Marin Nail Trail 6 Le Mountain Bike Review
Best trail bikes: Superlative all-around mount bikes for shredding the trails
The all-time trail bikes are designed to be accommodating mountain bikes that tin tackle whatsoever trail, all day long. No, you probably won't prepare a record time down an enduro course, nor volition you be stealing whatsoever KOMs or QOMs from the Ninety whippets on the best lightweight mountain bikes up a techy climb, only you'll exist able to navigate both without being pushed to the ragged border.
Trail bikes are designed to combine uphill and downhill performance. For this reason, they often have a relatively efficient pedaling platform, yet the best trail bikes shine on the downhills likewise. Normally sitting somewhere betwixt 130 and 150mm of front end and rear travel, these machines can tackle everything from rock gardens to jumps.
As trail mountain biking fills the middle footing between enduro and XC, it's mayhap the virtually popular riding style and then well-nigh every brand has at least one trail bike in its range.
There is a lot to cull from, but here's a list of our favorites. Unsure what to look for? Nosotros break down how to choose the best trail bike for yous.
The best trail bikes
The geometry numbers of the Norco Optic C2 are well established as a swell setup for good time riding so information technology'due south no surprise that this bike feels sorted as before long as you take hold of hold of the grips. What stands out is the manner the whole resonance of the wheel feels admittedly spot on through those aforementioned grips which makes it ane of the all-time trail bikes around.
As soon equally we started riding, the Optic just felt totally right and, over two months of riding from mellow-loam matinees to out-there mountain epics, it'due south never put a wheel or shock stroke wrong.
The geometry and chassis dynamics are excellent, the component spec is superbly pitched to flatter feel and capability, and the intermission is pretty much a perfect residual of ingredients to melt up a flat-out banquet on every trail. It'southward practical, well priced and fifty-fifty the cheaper bicycle all the same packs all the play essentials into the package.
Find out the total details of the Norco Optic C2 in our full review and what makes it an outrageously entertaining experience on every trail
Canyon'southward Spectral is a trail bike doing its best enduro impersonation and can continually step up to the job in mitt the harder you lot push. This is downward to the properly radical geometry which tin can teach any trail that normally terrified us a lesson in Canyon domination.
The offset of the bulky trail build means climbing isn't as easily earned as other trail bikes. That said if yous're faced with a steep and technical crux section, the Spectral has superb traction and command that will leave sharper feeling bikes struggling.
Once pointed downward the Spectral tin transition from smoothen, at-home and collected cruiser to counterbalanced, supportive and accurate tracking technical DH weapon. With a feature that becomes more live the harder yous ride, it encourages trail play popping globe-trotting and sending features.
We were and then impressed nosotros awarded the Canyon Spectral 29 CF8.0 a five-star review. Click the link to read more than.
While high pivot bikes using idlers are condign increasingly popular on downhill bikes and enduro bikes, they haven't actually filtered downwards to the best trail bike market nevertheless. Idler-equipped bikes have the advantage that the break and drivetrain are more asunder giving meliorate suspension performance, even so, this tin come at the cost of pedaling efficiency. That said, other than a gentle purr we were very impressed with how little drag at that place was from the Druid. The shock is well behaved when spinning the pedals, and when technical climbs are encountered, the obstacle rollover is very impressive giving stone crawler levels of scrambling.
Dropping into a descent and the Druid shows its keenness to assail the downhills. The 'Loftier Pin Witchcraft' means the wheelbase gets longer every bit the suspension compresses, increasing stability and reducing the rear bicycle hanging up over square-edged impacts. That means the rear end feels glued to the trail leading to loads of traction when accelerating or dropping the anchors at the last infinitesimal.
To read more than nigh what makes it arguably one of the fastest trail bikes available, check out our Forbidden Druid XT review.
Specialized offers the Stumpjumper in a huge range of spec, travel options, and in both wheel sizes, notwithstanding, the Stumpjumper Practiced version finds a happy medium between cost and components.
