The 10 Best Mountain Bikes of 2018

Excellent All-Around Bikes

These bikes are straightforward enough for newbies but offer performance that even the most advanced rider will appreciate. Case in point, Danny MacAskill takes trials riding to the next level on the Santa Cruz 5010, which shares a frame with the Juliana Furtado below. Two to four grand is a lot, but it pays dividends in skill development.

Best All-Around Trail Bike

Santa Cruz Hightower C R 2018

$3,999.00 at Competitive Cyclist See It

Wheel Size: 29 | Rear Travel: 135mm

A well-rounded option for an aggressive rider, the Hightower is lively enough to style out flow trails and grounded enough to charge down enduro-light terrain with authority. Never quite playful, the Hightower's confident nature and hardheaded attitude make it a blast on trail. It will make it down the hill. A comfortable and neutral cockpit sets you up to make good use of a smooth pedal platform. This makes for pleasant climbing, even though the 135mm bike can feel bulky at slow speeds and when working around uphill turns. At this price point, the build spec leaves a lot to be desired, but the NX drivetrain and RockShox Revelation don't detract from the frame's excellent performance.

Buy it if you want a balanced trail bike that calmly climbs the mountain and gets rowdy when slaying back down. The Hightower feels right at home on the vast majority of singletrack. It's perfect as a do-it-all bike for an aggressive trail rider or as a lighter duty choice for a regular enduro rider.

Read review: Santa Cruz Hightower C R 2018

Best Light Trail Bike

Santa Cruz Tallboy D 29 2017

$2,699.00 at Competitive Cyclist See It

Wheel Size: 29 in | Rear Travel: 110mm

The Tallboy is a well-rounded 29er that doesn't suffer anywhere on trail. It's a swift climber that descends with more confidence than its short-travel status suggests. This bike is more playful than many longer travel rigs and corners easily enough, but it has a distinct 29er feel in the turns. The Tallboy's light-hearted approach to mellow trails ramps up to rad for the burlier terrain. While the Tallboy can certainly take on some big lines, its 110mm of Virtual Pivot Point suspension and 120mm RockShox Recon Silver fork can only do so much. Your body takes more of a beating than it would on a longer travel bike. The Tallboy's lower price point means lower quality components. The high-caliber frame design justifies the price, but you might end up buying a dropper post, burlier rear tire, and higher quality fork.

Buy it if you often find yourself on moderate trails and relish long climbs but still want to take on the occasional harder-hitting descent. The women's version of the Tallboy is called the Juliana Joplin. It's the same frame with a lighter shock tune, smaller contact points. Like the Tallboy the Joplin can accept 27.5+ wheels.

Read review: Santa Cruz Tallboy 2017

Best Hardtail Trail Bike

Specialized Fuse Expert 6Fattie 2017

$2,000 List List Price See It

Wheel Size: 27.5+ in | Fork Travel: 120mm

The Fuse is a warm welcome back to the hardtail category for our long-time testers. A hardtail's jarring feel teaches new riders to pick smoother lines and to absorb hits with soft knees and elbows, but it can beat you up and wear you out. The Fuse's 27.5 x 3" Specialized Purgatory and Ground Control plus-size tires take the edge off. They also offer infinite traction. The combination of mid-fat tires and the bike's balanced geometry keep it surprisingly stable and confidence inspiring on descents. It offers a playful ride with a light feel. For your average after-work ride, the Fuse is a low-maintenance dream bike. While the Fuse pedals and handles well on the climbs, the extra traction makes it feel sluggish. The bike performed well in our short uphill time trials, but we don't want to grind it uphill all day. It's not a problem on your average two-hour ride.

Buy it if you want a grab-and-go bike to usher you into the sport with confidence or a low-maintenance addition to the quiver.

Read review: Specialized Fuse Expert 6Fattie 2017

Best Women's Trail Bike

Juliana Furtado R 2018

$3,899.00 at Competitive Cyclist See It

Wheel Size: 27.5 in | Rear Travel: 130 mm

The Juliana Furtado is a versatile, balanced and fun-filled ride. The cockpit sets riders up in a comfortable but aggressive stance, ready to attack the trail. A stellar descender, the Furtado takes high speeds and a reasonable amount of chop in stride. The Furtado also provides excellent handling and rider comfort on the climbs. The $3,899 price tag buys you a carbon fiber frame with a dialed suspension design and spot-on geometry. While the components may be mediocre, this bike has excellent bones and is ready to rip out of the box. The 30:42 gearing on the R build forces you to work for the climbs, but will get you to the top in a hurry. It also lets you crank through rolling descents and the flats.

