What makes something cool? It’s a question that’s difficult to answer, because if it was, then every brand would be making cool products. But they’re not. And the same goes for mountain bikes. The best mountain bikes are not always the same as the coolest mountain bikes. Objective performance is not the same as the intangible desire to own something.

Some bikes are just cool, regardless of functionality, and everyone’s cool wall is slightly different, but there are also some brands and bikes that have a universal cool factor. Perhaps it’s pure folly on our part, but we’ve had a stab at collating a list of the coolest brands in mountain biking, from the giants to the minnows. So without any further ado, here’s the list.

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Best of British: Atherton Bikes

Gee, Dan and Rachel Atherton have been a dominant force in UK gravity racing for years and are as close to a household name as it gets in mountain biking. In early 2019, after three successful years, the Athertons parted with sponsor Trek Bikes, with no official statement as to where they were off to next. But less than a month later they announced product-development partners, a team lineup and images of a DH race bike bearing the Atherton name…

This project wasn’t just about adding their name to the downtube of a Taiwanese-built frame – it was about doing things their way. Pushing limits, trying new ideas and using technology to their advantage. The combination of composite tubes joined by 3D-printed titanium lugs makes for a unique look, so the Atherton Bikes frames are unlike anything else on the market. The design team behind the frames have backgrounds in Formula 1 and the aerospace industry, so this assembly method is rooted in engineering know-how rather than aesthetics. Every Atherton frame is made in Machynlleth, in West Wales.

MBR tester Mick Kirkman got an extensive first ride of the Atherton AM170 M1, a mixed wheel size, long-travel mountain masher that’s available in 22 frame sizes – a well-rounded package that rides lighter than the scales suggest and looks unique to boot. Mick also rated the brand’s first aluminium bike, the Atherton S170, commenting on its ‘mini-DH bike’ vibe but also its portly 17.4kg weight.

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Best of British: Orange Bikes

Orange started building its aluminium full-suspension frames in Halifax (UK) in 1998. At the time, it felt like the easiest way for this British brand to move forward with the frame designs it had in development, allowing on-site prototyping and fine-tuning of ideas. Decades later, this process remains for both full suspension and e-MTB frames, with painting and bike assembly taking place in Orange’s factory too.

For years most Orange full-suspension frames used a simple, single-pivot design, blending reliability, longevity and repairability with performance. With fewer moving parts, this proved a winning formula – especially for four-season riding in wet and muddy conditions – and at one point in time the Orange 5 was a benchmark trail bike here in the UK.

We tested the Bosch SX-powered Orange Phase Evo LE in our 2024 SL E-bike of the year review, commenting on its great geometry and handling but also its hefty weight.

‘Fast and effective in every situation’ is how we summed up the Orange Switch 7 SE in our 2022 review. This mixed-wheel size, 170mm travel enduro race-focused model scored a perfect 10/10.

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Privateer

British brand Privateer is part of the Rider Firm, a collective that includes Hunt Wheels and Cairn electric bikes amongst others. Privateer says it exists ‘because we grew frustrated with the idea that progressive design meant premium prices, so we decided that to better serve riders, a different approach was needed’. The goal was to produce a focused range of quality mountain bikes that blend high-performance with long-term durability, at keen price points. The brand aims to meet the needs of a rider and racers who don’t have factory team support – hence the name.

Aluminium frames will always offer a compelling blend of low weight, durability and great value, and this is the material that Privateer chooses for its full suspension bikes. A chunky rocker linkage, Enduro bearing and a proven Horst link A.L.P (Aligned Linearly Progressive) suspension, make for a user-friendly set up and long-term durability. Home mechanics will praise the external (and quiet) cable/hose routing – being easy to work on is a key requirement of Privateer’s designs.

Privateer offers just three models in its lineup: a trail bike, an enduro bike and an e-bike. With the Privateer 141 (SLX/XT build) 29er, we noted that it’s not light but it is solid, capable and perfectly balanced and scored it 9/10. We tested the Privateer E161 e-bike and found that it comes alive when gravity and the bike’s weight combine but the trade off is that mellow trails bore the bike.

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Best of British: Cotic

Cotic has its roots in prime UK mountain biking terrain and has become the brand it is today thanks to the Peak District trails that are right on its doorstep. It has shaped, not only the bikes, but the attitude of the company. Cotic’s first bike was the Soul hardtail, designed by owner Cy Turner – a qualified chartered mechanical engineer – to ‘excel on tight and twisty trails but also be fun when the going got rocky’. This was back in 2002, at a time when this 26in wheel steel hardtail showed progressive thinking, with a 130mm fork and clearance for big tyres.

There’s still a focus on steel tubing for hardtails and front ends, with aluminium only being used on swing arms. All Cotic frames are manufactured in the UK, Czech Republic or Taiwan but if you go for a complete build, the final assembly is carried out at Cotic’s HQ. Each bike is built to order for each customer – it’s what Cotic calls ‘Your Bike Built For You’ – giving you component spec and size options.

