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 441–460 of 926

vitus escarpe 29

Since we first gave the Vitus Escarpe 29 our Trail Bike of the Year award two years ago, it has slipped down the pecking order in subsequent tests.

£2,799.99
Score 7

Commençal Meta TR 29

Commençal puts a lot of effort into the look and style of its bikes and the Commencal Meta TR 29 has a great presence on the trail.

£2,355.00
Score 7

giant reign 29

The Giant Reign 29 is the long awaited 29er version of the Giant Reign. Full carbon frame with Maestro rear suspension delivering 146mm travel.

£7,499.00
Score 7

ribble ht ti

The Ribble HT Ti is Ribble Cycles' first mountain bike in 20 years and it blends the old and the new with classic titanium tubes and modern geometry.

£3,199.00
Score 7

norco torrent

Slender steel tubing gives the Norco Torrent S2 a distinctly retro look. But make no mistake; this is a thoroughly modern 29er trail hardtail.

£1,845.00
Score 7

Intense Primer 29 Pro

The Intense Primer has evolved with a broader purpose, and carries the entire weight of Intense's trail expectations on its shoulders.

£5,599.00
Score 7

Saracen Mantra

The new Saracen Mantra Elite LSL is longer, slacker and lower than its predecessor, but how does it stack up against the competition?

£1,599.00
Score 7

giant trance e

The “+” denotes 2.8in tyres, the “Pro” tag indicates SyncDrive Pro motor, so the entry-level Giant Trance E+ 3 Pro tested here gets all best e-bike tech.

£3,499.00
Score 7

Jamis Dakar A2

This year, Jamis has upped the stakes. The price of the entry-level Jamis Dakar A2 has crept up by £100 and Jamis has made some key revisions to the spec.

£1,100.00
Score 7

merida big trail 400

Rocking a burly 34mm Suntour fork, and rolling on the biggest, stickiest rubber on test, the Merida Big Trail 400 feels solid and well built.

£1,000.00
Score 7

cannondale trail

The Cannondale Trail 5 is a new addition to the £750 category and features a Smartform aluminium frame, which is one of the most comfortable here.

£699.99
Score 7

trek roscoe 6

Trek Roscoe 6 is a plus bike with 120mm travel fork, a bolt through axle, and an aluminium frame that wouldn’t look out of place on a £1,000 hardtail.

£675.00
Score 7

trek marlin

The first of two 29er to make it into the sub 500 category, the Trek Marlin 6 certainly didn't behave like a fish out of water.

£499.99
Score 7

giant atx 2

The Giant ATX 2 feels lightweight, comfortable and quiet on the descents, despite the poor fork, which we’ll get to in a minute.

£365.00
Score 7

cannondale scalpel

Cannondale Scalpel SE's extra travel front and rear, and components like 150mm dropper post, makes it a different animal to its race stablemates.

£3,699.99
Score 7

norco fluid fs

The Norco Fluid FS has long been one of the best entry-level suspension bikes on the market, and for 2019 Norco has raised the bar once again.

£1,450.00
Score 7

gt sensor alloy

We've tested the top of the range GT Force, this time it’s the entry-level GT Sensor Alloy. Opposite ends of the price spectrum, they have a lot in common.

£1,599.99
Score 7

gt force carbon pro

While £4k represents the starting point for some carbon enduro bikes, with GT you get the top of the range model. That model is the GT Force Carbon Pro.

£3,999.99
Score 7

ibis ripmo

Designed to meet requirements for tough EWS races, the Ibis Ripmo is a longer travel 29er from a brand with reputation for fast pedalling, efficient bikes.

£6,799.00
Score 7

merida big trail 500

The Merida Big Trail 500 frame certainly looks modern, with its compact rear triangle, Boost 148mm dropouts, hourglass head tube and low-slung top tube.

£1,350.00
Score 7