Buy it if you are mostly on moderately technical trails but like to get a little rowdy. The Furtado is the same bike as the Santa Cruz 5010, which rocks a stiffer shock tune for heavier riders.

Read review: Juliana Furtado 2018

Our Favorite Fun and Playful Bikes

If you love cutting sharp technical lines or creatively linking every side hit in sight, these are the bikes for you. While user-friendly enough for rookies, these bikes offer next-level performance for advanced riders to exploit. Their agile nature is better for airtime and precision than head down, straight-line plowing. If the latter is your bag, check out the enduro end of the spectrum where the Yeti SB5.5 resides.

Best Playful Trail Bike

Ibis Ripley LS NX 2018

$3,999.00 at Competitive Cyclist See It

Wheel Size: 29 in | Rear Travel: 120 mm

The Ibis Ripley LS is hands-down the most playful bike we've tested, and its wide 29-inch tires provide velcro-like grip. Sharp handling and a lively feel will have you pushing this 120mm bike to the max. The Ripley LS is surprisingly spritely for a 29er. It also rides bigger than such short travel would suggest thanks to those wagon wheels and dialed suspension design. On the downside, the distractingly high fun factor and killer confidence levels can get you in over your head in a hurry. It's still a short-travel trail bike. While it's a supremely comfortable climber and spritely pedaler, it doesn't climb like a race rocket.

Buy it if you love confident and lively downhill performance. The Ripley LS is best for riders who enjoy a wide range of trails but avoid the ultra-rough ones. The Commencal Meta TR below is a better choice for slightly more aggressive charging on the descents.

Read reviews: Ibis Ripley LS 2018, Ibis Ripley LS 2017

Best Buy Mid-Travel Trail Bike

Commencal Meta TR 4.2 Essential 2017

$3,249 List List Price See It

Wheel Size: 27.5 in | Rear Travel: 130 mm

The multi-purpose Commencal Meta TR 4.2 Essential is a great go-to bike for 90% percent of trails on any given mountain. The Meta TR's precise steering skills combine with stability to find and hold your line with confidence. It can handle everything short of super gnarly descents. A solid pedal platform keeps you cranking, holding enough speed to hunt down every sneaky side hit in sight. This bike is a blast. The Meta TR also climbs much better than its bulky looks, stiff gearing, and substantial weight imply. Its narrow, 2.25-inch Maxxis Ardent rear tire and 24mm rims are our only cause for complaint. A fatter footprint would soften up the ride, and more traction in the rear would grant even more confidence. While tough terrain rattles this mid-travel bike, the Meta TR's limits align with expectations for this travel range.

Buy it if you want an agile trail bike that can also charge downhill. Less playful than the Ibis Ripley LS, the Meta TR keeps flow trails fun and can tackle black diamond terrain. On the rougher sections of trail, its confidence drops, requiring attentive line choices.

Read review: Commencal Meta TR 2017

The Best Bikes for Rough Trails

These longer travel bikes might be overkill for most trails but beg for hard days on rougher ones. They balance climbing efficiency with authority in gnarly black diamond terrain. On less demanding rides, these bikes can mute mellow fun trails so much that they feel boring. The shorter travel bikes mentioned above do a better job of doling out the grins on tamer terrain.

Best Quiver Killer for Bigger Hits

Santa Cruz Hightower LT XE 2018

$5,699.00 at Competitive Cyclist See It

Wheel Size: 29 in | Rear Travel: 150 mm

The 2018 Santa Cruz Hightower LT is a contender. Like the Yeti SB5.5, it's efficient enough for everyday rips but capable enough for the enduro start gate. The Hightower LT tackles downhill trails with confidence and composure. This bike can stand up to big impacts with impressive poise. It is a bit harsh on small bumps where the anti-squat has a negative effect. This bike is s a capable all-day climber but its suspension can get hung up on technical climbs. You'll find yourself tagging on extra miles just to keep riding the Hightower LT.