We tested the Cotic Solaris in early 2025 and found it to be a versatile trail hardtail, eager to eat up the miles yet agile and reactive enough on tighter singletrack. Cotic bucks the trend for integration with its Rocket e-bike sporting a battery mounted on top of its slim steel downtube, aiming to maintain the sublime ride quality this brand is known for.

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Best of British: Whyte Bikes

‘Engineering extraordinary’ is Whyte’s current tagline but this thinking can be traced way back to this British brand’s beginnings in 1999. Whyte’s first full suspension bike, the PRST-1, rewrote the rules and looked unlike any other full-suspension bike on the market. Designers Jon Whyte and Adrian Ward had extensive Formula 1 experience and created a trail bike with a monocoque frame and a linkage fork that used a Fox shock.

Whyte’s design team doesn’t seem to sit still, constantly refining dimensions, geometry, and specs. It has pushed forward with shorter offset forks, stubby stems and longer reach measurements across all its models. With enduro, DH and EWS-E racer Sam Shucksmith heading up design and engineering for Whyte’s full-suspension and e-bike models, every detail, from shock tune to centre of gravity, is fine-tuned through extensive testing and development.

The Whyte ELyte 150 RSX comes very close to being perfect, and tester Alan Muldoon picked it as his SL E-Bike of the Year winner, scoring 9/10. The full-power evolution, the Whyte ELyte EVO Stag Works, sporting mixed wheel sizes and a Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 motor was also a hit, getting a 10/10 score from us. For a blend of keen pricing with up-to-date geometry and sizing, the recently revised Whyte T-140 trail bike models look like a sorted package, with prices starting at just under £2K.

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Best of British: Hope Technology

Known for its British built components and hardware, Hope is often a go-to brand when it comes to making upgrades on your mountain bike. Despite being synonymous with aluminium, Hope has gradually introduced carbon products into its range, from brake lever blades to handlebars, maintaining in-house production in Barnoldswick.

With this move, Hope developed its first bike, launching the HB160 in 2017. Here was a home-grown full-suspension enduro bike, with carbon main frame, 27.5in wheels and a limited production run of only 500 a year. Hope had to invest in the machinery and learn about all of the aspects that come together to produce a modern full suspension bike.

We felt the HB160 itself was good, but not great. It was overly conservative in shape and construction, with sizing and geometry that was a step behind other brands’ latest releases. However, Hope didn’t stand still and two years later the HB130 was launched. This 130mm travel 29er was more mainstream and contemporary in terms of geometry and sizing, but it hadn’t lost any of the distinctive features. Fast forward to 2024 and Mick Kirkman tested this brand’s latest long-travel bike, the HB916. He rated it at 9/10, stating it as a work of art, a masterpiece of design that’s so fast and composed you’ll need to watch yourself.

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Shop bought MTB brands – Boutique/Specialist:

These are all premium, high-spec and specialist brands sold through full-service retailers, or direct from the brand’s showroom.

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Yeti Cycles

Founded in Colorado in 1985, Yeti Cycles says it has always been ‘Ride Driven’, focusing on designing and building mountain bikes that outperform the competition whether on the race track or out on the trail. Arguably the most boutique of boutique brands, Yeti has always produced stunning bikes, especially in its signature turquoise paint colour, and there can’t be many of us at MBR who haven’t fantasised about owning one at some point.

Mountain bike racing became the cornerstone of Yeti’s product development efforts, with team riders such as Juli Furtado, John Tomac and Missy Giove becoming legends of the sport. Racing is certainly in this brand’s blood and it has earned a loyal following from riders who respect its commitment.

Since the rise of enduro, Yeti has had a solid offering of specialist long-travel machines. Back in 2020, tester Alan Muldoon praised the incredibly rapid Yeti SB150 T-Series X-01, rating at 10/10. Mick Kirkman was won over by the longer-travel Yeti SB165 T-Series T3, praising its amazing looks, sublime rear suspension and how easy it was to set up. The brand’s shorter-travel bikes impressed us too, with the Yeti SB120 T-Series T1, scoring 9/10 and taking top place in our 2022 full-suspension downcountry group test.

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Santa Cruz Bicycles

Take a look at the Santa Cruz Bicycles website and you’ll see a huge choice of models, with full-suspension bikes dominating the range. Well, the first bike that Santa Cruz produced, was the Tazmon, a single-pivot, aluminium full-suspension bike with just 80mm or rear travel. That was in 1994 though, when mountain bikes were either lightweight cross-country hardtails or burly downhill rigs. With the Tazmon, Santa Cruz had created one of the first full-suspension trail bikes – a category that is now a go-to for riders looking for a capable, all-round mountain bike.

Although Santa Cruz offers hardtails in its lineup – the Chameleon being a long-standing and popular model – the range of full-suspension bikes has evolved, with almost every riding type being catered for. Santa Cruz is well-known for its exquisitely finished carbon frames, which (for most models) are offered at two price points, the regular C spec, or lighter high-modulus CC. Santa Cruz offers a lifetime warranty on its frames and on suspension bearings too.

The fast and furious Santa Cruz Tallboy CC X01 may be a short travel bike but it’s one that’s designed for full-on aggressive fun and scored a solid 9/10 in our downcountry group test. Powered by a Fazua motor and with a sublime ride quality the Santa Cruz Heckler SL C S came within a whisker of winning MBR’s SL E-Bike of the Year award, but it needs improved reliability to up the 8/10 rating we gave it.

