯� Excellent build kit
鈯� Battery capacity will disappoint some (but a range extender is available)
鈯� Requires attention on steep climbs

The Vala is the first Horst link bike that Santa Cruz has ever made, and it might represent a more significant change in the brand鈥檚 approach to bike design. Santa Cruz claims that the choice to implement the 4-bar design revolves around packaging constraints brought on by the Bosch CX motor. That may be the case, but the new layout also makes it easier to achieve the suspension curves they’ve been honing in on with VPP bikes over the past few years.

The Vala’s resemblance to the new Bronson, its non-motorized sibling, extends beyond the geometry chart, with on-trail feel that bridges the bike-electric-bike gulf impressively well. The extra weight from the motor and battery is apparent, but not always to a detriment鈥攖hat extra mass can help calm things and keep the bike on line through rougher patches of trail, where a bike might otherwise deflect. Cornering feels intuitive, and the bike tips into steeper turns without any fuss. At times, those situations are where heavier e-bikes can make things harder, as the bike weight can make the bike reluctant to cut into turns as easily as a non-electric bike might; luckily that’s not the case here.

Bosch’s new CX motor is impressively powerful, and pedals intuitively, closely mapping your power output to match expected drive force. The front end of this bike can feel a little “lifty” when power is high and the climb is steep, but it’s nothing better body position can’t fix.

Santa Cruz did a great job with their first foray into the 4-bar world, providing an active yet predictable ride feel that offers consistent support through the travel. Their recommended suspension setup worked very well, and felt balanced on flat and steep trails alike. When it comes to suspension performance, the Vala hits a nice spot, riding high without feeling like it’s pitching your weight forward. It can handle just about anything you throw at it, but errs on the fun side of things, with proportions and weight meant more to mimic regular bikes than to maximize the monster truck e-bike characteristics.

Full Power Without the Weight

Cannondale Moterra

Tested Build: LAB71
Weight: 44 lbs
Wheels: Mixed, dual 29鈥� compatible
Frame: Carbon
Travel: 142-149 mm rear travel (size-specific), 160 mm fork
Motor: Shimano EP801
Battery: 601 Wh

Pros and Cons
鈯� Low weight, high power combo
鈯� Adaptable geometry
鈯� Confident handling on tech trails
鈯� Potentially too low and slack in the stock configuration
鈯� Non-removable battery and no range extender options

The Moterra SL promises to let you have your cake and eat it too. It’s a full-power eMTB weighing no more than many SL (Super Light) e-bikes. The Shimano EP801 motor provides the full 85 Nm of oomph to send you up steep hills and the 601Wh internal battery is big enough to do long rides without skimping on assistance. That said, it would be nice to see the addition of a range extender option for completing even longer missions, but at the moment there isn鈥檛 one available.

The combination of a full-power motor and mid-power weight might sound like a recipe for the ultimate climbing e-bike, but unless you’re against the clock, we don’t think there’s a noticeable advantage compared to heavier (around 55 lbs) eMTBs with the same motor. On the other hand, when compared to other SL e-bikes with less power, it is in another league.

Out of the box, the Moterra SL鈥檚 geometry numbers are fairly typical, with the exception of the very slack 62.5-degree head angle. To get the most out of the bike, it鈥檚 worth trying the headset in the steeper geometry setting in order to liven up the handling and make it feel less lethargic on mellower terrain.

The Moterra SL has a fairly damped and predictable feel that deals with small to medium bumps sensitively without feeling too soft or getting lost in the travel. The flex-pivot suspension doesn’t throw up any unusual quirks. The pounds saved compared to other full-power e-bikes pay dividends in complicated sections, particularly when maneuvering the bike through tight trees, sharp corners, or off-camber roots. While still not quite the same as riding an analog bike, it’s a lot more intuitive and engaging than a traditional eMTB.

The combination of a high-torque motor and 44-pound weight is genuinely game-changing in the eMTB world. The Moterra makes other SL e-bikes look limited in range and technical climbing abilities, powering up steep scrambles where mid-power motors struggle and stall. At the same time, it offers a refreshingly “normal” ride compared to full-fat eMTBs when pointed downhill. It falls into the all-mountain category, with the parts spec and power to tackle steep climbs and a wide variety of descents.

Best Enduro eMTB

Orbea Wild

Tested Build: M-LTD
Weight: 49 lbs
Wheels: 29″ (27.5″ link available)
Frame: Carbon
Travel: 170 mm
Motor: Bosch Performance CX
Battery: 600 Wh

Pros and Cons
鈯� Calm and composed handling
鈯� Very quiet while descending
鈯� Excellent power delivery while climbing
鈯� Still has thru-headset cable routing
鈯� Even shorter cranks would be nice to see
鈯� Motor cover is a mud magnet

While the geometry and the overall look of the bike remain the same, the Orbea Wild received a 10-millimeter increase in travel for 2025, putting it at 170 millimeters front and rear, and it’s equipped with the latest version of Bosch鈥檚 Performance CX full power motor. It鈥檚 also mixed-wheel compatible, an option that can be chosen at checkout.

On the trail, the overall position of the Wild is upright and comfortable thanks to the fairly steep seat angle and tall stack. The overall handling is fairly neutral, although we鈥檙e still talking about a slack, full-powered e-bike here鈥攊t takes more effort to maneuver compared to something like the Rise, Orbea鈥檚 lighter weight, more trail-oriented offering.

The Wild may be a descent-focused eMTB, but the Bosch Performance CX motor helps make climbing much more entertaining, with a controlled output that makes it easy to deliver just the right amount of power to the rear wheel.

The new Wild still has that punching bag-like quality that made the last version so enjoyable鈥攊t does a great job of absorbing hits without getting rattled. Speaking of rattling, the new motor is nearly silent while descending, and overall the Wild is extremely quiet, even compared to non-motorized bikes.

The previous Wild was (and still is) a great bike, so it makes sense that the new one received only a slight revision rather than a dramatic overhaul. Gripes about headset cable routing aside, the Wild strikes a very good balance when it comes to its handling and suspension performance on the climbs and descents. It’s a bigger, full power ebike that hides its weight and wheelbase length relatively well, which means you don’t need to be on the absolute rowdiest trails to still have a good time on it.

Best Mid-Power eMTB

Devinci E-Troy Lite

Tested Build: GX AXS 12S
Weight: 43 lbs (size M)
Wheels:Mixed 27.5鈥�/29鈥�
Frame: Aluminum
Travel: 150 mm rear, 160 mm front
Motor: Bosch Performance Line SX 55Nm
Battery: 400 Wh

Pros and Cons
鈯� Confident and playful descender
鈯� Top-performing and natural-feeling Bosch motor
鈯� Excellent value for components and a Made in Canada frame
鈯� The walk mode isn’t the easiest to use
鈯� Noisy on the downhill

The new Devinci E-Troy Lite will convert the e-mountain bike skeptics out there. It delivers power so seamlessly and naturally that it makes you feel like you鈥檙e a fitter version of yourself on the climbs. Not only is the climbing smooth and enjoyable, but the E-Troy Lite is a supremely confident descender with well-balanced suspension.

We reviewed back in January before the Canadian brand released the E-Troy Lite this spring, Devinci’s first lightweight e-mountain bike. It comes with a Bosch Performance Line SX motor with 55 Newton-meters of torque compared to the 85 Newton-meters of torque on the full-powered bike and has a smaller battery as well. With the same amount of travel but a slightly steeper headtube angle, the E-Troy Lite weighs over 10 pounds less than the full-powered bike. All sizes of the E-Troy Lite have mixed wheels.