The Hightower LT is more capable on big-line descents compared to the SB5.5. Those who ride choppy trails with fewer big hits will love the calm suspension on the Yeti. Originally we found the Hightower LT to be a superior climber to the Yeti SB5.5. After more extensive testing, we found the active suspension on the SB5.5 to provide better traction on technical terrain. Buy the LT if you balance long or short climbs with aggressive descending. It's an especially good choice for riders with the skills and desire to cut a tight line through the most technical terrain.

Read the First Look: Hightower LT 2018

Best Quiver Killer for Smaller Bumps

Yeti SB5.5 X01 Eagle 2017

$7,199.00 at Competitive Cyclist See It

Wheel Size: 29 in | Rear Travel: 140 mm

The Yeti SB5.5 is precisely what we want an aggressive trail bike to be. It can tackle enduro race courses and serve as your daily driver. Armed with 140mm of Switch Infinity travel, the SB5.5 is stable and confident on descents. Small and midsize impacts are tremendously calm but things get jarring on bigger hits. The SB5.5 is a pleasant and composed climber. This bike offers plenty of traction on technical climbs where the active suspension pays dividends. For riders who relish long days of rolling trails or tons of uphill miles without an aggressive downhill reward, the burly 5.5. might be overkill. Glancing down from the cockpit, the 160mm Fox 36 and 2.5-inch DHF make it clear this bike prefers rougher terrain.

The Santa Cruz Hightower LT has a more composed feel on bigger impacts but cannot match the small bump compliance of the Yeti SB5.5. Initially, we gave the climbing advantage to the Santa Cruz. After extensive testing, we found that the SB5.5's active suspension provides excellent traction on the climb. The Hightower LT has a firmer pedal platform but its rear end can get hung up on technical climbs. Buy the SB5.5 if you love ripping through challenging terrain at breakneck speeds or would like to add confidence to your all-mountain game. It's best for those benefiting from an aggressive bike by regularly shredding burly terrain.

Read review: Yeti SB5.5 2017

Best Buy Aggressive Trail Bike

Canyon Spectral AL 6.0 2018

$2,399 List List Price See It

Wheel Size: 27.5 in | Rear Travel: 140 mm

The Canyon Spectral is a very well-rounded aggressive trail bike. This aluminum fun-machine can motor uphill confidently. Canyon's Triple Phase Suspension design provides a reliable pedaling platform with excellent traction. Modern, long and low geometry makes the Spectral formidable when aimed down descents. The bike is a stable and predictable descender that provides quick handling. On top of its superb skills on the trail, the Spectral AL 6.0 carries an impressive price tag, making it an excellent value. For $2,399 you get a SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain, SRAM Guide brakes, KS Lev dropper post and a RockShox Pike fork. A bit heavy for the longest of rides, the Spectral also gets skittish on enduro-grade burly descents. This bike can get aggressive, but it isn't a pure enduro bike.

Buy it if your rides are not excessively long and if you moderate your exposure to ultra-steep and punishing rock gardens. Wide rubber, dialed geometry, and impressive components make the Canyon Spectral a no-brainer for the budget conscious buyer.

Read First Look Review: Canyon Spectral AL 6.0 2018

Excellent Options for the Gnar

While they certainly smooth out rowdy descents for any rider, these enduro bikes take aggressive handling to really shine. They climb serviceably enough to avoid the shuttle rig, but these bikes are not the most inspiring when heading uphill.

Best Enduro Descender

Santa Cruz Nomad R 2018

$3,599.00 at Competitive Cyclist See It

Wheels: 27.5 in | Rear Travel: 170mm

The 2018 Santa Cruz Nomad V4 lives for frightening high speeds and steep trails. This new iteration of the classic long-travel bike boasts more travel, reworked suspension linkage and adjustable geometry. The result? A pure, unadulterated downhill performance that is comfortable at the bike park or blasting shuttle laps. Climbing abilities are less than impressive. This long-travel bike has a mini-downhill feel and the uphill experience suffers dearly as a result. It is possible to power this bike up any trail, it simply requires patience and a whole lot of effort.