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Pivot Cycles

From Pivot’s birth in 2007, owner Chris Cocalis has built a bike brand that’s become known not just for its high-performance machines but also its detail-orientated approach and commitment to quality control. All Pivot frames are carbon, produced using ‘internal moulding technology’ and the best material available – there’s no budget, or lower spec frame option here.

To maintain a consistent ride quality for different rider heights, Pivot frames are tuned using unique cross-sections for the tubes and distinct carbon layup schedules for each size. Pivot takes the same tuning approach with its e-bike frames too, so they closely mirror the stiffness of their analogue counterparts. Although the frames are manufactured overseas, it’s at Pivot’s Arizona HQ where the final hands-on assembly process happens. An uncompromising quality control process is mandatory, ensuring every bike leaving there is finished to a class-leading standard.

Pivot offers three full suspension e-bikes, with both full power and lightweight options. It was the Pivot Shuttle SL 29 Team XTR that impressed us, taking the win in our 2023 ‘Lightweight E-bike of the year’ group test, scoring 9/10. Also that year, one of the MBR staff ran a Pivot Firebird Pro for 12 months and loved it so much he bought one at the end of the test period – high praise indeed!

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Mondraker

Founded in 2001, Spanish brand Mondraker says it’s ‘dedicated to the design and production of high-performance mountain bikes, offering pioneering developments and advanced technologies in all categories’. And we’d have to agree, as well over a decade ago Mondraker, working with Cesar Rojo (Cero Design/Unno), brought new thinking to mountain bike design with its Forward Geometry. This combined a slacker head angle and longer reach measurement with a super-short stem – maintaining the same fit, but keeping the rider’s weight behind the front axle, adding stability and improving handling. First seen on the 26in wheel Mondraker Foxy XR, Forward Geometry may have looked unusual and a touch weird in 2014 but it paved the way for the ‘longer, lower, slacker’ geometry we now see on modern mountain bikes of all types.

Mondraker makes some distinctive and stylish mountain bikes, with its Zero suspension system (a virtual pivot with an exclusive dual link design) featuring on all its full-suspension bikes. Zero is individually designed, set up and optimised for each Mondraker full suspension model across the range – from the Factor 24 kids’ models to the Summum downhill bikes.

With MIND, Mondraker’s built-in suspension data acquisition, this brand is now revolutionising suspension, making setup and analysis easier and more accurate. We got a taste of this on the Mondraker Raze Carbon RR, which we rated at 10/10 and took the win in our 2022 trail bike group test. Editor Danny tested the Mondraker Dune RR, the brand’s lightweight enduro e-bike with Bosch SX motor and Ohlins suspension – there were many aspects he loved, but he also flagged up some niggles, scoring it at 8/10.

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Nicolai/Geometron

Geometron wasn’t the first brand to push the idea of a bike with a slacker head angle and longer front centre, coupled with a shorter stem. Spanish brand Mondraker were, thanks to designer Cesar Rojo and then team rider Fabien Barel, who pioneered this thinking with its Forward Geometry concept. Geometron’s founder, Chris Porter, tried a Mondraker Foxy XR and liked the idea but couldn’t help thinking that if a bike that was a bit longer was a bit better surely a bike that was a lot longer would be a lot better – and while he was at it there were a few other changes he wanted to make.

Chris had long held that if a DH bike is the fastest and most confidence inspiring bike for descents, why not give it a steeper seat angle, a decent gear range and be able to pedal it everywhere too? Porter asked German frame builder Nicolai to weld up one of its Ion 16 frames (Nicolai’s 160mm trail bike) with geometry to his specification and with a revised shock linkage. This was the frame that became the G16, the first Geometron model.

The Geometron brand has steadily evolved, with thorough testing and evaluation taking place at its Wye Valley HQ, with the Forest of Dean on its doorstep. A 29in wheel G13 followed, with the G1 arriving in late 2018 – a frame that sported a 62.5º head angle, 79º seat angle and up to a 555mm reach on a XXL. In 2024, the Geometron G1 got an update – giving it more adjustability – along with the launch of the Pinion Gearbox-equipped G2 adding another transmission option.

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Forbidden Bike Company

Spearheading the Canadian brand Forbidden is Owen Pemberton, who previously spent seven years at Norco as a senior design engineer. Here, he pioneered size-specific geometry while establishing a new life for himself in British Columbia. While developing the Norco Aurum HSP downhill bike, Owen first experienced the advantages of high pivot bikes. He was so impressed with the way this design carried speed on the roughest, most unforgiving terrain that after leaving Norco to set up Forbidden, he knew his first model had to have a high pivot and an idler.

While its high pivot configuration has made the headlines, Forbidden has taken a multi-dimensional approach to the suspension design. Called the Trifecta system, it encompasses the high pivot, the shock linkage (to control the progression) and the idler position. These three elements combine to produce Forbidden’s desired ride quality on the trail. One of Owen’s legacies at Norco was a clever proportional geometry design that allowed the use of longer chainstays on the larger frame sizes and shorter stays on the smaller sizes and he’s carried this thinking across to the Forbidden frames.

