Hardtail

Looking for a round up of the very best this year?

Check out our shiny guide to the best hardtail mountain bikes of 2018. 

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Showing reviews 21–40 of 223

Whyte 909 X Enduro hardtail mountain bike

Now, you are probably thinking, £3.5k for a hardtail and the frame isn’t steel or carbon? Well, we thought the exact same thing when the 909 X arrived and even…

£3,500.00
Score 9

Nukeproof Scout 290 Elite

The Nukeproof Scout started life as a burly, dirt jump/4-cross bike. But over the years the Scout has broadened its horizons, maturing into a capable trail bike, without ever losing…

£2,499.99
Score 9

Log onto Scott’s website, search for hardtails, and you’ll see the XC focused Scale dominates the options. With no long, low and slack hardcore hardtail in sight, it’s apparent that…

£1,399.00
Score 9

The Trek X-Caliber 8 is a sure-footed 29er hardtail mountain bike, with plenty of reliable elements that boost its score to impressive levels, but a few missteps that hold it…

£1,390.00
Score 8

Cube Reaction Pro

Cube has just two models in its Reaction HPA range of hardtails. The longer travel TM with a 130mm travel fork and this, the Pro, with a more XC-orientated 100mm…

£1,499.00
Score 7

Giant XTC

Few bikes impress us as much as the Giant XTC SLR 29 1 has. It’s one of the best hardtail mountain bikes out there when it comes to XC racing…

£1,599.00
Score 10

Cervelo ZHT-5

While mountain bike brands are jumping shark to launch new gravel models and tap into a new market for dirt bikes, renowned road bike marque, Cervelo, is swimming against the…

£8,500.00
Trek Roscoe 6

Launched back in 2019, the Trek Roscoe 6 is definitely showing signs of ageing. Yes, it’s had a fresh lick of paint and some specification updates since then, the biggest…

£1,000.00
Score 7

Specialized Rockhopper Elite 29

The Specialized Rockhopper is a stalwart of the hardtail world, and the 29in version is well designed with an impressive spec list that almost places it amongst the best hardtail…

£949.00
Score 8

Whyte 429

You won’t find mounts for a rack or a kickstand on the Whyte 429 hardtail. That’s because it’s been designed by mountain bikers, for one thing and one thing only……

£999.00
Score 9

Kona Mahuna

The latest Kona Mahuna 29er quickly proved to be the class act in the shop bought category of our best Hardtail of the Year test, 2022.From the very first pedal…

£948.99
Score 10

Cube Attention SL

For a hardtail mountain bike that’s had a very recent overhaul, the 2022 Cube Attention SL manages to keep one foot firmly planted in the past. Yes, it has a…

£1,149.00
Starling Roost

Is handmade really a feature? I suppose it is for an artisan baker and most definitely if you’re having a suit tailored to fit just so. But given that best…

£1,220.00
A rather muddy Nukeproof Scout V3

Nukeproof has just launched the third version of the popular Scout hardtail, and it boasts more progressive geometry, two wheel size options, revised sizing and plenty more besides. But the…

£499.99
Kona Honzo

Long, low and slack was a phrase rarely used in 2012 when the original steel Honzo was launched with the aim of becoming the best hardtail on sale. But with…

£1,599.00
Score 8

Merida Big Trail 600

The last time we lined up Merida’s Big Trail in a bike test against the best hardtails on the market it was quite a different machine. All models rolled on…

£1,675.00
Score 9

Nukeproof Scout Comp

One look at the Nukeproof website and you’ll notice there’s a strong focus on trail, enduro and DH riding, with a range of bikes that look very fit for purpose.…

£1,799.99
Score 9

Whyte 629 V4

Whyte’s reputation for producing the best trail and enduro bikes is second to none. This UK brand’s design team doesn’t seem to sit still, constantly refining dimensions, geometry, and specs.…

£1,999.00
Score 10

On One Hello Dave

On-One’s Hello Dave is a radical hardtail with a wild backstory. With a 62º head angle and stretched 1295mm wheelbase on the size L, it puts the 29in front wheel…

£1,699.00