Buy the 2018 Nomad if you're looking for an extremely downhill dominated experience. This is a great option for the rider who frequently shuttles or rides lift-accessed terrain. This is also a great choice for those who own a sporty trail bike and want a long-travel bike for the quiver. The Juliana Strega is the women's version of this bike with lighter shock tuning. Both the Nomad and Strega are available in an extra small frame size.

Read review: Santa Cruz Nomad R 2018

Best Buy Enduro Descender

Commencal Meta AM 4.2 Essential

$3,349 List List Price See It

Wheel Size: 27.5 in | Rear Travel: 160 mm

Stability and confidence at speed come at a bargain in the Commencal Meta AM 4.2 Essential. For $3,349 you get a shred-ready enduro beast with a 170mm RockShox Lyrik fork, SRAM Guide R brakes, and a SRAM GX 1x11 drivetrain. It is a pure-bred enduro sled, i.e., it can climb, but it doesn't love to. It can get up a hill spinning nice and slow on smooth terrain. If you get your fun from vanquishing massive rock gardens with a single point and shoot, you're going to be stoked on the Meta AM. Playful it is not. Look to the Santa Cruz Nomad for a more lively and maneuverable descent. This is also not the bike for any climbing-intensive trail rides. Technical or hurried climbs are a tedious and tiring experience.

Buy it if you want untouchable descending skills at a bargain and are willing to sacrifice climbing abilities.

Read review: Commencal Meta AM 4.2 Essential

How to Buy a Mountain Bike

Buying a mountain bike is a big purchase decision and can seem overwhelming. Terms like mid-travel, short-travel, and enduro are thrown in your face like confetti. OutdoorGearLab is here to help you avoid the hype and find the right mountain bike for you.

Below, we explain mountain bike types and the terrain they were created to tackle. Once you've narrowed it down to the category of bike you want, consider things like wheel size (i.e., 26", 27.5", or 29"), tire size (i.e., 2.25" to 3") and whether you want to buy a complete bike or build your own. If you're female, or just like a range of color choices and smaller bike sizes, there's the whole women's bike thing to consider. We'll walk you through those decisions as well.

Where do you want to ride?

Think about what type of terrain you spend the majority of your time riding, what kind of riding puts the biggest grin your face, and what type of terrain you want to ride as you progress. Got it? Read on.

Cross-Country Bikes

are appropriate if you like long smooth climbs and don't care for comfort. This probably isn't you. Folks interested in a true cross-country bikes are probably racers who value pedaling and climbing speed over comfort and fun. Stiff and brutally efficient, cross-country bikes are either hardtails, meaning they have no rear suspension, or they have about 100mm of rear suspension. A low front end, steep geometry, and narrow tires prioritize pedaling and climbing skills over descending prowess.

Riders who gravitate to very smooth trails might enjoy the outright efficiency of these bikes. If you like heading downhill where there may be rocks, a cross-country bike lacks the confidence to hit high speeds and charge descents without feeling under-gunned.

Trail Hardtails

are a great option if you'd rather just get out and ride than attack steep or rough terrain regularly. Simple, low maintenance, and speedy — these no-frills bikes do not have a rear suspension but feature more aggressive trail bike geometry. As a result, they are very efficient pedallers that and are perfectly capable of getting a little rad. Less experienced riders will gain valuable skills on these less forgiving bikes, which benefit from excellent line choices and proper form. Hardtail trail bikes are relatively versatile but require some caution on the descents as they tend to be somewhat harsh. Riders who prefer to attack steeper and rougher terrain with any regularity should look into a full-suspension bike.

Since hardtails require less technology, they are usually less expensive than full suspension bikes. A lower price point makes hardtails an excellent option for passionate riders on a budget. If you think these are the bikes for you, check out these five trail focused hardtails.

Short-Travel Trail Bikes

are excellent if you value variety, efficient climbing, and aren't hell-bent on slaying descents. Short-travel trail bikes feature about 110-130mm of rear wheel travel. They are practical for those looking for full-suspension confidence and comfort without sacrificing efficiency. Riders who like to pound out serious miles will feel comfortable aboard these short-legged steeds. Bicycles in this category would be an excellent option for those who ride flatter terrain or live in mountainous areas but don't want to push the envelope to get aggressive on the descents. Riders seeking a more well-rounded climbing/descending experience might be interested in pulling some more heft with a mid-travel bike. If this seems like the balance of bike skills you've been looking for, check out the 110 to 130mm options in our constantly updated Trail Bike Review. Travel numbers appear in Suspension & Travel row of our Test Results and Ratings Table.

