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 461–480 of 867

Merida One-Sixty

The switch to aluminium not only expands the range, it also means the Merida One-Sixty now comes in four frame sizes rather than being restricted to three.

£3,150.00
Score 8

saracen ariel

New Saracen Ariel Elite has suspension and character influenced by the Myst downhill bike and it’s gained a new sense of purpose.

£3,299.00
Score 8

best plus bikes 2019

Could the key to eternal youth lie in the a Californian dream with wide wheels and voluminous tyres? Here's our Intense ACV Pro review.

£4,299.00
Score 8

trek fuel ex 9.7 29

You’re only looking at around 150g in weight saving over an aluminium frame, but the carbon fronted Trek Fuel EX 9.7 29 is easily the stiffest bike in those we

£3,000.00
Score 8

whyte s-150 s

Called the Whyte S-150 S, it has 150mm of travel, Boost spacing and Whyte’s dedicated SCR (Single Chain Ring) frameset design.

£2,850.00
Score 8

lapierre xr 529

The 2018 Lapierre XR 529 is the bike Lapierre developed to meet the demands of XCO and Marathon cross country racing but it's a capable trail bike too.

£2,999.00
Score 8

giant trance 2

There’s a directness to the ride of the Giant Trance 2 that makes it feel very efficient and fluid. And it doesn’t trade big hit capacity to achieve it.

£2,499.00
Score 9

merida one forty

Modern geometry and 2.6in tyres make the new Merida One Forty 700 trail bike a delight to ride. Joins a line-up featuring One Twenty and One Sixty.

£2,500.00
Score 8

norco range a3

Norco Range A3 is an economically viable enduro option from the Canadian big hitters. Eats up rough ground, stops confidently with good composure.

£2,300.00
scott genius 720

The basis of the Scott Genius 720 layout comes from the Scott Spark, which means it gets an upside down shock, cradled in a Trunnion mount at the down tube.

£4,099.00
Score 9

Canyon Spectral CF 8.0

Make no mistake, the new Canyon Spectral CF 8.0 isn’t just a facelift with a nip here and a tuck there to extend the shelf life of an existing platform.

£2,699.00
Score 10

trek remedy 9.7

Our in depth review of the Trek Remedy 9.7 long travel trail bike. At £2700, the 9.7 sits in the Remedy range just above the entry level Remedy 7.

£2,700.00
Score 9

KTM Scarp Master

Hailing from Austria, the birthplace of Schwarzenegger, the KTM Scarp Master 12 has a distinctly European feel pervading the design and specification.

£3,699.00
Score 8

Scott Spark RC 900 Team

It doesn’t take long to realise that the Scott Spark RC 900 Team is one of the stand out XC race bikes. Trail bike geometry and efficient suspension.

£3,699.00
Score 10

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