Bikes

All the latest bikes comprehensively tested. If we don’t think a product is worthy of our hard-earned, we won’t tell you to part with yours for it. That’s the promise we make with our bike and equipment tests. For all our tests we guarantee that:

  • They’re conducted by some of the most experienced and knowledgeable riders in the business.
  • Ratings are awarded only after a thorough testing process on a variety of terrain.
  • Tests are independent, and in no way influenced by our advertisers.

In most cases, we fit control tyres, bars and stems to the test bikes to ensure a level playing field and to highlight differences in handling. Tyre pressures are equalised to keep grip levels identical. We also weigh and measure the bikes ourselves, because this data doesn’t always tally with the manufacturer’s official figures. The numbers you read in the tests are the actual angles and measurements.

Our ratings are awarded out of 10, with 10/10 being the top mark.

  • 1-4  Means something’s wrong. Possibly a design flaw or a major weakness.
  • 5-6  OK – one or two faults but has potential
  • 7  Worth considering
  • 8  Very good – for the money, we’d buy it
  • 9  Excellent – a slight mod or two and it might be perfect
  • 10  Simply the best!
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Showing reviews 841–860 of 869

2012 Ghost AMR 5900

The centre-piece of the AMR 5900 is a shiny, black Shimano XT chainset. But with deep cuts elsewhere in the spec, has Ghost balanced its 2012 budget correctly?

£1,999.99
Score 9

What does mbr really think about 29ers? Simple — there are good bikes and bad bikes. Find out how the Trek Rumblefish shapes up...

£2,400.00
Score 8

Charge is well-known for cult steel hardtail frames, but the 29er Cooker has only recently been plumbed into the range.

£999.00
Score 9

The Rockhopper isn't as good at hopping rocks than ripping singletrack

Few companies have as much experience building hardtails as Specialized. The 2011 Rockhopper proves that it has still got what it takes to build a great one.

£700.00
Score 10

Is YT Industries the new Canyon? We've got one of its 150mm travel trail bikes to review in an upcoming issue, but here are a few initial thoughts now it's…

£1,370.00

Testing the Lapierre Zesty for 12 months has given us a unique insight into how it rides and how it stands up to use and abuse — read the final report

Score 9

Of the 47 bikes we tested in 2011, six scored a perfect 10 out of 10. But only one will be crowned Bike of the Year

Score 10

2011 Giant Trance X4

The Giant Trance X4 might not cost the earth, but the fact that it outperforms many bikes costing twice the price makes it our 2011 Full-suspension Bike of the Year

£1,295.00
Score 10

Kona invited us to its 2012 bike launch in Crans Montana, Switzerland. Bikes on tap included the new 170mm travel Entourage and the 130mm travel Tanuki trail bike

Based in the Jura mountains, Switzerland, BMC is perfectly situated for developing and testing suspension bikes, so we were keen to find out if there’s more to the Trailfox than…

£2,599.99
Score 8

Scott's new Spark blurs the line between race bike and trail bike. We take to the Tuscan hills to try it for ourselves.

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By selling direct to the public, via www.canyon.com, this German brand can pump out bikes that are incredible value for money. But does the Nerve AM 6.0 add up to…

£1,569.00
Score 9