While climbing, there are four assist modes that are easy to toggle through using the small wireless shifter on the thumb-actuated mini remote. While on eMTB mode, it really feels like you’re being rewarded for putting down watts since the motor reacts to rider input. I spent the majority of the time in the Tour+ (second) and eMTB (third) modes on singletrack climbs since they provided the perfect amount of assistance without burning through the battery or feeling like they were overpowering me. I never felt like I needed to jam on the brakes on a climb, which is certainly a feeling I’ve had with some full-powered eMTBs. Without a range extender, I found that the E-Troy Lite could do an 18-mile ride with about 3,200 feet of climbing (though that number will change based on your effort, the mode, your weight, and the trails).

There are some bikes that you just feel comfortable on out of the box while descending, and the E-Troy Lite is absolutely one of them. The geometry is dialed with a 63.6-degree head tube angle, putting you in a confident and strong position when things get steep and rough. While the bike is able to track well and absorb trail chatter, it also feels lively and light, thanks to the active suspension. My current daily rider weighs around 34 pounds, so the extra weight of the E-Troy Lite doesn’t feel as unwieldy as a full-powered e-mountain bike does. Most importantly, I found the E-Troy Lite perfectly manageable to slow down and control on descents, which isn’t something that I take for granted on a full-powered eMTB. There’s still more fatigue in my hands at the end of a long descent than on a lighter bike, but decidedly less so than on a full-powered eMTB.

While it’s a touch noisy on the descents, the E-Troy Lite makes up for it by being a joy to both climb and descend. In addition, the aluminum frame is made in Canada and the parts are well-selected for the bike’s intended use and it comes at a reasonable price. 鈥擲arah Moore

Best Race eMTB

Canyon StriveOn

Tested Build: CFR LTD
Weight: 50.9 lbs (size L)
Wheels: Mixed 27.5鈥�/29鈥�
Frame: Carbon
Travel: 160 mm, 170 mm fork
Motor: Bosch CX or CX Race
Battery: 625 or 750 Wh

Pros and Cons
鈯� Relatively light, making it easy to handle
鈯� Quiet and unobtrusive motor
鈯� Smaller battery limits max ride length

Canyon鈥檚 new StriveOn has a penchant for racing, with an unabashedly full-powered 85Nm of torque and a maximum 600-watt power output delivered by the Bosch CX motor. The highest-end model can be equipped with Bosch’s CX Race motor, which is 150 grams lighter and provides extra overrun in Race mode for an additional climbing boost.

The geometry of the StriveOn isn’t too far off from its non-electric counterpart but with the notable omission of the Strive’s adjustability. Starting from the Strive’s downhill position, the Strive:On gets longer chainstays and a steeper seat tube angle to better navigate tech climbing, plus a shorter reach in the handlebars to keep the bike maneuverable.

With four size options, and a reach range from 450 to 525 millimeters, the fit of the StriveOn is definitely biased towards bigger riders. Canyon’s reach numbers are generally pretty aggressive for how long they are per size, but riders looking to size down for more agility will hit the low end of the range pretty quickly. Looking at the StriveOn as a standard enduro bike, it’s simply a well-sorted machine, with great geometry and handling characteristics. Where the head angle and reach might seem a bit extreme relative to current high-level pedal bikes, the extra system weight makes that long reach and slack front end feel calmer than you鈥檇 expect.

All told, the StriveOn proved to be an excellent bike for tackling gnarly terrain. The Strive is eager to remind you that you’re on an ebike on the climbs, but there were plenty of moments on the descents where the extra bulk faded away, making for some truly excellent runs.

Best Lightweight eMTB

Specialized Turbo Levo SL

Tested Build: S-Works
Weight: 39.3 lbs (size S4)
Wheels: Mixed or dual 29″
Frame: Carbon
Travel: 150 mm, 160 mm fork
Motor: Specialized SL 1.2 motor
Battery: 320 Wh battery, 160 Wh range extender (inc. w/S-Works)

Pros and Cons
鈯� Lightweight for a 50Nm eMTB
鈯� Adaptable for most riding zones or style
鈯� Plush suspension is the right amount of active
鈯� Expensive
鈯� Main battery isn鈥檛 easily removable

In my mind, the Levo SL is the pinnacle of what e-bikes could be鈥攐r all bikes, for that matter. First, it weighs as much as some enduro bikes, which includes its motor. This S-Works model is shod with the cream of the crop components; Fox Factory suspension that is tuned specifically by Specialized, SRAM鈥檚 bulletproof XX Transmission shifting, and carbon nearly everywhere possible on the bike.

As for that tiny motor, it鈥檚 gained 15Nm of torque over the previous generation (50Nm up from 35). A tidy display screen that can be personalized using the straightforward Specialized app is built into the top tube. On the handlebars, you can shuffle through a few of the chosen screens, toggle the assist, and activate the walk mode with ease. A 320Wh battery is located in the downtube. If you鈥檙e looking for extra juice, a 160-watt-hour range extender nestles into the bottle cage and firmly locks onto the charge port.

Its impeccable FSR suspension handles everything from stutter bumps to eroded downhill tracks. The whole time we rode it, the chain and motor clutch barely made a peep. That鈥檚 perhaps the best part of all鈥攖he silence and buttery suspension make it easy to forget that you鈥檙e ripping downhill with a motor hidden in the frame.

Bottom Line: It can be as aggressive as current downhill bikes, or as upright as some cross-country mountain bikes. It works for hauling down the steeps or remaining sharp in rolling terrain. Overall, it鈥檚 just about as adaptable as its motorless sibling, the Stumpjumper Evo.

How to Choose an E-Mountain Bike

Electric bikes have evolved at a break-neck speed in the past five years or so, transforming from huge, bulky beasts into much more refined and svelte electric machines. Though there is still ample room for progress, many of the problems with the first couple of generations of ebikes have been smoothed out. However, buying an e-mountain bike has become even more of a project thanks to all of the new tech that has come out to solve said problems.

For a full rundown on how to buy an e-mountain bike in our current market, check out Pinkbike鈥檚 . Editor in Chief Mike Kazimer provides tips by asking questions like: What are you friends riding? How far do you typically go? What type of riding are you planning on doing? How much money do you want to spend? Of course, you can opt to go for a regular mountain bike that isn鈥檛 motored, but if you鈥檙e set on going electric, make sure you鈥檙e paying close attention to these factors.

How We Test Electric Mountain Bikes

The bikes included in this roundup are the result of rolling testing done in Whistler, Squamish, and Bellingham throughout the year by the Pinkbike crew. We also rode some bikes at Crankworx Whistler, one of a multi-stop series of mountain bike festivals put on at multiple locations around the world every year.

Conditions ranged from dusty, rutted-out downhill trails to muddy, technical rides in the rainforest of Squamish. We took some bikes out for over and tested them in as many different types of trails as possible. Testers particularly considered the electric mountain bike’s climbing prowess, descending abilities, and sound levels.

Meet Our Lead Testers

: Managing tech editor for Pinkbike, alien skeptic.

: Tech editor for Pinkbike, based in Bellingham, Washington.

: Tech editor for Pinkbike, former World Cup Downhill racer.

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The post The 7 Best Electric Mountain Bikes of 2025 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

This year鈥檚 round-up of trail mountain bikes ranges from hard-charging, downhill-oriented crushers to more cross-country-style rippers. Our testers and editors tested 25 trail bikes in the category from Bellingham to Squamish, in all kinds of conditions. After months of testing, these picks are the ones that came out on top.