Forbidden’s first bike was the Druid, a 130mm travel 29er, with a high single pivot suspension design. We reviewed the Forbidden Druid in 2019, noting that it offers a very different ride quality and experience than most mainstream bikes, and that may or may not suit your riding style and local terrain. The Dreadnought followed in 2021, with a revised V2 version three years later. Alan Muldoon tested the Forbidden Dreadnought V2 X0 Ultimate noting it had even longer chainstays than the original high-pivot enduro bike but after two days riding he felt it was the right decision.

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Amflow

Has there ever been a mountain bike brand that has caused such a disruption to the marketplace in such a short time? We certainly can’t think of any examples. Amflow is an all-new e-bike division from DJI, the Chinese brand best known for its drones and action cameras. In the fast-paced, constantly-evolving world of the electric mountain bike, Amflow’s arrival has caught most e-bike and motor brands napping. The combination of outside industry disrupter, cutting-edge consumer tech, outrageous power, and an impressive weight, all at a competitive price has created a honeypot – and everyone is swarming around it. At its launch the DJI Avinox motor boasted 108Nm of torque and 850W peak power with Boost mode raising this to 120Nm peak torque and 1,000W peak power for a limited time. The motor is also light, with a claimed weight of 2.52kg. Batteries are 600Wh or 800Wh. Until recently, the DJI Avinox motor was found exclusively on the Amflow e-bikes but in the spring of 2025 Forbidden, Unno, Megamo and Teewing all announced models using this drive system.

There are two models available, both using the same carbon frame. The Amflow PL Carbon uses the 800Wh battery and the premium-spec PL Carbon Pro is available with either the 800Wh or lighter 600Wh battery. Danny took a first ride on the PL Carbon model in October 2024, and fell for its unbelievable power and torque. He also noted its quiet motor, ample battery capacity and next-level integration. In fact when bike test editor Alan Muldoon tested the Amflow PL Carbon over an extended period, he claimed it to be the only e-bike he’d buy with his own money…

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Best Chainstore MTB brands: Calibre Bicycles

Calibre is essentially an in-house brand of retail giant Go Outdoors and it is on a mission to redefine what’s possible when creating affordable bikes. Normally, mountain bikes from such places aren’t anything worth writing home about but Calibre wants to be the go-to brand for having fun on two wheels – without spending a fortune or making compromises.

The Calibre model range definitely has an off-road focus, with entry-level hardtails offering excellent value, especially with the hefty discounts available if you have a Go Outdoors Member’s card. But step up a touch in price and you’ll find hardtails and full-suspension trail bikes that are not only well priced but are packed with neat details and spec choices that are normally found on bikes at twice the price or more.

Back in 2016 the Calibre Bossnut disrupted the market. Here was an affordable, sub £1000 full-suspension bike that was sensibly equipped for UK riding, built well, and sported excellent geometry and sizing numbers. It looked promising on paper but it really delivered out on the trails. We rated it highly and scored it 10/10. The Bossnut evolved over the years and then disappeared, returning after a four year hiatus as a 29er in 2024. This brand does trail hardtails well too, with the Calibre Line T3-27 scoring 10/10 and taking the win in our 2023 hardtail group test.

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Voodoo

Although the Voodoo brand name goes way back to 1994, with design input from legendary American mountain bike racer Joe Murray, here in the UK, its bikes are exclusively available through Halfords or Tredz stores and websites. In a similar way to Calibre bikes, Voodoo offers a range of great value hardtails and full-suspension bikes. These have often been well spec’d models for the price points but more recently we’ve seen Voodoo up its game regarding geometry, handling and ride quality.

The Voodoo Braag has always been a good entry-level hardtail but we’d recommend stepping up a price bracket to the Voodoo Bizango, a model which has consistently impressed us since its launch in 2013, when we reviewed it and rated it at 10/10. The pricier Voodoo Bizango Pro steps things up a notch and is this brand’s best-performing hardtail to date, scoring another 10/10 in our 2022 hardtail of the year group test.

Voodoo’s full-suspension bikes have always been keenly priced but until recently have looked a touch ungainly and used fairly dated geometry and sizing. The Voodoo Canzo has been around for years as a cheap and cheerful entry-level full-suspension bike, but the latest generation model, launched in 2024, really steps up a level with an all-new frame design. There are compromises in spec, weight, and therefore performance at this price point but we found plenty to love with this 140mm travel 29er, scoring it a solid 9/10.

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Polygon

Here in the UK, you’ll find Polygon bikes available only through the Go Outdoors retail stores and website. In store, Polygon sits alongside Calibre bikes, so you have two well-priced brands to choose from under one roof – and we have pitched models from both brands against each other in our MBR group tests.

Since 2023, we’ve reviewed three models from Polygon and each one impressed us, with all of them receiving 9/10 ratings. And just because you are buying from a chain store it doesn’t mean you’ll find compromises when it comes to long-term back up. Scroll through the Go Outdoors website and you’ll see a full range of spares, from mech hangers to pivot bolt and axles.

