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 161–180 of 907

Canyon Spectral CF 8 K.I.S.

This new steering stabiliser was conceived by Syntace, developed in conjunction with Canyon and is fitted to one of the brand’s best trail bikes. It aims to improve control and…

£4,949.00
Cotic Rocketmax 150 Gold XT

Cotic is probably best known for its hardcore steel hardtails, originally the Soul and more recently the BFe. And what started out in the Peak District over 20 years ago…

£5,778.00
Score 9

Orange Switch 7 SE

When it comes to manufacturing bikes in the UK, no one can accuse Orange of simply flag waving. Based in Halifax, and with over 25 years of manufacturing knowhow, it…

£7,500.00
Score 10

Hope HB916

Hope has a lofty aim. It doesn’t just want to build bikes in the UK, it wants to make every single component right on its doorstep in Barnoldswick. So while…

£6,995.00
Score 9

YT Capra Core 2

YT’s Capra has always been one of the hottest enduro bikes on the market, and this latest entry-level option makes a versatile step up for plenty of trail riders. Need…

£3,099.00
Trek Fuel EX

Trek has launched a brand new version of the Fuel EX trail bike, and with it a ton of new features and updates to address pretty much any quibble you…

£11,750.00
Marin Rift Zone JR kids bike

When searching for the best kids’ and youth mountain bikes, cheap and heavy bike-shaped objects sadly still dominate the ranges of even big-name manufacturers, credit therefore due to Marin for…

£1,675.00
Whyte T-140 2023

Whyte’s new T-140 RS 29er plugs a very obvious mid-travel, big-wheel hole in the range of the UK brand. And it does so with an outstandingly sorted, ‘favourite from the…

£4,099.00
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
Santa Cruz Nomad MY23

The Santa Cruz Nomad has long been one of the best enduro mountain bikes on the market, but the last version was a bit behind the curve with its 27.5in…

£8,999.00
Merida One-Sixty 8000

Merida hope the new One-Sixty will propel it into the ranks of the best enduro mountain bikes. You know what? It’s got a pretty good chance… Need to know Two…

£6,600.00
Canyon Lux World Cup CFR mountain bike standing in forest

With the paint barely dry on the brand new Lux World Cup CFR Team, it should come as no surprise that it’s a modern XC race bike packed with all…

£6,649.00
Score 9

Intense Sniper T Expert

The Intense Sniper T Expert costs £3,899.99, has 120mm travel front and rear and comes with a dropper post fitted as standard. But at 13.7kg, is it too heavy to…

£3,899.99
Score 7

Vitus Rapide FS CRX

The Vitus Rapide is a pure XC race bike, just not in the traditional sense. Yes, it’s got 100mm travel, the full carbon frame weighs only 2,080g and it wants…

£3,999.99
Score 10

ARC8 Evolve FS

This new featherweight whippet from little-known brand ARC8 aims to compete with the best XC race bikes on the market. And with progressive sizing, low mass and some clever engineering,…

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