Updated May 2025: We added three new bikes to this list for 2025, including our new Editors’ Choice pick, the Canyon Spectral. We also updated pricing and info on bikes we previously tested and still highly recommend.聽

Best Trail Mountain Bikes at a Glance

• Editors’ Choice:
• Best Adjustability:
• Best Value:
• Best Descender:
• Best High-Pivot:
• Most Versatile:
• Best for Getting Air:
• How to Choose a Trail Mountain Bike
• How We Test Trail Bikes
• Meet the Lead Testers

Editors’ Choice

Canyon Spectral

Build: CF9
Weight: 32.4 lb (size M)
Travel: 140 mm rear, 150 mm fork
Frame: Carbon
Wheels: 29″

Pros and Cons
鈯� Versatile
鈯� Good value
鈯� Supportive suspension
鈯� Not a lot of room for a water bottle

Canyon’s goal with the latest version of the Spectral was to make it more of an all-around trail bike, as opposed to an all-mountain rig. As we’ve established, mountain bike categories are harder to define than ever, but to accomplish that goal, Canyon reduced the rear travel by 10 millimeters, dropping it to 140 millimeters, and equipped the bike with a 150-millimeter fork. The bike can be set up with dual 29-inch wheels (the way we tested it) or with mixed wheels, thanks to a flip chip on the chainstay. Other than the change in rear travel, the other main revision to the Spectral was the addition of in-frame storage. It’s not the roomiest compartment out there, but it’s a handy spot to stash a tube, tire levers, and a CO2 inflator just in case.

The new Spectral has the snappy, energetic manners that you’d hope to find in a trail bike. Step on the pedals and it happily surges forward鈥攖here isn’t any wallowing down or sluggishness. The head angle is on the slacker side, but that didn’t seem to hinder its uphill abilities.

Rather than feeling like a slightly shorter travel enduro bike, the Spectral feels at home on a broader range of trails. It’s just as entertaining to ride on smooth, flowy singletrack as it is on tighter, jankier trails. The suspension sits high when you want it to, but still provides enough traction to keep that rear wheel tracking on choppier climbs.

The supportive suspension that helps the Spectral shine on the climbs translates very nicely to the descents鈥攊t was a crowd pleaser on faster, flowier trails, where you could really push it into steep bermed turns and pump every roller to for maximum speed. On rougher, natural tracks, the fact that there’s less travel than bikes like the Santa Cruz Bronson is noticeable, but it never felt chattery or overwhelmed. Even without a hydraulic bottom-out feature on the shock, there weren’t any harsh bottom-out events, and it saw its fair share of sizeable sends.

Yes, you’ll feel more feedback compared to those longer travel options, but the Spectral does a very good job of managing its travel. Smack into something hard and it’s like punching a memory foam mattress. The Spectral is one of those bikes that’s easy to recommend to just about any rider, no matter their skill level. It’s tons of fun on mellower, more meandering terrain, and it can still hang on rougher, rowdier trails. It鈥檚 a versatile trail bike that left us impressed by its unflappable nature in a wide variety of terrain.

Best Adjustability

Trek Top Fuel

Build: 9.9 XX AXS
Weight: 28.2 lbs (size L)
Travel: 120 mm, 130 mm fork
Frame: Carbon
Wheels: 29″ (MX compatible with 140 mm fork)

Pros and Cons
鈯� Wide range of adjustment
鈯� Clean-looking frame
鈯� All modern amenities included
鈯� Underpowered brakes
鈯� Should be lighter for the price

It’s easy to obsess over a bike’s actual weight, but there’s something to be said about how a bike feels out on the trail. With the Top Fuel, it feels fast and eager to accelerate, even with tires and wheels that aren’t all that light. The Top Fuel manages to be quick and efficient without any harshness, a feat that’s not easy to accomplish. The suspension remains calm under harder pedaling, while retaining enough compliance to keep chunkier climbs from feeling jarring.

The geometry is nicely balanced, too: the chainstay length and overall wheelbase have grown compared to the last model, but if anything, I’d say that improves the bike’s handling while climbing and descending. On the climbs, it helps create a more centered position, which makes it easier to maintain traction on steep sections or to pause for a brief trackstand in the middle of a particularly tricky jumble of roots.

With the Top Fuel Gen 4, when the trail points downhill, the handling is quick without feeling sketchy. It’s right at home on rolling, meandering trails, and it does a great job of maintaining speed on descents that require pumping and pedaling to avoid getting hung up. Just like on the climbs, there’s support for those moments when an extra pedal stroke or two is required, and enough small bump sensitivity to keep the wheels gripping on slippery, awkward sections of trail.

At its core, the Top Fuel is a truly excellent bike, a prime example of how well-rounded a modern trail bike can be. Sure, it’s not as light as it once was, and there are a few spec choices that could be improved, but the ride quality and sheer number of possible configurations help make up for that. For riders on the hunt for a bike they can customize to perfectly suit their favorite local trails, the Top Fuel is well worth considering.

Best Value Trail Bike

Specialized Stumpjumper 15

Build: Comp Alloy
Weight: 36 lbs (s4)
Travel: 145 mm, 150 mm fork
Frame: Aluminum frame
Wheels: 29″ or MX

Pros and Cons
鈯� Sensitive suspension
鈯� Extensive adjustment capabilities
鈯� Descends like a bigger bike
鈯� Heavy

The Stumpjumper is Specialized’s now ubiquitous do-everything trail bike, with adjustability and adaptability integral to the bike’s character. This year’s update to the 15th iteration of the bike wasn’t some massive overhaul, but more of a refinement, with very similar geometry to the outgoing Stumpjumper EVO, and the introduction of the Genie shock. While not necessarily required, this shock is core to the bike’s purported improvement in suspension performance, and does achieve some impressive marks on paper.

The Stumpy’s ability to hum through rough and technical terrain is very impressive, thanks in part to its active suspension feel. Rear wheel traction is plentiful, meaning you can focus on putting down power without worrying about spinning out when things get tricky.

As terrain smooths out and climbs hit a more consistent gradient, the Stumpjumper 15 isn’t the most energetic of the bunch, due more to the active suspension and slack seat angle. Those looking to maximize the pep in the new Stumpjumper platform would benefit from adding more spacers to the Genie to reduce the extra volume and add some support through the main portion of the stroke. There’s a tradeoff with grip, but that’s to be expected.

The Stumpjumper 15 shines brightest in its stock setup, with the neutral headset orientation and high bottom bracket setting. No painting yourself into a corner鈥攖his is simply where the Stumpy feels most adaptable and ready to tackle varied terrain.

The geometry and corresponding handling of the bike feels natural, intuitive, and well-rounded, which lends itself to the varied riding one might expect to do on a capable trail bike. A few of us regularly referred to the bike as “safe” feeling, thanks to an easygoing nature that managed to extend even into some pretty gnarly sections of trail.

The Stumpjumper 15 should work well for new riders and experienced folks alike, growing with that skillset and adapting well to changes in terrain.

Best Descender

Scor 2030 GX

Build: 2030 GX
Weight: 29.9 lbs (size M/L)
Travel: 120 mm, 140 mm fork
Frame: Carbon
Wheels: 29″

Pros and Cons
鈯� It’s a better descender than most 120-millimeter travel bikes
鈯� Very quiet, no cable rattle or excessive chainslap
鈯� Your enduro bike might start collecting dust

It only takes one three-letter word to summarize why the Scor 2030 is our 2024 Editor鈥檚 Choice winner: FUN. With its stubby back end and relatively slack head angle, the 2030 is incredibly entertaining, especially on technical, rolling terrain. Pumping, manualing, and jumping are the 2030’s strong suits, but it also squeezes every last drop of performance out of its 120 millimeters of rear travel. That trait allows it to shine brighter than most bikes in this travel bracket when faced with chunky, technical sections of trail.

The 2030 is more focused on the descents than some other bikes in this category (like the), but Scor’s designers didn’t forget that it needs to go uphill, too. It’s an energetic pedaler, free of any wallowing or mushiness while still delivering enough traction to keep that low-profile Rekon tire from spinning wildly. The perfect balance between efficiency and grip can be tricky to achieve, but the 2030 does it very well. It has the quickness you’d hope to get from a 120-millimeter bike without any accompanying harshness.

