Get set for 2024, with some stoopid good discounts from Vitus, Five Ten, Endura and Pinnacle
2024 is shaping up to be a great year for mountain bikers. Yup, it might not look it out the window right now, but it’s a good time to be a rider, with more trails than ever before, thanks to a continuing building boom from bike parks and natural diggers alike.
Meanwhile, the trend for ridiculously good deals on bikes and gear we saw in 2023 looks like continuing into this year. Most of the big retailers like Evans, Chain Reaction and Winstanleys are still trying to clear out their stock. Great news if you’re after a bargain.
Look carefully enough there are some genuinely brilliant deals to be had. Or if you don’t have time between hoovering up Christmas tree needles and flogging yourself thin again we’ve done the legwork for you: check out the best New Year’s deals for 2024…
Vitus Mythique 29 VRX Mountain Bike
Vitus Mythique 29 VRX | Save 33% at CRC
Was £2,099.99, now £1,399.99
The Vitus Mythique is a modern classic, probably the best specced entry level bike we’ve ridden and packed with posh components.
It’s not just a great value bike though, the Mythique is a test-winner because it rides so well, with comfort, composure, grip and fun in equal measure.
Right now the Mythique is a steal at £1,400 – if you’re lucky enough to fit the XL sizes that are left (anyone 6ft and over will be spot on) then we suggest you got for it. Read the full review of the Vitus Mythique 29 VRX here
When we tested this exact version of the Vitus Mythique 29 VRX last year, bike tester Alan Muldoon was surprised it didn’t cost north of £3,000. It really is that good, and easily one of the best budget full suspension mountain bikes out there.
But now with 40% off and costing £1,400 it’s probably the best full suspension mountain bike deal we’ve seen this winter. For starters it looks the part, with a frame you’d expect to find on a much pricier bike. Ride it and you’ll see that Vitus has absolutely nailed the performance. It’s easy to ride, makes you confident enough to go fast and reach your full potential, and it’s also incredibly rewarding and fun.
The Mythique will encourage you to push yourself, but it never feels like you’re rolling the dice thanks to balanced suspension and stacks of grip. In the words of bike tester Muldoon: “Unbeatable value, we simply can not recommend the Mythique highly enough.”
Five Ten Trailcross XT Mountain Bike Shoes
Five Ten Trailcross XT | Save 70% at Evans
Was £140, now £42
Five Ten is the daddy of flat pedal shoes, and the Trailcross XT packs the stickiest rubber of all the brand’s shoes. That makes it a winner for us. Sure, the looks might carry it over to runners or hikers, but when the shoe performs this well, and you can get it for forty quid, who cares?
Read the full review of the Five Ten Trailcross XT here
The Five Ten Trailcross XT has the grippiest rubber we’ve ever tried on a mountain bike flat pedal shoe. Grippier than the Ride Concept Hellion Elite, stickier than the Specialized 2FO, gummier even than the Five Ten Freerider Pro.
It’s so good you could almost be clipped in, and trying to shuffle a foot around on the platform is actually pretty tricky. Yes they get cut up by your pedal pins and start to wear badly after five or six months, but for this level of traction it’s worth the price.
Last year Five Ten discounted its Freerider Pro across the board, but it didn’t carry over to its newer high top range like the Trailcross XT here. That was a real shame as they’re excellent for hike-a-bike duties and people who want to walk in them as well as ride. Now with 70% off we’ve got something to smile about in 2024… get planning those epic trips.
Pinnacle HC Turbo Home Trainer
Pinnacle HC Turbo Home Trainer | Save 70% at Evans
Was £700, now £210
Turbo trainers don’t have to cost a packet, thanks to the huge discount Evans is offering on the Pinnacle HC Turbo Home Trainer. It’s easy to set up and get calibrated, stable in use, and it’ll work with a Shimano 12speed drivetrain-equipped mountain bike, or a road bike. Being a smart trainer means it will work with Zwift, or other online training software.
Read the full review of the Pinnacle HC Turbo Home Trainer here
Anyone eat too many mince pies recently? Yup, us too. Fortunately Evans has a ridiculous offer on the Pinnacle HC Turbo Home Trainer, so you can whip yourself into a lather and try and get fit for 2024.
Turbo trainers absolutely suck, and we’d all rather be outside riding our mountain bikes in primo loam with the sun on our backs. And that’ll come, but for the meantime a turbo trainer will make proper riding all the better when there’s more light to be had.
Our sister title Cycling Weekly loved the Pinnacle HC Turbo Home Trainer when it was reviewed in 2022. It’s easy to set up and stable too, CW said, and it doesn’t need much to get it set up correctly.
The Pinnacle HC Turbo Home Trainer works with Shimano/SRAM 8, 9, 10 and 11 speed cassettes for the road, and 12speed Shimano HG, which means you’ll either need a Shimano drivetrain on your mountain bike to make it work, or a road bike.
Endura MT500 Spray Trousers
Endura MT500 Spray Trousers | Save 55% at Endura
Was £119, now £53
The Endura MT500 Spray Trousers are what you want this time of year, windproof and guaranteed to keep out mud and water even on the muckiest of winter rides. The Spray pants aren’t stiff as a board because of that though, they’ve proved breathable and comfy in use. Endura has just the electric blue colour left, but honestly they’re actually pretty nice looking in the flesh. Besides, covered in mud all riding pants look brown.
Read the full review of the Endura MT500 Spray Trousers here
Endura’s MT500 Spray Trousers are probably the best winter riding pants on the market right now. The level of waterproofing is through the roof, but you still get a decent level of breathability, and there are zipped thigh vents when you want to dump heat quickly.
They’re definitely not for summer, you’ll cook in them, but there’s still great flexibility thanks to the four-way stretch panels and good range of waistband adjustment.
Endura Women’s Pakajak jacket
Endura Pakajak jacket | Save 50% at Endura
Was £49, now £24
Endura’s Pakajak is just £25, but for that you get a windproof jacket that’ll stand up to some moderate rain thanks to its DWR coating. It’ll pack down small though and comes with its own stuff sack. All that makes it an ideal beginner’s riding jacket, or a backup to stuff in your pack for big days in the saddle.
Best of all, you get Endura’s repair guarantee, if it goes wrong send it back and they’ll stitch it back together for you. You can’t lose.
The Endura Pakajak definitely isn’t all-singing and all-dancing, like the brand’s amazing MT500 Jacket. But it also costs just £25 now in the sale, it’ll keep you dry in light rain, and pack down small so you can stash it away when the sun comes out.
For £25 you get a windproof fabric with a DWR coating to keep you dry (make sure you keep reproofing this after each wash), a dropped hem at the back for extra coverage, mesh vents under your arms to steam away heat, and basic elasticated sleeve cuffs. And because it’s Endura it’s well made, and guaranteed to last as the Pakajak is covered by the brand’s repair policy.