Mid-Travel Trail Bikes

are an MTB sweet spot perfect for anyone who destroys descents but still values climbing skills. These bikes are very versatile and provide strong performance in all areas. They balance climbing skills and descending capabilities beautifully and are comfortable on the overwhelming majority of trails. Mid-travel bikes are just as comfortable making the occasional trip to the bike park as they are doing a 30-mile trail ride. This suspension range, 130-150mm, works for a wide range of riders. If you live in a primarily flat or smooth region, these bikes could prove to be overkill. If the highlight of each of your rides is flying down the super-gnar, you should look into an enduro/long-travel rig. If you're interested in this multi-faceted and fun category, head our ever-evolving Trail Bike Review to read about fantastic daily drivers in the 130 to 150mm range. Find travel numbers in the last visible row of the Test Results and Ratings Table.

Enduro Bikes

love to bomb technical descents and climb just enough get to the top. Long-travel, or enduro, bikes are awesome for those who don't mind carrying some extra bike around in the name of getting rowdy. With 155 to 170mm of travel, they pedal reasonably well, but efficiency is not their defining trait. These bikes are not the best for long distance rides, and will not set any climbing records. Enduro bikes focus on high speeds and rough downhills. Those looking for freeride lines or park laps will be more than comfortable aboard these shred sleds. To learn more, read our review of the top enduro bikes.

Now What?

Once you know what know what kind of mountain bike you want, a few component decisions will help you narrow down the field considerably.

Wheel Size

— Back in the day, MTB wheels were all 26 inches. Now, 27.5-inch and 29-inch versions are far more common on the trail. The 26-inch bike is all but dead. The benefit of bigger wheels is that they make trail features smaller by comparison. As a result, you can roll over more chunder with less effort. Bigger wheels are also faster and carry speed well through chunky terrain. The argument for smaller wheels is that they are easier to maneuver and therefore, more fun. For a few short years, many riders thought 27.5-inch wheels were the sweet spot between rollover benefits of 29ers and tossability of 26-inch bikes. Modern frame geometry drastically improved the performance of 29ers, and they are allowing from more precise and playful handling than ever before. Many frames now offer a few wheel and tire size options. It's still valuable to think through which one you want to commit to. We don't know anyone who regularly switches between wheelsets.

Tire Size and Rim Width

— Normal tires are slowly getting wider over time, at the moment they tend to run 2.35-inches on most trail bikes. More aggressive bikes are now coming with 2.4, 2.5 or even 2.6-inch versions on wider rims. Wider tires offer tons of traction and a little softer ride but provide more resistance when heading uphill. Then, there are your plus-sized, or mid-fat, tires. These run from 2.8-inches to 3-inches. We like the 2.8-inch versions as they offer traction and often give you defined cornering knobs to dig into turns. Three-inch tires give you plenty of grip, but a vague cornering feel due to smaller, more uniform knobs. To get really geeky about tires, check out our MTB tire review.

Tires are easy to switch out. Rims are a much pricier and time-consuming fix. Anything less than a 25mm rim is now considered narrow for an aggressive trail or enduro bike. We recommend trying to find something in the range of 26mm to 30mm. For less aggressive bikes it's less critical, but traction is traction. We like it on all of our bikes. It's a good idea to ask manufacturers or dealers what range of tires you can run on their rims.

Choosing a Complete Bike Build

• Frame. Aluminum vs. Carbon is your first big decision point. Choosing an aluminum frame offers substantial cost savings. It's slightly heavier, flexes more easily, and is somewhat weaker than carbon. If you're just trying to get out on your bike, aluminum is great. Consider carbon fiber if investing in your bike is a priority, and you plan on having it for an extended period. Carbon fiber ages better than aluminum.

• Fork and Rear Shock. A higher end fork and rear shock will be more adjustable to your weight, riding style, and personal preference.