Without doubt, the Polygon Siskiu T7E was the best riding bike in our 2024 affordable e-bike group test. The frame geometry and spec is sorted, and you get the excellent Shimano EP801 motor and 630Wh battery. We rated the Polygon Siskiu T8 29 as one of the best cheap mountain bikes out there, a budget full-suspension bike with modern geometry and progressive sizing. It proves that keen pricing does not have to equate to compromised performance. The Polygon Xtrada 5 was the winner of our 2023 hardtail of the year test, even if it missed out on a perfect 10 rating. With the best frame proportions and ride quality, and the keenest pricing, it was the standout bike in the £600-700 category.

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Direct-sales MTB brands:

Consumers love them, the traditional bike industry hates them but, whichever camp you fall into, direct-sales brands are here to stay.

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Canyon

Roll up at any trail centre or bike park and it won’t be long before you see a Canyon. This German brand has grown to become a major player in the mountain bike world, showing how a direct-to-consumer business model can offer a compelling blend of performance, quality and value. A relatively young player, this brand’s roots go back to 1985 but it was in 1996 when the name ‘Canyon’ first appeared on the bikes.

Canyon offers a wide spread of mountain bikes in its range, covering all categories. Everything from lightweight XC bikes, such as the Canyon Exceed Team CFR (ideal for long-distance stage races and blitzing short-course XC sprints), to bike park rippers like the Torque Mullet AL 6. And there’s a comprehensive range of e-bikes too.

MBR has been reviewing Canyons for well over a decade, with all the models we’ve tested scoring highly. In 2024 we picked three direct-sales downhill bikes and put them through an exhaustive test over a summer of hard riding. The Canyon Sender CFR 29 took the win with a 10/10 rating, noting that this DH bike was both lightning-fast and super-fun to ride. The Canyon Lux Trail became Jamie Darlow’s go-to bike in 2025, a model that confusingly sits between the new-world XC and downcountry categories. Jamie fell for its rapid but confidence-inspiring character, claiming that ‘it’s this or an e-bike for me’.

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YT Industries

Founded by Markus Flossmann in 2007, Young Talent Industries (YT Industries) was another German upstart utilising the direct sales model to offer specifications that mainstream manufacturers could only dream about. YT joined Canyon, another direct-to-consumer brand who had been steadily making inroads into the UK market with its range of high-spec, great value mountain bikes. Back then there was the perennial question mark over what would happen should something go wrong but brands like YT have proved themselves over time. It has also boosted service and sales opportunities with the opening of a UK showroom and HQ, the YT Mill, in the heart of the Surrey Hills.

In 2012 YT began sponsoring a professional race team, the YT Mob, covering downhill, slopestyle, freeride and enduro. YT says ‘our diverse team approach brings together athletes and ambassadors of all disciplines and backgrounds, from World Cup threats to up-and-coming young talent’.

YT’s range has grown over the years, but it started small, with a dirt jump bike, followed by the Tues DH bike, with trail and enduro-focused models following soon after, including the first model we tested in 2011, the YT Industries Wicked 150. Standout models that have impressed us more recently include the YT Industries Jeffsy Uncaged 6, a 150mm travel 29er trail bike that we rated at 10/10 and the long-travel YT Industries Capra Core 2 GX, which also took a group test win with another 10/10 score.

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Propain

Founded by Robert Krauss and Markus Zander, after a mountain biking trip to Whistler, this German brand switched to consumer-direct sales in 2012, followed by a move to larger facilities in Vogt. With the aim to keep pricing keen and maintain a focus on smooth but reliable suspension performance, Propain controls the full development process in-house, from the initial ideas to the final production drawings.

You won’t find any lightweight XC bikes in Propain’s range, with gravity-focused models being the core focus – the only deviation being a carbon gravel bike. Propain’s lineup has evolved, and for the hard-hitting rider there is plenty of choice, with the 140mm Hugene 2 CF being its shortest travel full-suspension trail bike. The Trickstuff is Propain’s dirt jumper and there’s a range of full-suspension bikes for kids and teens.

MBR tester Mick Kirkman reviewed the Propain Spindrift 5 CF in 2024. With a RockShox Ultimate custom build and 180mm travel, he found the Spindrift to be a 180mm travel shapeshifter that balances bike park capability with a taut, responsive ride and rated it at 9/10. In the same year, we tested the Propain Rage 3 CF, a DH bike raced by Phil Atwill and his Propain Positive World Cup team mates, and ridden by YouTube star, Remi Metailler. We noted that the baseline geometry and sizing of the Rage was right in the ballpark, but we didn’t find a suspension setup that synced 100% with geometry and handling.

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Shop bought MTB brands – Multi category:

Available globally and offering hardtail, full-suspension, gravity, electric and youth MTBs. Bought in full-service ‘bricks and mortar’ retailers.

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Trek Bikes

American brand Trek has its HQ in Waterloo, Wisconsin and has done since its beginnings in 1976. Its mountain bike range is vast, covering all categories, from premium off-road-capable kids bikes, to cutting-edge downhill rigs. Trek even dips into niche markets, with the Farley fat bikes and Ticket dirt jump frames. With a huge network of Trek dealers globally you’re guaranteed good after-care service.