The geometry plays a large part in how comfortable the bike feels in the steeps, but the suspension deserves a mention, too: the Deluxe Ultimate shock is very well controlled, with a smooth ramp up at the bottom of the stroke. It’s a trait we noticed with the Scor 4060 a couple of years ago鈥攖here’s no harshness towards the end of the travel, which makes it easier to plop off a drop or push through a pointy rock garden without worrying about running out of travel.

Yes, there are limits鈥攚e’re still talking about a 120-millimeter trail bike here鈥攁nd I’m not about to say it can go wheel-to-wheel with a full-on enduro bike. However, the fact that it can handle those more technical trails while also remaining entertaining on mellower ones is worth noting. The suspension opens up nicely at higher speeds, and it can deal with quick impacts very well.

The frame itself ticks all the boxes when it comes to the features we’d expect to see on a modern trail bike鈥攖here’s in-frame storage, angle-adjusting headset cups, well-sealed bearings, and effective chainslap protection that keeps the 2030 satisfyingly silent. The 2030 is one of those bikes that makes you want to keep on riding, sneaking in as many miles as possible before it’s time to return to reality.

Best High-Pivot Trail Bike

Forbidden Druid V2

Build: GX FX
Weight: 32.4 lbs (size M)
Travel: 130 mm, 150 mm fork
Frame: Carbon
Wheels: 29″ or MX

Pros and Cons
鈯� Descends like a longer travel bike
鈯� Extremely quiet ride
鈯� The extra idler wheel can require more servicing
鈯� A unique spin on geometry means the XL frame鈥檚 chainstay grows extremely long through the travel

If you鈥檝e ever ridden an idler-equipped high-pivot bike鈥攎eaning the bike鈥檚 main pivot is placed above the top of the chainring and the rear wheel axle鈥攜ou know the calming effect that the rearward axle path brings to the nature of the ride. Forbidden has taken that to a trail bike, something seldom utilized on a 130-millimeter-travel bike. The original Druid won over fans of shorter travel bikes with its ability to handle descents as if it had magical powers鈥攏ow, it鈥檚 transcendent. Even with a longer-travel model in the lineup, Forbidden鈥檚 enduro racer, Rhys Verner, claimed the top spot this season aboard the Druid V2.

We took the Druid V2 out on singletrack uphills and downhills with chunky rock outcrops, and the bike felt superbly balanced. Thanks to the high pivot design and the Super Deluxe rear shock, the Druid handled technical bumps with ease and had no trouble carrying speed. The Druid V2 thrives in singletrack because you can stay seated upright and comfy, and you don鈥檛 lose much speed when pedaling across roots.

However, the admirable suspension qualities of high-pivot bikes don鈥檛 come easily鈥攖hey typically require more upkeep to maintain maximum drivetrain efficiency. Due to the precise placements of the pivots on the Druid V2, you cannot adjust the geometry. To pick between a 64 or 64.5-degree head tube angle, you鈥檒l need to choose the specific frame member that houses either a 27.5 or 29-inch rear wheel. Although the brake line鈥檚 routing passes through the seatstay, it鈥檚 not a swap you鈥檒l be making in the parking lot. On that note of chainstays, Forbidden scales their front to rear center lengths proportionally per size, so the same ratio is kept on all frame sizes. Even taller riders may have trouble wielding the 466-millimeter chainstay found on the XL frame size.

Overall, the Druid V2 is one of the more capable short-travel bikes for riders who prefer snappy handling. It might take a while for some riders to acclimatize to its lengthy rear triangle, but the unbelievably smooth descent is worth it.

Most Versatile

Cannondale Habit Carbon LT 1

Build: Sram GX Eagle
Weight: 31.4 lbs (size L)

Pros and Cons
鈯� Balanced and composed in tricky situations
鈯� Not super efficient on the uphill

When we covered the , it struck us just how sensible and conventional it was. There was no quirkiness to it, at least on the surface, and everything about it seemed to be pragmatic and well-judged. The Habit LT’s geometry, frame features, and simple layout all scream modern, sensible trail bike. The frame has some nice subtle features, with a rubber cover to stop your chainstay from gobbling up rocks, non-guided routing that is very easy to work with thanks to a removable panel on the downtube, ISCG threads, and a tried-and-true threaded bottom bracket.

Though it is a typical four-bar bike, the Habit has a comparatively low anti-squat value. This may be bad news for all-out efficiency on smooth roads, but it鈥檚 good news if you need your suspension to adapt to terrain on rougher climbs. The Habit is comfortable on undulating terrain thanks to that higher stack, and the suspension tracks and grips well. We sometimes used the climb switch for hard-pack fire roads or tarmac stretches, but for anything remotely rough, we set it to open and let it flow. It might not be the most suited to out-of-the-saddle pedaling hard, but the bike does strike a great balance between tracking and efficiency. The Habit LT is weighted on the front, balanced on most trails, and able to handle very steep trails because of this well-proportioned and pragmatic geometry. We’re not big believers in massive reaches, especially when combined with short rear ends鈥攖he grip the Habit achieves on any type of trail is a testament to this. Extra-regular is no bad thing.

Overall, this is a very well-executed bike that simply works very well. Balance, composure, maneuverability, and comfort can oftentimes seem like ideologies that are opposed to one another in bikes, and you can merely have two or three out of the four at best. The Habit LT makes a very strong argument that, as riders, we might just be able to have it all.

Best for Getting Air

Commencal Tempo LTD

Build: Tempo LTD
Weight: 30.9 lbs (size S)
Travel: 125 mm rear, 140 mm fork
Frame: Aluminum
Wheels: 29″

Pros and Cons
鈯� Quick and lively
鈯� Never met a jump or corner it didn’t like
鈯� Thru-headset cable routing can make maintenance more difficult

No matter which direction the trail points, the Tempo is fast. It has a satisfying snappiness that rewards hard pedaling efforts, especially on rolling terrain where the bike can be pumped and pushed to maintain that momentum. It’s also a very energetic climber, which will be a welcome trait to anyone coming off of a longer travel machine with more subdued pedaling manners. Compared to longer, slacker bikes where you need to swing wide to navigate awkward switchbacks, the Tempo is happiest taking the inside line, following a tight, precise arc on its way upwards. We’d be tempted to call it a trail bike for riders who prioritize the climbs鈥攅xcept that it’s a blast on the downhills too.

The Tempo is the type of bike that can breathe new life into mellower trails while also holding its own on the rowdier stuff. Modern mountain bike categories can be nebulous at times, but this is a trail bike in the truest sense of the term, well-suited to spinning out the miles while also goofing off and hitting every lip and landing possible. Do we wish it didn’t have thru-headset cable routing and better-sealed frame bearings? You bet, but we wouldn’t consider either of those deal-breakers. The overall ride characteristics of the Tempo are overwhelmingly positive, enough so that we’d be willing to deal with a little extra shop time.

How to Choose a Trail Bike

The trail bike category is the most saturated in mountain biking, so it鈥檚 understandable if you鈥檙e feeling a bit overwhelmed. Fortunately, there are a few easy questions you can ask yourself to narrow the field.

What kind of riding will you be doing?

As much as you may want to answer this one with flowy, singletrack heaven, it鈥檚 important to be realistic about what you鈥檒l actually be riding. This can be determined by the time of year that you mostly get out there (which will determine what the conditions will be like), which trails are most accessible to you, and which region you bike in. Are you planning on taking big trips consistently, or will you mostly stay local?

Will you be riding lift-accessed trails?

If most of the riding you鈥檒l be doing is lift-accessed, you may want to look in the enduro category. If you鈥檒l be doing a mix of both and are planning on hitting jumps, look for a bike that has enough travel but doesn鈥檛 compromise on the uphill either.