• Drivetrain. It's important to note if the drivetrain has one (1x) or two (2x) chainrings. Two chainrings require a front derailleur, meaning you have shifters on both sides of your handlebars. We like 1x better. It's simpler, easier to shift, leaves more room for a dropper seatpost control, and is less to destroy.

• Wheelset. Higher quality is better, but pay attention to the rim width, which can drastically alter how effective your tires are. Rims are getting wider along with tires, making traction plentiful and bikes more comfortable.

• Seatpost. We highly recommend a dropper seatpost. Here's a review of some of the best. If you're not a convert already, it will change your game more than any other single shift. Sometimes it's worth jumping up to a higher quality complete build to get one and sometimes it makes more sense to get one separately.

Women's Bikes

The majority of mountain bikes are considered unisex models. What makes any bike a women's bike, is whether or not a woman is riding it. The problem with only providing unisex models for both men and women is that these bikes are set up for the average rider. The average rider still skews male and is around 30 pounds heavier than a woman of approximately the same height (according to women's MTB company Juliana and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Men are also taller than women on average. This means that frames can be too big and shock tunes can be too stiff for smaller, lighter riders.


Several bike manufacturers address this issue by making women's specific models. Some take a step further and branch off into separate, women's specific companies. Examples of the former include Specialized and Trek. Examples of the latter include Santa Cruz's Juliana and Giant's Liv. It used to be more common to build women's bikes from the ground up with unique geometry. Now most companies provide unisex frames with lighter shock tunes, different colors, and women's specific touch points. These touch points include women's saddles, smaller grips, and sometimes shorter cranks and handlebars.


Liv is the noted exception, foregoing unisex geometry to create unique women's specific frames. We found their Pique SX frame comfortable but less performance-oriented than our favorite women's bike, the Juliana Furtado. The Furtado shares its chassis with the unisex Santa Cruz 5010.

Setting frame design aside, we find sizing and shock tunes to be the most essential elements of a women's mountain bike. First, a bike has to fit. Second, its fork and shock need to respond to small impacts and use their full travel range on larger hits. At that point, you have a functioning mountain bike. We found the lighter tunes on the three women's bikes we tested worked very well for our 100 to 130-pound testers, some of whom have a tough time dialing in the unisex bikes that they ride.

In other words, women just need bikes in smaller sizes with appropriate shock tunes. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of bikes available that fit this description. Companies tweak only a fraction of unisex bikes to make women's specific models. Women can undoubtedly make shocks with stiffer tunes work, sometimes by appealing to the shock manufacturers themselves. It's just harder and time-consuming, a real bummer when you just want to get on your bike and ride.

Consumer Direct vs. Local Bike Shop

More bike manufacturers are offering their products directly to the consumer than ever before, using that ultimate storefront real estate, the world-wide-web. Cutting out the middle-man, i.e., the bike shop, offers serious savings, resulting in truly unheard of component quality on low-cost complete bikes. Of course, that doesn't guarantee that you're getting a quality frame. Check out the YT, Commencal, and Intense consumer direct options in our trail bike review, to find out how they compare to the high-end offerings.

Convenience and savings come at the cost of the camaraderie and support offered by your local bike shop. Buying a mountain bike from Joe Sprocket down the street includes the price of a retainer for your local bike expert. Quick repairs, component suggestions, warranties, etc. — Mr. Sprocket is liable to help you out.

How Many Bikes Do you Need?

Not many of us enjoy the luxury of having a multi-bike quiver to tackle each trail with a precision weapon. That's why we emphasize short, and mid-travel trail bikes as the do-it-all shred-sleds for the masses. They are efficient enough for long rides and composed enough to head downhill on the majority of terrain you ride regularly. Short-travel skews climbing and mid-travel balances up and downhill more equally. You can always rent a longer travel ride for a day at the bike park.

Conclusion

This article should help you decide which type of bike will best suit you and your favorite trails. It should also help you think through some of the big secondary decisions to narrow your search. After that primer, look back at the descriptions of our editor's' choice bikes for each of the categories. These bikes are our favorites of the hundreds that we've researched and 30 that we've tested. They're a good place to start. We're continually researching, purchasing and testing new rides to help with your MTB search. We know this is a big purchase decision, and we want to make it easier so you can get out on the trails and to the goods.