Trek has always been an innovative brand, with its OCLV (Optimum Compaction, Low Void) carbon frames appearing on its mountain bikes from 1993. Soon after, Trek acquired the Gary Fisher brand, bringing one of the early mountain biking pioneers onboard. Gary’s belief in 29in wheels meant the Fisher and Trek brand was early to market with this trend, a size that’s now become commonplace on most modern mountain bikes. In the mid ‘90s Trek also bought Klein Bicycles (specialists in aluminium frames) and Bontrager Cycles. Decades later, Keith Bontrager is still onboard, with his name used on Trek’s components, wheels and tyres.

Cross country race bikes have always been key models in Trek’s lineup and we reviewed the Supercaliber SLR 9.9 XX AXS Gen 2 in 2023. Our tester Guy K praised it highly, commenting that ‘It feels like a very sorted, balanced and predictable’ and rated it as one of the best XC bikes he’s tested. We loved the silence of the mid-power, lightweight Trek Fuel EXe 9.7 e-bike, and its smooth and streamlined looks. However, we felt it needs more power and more range if it’s going to be competitive with the latest generation of SL e-bikes.

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Specialized

The roots of Specialized (or Specialized Bicycle Components, as it’s officially called) go back to the mid 1970s, a similar time to the start of Trek Bikes. However, it was in 1981 when this Californian brand made a major impact, launching the Stumpjumper, the first mass-produced mountain bike. Before the arrival of the ‘Stumpy’, buying a new mountain bike meant a more expensive purchase, maybe with a longer lead time, from one of the smaller frame builders such as Gary Fisher or Tom Ritchey. The Stumpjumper name has become iconic and is a model that remains in the Specialized range today – and probably always will.

‘Innovate or Die’ has been a mantra used within Specialized, with constant evolution within most of its mountain bike categories, from XC to DH. Specialized was relatively early with an electric mountain bike, with the Turbo Levo (along with the Turbo Levo hardtail) arriving in the 2016 model year lineup. This was a 140mm travel full-suspension trail bike, rolling on 27.5 wheels, with 3.0in tyres and powered by a 250W Brose motor. The large capacity (for this era) 504Wh battery was integrated into the downtube, yet removable. The long-travel, hard-hitting Turbo Kenevo followed in 2018.

Recently, we tested the Specialized Chisel FS and rated it as a cut-price Epic (the brand’s premium XC bike) with the pace to go racing on a budget, scoring it 9/10. The Specialized Rockhopper Elite 29 is a stalwart of the hardtail world, and is clean, sleek and very well designed. However, we felt the twitchy handling isn’t ideal for the new riders this bike is targeted at.

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Cube

Established in 1993, Cube is located in Waldershof, within the Fichtel Mountains of northeastern Bavaria, and remains owner-managed to this day. Cube is a major player globally, selling into over 60 countries, with a committed dealer network. From the test bikes that have rolled through MBR’s doors, we’ve noted that this German brand’s bikes are always well-finished, with solid no-compromise specifications, giving great value and long-term durability. Sustainability is high on Cube’s agenda too, with serious considerations taken regarding bike packaging and recycling.

All its bikes are designed, engineered and tested at the Cube Innovation Centre, where the brand’s staff ensure every product then goes through extensive testing at its in-house test lab. Fully assembled bikes are tested on a roller drum test rig and brake performance is evaluated for performance and wear. It’s a very thorough process.

Cube offers a huge range of hardtails and we’ve put two models through the MBR test process recently. We praised the Cube Reaction Pro for its premium Shimano components but felt the sizing and geometry was dated. The lightweight aluminium frame, trendy tan-wall tyres, air-sprung RockShox fork and up-to-date 1x Shimano drivetrain were appreciated on the pricier Cube Attention SL but again we felt the geometry was focused more on cruising than charging hard.

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Giant

Giant takes the claim to being the biggest bike brand in the world, which its name suggests and with its own manufacturing facilities in Taiwan, allows it to build high-quality but great-value bikes. In fact many bike brands turn to Giant for frame production, taking advantage of its cutting-edge manufacturing processes.

When it comes to electric bikes, Giant has always partnered with Yamaha for its drive system, creating the SyncDrive motor. A third-party battery and Giant’s own controller and display are used. We first rode a Giant e-bike way back in 2016, when we reviewed the Giant Full E+ 1, a machine with super-smooth power delivery but more suitable for the towpath rather than singletrack. Fast forward to 2024 and we put the Giant Stance E+ 1 through our test process, flagging up its hefty weight but noting that it would make a great foundation on which to upgrade.

Also owned and run by Giant is Liv, a bike brand that’s dedicated to women’s bikes and cycling. Where brands such as Trek and Specialized have dropped out of the ‘women’s-specific’ bike category in general, Liv has flourished, building a global community and loyal following. Women’s electric mountain bikes are a bit of a rarity, but Liv has them in its range and we tested the Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite, a lighter, full-power model. With a mixed wheel setup, our tester felt this provided a blend of stability and smoothness, with a more poppy, agile ride than running full 29er.