What鈥檚 your riding style?

If you prefer to charge through steep, technical sections, you could be looking at a very different bike than if you鈥檙e a more playful rider who likes to find side hits. Again, be honest with yourself about this. How do you actually ride, and what鈥檚 aspirational?

What鈥檚 your budget?

Yes, mountain bikes are expensive. But you do have options. Consider buying used (the market has finally gotten more reasonable this past year), by checking out or looking on Craigslist. Or, check out our best value bikes page for cheaper new bikes. If you鈥檙e thinking about buying a used bike (which can be an excellent option), watch from Pinkbike Originals.

Are you able to test it out?

You must take a bike at least for a spin around the block before you pull the trigger. You might find that you鈥檙e uncomfortable on a bike with a certain geometry that you鈥檙e not used to鈥攁nd although sometimes it does take some more time on the bike鈥攜ou鈥檒l know if you鈥檙e just not sitting right. Taking it for a spin will also help the shop determine which size is best for you.

How We Test Trail Bikes

• Number of Testers: 6
• Number of Products Tested: 25

Pinkbike leads our mountain bike testing and just like in previous years, the team took out as many trail bikes as they could over the whole year. They tested trail bikes in Bellingham, Washington, and Squamish, BC, in a wide range of conditions that included everything from muddy, rainy days to ones with blue skies and perfect dirt. Testing was lead by Mike Kazimer, Pinkbike’s editor in chief, who is based in Bellingham, Washington and manages all mountain bike gear coverage.

Meet Our Lead Testers

Mike Kazimer is Pinkbike’s editor-in-chief, and has been entrenched in the mountain bike world for well over 20 years. From crushing cardboard boxes as a shop grom to his current role as Pinkbike, he鈥檚 long been fascinated with the elegant simplicity of human powered machines. Based in Bellingham, Washington, Kazimer鈥檚 no stranger to wet weather, and his favorite rides tend to be long, technical forays deep into the forest.

Dario DiGiulio is a tech editor for Pinkbike. You can find him biking the trails of Bellingham, Washington year-round.

Matt Beer is a tech editor for Pinkbike. He’s based in Squamish, B.C.

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The post Our Favorite Trail Mountain Bikes For Every Kind of Condition appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In recent years, mountain bike manufacturers have built heavier and heavier bikes with high-end components in pursuit of better riding. Some riders are questioning whether all that extra weight is worth the riding benefits, so we asked the experts. Two Pinkbike editors debate below whether modern mountain bikes are now too heavy鈥攐r if the extra weight exponentially helps their performance.

Yes, Weight Matters

By Mike Kazimer, Cycling gear director

Modern mountain bikes are better than ever, but some of them have become downright rotund, especially long-travel enduro bikes: thick tires, burly forks, coil shocks, and big brakes all add up to a fairly significant figure on the scale. Those components work well when gravity takes over, but come climbing time, well, lately it feels like we鈥檙e back in the freeride days of the early 2000s, when getting off and pushing was an acceptable way of reaching the top of a hill.

For me, weight matters. Think of it this way: Would you rather ride your bike in its current state, or with a gallon of milk (roughly eight pounds) strapped to the frame? I鈥檝e spent more than my fair share of time pedaling heavy bikes around in the woods, including a season when I decided that a 40-pound Specialized Demo 8 with a dropper post was an acceptable trail bike. But these days, I鈥檇 rather have something lighter on all-day adventures.

The weight-doesn鈥檛-matter mantra lets manufacturers off the hook, giving them carte blanche to keep cranking out burdensome behemoths. It鈥檚 2024鈥攕houldn鈥檛 the goal be for new bikes to weigh less than the old ones? There have been numerous advances in materials and construction techniques that make it possible to create a bike that鈥檚 both strong and relatively light.

We鈥檒l see what the next few years brings, but I鈥檇 love a return to trail bikes with a reasonable weight and a reasonable price. Here鈥檚 hoping.

No, Performance Matters

By Dario DiGiulio, Technical editor

We build bikes in pursuit of the best performance for a given purpose, whether that鈥檚 downhill prowess, all-day reliability, or efficient climbing. Many factors play a role, weight among them. And while weight may , the benefits outweigh (no pun intended!) the penalty incurred from all those extra grams.

This is easiest to argue in relation to bikes focused on descending, where performance and mass tend to go hand in hand. Reliable, energy-absorbing tires are heavier than thin, single-ply alternatives but make a real difference on the trail. Suspension systems benefit from increased oil volume, a stout chassis, and a tight seal to keep out the elements. A dropper post is something I won鈥檛 go without, and the longer they get, the heavier they are. Ultimately, I鈥檇 love for all performance requirements to be met by lightweight components, but we haven鈥檛 achieved that balance yet.

Even cross-country bikes are getting heavier, but that鈥檚 not the result of lazy product managers pretending the grams don鈥檛 count. The new crop of electronically controlled suspension systems weigh more than traditional ones, but testing has demonstrated their benefit when it comes to speed. Modern cross-country courses are more technically demanding than they used to be, so it makes sense for a bike鈥檚 components to size up in order to meet the task. Even the average rider benefits from the added performance of heavier components, since trails don鈥檛 become mellower the more they鈥檙e ridden. Big brakes, slightly more aggressive tires, and longer-travel suspension have all entered the chat, and I鈥檓 good with that.

Sure, my personal bike may weigh 43 pounds, but I鈥檓 not foisting that tonnage on anyone else. Somewhere between the extremes lies the ideal, which should be judged on real-world performance, not the figure on a scale.

The post Have Mountain Bikes Gotten Too Heavy? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The goal of an might seem straightforward: to go downhill fast and with style without sacrificing all your pedaling efficiency. But slightly different geometry and new tech can dramatically change how each bike achieves that goal. Our seven favorite enduro bikes in the category this year are all insanely fun in their own unique ways.

Be sure to also check out our guides to the best trail bikes and best electric mountain bikes.

At a Glance

• Editors’ Choice:
• Best Value:
• Most Forgiving Enduro Bike:
• Best All-Rounder:
• Best Park Bike:
• Most Energetic Racer:
• Best Enduro Frame:
• How We Test
• Meet Our Lead Testers
• How to Choose an Enduro Bike

Updated May 2025: We added a new value pick, the Marin Alpine Trail, to this list. We also updated pricing and info on previously included bikes.

Editors’ Choice

Trek Slash

Tested Build: 9.9 XO AXS T-Type Gen 6
Weight: 34.4 lbs (size M)
Travel: 170 mm, 170 mm fork
Frame: Carbon
Wheels: Mixed or 29″

Pros and Cons
鈯� Excellent geometry and balanced ride
鈯� Predictable suspension
鈯� Climbs well for such a downhill-focused bike
鈯� May be too stiff for some riders
鈯� Noisy until we put STFU tape on the chainslap

Trek鈥檚 engineers typically have a careful approach to bike development, rarely taking things too far. With this year’s Slash, they pushed the envelope a bit further than they usually do to make the ideal pedal-access, descent-focused bike. It certainly is a far departure from prior models, now featuring a high pivot layout, meaning the bike鈥檚 main pivot is placed above the top of the chainring and the rear wheel axle. But in many ways, it still has the classic Trek ethos.

There’s a broad assumption that the bump-eating gains of a high pivot bike come at the cost of maneuverability and pep in less steep terrain. There are a few exceptions to this claim, and chief among them is the new Slash. This bike can happily mow through chunky sections of trail but is equally capable when things get tight and slow, thanks to the carefully-considered geometry and very predictable suspension feel.