The Expert model is made from the brand'due south Fact 11 carbon and has dropped downwardly in travel this model year. The geometry is great, with a really well-centered feel descending and piece of cake poise when climbing
With 130mm of rear travel matched to 140mm at the front, the new Stumpjumper does everything well. Don't get the states incorrect, in that location are bikes out there that climb or descend better, but there aren't many that do both quite so well.
Read our in-depth thoughts in our review for the Specialized Stumpjumper Good.
If you are looking for the ultimate fun-loving trail wheel, it's hard to look past the Santa Cruz 5010. It's the odd-brawl in the list due to the fact information technology'due south withal running 27.v-inch wheels, rather than 29er, which gives it a naturally more playful and agile ride quality. If Strava segments are the goal of a trail ride then this is probably not the bicycle for you, all the same, if slashing corners and throwing shapes over jumps for insta-bangers is your affair and so no other bike is going to come close.
Still, it would exist a disservice to say that the 5010 is dull. The Virtual Pivot Signal (VPP) is dialed to efficiently bargain with cluttered trails and on twisty tight tracks, the 5010 carries first-class speed due to its explosive cornering speed. Yous might need to work it a little harder on the way up, even so, it'southward all worth it when gravity is on your side.
Check out our full review of the Santa Cruz 5010 CC X01 RSV to notice out more about the modest-wheeled shredder.
YT Industries is much better known for its gravity bikes, specifically the YT Capra which is a mutual sight at enduro trail spots. The Izzo is the shortest travel bike in its lineup, though. While you might look it to be on the overbuilt end of the trail spectrum, the low-slung Izzo is actually quite lightweight with a cockpit setup that'southward directed at making it an efficient climber.
It still rips on the downhills too. The relatively taught front and rear suspension melody and low weight hateful it'south superb on flowy, pumpy trails. The wheel lets you work the undulations for every bit of actress speed and pop of lips. Get on the pedals and the Izzo's low mass takes off likewise.
Unsurprisingly, bikes this good are difficult to go a hold of and with YT'southward stock getting snapped up quickly, bikes are frequently out of stock.
Nosotros tested the previous YT Izzo Pro Race build. YT regularly alters model specs although the spec of the model nosotros reviewed is much the same as the current Core 4 model.
Focus'south Jam is another trail cycle aimed at having fun rather than being the quickest up and downwards the loma. That doesn't mean it'south slow though, but information technology doesn't have the popular and fizz of some of the other best trail bikes that have a lighter build.
It might take a few actress watts to get to the top merely the burly frame and spec mean the Jam is a wheel that'due south looking to get rowdy on the downhills. Long attain keeps the bicycle stable as well, allowing you to make the most of the accurateness offered by the robust build. The linear pause hugs the ground too, assuasive yous to stay off the brakes on the straights. Aggressive riders looking to push hard through corners will find that the Jam can accident deep into its travel and start to become flustered through repetitive impacts.
While we liked the bike there are a few things we think would be worth changing to get even more than performance. Check out our review of the Focus Jam 6.9 for more details.
Hailing from Golden, Colorado, Yeti is known for making ambitious bikes that love going downhill. That may seem like an odd statement for the SB115, which sits with merely 115mm of rear travel, simply Yeti has paired that with a 130mm fork. Plus, the brand uses the Switch Infinity system, which makes the cycle ride like it has more travel.
The SB115 loves speed, whether you lot're going up or down. This bike is ideally suited for a passenger that doesn't mind a long climb and always takes the chunkiest descent dorsum down.
With a head bending of 67.6-degrees, a 74-degree seat angle, the SB115 is not as progressive as the longer travel bikes on this list, simply information technology sure blurs the line between 90 and trail riding.
Giant's Trance trail bicycle range hasn't followed the trend for progressive trail bikes, however, if you lot're looking for something more capable, it offers a Trance X version that has more forepart and rear bicycle travel plus tougher components. The latest iteration of the Trance 10 29er is precisely what yous'd promise for from an entry-level trail bicycle. From burly downhill runs to extended techy climbs designed to test you, the Trance X volition glide through it all.