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Cannondale

Take a look at Cannondale’s bike model archive and you’ll quickly notice that this American brand isn’t shy of ploughing its own furrow, with proprietary technology and outside-the-box thinking. Cannondale’s first product may well have been a trailer for towing kids but it soon became known for its American-built frames that used oversized aluminium tubing. Ovalised top tubes, cantilever dropouts and super-low frame weights made Cannondale bikes stand out from the crowd.

And it wasn’t just frames that made a statement, it was Cannondale’s forks too. First came the superlight aluminium Pepperoni forks but a real turning point came with the launch of the Headshok. This was essentially a rigid fork that was suspended within the frame’s headtube and ran on 88 needle roller bearings. It claimed to add precision to the steering (compared the telescopic forks of that era), with reduced flex yet still be lightweight. The Headshok polarised opinion, as did the single-sided Lefty fork, which needed a proprietary hub design. The Lefty fork is still in production but found only on Cannondale’s lightweight XC and gravel bikes.

Today’s Cannondale range may look comparatively conservative compared to a few years ago but its mountain bikes are packed full of tech. We were impressed with the Cannondale Moterra SL 1, and felt that by packing all the punch and power of a full fat e-bike into a relatively lightweight 20.44kg package the brand had hit on a winning formula. Low weight was also high on the agenda with the Cannondale Habit LT 1 we tested in 2024 – we felt it was a proper trail bike, not an overbuilt enduro rig.

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Scott

Scroll down the Scott Sports website and you’ll see that this Swiss brand covers running, winter sports and moto as well as cycling. It’s now a huge brand but its timeline dates back to 1958 in Idaho, USA, where skier Ed Scott produced the first tapered aluminium ski pole, revolutionising the sport. This invention launched the Scott brand and it was seen as a leader in technical product development – and it still rings true to this day.

Motocross products debuted in Scott’s product range in 1970 and just over two decades later launched the Unishock suspension fork, followed by its first carbon mountain bike frame in 1995. However, the mountain bike that really paved the way for future Scott designs was the Genius full suspension bike. The highlight of the Genius was its rear shock that used a three-position remote lockout, making it an ideal machine for marathon racing on mixed surfaces and ever-changing gradients. This model is still in the Scott line up and we recently tested the Scott Genius ST 900 Tuned, with its hidden rear shock (tech and thinking lifted from the Swiss brand Bold, which Scott acquired in 2019). Our tester found it to be very precise and efficient – an amazing piece of engineering with a unique aesthetic.

Scott does hardtails well too and when we reviewed the well-priced Scale 965 it was clear that it too had racing in its genes. Fast, quiet, and with a composed ride, we made use of the Scale’s neat, bar-mounted RideLoc lever to lock the fork out when climbing or on smoother trails.

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Merida

Founded in 1972 by Ike Tseng, Merida has grown to be a powerhouse within the bike industry, with its factories producing bikes for many global brands. BMX and road bikes came first, but in the early ‘80s Merida spotted the future and got in early with mountain bike production for the US market. However, it wasn’t until 1988 that the Merida became a bike brand as well as a bike producer.

As a manufacturer, Merida was constantly looking to improve and refine its products. Robot welders were implemented at its factories, to improve welding consistency and TIG welding methods helped refine aluminium frame production. Multi-stage laser cutters improve quality and efficiency and paint plants are air locked to keep them dust free.

Merida’s mountain bikes are frequently scoring well in our reviews – they seem to deal well with UK conditions and the geometry is usually on point, along with suspension feel and handling. Mick Kirkman raced the high-spec Merida One-Sixty 10K at the Ex Enduro and won, highlighting the overall ride quality and versatility but flagging up its high price. Mick also tested the Merida eOne-Sixty SL 8000, a Bosch SX-powered e-bike. Overall he felt it to be a bit more efficient and trail-biased than he expected for what is a 20kg+ e-bike with 160mm of travel.

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Orbea

Founded in the Basque Country in 1840 by four brothers, Orbea has grown from a family-owned company to Spain’s biggest bike brand. In 1969, its employees formed a cooperative and purchased the company from the Orbea family and relocated from its origins in Eibar to Mallabia, where it built its first factory. Now Orbea manufactures and assembles all its bikes at its own factories in Spain and Portugal.

Orbea offers a complete range of mountain bikes, and just like Spanish brand Monraker, it does kids bikes really well. Take the Laufey Junior, a scaled-down version of the Orbea Laufey trail hardtail – a quality kids’ mountain bike with 20 or 24in wheels. These bikes use a single chainring transmission and sport dropper posts on the higher-spec models. The Onna Junior runs 27.5in wheels, with one frame size and looks like a well-proportioned XC ripper for the smaller rider.

Introduced in 2018, the early Orbea Wild electric bike used a Shimano motor, had 140mm of travel and could be run with 29in or 27 Plus wheel setups. We tested a more recent model in 2024, the Orbea Wild M-Team, which now has 160mm travel and rolls on 29in wheels. It’s now powered by a Bosch Performance CX motor and can be run with a 625Wh or 750Wh battery. We rated it as a highly accomplished enduro e-bike and awarded it a 9/10 rating. The Orbea Rise was one of the original SL e-bikes, and when MBR’s Alan Muldoon tested the latest Rise LT M10, he felt it was better than ever.