That predictability is key to the overall versatility of the bike, as you can push into the suspension in more flowing terrain without feeling like you’re losing too much energy to the rear end. This support ramps up nicely in the middle of the stroke, meaning the bike has excellent small bump performance and grip. With 27 millimeters of bottom bracket drop, the center of gravity is quite planted on the Slash, adding to the cornering stability.

With 170 millimeters of travel in the front and rear, it’s safe to assume that climbing the Slash would be a bit of a bear, but the product team went to great lengths to ensure that it鈥檚 not a major chore to go uphill. The Slash climbs comfortably and consistently, offering enough support to ride high, while still absorbing bumps along the way. One Bellingham-based tester spent some long pedal days on the Slash, and never found himself hating the experience鈥攊t was more than happy to motor along on logging road climbs as it was excited to rally up technical bits of trail.

Jumping feels natural and intuitive on the Slash, managing to feel fun and energetic on smaller side hits and natural doubles. It does feel like its penchant for speed dictates some of the terrain you’ll want to point it down, as it truly comes alive when you’re pushing hard on seriously challenging trails. The Slash proved to be a very quiet bike, save for some very persistent chainslap noise. This was fixed using aftermarket STFU tape, resulting in a silent ride.

Overall, the new Slash is incredibly versatile, with many ways to adjust the geometry. Press-in headset cups allow the rider to slack out or steepen the head tube by one degree in either direction, a replaceable lower shock mount accommodates either a 29- or 27.5-inch rear wheel, and it has a flip chip to switch between high and low shock progression modes. Both the carbon and aluminum models have ample in-frame storage and some top tube bottle bosses, so you have plenty of room for tools, water, and snacks on longer rides.

As a whole package, the Slash is a stiff and precise-feeling bike, perhaps too much so for some who want a more forgiving ride. If you鈥檙e looking for an advanced bike that wants to go downhill fast but can handle the uphill when you need it to, the Slash is your new best friend. 鈥擠ario DiGiulio

Best Value

Marin Alpine Trail

Tested Build: Alpine Trail XR AXS
Weight: 37 lbs (size S)
Travel: 170 mm fork, 161 mm (MX), 156 mm (29鈥�)
Frame: Aluminum
Wheels: Mixed or 29鈥�

Pros and Cons
鈯� Adaptable
鈯� Very capable on steep, rough trails
鈯� Steep seat tube angle feels great on steep climbs
鈯� Size S can鈥檛 accommodate a water bottle
鈯� On the heavier side

The 2025 Marin Alpine Trail is now a mixed-wheel affair (with the capacity to go full 29″), with 161 millimeters rear wheel travel and a host of geometry adjustments, making it聽 one of the more adaptable enduro bikes on the market.

The Alpine Trail鈥檚 steep seat tube angle equates to a short effective top tube length, which makes it easier to keep the front wheel weighted. (Slack head tube angles can lead to a front-end that has a tendency to lift on steep climbs).As a result, the Alpine Trail is far easier to manage on steep technical climbs than its slack front-end might suggest.

The Alpine Trail鈥檚 geometry adjustments make the bike particularly versatile. You can adjust it to be long and slack for the steepest, gnarliest trails, or shorter and a little steeper for trails that don鈥檛 plunge straight down the fall line. The rear-end of the bike tracks reasonably well, and while it doesn’t have the buttery smooth feel of some of the mid-pivot enduro bikes, it generally feels composed when it goes deep into its stroke.

The Marin Alpine Trail XR AXS is the quintessential enduro bike. It offers a composed and supportive rear-end, and feels safe to ride fast while handing its rider heaps of confidence that breeds good times. Plus, the geometry adjustments allow the bike to adapt to a wide range of tastes and terrain. It鈥檚 not the lightest bike, at over 37 pounds, but the stock configuration is a great starting point, and will satisfy many riders without needing any upgrades.

Most Forgiving Enduro Bike

Scott Ransom

Tested Build: 900 RC
Weight: 34.2 lb (XL)
Travel: 170 mm聽
Frame: Carbon
Wheels: 29″ or mixed

Pros and Cons
鈯� Long-travel yet well-controlled suspension
鈯� Stable but balanced geometry
鈯� Shock is protected from mud and debris
鈯� Six-bar suspension and headset cable routing difficult to work on
鈯� Pricey

Is the Ransom 900 RC worth ten thousand dollars? Of course not鈥攊t’s a bike. But it does manage to pull off the elusive trick of giving you loads of travel for descending without paying for it on the climbs. It’s stable and forgiving without becoming lethargic. It’s a bike that can flatter you in a wide range of situations, from trail rides to bike park laps to enduro racing. Even the cheaper builds are not the best value, but the Ransom is among the most capable and versatile enduro bikes you can buy right now.

The big (if unsurprising) story is the move to an internal shock inside the downtube. This keeps the shock protected from debris, dust, and mud鈥攁fter several wet rides and bike washes, the shock stanchion still had a coating of factory oil on it instead of the usual muddy slurry. This change is combined with a new six-bar suspension system that drives the shock with a short link that rotates around the bottom bracket. The shock can be adjusted on the fly with Scott’s “TracLoc” system, which increases progression and/or adds compression damping for climbing. The old Ransom has always been known as one of the lightest enduro bikes, but the six-bar layout adds some bulk compared to its predecessor.

I’ve been riding the Ransom in Spain as well as on my home trails in the Tweed Valley. For me, the old Ransom missed the mark, feeling compromised on the climbs and the descents. But the 2024 iteration nails the brief of combining long-travel descending capability with uncompromised climbing composure.

While Scott says they aimed to maintain the climbing composure of the old bike, I think the new Ransom is much better when pointed uphill. The seat angle is steep enough to feel comfortable when riding all day or on steep climbs, as the suspension stays on top of its travel nicely. Thankfully, it doesn’t rely on the TracLoc function to maintain climbing geometry or resist pedal bob鈥攊f you never used it, the Ransom would still be a good climber. It’s remarkably stable under power, which is even more impressive considering the 170 millimeters of travel on tap. At the same time, the suspension still manages to move up and over bumps under power to maintain a smooth ride. Overall,iIf an epic pedaling mission was in the cards, I’d happily take the Ransom.

On the downhill, this bike shines when you let it run through fast, rocky sections of terrain. The suspension and geometry create a balanced and forgiving feel without being overly soft or unwieldy. The suspension tracks the ground nicely while remaining composed and predictable, and the ride is impressively quiet in the rough, with no obvious cable or drivetrain rattle. Some high-pivot bikes may take the sting out of square-edged hits a little better and offer a more cloud-like ride, but none of them climb this well. Despite the travel on offer, it never bogs down or becomes lethargic when you want to ride dynamically; there’s a good balance of sensitivity and support, and it’s relatively easy to manual through tight sections. 鈥擲eb Stott

Best All-Rounder

Reeb Steezl

Tested Build: GX AXS Transmission Air
Travel: 155 mm frame travel, 160-170 mm fork
Frame: 础濒耻尘颈苍耻尘听
Wheels: 29″ or mixed

Pros and Cons
鈯� Extremely quiet
鈯� Excellent in a wide variety of terrain
鈯� More aggressive riders may want deeper-feeling suspension

Reeb Cycles has been making an eclectic lineup of bikes for some time now, garnering quite a bit of attention with their trail bike, proving yet again that steel is a perfectly viable material for high-performance mountain bikes. Following the SST came the Steezl, a 140- or 155-millimeter all-mountain bike, designed around 160- or 170-millimeter forks.

The front triangle is made of steel and the rear of aluminum. You can run the Steezl with 29-inch wheels, or with a 27.5-inch wheel in the back to make it a mullet bike. The 64-degree head angle and 77-degree seat angle are typical of most all-mountain bikes now.

