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 421–440 of 899

norco storm

The Norco Storm 4 is our only 29er on test and as such it gets off to a good start, rolling over rough ground more easily than the 27.5in wheel

£350.00
Score 9

Carrera Vulcan

Carrera Vulcan has some of the best components and spec on test, and it’s clear this is where Carrera has spent its money, creating a good entry level bike.

£350.00
Score 9

saracen tufftrax

The Saracen Tufftrax is a fun bike to ride, the frame is just big enough to accommodate my frame and there’s something playful and poppy about it.

£374.99
Score 8

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

giant trance 29

The Giant Trance 29 sits squarely between the Anthem 29 and the 27.5in Trance. Delivering a modest 115mm of travel, but this is a seriously capable bike.

£3,699.00
Score 9

Specialized Epic Comp Evo

The Specialized Epic is one of the most famous names in XC racing, right up there with that other Specialized racer, Ned Overend. This Evo model gets more travel and…

£2,900.00
Score 9

cannondale habit carbon

Cannondale Habit Carbon 3 gets a carbon frame, progressive geometry, 29inch wheels, large volume 2.5in tyres and 130mm front and rear travel.

£3,299.99
Score 9

kona hei hei trail

If you look at the geometry on the Kona Hei Hei Trail it appears to have been designed to have more in common with modern XC bikes that its rivals.

£2,499.00
Score 6

whyte t-130

It's easy to quickly glance at the 2019 Whyte T-130 S and assume it’s the same as last year’s bike, albeit with fatter 2.6in tyres and a 140mm travel fork.…

£2,650.00
Score 9

trek remedy 8

Blink, and you could miss the latest round of revisions to the Trek Remedy 8. The biggest change to the frame is move away from Full Floater shock mount.

£2,700.00
Score 8

sonder evol

Regardless of the price point all Sonder Evol models share the same butted aluminium frame, with its four-bar suspension design delivering 140mm of travel.

£2,799.00
Score 8

orange alpine 6

New version of the Orange Alpine 6, complete with improved cable routing and, wait for it, bottle cage bosses under the down tube.

£4,000.00
kona hei hei

Kona is better known for its freeride bikes but it’s no stranger to XC racing either, the 100mm travel Kona Hei Hei being its weapon of choice.

£4,299.00
Score 9

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

Ghost SL AMR 6.7 AL

Coil-sprung suspension combines attitude and aptitude but is the Ghost SL AMR 6.7 AL's extra weight compensated for by better performance?

£2,800.00