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Ultra-niche brands:

Unno

Unno is made up of a small and dedicated team based at Cero Design studio in Barcelona, where all the development and testing takes place. It’s headed up by engineer and ex-world cup downhill racer Cesar Rojo, who claims that Unno is ‘obsessed with ground-breaking design that inspires and reshapes the bike industry’. Rojo is responsible for some of the most innovative and groundbreaking mountain bike and suspension designs going back over the last decade or more and as a consultant for Mondraker helped pioneer this brand’s Forward Geometry concept.

Unno’s carbon frames are meticulously well-detailed, very distinctive and break away from the silhouette of most brands’ full-suspension bikes. The range is small but well considered and for 2025, Unno’s new Mith e-bike will be powered by the DJI Avinox motor – currently the motor that’s leading the way in terms of power, torque and next-level integration.

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ACTOFIVE

Based in Dresden, Germany, ACTOFIVE is very much a one-man brand. Owned and run by mechanical engineer and mountain biker Simon Metzner, he’s been responsible for the design and manufacture of ACTOFIVE bicycle frames and components, since 2018. He has years of experience in fabrication, assembly, and riding. What makes this small, specialist brand stand out from the competition is the wealth of options the customer has available to them, with the ability to choose different components, colours, and finishes to create a bike that reflects their style and taste.

ACTOFIVE offers two full-suspension frames. The P-Train is a variable high suspension design, with 145-175mm rear travel options and compatible with forks up to 180mm travel. It’s a distinctive design that’s a two-piece hollow construction, CNC machined from solid 7075 aluminum and bonded with adhesive. The I-Train is the brand’s downcountry/trail frame that’s CNC´d from billet 7075-T6. It’s a shorter travel (120-140mm) frame that’s designed around a 130-150mm travel fork.

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ARC8

Take a look at the ARC8 website and you’ll find a range of sleek, beautifully presented bikes. Even this Swiss brand’s long travel, coil sprung enduro bike has an elegance to it, with the frame lacking the usual bulk that’s common in this category. Taking this Extra Coil model as an example, the attention to detail is stunning. Downtube storage (the Stopf-Box) is standard, as are size-specific chainstay lengths. There’s ample frame protection to keep the slick paintwork looking fresh too.

We tested the ARC8 Evolve FS in 2022, a new full-suspension XC race rig. We were impressed with its progressive sizing, low mass and clever engineering. Our test bike came set up with 110mm of rear travel, paired with a 120mm Fox 34 fork and ran a one-piece bar/stem. With a 1,240g frame weight, this made for a sub 10kg race bike that rode like a trail bike.

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Deviate

Deviate broke cover in 2016, when it launched the Guide, a 160mm travel carbon enduro bike with a gearbox, a high pivot point suspension design and 27.5in wheels. We didn’t get to ride this bike but we did test the first generation Deviate Highlander 140. Owners Chris and Ben met when guiding in Les Arcs, in the French Alps and have exceptional technical knowledge as well as real world experience when it comes to performance and durability.

Nearly a decade on this small Scottish brand has evolved, with more frame and bike options but sticks exclusively with high pivot full-suspension designs. The Highlander II trail bike and Claymore enduro bike will soon be joined by the all-new Kurgan e-bike which looks to debut in the winter of 2025, and is powered by the Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 motor.

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Ancillotti

Ancillotti has no desire to be a mainstream brand. Producing between 35 to 40 bikes a year, Tomaso Ancillotti and his father source the raw aluminium tubing from Germany, then the tubes are formed, mitered and welded in Florence, Italy. Because each frame is custom made to order, you can choose your preferred geometry and sizing. Need a shorter seat tube to fit a long stroke dropper? Not a problem. Prefer longer chainstays to balance a lengthy front end and slack head angle? That’s possible too – you can have whatever you want.

MBR bike test editor Alan Muldoon reviewed the Ancillotti Scarab Evo 29, reporting that it is fast, pedals really well and is easy to ride when fatigued. He also picked up on some truly unique design features that question modern manufacturing techniques and attitudes.

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Antidote

You may not have heard of Antidote bikes but if you have, it’s probably the Darkmatter downhill bike that’s caught your attention. With its inverted 4-bar linkage suspension, high-pivot idler to reduce pedal kickback, and a frame that’s constructed from a custom blend of carbon and Vectran to yield an optimum flex-response while making the frame more puncture and abrasion resistance. It’s a truly innovative design. If you like your bike to have eye-catching looks and innovation aplenty, then an Antidote will certainly catch your eye.

Antidote made its first aluminium DH frame, the Lifeline, way back in 2010 but only a year later started producing carbon fibre frames in its hometown of Kraków, Poland. We’ve been fortunate enough to get a taste of Antidote’s bikes over the years, with the ride quality of the 160mm travel Carbonjack 29 impressing us. More recently we took a spin on the Woodsprite, a lightweight trail bike with 135mm or rear travel and a suspension layout that’s a simplified version of the FDS design found on the longer travel Carbonjack 29.