Packing 135mm of rear travel, Giant has employed its quality, not quantity suspension ethos. The Maestro suspension setup doesn't go out you lot missing the actress squish while making mincemeat of minor bumps and large drops alike, with enough left over to aid you stay out of trouble. Giant has combined this with a 150mm Trick 36 Float Rhythm fork to proceed things slack and under control out front. The build kit is generally in-business firm and the drivetrain and brakes are from Shimano.
The term "all-mount" is a chip dated, merely that'south what Devinci calls its Troy trail bike. Information technology's one bike to do it all and accept a nail on. The suspension travel and geometry numbers ostend this, then riders will exist flying downwards all their favorite trails.
Devinci has size-specific chainstays then that all riders accept the aforementioned optimized handling and stability and there is a split pivot at the rear to help isolate brake forces from the intermission for better sensitivity and command. The bike features a good spec list equally well, with a SRAM drivetrain and brakes, Play a trick on interruption, and Maxxis tires. A size medium weighs in at 14.9kg, Devinci too offers an alloy version with exactly the same spec which saves $900 but adds on 500g.
How to choose the best trail bicycle for you lot
What'southward the best trail bike geometry?
Mount bikes take been getting longer and lower as time has progressed. With wheel and interruption technology continually improving and brands embracing new fork offsets, trail bikes are becoming always more capable.
Expect to meet caput angles between 65- and 68-degrees and seat angles betwixt 74- and 75-degrees. With such a range of geometry figures, i trail bicycle could ride very differently from another, so if you are unsure what would conform you, many shops or retailers offer test rides or demo days so that y'all can attempt before you purchase.
How much intermission travel should a trail bike accept?
Only a few years ago, travel was a bike-defining characteristic, but that's no longer the case. We're seeing cross-country bikes with over 100mm of travel, trail bikes pushing up against 160mm of squish, and enduro bikes that bottom out at 150mm.
Trail bikes tin range from 120mm of travel all the manner up to about 160mm, and quite often we see forks that are about 10mm longer than rear shocks. Added travel at the front end gives a bike a bit more composure on the downhill, while a shorter stroke at the rear makes information technology easier for designers to keep the chainstays compact leading to a lively feel on the trail.
While hardtail trail bikes are becoming less common, there are still a few holdouts. The simplicity of the frame keeps the toll downward, and expect to notice a 130-150mm fork and 29-inch or 27.v+ wheels and tires. If you are interested in a rigid trail feel, cheque out our best hardtail mountain bikes guide.
29 or 27.5-inch wheels?
Over the years, the wheel size debate has been hotly contested. Trail bikes take reward of both cycle sizes, and historically if you wanted an agile and maneuverable ride, 27.5 was your ticket, while if you were looking for rollover and speed, yous'd want a 29er. However, equally things have progressed, brands seem to exist embracing the larger bike size.
Because a 27.five-inch wheel with a 2.8-inch tire is roughly the same bore as a 29er with ii.three-inch rubber, quite a lot of frames designed for bigger wheels will be compatible with both.
Alloy or carbon frame?
Alloy frames are cheaper to produce, so it's no surprise to find them at the lower cease of the pricing spectrum, while carbon dominates the upper stop. There are great bikes in both materials, and ultimately your budget volition decide what your new bike is fabricated from. Some brands offer an alloy version of a frame specced with elevation-terminate components for a fraction of the cost of the carbon frame with the same build. If y'all are planning on upgrading parts over fourth dimension go for the carbon version, if you are looking for the best performance to cost ratio so an alloy frame is probably the manner to get.
What components should I wait for?
For the nigh part, if you lot are choosing an XC bike, you will choose lightweight XC parts, and if you are going enduro, yous will get full enduro. Trail bikes are a little different and really blur the lines between disciplines. Much of the component option will be dependent on your local trails and riding style.
If your principal whip is a downhill bike or you lot are looking to endeavor out the odd flake of enduro low-cal, there is no damage lamentatory upward components like wheels, tires or brakes to handle the actress stresses. However, if your trails are tamer or if cruising and flow is more your style, choosing lighter weight parts and faster rolling tires will brand a cycle livelier on the descents and more than eager on the ups.
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Source: https://www.bikeperfect.com/features/best-trail-mountain-bikes
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