While the material selection and straight lines of the Steezl鈥檚 frame construction may look simplistic and traditional, the manufacturing methods are anything but. All of the cleverly machined, laser cut, and 3D-printed frame details are made and assembled in the United States, which is a huge point of pride for the team at Reeb.

In a world of increasingly chunky bike profiles, the Steezl really stands out. But it’s not just the streamlined layout and color that set this bike apart鈥攊t also offers a ride quality that matches the craftsmanship. There’s no one distinct element of the Steezl that defines the ride quality to me, it’s just a nicely rounded package. It鈥檚 an easy bike to feel comfortable on, but also a good bike to challenge yourself if you so desire. It鈥檚 fun, quiet, and super capable.

This is the bike I brought with me to Crankworx Whistler this year, so it saw about two weeks of park laps and nasty pedal trails in addition to all the more typical riding around home in Bellingham, Washington. 鈥擠ario DiGiulio

Best Park Bike

Devinci Chainsaw

Tested Build: GX 12s
Weight: 37 lbs (size M)
Travel: 170 mm
Frame: Aluminum
Wheels: 29″

Pros and Cons
鈯� Eats bumps without feeling glued to the ground
鈯� Excellent value
鈯� Versatile configurations
鈯� Climbing is a chore鈥攏o lockout on shock
鈯� G2 RE brakes hold back descending capabilities

When Devinici set out to build their fresh new gravity bike, they honored Canadian downhill legend, the late Steve Smith, by using his nickname, the 鈥淐hainsaw.鈥� The brand built the bike to ride the middle ground between an enduro weapon and a downhill race sled鈥攁ll without breaking the bank.

The Canadian-made alloy frame begins at a reasonable $3,599 with a 29er build fit for pedaling up and then charging down. There鈥檚 also a dual-crown version with a 27.5-inch rear wheel to cater to the freeride crowd and aspiring downhill racers.

Featuring the same bump-erasing, high-pivot suspension design as the Spartan HP model, the Chainsaw squeezes out 170 millimeters of rear wheel travel. That can be boosted to 180 millimeters by removing an internal travel spacer, which would best suit the downhill configuration. Need more suspension options? The Chainsaw is designed to accommodate a coil or air shock, too.

By just looking at the geometry table, you might guess that the Chainsaw GX is ready for the gnarliest lines with a 62.9-degree head tube angle. If that鈥檚 too much to handle for your regular lunch lap, an offset chip on the frame can be flipped to the 鈥淗I鈥� setting to speed up those steering traits. In addition, that flip chip can be used to correct the geometry, should you wish to run a 27.5-inch rear wheel instead of the 29-inch.

Between all the fork, shock, and wheel configurations, the possibilities are endless with the Chainsaw. It鈥檚 certainly a bike that prioritizes descending with comfort and confidence. However, riders concerned with climbing efficiency may be turned off by the increased chain friction from its high-pivot design and the lack of a climb switch on the Enduro models.

Most Energetic Racer

Ibis HD6

Tested Build: XX Eagle T-Type AXS
Weight: 30.66 lbs (size M)
Travel: 165 mm, 180 mm fork
Frame: Carbon
Wheels: Mixed

Pros and Cons
鈯� Can charge rough trails yet remains alive on flatter terrain
鈯� Quiet and efficient rear suspension
鈯� Low stack height and greater fork sag gave us pause on steeper trails

The all-new HD6 was developed for enduro racing, making it the most aggressive bike in the Ibis catalog. With 165 millimeters of rear wheel travel and a whopping 180 millimeters in the fork, it isn鈥檛 afraid to handle technical trails. Deferring from the recognizable looks of past Ibis models, the HD6鈥檚 compact carbon frame rides on a 29-inch front wheel and a nimble 27.5-inch wheel out back, helping it accelerate out of corners and generate speed in the blink of an eye.

Like all Ibis full suspension bikes, the highly efficient nature of a DW-Link platform works to calm down bumps of all sizes without feeling like a wet noodle when you need to stomp on the pedals.

Being a high performance machine with a focus on enduro racing, its lightweight component package doesn鈥檛 come cheaply. Our XX test model costs nearly $12,000, although the GX build is half that number and retains that Factory level suspension. But it鈥檚 hard to find fault with the components on the highest-end package. The top-level kit weighs just 30.6 pounds and leaves little to be desired. SRAM鈥檚 premium XX AXS Transmission delivers the latest in drivetrain technology鈥攚irelessly at that鈥攁nd Fox takes care of the suspension with its highly favored Factory 38 fork and X2 shock.

Moving against industry trends, the chainstays never deviate from a 435-millimeter length, meaning the rider鈥檚 balance may not be the most stable at the upper end of the size spectrum. In addition, the single-size rear wheel option and the inability to change the geometry without aftermarket components make it less than versatile. Furthermore, we found a peculiarity in the handling, notably on severely steep trails. An already low front-end height had a way of making the steering twitchier than expected as the lengthy fork eagerly pushed through the travel.

The HD6 is all about getting up to speed in the blink of an eye, snapping around tight corners, and providing a comfortable ride on long descents; characteristics of an ideal enduro race. For riders less concerned with clocking their times, it also won鈥檛 be a burden on less demanding trails either. 鈥擬att Beer

Best Enduro Frame

Raaw Madonna V3

Tested Build: Custom
Weight: 35.8 lbs (size L)
Travel: 160 mm travel, 170 mm fork
Frame: Aluminum
Wheels: 29″

Pros and Cons
鈯� Beautiful handling on the descent
鈯� Robust construction and excellent weather sealing
鈯� Not the lightest
鈯� Expensive for an aluminum frame

The Raaw Madonna V3 frame is for riders looking for a fast and reliable option that puts function before fashion. While there have been numerous updates from the previous version, the overarching ethos of the Raaw Madonna remains the same. I’d call this a mountain biker’s mountain bike鈥攊t’s not some carbon eye candy that works best when it鈥檚 hanging off the back of a Sprinter van.

The aluminum frame has big bearings that are double-sealed against the elements, the cables are all externally routed, and the straight head tube, chainstay flip chips, and swappable lower shock mounts allow for plenty of geometry adjustments.

The geometry is dialed in its stock configuration鈥攖he chainstays are fairly long, the bottom bracket is low, and the stack height is fairly high, which creates the ideal position for attacking steep terrain. For riders that love going fast, the Madonna is an absolute riot. It corners like its on rails, and has gobs of grip for maintaining traction when things get slippery.

It’s quiet and composed without feeling too muted or dull, and it can smash down a rough trail with the best of them, especially when it’s set up with a coil shock rather than an air shock. 鈥擬ike Kazimer

How to Choose an Enduro Bike

Yes, all enduro bikes are aiming at getting you downhill, fast. But it鈥檚 important to consider climbing performance as well, assuming you won鈥檛 be using your enduro bike solely at bike parks. Also, keep in mind the type of terrain you鈥檒l be riding鈥攊s it going to be steeper? More technical? Do you need a bike that focuses on excellent traction? Will you have to deal with lots of flat sections and mellower trails as well? Are you planning on hitting jumps and being playful, or will you be racing? Would a mullet bike serve you?

Answering these questions will help inform if you鈥檇 do better with a bike that has longer versus shorter travel, various head and seat angles, or a heavier versus lighter bike. It鈥檚 also a good idea to look around at what locals are on in the area you鈥檒l be primarily riding.

Once you鈥檝e nailed down these key factors, the field will have significantly narrowed down. See if you can get on a few test rides before you commit to anything, and ask your friends or your local bike shop gear nerds what they鈥檝e been liking these days. Enduro bikes are so good now that chances are you won鈥檛 go wrong, as long as you get your basics down.

You must take a bike at least for a spin around the block before you pull the trigger. You might find that you鈥檙e uncomfortable on a bike with a certain geometry that you鈥檙e not used to鈥攁nd although sometimes it does take some more time on the bike鈥攜ou鈥檒l know if you鈥檙e just not sitting right. Taking it for a spin will also help the shop determine which size is best for you.

