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 861–880 of 898

Tested: Kona Tanuki Deluxe £1,900

With 130mm of travel front and rear, the Kona Tanuki Deluxe is short on travel compared with many of its sub-£2k peers, but it still delivers plenty of smiles.

£1,900.00
Score 8

Has Trek found the cure to terrain multi-tasking with its Stealth Reverb and DRCV-equipped Remedy 9.8?

£4,300.00
Score 8

Big wheels could dominate the cross country World Cup again this year, if the results from the first round at Pietermaritzburg in South Africa are anything to go by

2012 Ghost AMR 5900

The centre-piece of the AMR 5900 is a shiny, black Shimano XT chainset. But with deep cuts elsewhere in the spec, has Ghost balanced its 2012 budget correctly?

£1,999.99
Score 9

What does mbr really think about 29ers? Simple — there are good bikes and bad bikes. Find out how the Trek Rumblefish shapes up...

£2,400.00
Score 8

Charge is well-known for cult steel hardtail frames, but the 29er Cooker has only recently been plumbed into the range.

£999.00
Score 9

The Rockhopper isn't as good at hopping rocks than ripping singletrack

Few companies have as much experience building hardtails as Specialized. The 2011 Rockhopper proves that it has still got what it takes to build a great one.

£700.00
Score 10

Is YT Industries the new Canyon? We've got one of its 150mm travel trail bikes to review in an upcoming issue, but here are a few initial thoughts now it's…

£1,370.00