How We Test

• Number of Testers: 5
• Number of Products Tested: 18
• Number of Crashes Sustained: Countless

PinkBike leads our mountain bike testing and just like in previous years, the team took out as many trail bikes as they could over the whole year. They tested trail bikes in Bellingham, Washington, and Squamish, BC, in a wide range of conditions that included everything from muddy, rainy days to ones with blue skies and perfect dirt. Testing was lead by Mike Kazimer, the managing tech editor for PinkBike, who is based in Bellingham, Washington and manages all mountain bike gear coverage.

We tested most of the enduro bikes at the 2023 Enduro Bike Field Test last year in Whistler, British Columbia, and you can Of all the enduro bikes we tested, rear travel amounts ranged from 158 to 180 millimeters, with carbon, aluminum, and steel frames. We tested bikes on lift-serviced trails and we pedaled them uphill to experience them to their fullest extent.

Meet the Lead Testers

is the managing tech editor for Pinkbike and has been entrenched in the mountain bike world for well over 20 years. From crushing cardboard boxes as a shop grom to his current role as Pinkbike, he’s long been fascinated with the elegant simplicity of human powered machines. Based in Bellingham, Washington, Kazimer’s no stranger to wet weather, and his favorite rides tend to be long, technical forays deep into the forest.

Tech editor for Pinkbike, also based in Bellingham.

Tech editor for Pinkbike based in Squamish, British Columbia, and a former World Cup Downhill racer.

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So you’ve decided to buy a new bike. Congratulations! You’re certainly making the right decision鈥攜our kids don’t need that trip to Disneyland, and your car definitely isn’t making a weird noise. Validation aside, once your sights are set on a new ride, figuring out where to buy it can be pretty tricky.

It’s one of the more hotly contested debates in the cycling industry because folks are often personally or financially invested in the matter. The rising trend of direct-to-consumer bike brands may feel brand new, but has actually been around for some time, starting as far back as 1996 with Canyon’s first foray into online bike sales. With the rise of online shopping in general, though, the direct sales model has started to eat up more and more of the traditional brick-and-mortar bike-shop business. Retail bike sales are a critical line item for many shops, with service and smaller non-bike sales filling in the rest of the coffer. For the sake of transparency, I worked for years as a mechanic at a small, local bike shop, and hold a lot of love for the culture and community that a good one can create for customers and employees. Call it bias, call it experience, just something to consider as you read on.

I have too many thoughts on this topic, so in the interest of simplicity, I broke it down to a few critical parts: quality/value, test riding, and service.

Quality and Value

One of the main reasons that drives people to online retailers is the price. Compared to the traditional bike shop model, the overhead and distribution costs are relatively small for consumer-direct brands. This leads to a lower overall cost, even when comparing two bikes with very similar spec kits.

That said, as the online retail market heats up like has for a few years now, that value proposition starts to wane. Prices haven’t quite equalled out, but online brands have started to work a heavier profit into their pricing, similar to the trajectory many tech startups follow鈥攕tart low, and slowly raise prices to the target point.

It’s no mystery that many local bike shops have struggled with the competition posed by online retailers, but that’s only half the picture. In order to keep their retail bikes selling, companies that don’t sell online have had to work quite a bit harder to get people to make the effort to get into the shop and pick up the newest model. This means more competitive pricing, incentives for in-shop buying, and harder marketing pushes.

Somewhere between those two options are the brands taking the omnichannel approach. Notably, some massive industry players like Specialized and Trek have made this shift, to very mixed reactions. Alicia Leggett wrote about the change at Specialized last year in a showing the value of both sides. Essentially, this shift results in the brand being able to sell both online and in-store, a win-win for the big companies. This can also be a more convenient experience for the customer, as their online purchase can be delivered to their local dealer, with the mechanics there assembling and prepping the bike.

Price is tight, but quality is even tighter. Many direct-to-consumer brands used to have a bad rap for producing low-quality frames, with solid components slapped on to dress things up. That’s far from the case now, with some of the higher-end, retail-only brands now being matched in quality by the online competition. Thankfully you have us at Pinkbike to be the arbiters of quality, so stay tuned to our reviews when you need some guidance.

Test Riding

In my mind, this is the single biggest argument for going to a bike shop, as opposed to shopping online. It’s the same as trying on a pair of shoes: you really should hop on a bike to at least check the general fit before making a hefty purchase. Many online retailers do offer some sort of return policy, but the hassle of that is immense when compared to the guidance and ease of pedaling a few options at your local shop.

To be fair, all brands have sizing tables that tend to include rider height, but that’s a pretty vague starting point for something that matters a lot to your ride experience. I’ve seen far too many people on bikes that don’t fit them, even though they might’ve been in the height bracket provided by a given manufacturer.

I’ll use myself as an example: I’m six-foot, three-inches tall, and according to just about every sizing table out there I should ride either an XL or XXL, depending on the brand. However, I really like bikes with around 485 millimeters of reach, which ends up being most brands’ size L, given the trend of ever-lengthening frames. I’d probably get along well enough with the bike recommended to me by the size charts, but I know for certain that I’m riding better and having more fun on the bikes I have a chance to feel out first.

Service

For the longest time, service was the main argument for buying a bike at a traditional shop, as online sellers simply couldn’t offer the long-term care that a local shop provides. However, with the new omnichannel *shudder* approach some brands are taking, there’s more follow-up available to folks who buy their bikes directly from the brand.

Operationally, this is no different for the consumer, as they simply go to the bike shop in question and pick up their Trek, Specialized, etc. after it’s been built up by one of the mechanics there. On the shop’s end of things, they still make a cut of the sale, but without much say on what their profit margin is, and without being able to control their inventory. This also removes one of the nice elements of buying a model off the floor of a shop, which I’ll call the pre-sale parts swap. Say you want that hot new downcountry whip, but you don’t like the cockpit it comes with. Many shops will offer an upgrade to something more in line with your preference, and discount you some for the replacement of the original parts鈥攁lso meaning you won’t have to try to sell those bars afterwards. A small detail, but those things can add up, and often result in a bike that better suits you and your needs.

As a response to this practice, many consumer-direct brands have worked some sort of a-la-carte approach into their builds, with varying levels of parts selections available. Commencal and Fezzari seem to be leading the charge on this front, with the full gamut of options available to the consumer, down to the seatpost clamp and headset. One of my local shops, Fanatik Bike Co., built an online that allows people to create the ride of their dreams from a variety of brands that don’t typically sell online in this fashion. It’s a very clever system if you ask me, and I could see more local shops offering a similar service to compete with consumer-direct options.

Some Conclusions

In the end, you have to make the decision that’s right for you, depending on your wants and needs. If you’re looking for the all-out cheapest option, it’s still hard to beat the online sellers鈥攖he prices are too low if you’re simply trying to get into the sport. For people who want a bike that’s best suited for them, and who value the experience and service of a local bike shop, the in-person experience is the best move. No amount of slick packaging can replace the care of a seasoned bike mechanic, even as consumer-direct brands start to flesh out their service channels, through mobile and permanent shops. There are plenty of companies and stores out there to choose from these days, it’s just a matter of finding the one that feels right to you.

Happy buying, and happy trails!

Every spring there is an influx of riders keen to get into mountain biking, and at Pinkbike and 国产吃瓜黑料, we know that these newcomers are often overwhelmed with information and opinions. So, we鈥檙e launching a seven-part series called MTB Explained, where we help new riders navigate some of the basics of our sport. If you鈥檙e new, welcome to the best damn sport in the world, and if you鈥檙e a long-time rider let鈥檚 welcome these folks to the club.

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